Michiru slowly opened her eyes and Haruka's calm, sleeping face came into vision. She nearly giggled at the sight. She looked absolutely adorable. Usually, Haruka looked cool and held a certain expression that made you realize that she wasn't the type of person you should mess with. However, when she was sleeping, that certain expression was gone and replaced with a serene look that had you realize that this world wasn't so bad after all.
Brushing the bangs away from her eyes, Michiru snuggled closer to the blonde. She sighed softly. She wasn't sure why she was even with Michael or why she wasted in crying her heart out for him. Sure, he was handsome and he seemed really sweet in the beginning but once she agreed to be his girlfriend, everything changed. He didn't seem to care anymore. He was always out doing god knows what, he was always flirting with the other girls, he didn't even acknowledge Michiru as his girlfriend. Not to mention, Michiru was pretty sure he was cheating on her with all those late night calls to a variety of girls, despite the fact that he claimed they weren't anywhere near the female species and they were "just his football buddies". Oh sure, telling your football buddy that he "had a nice rack and a nice ass" definitely proved it.
Michiru looked up and smiled at the sleeping tomboy. But, Haruka was different. Sure, she was a flirt but at least she cared for her. Ever since they were little, Haruka was always there whenever she needed her. Even though she's had a million girlfriends, Michiru was always Haruka's priority. If Michiru was in any sort of trouble, Haruka would quickly cancel any date and be right there in a split second. But Michael?
"Take care of yourself, Michiru. I'm busy."
"I'm captain of the football team. You can't expect me to leave all my responsibilities here because you're sick, right?"
Don't get the wrong idea. Michiru was a very independent young lady. She isn't exactly the type of person that needs you to be there every single second. But no matter how independent you are, it's only natural to want your boyfriend to come over to check if you're okay even if it was only for a second, right?
Haruka was different.
"What? You're sick? I told you to not stay up too late with the orchestra. I'll be there in a sec, okay?"
"But Ruka … you're on a date, aren't you?"
"Don't worry about it. I'm outside."
"What?!"
In a sec? Well, she wasn't exactly the track star for no reason.
Wait a minute … why was she comparing Haruka and Michael anyways? No doubt, Haruka was a much better person … she was kind, loyal, understanding … everything she thought Michael was before she agreed to be his girlfriend.
But even so … why would she compare Michael to Haruka, her best friend of 17 years? Haruka was a … girl…
Since when did you care? You've dated a few tomboys before.
Yeah but … it's Haruka! She's my best friend! She's like my brother…
Uh huh … right … we'll see about that …
Michiru nearly groaned in frustration. This was ridiculous. Haruka was just her best friend, just someone she can't live without, just someone she needed …
Right. That was just it. Nothing else.
Michiru looked back at the tomboy's sleeping face and smiled, a certain memory coming back to mind.
--Flashback--
Little Michiru of 5 years was happily coloring away in a notebook at the teacher's desk. She loved blank pages. Blank pages were meant to be colored and drawn in. There were a few pages in the notebook that were written in complete gibberish so she ignored them and went on ahead to the pages that had nothing on it.
"Michi?"
Michiru looked up and saw her friend Haruka looking at her with a perplexed expression. Even though Haruka was a girl, she was different. Haruka hated dresses. She only liked to wear pants and T-shirts. Instead of playing with dolls like the other girls, she liked to play with blocks and trucks with the boys. At first, Michiru had called her weird but her mother had said that Haruka was a very special girl and everybody's different. Since her mother liked Haruka, Michiru decided that she should like Haruka too. It was then she realized the weird girl was actually a very nice person.
"Yes, Ruka-chan?"
"What are you doing at the teacher's desk?"
"I'm coloring! See?" Michiru lifted up the notebook and showed her friend the different drawings she did.
"Wow! Those are nice, Michi!"
Michiru smiled happily. "I even drew you! See?"
"Really?!" Haruka's eyes lit up and she sat next to Michiru to see.
"Yup! Here!" Michiru flipped to a page where she drew a picture of a boy with blonde hair and green eyes. It didn't look anything like the work of a 5 year old.
"Wow, Michi! These are really good! You should be an artist someday!" Haruka smiled.
Michiru felt her face turn red with embarrassment. "You really think so?"
"Yeah! You have … umm … what's that word Dad used? Talent! Yeah! You have talent!" Haruka looked at the picture of herself a little closer. She raised her eyebrows. "But … how come I look like a boy?"
Michiru giggled. "That's because you look like one, silly!"
Haruka pouted. "I do not!" She flipped through more pages of the notebook when she got to the pages that had a bunch of words written instead of Michiru's beautiful drawings.
"Michi? What's this?"
Michiru looked and shrugged. "I don't know. It's complete gibberish."
Haruka frowned and looked more closely. "Michiru, these are words. Not gibberish."
"Well, mommy didn't teach me how to read yet."
"But my dad did …" Haruka scanned the pages and her eyes widened. She closed the notebook and read the outside: Mrs. Kyo
"Michi! You just drew in the teacher's notebook!"
Michiru's eyes widened. "What?! No!"
"Yeah! See?" Haruka pointed at the front. "That's the teacher's name on the front!"
Michiru's eyes began to water. "But I didn't know! Ruka-chan! I'm going to get in trouble and then mommy's going to be mad!"
"Who's going to be mad?"
The two children froze and turned to find a tall, mid 20s, pretty lady with auburn hair standing at the doorway with a confused expression on her face.
"Mrs. Kyo …"
"Michiru? Haruka? Shouldn't you two be outside playing? What are you doing at my desk?"
"Umm …"
Mrs. Kyo walked towards her desk and raised her eyebrows. "Haruka? Why are you holding my notebook?"
"Umm …"
Michiru panicked. So it was Mrs. Kyo's notebook ... She was going to be in so much trouble!
Mrs. Kyo flipped through the pages and her eyes widened at the drawings.
"M-Mrs. Kyo! I can explain!" Haruka suddenly burst out.
Michiru's eyes widened as she looked at Haruka. Was she going to tell?
Mrs. Kyo turned to the little tomboy, waiting for an explanation.
"The truth is …"
Michiru held her breath.
"I drew in your notebook, Mrs. Kyo. I thought it would be fun so I did. Michi came in here to find me because I wasn't outside." Haruka hung her head in shame.
Michiru's eyes widened even further. Haruka … why did she say that? Now she was going to be in trouble!
Mrs. Kyo stared at the tomboy and the aqua-haired little girl who was staring at the tomboy with wide eyes. She nearly laughed out loud. She bent down to level with the children's height. "So you drew in my notebook, Haruka?"
Haruka nodded. "Yes, and I'm very sorry, Mrs. Kyo. It won't ever happen again."
"Hmm … I'm afraid I'm going to have to call your parents then, Haruka."
Haruka nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Kyo."
"You will stay in here for today instead of playing outside with the other children, okay?"
Haruka nodded once more.
"Good then. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a call to your parents."
Once she left, Michiru grabbed Haruka by the shirt and looked at her. "Why did you say it was you?!"
Haruka smiled. "Because you would've gotten in trouble. I don't want you to get in trouble."
"But, now you're in trouble! And you can't play outside now!"
Haruka shrugged. "It's okay. I did it for a friend and dad says that if you do something nice for a friend, it will feel great no matter what."
Michiru began to sniffle. "But … it should be me that's in trouble …"
Haruka wiped the tears from Michiru's eyes. "It'll be okay, Michi. Don't worry about it. You should go outside now. It's a sunny day."
Michiru shook her head. "No! I'm staying with you!"
Haruka raised her eyebrows. "Why not?"
"Because if you're not going, then I'm not going!"
When school ended, Haruka and Michiru both waited in the classroom for their parents to pick them up.
"You should go, Michi. Your parents are outside."
Michiru shook her head. "I'm staying with you. So when your daddy yells are you, it won't be as scary because you'll have me here!"
Haruka smiled. "Thank you, Michi."
"No problem, Ruka! You are my best friend! Best friends should help each other!"
Soon, Haruka's parents and Michiru's parents walked in along with Mrs. Kyo. They took one look at their children before returning to listening to the teacher.
"Well … here's dad …" Haruka whispered quietly. She slowly walked up towards her parents with Michiru following behind.
Michiru felt incredibly guilty. Haruka shouldn't be the one who was getting in trouble. She was the one who drew in the teacher's notebook … it wasn't right …
"Haruka. Michiru. Please come here," Mrs. Kyo smiled.
Haruka walked up to her dad and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Dad."
"You should be, Haruka," Mr. Tenoh was a tall, handsome blonde man who was in his mid 30s. His blue eyes stared at Haruka with a certain expression Michiru couldn't quite place. Haruka looked exactly like him except she had her mother's blue-green eyes. Haruka's mother was a tall, beautiful woman with perfectly straight blonde hair and a kind look.
Michiru couldn't take it anymore. "Mrs. Kyo!"
Mrs. Kyo turned to look at the little girl. "Yes, Michiru?"
"Ruka wasn't the one who drew in your notebook! I did! Ruka was just being nice and she told you she drew it because she didn't want me to get in trouble! Please don't punish her! Ruka's too nice!"
Haruka's eyes widened. "Michi!"
Michiru turned to Haruka and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Ruka but I don't want you to get in trouble, either!"
Haruka blinked, stunned before smiling and hugging her back.
There was a moment of silence before the room exploded into laughter. The two children looked up and stared, confused as the five adults laughed.
"I'm proud of you, Michiru," Mrs. Kaiou smiled gently at her daughter. Michiru looked exactly like her mother with the long aqua-colored curls and blue eyes. However, she inherited her father's quiet and gentle nature.
"These two are certainly an interesting pair," Mrs. Kyo laughed.
"What's going on?" Haruka asked.
Mr. Tenoh bent down and ruffled his daughter's short, boy-cut hair. "Haruka, I'm proud that you covered up for Michiru so she wouldn't get in trouble but at the same time, I'm not very thrilled that you lied to the teacher about it."
Haruka hung her head in shame. "Yes, daddy."
"I knew from the beginning Haruka was covering up for Michiru," Mrs. Kyo giggled.
"How?" The two children looked up, confused.
Mrs. Kyo smiled. "I've seen Michiru's drawings in some of the classwork she's displayed. She definitely has talent. Nobody can draw like her." She looked at Michiru. "You might become a great artist someday."
"See, I told you," Haruka smiled proudly.
Michiru blushed.
--End Flashback--
Michiru giggled at the memory. Haruka …
"Michi? Michi? Earth to Michi!"
Michiru blinked and realized Haruka was standing in front of her with a worried expression. "Are you okay?"
Michiru smiled. "Yeah. I was just thinking back to when you covered up for me for drawing in Mrs. Kyo's notebook."
Haruka stared at Michiru before chuckling. "Ah yes … when we were only 5 … ah good times … good times." She stood up and yawned, stretching as she did so. That was when Michiru noticed the way Haruka's arm and leg muscles flexed as she did so. They certainly looked quite sexy on her …
Whoa!! What?!
Michiru shook her head and groaned. "This is getting ridiculous."
"What's getting ridiculous?"
"Nothing! Nothing!" Michiru smiled nervously.
Haruka raised her eyebrows. "Okay …" She pulled the wife beater over her head and walked towards her closet, looking for something to wear for the day.
Michiru had seen Haruka half naked many times before but for some reason, today was different. As she looked at the faint outlines of a 6 pack and the strong muscles in her back complete with the broad shoulders and perfect amount of lean muscles in her arms, she wished Haruka wouldn't bother with a shirt and just walk around like that.
Michiru gulped and shook her head once more. "Haruka … I …"
Haruka turned around and raised her eyebrows. "Yeah?"
Michiru's eyes traveled down to the tomboy's six pack. She quickly turned away, feeling her face turning red.
What's going on?!
"I think … I'll go … make some breakfast …" she mumbled before running out of the room.
Haruka frowned. "What the --?"