"Relax! You will do fine!"
"Fine?" Haruka scoffed and rubbed her temples. "I am meeting your parents. You've never brought someone back home to meet them. Not to mention, last time I went to the bathroom, I was a girl." She opened her eyes and turned to her girlfriend, who sat next to her eating her lunch calmly, too calmly… "Michiru? Are you out to your parents?"
Michiru slanted her head and glared at Haruka. "Of course I am. I wouldn't be telling you to come meet them if I wasn't."
Haruka nodded at that and opened the lid of her lunch. She stopped, then turned to Michiru and frowned. "Do they know I am a butch?"
"Haruka, I've shown them our pictures."
Haruka nodded again and grabbed her fork. "Do they know we have…"
"No! Do your parents know we have?" Michiru made an obscene gesture with her hand.
Haruka shook her head, her face getting crimson red in the process.
"Then I am not telling them. Besides that is not their problem. We are almost adults."
Haruka stabbed her piece of chicken with her fork and brought it to her mouth. She exhaled loudly as she chewed on her food. Then she swallowed and turned back to Michiru. "I've seen your dad. He is pretty scary."
"He is a teddy bear."
"To you he is. I've seen him when he picks you up. He is … tall and bulky and he seems like he gives great hugs—"
"He does!"
"—that could crush your lungs!" Haruka raised her hand. "Now, let me finish. I am not judging."
"You clearly are, Haruka."
"I am not!"
"You just called him scary and that he murders people!"
"Not in a bad way, Michiru!"
Michiru scoffed, yet she couldn't contain her amusement and laughed. "Oh Haruka." She scooted closer to her girlfriend, touched her jaw, and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "My parents will love you. Want to know how I know that?"
Haruka was so focused on the feeling of Michiru's lips on hers that she didn't quite hear what Michiru was saying, yet she nodded as a way of encouraging her to continue. "Huh?"
"They will love you because they already see how happy you make me. I haven't stopped smiling ever since you said yes to being my girlfriend."
Haruka frowned and looked at Michiru's lips, then at her lovely cobalt eyes. "Wait. I was the one that asked you out first…"
"Sure." Michiru kissed her again and moved back to her lunch.
Haruka seemed disappointed when Michiru moved away. She bit her lower lip, set her lunch on the ground, and then moved to wrap her arms around her girlfriend. She squeezed her tightly to her taller form and kissed her passionately. Good thing they were sitting in a secluded area having their lunch in the school backyard.
When she pulled away, Haruka pressed her forehead with Michiru and sighed contently. "I love you, and I can't wait to meet your parents. I am just joking around because I love to see you laugh."
Michiru grinned. "I know. I love you too. So please. Just relax and never mind the terrible dad jokes."
"Dad jokes?"
Michiru nodded while Haruka groaned.
Haruka was a trembling mess once she made it to Michiru's house, which wasn't that far from her home. She was wearing a t-shirt with the school mascot, a black and white plaid shirt, and some jeans. She thought she looked decent, casual. Michiru had told her just to be herself, and she did, but she was having second thoughts about the whole be yourself thing. What if it wasn't enough? She didn't want Michiru's parents to hate her… She didn't want them to think that she was bad for her daughter and then force Mcihiru to break up with her…
Haruka sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Yeah, as if Haruka would let Michiru go that easily. She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders before knocking on the front door. She heard Michiru on the other side, saying the word coming! And for some reason, Haruka felt as if butterflies would come out of her nose and mouth.
Michiru opened the door and smiled so brightly at her that Haruka exhaled the breath she was holding. Okay, so Michiru was in a good mood. That was good news!
"Hey." Haruka mumbled.
"You are here!" Michiru giggled, grabbed Haruka's hand, and pulled her inside the house before closing the door. "Mom! Dad! Haruka's here."
Haruka groaned internally and stood by the door awkwardly. Michiru had to grab her hand again and drag her to the living room.
Keishi Kaioh was a tall, burly man. He had the epitome of a dad bod, a gentle smile, and stubbles of blue hair on his face. His hair was short, shorter than Haruka's. He was standing near the t.v arms crossed as if focusing on something, when Michiru walked in. As soon as he saw Haruka, he grinned, a boyish grin that made Haruka queasy. Now, Tsuko Kaioh is another story. She had a serious look on her face, and Haruka dreaded that she suffered from the resting-bitch-face syndrome. Unlike Keishi, she had asymmetrical black hair that reached her chin. She was reading on the sofa when Michiru walked in.
Haruka was about to faint if they didn't introduce themselves first. Keishi was the first one to say hello. He tossed the remote control in the nearest sofa, walked up to Haruka, and offered a large callused hand to shake. Haruka took it without wasting a second.
"Ah! We finally met!" He grinned again, his eyes almost closing due to his high cheekbones. "Keishi Kaioh!"
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kaioh."
He frowned, and Haruka's stomachs churned. "Oh no, no-no. Not that. You are calling me Keishi, and I will not hear anything stating the contrary.
Haruka nodded and turned just in time to see Tsuko stand next to her husband. This woman was so serious; Haruka was feeling her icy stare go right through her. Michiru didn't mention that Tsuko was like this…
Now that she thought about it. Michiru didn't mention Tsuko at all…
The beautiful middle-aged woman moved her hand to Haruka, and she gladly took it. "Tsuko. Welcome home."
Haruka nodded. "It is nice to meet you too, ma'am."
Tsuko's lips curled. "Tsuko is fine."
"Dad made some of his famous lasagna! Are you hungry?" Michiru asked, stealing Haruka's attention away from her parents and over to the dining room.
Haruka wanted to act like she had no idea where the dining room was. She didn't want to let Michiru know that she has been here alone with Michiru on more than one occasion. Hell, that dining table could tell a few stories.
Oh no. Big mistake. Haruka could already feel her cheeks reddened.
"I am kinda hungry."
"Perfect!" Keishi boomed before patting Haruka's shoulder, "Come on. I know you are going to love my lasagna!"
"It is pretty good. He never cooks it but when he does we eat leftovers for weeks!" Michiru said, pulling at Haruka until they sat at the round dining table. Haruka is between Michiru and Tsuko and just in front of Keishi.
Haruka moved uncomfortably before Feeling Michiru's hands over her lap.
"You are doing fine…" Michiru whispered. "Relax."
But how could she when next to her was Tsuko and Keishi was looking at her every move? Goodness, he probably saw Michiru's hand under the table. Fuck… Fuck!
"So Haruka!"
Haruka looked up at Keishi as he cut her a piece of his lasagna and handed her a plate.
"I am going to be asking exactly the same question I would ask anyone dating my daughter."
Oh fuck…
"What are your intentions with my daughter?"
Michiru turned to Haruka after giving her father her empty plate.
"Well, I am—" Haruka blew out her nervousness as she grabbed a fork. "I care deeply for Michiru."
Tsuko cleared her throat and helped her husband by serving a hefty portion of vegetables to Haruka and Michiru.
"I love your daughter, as a matter of fact." Haruka confessed, feeling Michiru's loving gaze on her, as well as Tsuko's glare. Haruka didn't acknowledge it. "I want to have a future with her."
"A bit young to be using the "L" word, don't you think?" Tsuko said, her face turned to Haruka.
Haruka nodded and, with shaky hands, grabbed a glass of water.
"Look at me, kid."
The awkward silence didn't seem to bother Keishi, who happily ate his meal, ignoring what was happening at the table.
"Mom," Michiru warned, but it didn't even seem to faze Tsuko. The woman turned her torso toward Haruka and waited for the blonde to make eye contact.
Haruka patted Michiru's hand and turned to look at Tsuko. "Yes. you are right. We are both very young but I do understand that what I feel for her is love and I know that's what she feels for me too."
Tsuko raised one dark eyebrow and lifted her gaze from Haruka to fall on Michiru. "Oh? You love her too?"
Michiru nodded. "More than anything."
Tsuko took a deep breath and exhaled. She turned to her husband as if looking for some support, but the big man lifted his eyes from the lasagna and smiled.
"I mean, darling, if they are happy, who are we to judge? Michiru seems happy and she is doing so much better in school."
"We help each other with the school work," Michiru added.
"If my daughter is happy I am happy." Tsuko said before going back to eating.
Both Haruka and Michiru turned to Tsuko and waited for her to comment on what Keishi had said.
"Fine. I guess you are right Keishi." Tsuko said before pointing the finger at Haruka. "But if you ever make my baby girl cry, I—" She pursed her lips and turned at her lasagna. "It won't be pretty."
"I would never make her cry." Haruka said, slowly relaxing.
"She does make me cry from laughter though." Michiru interjected with a grin.
"Good. That's the only crying I will accept."
Haruka sighed with relief and then stood from her chair. "Now if you excuse me. I need to use the bathroom." Haruka then moved away and headed to the bathroom with both Tsuko and Keishi staring at her with a deep frown on their faces.
Michiru's face was as red as a tomato when she saw the mistake Haruka had made. She turned to her father, who was following Haruka with a glare, and then she gazed at Tsuko. Her mother was angry, pissed even.
Tsuko turned to her daughter and said, "Funny how she knows where the bathroom is…"
Keishi finally turned back to Michiru. "Yes. It's like she has been here before…" He narrowed his eyes at Michiru "I bet she even knows about our trick to get the sink to work."
After a couple of minutes of awkward silence, Haruka came out of the bathroom, patting her hands dry with the back of her pants. And that's when she saw Michiru's expression. Her confusion lasted a nanosecond as she looked down at her wet hands and realized what she had done…
Oh shit...