Yes, I know I should be working on Peaches and Cream, but the 3rd chapter is almost done, and I had this idea in my head and had to write it down before I forgot it. Yeah, the writing is a little bit crappy, but I wrote it at midnight.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew. However much I'd like to.

"Minto, come back!" Ichigo called out the door of the café. "I didn't mean it that way! I'm sorry!"

"There's so much more to me then you know!" I yelled back, tears stinging my cheeks as I ran. Why? Why had she said those things? Yes, I take a lot of tea breaks, and yes, I can be stuck up sometimes, but why had she called me a… bitch? If only… If only they knew… I couldn't tell them though. And if they didn't know… maybe they had a right to think those things about me?

I slowed down and sat down under a tree as it started to drizzle. I buried my face into my knees and sobbed quietly, cursing myself for being so... so selfish. Even if I still thought of those days, I really didn't have any right to act this way.

"Minto."

I glanced up and saw the face I was secretly hoping to see next.

"Onee-Sama… I…"

Zakuro sat down next to me and looked at me. "Say it, it'll feel better if you do."

I sighed. I hadn't ever told anyone this. But then again, this was Zakuro. I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "When I was younger, I… my father beat me. He beat me because I didn't live up to his expectations. Mother was never home when he did it, and Onii-Sama was so busy with his studies that I almost never saw him. That's why I never like to talk about my family." I let a stray tear slide down my cheek, mingling with the rain that was already there. "I guess… I guess that I never got over it, and so I feel like if I don't try at all, I won't run the risk of making a mistake."

I turned to look at Zakuro, who held a look of pity on her face. This surprised me a tiny bit, but I didn't show it. I tried to hold it back, but I simply couldn't any longer. I leaned over and hugged her tightly. What was really surprising, but not at all unwelcome, was that she returned the hug.

"You don't need to be afraid anymore," she said, stroking my hair.

We sat there for a while, the rain softly falling on us. I didn't want this to end. 'Maybe… maybe now's the time to say it,' I thought.

"Zakuro Onee-Sama," I said softly. "I… I know I said this once before… that day in the bird sanctuary. I…"

"…love you," Zakuro finished for me.

"Yes."

"No, I mean it, too."

I looked up at Zakuro with wide eyes. "You… do?"

She leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Yes."

I stared at her for a moment, and then laid my head in the crook of her neck, crying silent tears. Different from the tears that had stained my cheeks just minutes earlier. Tear not of sorrow or pain, but of joy. I truly couldn't remember the last time I had felt this happy. And as the rain fell, I felt safe. I really and truly felt safe for the first time.

So, did you like it? Dislike it? Hate it? Tell me what you think, it helps me know how to improve! I have to say, writing 1st person Minto is really fun for me. I may continue this if my muse lets me. I will not accept flames. Flames will be used to re-heat my latte.