Short Author's Note: This story takes place sometime in between episode 177
and 188. I'm not sure if the latter really makes a difference, but that's the way it
is. Thanks to poemshop.com for the text. (The poem is "O Beauty, Passing Beauty!"
by Lord Alfred Tennyson.)

=============

"Ami-chaaaaaaaaaaaaan! Don't make me do this anymore! It's too hard!" Usagi let out a long groan as she strained to read the jumble of script in her thick, forboding textbook. She could do nothing but blink her eyes in frustrated confusion, and, after a few more moments of squinting, she slammed shut the book with a booming thud. Rubbing her eyes, she leaned back on the grass, resting her head on a tree trunk.

Usagi looked up to see Ami staring back down at her, the sunlight glinting on her glasses, obscuring her eyes. "Usagi-chan..." she said, in a low, somewhat menacing voice.

"A-Ami-chan?" she squeaked. Usagi knew that Ami rarely got angry, but she had seen her blow her stack before.

She removed her glasses and smiled sweetly. "Don't be discouraged, Usagi-chan! If you keep trying, I'm sure you'll be able to read it!"

Usagi sighed, relieved, and reluctantly picked up the book again. "Why do we need to know English, anyway..." she muttered.

"Well," Ami said, opening another book, "don't you want to make Mamoru-san proud? I'm sure he'll be happy when he comes back and sees how much you've learned in high school."

Her friend brightened up. "You're right, Ami-chan! Thanks!" After a few moments of wading through her English book again, her smile faded. "But I still don't understand any of this."

"Well, why don't we try something more fun?" Ami set the book she had been holding in Usagi's lap. Her fingers traced through the text and one shapely fingernail stopped in the middle of one page. "This is a book of English poetry." She tapped the line she had found. "This is one of my favorites. Let's read it together, okay? You try reading the first line."

"Okay...I'll try...but it won't be very good!"

"I'm sure you'll be fine. I'll help you."

Uncertainly, Usagi pulled the book close and began to read, slowly. "O Bea...u..ty...pass...in...g.... Oh, Ami-chan, this is really hard! Help me!"

Ami laughed, and tried to encourage her friend. "You're doing well! You don't need any help so far! Keep going, Usagi-chan!"

"But I can't! Can you read it for me once, first? Pretty please?" Usagi scooted close to Ami and batted her eyelashes. "I want to hear you read it!"

Ami sweatdropped. "Well..."

"Yes, Mizuno-kun, why don't you read it? I think I'd like to hear this as well."

The two girls looked up to see Taiki standing over them, eyebrow raised in Ami's direction. Seiya popped out from behind him, smiling cheerfully. "Hi! Need help with your schoolwork again, Odango?"

Usagi's face puffed up angrily. "Seiya! You're nasty!"

Taiki shot Seiya a look. "Quiet, both of you. Mizuno-kun was just about to read for us." He gestured at her. "Go ahead. I'll make sure Seiya behaves."

Like a scolded child, Seiya slumped down next to Usagi in a huff. All was quiet, except for the sound of Usagi wolfing down a rice ball she had just discovered in her bag. Ami cleared her throat, and Usagi hurriedly gulped down the last bite. Seiya suppressed a laugh after noticing Taiki's severe expression.

Ami took the book from Usagi and began to read, sweetly and clearly:

O beauty, passing beauty! Sweetest sweet!
How can thou let me waste my youth in sighs?
I only ask to sit beside thy feet.
Thou knowest I dare not look into thine eyes.
Might I but kiss thy hand! I dare not fold
My arms about thee--scarcely dare to speak.
And nothing seems to me so wild and bold,
As with one kiss to touch thy blessed cheek.
Methinks if I should kiss thee, no control
Within the thrilling brain could keep afloat
The subtle spirit. Even while I spoke,
The bare word "kiss" hath made my inner soul
To tremble like a lute string, ere the note
Hath melted in the silence that it broke.

Usagi, who didn't understand a word of what she had just heard, was nonetheless awed by Ami's poetic voice. She sat in red-faced rapture until a bored Seiya started tugging on her pigtails.

"SEIYA!" she wailed. "Stop that!" She threatened to hit him with her bag, and the result was the two of them running in a mad chase around the lawn, Usagi furious, Seiya flirtatious.

Ami sighed. "I suppose Usagi-chan got out of her English studies for today. What a--" She stopped when she realized that Taiki was still looking at her, his unblinking violet eyes fixed on a single point in space.

Oh dear, did I read it wrong? He seems so analytical right now... She wasn't sure what to say. He was almost in a trance.

Before Ami could think of anything to say, Taiki spoke. "Tennyson. A very nice poem. You read it well, Mizuno-kun."

Ami blushed furiously. "Thank you, Taiki-san." She relaxed a little and smiled. "I like it, too. It's beautiful."

"It's quite immersed in those 'dreams and romance' that you love so much, isn't it?"

"...W-Well...yes. I think it's very romantic. He is so thrilled and amazed by the sight of his love..."

Taiki's eyes grew cold. I think I can understand, Lord Tennyson. How your heart feels when you see that person so important to you...Princess, why can't I see you now? He shook himself out of his sorrow. There's no time for pain. We have to find her, he thought. "But I hear this, and I think of her..."

Ami was startled. "Taiki-san, what did you just say?"

"Never mind," he snapped. "I didn't say anything."

She dropped her eyes to the ground, trying to keep her embarrassment under control. "I'm sorry, Taiki-san, I didn't mean to pry..."

Taiki glanced over at her--so unsure, so apologetic. All he could see of her was her head of silky blue hair, as her face remained steadfastly pointed at the grass. "Hey, Mizuno-kun...don't worry about it. Can you look at me, please? It's not very interesting to hold a conversation with someone looking at the ground."

Ami forced herself to look up, and noticed that Taiki no longer seemed angry. "Sorry about that. What were we talking about?"

"Lord Tennyson's dreams and romance." He smirked as he said it.

Ami smiled. "Right. So, you like it as well? I thought it was a little too...emotional for you, Taiki-san." She immediately regretted saying that. A small voice inside her groaned. I just keep saying the wrong things! she thought. What is the matter with me?

He smiled bitterly. "I think I am able to handle a little poetic emotion, Mizuno-kun." He shifted his penetrating gaze to her startled blue eyes. "What about you? Why did you pick this poem for Tsukino-san to read?"

She hesitated for a moment. "It's a favorite poem of mine. I like how Tennyson is so energetic and optimistic about his love."

He smiled thinly. "A very nice analysis of Tennyson's emotions, Mizuno-kun. But what does this poem mean to you? Do you have someone...special? Someone you are reminded of by these words?" Why do I care, anyway? he thought.

"Well...someone special? I guess not...not right now..."

Taiki raised his eyebrows. "Then where is the meaning in this for you? If you have no one you think of in this way... how can you relate? How is it not meaningless?"

"Wh-what...?" Ami found herself crying. What does he mean, "meaningless"? her inner voice cried. Her tears spilled down her face, and she wasn't yet sure why. How dare he say that to me! the voice said, angry this time.

"T-Taiki-san, what an...awful thing to say!" Ami stammered, quickly gathering her things. She stood up. "You just don't understand anything, do you? I should have known!" She rushed away, wiping the tears from her face.

Taiki sat still, bewildered at Ami's sudden and shocking display of anger. Usagi marched over to him, hands on hips, Seiya in tow.

"Taiki-san! What did you say to her? I won't forgive you if you hurt Ami-chan!"

Seiya stepped forward. "What did you say, Taiki? She seemed pretty upset."

"I-I don't know," he admitted. "But," he said firmly, standing up, "I'm going to find out. Right now." He walked off purposefully, in the direction of his car, leaving Seiya and Usagi behind.

Ami walked slowly down the street, keeping her reddened eyes fixed on the sidewalk. Taiki-san...why did I get so angry? What was it that he said? she thought. How could I let myself be so foolish...?

She heard a car pull up beside her, but chose to ignore it in favor of the sidewalk in front of her.

Taiki called out to her from inside the car. "Mizuno-kun, I'm sorry I upset you! May I drive you home?"

She paused, and looked at him, warmth and coldness fighting in her eyes. "Sure."

They both sat in silence for a few minutes. Taiki took his attention away from the road for a moment and glanced at her, stiffly sitting in the passenger seat. "I am sorry. But I don't know what I said...what was it?"

"I'm an idiot, Taiki-san."

It was then that he noticed she was crying again, and shaking uncontrollably. He pulled over to the side of the quiet street and turned in his seat, facing her.

"Why? Why do you think that?"

"You're right, you know...you're right about everything. I thought you didn't understand emotion, or love..." Ami she raised a hand to her face, obscuring it. "But I'm the one who doesn't understand."

Taiki's eyes widened. "What...?"

She became angry again, suddenly staring at him with wet blue eyes. "Don't you see? I go on and on to you about 'dreams and romance,' but what do I know?! I don't have romance. I don't know what it is!" She looked disgusted with herself. "I'm the one who's been wallowing in abstraction, Taiki-san, not you! Who am I to tell you about romance?!"

Taiki was speechless for a moment. "Mizuno-kun...I don't think that's true...you must have someone who loves you, right? Someone who is special to you? What about your family?"

"I have my parents...and my friends...but that's not enough, is it? Usagi-chan has Mamoru-san, Michiru-san has Haruka-san...why can't I have someone like that? Someone who thinks only of me?"

Each of those last words out of her mouth stung Taiki--stabbed at his heart. Why do I care so much for you, all of a sudden...? Why do your tears hurt me...? he thought. Mizuno-kun...

Before either of them knew it, Taiki pressed his lips to Ami's. Ami received the kiss with wide-eyed shock. Taiki-san...you... Her mind was spinning.

After a few moments, their lips parted, and Taiki smiled at her, showing some of the blushing embarrassment she had earlier. "Mizuno-kun...Ami...you'll find someone like that someday. Right? Maybe we both will."

She couldn't help but smile. "...Y-Yes. You're right, Taiki-san. Love is out there, isn't it? I just have to believe I'll find it."

The rest of the car ride was silent, but it was a comfortable silence, a warm quiet. As Taiki drove away from Ami's home, she stood on the sidewalk and watched his car disappear on the horizon. Yes, she thought. Maybe I'll find that love. Maybe it will be you, Taiki-san.

~***~