Chapter 3: You Won't Go Back
"Here, I made you something to eat." Michiru looked up from the book she had been reading when Haruka entered the room, once more carrying a tray. "Aw, you shouldn't have…" Michiru replied, blushing. Haruka just smiled. "I like it to take good care of my guests." She then said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. While Michiru ate, Haruka sat at her feet, watching her. Finally, the blonde spoke up. "When the doctor checked on you, he discovered a lot of bruises on your whole body, Michiru-san." Michiru nearly chocked on the rice she had just taken into her mouth, but managed to swallow before she looked at Haruka, somehow scared. "Who did this you?" Haruka gently asked, reaching out to take Michirus free hand. "Who beat you?" Michiru looked away and stayed silent, before her lower lip started to tremble. Haruka moved closer to the aqua haired woman and gently ran one hand through her hair. "You can tell me." She whispered. "I'll help you. I promise. Who beat you, Michi-chan?" The change of suffix from –san to –chan was all Michiru could take. She started to cry silent tears, but soon sobbed when Haruka pulled her into a warm, tender embrace. The aqua haired girl cried like she had never cried before, letting out all the piled up emotions, her fear, her pain…her longing for someone who loved her. "Who, Michi-chan?" Haruka asked once more, her voice not more than a whisper. "My husband." Michiru finally replied, her whole body trembling from the racked sobs. "My husband beat me…" "That bastard." Haruka cursed. Michiru didn't make any comment about that, she just leaned against the taller woman and enjoyed the feeling of being held. Haruka gently patted Michirus back, making her look up at her. "You won't go back to that swine." The blonde stated in a firm voice, her tone showing that she wouldn't allow any protest. Not at all. "W-what do you mean, I won't go back?" Michiru stammered, shocked. "I won't let you go back to him. Not if he beats you. You can stay here as long as you found a job and can afford your own apartment." Haruka replied. Michiru just stared at her wide-eyed. "You can't mind that!" she finally cried out. "You don't even know me! How could I stay here, I'm a stranger to you!" Haruka shrugged that off. "Your point being?" she then asked. Michiru hid her face in her hands. "I can't stay here." She finally spoke. "It's too dangerous!" "Dangerous?" Haruka repeated, raising one eyebrow. Michiru nodded and looked at her again. "Kenshi…my husband…he once threatened that he would kill you if I ever get to meet you." Michiru finally admitted. Harukas eyes widened. "What?!" she called out, obviously shocked. "That's why I can't stay here." Michiru spoke softly, her eyes glued to the white linen of the bed she sat on. "I can't take the risk of endangering you…just because you want to help me." "Hey." Haruka spoke, taking Michirus face in her hands, making her look at her once more. "This house is equipped with more alarm systems than the Tokyo Bank. No one will get in or out without me knowing it." Michiru seemed a little bit convinced, but not enough yet. "What if he fires through the window?" the aqua haired girl asked. "He won't even get into the garden without triggering the alarm." Haruka replied calmly. Michiru stayed silent at that, deep in thought. "Why are you doing this?" she finally asked, looking at Haruka with a questioning expression. And for the first time since they met, Haruka was at a loss for words. "Shall I tell you now why I'm doing this? Because it was love at first sight for me when I saw you." The blonde thought to herself, sudden sadness overwhelming her. "Because…" she started, then fell silent again. "Because what?" Michiru asked. "Because I don't want you to suffer." Haruka finally stated lamely. It was obvious that Michiru didn't believe her, but the aqua haired girl didn't push the topic any further. "So, what will you do now?" Haruka asked, frowning. "Will you go back to that asshole who calls himself a husband and get beaten again, or will you stay here with me, the stranger?" Michiru let out a little sigh. "You know, I really don't want to go back to Kenshi. But on the other hand…I would never be able to repay you for the huge favor you are offering right now." Haruka took her hands into hers, gazing into her eyes. "You already are repaying me, Michi-chan. Your company here is payment enough." She sighed. "It's lonely here." The blonde then admitted. "Lonely?" Michiru echoed. "How can you be lonely? You're such a famous racer, you must have lots of friends!" Haruka shook her head, a sudden sadness in her teal eyes. "No, I don't. Real friends are hard to find when you're famous. Most people who want to befriend me don't want to because of me, but because of hoping that they would end up on magazines and such with me." The blonde let out a heavy sigh and fell back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "But I think that you are different." She stated. Michiru fell down next to her, also staring up. "I am." She replied. Haruka looked over at her, and the two women just laid there for a while, smiling at each other.