Haruka couldn't believe her eyes, the once so gracious and calm Michiru, that she had known almost all her life, was now almost on top of a two meter high wall, trying to fetch a ball out of the neighbors garden.
"Freeze!" a voice came from somewhere above, Haruka turned around and saw how Yoshino was by an open window in the house looking at her mother.
"What the –"
"Don't swear Ruka." Michiru breathed out as she hung to the wall like a ninja in training.
"Go."
Again Yoshino said something, it wasn't loud, but they were all able to hear her give commands. As Haruka tried to figure out what was going on, Haru leaned closer to her and begged her to crouch down to his height.
"Don't check out my mums behind."
Haruka almost fell on her butt just hearing the five year old say it, she couldn't control herself and started laughing out loud, she didn't notice the strange face that the boy gave her nor when the ball came flying back over the wall and hit her right on the head.
"Ball!" Yoshino shouted.
It was only a small shock from getting it to her head unexpectedly, but she cursed at the small girl, who she could have bet all her money on was laughing right then. She growled as she turned to the wall again, just in time to see Michirus head pop up again. Haruka had never expected to see the day where Michiru be the complete opposite to who she was before. The bluenette grinned at her as she secured her foot on the side of the wall and in a matter of seconds she was down on the grass again, rubbing her hands on her jeans.
"One more time and I will tell old Matsumoto to keep the ball. Nice watch Yoshino." She clapped her daughter on the back. "Good eye, almost got caught that second there."
Haruka was speechless.
"Now, want to go back inside and talk?" she could only nod and follow. Back inside the kitchen, Haruka had slowly recovered and looked at Michiru from head to toe.
"Like what you see?" Michiru smirked.
"Well, I remember you did a lot of swimming, but climbing? I'm surprised and a little proud." She washed off pretended tears. "But I am very happy to see that your life is going so well."
Michiru bit her lip. 'If only.' She thought, but she didn't want the blonde to worry, not when she had just stepped back into her life. She didn't want to tell her everything about Toshi yet either, but she had promised. Mixed feelings and no clue made it even more difficult for Michiru. What was she supposed to do.
"Michiru?"
Her head shot up, she had been in deep thoughts. She coughed, "Yes?"
"I would understand if you don't want to tell me everything, I can see it is upsetting you." A hand brushed hers and she smiled. 'Haruka always understood me, even when I couldn't do so myself.'
"I promise I won't vanish like last time." Michiru pulled the blonde up with her and pulled her into a tight hug, after releasing her again, she hit Haruka over the head.
"I was hurt you know. I wanted you to be my bridesmaid, but in the end you didn't even call again."
"I'm sorry. I truly am."
"I know." Part of her was glad that Haruka had never made it to the wedding, it had been a disaster. If she had known back then she would have run away, far away. Those things belonged to the past now, and she wanted nothing more than to forget it and live the life she had now.
"What made you laugh so much earlier, I could hear you on the other side."
Haruka turned beat red and sat down again, trying to ignore the question by taking a zip from her tea. It had cooled down quite a bit but even instead of giving in she drank it all up.
"Tell me Ruka."
"Top secret, a top notch Haruka to Haruka business." She thought she was save with that one, but as Michirus eyes started glowing she knew she just stepped right into a trap. She turned in slow motion as little Haruka walked into the living room. She heard Michiru ask and she heard him answer, before she could say anything against it. In her mind she was jumping at him holding his mouth shut shouting 'Nooooo.', just like they did in some horrible movies.
"She was checking out your butt."
Inside of her head the sentence bounced around like a ping pong. How was Michiru going to react?
Graduation day - night
"Michiru! Hurry up already." Haruka shouted up the stairs where she knew her friend was still trying to find the right clothes to wear. She had been ready for the last two hours, sitting in the living room with Michirus father, watching some random show called Batsu.
"Almost done."
"That's what you said two hours ago."
"Don't be so whiny!"
Before she could shout something back a hand on her shoulder made her turn. It was Michirus mother and she had a look on her face that was hard to place.
"I am sorry for shouting, Ms. Kaioh." Haruka said and bowed a little to hide her face. "We are going to be late if your daughter doesn't hurry up."
A knowing glance up the stairs and a nod signaled Haruka that it was fine that she had shouted. What she didn't expect was what came after.
"Michiru! Don't let Haruka wait so long, she is looking way too handsome for a lazy snail like you."
Haruka swallowed and moved a little to the side, closer to the door, she felt a blush rise up in her cheeks. She stood there like a lamp, still and bright. 'Be one with the surroundings.' She thought to herself, and closed her eyes. 'I should have said nothing.'
"Mother!" only came back, but minutes later Michiru came too, dressed so lady like and unfitting for a small graduation party of their class. "There, now we can go."
"You look good, Michi." Haruka muttered, still a little red from her friends mothers outburst. She held open the door and said goodbye to the Kaiohs. When the door was closed and she was sure no one could hear but Michiru, she sighed.
"What's wrong?"
Haruka shook her head. "Nothing. Just, your mother always knows how to make me uncomfortable."
"She was right, though. You do look very handsome." She smiled, as she looked at Ruka.
Present
"He is like your mother." Haruka finally said which made Michiru laugh, she too must have remembered all the time when her mother tried to embarrass her in front of her daughter or husband.
Michiru moved closer and started to whisper something into Harukas ear, which made Haruka blush even more.
"Don't tease me, Michiru. I'm not like back then anymore, I might actually bite." A small grin touched her lips and she looked at the confused face of Haru. "I will come again tomorrow Haru and then I will show you how to drift."
While Michirus face showed utter shock and disbelief, Haru grinned over both ears and hugged Harukas leg. He then tried to go as fast as he could to tell his sister, but Haruka held him back. "First lesson. If you are injured, don't worry your mother by making it worse. Go slow." He nodded and this time slowed down on his way out.
"Haruka, no. I don't want him to get into even more danger."
"Don't worry. It will actually keep him from breaking his leg again, I learned it when I was still in highschool, remember when I broke mine?"
"Yes, you made me drive you on the back of my back to the corner store for a magazine."
They both laughed at the memory, those had been easy days.
"Haruka?" Michirus voice almost a whisper. "You will come again, right? It wasn't just some false promise?"
"Of course I will. I want to make up lost time with you, get to know your twins, be part of the old life again, you know." A smile crossed her lips. "Yoshino seems like a little trickster to me."
Michiru chuckled. 'If only you knew.'
"But I will come around as often as possible, as I said, I'm taking a break from racing, I never really had a private life and the last years, it is time for it. I'm sick of being alone all the time." Even though that wasn't entirely true, she had had many occasions where she hadn't been on her own. Her family often visited and friends she made came by and girlfriends that over the years had been in her life. She just never felt like that was the life she had always wanted. Time off would hopefully get her the answer she wanted and needed.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Nothing."
"Ah not that game again."
Michiru laughed and followed Haruka to the door. "Short but sweet, they say." She thought of the visit.
"Very sweet." Haruka thought of the hug.
Short but sweet ^^ but that is up to you
