A/N: honestly, 99% of this isn't necessary for the story or following a coherent storyline, but it's snippets of conversations and brief moments that I still wanted to include, but couldn't really figure out where to put them. So, if its your fancy, I hope you enjoy these little dialogues and text convos :)
Under the dirty light of the old parking lot lamppost, the girls stood arms length apart, no longer touching.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Haruka asked Michiru quietly. They stood a small distance away from the group that Haruka's brother was expertly entertaining. Both knew this private moment wouldn't last long.
Michiru shook her head in response. "No, not at all."
"You weren't picking up your phone, I was worried," Haruka murmured. They both took care to keep their body language relaxed, aware that at any given moment people would be looking their way.
"I know, I'm sorry," Michiru said, "I needed time to heal."
For a moment, Haruka meticulously eyed what she could see of Michiru's arms and legs. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Haruka asked in a whisper, "I'll go with you." How strange it was, Michiru realized, to hear someone discuss with her what had happened to Neptune and worry about her injuries.
"No, I'm alright." Michiru would've said more if two familiar faces hadn't reappeared at their sides. Haruka turned to the girls and with a tilt of her head, tossed them a grin. There was something in the way Haruka spoke with other girls that was entirely devoid from her conversations with Michiru— a playfulness, a lighthearted swagger and an open warmness. Her voice even became a little deeper and there was a coy teasing note that punctuated her sentences.
The bang of jealous Michiru felt would've been far more pronounced if Haruka's diverted attention didn't give Michiru the opportunity to watch the coquettish girl so openly, so close.
Michiru felt eyes on her. When she turned to face Ino, the later hastily looked away with the slightest hint of a frown upon her lips. An uneasy feeling stirred within Michiru. This time, she made the effort to look more actively engaged in the conversation between Momo and Haruka.
"Say, Haruka," Momo lowered her voice as she glanced over her shoulder to the group they had just stepped away from, "Who exactly is that cute guy? Your boyfriend?"
"Seriously, Momo?" Ino flatly snorted in such a telling tone, that both Haruka and Michiru suddenly looked at her. The three stared at each, Ino's face flushing with embarrassment.
A heartbeat later, Haruka stuck out her tongue and made a revolted noise in response to Momo's inquiry, as if no other comment had been made at all. "That fiend," Haruka said wearily, "Is my brother. Kai."
Momo's brows furrowed in open confusion. "Really?" she asked in an incredulous tone that mirrored Ino's. Haruka chuckled. "Really," she retorted lightly and gently poked Momo's forehead as she pointedly added, "And a college student, meaning he's far too old for you."
"What?" Momo pouted and quickly argued that college boys were prime material for dating, much to Haruka's open amusement. Michiru turned away from their bantering. Although Haruka had pointedly declared Momo to not be a friend over text, the girl made Haruka laugh so easily. Even as they were talking about boys, Momo was easily awarded with flirtatious teases and touches from the event winner.
"How are you getting home?" Michiru asked Ino with a small polite smile. After she pulled her gaze away from her best friend and Haruka, Ino answered, "We'll probably take the train." She hesitated and then lowered her voice as she leaned in surprisingly close to Michiru, "She didn't do anything to you...did she?"
Michiru pulled back a little, her surprise barely hidden. For a moment, her mind raced through all the connotations behind Ino's unusually tense question, until she realized Ino possibly overheard Haruka asking Michiru if the hug had hurt.
"No," Michiru replied lightly, with a quiet laugh, "Not at all." For a split second, Haruka briefly glanced their way.
Ino didn't look too convinced. At the same volume as before, she murmured in Michiru's ear, "Just be careful. She seems...you know."
Expertly, Michiru hid her sour reaction to those words. With perfectly feigned ignorance, she inquisitively raised her brows at Ino.
Ino tilted her head and gave Michiru a pointed look before rolling her eyes telling over Haruka and then back to Michiru. "Come on," she said so quietly, she might as well have mouthed it. In reply, Michiru just gave Ino a small smile and turned away just in time to see Momo stifle a yawn.
At the sight of Momo's mark of exhaustion, Ino stepped in and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I think it's best we all start heading home before it gets too late and we end up sleeping through all our classes tomorrow." Ino turned to Michiru. Without an added word, there was almost an underlying degree of concern in her words, punctuated by her inability to look Haruka in the eye. It was obvious she had come to the race to just keep Momo company.
So, Michiru hummed in affirmative. "I agree. I'll meet you both at the train station in a second."
After Ino and Momo's eyes flickered between Haruka, who was raising her voice to reply to a question her brother had shouted over, and Michiru, they said their goodbyes and final congratulations to the racer. Once the pair was far out of earshot, walking out of the parking lot arm-in-arm, Michiru felt Haruka move to stand a little closer behind her. She sensed a new unease coming from the taller girl.
"I heard what Ino said," Haruka confessed.
Michiru hummed and turned over her shoulder to peer at the girl. "She wasn't very discreet."
Rubbing the back of her neck, Haruka wearily eyed the sparsely populated parking lot before them. "I wasn't thinking when I hugged you. Those sort of rumors tend to follow those around me. Sorry."
Michiru didn't say anything for a moment and turned to face forward, back still to Haruka. "Don't be. I don't mind them."
She felt Haruka shift behind her, standing perhaps just a little closer. "Other people might," she said, "Your image and career could be ruined if they spread viciously enough."
Michiru hummed. Yes, she knew that. Michiru watched a car drive out of the parking lot just as Momo and Ino turned the corner.
"No one would believe them," Michiru said simply.
"That's true," Haruka agreed. Then, Michiru heard the girl chuckle. "I'm surprised I ever thought something as petty as gossip and rumors would ever bother Michiru Kaioh."
There was a surprising warmth in the way Haruka Tenoh said Michiru's name. It made the girl turn around to fully face her.
For a moment Michiru hesitated and then quietly told Haruka, "I can think of far worse things than being thought of as involved with you."
Haruka raised her brows slightly in response to those words, eyes flickering over Michiru's tranquil features as she tried to digest their meaning. Her hand slipped from the back of her neck. "We're friends now aren't we, Kaioh?" She extended her hand to the shorter girl.
Michiru's lips twitched up a fraction. "I would like to be, yes," she replied and took Haruka's hand.
—
With a soft huff, Michiru fell face-forward onto the couch. The lights of the empty apartment remained off. It had taken her over an hour to get home, including the private car ride she used from the station. With the nightmares, school day, race event, and a train ride with Momo, there was absolutely no energy left in her. Although she knew Ms. Kon had left her dinner in the fridge, Michiru doubted she'd eat anything tonight again.
What a tragedy that tomorrow was Tuesday, another school day. Michiru closed her eyes, ready to melt into the leather cushions and fall asleep right then and there. Surely she would wake up at least once before Ms. Kon arrived, giving her time to make herself appear put together and well rested.
The echo of her mother's lectures on propriety and perfect hygiene rang through her mind. With a groan, Michiru pushed up from the sofa.
But, as she sat alone in the dark empty living room of the apartment she was forced to call home, Michiru wore a small smile at her lips. The memory of Haruka's arms around her still rang true, she doubted she'd ever forget it.
A soft ding and vibrate from Michiru's phone announced a new notification. Squinting against the light of her screen, Michiru read the text:
/hey/
/did u get home safe?/
Haruka.
Michiru slowly raised her fingers to hover over the digital keyboard. For far too long, she thought of her reply.
/Yes. Did you?/
/still stuck in traffic/
Michiru raised her brows at her screen in surprise and then wrinkled her nose. /When did you leave? You must be exhausted./
/just after you actually, but we took a detour to get bad food./
Michiru tucked her arm under her cheek. /Bad food?/
In response, Haruka sent picture of half-eaten cupped wasabi ramen in her lap.
Michiru's jaw dropped. Before she could stop herself, her fingers hurriedly typed out: /you're eating ramen in a car?!/
/this can hardly be considered ramen/
/you're despicable./ Michiru felt a smile join the scowl she wore.
/Thank you/
/.../
/im being careful, I promise. and blame my brother. the second he heard of such a disaster existing, he ordered us to go get it./
Idly, Michiru wondered if Kai knew anything about her.
/Smart man. I'm willing to bet money he likes it./
/he does, which just proves its disgusting./
Michiru rolled her eyes. Finally, she pushed herself up and with her eyes still fixated on her phone, rose from the couch to shuffle across the room to turn the lights on.
/You yourself called him a conessieur, so I am inclined to trust his opinion far above your own./
/ ouch! /
/Why are you eating it, if it's so awful? Hm?/
/hunger knows no limits/
/shirako/
/.../
/.../
/u got me/
/u have any deal breaker foods?/
Michiru opened the refrigerator and frowned the second she saw the meal Ms. Kon had left her. Of course Michiru was grateful for all of Ms. Kon's cooking, and never dared complain, but there were some foods...that she truly despised.
Pointing at the little brown bits that poked out of the corners of the stir-fry, Michiru sent Haruka a picture of her finger hovering by a kikurage mushroom. /I despise these./
/what! Kikurage mushrooms are so good! U can't have good ramen without them!/
Michiru scoffed as she read the message after hitting the "Start" button on her microwave.
/Blonde. Blue eyed. Obsessed with ramen? You're reminding me of someone./
Without another second wasted, Michiru finally saved Haruka's number as "Naruto" in her phone.
/hahaha. oh you caught me. I watched a lot of Naruto growing up./
Michiru wasn't surprised.
She set the table up quickly, her eyes flickering to the screen routinely.
/did you?/
/No. I only know about it from the usual cultural osmosis. I didn't watch much TV growing up./
/so you say, but I bet you have plenty of favorite movies or shows/
Michiru thought for a moment as she chewed her dinner and did her best to recall how her childhood time was spent outside of painting, dancing, swimming and practice.
/I watched the Tale of Genji quite a few times growing./
/Kaioh...that's so depressing./
Michiru scowled at her phone.
/Don't you 'Kaioh' me, Tenoh. It's a beautiful film./
/ oh it definitely is but it's so depressing, tell me you've at least seen Studio Ghibli films/
/I have. The art for many was beautiful, but I don't remember the stories well./
And so, Michiru suddenly found herself having company for dinner. The conversation continued well past her meal, continuing on as she washed up and got ready for bed.
Once she carefully set her and Haruka's liprods down upon the corner of her vanity, at the reach of the moonlit glow, Michiru crawled into bed and tucked herself under the covers. She drowsily read the last message Haruka had sent her: /my mom married my step father when she was pregnant with me so I have his last name and Haruka is technically my middle name, but I treat it as my first in Japan/
With heavy lids, Michiru smiled. /I have something similar, too actually. whats your legal name?/
/Amara lol/
Without thinking, Michiru sent an expressive emoji— hearts and flowers. /how pretty. I like it./
/whats yours?/
But Michiru couldn't respond, her eyes had fallen shut and she was gifted with a dreamless sleep.
—
Haruka woke up to her phone overflowing with congratulatory messages from friends and family. Most encouraged her to keep the winning streak going, others simply praised her. The family group chat, always too crowded and hectic for Haruka to take it off silent, was already blowing up with plots over who should visit who and summer plans. Idina had left Haruka's apartment but John still remained. Haruka's little sister and Kai's older brother wanted to come over, enjoy Tokyo for the next few weeks.
With a weary sigh, but a smile, Haruka texted an "Ok" finger sign to the chat. Once the school term ended in July, just over a month from now, Haruka knew her life would become incredibly crowded. Up until this year, it was something she had always looked forward to.
Other messages from friends involved plans for a celebratory weekend, even though they had celebrated her second place wins with a steady fervor.
Instead of replying to those, Haruka opened Michiru's chat from last night. She had finally saved the girl's number in her phone as "Uncultured."
/Michelle./ Haruka read in response to last night's question, delivered an hour before she had awoken. Haruka wasn't the least bit surprised that Michiru would be up and getting ready for the school day so early. Still in her pajamas, still under her cozy covers, Haruka sent a thumbs down in response to the name.
It wasn't long before Michiru Kaioh sent a pointed: /Don't you thumb down my name, Tenoh./
/You are much braver over text than you are in person, do you know that?/
/ur intimidating in person/ Haruka responded innocently.
In response, Michiru sent Haruka a thumbs down. The blonde almost laughed out loud, her eyes shining.
There was a light knock upon Haruka's already open door. She looked up to see Kai step in.
"Sleep okay?" He asked her. She nodded, "Yeah," and set her phone aside as she sat up. "Sorry," she said quickly, "About how I was yesterday, I mean—"
Kai held up a hand to cut her off. "I want updates," he said firmly, eyes shining, "All of it."
Haruka's lips twitched up but her eyes fell to her phone.
"There's really not much to say," she told him, "We still barely know each other."
"Then ask her to hang out," Kai said flatly. Haruka looked at him as if he had grown a second head. A second genius head. He rolled his eyes and stepped out of her room. "Get your ass out of bed already, you're running late."
Haruka smiled. After a long moment of hesitation, Haruka sent Michiru the following text: /friends usually get lunch once in a while you know/
Haruka tossed her phone to the side and chewed on the corner of her nail. As she washed up, Michiru replied:
/On Fridays?/
/On Fridays./ Haruka replied.
/After school?/
/After school./
/Okay./
/Ok./
Haruka sighed, trying not to let herself feel suddenly nervous.
—-
Elsa watched Michiru from a few seats away. Just like the teenage girls that had come before her, the blue-eyed violinist had mastered the art of inconspicuously texting during class— her phone hidden at the center of her notebook. This week alone Elsa saw Michiru use her phone more often than she had seen her use it the past year.
A small smile lingered on Michiru's lips as she tapped out a text character by character with her perfectly manicured pointer finger.
Earlier that day, Elsa had heard from Momo that Michiru had gone with her and Ino to Haruka's race. Why hadn't I been invited? Elsa wondered with her heart twisting. The teacher called on her to answer a question. Michiru turned her way. With her face flushing, Elsa admitted that she didn't know the answer. When the teacher called on Michiru next, the girl answered smoothly before dropping her gaze back to her phone the second the teacher turned around.
The girl Elsa now sat next to giggled and teased her for not being so clueless. Not bothering to argue, Elsa laughed along with her. She stole one last glance at Michiru.
—
"Look at her," Haruka's friend grumbled, cigarette bobbing in between his lips as he glared at the blond, "She's not even listening to us."
The group of cigarette-smoking beer-sneaking filthy-rich teenage "degenerates" crowded the highschool rooftop, bento boxes and soda cans littered all around them.
Haruka laid on her back, ankle folded over her bent knee and eyes focused up on her phone, which she held high against the sky. Her thumbs typed out a reply to Michiru while a barely-touched cigarette remained between her long pointer and middle fingers. Without intense stress, much of the pleasure of smoking was lost on her.
"She's probably seducing another clueless fangirl," Haruka's other friend spoke up, sipping her "most-definitely-just apple juice." Another video edit of Haruka had gone out to social media, even more ridiculous than the last. Apparently, or at least according to many online, there was something incredibly attractive about an androgynous femboy angrily pacing back and forth at his station, dismissive of his impressive win and dragging his long fingers through his hair while on a call.
"You know there's even been rumors in our school," another boy spoke up, his uniform, as always, crumpled and unevenly buttoned and his hair shaggy. "There's been talk of what Ms. Tenoh might be hiding under her skirt!" Haruka snorted and all her friends snickered. Without taking her eyes off her phone, Haruka slowly crossed and uncrossed her legs, letting her knee length skirt slip down to flash her panties at anyone who had the misfortune to look that way.
Immediately, she heard a mingle of gagging sounds, wolf whistles and awkward stuttering.
"Honestly, with all the videos and information available online, I don't get how there's so much confusion about your sex," Haruka's friend murmured flatly, taking a drag of the cigarette that was passed to her.
"It's 'cause I never entered with my legal name," Haruka murmured, "So it's harder to find my real information online. Plus, the commentators always it screw up. They just assume all the racers are guys." Just the slightest bit, Haruka's lips curled down as she read Michiru's message. Her friends must've seen it.
"What happened? Told the girl the color panties you were wearing?" the boy nearest to her teased. Without hesitation or remorse, Haruka flicked her leg out, kicking him promptly and painfully in the knee. "It's a friend," she said flatly as he yowled in pain, rereading the message again.
/I can't meet Friday./
Haruka hesitated, debating if she should say something nonchalant, like "no problem," or address the sinking feeling about why Michiru was canceling.
/.../
/.../
/Duty calls?/
/I'm afraid so./
/.../
/.../
/Is it something serious?/
/I'll be alright./
Someone had asked Haruka a question. She finally turned her head and raised her brows, locking her phone and putting it on her chest.
—
Sailor Neptune paused.
She looked up at the dark sky.
Plop. Again, a raindrop fell to her face.
She blinked and wiped it away from her cheek.
Plop. Plop. Plop.
The drizzle picked up at an alarming pace.
The guardian turned to look at the unconscious girl who she had set carefully against the alley stone wall after returning her heart crystal. She was a freshman college student from a poor family who had studied hard to get into a good university and was working long night shifts to help her mother afford the rent for their meager apartment. If she got seriously sick from the cold and the rain…
Neptune looked around, trying to think. If she dropped the girl off at the hospital, there was no guarantee she would be able to afford the bill of the care. The guardian swayed, mind racing.
Ten minutes later, Michiru Kaioh was squatting down by the girl, attempting to shake her awake. She had already called a friend, asking her to bring an extra umbrella.