.
After dropping by a convenience store, Haruka directly went to her house. She would stay in the house where she had been living 8 years ago. Now, standing in front of it and opening the door, brought so many memories.
Touching the wooden handle of the door house, Haruka immediately was ambushed by nostalgic feeling. She remembered how the handle was placed above her head and now… the house seemed getting smaller due to her height.
The boxes had already arrived and Haruka didn't want to unpack all of them tonight. If her sister was here, she would've taken care of everything until morning. Haruka grinned. Now she was alone and free, she perhaps could skydiving from ceiling without anyone shouting at her.
A little bit lonely though.
The lamp in living room didn't work, Haruka made a mental note to buy the necessity first thing in the morning.
She put the little cat down and grab the biggest box in the corner. It contained a futon and a blanket. The blond guessed it was the only thing she would need for the rest of a night.
She set down a plastic bag on the kitchen and took out a container of milk. Haruka didn't know if the kitten would like to eat tuna, but since it was still so small, there would be no harm giving it milk for trying.
Watching the kitten drinking it, Haruka recalled her time with Michiru 8 years ago.
"Say, Haruka… what would the princesses do if all the dragons have been defeated?" The aqua haired girl tilted her head. Now she became more expert in creating a scary dragon. Haruka thought the dragons were now more awesome with horns and sharp teeth together.
"My sister said… most fairytales would end up as happily ever after." The blond was in her task building another ruin. Now Haruka's ruin looked better, complete with extra gate and pointed rooftop. It was a proper ruined castle.
"Then, let's make the princesses happy!" Michiru's eyes twinkled but then there was confusion followed. "What makes them happy though?"
"… I don't know. I'm happy when summer comes." Haruka told the top of her favorite list.
"Me too… But summer comes and goes." Michiru remarked. "We can't make them happy in summer and gloomy in other seasons."
Haruka chuckled, she made a ball of sand and threw at Michiru. "I can't imagine you are gloomy!"
Michiru dodged aside but couldn't when Haruka threw a second sandball. They both laughed when the aqua haired made retaliation. "You won't believe me how I am at school!" Michiru threw hard and hit Haruka square on the head.
The blond cursed, "Damn! That hurts!" But still laughing.
"Princesses don't curse, Haruka." Michiru winked at her playfully.
Haruka's tongue out, replying the other girl, "I do." Another ball of sand hit her again on the face. "Crap, that's salty." Haruka spat out the sand from her mouth and chased Michiru along the shore.
"So, you are gloomy princess." Haruka stated.
Michiru threw a look at her and then nodded. "People tend to avoid me… I am driving them away…"
The blond didn't understand the girl's words. She was always bad at detecting hidden words but the expression her friend made when telling this was really sad.
"So… what makes you happy?" Haruka asked. They both should find how to arrange a happily ever after for the dragon slayer princesses.
Michiru's eyes wandered to the blue sky above them for a moment and then her eyes found a way back to settle at the curious blond.
"I think… I am happiest when I'm with you."
It was the truth and Haruka knew she felt the same. The encounter with the aqua haired girl was the best thing ever happened in her life after some tragedies occurred to her in the past. Meeting Michiru was like finding a part of her that Haruka had long forgotten. A part that desire happiness ever after.
"Then we'll make the princesses stay together and be happy ever after." Haruka concluded the epilogue.
Michiru hummed in agreement.
.
The ray of sunlight was the culprit who woke Haruka. The blond forgot to apply the curtain on windows and now her house in the morning was so bright like a glass house. Their mother loved the wind like Haruka did… everyday she would've opened all the windows just so the scent of the sea would be filling the room. Now the windows were working to send blast of sun on Haruka's eyes and woke her completely.
There was a movement under her arm and Haruka recalled how the kitten slipped in and curled under the blanket. Haruka didn't mind since the fur ball had been quiet the entire night.
It wasn't her habit to wake up early. It also wasn't her habit to cook breakfast. Haruka had a plan to grab breakfast on campus ground or something. She would manage to eat without taking out the frying pan and increasing the possibility caught fire from cooking.
Cooking wasn't her specialty and she didn't care how bizarre it was since she was living together with her sister so many years. Setsuna had been very diligent in preparing Haruka's meal without fail. Haruka would've helped, she had tried once and the fire alarm went off for about 10 minutes because of that. Since there on, her sister forbid her to go to the kitchen. The blond would help on other chores like cleaning or helping anything aside cooking.
The cat approached Haruka's feet, her eyes were full of hope. It was hungry.
"We should give you name… what do you like?" Haruka patted the white fur and pushed a bowl of milk. "Here… you will be alright if I leave you, right?" She had class today and she couldn't skip her first day. Even though it wasn't like a high school anymore, she didn't want to play hooky in her premiere day.
The cat followed Haruka until the front door, wagging its tail.
Haruka grunted, who the hell capable to resist those cute eyes?
She picked the little creature up and slipped it in between her jacket like yesterday. "Stay and don't jump around."
And the cat did just that along the ride.
.
Mugen university building had few complexes. There were sports, science, and art departments. The university was famous for its scholarship all over the country. It seeks individuals that fulfill the criteria to enroll in. Almost 90 percent students who were studying at there were scholarship students. Including Haruka. She got in with her athletic scholarship. She wouldn't have gotten in if she only relied on her brain. She wasn't a genius like her sister who had written several books related quantum physics and time dimension.
Haruka rolled her eyes remembering how genius her sister but the older woman still stayed single.
She would spend most of her time in sport departments. However, she would study some general subjects that needed to learn. So, Haruka would also hanging around science and art department. There were 3 complexes and 10 buildings in total. There were 2 buildings in sports department including tracks, swimming pool, baseball field, and soccer field. Then 2 buildings in art department, mostly were theater building, and few stages for music students. Science department had also 2 buildings but they almost had owned the research building that located in the corner of the complex. The other buildings were cafeteria, auditorium, library, and dormitory building. The university was all over nice although it had been established a long time ago, the rustic style of building had given a sense of classy in every corner.
The first place Haruka to go was the track field. She knew she would spend her time training at that place.
"My first class should be around here…"
Then out of nowhere a blur of yellow crossed her path and knocked Haruka off her feet. It was serious tackle but fortunately, they landed on soft grass near a soccer field.
"Oh, CRAP!" A disgruntled voice Haruka heard. The person was literally sitting on top of Haruka and still busy cursing while fixing her long blond hair.
Then cerulean eyes caught Haruka off guard. "You… What are you doing… ah! Shit! I'm sorry… I thought I crashed into a tree or something." She quickly realized the awkward position she had let herself doing to Haruka. Carefully but still with her chin up, she scrambled from Haruka's body.
Haruka used her elbow to support herself to stand, "You didn't crash. You tackled me." Haruka remarked.
The other blond brushed some grass off from her skirt and picked her bag up. She threw a daring look toward Haruka who noticed a blush was creeping out on her ear. "Sorry…" She said briefly trying to be polite while maintaining their distance.
That kind of attitude reminded Haruka of a princess. They all had certain dignity and name to keep. "Are you alright?"
Again, she straightened up her posture, "I will survive. I think… It's like whole new definition of unfortunate events for me anyway…" She muttered.
"Do you need help?" Haruka asked. Even though naturally the woman in front of her was a natural beauty, the sight of erased make up and messy hair didn't go unnoticed by her. "You look like a mess."
"Thanks!" She pointed, finally smiling. "You are the first person who tells me about it honestly." Haruka didn't detect any sarcasm in the woman's tone, only sincere.
"Where are you going? You were in hurry right?"
She gasped, "Right! I have performance like about… 5 minutes! I have to go! Oh no… no way I'll get there in 3 minutes."
Haruka still staring at her full of questions.
"I am from art department. We are responsible to held music performance for freshmen every year… and the stage was about… 10 minutes from this place. I don't know… my alarm went off battery…" She rambled and Haruka let her. The sport department was located in front of the front gate while the art department located deep and separated by science department.
But then Haruka spotted a bicycle parked near the soccer field. Perhaps a student left it there in hurry. "Well, I think I have an idea." Haruka nodded her head toward the unoccupied bicycle. "If you use that, it will only take 3 minutes to go there, I think."
The woman gritted her teeth, "Yeah… I know, but… last time I rode a bike, I was 5 and it had 3 wheels." The blush now spread to her cheeks.
She couldn't ride a bike like Haruka couldn't swim. This did something inside Haruka's heart.
"I will take you then… let's go."
.
The ride did only take 3 minutes. Haruka had been ignoring the woman's scream on every sharp turn she made. She liked speed and that was what they needed to get the stage on time.
"Wow… that was… extreme." The woman blinked, hadn't really sure to get her surrounding after the intensity of their brief ride. "Guess, you guys from sport department really had strong sense of speed."
Haruka only smiled.
"Minako. Aino Minako, second year, nice to meet you." She offered her hand on Haruka with straight back and all. Haruka thought the students from art department would be weird and perky… she was right afterall.
"Haruka. Tenoh Haruka, freshman… good luck with your concert, I guess." Haruka shook Minako's hand. Those cerulean orbs lit up.
"It has been bugging me… is that a cat you keep under your jacket?"
Haruka nodded, "yeah, I can't leave it alone in home…" Haruka revealed a white furball which curled up sleeping. Even after a tackle, the cat had been quiet.
"She is cute." Minako commented.
Haruka raised an eyebrow. Honestly, she couldn't distinguish male and female cat. Now she knew.
"Do you know that we have regulation that forbids bringing animal during lecture?"
Haruka's mouth opened and then closed again. She didn't know and didn't think about that.
"A favor for a favor… I will keep her for you today. How about we meet after class in University cafeteria this afternoon?"
It sounded like a great idea… Haruka was about to agree but Minako had snatched Haruka's furball away. "Then, I gotta go. Thank you, Tenoh Haruka." She winked.
.
The first day was meant for introduction for the freshmen. In sport department, it was compulsory to join 2 sports club for credits. Haruka had picked tracks and athletics. She would've picked racing if the program was on the list of the clubs. When afternoon came, Haruka made her way toward unversity cafeteria. The place was huge and almost all students gathered there when their class had ended. The blond figured out some freshmen looking lost and confused in the middle of the crowd. Haruka was one of them.
A hand wave and a shout calling her name.
"Haruka…! Tenoh Haruka!"
The blond turned her head left and right, figuring the source of the voice.
The perky blond Minako was very stood out among the crowd. Haruka guessed she was wearing her outfit performance. Bright orange dress and a pair of dark boots which covered her feet until the knee. The sight was very common around here and Haruka should getting used to with it.
"Come, I will introduce you to my friends." In her hand, the white furball was resting. Haruka smelled milk from the cat, which she guessed was Minako's treat for the cat.
On their table, there were 3 other girls sitting with their lunch. A girl with short blue hair was busy jotting down her notebook, while the girl with long raven haired girl staring at the window lazily. Only the brunette girl who was as tall as Haruka threw a smile and greeting.
"This one is Makoto Kino, she is in the same department as you. Well, one year above you though." Haruka awkwardly nodded to the warmest of the group. Her size was really big for an average woman but out of all, her feature was gentle. Haruka wouldn't be surprise if the woman was an animal lover and vegetarian.
"You are freshman?" Makoto asked.
Haruka shrugged, "I enrolled a year late."
Minako cut in, "Then we are basically in same age. No need formality between us! Here, sit!" Minako pulled a vacant chair and pushed Haruka down on it. She got a spot beside the raven haired girl.
"Ah, she is Hino Rei. My pianist and songwriter. We are a band." Minako whispered on Haruka's ear. It wasn't enough since Rei seemed catch her words and threw a glare toward Haruka.
"She seems cold but actually she's just shy." Minako giggled which was replied by a groan.
The blue haired girl across Haruka was now looking at her with observing eyes.
Makoto now took over the introduction, "this is Mizuno Ami. Science department and a certificate genius… wait, do people give certificate for geniuses?" Makoto turned the question which obviously aimed to get a reaction from the blue haired genius.
Genius…Haruka could see that.
Ami blinked and put down her pen. "Are you her sister? Meioh Setsuna, the one who writes quantum and dimension in space and time?"
Usually no one would notice that. Setsuna used different family name in publishing her works. It was like a pen name, which was not really wrong since Meioh was their mother's name.
"How do you know?"
"I am a fan!" Ami, full enthusiasm reached out Haruka's hand.
"She is more like a stalker." Makoto added and Minako nodded in agreement.
"Your sister is very brilliant… no, genius of this century. If she more dedicated her time to do some actual research, it wasn't impossible to build a time machine."
Now, that was new thing. Haruka sometimes joked around about time machine with her sister. There were some scientists that eager to invent the legendary machine to bend space and time. Her sister told Haruka about the high impossibility to make a machine that went against the time… she also told Haruka the small probability if it could've invented in another future. The dimension concept had intrigued her sister more instead of a fantasy machine.
"Thanks, I guess." Normal respond. Haruka could imagine if her sister had been here, they both would've talked everything out and build a time machine in that cafeteria. 2 geniuses change the world.
The crowd turned quiet. Haruka noticed this and looked around the surrounding.
"O-o… trouble here…" Makoto muttered. Haruka wasn't certain but it seemed Minako kicked Makoto's foot under the table due to her comment.
"Don't say anything like that!" Minako harshly said.
"The woman very rarely went down from her tower to join commoner like us… she is royalty, Minako, in this university."
Ami rolled her eyes, "She isn't the only royalty."
"Right. You also are a princess." Makoto retorted.
"You are too, Mako-chan! You just never willing to go to that room."
Haruka never expected the quiet girl beside her finally spoke. It looked like she felt Haruka's confusion about their conversation.
"This university consists in 3 departments. Art, science, and sport. However, there would be some students that turn out to be prodigy in more than one aspect. If you notice a clock tower near the art department, that was the place where the chosen prodigy gather for arranging certain university events." Rei explained. The woman was surprisingly sensitive as she explained it slowly and clearly to Haruka. "There are 5 people prodigies since last year… and all of them are now second years. They hold role to observe the students and help them. You see that this university is one of top one in the country. If there was a student that got little behind and lost encouragement about their studies, those prodigies took the student under their wing. Usually they would be given time to get the student back to be their genius self and if they couldn't do it, the problematic student would get a drop out from here."
"So… they are… kind of last hope?"
Minako giggled alongside Makoto. "That's awesome to be called last hope. Why don't we think about that?"
Minako then stood up from her seat and did a handwave again. She called for someone.
"Now you are sitting with them… the royalties… prodigies in this university." Rei shrugged as if it wasn't really a big deal.
"The prodigies are us… and one person more…" Minako pulled someone in her tow. Haruka almost dropped her fork.
"Haruka, this is Kaioh Michiru."
.
.
"We should stop meeting unexpectedly like this." Haruka said. The moment Minako introduced Haruka to Michiru, the aqua haired woman let out a very polite smile and requesting time alone with Haruka. The other four girls peered them both from 2 tables away curiously.
"I agree." Michiru replied calmly. She folded out a napkin and sipped her tea. It was an ordinary tea but somehow Haruka felt she was having a tea party with a queen. The Kaioh Michiru had changed over the 8 years gap.
"I… entered college a year late." Haruka was trying to start a conversation.
"I see…"
Haruka was grateful that Michiru didn't pry about the reason. The silence was bothering her. It was Michiru who had pulled her out from Minako and the others for time alone with Haruka.
"I heard from Minako that you were the one who saving her for the concert."
Haruka felt suddenly uneasy. Minako really loved talking about a simple matter like that. Giving a ride and the perky blond had called Haruka her savior.
"You never change, Haruka. Always willing to help others…" The last words were a mere whisper. Michiru seemed angry but the blond simply brushed off her guess when the aqua haired woman spoke again.
"For your information, a royalty like us rarely got treatment nicely from other students. Students here would likely stay away from a royalty, knowing that the one who get approached by us is a problematic student. Their image would be ruin when we are only trying to help."
There, the same eyes Haruka had witnessed once 8 years ago. It resurfaced and now staying a bit longer.
"What bring you back here?" One topic to another, Haruka hadn't had a chance to ask.
"This is my place. I belong here… no matter how far I've gone." And the place only getting better when Michiru was actually in it.
"I haven't said it last night… but, welcome." Michiru didn't smile but Haruka could feel the gentleness and genuine emotion behind it.
"I'm home." Haruka grinned. Perhaps 8 years hadn't really changed at all. Perhaps she and Michiru could stay best of friends like they were 8 years ago.
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AN: Thank you for your reviews, follows, and favs. This story is tagged as mystery. So, we will have that eventually starting next chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I've answered some questions you have! Let me know what you think. Feedbacks are always appreciated.