Cute and Misunderstood: Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten: Knowing Enough

"You knew those men," Michiru wasn't asking but rather stating the fact as she handed Haruka a pack of frozen peas. "And they knew you."

They were in the art student's apartment with Haruka sitting on the very couch where they made love. The thought of it lingered on the surface of her mind but she tried ignored it. There were more pressing matters to take care of. She carefully placed the frozen bag over her bruised and swollen knuckles. How much of it should she tell Michiru? Could she trust the student? Then again, Michiru had risked her own life by returning to the fight. At the very least she was owed some kind of explanation.

"They're a couple of goons who work for a loan shark." Michiru sat down in the other couch across from her and nodded for Haruka to go on. "A while ago I was desperate for money. Every bank I went to denied me so I had to find an alternative. I was able to borrow some but I couldn't pay all of it back in time. I started making deliveries in order to pay off the rest of the debt. Those men were the ones who usually made the deliveries but I ended up taking their work away. They developed a grudge because of that. They probably didn't like me from the start either because I wasn't a typical woman."


"What were the deliveries?" Michiru asked.

Haruka shrugged,"I didn't ask. I just wanted to pay off my debt." But she had a good feeling the packages she had been transporting were tied to extortion and possibly drugs. She didn't think it would go over well with the art student however and so she feigned ignorance.

"Anyway, I guess when I ran into you two weeks ago, and pretended I knew you that was the last straw."

"Are you still making deliveries?"

Haruka shook her head, "No. I quit the moment my debt was repaid."

The 'boss', Kazuki Ito, in his snakeskin pattern suit stared at her from behind his desk. It was a tasteless look on his skinny frame but she understood none of the thugs that worked under him would tell him that. Not that they had better taste in clothing either. She was seated as well in the dim second story office above a dive bar. Her expression was stoic, she was not going to display any emotion. Not in front Ito. There was no way she'd ever let them think she was weak because it was people like him that preyed on the weakness of others. It was their livelihood. And as much as Haruka despised men like him she had no other choice. But not anymore. She was done.

"You did good kid," his snaggletoothed grin suddenly flashing at her. It irritated her, being called kid but she said nothing her expression unchanged.

"Thanks. We're all squared away now right?" She made to stand and he quickly waved her back down. Neon glow from outside flashed on his multiple rings which adorned his fingers. She sat, knowing the grin of his could easily turn sour. She would have left already if not for the bodyguard at the door with the bulge of a weapon tucked at his side.

"I think we can come to an agreement that would be mutually beneficial to both of us," he said and Haruka already knew where this was going. "Why don't you join my team. We can make a lot of money together."

"Thank you, I appreciate the offer but I have a regular job," she made sure to keep her voice neutral as possible. If she had to stay here much longer she was sure her contempt for him would leak out. Perhaps she hadn't done a good enough job of hiding the emotion because his eyes narrowed at her for a moment before resuming his genial expression.

He grinned at her again, but this time the gesture was fake. "Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed at your answer but what can I do?" He shrugged good-naturedly, smiling as he did so. He glanced over her shoulder to the guard at the door. "Show Ms. Tenoh out, Kai." As she rose from her seat once more he turned his attention to her. "Should you change your mind the offer still stands."

Haruka could see Michiru was itching to ask why she had needed the money in the first place. If she was the one in Michiru's shoes she might have wanted to know the reason too. But she had to give the woman some credit, despite Michiru's curiosity she didn't ask.

"Did the swelling go down?" The teal-haired woman asked instead, her gaze directed at the blonde's hands.
"Huh? Oh," Haruka glanced down at her right hand, removing the packet of peas as she did so, "yeah, there seems to be some improvement." She flexed her fingers, the pain had lessened as did the swelling.

"I think you broke his nose," there was a hint of satisfaction in Michiru's words. Haruka looked up into the woman's face but found the expression there innocent.

"Yeah well, he deserved it anyway," Haruka placed the peas on the table and sat back, running her fingers through her hair with a sigh.

Michiru glanced at the blonde's lips with a faint smirk upon her own, "and it was such a good mood too."

A light dusting of pink appeared on Haruka's cheeks much to her mortification. Michiru's sly smile deepened. Just what was it about this woman that affected her so? Haruka just couldn't understand it.

"Now I have a question for you, Michiru," she said as a question from earlier in the night repeated itself in her mind.

"Ask away," Michiru nodded throwing one leg over the other, resting her hands atop her knee. The action brought Haruka's attention to the woman's neatly painted coral toenails before her gaze wandered up a jean-clad calf and thighs to the dark gray three-quarter sleeve wide neck shirt that hung off one shoulder casually but so attractively; past the deliciously exposed skin of her neck before landing on pink lips and blue, blue eyes that smiled at her. As she stared at the woman, one teal eyebrow perked. "Didn't you have a question?"

Haruka glanced away, clearing her throat, "How did you know where to find me?"

"A friend told me," Michiru answered after a moment. It seemed to Haruka as if she was debating whether to tell the truth or not.

"Which friend? And how do they know me?" Haruka instantly became suspicious. She leaned forward, body tensed and coiled.

"My classmate, Nagi."

Nagi. The only Nagi Haruka could think of was a girl she had known many years ago. Her lips flattened in displeasure. Nagi wasn't a bad girl but her cousin was another story altogether. "How does she know where I work?"

Michiru shrugged, "I have no idea. I intended to ask her the next time I saw her."

Haruka stood up, and stepped away from the sofas. Michiru was being truthful but the situation didn't make any sense to the blonde and it set her on edge. She began to pace around the room before she became aware there was something different about the space. Looking around at the walls she realized the wall of paintings were blank. Michiru had gotten up from the sofa and followed her. Before she could ask, the art student spoke, both of them looking at the blank wall.

"I'm having a show soon. The gallery wanted those pieces." Michiru said simply. Haruka detected the pride hidden underneath the words in the woman's voice. "I think I wanted to tell you, more than anyone else."

Haruka turned to her then. "Why do I matter so much to you?"

Michiru slipped her fingers into the left hand that hung at the blonde's side. "You just do. Is it so hard for you to accept?"

The feeling of Michiru's soft fingers intertwined with her own was a sweet feeling. "We hardly know each other," she tried to object.

"I know enough about you to know I like you. I enjoy your company, even when you're mad at me," sincerity shone in the depths of ocean blue eyes and Haruka found it difficult to look away. So she did the only other thing she could think of. Leaning close, she gave into the desire she had been fighting all night.