Chapter 5 : The change.
. : x : .
Sitting in front of a large mirror, Haruka looked at her reflection. Just behind her, stood Minako, she was holding a pair of scissors in one hand and a comb in the other. The more Haruka looked at Minako's grinning face the more she felt nervous. "Mina-chan? Are you sure you know how to cut?"
"Don't worry Haru-chan!" Answered Minako, smiling. "Trust me!"
"It's not that I don't trust you…" Started Haruka. She knew that her best friend wanted to help her but she couldn't help how she felt about having her hair cut by Minako. "It's just that I don't trust your hands…" Whispered Haruka, looking away from her reflection.
"Hold still please, Haru-chan." Ordered Minako. "Or I won't be responsible for the mistakes that may occur."
"Hai, Hai." Replied Haruka defeated.
. : x : . Half an hour later.
"Come on, Haru-chan… it's not that bad." Said Minako, breathless. She tried not to laugh but the sight before her was just too much.
"Not that bad? You are kidding me Minako!" Shouted Haruka as she touched her short hair. "Look at what you've done!"
Minako straighten herself and looked at Haruka again. "Honestly you look good to me, it's just that your outfit doesn't fit now. It showed too much of your female cleavage." Stated Minako more seriously. "Let's get you changed first and see how it looks."
"Fine! But you better not laugh!" With that said Haruka walked to her bedroom.
"I won't." Exclaimed the shorter blonde but as soon as Haruka was out of sight she couldn't help but to laugh aloud. "She was too cute!" Said Minako to no one in particularity. "Especially with that handsome face of hers." She then added.
As she waited for Haruka to get change, Minako calmed down, sat quietly on the couch and wondered what took the tall blonde so much time. "Maybe she needs help." Said Minako.
"Who needs help?" Came Haruka's voice. She was dressed in a white business suite assorted with a black shirt.
Upon looking up to her friend, Minako couldn't help but to stare and kept staring at Haruka, stunned.
"Do I have something on my face?" Asked Haruka.
"I… well no, but who would have imagined that with shorter hair and men's clothes, you would look like a real gentleman, even better?" Asked Minako still looking at Haruka with bewilderment.
"Still I will miss my long hair …" Said the tall blonde as she looked away and ran her left hand through her hair.
Minako watched her best friend action and couldn't help but to flush. She was mesmerized by her blonde friend. Truthfully, it never really occurred to her that with shorter hair Haruka would look so androgynously handsome.
"Mina-chan? Are you all right?" Asked Haruka interrupting Minako's train of thoughts.
Minako shook her head trying to regain some sense and smiled at Haruka. "I'm fine, don't worry. Beside you look handsome."
Haruka blushed slightly and mumbled a short response. "Thanks… I suppose."
'She's too cute!' Thought Minako as she stood up from where she was sitting. "People might compare you with Take-kun …." She added but regretted it as soon as it was out of her mouth.
She then slowly made her way to where Haruka was standing and stopped only inches from her friend. Her heart beating faster as time passed. Staring straight into the taller woman's captivating teal eyes, Minako wanted to prove herself that it was just her eyes that were deceiving her. But from this close, she could now clearly see the sadness in her friend's eyes. Instantly forgetting her throbbing heart, Minako leant on Haruka and embraced her tightly, resting her head on the tall blonde's chest.
"I'm sorry…" She said softly. She knew she had hit a soft point but she was too blinded by the change that she didn't think twice. "You know, you don't have… to go this far to-"
"I know." Interrupted Haruka. She didn't really know herself why she was so determined to prove to her brother that she could outdo him, but somewhere deep inside she knew she needed this acknowledgment. No matter the price.
.:x:.
Michiru looked perplexed in front of her. It was her first day in her new school, therefore like most of the students around her, she looked at the board to find her name and eventually the name of her new binomial. However, before she could find her name she heard someone calling her.
"Kaiou… Michiru…?" Said someone behind her.
Michiru turned around and met amethyst eyes. The girl wasn't looking at her but at the list on the board. "I wonder what she looks like…" Said the girl, thoughtfully.
Michiru smiled, she then waited an instant and almost as if sensing someone watching her, the other girl looked at Michiru confused.
Michiru took this opportunity to present herself, she wasn't exactly the social type but since she has decided that she wanted to work in the business's world she thought it would be better to prepare herself and to show some social attitude. "Hi, I'm Kaiou Michiru." Spoke Michiru while extending her hand. "I presume you're my binomial?" She then added.
The girl, registering the name, made the connection. "Y-yes, Hino Rei, nice to meet you." Said Rei a little embarrassed and shook hand with Michiru. She couldn't believe that among this crowd she ended up just behind her future partner.
"Hope we will work fine together." Stated Michiru smiling. She didn't know herself how she had manage to make this first social step, but she was glad she did. And looking at the girl in front of her, gave her the optimism that life in this school was going to be enjoyable.
"I believe we will." Confirmed Rei smiling back. She wasn't usually friendly to people she didn't know, but the aqua haired girl, she just had this innocent and trustful manner. She was glad she has ended up with such a partner.
.:x:.
"Mina-chan, where are we going?" Asked Haruka.
"You said you have a meeting with Aya-chan, right?"
"Hm… yes that's right." Replied Haruka. She then leant closer to her friend and whispered. "But do I really have to walk out like that?"
"You'll have to get used to, Haru-chan… hm well Ruka-kun." Said Minako winking while looking up to her friend and smiled.
"Oh…" Nodded the tall blonde and sighed at the new nickname. She then looked briefly around her and felt suddenly tense. "Mina-chan, I don't know if it's me… but I think I'm being staring at …" She whispered to her friend nervously. She was used to being staring at since she has been a model, but she never really liked it and she wasn't used to the look the other women were directing at her.
Since they left Haruka's car, almost all of the women on their way couldn't help but to steal furtive glances at the tall blonde. Minako noticed it immediately but didn't say anything to her friend, for she knew she was already uncomfortable in her new appearance.
Minako looked at her friend and saw the uneasiness at being the center of such attention, smiling sweetly, she then clung to Haruka's arm.
Instinctively, the stares switched to Minako. She didn't mind, being successful in her career, she was used to all the form of stares, especially those which can pierce through like daggers.
Haruka understood Minako's gesture and felt thankful but also relieved. Not wanting to burden her friend too much, Haruka disengaged her arm from Minako's grip looking at a surprised Minako, and gently put her arm around Minako's shoulder instead. This tender move made Minako blushed faintly.
.:x:.
Rei looked at Michiru and wondered why she suddenly stopped. Following the aqua haired girl glance, Rei saw the back of a blonde couple. Scrutinizing Michiru, Rei softly asked. "Do you happen to know them, Michiru-san?"
Hearing her name being called, Michiru came to her sense and turned to Rei with a smile. "Iie…" She answered. "It's just that … he looks like someone I know." She then whispered as she cast a last glance at the couple.
.:x:.
"Haruka-san ?" Questioned Ayashi surprised. "I almost didn't recognize you!"
"Isn't she handsome?" Said Minako smiling.
"Definitely…" Answered softly Ayashi. She was too mesmerized by the sudden change of Haruka appearance that she couldn't get her eyes away from the tall blonde.
Haruka, embarrassed by the compliment and the stare, blushed heavily and looked away.
"So… can we start?" Asked Minako a little annoyed. She didn't like how her friend was looking at Haruka nor did she like the idea of leaving them alone. 'Definitely no!'
"We?" Repeated Ayashi surprised. She then turned to Haruka for an explanation but the tall blonde just shrugged. "Oh and how may I help you Mina-chan? You're already an accomplished actress, aren't you?"
"Of course I am! I'm here as Ruka-kun's partner." Replied Minako smiling.
"Ruka-kun? And her partner?"
"Yes! So can we start?"
Ayashi looked back and forth from Minako to Haruka and sighed. If she had known earlier that she would have to work with Minako she wouldn't have accepted the tall blonde's request.
.:x:. One week later
"Shacho, your twin is here and wishes to speak with you." Informed the receptionist.
"Send her, please." Replied the young CEO.
"Hai." The receptionist then hung the phone back to its cradle and looked at it for a second. "Her?" She whispered perplexed.
"Oh… yes it's just a joke between us." Said Haruka smiling charmingly.
The young receptionist blushed slightly and smiled back, she then informed her interlocutor that the CEO will receive her.
Haruka bowed, thankful, and headed to the lift. Stopping on the last floor, the tall blonde exited the lift and walked with poise toward her brother's office. She opened the door and saw that her brother was busy with some documents and that he didn't even bother to look up when she enter. Silently she made her way to his desk and sat down in front of him.
Hatake signed the last document in his desk and looked up, stunned.
"…"
Haruka was sitting comfortably in her chair, all business like and very confident. "Here are seven offers I received. All contracts are for a CEO position at that."
Hatake just stared in front of him not believing what his eyes were showing him. An almost exact reflection of himself, except for the soft features instead of his squarer ones.
"You should see your face Nii-san!" Said Haruka smiling.
"Haru-chan? …God! What have you done!" Asked angrily Hatake. He took him some time to recover but now that he was fully aware of the situation, he couldn't suppress his judgment and with it, his anger. "What the hell possessed you! Why did you cut your beautiful hair and why are you wearing a man's suit?"
.:x:.
"So? Is it understood?" Spoke a man as he just finished distributing a form to each student.
Michiru and Rei looked at each other from their respective seat and smiled. Sometimes, they just didn't understand why their professors have to repeat themselves so many times.
Seeing no one raising their hands, the professor just decided to dismiss them for today.
Rei stood up and walked to Michiru's desk. "You understood?" Asked Rei smiling.
Michiru laughed and smiled at Rei. "Well after three hours of the same speech… I think that even if you wanted to force yourself to not understand… you would have ending up understanding! That was so boring!"
"I agree!"
"At least we will be able to practice our knowledge." Stated Michiru as she stood up.
"You right, I think so too… but do you have any ideas where we can apply for an internship?" Said Rei as they walked out of the classroom.
"My sister runs our family company, but it's a company specialized in investment … so I don't think she will be able and have time to receive us. What about you?"
"Hm... my father runs his own company too… but he's kind of very strict about education so I don't think he will allow us to work in his company for fear that everybody will let me do as I wish." Replied Rei sighing.
"Why?" Asked Michiru.
"Well… my father owns Hino Consortium and-"
"What! Your father is Eiji Hino?" Interrupted Michiru incredulous.
"Yes. You know him?"
"No no I just heard of him from my parents… if he's your father then I understand what you mean by strict education." Said Michiru as she looked at Rei with sympathy.
"He's not that strict, it's just that since I'm his only heir, he doesn't want me to be the target of starving sharks…as he put it." Smiled Rei.
"If you say so…" Smiled back Michiru, she somehow understand Rei's explanation. Being the only heir of such a fortune is not an easy task.
"Maybe… we can still ask my father to help us." Whispered Rei as she stopped in her track.
Michiru looked back at her friend and wondered why she suddenly stopped. From the hand under her chin, she deduced that Rei was probably thinking about something important.
"That's it!" Exclaimed Rei. She then jogged to catch her friend and smiled. "We won't have to look for a company. My father as a lot of business partner and I'm sure they will agree to take us as trainees… Especially Tenou Corp." Smiled Rei.
"Tenou Corp., huh?"
AN: Sorry for the long wait… I somehow lack of inspiration. Hope you like this chapter though.
I will try to update it faster but no promises.