Chapter 2 - « Feminine » discoveries

Next morning was sport class and today's sport was... swimming! Michiru was feeling light and smiled stupidly. She couldn't help but imagine her boyfriend in his swimsuit... Minako had difficulty to not laugh wholeheartedly at the other's ignorance when Michiru entered the lockers almost flying. She placed her bag on the flour and began to undress.

"Oh Haruka! Good morning dear!" she said without really paying attention. Haruka gave her a small discret morning kiss. Michiru was in underwear and about to let go of the bra when she was struck by something... what is he doing in the girl's lockers?

"Haruka what are you doing in the..."

Suddenly she saw what she should have saw as soon as she had arrived: Haruka had firm average feminine breasts, a thin feminine waist and long feminine legs without any hairs on them and was wearing a silvery grey feminine suimsuit. Michiru yelled. Minako laughed as well as the other girls. Haruka didn't understand what was happening and suddenly Michiru fainted.

Haruka caught her before she touched the floor.

"Michiru! Michiru! Hey you! Don't keep staring like that and go find some help."

Several girls ran away.

"It's nothing, she'll wake up, but it was spectacular." said Minako calmly.

"How do you know?"

"I know her for sooo long. She always do that when in shock. This girl faints easily."

"Shut up... You hate her, so don't talk about her, thanks."

"I might hate her, but I know about her preferences. I can tell you the reason she fainted is that you're not her type."

"Not her type?"

"Are you dumb? It was obvious. Only you didn't notice. She didn't know you're a girl."

"What?"

"Michiru is not a lesbian. She thought you were a man. This girl is so stupid and so absent-minded. The scene before she realized was funny to watch..."

"She can't..."

"If I were you, I'd try to be away when she'll wake up, or she'll yell again."

"She said she liked me..."

"Cruel world, isn't it?"

"Can I leave you with her? I need some air."

"Of course."

Haruka put on her shirt and trousers not caring getting rid of her dry swimsuit.

Michiru awoke in the sick bay.

"Haruka... where is he?"

She tried to stand. Her head was aching a bit. Then she remembered... Not he, she. She fell back on the pillow.

"Oh no... I'm so stupid."

Michiru spent hours in the sick bay. Not because she was sick, but more because she had to find a way to break with Haruka... well maybe her yelling and fainting were enough to make her understand her feelings regarding her gender. But it was not very correct... Well, Haruka hadn't been correct either. Why hadn't she told her the truth right away?

At the end of the class, Michiru was waiting Haruka near her car.

"Oh... You're here." said Haruka not daring watching her in the eyes. All the day, Minako had been portraying Michiru as the worst homophobic on earth.

"I... I wanted to explain a bit."

"It's not worth it."

"It's worth... Haruka... -san. Why didn't you tell me you were... a girl?"

"I know how you feel, so don't come and splash your disgust for me, you're gonna hate me, I got it, right?"

"No... But... Please don't talk to me that way! I know my reaction was not nice, but I couldn't help it! And you're the one who was hiding!"

"You're the one who didn't want to see anything! I tried to tell you but you never let me! Everyone knew! I thought you did!"

"I didn't!"

"That is clear! We have nothing left to tell each other now I guess."

"Right... And me who came to apologize... That's great! I thought we could be friend but there is now way I see! Good bye!"

Michiru walked away.

"Friends... But Minako-san said... MINAKO-SAN!

When Haruka caught the blonde, she let her know how she was feeling...

Next day Michiru went back school as though nothing had happened. All the glances were directed to her but she ignored them. Until she caught sight of Haruka talking with a bunch of girls. She felt like a dagger was piercing her heart. She stopped in the middle of the corridor. Stop that now. She's a girl, just a girl.

Haruka was discretly watching Michiru. After all she had done... And why did it have to hurt so much? Be hurt by a stupid homophobic, what a nonsense. Even if Minako had told her lies, Michiru had fainted nonetheless. So she was probably homophobic.

That day was the worst she had ever spent. It couldn't get worse. Or so she thought until she opened her locker. There were eleven love letters, all from girls. Minako was giggling not so far... Ten of them were her own...

Michiru decided to not talk to Haruka ever again.

Avoiding Haruka for the rest of the day was an easy task... Even if they were desk neighboors. As Michiru used to say, pretend a thing doesn't exist can make it disappear from your sight. That was what she was doing with Haruka. All had occured so quickly... Met on monday, started dating on tuesday, broke on wednesday... and disappeared on thursday. But friday wouldn't be that easy...

"You're going to work in pairs for the music scores you have to hand back for January. It is a big project. I know some of you are qualified enough to do it on their own, but I insist that it must be a common work. I want duets for this work. You'll understand it's more complicated than writing a score for one instrument only... And I decided to make it even more complicate by pairing you with your neighboor. You won't have the choice of the person and its instrument."

Minako raised a hand.

"Yes, Aino-san?"

"I have no neighboor. Can I pair with Haruka-san and Michiru-san?"

"No. Kaioh-san will have enough work with helping Tenoh-san catching with her lateness. You'll be working with Mizuno-san and Hino-san."

Minako's face darkened. But she couldn't compare with Michiru who was about to explode. Just when she thought she had gotten rid of Haruka she discovered she had a whole month to spend with her.

"Haruka-san."

"Michiru-san."

"It seems we don't have a choice."

"It seems so."

"I hope you play piano as well as you are said to."

"As well as I kiss."

Michiru suddenly saw their kissing scene again. An unwanted smile crossed her face.

"Shut up." she said angrily.

"Here is my phone number. Call me when you feel like working." said Haruka holding out a card.

Michiru took it and Haruka left. She held it closer to her face to read it more easily. She was surprise to see that it had her scent. She smiled again, her heart beating faster. Forget that... she's a girl.

"Michiru... I hope you're not forgetting we have a guest on sunday." asked her father during dinner that evening.

"What?"

"Your fiancé."

"He's not my..."

"He will be. You know how this family works. He kissed you. He marries you."

"But..."

"No buts. If it had just been a little innocent kiss, I'd let go, but I saw you. It was more than that. Who knows what you did with him?"

"Father!"

"You're going to marry him, that's it."

Michiru got up and went to her bedroom, angry. She was trapped. What would she do? If she did not invite Haruka, her father would annoy her again. He wouldn't be happy with an explanation like "we broke", he'd make his researches and find out Haruka's true gender... and would deduce his daughter's a lesbian. He never listened to explanations. Since her mother's death he had been a manipulating, controling father. He wanted to know all her activities, and always knew where she was. She had succeeded in hiding her previouses relations, but this time... She had been caught out of guard. As panic began to invade her, she did the only thing she could think about:

"Haruka-san? It's Michiru. I... I wanted to know if you'd be free on sunday to work on our duet."

"Michiru-san... I didn't think you'd call that quickly. Well you know... We can work appart. I know you're allergic to me so I won't oblige you to see me. We can work appart and choose the better, then we'll adapt for the other's instrument or something... We'll sort it out any way."

"No... I want us to work together. I'm not allergic to you. I think there is a misunderstanding. I'm not a lesbian but I don't care seeing one in front of me, even having her as a friend."

"Really... then why did you faint?"

"Surprise... Shock... I faint easily."

"Right... Well, let's forget all that story. At what time do you want us to meet? And where?"

"My house, at midday. You're having lunch with us... Don't you?" the last part was added to make it sound less oppressive, but Haruka would be there to have lunch whether she wanted or not.

"Ok..."

"See you on sunday then."

"Bye."

Michiru let out a sigh. She was relieved... But she had put herself in more troubles...