Chapter VI: Kaito Suru Mondai Problem Solved
Michiru was extremely worried about Haruka. When she awoke that morning, Haruka was no where to be seen; as usual, it being so early. Not wanting Haruka to be late for their lessons, she knocked on her door and went to open it. It was locked. 'Since when does Haruka lock her door?' she thought to herself. Maybe it was just her imagination. The second try resulted in the same conclusion: Haruka had definitely locked her door.
"Haruka!" Michiru called out to her pleadingly. There was no answer... Abandoning her attempts, she sat down at their table and proceeded to begin breakfast; not having the heart to actually eat anything. 'I didn't do anything wrong,' she tried to convince herself, failing. 'Almost kissing her doesn't mean a thing...'
Michiru continued to stir breakfast around on her floral plate waiting to see if Haruka was going to come out anytime soon. Serenity-sama's dinner party was tomorrow and they had been given the day off from training to "rest up". 'I really wonder if she's okay.' Michiru couldn't stop thinking about her the entire night, it haunted her dreams. 'Haruka...' Her face fell into her hands and her elbows rested on the table. 'What have I done?' Tears began to escape from her aqua eyes and her nose became stuffy.
Michiru waited the entire day out in the common hoping Haruka would come out. She never did. She had begun to feel despair that she'd never see Haruka again. Fear and depression began to edge its way back into her chest when a knock came from the door.
"Hello?" came a muffled shout from beyond the door.
Michiru got her feelings under control and stood up, straightening her dress out. She made her way to the door and paused before opening it. "Who is it?" she asked through the solid red wood oak.
"Michiru? Hey, it's me, Fwafwa."
Michiru's mind took over her heart and she instantly opened the door right away allowing him in. A smile came to her face and a feeling that felt almost like happiness entered her. "What are you doing here?"
"Don't be alarmed I'm just here to deliver a message from the Queen." He held out a note and a small box wrapped in brown paper. "I don't know what the box is for, but I'm sure it's explained in the note."
She reached out gingerly and took the parcels. "Thank you for the trouble of delivering this." Michiru smiled sweetly at him and as usual he took no note in it.
"It was for the Queen after all, goodnight." He stepped back and bowed, then took his leave.
Michiru was curious as to what the box was and opened it first before even reading the note. Inside was a small antique looking, golden key. She picked it up delicately and admired its beauty. Setting it down on the small table in the center of the room, she sat down on the couch and began to read the note, first breaking the wax seal on the back.
Dear Michiru,
I'm sure you're wondering as to why I sent you this and not to both you and Haruka, but I have a feeling she's not up to it right now. As you know, tomorrow is the dinner party. What you do not know is that all of the Senshi's parents are going to be there too, so please try to make a good impression on them for my sake as well as your own. Make sure Haruka is properly introduced to your parents and vise versa. Trust me, it'll help later on. Since I'd like the dinner party to go well (meaning without conflict), I gave you the key to Haruka's room. I trust you to make the right decision. Just remember to trust your feelings, not your mind. Everything will work out in the end, I promise.
Please be so kind as to inform Haruka of all that I explained to you in this letter; hence the key. I'm sure your parents, as well as Haruka's, are excited about seeing you. Especially to see how much you both have grown. Best of luck, Serenity.
P.S. The yearly spring festival is soon, who is it that you want to take?
Michiru folded the letter back into thirds and placed it in the envelope. 'A key to Haruka's room?' She slowly got up and shakily made her way across the room to Haruka's bedroom door. Hesitating, she knocked lightly on the door. 'I hope I know what I'm doing...'
"Haruka?" She received no answer. "Haruka...o-open the door please." Her heart began to pound painfully against her chest as she became more nervous. "Haruka...please..." The sun began to set. With a soft golden glow highlighting the door knob and keyhole, she retracted the antique from her dress pocket and inserted it, twisting towards the left until she heard a click. Placing the key back into her pocket, she pushed the door's handle down and shoved forward, entering Haruka's room.
"H-Haruka...?" Michiru poked her head in and peeked around the door's edge. The room was dark, even if the sun was setting. Curtains had be drawn shut, even the ones hung on poles around Haruka's bed. She made her way forward hoping not to trip on anything along the way and made it to a set of curtains close by to the bed covering a bay window. Gently she pulled them apart, a small opening, allowing some light to filter in. "Haruka..." Her feet began to make their own way, it seemed, to the edge of the bed. Goose bumps crawled up her flesh when she crossed the icy tile.
"Haruka..." she whispered out softly once again. She reached out for the thin fabric that was the bed curtains. Half moon-half sun light shot a elongated, deformed rectangle into the space opened in the fabric, crossing over a small curled up figure. Michiru reached out for her, but held it back. 'I shouldn't touch what isn't right...'
"Who's there?" a strained voice croaked.
Aqua hair flew back as Michiru tripped in surprise backwards. Lurching forward, she got back up on her knees and looked over the bed's edge. "Haruka? It's me, Michiru..." The figured moved slightly, curling up tighter.
"What do you want?" The voice was rather harsh sounding and Michiru's face visibly expressed the hurt inside.
"Serenity-sama's dinner party is tomorrow...and...our parents are supposed to be there too. Thought you should know that. Also, I don't think you know, but the spring festival is coming soon..." Haruka was unresponsive to all that she was saying. "Haruka, please. At least face me when I'm trying to speak with you!"
Blonde hair emerged from round blob. "Why should I?"
Michiru could tell the this was going to be difficult. "...because I asked you to."
A grunt was heard and soon Haruka had turned to her other side and was now facing the right direction, but what Michiru saw, she didn't expect.
"Haruka..." Her eyes were red and she looked a little too pale. Her expression was blank, unreadable, but her eyes told it all. She was hurting inside, badly. The knuckles on her hand by her chest were white from the force of her grip. Michiru all but died of guilt. 'I never thought...' A hand began to reach out again, still hesitantly.
"Don't touch me." The command was firm and direct.
The extending arm froze, then retracted. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to-" She couldn't think of anything worthy to say. :Trust your feelings: Michiru stuck out her arm again and grabbed the pale, white-knuckled hand. She tried to pry it open.
"Let go!" Haruka protested. "Don't touch me!" She thrashed her hand trying to break it free from the forceful strength of Michiru's struggle. She lost the battle and soon two small turtles fell from her hand, landing softly on the sheet. Her hand shot out to grab them back, but Michiru was quicker.
"Haruka...?" Michiru was surprised to see the earrings. 'I completely forgot about them... No wonder she was so upset.' She held her palm open and continued to examine them. 'They really are quite cute.' Looking back up at Haruka, she saw that her eyes had changed. Now they were just angry instead of sad like before. "I'm really sorr-"
"Don't even bother, Michiru. You obviously didn't want them so just give 'em back to me, right now." She held out her hand from beneath the cover slightly, waiting. "Please."
"That's not true, Haruka! It's just that... Well how can you blame me for acting that way?" She huffed and folded her arms. "I mean, we almost kis-" She stopped in midsentence not wanting to go any further.
"We almost what?" Haruka inquired, trying to push the subject further, hoping.
"N-nothing..." Michiru said looking down and blushing. Haruka took that as a good sign. "What was up with that cat anyway?" She looked back up even though her cheeks were still softly pink.
"I don't know... Did you see the crescent moon on its forehead?" She watched as Michiru's hands went to each ear, staying for a few moments to put in the hooks to the earrings. 'Just because she put them on doesn't mean she wants them. She's only pitying me...' Haruka's scornful thought turned to stubbornness. 'She's not getting off that easily.'
"Yeah, I think so." She pushed in the last part of the earring's hook into her right ear and wiped the small amount of blood that escaped. It had been a while since she wore anything in her ears. "How do they look?"
"Fine." Haruka wasn't going to go down easy. "Just because you put them on doesn't mean I'll let you off so easily," she boasted. 'I don't care, I know you don't like me...in that way.'
Look, I know I hurt your feelings, but could you be a little less selfish?" It sounded rather harsh, but it was right on the money. 'A girl is not supposed to love another girl...' Her lips squeezed together in a frown. "All you're thinking about right now is yourself. You haven't even considered how I may feel about it."
Haruka, feeling rather shamed of herself, held her eyes downcast and unmoving. "...sorry." She looked back up finally, after quite some time, and realized Michiru was staring at her. "W-what is it?"
"Oh, nothing." Haruka looked adorable being ashamed and pouting. "So..." She couldn't think much of anything to say. "...have we made up then?"
Haruka reached out and grabbed Michiru's forearm that was resting on the bed in a soft grip. "For now."
Michiru smiled. "Good, lets eat then. I'm starved." She embraced Haruka's hand with her own and pulled her off and out of bed, laughing as Haruka yelped in protest and fear. "Come on!"
"Ne, Michiru," Haruka started. "How did you get a key to my room?"
Okay, sorry about all the confusion here. Well, unlike what I said in the end of my last chapter, this chapter didn't take place mainly at Serenity-sama's dinner party thing. Guess I got a little sidetracked with all the obsessive drama. :shrugs: Since I thought four pages was enough for one chapter, the dinner party is put off for the next one as of right now. Thanks for all the great reviews! 40 so far for only 5 chapters! I'm trying to remember to write as often as I can, but it's getting hard to update often between my job, school, and my Michiru. Saving money for JACON in Orlando in April! . Therefore, I've been working ALL Spring Break! Even pulled an 11 hour shift:dies: Guess I can't say that I don't get enough hours. :laughs: Well then. :coughs: Like my story? Want to talk to me or something? STALK me? Then just send me an IM somethime! ;) Maybe you'll be attending JACON too? (Wow, I must really be in a good mood right now...) R&R please! Sorry if the format for my chapters are crappy, I still don't quite understand how to make it the way I'd like it. :