Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for those who have read and (most especially) have reviewed my fanfic. I was surprised that there had been quite an accurate prediction on the outcome of the last chapter. =) Very perceptive!

Here's the next chapter and I hope you guys enjoy!

I do not own sailor moon nor H&M, Takeuchi Naoko - sama does!

Indulge! =)


CHAPTER 11

The Tenohs moved gingerly toward the bed but Michiru stood rooted on her spot beside the door… her entire being gripped by such melancholy and dread that she couldn't breathe…

"Haruka… " Tenoh Kaori whispered, moving gently towards the bed.

Michiru could almost feel the hearts of Haruka's mother and father, along with hers, beating in one rhythm of trepidation…

Tenoh Kaori slowly lifted the white blanket and Michiru caught a glimpse of blond hair and felt herself hold her breath without full consciousness…

The door suddenly opened and in came Mamoru and several other blond haired people. The Tenohs and Michiru turned their gazes to the newcomers as Mamoru suddenly acknowledged their presence in the room with a look of utter bewilderment.

"Tenoh-san, Michiru-chan, you knew Willis-san?" Mamoru inquired in a puzzled but polite manner, gesturing to the bed where the Tenohs stood closely.

"Willis who?" The Tenohs asked in unison.

As if on cue, the blond haired elderly couple went hurriedly towards the bed and almost pushed the Tenohs aside, their faces glistening with tears.

"What the—?!" Tenoh Yamamura exclaimed, totally nonplussed but nevertheless angry at the sudden intrusion in this darkest moment for his family. "Excuse us, that's our son in there!"

At these words, both doctors, (Mamoru and the brown-eyed one that led the Tenohs and Michiru to the room), looked at each other in wild confusion. The blond couple gave no notice to Tenoh Yamamura's outburst and finally, the blond lady, albeit sobbing, removed the white hospital blanket from the body.

Michiru, along with Haruka's parents, gasped in unison.

It was not Haruka's body. It was the other racer, the one who caused the crash, George Willis.

It felt like an enternity before the very apparent reality have sunk itself. Michiru felt her jaw drop in complete disbelief and saw that Haruka's outosan and okaasan were mirroring her exact unbelieving visage.

Mamoru, looking at his doctor colleague, the Tenohs, and lastly at the Willis, finally understood what should not have taken place in the room. He turned to his colleague, his face sporting a most exasperated look.

"Fuji-san," Mamoru said urgently "They are not the family of George Willis, they are the Tenohs!"

The doctor called Fuji wiped his sweating brow tensely and stammered, "Nani?I But—but one of the nurses told me, they're the family of the blond racer!"

"Both of the racers in the ICUs are blond!" Mamoru said, his voice laced with sheer annoyance. "You should've had the good sense to verify first, Fuji-san!"

The blond couple wailed loudly and the sound of misery from the other two persons seemed to have brought Tenoh Yamamura back to reality. Michiru could almost feel the volcanic rage radiated by the Tenoh patriarch as his visage turned rapidly from deathly pale (just a few minutes ago) to burning scarlet.

"YOU!" Tenoh Yamamura exploded; fighting his way towards the doctor who brought an immensely wrong information on them (Mamoru suddenly placed himself between his colleague and the elder man). "You—could've—killed—me! You—"the elder Tenoh pointed his finger at the cowering doctor, his words barely coherent due to uncontrolled rage, "—you could've caused my death by heart attack!"

"I deep—deeply apologize, Tenoh-samas!" Fuji stuttered, bowing so low he almost looked like a hunchback. "This is an honest mistake, pardon me onegai."

On the contrary, instead of being calmed down, this made Haruka's outosan all the more infuriated.

"I will see to it that you will be kicked out of this hospital! I will make sure you are kicked from practicing medicine altogether!"

Despite the almost endless threats from Haruka's father and equally endless apologies from Doctor Fuji, Michiru felt as if her heart is expounding due to so much delight. She knew, though, that she ought to feel sorry for the Willis family but she could not help but feel very relieved at the unexpected turn of events.

Haruka is still alive…

"I will definitely sue you and this hospital!"

He is not dead… Haruka is still with us... with me...

"Make no mistake! Your medical license will be of no use in a few days' time!"

Arigato gozaimasu, Kami-sama…

"Medical negligence and incompetence is never unforgivable!"

"Yamamura—dear, that's enough." Tenoh Kaori said, pulling her husband at her side, but nevertheless throwing a highly reproachful look at the very pale and sweating Doctor Fuji. Still glowering, Tenoh Yamamura allowed himself to be led by his wife. The Tenohs went to the Willis family, Michiru moving towards them either, and offered their condolences and apologies as well for the squabble caused by "the most stupid and incompetent doctor in the whole of Japan" (as Tenoh Yamamura put it).


"Arigato, Michiru-san." Tenoh Yamamura said as Michiru handed a bottled water to him. The elder Tenoh opened the bottle and drank deeply.

The Tenohs and Michiru were sitting at a private room adjacent to Haruka's new hospital suite room. It had been almost an hour since the incident at the ICU but Haruka's outosan is still glowering. Apparently, his nerves still could not keep itself from being wrathful towards Doctor Fuji.

"In behalf of the hospital, I do apologize as well." Mamoru said embarrassedly, bowing down to the Tenohs. "We assure you such a scenario will not repeat itself."

"The only assurance to prevent such awful mistakes from happening ever again is by keeping this hospital completely free from idiotic and incompetent doctors!" Tenoh Yamamura said scathingly. "Do not apologize Mamoru-kun in behalf of that moronic excuse of a doctor; I will be filing a lawsuit against him first thing tomorrow morning, make no mistake! I'll call my lawyers! This is rather unforgivable and most definitely negligent!"

"I understand if you wish to proceed in filing charges against Doctor Fuji, Tenoh-san." Mamoru said, nodding in understanding.

"However," Michiru suddenly said. "Mamoru-kun, why did you not tell us immediately that Haruka was already removed from the ICU?"

Besides the "shock" of finding about the death of the racer George Willis, the fact that Haruka is no longer in a critical condition also took the Tenohs and Michiru by surprise. The last time they checked, before they went for some rest at the visitors' room, Haruka was still in ICU and was in a stable but yet delicate predicament.

"Well, I was to talk to you guys about it earlier but I found you all asleep at the visitors' room." Mamoru replied. "So I decided to just inform you when you all wake up... I knew you needed rest, too. It was then that one of the doctors, not Fuji-san-" Mamoru added hastily as Tenoh Yamamura glowered again at the mention of the doctor's name. "-called up to me and said that Geore Willis-san has died so I went to fetch his family instead. Upon seeing you all at Willis-san's room it appeared as if you knew the poor guy, being Haruka's race opponent and all. Never did it occur to me that there had been a mistake in the delegation of the unfortunate news."

"But, my son," Tenoh Kaori anxiously said. "Is he really stable now?"

"Hai." Mamoru smiled. "He is now in a very stable condition. His heart rate and everything's now back to normal. Yes he got several bones to mend but other than that he's now okay. Currently, he is still in deep sleep. We're to run several tests on him when he fully wakes up."

"Mamoru-kun, can we go and see Haruka in his room then?" Michiru asked.

"Hai, Michiru-chan." Mamoru said, the benign smile still in face. "I expect Usako and the rest will be flocking in Haruka-san's room when they found out about his improved condition."

Mamoru turned to the Tenohs.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours for news of Haruka-san's progress." He said, bowing down to the Tenohs. Tenoh Yamamura and Tenoh Kaori bowed as well. Mamoru then bowed to Michiru and so did the violinist.

Mamoru gave a rather tired but kind smile and exited the room.


"He's definitely okay. His deep sleep could be probably be induced by overfatigue. He'd taken some very serious blows on the track..."

He could hear voices... could hear people talking... small movements that sounded familiar but nevertheless vague for his comprehension...

His body felt stiff and sore with a sort of numb pain that is tolerable enough albeit still hurting his bones and muscles like hell. Total darkness obscured his sight.

Slowly... very slowly, he opened a fraction of his eyes and squinted his hazel gaze against the blinding, artificial light...

Where on earth am I?

"He's-he's waking up!" He heard someone say in hushed but excited voice.

He fully opened his eyes... the light somewhat hurting as his sight has not yet gotten over the long darkness that has obscured his vision for...what? Days? Weeks? He did not know...

He found himself in a room. Looking around himself, he realized he's in a hospital room.

"Haruka... son?"

The racer saw his mother moving towards his bed, a relieved and happy smile on her face.

"My boy..." Tenoh Kaori said, cupping his face and kissing his cheeks, the tears on the eyes of the blond's mother very apparent.

"What happened? Where am I okaa-san?" Haruka asked, his voice sounded gruff. Haruka also saw his outo-san moved toward him and his mother. His father, he was surprised, smilingly ruffled his hair.

"You don't remember what happened at the race?" Tenoh Yamamura asked.

It was then that he remembered everything that took place at the Japan Grand Prix... the crash... the explosion... and then darkness.

"How long have I been in here?" Haruka asked his father.

"You've been here for three days."

Haruka turned to the person who answered him and saw Mamoru in a white doctor's coat.

"Mamoru-kun." Haruka greeted, nodding his head to the young doctor. He wished he hadn't nodded though for he felt his head throb with a dull pain with the mere movement.

Mamoru noticed Haruka's sudden grimace and said, "It's quite normal for you to feel muscle aches and the likes. You broke several bones and the trauma caused to your body by several crashes is no small feat. We will be running some tests on you today and until such time you are ready to be discharged from the hospital."

"Ne, that bad?" Haruka asked, trying to keep things lighter.

"Hai... that bad." Mamoru answered good naturedly. "Don't worry though Haruka-san. You're almost in good shape. A couple more broken bones to mend; and if you're clear with other tests, then you're good."

"Uhm... if you say so, Doctor Chiba." Haruka said, eyeing doubtfully the casts and bandages on his legs and chest.

"This is why I don't want you to continue racing any more, Ruka." Tenoh Kaori said, a small frown on her features. "You could've died... we were almost out of our minds with worry."

"I'm sorry 'kaa-san... outo-san..." Haruka said softly, his head bowed. "I did not mean to make you all worry too much."

"I agree with your okaasan, Haruka." Tenoh Yamamura added. "We-," he glanced at his wife, "-think it's about time that you focus on other things. Like the company for instance. Once you're out of the hospital, you can start familiarizing yourself with Tenoh Corporation... attend board meetings alongside myself. When you graduate and acquire your business degree, you can take over my place as president and CEO."

"But... outo-san..." Haruka said slowly. "I'm already signed for this season. Several contracts with my sponsors were signed and I don't think I'll be off the hook that easily with my legal obligations to them just because of the accident. Let me finish the season first... and then I'll... I'll think about it."

"Hai. But you better remember that you're the only heir and successor of Tenoh Corporation. You must put your heart in it the way you did with your formula one racing career." Tenoh Yamamura said edgily.

"Now, Yamamura." Tenoh Kaori said, eyeing her husband warningly. "Let our son recover first before all of that talk about his racing and the company."

"I'd better be going then." Mamoru said suddenly, realizing he's in a middle of a private family talk. "Haruka-san, the other doctors and myself will be coming in a couple of hours to check on you. Tenoh-samas, I'll go ahead. Have a good day."

Mamoru bowed at them and exited the room.

"By the way, Ruka." Tenoh Kaori said. "Your manager Tanaka-san and Akagi-san came yesterday to check on you. They said they'd be having videos of the race should you want to watch what exactly happened during the accident."

"Oh... Okay. Hmm... Are there any other visitors aside from those two monkies?"

Tenoh Kaori knew, with the uneasy look and trying to be nonchalant attitude he's currently sporting, that her son wanted to know if Michiru happened to drop by at the hospital. In fact Michiru had been with them at the hospital since the first day of the accident but most unfortunately needed to dash to her home for important matters that needed to be attended by the musician. She bade the Tenohs good bye earlier during the day with a promise of returning to the hospital the soonest that she could; after an hour since Michiru left, then Haruka did regain his consciousness.

"Hai. There were other visitors who came in here to see you." Tenoh Kaori smiled.

"Yeah? Who?" Haruka asked in a too casual voice.

"Usagi-chan and the rest of your friends."

"Oh... Okay. No one else, then?"

"Why are you so keen to know your visitors?"

"Well of course I'd want to know who actually cared to visit ne?"

"It's as if you're expecting someone..."

"Come on 'kaa-san. Of course I'm not expecting anyone..."

Tenoh Kaori hid a smile beneath her hand at her son's stubborn visage.

"If you say so." She said in a disbelieving voice.

"But didn't Michiru-san stay with us since Haruka was confined here?" Tenoh Yamamura said abruptly, raising an eyebrow at his wife questioningly.

Haruka felt his stomach lurch at his outo-san's words.

She came...

"She-she did?" He asked, trying to sound indifferent.

She wouldn't worry about me now, would she?

"Well, hai she did." Tenoh Kaori admitted, a small grin on her face. "Any reason why are you all of a sudden blushing like a high schooler?" The elder lady teased her son.

"I'm not blushing, 'kaa-san!" Haruka said indignantly. "I'm... well I'm hungry." He said, drastically changing the subject. "Is there anything not forbidden for me to eat?"

At this point, Haruka's parents have buzzed for the nurses' station to confirm Haruka's allowed diet for his current condition and thereafter summoned some food for the racer.

While Haruka was sipping the sent-up creamy chicken soup ten minutes later, his thoughts wandered back to Michiru...

Why would she worry about me? She already broke it off between the two of us...

The blond sipped from his bowl again. He tried not to remember his conversation with Michiru at the elevator.

It might probably be due to guilt... we never ended in what someone can call as 'amicably'... Everyone's saying I could've died... probably she's trying to remove the guilt and pity... yeah, that's probably the reason though...

Losing his apetite, a dark scowl grazing his handsome visage, the blond racer brought his bowl down and pushed away the unfinished bowl of chicken soup.


"Usagi-chan, you have forgotten the get-well-soon balloons!" Rei exclaimed pointedly.

"Nani?!" Usagi frantically looked at the bags she's carrying. "Nooooo!" The blond lady wailed loudly.

"No shouting at the hospital corridors, onegai." An elder nurse at the nearby nurse station suddenly reproached them rather sternly.

"Gomenasai." The girls said in unison. Usagi, Ami, Makoto, Rei, Minako, and Michiru bowed at the nurse.

"I should've let Ami-chan carry them when we left the shrine." Rei grumbled at Usagi as they continued their walk along the hospital's lobby.

Usagi sheepishly bowed her head. "Gomen, Rei-chan."

"Ne, but is there any news about Haruka-kun's condition, Michiru-chan?" Asked Ami.

"None that I know of yet, Ami-chan." Michiru answered. "I left Haruka's parents this morning and I haven't heard anything from them yet. So I guess... there's still no progress."

Michiru's friends noticed the sadness in the violinist's voice and they looked at one another, concern etched in their faces.

"Nah. Where's your fighting spirit, Michiru-chan!" Makoto exclaimed. "Ganbare, okay?"

Michiru smiled at this. "Ganbare."

As the group made their way to the elevator, a group of high school girls found Michiru and suddenly darted towards them.

"Konnichiwa Kaioh-sama." One of the highschool girls with red hair said nervously. "We're big fans of your music and it's an honor to actually see you in person. Can we have your autograph, onegai?"

Michiru looked at the highschool girls' hopeful expressions and smiled appreciatively at them. She turned to her friends. "Go ahead, guys. I'll be up in a minute."

"You sure?" Asked Minako.

"Hai. I'll hang with these girls for a bit."

Ami, Rei, Minako, Usagi and Makoto proceeded to the elevator as Michiru signed each of the highschoolers' autograph book.

After fifteen minutes or so of picture taking with the group, then picture taking with each of the girls, and another session of autograph, Michiru was finally able to proceed to the elevator.

She pushed the button for the sixth floor and waited quietly as the elevator hummed to life.

PING.

The number six circular floor indicator glowed above the elevator doors as it opened. Michiru stepped out and walked along the sixth floor's corridor and turned right in the first corner. She found the suite room 623 and knocked gently before opening the door.

"It's Michiru-chan!" Michiru heard excited yells within the room but could not figure what could be so exciting for her friends to be shouting this much.

As Michiru was about to turn the door's knob, it opened rapidly and she saw her friends gaping at her with wide-eyed excitement.

"Nani? What's the matter?" Michiru asked, nonplussed.

She entered the room and found Tenoh Yamamura and Tenoh Kaori beside Haruka's bed; both of whom were sporting identical grins. She noticed the get well soon cards and the cake that she and her friends have brought earlier were already at the bedside table. It was after then that Michiru chanced a glance at Haruka and she noticed that the racer was already sitting upon his bed with a very surprised expression on his handsome face.

Haruka's not yet awake, is he?

Michiru, heart suddenly fluttering, did a double take, sure that her eyes were playing tricks on her. She focused her ocean eyes on the racer and her jaw could do nothing but drop in surprise. There could be no mistaking those hazel green shade... that chiseled lips... the strong feel of Haruka's conscious presence...

"You... you're already awake." Michiru whispered tenderly, her eyes glistening in a most riveting way.

Everyone at the room seemed to hold their breath as Haruka's hazel green eyes and Michiru's ocean ones locked gazes.

Cursing himself inwardly due to his gauche manner at the current situation, Haruka nodded quite nervously.

"Yeah."

"You could've died..." Michiru said so quietly it was almost a whisper; her eyes still directly upon Haruka's.

Haruka gave her one of his easy crooked smiles and said, "Well... I guess it'd take a lot more than car crashes to finish me off-,"

But exactly what Haruka thought could've finished him off, they never found out. It was then that Michiru, letting go of her inhibitions and fear, suddenly dashed towards the blond racer and flung her arms around him. And before anyone in the room, including the stunned Haruka, could process what actually took place, Michiru cupped Haruka's face and kissed him passionately on the lips.


Thank you guys for reading ! Kindly let me know what you think! =) Any comment, suggestion, review, or critic is most welcome.

Arigato Gozaimasu!

_Panulat23