Sailor Moon Rare Pair Week 2024

I'll Always Be Here

Prompt 3 for Rare Pair Week "Fire/Ice". Today's prompt features an extra scene with Rei and Yuichiro. In Act 66: Steal me Away of Chaos Theory, everyone returns home from the tour. What kind of greeting did Rei receive returning to the shrine?

Rei inhales deeply as she walks past the torii gate of her home. She immediately feels the spiritual energy giving her a sense of calmness. The feeling did not last long as she sees her grandfather and Yuichiro.

Grandfather looks at her with a scowl as she approaches.

She has a pretty good idea what he is going to say and she is too tired to tell him what she really thinks.

"Rei, I thought I told you to come back with a husband! You were touring around with three men the entire time, couldn't you make one of them your husband? Why do you think I let you go with them?" Grandpa Hino questions his granddaughter.

"Husband..." Yuichiro looks at the Master of the Hikawa Shrine. He feels like a bucket of ice water hit him. "Rei-san...?" He turns to look at her. After all this time, she still only sees him as a friend at best?

"Two of the members are dating my best friends and the last one is not my type," Rei immediately shoots back. There was one she had her eye on at one point when she first met them but it became pretty clear very quickly who he was interested in.

"I am getting older Rei and I need to make sure there is someone that can manage the shrine when I'm gone." The older man continues his guilt trip.

"I've told you a thousand times I can take of the shrine myself!" Rei shouts back at him. He is too stubborn and set in his ways believing that a woman is not capable of running a shrine. It has never been done. Rei vows to be the first.

"No. You're going to get married to someone that will look after the shrine. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but I will start planning for an arranged marriage for you. You're already eighteen."

Rei and Yuichiro stare at him.

"That's not necessary!" She crosses her arms against her chest, demonstrating her frustration. She is too tired for this. "I just had a really long flight and I want to sleep. Can we talk about this another time?" She hopes this is just another one of her grandfather's crazy schemes that will pass quickly. She leans over to grab the handle for her luggage but Yuichiro stops her.

"Let me take these for you." Yuichiro offers.

Rei can feel her cheeks reddening when his hand momentarily brushes against hers when he went for the baggage. "...thank you..." She responds slowly as she follows behind him in silence in the direction of her room.

"He's been looking for something to do. He tried a bunch of plans to attract more people to the shrine. It was probably a good thing you didn't see them." Yuichiro speaks softly.

Rei sighs. "He knew I would have tried to stop him," she recalls some of the past stunts her grandfather had attempted.

"It was really quiet here otherwise since you weren't here..." Yuichiro's voice trails off. That is the closest he can utter to a confession he missed her. He fills the silence by immediately asking, "How was the tour?"

"It was a lot of fun to see so many places." She pauses with a smile. "And seeing Minako-chan fulfill her dream, I've never seen her so happy." Her eyes glance down at her hands. When did her heart start beating so fast? Mentally she curses Minako for putting those thoughts in her head. This is Yuichiro! Clearing her throat she adds, "I know Grandpa can be a handful. Thank you for looking after him."

Yuichiro blushes at Rei's compliment, one he rarely receives. "I'll always be here Rei-san to look after both of you."

They pause outside of Rei's room. "Thank you." Rei said softly as she quickly grabs her bag. "I'm really tired." She excuses herself as she closes her door.

Once she is alone in her room she smiles. She likes the sound of that, he'll always be here.

In some of the early episodes of the Star series it seems like Rei was interested in Seiya. I'm thinking of the musical episode and the creepy look she gave Seiya to have him study with them. When we first learn about the Three Lights in Stars, Minako's pick was Seiya but we clearly see her approaching Taiki and Yaten more as the series continues. Rei's pick was Yaten but she later seemed to gravitate toward Seiya until it was obvious Seiya was into Usagi. Ami had picked Taiki and that remained the same.

Is something going to start brewing between Rei and Yuichiro? Undecided, but I'm building up their relationship while I sort it out. Though there is a lot to Chaos Theory left.

Tomorrow's story will feature Seiya and Usagi along with Yaten and Minako!