Tenshi walked down the stairs slowly, not really wanting the pancakes Haruka had made for her and Puroko. At least, Puroko was speaking to her this morning without looking like she thought Tenshi was going to snap at her any second.
As she entered the kitchen, she could feel Haruka's eyes on her, but she didn't meet them. "Ohayo gozaimasu," she said. "Kiddo, are you almost ready?"
Puroko's eyes widened at being addressed. She nodded quickly and finished her breakfast. Then she ran upstairs to get her bookbag.
"Tenshi-" Haruka started gently.
"Don't ask," interrupted Tenshi. She didn't really feel like explaining why she had chosen to borrow Haruka's old Infinity College uniform today. She hadn't worn a guy's fuku since she was in early junior high - back when she thought it was really cool to get away with that, when it was easier to flirt with girls that way, and when she had wanted to be a boy more than a girl.
"I wasn't going to. Tenshi, I know you're upset, but you shouldn't change yourself just because you broke up with someone."
"Why not? I obviously wasn't good enough anyway. Why does it matter whether I change or not?"
"Tenshi, I understand how upset you must be, but-"
"Do you?" Tenshi shot back at her. "Because I don't seem to remember hearing about any time since the time you started dating Michiru-mama when you lived longer than five minutes without knowing that she was going to be by your side forever!"
"Your mother's and my relationship was totally different," Haruka answered defensively.
"Why? Because you were destined to be together? Because you had a past life to go off of? Well, I'm sorry Koneko and I didn't have it that easy!"
"You think that was easy?! It was next to impossible, knowing that it would be Hell if one of us died or we broke up! But there was always that possibility. Michiru and I fought very hard to be together. We had to face social pressures, the risk that one of us would die, and even normal relationship obstacles�. Love isn't easy, Tenshi. Sometimes you get hurt."
"So, what? I'm supposed to move on? Find someone new? 'Cheer up, Tenshi. Things'll get better!'?" Her voice broke, as her insistent eyes met Haruka's concerned ones. "They will get better, right? Please tell me they'll get better," she pleaded as she buried her tears into her mother's shoulder.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Puroko wanted to break the silence as they drove to school, but she wasn't sure what to say. She still wasn't positive that Tenshi wasn't mad at her, even though Tenshi had obviously been sorry yesterday when she had frightened Puroko.
"Tenshi, are you mad at me?"
"Nani? No. Kiddo, why would I be mad at you?"
Puroko was silent for a second. "'Cuz I got kidnapped," she answered quietly.
"Oh, Puroko! I'm not mad at you. I just- I was upset about something else yesterday. It was just bad timing on my part. I'm sorry."
"S'ok. Ne, Tenshi? Can I ask you something?"
"Hai."
"Why are you in Papa's fuku? Don't you wear a girl's fuku?"
"I used to," Tenshi answered somberly.
"Then why are you wearing a boy's one?"
"Because I don't think I want to be that girl anymore," Tenshi said under her breath.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Life goes on.
Neko kept telling herself that as she walked through the halls, but she didn't really understand how the people around her could all be smiling and laughing. Didn't they know that life sucked�
�and then you died.
*Stop it! You can do this! One day at a time. It will get better!*
She made her way to her locker and took out her pre-calculus book. *You're in the middle of finals. You've got to keep your mind on your studies. Don't zone out like you did in Japanese!* She never had had so much trouble concentrating on class. Not even when she first had started dating Tenshi�.
She derailed that thought train and tried to focus on something else. Like how she was going to study for exams if Team Eclipse was still out there. Although somehow the original Senshi had managed to study for entrance exams while fighting the Death Busters and the Dead Moon Circus. She supposed that she and Mi-chan could probably pull off a couple of finals.
No, that was a good plan. Focus on studies for awhile. That would keep her mind off Tenshi�.
Maybe.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Tenshi-kun?"
Tenshi whirled around at her name. But, though it sounded like Neko, it was only Mi-chan. Disappointed, Tenshi said bitterly, "I suppose you came to beat me up."
Mi-chan blinked. Neither of them had brought up that incident since the day after it happened, not even in jest. And while Mi-chan had been ready yesterday to make Tenshi pay for Neko's grief, today she knew that Tenshi wasn't the cause, at least not directly. But she had seen Tenshi in the hall and was here now to try and make things easier for both of them.
