Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ After School ❯ The Return of Banana No. 2 ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Ajax Presents:

A Sailor Moon Story
After School

Part 1: The Return of Banana No. 2

13th September, 1996

[A mid-September afternoon. Our first view is of a restaurant across a busy
street. As we get closer, the view moves up to include the brown wooden panel
on top of the door. It has "Kino's" painted on it in white in a stylish
script. The outside is a dark green. As we contemplate the place, a hand
reaches out and opens the door. The view switches to the person who has just
entered the restaurant. It is Minako, albeit four years older than we know
her. She is dressed in a short skirt and a warm jacket. As she enters, a few
young men gape at her and cheer.]

Minako: (to the waiter) I'm here to see the chef, please.

[She looks around, smiling at a few men and taking in the cosy interior of
the place. The waiter, meanwhile, is a bit surprised at her request and
clearly doesn't know what to do.]

Waiter: Uh, do you mind waiting a bit? I'll just call her in. [He disappears
through a door at the back of the room. Minako waits patiently. Pretty soon,
Makoto's voice is heard, scolding the waiter, then the door at the back is
opened and she walks in with him.]

Makoto: ...give them a seat fir-Minako! [She rushes forward to hug the girl,
then pulls back to examine her. Minako just stands there, smiling
enigmatically.]

Makoto: Minako, where have you been! I called but you were never home! Come
on, have a seat, what do you think about my restaurant, eh? [They sit at an
empty table. A young man at a table close by turns around and grins at the
girls.]

Young man: Hey chef, is my pizza coming or what? I've been waiting for
fifteen minutes...

Makoto [good-naturedly]: Oh be patient, Toshio, Yuki will have it ready in no
time. Here, why don't you meet my friend. This is Minako, and Minako this is
Toshio Kenta, one of my regulars. [The two exchange greetings, then Toshio's
pizza arrives and the two girls turn back to their own conversation.]

Minako: You have regulars, already? It's only been two weeks.

Makoto: Well, I'm the only restaurant close enough to the university nearby
that is relatively cheap. Toshio tells me the food at their cafeteria is
really bad. The waiter is his friend, he works here part-time. There is also
another one that comes in a bit later and an assistant-cook in the kitchen.
All in all I'm doing pretty good. Ken, you know he's in the Business faculty,
has been helping me with the paperwork, licences and stuff, and I'm already
making a small profit. Isn't that great?

[At this moment, the waiter passes by their table on his way to the kitchen
and we get a closer look at him. He is a handsome, athletic looking guy,
possibly in his early twenties. When Makoto looks at her friend, she notices
that Minako has hearts in her eyes.]

Minako: [dreamily] He's gorgeous...

Makoto: Ne? He's already got a girlfriend though... Speaking of guys, did you
meet any in Okinawa? How was it?

Minako: [mysterious smile] Well, I did meet one... A little older than me. He
is twenty-six.

Makoto: [eager] Well, skip all that, what did he look like?

Minako: Oh, VERY cute. [beat] We're going out. I'm in love. For real.

Makoto: Sure. Let's see, how many times have I heard that this year? Hmm...
There was Ichimoto, Hikaru, Nakashima...

Minako: [interrupts]: Look. [She takes off the locket she's wearing and shows
the picture to inside to Makoto. It shows Minako, and a very handsome black
haired guy who has his arm around her shoulder. Makoto looks at it with
jealousy clearly showing in her eyes, and decides to change the subject.]

Makoto: Why did you return so late from Okinawa? You've already missed the
start of university. I thought you were really eager to get into the acting
school.

Minako: I changed my mind. I am not going to university.

Makoto: What?

Minako: I'm going to be a pilot.

Makoto: What?!!

Minako: You see, Ohta is a pilot.

Makoto: Who?!

Minako: WILL YOU STOP SAYING THAT! [forces herself to calm down] Sorry. Like
I said, I am going out with Ohta and we are pretty serious. He is a pilot.
One day, he took me flying. Oh Makoto, it was incredible, the flying. I
decided then and there "That's what I want to do." I've started learning
already.

Makoto: You're crazy. What do your parents say? First of all, you start going
out with a twenty-six year old then you decide to completely give up higher
education so that you can fly a plane? I can't believe they are letting you
do this.

Minako: They met Ohta's parents and became friends with them. He convinced
my parents that piloting is a great job.

Makoto: How are you going to continue your relationship though? Long-distance
romances do not always work, you know.

Minako: [quietly] Mako-chan...Are you jealous of me?

[Makoto mutters something about guys and dumb blondes under her breath. Just
then, the waiter comes over to them and asks her to see to something in the
kitchen. Relieved, she leaves, coming back a few minutes later.]

Makoto: Uh, so... Hey, what do you think about the wedding? Isn't it awesome
that they are getting married?

Minako: [dreamily] A wedding... Ah, I can just see me and Ohta getting
married...

Makoto: [cross] Enough about him, already.

Minako: What is with you? Aren't you happy for me? It's like you're saying
everything you can against him! I would have been happy for you!

Makoto: [getting louder] Yeah well I wouldn't have bragged about my new
boyfriend to someone who's just been dumped for the millionth time!

Minako: [startled look] Oh Mako-chan, I'm so sorry! I didn't know. [She leans
across the table to give Makoto, who is crying by now, a hug. Makoto sniffs
and after a moment, returns it.]

Minako: What happened?

Makoto: [sniffing] He was a really nice guy, we went out a few times, then he
just dumped me because I wasn't spending enough time with him.

Minako: Poor you. Maybe this past year wasn't the right time to start a
relationship, we've all been really busy.

Makoto: [Not listening to Minako] I just wanted someone to care for me. You
are all happy, Usagi's got Mamoru, now you have got this Ohta guy, and I
haven't really had someone in years. All the guys I go out with end up
dumping me.

Minako: [joking, trying to cheer her up] Well, don't worry anymore! The very
goddess of love herself offers her services for the small price of a few free
meals at this gourmet restaurant! In a month, I will have found the perfect
guy for you!

Makoto: Oh, what good is it? I'm just going to get dumped again. Besides,
what with my restaurant, I really don't have the time.

[They both sit in thought for a few moments. Makoto stares sadly at the table
while Minako fidgets uncomfortably. Suddenly, Minako's watch beeps.]

Minako: Oh shoot! I forgot I had to go shopping! [She rises and starts
walking towards the door while looking and speaking over her shoulder to
Makoto] I'm sorry I have to leave so abruptl- ouch! [Since she isn't looking
where she is going, Minako collides with another girl who was also talking to
someone. Red-faced, they both bow and apologise about three times while
Makoto looks on and shakes her head exasperatedly.]

Makoto: Bimbo...

[The last shot is the camera pulling away from the exterior of the
restaurant.]

*******
Author's notes:

I think this one turned out worse than the prologue but I only wrote it to
clear up a few things before getting into the real story.

From the e-mails I got, people didn't really like the script format. Well,
I as well found writing in prose easier, so I'm going to switch back.

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Thanks for reading!