-Haruka-
She heard the home phone ringing incessantly and after much deliberation with herself as well as protest of her body, she got up and went to it. Realising she wasn't alone in the room, she refrained from cursing and cleared her throat before picking up.
"Yes?" She answered the phone evenly.
"Haruka, what took you so long to pick up?" Seiya's voice came from the other end.
"I was about to shower." Haruka claimed calmly. "What do you want?" Haruka asked impatiently in return.
"Do you know where Michiru is?" Seiya asked her with a note of urgency in his voice.
"Michiru?" Haruka turned to face the beauty that was slowly sitting up naked in her bed. "Why?" Haruka asked him calmly.
"I need to go over the equipment list with her again." Seiya explained.
"Why don't you do that with Taiki?" Haruka asked him slightly annoyed.
"I might have told him that I have already done that yesterday…I looked everywhere for Michiru but I can't find her anywhere." Seiya admitted sheepishly.
"That is because she is running an errand for me." Haruka excused Michiru unfazed.
"Why didn't you send me instead? No matter what you need, you know I would get it faster for you than anyone else." Seiya asked her in return.
"Do you really want to get my pads and tampons?" Haruka smirked.
"…" Seiya fell silent.
"I will go through the list with you. Just let me finish my shower, I am sure Michiru will be back any moment soon and after dropping the stuff off at my place she will be available for all the other tasks you have put off to the last minute." Haruka smirked.
"Ok, thanks Haruka." Seiya sighed with relief.
Haruka hung up the phone and turned around to face Michiru.
"He really believed you that you would sent me to buy pads and tampons?" Michiru asked her with a giggle.
"Well, they know I never bring female company to my apartment and no guy wants to discuss female hygiene products." Haruka chuckled.
"You never bring anyone here?" Michiru asked her surprised.
"No, this is my sanctuary that I retreat to when I take a break from the world." Haruka explained evenly. "Anyway, I am just going to shower quickly and then help Seiya out. Just take your time getting up." Haruka told Michiru as she made her way to the bathroom.
Haruka had a two-minute shower and got dressed before she rushed downstairs to help Seiya to double check the equipment, they would take along with them.
When she got back up to her apartment, Michiru was still there, with her hair wrapped in a towel, standing in the kitchen, making French toast and her body barely covered by one of Haruka's shirts.
"You seem to have taken liking to my shirts." Haruka smirked.
"They are very soft and comfortable." Michiru noted.
Haruka noticed one of Hotaru's small toy cars on the floor, near Michiru's foot and leaned down to pick it up. As she rose up again she noticed Michiru's lack of lingerie and smirked.
"Would you like me to grab you some of your clothes from your room?" Haruka offered as she watched Michiru adding cinnamon to the toast.
"That would be very kind." Michiru smiled mischievously.
Haruka rushed and took a secret passage to Michiru's room, to avoid being spotted by the other girls, and grabbed Michiru's already packed bag before she returned to her apartment.
"Did any of the girls see you?" Michiru asked slightly nervous.
"Of course not. You are on my home ground." Haruka smirked confidently.
"Well done." Michiru kissed Haruka on the cheek before she disappeared with her bag in the bathroom.
Haruka sat down at the kitchen counter with the well-presented French toast on plates and two cups of coffee. She reached for a cup and started to drink.
Not long after Michiru reappeared from the bathroom, well dressed.
"How come you haven't started breakfast yet?" She asked Haruka surprised.
"How could I start without the cook? Now THAT would be rude." Haruka chuckled.
Michiru joined her and they ate in a comfortable silence.
"About last night…" Michiru tried to vocalise the emotional turmoil that started to surface in her eyes.
"It wasn't good enough?" Haruka tried to relax Michiru by teasing her.
"No, it was really good." Michiru replied promptly. Just then Michiru noticed she had jumped the gun as she saw the smug expression forming on Haruka's face and started to pout.
Haruka could see that this conversation, they were about to have, took all of Michiru's courage and leaned forward on her stool.
"Don't scowl, you are still beautiful, but your smile is even more beautiful." Haruka said calmly.
"You troublesome charmer." Michiru mumbled.
Haruka chuckled and leaned back again on her chair. "I don't know what you are worried about. We are both adults, there is no need to be awkward about it. I am not exactly clueless in this matter…." Haruka stated calmly.
"I never said that." Michiru interjected.
"So what are you saying and what is it that you want?" Haruka asked bluntly.
"You are awfully direct about this." Michiru replied a bit affront with Haruka's demeanour.
"I need to be, if we want to get to the point and for that I need to know what you want before I can decide if I can agree on it or not. I know you will need to get married eventually since you want to make your parents happy and even if that weren't the case, we both live in two different worlds. You are law abiding and I am law bending. So, if you want me to pretend that all this never happened, consider it forgotten. If you want this to be an endless string of non-committal one night stands, I can do that, too. If you want us to be friends and still enjoy benefits, that is fine by me as well. But something I cannot offer is commitment, because in that field I will only disappoint you and no one should waste time on that." Haruka looked directly in Michiru's eyes and saw a mixture of hurt and confusion. "Don't get me wrong. I truly cherish you, for who you are, for what you are and how you are. I wouldn't change a thing about you. I just really want you to find happiness and I just know, you won't find it with me." Haruka explained herself.
"I..." Michiru started when suddenly her phone rang and only moments later Haruka's joined in.
"You don't have to answer me now. We have a mission to complete. Just think about what I have said." Haruka told Michiru calmly before she walked away to answer Taiki's call.
-Michiru-
She was sitting in the passenger's seat next to Haruka, driving to one of the hot springs of the Myamoto clan, that they had chosen as the venue for the meetings. It was a quiet ride with Yaten and Kakyuu sleeping in the back. They had split into three cars, with Seiya, Minako and Rei in the first car, Taiki, Ami and Makoto in the second and them as last car to leave the tower. All three cars were taking different routes to their destination and left at different times.
Yaten was particular proud of his security system when he activated it before they left. The robotic humanoids and dogs, he had designed, were roaming every floor and the whole tower's detection system was set on high alert that even a cockroach entering it would get eliminated within 3.2 seconds after entry, by the cleaning bots.
Michiru remembered asking what he would do if someone cut off the power supply for the tower and remembered him grinning wide, telling her, that for that they would have to break into the highly secured underground reactor that they had under the tower and that Tenoh Senior had already made sure to his times that the Tenoh tower would always be able to function independently from its surroundings.
Haruka never spoke off her parents nor her brother much. Hotaru had shown her the Butsudan in the mezzanine, when Haruka wasn't around, and Michiru had seen the pictures next to the memorial plates of a happy couple at the beach, that must have been her parents, and a picture of Haruto piggybacking Hotaru's mother, Sayuri, in a park, but Haruka never lost an unnecessary word about them. Michiru often caught herself wanting to ask Haruka more about herself to learn more about the blonde and wanting to understand what was going on behind those mysterious teal eyes, but she knew she would never get a straight answer from Haruka. While Haruka could talk a lot if she wanted to, she managed to avoid all the topics she didn't want to talk about with ease, evading all questions with distracting and off handed comments and shifting focus onto the most arbitrary things if need be.
She watched Haruka from the corner of her eye driving in an unwavering calm at break neck speed.
She noticed a while ago that Haruka seemed to enjoy driving a lot and that while she had over half a dozen cars and a handful of motorcycles, that she enjoyed driving in the old yellow Toyota convertible the most. Right now, they were in her Aston Martin though, in which she had driven her parents before. A beautiful car, but Haruka didn't seem as happy as in the older convertible, in which she usually drove Hotaru to Kindergarten on the days with good weather.
While they left last, they arrived first, closely followed by Seiya and then with Taiki coming in last.
They were greeted by an older looking man with almost completely white hair.
"Welcome back Tenoh-dono." The man greeted Haruka with a deep bow.
"Thank you for having us, Myamoto-dono." Haruka bowed in return. "May I introduce to you Kaioh-san?" Haruka gestured towards Michiru.
"Pleasure to meet you, Kaioh-dono" The old man bowed.
"Pleasure to meet you, too Myamoto-dono." Michiru greeted him return.
"Your quarters have been prepared according to your instructions, Tenoh-dono." The old man informed the blonde as he led the way inside for Haruka and Michiru while the others unloaded the equipment.
"Thank you very much for your consideration Myamoto-dono. My people know their way around, so you won't need to worry about showing them the way individually. Kaioh-san here is in charge of them from here on, but if you do find grievance with them, please come to me." Haruka told him as they walked towards the back and the old man nodded understandingly.
"Will you need anything before dinner, Tenoh-dono?" the old man asked the blonde as they reached Haruka's room.
"No, thank you. Myamoto-dono." Haruka replied.
"Very well. Just call if you need anything, Kaioh-dono, Tenoh-dono." Myamoto bowed again.
"We will." Haruka assured him.
The old man left them alone in Haruka's room, adjacent to Michiru's and Haruka turned to face Michiru.
"So captain, I have done my part, now all is under your command. If you need help, you can call me anytime." Haruka tapped her left ear with the communicator with a wink. "But now my free time starts and I will be relaxing in the baths now until your guests arrive." She continued grinning wide.
"Don't fall asleep in it like you did in the Sento." Michiru reminded the blonde as Haruka was about to leave the room in direction of the hot springs.
"Aye, aye captain." Haruka saluted her before she disappeared around the corner.
-Haruka-
Haruka had just left Michiru behind to go to the private hot spring solely reserved for her. She took off all her clothes, washed herself thoroughly before she entered the bath. Slowly wading to the other side of the tub, she pressed a button and a small passage way opened itself, leading to another pool and she walked through it. On the other side, a Yukata lay ready for her on a stool and she got out of the water to get dressed again. She exited the room and walked down a small corridor to a big meeting room nestled underneath the pond of the inner garden of the Onsen. Kyou Myamoto, the manager of this place, was already awaiting her. "Is everything to your satisfaction Tenoh-dono?" The old man asked her.
"Superb as always, Myamoto-dono." She told him as she stepped under the pond and looked up to watch the Koi swimming peacefully.
"My brother has told me to provide you with anything you might need, so please do not hesitate to tell me your wishes." Kyou told her humbly.
"You are too kind. Please send my regards to him when you talk to him next. Your service is as superb as it has always been." Haruka bowed respectfully.
-Michiru-
They had just finished settling in when a servant of the house informed them that their guests had arrived. Michiru went outside with the other girls to greet the security people of the council and divided them according to their duties, to either Minako and Yaten's group or to Taiki and Ami's. Everything went smoothly and soon everyone was busy relaying the security plans and handing out the guard shift schedule.
To manage meals for so many people well, they had divided everyone to three different groups who would have meals at three different set times.
Michiru didn't get to see Haruka again until it was time for the second group to have their dinner as the blonde passed by, to see how everything was going.
Michiru was sitting together with Minako and one of the security people from the inner council members, having dinner, when Haruka appeared in the dining hall. She greeted everyone before she joined their table and sat down opposite to Michiru.
"So captain, has anything interesting happened in my absence?" Haruka asked her.
"While you were enjoying your bath, everyone here has been working hard to secure the perimeters and have started patrolling them as well." Michiru stated evenly .
"That is good to hear." Haruka nodded approvingly.
"Aren't you going to eat as well Tenoh?" Christine Richards, the brunette sitting next to Haruka asked her.
"I have already snuck a snack in the kitchens." Haruka smirked as she was served a cup of tea by one of the servants. "So how have you been Richards? You seem to have been flying through the ranks if you are here now." Haruka chuckled.
"Been doing well, thanks to some of your recommendations, so can't really complain, and you?" The brunette smirked back.
"That's good to hear. No major changes on my side." Haruka noted before she took a sip of her tea.
Michiru noticed how Haruka's face suddenly changed as soon as the tea touched her lips. As fast as the frown had set in, it was gone again and no one would have noticed if he or she hadn't been watching the blonde as closely as Michiru had.
Haruka finished her tea swiftly and stood up again.
"Where are you going now?" Michiru asked the blonde.
"I am going to sleep. Bathing can be quite exhausting, too, you know?" Haruka winked before she left the dining hall again, leaving Michiru alone with Christine and Minako.
As soon as Minako had finished her dinner, Yaten called her to help him with something and she left sooner than expected as well, leaving Michiru alone with Christine.
"So, Kaioh-san, are you a Tenoh, girl as well?" Christine asked her as she ate her dessert.
"A Tenoh girl?" Michiru asked in return with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't get me wrong, I dot not judge and I am not interested in your love life or anything. I just wouldn't be surprised if Haruka had made a pass at you, since you are her type." Christine explained indifferent.
"And that would be?" Michiru asked unfazed.
"Elegant, ambitious and sexy." Christine smirked.
"So, are you a Tenoh girl?" Michiru asked Christine in return.
"I used to be, but now I am happily married." She pointed at her ring finger. "My wife is at home with our baby girl." Christine grinned proudly.
"That is nice." Michiru said evenly as she continued with her dessert.
"I just want to put your mind at ease, in case you are worried that you become a target, if you do get involved with that blonde devil." Christine explained. "We all in the underworld know not to mess with Haruka and anyone associated with her." Christine explained.
"Why is that?" Michiru asked curiously.
"Once there was someone crazy enough to kidnap one of Haruka's regular girls and threatened to feed her to the dogs to force Haruka to kill the leadership of the opposing organisation. Of course she wouldn't do it, so to show that they were serious, they cut a small triangle of skin out of the shoulder of that girl and sent it to Haruka." Christine told her before taking a sip of her tea.
"What happened next?" Michiru asked evenly.
"Of course Haruka still didn't respond to their demands but sent them 100 packages back instead." Christine continued.
"What was inside?" Michiru looked at Christine, seizing her opposite up carefully.
"The heads of the leadership of the perpetrator's organisation with triangles of skin missing in their foreheads and their bodies, chopped bite size, with a note saying 'this way it will be easier for the dogs to chew.'" Christine recalled.
Michiru tried her best to stay unfazed to that story about Haruka. "How long was that ago?" She asked nonchalant.
"Five years. Rumour has it, that Haruka was about to take apart the whole organisation if it hadn't been for her brother to stop her." Christine said calmly. "So, in case you are worried about getting threatened by the underworld because you are with Haruka, don't be. No one in their right mind would mess with her on our side or any side for that matter." Christine continued as she finished her dessert.
"Why are you telling me this?" Michiru asked Christine sceptically.
"A happy Haruka, is a stable Haruka and stability is good for everyone around. You do not want to meet an unhappy or unstable Haruka." Christine explained.
"Why aren't you with her anymore then to ensure that happiness?" Michiru continued to ask.
"As great as Haruka is in bed and as a person, I hate sharing." Christine shrugged.
-Haruka-
Haruka entered her room and frowned.
"I am glad you got my message." Yumi said calmly from the tea table behind which she sat.
"What are you doing here?" She asked Yumi, clearly irritated.
"I got news that Kakashi did not get them all, someone is still after Kaioh-san." Yumi informed her calmly.
Haruka sighed and started to massage the bridge of her nose. "I don't know if this person is stupid or suicidal." Haruka said through gritted teeth.
"Maybe both…..then again it is not as if they could know that you would have an eye on Kaioh." Yumi suggested as she got up and walked up to Haruka before she pulled the blonde's head down onto her shoulder. "The people coming to get her are coming here, but I do not know who it is, or who they are." Yumi whispered quietly into Haruka's ear as she caressed the blonde hair.
"What is so hard about leaving people I associate with alone? What am I supposed to do? Mark everyone who works with me with a huge mark on their forehead so that even a blind man could spot the sign?" Haruka's temples were starting to throb due to the anger that started to rush through her veins. "I'm getting a headache." Haruka groaned as she leaned her head on Yumi's shoulder.
"I know." Yumi said calmly as she caressed the blonde's back. "Want me to make you feel better?" Yumi offered.
"No. Let's just stay like this until it passes." Haruka mumbled into Yumi's neck as she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman's waist and pulled her closer.
"Ok." Yumi agreed and continued her tender touches.
-Michiru-
Michiru was returning to her room to rest as she saw Yumi Myamoto in front of Haruka's room door.
"Good evening Kaioh-san." Yumi greeted her.
"Good evening Myamoto-san, what brings you here?" Michiru greeted in return.
"I occasionally visit my great-uncle's Onsen since the spring here is particular good for the complexion and since I heard that Tenoh-san is here as well, I wanted to say hello before going to the hot spring, but it seems that she is already sleeping." Yumi explained. "Would you like to join me? I can show you which pools are particular good to visit." Yumi asked her surprisingly.
"Yes of course. I will just grab my Yukata from my room if you don't mind waiting for me here." Michiru excused herself and Yumi nodded understandingly.
Michiru went into her room and through the connecting door to Haruka's just to find the blonde deep asleep on her futon. Michiru sighed relieved, for a moment she thought Haruka had disappeared again on one of her solo missions. She quickly grabbed the Yukata she spoke off and followed Yumi to the hot springs.
Once there, Yumi took Michiru along to one of the smaller private hot spring rooms.
"This one is special; it has a particularly good view of the garden without being seen in return." Yumi explained as they entered and placed the 'occupied sign' in the front.
When they took off their clothes, Michiru noticed a triangular scar on Yumi's left shoulder, but didn't say anything. Both women stripped and washed themselves thoroughly, before they climbed into the pool.
When they were sitting quietly in the pool, Yumi caught Michiru looking at her scar lost in thought.
"It doesn't hurt anymore; in case you are wondering." Yumi answered her unasked question.
"I am sorry; I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." Michiru apologised.
"That is ok, I know it is hard to miss." Yumi said understandingly.
"Where did you get such a scar from?" Michiru feinted ignorance.
"Oh, it depends on whom you ask, but to me it was an unfortunate chain of events. Nothing I dwell on anymore." Yumi shrugged off.
"I see….How is your husband Myamoto-san?" Michiru asked to keep the conversation going.
"He is well, but that is not really the question you want to ask me, is it Kaioh-san?" Yumi seemed calm and to match Michiru's composure.
"What question do you think is it then that I do have on my mind?" Michiru asked evenly in return.
"You are wondering if I am cheating on my husband with Tenoh-san, to which I can clearly say, no, since I know Tenoh-san longer than I do my husband, if anything then I have cheated on Tenoh-san with my choice to get married." Yumi said detached.
"I see." Michiru feinted understanding but deep inside she wondered how many people the blonde got involved with and with how many, if any at all, Haruka was ever serious with, not to mention where in that grand scheme Michiru fitted in. Also, could she love someone who clearly did not have any fixed concept of a steady relationship?
"If you are considering if you love Tenoh-san or not, then I can tell you from experience, that you won't have much choice in the matter. The heart wants what the heart wants. But if you are considering if you should get involved with Tenoh-san or not, then I can only recommend you to take your time and to think about it very carefully." Yumi advised calmly.
"Aren't you scared of losing her?" Michiru asked Yumi sceptically.
"Maybe I have been around her too long already, but this is something you learn very fast when you are around her: No one can control the wind, or hold it, and you cannot lose what was never yours to begin with." Yumi responded.
-Kakyuu-
Haruka had not turned up to the appointed time, at which she was supposed to come and see Kakyuu for a check-up and that annoyed Kakyuu deeply. Haruka now nearly needed daily booster shots and Kakyuu ended up rushing around the onsen looking for the troublesome blonde, just to find her deep asleep in her room. Kakyuu took Haruka's temperature and at least that seemed to be ok. Maybe she would give Haruka the booster shot tomorrow morning instead of now, she thought to herself as she listened to the regular breaths Haruka took in her sleep. Yawning she decided to stay over in case Haruka's condition would change in the middle of the night, like it did during her last dialysis, and changed into a spare Yukata that was in the cupboard of Haruka's room before she crawled exhausted under blanket with Haruka.
-Haruka-
Haruka was patiently awaiting all the members of the hand to arrive in the secret meeting room to discuss the overall strategy with which they would influence the direction of the rest of the world for the next three years. A tall brunette man with green eyes and short hair joined her first.
"David, good to see you." Haruka greeted him and signalled for him to get a seat to her left.
"Good to see you, too, Haruka. You never fail to surprise me with your security measures." He said smirking.
"Well you got to give it to her, making us strip down without losing dignity is an art form" Another, shorter, black haired man with blue eyes and a darker complexion, remarked as he joined them.
"Nicolas, good to see you, too" Haruka greeted the newcomer.
"Where is the rest?" David asked.
"Maybe still scrubbing themselves clean, or the water is too hot for them." Nicolas chuckled.
"If the water is too hot for you, maybe you do not belong here to start off with." A female voice announced, as a delicate black haired woman with chestnut brown eyes joined them.
"Jade, a pleasure to finally meet you in person." Haruka said smoothly.
"The pleasure is all mine." Jade responded.
Soon another brunette woman joined them.
"Alice, welcome, please take a seat next to Jade." Haruka instructed her.
"Thank you for accommodating me." Alice replied stoically.
And finally the last of them entered the room.
"Thomas, glad you could make it." Haruka smirked and signalled to the last open seat. "Now that we are complete, let's start the meeting of the Hand." Haruka commenced the meeting session.
-Michiru-
Since more people arrived, under them also council members, it seemed as if Haruka had been avoiding Michiru. Besides the occasional passing in the corridors, or a shared snack here and there, Haruka was mainly absent from all happenings outside, excusing herself to the hot springs or going to bed for a nap.
Michiru was partially glad about having some time away from the blonde to focus on the mission at hand and to digest the information she had gathered from the Christine. Michiru couldn't really believe what Christine had told her over dinner two days ago, but when she saw the scar on Yumi's shoulder, it confirmed it. Michiru didn't dare to imagine Haruka in rage chopping up gangsters and packing them into small boxes to make a point. Those soft hands couldn't possibly be that violent. Then again, in their field of work, hands could get pretty dirty, one way or another. Is that what Haruka meant when she said that knowing too much about her would just ruin the image of her? But what image did Michiru have of Haruka anyway? Haruka was to her the merciless trainer of her subordinates, the ever teasing joker in her off time and Hotaru's ever loving parent. She couldn't imagine her as the heartless murderer and ruthless avenger that she had been painted as by others. She had talked to more of the people from the underworld and none dared to lose a bad word about Haruka. Haruka had an unshakable reputation there that no one dared to defy. Michiru was torn between loving the blonde and being scared of her.
-Haruka-
The meetings had finally come to an end. She was mentally and physically drained of all the late night meetings and stubbornness that the council members brought with them when they argued their point. But now her work was done and as soon the last council member was off the grounds, she could return to her own bed.
She put on her favourite shirt, suit as well as her favourite tie and enjoyed the feeling of the smooth tight fabric against her skin. It was time to re-join the normal world and leave behind the bitter cynicism that had dominated the discussions about war and weapon deals, drug and human trafficking plans and expected global terrorism impacts.
Tonight would be the last dinner with most of the security present and she could finally mingle with people who didn't run 100 schemes in the background.
She entered the dinner room, which was already filled with all the security of the hand council members of whom she was on first name basis with most of them.
Kakyuu joined her at the dinner table.
"Who did you dress up for?"Kakyuu asked her as she sat down next to Haruka.
"Myself. I like my suits." Haruka replied dryly
"...and your ties if I remember correctly." Christine added.
"Ready to head back to New York, Christine?" Haruka asked the brunette who sat down on her free side.
"Not really, the Sashimi here is just to die for." Christine said dreamily.
"Should I tell Vicky that you abandoned her and little Megan for Sashimi?" Haruka chuckled.
"Better not." Christine laughed.
Just then Haruka spotted Michiru across the room, talking to someone she had not paid much attention to till now.
"Who is he?" Haruka asked, gesturing to the guy who was happily chatting away with Michiru and made her laugh in the process.
"That? That's Daniel, the guy who is in line to become Thomas's new right hand man" Christine informed her.
"Aha." Haruka replied dispassionate as Christine's phone started to ring
"Oh geesh, Jade is calling for me. Leave me some of the Sashimi when it gets out." Christine said to Haruka and Kakyuu before she left their table.
"Are you jealous Haruka-chan" Kakyuu teased her as the doctor leaned closer and whispered those words into her ear.
"How could I possibly be jealous? She isn't mine and wouldn't a UN diplomat not make a great husband material?" Haruka replied through gritted teeth.
"Why are you gritting your teeth then?" Kakyuu remarked.
"I am just eating and holding back on my want to wipe that shitty smile of his face." Haruka explained.
"Uh huh and how would you want to wipe that smile of his face?" Kakyuu asked curiously.
"A grenade launcher maybe but my fist could do, too." Haruka elaborated.
"That's jealousy Ruka-chan" Kakyuu smirked.
-Michiru-
Michiru had noticed the blonde from the moment Haruka had entered the dining hall. She was wearing one of her many stunning suits and the graphite tie Haruka had been wearing the first time around that they had met. The blonde greeted many of the security people casually before sitting down at a free table. Not soon after Kakyuu and Christine joined her and they seemed to be happily chatting away.
"Isn't that THE Haruka Tenoh over there?" Daniel, one of the security guards who had taken fancy with her in the last couple of days, asked her as he noticed that she had watched Haruka.
"Oh yes, that is her." Michiru confirmed.
"I wonder who she is protecting here." Daniel mused.
"No one. Officially, she is here on vacation." Michiru replied easily.
"Really? That doesn't sound like any of the stories I have heard of her." Daniel remarked surprised.
"Oh and those were?" Michiru asked curiously.
"Well, like the ones where she eliminates a whole cartel overnight or stealing the British crown jewels in bright daylight." Daniel pulled up a couple of examples.
"Don't you think those are a bit exaggerated?" Michiru laughed.
"I don't know; the underworld seems to me pretty strange place either way." Daniel admitted sheepishly. "I mean, you do everything in secrecy, and yet some people know about it and yet no one really does. You live of the reputations of legends, but what is true or what is false might never come to light." Daniel deliberated.
"And yet you are here, in a room mainly filled with underworld and intelligence people who do everything in secrecy of which no one of the general public will ever hear about." Michiru smirked.
"Well, to do good, you need to compromise sometimes. It is better to get something done rather than nothing while talking about everything." Daniel admitted.
Suddenly Michiru saw in the corner of her eye that Christine left the table and how Kakyuu leaned in to whisper something into Haruka's ear.
She had seen Kakyuu sleeping over in Haruka's room nearly every night since they arrived and often wondered what those two were up to, so late at night.
She then scolded herself mentally. It was none of her business. Haruka didn't belong to her and she had no right to stop the blonde from doing whatever she was doing.
Unexpectedly Kakashi entered the room and joined Haruka's table.
-Haruka-
Kakashi had just come in and joined their table.
"What are you doing here old man? Shouldn't you be dining with the bigwigs?" Haruka asked Kakashi as he sat down.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same?" Kakashi smirked.
"What are you talking about? I am a mere common foot soldier on a break." Haruka chuckled.
"I come bearing gifts, give me your phone." Kakashi held his hand out and Haruka passed him her phone. "I am sending you everything on everyone here. Setsuna has gone through it all already. No one has motives to make a move." He continued.
"I don't think my intelligence is wrong though…" Haruka frowned.
"Still having Michiru shadowed?" Kakyuu asked quietly and Haruka nodded.
"How is it that Michiru never noticed?" Kakashi asked.
"Probable deniability and easily explained reasons why someone else might be in the room. Unless you truly don't see anyone around you here, someone has an eye on you. No one has been keeping track on the servants here but we are all being watched at all times here. We are under the Myamoto roof after all." Haruka smirked. "You never notice the air around you until it's gone." Haruka poured Kakashi sake into his cup and as the last drop hit the cup a servant was immediately at her side, replacing the empty bottle.
Kakashi nodded. "Anyway, let's celebrate your endurance tonight. You have done very well the past couple of days." He raised his sake cup. "To the unseen, unknown and ever unacknowledged." Kakashi snickered.
Haruka and Kakyuu joined his toast with wide smirks.
-Michiru-
Ami and Ayumi had joined her table, slightly blocking her view to the celebration Haruka seemed to have with the many people who started to join her table after Kakashi had left.
"Ayumi, how did you get a spot on Kakashi's security detail?" Michiru asked the woman sitting opposite to her.
"I have been begging Kakashi to take me along with him as his security for a while." Ayumi admitted sheepishly. "I haven't been in the field for a while and I wanted to get back to it slowly." Ayumi explained.
"That is good Ayumi, we definitely need more medics in the field." Michiru noted.
"Don't you think so, too, that out here are so many interesting things that you never really notice in the laboratory?" Ami added excited.
"Oh yes, I had nearly forgotten how it was to work outside of the lab." Ayumi agreed.
"So, what is it that you usually do Ayumi-san" Daniel joined the conversation.
"Oh, nothing important, just Micro-organism analysis." Ayumi told him.
"That is not unimportant." Ami argued.
"It is indeed a very fascinating field." Daniel agreed.
Rei joined their table and sat down next to Ami.
"Welcome back Rei." Michiru greeted her.
"Thank you Michiru." Rei said as she rubbed her neck.
"Stiff?" Ami asked her.
"Yea, and all that for nothing. I didn't get to shoot a single thing." Rei said slightly frustrated.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Ami asked her confused.
"Yea, it's great, whoever was stupid enough to threaten to come here must have wet their pants at the sight of our measures. But I would have really liked to shoot that ….person… for making me come here and not to get to enjoy the hot springs is just awful." Rei whined.
"Well I heard Haruka had arranged for us to stay a day longer after everyone has left to do exactly that, at least that is what Taiki told me. He said we are welcome to go back as soon all is done, but Kakyuu had been asking to stay longer so Haruka has booked the whole place just for them for another day and that we are welcome to join in. I think she was asking Kakashi to give us a day off, earlier when he came." Ami explained.
"Really? I swear to all that is holy to me that I will kill you slowly and painfully if you are just joking with me Ami." Rei asked Ami imploringly.
"Yes, yes, I am very sure that Taiki said so." Ami replied intimidated. "I think we all need some rest anyway." Ami added.
"Yea, a day's rest after all this will be definitely nice." Michiru agreed absent minded.
"Maybe I should ask her if she doesn't mind me staying a day longer as well, what do you think?" Daniel asked Michiru, who had only been listening with one ear as she watched the blonde joke around with other security people and Kakyuu trying to stop her from drinking more as she was laughing casually and flashing her arrogant trademark smirk.
"It definitely won't hurt to ask her." Michiru chuckled.
"Where is Minako?" Ayumi asked Rei.
"She joined Haruka with Makoto to play drinking games with the guys over there." Rei pointed out.
Ami turned around saw how they poured more and more sake into the cups.
"I don't envy them, they are probably going to nurse the worst hangover of their life after Haruka and Minako are done with them." Ami noted.
"Yep, though you will probably have to carry Makoto back to your room." Rei agreed.
"You won't help me?" Ami asked surprised.
"I think I will have my work cut out with keeping Minako in check." Rei sighed while Ami nodded understandingly.
-Haruka-
Haruka was lying peacefully on the highest roof of the Onsen complex, enjoying the residual heat, the sun had left on the tiles before it started to set.
She had just finished speed reading through all the files that Kakashi had transferred to her the night before and sadly she had to agree with him, even though her gut feeling told her differently.
"I knew I would find you here." Yumi said as she got on top of the roof.
"Did Shinobu-chan tell you I was here?" Haruka asked without turning around.
"She actually didn't, she was the one telling me that she couldn't find you anywhere, so I knew to look where no one would." Yumi chuckled.
"I feel like I am missing a crucial detail." Haruka said as she rubbed her temples. "You sure someone is coming for her here?" Haruka asked Yumi with a frown deeply etched on her face.
"That is what I have been told and I trust my people." Yumi said calmly.
"Ok, well, it seems like they are not coming. I have gone through everyone and no one has a motive." Haruka could barely hide her irritation.
"Then it is as you see it." Yumi tried to appease her.
"You should go home; I am sure your husband is worried about you and I have taken enough of your time." Haruka said quietly.
"I want to be here." Yumi insisted.
"But you shouldn't be." Haruka pointed out.
"Ok, then I leave once all Council members have left, for my peace of mind that you aren't over working yourself." Yumi suggested as she sat down and gestured for the blonde to rest her head on her lap.
"Ok" Haruka agreed as she pulled herself closer to Yumi before she closed her eyes again and relaxed her head on Yumi's lap a while the tea master started to caress her to ease her headache.
-Michiru-
Michiru had been covertly looking for Haruka everywhere all day and couldn't find her anywhere. Last night, Kakyuu had carried the drunk blonde back to her room before commencing her night shift and Michiru had checked on the blonde in the early hours before Kakyuu would return but she was nowhere to be found. Haruka was old enough to look after herself, Michiru told herself off for worrying about the blonde.
Walking into the dinner hall before dinner would be served, she found Haruka already sitting inside and being served dinner.
"How come you are eating so early?" She asked the blonde as she joined her table.
"I overslept lunch." Haruka said easily with an unrepentant grin on her face before she started to eat.
"Aren't you going to wait for my dinner to arrive before you start?" Michiru asked surprised.
"Why? I wouldn't want to impose on your dinner date." Haruka said dryly.
"Dinner date? I wasn't aware I had one." Michiru said surprised.
"Well, now, this is awkward." Haruka pointed at Daniel, who had just entered the dinner hall, before continuing drinking her Miso soup.
"Michiru-san, did you get off early as well?" Daniel asked her before he sat down next to her.
"Seems so." Michiru smiled.
"Oh Tenoh-san, may I introduce myself?" Daniel started.
"No need. You are Daniel Ferguson. You are one of Thomas' men and if you don't screw up too badly his next right hand." Haruka stated unemotional as she proceeded to her Sashimi platter.
"Of course you already knew that." Daniel replied sheepishly.
"Well, that is surprising to hear, how come you haven't told me about it?" Michiru asked Daniel.
"I didn't want to brag about something that hasn't happened yet." Daniel admitted and Haruka couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Servants came out with Michiru's and Daniel's dinners and served Haruka more tea.
"The Sashimi here is really impressive isn't it Michiru?" Daniel asked her and she could see Haruka's eyebrow twitching.
"It is." Michiru nodded in agreement before she had a piece herself.
Haruka continued her dinner in unperturbed silence and finished each dish spotless.
"So I have heard that you have booked the whole complex for another day after the conference has finished, Tenoh-san." Daniel continued once the servants were gone again.
"Hmmm." Haruka replied noncommittal without shifting her attention away from her last piece of vegetable tempura.
"Well, since I won't be needed by Thomas right after the conference. I was wondering if it would be ok to join you on your short vacation." Daniel asked outright.
Haruka put her chopsticks aside and a servant cleared her tray before she was served a fresh cup of tea. Haruka looked at Daniel up and down placidly.
"So, am I understanding this correctly," Haruka said evenly as she leaned forward, rested her elbows on the table, folded her hands in front of her face ans rested her chin on her thumbs before staring Daniel deep into the eyes. "You, who are responsible for all of Thomas' meetings and appointments in the next ten days are asking me for permission to stay back for a holiday, I paid for, instead of accompanying your boss on his flight to Egypt where he will need a translator, namely you?" Haruka ask evenly, leaving Daniel slightly speechless. Haruka seemed to have seen what she needed to, in Daniel's blue eyes, leaned back in her chair and reached for her tea.
"Well, I thought it would be just a day and that won't make any difference." Daniel tried to explain himself.
"Suit yourself." Haruka interrupted him as she got up. "I wish you both a pleasant dinner." Haruka said distantly before she left them to their own devices.
-Haruka-
Haruka walked annoyed out of the dinner hall and towards her room. Frustrated she loosened the tie around her neck and sought the cigar she had saved for the celebratory occasion of finishing this mission smoothly. She cut and lit it before she sat down on the porch facing the inner garden. Exhaling the smoke, she let off steam and go of the frustration that seemed to flood her system. She didn't understand it herself why she was so annoyed. No one had done anything wrong. Everything went smoothly. No attacks had happened and all negotiations were completed satisfactorily. This cigar was justified and yet it did not taste like victory but like defeat. She stared into the garden, as if to force the calm it contained to enter her soul but it would not come. Puffing more on the cigar she waited for the nicotine rush to calm her down and focus on what was at hand. Her efforts had paid off, all was good, no one was injured, there was no loss in life nor equipment. 'Damn it, be happy.' Haruka thought to herself.
She could hear the door of Michiru's room opening and closing.
Putting on her well trained impervious poker face she took another long puff of the cigar and blew rings into the air while keeping her eyes focused on the centre pond of the garden.
"That was rather rude, Haruka." Michiru commented as she stepped out to the porch.
"Shouldn't you be expecting that from me by now?" Haruka responded indifferently. "What do you want? Should I apologise? You are the captain right now. I am sure Daniel will be happy enough when you apologise for your consultant's rudeness." Haruka remarked snidely.
"Don't pull Daniel into this." Michiru replied defensively.
"Why not?" Haruka challenged her.
"He has nothing to do with your lousy moods lately." Michiru responded with a snide remark to hers.
'MY LOUSY MOODS?' Haruka thought exasperated to herself. It took all of Haruka's self-restraint not to jump up and tell her that in the past weeks she had been torturing dozens of people for information on the people who had been hunting Michiru down. Killed more than a dozen who were getting close to the violinist and that right now, the only reason they were able to sit in this Onsen peacefully was because Haruka had over extended her stamina getting Rin out of his house and Myamoto senior was repaying a favour. That she had been spending endless hours with ruthless monsters who traded human lives for power and wealth like it was the cheapest currency around and had not had slept a full night's sleep since they had arrived. But, no, she was bigger than this, she could keep her cool and so she kept focusing on the calmly swimming Koi fish with an indifferent demeanour.
"I know you can do better than this." Michiru's voice reached her from the side and Haruka slowly turned to face her.
"Do you? Really? Can you really know such thing?" Haruka gave Michiru another challenging look.
"I believe I can, I know you better than you think." Michiru replied defiantly.
"Fine." Haruka resumed smoking.
"You know, smoking kills." Michiru commented.
"Oh, no, seriously? Are you sure? Do you know that or do you just believe it?" Haruka mocked her.
In that moment Kakyuu walked through her room and took the cigar out of her hand before she crushed it in the ashtray.
"HEY! That goes against the etiquette!" Haruka protested.
"The mission isn't done yet. You have no right to your celebration cigar and you are late." Kakyuu said sternly. "Hurry up slowpoke and get changed. We only have the hot spring reserved for two hours." Kakyuu continued.
"Fine." Haruka got up and walked over the bathroom to get changed into Yukata before going to the onsen.
"I am sorry that I can't invite you as well Michiru, but the bath I reserved is rather small" Haruka heard Kakyuu apologising to Michiru.
"No, there is nothing to be sorry for. I think it is best for Haruka and I not to talk for a while." Michiru told Kakyuu while Haruka rolled up her tie and folded her clothes.
"I'm ready. Let's go." Haruka called Kakyuu the moment she stepped out of the bathroom before she went ahead and out of the room.
-Kakyuu-
Kakyuu helped Haruka into the hot water and slowly stretched the blonde's arms and shoulders in the hot water.
"The muscle spasms are getting pretty bad." Kakyuu commented as she sat down behind Haruka to massage her shoulders.
"A bit. It is more the headaches that get to me." Haruka said quietly.
"Those are because your neck and shoulders are getting too stiff and obstruct your blood flow to your brain." Kakyuu explained.
"At least that is a sign that I am not all that hollow up there as people like to believe thanks to my hair colour." Haruka joked.
"Ah, your terrible sense of humour is coming back. That is promising." Kakyuu chuckled.
"Have I had bad moods lately?" Haruka asked her like a child would.
"I wouldn't call it that...more your patience has been pretty thin since we arrived." Kakyuu remarked as she kneaded Haruka's shoulders.
"Yea, I have used up my daily budget of patience in the meetings." Haruka sighed.
"We need to increase your boosters to two a day if we don't want you to go into full body paralysis. Worst case scenario would be either your heart stopping or you suffocating if that happens." Kakyuu explained to Haruka patiently.
"Oh great, so painful death or slow and excruciating death." Haruka replied dryly.
"You know that won't happen as long as you get your boosters on time, every time…." Kakyuu started.
"Yea..." Haruka interrupted her. "I know." Haruka nodded defeated.
-Michiru-
Haruka and Kakyuu had just left the room and Michiru noticed a slight limp in Haruka's left leg.
She walked into Haruka's bathroom to check for remnants of bandages, to see if the blonde had hurt herself again, but nothing was in the bin.
She spotted Haruka's clothes being neatly folded on the shelf in the bathroom and inspected each piece for blood or scrapes.
Even through the stench of the cigar, Michiru noticed the fine smell of Haruka coming from the shirt.
'Haruka, how did you hurt yourself this time?' Michiru thought to herself as she folded the blonde's clothes and put them back the way she found them.
