Disclaimer: I don't own neither Haruka nor Michiru just the plot of this lovely store.

Thanks for your reviews although many of you didn't post a thing.

I'm in mourning…my beloved laptop died on me last Friday, so I won't be updating too often. Sorry.

Master E: A big, big kiss for you, thanks for loving me so much.

Sirena

By auraluna7

Chapter 20: Engagement

"Ask me once more..."

"What?"

"You know what...ask me"

Hanzo step of his chair and approached Michiru, she stood up facing him. "Are you sure?" She just nodded, all the cells in her body shouting her to get out... "Michiru Kaioh, would you make me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Michiru sighed, and swallowed her tears. "Yes Hanzo, I will"

The two of them stared at each other fro a second, the Hanzo leaned to kiss her lips briefly, Michiru felt nothing but a deep sense of remorse when he kissed her, lucky for her the kiss was over soon. "I … I have a ring but is back home Michi"

"It's ok, give it to me later, well I leave you to work…"

"Michi are you sure about this?"

"As sure as I'll ever be" "Yes, I'll see you and your father for dinner tonight at my house, we'll announce it then"

Michiru get out of the office and walk down the pad towards her house feeling light-headed, she went to her room to lie down on her bed a few minutes before facing the reality once more. "I won't take y word back, I'll marry Hanzo to make my father happy, he'll have peace and his grandkids and I'll learn to live with this"

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"You what?"

"I'm marrying Hanzo Nana, is it so hard to believe, weren't you the one pushing me to do this?"

"But … you're not happy you said it like if you were convicted to marry him….oh please! Don't tell me you're pregnant of that Tenoh bastard!"

"First of all don't call Haruka that ever again! And second I'm not pregnant, how could I be?" Michiru ignored Nana's sarcastic expression, Haruka always Haruka popped up in the conversations and every time she felt this pain in her chest, whoever said that love was in the brain definitely was never heartbroken.

"So you love Hanzo then?"

"What's with the twenty questions? I'm, marrying him and that's all there's going to be! Now I'm telling you so you won't be surprised, not for you to talk me out of it, the Hatachi's are coming up for dinner so put the extra plates now leave me alone"

"What about Haruka? Have you forgotten him already?"

Michiru felt her eyes filed with tears but manage to hold them. "It has been almost two months since Haruka left and I haven't heard a word…"Michi's voice broke she was about to start crying again and she made a promise to herself about stop doing it. "Please Nana, I don't wish to discuss this any further"

"I never thought I would say this Michi but you'll make a mistake by marrying Hanzo if you're in love with someone else"

Michiru closed her eyes, willing to be able to close her ears also, of course this was mistake, she was in love with Haruka and Hanzo was in love with Maeve but they'll both sink with this ship together. "I'll go get showered" Michiru step into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, she strip slowly and get under the water spurt, she scrub herself over and over but or some reason she didn't felt clean at all…..

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Michiru managed to get dressed and do her hair all alone and went downstairs to meet her guests, her father was already downstairs, the four of them sit down in the dining room.

"Why are you so serious Michi-chan?"

"Ah? " Michiru looked at her soon to be father in law and compose a petty smile. "I'm just nervous"

"What for little fish? What are you hiding from me ah?"

"Nothing daddy it's just that..." Michiru looked at Hanzo in meaningful way, Hanzo nodded.

"Michiru and I formalized our engagement this afternoon"

"What? Oh this is so great!"

"Is this true Michi?"

"Yes dad"

"So you two are getting married at last, Oh Kaioh this day couldn't get any better, this definitely calls for a toast" Maeve came in holding a tray with coffee.

"Girl go bring a bottle of champagne, we are to celebrate tonight"

"Yes sir"

"You see you mistress is soon to became my son's wife" Michiru closed her eyes, she was not facing Maeve but the expression on Hanzo's eyes told her the little girl didn't took that new so well, Michiru wished so hard to be somewhere else…anywhere.

Maeve left the dining room as soon and fast as she could, they didn't saw her anymore, Nana brought the champagne and they had a toast. For eternal happiness, Tanaka said. For eternal strength Michiru prayed.

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Zen Hatachi hung off the phone and stared at herself in the mirror. "I have to do this" She step put of her room and walked down the hall to face her best friend.

Knock, knock

"Come in"

Zen stepped inside Haruka's room; her friend was sitting in her work desk drawing some sort of sketch. "Hi Haruka"

"Zen! I was just thinking of you, guess what I just finished the letter for Michiru, would you mail it for me?"

"Ah…" "Crap!"

"Don't be so stingy I'll pay for the stamps myself I juts don't know the whole address"

"Haruka, we need to talk"

"Why are you so serious?"

"I just got a call from Tahi"

"What?" Haruka felt a void in her stomach, she knew something was wrong. " Michiru! Is she ok?"

"She's…fine. Oh Haruka I' sorry"

"Tell me for once what the hell is going on…"

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"We would have a huge engagement party; everyone who's someone has to be here!"

"Sure"

"Now let's see you wish to schedule your wedding for January right?"

"Just after New Year"

"Wonderful"

Michiru yawned, she wished the wedding planner would actually plan the wedding… with out her, she didn't cared at all if the flowers we pink, purple or poison ivy, she wanted to get over this quickly, there less than two months left for the wedding and nothing was done yet. "Miss Kaioh, have you seen the pictures of the dresses I gave you yesterday?"

Michiru nodded, she did seen them but for her all the dresses where suitable, it was just a party for god's sake.

"Are you feeling ok dear?"

"Yes Hanzo, I'm just tired…"

Hanzo nodded he was a bit overwhelmed himself and he wasn't even really included on more than half on this wedding planner's meetings. "You know Miss Dulshe, why don't we leave the details to you, we want to get married on January the third, here at the beach, something simple but elegant the reception should be big enough for let's say 200 hundred people, serve seafood our companies would provide them and well that's all, you really don't need us"

"But… Miss Kaioh I'm pretty sure you don't agree this do you?"

"Actually I do, I'll chose the dress and let you know, is there any more information you need?"

The lady looked surprised; she was definitely not pleased "Ah… what's your song? Favourite colour? Mh…day or night wedding?"

"Ah my favourite colour is blue, we don't have a song and well I really don't care about the time"

"Oh so you'll like blue flowers?"

"We trust your taste, Michiru dear, let's go"

"Yeah, thanks for everything Miss Dulshe" The couple step out, Michiru was relieved. "Thanks Hanzo"

"You're welcome, Michi you don't look so good lately are you alright?"

"Just overwhelmed…. Hey can I ask you something?"

"Sure"

"How's Maeve?"

"Ah…we haven't spoken since we get engaged, why? She's still in your house right?"

"Yes, she's just to silent lately, pissed also, she almost tore my hair apart this morning, is not like I blame her"

"Yeah…"

"Do you think we are doing the right thing Hanzo?"

"I hope so… Have you had news from Haruka?" Michiru shook her head, no she had not. Over the past days Hanzo and her had talk a lot, about the future and the past about their reason for getting joined in this vortex of self destruction and they both get to the conclusion that they had no much choice, Michiru's father was actually really better since the engagement and Hanzo's father was happy too, letting everyone knew how proud he was of him, Hanzo had never felt so uplifted by his father.

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Michiru looked at herself once more in the mirror, she felt so strange, the house was filled with people she barely knew, she felt like a fish on a small tank, she arrange a curl of her long hair pinned up behind her ear and placed a hand on the satin fabric of her long blue cocktail dress, she was supposed to greet everyone in this 'engagement party' Michiru was sure that if she heard the word 'engagement' once more she'll run away screaming.

Knock, knock

"Come in" Nana came in smiling; the looks of Michiru were spectacular.

"Here Miss, this came for you" Nana handed her a blue velvet box; Michiru opened it to reveal a fabulous aquamarines and diamonds necklace. "Oh it's so beautiful!"

"Yeah it is…" Michiru placed the necklace on her neck and smiled; it looked fantastic with her outfit and matched the colour of her eyes perfectly.

"Mr. Hatachi is a very generous man"

Michiru nodded, and after one last look at herself she went downstairs to the party.

"You look fantastic dear"

"Thanks Hanzo"

"That necklace suits you"

"I think that too, thank you"

"Sure, let's go meet our guests"

After an hour or so of greeting completely strangers Michiru managed to get to a quiet spot in the garden o take some air, the dim light of the many little lamps hung outside reached her. Michiru sighed she was tired and sleepy; she wished the party would end soon.

"I knew that necklace would suit you, I knew it the moment I saw it, I see you liked it"

Michiru felt a suffocate sensation; she turned around surprised a shocked. "Haruka"

"So you do recall my name…."

(…)

(Ok please review me; I need all the good vibe available in order to recover my beloved PC as soon as possible I'll try to update my stories soon. Review if you wish more!)