Chapter Two

"Now here comes the part that's going to cause us all a lot of grief," Tenoh Haruka muttered, already massaging her aching forehead and resting the other hand on her hip. She nodded at the five gentlemen in uniform in the driveway, nervously maneuvering a massive black piano out of its own separate moving van. "I just paid for the house and now here is a new piano I'll have to buy once they smash it to pieces."

The abnormally tall, golden-haired woman blinked a little dust out of her eyes from the crates and boxes around her in what would probably be the living room someday soon. In all seriousness, though, they weren't doing a half-bad job considering that this was day one in the time it would take to completely move in. The fierce afternoon sunlight was coming in pale and filtered through curtains that were already hung up at many of the windows, and her partner Kaioh Michiru silently busied herself in the kitchen for most of the day.

The shorter, feminine woman made her way around a countertop on which she had already set up a vase of white orchids, bringing Haruka a glass of iced tea.

"But you couldn't possibly have left that piano behind," Michiru said in her melodious, euphonic voice. "A huge part of our life would be missing if you did."

Haruka saw bubbling happiness in her lover's navy eyes. Earlier this morning she watched Michiru slip on a soft pastel-yellow sundress and black apron, tie up her waving aqua-green hair, and hum to herself as she gladly carried things in and out. Haruka tried to tell her that she looked like a sweet little housewife, but she choked on the words.

"Maybe we'll do it just like on TV and put the piano up on the roof," she said, trying to shake Haruka out of her awkward and pensive silence.

She felt Michiru's tiny, smooth and creamy hand slip across her waist to meet her own larger, rougher hand. They'd been together for years, but at long last there would no longer be any need to hop from one apartment to another just to see what the other was up to for no reason. Michiru had asked long ago if they could move in together, and it was finally happening on a beautiful tropical island, peaceful and away from trouble.

"If you wanted to get away from a bothersome past, why did you invite those girls to come and see us?" Michiru teased her, leaning her head against Haruka's shoulder, as if reading her thoughts.

"They're sweet and harmless, and I thought we could use some familiar company while we made our adjustments."

"You wanted housewarming presents," her partner laughed.

Haruka's lips played into a boyish, embarrassed smile. "Well, we wanted to begin anew, right? I know you wouldn't mind some new dishes, either."

Michiru laughed, gently poking her in the side with a neatly-manicured fingernail.

"Besides, it just isn't the same without those kids to babysit, anyway," she finally admitted. "Don't think I know nothing about the way you laughed with them too."

"Oh, I certainly wouldn't mind them coming," the smaller woman replied. "I always thought Makoto was kind of cute, anyway."

Haruka's eyes grew large. "Huh?"

"I'm teasing you, Haruka." Michiru ruffled her partner's masculine, short hair and raised herself on tiptoe to kiss her cheek. "I want tempura for dinner."

"You got it."

Along with the iced tea, Haruka took a pill for her headache and stepped out into the driveway to oversee everything. She definitely hadn't been all that excited about the actual moving-in part, with so many expensive things to worry about.

A few palm trees lined the streets of their neighborhood, rustling about in the breeze that was much needed in this hot stickyness. Now she'd have to buy more short-sleeved tops, but it was a little matter when Haruka took notice of the island's bountiful beauty. Right now she wanted her motorcycle more than anything, to tear up the long roads and pass the scenery in the blink of an eye, like speeding through a slideshow made of photographs in a brochure, doubling the sensation of the healing wind washing through her soul, cleansing the few wounds that were still settled in her heart.

This whole thing was as romantic as it had ever possibly been between them, and Haruka thought that playing piano up on the roof with stars glittering over her was actually not such a bad idea, up until---

"Hey, hey! No, do NOT drop that---Oh, DAMN IT!"