Disclaimer: I do not own Haruka and Michiru's characters, they belong to Naoko Takeuchi. All other characters and this story belong to me.
"When we graduate, I will go professional." the blonde announced. It was her dream to become a professional race car driver. It didn't matter what, as long as she was in a car, going fast and doing what she loved. Formula 1 was always something big, but they had weird rules, but she would try anyway, just like she always did. Soon she would be able to grab onto that dream and fulfill it, just like her friend was doing with hers.
"My parents want me to go to a nice college in America or maybe Europe." Said the bluenette sitting next to her friend. Michiru leaned back, looking a little upset. "We won't see each other as much anymore."
Haruka leaned closer and winked at her. "Whether you go to America or Europe, I will be around with my racing as well and then we can see each other. There is also Christmas and some other holidays, there is the phone, mail, there are ways to stay in touch. We won't lose another."
Of course, it never comes as you think, someone once said, If you want to make god laugh, make plans. Depending on whether you believe in a god or not it fits. Haruka did become a professional racer, a ralley racer in Europe. She got a kick of it when a friend took her to a race, it was fast and it took a lot of skill. She had gotten into the Formula 1, but after a short time they had denied her entry for a fake identity. It had been a stupid idea to pretend to be a man just to get over the prejudices of women and driving. She didn't care, she found another way to do what she loved.
Michiru went to Europe to study, music had always been her love and her dream to make it big someday. During her time of study a producer found her and together they produced her first album, which made her become pretty famous in the music industry. Even though school took up a lot of her time, she managed to continue with her career and was able to make it a steady job. She found a boyfriend and even got married after she graduated.
Haruka and Michiru couldn't hold the connection, they were both busy and both regretted it but neither blaming the other for it.
4 years later
"Michiru, are you sure you want to do this?", her mother asked seriously while standing right in front of her.
"Of, course, I am. What kind of mother would I be if I left my children unattended? Just because their father ditched them, doesn't mean I can allow myself to do the same, even for a little while." Michiru had gotten married after she graduated from college and got pregnant shortly after, with twins.
"But your career?"
"I don't care, mother. It's the music I love, not the money I make with it.", she closed the door behind her, pushing her mother down the hallway. "They are my now my world, I thought you'd understand that."
Her mother stared at the door, she did understand, but she didn't want her daughter to give up her dream. If that lousy husband of hers hadn't run off she would probably think differently about it now.
"You know it's not like that. I'm close, I can watch them. Your father – "
"Mother, please. I know you mean well, but it's different now. I'm needed, not you, not a nanny or a babysitter. Just me."
Michiru smiled at her mother and to reassure her she touched her arm. "Granny can come to play whenever she wants, though."
When she saw her mother cry she remembered the day she had given birth. It had only been three months ago.
She had been so happy, she never felt as content as she did when she spend her time with her twins, they were her life and her energy, nothing would ever change that, she knew. They made her forget all the pain that pregnancy caused her, the pain she felt when their father left but most of all they made her look forward into the future.
She remembered how she was holding her son in her arms, her father next to her with her daughter, only her mother wasn't able to hold her tears.
"Stop scaring the babies, granny." Her father had said, which only made her cry harder than she already was. "Here, take the little sunshine." He had said when he held his granddaughter out to his wife. She took her gently into her arms and started cooing like she had done when her daughter was the size of a puppet.
"What are their names?"
She hadn't thought of that yet, something always distracted her from that important decision, but she knew right away that there were only two choices for her. She looked down into her sons sleeping face.
"Haruka and Yoshino."
"Haruka?" her parents asked, remembering the wild tomboy that often came to visit them when their daughter was still in high school.
"Yes, she was my best friend, naming my son after her will always keep her close to me, even now that we grew apart. And who knows, maybe he will become a promising piano player like her."
"But why your son?" Mrs. Kaioh wanted to know. "Wouldn't it fit your daughter more?"
"Just look at him? He already looks so mischievous, he was also the one that moved around the most." Michiru explained while smiling at her new born family. "Yoshino, after their grandmother, who always took care of me when their father wasn't around."
Haruka turned out to be the loudest of the two and just like Michiru had said the most active. He was always moving and trying to get his own way. Yoshino sometimes cried when he did, but most of the time she just tried to kick her brother, which made her mother smile when she watched them both late at night. She knew that they would grow up to be wonderful children.
"If only Haruka could see them, she would love them." She whispered.
Haruka was in Europe racing at that time, the racing season came to an end with the final in Italy. She was second, but she was neither angry nor upset, just frustrated, that a small mistake of her own caused her the loss. If she had only paid more attention, but the memories of her childhood had taken control of her.
"Oh well, there is always the next season." She grinned and leaned back into her chair at the coffee shop. Europe was wonderful in summer and Italy especially. She wondered if Japan was nice at this time, she hadn't been there in a while. Remembering the last time she had been there was difficult, it was also the last time she saw Michiru. She wondered what her friend was doing now, last she heard she was going for a break in music, but it never said why. Haruka had always bought her CD's and always listened to them before a race, maybe when she got home she would call the bluenette and find out.
But in the end she didn't. She felt embarrassed for her reason to call and she was nervous that Michiru might have changed so much that she had forgotten the blonde. She didn't want that and pushed the call of into the future.
5 years later
"Hey Haruka, what are you planning to do after the race?" Harukas mechanic called out to her through the garage where she was standing. She saw him waving at her with some papers, but she just ignored him, she was listening to Michirus first album and didn't want anything else distracting her.
The race she was about to enter was for a yearly donation gala. They money that was made would be given to many children organizations. She had become famous as one of the few Japanese racers and was allowed to partake together with a handful of other Japanese drivers. It was a race that was more for fun than anything, they choice of car was made up on the driver, which made it unique. Haruka had chosen the Audi R8, in favour of one of her sponsors who had been with her for many years. She loved the car, but she knew that it might not grand her the pole.
The care is ready."
She nodded and moved to where her team had parked the car. She had decided to make this her last race for a while, it had been so long since she was home, and now she could get a win at home and make up lost time. A year or two off from the busy track wouldn't hurt, she thought and put on her helmet.
The race had started nicely, at least for her, a few cars fell back so far, that she was sure that she would overtake them soon into the race.
"Nice start, try keeping the speed." She heard through her ear piece. Just like the start the next few rounds went well, she was able to get to the first place, but the other cars behind her didn't make it as easy. The Porsche 911 especially, she knew that even though she had more power but the driver only played with her.
After another dozen laps it happened. The cars that Haruka had left behind her at the start caused a crash right in front of her and when she tried to maneuver around them she drove right over a part. Pulling the wheel around with no luck she flipped and she lost all control of the car. It turned once, twice and then after the third time it stopped, right on the roof.
"Ugh, fucking hell." She groaned. Her arms well crossed over her chest, but she wasn't sure if she had done it in time to prevent an injury. She felt pain in her body, but couldn't place them. Haruka knew she had to move, if the car started to burn it could get dangerous pretty fast, and she didn't want to trust her nose on detecting smoke. Time past by slowly, that she didn't know how long it took the track crew to get to her.
"Are you able to move?" the man who appeared by her door asked. Before she could reply he pulled the door open and yelled to others around the car. "Hurry, small fire in the front."
Haruka panicked slightly. Fire was not good, she thought and tried to move. The pain grew worse. "Shit." She cursed, as the man pulled her out by her arms. She told herself to ignore the pain until she was out, but it was difficult. Two men now tried to get her out, the ambulance was already on its way. They crash had happened close after the box luckily. When they had pulled her out she collapsed from the pain.
When she woke up, she found herself in the hospital, in the waiting room for patients waiting for a bed. She saw some patients being moved out and only very little move in with her. She saw that she had a little boy next to her, he had been staring at her, but when she turned her head to face him he just looked away.
"Something wrong, kid?" she muttered, still feeling weak.
The boy shook his head, but then he looked at her again. "What happened to you?" he asked with a low voice. It was the first time that she looked down her body. She had a cast on her right arm up to her shoulder, but everything else seemed to be alright. "Racing accident, you?"
"Same." The proud face of the boy made her laugh, but that only caused her pain in the back. "Ouch. So, are you any good?"
He nodded at that, smiling. "I would have won too, if Akira hadn't kicked me off my bike."
That's when the doctor moved into the room with papers in her hands. "Haruka, you got a lovely room just around the corner." She said and then turned. "As for the other Haurka, Ms. Tenoh. You will have to wait a little longer to be picked up."
"Your name is Haruka, too?" they both had said at the same time, surprised, but both nodded.
"I will be taking this one with me now, you can play later." She winked at the older one and left with the boy in his bed.
"Funny day."
"There we go Mr. Haruka.", the doctor said and smiled at his waiting mother and sister when they entered his new room.
When he saw his mother he smiled, but he knew he was in trouble for breaking the promise he made. But just like his grandmother had said, boys will be boys, racing was in there nature. He wanted to win and make Akira cry.
"Will Haruka join me here?" he asked but he only got a no from the doctor.
"She will have a different room, but I can take you to her if she agrees."
"Yes please!" he shouted in excitement.
The doctor turned to his mother. "I'm Dr. Araide. I'm the one who checked your son through. His right leg is broken, he will have to wear the cast a while, but I'm sure even that won't hold him back. There was a small complaint about a headache earlier, but he said it was now gone. Just to make sure we did some tests, the results will be in tomorrow. That is also the reason why we want to keep him here a night."
The mother nodded and took hold of her sons hand. It was the first time that any of them had gotten into something dangerous and she was a nervous wrack.
"Ms. Kaioh, there is nothing to worry about, he is a strong boy and he will be on his two feet soon enough to make it into another race." She chuckled when she saw the panicked face of Michiru. "I was joking, Ms. Kaioh."
"Haruka was also in a racing accident, but only broke an arm." The boy said as if it was a throphy to have something in common with a person with the same name.
"Who is that anyway?" Michiru asked the doctor.
"Haruka Tenoh. A race car driver. They seemed to hit it off pretty well."
Michirus jaw dropped and she held the doctor Araides hands begging her to take her to her.
Haruka was in her room, desperately trying to reach the itch on her back, but it was impossible. It was making her crazy, she fumed when knew her arm wasn't long enough. She would have been able to reach it with the right arm. She eyed the pen on her night stand that the nurse had left with her, she wasn't sure if she could risk it but the itch was making her mad.
HA, she thought when the pen touched the place where the itch was the worst.
"It feels so good." She moaned.
"I see you are feeling right at home, Ms Tenoh?"
Haruka snapped around and saw the doctor that took the boy with her. She grinned and laid back down, checking the woman out.
"Well, there are ways to make it even better." She winked.
"I'm sure, like a visitor perhaps?" she moved away from the door to let the person behind her inside. What she saw only made her speechless. In the door stood the one person she didn't expect to see.
"Haruka." The bluenette whispered and ran up to the blonde and almost crushing her then and there.
Well, this will be interesting. It's been a long time since I have tried to write something, especially on my own. I hope you liked it.