Chapter 16 : Through shaded glasses

.:x:.

Usagi entered the room quietly, she had gone to apologize to Tokihara-san, even if Akane had told her it wasn't necessary, and had talked with the man for a moment, now she was anxious to talk with her friends. 'I don't know what to tell them...'

"Usagi," Called Mamoru, he was going to look for her when he saw his girlfriend entering the room and walking with her head down. She seemed to be pondering over something that worried her.

"Oh Mamoru, how are they ?" Asked instinctively Usagi.

"Well, if you ask about Haruka and Minako...they are sleeping in the bedroom." Said Mamoru as he pointed over a door on their right. "Haruka didn't want to let go of Minako, so seeing the tired state in which was Haruka, Minako decided to lay him down and to sleep with him." Said Mamoru sadly. He pained him to see one of his friend to be in this painful state.

"And the other ? How are they taking the situation ?" Questioned the small blonde worriedly.

"Hm Ami and Rei are okay, I think. They are really mature and know what life is like. Makoto...she felt somehow guilty, but Sasuke is comforting her now...and Michiru, well she's been silent since we've entered the room but I know she's the one that is suffering the most." Said Mamoru to his girlfriend.

"And what about the girl ? Kyoko?"

"Oh, she wanted to take Haruka away but he just shove her away...so she just sat there with her arms crossed waiting silently." He replied.

Usagi just nodded and then take Mamoru's arm and walked with him towards the other in the sitting room.

.:x:.

"Usagi." Called Rei as she saw her friend with Mamoru. "Where is Akane ?" She then asked, not really knowing what to say.

"She went to inform her maids that we will be staying here for the night and she also went to retrieve several pictures that had been taken secretly." Replied Usagi.

"That would have been in the headlines otherwise..." Said quietly Rei, but then something struck her. "How come we never read anything about Ayashi ?" Asked cautiously Rei. She knew it wasn't something to talk about, but she wanted to know in order to understand and help Haruka.

Sasuke, Mamoru and Usagi tensed a little at Rei's assumption. They knew they would have to explain but they didn't know how. Sasuke eyed Mamoru and saw him pleaded with his eyes.

"Six months prior, Tenou-san used his influenced...he had kept secret Ayashi's hospitalization...and her family had wanted their daughter to have a common and calm funeral back in Fukuoka." Explained Sasuke quietly.

"And how do you know ?" Asked Makoto surprised by her boyfriend statement.

"My father..." Answered Sasuke looking away.

Makoto looked at Sasuke and then at Mamoru and Usagi. The three of them bore the same expression on their face. "You two knew it too..." She accused softly as she looked at Usagi and Mamoru. "Why haven't you told us ?" She then asked.

"Because that's not your problem!" Shouted Kyoko as she stood up. "That's all your fault if Haruka is suffering!"

"Hey minutes, Who are you to blame us by the way ? I'm sure you only know him for a night or-" Said Makoto but was slapped before she could finished her sentence.

"I wont let you insult him...and me." Kyoko said as she looked at Makoto with anger.

Makoto was going to say something when Sasuke came to her and took her in his arms. "Wait Mako, She's Haruka's step sister."

The other just looked at her with wide eyes, not believing what Sasuke had said. "But...earlier-" Started Makoto astonished.

"He only wanted to get ride of those bitches..." Said Kyoko sadly. She sensed the others eyes on her and knew that they were waiting for her to continue her explanation. "And I said that I loved him because I do...I met him before I knew ...he was Tenou Haruka, then several months later I ...I learnt who he was...but it was already too late, for he was married and was going to be my older brother..." She told them crying softly. She didn't know why she told those strangers what she felt and what had happened but she was glad that it was already out. She tried to wipe away her tears but each stroke only brought back knew fresh tears.

"Sshhh..." Said Michiru as she gently took the crying girl in her arms. She knew what it was to loose her first love at this very young age. Kyoko didn't protest, she leant on Michiru and cried harder, letting loose of the feelings she had repressed. "You kept it too yourself for so long...you're very brave." Said Michiru while stroking softly Kyoko's hair. She somehow felt relieve to know that she was only Haruka's sister but she didn't know herself what she was feeling for the blonde now.

Kyoko just let her tears ran down her cheeks and wept on the aqua haired girl's shoulder.

Makoto walked to the two women and stopped near them. She then closed her eyes with guilt and whispered softly to the crying girl. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."

Rei saw that everyone was looking at Kyoko and Michiru, so she decided to take this opportunity to check on the other two in the bedroom. Silently she walked out of the room and into the hall.

Before the door, Rei slowly turned the knob door in order to not wake them up and opened the door silently.

The sight just made her heart pound fiercely, she wanted to turn back and to leave them but her body wasn't agreeing with her mind. She just stayed silently at the door frame looking at them with sad eyes.

She then felt hot tears streaming down her own cheeks, she didn't know why she was crying but something in her heart was aching. 'Why am I crying ?' She asked herself internally, she tried to wipe away her tears with her hands but the tears seemed to flow ceaselessly. She then looked up again and she then understood. 'I'm envious...I'm envious of them, because they looked like they are belonging to each other's arms...I wish I-' She thought sadly to herself, but her thought was interrupted when she heard footsteps coming her way.

"Rei ?" Asked Ami with concerned in her voice. She noticed Rei's departure and she wanted to come and check on her friends too. "Are you okay ?"

"I'm okay..." She whispered. "They just looked like so...sleeping like this." She said incoherently.

Ami surprised by Rei's statement, looked at the two sleeping form on the bed and her eyes sadden. She understood that Minako looked a little like Ayashi but their position seemed to be so natural, and their expression of contentment just to be in each other arms was really surprising and beautiful that it tore her heart too. 'Oh Minako...'

.:x:.

The next morning, Michiru waked up at dawn. She wanted to check on Haruka and Minako, she knew they were probably still sleeping but she couldn't help it, she longed to see Haruka again.

Yesterday has been a night full of surprised.

The first time she saw the supposed sitting man, she was immediately attracted by his resemblance with Haruka. She had looked at him with a curious look and somehow she had found his expression different from what she remembered Haruka's. He seemed to be older, maybe in his late twenties and that's what's convinced her that it wasn't probably Haruka.

However has she heard the girl shouting his name, she couldn't look away. It was Haruka, the one she knew, but so different from what her mind had imagined. Haruka was still androgynously handsome and with the years had became even more charming and attractive, but her eyes reflected an immense pain. Looking at her was just consuming her effort to forget her, but more importantly her effort to keep her feeling from reviving.

As she witnessed Haruka's desperate cry, she couldn't help but to feel her heart ache for the tall blonde. She wanted to help her, to console her, to enlace her but she wasn't needed. Haruka was obsessed with Ayashi and from what she saw yesterday night, the tall blonde was still mourning deeply Ayashi, so much that she mistook Minako for her.

It pained her to see Haruka like this.

Silently, she walked to their bedroom and opened slowly the door. She took a look at the bedroom in general and then laid her eyes on the bed.

She was surprised to see that Minako was awake and was looking at Haruka's sleeping face. She wanted to call Minako but stopped herself when she saw how her friend was caressing Haruka's face with tenderness. 'She does look like Ayashi...'Thought sadly Michiru to herself.

She remembered the day four years ago at the airport, she had also witnessed how caring they were looking at each other and it was what had convinced her that it was love. Days after, she hadn't spent one night without wondering what it would have happened and what the outcome would have been if she had gone to them and confronted Haruka. There has been so many scenario, she didn't want to regret it this time.

Looking at Minako, Michiru decided that she had to talk to her friend. She couldn't let her friend get carried, it was too dangerous.

"Minako..." Michiru whispered softly.

"Oh, Michiru..." Replied softly Minako, she saw that her friend was waiting for her to get up, so she made a sign to the aqua haired girl to wait. She then looked at Haruka and then reluctantly tried to disengaged herself without waking Haruka up. She successfully got out of bed and silently strode to the door frame, where Michiru was standing, waiting for her.

"I'm sorry Minako...but we have to talk." Said Michiru softly.

"Okay, let's go to sitting room then." Agreed quietly Minako smiling.

.:x:.

"You mean you're not ?" Asked Michiru surprised. She was sure she had guessed right.

"Attracted to Haruka ?...I am, but that's all...I'm only remaining her of Ayashi anyway, and I don't think she will ever consider going out with me. I did try in high school, remember ?" Replied Minako. "Plus I already have my eyes on someone else." She added smiling to Michiru.

"Oh...I didn't know, you never..." Said Michiru but stopped as she looked at Minako. 'She knew ?' Thought Michiru while looking at her smiling friend. "How ?" She then whispered still holding her friend's gaze.

Minako knew what her friend meant when she heard Michiru's voice, it wasn't difficult for her to know exactly who Haruka really was after yesterday night but she didn't know if she should tell her friend or not the truth about her finding. "Last night has confirmed what I fought." She decided to say, then seeing that her friend was still waiting for her to explain, she sighed and gathered her thoughts. "Well it started back in high school, I didn't know why, but I found Haruka more beautiful than handsome. I think it's because he ...no, she had this elegance and softness that were unique. I don't think I ever knew a boy or a man like this...and last night just confirmed it." She finished rapidly not wanting to tell Michiru how she also had looked at Haruka when the two were together.

The aqua haired girl just looked at her friend with wide eyes. 'She saw through this...and don't mind nor feel surprised ?' Thought Michiru.

"And...and you're not surprised or feel deceived ?" She voiced out her thought, she didn't know where the word deceived came from but she didn't find any other words to explain what she had felt when she had learnt about it.

"Well not really, as I said I supected it." Replied Minako honestly.

"How... I mean you're not surprised at all that one of your friend turned out to be a woman and ...you don't mind being fooled for so long?" She asked as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Michiru..." Whispered softly Minako, she now knew that her friend hadn't taken it well and that it had probably been the reason of their sudden break up. She then slowly stood up and came to embrace her friend. "I'm sorry." She said comforting.

"Why, Minako? Why couldn't I have been like you ? I was so scared and so angry, I didn't even let her explain ! Why aren't you ?" Michiru cried in her friend shoulder.

"Oh Michiru..." Said quietly Minako, she didn't know what to say to calm her friend so she just tighten her hold and waited.

After a moment, Michiru gently pulled away and apologized. "I'm sorry Minako."

"It's okay, do you feel better now ?" Asked Minako concerned.

"Hai, thank you." Replied Michiru with a slight smile. She paused a moment and then looked at Minako. "You...you still feel attracted though ?" Asked Michiru shyly.

"Yes.totally." She replied smiling. "Especially now, don't you think?"

"Well...yes, but I...I thought you already had your eyes on someone else ?" Asked Michiru surprised by Minako's honest and fast answer, to her it seemed like Minako was in love.

"I do, but..." Replied Minako, but then she glanced at Michiru and saw her friend's eyes sadden and her smile faded. "Hey! that doesn't mean I love her you know...I'm just attracted and...okay I do also care about her but it's...well, platonic ?" Explained Minako, trying to convince her aqua haired friend.

"Oh sorry, am I so obvious ?" Questioned Michiru quietly.

"Well... to me, yes." Smiled Minako, she then took Michiru's hands in hers and whispered. "Don't think too much."

"Hai, anyway who is it ?" Asked Michiru, she was somehow relieve that her friend wasn't going to fall for Haruka but deep down she was wondering if she had also thought too much four years ago. 'What if I had misread Haruka too ?' She thought distraught.

"My secret." Winked Minako as a reply.

"You're not going to tell me no matter what, right?" Enquired the aqua haired girl forcing a smile, the question about her guess four years ago still hanging on her mind.

"Right." Smiled Minako. "Why are you asking me that anyway ?" She then questioned her friend.

"Well, I just wanted to know who the lucky guy was." Replied Michiru smiling slightly.

"Not that, I mean why do you ask me if I was attracted to Haruka ?" She asked again with a serious expression on her face.

For a moment, Michiru didn't answer for she didn't even know herself why she had ask her friend in the first place. She just had to know. " I don't know why myself...I just wanted to know. I saw how you look at her this morning and how you had caressed her cheek...and I don't know. I just felt like I had to ask you."

"Michiru." Whispered softly Minako. She knew how her friend had loved the blonde and how she had suffered from their break up, but she had moved on now and had started anew. "Don't tell me you still held feelings for Haruka ?" Minako asked concerned.

"I don't, well I think I don't...but each time I laid my eyes on her, I can hear my heart pound rapidly in my chest." Michiru answered honestly and let her hand rest above her heart. "I don't understand it, Minako." She then whispered with her eyes closed.

Minako knew what it meant and she wanted her friend to realize it herself. "Did your heart ever beat so much... for someone else, like Sei ?" Asked Minako after a moment. She knew it was maybe too straightforward, but she wanted to help them. 'It's maybe too premature for Haruka though...'

Michiru surprised by Minako's question took a moment to think before answering. "No... unfortunately."

"Why unfortunately ?" Asked Minako softly.

"Because each time my heart beat for Haruka, it hurts..." She replied sadly. "It hurts because I know she doesn't love me as much as ...I love her."

"How do you know I don't love you just as much ?" Interrrupted a soft voice from the door frame.

"Haruka ?" Called Minako astonished. "You're already up ?" She then asked trying to divert the blonde. She hadn't expected the latter to wake up so early. 'Did she just say what I heard ?' Thought internally Minako.

"Hai, I slept well. Thank you very much Minako...and I'm sorry about yesterday, I think I drank too much." Replied Haruka a little embarrassed.

"It's okay." She replied blushing at what Haruka had implied. "I know what it's like to loose someone dear to you. My condolence." She then added sadly, she wanted to know how Haruka took the whole thing.

"Thank you." Replied Haruka softly. 'It still hurt, but the past was the past' She reminded to herself. She would never forget Ayashi nor the time they've spent together but she didn't want the past to hinder her life anymore.

'Hm, so she's moved on...' Thought Minako as she looked at Haruka. She was surprised then to see how the tall blonde was looking at her friend. 'Just like before...when they were together.'

Haruka had turned her gaze to Michiru and saw that the aqua haired girl was sitting silently, her profile to her. "Michiru." She whispered softly. It's been almost four years now that she had laid an eye on her friend from this near and she had to admit that she had became even more beautiful than before. 'Maybe because I'm near her and that I'm not looking at her through shaded glasses.' She thought.

Michiru couldn't believe her ears. 'How dare she says this after all she's done !' Thought Michiru. She waited silently until Minako and Haruka's conversation came to an end, and then hearing Haruka whispered her name she slowly stood up and turned to Haruka. "Good morning." She said nonchalantly and then walked to her and passed her.

However before she could leave the room, Haruka had stopped her by holding gently her wrist. "Michiru, can we talk please ?" Pleaded Haruka.

The aqua haired girl swirled around and looked straight into sad teal eyes. "Release me, Haruka." Said coldly Michiru. She knew she had said to Minako that she still had feelings for Haruka and that Haruka had overheard it, but she couldn't bear the lies and more importantly she didn't want to be someone second choice. 'She made her choice, now it's too late!' She thought internally, she knew she was acting incoherently, for she had dreamt of being with the blonde again but her pride took over her thought.

"Not before you listen to what I have to say." Said calmly Haruka.

"I don't want to listen to your lies! You understand ? I have enough of your lies !" Shouted Michiru out of pain.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have push you. If you don't want to talk to me I understand, I was too presumptuous." Said Haruka sadly. She knew she shouldn't have said this to Michiru, but the only sight of her friend after so many years had just made her resolution crumble.

Before she came back to Tokyo, Haruka had been mourning Ayashi for two whole months, she had felt so powerless, so incapable but mainly so guilty, that she was lost in her own world and blamed herself for what had happened.

Then her father being unable to bear seeing his daughter in this state anymore, prompted her harshly to work and she had worked without a break since then. And without realizing it herself, she had moved on. Later, at her father request she came back to Tokyo and to her past.

She has been in Tokyo for almost three months now and she had kept herself from visiting her friend or wandered around the places she used to go. She had wanted to let Michiru lived her life as happily as she deserved with her boyfriend, Seichirou Matsudaira.

He was a tall man in his mid twenties, athletic, handsome, wealthy and more importantly he seemed to care a lot about Michiru. One day, as she was going to the Tenou's Corp building, she had spotted the aqua haired girl with the man, walking down the street holding hands. They seemed to be happy and that's what convinced her that she had made the right decision. However, her heart seemed to think otherwise, for it beat violently each time she glanced at the aqua haired girl's happy expression, and so much that it hurt her. The pain was so intense that she had to press her hands on her heart to attenuate the strong throbbing.

By pure instinct then, Haruka had asked for an investigation about this Seichirou Matsudaira and she had been surprised to see that he shared the same interest as Michiru be it in arts, music and literature. However, as the only heir of the Matsudaira empire he was educated very strictly and very manly.

However, one month prior to now, Michiru broke up their engagement. After hearing this news, the blonde had wanted to know why her aqua haired friend had made such a move but the only way would have been to ask Michiru in person or one of her close friend. So, overhearing the conversation between Minako and Michiru had been like an answer. She knew it wasn't reasonable to come to Michiru like this, especially after what she had done to the aqua haired girl but she wanted another chance with Michiru. It was selfish but she had made a promise.

After spying on her for three months, Haruka had felt the need to be near Michiru again and she was going to do anything for a second chance.

"But I want you to know that my heart can't lie..." She then said as she took Michiru's hand in her and placed it above her heart. "It pounds fiercly ...because of you... and for you." She then whispered.

"Why...Why do you have to come back... four years later without Ayashi and said those things to me ? Why ?" Cried Michiru with tears in her eyes. "You are cruel !" She then said as she pulled away.

She then looked into Haruka's eyes. "Now that Ayashi's gone you want me back ? Well I'm sorry, I'm not something you can throw and take back as you please !" She shouted angrily as more tears made their way down her cheeks.

Minako walked silently to Michiru and held her comfortingly.

Haruka stood silently ashamed, she knew that what Michiru said was somehow true but she hadn't wanted to loose her, not again. "I'm..." Started the tall blonde but didn't finish her sentence as she looked up and saw Minako's eyes, telling her to withdraw for now.

She nodded and was going to retreat, but as she turned to leave she came face to face with all her other friends.

.:x:.

AN: There's probably a lot of mistakes here and there but I didn't have time to check and I wouldn't spot all of them anyway.

To the reviewers : Thank you very much !

Rushingwind, As always, I like reading your review! I hope you like that chapter too. I wanted to make Kyoko a threat but since your coronary artery was put at stake, I decided otherwise. Hehe. No, more seriously, I never plan to make Kyoko a threat she was just one of the cue that made Michiru's feeling more obvious.

Mistrgosh, thanks for your review. To be honest, I never planned to let all the other find out because I think it was better not to jeopardize her current identity as an heir but I gave a second thought at what you said (even if I don't understand the boo-boo thing) and came to like the idea, thus Minako's part. Hope you liked it.

Hachiru, I'm glad you like my story so far and let me know it. Thanks.

Starchick24, Thank you for the compliment. I'm glad you liked the plot, I tried to write as best as I can but it's not easy when it's not in your native language. I'm sure I still made mistakes to conjugate verbs though.

Papapapuffy, Thank you for letting a review, I hope you like this chapter too.

Apl85, I'm really glad you like my story and think that I described well each characters feelings. I'm encouraged by your praise. Oh funny you mentioned about the note I left to the reviewers, I was going to stop writing them and instead mail a more personal answer to each reviewer but nobody seemed to left their address email so I will just left the note as it is and since you like it too.

Petiyaka, thanks for the review. I'm always glad to know what reader think of my fic.

Kiki, oh I'm happy to know you're not going to blame me and that you like my fic. I know I don't have to follow every reviewer's request, but most of the time I tried to do so when it's possible because I liked to please the readers. Thanks for your review !

Andrea, don't be sad because it's almost the end. There's still at least 2 or 3 more chapters ! Anyway I'm glad you enjoyed my fic.