Puzzled hearts Chapter 3 by Kirika E-mail: kirika@hellokitty.com

Ami was totally immerse in "Bag of Bones", the book she had brought to that trip; Ami never would go out of her home without a book - and they always showed its value. She was in a triggering chapter when a voice made her heart jump.
"Will your boyfriend come back soon?" asked a man with a kind glance.
Ami turned around and stared at him. She couldn't say he was the most handsome guy in that ship, but he had dazzling black eyes that contrasted with his pale skin. Ami closed her book smiling.
"There's no boyfriend at all," she answered.
The man looked at her with inquiring eyes, seeking in her face some expression that could show she wouldn't mind him sitting down.
"You can sit if you want to," said Ami blushing. Some years ago she would never say something like this but the acquaintance with the other girls (mainly Minako) have changed her in a less shy person.
"Dou you want some drink?" he asked looking at his own glass.
"I don't drink alcohol," said Ami in a tiny voice, "Besides, I'm just sixteen,"
The man seemed surprised when Ami revealed her age, but then she ordered a exotic non-alcoholic cocktail for Ami, who was frozen in place.
"Oh, I think I haven't said my name yet. It's Yureta Houki,"
"Mizuno Ami," muttered Ami. She was doing her best to avoid running away, but her shyness was only increasing. Probably it was his eyes fault, that insisted in looking firmly at Ami.
"Are you alone in this cruise?" asked Yureta-san sipping his drink.
"No, I'm with some friends," Ami said trying to control her mad heartbeats. "And you?"
"I'm with no one," he affirmed, "Till now, of course."

"So we have a deal," stated Rei unfalteringly.
"Yes, we do," confirmed Michiru, "But I prefer to think we're exchanging favors,"
The two shake hands with radiant expressions. Michiru and Rei left the room, going in opposite directions without looking back.

Minako and Makoto were talking with Warai and other two guys that were playing with them. The game was ended with a great victory of Minako's team and she was the center of attention of the guys, what was deeply irritating Makoto. Everyone talked only about how Minako was a fantastic player and how she caught that difficult ball and all range of things that were making Minako feel prouder and prouder.
It was because of it that Makoto opened a large smile when she saw Michiru approaching. She walked so freely that seemed she was floating. When the boys saw her, they completely forgot about Minako and stared dazzled to Michiru. She was a very smart woman and knew exactly how to catch men's attention, although in most of times she wasn't very interested in such thing.
"Hi girls," she said with a extraordinarily eye-catching smile, "I'm joining everyone to have lunch,"
"Oh," Minako declared, "I really forgot the lunch, where's the others?"
"Rei was looking for them," Michiru stated, "If you want, you can join us too, guys,"
Makoto was excited about lunching with them and introduced the three boys to Michiru in signal of gratitude. They were absolutely stunned with Michiru's beauty, but Makoto knew well Michiru's preferences, and they indicated she wasn't a threat.

Rei found Haruka in one of the bathrooms. The blonde was brushing her hair and seemed lost in her own thoughts.
"Haruka-san," started Rei, "Are you feeling well?"
"Yes, Rei," answered Haruka as she put her hairbrush in the bag, "What's up?"
"I was looking for you because we're going to have lunch," explained Rei.
"I'm not hungry," stated Haruka leaving the bathroom and being followed by Rei.
"You don't need to eat," insisted Rei, "but we want to join everyone again. Moreover, it was rather difficult to me finding you. I thought you were with Michiru but I was wrong. Why aren't you with her?"
Haruka stood there in silence, trying to figure out why Rei was asking that. Without finding a good answer, she gave up and asked.
"Why do everybody think I'm always with Michiru?"
"Because you are." started Rei in a false impulsive action. Fallaciously, she pretended to be in doubt.
"Why did you stop? Tell me what you think!" requested Haruka irritated.
"Because you're so good friends." mumbled Rei, deliberately staring the floor, "And you're always together."
Haruka caught Rei's arm and choked it, almost screaming.
"Look to me! Don't dare you lie to me!"
Rei continued with her eyes down, but Haruka freed her. She turned uneasily and started walking in circles around Rei.
"Well, I don't know why I'm asking you this. I know what you think, didn't I? I know what everyone think."
She stopped in front of Rei and told her if they didn't move they would be late for lunch. Rei finally looked to Haruka, relieved, and they walked towards the main restaurant.

When Rei and Haruka arrived at the restaurant, almost everyone was there, including the new members of the group: Warai, his two buddies and Ami's new friend Yureta-san. Haruka was surprised when she saw Warai, but pretended not caring about it. Setsuna, who had disappeared since morning, explained that she changed her mind and decided to explore the ship and it was because of that she wasn't in the pools. The only person who wasn't found until that moment was Usagi.
"I don't know where she is," said Mamoru, "She just got mad with me and left the pool,"
"I've checked our room and she isn't there," declared Ami.
"You don't have to worry," Rei pointed out, "Usagi will appear as she feels her stomach aching,"
Everyone who knew Usagi couldn't help laughing, and the others started thinking about Usagi being a fat woman who can only think about food.
"Why are you laughing?" asked Usagi, who have just arrived.
As the girls saw her, they started laughing again, but the guys deduced she was Usagi and regretted thinking about her as fat woman. On the contrary, they thought she was very pretty, but all that analysis became waste of time when they saw Usagi hugging amorously Mamoru.
Making good use of all that distraction, Haruka stared amazed at Warai. She didn't understand why she was doing that, but some magnetic force made her look to him. His face when he laughed had an inexplicable thing that gave Haruka shivers. Michiru was taking advantage of that situation too and kept an eye on her all the time. What she saw displeased her a lot, but she maintained her diplomatic expression even when she wanted to kill that meddler man.
In some minutes, they all were having lunch, sat at a large table. Michiru sat next to Haruka, but they weren't talking to each other. Minako noticed that something was really strange between them, but decided only to worry about it later. She and Makoto were having fun with Keichi and Yuuhi, the Warai's friends, and the last thing they wanted was to be concerned with other person's life.
"What were you doing?" asked Mamoru to Usagi.
"Just wandering around and thinking," she answered with a cold voice without even looking to his face.
"Usagi, I've thought you'd already forgotten all that bullshit," he complained.
"Bullshit?!" she screamed in a low tone, trying to not catch everyone attention, "I was talking about my feelings, my desires, my love, and you. you dare to say it was bullshit!"
"Sorry, dear, I didn't mean that," Mamoru started, and the both of them were talking in whispers, "I know how important it is to you, but I won't change my position,"
"You're very unfair with me," mumbled Usagi, "You simply don't want to understand me, to talk with me. I think you want to break up with me and is ashamed to say,"
Michiru was the one who was sat at Usagi's right, but she pretended not paying attention to their conversation, so she could know what was happening between them. She was worried because she couldn't keep a watch upon Haruka at same time, and hoped someone was doing it for her.
"You know it isn't truth, Usako," retorted Mamoru, "You know I love you and wanna stay with you forever, so. why do we have to speed up things?"
"You're trying to confuse me with your fond words, but I know well what I want," she declared giving him an annoyed glance, "After all we went through, I don't think we're speeding up anything. You have to understand we aren't a normal couple,"
Mamoru stared at her, saying all that discussion was pointless, and Usagi made an angry face, puffing to him. Michiru wasn't sure of what they were talking about, but she had a good guess.
After lunch, they all went to the pope, urging to see the wonderful huge sea. They were a big group and pushed attention of the other passengers. Setsuna had already been there, so she was leading them with Rei by her side. Just after her were Ami, Minako and Makoto, side by side with their respective mates, being followed by Usagi and Mamoru. Michiru and Haruka came next and last but not least, Warai tried to come close to Haruka.
"Hi," he said, entering between Haruka and Michiru, "Sorry if I bothered you too much in the pools,"
She gave him an icy look, and in a normal situation she would just ignore him, but something made her act in a unusual way.
"It's OK," she answered, "I know people like you cannot keep their mouths closed,"
Michiru grinned inside.
"I know I talk much more than I should," Warai stated, "But everyone deserves a second chance,"
Michiru was certain Haruka would say something spiteful to him, but she was took by surprise when Haruka said with a smile she agreed with him. Michiru thought she was hallucinating, because the Haruka she knew would never behave like that.
"So, Haruka, is it your first cruise?" Warai asked, trying to start a conversation.
"No," Haruka answered monosyllabic.
"And what's your age? I'm 18," he asked.
"17. But I'll be 18 very soon," she said without looking to him.
"And what about you?" Warai asked, turning to the other side, "Michiru, isn't it?"
"Yes," she agreed bitterly, "I'm 17 too,"
"Do you know each other since long ago?" he inquired curious, puzzled by the icily behavior of them. Michiru and Haruka exchanged glances.
"Some years," Michiru said.
"So it's a good friendship. Nowadays, a relationship that is older than an year is a very rare jewel,"
"In this particular point I have to be in agreement with you," Michiru started, staring to Haruka with a irritated expression, "People don't think anymore that things like love and amity are worthwhile,"
"I have a different point of view," snap Haruka before Warai could say anything, "I think people know relationships are valuable, but they are so worried with their own issues, that they can't notice other people's dilemmas. And as you know, there's no love, no affection, that can live without mutual comprehension,"
"Yeah, but," Warai started to say when Michiru interrupted him.
"Of course not," she pointed out, "but when people don't express what they're feeling, when they hide inside their own cocoon, they block any attempt of comprehension,"
"Maybe people act this way because they know they'll be condemned and criticized," Haruka said with an annoyed look.
"You have to admit that it's all speculation," Michiru contra- attacked, "How people can know the reaction of the others without saying their problems openly?"
"Acquaintance can reveal a lot about personality," Haruka smirked.
"But there's always surprises," Michiru said, "And some of them are very bad,"
At this time, they were already in the pope, and Michiru distanced from them. Rei came in her direction, and they exchanged meaningful glances when passed by each other.
It was pretty cold and a chill wind blew; the waves were mad in the sea, but the huge ship almost didn't oscillate. Haruka leaned on the main rail looking to the horizon and thought about her argument with Michiru. Warai stood by her side.
"Can I help someway?" he offered his help.
"No. I think," mumbled Haruka, "You don have to bother with that,"
"Sorry, but I'm already concerned," he said, "It's really sad to see two good friends fighting,"
Haruka felt shaken by Warai's worry. As long she could remember, no one had never been worried about her. Excluding Michiru, obviously.
"Can you tell me why you were fighting?" he asked.
"I think it's not a good idea." Haruka said, "Besides, I think we didn't know why exactly we were discussing,"
"May I take a guess?" he suggested and Haruka agreed, "I think you are with a big problem and don't want to tell her. Because of it, Michiru is feeling betrayed and is afraid to loose your friendship,"
"You're very sensitive," Haruka said, thinking why she was being so sincere with him, "I think you're 90% right,"
"Where are my mistakes?" he inquired.
"In some details, but you're right about the big picture," Haruka said, "What do you think I should do?"
"I don't know," he answered, "What's the problem do you have?"
"I cannot say," Haruka told him.

"Oh, tell him!" Rei thought. She was hidden close to them, trying to figure out the reason for all that secret.

"Don't you thrust me?" Warai asked, looking deeply in Haruka's eyes.
"Don't gaze me this way," she said trembling, "I don't like to fell out of control,"
"If I make you fell out of control, it's a good signal," Warai declared, holding Haruka's hands. They were cold and tremulous. He moved his body closer to hers.
"Thrust me, please." he said and leaned towards her.
"Stop it!" Haruka yelled, pushing him, "You're a liar! You were trying to help me, but all you wanted was. You're disgusting!"
Warai called her name as she went away. Rei started to think which would be the next step.