Author's Note:I had just joined Ao3 and published this same story there. Just want to tell you guys, I posted different ending for Chapter 3 at Ao3 there. That ending is the priginal ending that I had in my mind when I wrote the story but I changed the ending to after listening to 'I Love you 3000.' Got inspired by the song. Hotaru will not make any appearance on next chapter. I plan to feature her on next 2 chapters. Thanks to Covid 19, I managed to finish the story. Yeah, unfortunately I was texted positive with mild symptoms. But I'm recovering. In fact I have passed my quarantine period, but I decided to self quarantine for some period more for safety purpose.


Haruka slapped the hand away. The hand did not give up, tried again, but was slapped again by the same blonde for the umpteenth times.

"TENOH HARUKA!"

"I'm nervous, Michiru."

"And I feel damm hot. We have been standing under the hot sun for an hour."

"You are exaggerating, love. We've been here for only 5 minutes."

"I don't care. I just know I'm sweating PROFUSELY. I'm going in with or without you." Michiru tried to press the doorbell again but again the hand was being pushed away. This was where Michiru decided to play rough. She knocked Haruka off balance and immediately pressed the doorbell. Haruka's eyes widened. She stopped breathing.

Michiru rolled her eyes. "Stop being dramatic. My parents won't bite."

"It's easier for you to said that. How am I going to tell your parents I'm going to marry her daughter but the catch is, I'm a woman."

"No worries, hun. If my parents objected to it, they will kill me first, ok?"

"That's not what I mean….."

"Coming. Who's it?'

A woman's voice could be heard from inside the house. Then the front door was being opened and an old lady stay put at the front entrance, stretched her neck to have a better look at the visitors outside. The old lady's hair was evidently started to grey. Although the hair base color was not aquamarine, but the unmistaken striking deep blue sea eyes were exactly the same as Michiru.

Hearing the voice Michiru's smile widened, while Haruka froze on the spot, face drained of color. Peeking from the front door, the old lady looked confused at first but when Michiru appeared full view at the front gate, the old lady gasped.

"Michi-chan…..Michi-chan….." The old lady rushed forward, stumbled through half way, prompting Michiru to take few quick steps forward to hold the old lady.

"Oka-san…."

"Michi-chan…you're back Michi-chan…..you're finally back….."

"Oka-san….yes…I have come back."

While the mother and daughter had a teary reunion at the patio of the house, Haruka remained rooted at outside, accompanied by a huge luggage by her side. "So, this is my soon to be oka-san."

"Michi-chan….come…let oka-san has a good look at you.." Michiru's mother took a step back to scrutinize her finally return beloved daughter. "You're getting thinner, Michi-chan. You must be overworking yourself too much."

"Am I?" Michiru spun on the spot for her mother to have a better view then grasp her mother's hands. "It was indeed not easy, but it's worth it, oka-san." Michiru pulled their hands near to her heart. "I'm the head of Tokyo High Public Prosecutor's Office now."

"Really?" Smile widened. "I know you are a smart girl. I know it. But Michi-chan…..what is High Public Prosecutor's Office?"

Michiru linked their arms together. "Let's get inside and I explain it to you."

Both mother and daughter walked back to the house, leaving Haruka with the company of a large luggage bag, roasted together under the blazing hot sun.

"Mi…Michiru?"


"I'm deeply sorry."

Poor Haruka, after some time, finally collected by Michiru, was being served with hot green tea by Mother Kaioh who was left embarrassed by her daughter by leaving a guest at their front door.

"And you Michi-chan, how could you forget your friend?"

"Oka-san, I was just too happy to see you."

"Still, you shouldn't leave me out to dry, Michiru." Haruka murmured.

Michiru leaned closer towards Haruka and whispered very lowly. "I'll make it up for you."

Haruka drank her tea to hide her smile. Mother Kaioh watched the scene with interest.

"Michi-chan, why you don't you introduce your friend to oka-san?"

"Oka-san, this is Tenoh Haruka." Michiru picked her words carefully, not to disclose Haruka's gender. It's not the time yet.

"And? You finally decided to come back, I guess with a purpose right?"

Michiru took a deep breath then linked her arm with Haruka's. "We are getting married, oka-san."

The revelation drew a blank face from Mother Kaioh. Michiru started to get worried. But happy smile slowly spread on Mother Kaioh's face. She then went to hug her beloved daughter.

"Finally. I'm so happy for you Michi-chan."

"Thank you oka-san."

"And to think I just left my future son-in-law at the front door to be roasted by hot sun." Mother Kaioh laughed.

Haruka laughed too but for another reason while Michiru simply scratched her temple for the same reason as Haruka's.

"So Tenoh-san, how old are you if you do not mind me asking."

"XX this year and please Kaioh oba-san, just call me Haruka."

Mother Kaioh laughed again. "Sure…sure. We will be family soon. Which means you are only a year older than Michi-chan."

"Yes."

Mother Kaioh nodded for few times in satisfaction. "Then what do you do for living?"

"I'm a police."

Brow furrowed. "Police….? Quite a risky job ne, Haruka-san."

"Haruka is a high ranking officer oka-san. Main responsibility is to manage and direct. Though, I don't understand why she just loves to get involve in field operation so much."

Haruka pinched Michiru for the gender slip. Michiru immediately noticed that and shut up instantly. Miraculously, it went unnoticed by Mother Kaioh.

"Well, once you get married, you have to shift your priority Haruka-san. You are no longer living for yourself only. You have a family. You have a wife. Soon you will have children."

Haruka swallowed hard at the word children.

"Those field operations, those dangerous jobs, just pass to whoever that should be responsibled for it. Always keep in mind, there is someone at home, waiting for you to come back. EVERYDAY. Do you understand, Haruka-san?'

Haruka bowed lightly. "Of course, Kaioh oba-san."

Michiru pulled Haruka's ear in playful manner. "Don't you dare to make promises today then tomorrow you run around the city chasing some crazy bomber or blocking the gun shot for any VIP…"

Mother Kaioh gasped. Eyes widened. "Block…blocking the gun shot?"

"It's true oka-san. Haruka was hospitalized for a week because of it."

"Michiru…."

Brow furrowed for the second time. "Well Haruka-san, since you are chosen by my daughter, I trust her choice. But still, she's my daughter. I don't hope my daughter becomes a widow as soon as she gets married."

Haruka kept quiet.

"May I ask Haruka-san, your department is responsible for what type of cases? I saw in drama, there are a lot of departments that handle different type of crimes every day."

"Errm…well…technically….I'm in charge of all the departments."

"All?" Mother Kaioh looked mystified.

"Oka-san, Haruka is Tokyo Metropolitan Superintendent General." Michiru explained.

"Superintendent General?"

"The highest ranking officer in Tokyo."

"Ohhh….Then Haruka-san, why do you still need to go to field operation?"

Haruka got tongue tied.

"That what I told Haruka everyday, oka-san."

"Michiru….you are not helping at all." Haruka whispered lowly.

"Haruka-san…."

"Yes, Kaioh oba-san."

"I don't know how the police department operates and I have no rights to ask you to give up your career. I'm merely asking, to hold on in your heart everyday, that now you are not living only for yourself anymore. You have a family to come back to."

"Kaioh oba-san, I promise, I will keep your words in heart. Don't worry. I will always come back for dinner."

"Dinner?"

Ignoring her mother perplexed look, Michiru leaned closer towards Haruka. "You missed it once. If you dare to missed it twice…."

"No chance, Michiru."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Watching the lovey dovey couple in front of her, Mother Kaioh sighed in content. Since the last unpleasant incident with her daughter, Mother Kaioh had been worried for her daughter's choice of living style. But now, her daughter brought back a husband, a sense of relief washed over mother Kaioh.

"I guess, there is no reason for me to object to this marriage."

The couple smiled widely.

"So, how's the wedding preparation? Have you set the date and venue? The guests?"

"We want to make everything simple. Just a simple dinner with relative and friends. We will register in France."

"France?" Brow furrowed for the third time. "Why France? Why not Japan? What's the problem?"

Blink. Blink.

"Michi-chan, why don't register the marriage in Japan?"

"Because….." Darted a sideway glance at Haruka for help and of course it never came. "Because…errmmm…."

"Haruka-san?"

"Well…" Haruka couldn't think of a valid excuse nor did she want to lie to mother on their first meeting.

Fear gripped Kaioh Mother's heart. Some unwanted memory flashed through her mind.

"Michi-chan, he's a married man."

"Haruka-san, I want you to answer me truthfully."

Haruka gulped nervously.

"Are you a married man?"

Eyes widened in surprise. "Married? Me?"

"Yes."

"No…No I'm not."

"Then are you tied to any woman in any form?"

"I'm….well if Kaioh oba-san considers Michiru as any woman then…yes….I am."

"Besides Michi-chan, is there other woman?"

"Oka-san….."

"Michi-chan, I know you may not like it but you should know why I ask this question."

Haruka was puzzled with the sudden change of event.

"Oka-san, no. Haruka is not tie to any woman in whatsoever form. Be it legal or illegal."

"Then tell me, why do you want to register the marriage in France instead of in Japan? Is it recognizable in Japan?"

Again the couple stayed muted.

"What's the reason?" Mother Kaioh pressed on.

Haruka took a very deep breath. Some secret just couldn't be put under wrapped forever. Mother Kaioh had insisted for the truth, hence, without warning, she stood up straight and bowed at Kaioh Mother. This took Kaioh Mother by surprise. "I'm sorry Kaioh oba-san. I'm…..errrmmm…I'm…I'm actually a woman."

Mature blue eyes widened in shock.

The stupefied look wore on mother Kaioh brought back long lost memory and it prompted Michiru to look away in guilt, avoiding any accusing glances her mother might throw at her but Mother Kaioh was too preoccupied with Haruka's revelation; Michiru was totally not in her mind at all.

Kaioh Mother scanned Haruka thoroughly from head to toes then from toes back to head especially on Haruka's chest. "You…you don't look like a woman to me at all, Haruka-san." Kaioh Mother finally spoke.

"Haruka is really a woman, oka-san."

Mother Kaioh's expression was unreadable. And the couple couldn't decipher what's on the old lady's mind. There was a moment of silent. When Mother Kaioh opened her mouth again, she instructed Haruka to sit. Haruka dutifully obliged.

Kaioh Mother sipped the now warm tea slowly. The couple did not dare to utter a single word before Kaioh Mother voiced out her thought.

"Michi-chan?"

"Yes oka-san?"

"I want to ask you some questions."

"Yes, oka-san."

Mother Kaioh breathed in deeply. "Does Haruka-san make you happy?"

"Yes, she does oka-san."

"Do you really love he…..her?"

"I do, oka-san."

"Then does she reciprocate your feeling?"

"I really love Michiru, Kaioh oba-san."

"I'm not asking you, Haruka-san." Mother Kaioh reprimanded sternly. Haruka dropped her head.

"Michi-chan?"

"Yes, oka-san…I'm sure Haruka loves me just as much."

"Actually I love you more." Haruka whispered lowly at Michiru. Michiru smiled and nudged playfully at Haruka. Kaioh Mother watched their interaction closely.

"Michi-chan?"

"Yes oka-san?"

"Ok. You have my blessing."

"Really?" Michiru couldn't believe her ears. She moved forward to hug her mother tightly. "Thank you oka-san. Thank you. You really couldn't imagine how much it means to me."

"Don't get excited so soon. You still need to pass another test. A real tough test."

"You mean otou-san?"

"Who else?"

"Where's otou-san?"

"I'm just as clueless as you. The older he gets, the rarely he stays at home."

At the exact moment, the front door flung open. A tense looking old man came into full view. He was startled to see Michiru in the house, thus, stop short at the front door.

Michiru immediately got on feet when she saw her aging father. Since the last huge argument with her parents, Michiru had been avoiding her parents for years though she still kept contact with her mother through phone calls. The last time Michiru saw his father, his father's hair only started to grey but her father now, healthy aquamarine hair had been fully replaced by thinning grey hair. The sight of her now frail father almost brought tears to her eyes. Michiru unconsciously took a step forward, wanted to hug her father but halted when her father pulled a grumpy face.

"Otou-san."

"Kaioh Oji-san."

The couple bowed.

Father Kaioh huffed at them then walked straight to the kitchen. Mother Kaioh gestured for the couple to sit.

"Don't mention Haruka's gender yet. I will find the right time to break the news to him."

"Thank you, oka-san."

Father Kaioh joined them with a cup of tea on hand. When he took his seat next to his wife, Father Kaioh purposely placed the tea cup down on the table with a loud thud. "I thought you have totally forgotten your old parents here." Father Kaioh gather then glared at Haruka. "Whose husband you bring back this time?"

Haruka threw a questioning glance at Michiru. Michiru, although missed her father as much as her mother, felt greatly annoyed at the accusation. "If Haruka was someone's husband then s….." Cleared throat. "…then he is my husband and no one else."

Father Kaioh's brows jumped up in surprise.

"Yes, our Michi-chan is getting married." Mother Kaioh delivered the happy news.

Despite the joyful announcement, Father Kaioh still remained grumpy as ever. His eyes now staring dagger at Haruka. Haruka swallowed hard.

"What's your name?"

"It's Tenoh Haruka, Kaioh oji-san."

"How old are you?"

"XX this year."

"Are you sure you are not a husband for some woman?"

Michiru rolled her eyes.

"No Kaioh oji-san. Definitely no."

"And you are not a boyfriend for any woman?"

"No."

"Are you 100% legitimate to marry my daughter?"

"How many times do you want to repeat the question, old man?" Mother Kaioh chided her husband. Haruka secretly sighed in relief as she hell couldn't answer the question without getting exposed.

"I just want to make sure. And sure you know why."

Michiru let out an exasperated sigh.

"I have never been married before, I don't have any intimate girlfriend and Michiru is my only fiancée. I hope this will clear your doubt, Kaioh oji-san."

Father Kaioh looked satisfied with the answer but still wore the same grumpy expression.

"So, Tenoh-kun, what do you work for living?"

Haruka swallowed hard again at the male honorific.

"It's Haruka, old man. We'll be family soon."

Father Kaioh huffed. "So?"

"I'm a police."

"Police?" Aging eyes widened slightly at the answer. The face softened, though not much, and the head of the family suddenly scanned Haruka thoroughly. From top to bottom the back to top. From left to right then back to left. "Position?"

"Superintendent General."

"Superintendent General? At such a young age?" Eyes got even more bigger. Grumpy face replaced by admiration though Father Kaioh tried his best to hide it, he failed miserably. Haruka took it as a good sign.

"Otou-san, I'm the State Attorney General now."

To Michiru's dismay, the news failed to draw the same effect.

"What's the difference? Still merely a lawyer confined in an office."

"You are so….. bias, otou-san."

"You father's dream to be a soldier, Michi-chan. He gave it up because of you."

'That explained the appreciation.' Haruka thought.

"Me?"

"I got pregnant. That's what stopped your father."

"To be able to protect their own country, It's the highest honour ever bestow to a man."

"You are being unfair here otou-san. I'm using law to protect the country too. I'm using law to maintain the order of this country, making sure every citizen is law abiding citizen."

"The one that make sure every citizen is law abiding citizen is police. They are the one that risked their life to track the criminals, keeping the country safe, while people like you just sit in the office, not even breaking a sweat, waiting for the criminals and all the evidence to be brought forward. I know how the Ministry of Justice works, Michi-chan."

Getting nothing but critics from his father for her whole life, Michiru wanted to return the words harshly, but she was stopped by the 'Michi-chan'. This nick name was given to her by none other than her own father when she was 5 years old. Her father was very strict with her, even caned her when she's naughty but at the same time, her father would spoil her, make her felt she's the happiest princess in the world.

When Michiru was 5 years old, she was bullied by a group of same age boys. She cried and cried and that was when her knight in shining amour appeared with cane on his hand. The knight, his father, chased the boys away and he shouted at the bullies, "Don't you dare to bully my Michi-chan again, otherwise I'm sure will give you guys a lesson you won't forget." On that day, Michiru makes her father to promise only to call her Michi-chan, and only after her father agreed to her demand, she stopped crying. But, since that huge quarrel, his father never spoke a word to her anymore. It had been years, since the last time her father referred her by his nickname again. And it melted her temper instantly.

Instead of lashing back, Michiru mumbled lowly. "Even if I could be the Prime Minister, you won't be satisfied with me." Still, the words reached his father's ear. And her father grumbled inaudibly in return.

To avoid further provocation from either side, Mother Kaioh steered the conversation away. "I saw you bring back a large suitcase Michi-chan. You…will stay for the night right, Michi-chan?" Mother Kaioh asked hopefully.

"We plan to stay for a week, oka-san."

"Really?" Mother Kaioh brightened up.

"It's true oka-san."

Mother Kaioh laughed. It was her first genuine laugh in many years.

"We don't have extra room." Father Kaioh suddenly said. He was still sulking.

"Haruka can sleep with me."

"What? He is not your husband yet."

Michiru rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time. "We have been staying together for years otou-san. In the same house, same room, same bed. Otou-san, it's 2020 already. Not 1820."

"Still….you… as a woman…."

"The fact is; we really don't have extra room. Just let them be old man. Do you really think they never get intimate before?"

Father Kaioh's eyes bulged at the word. Haruka smiled uneasily. Michiru stared at her mother in awe.

"Come Michi-chan. You came back so sudden; I have nothing to prepare for dinner. Let's go to supermarket and grab whatever you like."

"Sure oka-san. Come Haruka."

Mchiru dragged Haruka along and three of them left the old man behind. Father Kaioh watched from same spot, till they were totally out of sight. Then he smiled. And the smile got widened as every second passed. Finally, my princess is back.


"Michi-chan, tomorrow we will have lunch with Kioshi oji-san, dinner with Satoko oba-san, and the next day after tomorrow, dinner with Emiko oba-san. They are your elders and you have to personally inform them of your marriage."

"Yes, oka-san."

Haruka scooted nearer to Michiru and whispered. "Who are they?"

"Kiosho oji-san and Emiko oba-san are otou-san's younger brother and sister while Satoko oba-san is oka-san's older sister."

Haruka nodded.

"How's the curry, Haruka-san?"

"It's good Kaioh oba-san. It's really good."

Mother Kaioh cooked curry for dinner.

"Is it too spicy?"

"No…not at all. It's fine with me."

"Haruka-kun…"

Haruka almost choked on her food. The male honorific again.

"We should set a date to meet your parents first."

"Otou-san, Haruka was an orphan."

"Orphan?"

"Yes, Kaioh oji-san. It's the reason why I joined police force in the first place. For someone with not much education background, guess, that's the easiest path."

"You don't have other relative left in Tokyo?"

"I have one oba-san from my mother's side, but she had migrated to Malaysia many years ago. We didn't keep in touch since."

"From an orphan to Superintendent General. Not easy huh." Father Kaioh nodded for few times.

Haruka took it as a sign of acceptance. She smiled to herself. 'Guess, it should be easier to break the truth.'

"I remember a year or 2 years ago; the Superintendent General was a woman right?" The question from Father Kaioh caught everyone's attention.

"A year or 2 years ago?" Haruka returned the question.

"Yes."

A year or 2 years ago? It was Haruka.

"Errmm…."

"Yes. It was a woman." Michiru replied.

Haruka threw a quick glance at Michiru.

"So what happened to the woman? I heard she was quite young too."

"She…erm…."

"Why you have so many questions, old man. Just let them eat in peace."

"I'm trying to have decent conversation with my future son in law. Trying to get to know more about the man that soon marry my daughter. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"They are going to stay here for 1 whole week. Plenty of time for you to have pillow talk with Haruka-san."

"Pillow talk is for you with your group of friends to gossip in the market. Haruka-kun and I are having man to man talk here."

Haruka froze at the man to man description while Michiru started to massage her own temple. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Haruka-kun, I'm a traditional man. And I only have 1 daughter. I don't care what is your wedding planning in Tokyo, but no matter how, you must arrange a wedding ceremony here, according to local custom and culture. Also, on the wedding day, you need to arrange a session for both of you to pay respect to Kaioh's ancestors."

Haruka blinked thrice. "Wedding ceremony?'

"Of course. Although Kaioh family is not from any aristocratic lineage, but in this village, we Kaioh are respectable family and during Battle of Hakodate, our ancestors helped imperial army to break Tokugawa's last holdout and finally able to restore imperial rule throughout whole Japan. Emperor Meiji rewarded Kaioh ancestors with lands in Nikaho. Though the place here is quite remote, and far away from Tokyo, but among all the places in Japan, only the land here able to produce the finest rice. Rice is staple food for Japanese. To be bestowed with the best land for rice is the highest recognition a commoner could get from an emperor during war time."

Haruka cleared her throat nervously.

"The wedding ceremony doesn't have to be grand, but it must follow our Kaioh's tradition. Michi-chan is my only daughter. I must send her away respectfully."

"We errmm….." Haruka threw a nervous glance at Michiru, looking for support then returned back to Father Kaioh. "…..plan to make it simple."

"Simple? How simple?"

"Simple…as in…like…errrm..like a simple dinner among relatives?"

"Simple dinner? Just a simple dinner?"

Haruka nodded weakly.

"You said you don't have relative left in Japan, okay, we can skip Yuinou (meeting in between 2 families). How bout picking a Taian? (fortune day). And the whole wedding process? The ceremony, the ritual, everything? Paying respect to the ancestors?"

Haruka started to get dizzy.

"They want to make it simple, just let them be. Perhaps they have tight schedule. Why do you want to force them?" Mother Kaioh tried to help.

"We are talking about a marriage here. Our daughter's marriage. How could we let it simple? How am I going to explain to our relatives?"

"Otou-san, a marriage is 2 persons thing. We don't need to explain it to anybody else."

"We are Kaiohs. And you are my only daughter. You only get married once, Michi-chan. Somemore to a Superintendent General. It's something to be proud of. What's wrong with having a proper wedding ceremony?"

"We…..we just want to keep it simple."

Father Kaioh looked sharply at Michiru. "Michi-chan, do you still remember what you told me the last time we met? Straight at my face. Do you still remember?"

Michiru suddenly felt wanted to slap herself. How could Michiru forget that? 'Me and my big mouth.'

Haruka, oblivious to their past history, could only observe the tense interaction quietly.

"In case your forgot, let me refresh your memory." Father Kaioh paused for a short period then carried on. "You said, by the time you get married, you would bring back a son in law that I would be absolutely proud of and you would have a grand wedding purposely to serve my ego and I would impatiently paraded him around the town and I would tell you how wrong I was and I'm going to swallow back every harsh words that I threw at you on that day. Do I miss anything?"

"Damm it." Michiru cursed lowly.

Haruka, hid her half face behind her palm, staring sideway at Michiru in disbelief. Mother Kaioh looked…she gave up.

"So which part of Haruka-kun here that I'm not proud of? That I'm not eager to show him off around, huh?"

Silent.

"Michi-chan?"

"I guess…." Haruka suddenly got everyone's attention. "….we should just come clean. We got to tell him anyway. Eventually."

Michiru shrugged. She was under her father's heavy scrutiny and she's getting tired with it. Getting the heavy stone from her chest sounded fabulous for now.

"Do you want me to do the honour?" Mother Kaioh offered.

Haruka chuckled at the word 'honour'.

"So you knew it."

"Because of I'm more comfortable to confide to. You should know that."

"You always spoil her."

"Only because you are too strict on her. I don't want my daughter to be like me. Pulling back by old, traditional, conservative thinking. I got married to you at 16, and besides being a housewife, I don't have another life. I don't want my daughter to step into my old shoes."

This is the first time Mother Kaioh went against her husband as far as Michiru could remember. Born and raised in a traditional family, where the male always be the one to head the family, the most vivid memory of her mother was 'yes, yes and yes.' Whatever her father said, no matter what her father demanded, no matter how ridiculous the request was, it always a yes from her mother. 'No' was the last word Michiru learned from this conservative family. Her mother was not the only and last victim. When Michiru began her school life, her father started to control and planned her every aspect of life. When her father arranged a marriage for her right after high school, Michiru rebelled and ran away to Tokyo.

The expected repercussion from speaking against the head of the family never came. Father Kaioh briefly glared hard at his wife, then readdressed the couple again. "What's the problem?'

"We…..no actually…the problem erm….is with …with me. …..I…I'm….I'm a…" Haruka stuttered heavily.

"So you are really a married man."

Haruka was confused. Michiru sighed. "What? Me? No. No no…. I'm not. I'm not married."

"What's the problem with this married man thing?"

Father Kaioh started to get impatient. "Then what's the issue? Just spit it out. Why are you making it so diff….." Eyes widened in horror when another realization dawned on Father Kaioh. He whipped his head at Michiru. "Don't…don't tell me you are pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Michiru really couldn't help it. Amid all the tense, she laughed.

"So?"

"No otou-san. I'm not pregnant. This is the last thing you should be worried about."

Feeling momentarily relieved, the grumpy face was back again. No surprised pregnancy. No complicated marriage. What else could be worse than these. "Then make it quick. I don't have all night for you. Settle it like a real man. You are acting all pussy."

'It's because I'm really a pussy.'

Haruka slowly stood up then took a deep breath. The whole Kaioh family were fixated on her. "Kaioh oji-san, I hope you don't have heart attack."

Deep frown.

"I'm sorry. Actually, I'm a ….." Cleared throat. "…..I'm a…"

"A wha….."

"A woman."

Befuddled. "What?"

"I'm a woman, Kaioh oji-san."

Father Kaioh was totally stunned. He stared at Haruka from head to toes then back to head just like his wife. "Which part of you looks like a woman?" The reaction and the question was exactly the same as his wife earlier that day.

"Otou-san, I can confirm Haruka is really a woman."

Father Kaioh didn't want to imagine how her daughter managed to come to that conclusion. The bombshell dropped by Haruka rendered his brain temporary malfunction and for a brief period there was silence. An awkward silence for Haruka.

When Father Kaioh got his senses back, he was furious. He slammed hard on the table, eyes clouded with rage that Michiru never see before. "What have I done to deserve this, Kaioh Michiru?!"

Michiru suddenly realized her father never addressed her by her full name before.

"Is this your payback to me? A payback for treating you unequally as a woman? A payback for being a control freak on you?"

"No otou-san…"

"U know what, Michiru…I'm done with your surprises. I'm tired with your rebellion. If you really insist to marry to this….to this…."

Haruka prepared herself for the insults that were about to thrown to her by her soon father-in-law hopefully? He was not the first one to hurl demeaning words at Haruka, and Haruka knew he won't be the last. But, the insults never came. Perhaps the existing vocabulary were not degrading enough for Father Kaioh.

"If you insist to proceed with this marriage, don't ever come back to this home anymore. I won't recognize you as my da….."

"Stop that." Mother Kaioh suddenly cut in. "Don't say something that you will regret it later."

"I won't re…"

"But I will. She's my daughter too. I don't want you to say something stupid, and I am the one to bear the consequences. Because of you, for X years, our daughter never come back home. Because of you, for X years, I can't see our daughter. If you really oppose to this marriage, if you really want to kick our daughter out from this house, from this family, I tell you now, at here, I will go with my daughter."

Father Kaioh's eyes buldged in shock? Rage?

"Are you out of your mind? This is not a normal marriage. She wants to marry to another woman. A woman."

"What's wrong with a woman? Man or woman or transvestite or transgender I don't care. I just care for my daughter's happiness."

"Kaioh oba-san really knows a lot of unconventional words."

Father Kaioh laughed. "If you care for your daughter's happiness, you won't agree to this absurd marriage. Hell, it shouldn't be a marriage at all. How could 2 woman get married?"

Hearing her husband's comment, Mother Kaioh turned to laugh. "So, in your opinion, a woman could only have a taste on happiness when they marry to a man. Then why don't you ask me, am I happy all these years?"

Father Kaioh was slightly taken aback at her wife's words.

"Asked me!" Mother Kaioh demanded.

Father Kaioh refused to entertain Mother Kaioh with any answer. Or perhaps, he was unsure it was the right moment to ask the question.

"Oka-san…."

"Ours were arranged marriage. I can't say I was thrilled to get married to you but, putting aside your egoistic nature, your dinosaur conservative thinking, androcentric….you are actually a good man. I can't say I'm living a happily married life, but I can tell you I don't hate it. I can't say I love you, but I can say I like you."

"Then it's a proof a woman should be matched with a man."

"How about your sister?"

Father Kaioh was speechless when her wife brought his sister up.

"What happened to Emiko oba-san?" Michiru asked her mother.

"We'll come to that later." Mother Kaioh turned to her husband again. "Your good buddy Kishi-san? And Sachiko-chan?"

During the past phone conversations in between the mother and daughter, Michiru got to know Kishi-san, his father childhood friend was detained by the police because of domestic abuse.

When Father Kaioh chose to exercise his rights to remain silent, Mother Kaioh answered her own question. "Kishi-san was caught beating his wife. Sachiko-chan got herself mountain of debts because of her gambler husband and went into hiding with her children. And Michi-chan, your Noritaka oji-san had eloped with a mistress he got to know from other town. They took the children and whatever money they have, leaving your Emiko oba-san penniless and alone."

"That scumbag." Michiru was really angry.

"Those…those are just some exceptional cases."

"Yes. I agree. Those are just some exceptional cases. My point is, a woman, doesn't necessary needs a man to have a happy family life. Perhaps, 2 women can build a better family than woman and man."

"You seriously needs to get you brain check. How could 2 woman get married and have family? What do the others would say? It's abnormal in the eyes of society."

"You finally speak out your mind."

"What?"

"Your main concern is your own pride. Your own dignity. You oppose to this marriage because you are worry people will talk behind your back. You worried those gossips bring shame to you."

"Not to me. To the Kaioh family. We have a reputation to uphold. You, as a Kaioh now, shouldn't agree to this marriage."

"I don't care about your reputation. I don't care about your pride. I only care about 1 thing. My daughter's happiness."

"Then the more you should go against it. How happy could she be living a life questioned by the public? Staring queerly by people, being pointed at everywhere she goes. I rather she stays single for the whole life."

"I guess you meant you couldn't tolerate people gossip behind your back, getting stared and getting pointed by accusing fingers whenever you go that you rather have your daughter stays single and alone like your pity sister for the rest of her life than getting married to a woman."

Feeling slightly embarrassed and offended for getting nailed down by his own wife, Father Kaioh countered back with a reason that he genuinely thought absolutely valid. "She still has us."

Mother Kaioh couldn't believe her ears. She couldn't help but laughed at the absolutely valid reason. "Us? Us? When was the last time you check on mirror, Kaioh Ryoichi? Did you notice your greying hair? Your wrinkle? Your dry aging eyes? Do you still remember how old are you now?"

Silence.

"Even if our daughter gave up everything in Tokyo and move back with us, how much time do you think we still have for our daughter, old man, have you ever consider that?" Mother Kaioh shook her head in disappointment.

Silence.

"You daughter, Michi-chan, she was so attached to you when she was a kid, do you still remember that? She followed you wherever you go, threw tantrum every time you went out without her. Do you when know she started to distance away from you?"

Again, silence.

"It's when you started to control how she should live her life. Don't get me wrong. It's totally not because you were a control freak. It's because, that was when you started to plan her life to revolve around you. Everything is about you and you only. You came first before anything else, which, including our daughter. That's when you started to lose her."

Father Kaioh looked away.

Mother Kaioh sighed. "You know what. You daughter behaves just exactly like you. Strong headed. Arrogant. Dominant. The more you forbid her, the more she goes against you."

Haruka nodded her head few times in agreement when her future mother in law mentioned dominant in the description and earned herself a harsh nudge on the rib by fiancée. Haruka groaned silently in pain.

"Your daughter could have wrapped the whole things up in Tokyo. You told her never come back to this home again. We are powerless to stop her. But she didn't do so. Although estranged from you, most probably have to face your wrath again, she actually came back….hope to get our blessing. Why she did that? Ask yourself. Ask your heart."

Mother Kaioh inhaled deeply.

"I hope, for once, finally for once, please, put your huge ME aside and think for your daughter first before yourself. Is it that hard for you to finally do something for your daughter?"

There's no way to know what's running in Father Kaioh's mind right now but the couple did not dare to utter a single word. Mother Kaioh had expressed whatever what was in her heart and now they were waiting for the head of the family to response.

Seconds passed. Minutes passed. Father Kaioh still rooted at the same spot without any reaction. His expression was unreadable. Michiru started to fret for her father. Her mother never went against her father before, coupled with the shocking bombs dropped by Haruka, Michiru worried her father couldn't stomach it.

"Otou…"

Father Kaioh picked up his walking stick and marched straightly to the front door. Michiru wanted to run after her father but stopped by her mother. Her mother followed Father Kaioh's footsteps until the front porch then went back into the house only after her husband had totally disappeared from her sight. Once inside she gave a reassuring smile to her daughter. "It will be fine. Give him some time to digest it."

"Really? Don't you think it's too much for otou-san? No one ever challenged him as much as today before."

"If he's not ok with the idea, he would have kick us all out instead of him leaving the house. The fact that we all able to remain intact inside the house, it means he has accepted it, albeit extremely reluctant. You should know your father's temperament."

Michiru breathed noisily. "Yeah, you are right oka-san, you are right. He will be fine." Her eyes focused on the house main door, where her father was last seen.

"Come, finish the dinner then help me clean everything up."

Michiru moved as told but she had lost all the appetite.


Michiru checked the front door again for the umpteenth times. She sighed heavily then slowly closed the fusuma (sliding door). "It's almost midnight but otou-san hasn't come back yet."

"Perhaps he's still hanging with his friends. Perhaps he's still at the park trying to clear his mind. I believe he will be back soon. Don't worry. This is his turf. Come. There is something I want you to fill me in."

Michiru dragged her reluctant feet from fusuma to join her blonde lover. Unlike in Tokyo where they slept on a king size bed, they would be sleeping on futon, a traditional sleeping bed in traditional family.

"I'm curious…" Haruka shot anyway, ignoring her fiancée obvious trouble face. "….what's the matter with this married man thing. Your parents kept bringing this up and…you never told you me were an estranged daughter. I merely thought you prefer city life hence you rarely come back."

Michiru sighed. "You knew it, Haruka."

"I….I don't."

"I was going out with Nobutada Ito before you, remember?"

"Yeah. I know he's a married man. Then?"

"Few guys before Ito, I was with a financial analyzer. He was another married man but I swear initially I didn't know he is married. Few months into our relationship I caught him with another woman, then only I knew the truth but…I decided to stick with him."

Haruka frowned. "Why?"

Michiru sighed again. "Well….. because he paid for my apartment. I just started my first practise. Everything in Tokyo is so expensive. My salary barely able to cover my expenses. That's why I keep the relationship going and dump him when the time is right. However, before I managed to call it off, my parents gave me a surprise visit. More a shocking visit. My parents caught us in the apartment, I couldn't find a valid excuse to explain our relationship. To make matter worse, her wife found out about us, came to make a scene when 4 of us were having dinner, and the rest is history.

Haruka nodded in understanding. "So basically we have 2 missions here. News delivery and reconciliation."

Michiru sighed for the third time. "If only reconciliation is as easy as delivery."

"It's not easy at all. Do you know how stress I was when I broke the earth shaking news to your father? I was so worried I came into the house vertically but have to leave the house horizontally."

Michiru looked confused. "What's this vertical and horizontal thing?

"Came in alive, went out dead."

"You are exaggerating as usual, hun."

"Yeah, try to be a man in woman's body."

"But it does have its perk right?" Michiru pushed her body against Haruka. "You got to be on top. An always horny top somemore."

Haruka glanced slyly at Michiru. "Only if the bottom is you." Haruka let her hand crept into Michiru's short pants but immediately stopped by Michiru.

"This is an ancient house Haruka. It had has very bad soundproof structure. Furthermore, I'm not in the mood. You don't want me to moan 'otou-san' in the middle of….the process right?"

Haruka make a face. "That was gross, Michru."

"Don't imagine it…."

"I didn't imagine it….."

"Shh….quiet."

Michiru heard the front door was being opened and closed. Then there were footsteps.

"Otou-san is back." Michiru whispered.

"Told you not to worry."

Michiru stretched her ears to track the sound of the footsteps. It went into the kitchen, then back to the living room. Michiru heard furuma was being slide opened then there was silence again.

"So, your father decided to camp at living room tonight?"

"No. He's at tea garden."

"Tea garden?"

"It's the patio. Otou-san turned it into tea garden."

"Ok. Well, at least he's back. Why don't we call it a day? I'm tired."

"No sex and you are suddenly tired."

Ignoring her fiancée's chastise, Haruka make herself comfortable on the futon.

"You sleep first. I want to find otou-san."

"Do you think now is a good time?"

"Just let me. Don't wait for me." With that being side, Michiru slipped out from the room.


Michiru found her father seated at the tea table, just concluded the tea preparation ceremony. He poured himself a freshly brew tea then remained motionless. Michiru mustered as much courage as possible before gently approached her father.

"Otou-san….."

Father Kaioh responded with his signature trademark huff and looked away.

Michiru breathed in deeply. "Otou-san, if you think I used Haruka just to spike you, then you are totally wrong. I truly love her."

The last statement successfully elicited a quick response from Father Kaioh. He whipped his head towards her daughter in record time. His face registered a bewildered look. "I don't understand Michiru. How could a woman love a woman?"

"Love knows no boundary, otou-san. Even gender."

Father Kaioh snickered. "This quantum leap theory is really beyond my time. I find it very difficult to accept and believe."

"But otou-san practise it marvellously."

"What are you talking about? I may have prejudice against woman but the concept is totally different than yours."

"Otou-san always desire for a son because you believe only a son could inherit the Kaioh family name."

Silence.

"And yet, after I was born, you never wanted oka-san to carry another child anymore…Otou-san, oka-san had told me everything. Oka-san had complications during first and only delivery. As a result of the complications, oka-san next pregnancy could be life threatening. You don't want oka-san any risk, hence, no matter how much you crave for a son, how much you long for a son, even oka-san was to take a gamble, you still would never ever entertain the second pregnancy idea. This is love beyond gender."

"Fallacious."

"Otou-san always prefer boys than girls. Candies, snack forever reserved to little boys while the little girls got nothing all the time."

"So?"

"When the little kids argue, otou-san always stand on boys' side. When the boys make the girls cry, otou-san said the girls deserved that. Girls should stay at home to help their mothers' with house chores, or learn how to run a home when they got married later. They shouldn't go out and mingle with boys. Otou-san never felt shameful for the obvious favoritism display."

Another huff.

"However, there is one little girl, regardless which boy she went up against with, otou-san will always in favour with this little girl. I remember there was once, I was bullied by few little boys, they make me cry, and the next thing I knew, otou-san was chasing them away with a cane and threatened them with a lesson they won't forget if they dare to bully me again."

"It's different. You are my daughter."

"The same daughter that cost otou-san a son that otou-san craves so much."

Father Kaioh sighed. "It was really unfortunate but it's not your fault. Nor it's your oka-san's fault. Perhaps it's fated. Perhaps, I'm destined to have only one daughter."

"In my years as attorney and prosecutors, I had seen countless of daughters, mostly being the only child in the family, physically and emotionally abused by their fathers just because they were not a son. I had also seen, a lot of wives, getting the same abuse or being left behind just because they couldn't bore a son to the family. The family matters have to be settled in court. In some cases, it cost a life. But not in this family. Not you, otou-san."

"Those aren't a responsible husband and father. They are not a man."

"Merely responsibility isn't enough for a man to tolerate this…for them this is unforgiving shortcoming. It needs love from a man to look pass it. Love for a technically barren wife and stay faithful and loyal. Love for a child even it's a daughter a not a son that otou-san seeks for in your whole life. This is love beyond gender, otou-san."

"Nonsense." The word was blurted in low and a little less convincing this time.

"Otou-san, though Haruka is a woman, she has nothing to be ashamed of. She's Superintendent General for TMPD, the highest ranking officer in the region. She had solved numerous big cases before, including saving a Thai prince with her life. We even managed to catch a crazy bomber together."

The last statement drew another quick head turn from Father Kaioh. "What? She actually took you to pursuit a crazy bomber? What was on her mind? And you expect me to let you get married to this reckless woman."

"It's a long story otou-san. Anyhow, I just participated for a very short duration. She kicked me out of the operation just after 1 small, tiny, mission. I barely involved to play the integral part. That's all. She went after the bomber entirely by herself."

A grunt. "She dare to take you out for another dangerous mission again; I will finish her with my own hand."

Michiru smiled. A memory jogged across her mind.

'Don't you dare to bully my Michi-chan again, otherwise I'm sure will give you guys a lesson you won't forget.'

"Otou-san, I really love Haruka." Michiru stopped and waited. There was no response from her father. "And Haruka really loves me too. She treated me very well and she makes me really happy. Although sometimes she could be pain in the ass, impatient, bad tempered….."

"What? Bad tempered? Did she bully you? Did she ever raise her hand on you?" Another unexpected lightning response from her father. Whenever the issue touched Michiru's well being, Father Kaioh had the tendency to react speedier than Usain Bolt. And it utterly warmed Michiru's heart.

The smile got widened and sweeter. Her father had softened up hence, Michiru decided to take a more intimate approach. She shifted her seat just next to her father's side. Father Kaioh scooted away but Michiru quickly closed the gap. She immediately linked her arm against her father's arm and rested her head on it. Father Kaioh stayed still.

"No otou-san. Haruka never bullies me. She never raises her hand on me. I was the one that make her sleep on the couch every time she misbehaved." Michiru giggled.

"You make Superintended General sleep on the couch?" Genuine surprise from Father Kaioh.

"Nh hm."

"Your oka-san really make you a spoiled brat."

"I'm the State Attorney General so, technically, we are on the same level."

"Did she make you spend the night on the couch?"

"Of course never. She ever dares to even think of it, I will make sure there will be huge repercussion awaiting her."

Another huff. Another giggle.

Back in the living room, 2 figures were hiding behind the furama that separated the room from the tea garden. The furama was opened, leaving enough gap for the 2 figures to secretly peeked and eavesdropped to the father and daughter's conversation without being noticed.

"Guess, everything would be fine." Mother Kaioh whispered lowly.

"Hopefully."

Mother Kaioh then put a comforting hand at Haruka's arm. "It must be hard for you to put up with my daughter's antic."

An uneasy laugh from Haruka.

"Come. Let's retired. Definitely they won't kill each other now."

Furama being closed and the future in laws retreated back to their respective rooms.


Kiosho Kaioh was Father Kaioh's younger brother. Though born and raised in the same conservative family as Father Kaioh, Kiosho Kaioh had less prejudiced against the weaker gender and more accepting in the so called 'unnatural' relationship. Michiru totally felt at ease with the arranged lunch and had no pressure to introduce her shocking partner.

Kiosho Kaioh appraised Haruka thoroughly exactly just like Michiru's parents did, in fact he took much longer time than Kaioh parents to assess Haruka. Haruka shifted uneasily on her seat.

"So both of you agree to this marriage? Onee-chan?"

"Don't ask me." Said the sulking Father Kaioh.

"They have our blessing." Mother Kaioh replied on behalf of the family.

"But Hana-san, Haruka is a woman. This marriage is unnatural. Against the nature. How could you agree to it?"

Michiru was slightly shocked. She would have thought her Kiosho oji-san would be more accepting to this marriage, after all his wife's stepbrother was gay and he was cool with it. His step brother in law was exiled from the family ever since he came out of closet.

"My daughter is not dating an animal. How unnatural is it? She may have different gender preference from all of us, but that does not make her abnormal."

Kiosho look disbelieved. "Hana-san, since when 2 women get married is natural? Heck, it's not even legal in Japan."

"They will not register the marriage in Japan hence, technically, it's not illegal. My daughter's choice of life partner may raise some questioning eyebrows, but in my eyes, it's 100% normal. She chooses to spend the rest of her life with Haruka not because of Haruka's gender. It's because Haruka makes her happy. Loves her. Respect her. Not just yesterday. Not just today. It's for the rest of her life."

Kiosho laughed crassly "How could a woman make a woman happy? Talking gossip everyday? Shopping everyday? Watching oppa everyday" Kiosho then turned to Haruka. "No offence here Haruka-san but don't think you could even make Michiru happy on…..u know…a man and a woman exercise things…at home….."

Michiru immediately glared at her oji-san at the offensive remark. Haruka, whom already prepared for the worst, scratched at her non itchy temple helplessly. Father Kaioh totally ignored the conversation from the beginning.

But Mother Kaioh leapt to her daughter's defence. "If your definition of happily married life means the wife have to run the home business, house chores, taking care every member of the household by herself without the help of her husband, leaving no time for herself because the husband was busy socializing with almost everyone in town from morning till night, then yes, you are living a happily married life while my daughter is 180° different from yours. My daughter gets married because of love. She doesn't need to take instruction from Haruka, she does have a say in the house and the most important is, they build the family together. There will be no gender stereotype in this relationship. Neither there is a fixated role for Michiru nor Haruka in this marriage. The relationship and the marriage are build based on love. And respect. This is the definition of happily married life for my daughter."

Though, in term of seniority, Mother Kaioh ranked ahead of Kiosho Kaioh but getting lectured by a woman in public stung his heart, his pride. Kiosho turned his brother for support but his brother had no interest to join in their squabble.

"As for your so called exercise in home things…..this is their…"

"Don't worry about this Kioshi oji-san. We have a very active, spicy, satisfied intimate life, right Haruka? "Michiru suddenly interjected in. She linked her arm with Haruka's and flashed a challenging smile at her oji-san. Feeling extremely offended with the rude remark, she couldn't help but to take a dig at her oji-san. 'Why every time the first thing these obnoxious men wanted to challenge them was their sex life?' She then nudged at now blushing Haruka to say something. Something supporting.

Red faced Haruka cleared her throat. "Errm…well….errmmm...yeah….of course….without any tools."

"Tools?"

Kiosho's jaw almost dropped to the ground. He looked at the couple with both curious and confused eyes while his wife seems having difficulty to process the 'out of her league' information. While Michiru felt triumphant with her small win in verbal war, her father's eyes almost popped out from the socket at his daughter shocking remark. He wanted to do nothing than other than to strangle Haruka with her own hand for deflowering her precious daughter. Like hell her daughter was still an untouchable virgin. His murderous gaze of course went unnoticed by Haruka, whom, feeling deeply embarrassed with her fiancée bold statement, had her gaze locked on the tea in front of her instead, avoiding eye contacting with every occupant surrounding the round table.

"Michiru…." Mother Kaioh warned.

"He started it first." Whispered Michiru lowly.

"Kioshi, the purpose we set up this lunch meeting is to inform you bout the marriage. You may have opinion regarding Michiru's choice in life partner but we would like to let you know, as Michiru's parents we are ready to bless the marriage."

Father Kaioh snorted. And got ignored.

"Haruka may be a woman, but we are not ashamed with the relationship, in fact, we are proud to have her in the family. She's the Superintendent General of Tokyo. Who doesn't feel please to…."

"Wait. Wait. Hold on. One moment. This woman here…..." Reassessed Haruka for the second time. "is the Superintendent General?

"Yes."

Really?" Fully focus on Haruka.

Haruka nodded. "Yes. The one and only."

Kiosho's demeanor took an abrupt turn. "You should have mentioned it earlier."

"Will it make any difference?"

"Of course. Who doesn't want to be in-law with Superintendent General?" Kioshi laughed wholeheartedly

"So, Haruka being a woman, is not an issue anymore."

"Of course no."

"So you won't object to the marriage anymore?"

"Of course no." Kiosho then grabbed Haruka by her hands and said warmly. "Welcome to Kaioh family."

The other Kaioh members stared at Kioshi with despise.


Haeada Satoko, Michiru's mother younger sister was a woman with few words and opinions. So did her husband. Michiru had no pressure to deliver the news to her oba-san.

"Tenoh-san is a woman?"

Michiru nodded lightly.

"This….I don't know what to say, Michiru-chan….are you sure this the right choice? Onee-chan, do you really accept this?"

"As long as my daughter is happy, there is no reason for me to object to this marriage."

Satoko glanced at her brother in law and saw he's pulling a long face like usual.

"So Tenoh-san, what do you do for living?" Satoko turned her attention to Haruka.

"I'm a police."

Eyes widened in surprise. "Police?"

"Yes."

"It's…..ermm…..a dangerous job right."

"Not…"

"You work for which department?" Satoko's husband suddenly asked.

"Errmm…Technically I'm in charge of all the departments."

"All? How?"

"Haruka is Superintendent General for TMPD." Michiru answered on Haruka's behalf. Haruka nodded lightly in affirmation.

The rank Superintendent General of Tokyo alone was just like a magical word, able to turn, twist, enlightened any gloomy, tense atmosphere instantly. Satoko's husband suddenly regarded Haruka in much more respect while her wife acted indifferently.

"You command all the police officers in Tokyo?"

"Basically yes."

It irked Michiru whenever the Superintendent General got all the attention while she, the State Attorney General was being sidelined. Just because Haruka risked her life to get to top, didn't mean her own ladder to the top was unchallenging and effortless. Michiru swiftly introduced her new title to her oba-san and her husband.

"And I have been promoted to State Attorney General."

"State Attorney General? Means you are heading the Public Prosecutor Office?"

"Yes." Michiru answered proudly.

"You ran away from home. You rebelled against your father. Sounds like a troublesome child. But you came back with head held high." Compliment from Satoko.

"She just got lucky." Father Kaioh downplayed his daughter's effort as usual.

"I have a fulfilling career and I'm going to marry a person that I love. If all of these were because of luck, then I'm happy with how luck actually lay out my life." Linking her arm with Haruka again, Michiru smile happily at his father and of course, earned herself another huff from her father.

From being skeptical, Harada Sakoto now watching Michiru with awe, and envy. It didn't go unnoticed by her sister, Mother Kaioh. Mother Kaioh definitely knew what was running in her sister's mind. Her sister was once a bright student. She was industrious, intelligent, top of the class every year and had big ambition. Unfortunately, the ambition, or whatever planning for the future went up in smoke when their father arranged a marriage for her sister straightaway after her sister graduated from high school. Not even a chance to pursue higher education in university, eventhough the sister was offered with scholarship. This is the fate of a woman in the era where male was prioritized in the society. Her sister had no choice but to bow down to her own destiny.

"Sakoto, it doesn't matter who Michiru married to. The most important is, this is the person that is choosen by Michiru herself, and this is the life that Michiru decides for herself too, don't you think so?"

Satoko pondered at every word delivered by her sister. She totally understood the underlined message conveyed by onee-chan. 'The freedom to choose.' Whatever choices, whatever options decided by Michiru, it was definitely a decision, make by herself without the need to fulfil or satisfy any person's wish, needs or the society's requirement. She was akin to a bird trapped in a doorless cage. Who was she to disapprove a marriage with a foundation that was built with love and choice.

"Yes. You are right one-chan. The gender doesn't really matter. The most important is, this is the choice that she chooses."


Kaioh Emiko. Michiru shuddered upon hearing the name.

"Michiru-chan, you should learn how to cook, otherwise what are you going to serve your future husband?"

"Michiru-chan, you should help more with house chores otherwise how are you going to run the house while your future husband goes working?"

"Michiru-chan, a woman should stay at home and shouldn't spend so much time outdoors, mingle with boys."

"Michiru-chan, a woman's priority is not education. A woman's priority is her husband."

"Michiru-chan, Michiru-chan, Michiru-chan…"

"Shut up. Just shut up."

Everyone stared at Michiru with concern.

"Oh…" Michiru, suddenly feeling embarrassed for being too absorbed in her unwanted childhood memories, laughed nervously to dismiss their questioning stares. "Sorry, my mind went to Neptune just now. Let's continue. Where were we?"

"Your 0ka-san said you are getting married. To Tenoh-san here and…." Emiko shifted her glance to Haruka. "…..she is a woman."

Michiru let out an inaudible sigh. "Yes Emiko oba-san. Haruka is…is indeed a woman."

Michiru prepared herself to be berated by her oba-san, just like when she was still a little girl. Born and raised in the same family as Father Kaioh, Emiko shared the same perspective on gender stereotype as her brother, Father Kaioh. Besides that, they also shared the same traditional view on marriages where the children's marriage should be arranged by the parents because only parents know what's best for their children and a marriage should consist of a man and a woman. Period.

Everyone was waiting for Emiko to response.

"A woman." Emiko murmured to herself then lost in her own thought.

"Emiko oba-san?"

"Yes Michiru-chan. I'm still here. Actually I have few questions for you."

"O….ok."

"Does this woman loves you?"

"Yes, Haruka loves me."

"Does she treat you well?"

"Yes, she treats me very well."

"Does this woman make you happy?"

At this moment, Michiru grabbed Haruka's hand and clutched it tightly on her lap.

"Yes, Emiko oba-san. Haruka makes me happy."

"Good. You have my blessing."

"What?!" Michiru couldn't believe her ears.

"What?!" Father Kaioh also couldn't believe his ears. "You agree to this marriage? She…." Left index finger pointed at Haruka. "…is a woman. Your niece wants to marry a woman and you have no problem with it?"

"What's the problem with getting married to a woman? U came here today, I thought you have passed the phase."

"The problem is not with me. The problem is with you. You are her elder. Is this how you teach you niece? Is this how you set an example as an elder?"

Reprimanded by her brother, Emiko remained calm. She took her time to sip on the hot tea, letting her brother to rant until he satisfied. "Then what do you expect me to do?"

Eyes widened at the ignorance shown. "Lecture her of course. Explain to her. School her. Her position as a woman. Her responsibility as daughter."

Emiko took a deep, deep breath. "Onee-chan, I dare say I'm a filial daughter. I dare say I'm a conscientious wife. I never rebel against our father. I never go against my husband. I'm the perfect end product from a traditional upbringing. In the end, where does it lead me? Father said Kimura came from respectable family, highly educated, strict in family value, and a capable man. I should feel honoured to have him as husband. Fast forward many years later, what happened? Do you still remember, onee-chan?"

Father Kaioh knitted his brows at the unwanted memory.

"He make you speechless right? You never expected that right? Flaunt all the inherited money on gambling, womanizer, he even tried to steal my children away."

"What happened next?" Michiru was anxious to know her oba-san's fate after the nightmare. She was shocked she was able to gain the support from Emiko so easily. It was seriously unexpected, but considering the hell her oba-san went through in her marriage life, it shouldn't be a surprise her oba-san became one of her allies.

"We had few rounds of tough negotiations. I agreed to put my name on divorced paper, and get monthly alimony, Chiyo-chan (youngest daughter) and the house."

"And Riku-chan follows the father."

"Yes. I get to see him every 2 weeks."

Michiru nodded in understanding.

"Hence Michiru-chan….I now know, whatever we taught you, whatever belief we wanted to instill on you during your childhood time, it was obviously a huge mistake."

"Emiko, just because of your one exceptional case it doesn't mean…"

"Are you sure it's the only one, onee-chan? How bout Yuki-chan and Momoto-chan and their abusive husband? Rika-chan with her always drinking husband? Do I have to name out your best buddy as well?"

It was an unusual sight for Michiru, to watch her oba-san went up against her father, let alone rendered him speechless. This is the second time her father was KOed by a woman in space of 2 days time.

"As long as that person could give my niece a real taste of happiness, remained faithful too my niece, regardless man or woman, I will support them. I will bless them."

Michiru rose to give her oba-san a warm and tight embrace. It was completely unexpected from her extraordinary traditional oba-san.

Mother Kaioh smiled. "It's pleasant to have you for lunch, Emiko."


The lunch gathering went unexpectedly smooth. Except for occasional huff and grunt from Father Kaioh, everyone was having a good time. Including Haruka. Haruka immediately took a liking to Emiko the moment she gunned down Haruka's future father in law. She had met 3 relatives from Michiru's side, and Haruka liked Emiko the best. Mostly because Emiko accepted their relationship with open arm.

They were lingering in front of the restaurant, discussing the next course of actions. Emiko loved to spend more time with her niece and Michiru welcomed the idea happily. Out of the blue, a sound similar to explosion echoed through the air. Few seconds later, they heard the same sound again.

"What was that?" Mother Kaioh asked.

"I think it's a gun shot."

Everyone gasped. Michiru inadvertently leaned closer towards Haruka.

"Gunshot? This is just a small city. Only police possess gun. Why do they want to fire a shot?"

"Michiru, take everyone back home. I'll go check out what's happening."

"But…" Before Michiru could protest, Haruka already walked away, ears stretching, eyes scanning to locate the site of the gunshots.

The people on the street looked confused and curious. Most of them stayed rooted with heads swerving around to check out the source of the explosion sound. Haruka heard the sound loud and clear thus she was sure, the 'explosion' was not far away. On a junction down the street, Haruka saw streams of human frantically rushing out from the right turning while the heads near the junction, all pointed at the same direction; staring far away into the right turning.

By following all the busybody curious stares, by following those bolting away from the same direction, Haruka reached an obviously recently deserted shops. Most notably were the bank, and few shops beside the banks, on the left and right, where it was all closed for an unknown reason to Haruka for now. Some pedestrians, nosy passerby were busy taking cover, hands clutching tightly at their smartphone, focusing on the bank.

'The bank.'

Then there were sirens. 4 patrol cars cutting corners in high speed then screeched to a halt in front of the bank. Haruka could smell burnt rubber. A total of 11 police officers came out of the cars, withdrew their gun, aimed directly at the bank.

'Bank robbery.'

A middle age plump man, presumably in charge of the operation, started the negotiation with the robbers with the help of a megaphone. "Listen up robbers. You are being surrounded by the police. Drop your weapons and surrender now."

Another gun shot rang inside the bank.

All the polices, including the plump man cowered behind patrol cars' opened doors. Haruka stepped forward, wanted to join the operation but a hand stopped her.

"Michiru? Why are you here? I told you to go home."

Haruka was joined by Michiru and her entourage.

"What's happening?" Father Kaioh asked.

"Bank robbery."

The women gasped.

"This is a small town. We never have bank robbery before. We only have minor crimes."

"Look, I'm unclear with the situation here. I don't know how many robbers are there, what weapons they use. It's dangerous here. Go home."

"How bout you?'

"I will stay and help."

"No." Michiru firmly protested. "You are on leave, Haruka."

"But I'm still a police Michiru."

"Yeah, an off duty police, Haruka."

"Regardless I'm on duty or not, if there's a crime then I must act on it. It's a duty as a police. To protect the civilians."

"But you are the Superintendent General. You are supposed to sit back and direct. Not the first one to jump into field operation."

"I'm not jumping into any operation Michiru. I just….."

"Just what? Flash your ID says hi and bye?"

"I'll….I'll advice."

"By action."

"By words."

Michiru laughed. "Brain is not your forte, Haruka."

"Michiru…."

"Haruka-san." Mother Kaioh interjected in. "I hope you still remember, you promised me my daughter will come first in everything, but look at you know. You are not the only police in town. Some more they have gun. You have nothing."

With her mother on her side, Michiru stayed firmly on her ground. Now her future mother in law ganged up with her fiancée to go against her, it looked like a losing battle for Haruka but someone unexpected came to Haruka's rescue.

"Shut up."

Everyone stared at Father Kaioh.

Father Kaioh hissed. "Petty woman. That's why woman should just stay at home."

"There are robbers inside there, old man. With real guns."

"So? Haruka is a police. Now we have criminals on the loose. Endangering public lives. It's her duty to catch criminals. But you guys just nagging,nagging and nagging. Haruka doesn't serve yo,u petty woman. Haruka serves the country of Japan. Her loyalty is with the Emperor of Japan. She's the Superintendent General. She's not the sole property of some petty woman."

"You must be sick, old man. I don't know nor understand your big theory. I just know she's my daughter in law. My only daughter is going to get married to her." Mother Kaioh shifted her focus on Haruka. "Haruka-san, are you coming with us or not? You better make the right decision. This marriage, as you know, is not set yet."

"Woman….." Father Kaioh huffed. "No worries Haruka. Just do whatever you should do. A child marriage is decided by her father. I do have the final say."

There were staring competition among the Elder Kaiohs.

"Michiru…."

Michiru sighed. "Among all the prospects, why should I ended with someone that always leave me worried."

"Because you love me?"

Michiru stared dagger at Haruka.

Haruka gulped.

Michiru sighed. "Back for dinner?"

Haruka smiled. "Definitely."

"I want you to come back intact. Don't lose even a single hair."

"Sure. I'll be extra careful." Haruka wanted to kiss Michiru but, considering the conservative parents were on the spot, Haruka merely patted on Michiru's hand once then took off.

"You really let her go?" Mother Kaioh asked.

Michiru exhaled loudly. "No worries. She will be back for dinner. Let's head home. It's dangerous here."

Since her daughter agreed to it, Mother Kaioh reluctantly relented to her future daughter in law's stubbornness. Father Kaioh watched Haruka joined the police with full of pride and envy.


"Hey, you aren't supposed to come here."

Haruka flashed her ID. A quick salute followed by an exaggerated bow. "Who's in charge of the operation here?"

The minion led Haruka towards Hasuki Tomoyomi, the highest ranking officer in the small town. Hasuki was scratching his head in frustration, surrounded by 3 other officers.

"Bank robbery? Since when we have bank robbery on this small town? Never. Never. And now these robbers are giving me headache. I've never handle a bank robbery before. What should I do? What should we do?"

"Hasuki-kun?"

Hasuki looked up. "Who are you?"

Haruka reflashed her ID.

Hasuki eyes widened by few folds. "Su…Su…Superintendent General."

3 other officers saluted and bowed.

"What's the situation now?"

"We….we….the robbers…..bank…hostages…"

"Hasuki-kun, is this your first time handling a bank robbery scene?"

"Errmm…well….is it really that evident?"

"No worries. This is your operation. You make the call. I will assist you."

"Superintendent General assists me? To what do I owe this honour? By the way Superintendent General, why are you here at this small town? Is this your hometown? You should have informed me earlier. I would have welcome….."

"What is the robbers' request?"

"Oh…errmm…..no. Not yet. They haven't make any request. Yet."

"For sure they need a car to escape."

Hasuki's smiled widened. "Superintendent General is really very sm…."

"How many hostages inside?"

"Oh…..they are total of 8 on duty staffs. As for customers, it's unknown."

Another gunshot ricocheted inside of the bank and they could hear screams.

"Shit." Hasuki cursed.

"We have to get the hostages out."

"How?"

"Tell them Superintendent General is here. I'm willing to use my life alone to exchange with all the hostages inside."

"You….exchange with the people inside…..? No way Superintendent General. It's too dangerous. I can't ….we can't afford you to take the risk. Furthermore, there's no guarantee the robbers will agree to it.'

"Convince them. Tell them those hostages will only drag them down but keeping me alone, it's easier for them to handle the situation and escape rather than those disobedient hostages. Furthermore, if they have Superintendent General as hostage, the police won't dare to do anything reckless and stupid."

"But…."

"No but. Go."

"Then how are we going to proceed from there? We can't really let them take you away, Superintendent General."

Haruka rubbed her chin. "Yes…how do we proceed from there…..…do you have a sniper in your team?"

"Sniper?" Hasuki laughed. "This is just a small town Superintendent. Where to find a sniper?"

Someone straightened up. Then a salute. "Ryo Hanamichi, former sniper from Special Forces Group team Delta reports to Superintendent General."

"You are a sniper?" Both asked in unison.

"Yes Superintendent. I have retired from Special Forces Group few years ago for my ailing mother Superintendent."

"Good to have you here. You have a sniper gun with you?"

"Police station have 1 old SVDK. Though unused for a long period, I have started to maintain it very well since I've transferred back here."

"Good." Haruka took a sweep at the commercial area. "There is a 4 storey commercial building with clear shooting sight just outside of the bank. We'll convince the robbers to exchange hostages. After that, when robbers came out for the escaping car, you are ordered to shoot to kill when the sight is clear, are you ok to do that?"

Ryo Hanamichi nodded confidently.

"Good. Everyone, get to work now."


Firstly, utilizing a remote control toy car, Hasuki attempted to send a phone into the bank to converse with the bank robbers.

"Bank robbers, we are sending a phone in. You have any request, talk to us through the phone." Hasuki shouted through the magephone.

The toy car, controlled by one of the minions, slowly crawled through the uneven pavement and stop in front of the closed bank. They waited. Then slowly, they saw the gate being rolled up, leaving just enough gap for a hand to go through it and snatched the phone. The gate was returned to its original closed state.

Hasuki requested for a face call. A man with face covered by cloth mask answered the face call.

"How are the…'

"We want a car."

"Sure. No problem."

"How long?"

"30 mins."

"No. 10 mins."

"It's too soon…"

"If I don't see a car in 10 mins, I will kill a hostage every 1 minute."

"Wait wait. Talking bout the hostages, we would like to send someone to be your hostage in return for all the hostages inside the bank."

"One to exchange with so many lives here?'

"She's not an ordinary hostage. She's the Superintended General of Japan."

"Bluffing. How could Superintendent General in a small town like this?"

"This is her hometown. Listen. Too many hostages could be troublesome. They struggled, they wiggled, they won't cooperate. You can't escape taking all those burden. But Superintendent General here is willing to risk her life, to ensure your safety only if you ensure the hostages' safety. Superintendent General clearly knows what's at stake here. She will give her full cooperation. Her main concern, our only concern is the safety of the hostages. So, what says you?"

Silent. Haruka and co waited.

"Ask the Superintendent General to step forward."

Haruka took some careful steps to the front of the bank. Arms raised above her head to indicate she's weaponless.

"You said Superintendent General is a she but I saw a man."

Haruka sweatdropped. She never thought, even under life and dead situation, she still had to explain her gender.

"I'm a woman. Google for Superintendent General and you will see it's me." Haruka shouted from outside.

Another moment of silent. Longer than the first still moment. Then, the bank's gate slowly opened and halted at halfway. Then, a swarm of human rushed out from the bank and at the same time a burly man dragged Haruka in and the gate rolled back down.

The bank was empty by now. The robbers had released all the hostages in exchange with Haruka. There were total of 3 robbers. 2 were busy pointing their guns at Haruka while the other was checking the situation outside with left hands clutching tightly at the phone sent in by Hasuki.

The 2 robbers were checking their phone then diverted their attention to Haruka then back to their phone then returned to Haruka, to and fro for numerous times. Something on the phone was attracting their attention.

"Are you really a woman?"

Haruka sighed. Why under such circumstances her gender was still the main focus?

"Yeah. 100%."

The robbers looked disbelieved. Haruka stopped herself from rolling her eyes.

"If your colleague failed to get a car ready in 5 mins time, I won't hesitate to kill you."

"Then you will have no bargaining chip anymore."

The robber looked stunned. He was hit by a revelation that never occurred to him before.

Haruka continued. "No worries. They couldn't afford to put my life in jeopardy. You will get your car in no time."

Truth enough, the phone vibrated on the robber's hand to inform them their requested car was ready to be collected.

The man with the phone pointed at Haruka and ordered her to move towards the bank entrance. Slowly, they pressed the button for the roller gate to slowly rolled up. One robber hooked at Haruka' neck, while the others stood side by side and together they exited the bank, inched slowly towards the empty car parked in front of the bank.

3 robbers stood near to each other. They ignored dozens of guns currently aiming at them, for their focus was solely on the provided car, then fled the scene bringing with them their most valuable hostage. Haruka waited patiently. She trusted Ryo Hanamichi's instinct and his experiences with Japan Special Forces.

Truth enough, 50 metres to the empty car, the robber that hooked his arm around Haruka's neck went down with a shot directly on the temple. 2 successive quick shots managed to put the remaining robbers down, not before one robber successfully fired a shot at Haruka but missed, only managed to scratch through Haruka's arm. Haruka fall forward, immediately supported by the other polices while dozens of officers rushed in to close in on the unconscious robbers, kicking their weapons away. Paramedic immediately attended to Haruka's injury while Haruka, searched for Ryo Hanamichi, at the top of the 4 storey commercial building to praise him with a thumb up. Cameras and smartphone clicked and recorded the scene wildly. Operation successful.


Haruka returned on time just for dinner. Michiru was extremely pleased that Haruka managed to keep her promise for once. The injury caused Haruka's sleeve to soak with blood and she instantly replaced it with a new shirt, similar to the one that had been tossed into the dustbin earlier. The new shirt went unnoticed by Michiru.

"So, the robbers have been caught?"

"Yeah. They were all caught. To be exact, all of them died on the spot."

"Gross."Michiru make a face.

"We can't really come up with a plan to catch them alive. This is the only way, considering the circumstances."

"It's fine. They are nothing but virus to the society. No one will miss nor remember them. So, what's your role in the operation?"

"Like I said before, I just assist them. Offer them advices."

Mother Kaioh's phone dinged repeatedly. It was an unusual sight. Mother Kaioh had very small social circle. Besides own relatives, Mother Kaioh had minimum friends in the contact list, so for her phone to ding at frequent rate during dinner time was a curious case to all.

Mother Kaioh checked her phone.

'A video – is she Haruka-san? She saved the town from the robbers.'

Mother Kaioh played the video and watched with horror. She looked at the phone, then to Haruka then to the phone, then to her daughter.

Michiru felt uneasy. "What's wrong oka-san?"

Father Kaioh grabbed the phone from her wife's hand and rewind the video content. Hugely in contrast with her wife, Father Kaioh watched the video with interest then proudly patted on Haruka's arm. Injured arm.

"Ouch." Haruka dropped her chopstick.

Ignoring Haruka's obvious injury, Michiru took the phone from her father's hand to view the content inside. Not that she didn't care about Haruka but Michiru's gut feeling told her, Haruka got what she truly deserved.

The video though shaky, was in high definition. It started the moment Haruka walked slowly to the bank with both hands up, hostages scrambled out from the bank, Haruka being dragged in. The next video began with the robbers forced Haruka out from the bank, moved cautiously towards the car, then the robbers suddenly fell down 1 by 1, Haruka escorted away by the officers then tended by the paramedics.

Michiru put the phone down. Moments later, she passed back to phone to her mother and re-dug into her dinner. As if realization suddenly struck on her, Michiru grabbed Haruka's injured hand. pushed the sleeve up and saw the bandaged arm. She glared fiercely at Haruka.

"Please be gentle love, and I can explain."

"No." At the same moment, Michiru finally noticed Haruka wore different shirt back home. "You are well prepared. What's the point in explaining?"

"I'm…..I'm a police, Michiru."

"Yeah. I know. Since you like this role so much, much more than being my fiancée, then you sleep on the couch tonight."

"But….but….there's no couch in the living room."

Kaioh parents stayed in traditional Japanese house where the living hall was practically empty besides a low table, some cushions and some basic furniture like basic cabinet.

"Then sleep on the floor then."

"Michiru…" Haruka's appeal fall on deaf ears. Haruka shifted her focus on her future mother in law, but predictably, her future mother in law evidently was on her daughter's side. Haruka peeked at her father in law but this time, the most authoritarian figure in the house simply offered Haruka a comforting pat on shoulder. Haruka was alone in a war that she was destined to lose.


Compared with the couch in her home, this time, Haruka had all the space in the world. But it failed to make her feel more comfortable. In fact, it's even worse. The floor was concrete hard. It make her back ache. Haruka sat up to rub her poor spine. Haruka sighed.

'I really have to reconsider this marriage life.'

Shuffling. Shuffling.

Something's shuffled.

Shuffling. Shuffling.

Father Kaioh appeared, painstakingly dragging a thick tatami bed with him. Haruka rushed up to helped him. Once the tatami bed had been deposited next to Haruka, Father Kaioh flopped down to catch some breath.

"Kaioh o…"

Father Kaioh suddenly stood up and disappeared from the living hall leaving a confused Haruka behind. Haruka stared at the tatami bed.

'So, is that for me?'

Shuffing. Shuffling.

Father Kaioh came back. With 2 cups of hot tea on hands. He offered 1 to Haruka, took a seat next to her future daughter in law then sighed. "When I was at your age, my shoulder could carry 4 stacks of rice, walking from Kanmanji Temple to Naso waterfall without breaking a sweat. Now, this tatami bed almost broke my old spine."

Haruka looked clueless.

"It's around 10km trip. Somemore the condition of the roads in my years was for cart pulled by animals. Imagine how bad it was." Father Kaioh sipped on his tea and heaved another heavy sigh. "I must admit, I'm not the old me anymore."

Haruka couldn't think of any consolation words.

"It's for you."

"Huh?"

"The tatami bed."

"Oh…thank you."

Another sighed from Father Kaioh. "You spoilt my daughter too much."

Haruka kept quiet.

"You are a police. Your job is to catch criminal. What's wrong with that? And she wanted you to sleep on living room."

Father shook his head while Haruka continued to play dumb.

"You are a Superintendent General. How could you let my daughter have you wrapped under her little finger? You should stay firm. Yes means yes. No means no. You are not asking for my daughter's permission to act. You are informing my daughter you are going to act. You are head of the family so act like one."

'But your daughter is the one that wears the trousers in this relationship.'

"Otou-san…how could you teach Haruka to bully me, you own daughter?" Michiru whispered angrily to herself.

Michiru, finally came to her senses, took pity at Haruka for spending the night at the hard floor. After all, Haruka was a police. Technically, there's no rest time for police. The criminals won't take a day off just because the highest ranking officer was on leave. However, she won't take Haruka back to their room, because Michiru firmly believed Haruka was at fault but, she planned to join Haruka in the living hall, as a reward for her heroic performance today. But Father Kaioh was 1 step ahead to thwart her glorious plan. Now she was hiding behind a corner wall, strained her ears to eavesdropped on the unlikely rendezvous.

"No doubt, you have to love my daughter fully with your heart, but that doesn't mean to spoil her like a little princess. Furthermore…."

Haruka stayed alert.

Father Kaioh suddenly looked at Haruka with murderous eyes. "She will forever be my princess. Mine only. Not yours. Remember that."

Haruka laughed nervously.

"It's late. Finish the tea, prepare the bed, go to sleep. I'm going back to my room too."

"Good night Kaioh oji-san."

Father Kaioh stared at Haruka.

"Ye….yes?"

"You are going to marry my daughter soon. Still oji-san?"

Hearing this, Haruka grinned from ear to ear. "Good night….otou-san."

Father Kaioh replied with his trademark huff, then retired to his room.

Haruka prepared the tatami bed and for once, felt contended to sleep in the living room.

Michiru, still hidden, couldn't stop smiling herself. She was relived her father finally accepted Haruka wholeheartedly. For once, Haruka didn't need any comfort to spend the night outside of the bedroom. Michiru quietly returned to her own room.


The video spread like wildfire. Haruka became famous, a heroine in a small town overnight. Father Kaioh insisted to spend the next day at outdoor. Walking. Strolling. No car for the day. Michiru felt odd with the arrangement but followed nonetheless. The moment Kaioh family stepped out from the house, it dawned on Michiru the reason for the day's planning. Wherever they went, the people in the town rushed forward to thank Haruka, to speak with Haruka, to selfie with Haruka. For whole day, Father Kaioh insisted Haruka to walk by his side and wherever someone approached them Father Kaioh would proudly introduced Haruka to them as his daughter in law and repeated the same mantra for the longest time.

"My daughter in law. Superintendent General of TMPD. Singlehandedly caught the robbers yesterday."

Walking behind them were the sulking Michiru and her mother.

"It's not fair oka-san. I'm the State Attorney of General too. On par with Haruka but otou-san never paraded me around."

"Wait till you catch some criminals your otou-san will be proud of you too."

Michiru growled in protest.


Clang. Clang.

Father Kaioh stood up and knocked at the sake bottle with a metal spoon to gather everyone's attention.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for taking out some time to attend my daughter's wedding dinner. As you all know, my daughter is getting married to Tenoh Haruka, Superintendent General for TMPD, and also…a woman."

Father Kaioh paused to observe the attendees' reactions.

"I know the relationship in between my daughter and Haruka is frowned upon by the public. And I know, everyone at here tonight, must be wondering how, me, the biggest male chauvinist in town would accept this marriage."

Father Kaioh stopped again to scrutinize every response from his and his wife's relatives and friends. There were few nodding heads.

"To get the answer to my previous question, I would like to play a game with everyone. I want everyone to close your eyes and imagine of your loved ones; it could be your husband, your wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, fiancé, fiancée or secret crush. Just think of them. Then, list out, reasons out, why you love them. Every single reason. 1 minute. Use 1 minute to think bout it."

Not everyone participated in the game, but Father Kaioh saw more than half of the attendees had their eyes closed.

"What's your reason?" Michiru asked her wife.

Haruka smiled. "You make me want to settle down."

Michiru pouted. "Is that a valid reason?"

Haruka smiled wider. "Of course. I have numerous girlfriends before you. The longest one was Misa. We did stay together for few years. I admit on that time I really thought we would be together forever. But if you asked me, is the definition of together forever includes meeting the monster parents….."

At this remark, Haruka earned herself a slap on the chest. She chuckled.

"….a marriage certificate, forever to be controlled by a woman with risk spending uncountable nights on the couch…."

Michiru turned to giggled.

"….I can tell you, I'm not ready for that. I'm not ready to hand my life, my future to Misa, to anyone. Until I met you."

Michiru smiled so sweetly.

"How bout you?"

"Well, because….you make me feel like the real Kaioh Michiru."

Haruka make a face. "That's not a reason."

"That is a valid reason, hun." Michiru intertwined their hands together. "In the early part of my life, I'm living for other people. My father, my sponsors…"

"You mean your long list of ex boyfriends?"

Another slap.

"I feel like I'm an actress; Yuko Takeuchi, Suze Hirose, Yu Aragaki, Kasumi Aramura or anyone but definitely not Kaioh Michiru. But you….you accept the whole package of me. My good and my bad. You let me to take back control of my own life."

"And my life too." Haruka whispered lowly but still couldn't escape her wife. Haruka received another slap.

"I love the freedom that you give me to choose the life that I want to live. I don't know how to properly explain this but when I'm with you, I can be Kaioh Michiru. I don't have to pretend as someone else just to please them. And I thank you for that. The real me wants to be with you, the real me wants to get married to you, the real me wants to spend the rest of my real life with you so…yeah….you are getting the real me, genuine side of me."

Haruka frowned. "Can you please simplify that?"

Michiru rolled her eyes.

"So, everyone…." Time's up. Father Kaioh resumed. "….are you guys ready with the answer? Now…now…you don't have to tell me the answers because I know the answers. Much or less is the same old answer like she is pretty. He is handsome. Smart. Humorous. Gentle. Good cook. Responsible. Tall. Short….."

The crowd laughed.

"The reasons go on and on…..but….I want to ask everyone here…..in your long list of answers, does any of the answer include 'because she is a woman' or 'he is a man'?"

The dining hall went still.

"It could be any reasons, but gender definitely not in the list am I right?"

There were murmurs.

"When we choose a life partner, we never really consider the gender. When we choose someone to walk the aisle, when we want to boost our lover in front of our friends, I guess no one would ever have mentioned 'wow she is a girl, or wow he is a man' right? If you come to think of it, we never really include the gender in the courting process. I want her because she's a woman. I want him because he's a man. It was never the question so, why do I have to mind my daughter for married to another woman?"

Another pregnant pause. Michiru saw some frowns but by now the dining hall was swept by mostly understanding faces.

"Thanks to my daughter, I finally understand the concept of love knows no boundary. It goes even beyond gender. I want to let you all know, I bless this marriage, and I'm proud with my daughter and the choice she has taken."

Upon hearing this, Michiru couldn't stop the happy tears from flowing down. She always wanted to make her father proud of her but regardless how hard she tried to impress her father, her father saw nothing of it. But now, her dinosaur father publicly announced he was proud of his rebellious daughter. The speech, the statement touched Michiru to her heart, and it prompted Michiru to hug her father almost instantly and tightly.

Mother Kaioh smiled happily, watching the scene with pride and joy.

'Finally.'

"Without further ado, I hereby announce the wedding dinner starts now."


"Argh…..Finally it's done." Haruka flopped down freely, to let her face hit the pillow first. "We have simplified the whole wedding thing to the simplest, but it's still so tiring. I really don't know how those couple could endure with the whole tradition thing."

Michiru joined her wife after she had done with her routine night facial. "Some rest finally."

But Haruka had other idea on mind. She dragged Michiru closed to her. Her own lips on Michiru's lips. One hand already crept inside Michiru's camisole.

Michiru of course pushed Haruka away. "You said you were tired."

"I always have energy left to pleasure you. It's our wedding night, love."

"I told you this house has bad soundproof."

"Then you just have to lower down your voice."

Haruka attacked Michiru again with open mouth kisses. Left thumb was already toying with Michiru's nipple. Michiru's breath hitched. Again, she pushed Haruka away.

"How could you be horny all the time?"

"It's because of you, love."

Haruka slid her leg in between Michiru's legs. Then Haruka used her knee to rub on Michiru's most sensitive spot. Michiru moaned lowly.

"Stop it Haruka. My parents would hear us."

"No, if you keep your voice down."

"I don't want to keep it down."

Haruka smiled. "You are naughty too, Michiru." Haruka had moved her hand from Michiru's breast to her most intimate private part. Though Michiru kept rejecting Haruka advances, the foreplay from Haruka had caused Michiru wet. Haruka slid 1 finger in. Michiru squirmed. Haruka moved in steady rhythm. Michiru bit her own lips to stifled the moan, but when Haruka suddenly stroked with 2 fingers, Michiru let out a small cry. Haruka moved faster but not at desired speed. Michiru was still half resisting. Haruka sucked on Michiru's nipple through the camisole and that's where Michiru slowly lose it. Low moans escaped from her mouth. Then…

"Good night Michi-chan. Good night to you too Haruka." Shouted from the next room.

Michiru covered her mouth. She used another free hand to stop Haruka from moving but Haruka was stubborn. This was where Michiru decided to play rough. She bit on Haruka's shoulder, causing Haruka to yelp.

"What's wrong?" From the other side.

"Michiru bites me oka-san."

Mother Kaioh was quiet. She didn't want to imagine what's going on in her daughter's room now.

"Haruka deserves it, oka-san. Good night oka-san. Good noght otou-san. Sleep earlier."

"Yeah, you too. You guys better just…..sleep."

"We will."

Michiru sent a murderous gaze to Haruka. Haruka, already pulled out her hand from Michiru's most intimate part replied with innocent look. Michiru was frustrated. Haruka teased her and there's no way she could be satisfied now. She growled and slapped on Haruka repeatedly. What a painful way to start a married life.

Meanwhile, in the parents' room, Father Kaioh stared at the ceiling with big lingering question on mind. He finally took up the courage to consult his wife for the answer.

"Hana, I'm wondering; they are both woman. How do they…you know…do those….errmm…..?"

"You want to say have sex?"

Father Kaioh felt mortified with her straightforward wife.

"If you want to know so much, why don't you ask your daughter tomorrow."

Father Kaioh huffed at the suggestion. Feeling slightly embarrassed with himself he turned away from his wife .

Mother Kaioh merely shook her head at her husband's antic.