Chapter 5 - The perfect melody
Next morning began as a harsh day. Michiru hadn't taken the time to sleep. Haruka had a race on that day. She had to be ready and for that she had spent hours in the bathroom. At ten o'clock she drank a coffee and went to the tracks.
Haruka had not slept much more, but she had mo marks showing it. She wasn't the kind of person who needed much sleep. Michiru made her way through the first raw of people to take a better look at the race. Haruka was standing near her motorbike, checking a last time if everything was ok. She addressed a huge smile to Michiru when she saw her.
Then the race began, and Michiru began to think her plan wasn't that good after all… Yes, she had noticed she was only wearing a white dress and heels… But she hadn't imagined even a second that there was a good reason to that.
Haruka won by far with no surprise. And Michiru was covered with dirt and dust. She sighed. The important was Haruka's victory. She was about to go and congratulate her. After they'd probably go somewhere to celebrate the cup she had just won. They'd talk, Haruka would be happy, Michiru would act as an adult and they'd finally kiss and be together again. In Michiru's mind, things were as simple as that. She stepped forward, opened her mouth… when she was pushed aside by a bunch of excited teenagers.
« Haruka-sama! That was great! »
« Haruka-sama! Can you sign my bra? »
Michiru wanted to react, but thinking about it twice, she thought it wasn't worth the try. She wasn't willing to fight with 14-15 year old girls for Haruka's attention. No, she'd be discreet. And after all, who was she to tell them to get away from Haruka?
« Please I have to join my friend… » said a husky voice. Michiru was sat on a bench, just waiting. She raised her head to see that Haruka was trying to get rid of the bench of girls…
« Haruka… »
« What? You're my best friend, and I didn't tell you to come just to let you down here. Let's go somewhere nice. I invite you for lunch… And… We can pass by your house if you want to change. »
« It would be just… fine. » said Michiru, looking at her ruined dress. She smiled and followed Haruka in the lockers where she took a quick shower and changed herself. Finally her plan might be working.
Lunch was tensed. Michiru didn't know how to act. Haruka acted friendly on her part. But Michiru still wondered whether she should try to defend herself for the last night, or just let go and have a friendly talk. Well… she wouldn't let go at all, but she could make Haruka think she was letting go. At least for today.
That's how began a period of sincere friendship during which Michiru did no less than observing and learning. They kept playing ambiguous about their being together. But Haruka did what she wanted on her side and Michiru knew it. But she had difficulties to get any date because once the girl she wanted caught sight of Michiru she systematically become jealous, or impressed and ran away. During this period Michiru tried to get what kind of romance Haruka was looking for. It gave nothing, Haruka never let escape a clue about her real desires. So Michiru tried to improve following her own idea. As time went by, she was becoming more gracious, more elegant, if possible. Even Minako hesitated to mess with her now. She now had the impression they were years apart.
« I can't think of a proper score… we have parts of it… but it lacks of something. » said Haruka, sighing over the papers covering Michiru's music room.
« It is… empty of soul. And the teacher gave us already three more weeks. She won't like it if we can't give back anything on Monday.
Indeed, Junuary was approaching the end, everyone had handed back their work on the third. They were the only pair that hadn't finished.
« Play it Michiru. Just once more. » said Haruka.
« Right. »
Michiru took her violin and began to play. She knew the thing perfectly for having performed it so many times, still unsatisfied.
« It's not that… your part is excellent. There must be something wrong with the piano.» mumbled Haruka.
Michiru stopped.
« There's nothing with the piano and you know it. Come on, I'll try to find a weakness. »
Haruka began to play. Michiru stated it was perfect.
« This score is weird… it's like it's escaping us. » said Michiru.
« Wait a sec… What about playing it as a duet, as it supposed to be. »
« But we won't be able to judge the other's mistakes. You know how we are, once we begin to play there's nothing else. »
« I know… I can't care less. I'm fed up with this score so let's play a bit for our own pleasure. »
« You're right. »
Michiru took her violin and closed her eyes. Haruka began to play, she followed. The music that it gave was simply heavenly. Michiru was in her world, as always when she played her violin that way. Haruka was in her own, Michiru knew it. Suddenly she came to a realization. She had to get in Haruka's world. That was her only opportunity to get to her. From a lover point of view but also artistic. That was her solution. She had let Haruka in by the past, her door wasn't closed, there was no gate, but never she had tried to get in Haruka's world. Simply because Haruka was in hers too quickly. But this time, it would be different.
Michiru stopped caring about what she did, about her own melody. It would carry on a anyway. And she tried to focus on the piano, to get any single sound and the emotion related to it. What she saw surprised her… this world was stained with pain, but also love. She could tell it was love, because this was how she perceived the things.
The melody ended. Michiru came out of it with better understanding… and as if possible, much more love. Haruka had this face she liked so much, the face she had during the few seconds during which they finished playing. Now she knew what was behind, what made it so perfectly beautiful: pain caused by love. Michiru placed her violin on the piano and held out a hand to Haruka. Without even thinking about it, Haruka placed hers in it and stood up.
« You're burning inside. » said Michiru.
« How can you be so peaceful? That's a question I wanted to ask for a while. » answered Haruka.
« I accept my feelings for you completely. »
« You think I don't? »
« I don't know. You're suffering so much. »
« Love hurts. That's the way it is. »
« It could be different. It's up to you. Let me heal your wounds. »
« I made them to myself. I don't need to be helped. »
« Don't reject me. »
« I… »
But Haruka was silenced by Michiru's lips on her own. First it was tensed, then Haruka seemed to melt, to relax and the kiss grew more passionate. Michiru could feel her happiness, her relief as if it was hers.
« Isn't it better that way? » she asked.
« Maybe… »
The door was slammed.
« Right… I see you two are still clung to each other in an isolated room. What am I supposed to think? »
« Father! You could knock. »
« And you could behave until your wedding, girl. »
« But we weren't… »
« How should I know? Listen, I'm fed up to play the nice daddy that closes his eyes. Tenoh Haruka, I want you to get engaged once and for good to Michiru. I won't bear the shame of having the two of you making who-knows-what, and dating openly like that any longer. »
« Isn't that quick? I mean we still have a year and a half to do at high school and there is university after, I guess Michiru will want to go… »
« Being married doesn't make you stop your studies. Michiru will continue, so will you. You're already placing shame on the family, you won't be two idiots to complete the picture! »
« Getting married is something you have to think about a lot… »
« You should have thought about that while you were kissing my daughter. I always taught Michiru that a kiss meant that a couple has to marry. You don't even have a choice. Run away and you'll get into huge troubles. No excuse will be worth. »
« Father! Haruka has a very good excuse, she can't marry me… »
« Stop it Michiru. It's ok. » said Haruka.
Michiru's father, blinded by anger, didn't even caught the fact that Michiru had referred to Haruka as a « she ».
« I see you're a sensible person. That's good. I want you to arrange a dinner with your parents as soon as possible. »
« That is not possible. »
« Why? »
« My parents are dead. »
« Oh… Sorry. I didn't know that. Well… You know what you have to do, and do it before my daughter gets pregnant. »
Michiru's father exited the room as quickly as he had entered.
« Haruka… »
« I count on you to find something great to escape that. »
« I will… But why didn't you let me say you are a woman? »
« Because I didn't want your father to become violent. »
« You're right… I'm going. The score is perfect. We'll hand it back tomorrow. Don't bother coming with me, I know the way to get out.»
Haruka headed for the door.
« Haruka wait… »
« What? »
« You just said… your parents are dead. »
« Yes, I did. »
« Is that true? »
Haruka straightened, but did not returned herself to look at Michiru.
« That's true. »
« Then… why did you tell me they forced you into the class you are in… Music class. You said you had taken it because of your parents. »
This time Haruka looked back.
« I lied. »
« Why? »
« The real reason I went to this class is you. Good night Michiru.»
« Haruka wait! »
But this time the door was slammed and Haruka gone. Michiru sat down at the piano. What had she meant? The reason she came in their class would be… her? How come? They had never met before… And it was not logical regarding the attitude Haruka had regarding their relation… Michiru held her head in her palms, she could feel a heartache coming. She had to find a way to convince her father to let go of that engagement story.