Chapter 6: Friendship Forms
Michiru sat in the car screaming, while Haruka quickly unfastened the seatbelts of both Michiru and her. Then, the blonde pushed her door open, reached over and grabbed Michiru around the waist. "Haruka!" the aqua haired girl cried out. "What are you…" Michiru stopped talking and started to scream again when Haruka held her tight and jumped out of the car with her, turning in a way that she hit the ground hard and Michiru landed on top of her. Haruka had the wind knocked out of her at the hard impact, and she let out a loud groan when her head connected with the track more than hard. Michiru laid on top of her dazed, but snapped back to full consciousness when the now driverless car crashed against the wall, exploding in a huge ball of fire. Michiru pressed her head into Harukas chest as a wave of heat rolled over the two girls, whimpering softly and literally paralyzed with fear. Finally, after a seemingly endless time, the aqua haired girl found herself able to move again, and she raised her head to look at Haruka. The blonde now let out a groan and opened her eyes, dazed. "Are you okay?" Michiru asked, her voice shaking. "Yeah…" Haruka replied while the aqua haired girl crawled off her and knelt next to her, "I'm fine…" Slowly, the blonde sat up, rubbing her aching head. "What about you?" she then asked, sudden concern in her voice. Michiru gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm okay, Haruka…thanks to you." Haruka smiled back, and the two girls got to their feet. Kaketo came jogging over to them, his face full of worry. "Oh my God, I saw what happened! Are you both okay?" the man asked, earning two nods in reply. "Thank God." Kaketo breathed, wiping a thin line of sweat from his brow. "I already feared the worse when I saw that car explode…" Haruka gave him an odd look, but didn't make any comment and just shrugged. "We are both okay, so don't worry…" The blonde looked at Michiru. "I could really use a good strong coffee now, what about you?" Michiru beamed at the taller woman. "Of course, Haruka ^_^" She replied, causing Haruka to grin from ear to ear. "Great. Shall we leave, then?" Michiru nodded, and the two women walked off the racetrack, leaving Kaketo behind.
Haruka took a sip of her coffee, leaning back in her seat and smiling at Michiru, who smiled back. "So, Michiru…" the blonde then started, gaining the attention of her friend, "what are you doing? I mean, working, or school, or…" "Oh, I'm attending college." Michiru replied, giving the blonde a shy smile. "I'm studying journalism…so I can take over my father's job one day." Haruka chuckled and nodded. "Good idea. You can write about me." The blonde winked at her friend, who blushed and mumbled something inaudible. "What was that?" Haruka asked, leaning forward. "Nothing…" Michiru replied, blushing even more. Haruka decided to drop the subject and came up with another question: "You have any hobbies? Besides sneaking into racetracks, I mean." Michiru giggled at the last remark before answering the blondes question: "I love to draw…oh, and I play the violin. What about you?" "Well, other than racing cars…I play the piano…" Haruka chuckled at Michirus surprised face before asking: "What?" "Well…you don't seem like a person who plays the piano." Michiru finally stammered out, feeling awfully stupid all of a sudden. Much to her happiness, Haruka didn't seem offended it all; the blonde just chuckled and nodded. "True, most people say that when I tell them." She then spoke, earning another giggle from the aqua haired girl. The two women sat there for another one and a half hour, until Haruka checked her watch and let out a sigh. "Well, I'm afraid I gotta go now…" she then spoke, and Michiru nodded, letting out a sigh too. "Same here…my mom will kill me." The aqua haired girl then spoke, rolling her eyes. Haruka gave her a smile and asked: "Can I call you?" "Of course!" Michiru beamed, and the blonde smiled at her. "Great. I'll see you, then." Michiru nodded and both women rose from their seats, Haruka holding the door open for Michiru before their ways parted.
Haruka entered the apartment she shared with her father, only to let out a loud yelp when her father sped towards her and pulled her into a bone crushing bear-hug. "Haruka! I'm so glad you are okay!" he cried out, nearly in tears. Haruka gave him an odd look. "Why shouldn't I be?" she then asked, still pissed at him for the things he had said earlier. "Kaketo called me and told me about what happened…I was so worried!" Hiroshi replied, still refusing to let go of his daughter. Finally, Haruka managed to free herself from the hug and glared at her father. "That actually surprises me, seeing the way you keep treating me." She then spoke, her voice cold as ice. Her father gave her a hurt look. "Haruka…I'm sorry." He then spoke, staring down at his feet. Haruka just gave him another cold look before she walked past him and into her room. "I'm just worried!" her father called out after her, only to be rewarded with Haruka slamming the door close.