Epilogue:

Another cloudy morning filled with routine. Another day without news and if she was honest, she was getting desperate. It had been several weeks since the last time she had any contact with him and she was fearing the worst.

Sitting heavily on the Engawa, she looked to the sky. She knew that he promised that he would come back, that once he came home they would start planning their wedding, and that they would soon enjoy the rest of their lives together.

She wanted to have hope, she wanted to believe, she needed to have faith.

Looking up and spotting an unusual movement from the clouds, she stood up and started pulling out the Amados to cover the Engawa. She was so lost in thought while piling them up, that she almost missed the knock on the outer door.

It was a messenger.

Holding back tears of despair, she received the missive, knowing exactly what was inside but refusing to acknowledge it. There was only one reason for her to get this exact form of communication, and the seal of a golden chrysanthemum only served to cement the knowledge.

Her love was dead, he was never coming home.

Closing the door behind her, she collapsed to the floor, letting the tears flow and not trying in the least to hold in her violent sobs.

She wanted to believe that it was a mistake, that any moment now he would be coming home with a huge smile and some trinket he found for her.

But after a day or so of crying and denying the truth, she had to admit it was not going to happen. She was alone and he was gone.

"Cut! Marvelous, Minako!" the movie director praised "Had I not written the script, I would have believed that you were actually in mourning from some lost love! Everybody take a break while we revise the scene!"

Everybody scattered around the set without much prompting, looking for something to eat or just for a corner to rest while the filming crew and the director convened.

If everything went as expected, they would be a single scene away from finishing the film and everybody was excited to finish it. It was supposed to be a drama set during the war times of the feudal era, and while everybody got along just fine and they were happy with the director and the script, almost everybody was looking forward to stop wearing the intricate clothing of the Heian period.

Everybody except Minako.

Had you asked her a year ago she would have laughed in the face of whoever told her she would enjoy wearing a seven layer kimono. Truth was, it wasn't until she was offered this role and she started to investigate how the hell these things worked that she slowly fell in love with them.

The fact that they were made of different fabrics, textures and colors depending on the season they were worn only served her to realize that even ancient Japanese women had good taste in clothing.

Moving from the prop house, she also looked for a place to rest her feet. She was in love with the clothes, but she was certainly not fond of geta and tabi. While at it, she also spied the food hoping to get something light but tasty since she was planning to get lunch on her way home.

She was about to grab some crackers with cheese when a tap on her shoulder interrupted her. Turning around to see who it was, she saw one of the guards of the studio holding a card on her hand, most likely there to deliver a message.

"There's a Hiroshi Saito outside the studio looking for you. He said you are good friends."

Minako smiled broadly. Unlike the girl she was playing for the movie, she had been in constant communication with Hiroshi while he and his band went on a tour. "Oh God! What is he doing here! He said he wouldn't be home until tomorrow!"

She ignored the murmurs and looks of curiosity. She ignored her aching feet still clad in tabi and geta. She ran to the door where a smiling Hiroshi stood waiting for her.

She threw herself at his arms, and he caught her easily, spinning her around, smiling and laughing. Once he put her down, and before she could ask anything he kissed her soundly, a kiss that she answered after a few seconds of elation and confusion.

The shy but happy smiles they shared once they parted said everything they needed to know.

The End!

It was an interesting ride for the Senhi & Shitennou mini Bang. I might come back to this verse later, since there are many things i would like to explore more.

I hope you enjoyed it!

Feedback is greatly appreciated!