Disclaimer: I don't own 'em

Italics mean thoughts of the characters

Echoes of the Past

Chapter 2

Haruka stood Michiru up and reluctantly broke the contact between them. "I'll go get that" Michiru said, turning towards the entranceway. Baka Haruka! How could you do something like that! She obviously doesn't want you! Frustrated with herself, Haruka turned and began to clean up the huge mess that still lay on the kitchen floor.

Michiru leaned her forehead against the door for a moment. Haruka almost kissed me...could it be that she does like me? The doorbell rang again and Michiru gathered herself before opening it Standing in the hallway was a stunningly beautiful young woman with short black hair and a gorgeous figure.

"Hi" She said brightly.

"May I help you?" Michiru asked, uncertain of who this girl was and why she was here.

"Um...yeah, I'm looking for Haruka Tenoh" The girl seemed a bit shaken, but acted as if she was trying to cover it up.

"Come in" Michiru said, opening the door to let the girl pass by. She showed her into the kitchen where Haruka was still picking dishes up off the floor. "Haruka, there's someone here to see you" Haruka looked up from what she was doing and her eyes went wide. "Suni?"

"Hello Haruka" The girl's voice faltered slightly. Michiru started cleaning, but kept an eye on the two. She was very curious about this girl. Haruka's eyes narrowed and her tone turned hostile. "What are you doing here?" Suddenly, the girl broke into tears.

"Tristan, he, he...and I didn't...I didn't want to, but he couldn't understand and I...I'm sorry Haruka, I didn't know where else to go." Haruka softened and walked over to the girl, gently grabbing her shoulders "It's okay Suni. Did you fly here?"

"Yes. I thought...that I would get an apartment and go back to school and..."

Haruka enveloped the girl in a hug. "Okay, okay. Sshh. Come on". Haruka held the girl and guided her into her room. She lay down on the bed and cried herself to sleep while Haruka sat on the edge of the bed comforting her. When she finally saw that the girl was asleep, she returned to the kitchen to help Michiru finish cleaning.

"Who was that?" Michiru asked, careful to keep her tone inquisitive and not suspicious. "Suniko. She's an old friend. I hope you don't mind if she stays here for a couple days."

"Not at all." Michiru lied. There was something about this Suniko girl that put her on edge. But that could wait. For now, the kitchen was finally clean and she had to go to bed. "Goodnight Haruka" She said, heading to her room. "Goodnight" Haruka replied and headed towards the couch. She would have to sleep there tonight as Suniko was in her bed. The couch, however, was not very comfortable and it took Haruka until two AM to get to sleep.

The next morning, Michiru walked out of her room to find Haruka on the couch. She went into the kitchen to start breakfast only to find that Suniko had already begun cooking. Suniko saw her and walked over, hand outstretched. "Morning. I never really introduced myself. I'm Suniko." Michiru tentatively took her hand and shook it. "Michiru Kaioh"

"I hope you don't mind that I'm staying here. I won't be long, I promise, I just..."

Michiru smiled. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, it was obvious that something terrible had happened to her. "It's all right. I don't mind."

Suniko smiled shyly and then looked at the stove as if she had just remembered that she had been cooking. "I made breakfast. I hope you like French Toast"

"Thank you." Michiru said as Suniko placed a plate in front of her and then proceeded to dish up a plate for herself.

"So, how do you know Haruka?"

"Oh, she didn't tell you? Um...we dated for about a year." Michiru almost choked. Suniko didn't seem to notice.

"Dated?" Michiru's heart was racing. She knew this couldn't be a good thing.

"Yes, but I, um, well, I...I left her...for Tristan. It was the stupidest mistake of my life, I..."

Haruka walked into the kitchen and Suniko quickly stopped talking.

"What are you two talking about?" Haruka asked, amused.

"Nothing. Would you like some breakfast? I made French Toast...I remembered you like it."

"Uh...yeah, thanks."

The three made small talk while they finished their breakfast. Then Haruka stood up "We gotta get going. Are you going to be okay here Suni?"

"Actually, if you don't mind I'd like to come to school with you. I want to register there."

"Already?"

Suniko was a bit surprised at this reaction. She thought Haruka would be happy that she wanted to go to school with her. Maybe she's not okay with me being here after all. "Yeah," Suniko pushed the thoughts out of her head "I figure, why waste any time?" She smiled brightly and Haruka softened a bit. It couldn't be too bad to have Suni at her school. "Okay, well, let's go then." The three grabbed their books and Haruka drove them all to school.

An hour later Suniko found herself standing in front of a math class, being introduced as the new student. The principal had been a teacher at Suniko and Haruka's old school, so she knew Suniko and figured that even though it would take a couple days for her paperwork to go through, it couldn't hurt to have her start classes immediately. So here she was, schedule in hand, staring at the only two people she knew in the class, Haruka and Michiru. Michiru just smiled sweetly at her while Haruka sat back in her chair with an amused smile on her face. Watching new students get introduced was always amusing, but with Suniko it was even better. Haruka pondered the girl for a moment. When they were dating, Suniko was extremely outgoing. In fact, she was very much like Haruka...a rebel. However, now as she stood in front of the class, she held her hands clasped in front of her and looked at the floor. She seemed shy. Haruka couldn't say she didn't like the new Suniko, but she also had the feeling that this wouldn't last somehow. When Suniko noticed that Haruka was watching her and looked up, she confirmed Haruka's suspicions. Seeing the amused smirk on Haruka's face, the girl wiped the tentative look off her face and smiled back at Haruka just as smugly. This was the girl Haruka knew.

After school, Suniko walked out to find Haruka leaning against the wall next to the door. Just as Michiru had done yesterday, Suniko broke up the crowd of girls that was around Haruka. "You ready to go?" Haruka asked.

"What about Michiru?"

"Oh, she's rehearsing. She has a concert coming up and she's practicing with a string quartet for it. The violist gives her a ride home."

"Oh, all right."

They got in Haruka's car and headed home.

After having eaten dinner, the two sat themselves down in the living room and started their homework. Suniko couldn't focus. She kept looking at Haruka out of the corner of her eye. That's it. I have to tell her. "Haruka," Suniko said, putting her pencil down. The blonde didn't look up from her work. " Haruka, I wanted to tell you that, well, that I'm sorry." Haruka stopped writing, but kept her eyes glued to her paper. She knew where this was heading and she couldn't tell if she minded or not. "I know I was terrible to you. I shouldn't have ever left you Haruka, it was the worst mistake of my life. You...you were the best thing that ever happened to me. You were perfect...you are perfect." At this, Suniko ran out of words. After all, the blonde wasn't giving her much encouragement. But then something occurred to her. "Haruka, do you have a girlfriend?" Haruka finally looked up. The thought of Michiru came into her head, but she quickly pushed it out. Michiru wasn't her girlfriend and she wasn't ever going to be. She needed to stop doting on some girl that wasn't even attracted to girls, much less Haruka. "No."

Suniko smiled that sly grin that Haruka knew so well. "Well then," she said, getting up from her chair and walking over to Haruka. "We'll just have to do something about that, now won't we?" She straddled Haruka, still grinning. To Haruka, this was all too familiar. But she didn't care anymore. Michiru wasn't going to be hers, so why waste her time waiting for her? She leaned back and allowed Suniko to kiss her.

Michiru's rehearsal had been tiring. She opened the door hoping to just have a quick dinner and go to sleep. She walked into the living room to put her books in her room, but what she saw made her stop dead in her tracks. There was Haruka, kissing Suniko, who was on her lap. Michiru couldn't believe her eyes. For a moment she felt as if she was going to break into tears right there. But then Suniko opened her eyes and noticed her standing there. "Oh, Michiru, hi." She said with a smile. Haruka turned her head. For a split second she thought Michiru looked like she was going to cry, but then her expression turned cold. With an icy tone Michiru replied "Sorry to interrupt." and walked into her room. Once there, she dropped her icy facade. She fell against the door and tears poured out of her eyes. How could she have thought that Haruka might want her? She should've known this would happen. She'd seen Haruka with girls. She's a playboy. She should've known. With much effort, Michiru pulled herself up to her bed and cried herself to sleep.

Haruka still stared at the door to Michiru's room. She was right about her after all, she didn't care for Haruka. In fact, she was probably disgusted by two women together and that's why she was so icy. Yes, that must be it, Haruka decided. "Now, where were we?" Suniko said seductively. Haruka turned her attention back to the girl on her lap. They kissed again before Haruka picked her up and carried her into her bedroom.