Hey guys! What's goin on? Sry about the delay but I'm writing ch. 9 right now. So hopefully I'll have it done. I've been working on another story and have had a lot going on lately. I hope you enjoy this chapter. You really get to know Kohana and don't worry...this is only the beginning for Haruka and Michiru! Enjoy!


Michiru pulled out her card and checked the address to make sure she was headed in the right direction. Her cuts didn't make it easy to move, especially with the rain seeping into the bandages. Michiru was terrified that she wouldn't get there in time to see her. She pounded on the door of the back office and a smiling Kohana greeted her. "Michiru what are you doing here?"

Michiru's eyes spilled out with tears at the sight of her. She felt more comfortable around the understanding Kohana than even her own mother.

Kohana frowned and backed away for Michiru to come in. "Are you okay Michiru?"

Michiru shook her head and continued to weep.

Kohana comforted her and then felt the sopping wetness of her bandages. "Ooh, well let's make you more comfortable and then after when you are out of these wet clothes then maybe you can tell me what is wrong okay?"

Michiru sniffled and then nodded.

Kohana smiled and was relieved that Michiru agreed. She didn't want to alarm her by seeming too worried, but if she didn't change the bandages, they could get seriously infected.

Once Michiru was dry and settled into her new bandages and the hospital robe, she sat down and tried to stop crying and explain what had happened.

It was no use. Michiru was completely brokenhearted. How could Haruka tell me that she wants to be with her when her heart completely belongs to someone else?

Kohana swallowed hard when she thought about Haruka. My poor Ruka, she must be worried sick. I know how she is; she probably said something she didn't even mean. But how do I explain that to pitiful Michiru? She seems inconsolable.

"Michiru you have to stop your crying." Kohana said firmly.

Michiru tried to get a hold of herself. She tried to gulp down her emotions with difficulty. "Oh Kohana, I'm so sorry that I'm bothering you like this. But it seems like you know Haruka quite well and…" she sniffled. "Well, she told me about… about… about that Shinju girl and how…how…" Michiru began to bawl even harder and Kohana just shook her head with pity for the girl.

What do I say to her? I barely know this girl! Why would she come to me? How do I explain the situation to her?

"Michiru stop this nonsense. You have to understand Ru--Haruka's situation at the time." Kohana paused. "Michiru, are you going to stop your crying and let me explain or are you just going to continue to make a fool of yourself?" Kohana realized the harshness of her voice, but this Michiru was being unfair to her Ruka and she wasn't going to stand for it.

Michiru was taken aback by Kohana's words but it made her stop crying.

"Haruka had always been different. I always knew that she had no interest in men. Her mother always very understanding of her, but her father always thought this was disgusting. Kohana paused and exhaled noisily.

"Haruka was her mothers everything and was always there to cry on when the other kids made fun of her 'problem.'" Kohana stopped and tears streamed down her face.

"Her mother died in a car accident and Haruka was devastated. There was no one to go to for the questions she had about her 'problem.' Her mother had always told Haruka that her being a lesbian was nothing to be ashamed of and that it made Haruka unique, but her father thought very differently. He was a strong Catholic who believed that homosexuals were repulsive." Kohana shook her head and mumbled something under her breath.

"Haruka's mother had always shielded her from her fathers views, but when she died, her father made it clear that she was sickening and a disgrace to him. Her father began to drink and stopped caring for Haruka entirely." Kohana wiped her eyes.

"Then he stopped doing anything around the house and started relying on my dear Haruka more and more until he finally stopped going to work. He was so grief stricken about his wife and was so blind by what an amazing woman Haruka was becoming. He was torn apart and a broken man. He blamed Haruka for the death of her mother. I begged her to stay with me but she refused and said she needed to take care of her dad.

"Her father started to get even worse and Haruka stayed away from home as long as she could. One day her father went too far and that's when she ran away and met Shinju.

Kohana stopped and struggled with her next words.

"I was Shinju's doctor but there was nothing I could do to save her. Haruka began hating me. She gave up on herself. She lost everything that was dearest to her, everyone she ever cared about had "betrayed" her. Her mother was deceased, her father was a drunk, Shinju was gone and I...I couldn't save either of them." Michiru dropped her eyes.

"Haruka ran away for quite some time. I missed her terribly, but then one day she turned back up at my house with everything unpacked and apologized for everything. She had an entirely new attitude and was just like the old Haruka. When I asked her where she had been all this time she just told me she was out looking for herself and finally found where she belonged. I didn't question her further. I was just relieved to have my dear Ruka back. But then when I saw you two together, I understood what she meant. She found you, the woman of her dreams."

Michiru was speechless. She was given the answer by a woman in her dreams? It had to have been Neptune. It was me! She does love me!

Kohana continued. "You know Michiru; there are many forms of love. You love people in different ways. Haruka was so unhappy when she met Shinju and Shinju gave Haruka courage. I thought Haruka would never come back after she died, until I saw you two together. You give Haruka life; it's as if you two have known each other for many lifetimes." Kohana laughed. "And I've only seen you together once."

Michiru felt as though she had recovered from a serious disease. Kohana was so sure of every word that came out of her mouth. She felt like kissing Kohana.

"Thank you Kohana. You've put my own life back into me." Michiru sighed. "I know what it feels like for someone to mistreat you because of the way you are. My father left my mother when I was 13 for a man he had been sneaking around with for nearly 10 years. My mother was devastated and now she hates all homosexuals."

Michiru felt the tears coming back up into her eyes. "I understand that she's hurt but…why should she take it out on everyone who is different?" Michiru sniffled. "Well now I'm just blabbering and I'm keeping you from your work. Thank you for everything Kohana." Michiru bowed respectfully and turned to walk away.

Kohana walked up to Michiru and put a kind arm on her shoulder. "Michiru, do you have anywhere to stay tonight?"

Michiru shook her head uncomfortably.

Kohana grinned. "Well you can stay at my place for the night. It's the least I can do for you."

Michiru beamed. "Thank you Kohana. That would be wonderful!"


Michiru waved goodbye as she walked out of Kohana's house with a positive mind-set. She was ready to tell Haruka how she felt. She knew that she could get Haruka back and explain everything that happened. She smiled at the sun and started for home.


Ahh! How surprised is Michiru going to be when she sees Haruka drinking tea with her mother? How will she get Haruka back? Keep reading and don't forget to keep reviewing too :)