AU

R&R

Thanks to Karis for beta reading this!! Love lots!!

Long one. Bear with me.

Summary: The color blue has its calming and yet has it's melancholic scent that could make a person cry… A story about needing only one person to make a difference in someone's life...

Blue

I

"Tenoh."

His smirking voice called my name out. I turned around and looked at him nonchalantly. He stood arrogantly as ever, playing with the steel pipe in his hands. Funny how courageous he is when he's with his men and a weapon in his hand. That's just how pathetic this guy really is. I smiled then turned my back to them and started walking again. I heard him groaned like a little child in frustration and the next thing I knew, two of his men pushed me in a dark alley.

They released their hold on me and one of the two started taking deliberate, slow steps towards me.

"My sister told me you harassed her," gritting his teeth.

I scoffed and it only got him more infuriated with me.

It was so ridiculous, really; I never even laid a finger on her or have I even said a word to her.

"She's loud, annoying, irritating. I hate her," I said indifferently.

He growled and was ready to hit me with the pipe, but not until I hit him first on the groin. He backed off a few steps and cowered in pain. One of his men came to his aid and helped him while the other came running towards me. He plunged himself forward and threw a punch at me right on the face which I evaded easily and threw a knee kick across his stomach. I kicked him across the stomach as soon as he had fallen on the ground.

"You'll pay for this!!" he shouted viciously.

I turned around and saw another one of his men plunging towards me. I ducked and punched him across his stomach. He cowered in pain and fell helplessly down the ground.

"You dyke!" he came running, swinging the steel pipe back and forth.

He was slow, to be perfectly honest, and his attack was really easy to evade but when a certain woman standing behind him caught my attention, his aggravation and anger instantly connected onto my face. I fell on the ground blood spurting out of my mouth.

I looked back again, looking for the same woman standing behind him but saw none. I chuckled bitterly at how foolish I was after that. How foolish I was for being worried about that woman; how foolish I was for thinking that somehow she was there to help me… help me?

Stupid Haruka.

The world doesn't care about you or your existence. Why should you hope that the woman would even be?

He laughed and I saw how maniacal he was.

I looked up and saw his wicked smile crippling on the corners of his lips.

Then it happened.

As if I wasn't a human, they started kicking my body and hitting me with the steel pipe to a degree of borderline insanity. My blood seemed to splatter around with every hit I take. And the only thing I could possibly do was to cower in pain.

My body felt numb…

Another kick was thrown and finally this torture ended. He smirked and spat onto my face.

"This isn't over, you worthless shit." he said, slightly kicking my leg. Even though it was a light kick, it was enough for me to groan in pain. Now I wonder how bruised my body was.

They left.

And I was still bleeding; coughing blood out and wincing from the pain felt all over my body. I tried to stand up, but franticly fell down again. I held for the wall for support and tried to walk myself out of the alley.

This is life, my life and there's no room for a better tomorrow; not later or in the near future. I'm not a pessimist, it's being a realist. The belief of a bright future was never reassuring. This is the world I know:

Hate, grudge, jealousy, animosity, prejudice, contempt, anger.

And the only thing my eyes can see is the darkness of this thick blanket had veiled over the world.

I entered a 24 hour mini mart and people quickly turned their attentions at me; eyes consisting of suspicions, hesitance and terror; all these emotions parading around and inside the area.

I grit my teeth, and apathetically looked at them.

Yes. I'm bleeding, and my body's bruised all over. What does it have to do with them?!

Some people instantly left the mini-mart as soon as I entered, while the others tried to get as far as they can away from me. I grabbed a can of coke and went directly to the cashier. And if this day wasn't anything worse, a woman abruptly bumped into me. I flinched at the sudden contact and grunted my anger out.

I looked at her and saw the same woman as before.

The same woman who suddenly appeared behind him and left in just a mere blink of an eye.

"I'm sorry," she smiled as she said her apologies, not even daring to look at me. How pathetic was that?! She didn't even address me! The audacity; her ignorance really riled me up. I was about to talk back but she left and mistakenly grabbed my coke. The cashier demanded me to pay for something I didn't even buy. Argh!! I hate this day!! I slammed the money on the counter and hurriedly chased after my thief.

Damn it! If my body was in its normal condition, I could have easily caught up to her!!

Finally, I saw a strand of aquamarine hair a few feet away from me. I ran and fortunately, people were kind enough to move out of my way. Perhaps my bruised body and bloody face was the cause of it, but who cares. I was a foot in proximity away from her when she started walking again.

"Hey!" I called out but to no use.

So instead, I followed her from behind. She was walking way too slow. I mean so slow that I, a totally bruised person, could even follow her from behind. She stopped and turned sideways. After that, all my assumptions instantly vanished at the sight of her. The reasons behind not helping me back there, her not recognizing me and her walking at that slow pace were all clear to me. She stood there waiting and shortly after, I found myself standing a foot away and waiting along with her.

A couple of seconds passed, and car pulled over. A woman in her late thirties walked out of the car and went to her aid.

"Have you bought what you wanted, Chiru-chan?" the woman asked as she accompanied her inside.

"Hai, Akane-san," she smiled, and gladly accepted her hand.

The woman named Akane closed the door and went to the other side of the car.

The last thing I heard was the sound of the car driving off. I stood there unmoving as my eyes travelled off to the distant sound of the car.

She is…

The woman named Chiru is…

Blind…

II

Home was never really a home for me, and the same principle applied to 'family'; I don't think I ever had one.

Day by day my stepfather would beat me; let me be the punching bag where he could let his frustrations and anger out. But fortunately enough he died a year ago. I pushed him by the stairs while he was beating me up. The police ruled it out as an accident and had me released.

My mother?

She was never around and she never really did care. My classmates call her a whore and so do our neighbors. She is. She works as a prostitute and she doesn't have any decency to hide such a vile act. She'll come home but not alone. Countless men have entered our house and I'm aware that such a thing is not under her. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother. It's just a pity that she doesn't even care that much.

I entered the kitchen and saw my mother preparing our breakfast. I sat on the chair and poured juice on my glass.

"Don't I get any morning greeting from my daughter?" she asked playfully, turning around and placing a plate of sunny side-up eggs on the table.

"Morni-.." she gasped and rushed to my side. She held my chin and carefully looked at the bruises around my face. I flinched and smacked her hand away.

"What happened?! Who did this to you?!"

I chuckled bitterly and whispered "Oh! Now you care about me…"

She glared at me. I shrugged; "It's nothing. I fell."

"You fell?" she eyed me skeptically. I grunted and stood up from the chair. "Haruka."

"Hai?"

"Your teacher told me you never attend school. Where have you been going?"

"Nowhere. It's none of your business."

"None of my business?! I'm the one paying for your school you idiot!"

"Then stop paying for it!"

"You really are one stubborn blonde!" My mother growled while massaging her temples. "Just attend school from now on." She wave.

"I will if you stop attending to men's needs."

"I'm doing this all for you."

"Then stop doing it for me! I'm old enough to take care of myself, so stop doing what you're doing!" I said in an outrage. My mother only had to cock hey brow up. I scoffed bitterly at how solemn her reaction was. "You don't really care, do you?"

"Haruka what I do or don't is none of you business."

"As well as whom you fuck and don't, right? Have you done it with Asakura-san's husband? My sensei? The-…"

SLAP

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again!" She warned as I cupped my swollen cheek. I turn my back around to her and started walking.

"It's such a shame that you don't even have the slightest clue how this affects me."

I left.

I never wanted our conversation to turn that way. It was never in my intention to insult her. It never was, but it turned out that way. I must be really stupid to do that to her.

I walked around the streets to kill some time; this is better, much better than being in school or house. I stopped and sat on the pavement; my back resting on the concrete wall. I bowed my head and started counting each and every foot wearing a black leather shoes passing by.

Ten… twelve… fifteen… white shoes… red sandals…

I used to like school.

I used to like everything that I hate now. But everything suddenly changed. I don't know how but I ended up ditching school and getting into brawls, fights and the likes. I was caught by the police and they called my mother. Shortly after that I went back to school, but people began ridiculing me again about my mother's work and everything else about me. So, I ended up skipping school again. It's much better, much safer, and much easier this way.

"Thanks for dropping me off."

Surprisingly, a familiar voice caught my attention. I stopped from counting and another familiar voice sustained my attention.

"I'll pick you up here around the same time as yesterday, Chiru-chan."

Chiru-san?

Chiru-san…

Chiru…

Chiru… The blind woman!!

"Hai, Akane-san."

I looked up and there she was, smiling as happily as ever at the person she calls Akane. She was wearing a light blue spaghetti strap dress and a summer hat with a really big sunflower glued on it. The car drove off and she started walking. My feet began moving unconsciously, almost of their own will. The next thing I knew, I was following her from behind.

She stopped and sat on the bench.

I looked around and realized that we had stopped in the middle of a park. My eyes travelled once again back to her and saw her serene face indulging in the nature around her. Watching her from a distance somehow warmed my heart and a smile, I'm sure of it, sneaked on the corner of my lips. I walked slowly beside her and took a sit on the bench next to her.

I suddenly closed my eyes and likewise did what she did.

Maybe just maybe, I was curious as to what it feels like to be blind. How it feels and what she feels. Maybe I wanted to feel her feelings; why she was happy, why she was content and why she was at ease. The difference between me and her… So I sat there, my eyes closed, feeling the beauty and warmth of this calming nature.

When I finally opened my eyes, it was past six in the evening already. I looked beside me and she was still there, deeply breathing in the coldness of the night with her eyes still closed. In that single moment, it was as if I saw something in this lifetime;

I saw a life without hate, anger and the like of that all living inside of her. A life that is only full of pure happiness, contentment, and serenity; kindness and compassion, joy and love.

She fully opened her eyes and stood up from the bench. She started walking and I followed her from behind. We stopped and we were back again where I first saw her. A couple of minutes passed and the same black car stopped in front of her. The woman called Akane helped her inside the car while she appreciatively took the offer. They left and I was still there standing and looking at the last spot where 'Chiru-san' stood.

III

I followed her every day since then. I skipped school and waited for her in the same spot. I walked behind her and I don't know why but I became fascinated with her. Aside from my fascination with her, I became more and more worried every single day about her. It's like I can't go or leave without knowing she's in a safe place – this city can be dangerous. I'm not a stalker or anything like that, but it's just that when I'm beside her or in any close proximity from her, it calms me; it's both comforting and reassuring…

As usual, she sits on the same bench and I sit on the bench next to her. The only difference now is that a kid suddenly walked in front of her and as child as he was, teased Chiru-san.

"Nee-san has big eyes!!" he laughed giddily pointing his finger to her. "Nee-san's blind!!" the kid kicked Chiru-san's cane.

Chiru-san smiled gently and kindly and I can't help but to be annoyed as to how she could let such an act pass.

That's it!!

I stood up and honestly was ready to kick the kid's butt until another kid - a little girl to be precise - walked in and frightened the little boy away; Boy, he ran as fast and as far as he could while the little girl picked the cane up and held it out to Chiru-san.

"Here you go nee-chan."

"Arigato." Chiru smiled. The little girl sat beside her and in a weird but funny way scolded Chiru-san... to be honest, I was thankful.

"You shouldn't let people tease you nee-chan. My okaa-san always tells me that we should treat people equally." I nodded in agreement.

"Your mother taught you very well. She must be a really nice woman."

"Hai! And she also told me not to talk to strangers." She paused and her eyes suddenly bulged in horrify. "Ahh!! Gomen onee-chan, I shouldn't be talking to you!!" she said hastily to which Chiru-san giggled at. She hurriedly climbed down the bench and waved goodbye. "Take care."

Chiru-san waved back and the little girl started running… well not long after I stopped her. I told her to be silent while I offered her a lollipop I found in my pocket as a 'thank you' gift.

"WAI!!" she smiled, raising both her arms up. She quickly grabbed the candy and ran off at high speed. I sat back on the bench and spent the remaining hours of this day in silence beside her.

We walked back again to the usual pick-up place. And as usual I stood behind her and watched her as she waited for Akane-san to arrive. A black car stopped in front of her and like yesterday or any other day, Akane-san went out and helped Chiru-san inside the car. But what surprised me was the sudden movement Chiru-san made before getting in. She spun around, and I don't know if I'm dreaming or I am becoming more and more delusional but, Chiru-san smiled at me. Maybe I'm mistaken but it's enough to warm my heart and funnily enough, I froze.

Chiru-san entered the car and Akane-san looked at me questioningly before shrugging everything off. She drove the car and like yesterday, I stood there watching her as she leaves but now this time my heart was throbbing uncontrollably.

IV

Next day approached really fast. I hurriedly left home and went to place where she's usually dropped at. I've never been excited in my life before; even receiving birthday gifts didn't make me feel as nervous as this. And thankfully my mother is out, God knows where, but I couldn't care less. I'm pretty much free to do what I want. And seeing her and following her is what I want to do. I wouldn't care less what repercussions these actions of mine would have or what it could make my mother do to me but perhaps not seeing her is much more horrifying than that.

I arrived early and took a seat on the ground and waited for her. A couple of hours passed when I finally heard her voice. I stood up from where I sat and followed her from behind. As always, we ended up sitting on the same bench in the same park. I leaned my back while I gaze at the clear blue sky above us.

"Thank you." She uttered and completely surprising me in return. I looked at her then around us. She giggled which brought me to look back at her "Thank you."

"Me?" I asked innocently and added on top of that was this really unrelenting nervousness running down my spine.

"Hai." She smiled. "You've been following me every day; running in front of me to clear my path, rewarding the little girl and for just accompanying me every day."

"I… ano.. I really don't mean to cause you any… um... I'm not really a…" damn it, Haruka! Speak clearly!!

She giggled.

"Sorry." I uttered. I must have sounded like a fool. So embarrassing…

"I'm Michiru. Michiru Kaioh."

"Ah.. ano.. Haruka! Ha-..ruka Tenoh!"

She giggled. Stop being such a stupid blonde Haruka!!

"Ne Haruka-san?"

"Ha... hai!"

"Would you like to sit beside me?"

Her question, maybe the suddenness of it, took me by surprise. She smiled and how helpless was I?

I stood up from where I sat and moved beside her. I smiled at her, I don't know if she knows, but then she smiled once again, and it was enough for me. She held her head up and closed her eyes while I watched her from the side.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked.

"Because… Haruka-san has their own scent."

"Wha-…" I quickly turned red and started smelling myself; from my armpit down to my shirt. Do I really smell that bad?! That was a bit harsh though….

"It's like the scent of chilly breeze… like when you open the windows to smell the fresh scent of morning…"

"What are you talking about?"

She giggled and continued. "But your scent is also so sad that it makes people want to cry…"

"Wha--" I panicked. "I--... I can't possibly have that kind of scent."

"It's true though, Haruka-san." She smiled. "But you also have a refreshing scent."

I pouted and gave up. "So… what is Michiru-san's scent like?"

"Me… The scent of the sea… Like, Haruka-san, the scent of the color blue... the blue sky and the blue ocean…"

"Blue? Can you-…"

"I wasn't blind 10 years ago…"

"Oh…"

"So I can still picture it out… not much though, but it's still there… I can picture out what I can remember and what's left in my heart… "

"How does it feel?" I asked refraining from saying anything direct about her condition.

"To be blind?" She pressed further. She smiled and continued. "Close your eyes."

And I did as I was told, I closed my eyes.

"What do you see?"

"Nothing."

She giggled again. "Try to feel the things around you... So what do you see now?"

"Still nothing." I bluntly replied.

"Not everything could be seen with your eyes. It takes a lot from a person to see something beyond that... to see something with their heart."

"I think it's pointless if you can't see it with your own eyes."

"Eyes are pointless if you can't see the beauty of what you're looking at."

I opened my eyes and joked "Are you really blind?" She laughed.

"Ne," I began, and asked "do you hate God?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean, being like this… doesn't it make you hate him?"

"I'm breathing, I'm living… isn't that enough to make me happy?"

"But... What about the people around you? I mean just like the kid before, don't you at least hate him?"

"There's so much to life than hating the people around me. Besides if I end up living my life just to hate, wouldn't that be sad?"

Even though she can't see me, the way her eyes looked at my direction simply brought me into a deep silence. I turned my head sideways feeling the heat slowly rising from my face.

Was I embarrassed? Or was I ashamed of myself?

We were brought back in that awkward silence again. After a brief moment of talking, the sudden quiet atmosphere became quite nerve wrecking. I fondled with my fingers, trying to give myself a bit of distraction.

"Hey…"

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to walk around?" I asked in a very hopeful voice.

"That's so sudden." She giggled. "I don't think I can keep up with you."

"We'll walk in your pace. I'll be by your side. I mean it's much better than sitting here all day."

"I don't know-…"

"I'll tour you around. I'll describe the things around us so you could picture it and add it to your memories. How's that sound?" I proposed.

"But I have to be back by-…"

"By 6. I know. I'll wait with you for Akane-san. So?" I offered.

She laughed. "You know her?"

"Ah, well... it's just that you always call her by that name whenever she picks you up and-… Ahh!! You don't have to worry, I'm not a bad person or a stalker or anything... well not exactly… what am I saying?!" I nervously laughed after the stuttering debacle I displayed. Damn, I do sound like one though!

"I'm not worried, Haruka-san." She stood up from the bench and smiled "Shall we go and see what we see?"

"Yeah, let's see what we see."

We walked and walked.

I describe every single thing around us from the color down to its shape. It's really funny. I've never been so descriptive and detailed in telling about things, I mostly cut those parts out and go to what is obvious. I hate talking to begin with and maybe that's why I find this pretty odd; hearing myself getting pumped out and very much delighted whenever Michiru got it clearly. She'll smile genuinely in return and how rewarding it was. Somehow in those smile reassures my self-worth.

Even if it was just a little or simple smile, for me it was enough.

This is the first time in my entire life that I wished for a day to never end.

Time quickly passed by and now we're standing, once more, at the same spot where I first met her. We were strangers but with her it felt like I had known her in a life I had long once lived. It wasn't awkward, it wasn't uneasy nor was it anything near uncomfortable. It was as if I finally found a place where it was okay to be yourself, that it was right.

I finally saw the same black Mercedes a few feet from us. It was seconds until Akane-san would park in front of us and pick Michiru-san but I wanted something to calm this slowly growing anxiety down.

"Ne…" I muttered. "Do you think… can we… I mean, Is it possible if we do-…" I found difficulty voicing what I wanted to say out. I saw the same black car getting nearer and nearer, and it only made me more nervous than ever.

"Hmm?"

"Is it okay if we-…"

The black car pulled to a stop and Akane-san came out and instantly ran to Michiru-san's side. I was left uttering no more words after that. I must really be pathetic after all. In the end I wasn't able to say it.

"We should do this again, Haruka-san."

Her sudden invitation snapped me from my reverie. I looked up and there she was smiling as genuinely and sweetly as ever. And even though her eyes can't see the dismay masked on my face earlier on, somehow it felt as though her heart truly felt the anxiety my heart was going through.

I smiled; a form of expression I've solely never done before with a pure intent, and spoke with a matching pure and utterly blissful tone. "Hai. Let's do this again."

Akane-san looked at me then back her. She led Michiru-san inside the car then slowly approached me.

Frankly, I panicked but remained unmoved from my position. Akane-san smiled and reached for my hand. And with one surprising yet heartfelt move, she shook my hand with hers. "Thank you."

I fidgeted and before I knew it they left. But the sublime feeling found in Michiru's smile and the warmth of Akane-san's hands were like a relentless kindler that continually burned inside my heart.

V

I never felt anything like this before. But it felt great; being with her felt great. Just the simple act of sitting beside her, even if we both do not utter a single word, it was all worthwhile. Days went by fast and all of them were spent being by her side. It was more than enough, honestly. I don't mind spending a lifetime just sitting beside her. It was so easy; simple; natural; and relieving. And it felt so surreal… being with her was like going to a place that I had never been before. And for the first time, it felt as if I was actually living…

"Where are we going?" she asked as I gently pulled hand. I wanted it to be surprise so I opted to keep my mouth shut. I heard her whine and I only had to chuckle in return.

I stopped and pulled Michiru to the center. I smiled, smugly as usual, as I looked around the area. It was perfect, just like Michiru wanted it to be.

"Haruka-san?"

I looked back at her and gently pulled her hand once again and led her to the bridge. "You mentioned about liking the color blue…" I began.

She nodded with another smile.

"Well, we're here. The blue sky and the blue ocean." I announced with the same proud smile across my lips that somehow can't seem to fade. "How does it feel?" I asked. She breathed deeply the air in and exhaled a smile on her delicate face.

"It feels great."

Seeing her smile so sincerely and genuinely like that terribly warms my heart, and it made skipping school to come here all the more worth it. It made me want to do this over and over again. I'm not saying skipping school is good but her smile made me feel - it's really presumptuous to say important - but somehow it made me feel needed. And it was simply rewarding.

"The scent of blue."

"Hai. The scent of blue."

"This is my secret spot." I started. I don't even know why I said that; and all of a sudden no less. She stared at me in a way that would make you feel as though you don't have any choice but continue talking, regardless of whether or not what you're trying to say is boring or unrelated.

And I'm always helpless to that kind of look.

"I always come here when I feel down. My real father always brings me here before he died. This is our special place."

"I'm sorry…"

I chuckled. "Don't be."

"But..." she tried to reasoned out but I cut her off.

"Nobody knows this place but you… So…"

"So?"

"Only Michiru-san can come here… Promise me that?" What am I doing saying this things so suddenly? I shook my head vigorously from the stupidity I had just made utter in my mind and mouth and I just hoped Michiru-san would just forget everything I said.

"Hai." She softly voiced out. I looked up and saw her smiling with her pinky finger inviting me out. I blushed and stood still wondering whether this is just some illusion my mind played or if this is real.

"I promise." She said softly once again but it was clear enough to snap me out of my thoughts. I blushed and slowly lifted my hand up. I circled my finger around hers. With one simple movement, a promise of forever was made.

Evening approached fast and we started heading back to where Akane-san had to pick her up. The walk was unusually long since we walked farther than usual but nonetheless it was still as enjoyable as ever. Being with her made me feel that I wouldn't have to work so hard to be happy, that it could all just happen. As simple and as plain as that… this moment of being with her…

Even if it sounded ridiculous… this one single moment was more precious, far more precious, than the life I've lived for 16 years…

We continued walking while I enjoyed myself with the sound of Michiru's laughter. It was pure inevitable bliss. I was so indulged with her that I didn't even notice the flickering of light in front of us. I heard endless blowing of horns and as I turned to my side, a blinding white light had flashed right before my eyes. The last thing I heard was the screeching of car tires and people screaming.

I sat there unmoved as I looked at the woman lying helplessly across me.

My tears started flowing uncontrollably as I gazed at her blood stained body. Slowly I tried to get up and took my steps towards her.

My ankle was broken, my arm is hurting but the pain in my chest is unrelenting. I kneeled beside her and wrapped my hands around her.

"Help us… help us. Help!" I cried out, my tears staining her bruised face. I heard people shouting and saw most of them in a hurried state. But everything seemed vague, their faces or the words they were trying to tell me. All I could hear was the incessant plea my heart kept shouting.

Please wake up…

Michiru-san,

Please…

don't die…

Thanks for reading!!

It's not yet the end. It's a two shot….

Thanks again!!

I do appreciate reviews! lol