By Sherlyn Lim 

"What?! You know what Makoto's sempai looks like?" Usagi gasped. 

"Sshh! Don 't speak so loudly! Do you want the whole world to hear?" Trying to stifle her own giggles, Minako pressed a hand over Usagi's mouth.

It was a hot Saturday afternoon and the two girls were crouched in a quiet corner in their favorite hangout, the games arcade. Minako had called Usagi out of the blue to arrange the meeting, saying she had "earth-shaking" news.

"Be quiet, or I won't tell you anything more!" Minako ordered.

Immediately, Usagi quieted down. "Oh no. Please tell me! I'll be quiet, I'll be quiet ~ " She wailed, covering her own mouth with both her hands. "Mmphh, tell me, please!" She implored avidly through her hands.

Minako looked around carefully then lowered her head closer to Usagi's odangos. "Look, I haven't seen it for myself -- yet. But I recently met an old friend who was in the same kindergarten as I was. It turned out that she was in the same midddle school as Makoto --- and more importantly -- she knows who Makoto's "sempai" really is!

"I've asked her out for some tea later today, and she's agreed to bring her yearbook that has the picture of Makoto's sempai! So now we'll finally get to the truth behind Makoto's sempai boyfriend." Minako continued with relish. "We've have to keep this a secret for now, so be sure not to tell anyone -- and I mean anyone -- about this, Usagi."

Usagi nodded her head violently, her two odango tails bobbing along. "I won't tell a soul!" She declared.

"All right," Minako nodded with a mischievous grin on her face. "I've arranged for my friend to meet at the entrance of Sogo later at four. We could go to the restaurant in there for coffee. So I'll meet you there at 3.45pm. Now, make sure you aren't late for this, Usagi."

"Of course I won't be late!" At Minako's frankly dubious glance, Usagi protested. "Really, I am never late for important things like this!"

Minako sent a level glance at her scatter-brained friend. "Hmm, so dates with Mamoru are important things, while school and senshi meetings aren't."

Usagi laughed embarrassedly. "I'll go home and change and meet you later." She said hurriedly, getting up to her feet.

"See you later!"

"Don't be late!"

***

Two hours later, Minako was making her way towards the huge shopping center in downtown Tokyo. [I hope Usagi won't be late this time. It'll be very impolite to Makiko, who's doing us such a big favor.] The young girl thought.

Soon, she had reached the meeting place. Looking around anxiously, she paced up and down in front of the entrance. [Now where is she? She had better not be late, or I'll tell Rei not to lend her any comics for a month!]

"Minako, over here!" A familiar voice called out.

"Rei!" Minako pointed, open-mouthed. "What are you doing here…?" Then she spotted the unique odangos showing behind Rei.

"Usagi." Minako tapped her feet as she said her friend's name grimly.

Usagi sidled out from behind Rei. "It isn't just Rei," she smiled apologetically, pulling another familiar figure out with her. "I told Ami too."

"Ami?!" This time, Minako couldn't help but shout.

The studious, blue-haired girl blushed and said a little defensively, "Well, I'm curious about Makoto's sempai too."

"Oh great." Minako rolled her eyes to the heavens. "Well, I hope you managed to keep your mouth shut to Makoto, at least."

Usagi stiffened up, "Of course I didn't tell Makoto," she said, injured. "I'm not that dumb."

"You know, sometimes, I wonder about that."

"Hey!"

"Stop shouting, you two," Rei came between the two blonde girls. "Minako, where is this friend of yours?"

Minako made a face at Usagi. "Makiko should be here any minute now. Unlike Some People, Makiko is a very polite person who wouldn't dream about making people wait for her -- Hey! There she is now! Makiko! We're here."

A pleasant looking girl rushed up with a huge bag in her hand. "Minako, hello! Oh, are these your friends? I'm very pleased to meet you. I'm Makiko."

Minako made the introductions, and the group of girls made their way towards the restaurant. There, Usagi and the rest of the Inner senshi managed to control their impatience until their orders were on the today.

"So, Makiko. I hear you know what Makoto's sempai boyfriend looks like? Did you bring the picture?" Usagi asked eagerly.

Makiko smiled and nodded. Pulling up a large yearbook from her bag and placing it on the table, she smiled and said, "It's right here. It's such a coincidence, that you all would be friends. It really is a small world, isn't it?"

Rei and Ami smiled and nodded in agreement politely. In the meantime, Usagi and Minako already have the book opened, and are rifling through the pages.

"Which one is he, Makiko?" Minako asked, her fingers running through the pages of photographs.

"Oh, this guy is cute! Is he the one?" Usagi asked, her eyes bright with anticipation.

Makiko smiled and shook her head. "No, that's not sempai. I must confess, when you asked me to meet with you, I got rather curious too, so I spent last night searching for a picture. Here, I've marked the page." Drawing the book closer to herself, Makiko flipped to a particular page and pointed to a picture. "Here he is. Our sempai."

Four heads bent over the said picture for a minute. Then, in unison, the four girls sat back and chorused, "No way!"

Minako shook her head in disbelief, "It can't be!"

Surprised, Makiko pulled the page closer for the second time. "Huh? No, this is the right picture. This is the sempai who was dating Makoto for a while back in middle school."

"But, but, he's so ordinary looking," Usagi blurted out.

Ami nodded in agreement, "From the way Makoto described him, I've always thought that her sempai would be a really good looking guy."

"That's right," Rei chimed in.

"I wouldn't know about that. But I'm certain this is the guy that Makoto dated for a while," stated Makiko firmly. "I've always remembered that, because Makoto was the tallest girl in middle school. In fact, she was taller than most of the guys then as well. Sempai was one of the few people who could look her eye to eye.

"Most of the middle school girls would remember, because, um," she hesitated for a while, her face coloring, "Because Makoto-san was more, well, more mature for her age."

"You mean she was taller than everyone else and her chest was more well developed," Rei said bluntly.

"Well, yes." Makiko agreed red-faced. "She got into trouble in school for that, because some of the rotten boys in school kept teasing her for that."

"But," Ami interrupted, "That still doesn't explain why her sempai is so normal."

The girls clustered around the table fell silent for a moment.

Minako was the first to speak. Propping her hand under her chin, she commented thoughtfully. "You know, now that I think about it, I don't recall Makoto actually giving real details about her sempai." She looked around the table at her friends, "Do you? I mean, we all know that there is such a person, but what do we actually know about him?"

"Hmmm…" the table subsided into another round of silence.

This time, Ami broke the silence. "Well, she may not have described what her sempai looks like, but she was always saying how some handsome guy she say reminded her of her sempai."

Rei nodded, "There was the time when we met some boys at the beach, remember?"

"And at the park, with the cute guy selling ice-cream, and when we stopped for a break while shopping. There were the handsome university students we meet at the café near Mamoru's apartment and the lifeguard at the swimming pool…" Usagi counted out loud using her fingers. "Hey! Wait a minute! None of those people look alike!"

"Okay, there's something really strange going on here," Minako announced, screwing her brows together in a ferocious frown. She turned to her old friend, "Makiko, do you remember anything about her sempai?"

"Well… He graduated ahead of us, you know, so I've never spoken to him much…" Makiko thought for a moment. "But I think he was a really nice person. Some of the other sempai never talked to us juniors at all, because they think we're too far below them, but sempai was really friendly to everyone, even to the lower grades. He's a really gentle person. Oh, and he loves flowers! I remember seeing him going around the school grounds watering the plants. Other than that… I'm sorry, I really can't remember too much."

"It's all right," Minako was quick to reassure her friend. "You've helped a lot already."

"That's right, you've been a great help."

"Thank you for bringing the year book."

"That's all right. It's been nice meeting all of you. I'm afraid I have to go now. Minako, I hope we can keep in touch."

"No problem. Bye Makiko."

"Good bye."

Returning to their seats, the four girls watched Makiko's retreating back vanish among the crowds.

"It's a little strange -- not what I expected at all," said Rei thoughtfully as she stirred her drink with her straw.

"Hmm," Minako sighed in agreement. Then brightening up slightly, she looked at her friends, "Actually, it doesn't really matter whether if a guy looks handsome or not. As long as he has a good heart and gave Makoto a lot of good memories, then it really doesn't matter at all. Right, Usagi?" She gave Usagi a little push.

Caught off guard, Usagi staggered a little. "Wh…What? What did you say?"

"Good grief! Where were you just now?" Minako demanded.

Usagi blushed. "Well, I was just thinking about what Makiko-san said. You know, about Makoto's sempai liking flowers. I was thinking, maybe that is where Makoto got her love for plants and her green thumb from. Her sempai."

"A shared love conveyed by flowers…" said Rei.

"It is rather romantic, isn't it?" Ami smiled, a soft look in her eyes.

"Ah." Usagi said out suddenly. "Do you think we should tell Makoto that we've seen her sempai's picture?"

"What do you think?" Minako asked with a weird light in her eyes.

Rei smiled evilly, "You'd better not, or else Makoto will never bring an extra bento for you in school."

"You're so mean, Rei!"

"Well, aren't you meeting Makoto tomorrow anyway?" asked Ami practically.

"Oh, that's right! She seems rather secretive and excited about tomorrow for some reason." Usagi tilted her head.

"Aren't we just meeting for afternoon tea? Why is she so excited?" Minako wondered.

"How would I know, she wouldn't tell me a thing," protested Usagi.

"Heh, leave it to Makoto to know that Usagi can't keep a secret," the blonde girl teased.

"Hey!"

"Oh, wait. I nearly forgot." Rei interrupted. "I can't make it for tomorrow. I promised to help grandfather at the temple tomorrow. It's going to be a busy day." Rei apologized. "I meant to tell her earlier… Could you tell Makoto for me?"

"And I can't go either," said Ami. "My mother is not working tomorrow and she said she's taking me out the whole day."

Usagi cried out, "Oh, that's lucky for you, Ami!" Pulling a face at Minako, she continued. "Well, I guess that just leaves Minako and me for tomorrow. I know, I'll invite Mamoru as well!"

Looking a little serious, Minako wondered, "Is it all right for you to do that? After all, Makoto only invited us and it seems rather important to her."

"Oh, it'll be all right. I'm meeting Makoto a little earlier tomorrow. I'll ask her about bringing Mamoru then."

"Well, that's that then. I'll meet you tomorrow, Usagi, and the rest of you at our next meeting." Minako decided.

"All right. Let's pay the bill and get out of here." Still squabbling, the girls walked out of the restaurant.

***

It was a lazy Sunday morning, with white clouds scudding across blue skies. It was a perfect day for an outing at the park or out on the beach, but there was one person was not the least bit appreciative of the good weather.

Curled up within a large pale yellow armchair, Michiru presented a pretty picture of ease and leisure. A cup of cooling tea precariously balanced on one arm of the chair sat half-forgotten, as the girl read on, absorbed in her book.

The peace and quiet of the room was shattered when Haruka wandered in with a freshly ironed shirt in hand. "Michiru, have you seen my blue jacket around?" The tall senshi asked, prowling about the room, "I couldn't find it in anywhere."

Turning a page, the young women answered without looking up. "I think it's still at the drycleaners," she answered absently.

"Darn. I wanted to wear it today."

Her interest piqued, Michiru held her place with a finger and looked up from her book with a single upraised brow. "Why? Where are you planning to go today?" She asked curiously.

"Makoto has invited me to go to that new al fresco café near the Tokyo Tower. She says it serves really good coffee and cakes and the service is pretty good as well. Don't you remember? I thought I told you about it yesterday."

"Did you?" Surprised, Michiru queried her partner further. "You're going out with Makoto again? I thought you just went out with her last week?"

"Hm, I guess she's giving me a treat in return," her partner answered carelessly.

Michiru frowned, "You had better be more careful. You do know Makoto has a crush on you, don't you?"

Throwing the shirt onto the bed, the tall blonde shrugged as she walked over to the dresser and looked at herself in the mirror. "So?" 

A cold note crept into Michiru's voice, "Don't you find anything wrong with that?"

Haruka smirked slightly and preened in front of her reflection. "Actually, I think it's kind of sweet," she teased. Then relenting slightly, she added, "Relax. There's nothing wrong with that. After all, lots of girls have had a crush on me." Haruka turned back to the mirror and began to smooth back her unruly blonde curls.

The temperature in the cool dulcet tone crept to arctic levels. "That's because they all think you are a man, dear."

Haruka laughed and continued brushing her hair. "Don't be silly. Makoto and that lot know who I am. Didn't you see those babies' reactions when they found out I was a girl?"

"They aren’t babies any more," Michiru replied sternly. "Usagi has already got Mamoru and I am sure the rest of them aren't too far beyond in finding a boyfriend. They are at a very impressionable age and you are not helping matters if you persist in playing the dashing young man about town."

Haruka paused in mid brush and turned to look at her partner. Laughing brilliant eyes danced under lowered lashes. "You know what games I play," she said archly. "And I don't see you complaining." She winked as she strolled over to the wardrobe.

A faint blush rose on the green-haired girl's cheeks. She rose gracefully from her chair and made a swift exit from the room, saying as she went, "You're impossible to talk to today. I'm going to the music room to practice."

Haruka called out just before the door closed, "I won't be back for dinner."

"Fine!" The door slammed.  

Haruka winced a little at the sound, and the smile dropped from her face as she looked at the accusing closed door. "You're worrying about nothing," she told the empty room firmly.

Frowning, she turned back to the wardrobe and opened the door. Standing in front of the neat rows of jackets, shirts and pants, Haruka could not help but think about what her partner had just said. Long fingers beat out a brief staccato beat on the frame. Looking thoughtful, she rifled through the rows of suits with an indecisive air.

Finally, her gaze dropped onto a row of seldom worn clothes. Her eyes lit up and Haruka made a beeline for the untouched, almost forgotten corner of her wardrobe. Removing a few items off the hangers, she sighed and rolled her eyes to the skies. Speaking ruefully to the neat pressed line of clothing, the senshi complained, "The things I do for love."

Throwing the clothes onto the bed, Haruka started changing.

***

An hour later that same day, a handsome dark young man and a pretty vivacious young girl were making their way through the Sunday morning crowds at the foot of Tokyo Tower.

"Thanks for giving me a lift, Mamoru," Minako smiled. "I hate taking the subway at this time on Sundays. They are always so packed!"

"It's all right. I was free anyway. Usagi said she's going shopping with Makoto for "girl-things" and I didn't really feel like following them into the shopping malls," explained Mamoru easily as he evaded a gaggle of tourists who were busy taking photographs.

"Oh, that's right. Makoto-chan was the one who suggested going to this new place for cakes. Where is this place, anyway?" Minako stopped, looking around at the crowds surging past them. "Hey look! There are so many people around. And everyone's staring in that direction."

"Isn't that the café where we're suppose to meet Usagi?" Mamoru frowned slightly. "I wonder what's going on?"

Stars appeared in Minako's eyes. "Maybe it's some idol group! I heard that this café is really popular with the idols! Oh, I hope it's the Good morning Girls group! They're my newest favorite!" She stopped short for a moment, then grabbed at Mamoru's arm. "Maybe they can introduce me to their agent or something! Oh wait, let me comb my hair first!"

She released her death grip on Mamoru and began digging frantically into her little backpack. "Oh, I knew I should have tried that new hairstyle I saw in the magazine," she mourned as she tried to brush her hair into even brighter splendor.

"Do you think I look all right?" Without waiting for an answer, Minako rattled on, "Oh, why didn't I wear my orange dress today? It brings out the color of my eyes, you know. I got a lot of compliments from people when I wear it."

Mamoru scratched his head a little. "Uh, Minako? We don't even know who it is yet, or if it is really an idol."

"So, what are we waiting for?! Come on!" Minako grabbed Mamoru's arm and began towing him through the crowds.

After a few minutes of judicious elbow application, Minako and Mamoru made it to the front of the café.

Within the open-air café, every table was taken, occupied by hordes of young men. The object of their intense observation sat alone in a little table in the center, reading a magazine and oblivious to the attention.

"Haruka-san!" Minako exclaimed in surprise. "What a coincidence meeting you here!"

The tall blonde looked up and smiled. Tossing her magazine aside, she gestured to the young man and girl to join her at her table.

Aware of the gazes of the people around them, Mamoru and Minako seated themselves somewhat self-consciously. Looking around curiously at all the people staring at them, Minako whispered, "Don't you feel a little funny with all these people looking…." Her question trailed off as she got her first good look at Haruka.

Today, the usually masculine-looking senshi was all but flaunting her feminine side. Unobtrusive makeup brought out the best of her features. Her short blonde curls was held back by a pair of sunglasses perched at the top of her head. Silver hoop earrings glinted, echoed by bracelets of the same metal around her wrist. A thin white camisole highlighted her slightly tanned slender arms and distinctly womanly curves, while a short white skirt of the same design showed up long expanses of tanned leg. A pair of strappy white sandals completed the picture.

"… Wow!" Minako finished, wide-eyed. "You look wonderful. Doesn't she, Mamoru?"

 Haruka simply smiled and crossed her legs. As she did so, her skirt rode up further, showing even more of the long smooth curve of her thigh.

Mamoru managed to drag his eyes away from the sight of Haruka's bared legs. With only a barely perceptible blush, he managed to answer with some semblance of control. "Er, yes. You look very… different… today."

Suppressing a mischievous grin, Haruka bestowed a charming smile upon her companions. "Thank you. Would you like something to drink?" she asked politely. Looking up, she caught the eye of the hovering waiter who was instantly by her side.

Dispensing menus, the waiter asked with a slight bow, "What would you like to have today?"

Haruka raised an inquiring brow at Minako and Mamoru.

"I think I'll have an iced chocolate, please," requested the young golden-haired girl.

"Just coffee for me."

Closing the menu with a snap, Haruka handed it back and told the waiter, "A double shot of expresso for me, thank you."

The waiter bowed even more deeply and took himself off.

Minako waited impatiently for the waiter to move out of hearing, then leaning forward, she asked excitedly, "You really look very different, Haruka-san. Everyone is looking at you! Are you out on a date?"

"Not exactly," smiled the older girl. "Unless you count having coffee and cakes with Makoto and you lot a date."

"Oh!" Surprised, Minako sat back with a bump, looking a trifle disappointed. "You mean Makoto invited you out here today too? I thought you're all dressed up because you have an important date."

Haruka leaned back into her chair and asked idly. "Why? Does it have to be a special occasion? Can't I wear things just because I want to?"

"Well, of course you can," answered Minako blankly. "But it's only natural to want to look your best for a special person or a special occasion if you're a girl. I mean, I would dress up to look my best if I was going on a date with a boy, wouldn't you?"

Haruka laughed. "Well, I'm not too sure about the date part. But I'd rather wear clothes that I like, no matter what the occasion. I like clothes I'm comfortable in, that show what I am like. I can move about easier in shirt and pants, but sometimes, I like to wear dresses just for the fun of it or to give a message, like today."

 "A message?" Minako repeated thoughtfully.

Haruka nodded. "Clothes can send a signal. Some people wear clothing as a form of camouflage, for protection. Others use clothes to show how they are feeling. People wear white at funerals to show sadness, and bright colors during the New Year to signify joy."

"And sometimes, clothes can cast a spell," added Mamoru somberly.

"Like a tuxedo, a cape, a mask and cane," smiled Haruka whimsically at him. Mamoru smiled back in perfect understanding.

"Or when you dress up for an important date. It's like a little spell to give you confidence for the important meeting, to say to the opposite person, you are important to me."

"A confidence spell to make you feel good." Minako smiled, "I never thought about it that way. So, what message are you sending today, Haruka-san?" the younger girl asked curiously. 

Haruka played with her silver bracelets for a moment, "The message I am sending?" She said thoughtfully. Looking out to the distance, she replied softly. "Maybe the message is simply that looks doesn't matter. Whatever I wear doesn't really matter, because I can change out of them so easily. Just like that," she snapped her fingers. Looking at the younger girl, Haruka said seriously, "The important thing is what kind of person I am inside, because clothes can also send the wrong kind of message."

"I didn't realize clothes can be so important. And they say girls like shopping too much!" Minako laughed, clapping her hands happily at the vindication of her favorite hobby.

Mamoru and Haruka laughed along with her.

"Hello! Sorry we're late!" Usagi called out, lugging a number of shopping bags.

"Usagi! Makoto! You're here at last," Haruka smiled. "We've been waiting for you."

Mamoru got up to pull the chairs away for the two girls. Dropping thankfully onto the chair with an audible thump, Usagi fanned herself with her hand frantically. "You wouldn't believe the crowds out there today. And there are so many people looking at you just now…"

Finally catching her breath, Usagi took a good look at Haruka. Her eyes goggling, she said in amazement, "You look wonderful!" Looking down at her own bunny outfit and feeling a lot more childish in comparison, Usagi grabbed Makoto's hand and asked, "Doesn't she look good? So grown-up!" She sighed in envy.

Makoto was staring at Haruka in slight shock. At Usagi's prompting, she blinked and recovered quickly. "You look really nice today," she complimented the older girl.

"Thank you," Haruka replied civilly. "I see you two have been busy shopping. You must be thirsty. Let me call the waiter."

With the addition of Usagi and Makoto, the afternoon tea party soon stretched to two, then three hours. The group talked about nearly every topic under the sun, and Usagi made substantial inroads to the contents of the café's food. Finally Mamoru had to call a halt to the mid-day meal that promised to last forever.

They paid the bill, then Mamoru and Usagi departed, taking Minako in their wake. Soon, Makoto was left alone with Haruka.

 Walking along the busy pedestrian way alone with Haruka, Makoto suddenly felt inexplicably shy. Peering at the woman walking beside her, she fidgeted slightly in nervously.

Noticing her nervousness, Haruka asked gently, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Makoto answered immediately. Then she blushed a little. "I mean, I, uh, I think you look really good today," she offered shyly.

"Actually, I wish I could be like you," she continued in a low tone.

Haruka blinked. "Why?" she asked, startled.

Makoto blushed more furiously. "Well, you… and I'm…" She gestured helplessly at herself. "Oh, never mind. It's impossible anyway. I could never be like you," she mumbled.

Biting her bottom lip for a moment, Haruka looked out at the people passing by. Then reaching a decision, she pulled Makoto to a nearby bench. "Here, let's just sit down for a moment."

Unresisting, Makoto allowed herself to be led to the bench and sat down quietly. Haruka sat down next to her in silence. 

They sat there in the busy street under the lengthening shadows cast by the setting sun.

"Why would you want to be like me, Makoto?" Haruka repeated her question gently.

Makoto looked down at her hands. Her answer, when it finally came, was in the softest whisper. "Because you're tall and strong. And you're so confident. You don't seem to be afraid of anything at all, not even when everyone is looking at you. Because, because you are so nice…"

Slightly unnerved by this litany of her virtues, Haruka gave a small peal of laughter. "I could be really mean to people too."

"But you're nice to me." Makoto looked directly at Haruka, then lowering her head again, she mumbled, "Not like some other people."

"Other people? You mean, like, boys?" she asked hesitantly.

Makoto nodded reluctantly. Then, as if the words were being drawn out by some other force, Makoto continued speaking to her hands. "They teased me a lot. It started ever since middle school. Just because I was taller than most of them! Then when I beat them up and proved that I was stronger too, they were afraid and avoided me. Apart from Usagi and the rest, and one of my teachers too, you're the only one who's really nice to me. It's not fair! I didn't ask to be taller and stronger! It just happened!"

Haruka bent closer to Makoto's lowered head. "Makoto, if I am nice to you, that's because I think you are nice myself."

Makoto looked up into Haruka's clear blue eyes. "Really?" She asked doubtfully. "But, I'm so, so big and tall."

Haruka smiled back into her earnest brown eyes. "That's all right. I'm taller than you."

Makoto burst out laughing in spite of herself. "You know," she confided, "Sometimes, I really hate standing next to people like Ami or Usagi. They are so petite -- I feel even more clumsy and big next to them. Seeing them like that, I'm not surprised men would rather go after girls likee that." She smiled wryly.

Haruka stood up suddenly. "Come on," she ordered, holding out a hand for Makoto. "I'll bring you to somewhere special."

"Huh?"

"Hurry!" Haruka took Makoto's hand and began to walk briskly back in the direction they had come from.

Clutching her bag tightly, Makoto had to half-run, half-jog to keep up with the older girl's pace. "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see," the brief answer came back.

In about five minutes, Haruka finally came to a stop. Makoto looked up in amazement. "The Tokyo Tower?" she asked.

Haruka simply smiled and pulled her to the waiting lifts.

Soon, Makoto found herself standing at the Observation level of the Tokyo Tower. A sigh of awe escaped her. Before her stretched the entire city of Tokyo, washed in the crimson, rose and gold hues of the evening. "It's wonderful," she breathed, turning excited eyes onto Haruka. "I've never been on top of Tokyo Tower at night before. The last times I came, it was on the school excursion! I never imagined how beautiful it is! Thank you for bringing me here, Haruka-san."

"Just call me Haruka."

"Could I really?" Makoto asked, her face brightening even further.

"Of course. Come over here." Haruka grinned. "Look, there's Juuban High. Now, where did you say your middle school was?"

"Huh? Oh, it's in the north." Makoto answered dazedly.

"Then that would be… there! Can you find it?" Haruka asked exuberantly.

"Let me see… Ah, there's the factory… my school would be… There it is! I found it! Oh, it looks so small from up here!" Makoto laughed and pointed to it delightedly. She turned to show Haruka, only to find Haruka already looking steadily at her.

"I, I found my old school." She repeated, stammering a little from the surprise at seeing a serious look on Haruka's face.

"It looks very different from up here, doesn't it?"

Makoto nodded silently in agreement.

"You know, looking up from the ground, and looking down from the top is very different. See how insignificant your school looks?" Haruka leaned against the glass pane and smiled. "It didn't get smaller -- your view of the world just got bigger. It's the same with people. You could look at yourself through other people's eyes, looking up towards you. Or you could look out through your own eyes, and see the world.

"You should have confidence in yourself. You are a very pretty, talented girl with a good and kind heart. Your height and strength, your character, they're all part of what makes you Makoto. You shouldn't want to change things to become someone else. You should take pride in them, because all these things give you a unique perspective on the world that no one else has. Only Makoto has this, and you should be proud," She finished quietly.

Makoto remained silent for a while. Holding Haruka's words close to her, she repeated the last sentence to herself. At last, she gave a big sigh and smiled. "Thank you, Haruka."

"Why? I didn't do anything much," Haruka smiled back gently.

She nodded. "But I still want to be a good woman like you when I grow up." At Haruka's look of shock, Makoto hastily added, "But I'll be a good woman in my own style."

Haruka laughed and turn to look out at the view again. "Ah… look!" She pointed.

Makoto followed the direction of her arm, and gasped in pleasure. "Ohh…" A breath of sheer pleasure escaped from her lips. The last rays of the sun had finally dipped beneath the horizon, and like magic, the city of Tokyo was being lit up by thousands of lights.