Chapter Seven

	It was almost midnight when Seiya walked back to his apartment.  His eyes hurt 
from studying so much.  He couldn’t see  how Sakura did it.  his thoughts went back to 
how he couldn’t transform.  He hoped that Taiki, and Yaten were awake.  Much to his 
relief, the lights were on.  “Taiki, Yaten, you here?” Seiya asked.
	“No, Seiya!  The lights are on, but there’s nobody home,” Yaten said 
sarcastically.
	“Yaten, this is serious.  I can’t transform anymore.”
	Taiki looked up from his newspaper in shock., “What are you talking about?”
	Seiya pulled his broken transformation wings out of his pocket and showed them 
to Taiki and Yaten.  Yaten hastily reached into his pocket.  His face fell when he pulled 
out his crumbled remnants of his transformation wings.  They both looked at Taiki 
expectantly.  Taiki pulled his wings out of the pocket of his jacket.  They were snapped in 
two.
	“Dammit!” Yaten exploded, “Nothing has gone right since we came back!”
	“there really isn’t anything we can do, except hope that our princess finds us,” 
Taiki said reasonably.

	A few days later, Hime walked to the game center to see Motoki.  The game 
center was closed, and dark inside, so she went up to the cafe to see his sister.
	Unazuki spotted Hime.  “Hime-san!  Come sit down!”
	Hime sat down at a table, and waited for Unazuki’s break, drumming her fingers 
on the table.  When Unazuki asked what was up, Hime asked where Motoki was.
	“he got a phone call this morning.  He seemed pretty upset.  He told me to tell our 
father that he wasn’t coming today.  That’s why the game center is closed.  He couldn’t 
find a replacement.”
	“What happened?” Hime asked, worried.
	“I don’t know.  I can call him and ask.”
	“Would you?” Hime asked gratefully.
	Unazuki stood and walked over to the pay phone.  Five minutes later, she walked 
back and sat down heavily.
	“What’s wrong?” Hime asked.
	Unazuki sighed, “Motoki-oni-san’s girlfriend, Reika-san, was killed in a car 
accident.”
	Hime turned pale, “Girlfriend?”
	“Oh no, you and Motoki-oni-san have become attached, haven’t you?  That baka 
didn’t tell you about Reika-san?”
	Hime shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks.  “He never said anything 
about a girlfriend.  He said I was his girlfriend.”  Hime started sobbing and laid her head 
on the table.  Unazuki walked around and hugged Hime.
	“I’ll talk to him for you, Hime-san.  I’m sure he cares about you a lot.”
	“Yeah, I’m sure,” Hime said sarcastically.  “I’m going to go, I feel like going for 
a jog.  I think I might ask Mamoru-san to go with me.  Bye, Unazuki-san.”
	Hime went to her apartment, glad nobody was there, and changed into her jogging 
clothes.  She ran over to Mamoru’s apartment.
	“Hai!” Mamoru called when Hime rang the doorbell.
	Hime walked into his apartment, “Mamoru-san, do you want to go for a jog with 
me?” She asked.  After being introduced to Mamoru a few weeks before, she discovered 
that he loved jogging, and the two became fast jogging partners.
	Mamoru stood and walked over to Hime, “Look, your eyes are all red.”  He 
smoothed her hair down.
	Hime took a step back, “So do you want to go?”
	“Sure, let me change into my jogging clothes.”  Mamoru walked into his room 
and closed the door.
	I wonder what that was all about, Hime thought.
	Mamoru changed, and walked out of his bedroom.  The two started stretching.  
“So are you going to tell me what’s wrong, Hime-san?” 
	“It’s nothing, Mamoru-san.  Don’t worry about it.”
	“You’ll eventually tell me.  I think you want somebody to confide in,” he finished 
stretching, “You ready?”
	“Yeah.”
	The two jogged down the street, Hime jogging hard, almost wildly.  She was 
several feet ahead of Mamoru, who was a fast jogger.
	“Hime-san!  Slow down!” Mamoru called.
	Hime reluctantly slowed down.  She had always loved the peaceful feeling that 
settled her nerves when she ran.  Perhaps she would challenge Haruka to a race...
	“...Sakura-san?” Mamoru asked.
	“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Hime asked.
	“I asked ‘how is Sakura-san?’”
	“Oh, she’s fine,” Hime said absently.
	Mamoru grabbed her shoulder, “Let’s stop for a while, you run too fast.  You 
might be better off with Haruka-san.”
	Hime attempted a smile, “I was just thinking that.”
	“Look, there’s Motoki-kun,” Mamoru waved to him.
	“I have to go,” Hime said, and jogged off.
	“I think you just missed her,” Mamoru said to Motoki as he walked up.
	“Dammit, I don’t need this right now,” He covered his face with his hands.
	“What’s wrong?” Mamoru asked.
	“It’s Reika-chan.”
	“Did you two break up?”
	“I wish it was that.  Reika was killed in a car accident.”  Fresh tears rolled down 
Motoki’s cheeks.
	“Reika-chan?”
	“Unazuki-chan told Hime-chan about Reika-chan.  I never told her that I had a 
girlfriend.  I told her that she was my girlfriend.”
	“Motoki-kun, why would you do something like that?” Mamoru said sternly.  “I 
could never do that, it’s plain cruel.”
	“You don’t understand, Mamoru-kun.  The moment I met Hime-chan, I forgot all 
about Reika-chan.  I was completely fixated on Hime-chan,” Motoki explained.
	“You told me the same thing about Reika-chan.” Mamoru said.
	Motoki pounded his fist hard on the railing of the bridge they were on.  “You 
don’t understand.”
	“I would never cheat on my Usa-ko.”
	“Forget about it,” Motoki said.
	What am I lecturing Motoki-kun about, Mamoru thought, I never thought that I 
would feel this way about anyone other than Usa-ko as I do about Hime-san.  I don’t 
know what it is.  Maybe it’s because they both look so much alike.
	“Mamo-chan!” A voice called out.  Usagi came running up and hugged him 
tightly.  “Oh, you’re here too, Motoki-oni-san!” Usagi turned back around to Mamoru, 
“Mamo-chan, how come you haven’t called me?  I’ve been worried about you!”
	Mamoru chuckled nervously, “Uh, I was afraid that your dad would answer the 
phone,” Mamoru replied.
	“That’s never stopped you before!”
	“I’ve also been studying for school.”
	“But, Mamo-chan, you’re school is on break right now.”
	“I also haven’t been feeling well.”
	“Mamo-chan, you’re still not feeling well?” Usagi asked, worried.
	“Usa-ko, don’t worry about me.  I’m a big boy now.”
	Usagi pushed Mamoru lightly, “Mamo-chan.”

	Ritsuko and Miaka were walking down the street toward the bookstore to buy 
manga.  They passed a pet shop where several kittens were displayed in the window, 
romping playfully. 
	Miaka pressed her nose up to the window, “Look at the kittens, Ritsuko-chan!  
They’re so cute!”
	“They’re just kittens,” Ritsuko said, sounding bored.
	Miaka ignored her, “I like the black one with the white socks.  It looks like it just 
stepped in paint!  Oh, I wish I could get it, but it’s too expensive.”  The two girls walked 
away from the story as Yaten watched Miaka from the other side of the street.

	Yaten walked across the street to the pet shop once Miaka and Ritsuko were out 
of sight.  He picked up the kitten with the white socks out of the display and bought it.  
The cashier tied a blue ribbon around it’s neck, and Yaten walked out of the store.  
“Miaka-chan is going to love you!” Yaten said to the kitten.  He scratched the kitten’s 
stomach, and it rewarded him with a purr.
	Yaten walked to Miaka’s apartment, hoping Miaka wasn’t there.  He knocked on 
the door, and Sakura answered.
	“What do you want, Yaten-san?” she asked testily.
	Yaten held the kitten up to Sakura, “I wanted to give this to Miaka-chan.”
	“Aww!  It’s so cute!” Sakura said, taking the kitten, “Seiya-kun would never get 
me anything as cute as this,” she said under her breath.
	“What?” Yaten asked.
	“Oh, nothing.  Don’t worry about it.”
	“So, will you give it to her for me?” Yaten asked eagerly.
	Sakura smiled softly, “Sure.”
	“So what are you doing here all by yourself?” Yaten asked curiously.
	“Oh, well, Hime-chan hasn’t been back since this morning, and Ritsuko-chan and 
Miaka-chan went out to buy more manga, so I decided to stay here and try to sleep 
some.”
	Yaten looked down at her, “you know, I’m really not used to talking to a girl 
that’s shorter than me.  There’s hardly any out there,” he said jokingly.
	“Hey!  Keep in mind that you’re shorter than both Seiya-kun and Taiki-san!”
	Yaten tucked a card into the ribbon the kitten was wearing, “I’d better be going.  
Do you want me to tell Seiya to come over here or something?”
	“No, that’s alright.  See ya around, Yaten-san.” Sakura closed the door.

	Ami and Usagi were walking down the street when Usagi squealed with delight.
	“What now, Usagi-chan?” Ami asked, annoyed.
	Usagi tore a poster down from a lightpost, “The three lights are having a concert!” 
	“Yeah, I heard about it over the radio.  They’re already sold out.”
	“Ami-chan!” Usagi whined.  She suddenly became determined, “I’ll ask Seiya for 
tickets!” She marched down the street towards his apartment.
	“Usagi-chan!  Wait up!” Ami called after her.

	Seiya was in his room practicing the drums when Usagi bounded into his room 
and slammed her hands down onto his shoulders.  Seiya whirled around, clutching his 
chest, “Odango!  You scared me!  Who let you in?”
	“Taiki-san did!  Seiya, you wouldn’t happen to have any extra tickets for your 
concert, would you?” Usagi asked eagerly.
	Seiya put on a bored look, and held up eight tickets, “You didn’t really think that I 
would leave you all out in the cold, did you?” Seiya handed Usagi seven of the tickets.
	Usagi snatched them and looked closely, “Ami-chan!  These are front row, center 
seats!”
	Seiya smiled, “You haven’t seen Sakura-chan around anywhere, have you?”
	“No, we haven’t.  I asked her if she wanted to go to the library, but she declined,” 
Ami said.
	“Oh, alright,” Seiya stood, “I guess I’ll go over to her apartment and give her the 
ticket.”  Seiya walked out of the apartment behind Usagi and Ami.

	Sakura was halfway asleep when the doorbell rang.  The sound snapped her fully 
awake, “Dammit!” She exclaimed.  She shuffled towards the door and opened it, very 
annoyed.  “Oh!  Seiya-kun, it’s you!” her face formed a happy expression.

	Seiya looked at Sakura.  He thought she looked adorable in her pajamas, clutching 
her white teddy bear, looking very sleepy-eyed.  He smiled, “I’m sorry, am I bothering 
you?”
	“On no, don’t worry about it.  Come on in.”
	Seiya followed Sakura into the living room.  They both sat down.
	“So what were you doing just now?” Seiya asked.
	“Oh, I was just about to fall asleep.”
	“Oh, Sakura-chan!  I’m sorry!” Seiya apologized.  Although she looked adorable, 
the lack of sleep had taken it’s toll on her.  Her chocolate eyes were invaded by red, and 
there were dark circles under her eyes.  It also looked as if she had lost a considerable 
amount of weight from her already thin frame. 
	“don’t worry about it,” Sakura’s voice sounded thick.  She snuggled up to him.
	Seiya held a ticket in front of her face, “Do you want to come watch me sing?”
	He looked down at Sakura and saw that she was asleep.  He slid the ticket into her 
pocket.

	Ritsuko and Miaka were walking back to their apartment, Miaka complaining.  “I 
don’t believe that I didn’t get a ticket!  Everyone else got a ticket, why didn’t I?!”  They 
reached the apartment and Miaka threw the door open.  She spotted Seiya on the couch, 
“Seiya-kun, what are you doing here?” she asked loudly.
	Seiya held his finger up to his lips to quiet her.  He pointed to the sleeping Sakura.
	Ritsuko shoved Miaka, “You baka!”
	“Sorry, I didn’t see!”  Miaka walked to her room and saw the kitten, curled up and 
napping in the middle of her bed.  “Oh!” Miaka went to pick it up.  It mewed softly.  
Miaka noticed a card tucked into a blue ribbon wrapped around it’s neck.  She opened the 
card and recognized Yaten’s handwriting.  She saw a ticket embedded in the card, and 
realized why Usagi hadn’t given her one.  She sat down and began to read.

		Miaka-chan,
			I know you never want to speak to me again, but please do me this 	
	one favor and listen to what I have to say to you at this concert.  
				With Unrequited love, (I hope not for long)
					Yaten

	Miaka held the ticket and noted the awesome seats.  She decided to give Yaten 
one last chance and decided to go to the concert the next night.

	Hime sat on a bench in the park, exhausted from her vigorous jogging.  She 
watched sadly as all of the happy couples walked by.  To her disbelief, she wanted 
Motoki with her.  As if by request, Motoki walked up in front of her.
	“Hime-chan, we need to talk.”
	“About what?  You have another girlfriend out there that you’re hiding from me?” 
Hime got up from the bench and started to walk away.  Motoki grabbed her shoulder to 
stop her.  Hime turned and gave him a dirty look.  “You haven an excuse you want to 
feed me?  Or do you just like annoying people randomly?”
	“Hime-chan, stop it right now.  You’re the only thing important to me right now.”
	“Yeah, now that what’s-her-face, Reika-san, is dead!  I don’t know where you get 
off thinking that you’re the world’s greatest person, but I can tell you right now that you 
are completely and utterly wrong!” Hime shot back.
	Motoki’s eyes flamed.  He slapped Hime across the face.  Hime slowly reached 
up and touched her face.  Tears outlined the rims of her eyes.  Motoki looked down at his 
hand, not believing what he had just done.  “Hime-chan, I’m sorry.”
	“You know what?  I hate you!  Try talking to me in the next decade and I might 
give a damn!”  Hime ran out of the park at full speed, leaving Motoki standing by 
himself, with several people staring at him.