Confused Heart
   by Marj

Notes:
	arigato - thank you
	gomen - I'm sorry
	iie - no
	okaa-san - mother

Please e-mail your comments and constructive criticisms at 
.  Thanks!

Disclaimers: The characters of Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon were created 
by Naoko Takeuchi-san, its copyright owned by Toei Animation, Kodansha, 
Nakayoshi, Sterling Animation Inc., and many other companies scattered 
throughout the world.  Meaning, I cannot claim the characters as my 
own, and am mearly borrowing them.  The characters Andy Spencer and
Ayukawa Himeru are mine though (ahh, finally added *something* in this
disclaimer).  So please don't sue, as I don't earn anything from 
this other than the satisfaction of making a story.



Chapter Eight:  Makoto's Neighbor

Makoto sighed as she stepped off the elevator.  She had passed by the 
grocery store on her way home from Rei's and her arms were filled with 
her school bag and three full grocery bags.  Making sure that her 
burden would not drop, she proceeded to think about her friend's 
current situation.

  She sighed again. 

She smiled ruefully.   she 
scolded herself.

She walked on, failing to notice a young man in front of her who was 
opening the door to his room.  She bumped into him, her grocery bags 
falling from her hands.  "Oh no!" she exclaimed.

The young man turned from his door, bent down to the floor and picked 
up the spilled goods.  "Gomen!  I guess I was in your way . . ." he 
said.

Makoto kneeled down to help him.  "That's okay.  At least nothing was 
breakable.  Besides, it's my fault.  I wasn't looking where I was 
going."

As soon as they had returned all the goods to the bag, the man 
collected them and stood up.  Makoto was about to reach out and take 
the bags when she got a better look at the man's face.  She suddenly 
paused.

He was well built and was as tall as her, with light blond hair and 
blue eyes that reminded her of Minako's own.   she thought, blushing.

The young man looked uncomfortable.  "Umm . . . miss?" he said 
uncertainly to the staring girl.

Makoto blinked.  "Oh!  Gomen!  I just . . . well . . . you kind of 
reminded me of one of my friends . . ."  She cleared her throat and 
gave him a blinding smile.  "I'm Kino Makoto."

The young man smiled and bowed his head slightly to avoid dropping the 
groceries in his arms.  "Ayukawa Himeru."

"So . . . umm . . . you're new here?  I've never seen you around 
before, and that room you're entering is - or *was* vacant . . ."

"Un."  He nodded.  "I just arrived this afternoon, for that matter.  Uh 
. . . mind if I help you with these?  You were having a hard time 
earlier . . ." he said, indicating the bags in his arms.

Makoto blushed harder.    "Arigato!"

"No problem.  Where are we going to put these down?"

"Oh.  My apartment's over here."  She walked further down the hallway, 
passed one door, stopped in front of another and brought out her keys.

Himeru looked back at his door.  "We're not too far apart, aren't we?"

"No, I guess not."  Makoto inserted the key in the doorknob.  She 
turned her wrist and with a small click, the door to her apartment 
opened.

They both entered.  She led Himeru towards the kitchen, where he 
relieved himself of his baggage.  "Sorry about the load," Makoto 
apologized.

"That's okay.  No harm done."  He looked around.  "Wow!  Pretty neat 
apartment you have here."

"Arigato.  I clean it when I have nothing to do."  She started to 
remove the contents of the grocery bags.  "Umm . . . would you like to 
stay for dinner?  Think of it as a 'Welcome' thing . . ."

"Iie, I don't think so.  Your okaa-san might not like strangers."

Makoto laughed a bit then stared at the window.  "My parents are dead."

Himeru looked shocked.  "G-gomen."

She turned her head to smile at him.  "It's not your fault.  You didn't 
know."

"So who's staying here with you?"

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable on the sofa?"  Himeru 
acknowledged.  Makoto nodded briefly.  "There.  That's better.  To 
answer your question, I don't live with anyone.  I'm all alone."

He leaned to rest his elbows on his knees.  "Really?  You don't look 
old enough to be alone."

"Well I'm legally capable of taking care of myself."

"Don't you get lonely?"

Makoto shrugged.  "Sometimes.  How about you?  Who are you with?"

Himeru gave her a soft smile.  "I'm on my own, too."

"Oh.  Did your parents . . . ?"

"No.  No, they're not dead.  Well, my oldest brother died before I was 
born, but other than that, everyone's fine.  My parents just wanted me 
to spend some time here for a while."

Makoto bent down to place some grocery goods in the refrigerator. 
"Why?"

"They think I should learn how to handle myself for a while.  That and 
. . . they wanted me to continue my education here.  You see, we kind 
of live far away . . ."

"Oh, yeah?"  Makoto sounded interested.  "What grade are you in?"

" . . . I'd say tenth grade."

Makoto stifled a squeal that tempted to escape her throat.  "I'm in 
tenth grade, too!  Which school do you plan to go to?"

Himeru blushed slightly.  "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering.  I'm studying at Juuban High School."

He brightened.  "I'll be taking my exam there next week."

Makoto raised her eyebrows.  "Next week?!  You mean you haven't taken 
an exam yet?  But the school year is almost over - finals are just 
around the corner!  You should transfer immediately if you don't want 
to take tenth grade next year instead of now!"

"Yeah, well, who knows?  I might get lucky."  His eyes glimmered.

"I hope so."  Makoto was all smiles.  "I have to introduce you to my 
friends!  They all study there, too . . . oh wait!  Except Rei-chan . . 
."

Himeru stared for a while.  "That'll be nice . . ."

Makoto looked at him.  "You're kind of shy for a guy."

"Do you think so?  I don't go out much."

"Not used to people?"

"Not really."  He placed his hands behind his neck.  "How about you?"

She smiled sarcastically.  "People avoid me.  They're kind of scared of 
me."

"You don't look like somebody to be afraid of."

Makoto sighed.  "Arigato."

"Hey, I'm serious!  You have friends, right?  And that guy over there . 
. ."  He pointed to a picture frame on a table.  It was a photograph of 
Makoto and a young man her age with brown hair and eyes.  "Isn't he 
your boyfriend?"

"Who?  You mean Shinozaki-kun?" Makoto asked, looking at the direction 
Himeru's hand was pointing.  "I have friends, but I don't have any 
boyfriends.  Shinozaki Kenji is my childhood friend.  We're close . . . 
but . . . well . . . he's kind of more than a friend, but less than a 
boyfriend.  Know what I mean?"

Himeru blinked.  "I see.  Kind of like . . . a big brother."

She nodded.  "Yes, something like that.  He protects me and all, and 
he's always there to support me.  But we never got any further than 
friends, or should I say we never left the role of acting like 
siblings.  We like it that way, though."

She closed the door of the refrigerator and wiped her hands.  "What 
about you?  Do you have any girlfriends?"

He shook his head.

"Any particular girl you want to date back home?"

"Nope.  Not a single one.  I told you I don't go out much."

Deep inside her, Makoto was rejoicing.  He was single and 
uncommitted!!!

Himeru looked at his watch.  "I've got to go."  He stood up from his 
chair.  "I've still got a lot of moving to do."

"I'll help you."

"No, thank you.  I can do it myself."

"Are you sure?  You don't want to stay for dinner?"

Himeru laughed.  "If I run out of food, I know where to go!"  He bowed 
respectfully.  "I'll see you around.  It was nice meeting you, uh . . . 
Kino-san, correct?"

Makoto nodded.  She also bowed.  "Nice meeting you too . . . Ayukawa-
san.  Don't forget to come back!  Let me at least offer you some tea 
one of these days."

His eyes twinkled.  "Maybe I will, sometime.  See you, neighbor!"

Makoto watched as he walked out of her room.  As soon as the door 
closed, she pounced on her phone.  "Mina-chan, you'd better be home to 
hear this!!" she squealed to herself.

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