“Hmm…?”
     It was a stronger, colder breeze that came from his opposite direction.  Jadeite found some large specks of fluff that it flew on its tail.  Gray and light pieces—some pieces of ash that had been burnt.  He had examined some that fell on his hand.
     What would he do next?  Such a strong urge to follow his normal instincts.  Unless something would verily convince him otherwise, there was no reason to turn back again.

    “Beryl?  It is not too late.  The storm has not started.  You mustn’t return to her!”
    “There is a way!  The light from the Moon… the Silver Crystal is—“
    "Gomen nasai...."
    "So it is true… the storm that you feared.  We shall try to fight her and ask her to take away these powers from us.  That... that is the only way, but I don’t know if I can ever return again.”

    "Retsu…
    "Zai… sen….."

    "Why wouldn't you tell me who you are?"
    This was the time… he was still wearing his mask--the mask that she burned mistakenly.  The mask covered only his eyes but she could see their expression clearly.  "It is not yet time, Hino-san," he answered weakly.
    "You come at the very unexpected times, especially here at Hikawa Jinja," she said.
    "It's because it isn't very easy to find you."
    "Find me?"  She paused for awhile.  "It is also… very difficult to find you."
    He was startled for a moment, but he probably hadn't known that she found his smile at the remark.  A brief charming incident at that.  "Shall you give me a chance?"
    "A chance?"  She was a little worried.  This seems to be his signal to leave.
    "When the time comes that you know who I am."
 

    "Akouryou… taisan…."  Hino Rei whispered.
 

    Did it work?
    The spirits are still here.  Just as soon as she told them to leave, a sharp gust of wind blew again to greet her.  There weren't any other signals that remained or those that would tell her that they would come or what they want.  Then the breeze became gentler.  There were no spirits left to hunt or signs to give her reason to expect them.  For the meantime, Rei would have to bear with this disappointment.  She continued to walk towards the steps--

    "You shouldn't have done that, Princess."
    The breeze that signaled the spirits came to warn her again. Her psyche felt nothing unusual but she felt herself flushed with excitement.  Especially since she looked up to see where he stood.
    "You shouldn't have burned my mask… and my glove.  They belong to me." Jadeite told her without expression, with both of his hands in his pockets.  She remembered him all very well--his stance, his warmth... Is this what guilt does?
    Rei exhaled all the agitation upon seeing him and to keep her composure, she walked slowly towards him so that she could take a better look.  But she knew how to speak with spirits before.  Would his be all that unusual?  He stood the same way that she remembered him--as if the shadows of the trees were the light luminance of the moons of Phobos and Deimos. His spirit seemed so real.
    "I thought that I can keep it as a remembrance," Rei explained.  This is the truth.
    Probably that guilt was hunting her this much, as his spirit lingered even as she continued to climb the steps to where he stood.  Akouryou, taisan….  These words couldn't get him to leave.  Jadeite would probably not return.  In the meantime, she would try to walk past his spirit so that she wouldn't miss him… as much.

    "Enyalis… Rei…."
    When she felt him hold her hand, only then had she realized her psyche's forewarning.  It had warned her many years before of the intruder in the castle… the intruder at Hikawa Jinja…  The same spirit that always came back.  He is real.
    "Do you still believe… that we are bad for each other?" Jadeite asked seriously, his head bowed down.
    Rei looked back and made certain once more.  He was expecting an answer and still didn't let go of her hand.  He has returned!!
    For Jadeite's part, her silence was perceived to be more of an affirmation of her past conviction.  Even if she did not mention this seriously back in the days of the Silver Millenium.  He failed to see that it was surprise that made her eyes look back at him.  The same kind of surprise she felt when he saw her at the veranda on the Moon's castle.  She usually looked at him proudly with those purple eyes.  It wasn't like the Princess of Mars to look at him with a somber countenance, as though she would show her weakness, except at that time he last saw her at the Moon... asking him not to go back to the storm.
    A remembrance?  She kept it as a remembrance?
    "Just as well…."  Jadeite nodded and let go of her hand.  Was he thinking that he could easily be forgiven?  He thought this as he then moved down the steps of Hikawa Jinja.  Even during the present time, he had hidden from her with a mask!  A strange deception. How could he that to her? Baka, Jadeite!  Baka!  What was the reason that he came back here?

      No, no... he is going to leave again?  That instant prompted her to feel the slightest urge of panic.  How can it be that he ends these conversations with a mystery?  It is not fair!  Today, she will have the last word.

    "A..Aishiteru…!"
    Jadeite halted from his tracks.  "Nani?"  he said as he looked back.
    "Aishiteru…. is… isn't that what you said?  When you came back… I was sleeping."
    How is it that she knew?  It was probably her visions that made her see.  Jadeite looked back to see that this time, she was the one expecting for an answer.  He just had to return, that is all.  He feared the worst.  He had to protect her.  There aren't many answers to her question.  She was his weakness.  Would she believe all this?
    "Baka!"
    "Baka?"  Jadeite was surprised at that quick remark.
    "You are leaving again?"  she asked as she went down the steps of the shrine.  "It was a stupid mistake!  I had only burned them so that I can try forgetting you."  There was a sharp sense of panic.  Where would he disappear to now?  Didn't he realize it, too?
    Her steps were rather urgent.  She was running down the steps to go towards him.  At this time, however, he feared more on her safety than anything else. Her excitement caused her to trip lightly on the steps, being that her concentration was nowhere but the dangerous descent.  Jadeite was just in time to catch her when she fell.  It was pure instinct.  The Princess of Mars is never this clumsy.  But at least, it earned him his pride that he was able to save her and he wouldn't have it any other way.
    Only then when he heard her breathe her sigh of relief did he feel calm.   And only then when his arms caught her that she ever felt safe.  It was certain to her that he has returned, thankful that he was more than the illusion she wished would come.
    "But I am so bad at forgetting," Rei apologetically whispered.
    "I, too," Jadeite smiled.  "We are bad for each other."
    Now he remembered that he returned for this.  Seeing the Princess of Mars no less and having her in his arms was more than enough.  Didn't he remember how great it was to be loved by someone like that?
    It was rare to hear her laugh. He held her tight and kissed the smile that he knew belonged to him.