Author Note: I know I mentioned before that I wouldn't work on or publish anything else until Trust and Playing with Fire (Pandora's Box) was done. This little deal I made with myself was meant to be a type of motivation for me to finish that story so that I could finally appease the anxious tickles of so many other ReiMina stories fluttering within my over-active imagination. But, as you can see, one night I couldn't help myself and the beginnings of this story came rushing out of me in a matter of minutes before I realized what had occurred and I've been sitting on it for years (perhaps around 2014?). It was when I had a bit of writer's block for Trust and Playing with Fire (Pandora's Box) and was something to occupy me while I continued to grapple with the other story.

So I'm breaking the deal with myself in order to hopefully relieve the mounting tension within from other stories that are aching to burst onto the scene. I'm hoping it'll also help motivate me to continue/complete them as now I'll have two stories to answer to.

This story isn't meant to be an epic story like Trust and Playing with Fire (Pandora's Box). It's just a short, fun, maybe 3-5 chapter story at most.

Chabudai = [Japanese] Short-legged table in traditional Japanese homes

Henshin = [Japanese] transformation

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). Sailor Moon. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

"It's a saying they have, that a man has a false heart in his mouth for the world to see, another in his breast to show to his special friends and his family, and the real one, the true one, the secret one, which is never known to anyone except to himself alone, hidden only God knows where."

- Clavell, J. Shōgun. New York, NY: Delacorte Press; 1975.

Chapter 1:

It was just another day. A day like any other before it.

And here she was, sitting in her usual spot, lengthwise across the width of her twin bed at the far end of the room. Her back was resting against the wall, her long legs stretched out in front of her, while a manga occupied her hands.

And just across the room from her, dead-center in her line of sight, was…her. And she was sitting in her usual spot at the chabudai, studying with everyone else.

Or at least attempting to study, as usual, Rei thought to herself as the smallest of smiles pulled at the corner of her lips. The blonde she was stealthily watching was hunched over an open Biology textbook on the table top, the delicate fingers of her left hand trailing lines of sentences she seemed to be reading within it. In her right hand, she aimlessly twirled her orange henshin pen, occasionally using it to underline a phrase or two in her book…or doodle in her book…Rei couldn't tell exactly from where she was sitting.

This was not something new. Ever since the team started coming to the shrine for their study sessions, Rei was always the second person to finish her work (after Ami, of course). While Ami would take to assisting their hopeless princess in finishing her studies, Rei would quietly migrate to her bed to read so as not to disturb the others while they continued their work.

At least…that's what it always appeared to be. In reality, Rei would seclude herself during the lunch period and any spare time she had during school to do most of her homework so she wouldn't have much to finish when she came home. It was done for many reasons. One was to allow her a much-needed reprieve from her persistent, admiring fans that fawned over her at TA. Another was so she would have time to help her grandfather clean-up and close the shrine when she came home from school. When her life was drastically altered due to the introduction of senshi duties, the added benefit of simply not having to stress about trivial things like unfinished homework was a plus when you're dealing punishment to a youma in the name justice somewhere in the city at all hours of the night.

But…if she was being completely honest…the main reason her plan had turned into sheer genius was due to this very moment. These quiet, personal moments when her work was complete and she was able to retreat to her bed away from the group. These moments, filled with stolen, subtle glances, were ones she looked forward to all day, every day. These moments, when she pretended to be engrossed in the latest manga, were when she was granted precious seconds to admire beauty incarnate in secret.

Unfortunately, these moments were hers and hers alone. She let out a quiet, dejected sigh as her violet eyes returned from just above the top-edge of the manga to the page she was reading.

More like hiding behind, Rei scoffed to herself as she thought. Long before the beautiful blonde appeared as Sailor Venus that fateful day, Rei knew she was coming. Well…vaguely. The visions she received, snippets really, of a mysterious fifth senshi who would fight alongside them haunted her for months before the woman appeared in the flesh.

Rei knew from these visions that this mysterious figure would be their leader in the fight to protect their princess and the world as they knew it. This woman was someone they would follow doggedly into battle with or even death. Someone they would greatly respect and love deeply.

What she didn't expect was how much she would take that last bit so…literally! Their blonde leader had a bubbly personality that would make even the gloomiest of gusses crack a smile and a laugh that could melt the iciest of hearts.

But she can also be nosey! And stubborn! And conniving! And…and…gah!, Rei huffed as she folded her legs and tucked them in close and turned slightly to the side. She tried to make it seem as though she was merely readjusting to find a more comfortable position in which to read, but in reality she was pouting and turned away so her line of sight was no longer directly facing one breathtaking goddess of love. To Rei, the list was endless when it came to how infuriating their leader could be! Why, just the other day, that blonde punk barged into her room and demanded that Rei take her out to The Crown for ice cream and video games. 'Boredom' was the reason she used to justify waltzing into Rei's home like she owned the place and charging into her personal sanctuary unannounced. It was bad enough the blonde had resorted to whining and begging like a child when Rei flatly just said 'no' on principal due to being so rudely approached. She would have said 'yes' eventually! Or at least she would have if she was asked nicely, Rei had never denied her long-time crush before!

So was it really necessary for that scheming little brat to go and bring her grandfather into it also?! Rei cursed at the memory of that sly grin on those enticing lips and that adorably cute, bouncing red bow, sweeping quickly out of her room…only to have her grandfather coming in shortly thereafter, scolding her for being such a hermit and treating her 'pretty friend' so 'thoughtlessly', before essentially banning her from the shrine all day to go out for some 'fun'. That wicked girl had Rei's lech of a grandfather wrapped around her little pinky and knew how to use him to her advantage!

Against her better judgment, Rei snuck a quick, side-long glance at the object of her affection from around the side of her manga. She couldn't help it, her irritation immediately melted away at the sight and she could feel the beginnings of a small smile on her lips again. She did end up having fun that day. She always did when it came to hanging out with that damn blonde who was sitting just across the room from her at this moment, struggling to focus on the nuances of the human respiratory system for her Biology course. That blonde was ultimately, and undeniably…her best friend.

Which was really why Rei kept these feelings to herself. Well…besides the small, minute, insignificant, tiny, little detail that they were both girls and Rei wasn't even sure if the Goddess of Love even swung 'that' way. You'd think she would with a title like that, right?! But Rei was fairly certain the blonde didn't, seeing as how she always seemed just as boy-crazy as Usagi when they talked. The blonde seemed to have the ability to go on and on and on ad nauseam about boys with Usagi, to Rei's chagrin.

But even then, Rei was really more afraid of the fall-out. How would she react if Rei confessed? It's one thing to be totally cool with queerness as a theoretical concept or even allowing people of various sexual orientations into your social circle, but it can be quite another when those advances are directed towards you, especially from someone close to you. If it were her, Rei knew she'd avoid the confessor as much as possible!

It wasn't much of a stretch to imagine that outcome…given that's how she treated Yūichirō after he confessed to her. That ended with him eventually leaving the shrine…and Tokyo altogether. Though he was a bit of a useless idiot, he did become a sort of brother to Rei during his time at the shrine. She would never admit it to anyone, but she did miss him…as a friend, of course. But how could she continue being herself around him, knowing how he felt about her? No, it was for the best that she kept her distance and that he moved on.

So who's to say Rei's best friend wouldn't do the same? Other than the fact that four of the five people currently in the room were reincarnated for the sheer purpose of being a unified team to protect their reincarnated princess and guide the world towards a future of everlasting peace and how it would be gravely detrimental to said future if their leader potentially avoided her second in command for Kami knows how long due to a stupid, little thing like a crush…aside for all that…Rei just simply didn't want to lose her best friend!

So here she was, sitting in her usual spot…again…stewing in unrequited feelings for her best friend sitting just across the room from her…again…trying to be satisfied with mere, fleeting moments and subtle glances…again.

This is how it was, how it always was. And, as far as Rei was concerned, how it always will be.

Author Note: Nothing too intense. I hope you like it so far. ^_^

I'm not much for shout-outs as I prefer personal messages, but I do believe in giving credit where it's due. So, thank you, xXBooBooKittyFuckXx, for the addition of the opening quote to match this story.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 08/2017)