Chapter 13-The Date

"Michiru, we should skip class tomorrow," Haruka suggested.

I chuckled. Ever since we infiltrated Mugen Academy, where we sensed the most evil energy around town, we had only attended maybe two or three days of class. "At this rate, Haruka, we might get kicked out." I tossed a lemon at Haruka.

Ever since our battle at the Marine Cathedral, things had been quiet for a while. We haven't run across any daimons in about a week. Now we were making dinner in the kitchen as if we were normal people. It was nice.

Haruka caught the lemon and started zesting it over her salad. I looked skeptically at the dish she was preparing. Haruka was good at many things but I wasn't sure if she could cook. "Trust me, Michiru, it is yummy. Do you want me to put sea cucumbers in it too?" Haruka teased, knowing it was one of my least favorite foods.

"That's it. I am ordering pizza." I teased back.

She pulled me back as I was pretending to leave the kitchen. I stumbled a bit and I crashed into her chest. "Or we could skip dinner and go straight to dessert," I suggested.

"No. You are tasting my salad. I got the recipe from a cookbook and they said it would be failed safe." Haruka brushed a few strands of hair away from my face and gazed at me using her puppy eyes. I relented.

"Actually, Michiru, why don't you go for a swim? Relax a bit? I don't actually need your help here."
"Are you sure?" I started imagining what the kitchen would look like when I get back. I looked at the pile of dirty dishes she had in the sink. All that for just making one salad.

Haruka practically pushed me out of the kitchen. I relented. Swimming would be nice I guess. I loved swimming because it always calmed me down.

"I will be back in 30 minutes," I said to Haruka.

"No, you won't. I am estimating, at least, an hour. Take your time, though, my love." Haruka poked her head out of the kitchen and winked at me.

An hour later, I came back up from the pool. Feeling refreshed and hungry, I started to look forward to Haruka's dinner. It was nice that Haruka offered to cook. My parents never cooked and we never had a normal family dinner. This would be a new experience.

I pushed the door open and the hallway was dark. "Haruka, I am back…" I fumbled around for the light switch.

Just then, I heard a movement in the living room. I instinctively reached for my transformation wand. Did someone come back and attack Haruka? The enemy knew where we live after all.

"Neptune planet…." I stopped mid sentence as I heard Haruka snickering from the dining room. "What is going on?"

On the dining room floor, there were rose petals everywhere. In the middle, there was a birthday cake with candles lit. Since we never bothered to buy furniture, the birthday cake, the salad and a plate of badly assembled sushi lay on the floor.

Haruka was kneeling on one knee and she was holding a bouquet of roses.

"SURPRISE. Happy birthday my love."

"Haruka!" I was speechless. No one had celebrated my birthday ever since my parents' death. How long had it been? Two years? Three years? Tears started to well up in my eyes.

"Shit. I didn't mean to make you cry. Are you okay?" Haruka came over and gently pulled me into a hug.

"I love you, Haruka," I said between my sobs.

"It will be okay Michiru. As long as I am alive, I will remember your birthday. We will celebrate it together every year. That's a promise." Haruka gently stroke my hair. "Now, let's make a wish. Then we can start eating."

I sat on the floor and looked at the cake. It was almost too beautiful to eat. I stared at the dancing flames and I made a long, long wish. I wished that we would be victorious in saving the world. I wished that the Messiah of Silence resided in an evil person, so we wouldn't have to sacrifice an innocent person. I wished I could repent my past sins. Most importantly, I wished Haruka would be happy.

Haruka passed me a plate with sushi and salad on it. Even though the sushi were falling apart, I could feel the effort and love Haruka put into it. I was still looking at the plate, trying to decide which to eat first, when Haruka put down her plate, looking all serious. She was still chewing a piece of her sushi. She swallowed and then she looked at me.

"Michiru…"

"Yes, Haruka?"

"Let's order pizza…."