"Gold cannot be pure, and people cannot be perfect."
-Chinese Proverb

"The registration's here."

I already spent a few seconds looking for the registration table when I heard someone beckon me towards one of the bleachers.

"Haruka."

My stride was halted when I noticed the someone.

"Anya," I regarded the girl with a slight uneasiness in my stomach.

"I'm sorry. Coach Santos already the closed off the registration a while ago," the girl, who was sitting beside Anya, handed me the list of participants to show that the last number has been marked off to prevent anyone from writing their names anymore.

"But it's only 2:44. I still have a minute left!" I tried my best not to sound desperate. "Come on, miss. Please? I ditched the tryout last year, and I'm dying to be in the team."

Anya interrupted my plead. "And that is why," she then gave me a few documents to fill-up, "I have these for you. I've expected that you might want to grace us with your presence this year."

With shaking hands, I took a few steps and reached out for the papers…but what I didn't anticipate was for her to stand up and walk towards me. It was already too late when we realized our mistakes, and by then, we were just a hair away from each other.

"Ruka, I didn't mean to…sorry," she was smiling but the nervousness she was feeling was very much obvious in her face.

"It's okay, Anya. It's nothing," I pretended that I was not affected by the sheer closeness of our bodies. I tried to breathe in gulps of air to ease out the awkwardness that I was feeling. But it was another mistake. With her being nearby, I smelled roses and my breath got caught.

And in an instant, all memories of our past "together" came back with crushing sadness and regret. Me and her, when we were still little...The two of us, walking under an umbrella and having fun in the rain…Every happy scene flashed on my mind…even that fleeting moment when we shared our first kiss, yes, with each other…

Anya, my best friend, the one I used to love.

She walked a few steps away. "I'm sorry," her voice was gloomy, and I knew that it wasn't because of what happened just now. It was because of what happened a few months ago. When she told me that she didn't love me anymore. "I have to go now, Haruka. Good luck with the tryout," she gave me her megawatt smile that made me fall for her.

I kept my head low to try and hold back the tears. Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. I loved her. And she loved me too, once upon a time. But it just wasn't meant to be.

Though the second I heard Coach Santos calling me towards the starting line, I immediately wore the mask of indifference that I always wear and lifted my gaze towards the cheering crowd and my fellow runners. And then I was back to my "old self" once again.

To the world, I am Haruka Tenoh.
Junior Motocross champion.
Piano prodigy.
Racetrack sensation.
A handsome guy.

Apathetic.
Indifferent.
Cocky.
Arrogant.

The epitome of perfection.

Yet deep inside, I am just a little kid, pretending to be someone important, that a lot of people care about...but in the end, after the show ends, when the curtains fall and the lights go out...I am just a silly child, all alone, bleeding in the darkness.

I wonder if Moeko could see through the facade…

Author's Note:

Boring, I know. But I believe that everything happens for a reason. And this is not just rubbish talk. :)

Sorry for the delay, I've just been swamped by W-O-R-K. I've got two guest writings to finish, a website to design, an Interactive Fic to start, and I have yet to enrol for the upcoming semester. Bleh!

Oh yeah, I made mistake. I should've included Anya in the People-who-know-Haruka's-a-girl list. Gomen!

Disclaimer:

Haruka, Michiru, and the rest of the BSSM gang belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.
The Chinese people own their proverb.