Jedite's face had grown sad.

"When I was alive," he said, "Thetis was terribly in love with me. Thetis was the youma who was directly subordinate to Queen Beryl, you know. One day she told me she knew a way to steal human energy. Although she got on my nerves I agreed, because I needed it, imperatively, to make Queen Beryl be pleased with me." Jedite sighed. "Of course the Sailor Senshi found out our plan and Thetis died, when she wanted to fight them." Jedite looked down. "Thetis knew that I wasn't in love with her." He looked up. "But it didn't stop her from staying at my side."

Neflite had to think of Naru. No matter what he had done, Naru had still trusted him. She wasn't afraid to risk her life for him, even when she had found out that he wasn't the nice Masato Sanjouin he had pretended to be.

Jedite looked at Neflite. "Naru loves you, and you love her, too. Don't throw it all away because of your present blind anger!"

"But I wasn't angry at her!" Neflite replied. "I've just been a bit jealous because of this Umino boy, and when she acted like she wouldn't love me anymore, I wanted to force her to stay with me, because I've been scared to lose her. I didn't want to hurt her!"

A cold wind was blowing into Neflite's face.

Neflite felt a cramp in his shoulders and his face, and when he opened his eyes, he noted that his head and his arms lay on the table of the balcony.

He rose up and rubbed his eyes. He must have been fallen asleep. No wonder. It had to be very late now.

Neflite looked around. There was no Jedite anymore. Only the trees and the old wall of the villa. It must have been a dream. A strange dream.

*Naru* The name ran through Neflite's head and he rushed from the balcony into the villa.

* * * * * * * *

Neflite opened the door of the room he had brought Naru to.

He looked inside the room. "Naru?" The room was empty. Only a little flames were burning in the fireplace.

Neflite entered the room.

"Naru?" He looked around. There was nobody there.

He walked outside the room, looking around. "Naru?"

Neflite felt a fear welling inside of him, and he shouted: "Naru!"

* * * * * * * *

Neflite rushed through the rooms, opened every door, looked at every place, always shouting Naru's name.

But there was no Naru, and the empty rooms seemed to Neflite even more empty than they already were.

"Naru!" Neflite yelled, but there was no reply.

Neflite gasped from exhaustion and fear.

"Naru!" he shouted. His voice had grown hoarse.

Shivering, he sank on the floor.

"Why don't you hear me, Naru?" he said, exhausted. In the silence he heard his heart beating wildly.

"I didn't want to hurt you, Naru!" he said, desperately. "Whatever I've said, whatever I've done, it's meaningless!" He hid his eyes with his hands. "Would you still believe me, if I said I love you? Why don't you hear me?" He looked up and yelled: "I love you, Naru!"

* * * * * * * *

A rattle went through the hall.

Jedite, Zoisite and Kunzite turned around.

The broken pieces of the mirror fell on the floor.

* * * * * * * *

Neflite sat on the floor in a corner of the villa.

Suddenly he was surrounded by hundreds of glittering little points, which floated in the air.

Neflite watched them, confused.

The glittering points went together, slowly, and after a while they became a star-like crystal.

Neflite watched it all, amazed.

The star-like crystal floated towards him, and buried itself into his chest, slowly.

Neflite felt a warmth inside himself.

He breathed deeply, then stood up shakily, to go on looking for Naru.

* * * * * * * *

The wind ran through the trees.

Naru stood in front of Neflite's villa and watched the wood which surrounded the building.

The front door opened. Neflite went outside.

Naru turned around.

"Neflite?" she said, as she discovered the man with the long auburn hair.

Neflite wanted to say something, but he couldn't. So he only came closer.

Naru walked some steps towards him. "Neflite." she said.

"Naru!" Neflite said. He wanted to tell her that he had been missing her. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry about what he had done to her. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. But he didn't say any of that. Neflite's mouth was locked. Shy? He? Neflite banished this imagination from his thoughts.

"Neflite, I'm sorry!" Naru said, sadly. "I'm sorry if I've hurt you! Would you give me a second chance?"

"Naru!" Neflite gasped. "I've been scared you'd never speak to me again!"

Naru fell into his arms.

Neflite wrapped his arm around her back. He heard a sob and recognized that it was his own.

Happily, he closed his eyes to feel Naru's breath, hair and arms.

* * * * * * * *

Umino had bent over the toilet, vomiting. He had drunk too many milk shakes in his frustration, and now he felt sick.

"Umino?" he heard Naru's voice.

Umino looked up.

He ripped off a toilet paper, briefly wiped his mouth with it and threw it into the toilet.

"Naru?" he shouted.

Umino flushed the toilet and went outside.

In the living room stood Naru and Neflite.

Umino smiled at Naru and gave Neflite a bad look.

"Umino, we have to talk!" Naru said.

"I don't know what we should be talking about!" Umino replied.

"It's important for you!" Neflite said.

"You mean important for you!" Umino replied, looking at Neflite angrily.

Naru turned around. "Neflite, would you please leave us alone?"

"But Naru..." Neflite began.

"It won't take long!" Naru promised.

"Okay," Neflite said. He looked at Naru, then at Umino. Slowly, he walked towards door. "I am going to wait on the balcony!" he said. Then he left the room.

"Finally he's gone!" Umino said. He looked at Naru. "I still can't understand how you could fall in love with such a guy!"

"I am still in love with him!" Naru said.

"How can you throw it all away?" Umino said. "The time we had together!"

"It was a beautiful time!" Naru said. "You've been always a good friend to me!"

Umino looked into her eyes. "Then, why are you leaving me now?"

"I still love Neflite!" Naru said. "Time hasn't changed anything about it!"

"So you want to be together with him now?" Umino said.

Naru nodded. "Yes, that's what I want."

Umino sighed.

Naru watched Umino. "You're a smart and nice boy! You shouldn't give up yourself!"

"It just makes me sad!" Umino said.

"Do you think you are going to get over it?" Naru asked.

"Yes. Maybe." He looked at her. "I think yes!"

* * * * * * * *

Neflite gazed at the stars.

He had never looked at them so amazed like he did this night. The emptiness he had felt was gone and the stars appeared to him more beautiful than ever before.

"Neflite," he heard Naru's voice.

Neflite turned around.

Naru stood at the balcony.

"Did you talk with Umino?" Neflite asked.

Naru nodded.

"What did he say?" Neflite wanted to know.

"He's of course still sad," Naru said, "but it's okay for him that I am together with you now."

Neflite breathed, relieved.

Naru sat on the bench on the balcony.

Neflite at first hesitated, then sat beside her.

He looked into the sky. The horizon was bright. Soon it would be dawn on earth.

Exhausted, Neflite leaned his head against Naru's chest. He felt Naru's warmth, Naru's heart beat and her hand, which was stroking over his back.

"Don't fall asleep!" Naru whispered, smiling. "You haven't seen the sunrise yet!"

* * *The End* * *

* * * * * * * *