Chapter Text
Haruka was sweating profusely as Juban high school’s principal entered her classroom.
«We are facing an unprecedented crisis», he announced gravely as the classroom hushed. «Yesterday, a serious crime has been committed on the school grounds.»
He paused there for suspense, or maybe to scan the student’s faces for any trace of guilt.
«It is with infinite sadness that I must announce that, last night, a heinous individual has broken in and stolen both of our school’s famous talismans.»
Haruka was prepared to feign innocent shock at the news, but as the principal continued to talk, her surprise was genuine. Both of the talismans?
That wasn’t possible.
And yet, as the principal started talking about bringing in the police and threatened to suspend class (as if it wasn’t every student’s dream), he always said «the talismans». Plural.
Every time he said the word, Haruka’s heart gave a pang of terror. She was in an even deeper mess than she had thought.
It was all Usagi’s fault, as was often the case. Well, that and Haruka’s own weakness for pretty girls, which, when Usagi had insisted they sneak into the school to «have a look at the talismans», had pushed her to agree. Stupid, stupid idea. The talismans were Juban high school’s most precious items, being superstitiously credited for the student’s good results at exams.
Also they were really shiny, so Usagi had wanted to hold them in her hands.
«Maybe if I touch them, my grades will miraculously improve», she had said.
And well, if she was that despaired about the next exams, who was Haruka to break her only hope? So, instead of staying home and revising like normal, clever people, to the school they went.
And because Haruka was a stupidly unlucky person, of course Usagi had dropped the talisman she had been holding within seconds of taking it.
They both watched it shatter to the ground with a deep sense of doom.
«Oh no», said Usagi. «I’m going to fail the exams!»
Haruka was already seeing herself being dragged to prison and interrogated day and night by faceless policemen. The talisman’s shattered pieces reflected her horrified stare. She was so going to get kicked out of school. If the principal didn’t murder her in her sleep first.
Goodbye, track team. Goodbye, teachers - now that she wasn’t going to get an education, she deeply regretted not having listened to what they were saying in class.
And goodbye, debilitating crush she had on Michiru. She really should have mustered the courage to talk to her at least once, before having to leave forever.
Now everything was over. Goodbye, life of freedom and innocence...
But, as she stood in the soon-to-be ruins of her life, an idea came to Haruka. Maybe it didn’t have to come to this. Maybe she could fix everything. All she had to do was to take the talisman, fix it, and return it. No one would be the wiser. After all, would the disappearance even be noticed?
Well, apparently, it had been. Haruka kind of wanted to cry.
«Now, if the culprits want to give themselves up, I can promise leniency», finished the principal. «Just come to my office, and all will be forgiven».
If only it were so simple... But the talisman she had was broken, and returning it now would only make things worse. As for the other one... Was it possible she had taken it without noticing? How the hell would that have happened? She wasn’t that stupid , was she?
Or had Usagi taken it?
One look at the utter panic and confusion on the girl’s face reassured Haruka as to her innocence. But her calm was short lived: she stared in horror as Usagi raised her hand, lip trembling, eyes watering. She was going to confess.
No, no, no.
Haruka got up and gave the principal a military salute.
«I volunteer!», she shouted. «I will investigate as best I can, and do everything to find the perpetrator of this horrible crime»
The principal winced:
«That’s not what I...»
«No, she’s right», said someone in the back of the room.
Haruka yet again could only stare in suprise, as she saw who had spoken. Michiru, beautiful Michiru, was leaning elegantly against the wall, beautiful arms crossed, a small smile playing on her beautiful lips.
«The talismans are an essential symbol of our beloved school. It is important we unite against the evil that seeks to destroy us. We shall investigate together.»
«Very good idea, Michiru.»
Bewildered, Haruka watched as the principal handed her the keys to the school as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and instructed everyone to obey the new appointed detectives. What the hell? Had Michiru hypnotized him?
She found she didn’t much care to answer that question as Michiru delicately took her arm and whispered:
«Shall we go, dear college?»
The warmth of her breath on Haruka’s skin made her forget every word she knew, and she could only nod stupidly. Maybe Michiru had hypnotized her too.
To be honest, she didn’t even need to. If Michiru kept holding her like that, whispering in her ear, near enough that she could smell the tantalizing smell of her, Haruka would give her anything. When she felt her gaze on her, she almost started to list her credit card number.
Fortunately -though that was hardly what she felt, Michiru drew away as they left the classroom.
«So. Where do you want to start?»
At least the distance between them allowed Haruka’s brain to form an almost coherent sentence:
«Maybe we should go to the... em... crime scene»
If felt a little foolish to call it that, in the calm of the empty corridor, talking to the always composed Michiru. Her presence made all this drama seem ridiculous. But apparently, she cared enough about this whole business to investigate it, so it probably wasn’t as stupid as it seemed.
«I’m sure we could find clues there», added Haruka.
Mostly, she wanted to see if the second talisman truly had disappeared.
This whole situation was mad. It all felt so unreal, being suddenly out of class, on a stupid investigation; and alone with Michiru, talking to Michiru. And all of this with the principal’s blessing. It was too good to be true.
Usually, Haruka wasn’t so hopeless when it came to girls. Hell, she could make Usagi blush in less than five seconds, and she was pretty sure every one of her friends had had a crush on her at some point. But for some reason, Michiru was different. It was like her eyes had the power to turn Haruka’s brain into goo.
But not this time, she promised herself. This was her only chance to get everything right. She could save her own skin and get the girl. She couldn’t mess this up.
«Yes, let’s go», she hear Michiru say. «I hear criminals often revisit their crime scene»
Oh god. Haruka was the criminal.
She was so going to mess this up.
The talismans were kept in a glass case in the school’s main corridor. Said case, as Haruka had found out the night before, wasn’t even locked. It had been so easy to steal the talisman it was almost the school’s fault for being so lax with their security. Even sneaking in was never a problem.
Well, maybe it would be now. But it didn’t matter any more:Haruka vowed that, if she got out of this mess, she would never again commit a crime against the school. She would live a saint’s life, do all of her homework and stop flirting with girls instead of paying attention in class.
They were rounding the corner of the corridor that led to the talisman’s glass case when Haruka saw a flash of red in the corner of her eye. She yanked Michiru back before they could be seen by the woman standing right in front of the empty case.
«Did you see?» Haruka cried out excitedly. «Mrs Kaorinite, on the crime scene !»
And the ideal culprit, with that. No one liked this teacher: first, she taught maths, and who liked maths, and second, she was always mean to students. Yes, it would be nice if she could bear the blame of what had happened. Maybe her plan to repent had worked after all.
«Interesting», said Michiru, and it was only then that Haruka realized how close they were standing.
She was still holding Michiru’s arm, and she had to lower her head to look into her eyes. She could smell her perfume again, and with it came a deep longing. She wanted to melt into her warm skin, to hold her against herself and see if she tasted as good as she smelled.
Maybe this talking to Michiru thing wasn’t such a good idea. She was going to go crazy from the proximity.
She released her arm and drew back a little, and ... Michiru’s breath had hitched. Or had Haruka imagined it? She certainly didn’t seem flustered as she said:
«What do you think her motive would be?»
Haruka focused extra hard on producing a coherent thought beyond wild speculations about Michiru’s breath and Michiru’s skin and Michiru’s smile.
«Well it’s obvious, isn’t it?», she started, not knowing how she was going to continue. To buy herself some time, she added: «Really obvious».
Michiru raised one beautiful eyebrow:
«I’m listening.»
Inspiration hit Haruka at the right moment. There really was some god on her side.
«She hates students. It would make sense that she wouldn’t want them to succeed. And what is helping them succeed? The talismans !»
She really was a genius. It made so much sense. And, after all, who was to say Mrs Kaorinite hadn’t actually stolen the second talisman?
«It would make sense», agreed Michiru.
There was a pause. Haruka didn’t dare to move or speak, fearing any action on her part might lose her Michiru’s temporary respect towards her.
«So...» started Michiru.
Another pause. Somewhere in Haruka’s brain, the little voice of reason told her she was being weird right now and she should say something.
«So...», started Haruka.
But then, she saw that the red dot of Mrs Kaorinite’s hair was moving away.
«Crap! She’s leaving !»