The night of the party

The noise from the party at the big house that was owned by Mina's large family was audible even in the small corner of the garden Haruka and Michiru had found for themselves after they had both claimed it was too hot inside. Now they were cooling down, for the first time ever in days. Haruka had been especially nervous about the competition, but now she could sigh in relief. Though she couldn't feel carefree already - she swore herself she would tell Michiru the whole truth once they won.

And now she had to get herself to say the words. Words she had inside of her for years, really. She was still so grateful that Rei, their guitarist and songwriter, had mustered up the courage to ask Michiru joining the band. And since she only agreed after Haruka had chased her in the hallway of their High School, Haruka felt a bit hopeful that she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself. It was a fast decision, the holding on to her arm and the pleading, and she was glad it had overcome her. But all the lunches they had shared since then had made her realize how easy it had been to be in love from a far and how hard it was to be in love so close to the one she truly desired.

"I'm so glad you agreed to fill in for Mako on bass when she had carpal tunnel syndrome", Haruka confessed, her head slightly lowered as she blushed. It didn't go unnoticed by Michiru however, who laughed freely: "Can you believe I said 'What is this, I'm not going to play it' at first?"

"You're classical trained. You could have practiced for a national title instead. But you chose us", Haruka was intently staring at her shoes.

"And we won Battle of the Bands", Michiru lifted her red cup filled with grape juice, "To us! Cheers."

Haruka finally looked at her, smiling: "Cheers."

The 17-year-olds drank, Haruka being busy not to choke on her beer which their singer had freed from her father's secret location in the garage. Michiru's beauty was even more radiant in the moonlight and it made her all giddy inside.

"You know, what really persuaded me was the way you play drums", Michiru smiled coyly, her eyes never leaving Haruka, while Haruka stared aimlessly at Michiru's thigh. "They say the drummer is the glue. Holding the band together, pushing it forward."

Her voice was a purr now, her eyes almost closed like a lovesick cat, which sent shivers down Haruka's spine once she decided it was good idea looking at her. "Oh, and you're pushing it so good."

She sat the cup down as punctuation. As Michiru batted her lashes, Haruka felt like she was having a heart attack. "The way you keep the rhythm … so strong …"

Haruka felt like coming in her pants and cursed herself for even starting all this. But at the same time she couldn't believe Michiru felt attracted to her the same way – at least to her drumming. Haruka had started to play this instrument to be louder than the chaos that surrounded her. To beat her drums instead of herself up. That Michiru recognized it as something special … could this mean that her dream of many sleepless nights would come true?

And then, the smaller girl's eyes were on her again, big and hypnotizing. "I've always watched you playing shows, you know, but I always hid. I've never needed a friend, Haruka. And now I still don't. I need something entirely else."

With that, she leaned forward, meeting Haruka's scent – being on stage being layered by beer being layered by her clean cologne.

It took Haruka another second before she was ready to turn her head slightly, to be in the right angle, and then they kissed, a feeling so much better than playing the perfect drumline, so much better than winning, so much better than being the amount of tipsy all their peers were.

"Haruka, I'm cold." Michiru cooed, licking her lips in delight once they parted.

"How can you?" But Haruka then smiled and gave Michiru her leather jacket and the violinist, who was now a bass player, snuggled into it, into her, and they both watched the moon and listened to the party noise, so glad they won for a totally different reason. They had won a bigger prize. Love.