Chapter 7: It Begins
Usagi couldn't move for a while. This was all too confusing. Why was Haruka acting so strange just then? And what happened back there?
Usagi's thoughts came flying all around her head. Something was wrong. Haruka's acting strange. Then again, she should no better since Haruka Ten'ou isn't truly a close person to her. Perhaps this is another side of the athlete? Something that only close friends frequently see? A face that's undoubtedly strange for anyone to witness, anyhow.
Maybe she's tired…yeah…that must be it…her strokes were quite powerful back there…she must've exhausted herself.
Usagi decided to put her mind into rest and sat at the bottom of a bleacher.
"Hey, Ten'ou," one of women inside the locker room called out, knocking at the blurred plastic shower door while Haruka rinsed her body inside, "who's the babe?"
Haruka took one look from her acquaintance and curtly replied, "Fuck off, Bridge."
"No really, who is she?"
"Gim'me a break. I'm in the shower."
"I like blondies."
Haruka sighed in disgust, unable to believe that a fellow-student had already taken interest with Usagi this fast,
"What the fuck do I care?"
"You should introduce us."
Haruka was fed up; she opened the shower door and slipped her head out,
"Bridge, knock it off. She's just a kid—and could you please leave now?"
"A kid? What 'you saying a kid? Have you seen those knockers? They're huge. I am telling you, woman—that is not a kid."
Haruka shook her head and cursed a few words. Nodding in affirmation of what she had decided to do with this situation, she took the extension of the shower and flushed Bridge away,
"C'mon, bitch! What are you doing? I just changed!"
"I told you to leave, didn't I?" Haruka shouted, wide-eyed with the extension on her hand.
"I was just playing around!" Haruka pressed the handle one more time and a long thick spray of water came out, hitting Bridge thoroughly.
"Well game's over. Now leave."
"Alright, alright…jeez…"
By the sound of the of the backdoors closing at last, Haruka tossed the extension on the wet marbled floor and placed her hands on the wall with her head bent low.
Firstly, Haruka couldn't understand why Michiru wanted Usagi to enter Infinite School. She was partly confused because Michiru hardly knew Usagi, and yet she was kind enough to give Usagi a hand?
It's not like it was a bad thing. This should actually be a happy reason for Haruka to celebrate. She'd been interested with Tsukino Usagi for so long, and this was the perfect opportunity to get to know her better.
Of course by now, she could no longer deny it.
She could no longer deny that she wanted to pursue this naïve little blonde. Lucky her if Michiru hadn't found out about it yet, but something tells Haruka that if she let Usagi go, then she might be missing something greater in her life.
And how about Michiru? What happened to their long-termed relationship? Is all of that going to waste just because she saw a buxom blonde? She was wrong though, because Usagi wasn't just an ordinary blondie. If she were, then Haruka would've discarded her so easily. She was different.
Hell, third parties are always different, stupid… Haruka thought to herself, pounding on the wall.
From the moment she saw Usagi in that arcade, she felt that something was bound to happen between the two of them. Whether it was good or bad, Haruka wanted to know more. She has to. She's in this unexplained mess, so all she has to do is work her way through it; and the only way to do that is to understand what she really feels for Tsukino Usagi.
Because if she doesn't, then she can might as well call everything off and pretend none of the encounters they had never happened.
By the time she was stuffing her duffel bag with some things, the front door of the shower room flew open and she saw Usagi walking inside with a mild expression on her face.
"I was…getting a bit lonely outside."
Haruka shifted her gaze back to her bag and zipped it close, "So what happened with the interview?" Haruka finally thought of quitting her smug look and putting up a gay face,
"Oh that," Usagi put up her hand behind her head and chuckled, "that won't happen until next week. I just got form the registrar's office," she explained, observing Haruka fix her things, taking out something from her locker and dumping it in her bag, "Michi-kun gave me a call last night and told me to stop by and give some of the requirements," she added, coming closer, "is something wrong, Haruka?"
Usagi was so close to her that Haruka could pull her closer if she wanted to,
"N-Nah," she smiled, "just tired, I guess…"
"That's what I also thought about," Usagi nodded, "you must be going home now."
"Not yet actually." Haruka replied, putting on a sweat jacket that matched her pants, "are you in a hurry for something?"
Usagi's brows met and said, "No... not really, why?"
"'Better come with me. I'll show you something."
Usagi was left puzzled, not sure if she was able to internalize everything that's been going on, "Something? What is it?"
Haruka laughed at Usagi's troubled look, "C'mon, I'm not gonna kidnap you. I just want to take you there." She persisted, taking hold of Usagi's hand.
"There? Where?"
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Around thirty minutes later, the two were about to enter a race track where a few drivers were present that day.
"Oh shoot," Usagi softly exclaimed, "I remember you told me before—that you're a racer. This is cool, I've never been in a place like this before."
Haruka's car had just halted to check in with the guards; flashed her ID and explained that she's with a friend.
One of the guards seemed to be close with Haruka, making that hippy handshake that Usagi thought boys only did. The guard was chewing on a gum, wearing a pair of giant shades even when it's already out of style and sundown.
"Who's the lady?" he whispered, leaning close to the opened window,
Haruka smiled sarcastically to herself and raked her fingers through her hair,
"Just a friend." She couldn't believe that Usagi was taking so much attention from the people around her,
"Oh." He immediately replied, looking away, then looking down, "how's Michiru doing these days?"
Haruka closed her eyes in dismay, masking her face with a smile,
"She fine, Derek." It was thoroughly obvious that he was picking on her. Knowing that she does have a current relationship with Michiru, it was inevitable to be asked this way, "And Amelia?" Haruka countered, feigning a startled look, "how is she?"
The guard named Derek stood up, looking behind him, realizing that Haruka saw who was sitting behind his desk,
"Fine, fine as well." He uncomfortably responded.
"Hey there." Haruka waved at a shapely brunette who was wearing an off-shoulder dress, sitting provocatively at the back.
The woman waved back and smiled broadly at her.
Derek leaned back down, took of his shades and added in a whisper,
"This-uh…you never saw anything, alright?"
"Alright." Haruka nodded, smiling still and winked at him before she moved her car inside.
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"What was that?" Usagi asked while Haruka parked the car under a shed.
"Nothing. Just some macho bullshit."
Usagi laughed out loud and opened her door.
The sky looked utterly glorious that afternoon. Streaks of red and orange filled the horizon, the clouds were tinted with color and the atmosphere felt refreshing.
Haruka told Usagi to wait for her inside the audience's benches. She was going inside to change and pick up a few things.
When she got out, she was wearing what Usagi thought to be a uniform; it was some cloth-engineered pants and jacket, designed for a racer, with the basic hues of red and yellow. Haruka's jacket was plastered with all sorts of advertisements. They were brands from all sorts of sports companies, down to gasoline companies that often sponsor racers.
"Hey there, McDonalds."
Haruka laughed at Usagi's call, her red shiny helmet tucked underneath her arm.
She was putting on her red and black gloves when she spoke,
"I want you to time me," she began, taking out a timer from her pocket and handling it over to Usagi, "I should make it three minutes in five laps."
Usagi looked at the race tracks, probably twice as large as a typical football field and turned back to look at Haruka as if she was boasting too much,
"C'mon, just do it."
Usagi chuckled under her breath and snatched the timer, "If you don't make it five laps at exactly three minutes, you'll treat me out after this."
Haruka was already walking down the stairs towards her racecar when Usagi dared,
"And if I do?"
Usagi signaled her to come closer which she followed. Haruka placed her hands wide apart across the steel where Usagi stopped and leaned on, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Haruka bent her head down, gazing at her,
"If you do…I'll do anything you want." She whispered against her ear.
"Anything?" Haruka raised her brows.
Usagi leaned closer, a mischievous smile on her face, "You got it."
Haruka towed herself up, her eyes never leaving Usagi's and abruptly pulled on her helmet. She breezily walked towards her racecar, hopped in and started her engine.
Usagi put the timer on, waiting for her signal. Haruka made a thumbs-up and sped away.
Usagi had her other hand against her mouth in a minute when she saw how fast Haruka was going. She was a professional racer after all so she's used to speeding up. Usagi had liberally underestimated her. One thing for sure, she doesn't know Haruka all that well.
Two minutes and fifty-eight seconds later, Haruka turned off her engine and got off her car.
Usagi was left standing on the place were Haruka left her, her one hand on her hip and the other holding the timer.
"Wait," Haruka paused, removing her helmet and shaking her hair free, "you didn't chat on me, now did you?"
Usagi bit her lower lip and eyed Haruka. She slumped her back and shoved the timer on Haruka's chest and muttered, "You got back earlier."
"Yes!" Haruka rejoiced and Usagi laughed, turning around and leaning her buttocks against the steely balustrade,
"But you still lost." She pointed, her hands across her chest.
Haruka mouth flew open, "I did not! Two minutes and fifty-eight seconds is even below three minutes!"
"Exactly. And what was our deal? For you to be back at exactly three minutes—not less than nor more than that."
"Oh that's just unfair."
"No it's not."
"Did I say 'exactly'?"
"I did—"
"So you planned this!"
"I didn't! Look…"
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No matter how much they argued, in the end, Haruka treated her out. It was their deal after all if she lost the deal.
"…okay, okay, my turn; so there's a horse tied to an eighteen feet rope, right?" Haruka started, pausing for a second and gulping down her food,
"Mm-hm."
"And then the horse suddenly gets hungry. So there's a box of hay—around twenty-six feet away from the horse. The horse was able to eat it. Now how did that happen?"
All the while inside a comfy restaurant, Tsukino Usagi and Haruka Ten'ou engaged themselves in half-witty, half-idiotic conversations which they enjoyed just as much.
"The horse struggled from the rope so it snapped and then he got to eat."
"No, that's wrong." Haruka pointed her fork, "Try again."
Usagi took a bite from her chicken sandwich and munched it while she spoke,
"It made loud sounds, so when the farmer heard it crying, he brought the box of hay to it."
While in the middle of her sentence, Haruka was already laughing at her answer, "No! That's not it!"
"Well I'm tired of guessing; what really happened?"
Haruka placed her head beside the glass wall and looked at Usagi,
"There was a rope tied around the horse—but the rope wasn't tied to anything, so the horse could practically go wherever it wanted to."
Usagi's nose flared and she threw a crumpled napkin on Haruka's face.
"No fair!"
"Well it was just as good as your other riddle! I had to think of something nice to come back at ya'."
Usagi chuckled and wiped her mouth with another napkin, "Alright," she began, taking a deep breath with her hands on the table, "I'll give the last one—"
"Who told you to—"
"Shut up and listen; the one who makes it sells it. The one who buys it doesn't use it. The one who's using it doesn't know he's using it. What is it?"
Haruka paused for a while an bit her lip. She leaned on the leathered bench and tapped the tip of her fork on the table,
"I…I don't know…a gift or something?" Usagi laughed, enjoying Haruka's current disposition,
"I'll tell it—"
"No-No! I can do this," Usagi continued on laughing, "as a matter of fact it's fucking challenging."
Usagi's laughter turned into guffaws, catching the attention of some other customers,
"Shut the fuck up, bitch." Haruka's eyes widened, smiling while she was being laughed at.
"And where do you study again?"
"Could you wait—I know this one" Haruka persisted, adjusting to her seat and suddenly pulling her legs up and curling in a corner,
"S-Stop that!" Usagi slapped Haruka's arm, "People can see outside!"
"Mm…it can't be drugs, because I'm sure the one who made it uses it—let alone the one who bought it," Usagi covered her face by facing the table, "and it can't be just any ordinary gift—how the hell could you not know that you're using something!"
Usagi put her hands up and dried a tear or two, "Ne-Never mind! I'll give you the answer." She reached out, trying to pull Haruka from her corner, noticing that some people outside were looking at them,
"No! I'm thinking!" she stubbornly insisted, "Give me five more minutes! Five minutes!"
"Get up, s-silly ass!"
"No!"
"It's a coffin! A coffin—"
"I knew it!—" Haruka sprang up,
"No, you did not!" Usagi laughed still, "S-Sit down! You idiot…"
Haruka sat back down and shook her head in embarrassment. She looked up and saw that Usagi was still laughing. She laughs so hard that her cheeks turn red with enjoyment. Haruka tired to laugh herself, but something in Usagi's eyes simply captivated her.
Something inside of Haruka told her these kinds of moments will never happen again.
And if it will, it would be another beautiful episode to enthrall her. A different situation but there's still that same blissful smiling face.
"What?" Usagi asked, scratching the back of her neck.
"Nothing…" Haruka looked down, grinning silently and playing with the left over pasta on her plate.
Out of the blue, Usagi touched her hand and suggested,
"I wanna take a walk. You wanna take a walk? I got really full just now, so I wanna get all that food down by walking—what 'you say?" she asked, biting her rosy lip.
"Okay…"
