While Satoshi and Hiroshi thought about their evil plans, Haruka and Michiru were having fun playing dice poker. "Poker, I won!" Haruka called out, grinning broadly. Michiru showed her tongue to her before she informed her friend: "I'm lucky we didn't play strip poker. I would be naked by now." Haruka broke into fits of laughter, and Michiru watched her amused. "I wonder if she laughed like that since she lives here before." The smaller woman thought to herself.  Haruka finally calmed down and wiped her eyes out. "Dear God…" she managed to say between two chuckles, "I haven't had such a laughter fit since…" The blonde stopped in mid-sentence and laughed again. Michiru also laughed and reached over the desk to pat Harukas hand. The blonde flinched at the touch, and Michiru gave her an odd look. "Sorry." Haruka apologized quickly. "But I'm not used to…" she stopped and looked down on the desk. "Used to what?" Michiru asked softly while her fingers enclosed Harukas. "To anyone interacting in such a gentle way with me." Haruka answered almost inaudible. Michiru stood up, walked around the desk and set down next to Haruka, putting one arm over the taller woman's shoulders. "Then you'll have to get used to it. I love it to hug people." The aqua haired girl informed her friend. Haruka gave her a little smile, and once more their eyes met. Michiru looked into the taller woman's teal eyes, and right in this moment she didn't see the scars or anything else. She looked directly into Harukas soul, and what she saw was a lonely woman filled with bitterness. Gently, Michiru reached out and caressed Harukas left cheek before her hand came to a rest in the taller woman's neck. Michiru pulled Haruka close to her, and their lips met in a soft kiss. Haruka closed her eyes and responded to it first, but then she suddenly pulled away, a shocked expression on her face. "I'm…I shouldn't…" she stammered. Michiru opened her mouth so tell her friend that she didn't had to be, but before she could do so, Haruka had stormed out of the house. Michiru was left at her kitchen desk, her face buried in her hands.

Harukas fist hit the punching ball in her cellar, causing it to swing around wildly. Her dogs sat in the corner fearful; usually their master was calm and friendly, but both animals felt that something was wrong today. Haruka kept mauling the punching ball until her fists hurt, then she sank to the floor. Lord and Rover moved over to her hesitating, Lord giving a small little bark and looking at her with sad eyes. "Hey." Haruka said hoarsely, stroking her best friends. "Sorry I frightened you." She sighed and patted Rover's head, causing a happy bark from him. That was when footsteps came down the stairs that led into the cellar. "Haruka?" The blonde looked up in surprise, only to see Michiru standing in the doorway. The smaller woman's eyes were red, and it was clear that she had been crying. Haruka straightened up and looked down on her feet. "Sorry about the kiss." Michiru now softly said, on the verge of tears again. "I didn't want to…I don't know what came over me, but…" "Michiru." Haruka interrupted her softly, stepping closer to her. "I'm not mad at you. I just…I just can't believe that you could love me. Like I love you." Michiru looked up at her, the sadness in her eyes replaced by sudden joy. "Why shouldn't I love you, Haruka?" she asked softly. "You are such a nice and kind person." Haruka swallowed hard and looked down on the floor again. "But how can you be in love with someone like me?" she asked hoarsely. "How can you love someone who isn't able to look at himself in a mirror?" Michiru embraced her friend and whispered into her ear: "Because it's your inner beauty that counts for me. I don't care about your face or anything else, Haruka. I love you." "But…but it's not right!" Haruka called out, although her heart screamed to stop it. "Loving me will only bring you misery, Michiru." She then added in a softer tone. Michiru opened her mouth to say something, but Haruka didn't let her. "It's better if we stop all contact, Michiru." She said, her heart being torn apart. "It's better for you. I couldn't stand to see you hurt just because of me." And then, Haruka turned her back on Michiru, tears filling her eyes. Michiru didn't know what to say, and she prepared to leave. "If you change your mind, come to me." She softly said to Harukas back. "I'll wait for you, Haruka." When Haruka didn't react, Michiru finally left. As soon as she was gone, Haruka broke down crying.

"Why did she do that?" Michiru thought sadly while running home. "Why did she reject me? Why, oh dear God?" She hurried into her house and threw herself onto the couch in her living room, sobbing into the pillars so hard that she almost got sick from it. "Oh God, I love her so much…" Michiru cried, her heart hurting like hell. "I have to convince her that I don't mind if the village people pick on me." She suddenly thought. That was when the lights in her house went out and left her in complete darkness.

A/N: Dammit, I should stop writing such sad scenes! I had to cry when I wrote that *hangs head in shame* For anyone who doesn't get it why Haruka rejected Michiru: the brave blonde doesn't want her precious friend to get attacked from the village people. The next chapter won't be so sad, I promise ^^v

Ja ne

Cloud D.