Chapter 4:
Quiet Talk

Haruka was walking to the parking lot, slowly. She still couldn't believe that she'll be playing Joushin Jiyuu, the most difficult yet most coveted role in this year's school play. As she paced towards her sports car, she reflected on the events of the last few days: Seeing her at the track, almost meeting her at the audition, knowing a close friend of hers, and now getting a role as her partner… Surely, such fortunate coincidence could not possibly happen without some outside force, could it?

Standing beside the gold convertible, with her hand reaching to her pocket for her keys, she remembered a line in the play… the one that had a great impact on her…

"'…love was not meant to be written,' " she whispered to herself, a warm feeling enveloping her. " 'But felt…' "

"'It was meant to be understood, not explained…,' " muttered another voice, a sweet gentle voice behind her. Startled, Haruka turned around quickly. She froze solid as soon as she saw who had followed her.

It was Michiru, grinning brightly at her. Haruka felt her cheeks burn, her ears going slightly pink.

"Hi," said the aqua-haired girl somewhat shyly. "You seem to like that line."

Haruka couldn't get words out of her mouth, so she nodded, a bit stiffly at that.

"Oh, foolish me, disturbing you without an introduction," she said, putting a hand over her mouth. Her cheeks went red, apparently because she was embarrassed with her actions. Regaining her composure, she raised her hand for the other to shake. "Kaiou Michiru, 2-A"

"I know, I mean… I've heard about you…well…I," stammered Haruka, her heart pounding on her chest, making her flush. She stretched her hand, which was shaking a little, towards Miciru's and shook it with a tad difficulty. The other didn't seem to notice. "I-I'm T-Ten'ou Haruka, 2-C"

"You're playing Joushin Jiyuu, right?" Again, Haruka could only nod. "Then, I guess we'll be having quite a time together. I'm playing Hareta Ai."

Haruka gazed at Michiru. She was still smiling at her, her blue eyes twinkling as she spoke. Haruka, feeling a little more at ease, beamed at her.

"Yes, perhaps we would…," replied Haruka, inserting her keys to unlock the doors of her car. Gathering some courage, Haruka asked Michiru, "Ne, Kaiou-san, would you like a ride home?"

"I'd love to," began Michiru, making Haruka have her hopes up. A distance from them, Shinobu and Makoto were calling out for her to come with them. "…but I can't." Michiru barely saw Haruka's slight frown. "Itazura-kun, Makoto-chan and I have some plans… maybe some other time…"

"Ok," mumbled Haruka. Michiru went towards her waiting friends, Haruka's gaze still fixed on her. She let out a sigh.

"'Before this, I've never known that love… not until now…' "

Michiru was walking in a weird manner. Each step she took didn't seem to touch the pavement, as if she was walking on air… drifting… floating…

"Michiru seems to be very happy today," observed Makoto. She turned to the redhead beside her "Ever wondered why?"

"I wonder who made her day," Shinobu said with a smirk painted on his face.

"Hi guys," said Michiru, grinning from ear to ear. "Shall we go?"

"Erm, why don't we just talk and stroll for a while, Michiru," suggested Makoto, trying hard to keep a smirk from showing. "We're not in a big hurry, after all."

"Ok, spit it out," said Michiru flatly, looking at them through narrowed eyes. She evidently saw through her friends' effort to hide their suspicious mirth.

"Whoa! Don't get sore on us now," said a smiling Shinobu, waving a hand in front of his face. "We just want to know why you chose Ten'ou-san. Was it because you fancy him?"

From a scowling face with narrowed eyes, Michiru's expression turned into a surprised one with her eyebrows raised over her wide eyes. Her two friends were trying to stifle their giggling over her appearance. But they failed, badly.

"You should've seen the look on your face!" cried Makoto between laughter.

"Anyway, why did you choose, er, him?" asked Shinobu. No one really knew that Haruka was a girl, but some students like Shinobu have their suspicions whenever they pass her near the locker rooms.

"Why does it matter?" Michiru scoffed. "If it's about his acting, I think he's good enough."

"It's not about his acting," said Makoto, trying so hard to stop giggling. "It's about your feelings about, you know… him"

Michiru rolled her eyes at them, but her face turned pink. She looked away from them, obviously embarrassed.

"Ha! Knew it!" declared Shinobu, rubbing his hands together. He turned to Makoto. "Pay up, Subarashii."

"Fine, then." Makoto handed him a few bills a bit reluctantly. She scowled at Shinobu as he danced victoriously.

"So," Michiru crossly said. "You guys had a little wager about my feelings. How tactless of you!"

"We're sorry, Michiru," Makoto apologized to an irritated Michiru. "But, then I guess you know we would sooner or later."

Michiru frowned. Of course, she knew that her two friends liked betting on some odd events, like if a teacher would trip on someone's foot or something, but she never thought that they would bet on her feelings for Ten'ou. There are just some things that could never be change.

"I can't believe you did this…" she said in fake sadness, then grinned. "Baka, Itazura-kun-tachi."

The three of them laughed at that.

"I can't believe she actually spoke to me," muttered Haruka. She's at an intersection waiting for the red light to turn green. She sighed at her words, while still thinking about Michiru.

The light turned green. Grinning, she stepped on the acceleration. Her gold car sped off at her command. The fierce wind blew, making her blond hair dance with it. The speed was like an adrenaline rush. Her pulse quickened as she drove a bit faster. Soon, she reached the gates of an elegant mansion.

She stood before the gates, hesitating to enter. The euphoria of her conversation with Michiru was still there, but shortly, loneliness found its way into her heart again as she pushed them open and entered her large and empty household.

More Notes: Okaaaay! Now I know some of you are really interested to know what would happen next, but I haven't finished writing the next chapter. I only updated to add a few notes and fix something because, for some reason, took it out. shrugs I'm having difficulty dishing out chapter six because I'm trying to make the following chapters longer, as requested. My writing style has been having mood swings, so sorry for the abrupt style changes of my writing.

Well, as a way of apologizing, I'm placing a teaser of chapter six…

…Haruka woke at a start. She was breathing heavily. Her hair was sticking to the back of her neck. Her usually loose nightshirt was clinging to her skin. Her hands were trembling as she wiped away the cold drop of perspiration just over her eyebrow. She wearily gazed at the alarm clock beside her.

Two o' clock.

She guessed that it wasn't the alarm that woke her up. She stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. On it was a picture of a single red rose protected by brown and brick red thorns...