Destiny or Duty (part 8 of 15)

a Sailor Moon fanfiction by kazeko

Back to Part 7
Usagi carefully wrote the kanji for Hikawa Jinja, waiting patiently for 
Haruna-sensei to reach her desk.  Another test, another failing grade.  
She wanted desperately to impress Rei, but another 30 wouldn't do it.  
Her teacher stopped by her desk and Usagi looked up.
 
"I see you're practicing your kanji.  Very good, Tsukino-san."  
Haruna-sensei handed Usagi her test, the smile never leaving her face.  
"I don't know what happened, but you should keep it up.  I'm very proud 
of you."
 
"P-proud?" Usagi echoed, feeling incredibly stupid.  She looked at the 
test, and her eyes grew wide.  "Kami-sama . . . sensei, there must be 
some mistake.  This can't be mine."
 
The other students were gathering closer, eager to see what had upset 
Usagi so much, Naru and Umino reaching her first.  "But Usagi-chan, this 
is your handwriting.  This is your test.  And you got . . . a 90?!!  
Masaka . . ."
 
"Ninety percent?!" the class echoed.  "Usagi-chan!  Good job!"
 
Ami exchanged a startled glance with Makoto.  Ninety?  From an average 
test score of thirty?  That wasn't just good, it was a miracle.
 
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 
She waited at the corner, smiling as a familiar gold convertible pulled 
to a stop in front of her.  A familiar blonde glanced over the seat and 
grinned in her roguish way, knowing that the schoolgirls walking past 
were staring.  Michiru slipped into the car, placing her books in the 
back seat as the car sped away.  "My, Haruka, you seem to be in a good 
mood today."
 
"I am."
 
"Why?"
 
"I realized that I'm in love."
 
"Oh?  With who?"
 
Haruka raised an eyebrow as she glanced at her passenger.  "Who do you 
think, little violinist.  I'm in love with you."
 
"I've known that for weeks.  What took you so long?"
 
"I don't know.  Tell me something, Michiru."
 
"Hmm?"
 
"When were you going to tell me about the offer for the art expedition 
in Tokyo?"
 
Michiru glanced at her hands, gathering her thoughts.  "I know you have 
races next week and I didn't want you to miss them.  I was going to call 
my manager and tell him to let my art be displayed but that I can't make 
it."
 
"Why not, Michiru?"
 
"Because I want to be here to cheer for you."
 
Haruka smiled and pulled up to the apartment complex where she and 
Michiru lived, parking her car and walking over to help the aqua-haired 
woman out.  "There's just one problem, Michiru.  I won't be here for you 
to cheer on."
 
"What do you mean?"
 
"I've been invited to an art expedition in Tokyo and told my manager 
that I would not be able to attend the races.  It would be a shame if I 
had to go without you."
 
"Oh, Haruka!"  Michiru jumped into the blonde's arms, her joy infecting 
the tall racer.  "I didn't want to ask you to go with me."
 
"I figured you wouldn't."  Haruka took Michiru's arms and headed for the 
younger woman's room.  "Your manager told me that you were offered a job 
playing in one of the violin recitals and a smaller concert by yourself, 
if you would take it."
 
"I'd like to, but that would mean staying longer, enrolling in school in 
Tokyo."
 
"And why not?  Any school would be honored to have the famous violinist 
and artist Kaiou Michiru as a student."
 
"Stop it," Michiru smiled, blushing as she led the blonde into her 
apartment.  Haruka had rented the apartment next door and they had a 
door to connect the two so they could stay up late practicing or drawing 
without interruption.  "Besides, I'm sure any school would take the 
famous racer and newly popular artist and pianist Ten'ou Haruka."
 
The blonde smiled mischievously and reached into a drawer for one of the 
letters she had received the day before.  It was actually a packet of 
papers and Michiru had assumed that it was racing forms or something 
like that.  Haruka pulled out the top two pages and handed them to 
Michiru.  "Too true, my dear.  And they did."
 
"What?  Which school?"
 
Michiru scanned the papers, sapphire eyes wide, and Haruka grinned 
again.  "I thought it best not to limit myself.  All of the high schools 
accepted me."
 
"Kami-sama . . ."
 
"And you."
 
Michiru quickly turned the page, staring at her name on the top and all 
of the High Schools in Tokyo that had accepted her.  "Haruka . . ."
 
"A few of them even offered scholarships, if we'd come.  Five of them 
want me to be on their track team."
 
"Let's go to this one."
 
"Which?"
 
"Juuban High.  It just seems to fit."
 
"Okay.  Now, what about an apartment?"
 
"Only one?"
 
Haruka lifted one eyebrow.  "Do you think we need two?"
 
Michiru smiled as she sat in Haruka's lap, pulling the tall blonde's 
arms around her waist.  "Well, I don't know, Haruka.  Do we?"
 
Haruka pulled Michiru into her arms and kissed her, eyes closed.  She 
never wanted that moment to end.

Onwards to Part 9


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