Tenoh Haruka rolled off the bed, bringing her covers with her. The crisp morning breeze rippled through the open window, making the blonde shiver. She slowly dragged herself from the entanglement and lazily dragged herself to the bathroom to wash.
20 minutes later, she was dressed and feeling bored. She ruffled her short hair impatiently and opened the door of her apartment to reveal the streets of Tokyo, and the sun shining as brightly as ever. She smiled to herself secretively. Time for a ride.
Soon, she had the breeze whipping her hair back as she raced down the quiet streets. She thought of her day ahead and groaned. College, then hard work at the mechanics. she wished for more excitement in her life. Sure,
Biking was fun, and she loved racing of course. But quite frankly, she was beginning to get a bit tired of it all. Her friends consisted of the screaming fan-girls at school, begging her to hang out with them, and the old man she worked with at the store. She didn't hate her life; she just wished she had a few people to share it with. Her parents had died in a car crash a few years ago, and left their estate to her, but she had preferred to buy a small apartment in the city. Her mind wandered, and when an aqua haired young woman crossed out in front of her she didn't notice until the last minute.
The woman screamed, alerting Haruka to her senses. Her bike swerved and hit the curb on the left side of the rode as she desperately tried to avoid the woman, and keep control of her vehicle at the same time. To no such luck, as her bike tipped over and Haruka found herself lying on the cold pavement, face down. Great: she thought to herself, annoyed. Just what I needed. She heard running footsteps as a concerned figure loomed over her.
"I'm so sorry! I just wasn't looking where I was going! Are you ok?"
Haruka groaned and rolled onto her front, to find herself looking up into the eyes of an angel.
"Erm…yea I-" whispered Haruka, trying to sit up, but still staring at the woman's beautiful blue eyes, and still a little dazed from falling off her motorbike.
"No! don't sit up," soothed the woman, anxiously, "I'll call an ambulance to check you up. Make sure you're ok."
Haruka almost relented, but then remembered her work, and college of course. She was going to be late.
"No honestly I'm ok." She said with effort, pulling herself to her feet. "Just a bruise or two."
The aqua woman still looked doubtful.
"are you sure? I have time on my hand before college if you need any help."
Haruka shook her head. "I'm fine, really!" she replied, brushing herself down impatiently. She looked up at the woman and noticed the uniform she was wearing.
"You go to my school don't you?"
"yes I think so. We're in the same year. You're Tenoh, Haruka aren't you?"
"Yes. But how did you know that?" asked Haruka doubtfully. "I've barely seen you before and we've certainly never spoken."
"I know a lot about the students that attend." Replied Michiru, earnestly. "Not to sound like a stalker, of course." She laughed. "I'm Kaioh, Michiru."
"Pleased to meet you. Not to sound rude, but I really have to get going." Replied Haruka, shaking her hand. She looked at her bike. "Fancy a ride to college?"
Michiru smiled. "Won't your fans get jealous?"
"They'll deal with it." Answered Haruka shortly, passing her a blue helmet. "Here put this on, and hang on tight!"
Michiru laughed and relented, pushing the helmet over her glossy hair, quickly.
Haruka picked up her bike and got on, with Michiru hanging tightly onto her waist from behind. Haruka could feel her heart beating faster from inside her school jacket and blouse. No-one had ever made her feel like this before. And she had only found out she existed five minutes ago.
"So Kaioh-san, how come I haven't seen you around college before?" asked the blonde, stopping at a set of traffic lights as they turned to red.
"Well, I only moved here a few weeks ago, and I don't think we take the same classes."
"Oh. Of course."
They rode the rest of the way in silence. All the while, Haruka could feel Michiru's hands wrap tighter around her and it was beginning to put her off. Just when she thought she might actually crash, they arrived at their destination.
A crowd of screaming fan-girls were, as usual, waiting for Haruka at the gate.
"Haruka-sama!"
"Tenoh-san!"
"Haruka-Sempai!"
Cries rang out as the girls rushed over to greet Haruka, as she arrived into school.
Soon, as the girls started to notice that a woman was with her they started whispering amongst themselves angrily.
"Who is she?"
"That's Kenoh Michiru!"
"Who does she think she is anyway?"
Haruka stepped off the bike, lending a hand to Michiru, who refused politely and jumped down independently. As soon as they were off, the girls started running to Haruka, asking questions and begging her to tell them who the woman was.
"Thank-you, Tenoh-san!" Michiru called over the screaming heads, before turning and walking towards the school doors.
"Damn!" whispered Haruka angrily, pushing past the indignant girls, so that she had room to breathe. "I was hoping we could walk to class together!"
Haruka picked at her lunch half-heartedly. She had hoped to run into Michiru again, but so far she hadn't seen her. Plus, she thought with a groan looking to the table of giggly fan-girls next to her, she had been followed around by them all day so even if she had saw her…..even if she had saw her what? What was she expecting to happen? That Michiru would leap into her arms and declare that she in fact was a lesbian and she loved Haruka? Impossible. They had only met properly for the first time this morning! Haruka shook her head. She was just being stupid, and Michiru wasn't her type anyway. She looked over the cafeteria to where Hotaru and Setsuna were standing in line waiting for their lunch. She really wished they would hurry up so she could get out of here. Hotaru always followed Setsuna around everywhere and Haruka swore that their minds worked congruently.
"Haruka-sempai?"
Haruka looked round to where the voice was coming from. A small girl, probably a junior was standing there nervously holding out a letter for her to take. Behind her, a group of her friends were standing there giggling, probably to egg her on. Haruka groaned silently and took the letter from the shivering girl.
"Arragato my kitten" She answered flirtingly, turning back to her dinner and making the girls whisper excitedly amongst themselves.
"Please read it sempai!"
"For you I will. Don't worry."
Haruka left the girl and moved to sit where her friends Setsuna and Hotaru were now eating lunch silently.
"Another love letter, Haruka-papa?" asked Hotaru, glancing at the folded paper in Haruka's hand.
"Probably," answered Haruka shortly, slitting open the envelope.
"What is it, fifth one this week?" queried Setsuna as Haruka unfolded the letter. "A new record I believe."
Haruka chortled softly and read the letter.
To Haruka-sempai,
I have been watching you from a distance and I can't take being silent anymore. I really like you, and think that we are soul-mates. I love the way your blonde hair hangs loosely around your ears and you act so much like a guy without a care in the world. I love that you're so into motorbikes and act so flirtatiously with me and my friends. I know that you do not like me but I just had to make my feelings known to you. Please meet me behind the gym at 4pm.
Forever yours,
Aino Mia-san
Haruka sighed. Another fan girl she was going to have to disappoint.
"You're so mean Haruka-san!" exclaimed Setsuna as they made their way to fifth period. Hotaru, who was in first year of high school, had already made her way to her class, with a hurried goodbye.
"Rejecting all these poor girls, it's not right!"
"But fan letters are so impersonal!" answered Haruka, annoyed. "If they want to get close to me, then say it to my face."
The bell rang signalling that they were late.
Haruka waved quickly and ran off to track practice with her friend Mei.
"Ah so that's it." Mei said, as her and Haruka ran down the track towards the finish line. "I always know when something is bothering you. Kaioh Michiru, right?"
Haruka nodded silently, keeping her eyes permanently fixed on the floor.
"Good choice. But hasn't she already been asked out by several guys? And no offence Ruka, but I think she's straight!"
"Don't you think I know that?!" Haruka replied angrily, speeding up. "But I really like her. And it's really hard to have to turn all these fan-girls down!"
"Oh yeah. Setsuna-san told me Aino-chan wrote you a love letter!"
Haruka nodded. "I don't know what I'm going to say to her. And I don't know what to do about Michiru-san, either!" she sped up and ran off from Mei, so she could hide her anguish from her best friend.
Michiru jumped into the clear, crisp pool. Her glossy hair wavered in the pools brilliance as she gracefully swam a length. Swimming was the only real thing that made her happy. That, and reading, for when she read, she could escape off into her own world.
"Kaioh-san?"
Michiru swam to the side of the pool and stuck her head up to see who was standing there. A pink haired young woman stared back at her.
"Azuma-san?"
"Hai. I just came here to thank you for your kindness to my friend Haruka-san earlier."
"Don't mention it. I was only doing what any decent person would do!" replied Michiru, diving back under the water.
"I was hoping maybe we could hang out during free period!" called Mei, following Michiru up the length of the pool as she swam.
"Sure. That sounds ok," replied Michiru, still swimming.
Mei sighed and slung her bag over her shoulder. Now she could befriend Michiru and get her closer to Haruka.
Haruka sat in her lesson, absentmindedly staring at the wall opposite.
"Tenoh-san! Pay attention!"
"hai, sensei"
A small, raven haired girl leant over and whispered in Haruka's ear:
"Haruka? What's with you lately?"
Haruka shook her head and proceeded to make notes in her small exercise book, refusing her mind to wander to that of the aqua-haired beauty she loved so much.
Haruka stayed like that for the rest of the lesson. When the bell finally rang for free period, she grabbed her books and almost ran out of the building. On the way to the park, she bumped into a group of lost little girls. Haruka smiled slyly to herself- she was suddenly in a flirty mood.
"Hey my kittens, not lost are we?"
The girls blushed and giggled. The bravest one stepped forward.
"Erm, we were on our way to Juban Park," she blushed pushing her brown hair out of her eyes.
Haruka smiled and held the girls chin gently. She leant in, so they were almost kissing- making the other girls giggle nervously.
"Well this is your lucky day," she whispered gently. "I'm on my way there right now. Why don't I show you lovely girls the way?" she offered the girl one arm, and took one of the other girls hands with her other.
"This way," she said, steering the girls down the road, towards the park.
Mei looked at her watch as she waited anxiously for the two girls. She soon spotted Haruka, walking down the road with a group of giggly girls in tow.
"Oh god!" sighed Mei getting to her feet. She knew her best friend was prone to these flirtatious moments, but why did it have to be now?
Luckily Haruka quickly left the girls, and ran down the path to where Mei was sitting on a brown bench.
"Hi! Sorry I'm late!" she laughed, slinging her arm round her best friend and sitting down beside her.
Mei raised an eyebrow. "I see you've cheered up!" she giggled, taking her friends hand and standing up. "Cummon, I said we'd meet her across the lake!"
Haruka looked puzzled.
"Meet who across the lake?" she asked, one eyebrow raised. "Oh god Mei- you didn't pull me along to one of your dates again did you?"
"No. I invited Kaioh-san to spend the afternoon with us!"
Haruka flushed a deep crimson colour. She shook her head defiantly. "Nu-uh! No way!"
"How come?"
"cos I said not!"
"But I thought you liked her!"
"I do and that's exactly why!"
"aw cummon Ruka-chan!"