2658/Those are short shorts

Those are short shorts
Date of Scene:	30 June 2025
Location:	Sports Pavilion
Synopsis:	As School Clubs wrap up, Minako and Masato have a chat on the sports pavilion in their sporty club uniforms. Minako learns a little more about Masato's family situation.
Cast of Characters:	Nephrite, Minako Aino

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Nephrite has posed:
The school clubs were letting out now, though Masato had stepped away from watching the underclassmen put the equipment back. They knew how to fold a net, it wasn't that hard. He could still see them, anyway. He'd been a little distracted, reading through an email on his phone.

His father, who was in California, was like Masato in this way-- he preferred to send an email, rather than text. The man only ever left a voice message when he was angry, and refused to text. This, too, a clipped missive regarding the sale of the Setagaya property. A mixture of instructions and thinly veiled impatience, and very stern. Very distant. It was sent at about nine in the evening, in California time. A few hours ago during the school day.

Masato had wandered as he read through it, processing the reminder-- the renewed pressure about clearing the house-- as he walked the pavillion. Still in his tennis whites, with wavy brown hair tied back low and sweatbanded wrists and tennis shoes, and shorts that looked even shorter on his tall frame. The polo shirt bearing an orange collar and the school emblem.

When he'd stopped to finish through reading, he'd come to stand just off to one side of the volleyball courts, leaning against the wall.

Minako Aino has posed:
The sound from the tennis courts was usually one that was mostly quiet. The sound of pounding feet, rebounding tennis balls, and the occasional 'hup!' of a deep breath when diving for a hit.

The volleyball court was very similar in that last regard. The issue was the multiple footsteps, lots of calling out to teammates, and the heavy *WHACK* of fists impacting with the large white ball they send back and forth.

"Hinata-chan, you're doing better! Keep up with the drills and you'll keep improving for sure! Work with Haruka-chan on that some more before next match, okay?"

The loud, commanding voice that rings out is very familiar to Masato no doubt as it comes from the long-haired blonde that stood back after her own matches to call out suggestions for improving to younger teammates. The red bow she typically wore was missing in favor of a hair scrunchie that wouldn't get ruined. It held her hair a bit higher than she usually wore it as it was all swept back into a ponytail right now, and not just the sides to be kept out of her face. The volleyball uniform was a polo emblazoned with 'AINO - 8' on it in white and dark blue, while the speedo-style shorts were the darker orange that RHA had as part of their uniform. Mina really was one of the few that could pull off the full uniform colors without seeming odd.

Everyone seems to be disbanding now as she too turns with a ball tucked beneath her arm to lightly jog back toward the side of the courts when she catches sight of the overly tall tennis player. A little smile creeps over her at an idea.

Quickly scurrying the rest of the way she approaches quickly, and twists around so her back comes up against the wall right next to him. All so she can lean over to peer at his phone in a nosey manner.

"Whatcha reading, loverboy?" She teases. "Love notes from Mako-chan?"

Nephrite has posed:
It was a welcome distraction, even if the particular manner of her approach had him offer her a flat look. Her antics at least brought a tick to the corner of his mouth, to smirk. "No, she packs her love notes into bentos, and they're hand written."

Masato did casually tilt his phone closer to his chest to subtly hide it, but not fully. If she was determined to snoop, she would pick up a little of the terseness in the email.

"It's family business. Nothing new."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino crosses her hands behind her back to act as cushion between her and the wall so that her shorts didn't snag on the brick. Really that was a quick way to ruin a sports outfit of this nature. One leg kicks out in front of her idly, her carefully cuffed socks nestled around her ankles and the low-rise tennis shoes worn not all that dissimilar from the sort Masato might wear (except probably not anywhere near as expensive.)

At the mention of the love notes her blue eyes flick away from the phone back up toward him. Or maybe she just realized there was nothing left to look at if he was hiding it like that. "Ooh right, her bento love notes are the best! I mean, not that I've gotten a love not from her," she hastens to add realizing how that may sound. "But occasionally a little note in her bentos is great! Mostly the bentos are great."

For just a moment she grows silent. It doesn't last long. When did it ever with her? "So like... Family business? Or 'Faaamily' business?" Shittenou or blood relatives, clearly.

Nephrite has posed:
Makoto's bentos were life changing, but Minako already knew that. Masato felt particularly spoiled, lately. "I've never had that sort of thing, before. Home-made bentos and notes..." He mentions off-handedly, and his smirk briefly flickers into a smile.

Masato does glance down at his phone again, though. "My father. He moved out to California last year. That's why I went over there, for a while."

And to get away from... everything else, post-Obsidian, to get his head around half of it. To reconnect to who he was before, or try to. He hadn't been ready to make new connections yet, form new bonds yet, before he trusted himself more. Grounded himself.

"He has an American wife now."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino gives a silent few nods of ready agreement. There was no question about it: Makoto's bentos were her way to express love and friendship. It was a skill that Mina couldn't even dream of having, and one she'd been fortunate enough to be able to receive at times. "I'm happy for you," she offers quietly. And she really did sound genuine in that.

When the talk shifts to California, and his father, and everything related to that she grows respectfully quiet to simply listen. It was rare that any of them really spoke of their families other than Usagi perhaps. Even when her mother called her at times it seemed to surprise the others.

"What happened to your mother? If it's okay to ask. Are you okay with his new wife? I ... can't imagine how tough that might be."

Nephrite has posed:
Masato didn't expect her to be interested, much-- it was true, family things were not often discussed. A brow lifted, and he rolled a shoulder gently.

"She seems pleasant. Her family come from one of those places with the big tornados... Sounds like Okinawa." Although, because it is Minako, he confesses a little more with a slight tic of cheek. "But she's young. Maybe only ten years older than me... and she likes to live comfortably."

He didn't speak ill of the woman, but he was a litle more blunt about his true feelings.

"But my mother passed away a long time ago. She caught an illness, and her health declined quickly."

Minako Aino has posed:
"Oklahoma," Minako supplies matter-of-fact with the random tidbit of knowledge that she had picked up from somewhere in spite of her typical aversion to studying. She had traveled quite a bit compared to the other Senshi though. Perhaps she was a bit more familiar with world geography than one might suspect.

The age thing earns a quiet 'ew' from her in clear understanding. Age differences weren't so bad, but she could see the ick factor from the perspective of a kid whose parents were seeing someone. It's the rest that has her nose crinkling with a look that one might think meant 'venomous spiders are crawling up my legs and I need to sneeze'.

"So it's for money probably and not love. I don't think I could do that."

Her weight shifts to her opposite foot so she can wriggle one pinned hand from behind herself to reach out and lightly 'paff' a mock punch against Masato's arm. "Sorry about your mom."

Nephrite has posed:
He nods and wags a finger at 'Oklaholma', because he can never quite remember it.

After a few moment-- and her little fist bump-- he grimaces a bit. "I think his wife is a nice enough person, but that's typical of my father, too. My parents married through a broker, so that's not new. He's not a sentimental person."

Unlike Masato, evidently. "Men in the Sanjouin family usually marry quickly, that way. It's all business."

Minako Aino has posed:
"That's kind of sad, honestly." Minako's eyebrows crease together as she considers that. Brokerage. Planned marriages. Her mind drifts to what little she really does know about 'American' culture which causes her to give a thoughtful hum. "Kind of surprised then. I thought it was all about marrying for love in the states. Maybe that's just the movies though."

Another thought occurs which causes her head to snap toward Masato with eyes wide. "Wait, the men do? Plural? ... Do you have brothers?"

Nephrite has posed:
It was sad, and the glance he gives her subtly says so. It wasn't love that bound his family. It was tradition, and duty most of all. Everyone had their role to play, and was expected to carry their own weight-- uphold the name and legacy, contribute to it, and to be respectable.

"No, I don't. It's just been that way for a a few generations. Both my parents came from old fashioned families." Masato states that fact mutedly. "I have an uncle, and a cousin... but we aren't close. He's older than me."

Minako Aino has posed:
"Ohthankgod, I don't have to worry about flirting with any then." Look she'd had a rough time of it lately when it came to flirting, and Nephrites okay? If he had siblings that would have been very awkward in many ways--And from the sound of it, she'd want to avoid them to begin with.

"Other than Kazuo you all seem to have gotten the worst reincarnation families. Mostly. Tamaki's is still possibly redeemable."

Nephrite has posed:
Masato does chuckle a little at her expense, and perhaps with a small amount of real sympathy. Despite the subject, it doesn't seem like he's particularly weighed down by it-- he's not emotional when he speaks, he doesn't seem overly bothered to talk about these things. But perhaps that's the true tell.

"I don't think I had it so bad... It was a little lonely, sometimes, because my father was always away. Even my mother, when she was alive, she was very career focused... They were just like that as people. Very hard working. My father's one of the heads of the Sanjouin Business Group, he's got a lot of responsibility, so he's a busy man. I'm only managing the Tennis Association."

He lifts his shoulders in a small shrug, his back against brick and his arms folding-- phone tucked into pocket. "And I wasn't mistreated or anything... we were affluent, so it isn't like I couldn't afford to get whatever I needed. My father has no idea how much money I made in Obsidian." He snickered.

Yet, the implication was there. Masato had mostly looked after himself from very young, learning to manage things on his own, and he and his father were never close.

"What about you, Mina-chan? Your mother calls you a lot."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino tilts her head back some to raise her gaze up toward the sky. It was still sunny out, even if it was later in the afternoon, so the view was rather nice. Quietly she is relieved to hear he hadn't been mistreated like some others. What she knew about Tamaki's main family hadn't been nice, and even Izou seemed to have serious issues with his. When the question turns to her though she looks back toward Masato blinking in surprise at the question.

"Oh! My parents are still alive and together. I'm an only child. I was always very athletic so they let me try out a lot of clubs and activities until I found what I really liked. Um." Here she pauses, considering.

"Honestly? They're still stupid crazy in love." She starts to say something more as she wants to remark about the calls, but something causes her to hesitate. "They trust me to look after myself, but they still try to be parents, you know? That's why she calls so much."

Nephrite has posed:
He smiles a little. "So, it's nice, even if they nag at you a little bit?" There's a certain warmth to it that is not envious, but appreciative of the warmth her family must share too. "I think it's good... that she calls to check up on you. It shows she's thinking about you all the time."

After a few seconds, though, he can't help but laugh a little. "I'm glad you're an only child, too. It's bad enough with you just pretending to be your own relative, imagine if you had siblings?"

Minako Aino has posed:
"Of course! They're great parents. Not the wealthiest or super smartest or anything. Just normal parents, I guess." She did have a pretty typical upbringing! Other than being exceedingly good at everything she tried (that wasn't academic) and of course becoming Sailor V and Sailor Venus.

The jibe about her sibling has her throw her hands up abruptly. "I wasn't *trying* to make anyone think I had a brother! I just wanted a break from being Usagi and Sailor Moon for awhile and, and it was awhile since I used my disguise to be a boy and I wanted to see what I looked like now that I'm older and then I just got caught up and..." She trails off letting her hands flop down again along with her head ducking.

"... It was kind of nice, being 'Minato' for a bit."

Nephrite has posed:
"You're a menace, Mina-chan." Masato tuts, offering a sidelong look and settling into a smirk. His arms are still crossed. "Something must be in the air for it lately. Even Mamoru couldn't resist. We went shopping the other day and he turned up as 'Mamorin' in a bid to hunt down whatever looked like 'ninties lesbian' style," He said it in English, "Because the henshin keeps making dresses."

He shook his head. "Mamorin's got really nice legs, too." A glance at his own shorts, and Minako then. "We're showing off a lot of leg, ourselves. Those are very short shorts they make you wear, Mina-chan."

Minako Aino has posed:
"What? I'm perfectly honest about my intentions with people! How's that a menace?" Minako does crack a grin at the remark however taking it with good nature. She hadn't known about 'Mamorin' though so her eyebrows raise just a little bit.

"Oh I wish I'd been there to see that. You just have to be very specific when telling the pen what you want to change into though, I find, or else you end up with something weird." By weird she means unfashionable.

A glance is given down to her legs as she regards the uniform with a nod. "The shirt is kind of loose at least. Last school it felt like it was one size too small. This one IS more high-cut than the last pair of shorts though. Maybe I should talk to them about more fabric."

Her head turns to glance at his legs considering a moment in those shorts before abruptly pushing away from the wall to start walking away. "I should go get changed. Maybe you should too? I saw a bunch of girls staring at you as they went by." Not her though. NOPE not her.

Nephrite has posed:
"What is it you say? There's no harm in looking?" Masato lifts his chin and looks a little smug.

He pushed off the wall as well, unfurling his arms to rest a hand casually at his hip. "I'm still unfortunately handsome, after all." His free hand waves it off. "As long as they don't come and pester me about it... I wonder if there's something I could do to match with Mako-chan, so everyone knows..."

Masato ponders that as they walk, and the worries about his father's terse email seem to have faded to the back of his mind.

Minako Aino has posed:
"Well that's true. People are always going to look at me no matter what I wear or who I look like, too," Minako adds a bit boastfully as she reaches back to flip the length of her hair behind her unnecessarily. The scrunchie was doing it's job just fine.

"There's always couples rings," she suggests with a look of amusement flashed his way. "Might even tick off Izou, since he got the bouquet."

Nephrite has posed:
"Mako-chan said she refuses to compete with him," He recalled with some pride. "I'll let Mamoru and Usagi-chan enjoy their rings a little longer without stepping on their toes, though..." Masato chuckled, flashing Minako a grin. Mamoru and Usagi were so happy. He felt happy for them, too-- how could he not?

"But maybe we could do a 'pair look' until then. I wonder if I could find a hair tie like hers." He wondered out loud. "I could wear it around my wrist, and put my hair back with it."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino pauses when they reach the split to the girls lockers versus the boys as she considers the suggestion. Both, of the 'no compete' idea, and the scrunchies. "That's probably a good idea. Izou kind of gets jealous and competitive. Although," she has to admit with a little shrug. "He was actually really gracious about Kazuo turning me down."

As soon as the words are out of her mouth she's quickly, immediately, springing onto the other topic. "Oh yeah! Scrunchies would work, and that's easy to do. You should bring her out to pick some, I'm sure she'd like that!" A grin is flashed quickly. "Okay I'm going to go clean up. You should too, probably," she suggests with a laugh only to duck into the girls only area.

Nephrite has posed:
"That better not be a polite way to tell me I look damp," Masato warned jokingly, and waved her off. Being sporty in Summer had its drawbacks.

Maybe the short shorts had their perks.