-Yaten-

When Yaten opened his eyes, he was either facing a gigantic teddy bear or one that did not understand the concept of personal space.

"Hugo, you might think I am awake, but that is an illusion and shouldn't Hotaru still be having her afternoon nap?" Yaten mumbled as he closed his eyes again.

"Yaten-ji, you have to speak clearer. Hugo won't understand you if you talk like that." Hotaru's voice came from nearby.

"Hotaru-chan, you know I don't speak teddy that well, you need to translate what Hugo wants from me." Yaten continued mumbling into the pillow on the couch, on which he was sleeping.

"He wants to you to take him to see Haruka-papa." Hotaru translated patiently.

"But you know he can't go inside." Yaten reminded her.

"He knows. He just wants to say hello from the outside." Hotaru explained with the hint of a plea.

"Ok. Ok. I am getting up." Yaten stretched himself before he sat up slowly.

It had been three days since they had gotten Haruka back, and while nothing was really back to normal, everyone tried to get as much normalcy back into their daily routine as possible.

Today was his turn to look after Hotaru during the day, after Seiya and Taiki had already taken their turns the previous days, while the girls took turns taking care of Hotaru at night. It was nothing particular selfless to keep her on the premises, but more a measure to remind them that there was more to life, outside of hunting people that were out to get them, outside of security measures, outside of the bleak sight of crime, intrigue, tragic and violence that they faced at work.

He took Hotaru's hand and they walked to the elevator to take it to the clinic floor.

Once there, Hotaru rushed ahead to Haruka's room where a stool stood ready for her, to climb on, to look inside.

Michiru was already there, outside the room, sitting on the couch analysing information on the people that Ayumi was in contact with for the past couple of years.

"Look Hugo, Haruka-papa is still there. She is just still sleeping." Hotaru explained to her teddy.

"Hey there Michiru, waiting for Kakyuu?" Yaten greeted the violinist, while unable to supress a yawn.

"Hi Yaten. Yes, but we are not taking the monitoring shift for another two hours. I take it Hotaru didn't nap as long as she should have?" Michiru snickered.

"I did! Hugo just wanted to be sure Haruka-papa has not gone to work again." Hotaru protested.

"Oh, I see. Bad Hugo, you should let Hotaru always finish her nap. She needs it to grow tall and strong." Michiru playfully scolded the teddy.

"Hugo didn't mean to wake me up." Hotaru defended her fluffy friend.

"Well, as long as he knows not to do that again or we will have to make him sleep separate from Hotaru-chan." Yaten jumped in.

"He won't" Hotaru held her teddy tighter.

Yaten started to help Michiru sorting out the information while Hotaru was happy just to sit in her play corner, they had prepared for her and to leaf through the books she had and to make up her own stories along the pictures that were in them.

It was late in the afternoon when two visitors joined them.

"Yumi-nee! Shinobu-nee!" Hotaru noticed them first and ran towards the approaching woman, in an elegant Yukata, who was followed by another dressed in a plainer attire.

"Good afternoon Michiru-san, Yaten-kun, Hotaru-chan." Yumi greeted them while her servant bowed and they greeted their guests back.

Yumi crouched elegantly down so that Hotaru could hug her.

"What have you been doing today, Hotaru-chan?" She asked the little girl.

"I have been reading and I have been drawing and I have been playing with Yaten-ji. Want to see my drawings? They are upstairs in Haruka-papa's apartment." Hotaru asked with a wide grin.

"Of course, how does tomorrow sound? Then you can bring them here and show me all your pictures. Here I brought you and Hugo a little present." Yumi replied as she passed Hotaru a cute small bag made of cloth. "So you have a matching bag for your Yukata." Yumi explained.

"May I open it?" Hotaru asked with gleaming eyes.

"Of course." Yumi permitted with a gentle smile.

Inside the bag was a small summer yukata that was made for a teddy bear.

"Oh it looks like the one that Haruka-papa has." Hotaru exclaimed delighted.

"I thought you might like that." Yumi smiled.

Kakyuu joined them and addressed Yumi. "You are early today, Yumi." Kakyuu noted as she reached Yumi and Hotaru.

"My uncle needs my help this evening in one of our Ryotei, so I wouldn't be able to visit at the usual time." Yumi explained as she stood up straight again before she stepped up to the window to Haruka's room and Kakyuu nodded understandingly.

"There have been significant improvements in Haruka's blood work but we are still not much closer with reverse engineering Ayumi's virus. Also she still hasn't regained consciousness but some of her reflexes have returned." Kakyuu reported as Yumi stood at the window and looked inside. Hotaru climbed onto her stool and pointed at Haruka through the glass.

"Look, Haruka-papa has also less bruises now." Hotaru pointed out.

"Haruka is responding well to the new generation boosters, but we are still being careful with the use of those." Kakyuu continued.

"I see. Well, I know she is in the best hands possible." Yumi acknowledged calmly. "You keep an eye on her for me, right, Hotaru-chan?" Yumi turned to Hotaru.

"Of course." Hotaru nodded seriously.

"If I don't finish my duties today too late, I might pass by again later tonight." Yumi told Yaten who nodded.

"Will you take your usual entry path?" Yaten asked her and Yumi nodded before Shinobu and her took their leave again.


-Haruka-

She wanted to take a deep breath but couldn't. She wanted to move, but couldn't. She wanted stretch, but she couldn't and yet someone else kept sighing in her room.

She slowly opened her tired eyes and noticed her room being dark instead of dimly lit.

Her mouth was dry and her whole body ached.

"Water." She mumbled and a tall man with black hair, in hospital clothing, turned around relieved, before he helped her to drink.

"Haruka! Goodness, finally!" The source of the incessant sighs showed his relief.

"Just call her and stop sighing. I should be the only one here sighing and wailing in pain." Haruka smirked.

"It's good to see you, too." The doctor smirked in return.

"What's up Mamoru, did Usagi drop another ice cream or why are you sighing like a leaking tyre?" Haruka mumbled and immediately regretted exerting so much energy on those words.

"No, she's at home with Chibiusa." Mamoru explained quietly, so not to wake the deep sleeping Yaten in the bed close by.

"Why don't you bring them here, Yaten has upgraded our firefighting measures, the guest apartments are spacious and we have food delivered almost every day." Haruka suggested.

"Yea, maybe I should." Mamoru pondered.

"What time is it?" Haruka looked around the room for a clock.

"Ten to midnight." Mamoru answered.

"How bad are the numbers?" Haruka continued.

"Well, how do you feel?" Mamoru asked her in return as he checked all the machines attached to her.

"Like the unwanted lovechild of a Shinkansen and a Bulldozer is still running me over." Haruka smirked.

"Yea, that pretty much hits the spot." Mamoru confirmed. "Viral count is down but your internal injuries are taking their time to heal, not to mention everything else that you got injured."

Haruka tried to look down on herself.

"How bad was it?" She asked tired.

"Over ten hours of surgery, with both Abes and me." Mamoru told her.

"How long was I out?" Haruka closed her tired eyes again.

"Three days solid. Want me to call anyone for you? Yumi and Michiru are sitting outside right now." Mamoru suggested.

At the sound of those two names, Haruka's head started to ache. As much as she wanted to get up to...yea to what? Her emotional turmoil caused her to cringe. It was all too early for too face anyone right now, Haruka decided and lightly shook her head, sending more pain through her brain.

"You better rest some more, want me to increase the pain medication?" Mamoru asked her.

"Yes." Haruka confirmed, while she could feel the numbness spread in her body as Mamoru adjusted her morphine drip. Sleep came quick and Haruka was back to her turbulent dreams.


-Kakyuu-

It had become a sort of custom for Yumi to come late in the evenings, or like today, at night, to watch Haruka through the window while Michiru sat on the couch in the waiting area behind her, either working or reading.

Internally sighing, Kakyuu approached both women with a tray with tea.

"I made tea. Would you two like some?" Kakyuu offered, as she sat down in the middle of the couch and both women nodded.

Yumi sat down to Kakyuu's left while Michiru moved closer on the right to clear the paperwork that she had spread out on the small coffee table in front of them.

"May I ask which blend this is?" Yumi enquired as she smelled the tea that Kakyuu had just passed to her.

"I have no idea actually, Haruka just brought it back proudly one day and just said that it was from some small tea store in Ginza." Kakyuu admitted as she watched Yumi drinking it.

Michiru smelled it first as well, before she slowly drank from it.

Both seemed to be preoccupied with trying to figure out the flavours it contained when Kakyuu lifted her own cup and was pleasantly surprised by its fresh and slightly bitter sweet taste as she drank from it. The aftertaste was particularly smooth and soothing.

"Hashimoto-san would be the only tea store owner, I know of, who would let Haruka play around with her tea leaves." Yumi chuckled. "But I have to say that she is quite talented." Yumi remarked.

"Imagine if Haruka would have finished the tea ceremony course as my mother had intended us to." Kakyuu laughed.

"Haruka had attended a proper tea ceremony course?" Michiru asked surprised.

"Oh yea, with all the trimmings. In our very late teens my mother made us attend, the one of Yumi's aunt, and Kakashi-ji even pulled favours with the Myamotos to get us private lessons." Kakyuu snickered. "Can you imagine Haruka with long blonde hair, put up in a bun and in a fine pink Kimono with perfect posture trying, to prepare tea? I don't have to, because I have seen it." Kakyuu continued barely capable to supress her laughter.

Yumi couldn't supress a snicker either and Michiru chuckled at the mental image of Haruka sitting in a proper Kimono with a poised posture, whisking up some tea for her guest.

"Wow, what on earth would make her do that?" Michiru asked astonished.

"Well, Haruka had always been more of a tomboy, but to make the extended family happy and to proof to them that they were fine living with Kakashi-ji, she would let her hair grow out and wear dresses, for whenever they had to turn up to the Tenohs' or Takahashis' family gatherings, but since neither side truly approved of the bond of their parents', it didn't really matter how much Haruka and Haruto tried to please everyone. Something would always be amiss. I guess the submission to the tea ceremony course was the last straw before she gave up on it all and they just simply stopped attending to the two families' wishes, who had technically disowned them from before birth." Kakyuu explained a bit more sombre. "Also she had the best tutor a tea student could wish for and that was Yumi." Kakyuu continued to explain.

"I don't really think I was ever her tutor, though." Yumi added. "I had started training from an early age and I had barely finished my basic training as an apprentice myself, when my aunt told me that one of her student needed more practice." Yumi recalled.

"Haruka used to come to you pretty much every day back then, didn't she?" Kakyuu asked.

"Not back then, later on though she would, but that is a different story. At the beginning it was actually her teaching me more about tea than I did get to teach her." Yumi explained.

"Really? My airhead blonde knew more about tea than you did?" Now Kakyuu was the surprised one.

"Well, she didn't know more about tea itself, but she knew how to appreciate it. I actually hated it all from the start. To me it was all constraining and suffocating, but Haruka found beauty in it from the get go. I remember her telling me that, to her, the tea ceremony was one of her most favourite ways of communications. No unnecessary words were lost and the tea master would just exert all her expertise in one cup of tea to show her appreciation of her guest and the guest would receive it with the same amount of dignity to show the same gratefulness in return. Every sip would reflect the care and consideration that has been taken, from the grower to the tea master, in its flavour and texture and one could taste the love and passion that as gone into this simple yet complex mixture of tea leaves and hot water." Yumi reminisced. "Also, as much as Haruka hated wearing female Kimonos herself, or maybe because of that, she always knew how to appreciate the effort that has been taken and put into them by others who made them and wore them. It is like a gift from one person to the other that is part of the whole ceremony. That made me see the whole thing in a new light and made it even fun for me to finish my training by mastering it." Yumi continued.

"Oh yea, she is like a child when she finds joy in something, everything about it becomes great. She sees gifts and presents in everything you give her. Of course she loves normal presents as well, especially presents with traditional wrapping. But that woman has elevated 'unpacking with care' to a whole new level. If you ever give her a wrapped present, you will know what I am talking about." Kakyuu chuckled. "On Christmas she always takes the longest to open her presents and lately Hotaru has been imitating her. You won't believe how long they took to open just a couple of their presents on last Christmas morning." Kakyuu sighed.

Suddenly her phone beeped. "Oh the first antiviral serums should be ready. I will be right back." Kakyuu stood up and went to the laboratory.


-Yaten-

Yaten was going through the new enemy matrix, adding new players and removing eliminated ones, when Minako entered.

"Hey Yaten, want some coffee? I am on the way to the kitchen." Minako offered

"Yes, please. Two sugars and a touch of milk." He answered without looking up from behind his screens.

Minako got back minutes later with a hot mug of coffee and Yaten took it off her gratefully.

"I could get used to this." He grinned widely.

"Don't the others bring you coffee as well?" Minako asked surprised.

"Oh, I didn't mean that. I meant that having so many people around is a nice change." Yaten tried to explain. "Usually it is just me, who is up at this time, working." Yaten pointed at the clock that showed that it was four in the morning.

"Well I like working without distractions and at this time of the day the good, the bad and the ugly are too busy sleeping to cause trouble." Minako chuckled.

"That's what Haruka-nee says as well." Yaten nodded.

"Ne, Yaten. How come you got chosen into the black training program? I don't mean to imply anything with it. I just always wondered what the selection process for it looked like." Minako admitted with a bit of envy.

"Well, it is not so much what you do, really, more something that you are that makes you qualify for it. I don't think anyone would ever want to really meet the criteria to be selected for it." Yaten said deep in thought.

"Is the training really that hard that you have to be superhuman to make it? I barely survived the special units training with Haruka, so yours must be even more horrendous." Minako commented.

"It isn't really that tough, though it was very hard." Yaten had to laugh. "While being superhuman would surely help, it isn't the selection criteria. For you to be selected, it is necessary for you to be the last in your family line or to be an orphan without lineage or any family." Yaten told Minako melancholically.

"Oh...But you do have brothers." Minako interjected.

"Now I do, but you don't have to have studied human evolution to see that we have nothing in common." Yaten pointed out. "When you graduate, you get a new identity with a new family name if you want to. To Haruka and Haruto, family has always been very important and the family style bond is essential for success, so during many of our training missions we were forced to rely on each other, if we wanted to survive. You have to have each other's back unconditionally when you go deep cover and trust each other no matter what happens or what is being said, because you all have a common goal, the success of the mission."


-Haruka-

It was noon and everyone was probably in the communal area having lunch when Kakashi entered her room.

"I know you are awake Haruka." Kakashi said evenly.

"Are you sure it is not just your imagination?" Haruka mumbled without opening her eyes.

"I have known you most of your life and your ear still twitches ever so lightly when you pretend to be sleeping." Kakashi chuckled.

"What do you want old man?" Haruka responded begrudgingly as she opened her eyes and pressed the button to raise the bed so that she could sit up.

"You look awful." Kakashi smirked.

"Thanks captain, I don't know how I could have missed that." Haruka replied unimpressed.

"I have filtered everyone out in the agency. The agency is 100% clean now. Ayumi was our only leak." Kakashi told her.

"Are you sure?" Haruka said doubtfully.

"Yes. I double checked everyone personally." Kakashi reassured her tired.

"No wonder you look like something a cat might have chewed up and brought as an offering." Now it was Haruka's turn to smirk.

"How are you feeling?" Kakashi asked her.

"Like diarrhoea, I still need two hours of dialysis every day to deal with Ayumi's souvenir, but my body is coping somehow with all the stress I am putting it through." Haruka answered evenly.

"That is not too bad." Kakashi commented.

"True, there could always be worse." Haruka agreed. "How is the council holding up without me?" Haruka asked, shifting the focus away from her condition.

"I have been able to keep the news, of you being unavailable, out of all news channels so far and Osamu has taken up the mediation tasks in the meantime in your stead. Officially, you are on a 'business trip'." Kakashi informed her.

"Fun trip I am having. The underworld took that lying down?" Haruka continued to ask.

"If anything, they would even believe me if I told them the moon is made of crab cakes with a layer of molten cheese, just because we are related. The number that Yumi pulled off on them has gone down in history and rumour has it that it was you, alone. Right now, if you asked any of them to jump, the only counter question you would get would be 'how high?' She pulled off your signature cuts quite well that Sasaki-san. Remind me never to meet her alone at night." Kakashi said impressed.

"Ah, she did train hard." Haruka noted.

"You taught her well." Kakashi commented.

"No, Yumi trained her well and all her girls are loyal to the core." Haruka corrected him. "Women who do not gossip are quite a gift." Haruka chuckled.

"Have the boys found any trail to the mastermind behind Ayumi?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing that you haven't seen yet, well maybe the dark net thing is new, but you know from there the rabbit hole just goes deeper. Though Taiki found a link between Ayumi and the guy who assassinated mum and dad." Haruka said frowning deeply.

"You must inform your grandfather about that." Kakashi urged her.

"Why? He didn't come to their funeral, to Haruto's funeral or anything that was even remotely important to me. I am a disgrace in his eyes and for all he cares I do not even exist. If he wants to know, he can go and find it out for himself. He's the head of the IIA after all. If he doesn't know then it is because he doesn't give a flying duck about it. If anything, it is my problem. I am the last 'tainted' Tenoh still alive. All others have clean and approved pasts and futures and they were never targeted to start off with." Haruka had a hard time keeping the deep seated bitterness out of her demeanour and her voice.

"Kakyuu is coming." Kakashi said as he looked out of the window.

"Already?" Haruka turned her head and sighed. "Ok, let's smile and pretend to talk about the weather and cars." Haruka put on a smile that didn't really reach her eyes.


-Rei-

She had arrived at Yamaguchi's late in the afternoon, when business just started to pick up, and entered the small establishment. Soon she was greeted by Hiroshi, the older brother of Kyoko who led her to the back room. She thanked him with a courteous bow as he opened the secret door for her and she waited for him to lock the door behind her before she proceeded to a waiting wagon. Secretly she really adored the short journey to the Tenoh tower basement and enjoyed the fresh breeze that caressed her face as she rushed through the tunnel. Once back in the tower she took the elevator to the communal area and found Minako laughing in Yaten's office. For a second she hesitated to step closer, but before she could retreat Minako spotted her and walked towards her.

"Rei! It's so good to see you." Minako said cheerfully.

"Hi Minako, I have only come to tell you that Kakashi won't be back at work tomorrow and that he will be needing you to prepare his meetings for next week for him alone." Rei said stoically.

"Ok. I had a feeling that that might be the case. Are you staying over for a bath and dinner? Yaten has showed me how to use the switch of the window panel modes of the Sento and the view is just amazing there." Minako said excitedly.

"I don't know; I have an early start tomorrow…." Rei answered hesitantly.

"Then stay over, your stuff is still here anyway. Come on, you need to relax a bit as well, we had no chance to go to the hot springs together." Minako pleaded.

"Ok, I guess when we leave early tomorrow, at least the both of us will be on time." Rei gave in.

"Awesome. I leave the waking me up to you then. I am just going to tell Seiya to pick up an extra portion and you will never guess who has been here the last couple of days. She is going to be so thrilled to hear that you are here." Minako grinned as she practically ran away while Rei still stood there and sighed.

"When will you tell her that you like her?" Yaten asked Rei as Minako was out of ear shot.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Rei feinted ignorance.

"Uh huh, well if it is like that, would you mind refraining from staring daggers at me?" Yaten smirked. "Because I don't want any of them to suddenly dislodge and kill me. Besides, no one is going to touch your precious blonde, because I think the only one here who has no clue that you have the hots for her, is Minako and it's really just her." Yaten continued evenly while Rei's blush rose as she walked away wordlessly.


-Mamoru-

He was checking on all of Haruka's injuries and bandages when he noticed a sheet of paper under her.

"What's this?" He asked the blonde as he pulled it from under her.

"Oh there it was. I have been looking for this." Haruka said with relief as she took the paper away from him.

"Haruka, you are not supposed to be working." Mamoru scolded her.

"Well you are supposed to have gone with Abe-sensei to Sapporo, but here you are." Haruka countered evenly.

"Well you still need intensive care and I would not want to leave all the burden on Kakyuu and Ami alone." Mamoru reasoned as he opened the bandages around her lower torso.

"Isn't it more likely that you are worried that your father would take Usagi and Chibiusa from you while you are gone, just to force you to come home?" Haruka noted unimpressed.

"I don't see why he would do that, we have not talked in over a decade with one another." Mamoru replied calmly.

"I have seen him at the Council meeting. He didn't seem to have accepted it that you will not follow in his footsteps…though he did sound extremely proud of you while kept boasting about you being accepted by Abe-sensei for the special apprenticeship." Haruka commented.

"Who would want to follow such a monster's footsteps?" Mamoru asked resentfully.

"Is he really such a monster? I don't know, there are many hard choices out there and you sometimes cannot simply keep on taking the easy choices, also, if you were to ever take over the reigns of the Chiba clan, you could avoid making the choices your father keeps making and that might prevent more losses of lives than you can ever rescue as a doctor." Haruka said pensively.

"You can say that so easily because your father died a hero while mine leads a criminal organisation and executes people with a snap of his fingers." Mamoru countered frustrated.

"It could have been even worse if your uncle would be the one at power." Haruka reminded him.

"That is only because you compare bad with worse, that doesn't change that it is all bad to start off with." Mamoru stated as he cleaned the stitches.

"AAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhh, hey, gentler there. I am off Morphine, remember?" Haruka vocally reminded him as her wounds started to burn.

"That is your own fault for not using it as needed. You are welcome to press the button and administer yourself some." Mamoru smirked.

"You know as well as I do that I need a clear head to work." Haruka countered dryly.

"And I told you that you should know that you are not supposed to work at all." Mamoru reminded her.

"Easy for you to say, Chiba-sensei. Some of us believe in blood loss prevention over stitching up wounds." Haruka replied evenly.

"You are the one to talk miss one-hundred-and-six stitches." Mamoru stated sarcastically.

"At least they are concentrated on me and not spread around on one hundred and six people." Haruka countered and Mamoru sighed as he bandaged her up again.

"At least visit your old man and introduce him to his grandchild." Haruka suggested. "You still have a father who will answer you when you talk to him, while my hero has already gone to a place where I cannot have a proper dialogue with him anymore." Haruka reminded Mamoru.


-Minako-

Minako and Ami went to the clinic, to bring Haruka her dinner.

When she arrived, Hotaru and Chibiusa were still showing off to Haruka, the pictures they had drawn earlier with Michiru.

"No Haruka-papa, that's not a dinosaur, that's a swan" Hotaru explained her latest drawing to Haruka.

"I see, and this is a tree?" Haruka pretended ignorant.

"Yes, and that is Chibiusa feeding the swan" Hotaru continued.

"And this is Hotaru." Chibiusa pointed out the second figure in the picture.

"Oh, you both are so pretty on this one." Haruka complimented.

"Hotaru-chan, Chibiusa-chan, you both better get ready for dinner. Usagi and Michiru are already waiting for you in the kitchen in the common area." Minako told the two toddlers as she put the tray down on the table.

"How are you feeling Haruka?" Ami asked Haruka, as she checked up on the blonde and Minako lifted the two toddlers off Haruka's bed.

"I am feeling fine." Haruka told Ami and smiled broadly at Hotaru who looked at the blonde worried.

"When will you be eating with us again, Haruka-papa?" Hotaru asked.

"Soon. Why don't you and Ami-sensei go together to dinner and when you are done, and finished cleaning up, I will read you a good night story before you go to sleep. How does that sound?" Haruka suggested.

"Ok, but no falling asleep before we are back, promise?" Hotaru looked at Haruka doubtful.

"Promise." Haruka grinned.

With a toddler on each hand, Ami made her way upstairs again and Minako served Haruka her dinner.

"Soup again? Don't get me wrong, I like soup, but I'd kill for a steak right now. Medium with roasted potatoes and sautéed beans and a good mushroom sauce, would really be amazing right now." Haruka admitted with a look of dismay on her face when she looked at her dinner.

"Yea the steak would probably also kill you in return, so be a good kid and eat your dinner without complaining." Minako chastised Haruka playfully as she sat down to her own dinner of grilled fish and vegetables with rice.

"You have good talking; you are having adult food. I'd probably behave like an adult, too, if I would get adult food. I am tired of this baby food." Haruka whined.

"I hear you baby. We all get what we deserve. Now eat up." Minako chuckled.

Haruka sighed and started to eat.

"Hey, what do you think of Michiru?" Minako asked between bites.

"She is a good team leader when she needs to be." Haruka replied easily.

"Did something happen between Michiru and you?" Minako continued to ask.

"What do you mean with happen?" Haruka asked in return between sips.

"Well you two seem more distant than you used to." Minako noted.

"When were we ever close?" Haruka asked casually.

"At the very beginning, I thought you two hit it off quite well." Minako thought back.

"We were planning a mission together. Now we are not." Haruka responded nonchalant.

"So, what do you think of her?" Minako asked again.

"Is it just me or are you repeating yourself, grandma?" Haruka teased her.

"Well she is clearly your type. I am just wondering why you haven't made your signature moves yet, child" Minako tried to explain.

"I do not kiss and tell." Haruka said evenly before resuming to eat.

"OH, so you DID make a move. That's more like the Casanova, I know." Minako grinned. "So why are there not more sparks?" Minako asked.

"Why sparks? She is talking to Ferguson all the time on her phone. She has clearly made a choice and I respect that." Haruka continued eating unfazed.

"You mean Daniel? He's no match for you, if you'd made a proper move." Minako interjected.

"Mina-chan, I might not look like it, but I do not get involved with taken people." Haruka tried to explain.

"What about Yumi?" Minako asked unimpressed.

"She came to me. It wasn't the other way around." Haruka answered unfazed.

"So you have not an ounce of feelings for Yumi?" Minako asked doubtful.

"I care, I truly do, she is more than a friend but what we used to have has gone lost a long time ago, that's it. It's more an arrangement of close friends with benefits now. No strings attached, at least not on my side." Haruka justified herself.

"And what about Michiru?" Minako didn't let off and Haruka put down the spoon for a moment.

"You could say I am 'fascinated'" Haruka smirked.

"We're not the same!" Minako protested.

"How is that not the same? I admire her qualities, I am not going to make a move and I will die lonely, on my own and everyone else will have their happy ever after. How is that not the same to your 'fascination'?" Haruka asked provocatively.

"It's not that simple." Minako tried to explain.

"And that is what is also between Michiru and I. I respect her choice and I won't be in her way. In the end it is her happiness that matters, not mine." Haruka said calmly before she picked up her spoon again and continued her dinner.

"She has been staying here since we got you back and been staying on that couch out there every free moment she had. Doesn't that tell you anything?" Minako asked her incredulously.

"It tells me that that is one hell of a comfortable couch out there and that she needs a better hobby." Haruka said unmoved.

"We are going back to work tomorrow. Don't you want to at least tell her what is on your mind and try to obtain some happiness for yourself? You two haven't had a proper conversation since you woke up." Minako asked imploringly.

"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" Haruka asked in return.

"I am busy with work…" Minako excused herself.

"And so is Michiru. Being a captain means a whole heap of paperwork and mission reports." Haruka said evenly.

"But you aren't busy. It won't hurt to have a conversation." Minako argued.

"A conversation is a dialog and it is called a dialog because two people are involved in it. Besides me being busy recovering, don't you think she deserves better than a crippled me? But before we argue something pointless, I have heard Rei is going to Dublin with Setsuna for the next couple of months. Don't you want to take some of your own medicine?" Haruka said without looking at Minako.

"It's not that simple…." Minako mumbled.

"Mina-chan, give me that piece of fish with the crispy skin." Haruka requested offhandedly.

"I thought we discussed this. Kakyuu was very adamant about you not getting any solid food for a while." Minako sighed.

"If I chew it very well it won't be solid anymore." Haruka argued.

"No, Haruka." Minako insisted.

"Oh come on Koneko-chan. My adult teeth need something to chew on…I finally understand why teething babies drool and want to chew everything they get in sight. Please, just this once, you are leaving tomorrow already and you are going to deny me that little bit of happiness?" Haruka pulled all registers by putting on puppy eyes.

"Ok, fine. Just this once." Minako gave in, as she stood up and fed Haruka a piece of grilled fish with a generous amount of crispy skin. "How is it?" She asked the happily chewing patient.

"Awesome." Haruka smiled wide.

"Chew properly, otherwise I get in trouble with Kakyuu." Minako reminded Haruka.

Suddenly Haruka wrapped her arms around her stomach and bend over with a contorted face full of agony.

"I knew it! You glutton didn't chew properly! I am getting Kakyuu." Minako was furious and anxious at the same time but before she could rush out, Haruka stopped her.

"Wait!" Haruka croaked and grabbed her wrist. "I need you to tell Michiru something before I pass out." Haruka whispered.

"What is it?" Minako leaned concerned down to Haruka.

"Tell her….Tell her that ….." Haruka's voice was getting quieter.

"That?" Minako leaned closer.

"That you are a dumbass." Haruka grinned wide.

Minako hit Haruka's shoulder hard. "You're an idiot" Minako returned angrily.

"Oi, I am already injured inside, no need to add externally to the count." Haruka laughed.

"You are unbelievable." Minako said exasperated.

"You don't have to believe it to know that you love me anyway." Haruka continued laughing.

"That's true." Minako sighed defeated before she returned to finish her own dinner.


-Michiru-

Michiru just wanted to come down to the clinic, to bring Minako and Haruka the desserts Minako had forgotten upstairs, when she overheard parts of the little banter between Minako and Haruka. She wanted to rush in so badly and clarify that there was nothing going on between Daniel and her but at the same time, she still felt guilty about the way they had ended their last conversation, not to mention that she had no real answer for Haruka. It was true that they hadn't had a chance alone since Haruka woke up, but she didn't think anyone would notice and often she could see that all the visitors actually drained Haruka off the little strength, she had regained.

"Michiru, here you are." Makoto surprised her from behind. "Oh you wanted to bring them desserts?" Makoto asked.

"Yea, I noticed that Minako had forgotten hers and so I thought I bring it down for her but I thought I double check with Kakyuu first if Haruka is allowed to have some as well. Have you seen her?" Michiru asked in return, to excuse her lingering as she resumed walk towards Haruka's room.

"She should be here any minute, she told me she was just grabbing Haruka a fresh set of clothes to change into." Makoto recalled.

"Well then, I ask her then and give Minako hers first." Michiru smiled as they entered Haruka's room.

"Oh hey there Michiru, Makoto, what do you have there?" Minako asked them as they came in.

"Chocolate pudding." Michiru smiled.

"That's soft. I can have that!" Haruka decided on her own earning herself a disapproving look from Minako.

"How about we wait until Kakyuu comes." Michiru suggested as she sat put down the desserts on the table where Minako had her dinner causing Haruka to grouch.


-Haruka

Haruka was watching Hotaru sleep in Michiru's arms, on the provisional bed next to her own.

It had been a long day with many visitors and Haruka felt utterly drained but she knew that one more person would turn up tonight and she needed to be coherent for that visit.

She really needed to learn to say properly 'no' to Hotaru's unreasonable requests, but at the same time, she knew that that was probably not happening anytime soon, since Hotaru was already hardly making any requests to start off with that Haruka would just feel like a monster by denying her simple requests, such as sleeping over next to her.

Sweating from the pain in her limbs she silently wiped her forehead and concentrated on breathing evenly. She turned her head away from the two sleeping people and faced the window to the hallway. It shouldn't be long anymore and there he was, Kakashi turned around the corner.

She waved to him silently to wait for her out there before she climbed painstakingly out of bed onto a waiting wheelchair and rolled out as silently as she could. By the time she reached the door, she was sweat soaked and her hands were shaking from the effort that it took her to get there. Kakashi opened the door for her and she rolled out to the waiting area in front of it.

"How was your trip old man?" Haruka greeted Kakashi with a weak smile but usual glint of mischief in her eyes

"Pretty bumpy." Kakashi answered as he sat down on the couch.

Haruka noticed several smaller cuts on him and smirked "Field work doesn't seem to fair well with you anymore."

"Oh please, I am in the prime of my life." Kakashi waved away easily.

"How was Russia?" Haruka continued to ask.

"I have hunted down your lead. He was not particularly chatty, with his tongue already cut out, by the time I got there. But he still had plenty of vigour in his hands to write a small novel." Kakashi pulled out a small black notebook.

"Has his information been verified yet?" Haruka asked as she took it into her sweaty palms and flipped through it.

"Not all of it yet, but the key data has been confirmed to be true." Kakashi replied evenly.

"Where is Taiki?" Haruka asked while she flipped through the notebook.

"I have returned him, in one piece, to your doctor. You might want to give him some time to recover. He had a hard time keeping up." Kakashi smirked.

Haruka just nodded understandingly when suddenly the smell of tea reached her nose.

"Yumi, what are you doing here?" Haruka asked without looking up.

"She got us here without being seen, once we arrived at the port." Kakashi explained as she served him a cup of tea.

Yumi passed Haruka the next cup of tea wordlessly.

"Thank you." Haruka said, with a lot of effort as she tried to steady her hands.

"You are welcome." Yumi replied calmly before she took the last cup of tea herself.

"People are getting nervous for not seeing you for so long Haruka. You are high profile now after all." Kakashi commented evenly before he started to drink.

"I had a hunch that that might happen." Haruka sighed.

"Just focus on getting better for now. We have both sides well covered but do not take too long to at least make a fleeting appearance." Yumi reminded her.

"Yea, I will think of something." Haruka nodded tired before she drank her tea.

"I am going to get checked out by Kakyuu before I turn in. I think I just stay here for a day or two, until my face returns to its usual handsomeness." Kakashi smirked.

"My Sento is good, but it doesn't perform miracles." Haruka chuckled.


-Michiru-

She had watched Haruka climbing out of bed and leaving the room silently and wondered what the blonde was discussing with her uncle, who looked worse for wear when suddenly the graceful tea master entered the picture.

A sudden onset of jealousy filled Michiru's mind, but then she remembered Haruka's words that she had overheard earlier. What Haruka and Yumi used to have was lost a long time ago….but what did that really mean?

She waited patiently for everyone to leave and watched Haruka slowly returning to her bed. Haruka lifted herself shakily out of the wheelchair but before she could fall, Michiru had rushed to her side and supported the blonde's body.

"You should call for help when you need it." Michiru whispered as she noticed that Haruka was sweaty all over and had a hard time breathing.

Haruka just nodded tired as Michiru helped her into bed.

"Thank you. Do you mind grabbing me a fresh shirt?" Haruka asked her with a bare whisper and Michiru reached over to the cupboard and passed the blonde a fresh shirt.

Haruka nodded appreciatively before she, wordlessly, took off her sweat drenched shirt.

It had been many times, that Michiru had seen Haruka naked by now, but the sight still never failed to take her breath for a moment, by the strength it displayed that Haruka held within her.

Before Haruka could put on a fresh shirt, Michiru stopped her and started to wipe the sweat off the blonde's back with a small towel that she had taken out of the cupboard as well.

Haruka was soaked with cold sweat and her body was trembling ever so lightly from the effort to sit up straight.

"Should I call Kakyuu?" Michiru suggested but Haruka shook her head.

"It will pass any moment now." Haruka assured her.

"I am sorry." Michiru whispered.

"Nothing to be sorry for." Haruka replied with her usual calm. "You have done nothing wrong."

"I still feel like that I need to apologise." Michiru whispered as Haruka put on her shirt and leaned back in the bed.

"There is really nothing to apologise for." Haruka's breathing was getting shallower and she reached for the respirator.

Michiru switched on the respirator and helped Haruka to put it on properly.

Haruka's tired eyes looked into her own, warm and understandingly, as she reached for Michiru's hand that was still at the side of Haruka's head.

"Don't worry, I understand your choice." Haruka's whisper becoming ever quieter and the blonde's hand losing grip on Michiru's hand, before falling completely asleep from exhaustion.

"Minako is right, you are such an idiot. You don't understand anything." Michiru cursed under her breath and between gritted teeth.


-Haruka-

She woke up slowly, to happy babbling coming from somewhere nearby and she sluggishly opened her eyes.

"Good morning Haruka-papa" Hotaru cheerfully greeted her as she sat to her feet on the bed.

"What are you doing here so early Hime-chan." Haruka yawned.

"Michiru-nee had to go to work early with Minako-nee and Rei-nee and everyone else is at the moment busy, so she let me play here with Hugo until Chibiusa-chan comes and plays with me." Hotaru explained. "She even gave me and Hugo a goodbye kiss." Hotaru pointed at her forehead and then at the forehead of her teddy. "Don't worry, you got one, too." Hotaru grinned.

Haruka reached for her forehead surprised, as if to recall the sensation of those soft lips touching her.

"Had breakfast yet?" Haruka asked the little girl who put her teddy onto Haruka's feet before getting more comfortable on her end of the bed.

"Yes, French toast with strawberries and cream" Hotaru grinned widely.

"Ooooh, I am jealous." Haruka chuckled.

"It was sooooo good." Hotaru swooned. "I was even allowed to put extra cream on mine myself." Hotaru said proudly.

"Well, that is pretty good. Was the French toast as good as my chocolate chip and banana pancakes?" Haruka smirked as she watched her little girl struggle for an answer.

"They are both very good but different." Hotaru deliberated eventually after pulling a dozen faces that made Haruka laugh.

"That was a very fair assessment." Haruka chuckled.

"What are you laughing about Haruka?" Usagi asked as she entered the room with Chibiusa in her arms.

"Oh, Hotaru-chan and I are contemplating which one is better, French toast with strawberries and cream or chocolate chip and banana pancakes." Haruka explained.

"Oh that is a tough question." Usagi nodded seriously.

"What is French toast?" Chibiusa asked Hotaru.

"That is what Michiru-nee sometimes makes me for breakfast." Hotaru explained as she made space for Chibiusa at Haruka's feet.

"Now I am hungry again." Usagi sighed.

"When are you not hungry Usagi?" Makoto commented as she entered the room with Haruka's breakfast.

"Please tell me you brought me coffee." Haruka asked imploringly.

"Nope, no coffee for you until you a lot better." Makoto told her firmly.

Haruka sighed at the sight of rice porridge with several side dishes consisting of various pickled vegetables.

"I want French toast." Haruka admitted.

"We can ask Michiru-nee when she stays over next time." Hotaru suggested.

"Sure, you do that Hime-chan" Haruka ruffled Hotaru's hair.

"Is it that good?" Chibiusa asked.

"Oh yes" Hotaru nodded vigorously.

"If you like, I can make you some tomorrow." Makoto offered Chibiusa.

"Oh yes, anything beats burned toast." The little said offhandedly making Usagi blush and Haruka and Makoto struggle not to burst out in laughter.

"Well, burnt toast is better than no breakfast at all." Haruka tried to salvage the situation as she started her breakfast.

"With which one of the boys will you be playing with today?" Makoto asked Hotaru, as the little girl made space for Chibiusa on Haruka's bed.

"I am staying with Haruka-papa today. I promised to be quiet and let Haruka-papa sleep a lot today and Haruka-papa promised yesterday not to sleep too much." Hotaru told Makoto.

"Oh, that is nice." Makoto said approvingly.

"And what are you doing today, Makoto-nee." Hotaru asked in return.

"I will be training before making lunch and dinner for all of us." Makoto explained.

"Will my mum help you?" Chibiusa asked Makoto.

"If she wants to, she can." Makoto said nervously.

"Oh, that sounds great. When do we start?" Usagi asked enthusiastically.

"I am going to training first, but I will start cooking around ten, so you are welcome to join me in the kitchen then." Makoto told Usagi who kept nodding enthusiastically.

"Then I can learn how to cook properly for my Mamo-chan." Usagi said happily and Makoto and Haruka grinned awkwardly.

It surprised them that he survived her cooking so far to start off with, but as a doctor, they guessed he would probably have remedies for most cases of food poisoning at hand.


-Minako-

Rei was driving them straight to the office, after dropping off Michiru at her apartment.

Soon, Rei would be leaving and Minako didn't know for how long she would not get to see the raven haired beauty. Knowing Setsuna, she would not make any clear statements about it either. The not knowing though gnawed on Minako on the inside.

"Hey Rei, is it true that you are going to Dublin with Setsuna-nee soon?" Minako asked as casually as she could muster.

"Yes, but that's not for another two months, we will be consulting on the European security measurements." Rei said evenly.

'Damn you Haruka, the way you said it I thought it would be tomorrow.' Minako thought to herself and sighed with relief.

"Did you need something urgently done during that time?" Rei asked her as she noticed Minako's reaction.

"No, not at all. I was just wondering if that leaves some time for some vacation before you go, so you are well rested for the Dublin visit." Minako deflected.

"I have no intention to take any vacation, but I guess if the opportunity arises, I would take it. We have been stressed lately, so some deep relaxation is probably good for body and mind." Rei commented. "Do you have any vacation plans?" Rei asked in return.

"None, yet. But you know me, I go with the flow." Minako leaned back relaxed in her seat.


-Michiru-

She had passed by her apartment, to drop off her things before going to the office. The apartment seemed lonelier than she remembered it being. She went to her fridge to see if she had to throw anything out, before going to the office, but besides some drinks, nothing was in there.

She had gotten so quickly used to the well-stocked fridge and pantry in the common area of Haruka's building that she had to ask herself what she usually ate when she was on her own.

Her phone suddenly beeped and she fished it out of her pocket.

'Thanks for taking care of Hotaru. H.' was all that the message read that she had just received.

For some reason, this short message managed to make her smile.

Sighing she closed the fridge and went on to unpacking her things, as she came across her Tenoh wall.

She slowly removed every item on it until she came across pictures of Haruka's parents. It wasn't a nice one like the one Haruka had in her Butsudan, but the one that was on file with the agency from their agent days. Haruka definitely looked like her father, the similarities in their facial features were uncanny, the resting mischievous smirk on their lips seemed to be carbon copies of one another, though Haruka looked softer, probably more like a younger Haruki Tenoh with no facial hair, but her eyes were definitely from her mother, Tomoko Takahashi, mysterious and unreadable.

She continued packing it all up into a box, that she put in a special corner in the hidden compartment in her closet. She wondered what exactly happened to Haruka's parents and made a mental note to look for information on the matter as soon as she had some free time at the office.

She looked at her watch and realised that she had no more time left to unpack before she was due to be in her office and left before she could even open her bag.


-Haruka-

Haruka was lying in bed, reading the notebook Kakashi had given her earlier, when Taiki limped in.

"Where is Hotaru?" The tall man asked her, before he sat down on the chair next to her bed.

"She is playing hide and seek with Chibiusa." Haruka said calmly as she gave a sideways glance to the bed on the other side where Chibiusa was obviously hiding.

"I see. Have you finished reading?" Taiki asked evenly.

"I am still in the middle of it, but you know what I came to realise? Whoever is doing this is coming from a spot of weakness and not strength. Someone who is this determined but not capable of making an open move has no support for his or her cause." Haruka concluded. "We cannot shy away from a coward like that." Haruka continued evenly as she watched Hotaru sneaking up on Chibiusa.

"So, what do you plan for us to do?" Taiki asked.

"We will proceed as if nothing has happened. You and I get back onto our feet. Kakyuu might not have found a way to cure me yet, but I have been living with this for over three years, what are a couple of months or maybe years? As long as I stick to the most efficient coping strategies, I will be fine." Haruka said confidently. "This person will strike again and then, we will be prepared." Haruka continued evenly.

"Where do we start?" Taiki asked.

"With Hotaru going back to Kindergarten. She needs to be around more kids of her own age and I am sure Chibiusa is missing her friends as well." Haruka chuckled as Hotaru tackled Chibiusa playfully.

"What about Mamoru, Usagi, Ami and Makoto?" Taiki wondered.

"Mamoru needs to resume his training under Takumi-sensei, I have already taken up enough of his time. Also Makoto still has a lot to learn from Setsuna and Ami is actually indispensable in the laboratory, now more than ever, for the agency. I do not need 24h monitoring anymore so I think we will be ok with just Kakyuu staying. What do you think?" Haruka asked Taiki for a second opinion.

"I would still prefer someone keeping an eye on you over night." Taiki admitted.

"Taiki, I have been sleeping incident free for days now, there was nothing I couldn't handle. If it gets you off my back, I will stay here a day or even couple of days but then I want my own bed. I am tired of the clinic smell." Haruka admitted.

"We talk about it with Kakyuu-sensei" Taiki suggested.

"Fair enough." Haruka agreed.


-Michiru-

Entering the elevator and pressing the button to her office's floor, she dreaded having to head to her office to write a book length worth report that would be redacted by 99.9% once it was read by the higher echelons of the agency. It had only been a week since she moved out of the Tenoh tower and she was already missing just being there and close to Haruka. She had been deep in thought when Ami suddenly joined her in the elevator.

"Oh, good morning Michiru." The shorter woman greeted her.

"Good morning Ami-chan. How come you are already back?" Michiru asked casually.

"Haruka has checked herself out of the clinic and has returned to her own apartment today, so there was no need for overnight monitoring anymore." Ami explained.

"Oh? So she is all better already?" Michiru enquired.

"Not completely, but she is determined to bring as much normalcy back for Hotaru-chan, as she possibly can, so she has been rolling around in her wheelchair most of the time but she is also doing physio therapy as much as her body would allow her." Ami explained.

"That is good to hear." Michiru said deep in thought about the new information she just got.

"Want to come by for lunch? Makoto made her famous sandwiches today." Ami invited her.

"Sure, how could I possibly say no to those?" Michiru chuckled.

Ami exited on the laboratory floor while Michiru waited to arrive at the higher office floors.

She passed Kakashi's office and saw Minako busy on her phone at her desk right in front of it.

Everything seemed back to back normal, yet Michiru felt like something crucial was missing. As she passed Setsuna's office on the way to her own, she saw that Rei was deeply engrossed in a report she was reading and making notes at its side. Life was back to its usual busy self and although she was technically swamped with work herself and finished many tasks every day, she didn't feel as though she had accomplished much in the past couple of days. Placing her phone highly visible on her desk, she debated with herself if she should call Haruka up or drop her line, to ask how the blonde was going.


-Haruka-

Haruka was in the training centre, trying to get proper sensation and control back in her legs and to reverse the nerve damage the virus has caused her.

"Don't overdo yourself." Yumi reminded her as she entered, dressed in perfectly fitting training clothes.

"As if I ever would." Haruka smirked as she lowered her sweat soaked self from the bars down onto her wheelchair again.

"Weren't you supposed to wait for someone to supervise your training?" Yumi scolded her.

"As your former trainer, you should really trust me more and that I know what I am doing." Haruka answered evenly.

"Knowing you pretty well and as your current tea master and caretaker, I should know better than to do so." Yumi responded calmly as she pushed Haruka away from the bars and towards the mats.

Haruka quickly got down from the wheelchair and lay down flat on her back so that Yumi could help stretch.

"You are still tense all over." Yumi commented as she massaged Haruka's legs before stretching them.

"Kakyuu said that will settle with enough exercise." Haruka said confidently.

"Did you get your shot before coming here?" Yumi asked as stretched Haruka's calf muscle.

"Yes." Haruka responded through gritted teeth. "Did Hotaru behave when you dropped her off at the Kindergarten?"

"Of course she did. Unlike you, she listens to instructions." Yumi noted.

"I do not remember obedience ever being part of my nature to start off with." Haruka chuckled as she stretched her arms.

"That's true, you always did what you wanted, when you wanted it" Yumi agreed.

"How is Katashi taking your frequent absence?" Haruka asked nonchalant.

"He is taking it." Yumi responded detached. "He came into the family for power, not me." Yumi continued unfazed.

Haruka didn't want to push the matter further and turned onto her stomach so that Yumi could do her best to push Haruka to her limits of her flexibility in her legs.

"Do you remember doing this to me after our second training session?" Yumi asked Haruka.

"I do, but I don't remember being so rough though." Haruka commented through gritted teeth.

"That is true, you were a lot rougher on me." Yumi smirked.

"You needed to loosen up. All that tea making made you so stiff." Haruka chuckled.

"I wasn't able to move for three whole days." Yumi complained.

"That just made you appreciate your meditative tea ceremonies even more." Haruka commented muffled. "How is the training program for your girls going?" Haruka changed topics.

"Nakajima-san has developed into a very good leader. She has been a big help alongside of Sasaki-san." Yumi reported evenly.

"I had high hopes in Noriko-chan, I am glad they are being met. Though I have heard Shinobu-chan has now managed skills that rival mine." Haruka smirked.

"She wasn't alone. Nakajima was by her side." Yumi explained.

"Well those moves were meant to be executed by twins after all and not just a single person." Haruka reminisced.

Yumi got up and sat down again, close to where Haruka's head was. Patting on her thighs to indicate that Haruka should rest her head on them while she massaged the blonde's shoulders. Haruka pulled her tired body into a more comfortable position and rested her face between Yumi's thighs while she let the tea master work her magic on her shoulders.

"Haruka, how long do you think you will need before you can walk properly again?" Yumi asked tentatively.

"Hmmm, viral management has been good and with Hotaru back in Kindergarten I actually get full naps. I would say another four to five days, and I should be back to most of my old self." Haruka contemplated. "Why?" Haruka asked curiously.

"Your grandfather is coming to town in a week." Yumi said calmly.

"Which one?" Haruka sighed.

"Does it really matter?" Yumi asked.

"You are right, it does not really matter, but I am guessing it's dad's old man anyway, isn't it?" Haruka concluded.

"Yes." Yumi confirmed. "He has booked with us a special tea room. Will you be attending?" Yumi asked.

"I am a sore topic in the family, therefore I won't. What about you?" Haruka asked casually.

"I will be performing the ceremony." Yumi informed Haruka.

"I know you will do more than well." Haruka said confidently.

"What will you be doing?" Yumi asked her.

"Lock down Tenoh tower and go on vacation. It's the rainy season and the humidity is giving the boys a hard time. Might as well check out the beautiful fresh countryside Hokkaido's." Haruka smirked. "Hotaru loves Lavender. Is there any specific Omiage I may bring home for you?" Haruka asked.

"Just you, will be fine." Yumi replied evenly.

"I don't think Katashi will agree, but how about a nice visit to the Sento now?" Haruka suggested.


-Michiru-

It had been a long day and, half way through it, she was tempted to drop everything and to go to pick up Hotaru from Kindergarten, to take the little girl for a walk and an ice cream and to listen to her stories. But, of course, she didn't. The sun had already set when Rei and Minako joined her excitedly in her office.

"Are you coming, too?" Minako asked Michiru eagerly.

"Coming to what?" Michiru asked her surprised.

"To Haruka's annual Hokkaido trip, don't you read your messages?" Rei asked Michiru.

Looking for her phone under all the paperwork that she had spread out on her desk, she had noticed an invitation to a group chat by Haruka. She accepted and a barrage of messages from Haruka and all the girls flooded in.

"Let me summarise for you." Rei offered. "Haruka has invited us all for a short vacation up to Hokkaido to make up for the missed Onsen day after the mission. She has booked a complete Ryokan with Onsen for us up there."

"I have already asked Kakashi for time off for all of us and it is approved." Minako could hardly contain herself and Rei couldn't suppress a wide grin.

"When is it?" Michiru asked.

"We are leaving this Friday. Even Setsuna is coming." Rei informed her.

"Well, it would be a waste not go if that is the case." Michiru chuckled.