Chapter 5: Good night
As Haruka slowly brought the convertible up the drive the sun was just starting to sink over the horizon. Teal eyes glanced toward the passenger seat, not truly feeling like returning so early. Michiru seemed to be trying to cover a feeling of dread at the thought of returning to the mansion, if her dazed eyes and lack of attention was any indication. She was not paying attention to anything around her, lost in her own thoughts until the car came to a full halt.
"Haruka, we're only halfway up the drive?" Michiru looked to the blonde in confusion until Haruka smirked back at her. "What are you thinking?"
"Hiroshi is on swing shift, he won't be back until somewhere around midnight." Haruka leaned a bit toward Michiru and waved a hand toward the house. The blonde Tenoh heir could almost hear her father's voice laughing like it once had when Haruka came up with a last-minute idea. "I could drop you off, leave you to get to know my grandmother and maybe play your violin."
"Or?" Michiru was starting to feel intrigued by whatever it was the blonde was slowly proposing.
"Or you could do me the honor of accompanying me to a business party tonight. Nothing fancy, just one of my fellow racers and a lot of sponsors at a large house." Haruka sat back again and gave a look as if it did not affect her either way. "I don't think anyone inside can see us yet, and if they can then it's still your choice. So, how would you like to spend your evening miss Kaiou?"
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Michiru was just finishing a voicemail message to her parents when Haruka pulled up in front of another mansion. From the outside it looked like an expensive block party complete with what sounded like a live rock band in the back yard. The violin player started to rethink her decision until she noticed Haruka again holding the door open for her.
Haruka smiled as Michiru took her arm and the blonde noticed the valet was nearly drooling. She tossed him her keys with a warning glare and led Michiru inside. The inside of the mansion was well lit, and though some people were drinking the party in here seemed much calmer than Michiru had imagined.
"Tenoh!" An American man with dark hair and brown eyes ran over, pausing and grinning in a knowing way as he saw Michiru. "Oh, so this is why you had to return to Japan so badly. Is this your fiancé Tenoh? If not, I may just try to steal her away if she speaks English."
"Er, no this is Michiru Kaiou." Haruka seemed to be lost for how to explain her guest until Michiru nudged her. The blonde looked down into deep blue eyes and almost forgot the man standing before them.
"I speak English quite well, thank you." Michiru held to Haruka's arm a bit tighter and smiled politely to the man before her. "I'm a friend and Haruka decided to take me out tonight."
"Oh, well my name is Walter Green." He grinned toward the blonde again before speaking to Michiru. "Haruka and I race for the same team. I was starting to wonder if our star racer was a gay man, seeing as I never saw him bring a date to anything."
"Haruka's just very private about his relationships, it's actually normal for Japan." Michiru looked toward the blonde and threw a playful wink. "After all, our parents often feel they know what is best for both us and the family."
"Guess I can understand that." Walter gave a conspiratorial look and waggled his brow. "You seem to understand Tenoh pretty well; does that mean you're his girlfriend?"
"We're friends Green." Haruka gave him a stern look but the man just laughed.
"I've heard that one before." Walter laughed a bit as Haruka led Michiru further into the house. The living room had been cleared and its hard wood floor was being used as a dance floor. Unlike the back yard where lights flashed and speakers banged, the music in here was much slower. All the songs being played on the expensive stereo were meant to dance slowly to. "May I have a dance?"
"I'd love to." Michiru was led onto the dance floor and Haruka placed her arms about the shorter woman's waist. Michiru lightly rested her arms on the blonde's shoulders and they swayed together with the music.
"I should have warned you; I never dance and I'm bad at it." Haruka smirked when she just got giggled at for her trouble. She eyed the woman in her arms and shook her head lightly. "Why did you help me out with Green? As far as you know I could easily be a gay man."
"Haruka, I may have only known you for a few very short days, but I know you aren't a gay man." Michiru giggled again even as Haruka sighed and seemed to look almost worried about the statement. The violin player rested her head on the blonde's shoulder and leaned against her a bit. For whatever reason, the blonde obviously wanted people to think she was male. "Isn't the point of tonight to have fun?"
"That's what parties are for." Haruka commented back, a bit slowly. She was surprised to have the other young woman this close but far from complaining.
"Then relax Haruka and enjoy it." The quite voice of the violin player made the blonde's heart skip for just a second and Haruka smirked. One night, that was all, the blonde promised to herself. Just One night to relax and just enjoy being out, one night to get to know the young woman currently dancing with her. If that was the only time she could relax, then Michiru was right the blonde should take the chance to enjoy it.
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Ichiro had tea and coffee waiting when Hiroshi and the Kaious returned. Hiroshi took a sip of his coffee, looking very tired, and off handedly asked where Haruka was. Ichiro responded with an apology, not sure where the other young master had gone after Michiru's appointment. That was when the real show seemed to start. Hiroshi paused in mid drink and stared blankly at the man for a time. He slowly seemed to start thinking and moving again.
"Haruka went with Kaiou-san to her appointment?" Hiroshi asked, trying not to curse at the mention of Haruka.
"Master Haruka drove Kaiou-san to the appointment." Ichiro informed as he refilled Suguru's coffee cup.
"Where is Michiru?" Saki asked the question with a note of caution in her voice. Hiroshi glanced toward the woman and was not able to tell her opinion of any of it, even as Ichiro spoke again.
"Kaiou-san hasn't returned either." Ichiro informed them, being careful to hide his inner smile. He had seen the golden convertible come halfway up the drive, then reverse back down the drive and depart again.
"Hold on, let me check my voicemail." Suguru showed his wife his phone before hitting a few keys. He placed it on speaker, seeming to not take notice that Hiroshi was still in the room.
"You have one new message." The prerecorded voice spoke and then there was a pause. "New message received at six thirty pm today."
"Ohayo Dad." The voice which replaced the recorded one was Michiru's. If you listened carefully you could hear a car radio and wind in the background. "I didn't want either of you to worry. I am going to a business party with Haruka-san and we will be back late. I have my cell phone with me in case you need to call me."
"Nothing to worry about, she's with Haruka-kun." Suguru seemed content with the message as he closed his phone and put it back in his pocket. Saki still looked like she was thinking things over though, unsure if she approved of her daughter's actions or not.
"I should be getting to bed, it's late." Hiroshi stood up; setting down his half empty cup before he bowed. "Sorry."
"That sounds like a good idea." Suguru commented after the younger man had left the room. He stood and held out a hand to help his wife when they heard the door open. Michiru could be heard laughing as two people approached the living room in which the Kaiou's sat.
"Michiru." Saki called and they heard the footsteps pause. Then a moment later Michiru entered with the taller blonde not far behind her.
"Kaiou-san, Kaiou-sama." Haruka bowed out of respect to the two elder people as they both eyed her. Suguru sat back down and sighed, he was afraid this might not be the best discussion.
"Haruka-kun." Saki smiled at the youngest Tenoh and stood. She approached the two and eyed them both. "Did you both have fun tonight?"
"Yes ma'am." Haruka's face showed a serious expression as she spoke to the woman before her. "Your daughter impressed a number of the sponsors tonight. I think some of them may never have heard of music that did not involve a lot of bass or a commercial jingle. She may have brought some culture to a few people in the racing world."
"Is that so?" Saki looked toward her daughter and Michiru smiled.
"They aren't as bad as Haruka-san is making them sound. As it turned out one of the sponsors minored in music when he was studying business. He played the cello, so we talked about different string quartet pieces."
"I'm sure Michiru can fill us in about this all tomorrow morning." Suguru stood again and waved a hand dismissively toward the two younger occupants of the room. Saki started to say something, but her husband beat her to it. "It's late and I'm sure we're all tired. Tomorrow we can talk after breakfast."
Michiru took this as her queue to leave, knowing her father was trying to save them all an hours' long discussion. She took a hold of Haruka's elbow and tugged lightly so the blonde would follow her. Michiru could feel her mother's eyes watch them for a moment longer, until they reached the stairs.
"So." Haruka waited to speak until they again stood before Michiru's door. The blonde shoved her hands in her pockets and looked at the wooden door just above Michiru's head. "I guess I'd better say good night and get off to bed too."
"Thank you for taking me to the party Haruka, it was fun." Michiru did not notice she had forgotten the honorific for a moment but once she did, she saw Haruka smile.
"You know, to anyone else it'd sound like we'd just been on a date." The blonde smirked and met Michiru's eyes with her own teal eyes.
"It almost feels like one." Michiru agreed. Neither noticed that they were leaning toward each other a bit.
"So, does that mean I'm supposed to get a good night kiss?" Haruka commented. At this point Michiru did not know what to say. She just paused, and then she gave in and tugged the blonde forward by her collar. Michiru's lips lightly touched Haruka's cheek and she smiled toward the young race car driver. The blonde pulled back and scratched the back of her head.
"Good night Haruka." Michiru said cheerfully even as Haruka seemed stuck halfway between a frown and a grin. The blonde's expression caused Michiru to giggle and Haruka tossed her a playful glare. Michiru just turned and started into her room for the night.
"Good night, Michiru." Haruka spoke with amused resignation as she turned and walked off into the shadows. Michiru waited for just a bit, even as she heard the curious thump that always seemed to signal Haruka's departure. By the time she turned her eyes back toward the hall the blonde was gone so, with a sigh, she entered her own room for the night.
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Published 2007
Edited November 2020