A/N - Well, here is the earlier update (4 day weekends really are awesome!), and if this disappoints y'all then I'm sorry but I'm taking abreak from all the dancing (as it really is causing me to be suicidal!) and focusing on character development and all that jazz. Anyhoo thanks to all my reviewers, who have been really supportive and seem to like this story.
CHAPTER 7 – FORGET HER
As soon as Haruka stormed into her house, with Hotaru and Setsuna walking slowly behind her, Yumi and Leon knew they had to talk to their daughter. Leon looked at Yumi,
"Is it a girl thing?" Yumi shrugged and she looked up at the stairs, where Haruka decided to storm up to.
"I think it may be more of a girl in love with another girl thing." Leon formed an 'o' with his mouth,
"This is where I go and speak to her about love, isn't it?" Yumi nodded and kissed her husband's forehead,
"Nothing gets past you does it, my love?" Leon rolled his eyes and stood up,
"Okay, well... wish me luck." Leon made his way up the stairs and he stopped outside of Haruka's door and leaned his ear against it, trying to listen out for any sounds before he knocked. He could hear nothing. It was eerily quiet. He stood back, slightly confused when he heard the bathroom door open from the other end of the corridor and Haruka leaned against the doorframe,
"What are you doing, dad?" Leon grinned and looked over at her,
"I was seeing if you were okay. You seemed really upset when you came in." Haruka walked towards her room and opened the door, leaving it open behind her for her dad to walk in,
"Dad, your subtlety amazes me." The blond sat on her bed and opened up a racing magazine. Leon walked into the room and sat at the other end of the bed, looking at his daughter. He then spoke up in English,
"So, why are you so miserable, Haruka?" Haruka looked up at him, sighed then walked over to her schoolbag, and took out the envelope from the front of her bag and threw it towards her father. He opened it while Haruka stood against her wall, her arms folded and her gaze directed out the window. Leon, read the letter out loud,
"Dear Tenoh-san, we are writing to inform you that due to your impressive record in Formula Nippon 3000, we are inviting you and ten other exclusive racers from around Japan to compete in a time trial to be held at Fuji Speedway on December 10th. Those who qualify will be advancing to the Suzuka Circuit for a preliminary F1 time trial. We are hoping, Tenoh-san, you will be prepared to go on a one year tour with the Honda F1 team... Blah blah blah... Haruka this is great!" Leon looked up to meet his daughter's gaze and saw she was still staring out of the window,
"Yeah, it's great, right?" Haruka finally made her way to her bed and sat down again. Leon folded up the envelope and placed it on her bedside table,
"You don't sound happy about it." Haruka laughed bitterly and Leon smiled, "Wanna talk about it?"
"Nope!" Leon grinned wider and looked at Haruka,
"Why not? Scared that I'll make fun? 'Cos if that's the case, I'll totally wait till tomorrow before I crack a single joke!" Haruka laughed, this time not at all bitterly,
"You're sad, old man." Leon ruffled Haruka's blonde hair and grinned,
"Yeah, but anything to see my little girl smile," Haruka scowled at him, "So... tell me what's on your mind, Ruka." Leon sat on the floor, with his legs crossed and looked up at his daughter. Haruka grabbed her pillow and gave it a squeeze,
"Michiru." Leon jumped up and threw his fist in the air,
"I knew it! Haha I knew it! You have a huge crush on her don't you?" Leon looked down and was met with Haruka's death glare. He sweat-dropped and instantly sat down, he ran a hand through his hair and grinned widely.
"I mean, Michiru, huh? What about her?" Haruka brought her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes,
"Should I help her, otou-san?" Leon looked confused,
"I thought you were already helping her in class, Ruka." Haruka shook her head,
"No, not in class. The Winter Comps. Seiya won't be there, and before you ask why, he got the same letter I did. Seiya... he got a letter from the Nippon Stars agency too, it was in the letter, at the bottom, see? The joint event we have to go to? He's Michiru's partner for the Winter Comps and I'm not sure if I should tell her he will let her down. I mean, he said he was going to the comps but, oh I don't know!" Leon grabbed the letter and looked down at the bottom,
"The main event dinner is the 24th... did he say for sure he was going to the comps?" Haruka was still for a moment before closing her eyes and speaking.
"Seiya has probably been offered a demo recording contract with a major studio. Performing with today's biggest stars... you think he's going to pass that up for a school district dance competition?" Leon was silent,
"And what can you do about this, Ruka?" Leon watched his daughter as she slowly lifted her head,
"I wanted to dance with Michiru, at the comps... the racing, if I'm so good, they'll only offer it to me again next year. This year's comps mean a lot to Michiru. And she means a lot to me."
Leon stood up with a completely shocked look on his face,
"Ruka, you want to pass over a racing contract to enter a comp, is that what you're saying? For a girl?" Haruka simply nodded as her father continued to speak, somewhat incredulously, "But you said that you never would... I mean, Keiko broke your heart! Have you recovered from that properly yet?"
"I know! I know what I said, but it's Michiru! She makes me want to! I want to be with her dammit!" Leon's expression softened as he looked at his only child,
"Ruka," He sat beside her and lovingly stroked her hair and she fought back some tears, "If this girl makes you feel like that, then that's great... have you told her this?" Haruka shook her head,
"No... I think she likes Makoto... or Seiya... I have no idea if it's worth telling her this." Before Haruka could second-guess herself further, Leon spoke gently to Haruka.
"So? Is it really your problem if he fails her?"
"What? Have you lost your mind, old man?"
"Haruka, all I'm saying is this... you're under no obligation to tell her, leave it up to Seiya. I know you don't want to see her get hurt, but if you're around her and when the night comes, she finds out that he's not there, then that you knew all along and said nothing, wouldn't that hurt her more? Maybe you should distance yourself from her. Just till after the comps."
"Okay dad, I totally wasn't expecting that." Haruka couldn't believe her dad said every one of her doubts about her decision so candidly, was she really that transparent? While Haruka was still in a state of shock Leon chuckled gently while standing,
"Hey, parents only get one 'shock your kid with your answer' card... and I just used mine up." Leon smiled at his daughter and headed to exit the room, but stopped just short of closing the door
"Ruka, you've been offered the chance to chase your dreams, to do your best at the tracks and -"
"And what dad?"
"And I want you to be sure about what you want. It might be easier to forget about her for a bit, you know? I know it sounds cold, but aside from looking like a jealous fool 'til the night, and God forbid that jackass Seiya does show up, you'll then look a completely idiotic jealous fool." Haruka didn't respond, but just sat on her bed, the pillow close to her, her eyes closed as she tried to fight all her emotions at once. Leon, stood on the other side of the now closed door and he sighed as he remembered the events after the Winter Comps last year.
"What the hell?! What do you mean she just ran away, Hotaru?" Leon couldn't help but be worried about the news Hotaru just ran out to tell them. Leon and Yumi were sitting in the spectator area surrounding the dance-floor. Hotaru looked hysterical and near tears,
"I'm sorry, Leon-papa... but Setsuna and Mako-chan told me Keiko swapped for Seiya in the last minute... and Haruka just left! I don't know where she's gone! I'm sorry!" Hotaru then let her tears out. Yumi instantly comforted the smaller girl,
"Shh, it's okay, hime-chan... did you see where she drove off to?" Hotaru shook her head. Leon stroked the girl's hair lovingly, as he so often did with his Ruka. Leon straightened his clothes out, a fierce look took over his persona;
"I'll go and get her." Yumi looked up at him,
"Where do you think she is?" Leon smirked and looked towards the exit.
"If I know Ruka, she'll be in a place where she feels free." Leon left the room in search of his daughter. He jumped into his car, a Koenigsaag CC and began his drive for Haruka. He was going to search all of downtown Tokyo and in all the clubs where Haruka could go and try and drown her troubles. However, Leon got the feeling, that right now after being heart-broken, she wanted to be left alone. She wouldn't want to be around people, and that's when Leon remembered the place where Haruka would always run to when she was a child; where she could pretend none of her life was real and live in the make-believe she could conjure up in that instant, in her private haven.
Leon pulled into the beach's parking lot a little while later and saw Haruka's car a few bays away. He sighed in relief, glad that he had found her. His eyes scanned the beach and soon they found a figure on one of the beach's cliffs, standing by the railings.
Haruka had her arms outstretched and was enjoying the feel of the wind beating against her body.
Leon silently made his way up to Haruka, and stood a good ten meters behind her, not wanting to interrupt her moment.
"What is it, otou-san?" Haruka still had her eyes closed and the wind was howling but Leon could clearly make out the cracking that as evident in her voice.
"How did you know I was here?" Haruka turned around as her father spoke; her eyes were red from crying but she tried to hide that by lowering her head so her hair covered them,
"The wind blew your awful cologne into my direction." Leon laughed at Haruka's joke,
"Hey, your mother made me wear it!" There was a silence. Leon sat at a bench and gestured for Haruka to join him. She slowly made her way to her father.
"How are you, Ruka?" Haruka laughed bitterly,
"My girlfriend dumped me for my best friend and didn't tell me till one of the most important nights of the year. I feel great!" Her sarcasm was not lost on her father, who looked at her with a look of love only a father can give,
"I'm sorry, Ruka... I don't know what to say to you to be honest."
"Why?" Leon was about to respond when he realized that Haruka didn't mean why didn't he have an answer, but why did Keiko do that to her.
"I don't know baby girl, sometimes people do things to people without thinking themselves... it's an unfortunate fact." Haruka begin to whimper a little and a tear escaped her eye,
"But why with him? Why now? How could she do this to me, otou-san?!" Haruka lost control and began to sob uncontrollably into her father's shirt, Leon could pinpoint the exact moment his own heart broke at having to see Haruka's pain.
"I don't know, hime... I don't know." He stroked his daughter's hair lovingly and felt at a loss for what to say and do.
"I was in love with her dad! How could she break my heart like that?!" As Haruka became a mass of tears and sorrow, Leon fought back his own tears. He had finally experienced a pain unlike any other. The pain of his child being hurt. She was in agony, and he could do nothing about it. He could do nothing to help her. He tightened his hold on his child and their embrace connected them in a way only a father can make his daughter feel protected,
"I will never let anyone hurt you again, Ruka. I swear." Leon's whisper was lost on Haruka who was still crying into his shirt, soaking his tie and jacket with her tears too.
Leon opened his eyes and fought back those tears again,
"I can't let her go through that again." Leon spoke only to himself, but he needed to reassure himself that everything he did for Haruka was for her best interest.
As Leon entered the living room, Setsuna, Yumi and Hotaru kept their eyes on him, waiting patiently until he spoke. Instead he went to the kitchen and grabbed a cold beer from the fridge. He opened it and drank half the liquid in one gulp. He turned to the three women,
"Haruka has been offered a time trial for F1, at Fuji on the 10th and Suzuka on the 24th. She'll be gone in the New Year to train with Honda." The three sets of jaws hit the floor at the same time,
"That's great news!" Yumi jumped up, clapping, as did Hotaru. Setsuna was about to join in when she suddenly remembered something,
"Wait, the 24th? But that's the same day as Winter Comps!" Leon nodded and sat down, his beer in his hand.
"She's serious about Michiru... how does Michiru feel about her, do you know?" Hotaru shrugged but Setsuna was pensive.
"Michiru? She is complicated to figure out. She has a constant facade on, Leon-sama. Whether or not she feels anything for Haruka that is beyond friendship is something only she knows. Is everything okay?" Leon finished his beer and put the empty can on the table. He sat back and rubbed his temples gently,
"I don't know Sets. Ruka says she wants to be with her. I can't let her get hurt again, I mean, you remember what she was like after Keiko right? I wish this was easier! Women are just too confusing." Instantly Leon was met with three scowls,
"Gomen! Not you three!" Hotaru stood up and looked up the stairs, almost wanting to run up there to her Haruka-papa.
"It's so sad, isn't it? Haruka gets her chance to drive professionally and she wants to pursue her heart. Thank kami that her heart has mended enough to let her feel for another though, ne?" There was silence. Sometimes Hotaru was wiser than her years. Then Hotaru's eyes beamed, "We should have a party! A nice going away party!" Yumi smiled at Hotaru's suggestion.
"I don't think Haruka would like a party, hime-chan." Hotaru pouted and seemed upset,
"But I want Haruka to know we all love her, and that we'll miss her." Leon stood up,
"We'll talk about this tomorrow hime... why don't you two go and do your homework before dinner?"
Leon and Yumi watched patiently as the girls took his cue and left the room to go their own. Yumi turned to her husband and looked at him lovingly,
"Koibito... what is it? What aren't you telling me?" Leon took his wife's hand and gently caressed it while staring at Yumi with all the love in his heart,
"I told Haruka to forget about her and to concentrate on her life. Yumi, I don't think I could bear to see her so hurt again. I know it's wrong, but she's my baby, I can't see her like that again." Yumi ran her hand through her husband's hair, he was trembling slightly, emotion threatening to overwhelming him. Yumi spoke softly to him to calm him, and secretly, to calm herself too.
"Who says that Michiru will hurt Haruka, Leon? We barely know the girl and Hotaru and Setsuna seem to trust her. If Haruka wants to lower her walls, let her. You can't always protect her. I know you don't want to, neither do I really, but we should let this ride out as intended... let fate take its course, let Ruka make her own decisions." Leon looked at his wife, and sighed heavily,
"It's times like this that I hate being a parent. Do I go back up there and say 'hey Ruka, forget those emotionally destroying words I said earlier, go for it, kiddo!'" Yumi smiled understandingly. Neither parent wanted to see their child get hurt, but Yumi didn't want to think that after Keiko, Haruka could never open up, or love and trust another so deeply yet it seemed as though Michiru Kaioh was about to break that spell.
"Hey, why don't we go through with Taru's plan?" Leon looked at his wife as though she had two heads.
"You just said she wouldn't like it, Yumes." Yumi looks at her husband,
"But her friends would all like to send her off properly... God knows Mina-chan would never forgive us for not throwing a going away party. And you know Usagi would find any excuse for cake." Leon chuckled,
"When should we have it?" Yumi thought deeply,
"The day before Winter Comps could be good... Haruka's last free night in Tokyo and her friends could do with some de-stressing. Hmm, we can't have it here though. I know! Call up Hachimashi! Tell him the news. You know he'll want to hold the party at his place." Leon put his arms around his wife's waist and spoke huskily into her ear.
"A Paixão De Vida." Yumi giggled,
"You go and call him up... I'll arrange everything else, okay, honey?" Leon nodded and reached for the phone.
At the top of the stairs, an excited Hotaru ran to Setsuna's room, her eyes beaming with excitement,
"Sets! Sets!" Hotaru doesn't really whisper well, but Setsuna lifted her head from her book and looked at the younger girl, who continued to speak at a less than inaudible volume.
"They're going to have a party for Ruka at Hachimashi's! " Setsuna set her book down beside her,
"Really? And how did you know this, hime? Eavesdropping?" Hotaru sheepishly grinned,
"Still! All that matters is that we'll be going to 'A Paixao de Vida' for the celebrations on the 23rd! That means that we can still get Haruka to make up with Michiru-san!" The young girl began jumping up and down on the spot, while Setsuna thought hard.
"That may be true, but we can't force Haruka, hime-chan, you know evasive she can be. We still have a long time before the party and anything can happen 'til then... besides, we don't know if Michiru is really interested in Haruka." The young girl stopped jumping around and spoke solemnly,
"She is, I can tell. In the club, I've seen her sneak many glances at Haruka-papa and smile, thinking no-one is watching... but I was watching and I saw it all!" Setsuna giggled uncharacteristically,
"Well, if that is the case, then we should do our best to help them, ne, hime-chan?" Hotaru began to smile and clap her hands in victory.
"Oh, Setsuna-chan, we should call Mina-chan and the other girls. They can help us get them together... it could be a group effort!"
"Yes, just like..." Setsuna sighed deeply, "Just like with with Keiko."
"Are you sure about this, Mina-chan?" Minako nodded fervently as the tall lanky blonde next to her gulped in anxiousness. The blonde with an overtly large red ribbon in her hair sighed exasperatedly,
"Of course I am sure, Haruka-san! Now, listen, Seiya-kun may have classes with her, but it is clear to all of us, that when you talk to her, she becomes all giddy and overwhelmed!" Haruka fixed her tie,
"She does? You're sure?" This time a raven-haired beauty smacked Haruka upside her head,
"Of course, we're sure Haruka-kun! Now look, there she is. Go and talk to her before Seiya gets his claws into her!" Haruka took a deep breath and straightened her hair with her hand. She stood up straightening out her uniform.
"Okay... wish me luck!" As Haruka ran from her locker and over to the classroom a few doors down, the group of seven girls all smiled in anticipation. Makoto began to smile broadly.
"Oh Keiko-chan is so lucky, Haruka likes her... I'm so jealous of Keiko!" Ami twitched but this went unnoticed by the group. Setsuna watched as Haruka leaned casually by the classroom door, waiting for Keiko to come out of the classroom,
"I did speak to Keiko when we had physics, and she told me that Seiya is just throwing his money around, he just wants to go to the most expensive restaurant here and there, and when Haruka offered her the beach, although she had gymnastics, she really wanted to go there with her instead." Usagi's eyes widened,
"Ne, she knows Haruka-chan is a girl?" Setsuna nodded,
"When they were assigned as partners in dance class, she apparently could tell about Haruka. I haven't said anything of course... but let's just let fate take its course." Minako nodded,
"Hai! We have already done as much as we can in the form of love and those who are meant to be!"
"Look! Keiko is talking to Haruka-papa!" Hotaru squealed, the group instantly fell quiet and watched from afar as they saw Keiko blush as Haruka kissed the back of her hand. Then they exchanged a few more words before Keiko nodded and Haruka took her arm, linked with Keiko's. She smiled as she left the hallway and went outside.
"Hey! Where are they going?" The group glared at Usagi who was loud enough that it nearly caused Keiko to look back,
"Shh! You idiot! They're clearly going to have a lunch date!" Rei scolded Usagi and the girl looked as though she was about to burst into tears, but then Ami sighed,
"That's so romantic. They make such a perfect couple, ne?" The group nodded in agreement.
"Hime-chan, whatever happens, just accept it. Don't be upset at the results, okay?" Before Hotaru could respond, the sound of the doorbell interrupted them. Intrigued the two stood up, and listened silently from the top of the stairs as Leon answered the door.
"Elza-chan? What a pleasant surprise! What brings you to our humble abode?"
Elza bowed respectfully to the Tenoh's.
"I take it Haruka has told you of the news? Well, the team knew and basically I'm here to drag her to the track; they want to see her there every day practicing." Leon nodded and stood aside, Elza made her way into the house, and after exchanging pleasantries with Leon and Yumi she dashed upstairs, making her way directly to Haruka's room. She knocked on the door gently.
"Go away!" Elza giggled at Haruka's reaction, regardless she opened the door and entered her close friend's room. Elza sighed when she saw Haruka was laying face down into her bed, pillow over the back of her head and she wasn't crying but she was clearly upset.
"Haru-chan, don't be so miserable. The team sent me here to get you, you lazy ass." Haruka sat up as soon as she heard Elza's voice. She cracked a little smile.
"The team huh? They've already heard?" Elza nodded and she sat down at the end of the tomboy's bed,
"Yup, and I'm here to officially drag your ass to the racetrack." Elza grinned and seemed a little too happy at this duty but Haruka rubbed her eyes and smiled,
"Perfect!" Seeing Elza's confused face, the blonde continued, "I mean, I need some time away from... some people. This is perfect. The best excuse!" Elza frowned,
"You can't avoid her Haru-chan." Haruka nodded, clearly disagreeing,
"Yes, I can. I'd much rather avoid her by being at the track then having to do anything else." Haruka sighed deeply, "Seiya was right." Elza leaned forward and brushed some hair from Haruka's eyes,
"What did he say Haru-chan?" Haruka didn't even look at Elza,
"You were there... when he said I had no guts, he's right I'm a coward. I can't even face Michiru. So, now I'm just avoiding her." Elza grinned,
"You're not a coward. Just an idiot... and something tells me that it's going to be pretty hard for you to avoid Michiru till the comps." Haruka looked at Elza in shock, more intrigue than anything,
"What do you know Grey?!" Elza giggled and laid back on the bed, clearly enjoying the power she had over Haruka at the moment,
"Well, I know that on the 11th, sensei is pairing up people in class with their neighbours to do an assignment worth three quarters their English grade. A big assignment, lots of work and time together with your neighbour... oh and who's your neighbour, Haru-chan?" Elza grinned devilishly, while Haruka's jaw hit the floor,
"That's not funny! How do you know that?!" Elza laughed and propped herself up on her elbows,
"I had to see the teacher about my English grade 'cos I missed school... remember the broken toes you gave me? Yeah, well, in her diary it was clearly written... haha, Haru-chan, good luck avoiding Michiru when you'll have to spend two weeks with her 'cos of Tetsuya-sensei's assignment!" Instantly Haruka's head dropped, Elza laughed and playfully slapped her on the back,
"Hey Haru-chan, don't worry you can still avoid her for a month, till Fuji that is." Haruka looked at her and threw her pillow directly into Elza's face,
"I hate you, Elza!" It didn't really matter what Haruka said, Elza wouldn't have heard, she was far too busy laughing at all the irony in Haruka's life.
A/N - I have to admit, I like playing with Elza has Haruka's friend, it brings me great joy! Now, if you made it here, do a review, you know I love it ;)