Planet Bound: Venus
     by Marj

Notes:
	arigato - thank you
	demo - but
	gomen nasai - I'm sorry
	ja ne - see you later
	nani - what
	sayonara - good-bye

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 character Ayukawa Himeru is
mine.  So please don't sue, as I don't earn anything from this other 
than the satisfaction of making a story.



Chapter Four:  Doubts

"Mako-chan!  Over here!"

Makoto looked from the cafeteria entrance of Juuban High to the far 
right corner of the huge room, where Usagi, Ami, and Minako were 
sitting.  She returned Usagi's wave just as cheerfully, and walked 
towards them.

"Hi, guys!" she said cheerfully, sitting beside Ami.

"So how did the scolding go?" Ami asked.

Makoto rolled her eyes while Usagi and Minako giggled.  Makoto had been 
caught sleeping during Math class, and the teacher had not only told 
her to stand outside the door holding a bucket full of water, but to 
stay during lunchtime as well so she could talk to her.

"I can't help myself!  I stayed up too late last night studying for 
that test in History!" she complained to her friends while she took out 
her lunch from her lunch bag.

"And how did you fare on that test, Usagi-chan?" Ami asked again.

". . ."  

Mako, Minako, and Ami sweatdropped.

"How did your test go, Minako-chan?" Usagi asked.

"Fine.  I got seventy-nine out of a hundred."

"NANI?!?"

Everybody in the cafeteria stopped what they were doing and turned to 
look at Usagi, who was staring at Minako with disbelief plastered all 
over her face.

"How'd you do it?" she asked incredulously.  

Minako shrugged.  "I studied . . . ?"

Ami smiled.  "I did notice that your grades have been improving lately, 
Minako-chan.  Congratulations!"

Her blond friend smiled faintly.  "Arigato."

"Does it have something to do with Himeru-san?" Usagi asked, intrigued.

Makoto and Minako stared at her.

"What?" Usagi asked.  "Was it something I said?"

"Umm . . . what does Himeru have to do with my studies?" Minako asked.

"Weeell . . . he is awfully intelligent.  And you two have been 
spending a lot of time talking to each other in class . . ." Usagi 
thought out loud.

Ami nodded.  "Have you heard the rumor that Himeru-san was supposed to 
have attended second year high instead of first year because of his 
test results, but he refused due to his age?  That's why he was still 
able to transfer here even though school's almost over."

"Reminds me of someone I know," Usagi said knowingly, looking at Ami, 
who blushed.

"Well, Himeru-san's seat is just beside Minako-chan's, and they are 
friends, so it would only be normal if they would chat now, wouldn't 
it?" Makoto defended.

Usagi shrugged.  "I just thought it was something deeper."

Minako blushed and coughed a bit while Usagi traced a small frown on 
Makoto's beautiful face. Usagi smiled mischievously.

"I get it now!  You like Himeru-san, don't you?  And you're jealous 
because Minako-chan is on good terms with him!" she exclaimed happily.

Makoto scowled, and Minako shifted uncomfortably.

"Who's on good terms with who?" they heard someone say.

All four girls turned around and saw Himeru standing beside their 
table, smiling.  They all blushed - Minako felt more blood rush into 
her already burning face.

"Hi, girls!  What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing really, Himeru-san.  Why don't you sit here with us?" Usagi 
invited, motioning to the empty seats beside Makoto and Minako.

Minako gazed at Himeru.  This would be difficult.  If he chose her side 
- which he really seemed like considering - it would end her beautiful 
friendship with Makoto.  Again.  She recalled the time when she had 
flirted with a guy that Makoto liked.  Makoto was so angry that she 
said she didn’t want to have anything to do with her anymore.  Minako 
didn’t want that to happen again.

Seeing no other way out, she stood up and gathered her books. "Listen, 
guys.  I’ll be going to the library to study, okay?" she said.  She 
started to walk away when she felt someone grab her arm.

“Why are you in such a hurry?  I was hoping I could eat lunch with you 
and your friends,” Himeru said gently.

Minako gently pried his hand away from her arm.  “I’m sorry, Himeru-
san.  But I really have to work on my English.”  < Why are you paying 
so much attention to me? >

Himeru frowned.  "What's wrong with your English?  You speak so 
fluently in that language."

She sighed.  "Just because I'm fluent in it doesn't mean that I'm good 
at the subject itself.  Ja ne."

"Then . . . then allow me to take you out after school."

His last sentence shocked her.    She looked at the 
other three girls.  They were looking at her.

"Gomen nasai, but I have an appointment that I can't miss after 
school," she said softly.

"I'll walk you there," Himeru offered.

"Demo . . ."

"Go on, Minako-chan," she heard Makoto say.  Minako turned around and 
looked Mako-chan in the eyes.  She was smiling at her.  "Don't turn 
down an offer from a gorgeous boy," she added, winking.

Minako sighed again.  "O . . . okay, but you'll only go as far as I'll 
take you.  After that, you leave me alone.  Got that?"

Himeru nodded obediently.

"Good.  Sayonara, minna," she addressed her friends.  They nodded good-
bye.

Minako walked out of the cafeteria.  Before moving down the halls, 
however, she looked back.  Himeru had already taken her place and was 
laughing along with Usagi and Ami.  But Makoto was looking in her 
direction with a blank expression on her face.

 Minako 
thought, tears starting to form in her eyes as remembered how she 
herself had felt about a boy four years ago.

*****

After school, Minako tried to leave as quickly as possible before 
Himeru remembered that he was supposed to walk her to her appointment.  
No such luck.  She had just managed to grab her school bag from her 
desk when someone gripped her arm.

"I'm walking you to wherever you're going today, remember?" Himeru 
asked.

She smiled weakly.  "Oh.  Yes, I almost forgot."

She noticed Himeru's frown.

When they reached the school gate, a lone white cat stood in the middle 
of the driveway and was being avoided or petted by other students.  
"Hey, isn't that your pet?" Himeru asked.

Minako nodded, and bent to pick her cat up.  He nuzzled her warm face 
with his soft fur.  “By the way, could you take him home to Usagi’s?” 
she asked Himeru.

"Why don't you bring him along with you?  I don't suppose you're 
keeping secrets from an animal, are you?"

"Please just take him there.  I don't think animals are allowed to 
where I'm going . . ." Minako said quietly as she saw Artemis's gloomy 
face.

Boy and girl remained silent as they walked to Minako's mysterious 
destination.  She seemed to be misleading him, because the path she had 
chosen to take didn't really lead anywhere.  As a matter of fact, they 
had been going around in circles.

Himeru looked at her as she stared off into space while stroking 
Artemis's back.  "Something is bothering you, Minako-chan.  I can feel 
it," he said gently.  "Would you like to tell me about it?"

Artemis carefully looked at Minako's face.  Maybe she wouldn't confide 
her secret to him alone, but what if someone else was concerned about 
her?  The Sailor Senshi had been too busy going about their normal 
lives to understand how serious Minako's situation really was, but here 
was Himeru, whom she had known for barely over three weeks.  Himeru 
really cared about Minako, or so Artemis had observed.  Would Minako 
give in to Himeru's words?

Minako still looked straight in front of her.  She sighed softly, then 
started to open her mouth hesitantly.

"What . . . what if . . . what if you're hiding a secret about yourself 
that is too horrible to even think about?" she asked.  "I mean . . . 
too horrible or too shocking to tell even your closest friends . . ." 
She looked down and her gaze met Artemis's blue eyes.  "Would you tell 
them?"

 Artemis pleaded. If 
Himeru answered yes, then maybe Minako would finally open up and tell 
him what was wrong.

Himeru suddenly looked down at the ground and avoided her face.  "I . . 
. I guess I would tell my friend only when the time was right . . . I 
mean, maybe when things aren't as bad they won't take the news as a too 
shocking, ne?"

Artemis sulked.

Minako was frustrated, but she didn't show it.   

When they reached the corner of a street - which Artemis and Himeru 
noticed they had passed five times already - Minako stopped walking.  
"You'll have to leave me here," she said in a rather commanding voice.

Himeru tried to object.  "But we've been going around in circles!  I 
didn't really walk you anywhere!"

“I said during lunch that you would go only as far as I would take you.  
This is it.  Here . . .” Minako gently handed him Artemis.  “Please 
take him to Usagi’s house.  I’ll just pick him up on my way home.”

Himeru took the white cat from her arms.  "And don't follow me.  I have 
my ways of finding out if you followed me or not," she warned.  Then 
she walked away.

The boy started to stroke the fur at the cat's back, staring at the 
back of the beautiful blond girl.  "You're so lucky, you know that?" he 
told the cat.  "You get to feel all of her love, and you get to know 
all of her secrets . . .  How I wish I were you."

 Artemis thought bitterly, as he joined 
Himeru's gaze.

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/field/4723/stories