Deep Sea Diving

Complications

Ah, Monday. The day where I can escape from my Father and...I get to see Haruka. I paused brushing my hair, my eyes meeting in the mirror. I...I like him... "Ahhh!" I screamed, slapping my cheeks. "What am I thinking! I'm in a relationship! I'm-" I cut myself off when a glint out the corner of my eye. A ring box stood open, a gold band with a ruby nextled inside, the gem glittering in the morning light. I sighed, setting my brush down and putting it on. It fit perfectly. But...this wasnt the ring I was supposed to wear... An image of a silver band adorned with a turquoise teardrop gem flashed in my mind. I suked in a breath, my eyes welling up with tears. Uranus and I were... I felt my heart rip out my chest. This was too much. Uranus and I were to be married, I'm engaged in this life to a man I thoroughly hate, and I have feelings for someone else completely!

I slipped the ring into my finger with a sigh, and finished getting ready for school. I silently walked with Itsuo to school, and proceeded through classes as normal. During lunch, I found myself in Music Room 3, as usual, and soon after Haruka joined me. "Hey!" He greeted, smiling. His hair wasnt combed back as usual, but was rufleed...just as I did it yesterday. My smile returned when he entered, and I straightened a little when he walked in. Haruka found his seat next to me at the piano, and his eyes found my ring. His smile faded, and I sighed, looking away.

"I know." I sighed. "I shouldnt have worn this today." I took the ring off my finger and slipped it into my pocket.

"What happened yesterday?" Haruka's hand found mine, and he held it gently.

"I found out that my Father has decided that I'm to be married by the end of the month."

"What?" Haruka's voice rose an octave or two, and it almost sounded like a woman's. "Married?"

"Yeah. Because I'm a female, Father doesn't believe that I'm fit to inherit the family fortune, despite the fact that he married into it. So after my birthday on the fourteenth, I'll be dropping out...and Itsuo and I will be married." My eyes fell to the piano keys, my fingers running over them gently without any pressure. "So...I think that I'll be a mother by the end of the year..."

"You can't tell your Father any different?" Haruka asked. "That you don't want to get married?"

"I did tell him that, but he won't listen to reason. And my birthday is in a week, which means..."

"We won't be able to see each other any more." Haruka realised. My eyes watered.

"I don't want to loose you, you're the only person I've truly considered a friend."

"You won't lose me." Haruka promised, turning me towards him. "Even if you have to get married, I'll still come and visit you, we can still be friends." I laughed lighty.

"You've met Ituso, he doesn't like me having any friends."

"I don't care." I smiled at Haruka, but the moment was cut short when the bell rang. My eyes widened.

"I need to go!" I exclaimed, pulling my hand reluctantly out of Haruka's, grabbed my bag and hurried to the door. "Bye!"

Haruka met up with me after school again, and we met up at a cafe a little way's distance from not only school, but my house as well. We sat and talked about anything, steering clear of any topic regarding marriage. "How do you not have any other friends?" Haruka asked. "You have such a charming personality." Haruka leant his head on his folded hands. I giggled at Haruka's comment, covering my mouth with my hand.

"Oh, no, no friends." I told him. "My Father keeps on telling me that friends are a waste of time, he has no idea that I'm friends with you." I looked down at my milkshake, gently stirring it as I talked. "Most of my free time is spent with Ituso." I sighed.

"Sounds like you don't like him very much."

"I...I don't." My hands tightened on my glass, "To be quite honest, I'm not into him...actualy, I don't think I'm entirely into men either..."

"So..." Haruka trailed off. My eyes snapped up to him,

"Please, Haruka, you can't tell anyone." I pleaded, "My Father, he...if he found out that not only I'm friends with you, but if he knows I'm attracted to women aslo, he'll take me out of school earlier, not only that he'd disown me!" Haruka sighed.

"Listen, in my experience, if you continue to hide who you are, you'll be miserable." I glared at him. "Open up to him, he won't disown you."

"How would you know how I feel?" I hissed. "You're a straight male, you know who you are and you don't have anyone who hates you." I stood, my chair scraping against the tiles. "You know what, I need to get home." I snatched my bag off the floor, "Goodbye, Tenoh." I stalked out of the cafe, ignoring Haruka's calls for me.

I transformd that night, and I was leaping over buildings to reach the command centre I didn't realise the direction I was going until I found myself on Haruka's balcony. He was standing by himself, his arms crossed. I landed next to him. "Hey." I greeted softly. I had to remind myself that Haruka didn't know I was Umi, to him, I was Neptune. To him, Umi and Neptune were too separate people. Haruka jumped.

"Oh!" Haruka gasped, turning to me. "Oh, Neptune, I didn't notice you."

"You don't seem like yourself." I commented.

"I..." Haruka sighed, leaning forward on the railing, "I said something to one of my friends today, and...she got super mad. I told her that I understood what she was going through, but I didn't tell her how."

"Well...I've been around for a while." I looked to the night sky, "For years, I was alone on my home planet, no one else with me." I held my Mirror close to my chest, "When I first saw Uranus after so many years alone, I wanted to talk to her so badly...but I knew I had to stay where I was. One day, I broke the one rule my Queen gave me, and I visited her." I looked over to Haruka, "If I hadn't taken that leap of faith, I never would have realised how much we meant to each other. I suggest you tell your friend why you can relate to her, otherwise you'll regret it." I smiled at him.

"Yeah...I might do that."

"I need to go, I'll see you later, Haruka." I gave Haruka one more smile before leaping away.