II.
Somehow, they ended up at a coffee bar, Michiru's hands clutching a cup of tea with long, dainty fingers, and Haruka biting into a slightly stale, but warm, chocolate chip scone, which helped temper her annoyance. Michiru raised the cup, hooded blue eyes unabashedly observing Haruka from over it. Haruka took another vicious bite from out of her scone, still irritated by her poise—and yet, also incredibly attracted to it. Haruka's eyes drifted to Michiru's fingers, reminded of when they had grasped her wrist—cool, and firm. She couldn't help but wonder what else they could do. It was all very frustrating.
Haruka finished the scone off, feeling even more exasperated and restless than she had before her bike was fixed. Focus, she reminded herself, leaning forward in her seat, head cradled in her hand. "So," she drawled out.
Michiru's face betrayed nothing, a pleasant smile lingering across it. "So," she agreed. "I usually like to set boundaries before going any farther."
That wasn't quite what she expected. "Boundaries?" Haruka said.
"Boundaries. Like—I will not follow you into the bathroom or be present while you shower. I'll leave you at your door to your apartment every day, but I will not enter it after night time, unless something very precarious happens. If you stay in your apartment for the entire day, I will be there, but will never enter your personal bedroom, unless required to do my job properly. If you go on a date—"
"Since when am I going on a date?" Haruka interrupted.
"A famous racer not going on any dates? My, my. Must be quite a dry season." Michiru sipped again at her cup of tea, and Haruka had to force herself not to flush. "As I was saying. If you go on a date, I will be discreetly present, a few tables away, and ensure that your date isn't aware I am there."
Haruka lowered her voice. "And if we go on a date? Will you be present then?"
To Haruka's chagrin, she didn't even blink. "I try not to date while on a job," she said.
Haruka hummed, unsure if she was disappointed or relieved. It was, of course, a horrible idea—one Haruka would likely have broken instantly if the situation was flipped. But Michiru seemed like a woman who stuck to her guns.
"Does this all sound reasonable?" Michiru asked.
Haruka nodded, words lost, mind still stuck on the dating idea.
"I'm sure we can discuss any problems as they arise," she continued, smiling as the waiter slid the check on their table. "Now, aren't you going to pay for that?"
"Right." Haruka straightened when she realized what Michiru had said. "Now wait a minute! I never agreed to pay for your food!"
Michiru shrugged, smile much wider than her initial pleasant one. "But I'm just a poor bodyguard, and you're a famous racer. Doesn't it make sense?"
Based on her clothes, Michiru was anything but poor. Still, Haruka found herself opening the check with little argument. "It's like a continuous date with no payoff," Haruka muttered, mostly to herself.
"I assure you, with my actual dates there is quite a bit of payoff." With an unreadable, almost absent-minded expression, Michiru shrugged back into her jacket. "I'll be waiting outside."
And with that Michiru swept away, leaving Haruka gaping.
God damn it Setsuna.
The truth of it was Haruka would have been fine if she didn't go in so confident. Confident that Michiru would be less than a blip on her radar. Confident that she would be gone in two weeks, after the final race, and Haruka would never think about her again.
Haruka liked being confident. That's who she was. She was confident in her racing skills, confident in her people skills, confident in her dating skills, and especially confident in her bedroom skills. Anything she tried she was usually good at.
Yet, confidence, as Setsuna liked to remind her, often turned into arrogance. And therein was her downfall. Because truly in her arrogance, Haruka had stumbled into a person she couldn't fool.
Monday, had been normal. Haruka had gone to the track, cruised the obstacle course, went to the gym. No big deal. Tuesday was more of the same- another practice run and a quick interview about the upcoming race next week. Michiru was always there, of course, in the stands, seemingly focused on whichever book she had been reading that day, but Haruka swore she could feel the bodyguard's eyes on her back, even all the way from the track. (To shake the feeling off, she sped up, the wind caressing her hair, beating at her hands. But not even the wind could shake Michiru's gaze.) When Haruka almost crashed from nerves, she figured taking a break would be… helpful.
So Wednesday, she took the day off and stayed home. Honestly, Haruka wasn't sure what she had been trying to accomplish. Some part of her just wanted to see Michiru more human. To finally see her break that pleasant facade, and look just as ridiculous as Haruka had been feeling this entire time.
Of course, nothing happened. They sat in nearly complete silence, Michiru reading, Haruka hiding in various rooms of her apartment, flicking the TV on, off, on off, opening a book up, closing it, opening another. Michiru occasionally would comment—"my, my, trading Austen for Dickinson? Definitely easier, but lacking luster."—but otherwise, simply observing with a vague amused smile, as Haruka slowly paced back and forth, feeling caged, even though she could leave at any time. To make matters worse, Haruka couldn't get Michiru's damned perfume scent out of her apartment.
(It smelled a bit like the soft, salt air of the ocean, in case anyone wanted to know. Haruka sure didn't.)
On Thursday, she took action. Well an action: she called Usagi.
This was not so much a mistake, as it was a disaster. It started innocently enough:
"Hey, kitten," Haruka said when Usagi picked up. On the balcony chair next to her, Michiru raised two eyebrows, clearly surprised by the nickname. Haruka shot her a smirk, trying to regain some of the ground she lost yesterday. Because Haruka was good with women, damn it. Not that she wanted to be with Usagi—but still. Haruka had a reputation to maintain.
"Ah, Haruka!" Usagi greeted at her loudest, cheeriest voice that she was sure even Michiru winced at when she heard. Then— a loud crash, and a shriek. Haruka leaned on her balcony, confused, certain she could hear several voices squabbling in the background. Usagi laughed nervously into the phone: "Juuust one moment Haruka!" Then, slightly quieter, but still loud enough to break Haruka's ears, because it was Usagi: "Oi! Don't break my bunny plates!" There was a brief silence, a crackle, and then Usagi again laughing: "Haruka! Sorry, sorry! Just the cats," she said.
Cats? Haruka had never known Luna or Artemis to cause that much noise. "Are you free for lunch, Usagi?" Haruka asked instead.
More crashes. Clearly distracted, Usagi repeated: "Lunch?" More crashes. "Lunch sounds… great! Yeah, let's do lunch. Now?"
"Usagi, it's 10:00," Haruka said.
"Okay, brunch! Let's get brunch!"
Haruka glanced at Michiru, who seemed entranced with her book, twirling a lock of blue hair around her right finger- well, Haruka supposed she didn't have any actual plans. "Sure, let's meet in 20 at the Crown."
"Gr-reat," said Usagi, dragging out the syllable. "Bye now!"
She hung up before Haruka could even say goodbye.
Haruka scrubbed a hand through her hair, wondering what she had just done. And hell, how was she even going to explain Michiru to Usagi? Usagi was too nosy to let it go, and she had met all of Haruka's friends already. Hell, Usagi had even met her parents, back when Haruka had invited her to one of their society balls (an Epic Disaster, in true Usagi fashion- Haruka had watched the life-size ice sculpture crash with glee as the party guests ran, terribly glad she had brought Usagi along). Usagi may never have scored higher than a 70 percent on her math tests in high school, even with Haruka's help, but she was surprisingly perceptive.
And it wasn't Usagi figuring out Michiru was her bodyguard that concerned her, though that was embarrassing enough. It was… everything else. Even if Haruka didn't know what everything else meant.
Thirty minutes later, Haruka and Michiru were sitting across from each other, Michiru again nursing a cup of tea, Haruka, a coffee. Usagi was running late, of course. Haruka wouldn't have expected anything different.
"How do you know Usagi?" Michiru asked.
Haruka dropped her head into her hand. "She pushed me out of the way of a moving car a few years back," she said. "Pretty dramatic when you think about it."
Michiru lips twitched. "Sounds like you already had your own personal bodyguard, before I even came along," she said.
Haruka snorted. "Believe me, Usagi couldn't actually hurt a fly. Speak of the devil." Haruka nodded, as a short blonde with too much hair and too much limbs rolled in the room, a sudden tornado, yelling, "Haruukaaa!"
Suddenly, Haruka's face was full of long blonde hair, arms flung around her neck.
"Usagi, you're choking me," Haruka said through a mouthful of hair.
"Oh, sorry." Usagi detached herself and slid into her seat more properly. Finally, she noticed Michiru. "Oh, hi!" She flashed the brightest smile, bowing her head. "I'm Usagi, Haruka's only friend!"
"Michiru, a pleasure," said Michiru, as at the same time Haruka snapped, "That's not true,"
"Setsuna doesn't count, Haruka," Usagi said, "She's your manager, and Hotaru's 16."
"I've known Setsuna since college," Haruka said, exasperated.
Usagi shrugged. "Two of my friends are coming by the way, they're just finding parking-oh there they are!"
Haruka's eyes were immediately drawn to the person on the right. As their eyes met, she abruptly stood: "You."
Seiya Kou adopted a smirk. "I told you she wouldn't be happy," she said to Usagi.
"What are you doing with her?" Haruka demanded, essentially ignoring the exasperated looking man, who Haruka couldn't immediately place. To her horror, Seiya didn't respond, and instead slid into the seat next to Michiru, while the man grabbed a chair and dragged it to the end of the table. Michiru offered a hand to both of them, introducing herself politely.
"Michiru," she said.
"Seiya." And making a big show of it, Seiya took her hand and placed her lips to it.
She apparently blacked out for a minute, because the next thing Haruka knew, Usagi was poking Haruka in the side, and whispering, "Haruka? Haruka, are you okay?"
"M'fine," Haruka grounded out, turning irritated eyes to the still unknown man. Forcing herself to calm down, she adopted a cool tone. Icy cool. Colder than ice. In fact, sub zero cold. And that wasn't accounting for wind chill. "And who is this?"
The man bowed his head. "Mamoru Chiba, pleased to meet you both."
"We've been dating for three months," Usagi said, placing her hand on his, and the two shared the most sickly, cutest, awful stare that Haruka had ever seen in her life.
To her surprise, Seiya shot Mamoru a dripping glare.
Suddenly, Haruka understood the crashing sounds in Usagi's apartment so much better. And suddenly, she liked Mamoru so much more. She leaned forward, purring, "How interesting. Do tell, how did you two met?"
While Usagi launched into the thrilling tale (with the occasional, "Usako, that's not how it happened, there weren't any dragons," thrown in from Mamoru), Haruka watched in absolute delight as Seiya continued to emanate despair.
Haruka wasn't a horrible person, truly. But having a one-up on her rival, as unrelated to motorcycle racing as it was, felt great. She felt some of the cool that she had lost over the past few days return, and she relaxed into her seat, nodding along in the appropriate places to Usagi's extended epic tale (which pretty much boiled down to she spilled coffee on Mamoru's research paper and swore she would rewrite it for him, and the ensuing awkwardness when it became clear Usagi had absolutely no head for English literature translations. But Usagi had a special talent that made the story sound like both a space adventure and epic fantasy entwined into one).
"And that's exactly how it happened!" Usagi said cheerfully, clutching Mamoru's arm, nearly dragging him out of his seat. He looked surprisingly used to it after only three months. Most of Usagi's dates had been taken aback by the pure strength she managed to trap in one noodle limb. Mamoru barely looked fazed.
"Not exactly. But… close enough," Mamoru conceded, as Usagi released him back to his seat.
Haruka hummed, completely content to let Usagi move onto another topic to babble about. Seiya, however, took this lasp to get back at Haruka. "And you, two," she said, leaning on her hand, half turned toward Michiru. "How did you meet?"
Oh fuck. All of Haruka's contentment vanished. She hadn't thought this far ahead at all- and she couldn't tell Seiya of all people that her bike had been sabotaged. That would just make Seiya think she had the upper hand. And she couldn't articulate a story like Usagi. Panicking, Haruka caught Michiru's eye, desperately hoping that the bodyguard already had a story in mind.
"Setsuna introduced us," Michiru said, calmly.
For the first time in a week, Haruka praised Michiru's calm demeanor.
"Hm? A blind date?" Seiya said.
For the second time that day, Haruka's brain crashed. Date. Seiya thought they were dating.
Luckily, Michiru didn't so much as blink. "No, we're just friends," she said.
"Ah." Seiya sounded quite disappointed. Less competition for Usagi, Haruka thought savagely.
"And Usagi? Where did you pick up this lowlife?" Haruka said, forcing the conversation back on Seiya.
Usagi laughed, scratching the back of her head. "I've known Seiya since high school," she said.
"What? And you never told me!? I've known you for five years!"
"Well, I didn't want you to get mad!" Usagi protested. "And I didn't know you were rivals until last year, but then I felt bad about lying to you, so I wanted to tell you, and Seiya was hanging out with us—" At this, Seiya and Mamoru exchanged uncomfortable glances. Haruka would have killed to have seen how that had gone. "—so I figured that I would just bring Seiya to lunch today, and now you know, and we're all friends, right!" She beamed at the entire group.
Only Michiru nodded as if it that made any sense. The other three just stared, and Haruka hated that she was on the same page with Seiya, but good lord.
"Well, I think it was a lovely thought, Usagi," Michiru said. "Honesty, after all, is the most valued trait among friendships."
Haruka nearly snorted at that—after all, Michiru's entire job was based on lying. But Usagi, not privy to this information, sparkled, grabbing Michiru's hands and saying, with more sincerity than necessary, "Michiru, that was so true."
Michiru blinked, then gave a small smile. "Thank you, Usagi. Though I'm afraid I can't take full credit for it," she admitted, gently detaching her hand from Usagi. "My violin professor used to say it. Along with 'hatred is the first step to friendship.' But I think he may have taken that one from a fortune cookie when he had drank too much."
As Usagi nodded emphatically in agreement, Haruka forced herself not to grind her teeth too loudly- she didn't realize Setsuna had also paid for a friendship coach when she hired a bodyguard.
"Oh!" Usagi gasped suddenly, as if struck with a miraculous revelation. "Then, Haruka and Seiya must be close to friends, right!" Usagi looked between them, beaming proudly.
Seiya nearly choked on her drink. "Friends?"
"Friends," Usagi stressed, blue eyes wide.
Haruka didn't mean to snort audibly- but she did. Seiya whirled on her. "What," Seiya drawled. "Afraid of being friends with someone that beats you consistently?"
What. Haruka's mind went to white and she barely registered Michiru's hand on her arm as she stood, or Mamoru's alarmed face. "Excuse me? You've only beaten me three times."
"And I could do it again."
"I sincerely doubt that."
"Prove it."
"I will, when I beat you this weekend."
"Oh?" Seiya leaned her head on her hand. "Too afraid you couldn't do it now off the track?"
Haruka recognized that this was, perhaps, childish of her. A challenge that she should ignore, as an adult, and especially in front of Michiru.
"Outside, now." Haruka snapped.
Seiya smiled, triumphant. With Michiru's eyes boring into Haruka's back and Usagi fretting quietly behind them, Haruka felt like she had just made a dumb mistake.
But there was no turning back now.
The ocean raged in Michiru's ears.
Of course, in this parking lot, there was no actual ocean to hear. But somehow, that only made her even more aware of it.
Michiru had grown up on a small island in the outskirts of Okinawa, only steps away from the ocean, and had spent nearly every moment staring out at the sea. Wishing it could take her away. Wondering if she stepped in, if it would sweep her away, and pull her down under until she found adventure in another life.
Today, watching Haruka and Seiya glare at each in front of their two cars, a part of Michiru's heart ached for the ocean again. The quiet simplicity that wiped all sound, all thought away. She wished to be back in her parent's house, far away from this job.
As Haruka entered the car, Michiru's first thought was that she didn't get paid enough for this, and Setsuna had paid her quite well. Heaving a sigh, Michiru hopped into the car as well, not even bothering to open the car door.
Haruka whirled her head around. "What are you doing?" she snapped.
Michiru often thought it was her curse that all her charges were so volatile. She supposed it came with the nature of her job, but somehow Haruka took it to a whole other level. "I can't protect you from a parking lot," she said, keeping her tone cool.
"You didn't come on the track with me earlier!"
"That was a track. This is a street, full of busy cars. Do you truly think I'm going to let you go drag racing without backup?"
"So, what?" Haruka's stare challenged her, hazel eyes unwavering. "You'll injure yourself just to save me?"
"That's what I'm being paid for," Michiru said.
Haruka held her gaze one more moment, jaw clenched. Finally, she looked away, and Michiru felt like she could breathe again. "I don't get it," Haruka muttered.
"What?" Michiru managed to force the word out past her daze. She somehow had never had a charge who was so intense.
"You risk your own life to protect others. But what about your life? Who's risking their life for you?"
Michiru blinked, taken aback by this newfound concern., She found herself raising her gaze back to hazel eyes as Haruka's hands clutched the steering wheel—
And then the light turned green, and Haruka slammed her foot on the pedal. The force threw Michiru backwards, hair obscuring her vision for a second as the wind whipped around them. Of course Haruka would have a convertible.
There was barely time for thinking, as Haruka jerked the wheel left, passing just in front of a sad black Mitsubishi. Michiru's eyes were drawn to the speedometer: 35, 40, 45, 50. As it rose and rose, Haruka weaved through traffic with the cocky confidence only one so young, and so dismissive, so defiant, of death could.
But Michiru knew Death, and she could practically see it following them, in a black sports car.
But no, it was just Seiya pulling up to be right next to them. Haruka glanced to the left, snarling, as Seiya drifted just an inch away. Haruka tightened her hand around the steering wheel. "Bastard."
The speedometer pushing 65, Haruka forced herself a row over.
"Up there." The words came from Michiru, but she wasn't sure why.
Haruka whipped her head over.
"There's an opening," Michiru said.
"What?"
"There's no cars up there!"
"Why are you telling me that?"
"I'm trying to help!"
"You're my bodyguard, not my racing instructor!"
Haruka swerved in the opposite direction that Michiru had pointed out, crossing four different lanes of traffic. The sounds of cars honking blurred into one large cacophony and all Michiru could do was focus on the speedometer rising up and up and up. Michiru had resigned herself to the fact that they were probably going to crash, just as Haruka spun the wheel, car shooting to the right as the light turned red, bringing them back to the parking lot in a record five minutes.
"Fuck." Haruka slammed the door shut, crossing over to where Seiya was already standing by her car, Usagi and Mamoru both moving to meet her, as well as another blonde woman that Michiru knew was not there before.
"Well, that was fun Tenoh! And look," Seiya gestured to the other blonde, who waved cheerily. "We even had certified witnesses."
Haruka barely deigned to glance at Seiya. "Minako. Looking for fake stories again?"
Minako gasped theatrically, grasping her chest. "You wound me, Haruka!" she declared. "Haven't you missed me?"
"As much as I miss the plague," Haruka said, voice so cold, even Michiru was taken aback. During Michiru's short time with her, she had never seen Haruka mean. Sarcastic, sure. Bristly, but in a charming way. But mean? No.
Michiru wasn't sure she liked this side of her charge. Frowning, she moved to open her mouth-
"Haruka," Usagi cut in first. "Don't talk to Minako like that. I invited her for lunch before you and Seiya started racing. And you know- winning isn't everything." She tossed a look at Haruka and Seiya, both of whom had the decency to look abashed. "I thought you two could put that aside, but I guess not."
"Oh, Usagi, don't- shit." Haruka tugged at the front of her hair as Usagi flounced away. She glanced over at Mamoru, who graced her with a chilling stare, before following Usagi's lead.
If Michiru had been hired to give her opinion, she would say Haruka deserved it. As it was, she was only hired to protect Haruka from any bodily harm. So she kept her mouth shut.
Still, Usagi's words seemed to have done the trick, and Haruka turned back to Minako, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry, Mina. This one–" Haruka jerked her head at Seiya. "–just gets under my skin."
"Can I quote that?" Minako said, batting large, baby blue eyes at Haruka.
Haruka let out a short laugh. "Sure. And you can quote this too." Now, she turned toward Seiya, expression determined. "I don't care that you won today, because you're going down at the final races."
"Well," Seiya said, cocking her head. "Fourth time's the charm, right, Haruka?"
Haruka clenched her hand, but said nothing. Possibly sensing that she had the upper hand, Seiya opened her car door, sliding her sunglasses back on.
"See ya, lovebirds." Seiya shut the door and skidded away cheerily, even as all the color left Haruka's face and Minako Aino's eyes grew wider than her face.
Oh dear, Michiru thought. This could complicate things.
Author's Note: That's it for chapter two! I hope everyone enjoyed, and thank you to my reviewers so far~
Okinawa as Michiru's hometown was randomly lifted from David Mitchell's Ghostwritten.