Disclaimer: The usual
A/N: So Chapter 5 was ready and since I got so many reviews I decided to post it today . ^.^ Lucky you. Some of your reviews made me laugh a lot, thanks girls. Anyway here is Chapter 5, not sure when chapter 6 will be up but I am currently working on it.
A lesson on Love
By auraluna7
Chapter 5: The Butterfly Muse
Michiru sat sighing softly at the lunch table, her eyes fixed on the not so appetizing salad on her plate. "You don't look particularly happy today Michi, anything happened?"
Looking at Kasumi, the girl made a small smile. "I am just upset because I have to start tutoring hours now and I have to put that performance together for the board meeting, what I would like instead is some extra time for my paintings, or even just to sit down and laze a bit."
"Hmm" So Michiru was not going to talk about the kiss, fine. She was not going to mention it either. "You whine too much, your father works extra hard to make you famous without compromising the school or having anyone point him as a nepotistic man."
"Sheesh, I thought you were on my side here."
Kasumi poked Michiru's salad with her fork eating the cherry tomatoes of it. "I am, but you do whine a lot."
"That is my lunch you know?" Michiru looked around, she tried to tell herself she was not looking for Haruka but that was a huge fat lie. She wanted to see Haruka, to say something about the kiss they shared but she wasn't even sure if the kiss had been shared or she just plain kiss a very dumbfounded teacher like some sort of teenage temptress. She finally spotted Haruka and the green eyes looked at her back. Losing all her courage Michiru went back to stare at her salad. Kasumi half smiled.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes." Michiru finished her salad trying to avoid looking anywhere. She will just talk to Haruka during her lesson that afternoon… although maybe she should just wait till Monday and skip the lesson just for today.
"You're acting very weird Kaioh." Kasumi looked at Haruka across the dining hall she smiled at the blonde teacher who appeared to be glancing now and then at them and winked at her. Haruka looked away and back into the stack of papers in front of her.
-0-
Haruka went home early that Friday, she had spent the last three hours after lunch figuring out the speech she was going to give Michiru but the girl hadn't shown for lesson anyway. She had screw up big time apparently. What was Haruka going to say to Michiru's father when he asked why did the private lessons stopped and what was of that duet thing he wanted?
She will have to tackle the issue first thing on Monday, how bad could it be anyway. She and Michiru had only kissed once and it hadn't even been such a big deal…at least she hoped it hadn't been for the young violinist because for her it had been. She felt the excitement running through her veins and once again she had found inspiration to write music. Maybe it was the Muse, perhaps it was Michiru, either way she felt the block that had stopped her from writing anything for the past years instantly gone. She had sat down for hours at the time to work on her music, impermeable to tiredness or stress.
The tomboy prepared herself for a very productive weekend; she planned to unpack the rest of her things as soon as she finished writing this phrase. She looked up to turn the lamp on her desk as the sunlight faded away outside her window. Perhaps she could use a break and eat something. Haruka got up her desk and stretched her back, as she entered the kitchen she noticed her cell phone blinking on the counter and she picked it up. Not a lot of people had her new number so she wondered who could be texting her.
'Hi. I enjoyed meeting you at Shinkirou; we should get together again soon. '
Her heart skipped a beat. Could it be? She hadn't given her number to anyone on the masquerade except to the Butterfly Muse. She had a look at the message again and text her back. This was just so unexpected, the excitement on her stomach rising again. Perhaps she had been right, fate had placed the girl on the party that day and fate was going to bring them together again…
-0-
"Do you have plans for your weekend Michiru?" Michiru looked at her father; they were sitting at the table having dinner. They only had dinner together on Fridays, and sometimes that was the only time of the week Michiru saw him.
"Not really. I have a lot of homework."
"I see. How was your solo lesson today?"
Avoiding her father's keen eye, Michiru sipped her water. "I got caught up on the library doing research today."
"You are skipping lessons already? What complain could you possibly have with this new teacher?" Michiru refused to acknowledge the accusing tone on her father's voice, counting Haruka this was her fourth teacher since she started attending the institute, must students stayed with one tutor along the whole 7 year program.
"None. I will go back on Monday. I just really couldn't make it there today." Her father nodded, he noticed a sudden change on Michiru's attitude, she was not fighting her way through this new schedule, she had accepted the fact of the tutoring hours and the ensemble rehearsals without a peep. Perhaps Haruka Tenoh was indeed bringing out the best on her.
"Do you like her?" Michiru raised her blue eyes surprised, her father words bouncing against her. "She seems quite nice, and she is just a few years older than you. Perhaps you should see her as more than a teacher, a mentor, a friend even."
A friend. Of course, her father had no idea what went through her mind. She didn't want Haruka to be her friend, not just that anyways. "I thought you had all these rules against socializing with your staff."
"I guess this could be an exception. You must intuit why I wish you and Miss Tenoh to perform together. If you were to focus on your music entirely you could be on the same ranks as her. There is a lot you can learn from her."
"Oh I am sure of that." Kaimu looked for traces of sarcasm on his daughter's words but couldn't find any. He smiled pleased.
Michiru smiled as she ringed the silver bell to ask for some tea. She thought of this conversation as a little personal joke, she sure wanted to learn a lot of things from the tomboy, music perhaps a close second. "So you think I should be 'friendly' with her then?"
Akira came in the private dining room of the Kaioh's holding a silver tray with a tea service. "I think you should, Miss Tenoh is an exceptional woman."
"I completely agree, I will try following your advice then." It didn't skip Akira's trained eye the way Michiru smiled as she reached for the cup of tea in front of her. "Thanks Miss Kitsune." Akira smiled briefly at Michiru and then step out of the room, she wondered if perhaps she had imagined it, but probably not, something told her Michiru Kaioh was going to be a big headache for Haruka.
-0-
Hearing the entrance door close, Haruka got out from her room a towel on her hand drying her short blonde hair. "Hey there, I thought you were going to be MIA all weekend."
"I told you I needed clothes, I hate Fridays, they are way too long. I have to wait until 'The Kaioh's' have dinner. Speaking of which, what's the deal with you and Michiru Kaioh ah? Is there anything? I overheard a strange conversation between her and the headmaster."
"Oh. What did she said?"
"It was not what she said; it was the way she smiled that worried me. You are not fooling around with Kaimu's daughter, are you? That is a big No-No no matter how you look at it."
The blonde nodded, she didn't want to go into details with Akira. Besides she was fixing that whole issue on Monday as she planned. "There is nothing to worry about."
"Good. Anyways, I don't think I will go out after all, my little peacock has to work apparently."
Haruka smiled, so the girl in the peacock dress was the lucky woman who had enjoyed Akira's company the whole week. "Good, great actually. We're going out tonight."
"We are?" Akira looked at the tomboy surprised. "Where are we going?"
"The Rabbit Hole."
"Oh? The club on Shinjuku Ni-Chome?" The tomboy nodded a big smile on her face. "I thought you didn't like clubbing."
"Not particularly, but this is a special thing. I am meeting with the Butterfly Muse."
"Holy! The one from the masquerade?" Haruka nodded again excited. "Well then we are absolutely going out. Tell me how the hell did you found her?"
"She found me…."
-0-
Dragging herself along the hallway Michiru finally made it back to her bedroom. Thank god it was Friday. No more homework or practicing for at least twenty four hours. After dinner her father made her stay and sit down through a whole poetry lecture in the Arts wing. Not that she disliked poetry but there was so many Emo girls' she could take on a one day, writers were such emotional ticking bombs. She opened the door and got literally pulled into the bedroom by an overexcited Kasumi. "Oh my God! Where were you?"
"The Art's Wing Theater. Why?"
"Oh it doesn't matter! Just hurry and get showered. We are going out."
"We are? No way, I am exhausted." Michiru dropped her school bag and noticed the hand painted carnival mask on top of her bed. "And this?"
"I have a surprise for you."
Michiru looked at Kasumi; she noticed the blonde girl was already dressed to go out. Her gorgeous figure tightly wrapped on a halter golden party dress. "What's the surprise?"
"You are meeting your Prince tonight"
"I am? What?" Michiru hadn't even thought about the Mysterious Prince all day long, she had put the memory of the girl on her past. All she had thought about lately was Haruka. This was so unexpected she didn't know what to say. Part of her felt terribly excited thinking about meeting the masked blonde again and perhaps finding out if she was the one for her, the other however could only think of Haruka. "How?"
"Don't get mad at me." Kasumi handed Michiru a shopping bag. "I figured it couldn't hurt to help you a little bit. I sent her a text message and told her you wanted to meet again, and she will be waiting for you tonight at The Rabbit Hole."
"But… Kasumi, I don't know what to say."
"You're welcome." Kasumi smiled, this was the perfect way to make both of them, Michiru and her, happy. Michiru will go meet her Prince and with a bit of luck they will fall into a torrid affair and she will have Haruka all for herself.
"What if I don't like her? I mean, I didn't even saw her face."
"You are just having anxious thoughts, you guys already kissed and even more, as far as you told me you were about to lose your clothes to her. I am sure you won't mind her face. But I thought of it; don't think I am a terrible friend. She will meet you at the bar at midnight, you will be wearing your mask and when she spots you she will show you hers. See, if you don't like her you don't have to take your mask off and she won't know who you are."
"You seemed to have thought this through." Michiru peaked inside the shopping bag. "What's this?"
"Oh just a little present, I went and bought myself this dress and I thought of getting you a little something for good luck."
Michiru took out of the boutique shopping bag a revealing black lace bra; she didn't even bother to take out the matching bottoms. "I am not sure what do you think I am going to do tonight…"
"You can always be prepared just in case ah? Let's pick you a dress, you have to look perfect."
"Hmmm." Michiru thought of Haruka again, did she really wanted to go pursuing 'Alice' down the rabbit hole? Or did she rather wait and see if her teacher decided to break all the rules ever written and fall in Love with her? "I guess meeting for a drink doesn't really mean much…"
"It will be fun. You will see, I just hope this headache goes away."
"You have a headache?"
"It's nothing, let's go out and conquer the night."
-0-
At exactly eleven p.m. Michiru and Kasumi stepped into the Rabbit Hole. They decided to get there early and check out the place before the Prince arrived. Michiru was wearing a one shoulder flowy sleeve teal cocktail dress, her legs bare ending in a pair of stylish stilettos, her hair pinned up. She was excited but at the same time nervous, she wondered if the magic she felt between her and the blonde will sparkle again tonight and if she will be able to put the image of the other blonde, Haruka, out of her head.
The music was loud and the place was starting to get crowded. Kasumi's golden dress shined under the strobe lights, her long hair lose in unruly curls. As they walked towards the bar they attracted a lot of looks, Michiru always find it a bit exciting, Kasumi so used to be the center of attraction it didn't even bother her at all.
"It's really loud in here." Michiru talked in her friend's ear, the blonde nodded as she followed the loud music gently. "How's your headache?"
"Horrible. But I will live; all I need is a drink." Kasumi turned to the bartender a sexy twenty-something with bright purple hair. "Hey there sexy, how about a drink?"
"Hey Kas. Haven't seen you in a while, martini?" The blonde nodded, Michiru looked around, looking at her watch every minute as if time could suddenly change pace on her. In her purse the carnival mask awaiting to be wore. "Anything for you, pretty eyes?" Michiru looked at the bartender, they were regulars here.
"Just water."
"Live a little." Kasumi talked to Michiru but the blue eyed girl noticed she was already eyeing someone behind her, the blonde started to dance alone, her hips swaying, she knew the seduction game of Kas too well. "Dance with me."
"For the delight of whoever is behind me?" Kas nodded and Michiru smiled. She let the blonde get closer.
"She´s a very good looking redhead." Kasumi pulled Michiru closer to her, lifting her arms letting the music guide her, playing with her long hair as her hips moved rhythmically against Michiru's.
"Is she?" Michiru started dancing with her, the soft hands caressing the fabric of her teal dress, going up and down her own silhouette, she felt Kasumi's thigh between her legs and she imagined the expression on the redhead looking at them dance. "Let me see."
Forcing her to turn around, Kasumi danced at Michiru's back, her hands traveling along Michiru's waist up and down to her thighs and back. Michiru locked her eyes with the redhead Kasumi had eyed, she seemed quite interested in them, and to be fair so did a lot of people around. She lifted her arms to let Kasumi trace her curves with experienced hands. "One of them could be your Prince ah?" Kasumi spoke to her ear making sure to appear having an intimate conversation, pressing her red lips to Michiru's earlobe just a little too long, as Michiru thrust her hips against her. "Dance for her."
Michiru closed her eyes picturing the Prince seeing her dance, she rocked her hips harder and turned around to face Kasumi again, Michiru placed her hand on the small of the blonde's back and kept dancing with her, straddling her friend's thigh making sure to wink at the redhead.
The friends keeping their lips a few inches from each other. Kasumi turning now and then to look at the redhead girl with her glossy red lips half opened pretending to be about to lick Michiru's soft plump lips. "I think the redhead is going to have a heart attack. " Kasumi laughed, she loved teasing girls at bars dancing with Michiru like this.
"Just a little more, let's see how long it takes for her to come buy us a drink."
-0-
"Holy!" Akira dressed in her favorite leather pants and a silk shirt pulled Haruka's arm. The blonde tomboy dressed in black pants and a buttoned up white shirt was looking around hoping to see the Butterfly Muse, she knew it was still early but she could not help it, she felt a void in her stomach.
"What? Do you see her?"
"I see something alright. Over there." Haruka looked over to where Akira was pointing to find out something that could have easily been extracted from one of her steamy dreams. Her eyes could not believe when she saw Michiru and Kasumi dancing with each other.
The friends seemed to be quite entangled in their dance, Kasumi dancing behind Michiru, her right hand just under Michiru's breast, her left one traveling along Michiru's leg. The aqua haired girl laughing at something the slim blonde whisper on her ear as her tight hips swing back and forth in a sensual dance.
"How the hell did they get in here ah?" Akira kept talking but Haruka could really not pay attention to her, she along with half the people in the room were mesmerized by the girls dance. "…I am talking to you. Haruka!" Akira smacked her on the arm and Haruka finally paid attention to her.
"I don't know how they got in here, we just got here, remember? Hum, do you think they are …'together'?"
Akira shrugged, two days ago she could have sworn that Michiru Kaioh was a cold preppy girl but now she was seeing completely different side of her, a dangerous and sexy side. Haruka went back to look at the friends, she saw Michiru straddling her friend's thigh and then smile at a redhead that approach them shortly after. Haruka wished she didn't felt a sting of jealousy at the sight of Michiru dancing like that, the blonde had to remind she was here to meet a girl anyway. "If I tell Michiru's dad he is going to flip out."
"But you won't. Because then he'll ask what were you doing here in the first place."
"Hum." Akira shook her head. She still wondered how two underage girls had ended in the same bar as Haruka and her.
-0-
"Can I get a drink to your friend?" Kasumi looked at the redhead from up close she had the cutest freckles in her nose and bright green eyes.
"Michi do you want a drink?" Michiru shook her head, she checked her watch again.
"I can't drink I am too nervous. I'm going to the washroom ok? Stay here." Kasumi nodded and saw Michiru walk away; she turned her attention to the girl that just handed her a drink.
"Are you ok? You look a bit pale." Kasumi nodded to the girl, she rubbed her temple softly.
"I do have a slight headache. But it's ok."
"Lucky you ah? I have something for your headache. I always carry Tylenol with me." The blonde smiled again, she noticed the green eyes and couldn't help but compare them to Haruka's. She was getting dangerously obsessed with Haruka Tenoh; she could not even have fun right now without thinking of her.
"What did you said your name was again?" The music appeared suddenly too loud to Kasumi, this headache was not getting any better.
"Rain. Here… let me get you some water for it." Kasumi look at the pill and swallowed it washing it down with her martini, Rain looked at her alarmed.
"Ah you should have taken that one with water, Tylenol 3 is kind of strong."
Closing her eyes for a second the blonde smiled at Rain. "It's ok; I am a strong girl, how about you get me another martini?"
"Sure. Just let me know if you feel dizzy or something…"
On the other side of the club, Haruka and Akira sat down at a small table, the blonde scouting the place. "What time is it?"
"Quarter to midnight, if you ask me again I will punch you right in the face Tenoh. Why don't we just go wait by the bar? You are avoiding running into the evil teens aren't you?"
"No. I just want this night to be perfect that's all. I don't need the awkward conversation."
"Mhm it surely is awkward."
"This had been the longest hour ever. What time is it?" Akira gave Haruka a dirty look; she couldn't wait for midnight as well.
-0-
"Kasumi?" Michiru stepped out of the bathroom to find Kasumi and her conquest, the blonde holding the wall for support. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know." The redhead looked apologetic but also guilty, Michiru wasn't sure she wanted to know what happened.
"Did she had too much to drink?"
"Just two or three drinks but she had a strong painkiller; sorry I didn't think she was going to wash it down with booze."
Michiru looked at the girl with accusing eyes, who gives a girl with a drink in one hand a pill and expects her not to have it with alcohol? "That's fine, leave her with me."
"Can I help?"
"No I think you did enough already." The redheaded girl nod and walked away with a guilty look. Michiru held Kasumi and lifted her face softly. "How are you feeling?"
"Like hell. I think I am going to throw up." Michiru looked at the blonde with concerned eyes; she took a look at her watch again. Five minutes to midnight. "Oh no, I am sorry, leave me here. Go find your prince I will take a cab or something."
"No, no. I'm not leaving you here like this, come on." Michiru tried to help Kasumi walk towards the entrance but the blonde was unable to walk at all, she seemed about to pass out. "Oh no, I cannot take you to the dorm like this, here, sit down." Michiru managed to drop Kasumi on a couch next to the restroom. "I am going to find us a ride to the hospital."
"You are crazy, no hospital, let's go to the dorm."
"You can't even walk." Michiru looked at her watch again; she was not meeting the Prince after all. She needed to find a ride home quick, Kasumi truly look about to throw up. "Stay here, but truly stay here ok?" The blonde nodded, Michiru got the girl a wet cloth and then walked towards the door.
Akira stood up and talked to Haruka. "Come on Romeo, it's time now." The blonde jumped off her seat, the thin velvet mask on her pocket. So it was time. She started walking towards the bar, the place was really crowded, she was just a few meters from her goal when she felt someone bumped right into her.
"Oh sorry." Michiru looked up, her eyes filled with distress. "Haruka?"
The tomboy looked into the deep eyes surprised. "Oh hi."
"Oh God! I am so glad to see you! You have to help me." Akira who was walking behind Haruka came forward; she and Michiru exchanged silent looks. "Please I need a ride."
"Um, Michiru I am kind of busy right now." The blue eyes seemed filled with concern, Haruka felt worried just by looking at them. "What's wrong?"
"Kasumi is not feeling well; I think she's going to pass out."
"Oh fantastic, teenage drinking 101." Akira's voice made Michiru aware of how running into her father's assistant and a teacher, even if that teacher was Haruka, on the middle of a lesbian bar was probably not such a great thing. "Did Miss Tani had too many big girl drinks?"
"No she didn't!" Michiru was not taking crap from anyone right now; she needed to take Kasumi home. "She has an allergic reaction or something. Please Haruka; I need to take her out of here."
"Haruka it is almost midnight" Haruka nodded, she really wanted to go meet the Butterfly Muse but she was not about to walk out on Michiru who seemed quite distressed and Kasumi who obviously needed help.
"Akira please go get the car to the front will you? I will go get Kasumi." Akira seemed about to say something but the look on Michiru's face made her stop. The aqua haired girl did look in trouble.
"Fine." She turned around and head to the door.
Haruka looked at Michiru; even under the club lights her face seemed perfect. "Where is she?"
Holding the tomboy's hand on her own Michiru guided Haruka towards the bathroom. "This way."
-0-
Akira parked the car outside the club, shortly after she saw Haruka and Michiru dragging a quite pale looking Kasumi out of the club. "This girl needs to go to the hospital Haruka." Akira's voice was stern; she gave Michiru a reprimanding look.
"No! Please, not the hospital. We can get expelled just for sneaking out." Michiru talked to Haruka, she held the sleeve of the tomboy's shirt. Haruka looked at the three girls not sure what to do.
"We can't take her to the dorm looking like that either Haruka, so you tell me what are we going to do." Haruka knew Akira was right, she took a look at the pale blonde and she opened the car door to put the girl on the passenger's seat.
"I don't know."
"Can we go to your place? Just for a few hours. Please." Michiru pleaded with soft voice, Haruka felt between the sword and the wall.
"Oh NO. No way you are taking two underage girls to MY apartment, especially when one of them looks like she could pass out and die on me, if your father finds this out Michiru he will kill you and fire me, not necessarily in that order."
Michiru placed her hands together; she looked at the raven haired girl with pleading eyes. "Please, Akira, come on. I promise I will never make you serve me tea again, I will ask my dad to give you a day off or something, anything."
"Come on Akira, like you never sneaked out of school. We will go to our place for a few hours if Kasumi doesn't get better we will go to the hospital and no excuses. Ok?"
Akira sighed; this was not a good idea. Michiru hugged the tomboy. "Thanks Haruka."
"Oh don't thank me, I haven't decided if I am telling your father or not. What were you girls doing there anyway?"
Michiru gave Haruka a small smile. "What do you think?"
Haruka shook her head but opened the back door for Michiru, the girl sat on the car next to Akira. "I want a whole four day weekend off, not sure how are you going to pull that off your hat Miss Kaioh." Michiru smiled at Akira.
The tomboy finally got behind the wheel of her car, she noticed Kasumi sitting on her side didn't have her seatbelt on so she reached for it, Kasumi stir half asleep and her blonde long hair fell on her face away from her creamy arm and Haruka could see clear as a spring day, the butterfly tattoo on her shoulder blade. Her eyes widen with surprise and she look at Michiru on the back seat through the rare view mirror, the girl rummaged through her purse looking for a tissue and started taking things out of the handbag and placing them on her lap, the Carnival mask neatly placed on top of the pile. Finally finding her tissue pack Michiru looked up to find Haruka looking at her with darkened eyes.
"Is everything ok?" Haruka nodded and started the car. Of course things were not ok. There were two girls in her mind and heart lately, one was Michiru Kaioh, the other the Butterfly Muse… Kasumi Tani.
(A/N: Some of you saw that coming, but for the rest of you. Nice twist hum? Want to know what happens next? Review!)