Disclaimer: I do not own any Sailor Moon characters. The only thing I claim is my original characters and ideas.
Haruka parked her car and got out, heading for the footpath through the park. The wind swirled around her and she took off at a run, her feet pounding, kicking up dust on the path. This was the only time she really felt free, when she ran. She could escape everything else, all the problems and things she wished she didn't say…
Then she heard it. The sound of another runner. What were they doing up at this hour? The sun still wouldn't come up for at least another hour, and this was Haruka's time to be alone. Her irrational burst of anger made her laugh. Why shouldn't someone else have the freedom of racing against the wind, of—well whoever it was, they were catching up. Haruka slowed, then stopped, hoping to let whoever it was pass so she could take a different route.
The other runner got closer, then halted beside her. "Someone else as crazy as I am," a male voice commented, sounding amused. She looked at him, annoyed, then her eyes widened as she recognized him in the dim light.
"Osamu-san?"
"Hai. Who…? Haruka-san?" His voice sounded as surprised as she felt.
"Hey, I thought you were still in America."
He shrugged. "Not any more. There was no reason for me to stay after Rona died."
"Gomen nasai, Osamu-san. I didn't know she died."
"Well I'm gonna run, I have to be somewhere in an hour and I wanted to get outside. Where do you live? Maybe I'll stop by sometime." Osamu handed her a slip of paper and a pen. Haruka scribbled her address and telephone number down and handed it back. "Arigato. Ja na, Haruka-san."
Osamu waved and ran off down the path. Haruka watched him for a moment, shrugged, and decided to just take the long way back to her car. By the time she drove home, Michiru was up and eating breakfast.
"I met an old friend today at the park," Haruka commented, fixing herself something to eat. "He'll probably stop by sometime this week, just in case someone you don't know knocks at the door."
"Ara. Which friend is it, Haruka? Have you ever talked about him?"
"I don't think so," Haruka smiled. "It doesn't matter. Are you ready to leave?"
"Hai, just a minute." Michiru stood and followed Haruka out to the car. They drove for a while, and finally just pulled up on a cliff overlooking the ocean. "It's beautiful, Haruka," Michiru sighed, "Just watching…and I'm not talking about the waves," she smiled, leaning against Haruka's shoulder. "I could stay up here forever."