Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Love- Now and Then ❯ Love- Now and Then ( One-Shot )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

"Class dismissed," 27 yr. old Aino Minako said as the bell rang
loudly. The students got up and murmurs filled the room. They were all
eager to get out of there, after all, it is Friday. Minako smiled to
herself as she filed the tests from the last class. `I remember when I
was like that.'

*Flashback*

"Class dismissed," Miruki-sensei said. A 16 yr. old Minako jumped up
from her seat.

"Sayonara, Miruki-sensei!" Minako screamed.

"Remember to do your homework! You boyfriend won't be an excuse
again!" Minako nodded and ran outside. Running down the street, she
waited impatiently for the crowd of male students to pour out of the
Archbishop Academy for Boys.

Just then, the bell rang and the crowd burst through the door. Through
the many people, she spotted a head of shoulder length, silver hair.
Immediately, she ran and through her arms around him. "Kunzite!"

The man chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, receiving the
warm greeting. "Bye, guys," he said with a smile as he waved to his
friends. With her arm hooked around his, they walked off happily. The
vibe was one of a fairy tale.

*End Flashback*

She sighed and sat down to her papers. She had a long night ahead of
her. All her classes had just taken a fifty-question test. "All right.
I'll take you all on at the same time," she encouraged herself as she
took out her red pen.

*Hours later*

Minako sighed as she walked down the cold streets of Tokyo. She passed
by a little old chapel and smiled. She had so many happy memories
there. They still haunted her every night. "Those were the days," she
whispered softly as she walked on.

**

Just as she walked down the street, a silver haired man crossed the
street towards the chapel. He didn't notice the golden haired woman
either. Fate was toying with them. Loosening his scarf around his
neck, he stepped into the chapel.

The feeling was there again as he walked down the aisle towards the
grand cross at the end. His fingertips brushed passed the mahogany
benches and remembered how his lovely bride had walked down the same
path. It's been a while since he's been back, but everything still
seems the same. Except this time, he was alone.

*Flashback*

"Should we really be doing this, Kunzite?" she asked with doubt
ringing in her clear voice. They stood outside the chapel, waiting for
a decision to be made--possibly the most important decision of their
lives.

Holding her hands in his, Kunzite turned to face her, his eyes
serious. "Do you love me, Minako?"

"You know I do," she said with a sweet smile.

"Then this is right. I don't care what anyone else says. We're not too
young. You're finally 18 and the law gives us permission to wed. Our
hearts know this is right. Unless, you don't want to be with me..." he
murmured the last part.

"No! I love you, Kunzite! Let's do this!" Her fiery spirit arose as
she saw her lover's eyes falter.

The spark in them recovered at her brilliant smile.

Laughing, they ran into the chapel hand in hand. It seemed quite
inappropriate to be so loud in such a holy place, but their spirits
just radiated.

*End Flashback*

He let out a heavy sigh. Everything had passed by so fast. All of a
sudden, he felt so old although he's only 30. "I do," he whispered
silently as he took out a ring from his pocket. He held it gently in
his hand, inspecting every curve. "I do."

**

"Coffee, coffee, coffee," Minako said exasperatedly as she entered the
coffee shop. She was in need of some, a nice warm cappuccino would do.
"Hi, Andrew," she said with a bright smile. Yup, good old Andrew. He'd
changed the place from a game center to a coffee shop as he matured.

"Hey, Minako. Tough day?" he said as he poured coffee out of the pot.
"Here, the usual." He handed her the cup of warm liquid and she
gratefully took it with a smile. She let the cup warm her freezing
hands.

"Let's see, over 180 50 question tests to correct. Yea, I'd consider
it a tough day," she said jokingly.

"Then would a date with me make the day any better?" he teased with a
smile. But he was pretty serious. He'd been asking her out since
goodness knows when.

"Don't even go there, Andrew," Mina said. She didn't know why he
bothered. He knew everything about her, her past, her present, her
feelings. He knew that she still couldn't let go of him.

"All right, all right. Hang on a sec, I have a customer. I'll be right
back. Try not to miss me too much," he said with a wink. She giggled.
She didn't know if she loved it or hated it when he flirted. Her
attention went back to her coffee as he walked down to the other end
of the counter.

**

Kunzite walked into the coffee shop with a heavy sigh. Maybe coming
back wasn't such a good idea. It made him remember everything he lost
and let go. Sitting down at the end of the counter, he waited for
service.

"What can I get you?" a sandy blonde haired man asked.

"A black coffee, please. To go," he made his order short. He wasn't
near tired and wanted to explore the rest of "modern" Tokyo. He wanted
to see what's changed and what haven't. Maybe he'd even bump into her.

A giggle rang from the other side of the room. It sounded so familiar,
so carefree. He looked over to find that the waiter was solicitating
with a customer. A very familiar looking customer. Her gold hair
tumbled down like a waterfall around her, no restrains. Her clear blue
eyes shined as the waiter stated another humorous comment. Her dark
brown sweater-duster covered part of her white sweater and dark jeans.
It was definitely her. She's changed, but he'd always recognize her.

He struggled internally with himself. `Should I approach her?' he
asked himself. But then, the sandy haired man told another comment,
causing her to burst out in sweet laughter. He used to drown in that
laughter. But now, she's passed it on for someone else.

`I would've been better off not seeing her again,' he thought to
himself as he turned to leave. It's not that he didn't want her to be
happy. It's just he couldn't bear the thought of her being with
someone else. For one reason or another, he thought she'd wait for
him. But she's found another, another man who can take better care of
her than he could.

He froze just as he heard an angelic voice call his name.

**

Minako waited for Andrew to return. "I know you just missed me so much
you could die," he said dramatically when he returned.

She laughed. He had horrible acting skills and they both knew it.
"Yea. I was just going to get that cheap, plastic knife over there and
stab myself if you hadn't return. You saved me!" she played along. She
may as well relax. Tension was for work. Now is her free time.

"Hey, don't make fun of my cheap plastic knives. They'll feel
offended," he said with a smile.

"Oh no, anything but that," she said again with a laugh. Just then,
out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement from the other end of
the counter.

Silver hair, that same silver hair. It had to be him. No one else had
hair like him. He even had the same broad, tall frame. "Kunzite?" she
called out to him. She didn't know if that was the right thing to do.
But although she's matured, she couldn't get rid of the habit of
thinking before speaking.

The man turned around and his steel gray eyes broke through walls of
emotions in her heart. It really was him. She didn't know if she
wanted it to be him or not. All she knew was that the man she'd
dreamed of for every night for the past 7 years was standing before
her.

"That's Kunzite?" Andrew said beside her. She barely remembered he's
still there. Slowly, she got up from her seat and walked towards him.
She seemed not even able to move, walking ever so slowly. Andrew just
stood, watching the love of his life slip away from him. He turned
away, knowing this is right for her. In fact, he knew she was never
his in the beginning. "Go for it, Minako. This way, you'll always be
perfect in my heart," he whispered softly, making sure no one heard
him as he turned back and took his place as part of the audience.

Shaking, she reached a hand up to touch his face, making sure he
wasn't just another apparition. No, he was warm and his face turned to
kiss the palm of her hand. Quickly, she pulled her hand away, using
both of them to cover her mouth as she gasped. Not knowing what to do,
they both stood.

Kunzite, still struggling, decided to do what he'd wanted to do for a
long time, he pulled her into his embrace. "I've missed you, he
whispered harshly in her hair. She nodded as tears began to soak the
shoulder of his coat. She pulled away first, smiling as she faced him.

"I'm uh... sorry about that," she said between sniffs. Kunzite stared
at her with her puffy red eyes. He realized that they were causing a
spectacle and decided to continue this somewhere else.

Andrew watched as they walked out hand in hand. He'd decided, it's the
last time he'll ever see Aino Minako again. He snapped out of his
trance when a auburn haired girl bumped into him. "I'm so sorry," she
said as their eyes met. She held out her hand with a smile, "I'm Kino
Makoto. I'm new in town. It's nice to meet you." With a smile, he
offered his hand.

"So, what brings you here?" Minako asked as they walked through the
park.

"Business trip," he said quietly.

"Figures. How long are you staying this time? You're still in the same
company? They've gotten quite big," she said with a smile. She
remembered how he was always off to work during their marriage. He'd
always say he's doing this for them.

"I'm leaving tomorrow. And yes, I'm still in the same company that you
despised so much. So, are you still modeling for that designer uh..."
he said as he tried to remember her name.

"Meiou Setsuna. And no, I'm a high school English teacher now.
Miruki-sensei is the principal now. Didn't see that coming now, didn't
you?" she said with a smile. He looked at her, she was surely pretty
enough to stay in the modeling business.

"No, not really. You, a school teacher. I guess anything's possible,"
he said. She playfully hit him on his forearm. They walked in silence
for a few minutes, debating what to say in their minds. "I've wanted
to ask you something for a long time. What happened?" They both
stopped and faced each other. Kunzite stared intensively at Minako,
but her gaze remained on the ground.

She looked up at him again, thinking of an answer to that question.
"Well, I left and... you didn't chase after me."

"I didn't know you wanted me to..." he said as they both drifted off
to a memory.

*AN: Parent Trap lines! Don't sue!*'

*Flashback*

"I hate this! I hate this!" Minako screamed as she jumped up and down.
She threw all the clothes from her husband's suitcase onto the floor.
Enraged, he looked up at her with his stormy eyes.

"Do you know what you're doing?" he yelled.

"Yes! I hate it! You're never here anymore! Is your job more important
than me?" she screamed.

He didn't reply. Right now, his career is the most important thing in
his life. At his reaction, Minako's mouth hung open. She screamed in
pain as she stormed out the tiny apartment.

After she left, he realized how wrong he'd been. Everything he did was
for her. He gave up his education for her, he worked so hard to give
her a better life. But now, what could he do? She could be anywhere.
He sank to the floor with despair, sobbing as his world shattered
around him.

Days later, he received the divorce paper by mail. Right there was her
signature. She couldn't even see him.

*End Flashback*

"It doesn't matter now. It's in the past," Minako said with a smile
and broke the silence. "I was young and naïve then."

"I should've been more understanding. But I just want you to know one
thing that I should've said seven years ago... I love you, and I
always will. Everything I did was for you." He whispered as he looked
at her.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she held out her arms again for a
hug. "I love you too," she whispered beside his ear.

They finally broke apart after several minutes. "So, what now?" he
asked. "Tomorrow I have to leave," he said.

"I know. It's getting late, I still have a class to teach tomorrow
morning. It's nice seeing you again, bye!" she ran off. She didn't
know what to say. She couldn't bear losing him again and she knew if
she stayed there, she wouldn't be able to let him go.

**

Kunzite entered the airport with his luggages in his hands. This visit
had been like a dream. Everything he'd ever dreamed of happened, but
like all dreams, he must wake up. "Flight 520 for London is boarding
now, please enter through gate 8." The announcer said through the
static noise. Picking up his luggage, he walked towards the gate.

**

Minako couldn't think of anything else. Everything happened too
quickly and this time, he's leaving. She smiled bitterly to herself.
"Good morning, class," she said drearily.

"Good morning, Aino-sensei," the class replied in unison.

"You all did fairly well on the tests yesterday, I was overall quite
pleased. But on the essays you really should be able to improve. This
is an honors class and I expect much more. Try harder next time on the
essays. But I'm impressed by the improvement in this class. You all
did a good job," she said as she began to pass back the papers.

"Even me, Aino-sensei?" a voice came from the door. The entire class
turned to the doorframe and there stood a tall, silver-haired man.
Minako froze, not believing her eyes.

"Yes, especially you, Kunzite-san," she said, teary-eyed and threw her
arms around his neck, test papers scattering on the floor. The class
cheered for their beloved teacher.

"Aino-san!" a voice gasped from behind them. In the hallway stood the
principal herself. "Your boyfriend won't be an excuse again. Didn't I
say that a years ago?"

"Gomen nesai, Miruki-san. I'll get out of here so I won't distract the
class again."

"Yes, you better leave. And you also, Aino-san, I'm subbing for this
class today," Miruki passed by them to retrieve the papers from the
floor.

With a surprised look, Minako and Kunzite stared at each other for a
second. Within a second, Minako jumped into his arms again, just like
she did 7 years ago when they walked out of the tiny chapel.

Only a fool would make the same mistake twice, and love has made them
wiser.