Fueled by their new insights and determined to expose the truth as quickly as possible, Michiru and Mina spend a long ten hours at the Post office writing and reviewing their piece. Ignoring their other colleagues and assignments, the young reporters are able to complete a full first draft before nightfall, which they leave at Setsuna's desk for her review the next day. As was often the case, their boss was out of the country on holidays, and would not be responding to work calls or emails until her return.
After treating Mina to dinner and paying for the blonde's taxi home, Michiru finally makes her way back to her own apartment. Exhausted by the last few days' events, the aqua woman hopes to get in at least a few hours of sleep before resuming her work.
Her plan to catch up on rest comes to a quick end when she opens her door and finds Haruka lounging on her couch. Repeatedly tossing what appears to be a lemon up into the air, Haruka's simple gesture is both endearing and intimidating at the same time. "Hello, darling. I've been wondering when you'd be back."
"What a pleasant surprise to find you here uninvited and unannounced. Please, make yourself at home."
"Thank you, dear. I think I will." Peeling off her motorcycle jacket, the blonde props her feet up against Michiru's coffee table, and narrows her eyes at the smaller woman. "In fact, you seem to have made yourself right at home at my office the other day."
"Of course, you asked me to," Michiru replies, injecting a teasing tone into her voice.
"Hmm. Not so much that you had permission to take a few souvenirs with you. Or are you denying that you're the one who broke into my confidential files?"
"Ah, Haruka. I have to admit that my curiosity may have gotten the best of me. How could I resist having a peek into your computer after you logged me in?"
"Stop playing games, Michiru." Haruka catches the lemon in mid-air, and squeezes it so hard that juice starts to leak out. "You not only looked into my files, you somehow downloaded them as well. I'm guessing they ended up right at The Vancouver Post. Or perhaps they're on your laptop. You know I have to destroy that now."
"Alas, I don't have my computer on me. Still at the office, I'm afraid." Michiru flinches as the lemon flies by her head. The fruit was obviously thrown wide of her body, but the intention behind the action was clear. "My my, such a temper, Haruka."
"So did you find anything of use in my files?" the blonde snarls, sitting back against the couch.
"Quite a lot, actually. In fact, why don't you look at this," Michiru reaches into her bag and pulls out a copy of her work from the day, "and tell me what you think." As Haruka grabs the papers and begins scanning through them, Michiru sends a quick text on her phone. "And by the way...if you so much as take one step towards me in the next three minutes, the police will be here to bust your ass before you know it."
Frowning and narrowing her eyes, Haruka reads through the report. By the end, instead of looking furious, she just looks defeated. Shoulders slumped, eyes pleading, she asks if Michiru is really going to run the story.
The aqua reporter sighs, angry at herself for feeling a twinge of sympathy and longing as she takes in Haruka's demeanour. "One way or another, the truth has to come out. But whether it's through my words or yours is up to you."