Confused Heart by Marj Notes: gomen - I'm sorry 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 Andy Spencer is mine, though. So please don't sue, as I don't earn anything from this other than the satisfaction of making a story. CHAPTER FOUR: PEOPLE AND PLACES Later that day, the four girls went to the Hikawa Shrine to meet Hino Rei, unwillingly dragging all their books with them. Ami had talked them all into studying for their final exams even though finals were more than two months away. "Now is a better time than never," she had said. And once Ami started pushing them towards studying, nothing could stop her. Usagi took this opportunity to show them the first note Andy had given her. She passed it around the table once they were sitting comfortably around it. "Well, what do you guys think? I'm taking him out this Saturday." "Wow, Usagi's got a date!" Makoto said, giggling. "What's going to happen to Mamoru-san?" Usagi blushed. "It's *not* a date! I'm just going to take him on a tour, that's all. I'm sure Mamoru wouldn't mind." "That's the same as any 'date,'" Rei said, flipping her jet-black hair over her shoulder. "As long as a guy and a girl who aren't related get together, it's a date!" The blond girl huffed. "It's *not* a date, okay? Not when I'm around." Rei smirked. "Suuuure!" Usagi gave her a teasing look. "A guy and a girl who aren't related, huh? So that means that everyday, you're on a 'date' with Yuuichirou!" Rei blushed as well, then threw a fit. "That's *not* what I meant!! I mean, he lives here!" "Uh huh. Suuure!" Usagi imitated, laughing. She then turned to the others. "Well, anyway, he said - or rather, wrote that he would treat me out to lunch if I found out what those numbers mean. Any ideas?" "It could mean anything," Ami said after staring at the numbers for a while. Minako swiped the note out of Ami's hands. "Lemme see!" She took one look at the numbers. "1 - 4 - 3 - 4 - 4. Put that into Andy's language, it'll be either 'I like you very much,' 'I love you very much' or 'I hate you very much," she said in English. Rei raised an eyebrow at her. "And how would you know about those things?" she asked. Minako winked at her. "I went to England once. Those numbers were quite popular with a few of the girls I met around there." "Well, scratch out the 'I hate you' part. We *know* Andy has a major crush on you, so it's got to be 'I love you!'" Makoto teased. "And how did you know he's got a 'major crush' on me?" Usagi demanded to know. Makoto and Minako looked at each other, then laughed. "Usagi-chan, don't tell me you're totally clueless about his behavior towards you! Kami-sama, he sent you those flowers!" Minako said. "Oh, so *he* was the one who sent those mystery roses I've been hearing about. I thought they came from the Three Lights," Rei said. Ami looked thoughtfully at Rei. "What about them, Rei?" "Yeah! What about them?" Usagi, Makoto, and Minako asked earnestly. Rei pointed at the pocket of the blue blouse she was wearing that day. "And I thought that you guys were their greatest fans in the world. Didn't you notice that they each had a rose in the pocket of their suits? Taiki's was white, Yaten's was yellow, and Seiya's was red!" Minako pouted, obviously upset. "And you *never* told me about this??? I could have added it to my super-private Three Lights notebook!!" The black-haired girl shrugged. "You never asked." "Reeiiii!!" Minako whined. "*What* is going on here??!?" Artemis asked, walking in with Luna just in time to see Minako whine. "I thought you guys were supposed to be studying!" "We *were*!" Usagi defended herself. She shrunk from Luna's intimidating look. "We were studying the Three Lights . . ." Luna looked concerned. "Are they back? Is the planet in danger again?" Rei watched, amused as Minako scoured her school bag for the little memo-pad she once kept there when the Three Lights were still around. "First, they're not back, Luna. Second, the planet is not in danger, which is good. I have had enough hero-business to last me a good century!" Minako looked up from her school bag. "*You've* had enough?? What about me? Artemis just *had* to come into my life and turn me into Sailor V a year before Luna turned you all into Sailor Senshi. It's just not fair!!" "Aw, shut up, Mina-chan! Don't tell me you didn't like the publicity!" Artemis said with mock anger. "Besides, how many times do I have to tell you - " "'You're the leader of the Senshi, and you're supposed to be trained for that responsibility.' Yeah, yeah, yakkity yak," Minako quoted, sighing. "Miiiina!!" Usagi leaned forward on her table. "But you were great, V-chan! You were my idol back then!" Minako gave her her traditional Sailor V gesture - smile, wink, and peace sign. Luna shook her head. "I can't say I approved of the publicity you gave her," she started, glaring at Artemis. "But at least Usagi was just *so* into all of that Sailor V stuff that she thought being a Sailor Senshi just like her 'idol' was just fabulous and almost jumped right into the role of Sailormoon." "Hey," Artemis defended weakly. "I tried to keep her from the public, you know. But one blond tornado is too much for one cat to handle!" Minako ticked him painfully on his nose. "What was that again?" Rei, Makoto, and Ami laughed. "Gosh, thinking about fighting all those youma, cardians, daimons, lemures, and all of those other evil beings now seems so distant compared to back then," Makoto said wistfully, looking back at the past that they had shared. Usagi stretched in her seat. "Well, at least Galaxia is gone now, and we can all finally rest in peace." Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako winced from her last three words. "Yeah. 'Rest in peace,'" Rei said, almost whispering. "I wonder how many times that happened?" Ami said with a voice as quiet as Rei's. Makoto and Minako just shuddered. The smaller of the two shook her head. "I don't *ever* want to go through all that again!" She picked up Artemis and hugged him tightly. "Not ever!" Makoto nodded. "It's all over, anyway. At least, I really hope so." Usagi stared at the unopened books that lay in front of them. "I'm . . . gomen, minna. That was so thoughtless of me . . ." Luna cleared her throat to break the awkward silence that suddenly filled the shrine. "So, are you people here to study, or aren't you?" Ami started to open the book in front of her. "Yes, let's start studying, okay?" Rei, Makoto, and Minako followed suit. Usagi was still staring guiltily at the table. "Come off it, Usagi. You didn't really mean it," Rei assured her. "Yeah," Usagi smiled weakly. ". . . didn't mean it." Minako slapped her on her back. "Cheer up! You've got a date on Saturday, and you don't need another frowning face in front of that handsome guy!" Luna's eyebrows suddenly shot up. "A 'date', Usagi??" Usagi blushed. ***** That Saturday. Andy glanced at his watch. he thought to himself, chuckling a bit. "Spencer-san!" Andy turned around and saw Usagi running towards him, waving her hand frantically above her. He smiled. "Usagi!" Usagi stopped in front of him and bent over to catch her breath. "Gosh, I'm really sorry I'm late," she said. "That's okay. It's not like it's the first time you're late for anything." Andy winked. He cleared his throat. "Well, shall we go now?" Usagi smiled. "Sure!" ***** Usagi and Andy spent most of the morning roaming around half of Tokyo. While Usagi pointed out to him every sight a tourist was required to see in the area, Andy asked many things about her - about her family, her friends, and most especially her life. "Say, Usagi, I'm hungry. Know any good places to eat around here?" he finally asked while they were passing through the shopping district. "I thought you'll never ask!" Taking Andy's hand, Usagi dragged him towards one of the numerous restaurants in the district. "Your treat?" Andy laughed. "*My* treat?" "You know, you could at least pay, considering all the trouble I did taking you around town." "Yeah, but that wasn't part of the first deal!" Andy poked her nose. "Have you guessed it yet?" Usagi looked at him questioningly. "Guessed what?" "You know. The numbers." "Oh." She looked away. She had been hoping that he would forget all about those numbers - although the answer Minako had gave her could or could not be the correct one, it still made her feel very uncomfortable. "No . . . no, I don't know what the numbers mean," she lied. She looked up and smiled weakly at him. "I guess I have to pay, then." A look of disappointment momentarily passed through Andy's face, which was quickly covered by a dazzling smile. "No, you're right. I *should* pay you for all of this." "But I wasn't able to guess and do my part of the bargain!" Usagi protested. "It doesn't matter. I'll pay, okay?" Usagi blushed a bit. "Okay . . ." Andy's smile widened as they entered one of the restaurants. "So, what would you like?" ***** Usagi wiped her mouth with the napkin that lay beside her. "Mmm. That was great! Thanks, Spencer-san!" "Let's cut the formalities. Just call me Andy, 'kay?" Andy said, leaning forward. "Okay . . . Andy . . ." Usagi said, standing up. "Well, do you want to go back out now?" Andy held his stomach. "Already? But we just ate! Don't you think we should rest first?" Usagi blushed and sat back down. "Oops! Gomen!" Andy leaned forward. "So, tell me about yourself?" Usagi raised her eyebrows. "Myself?" "Yeah, you know. Your family, and stuff." "Oh. Well, my otou-san is usually away for work, and Okaa-san is a home person. I've got a pesky little brother. His name is Shingo. I've also got a cat named Luna." "Luna? As in Latin for 'Moon'?" Usagi nodded. "Yup. So what about you?" "Both my parents go to work. I'm the only guy among my siblings." "Really?" Usagi looked interested. "How many sisters do you have?" "Three," Andy answered, indicating the number with his fingers. Usagi smiled. "It must be great to have sooo many sisters. I really hate my brother." "Are you sure? Honestly, my sisters back home are driving me nuts. Coming here to Japan is kind of like taking a vacation from all of them, which is actually good." "So you're far away from home." "Yeah." "Tell me," Usagi started hesitantly, tracing the rim of her glass with her finger. "Do you miss them?" Andy thought about it for awhile. "Not much, I guess. I'm sure they're not exactly thinking much about me, either." "Don't you ever feel lonely that you're not with your loved one?" "'Loved one?'" Andy looked confused. "Weeell . . . I don't really know what you mean by that, but if you mean my family, yes, I feel lonely. Sometimes." He paused. "Yet, when I meet new friends and spend the day with them, it kinda takes away the loneliness and I feel secure and happy." Usagi smiled as she thought about how her friends always tried to cheer her up in times of depression. "Why'd you suddenly ask this question? I don't think *you* are far away from home." Usagi shook her head. "No, maybe not. But the one I love is." Andy raised his eyebrows. "The one you love?" "Uh-huh. My boyfriend. You see, he went to America to study a few weeks ago." "Oh." Usagi took out a picture of Mamoru that she kept in the knapsack she had been dragging around the entire morning. "This is him." Andy took the picture from her and looked at it intently. "We kind of have the same features, don't we?" he said, taking note of the man's black hair and blue eyes. "Yeah. It's like you guys got swapped, or something." Usagi blushed. "Actually, I was depressed during your first few days around school because . . . well, every time I see you, you remind me of my Mamo- chan." ". . ." ***** Usagi skipped lightly while they walked through the park during sunset. Andy was behind her in deep thought. They had walked around Tokyo the entire day, and now Usagi was taking him to the only place they haven't been yet. "I've saved the best for last," she had said. Usagi stopped on a huge patch on the ground that seemed different from the rest of the park. She leaned on the railing that overlooked Tokyo Bay, turned her head around, and motioned Andy to follow her. "This was once the location of the Starlight Tower. The tower used to stand beautifully here . . . that is, until it collapsed almost two years ago." "What happened?" "Have you heard of the Sailor Senshi?" Andy scratched his head. "Well, not much." "They had a huge fight against the enemy here back then, which resulted in the crash." Andy still looked confused. "How can a fight cause that much damage to a building? Did they used dynamite or something?" Usagi winced and sweatdropped. "You . . . wouldn't want to know." She stared at the slowly setting sun. "Anyway, watching the sun disappear over the horizon from here is still the best view from anywhere else in Tokyo. Not even Tokyo Tower can beat this view." They watched the sunset together silently. Only the sound of crying sea gulls looking for food, and the gentle splashes of the sea waves beneath them could be heard. White, orange and red colors coming from the sun filled the horizon. The sea sparkled crystal blue until it reached the skyline, where it reflected the sinking sun and blended with the sunset's hazy colors which soon gave way to the dark blue and violet colors of twilight. After awhile, the sun has completely hidden itself from the two observers, and nighttime had fallen upon the city of Tokyo. Lights in the park started to flicker on, as well as many others. "Now the view from Tokyo Tower would be incredible with all of these lights, but I'm afraid I have my curfew to meet." Usagi stood straight and stretched. "That's why I brought you here last." Andy smiled. "You weren't kidding when you said it was beautiful." "Isn't it?" Usagi and Andy started walking back home. "That place means a lot to me." Andy stared at Usagi. "Is that so?" "Umm hmm." She blushed for a while. "That was the place where . . . the place where Mamo-chan and I discovered each other and found out that we were meant to be together." Andy didn't say anything. He just looked back towards the sea, just in time to see the full moon appearing from behind the clouds, its warm light reflecting on the gentle waters where the sun once was.