How to Have Fun
Chapter 2

Author:  natia_99
E-mail:  natia_99@yahoo.com  *million dollar grin here* hint hint?
Rated:  PG
Author's Notes:


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"Mina!  WHAT have you gotten me into?  WHAT is with this guy?  What is the big secret!?"

"Serena calm down!"  Mina exclaimed with real fright in her voice.  Serena was NEVER angry.

She observed her huffing friend with surprise, "Didn't the date go well?"

"Well?  WELL?!  It was only perfect!  Absolutely perfect!  And then he tells me--after I put
my heart on the table--that we can never be because his life is too complicated!  WHAT is he
talking about?  What haven't you told me?"

"Uhh....well...he's very serious...."

"WHAT?!  Are you kidding me?  He was nothing but fun when we went out!  Tell me the truth!
He rushed me away from his apartment like it was quaranteened!  What is he hiding?"

Mina sighed, "Alright, alright....there is one thing I didn't tell you..."

Serena glared expectantly at her.

Mina looked at her and then away quickly, "He's raising a little girl."

Serena stared blankly at her a moment, "He has a little girl?"

Mina shook her head, "It's his little sister."  She took a deep breath, "His parents were
killed in a car accident when he was eighteen and she was just a baby.  He insisted on
raising her and looking after her even though his relatives offered.  She's all he has left
and he was determined to keep her with him.  But....it basically eliminated his social life.
Between med school and trying to be a parent he never has any fun, and he's always so serious 
and responsible!"

Serena took this all in, "But, she must be six years old now right?"

Mina nodded, "Yup, Darien's twenty-four."

"Well, she's in school and old enough, he could date now."

Mina cringed, "Well, that's the clincher.  She's a bit of a holy terror.  She sabotages his
every attempt at a relationship.  She's frightened away every girl I've tried to set him
up with.  He finally gave up."

Serena arched an eyebrow.

"That's probably why he was so terrified of having you near his apartment."  Mina said sadly.
In her mind, all hope was lost now.  But Serena simply laughed.

"What's her name?"  She asked, spirits suddenly back.

Mina met her eyes with surprise, "Rini."

"Rini?  You don't mean--"

"Her full name's Serena."  

Serena laughed, "Well, that makes it easy doesn't it?"

"Serena, if you're thinking of--"

"Planning Mina dear, planning."

"Serena, she's awful, even you won't be able to--"

"Just leave it to me."  Serena replied challengingly.


And so, with a little prodding, Serena convinced Mina to let her come-with when she picked 
up Rini from school and met Darien at the park near the med building.

Serena waited and met them at the park, coming up behind Mina as Rini played a few feet away.
She looked past Mina and gestured.

"Is that her?"

Mina nodded gravely.

Rini looked very little like Darien, her hair was pulled into two pigtails and was a pale,
reddish blond--almost pink looking.  She looked adorable in her little coat and shoes.

Serena smiled.  

"Don't be fooled."  Whispered Mina.

Serena brushed her off, "Watch me."

She walked slowly towards the girl now watching them both from wide, hazel eyes.
Rini's small face pinched to a frown.  Mina usually brought girls that liked Darien with 
her.  

"Who are you?"  She quieried trying to sound disdainful.

Serena raised an eyebrow in amusement but kept her face serious.

"I'm a friend of your brother's.  My name's Serena."

Rini's eyes widened with surprise, "That's my name too."

Serena did her best to look surprised, "Really?  That's pretty neat....except...you know
what I heard about people with the same name?"  She leaned down and nearly whispered in secrecy.

Rini leaned closer, "What?"

"That they always hate each other."

Rini started with surprise.  This she had not expected.

Serena gazed seriously at her, "But so far I don't hate you so I think we might be okay."

Rini regarded her for a moment, "Me neither."  She concluded.

"We'll have to be careful though I guess."  Serena observed.

Rini nodded.

"So, do we have the same last name too?  That would make it impossible."

Rini looked up at her, "My last name is Shields."

Serena breathed a relieved sigh, "Mine's Tsukino.  Phew!  That's japanese.  My Dad was from
Japan."

"Can you speak japanese?"  Rini asked with interest.

Serena smiled, "Yes I can.  Maybe I can teach you a little sometime?"

Rini nodded enthusiastically.

Serena laughed, "Alright.  What else do we have in common?"

Rini quickly joined in the game, "My favorite colour's pink what's yours?"

Serena grinned back, "Blue.  Do you like spaghetti?  That's my favorite food!"

Rini shook her head no and made a face.
Serena laughed again, "How about...chocolate?"

Rini laughed now too, "Of course!"

"Well, that's one thing."  Serena said, then she pointed to the ice cream vendor nearby,
"Wanna get some?"

Rini immediately made off in a run to the truck, "Yaaaaaaayyy!"

Serena followed suit and soon they were eating fudgesicles as Mina simply stared in shock
at them both.

Serena led Rini to a bench and they sat down, "So, we both like chocolate.  What else?
What are some things I should know about you?"

Rini was thoughtful a moment, "I'm in grade one and I'm six years old and my favorite
movies are Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin!"

Serena chuckled, "Those were great movies, I have to agree."

Rini regarded her new friend with interest, "What about you?  What should I know about you?"

Serena smiled and a gleam came to her eye which Rini would soon be familiar with, 
"Well, I guess the one thing you should know right away is that I'm very impulsive."

"Im-pulsif?"  Rini stumbled over the word.

"Yeah, it means that once I get an idea I just go do it right away......like....see those 
kites over there?"

Rini followed her gaze and nodded, "Yup."

"Well....have you ever flown a kite before?"  

Rini shook her head no.

"Me neither!"  Cried Serena jumping up with a laugh, "Let's go!"  
And she broke off in a run for the guy selling kites in the open field nearby.

Rini followed suit, "Wait!  Wait up!  I can't keep up!" She puffed at Serena's heels.

Serena grabbed her about the waist and carted her along making her laugh.
They stopped, gasping for breath in front of the kite vendor.

"Which one?"  Serena asked Rini.

Rini looked through and then pointed excitedly, "That one!  It's pink AND blue!"

Serena laughed, "It's fate!  That's the one!"  
She paid for it and they walked into the field after getting some instructions from the highly
amused vendor.

"Alright, which end to you want to be in charge of?  The string, or the kite part?"

Rini was thoughtful, "The kite part!"

"Okay, here you go, now you have to run out and let it go!"

Rini ran off laughing and managed to get up in the air the first time.  Then she ran back
to Serena who was making very funny faces trying to keep the string under control.

"More that way!  Not that way!  Don't let it fall!"  Cried Rini delightedly.

Serena laughed, "This is really hard!  I don't know how much longer I can keep it up!
Ahhhh, eeee....ohhhh."  And with that the kite plummeted to the ground.

"Well, it was good while it lasted."  Serena sighed.

Rini ran ahead to assess the damage.

"It seems alright!"  She cried picking it up.  She carried it proudly under one arm
and took Serena's hand with her free one.

Serena smiled down at her, "I'll leave it with you then since you'll probably take better
care of it then me."

Rini nodded, "Okay!"

Darien came up behind Mina who was still staring in shock.
"Where's Rini?"  He asked curiously.

"Look."  Mina breathed in disbelief.

Darien followed his gaze and caught his breath, "Am I seeing this?"

Mina shook her head, "I don't believe it."

Serena and Rini skipped over hand in hand, laughing and chatting together.

"Does everyone call you Rini too?"  Asked Rini.

"Nope, mostly just Serena in full, sometimes Sere."

Then Rini spotted Darien, "Darien!  Darien!  Look!  We got a kite!  And I helped fly it!
And we got ice cream too!"

Darien smiled catching her up in his arms, "I see.  That's a very nice kite.  Are you going
to thank Serena for it?"

Rini flashed Serena a million dollar grin, "THANK YOOOOOOUUUUU!"

Serena laughed, "Your welcome!"

She met Darien's eyes then and caught the disbelieving wonder in them, she simply arched an
eyebrow at him.

"Well, we'd better get going kiddo.  Say bye to Mina and Serena."

"Bye Mina!  Bye Serena!!!!!!"  Cheered Rini and kept waving as they walked away.

Serena waved back.  Mina simply stared at her friend.
"I don't believe it."

Serena laughed, "You made it sound like something serious Mina!"  She scolded, "Besides, 
she seems delightful to me!"

Mina arched an eyebrow, "You never stop impressing me."

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