Chapter six
"You want me to what?" Michiru frowned, looking up at her friend in disbelief. She and Setsuna were sitting in her room, Setsuna lounging back as casually as if it were her own home. This was probably because Michiru had known Setsuna since before she could remember. Yes she had known Setsuna for years but she had never thought her friend would ask her that sort of question, never in a million years.
Setsuna laughed, "Don't act so shocked, Michiru. It's not like I asked you to marry me or something."
Michiru glared at her, "Don't say that, Sets; you know I don't…"
"You don't like it because it reminds you of Hotaru," Setsuna sighed. "Well for once it wasn't Rei who seduced her."
"Which is exactly why it hurt so much, in case you've forgotten," Michiru mumbled.
Setsuna sighed, "Look, Michi, are you going to come with me or not?"
"To a street race?" Michiru asked again. "You want me to come with you to a street race."
"That's what I said," Setsuna replied. "We've got a couple of hours before it starts, but we'll still have to get ready by then."
Michiru frowned, "Well it would be interesting… but isn't it illegal?"
Setsuna smirked, "But of course? Where's the fun in something if you're actually allowed to do it?"
Michiru shook her head incredulously, "Who are you and where's Sets gone?"
Setsuna laughed, "Come on Michi, I'd never take you somewhere that I thought you wouldn't find at all interesting, would I?"
"You never fail to shock me, even now," Michiru sighed, wondering how on earth her friend managed to do things like this yet still pass off as an honour student.
Setsuna smiled, "That's my job… now are you coming along with me or not?"
Never would Michiru have expected an event like that to be so popular, but then again there was a flourishing love of all things illegal in those parts. There had to be if someone as supposedly straight-laced as Setsuna had been dragged heardfirst into it, and now even she was being tempted by rebellion and all the foolishness that went with it.
"Stay close to me; it can be dangerous round here, even when the satsu aren't anywhere near," Setsuna muttered, placing a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder.
Before Michiru had a chance to reply, someone she had never thought she would see talking to Setsuna interrupted her.
"Shinigami! You're late; they've already finished taking the bets for tonight!" The person in question was none other than Tenoh Haruka.
"Satsu? Shinigami?" Michiru fronwed.
"Never heard slang?" Haruka yawned. "The satsu are the twats that like spoiling all our fun – in other words the police. And Shinigami… well let's just say she's basically in charge here."
Michiru looked up at Setsuna in shock, "What? You're involved with all of this?"
"Like I said, Shinigami-sama runs the place," Haruka yawned. "I might be in charge of the morons in the gangs, but Shi-sama has the real power; that's what you get for being the heir to one of the most powerful branches of the Yakuza."
"Thank you for telling her that, Kaze," Setsuna hissed. "I really appreciate it. People don't have to know! Even Ami…"
"You mean you haven't told her?" Haruka frowned. "Can't say I'm surprised. Still I dunno why you stick with her in the first place; she's a pain in the neck, in a bad way."
Setsuna sent her a more demonic glare than Michiru would have thought possible, but Haruka just shrugged in reply.
"I'm immune to that look, Shinigami, remember? I was the one that taught it to you," she said smugly.
"Why not move onto another topic before I have to kill you?" Setsuna said, the sweet tone of her voice made even more chiling by the look that still lingered in her vermillion eyes. "Why aren't you racing tonight, Kaze? You usually do."
"Couldn't be bothered," Haruka yawned. "Besides, there's this twat that Raidon wants to beat; why not let her have her fun?"
"Raidon?" Michiru questioned before realising whom the blonde tomboy was talking about. "Oh, you mean Makoto?"
"No, I'm talking about my grandfather." Haruka rolled her eyes. "Anyway, good luck you two. Makoto's race starts in about two minutes. I can drive you to the finish. You can see Raidon win from there."
"You're really confident in her," Setsuna commented as the other nodded.
"Ofcourse, she's one of my 'crew'. If she fails I'll kill her," Haruka replied. Although both girls knew it was meant as a joke they knew Haruka would probably be extremely angry if the brunette did lose. After all, they had a reputation to keep up.
A few minutes later, after Setsuna had declined Haruka's offer, Michiru had already lost sight of her friend. Setsuna was nowhere to be found. It seemed like she had just vanished into thin air. The aqua haired girl sighed. It didn't matter anyway. After finding out Setsuna also had her part in this whole yakuza, illegal racing and gang thing it was better to be alone. She needed some time to reflect on things.
Who'd ever believe her anyway if she told them Setsuna had even more power than the almighty Tenoh Haruka?
Without realising it Michiru had walked into a dark alley, not really paying attention to where she was going. She had been too caught up in her own thoughts.
"Hello princess," an unknown voice suddenly said, causing Michiru to jump and turn around.
Michiru swore that she was never going to go out this late again upon seeing two men standing in front of her. Why had she even decided to come? I mean sure, of course she had been interested when Makoto started on about the bosozoku, but this was illegal. Everything about this place was seeped in crime though, like it had saturated the very being of the people that lived here.
She shuddered, wondering why she had been a fool enough even to go anywhere near Tokyo's underworld, but stepped backwards. She suddenly had the distinct feeling that she was in serious danger if she didn't get away from this place soon, so she picked up her pace a little, but she didn't get far before a hand grabbed her on the shoulder.
"Well, well, what's a cute little girl like you doing round these parts?" She found herself face to face with the two men, thugs of the first rank by the look of them, both of whom had breath that reeked of alcohol and god only knew what else.
The man slowly moved his hands down, resting his hand on Michiru's behind.
"Stop it," he heard the girl beneath him plead. As if he was going to listen! He just ignored her and pressed his lips against Michiru's.
Just when Michiru was about to give up all her hopes on getting out of this place she noticed another person standing behind her attackers. She couldn't clearly see who it was; she only saw a vague shadow.
"Let her go,"a familiar voice snapped and Makoto appeared out of the shadows, an annoyed glint in her emerald eyes.
"Aaw come on boss," one of them whined, tightening his grip around Michiru's waist. "We just wanna have some fun with her."
Makoto's eyes flashed dangerously, "I should have known. You do realise she's mine, right?" At this they paled with terror and Michiru found herself being flung into Makoto's arms. "Are you alright, Umiko-chan?"
Michiru decided that the best thing to do in this situation would be to play along with whatever Makoto had come up with.
"Yeah… I'm fine… at least I am now there you're here."
She looked up in time to see the two goons that had grabbed her scamper off at an impossibly venomous look from Makoto, their muffled calls of 'sorry, Raidon-sama' echoing behind her as they walked off.
As soon as they were out of hearing of anyone else, Makoto turned to Michiru and spoke.
"You seriously need to be more careful if you're gonna be wandering round here at this time," Makoto stated. "Unless you want to get yourself raped, which I'm pretty sure you don't. You do realise that's probably what would have happened if I hadn't stepped in, don't you?"
Michiru looked away, not wanting to admit that she indeed knew what could've happened.
"Setsuna told me she dragged you here to see me. When I didn't see you I decided to look for you," Makoto admitted, calming down a bit.
"I'm glad you did," Michiru replied. Then, surprising herself almost as much as Makoto, she suddenly threw herself in the brunette's arms and started to cry. She hadn't even realized herself how much this little incident had scared her.
At first Makoto had no idea how to react but then she put her arms around the crying girl, pulling her closer.
"Stop crying; it doesn't suit you. Besides, it's all over now. They're gone and won't harm you again."
"C-can you take me home?'' Michiru sobbed. She really hated to look weak but at this moment she simply didn't want to be alone. What would've happened if those guys had actually... She quickly shook her head; she had to get rid of that aweful thought.
"Sure," Makoto replied, pushing the smaller girl away a bit. A smile had appeared on her face before she slowly wiped away Michiru's tears. "Really, you're too pretty to be crying."
The aqua haired girl blushed. She didn't know why though. Come to think of it, she didn't even know why she had asked Makoto to bring her home. She could've looked for Setsuna and begged her to take her home. Then again, she'd rather not tell anyone about what just happened.
As if reading her thoughts, Makoto placed a hand on Michiru's shoulder.
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."
"Thanks," the other replied, this time with a slight yet honest smile on her face.
"Well let's get you home then," Makoto said, placing her arm around Michiru's waist and causing the smaller girl to jump.
"Wh… why are you…" Michiru tried to ask but Makoto just laughed.
"Like I told that lot, you're with me now," Makoto winked, causing Michiru to blush a little. "And besides, this way no bastard would dare try and jump you."
"Thanks I guess" Michiru replied, uncosciously leaning on Makoto slightly as they continued walking.
"Erm, Mich, which way is your house?" Makoto suddenly asked, an 'I'm a complete idot, aren't I?' look appearing on her face. "I just realised that I don't actually know where I'm supposed to be going."
Michiru giggled quietly: it was actually quite surprising how relaxed she felt around Makoto.
"Well my house is actually in completely the opposite direction," Michiru stated.
"My flat's just a few minutes walk this way," Makoto replied. "That's why I was walking there automatically. You can come back to my place if you want; I'll make you some tea, it might do you good after what happened earlier."
Michiru started laughing; supposed street-punk Kino 'Raidon' Makoto was taking her back to her flat to make sure she didn't get too upset, and now she was offering her tea? Street-punk indeed… more like a mother hen. Not like that was a bad thing though, not at all.
"What's so funny?" Makoto cocked an eyebrow, completely oblivious. To her it just seemed that Michiru had been seriously disturbed by what those guys had almost done.
Michiru shook her head, "It's nothing, really." Then a thought hit her. "Makoto, shouldn't you be racing right now?"
Makoto shrugged, "The bastard won't be showing any time soon. Apparently one of his rivals tried to flatline him but it didn't work. So he ends up in hospital and I have to give up my chance of racing him." Michiru noticed that Makoto didn't really seem concerned about the man being in hospital: just about the fact she wouldn't be racing him any time soon.
"So Kaze won't be mad at you for doing this?"
"For what, taking you home?" Makoto asked. "Sure she won't; she's been trying to hook me up with a cute girl for ages, but none of the others have been quite cute enough yet."
It took a moment for this statement to sink in, but when it did Michiru went bright red.
"What do you mean 'none of the others'?" Michiru asked.
"I mean exactly that," Makoto replied, and it was only then that Michiru noticed that there was a slight pink-tint to the girl's cheeks. "No one else was pretty enough, or nice enough… but you are. There's something strange about you, Michi, and I just can't shake it off."
"Something strange?" Michiru raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, maybe 'strange' isn't the right word… more like… I dunno, 'unique' or something," Makoto shrugged. "God why can't I be better at talking to people in situations like this?" she muttered to herself. "Thing is… I like you Michiru… I mean I like you in that way… and I know you're probably going to find it weird because we've hardly spoken before these past few weeks and I'm a girl and stuff… but I just… well what I mean is… Oh for god's sake!" Makoto looked like she was going to punch something in frustration. She then said somethig inaudible.
"What was that?" Michiru asked.
"Well it's good you haven't run off yet," Makoto laughed. "I thought the fact I'm female would have scared you off by now."
"I probably would have run off by now if you were a guy," Michiru replied quietly, half-hoping that Makoto wouldn't hear her. "Now what was it you wanted to ask me?"
"Well I know this is gonna seem kind of sudden and all… but will you go out with me?"
This was definitely not what Michiru had been expecting. Sure Makoto wasn't really that close to her at the moment, but that could always change. But she wasn't over Hotaru yet either, not that Makoto ever needed to know anything about that…
'Hotaru's definitely over you though. Not that she was ever really interested in the first place,' the evil little voice at the back of Michiru's mind said. And that was how Michiru made her descision, stupid as it was.
"Y… yes," she stuttured out eventually, another blush spreading itself all over her cheeks. "Of course I will."
Makoto smiled and planted a gentle kiss on Michiru's cheek. Then she stopped suddenly, causing Michiru to give her a confused look.
"Why are we stopping?" Michiru asked.
"We're here," Makoto replied, pointing up at the brand new block of flats right in front of them. "My place is on the fifth floor. I'll show you up there now."
Michiru followed Makoto through a spotless foyer and into a lift. She didn't think she'd ever seen a more immaculately kept block of flats.
"Not what you were expecting, huh?" Makoto laughed. "Just wait till you see my flat. You'll probably pass out with shock."
The lift stopped and they walked along a plain white hallway that reminded Michiru more of a hotel than anything else. Makoto unlocked a door and showed Michiru inside.
If she had been surprised at how nice the apartment block was it was nothing to how she felt upon entering Makoto's place. It was completely spotless, even tidier that Michiru's study, which she hadn't thought was possible. What little furnature there was, was all of extremely good quality, and there was flowers everywhere. Flowers, cookery books and rose-coloured walls and carpet: this was certainly not what she would have expected from a street-racer. It was too… effeminate, nothing like the Makoto she had seen on the streets. She realised that this was a side of the supposed-tomboy's personality that few people would ever see.
"Did your parents choose all this?" she asked.
Makoto laughed, "Some of the old furnature belonged to them, yes, but this is my place. I live alone."
"You don't live with your mother and father either?" Michiru asked.
"No, they're dead." Makoto's comment was so off-handed that she sounded as normal as if she'd just told Michiru they were living two doors down from her.
"I'm sorry…" Michiru began but Makoto cut her off.
"Don't worry about it. They died in a plane crash when I was ten years old. I've been on my own since then. But what about you, you just said 'you don't live with your mother and father either' so I'm guessing that you live alone too."
Michiru nodded, "My parents are divorced. My father lives in America and my mother ran off a few months after he left. So I'm on my own too."
"I guess it's nice to have company sometimes," Makoto smiled at the aqua-haired girl. "It's weird how we have more in common than I would have thought."
Michiru nodded, looking up at Makoto.
"Now how about that tea, eh?" Makoto asked, walking off to the kitched and leaving Michiru perched on the edge of the rose-coloured sofa, not really wanting to remember all that had happened on that extremely unusual night.
Minako hadn't slept at all that night. All she could think about was the blonde tomboy, Tenoh Haruka. It was strange; Haruka had completely changed her attitude towards Minako in those past few days.
'Maybe I should go out and look for her. I need some answers.'
She was of course refering to her father's investigation. What if Haruka really was the 'Kaze' everyone was talking about. She had heard Makoto call Haruka that once. Slowly Minako crawled out of her bed. She was still tired but she knew for a fact she wouldn't be able to get any sleep, and besides it was already mid-morning.
She quickly got up and went to look through her closet. After a few minutes of looking at her closet with an intense look in her eyes Minako picked out a orange skirt and a white tank top. It didn't matter what she was going to wear anyway. It was cold outside and she was probably going to wear a coat.
It was then that Minako realised that her father probably wasn't going to let her out of the house after everything that had happened the night before when Hino Rei and her father were there, but honestly she didn't care what he had to say. She'd lost all interest in what her father had to say after she'd found him in bed with another woman. And then he had the audacity to act like that! Maybe she really should just tell Haruka to shoot that bastard…
She didn't want to hear his side of the story. She didn't want him to be her father at all. She didn't have a choice though; where else could she go, back to England? The idea had struck her for a couple of times but the idea of saying goodbye to Haruka simply wasn't an option.
'Why do I even bother?' she asked herself. Could it be she just wanted to look good for Haruka? That was a silly thought. Why would she? Even though she liked the blonde tomboy very much she knew that Haruka was way out of her league.
A few minutes later Minako was finally done and opened the bedroom window, trying to make as little sound as possible. The only way out of the house without getting caught was through she window. She had never tried it before but...you know what they say there's a day for
'No that's wrong, there's a first day for... no first day...first time... That's it! There's a first time for everything!' she mused. She never had been good with sayings like those anyway.
Michiru sat in the front seat of Makoto's car, deliberately looking out of the window away from the other girl. She could hardly believe what had happened last night… in fact she barely even rembered it. All she remembered was pressing her lips to the other girl's again before she had meant to go to bed… the next morning she had woken up next to the other girl, and she didn't need Makoto to tell her what they'd been doing.
She ran her fingers over the bite-mark on the side of her neck, wondering how much make-up it would take to cover it. Things had just gone so quickly… she couldn't have anyone finding out about this, no one at all. Involving friends in your relationships just wans't worth it.
"Umm Michi, we're here," Makoto said at last, causing the other girl to jump when she realised that they were indeed outside her house.
"Thanks for taking me home" Michiru whispered, looking down at the ground as she got out of Makoto's car. "Well, I guess I should get going now," she added.
The brunette looked at her and smiled.
"You're welcome." She didn't know why but somehow she felt sad about something. It was as if the idea of saying goodbye to Michiru now, after everything that happened, was enough to break the heart she'd sealed away for years.
"Thanks again," Michiru said, finally looking up at the taller woman. "For everything: I really do owe you, don't I?"
"I think we're even," Makoto winked, "But another kiss would do."
Michiru blushed. She knew that this was stupid all thngs considered, but the thought of just kissing Makoto made her blush deep red. She planted a light kiss on Makoto's cheek and began to walk towards her house.
"Bye, Mako."
The brunette nodded, feeling a bit sad all of a sudden. What was wrong with her?
"Michiru, wait up!" she yelled after the other girl, who had just reached for the keys in her purse.
The aqua-haired girl turned around, giving the other a questioning look. Then, without any further warning Makoto caught up with Michiru, pulled the smaller girl in her arms and pressed their lips together.
Michiru couldn't really say that she was surprised, but kissing Makoto in public like this… it was just strange, something she would never have imagined herself to be doing. She knew that the school's rumour-mill would be going into overdrive as soon as people found out about this, but honestly she didn't care. She leant closer to Makoto and lost herself in the kiss.
Minako continued to walk down the streets near her house, daydreaming as she did so. She wondered where Haruka might be – to be honest she didn't really know. Oh well, she knew where to find Rei, and Rei was bound to know where Haruka was. There really wasn't anything to worry about.
As Minako wandered down the street where she knew Michiru's house was, something caught her eye and she stopped, shocked. Michiru was standing on the doorstep of her house, making out with someone. Minako would never have guessed that Michiru was open to public displays of affection, but what surprised her even more was the person Michiru was with – Kino Makoto. She smiled slightly and wondered how long this had been going on for. Surely it wasn't long…
She started off walking again, not worrying about whether Michiru had seen her or not. She was too deeply involved in kissing Makoto to have noticed anything around her. Minako smiled – yes, she would ask Haruka about this, maybe Rei too. It was always nice to catch up on the recent gossip after all.