~Emerald Eyes~
	~(PG) Chapter 5 By Callisto~

		"The Lesson"


	"Alright, now add two cups of 

rice. No, TWO cups. I said Cups, that?s 
an Ounce! This is a cup... see it says 
cup on it?"

	"Hey I told you I?m not good at 
cooking!"

	"You obviously weren?t lying! Now 
stir in three tablespoons of soy sauce."

	"Is this a tablespoon?"

	"No, that?s a teaspoon. Ok, now 
stir it in and we let it boil for 5 
minutes."

	"Ok."

	"I need to sit down!" Makoto wiped 
her forehead and plopped down onto the 
couch.

	"Am doing Ok, I mean for a 
beginner?" Shin asked, sitting down on 
a chair across from the couch.

	"Well, alright I guess." Mako 
answered him.

	"Where did you learn to cook so 
well?" Shin asked her.

	"From my mother. She taught me how 
to cook. She would let me help her 
every time she cooked something. My 
mother taught me how to do many things. 
I always tried as hard as I could to do 
well in everything she taught me, 
because I always wanted to be like her. 
But now, well now... oh, I miss her." 
Mako had completely forgotten who she 
was talking to. She looked up from her 
lap and was surprised to realize it was 
Shin, who was listening intently.

	He looked at her, his face was 
serious for the first time since she 
had met him, the usual jovial look 
absent from his face. 

	"What happened?" He asked her 
gently.

	"A plane crash, when I was twelve. 
I?ve been alone since then,I mean until I 
met Usagi-chan. She was the first friend 
I?d had in three years. Then I met Ami, Rei
and Minako... they?re my family now. The 
only family I have."

	Shin was watching her quietly, 
with concern. Suddenly embarrassed 
about telling him so much about 
herself, Makoto whipped her forehead 
again with a shaky hand. She tried to 
stand up but couldn?t. She closed her 
eyes and saw the familiar image of the 
little girl. Mako cringed and held her 
head.

	"Hey, are you alright?" Shin asked her.

	Mako cringed again. The image of 
the crying girl burned into her mind. 
She couldn?t escape her. The little 
girl needed Makoto?s help, she had to 
do something.

	"Mommy!" The girl cried again. It 
hurt Mako to hear the her so sad.

	Mako opened her eyes and looked at 
Shin." I?m...I?m...no...."

	"Listen, I think you may be 
getting sick. You go home. I?ll finish 
the rice. "Shin told her.

	"Ok..." She forced herself to 
stand up and slowly walked to the door 
and to her apartment. Barely indoors, 
she collapsed on the couch, weak and 
unnerved.