AU
R&R
Note: All italics are flashbacks, and the regular font are the present.. This chapter is a bit confusing.
T
-At age 7-
Haruka's POV
We finally arrived in our summer house. My father lifted our luggage out of the car's trunk and took it inside the house. I stayed outside and kept gazing the clear blue sky above us.
'I wonder if you're up there watching over us, okaa-san….' I smiled 'danzen. You're up there for sure.'
A hand on my shoulder soon snapped me from my thoughts. I look over and saw my father smiling at me "Why don't you take a look around the area, Haru?"
I beamed and started running towards the area where okaa-san always takes me to. The place full of cherry blossom trees surrounded by colorful hydrangeas and a clear ankle length running water beside it; it is Okaa-san and my favorite place, our secret place.
I kept smiling as I run the path that leads me to the place where I feel (at the very least) close to my okaa-san. A place where perhaps my anxieties, worries, troubles, and pains would all be carried away by the running water flowing through the area.
I stop dead on my track as soon as I heard soft whimpering sound. I walked slowly and carefully so not be noticed by the owner of this voice. I paused, and took the image in front of me with one look. Against the cherry blossom tree's branch, a girl crouched, her arms on her knees as her head leans over it. How should I describe her? Her hair was a bit like mine (in length), short and extends only an inch below the ear, well for the color (how should I describe it? Hmmm..) It's like a blue paint mixed with green paint leaning mostly on the latter color ; her skin is paler than mine; and her body is smaller than mine; and she's wearing a sleeveless white floral dress, and a white sandal... just one on her left foot… just one..
I walked closer to her, and I wonder why. I wasn't thinking much, but seeing her crying underneath the cherry blossom tree saddens me. So this pulled me to go closer to her. I kept walking, my eyes fixated on her. The next thing I knew, I had stepped on a piece wood and a cracking sound echoed throughout the place.
Her head instantly rose, and I fidgeted and started looking for an escape. I froze as soon as her eyes met with mine .I smiled, so awkward that even the birds would drop dead from just laughing.
"Hi-" I tried to speak up but as soon as her gaze turned to glare, I just shut my mouth and kept on smiling.
"Are you here to make fun of me?!" she asked so accusingly, smokes fuming from her ears.
Instantly the smile on my mouth turned to a big shape of 'O' and all I could do was to support my facial expression with "Ha??"
"You're going to laugh at me just like those other kids did?!" she stood up from the grass, my reflection burning in her eyes. "People like you…" She removed the last remaining shoe from her foot "I hate the most!!" and without reservations, she threw the sandal towards me.
I crossed my arms and raised it for defense. I turned to her and shouted in complaint "What did I do to-" but she was long gone before I could even finish.
Next day arrived fast.
I toured the village this time to pass up a few hours. I walk around the area and kept stopping one by one at each stores along my path. As I was about to reach the end of the road, I saw some 3 kids about my age cornering another kid. I ran towards them and winced as soon as I saw the same kid as yesterday. She had her fist clenched while she listens to the other kids continually harasses her.
"Your father left you!!" teased the other girl
"Your mother is a useless whore!!" raise by the other followed by endless laughter.
"You stink just like your mother!" And the tree kept pouncing harsh words to her. She just kept her mouth shut and held all her anger inside.
She's a bit irritating to watch, since I, who had done nothing to her, threw her sandals to me, while them, who insults her, receives none in return. 'This kid is starting to get to me…'
And with just another second my opinion of her changed in an instant. Raising her arms up, screaming from the top of her lungs, she launched herself towards the bigger bully. And as expected she was thrown back with a full force push. She slammed her body on the ground, her elbow hitting the concrete pavement first.
"Hey!" I blurted out. Their heads turned in my direction. I took my steps forward and stood in front of the girl in protection. "If you hit her, I won't hesitate on hitting you back." I threatened, adding a deadly glare to my scare tactics. The bigger girl, I assumed as the leader, hissed and turned her back to us followed by her other companions.
The last thing I heard from them was a complaint "Bringing a boy in, coward girl…"
I turned around and saw her body shivering. I bent down and as I do so, I saw a scratch on her elbow. I started rumbling my pockets (all my pockets) in search for a band aid. I smiled as soon as found one and held it out to her. "Here."
She grimaced and slapped my hand away from her. "Don't be nice to me!"
"Ha??" again with the same reaction from me. "How should I be then?"
"Didn't you hear them? My father left us, my mother is a useless whore, and I smell like just like my mother."
"So? I'm just giving you band aid, what does it have to do with your father and mother?" I asked innocently. She squinted her eyes in annoyance and I continued. "I don't even know what whore means." My eyebrows furrowed. "But, I think you're very lucky to have a mother like her."
"Mother like her? You don't even know who she is!!"
"She raised you by all herself, so I can tell she's a nice person, with a really really big heart, and who loves you dearly." I tell her. She paused and I continued. "You see, I don't have my mother anymore. My father told me that my mother is happy to where she is now, and that she'll always be watching me. But I also can't help to envy other kids who have their mother with them. So I consider you lucky." I smiled and she turned her face away.
"Can I have the band aid?" she asked shyly. I smiled and started pealing the wrapper off and placed it over her scratched elbow.
She smiled appreciatively. I blushed a little.
We stood up and I took hold of her hand so suddenly, taking her completely by surprise. "In this way, you could be by my side and I could protect you from those bullies." I grin, almost out of the ordinary grin.
"But, they said I smell like my mother…" she uttered softly.
"Hmmm…" I murmured. "Ne, do you like your mother's scent?"
"When we sleep together, I like smelling her cause I'm aware that she's beside me, and it calms my heart that I could sleep peacefully whenever I'm with her..." she spoke softly, and added "I love my mother's scent."
"Then it's okay. I like it too. Your scent is like blue skies and a chilly sea breeze." I remarked with an adoring smile.
"Huh?"
"You know, like when you open up your windows once you wake up and try to smell the morning scent… something like that…"
"Your funny." And she giggled.
We went home leaving a smile to both our lips.
"AHHH!!" I gasped. My father gags the water in his mouth and run towards my side in panic
"What? What's wrong?! Are you hurt?!" My father asked so worriedly as he checks upon my body temperature.
"I forgot to ask her name!!" I said in distress. My father just hit my head, but softly in return.
"Don't scare me like that. If anything, there's always tomorrow." My father said reassuringly with a smile on his face. I sighed then smiled, as thoughts of seeing her tomorrow came to mind.
Tomorrow finally arrives. And unexpected news came with it.
The neighbors told me that her mother and she had left early morning to another city.
In the end, I wasn't able to ask for her name and I wasn't able to give mine.
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
"Where are you going, Tenoh-sama?" asked a man wearing a three piece suite. He continued following Hiroyuki as he made his way to the door.
"I'm going to do a surprise visit to my fiancé's apartment." He replied, fixing his tie. "I have been really busy these days that I haven't given her much time. So I'll try to compensate it by visiting her."
"But you have a meeting 20 minutes from now, sir."
"Postpone the meeting and send each client a gift as an apology." He ordered before walking out the door. "Marcus."
"Yes sir?"
"Do order me some white tulips and have it deliver to this address."
"Hai." Without a second delay, Marcus dialed the flower shop's number in his phone. The older Tenoh just hummed happily and left his office.
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
-Age 14-
Haruka's POV
My friend, without any consideration of my own feelings, dragged me to a place she calls 'Melody of the Heart' café. 'Cheesy, really a cheesy name.' I said to myself. Having no power to protest especially when she's so enthusiastic about it, I can't do anything but to be dragged by her.
We entered and there's nothing special to it, other than a man in his late 30's playing a piano on the small stage set at the corner of the café and dim lights lighting over the place. Silent and peaceful, typically not my usual place.
She continued dragging me and took her stop in a vacant table, not that near or that far from the stage. She loosened her grip and took her sit and I sat opposite of her, my back facing the stage. We ordered; her with her usual drink and me with just a plain black coffee. She started talking about things, mostly I'm not familiar with, and kept giggling from time to time.
The piano then stopped playing and I held my yawn back. Honestly, I am, well was, bored maybe even before I took my sit, hell even before I stepped into this café. But I'm always helpless to this disarming smile my friend makes. I look back at her and she suddenly beamed, her gaze not glued to me. I turned around from my sit and followed where she was looking at. I stopped as my eyes fell on the most beautiful breathtaking woman I have ever seen. She turned to face the audience and her eyes suddenly struck me. Those blue eyes somehow felt familiar… It felt like I have met these pair of blue crystalline eyes before… somehow… somewhere I had laid my eyes on it…
A soft, sad, yet powerful melody soon brought me back to reality. I shook my head and saw her standing so elegant on the stage playing her violin as graceful as I could possibly imagine. Without a doubt, she's at her most perfect flawless for when she's stroking her violin. With every string stroke, I can't help myself but be drawn to her… my heart clearly in tune with the melody… I laugh inwardly 'Melody of the heart, huh?' and smiled as I gaze upon the woman playing the right tune to my heart…
This admiration continued for days.
I always come just to hear her play her violin and shine so brightly at the stage placed for her. Just listening to her and watching her at a distant, I feel contented.
"Otou-san, I tell you she's-"
"Wonderful, talented, and breathtaking, I know. You've been telling me for months now."
"I know but she's really really amazing. And she deserves playing at a much larger stage than in the café. I want people to see how magnificent she is. I want people to be captivated by her music. I want to see her shine more brightly, far more brightly than the small stage can give her." I blurted out, enthusiastically.
My father just smiled and petted my head "Alright. I see your point, Haru."
"Sir, the board is waiting." Marcus, my father's right hand assistant walked in. My father nodded and he left.
"I'll be going now. Will you be sleeping in the house for tonight?"
I shook my head and smiled. "Iie. I'll be at my place as usual."
"Alright. I guess I'll see you around."
-Several days later-
Hiroyuki's POV
As I was on my way back home, the limo suddenly broke down and I was stuck in the middle of the road. My driver immediately stepped out of the car to check up on it, while Marcus and I decided to stay inside. I stared out the window and saw a small café across the street. I opened the door and stepped out of the car.
"Where are you going, Tenoh-sama?"
"Just going to have a cup of tea." I replied and proceeded inside the café.
I ordered at the counter and took my sit in one of the vacant tables. Marcus followed me inside and took his stand right by my side.
I sigh and continued sipping the hot cup of tea in my hand while listening to the piano playing in the background.
The music ended at the same time I finished drinking my tea. I stood up ready to leave until a child, same as my daughter's age, took the stage holding a violin in her hand.
And then she started. And all I could do was sit back in my seat and gasp in astonishment.
The music ended and she took her bow. My smile just gets wider and wider. I stood from the table and instantly approached her.
"Hello."
She spun around and looked at me questioningly before returning my greeting with an awkward smile from her "Hi."
"By the look on your face, you're wondering why a man like me would suddenly approach you."
"Yes, if I may ask." Her straightforwardness is rather adorable. I continued.
"You play the violin so well for your age."
"Thank you. If that is all, I have to go and help my mother."
"Wait. I meant to say was, I would like to finance your studies abroad. Having such talent and keeping it all in here is such a waste. So If you would like, my company would be willing to let you study overseas where you could perform at a much wider and grander stage, meet people as talented as you are, and take lessons from those prominent violinists you only heard before."
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
"Michiru, what are you doing?" Haruka asked, still dazed by the unexpected kiss given by Michiru. Their faces were still a few inches apart, and neither one wants to move.
"I don't know…" Michiru muttered softly. "But... I have this weird gravitational pull towards you of wanting to kiss you... and perhaps even more…" she answered honestly as she turned her gaze away from the blonde. She removed her hand from Haruka's and stepped back. "I'm sorry. You can go now… sorry… Please forget what I said." She spun around and started walking to her room not until a hand grabbed her from behind, turning the smaller woman around to face Haruka.
(Before it's too late by Goo Goo Dolls plays in the background)
"Haruka…"
"Michiru, I'm going to kiss you in about three seconds now…" Haruka warned softly through her breath, still holding the other woman's hand with hers. Michiru just went wide eyed "And if you don't want me to kiss you… if you don't want me to, I guess you just have to stop me then." Haruka moved in closer, cupping Michiru's cheek with her other hand. She spoke in her sweet sultry voice "Three…" she leaned in, fully capturing Michiru's lip.
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
-Age 23-
Michiru's POV
'I'm engaged.' I kept repeating it over and over again, while sipping a glass of apple martini in my hand. It's not that I don't like him; to be honest I really like him a lot. He's nice, very supportive, caring, loving and everything a woman could ever want. But I don't know if what I feel for him is enough to justify this marriage; if this feeling is love or simply my fondness of finally having a father figure beside me…
I sigh and took another sip. 'Still I care deeply for him…'
"Excuse me?" I snapped and looked at the owner of this voice. He quickly flashed a smile "Do you come here often?" I shook my head. He ran his hand along his hair and posed yet again a smile. "No wonder I haven't seen the woman of my dreams."
I forced a smile out. 'Oh God. That's the worst pick up line I have ever heard!'
"Let's dance." He proposed. I winced, still keeping my smile up.
"Sorry. I'm fine with just watching." I refused politely.
And as persistent as he was, he grabbed my hand and spoke "Come on baby, you'll love dancing with me."
"Really, I don't want to." I protested and he just kept smiling, completely ignoring me. "Hey, let go of-"
"Would you please remove your filthy hands off my girlfriend?" A demanding voice, not mine or his, intervened. He stopped and we both turned around at the voice direction. A feet away stood a handsome having blonde hair in front of us, eyes fuming with anger. The blonde started walking towards me and I swear I could feel the man holding my hand shaking.
The blonde stopped and grabbed the hand of the man holding me firmly with hers. "That wasn't hard, was it?"
The man hissed before walking away from us.
"Thanks."
"You shouldn't offer if you would refuse in the end." She remarked as she walks away from me.
"Excuse me?"
"A woman drinking an apple martini by the bar all alone is an invitation to them."
"And a woman dressed in a man's clothing is an invitation to what exactly?" I retorted. She smirked and I continued. "Who are you fooling here?"
"I'm not fooling anyone. I never said I was a man to begin with." She replied, facing me then back to the bartender. She continued "And since when dressing up like this became an issue?"
"And since when did a woman quietly enjoying her drink become an invitation?" I responded, cocking my eyebrow up. She looked at me then sighs.
"Here." handing a glass out to me.
I took it and looked at the glass then back at her. "What's this?"
"A glass of water... to calm your temper down." She smiled triumphantly and left out of my sight.
'What a jerk!' I screamed inside, and then sigh 'Then again, she saved me…'
I am back again at the same spot where I was before, sipping yet another glass of apple martini. And when I thought I got my moment of silence back, a voice so familiar proved me wrong.
"Another one eh?" she murmured appraisingly.
"Oh please. Don't tell me you're here to join my club?"
"Club?" she laughs. "You're still at it where we left off. Alright, I'm sorry. How's that sound?"
"So unconvincing."
"Drunk much?"
"How's this for being drunk?" I raised my hand up and gave her the bad sign.
"Oohh." She gasped in amusement "I like the duality in women."
"Are you seriously gonna keep this up?"
She laughs. "What? I'm just quietly enjoying my drink." She grins all knowingly.
I rolled my eyes and continued sipping my martini while she hums a song with a smile plastered on her face.
"Hey my kind of beat." She blurted.
"Huh?"
"I said it's my kind of beat." She repeated, her head banging along the loud music playing in the background.
And unexpectedly, I voiced out "I'm drinking martini, isn't this an invitation?" I said suggestively. She smiles and turned her body to face me.
"Do you want to dance?"
I don't know why or how, it's just that a tremor of excitement started rushing in me that I don't normally feel. So I took her hand and she led the way to the dance floor.
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
"Ne Maya-chin, you awake?"
"No, Saeki. I'm sleeping."
"Don't you think we've gone too far?"
"God! Why do you have to ask if I'm awake or not if you would still bother me?!"
Saeki snickers. "But don't you think we've gone too far now? I mean we even got caught in our own trap. Wouldn't that prove that everything we have done to this day is a mistake? Forcing two people to be together is wrong to begin with."
"Perhaps…" Mayako responded. She paused for a while before speaking once again "But I have never seen Haruka like this before. She shines so bright whenever Michiru-san is with her… so happy. This might be selfish but if I could see her like that, then I'll do this over and over again. Besides, if two people are completely and utterly in love with each other, perhaps forcing them to be together is just giving them a little push to understand what they truly feel'"
"Hmmm…"
They stayed silent for a while until Saeki voiced a question out. "Ne, you really like Haruka, don't you?" Mayako just nods, and slowly her tears started to fall out from her eyes. Saeki was startled at first but his face began to soften as soon as he heard Mayako sobbing softly. Slowly, he removed the pillow between them and pulled Mayako closer. He then petted the brunette's hair for comfort "I completely understand."
"Baka... taking advantage of me when I'm weak..."
"Hai. Hai."
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
-Age 23-
Haruka's POV
Before the vacation, my father decided to do yet another get together dinner between hi fiancé, him, me and Saeki (or what he as my 'friend with benefits'). My father had reserved us to have a dinner in a hotel and sadly, I can't escape this dinner this time since my alibi is coming along with me.
Our dinner was served.
Saeki started indulging his food without any restraints. "Great food, oji-san!" he commented, after gulping the food down his throat.
I sighed at the same time Michiru did.
"Michiru-san's a violinist right?" Saeki asked. My father just nodded with a smile. "Ne Haru-chan?" he called out. I cringe and raise my head up, and force out a smile. "You play the piano right?"
"Hai." I answered indifferently.
"You play the piano?" this sweet charming voice asked, a hint of shock in her tone.
And before I could even answer, my father spoke up for me "Haru plays the paino really well. She started playing it… hmmm... when was it, Haru?" he asked as he looked at me.
"Since I was 5."
"Ahh yes. When she was five she started playing songs out from the music sheets... but when she turned 15, she started playing something she composed."
"I didn't composed it…" I uttered.
"Either way, it's still remarkable. I would love to hear it…" Michiru commented.
"Why don't you play the song you always play, Haru? There's piano over there."
"Otou-san!" I whined.
"Oh Oh, I want to hear it too!!" Saeki exclaimed. I squinched my eyes in annoyance at Saeki's direction and only grin at me so teasingly.
"3 against 1." My father voiced out triumphantly. I looked over at Michiru who just kept smiling at me. I sigh and stood up from the chair and walked over to the paino.
Michiru's POV
I remained still and I watched her as she took a sit, slowly placing her fingers on top of the keys. Lightly, Haruka started plucking away the keys. I look around and saw the crowd started to focus all their attentions to her, listening intently to the melody she was playing. My eyes swiftly drifted back to her as the notes suddenly got stronger and stronger. 'This is…' I uttered to myself as soon as I heard the melody Haruka's playing. I gazed up at her tranquil face as her eyes were wide shut and lips starting to form a smile. The calm features on her face only warmed my heart even more. As the melody kept playing, I found myself getting enthralled by it. Like a magic spell cast down on me and all of the crowd listening intently to her. She was in her own world as she swayed along the melody she's producing and gently smiling at the same time.
"Haruka had kept playing the song over and over again. It was something she heard somewhere back when she was 14." Hiroyuki told me.
As I blink once again, Haruka was already finished.
She walked over to us, her face lightly blushing from embarrassment.
"My girl knows how to play with her hands!" Saeki suddenly commented, perversion implied.
"That's…"
"I really don't know…" she laughs. "But I named it after the café where I heard it from. Well to be precise, my friend told me it was known with that name"
"Well mine also!" Hiroyuki playfully responded to Saeki's comment. We were really divided; both have their own trail of conversation.
"Where?" I continued asking.
"Melody of the heart…"
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
Michiru kept her gaze at Haruka and watch the blonde as she breathe deeply in and out in her sleep. She brush some strands off Haruka's face and traced the blonde's lips with her thumb. A smile crept on the blue eyed goddess' lips as soon as she heard Haruka murmuring in her sleep. She raises her head up and placed it over the Haruka's chest. Listening quietly to Haruka's heart beating, Michiru found ease and soon fell into a deep slumber herself.
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
-Age 23-
(in Venice)
Michiru's POV
My concert was finally over and I was welcomed by Hiroyuki with a bouquet of white tulips in his hands. He smiled, and led me to the dining hall of the hotel. We have been friends for almost 8 years now. I was 14 years old when he offered to finance my studies abroad and since then he began supporting and helping me. At 16, he came to visit me and watched my recital. And it was the first time we talked to each other. Then every year after that, he always visits me and watch me perform. We got closer and I started liking him. Maybe I was lacking a father figure or maybe for other reasons… but the fact remains uncertain.
"Michiru." He called out. I looked at him and smiled. "I promised to buy you a necklace as a success for today's concert."
"You really don't have to. You've done so much for me ever since then."
"Well I didn't buy you a necklace. But I bought you a ring instead." He smiles warmly as he held out a red velvet box out in his pocket. "Will you marry me?" he suddenly asks and it honestly took me by surprise. "I'm straight forward, aren't I?" he chuckles. "I thought I would never like someone after my wife died but when I started spending my time with you, even just talking with you, I was proven wrong. I like you more than I thought." Hiroyuki stated, with all his feeling on the line. "You really don't have to force yourself. No ultimatums here, Michiru –san. I'll completely understand whatever your answer is." Again he smiled so warmly and so lovingly.
I smiled and finally caught up my voice. "Yes. I'll marry you."
--xxxxx000xxxxx—
Three knocks were made in Michiru's apartment door.
Michiru slowly opened her eyes and sat up straight from the bed. Removing the blanket over her body, she stepped out of her bed. She dressed herself up and proceeded at the door afterwards. She turned the knob around and opened up door.
Her eyes instantly went wide as soon as the image unfolds.
"Michiru."
"Hiroyuki?"
A/N: thanks for reading!!
Let's play a game! you see, up until chapter 10, I have every chapter titled. but I can't think of anything after that. So,
In your review, suggest a fitting title for chap 11 and chap 12. The winning title will be posted 4 days after. So please help me with the title.
Oh if you're wondering why I put up the song in there(Goo Goo Dolls) because I thought it was fitting. lol
And as for my heroes, let's give them a round of appluase cause here they are:
HALL OF REVIEWERS
-jlslash, -Rushingwind, -Sky King Haruka Tenoh, -...,
-Latay, -jadedlilgirl, -QN,
-ShoujoGirl, -asakure, -Akira-kun,
-RukaMichi92, -MoonShadowz, -Mantaray,
-gale, -harucino, -Garfield,
-BluexSavior, -Thepillows93, -Wicked Prince X,
-Haruka-Michiru, -krugern, -LaCazadora, -Vanessa Riverton
You guys rock!!
For those reading Season's of Love, I'll update it 2-3 days from now.
Thanks again!
