Haruka stirred a bit in her sleep, thinking she was smelling breakfast cooking already. She knew that couldn't be so; how could anyone be making breakfast since she was the only one here? She lay there, almost falling back to sleep, then her eyes shot open in surprise. She was definitely smelling something cooking. She stretched out and ran her fingers through her hair before stumbling through her door. It took her awhile to fully wake up in the morning. She peered around the entrance to the kitchen and her eyes widened in surprise. There was Michiru, looking perfect as always with the addition of an apron, walking around the kitchen making various dishes. She almost dropped the bowl she was holding when she saw Haruka. "Haruka! Oh, I'm so sorry! Did I wake you up?" "I could smell it even in my sleep... It looks wonderful... What are you doing here this early making a meal for me? How'd you get in anyways?" Michiru smiled a bit sheepishly. "A few weeks ago, I convinced your mother to give me a copy of the key... I thought you might appreciate breakfast in bed, but you woke up already... You have a race today and... Well, considering that you've agreed to join us..." Haruka smiled at her. "That's really sweet of you. Thanks." She wiped a bit of batter from Michiru's cheek, then said, "Now, if you don't mind... I think I'll put something else on. These pajamas really are too small." "Awww, darnit." Haruka's eyes widened in surprise. "You're... kidding... right?" Michiru just winked at her. Haruka blushed and turned to walk to her room. It felt strange to know someone actually found her attractive how she really was and not the way she looked in public. She slipped into a T-shirt and pants and went back into the kitchen. Michiru had almost finished, so Haruka went ahead and put out silverware at the table. "You look beautiful today, Michiru," she said. Michiru really did look wonderful; her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail that looked cute on her, and she wore a nice floral sundress. A glance at the foyer showed she'd been wearing sandals with it. "Not that you don't all the time..." "Thank you," Michiru replied, blushing a bit. "It's good to see you not hiding your... ah..." Haruka laughed. "It's definitely more comfortable! You have no idea how awful it feels, ugh!" "Probably pretty bad, considering how much there is to hide. I swear, if the boys knew what you really looked like, they'd all be drooling over you. I'm surprised you've never had any boys ask you out." Haruka coughed a bit. "Er, that's... not quite true." Michiru raised her eyebrow and started bringing the food to the table. "Oh? Something I don't know about you!" "That's a first, hmmm?" Haruka winked at her. "Well, I had a friend named Sai when I was little, but we lost touch. He popped up at my junior high and hung all over me and eventually asked me out. He didn't take the rejection too well." "Did he realize why you weren't interested?" Haruka closed her eyes briefly. "He made a rude remark as a joke, and when he saw the look on my face..." "I'm sorry." Michiru placed her hand on Haruka's. "I didn't mean to--" "It's all right," Haruka said with a smile, squeezing her hand. "He wasn't a real friend if he did that to me, right?" "True..." "Anyone ever ask _you_ out? Or should I say, how many?" "Actually..." Michiru sighed. "No one. Everyone's been afraid to approach me since I was little. Even at Goban Yobi-ko, I'm smarter than everyone, and they're jealous of my skills in art and music. I have very few friends, and the only other people that talk to me are fans asking for autographs." "I'm surprised that you don't have herds of men following you," Haruka said. "I would think your celebrity status would make them even more interested..." Her eyebrow twitched as she said, "The girls won't leave me alone thanks to my racing... But really, you're so incredible, Michiru, and if no one else has seen that... well, they're idiots, and I'm pretty damn lucky I managed to have you to myself." Michiru giggled a bit and gripped her hand tighter. "Why thank you... I better bring everything over now." "Let me help." Haruka took several of the dishes and brought them over as well. They both sat down. "Hmmm, Western foods, yummy. Don't have that often enough." Michiru laughed and said, "Our house is a Western design, and my parents pretty much raised us on Western breakfasts. You have to love the pancakes, hmmm?" "Definitely." Haruka poured syrup onto hers and passed it to Michiru. "I should have you cook for me more often," she teased, "I can barely cook anything, much less anything this good." She took a bite and smiled in contentment. "It's delicious!" "Thank you." Michiru shyly smiled at her. "I'm glad you like it." "Aren't you going to eat?" "Well..." Haruka pushed a plate in front of her. "It's more fun to share a meal than have it to yourself. Come on." "If you insist... but I really didn't intend to have any..." "Michiru!" Haruka grabbed her hand again. "You spent all that time cooking and didn't think you'd eat any? Come on, don't be silly. You need to eat." "Oh all right." They ate quietly, exchanging few words, gazing into each other's eyes. Once they'd finished and cleaned up, Haruka offered to take her for a drive later. Michiru was a bit hesitant, then agreed. They went into the living room and sat down on the couch. "So, what now?" Michiru asked. Haruka shrugged. She looked up at the ceiling, thinking to herself a bit. "Michiru... I have something to show you." "Oh?" Haruka went into her room and got her notebook. When she returned, she handed it to Michiru. "I want you to see it. I think you know what this is already." "Haruka..." Michiru carefully opened it. "Are you sure? This is really personal..." "Yes." Haruka lay back on the couch. "I want you to see it." Michiru got up and moved Haruka's end of the couch. She sat next to her and gently pulled Haruka back to lie on her lap. Haruka chuckled a bit and looked up at her. "This is very comfortable..." Michiru laughed too and gently stroked her hair, holding the notebook open with her other hand. Haruka sighed blissfully and closed her eyes for awhile. After a few minutes, she opened them again and looked up at Michiru in surprise. "Angel?" Michiru nearly dropped the notebook. "What?!" "Sorry..." Haruka reached her hand up to touch Michiru's cheek. "But... you are her, aren't you? The girl that saved my life those times..." "Well... yes." Haruka smiled sweetly at her. "I'd forgotten about seeing you like that. My memories of you then are pretty blurred, considering the condition I was in... and I suppose," Haruka blushed faintly, "once I'd really met you, I forgot about my 'angel' and thought of you in that sense instead..." "Thank you..." Michiru traced a finger along Haruka's jawline. "Think of me as your angel, hmmm?" Haruka shivered a bit. "Oh, definitely... the term fits you... you're so beautiful, so kind, definitely heavenly... And you saved my life a few times..." Michiru's hand trailed to Haruka's neck and collar bone, gently brushing her fingers over Haruka's skin. "I'm heavenly?" "Very!" Haruka whispered, barely holding back a moan. "God, that feels wonderful!..." Michiru laughed and gave her shoulder a squeeze, then went back to looking at the notebook. Haruka pretended to pout, then relaxed, gazing at Michiru. She sighed happily and closed her eyes again. She blinked when a tear hit her cheek. "Michiru? Are you all right?" "S-sorry," she whispered. "I just... this is dated yesterday... you wrote this about me?" Michiru showed her the poem she was looking at. "Yes." "I-It's... it's amazing... it's really..." Michiru wiped her eyes quickly. "I didn't know you could write this well... a-and that you felt this way..." Haruka sat up and put her arm around her shoulders. "I meant every word of it. You are the most important person, most important _anything_ in my life. You've made me feel like a better person than I am. You've given me hope and happiness, the will to live..." She hugged Michiru and whispered in her ear. "I can't put into words how much you mean to me." Michiru rested her cheek against Haruka's, then held her hand tightly. "Then don't speak," she breathed, leaning her lips towards Haruka. Haruka started to lean to her, then put her finger against Michiru's lips. "What's wrong?" "I want to be ready to say I love you before we kiss," Haruka whispered. She smiled sadly at her. "And you were the one telling me to take things slow yesterday..." "I suppose so!" Michiru laughed. "It's hard to control myself around you!" "Same here," Haruka said with a wink. She pressed her face into Michiru's hair and mumbled, "Give me a little more time, then I'll be more than happy to..." "Your breath tickles!" Michiru giggled and wrapped her arms around Haruka's shoulders. Haruka blew against her ear lightly, making Michiru squirm. "Ohhh... Ohhh Haruka, cut that out! Ahhh!" "Mmmm, I think you're enjoying it! Besides, it's fun to watch how you react!" Haruka pulled away from her with a grin. "Oh well. Plenty of opportunities for that later, hmmm?" She helped Michiru to her feet. "Well, as much as I'm enjoying this... My mother was planning to come over later this morning, and later I'll need to be getting dressed to head to the track... yuck... If you want to take my notebook with you... I don't mind. Meet you there?" "What if I don't want to leave?" She smiled broadly. "Your mother knows me. She knows how I feel about you and actually encouraged me to pursue you. And I'd like to show up with you for the race." Haruka sighed. "I can't help but give in to you. You win." She linked her arm around Michiru's. "I guess I'll go to her instead of her coming to me... and you'll be going with me. Would you like to go in my car or my motorcycle?" Michiru giggled a bit. "Let's try the motorcycle..." Her eyes gleamed a bit as she said, "I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to get closer to you." Haruka raised her eyebrow a bit, smiling at her. "Who would think someone so elegant and reserved as you could be so... so amorous." "Blame the reservation on my parents," Michiru laughed, "I was raised to act perfect and lady-like all the time... as for the other..." She rested her head on Haruka's shoulder. "You just have that effect on me." Haruka chuckled a bit and led her out the apartment. "Well then, my dear, let's be off, so you can enjoy 'getting closer to me'." Michiru laughed and bopped her lightly on the head. Not as close as I'd like, she thought, but close enough for now. At first, Michiru seemed terrified of the motorcycle. Haruka calmly explained to her that she had nothing to worry about; she was a very safe driver, and besides, all Michiru had to do was hang on tight-- which she was sure to do anyways. Haruka climbed onto it and put their helmets on the shelf nearby so they could grab them when ready. Michiru carefully seated herself and wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist. "Well, shall we be off?" "O-okay..." "Michiru! Relax! I race professionally; I think I can handle a motorcycle." "I know... I've just never been on one before..." "Just hold on tight, okay? Not too tight or I won't be able to breathe..." Haruka adjusted her seating a bit. "Now, make sure you lean _with_ me into the turns. If you try to go the other way, it'll really make things interesting. You might feel like you're falling, but don't worry, just keep leaning into it, all right?... And try not to let your hands stray too high or I'll crash us," she teased with a wink. Michiru laughed a bit, her nerves easing somewhat. "I'll try." Haruka started the engine. Michiru involuntarily squeezed her tighter, letting out a tiny shriek. Haruka turned it back off again and made Michiru get off with her. "Michiru, you're the one who wanted to take this instead of my car. If you can't handle this, we can just get my car and--" "No." Michiru set her lips in a firm line. "I'm not going to back down." "Conquering a fear perhaps?" Michiru blinked a bit at her. "What do you mean by that?" "I think you're just pushing yourself to do something you wouldn't normally do. You're testing yourself, whether you realize it or not." Haruka touched her cheek gently. "We're going to have a lot of trials ahead. You can handle this. You've fought daimons, remember? This is nothing." "Haruka the psychologist," Michiru joked quietly. "Some psychologist _I'd_ make," Haruka groaned. "I'd have more problems than my patients! 'Hi, I'm your cross-dressing, self-supported, lesbian, abused psychologist! I bet there's nothing wrong or unusual with you compared to me!" "Haruka!" She frowned at her darkly. "I don't think you should turn those things into a joke..." Haruka shrugged a bit. "I know. But... face it, the nail that sticks up gets hammered down... and I'm very visible. It's all right though. I'm quite stubborn, aren't I?" Haruka winked at her. "I..." Michiru sighed and flung up her hands. "Nevermind. It's already been said. Let's just get going; I want to get this over with." "All right." Again, they got onto the bike, and Haruka started the engine. Michiru kept quiet this time, though her grip got noticeably tighter. "Ready?" "One moment..." "What... now?" Haruka let a loud gasp and a choked moan as Michiru slipped her hands under her shirt to run across her ribcage. She nuzzled her face against Haruka's neck, pressing her body against her back. Haruka leaned back against Michiru, her breathing quickening noticeably. "M-Michiru?! W-what..." "Drive safely," Michiru whispered throatily in her ear. "Don't forget who your passenger is... or how she feels about you." "I... I..." Michiru grabbed their helmets, putting hers on and handing Haruka's over to her. "Well, let's be going." Haruka trembled, noticing the gleam in her eye. Michiru wrapped her arms around her again, smiling at her. "What are you waiting for?" Haruka put on her helmet and put her hands back on the handlebars. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the warm rush to her cheeks over what just happened. "N-nothing. Let's go." Michiru's arms gripped her considerably when they took off onto the road. Haruka was thrilled to be out on her bike with Michiru. Michiru was only enjoying the fact that she was with Haruka. Haruka started to speed up far over the speed limit, but Michiru let her know she wasn't thrilled with the idea. A hard pinch does wonders to convey messages. As they were driving, Haruka felt the wind stirring. She glanced around and pulled off onto a side street, parking her motorcycle. "You felt something, too?" Michiru said once she'd pulled off her helmet. "Yep. What do we do now?" "We better take care of it now. Don't want to interrupt your race." Haruka pulled her bike to where no one would see it. "All right... Hmmm, that's strange. Something feels... different. There's something about this one... And there's something else I sense, something that has nothing to do with--" "Let's just find it and take care of it, hmmm? Don't want to worry okaa-san too much." They transformed and leapt onto the rooftops. Neptune walked to the edge and looked around. "I think... over there." She pointed in the direction of a small park. "I'm pretty sure it's over there." A series of leaps brought them to the building closest to the park. "Uranus," Neptune turned to look at her. "Out of curiosity... I had to experiment to find out I could jump and leap this high, and it came as quite a surprise. How'd you--" "I just followed your lead," Uranus laughed. "And to me..." she smiled up at the sky, "... to me... the idea of being able to go so high... it doesn't seem unusual." "Head in the clouds," Neptune teased. "I wish." Neptune smiled at her and looked out to the park. "Well, let's check it out. Think you'll be able to figure out your attack?" "Sure." They jumped down from the building and back up into the trees. Leaping from the branches of one to the next, they searched for the daimon. "Neptune! Over there!" Uranus whispered. "What's happening?" Neptune looked to where she pointed. A woman stood, gloating over a teenage boy that had fallen to the ground and now tried to scramble away. His backpack lay next to him. The woman had long red hair, flowing loose from a braid-wrapped bun, purple eyes, and a short red dress that bared scandalous amounts of her chest. Uranus raised her eyebrow a bit then let out a small "oof!" when Neptune jammed her elbow in her ribs. The woman just stood smirking while the boy reached for his backpack. He screamed when it started to morph. Uranus moved to leap out and attack, and was stopped when Neptune grabbed her shoulder. "Let's see what it does first. We need to know what we're facing. This isn't like the other daimons." The backpack took the shape of a woman with strange accessories all over her-- a ruler down her spine, dozens of pencils for hair, a crayon- plated dress... She looked ridiculous. "SAMBON!" she screamed. "Nooo!" the boy scrambled to regain his footing and tried to run. The daimon lifted a corner of the skirt and revealed a black star printed on her thigh. A beam of light shot out from it to the boy's chest. He screamed as a glowing object started to emerge from his chest, his skin taking on a gruesome pallor... Out of his chest came a magenta-tinged crystal, with many pieces shooting off from the center, giving off a bright glow... "That must be a heart crystal! GO!" Neptune shouted. They leapt down and ran to attack. The woman glared angrily at them as they approached, while the daimon stood there, too shocked to move. "Sambon! Stop those two!" "Yes! SAMMMMBON!" A huge pencil appeared in her hand and she started to swing it like a bat. "Neptune! The crystal!" Neptune rushed to the boy while Uranus dodged the over-sized pencil. She flipped over the daimon's head and kicked her from behind. Neptune grabbed the heart crystal and frantically examined it. It was so bright, so fragile, and it floated over her hands rather than her actually holding it. It seemed so unique... She had the feeling this wasn't a Talisman, however. She didn't know what to do with it now. She shouted to Uranus that it wasn't a Talisman, and heard Uranus swear at that. She was surprised to hear the red-head also mutter a curse. "Sambon, kill them!" She vanished from sight. Uranus let out a short grunt when Sambon's pencil hit her in the ribs. It didn't take her long to recover; she leapt over the Sambon's head and planted her heel in the daimon's back, knocking it over. Uranus waited for it to stand up, feeling her attack phrase coming to her. She raised her hand over her head, smirking a bit. She balled her hand into a fist, yellow beams of light pulsing from it. "World..." She slammed her hand down towards the ground. "Shaking!" A huge, round ball of energy shot out along the ground and slowly rose higher into the air, finally connecting with Sambon. The daimon screamed and seemed to fragment and waver. "LOVELY!" it screamed, and then it was gone. In its place, the backpack fell to the ground, and a large, fragmented egg popped out. It cracked open, revealing it was a hollow, then a strange black shadow floated out of it and faded away. Uranus wiped her gloved hand across her forehead and came over to Neptune. "Are they usually like this?" "No..." Neptune shivered a bit. "They never had individualized attackers before... they were all the same... Never any heart crystals..." "Maybe they had a different method? The boy at the track turned into that... that thing... Maybe the heart crystal was trapped inside of it, and when it returned to its master, they could remove it?" "Perhaps... now..." Neptune handed the heart crystal to her. "How do we return this? We better hurry... we have no idea how long it takes before they... they..." "Shush, he's going to be okay." She leaned over the boy, propping him up to examine him. She held her hand out towards him, and a look of surprise crossed her face as the heart crystal floated back to him. It disappeared into his body. His cheeks regained a healthy flush and he slowly opened his eyes, only to find his saviors nowhere in sight. "Talk about crazy," Uranus muttered as they dropped down into the alley again. "So, this is definitely a change from usual?" "Very much. The daimon was completely unlike the others, the heart crystals were never involved, and that woman..." Neptune puzzled over it a bit. "I suppose she's just a henchwoman, not really important." "Hmmm... well, we better be going. Okaa-san'll worry about me being late." They turned away from each other to detransform, then got back on the motorcycle. "You know, Michiru, those skirts are very uncomfortable." "A bit short. But it shows off your gorgeous legs nicely." Haruka chuckled. "Speak for yourself. Convenient for fighting, though. Don't slow you down when your kicking." "You're the fighter, not me," Michiru said with a shrug, wrapping her arms around Haruka's waist again. "Well... here we go again." She shut her eyes tight as the engine started. Sunao languidly stirred her coffee and sipped it. She'd expected Haruka to be here earlier than this. It wasn't like her to be late. She hoped she was okay. She sighed and sat down on the couch in her living room. Despite her irritation, she was grateful to see her daughter at all. Haruka had gotten so caught up in her racing that she often neglected to call. There was a knock on the door, followed by the sound of a key turning in the lock. Sunao stood up and smoothed out her skirt. Sunao could hear two voices in quiet conversation, and wondered if Haruka had brought a guest. "Hi, okaa-san!" Haruka called as she walked in the door. Sunao opened her mouth to speak a greeting, and it dropped open farther than she'd intended when she saw who was with Haruka. Michiru politely bowed to her, smiling lightly. "Sunao-san. It's good to see you again." "Likewise, Michiru-chan... Haruka? Why don't you two have a seat, I'll go get some tea for you... I hope canned is fine." "That would be nice. Thank you." Sunao went into the kitchen and took out two cans of tea from the refrigerator. She blinked in wonder when she saw Haruka was actually letting Michiru sit by her... and had her arm around her shoulders! Sunao wondered what was going on. "Here you go. Green tea, is that all right?" "Oh, I love green tea," Michiru said, reaching for a can. She smiled to Haruka. "You know, it's Setsuna's favorite..." "That's right," Haruka said with a laugh, reaching for her own. She tightened her arm around Michiru. Sunao wondered who "Setsuna" was. After taking a long drink, Haruka asked, "So, okaa-san, you're coming to the race today, I hope?" "Yes, I will be..." Sunao scratched her chin and looked back and forth from her daughter to Michiru. "Haruka, forgive me for being rude, but... since when are you two even friends?" Haruka and Michiru both laughed. "Oh, yesterday," Michiru said. "Yesterday?!" "Don't ask, it's too crazy to explain," Haruka said. They both laughed again. "We're getting along great now, don't worry." She lightly poked Michiru in the arm and said, "_This_ silly girl says she got a copy of my key from you a few weeks ago, and she surprised me with coming over to cook a surprise breakfast this morning." "I did give her a key..." Sunao looked over at Michiru. "I didn't realize what she would use it for." She smirked a bit and said, "If I knew she wanted it to court my dau--" "OKAA-SAN!" Haruka hollered. Michiru blushed a bit. "Please!!! Don't embarrass her!" "Well, she was trying to get on your good side, wasn't she?" "I was trying to be nice," Michiru murmured, still blushing. "I suppose." "Oh boy," Haruka groaned. "Remind me to keep my mother away from you from now on. She'll just start leaping to conclusions and doing her best to embarrass you..." "Oh, so I'm not good enough to show to your... friend?" Sunao said, raising an eyebrow. She teased, "Are you embarrassed that I'm your mother?" "Now that you mention it..." "Haruka, be nice!" Michiru said, nudging Haruka in the ribs. "Ah, she knows I'm teasing!" Haruka protested. "Watch the elbow, you'll make me spill my drink." Michiru giggled and started drinking her tea again. Haruka jokingly rolled her eyes and set hers down. "Okaa-san, can you get a ride home after the game?" Sunao raised an eyebrow. "I think so... why?" "We... ah, we have plans--" "Don't worry, I'll find someone to take me home," she said, giving Haruka a knowing wink. "I'll go make some sandwiches or something." "You have a wonderful mother," Michiru said. "She's always been really nice to me. She loves to tease, but she is really nice." "It's funny, she really came alive after we left," Haruka said. "She was being held back, being trapped in an arranged marriage to someone she wasn't sure she loved. And we never used to talk about _anything_." "You're lucky to have her. My mother is... not so ideal." She frowned and put her tea down again. "We've never talked. She just pressures me to do things. It wasn't my choice to play violin or study art. I do love it, but I wish I could have discovered it on my own. She's trying to mold me into her idea of a perfect lady. If she knew about you... Well, I'd be finding a new home." Haruka tightened her arm around Michiru and pressed her forehead against hers. "You're always welcome with me," she whispered. "My apartment is a bit small, but we could get a new one, together." "Oh, Haruka!" Michiru hugged her. "That makes me almost want to get kicked out! To live with you--" Haruka pressed her finger to her lips. "Wait until things get more serious, hmmm?" "I know, I know..." Michiru clasped her hand tightly. "But it's such a wonderful thought." "Um, ahem, ladies?" Haruka and Michiru both blushed brightly when they saw Sunao standing there, holding a tray of sandwiches. "Sorry to interrupt..." They quickly pulled apart, folding their hands in their laps and trying to act innocent. "You two are so cute!" Sunao gushed, setting the tray in front of them. "I can't believe you've only been together a day." "Ah... well... um..." Haruka stumbled over her words, trying to think of something to say. "Sunao-san," Michiru cut it, "could you do us a favor? I know you have some friends in the clothing business. Could you arrange for a tuxedo to be dropped off at Teinei-san's? That way Haruka could drop me off at my house and just go over there to get dressed. It would really save us time." "Sure, I'll go call them. Help yourselves to the sandwiches. And try to keep your hands to yourselves." She winked again and left. "Good thinking," Haruka said, exhaling sharply. "You're cute when you're nervous," Michiru said, gently touching her hand. "Well, better not let the food go to waste." "Um, yeah!" Haruka took a few bites, then stood up and excused herself. She went into the kitchen and talked to her mother awhile, then came back. "What was that about?" "Oh, nothing. Just talking with okaa-san." Sunao came back in, smiling. "Teinei will be over soon. She's going to drive me to the race and take me back. Do you have her key with you?" "On my keychain, of course." "Good!" She sat down again. "Going to surprise her with your new... friendship? It seems like much more than that." They both blushed again and nodded. "That'll be fun." Sunao took a sandwich from the tray. "Hmmm... I don't want to spoil the mood, but..." She took a bite and looked thoughtful. "Well, you need to know. The divorce has gone through, thank goodness." "Okaa-san, that's wonderful!" Haruka leapt up and hugged her, crying a bit. "That's some of the best news I've ever heard! How could that spoil the mood?" "Well..." Sunao sighed. "He's really gotten off the hook. He went on a gambling spree, lost, and filed for bankruptcy, just to keep from paying child support. He didn't want to help you in any way. The court says they have no reason to believe you were abused. The doctor that treated you has disappeared, along with the medical records from the day we brought you in. The ambulance drivers have so many cases that they can't remember treating you. They said I was just lashing out at him because of our failed marriage, and if you really had been abused, someone would have reported it sooner." Haruka's face reddened in anger. "They're just letting him go?! They aren't doing _anything_?! Can't they check their phone records? I know Michiru made a call! And what about the neighbors? They must've heard something, remembered all the commotion!" "I'm sorry, Har--" Haruka slammed her fist on the chair arm. "Damnit! He deserves to DIE! He has to pay! And they're just letting him loose!" Michiru came over and hugged her from behind. "Haruka, calm down. It'll be okay. I know you're really hurt right now, but don't worry. He can't do anything to you anymore, that's all that really matters." "I want him DEAD! I can't bear knowing he's alive somewhere!" Haruka cried, turning around to face her. "After what he did--" Michiru wrapped her arms around Haruka, letting her shoulder be cried on. Sunao knealt down and stroked Haruka's hair gently. "We'll make sure Katai pays, somehow," Sunao whispered. "It just takes time." She stood and backed away, letting Michiru comfort her. The doorbell rang and Sunao swore softly. "We'll go for a walk or something, give you time to calm down. It's going to be okay." Sunao walked out her door, talking loudly to cover Haruka's sobs. Michiru helped Haruka stand up, guiding her shaky steps. She sat and drew Haruka down with her, hugging her again. Haruka slowly stopped crying, letting Michiru brush away her tears. "I'm the fighter, huh?" Haruka choked out. "Shhh..." Michiru held her closer. "Everyone cries sometimes." "I... I suppose." Haruka sniffled a bit. "Even me," she said with a grimace. She snuggled a bit against Michiru. "This seems backwards, you holding me," she chuckled. Michiru laughed and lay her head against Haruka's. "It feels nice," she whispered, pressing a hand to the back of Haruka's head. "Very..." Haruka adjusted herself a bit, so Michiru was practically cradling her, though her legs stretched out over the couch arm. She rested her head on Michiru's chest, closing her eyes. "Thank you, Michiru. Having you here... it makes everything be all right." "Quiet happy to." Michiru inhaled sharply as Haruka gently ran her hand along her back, rubbing her cheek against her. Michiru ran her fingers through the short hair, shifting her arm so she could reach with her other hand to stroke Haruka's thigh. Haruka stared up at her, surprise in her eyes, and continued to caress Michiru's back. Michiru let out a tiny gasp, pressing her face into Haruka's hair more to muffle her sounds. Haruka laughed a bit, then let out a long, soft sigh as she settled into Michiru's arms. "This is wonderful..." She closed her eyes blissfully. "I can't believe that..." she gasped a bit, then continued, "we haven't even kissed and we're sitting here doing this." Michiru giggled and nuzzled her head against Haruka's. "Seems a bit backwards, doesn't it? But... oh, this feels really good... right there..." Haruka grinned at her. "If you react like this just to touching your _back_--" "Haruka!" she laughed, then her eyes twinkled mischievously. She moved her hand more towards Haruka's inner thigh, inticing a loud cry from her. "And how's that--" "Michiru! Ohhh!!!" "My, my, you _really_ like that!" Michiru started to shut her eyes, then opened them wide. "Um, Haruka?" "Mmmm?" "Your mother has arrived. Again. And it looks like she's been standing there awhile." Haruka jumped a bit and looked to see Teinei standing there with an amazed look, Sunao smiling sheepishly. "I couldn't convince Teinei to go off for any length of time. I thought maybe it would be all right to come in. I guess I should've known what would happen if I left Michiru to comfort you. I guess you're feeling much, _much_ better now." "I, um... oh crap." She took her hand away from Michiru's back, Michiru adjusting herself so she was holding Haruka in both arms. "Hi, oba-san... um..." Teinei broke out in a fit of laughter. "It's all right! It's all right! Oh lord, you should've seen the looks on your faces! You were so mortified!" She grinned broadly. "I'm _quite_ happy for you two! It took you long enough to hook up!" She wagged her finger at them. "And don't be embarrassed that I saw you two together. Believe me, I've walked in on Murasaki and Kanpeki making out enough times that it doesn't faze me anymore. And believe me, that's worse than just some touchy-feely." "She always seemed to eager to go to your house," Michiru commented with a smile. "Not much privacy at ours." "That's true. So, Sunao's having a tux sent over, I hear? First date, huh?" She winked at them. "Congratulations!" "Thanks," Haruka said, smiling up at Michiru. "I can't wait." Michiru smiled sweetly at her in return. "But what are you going to do when Haruka picks you up?" Michiru's eyes widened, looking from Haruka to Teinei. "I... I hadn't considered..." "Simple, I'm Michiru's date. They don't have to know I'm a girl. And since I'll be wearing a tux..." Michiru breathed a loud sigh of relief, then gasped. "What if Suteki tells them?! If she sees you, she'll recognize you!" "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Don't worry." Haruka smiled. "And... well, remember what I said earlier. I'd prefer to wait, but I'll be here for you if you need me." "Thank you," Michiru said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You know..." Teinei sat down and crossed her legs, "it's going to be difficult for you two to keep this hidden. I know Suteki is against it, and I'm sure your parents would be, too. She caught Kanpeki and Murasaki together and threatened to tell your parents. Kanpeki has to pretty much bribe her to keep her mouth shut. I know Genki would never say anything and Kanzen is much too nice for that. What about Kirei?" "I think Kirei will keep it to herself. We've been spending more time together and she's been very accepting." "That's good." Teinei checked her watch, then said, "Well, I had wanted to get some shopping in before the race. I better get going. Coming, Sunao?" "Sure," she said, "I'll get my purse." Sunao left the room and Teinei leaned in towards Haruka. "I don't think she told you, but a guy she works with asked her out yesterday!" "Really?! Well, what did she do?" "She said she'd _consider_ it," Teinei said, rolling her eyes. "I think she's just not ready to deal with another relationship yet. But I really wish she'd accepted! He was very handsome. Really, really nice guy, too. Maybe you could drop hints that she should date." Haruka laughed, "I don't think she'd listen to _me_ for advice on what _men_ to date!" "Ah well! Try anyways. I'll see if I can convince her." Sunao came back in and gave Haruka a quick hug. "See you at the race. Good luck... like you need it!" "Yeah, ha ha! Bye." Haruka got up and helped Michiru to her feet as Sunao was leaving. Michiru smiled and wrapped her arm around Haruka's. "Well, it's still too earlier to head over, right?" "Yeah. We could go back to my apartment. I need to change vehicles anyways. Wouldn't want to mess up our clothes on our date, huh?" "Good thinking. After that... hmmm. I wouldn't mind going over to the track. It'll give me the chance to talk to Hayasa-san." "You know Hayasa-kun?" "He comes over to the stands to talk to Murasaki-san whenever she comes, and he sometimes comes and talks to me and Kirei. Kirei has been pining away for him ever since your first race, and I want to try to give him a nudge in her direction." "I think he's mentioned her before... if this is the 'hot brunette' he keeps talking about." "She'd love that!" Michiru laughed. "Good! So, is he interested in her?" "I hope so, if he's talking about her like that. Don't worry, he comes off as a jerk, but he really is a nice guy." "What do you mean? He was very charming." Haruka's eyes widened. "Oh _really_?" She grinned wickedly. "Well then, He's _definitely_ interested then! He never acts all gentlemanly, especially when he first meets someone. He's gotta be interested." "Well, I'll definitely have to talk to him then. I hope he'll be there already. Come on, we better get going." Haruka went into the backroom to put on her firesuit while Michiru took a seat in one of the chairs propped against the wall. Only a few racers were in the garage, and they cast her looks that made her uncomfortable. When Haruka emerged from the room, she glared at them and they quickly went back to working on their cars. "Sorry about that," Haruka said. "Some of these guys are real disgusting." "Very much so." Michiru looked around some more. "Well, when does he usually show up?" "It depends. Sometimes he's hours early, sometimes he gets here with just minutes before his time trial. We'll just have to wait." Haruka sat down next to her. "You bought tickets already, I suppose?" "Yeah--" "Throw them out," Haruka said with a smile. "I'll arrange for you to get a spot near the track without paying a dime. I might be able to pull a pit seat for you, if you can stand the smell and noise." "That would be great!" Michiru threw her arms around her. "It'll be nice to be right down there with you." Haruka grinned at her and hugged her back. "I'm sure it'll help my performance to know you're close by." "Heeeeeey, Haruka-san! What's going on?" "Hayasa-kun!" Haruka stood up and smiled at him. "Just who we were looking for." "I'm touched," he said sarcastically, but grinning at her. "What's going on here, hmmm? Michiru-chan, I thought you didn't know each other." "Well..." Michiru nervously looked away. "Relax, Michiru," Haruka said with a smile. "Hayasa-kun's my best friend." "_Michiru_, huh?" Hayasa nudged her in the ribs. "C'mon, Ten'ou, spill it!" Haruka shrugged. "I think it's pretty obvious. You're not _that_ thick- skulled!" "Ooooh that was harsh," Hayasa laughed, slapping her on the back. "Well, now I know I was right. I thought you'd been nuts about someone for the past few months, what with how moody you've been, and I was sure it was a girl. Kinda expected that of you. But Michiru-chan! I would have never thought such a pretty girl would be interested in--" Haruka grabbed his collar and glared at him. "She's _my_ pretty girl, don't forget that." "Ah, ah, let me go please? I didn't mean anything by it!" "Okay, okay." Haruka gave him a light push. "Well, Michiru wanted to talk to you, so I'll go tune my engine. Be back in ten." Hayasa sat down next to Michiru as Haruka walked off. "Well, what do you have to say?" "It's about Kirei..." "Ahhhh. I see." Hayasa settled himself. "Let me guess. Kirei-chan is madly, passionately in love with me. She's hoping I like her, too. She doesn't want to tell me herself, and you're here to do it for her." "Actually, she doesn't know I'm doing this. I just want to help her out." "Hmmm..." Hayasa smoothed his hair with one hand. "Well... I can't say I'm not interested, that'd be lying. But..." He sighed softly. "Is she sure about this? She's still in high school, and I'm college age. I don't mind an age difference, but does she realize it?" "Actually, she said she prefers to date men a few years older than her." Michiru put a hand on his shoulder. "Please, she is really interested in you. It would make her so happy if you went out with her." He smiled and said quietly, "It would make _me_ really happy, too." "That's wonderful!" Michiru almost wanted to hug him. "She'll be coming to the race today! You can tell her!" "Calm down, calm down!" he laughed. "I'll ask her out. And speaking of dating..." He grinned broadly. "What exactly is going on with you and Haruka-san? I can't believe I couldn't tell you liked her." "Well, I do, I love her," she whispered. She cleared her throat and said, "And we're going on our first date tonight." "That's great!" He squeezed her shoulder in a friendly matter. "I hope things work out between you. I haven't seen Haruka-san this happy since she won her first race. She's crazy about you. The past few months, she's been really distracted and acted really off towards everyone. She would always be writing in that notebook of hers. She accidentally left one of her poems behind, and it was all about some girl she was afraid to fall in love with. But I guess she got over that, huh?" "Yeah..." Michiru smiled wistfully. "She's definitely come around." "How long have you two been--" "A day!" "A DAY?!" Hayasa whistled. "Boy, you two don't act like it's been a day! I'll be scared to be around you in a month!" Haruka walked over and pretended to shove Hayasa out of his seat. "Don't you need to get to work on your car?" "Riiiight." He got up, let Haruka take his seat, and left. "Well?" "He's going to ask her out," Michiru said, smiling. "Sometime today. I'd assume before the race." "That's good." Haruka wrapped her arm around Michiru's shoulders. "You want to brave the media and come with me to accept my trophy?" "I can handle it. They swarmed me at a few of my concerts. I've been asked about magazine interviews before." "Why didn't you accept?" Michiru looked away from her and said, "I wasn't up to it. It was within these last few months..." Haruka reached up to touch Michiru's cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "It really hurts me to know that I hurt you." "I forgive you, you know." Michiru rested her hand against Haruka's. "But if you think you need to make up for it..." Haruka laughed and smiled at her. "I promise you I'll more than make up for it. I'll treat you like a queen, no, an empress. Don't worry about that!" "Well then! That's more like it!" Michiru laughed, resting her head on Haruka's shoulder. They sat quietly for a few minutes. Haruka noticed Engi had come in, and gently nudged Michiru to sit up. "Engi-san! Hey, over here!" Engi smiled and waved to her, signaling with a finger that he would be there in a moment. He had a brief discussion with a man standing in front of him, then walked over to where they sat. "Ah, Kaiou Michiru, I believe!" He bowed slightly. "I have a lot of admiration for you!" "Engi-san, interested in something besides racing? The fine arts, of all things?" Haruka teased. "Racing isn't my entire life," he said. "I didn't realize you two were friends." "Um, well..." Haruka paused, then said, "I just haven't gotten around to bringing her here yet." "Oh, well, if you want to join me in the pit later, go right ahead. I'll tell them to let the lovely lady in. That way you can watch your friend race up close, okay?" "Thank you, that would be great." "Well, I have to get these boys--" he pointed his thumb over his shoulder, "--ready for the race. Even professionals need someone to hold their hand, hmmm?" "Bye, Engi-san," Haruka said as he left. "Well, I'm glad he offered to let you in. I don't like asking favors of him. He already did me a huge favor by helping me get into racing." "Yeah..." Michiru bit her lip and said, "Haruka, why didn't you tell him about us?" "Remember what I said last night? He's the father I never had. I don't want to lose him. I'll make sure he's okay with it before, _if_ I tell him. It's not that I'm embarrassed about us or anything, but--" "It's okay," Michiru said, smiling. "He's very important to you, and I respect that." "Thank you," she said softly. "You're perfect, you know that? You're the embodiement of perfection." "I..." Michiru looked down sadly. "Haruka, I know you meant that as a compliment but... really, people always _accuse_ me of being perfect, and I know I'm not." Haruka slipped her hand to the back of Michiru's head and gently stroked her hair. "Well, to me, you _are_ perfect," she whispered. "You're everything I've ever wanted and more. You're my angel." Michiru sighed and snuggled against her. "Who would know you were such a romantic?" "No one, of course. I've never let anyone be this close to me. I haven't let anyone see this side of me." "I'm glad... I'm glad you're sharing yourself with me." "I'm glad to be sharing my life with you." Haruka hugged Michiru, gently brushing away the tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. Engi, sitting at his desk across the room, smiled. "Well, off for my time trial. Want to go out there with me?" Haruka asked, slipping her hands into her gloves. Michiru handed Haruka's helmet to her and nodded. "Great! I'll take you over to the pit." Haruka wrapped her arm around Michiru's waist and smiled at her, holding her helmet in her other arm. "Shall we be off?" "Haruka, if you're trying to hide this from Engi, holding me like this..." "Ah..." Haruka took her hand instead. "No big deal if I hold hands with a _friend_, huh?" Michiru rolled her eyes mockingly and laughed. "You're silly sometimes." "Yeah, well, there's something in the air today... I don't know, everything seems so... crisp and clean. I guess the wind is just going nuts or something. I feel really giddy. Come on, I need to get out there." Michiru laughed the whole way as Haruka practically dragged her out to the track. Haruka waved to some of her fellow racers as they passed. Some cast her jealous looks and ignored her. "Most of them are single," Haruka said with a grin. "The sight of someone else with a girlfriend really irks them." Michiru looked at her in surprise, wondering if Haruka realized what she had said. "Well, I... imagine that..." "Oh my," Haruka said, laughing nervously. "I just said you're my..." "Well, I am, aren't I?" "I... um... yes. Not that it's a bad thing!! But... wow. Guess this is one of those moments where the impact of the situation hadn't entirely hit me yet." "Come on, you have a time trial," Michiru said, leading Haruka. "I see where the pit is. And your car is over here." Haruka started to pull on her helmet, then stopped and looked at Michiru. She smiled and hugged her, whispering "for luck," slipped on her helmet, and climbed into her car. Michiru blew her a kiss and walked over to the pit after Haruka had started. Engi was polishing the hood of someone's car when she came over. He looked up after a moment and smiled at her. "Excited?" "Very! I've never been here before, always been in the stands." "You're in for a real treat then. It's much more interesting down here." He wiped off his forehead with a clean cloth and tossed it aside. "It can get hectic, so make sure you don't get in the way of the crew." "Don't worry, I won't." She found a spot off to the side where she could stand and not interfere. Engi went back to working on the car. Michiru watched him a bit, then turned her attention to Haruka's car, speeding through the track. A racer came over and climbed into the car Engi was working on, and Engi handed him the keys. The racer looked over to Michiru and took off his helmet. "Say, what are you doing here all by yourself?" He gave her a friendly smile. "I'm Haruka's guest," she said. "Oh," he said coldly. He quickly pulled on his helmet and started his car, then pulled out of the pit. "What was that about?" Michiru asked Engi. "He can't stand Haruka-chan. He's very jealous of her skill at racing. She bumped him out of the number one spot. He seems to think Haruka's trying to take everything from him now, but he's always been like that. Everytime he loses a title to someone, he think they're out to get him." "So, I guess he thought..." Michiru quickly stopped speaking. She didn't want to say what she had been about to say or it would tip off Engi to her and Haruka's relationship. "I think he was interested in you when he saw you, and I guess he assumed if Haruka-chan had brought a girl to the track... Well, he assumed he'd lost any chance with you to her." Engi shrugged. "Haruka is a master of disguise, all right." Michiru remained quiet. Engi gave her a concerned look, then turned his attention to the track. "Well, she finished first again, as expected." He reached into a pocket and pulled something out that was wrapped in plastic. "You better take these ear plugs. It gets very, very loud. Don't worry, they're new." "Thank you." She opened the package and put them into her ears. The other cars were lining up for the race. She settled back to watch. Haruka went into the final lap well ahead of everyone else. She had never raced this well before. She felt a new confidence now. She smiled to herself. Michiru was so incredible. When she'd made a pit stop, Michiru rushed over to lean in and give her a quick hug, making sure it didn't get in the way of the men working on the car. Haruka had re- entered the race pleasantly light-headed. She floored it as she crossed the finish line first, as always. After she got her car to stop and got out, she was nearly knocked over when Michiru hugged her. "Hey, ow, loosen the grip... Well, did you enjoy that?" she laughed. "It was wonderful! You were great!" Michiru smiled up at her. A few of the other racers came over and gave Haruka friendly slaps on the back, some of the others walking by glaring at her. Haruka was accustomed to ignoring them. Hayasa rushed over after he'd fought off some camera-men headed in their direction. "Hey! Haruka-san!" He grabbed her in a tight hug. "I got second! Ha! Finally finished on your tail!" "Great!" She pushed him off her. "Now stay off me!" He laughed and winked at her. "Like I meant anything by it! Michiru-chan! I talked to your sister, and she's going to go out with me!" "That's great!" Michiru smiled broadly at him. "I'm very happy for you!" "Thanks, and-- awww, here come the cameras!" Haruka put her arm around Michiru's shoulders and tried to lead her away from them. Michiru laughed as they shoved microphones and video cameras towards Haruka, not seeming to understand the words "leave me alone." She was surprised when someone thrust a microphone in her face. "Kaiou Michiru, famous violinist, are you going out with Ten'ou-san?" She pushed it away and cast Haruka a pleading look. Haruka nodded and scowled at the reporters. They finally backed off and let the two pass through. Haruka went through the usual process of accepting her prize, then led Michiru back to the garage. "I don't know how you do that every week," Michiru said. "It's a small price to pay," Haruka said with a laugh, shutting the door to the backroom so she could get into her regular clothes. "I'm pretty much used to it by now. But it's still very, VERY annoying!" "I'm glad I don't get that much attention," Michiru said. "I thought it was bad enough, but it's nowhere near what you're putting up with." Haruka came back out and took her arm. "We better leave before they decide to try and follow us. They do that sometimes, never done it to me before... but they might decide we're a big item and try to get pictures, y'know?" They climbed into her car and drove over to Michiru's neighborhood. Haruka stopped in front of Michiru's house. "Well, I'll go over to Teinei's. Do you want me to just wait for you or be brave and ring the doorbell?" "Well..." Michiru sighed. "Even if I make up an excuse, I know they'll spy on me when I get into the car. They'll realize I'm on a date so... Might as well be brave. I guess you're my 'boyfriend' now, huh?" Haruka laughed loudly at that. "Yeah, right. Well, see you soon." Michiru smiled and got out of the car. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see her father standing right there. "Hello, Michiru-chan," Tadashii said. "I saw you on t.v." "Oh, um, really? Um, when was that?" she asked nervously. "Genki was a race and they put the camera on the winner, and I saw you with him. Michiru-chan, why didn't you tell me you were seeing someone?" "I, well..." she tried to think of what to say. "We're going on our first date tonight..." He hugged her tightly. "My little girl has grown up so fast," he whispered. He pulled back and smiled at her. "A famous racer, too. I hope he's not some arrogant jerk like most of them." "Oh, no! Haruka's not like that at all!" He raised his eyebrow a bit. "Just Haruka? Oh, don't blush, it's all right. I hope you two are very happy together. So, do I get to meet him?" "Uh, yes, I... well, I better go get ready..." "Oh, I'm sorry! I know it takes forever girls to get ready for dates," he said, winking at her. Michiru rushed up the stairs and hurried to get ready. Haruka adjusted her tie several times before she was finally satisfied with it. She took in as deep a breath as she could manage considering how constricted her chest was. She couldn't believe this was real. She combed her hair and took another deep breath. She looked over to the countertop at the dozen red roses she'd had delivered. She didn't expect to be so nervous. She looked in the mirror one last time then retrieved the bouquet and went out the door. She parked her car in front of the Kaiou house and waited a few minutes to gather her thoughts. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours that she had become a Senshi and welcomed Michiru into her life. It felt like weeks. This one day had been the most exciting day of her life, and she still had several hours to go. She looked up at the house, wondering where Michiru's room was. Michiru would, of course, look amazing... she always did. Haruka picked the roses up from where she'd sat them on the seat next to her. She considered what she had told Michiru yesterday, that she was falling in love with her. She wondered if she already had. Resting her head on the steering wheel, she let out a sigh. She wondered how she could be sure. She'd always felt so attracted to Michiru, wanted to be with her. Michiru had always been so wonderful to her despite the fact that she treated her so harshly. She wondered how long Michiru had loved her. It had always shown. Even though it had been torture to resist her feelings for Michiru, she still enjoyed her company and adored her time spent with her, despite the fact that she must have made it a living hell for poor Michiru. And now, everything was fine between them. One day together with Michiru was pure bliss. She had always felt strongly for her, but this one day had made her feel even more towards her. She left her car and started up the walkway. Maybe when the night was over, she would be able to tell exactly how she felt. She hesisitated a bit before she rang the doorbell. She didn't know what to expect of Michiru's parents. The door opened and a lovely woman stood there. Haruka looked beyond her in awe of the enormous, beautifully furbished house. Michiru's parents must make a fortune! "Ten'ou Haruka, I believe?" she asked crisply. Haruka bowed low to her. She had better turn on the charm. She could tell Michiru's mother would be hard to please. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. I can see where Michiru gets her beauty from." Okay, a little lying couldn't hurt. No one compared to Michiru in looks. The woman's eyes brightened and she opened the door further. "Come in, please. My name is Ki." "It's wonderful to meet you, Kaiou-san." Ki smiled and shut the door behind them. "Thank you, but please, Ki-san is fine. I wouldn't want to be confused with my husband." She looked approvingly at the roses Haruka was holding. "My daughter has picked quite the gentleman, I see." "Thank you, Ki-san. I'm honored." Ki smiled again and led her to the living room, then indicated a couch for her to sit on. They both took seats. Haruka was surprised at how perfect Ki kept her posture, how she kept her facial expressions in perfect control. A tall man dressed in a suit walked into the room. Haruka stood and bowed to him, and a look of surprise crossed his face. "It's an honor to meet you, Ten'ou-san." "The honor is mine, Kaiou-san." She smiled broadly at him. Michiru's parents weren't too hard to deal with. Just act like a perfect "gentlemen" and they were thrilled. "My son Genki is a big fan of racing. He sees all of your races." "Thank him for me." "Would you mine introducing yourself to him? I'm sure he'd be thrilled. He's in the family room." Tadashii pointed in the direction of it. "Besides, I need to talk with my wife." "Of course." She walked towards the family room. She was pretty sure Genki was the other triplet, if she remembered correctly. She didn't know much about him. He was sitting with his back turned to her, watching something on t.v. Haruka cleared her throat and he turned to see her. He stood up immediately and rushed over, vigorously shaking her hand. "Well, well, well!" He grinned and quickly looked over her shoulder, dropping his voice. "I finally meet the girl that won my sister's heart." Haruka looked at him in surprise. "I didn't realize you knew." "Everyone but our parents know, actually. It's... um, well... Hell, you're her girlfriend, I can tell you." He made her sit down and sighed a bit. "She came home one night very late. I guess she had been spying on you again--" "Oh?" She blinked in surprise. Michiru did know an unusual amount about her. "But what do you mean by 'spy'?" "Pretty much every night, she snuck out of the house, took a boat over to the park across the lake, went to your house, and... well, spied on you." Haruka raised an eyebrow and laughed. "I wouldn't have expected her to be so aggressive," she said jokingly. Her thoughts were more serious. Michiru had saved her life twice, and it must have been thanks to her nightly visits. She hadn't realized how dedicated Michiru really was to learning about her. "Yeah," he laughed. "Anyways, she came home really upset and had blood all over her clothes and skin. Kirei and Suteki had figured out where she'd been going and that she loved you and confronted her. Suteki... well, she's a bitch and gave Michiru a hard time. Kirei just didn't understand and was upset about it, but she really doesn't have a problem with it. I heard what was going on and I went to tell her..." He coughed a bit and said, "Well, I'm gay, too... I left after I talked to her a bit. And then Kanpeki-chan told her... well, you obviously know about Kanpeki-chan. Michiru was really happy about it, but... Well, she _was_ all bloody. I never did hear what that was about." Haruka gulped and remained silent a bit. That must have been the first time Michiru saved her. Poor Michiru! She had to see the one she loved nearly die, and then deal with Suteki turning against her because of her feelings towards another girl. "Our older brother, Kanzen, knows," he continued. "You don't have to worry about him. He's really great." "That's good..." Haruka looked over at the television and raised an eyebrow. "A male model fashion show?" Genki laughed and changed the channel. "I guess you wouldn't like that!" He grinned at her. "You know, the first time I saw you, I didn't realize you were a girl and thought you were _really_ hot. I got over _that_ quick! And geez, now Kirei has gone and picked up that Hayasa guy, I was really hoping he might be... Find my guy troubles amusing?" Haruka tried to stop laughing. "Hayasa is my best friend!" "Oh! Well then!" Haruka stood up and smiled at him. "Well, I better go wait some more for Michiru. And I have to keep charming your parents." He gave her a mock salute. "Good luck." "Ha ha, funny." She smiled as she left the room. She waited by the entrance to the living room for a sign from Michiru's parents that she could come in. They kept talking a few minutes before noticing she was there. "Come on in," Ki said, "we are done talking." "I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt." "Thank you." Ki nodded to her, then turned to talk to Tadashii again. Haruka stifled a nervous sigh. Michiru sure did take a long time to get dressed. She hoped she didn't have to wait much longer. Her impatience was getting the better of her. Michiru's parents suddenly stopped talking and their gaze went to the stairs. Ki looked like she was going to cry. "Daughter, you..." Haruka's breathing stopped as she saw Michiru descending the stairs. She stood up, her mouth open in awe. Michiru smiled shyly at her and kept coming down the stairs. Her hair was swept up on top of her head with ringlets around her face. She wore a beautiful, off-shoulder white dress that clung to her figure nicely. She wore white high heels with it, gold and pearl jewerly, and a light amount of make-up. "You look incredible," Haruka whisped, walking towards her. Michiru blushed prettily and stopped in front of Haruka. "So do you..." she trailed off in a gasp when she noticed the roses. Haruka smiled and held them out to her. Michiru's hands shook a bit as she accepted them. "Thank you, they're beautiful..." "Let me put those in water," Ki said softly, taking them from her. Michiru nodded to her, looking at Haruka warmly. "Are you ready to go?" Haruka asked her, holding her arm out. "Of course," Michiru laughed, wrapping her arm in Haruka's. She smiled up at her. She turned to her parents and said, "Goodbye." "Have a wonderful time," Tadashii said. "Try not to stay out too late." "I'll make sure she gets home safely and at a decent hour," Haruka said. She wasn't sure of the time part, but she would definitely make sure of Michiru's safety. Michiru beamed at her when they left the house. "I can't wait!" Michiru whispered. Haruka grinned and held the car door open for her. Michiru laughed and got in, insisting on shutting it herself. Haruka got into her side and put the top up. "Don't want to mess up your hair." "Thanks, it took forever!" "It looks great," Haruka said, smiling. They talked quietly as Haruka drove them to the restaurant, both too excited to say much. Haruka pulled up in the front and helped Michiru out, then handed her keys to the valet. Michiru's eyes widened as she looked at the place. There was a large crowd of people standing there, but Haruka led them on through it to the host. "I have reservations for two, Ten'ou." "Right this way." The host led them to an out-of-the-way table and set the menus down. "Here you are. I trust this will suit you?" "Yes, thank you," Haruka said as they took their seats. "Your server will be with you shortly," he said before her left. "This is wonderful," Michiru said, reaching across the table to hold her hand. "I'm so happy that we're finally going out somewhere together." "Me too," Haruka said. "I... I just wish we'd done this sooner." "It's okay." Michiru smiled softly at her. "We have plenty of time with each other now." They looked over the menu briefly and selected their meals. The server took their orders and left. "Michiru, Genki said that you... watched me every night." Michiru blushed a bit and nodded. "More than that, actually... every chance I had, I would try to go to wherever you were..." "I'm glad you were always this interested in me," Haruka whispered. "I wouldn't be here today if you hadn't come to watch me." "I... I know... I don't want to think about that," Michiru said, looking away. "Those were the worst two days of my life." Haruka lifted her hand and gently ran her fingers across it. "Then don't. I want this evening to be perfect." "It will be. I'm with you." Michiru held Haruka's hands between both of hers. "You have beautiful hands," she breathed. She stared into Haruka's eyes. "And your eyes... I could look into them forever." Haruka felt a warm feeling go through her. She smiled at Michiru and placed her other hand on Michiru's. She resisted the urge to cast the server a dirty look as she arrived with their drinks. Haruka grudingly let go of Michiru's hands and took her glass. Michiru smiled and took hers up as well, then raised it to Haruka's for a toast. "To us," she whispered. Haruka clinked her glass with Michiru's. "To us." The whole time was spent tenderly holding hands, talking quietly. They had a hard time breaking away to eat their meals. Haruka was quick to pay the bill. She helped Michiru up and took her outside. The valet didn't waste any time in bringing the car around. "Want to go to the park?" Haruka asked. "Not the one by your house, but there's another..." "I'd like that," Michiru said. She placed her hand on top of Haruka's on the stick shift. Haruka took them into a quiet area where no one else was. Michiru was amazed at how lush the trees were, how clear the water was, reflecting the night sky. Haruka wrapped her arm around Michiru's shoulders and led her down to a bench by the lake. Michiru's heart thudded in her chest when Haruka cupped her hand under Michiru's chin and gazed into her eyes. "Michiru, this has been the best day of my life. Being able to spend it with you... it's been so wonderful. I don't think I can fully express how happy you've made me... I..." Haruka looked out over the lake for a moment. "Haruka, what is it?" Michiru whispered. "I know... I said it would take time... But... There's just something about you, I guess. You're just amazing in that way." Haruka smiled warmly at her and took a deep breath. Moving closer to Michiru, she whispered, "Michiru, I love you." Michiru felt tears rapidly spilling down her cheeks and she hugged Haruka tightly. "Oh Haruka! I-I love you..." Haruka held her closely, whispering softly in her hair, "I want to be with you forever, Michiru. I'm so glad I met you." Michiru pulled back and wiped away her tears, smiling at Haruka. "I... I'm so happy..." She suddenly fell quiet. She looked at Haruka, who gently smiled at her. Michiru felt her hands tremble, but not with fear. It felt like the right time. She reached up and pressed her hand to Haruka's cheek, then wrapped her arm around Haruka's neck. Haruka wrapped her arms around Michiru's waist, gently pulling Michiru towards her. Michiru wrapped her other arm around Haruka's neck and they both closed their eyes. "I love you," she whispered. "I love you," Haruka returned. Michiru melted in Haruka's arms as they kissed. Haruka's lips were so soft, warm, eagerly pressing to Michiru's. Michiru felt a burning heat spread through her chest as she tightly hugged Haruka while returning the kiss. Haruka opened her mouth and Michiru immediately opened hers in return, turning their heads slightly as they kissed passionately. Michiru shivered with delight as Haruka's tongue slid into her mouth, and she slipped her own into Haruka's. She felt overwhelmed with love and happiness, lightheaded, warm, so many things all at once. Haruka's mouth tasted so sweet, her kiss was gentle, but very passionate. Michiru could scarely breathe, she was too busy returning the wonderful kiss. Finally, they both desperarely needed air, and Michiru slowly broke off the kiss and her eyes fluttered open. Haruka gazed at her, eyes filled with love and happiness. "Oh, Haruka..." she whispered. She leaned towards Haruka again. Haruka pressed her open mouth to Michiru's, her hands cupping her face while Michiru wrapped her arms tightly around her neck. She kissed Haruka with a deep passion, longing, and love, pressing against her as if trying to occupy the same space as her. Haruka's tongue danced along Michiru's, driving her wild, her delicious lips warming Michiru's skin from the heat of her kiss. Michiru moaned softly as Haruka's hands strayed to back, pulling her body against hers as she made Michiru feel like she was going to burst with love and joy from the sheer intensity of their kiss. Michiru slipped her hands to the back of Haruka's head, pulling her closer to her. Haruka let out a tiny sound of delight and held her tighter. She pressed her mouth tighter against Michiru's once more, before closing her mouth against Michiru's and pulling back with a tender kiss. Michiru nuzzled her face against Haruka's neck, Haruka sighing into her hair. They sat there holding each other, not saying a word for a few minutes. "Michiru... You've made me the happiest woman in the universe. I can't thank you enough." "I beg to differ," Michiru whispered. "You're the best part of my life, and that's more than thanks enough." She pressed her lips lightly to Haruka's neck several times. "Mmmm... Michiru... that's..." Michiru slowly kissed her way up to Haruka's ear, gently breathing against it, then lightly licking her ear lobe. Haruka went nearly limp against her for a moment then tightened her embrace, her breath quickening noticeably. Michiru sucked on her ear lobe a bit then pulled away to return to her neck. Haruka exhaled loudly and whispered her name softly. Michiru gasped as Haruka tilted her head towards her and kissed her shoulders gently, then moving to press her mouth against Michiru's neck. Michiru pulled away from Haruka's neck and let out a small moan. She sat savoring the touch for several moments, then pulled away. Haruka smiled at her and took her hands in hers. "As much as I enjoy this," Haruka whispered, "it's getting very late. I don't want to get your parents mad at you." "I guess we have to go then..." She squeezed Haruka's hands as they stood up, then walked hand in hand back to the car. Haruka inched through the neighborhood towards Michiru's house. Michiru giggled a bit; Haruka was actually going slow for once. Haruka grinned at her. "They can look out the window and see we're back at a good time. But I'm going to take my time getting there!" She finally stopped in front of Michiru's house and opened the door for her. She walked Michiru up to the door step and stopped, making no movement towards the door. "Well... I'll see you tomorrow," she said. "Yeah... bye..." Michiru gave her hand another squeeze. She leaned up towards Haruka. "Michiru, your parents--" "I don't care," she whispered, kissing Haruka passionately. After awhile, she reluctantly pulled away. "I love you." "I love you, too. Bye." Michiru unlocked the door, smiling back at Haruka as she went inside. Haruka smiled back, and waited until Michiru had shut the door to leave. Michiru practically floated up to her room, sighing happily. When her parents tried to question her, she just said "It was wonderful" and kept going. She lay down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. Life had become a dream come true. Life would be wonderful from now on. She had a whole life with Haruka to look forward to.
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