Sea Glass
By: Haruka-chan

AN: I just recently picked up Prétear and though it is a weird version of Sailor Moon, I like it. Therefore, here is my contribution. H/H Hope you guys like it.

Chapter 1

"Yea dad I know that I have to be there for dinner, I mean I really don't see the point to it anyway, it's not like she wants me there," said Himeno Awayuki. "Yes I do mean that, she hates me, and I completely understand it. I wouldn't mind missing it if it meant another silly comment on how I was too stuck up to claim my share of the estate, which let me say isn't even mine and I have no reason to it claim for myself."

Switching the phone to the other ear, she sighed and continued, "you know what dad whatever I'll be there ok," she said as she pressed the button to end the conversation. She sighed again and looked up at her ceiling, "you must really hate me, or you wouldn't be making me go back."

She is 26 years old, finally out of school and on her own, she is an Archeologist traveling all over to find rear artifacts, and she finally had a life that didn't include the married gain Awayuki fortune, its members, she really was happy about the latter since the fortune did help with college and graduate school. She was finally happy with who and what she was, but there was that part of her life she could not escape, the Awayukis. Every year she was there for her father's anniversary, and every year it was hell. She hated it all. Sometimes she wished she was different, that her 'adopted' family wanted her.

Himeno got up from the chair she had been sitting on and walked over to the small balcony that came with her apartment. "Hey mom, looks like we have to go again, but don't worry I'm sure it won't be as bad as last year," she said smiling at the flowerpot. She pushed her salmon pink hair back and walked inside to her bedroom to pack and change for the party that night. If only someone would hear her prayers and save her.

II

Himeno walked in to find the mansion filled with workers, preparing the house for the party, each acknowledging her as they passed busily. She sighed and walked inside, why wasn't this scene surprising to her at all? Why didn't she even think twice when coming here? She could have said that she got lost and there was no way for her to make it on time, but no she showed.

"Miss. Himeno you made it!" exclaimed Tanaka with a smile.

Himeno smiled, though he was a funny person, he was still caring from the lot, and it was no secret that he was hopelessly in love with her stepmother during her teen years, who her father 'stole' from him as his imagination described it. "Mr. Tanaka how are you?"

"I never been better" he said, he was short and somewhat pudgy in a cute way.

Himeno smiled again, "I'm glad to hear it, I wouldn't want you to stress yourself out," she said remembering how the guy shed his hair.

"Shall I show you to your room?" asked Tanaka.

"Sure" said Himeno as the little round man led her towards her old room, Himeno felt strangely different, it was as if she missed the place. She closed her eyes forgetting the simple common sense of needing to watch where she was going with all the people running around, and so she bumped into someone, the perfect start to a wonderfully terrible soap opera she thought almost angst. She looked down to find that she fell on top of a man, and handsome at that, he wasn't in a blue outfits of those who were setting the party, but in a pair of trousers and a white silk button down shirt, more like a guest or something along those lines. "Oh so sorry" she said getting up as quickly as possible, the perfect cliché she realized and mentally rolled her eyes.

He sat up and looked at her, "It's alright, though I should advise you to watch were your going next time. There are many people running around you could have easily injured someone or yourself walking with your eyes closed. You wouldn't have any use for your eyes if you don't use them," he said.

Himeno glared at the man, that sure was a mouthful. "Who in the hell are you?" She just met him and already he was getting on her bad side, what was with him anyway?

"Oh Darling you have met my stepsister I see" came that same maniac voice of her elder sister. Who she rather not see or talk to just yet, this was the same sister who spent majority of her teenage life trying to 'trap' her in her stupid home made mouse traps, which she had to admit had to have taken quite a bit of her time now that Himeno thought about it.

"How have you been Mayune?" asked Himeno with a smile, she didn't hate the woman in front of her, just wish she would let it go already. However, really, if Himeno was rational, which she was most of the time away from this mansion, she knew it was just the air about her and her circle growing up.

"Oh I been wonderful, how is your little digging thing going?" asked Mayune not really interested, as she never really was in what the unwanted sister she gained, the result of her mother falling in love with some romance novelist, but at least she asked.

Himeno smiled through the urge to punch her, which came and went from time to time, "Oh wonderful my digs are great;" she turned towards the man standing next to her wicked sister. "I'm Himeno Awayuki," she said extending a hand.

He looked from her face to her hand, almost debating whether she had rabies. "Hayate Leafé."

Himeno nodded, "That name rings a bell, are you doctor Hayate Leafe?" she asked knowing he'd written some essays on immunology. She knew since in the beginning she had wanted to go into medicine, but decided on archeology instead. She heard about him from one of her friends as well, who told her that the man was positively breath taking but a total stuck up jerk that couldn't see beyond his nose. Looks like the rumors were true.

"Yes I am," he said but strangely there was no self promotion in his answer, he simply just stated as it was indeed a fact, like the sky was blue.

She nodded, "Well I hope you enjoy the party or whatever reason you're here" she said and walked on with Tanaka.

He just verified that she should not try and make friends with him, after all he is hanging out with her older evil stepsister and that alone said a whole novel. But really, it was aloof ness that made her decide he was possibly from the same circles as Mayune.

Hayate watched after her for second before he turned towards Mayune, "You didn't tell me that one of your sisters was an archeologist."

"Oh you know what she does?" she asked.

Hayate nodded, "She was on the news."

Mayune waved it off, "Oh darling don't worry about her, unless she killed someone she's not someone we should busy ourselves with, come let us have tea."

He watched after her for a second, something about her made him feel funny.

II

"Thanks again Mr. Tanaka" she said as she entered her room and sighed, "Home again," she said looking around the room. Every year it changed to the latest interior designs and technology, unlike her heart, which always stayed quite the same. She lay on the bed "It doesn't smell the same any more," she said closing her eyes and finding it hard to stay awake.

"Himeno I heard you were home...," said Kaoru as he walked in to find his little girl not so little anymore sleeping. She looked more and more like her mother each time he saw her, and these days it was once a year. He walked over to her, moved some hair out of her face, she was growing it out as it fell around her neck just brushing her shoulders. He smiled. She still slept as if she was only 2 years old, her knees to her chest and her hand near her lips. He knew how she felt, and he tried to ignore it but he couldn't help it. She was hurting and that was what bothered him the most. He kissed her cheek and walked towards the door. "Sleep well."

Himeno woke slowly. She opened her eyes and wondered if her father coming in was a dream, her hand went to where he had placed the kiss. "Oh daddy" she said as she sat up. "Now I know why I keep coming here every year, to see you happy and being your sweet caring self," she said walking towards the bag and pulling out her dress for the party. That was it from the start that she wanted to see him happy again, she wanted him to be inspire and be the man she called daddy, and if this new woman could give him that then forget about her happiness. Actually, they probably needed someone like him after all that has happened in their lives as well.

She tried from day one to be part of the family she really did, but after a while it came to a point where she just wanted to be away from the comments and finger pointing, etc. It didn't bother him because he was busy being happy, and that gave her the strength to go on. That was the truth of it all, but now she was able to walk away with an excuse, that was her work, and that she had a life other then the Awayuki city and family. It was hers and hers alone.

Himeno pulled on the cream satin A-line gown with a silky jersey halter neckline, open back, and a natural waist with a satin cord tie. She brushed her still short hair, and placed a small white diamond butterfly clip she bought in China, on her hair and pulled on her white gloves and shoes, around her neck was a small enameled butterfly hanging from a thin gold chain, another expensive purchase from France. She had love to play dress up when she was younger but after a life in the Awayuki mansion it was burnt beyond repair, now when she dressed she felt as if she was trying to be someone who she wasn't. Even with her own life she couldn't honestly say who she really was, but she confessed to herself that she was a girl and she liked pretty things just as much as anyone else.

She walked towards her window and looked below, where the party was taking place. She felt foolish and 17 again getting ready for her school dance. She shook her head. "I can do this!" she said and walked down to the garden. The lights and music were brilliant as were the people all happily dancing. She was greeted by some with smiles others that could careless that she was there but smiled out of courtesy and knowledge that she was an Awayuki, as if that alone brought her royalty, the kind of royalty that she never needed or wanted.

"Himeno you came" said a soft quite voice.

Himeno turned and smiled, "Mawata how are you?"

"I have been good, such a drag that I have to be back here again" she said. Mawata was the only one who opened up to her, she missed her father just as Himeno missed her mother, and she accepted Himeno and became a friend who Himeno came to trust.

Himeno smiled, "I know how you feel."

Mawata smiled, "You always said that you knew how I felt."

Himeno blushed, "I didn't exactly know. I just assumed that you felt the way I did."

"Good to have you come back Himeno," she said and walked away to greet guest that wanted her attention.

"Yeah" said Himeno with a smile, suddenly it all didn't seem too bad.

"Excuse me," came that same matter of fact voice from behind.

Himeno turned to find Mayune's latest partner glaring at her as she stood in his way. This one was going to be a problem, she could tell from the looks of it. Something about him made her feel funny.