Family Affairs

Chapter Four: Registration

Michiru thumbed through her last year's photo album as she waited downstairs. She knew, judging by the laziness of Haruka, that the blonde would wake up late for registration. Of course, she was never wrong and it took the blonde nearly an hour to get ready. For what, she didn't know. Even Seiya didn't take this long to get ready and he was definitely feminine for a guy.

" Okay. I'm good to go. "

Michiru glanced up at her stepbrother, completely absorbed in her yearbook. It took a few seconds for her to realize that Haruka looked extremely different than what she had seen before. " Uh.. Um… " Michiru placed a hand behind her neck nervously as she felt a blush come about.

Haruka raised her eyebrow with a large grin on her face. " Yeah? "

" You look attrac--… nice. " Michiru stopped herself. She couldn't believe she almost told him he was attractive. Did she think that?

" Thanks. Normally the sweats I've been wearing at home, well, it's not what I normally wear. But seeing as how it is the first day to meet girls I absolutely have to make an impression. "

" Haruka. I thought you said you were all knowing? " Michiru smiled maliciously as she thought of a way to counter the blonde's cockiness.

The blonde was confused. " What do you mean? "

" If you were all knowing than you would know that no one in their right mind would date you. " Michiru giggled as she watched Haruka's expression change.

' She's probably not half wrong. ' Haruka became uncertain about going to the new school. ' If anyone found out I was a girl, my fortune would be gone and of course everyone would think I was a freak. '

" Haruka, I was just kidding. "

The blonde looked up in confusion again.

" You know, about the not dating you thing. "

" I didn't ask you to date me. " Haruka replied, offended at the statement.

" Well why not? " Michiru asked but was more surprised when she realized she had asked that question. Haruka just smiled in response. " Nevermind. " She continued in frustration. " Besides, I'm dating someone anyways. "

Haruka became uneasy at the statement. " Let's just go to registration. "

" Fine. "

" Fine. " Haruka emphasized as he followed a very quiet Michiru to the car.

Michiru sighed inwardly as she watched Junai High School pull into view. There was nothing wrong with Junai. Well, maybe there was. This was her last year at high school and she couldn't stand to think that most of her time at school, for the past three years, she had been nothing but invisible to the rest of the students. Of course, they seemed to know her at concerts or charity events but inside of school she was nothing more than a stuck up violinist. Which, to her, was ironic. Most of the people at Junai were there because they just so happened to have the richest parents in all of Japan. She couldn't imagine that anyone there wasn't stuck up. She heard a knock on her window. Michiru glanced over a bit taken aback. In all of her thinking she hadn't realized that Haruka had parked the car and opened the door for her.

" Are you okay? " The blonde asked, concerned.

Michiru stared back, almost about to blow off the question when she noticed that he actually looked as if he cared. " Of course. I'll just smile and everything will be fine. "

Haruka lifted his chin as if he hadn't expected a response like that. " Here. " The blonde held his arm out to her, much like a gentleman.

" Thanks. " Michiru replied, sort of liking the new security that Haruka was instilling within her. When he shut the car door behind her she spotted almost everyone in school staring at the two. She saw a few whisper, then some giggle. She was used to the unwanted attention but this was different. They weren't staring because they considered her to be a bitch - they were staring for another reason. More and more as she walked she began to feel as if they were saying good things and nothing bad. She clenched on to the blonde's arm when she put two and two together. ' They're smiling at Haruka. No wonder why no one has tried to insult me yet. '

" So, I'm counting on you to give me the whole tour. " Haruka beamed down at her as if the crowds hovering around them were invisible to him. " Plus, I might need a tutor. I'm not the best at math. " She smiled back, knowing that he would probably need more help than in math. A part of her felt warm inside. He made her feel … wanted? Was that the right word? Only Seiya made her feel comfortable but this was something else… the blonde made her feel like she belonged. Like she was the center of the universe to him. No one had ever given her that kind of attention, even Seiya had his moments where he made her feel nonexistent.

" Well, I do admit, I'm a great tutor… " Michiru joked.

" Great! "

" … but I charge by the hour. "

Haruka stopped in his tracks and folded his arms across his chest. Michiru dared not to look back as she began to skip away, laughing. The blonde quickly gave up and followed her like a lost puppy looking for a home.

Author's Note -

…. Some other name: You're just about dead on in your review. But I won't say anything more because I don't want to ruin the details.

….trfishy: I promise I will get on it! I'm just always real busy. I'll try to put three chapters up now.

….everyone else: Thanks the reviews! Seriously. I promise to put the chapters up soon. If you have any questions I'll try to make a chapter that answers them for you so that you're not confused. Just for anyone who still doesn't know - Haruka is a boy to Michiru and everyone else… BUT she is actually a girl. So. Yeah.