Rated: PG

"Sit up."
She straightened her back.
"Head up."
Raised her head.
"Now, hold the cup, PROPERLY."
Young Haruka, as with previous instructions, held her
tea cup with a sense of nobility. For six years now,
ever since she was 8, she had been spending her
afternoons enduring etiquette lessons from her
grandmother. Her learning from the past few months had
taught her how to be 'a real lady': sewing a
handkerchief, baking a tart, serving tea, dancing the
Gavotte, speaking with an elegant manner. This was her
world, and this is the way she should be, as well as
all young ladies in the world. 'Or, at least in the
world according to my family's view,' she thought as
she quietly sipped her tea. Her posture held tight, so
that she shouldn't spill a drop onto her evergreen
blouse and black skirt. Grandmother, (or Nana-san, as
Haruka secretly called her) sat across from the sandy
haired girl on the polished cherry wood table.
Her white hair, once as sun colored as her
granddaughter's, was pulled back into a stately bun
held by two golden clips. Those two, beautiful golden
clips, encrusted with five deep blue sapphires; Haruka
knew it wasn't polite to stare, but the sparkling
things seemed to beckon her grey eyes. How she longed
to touch them, to put them into her own waist length
locks, to be as lovely as her Nana-san....
"Haruka?" asked Grandmother.
Her train of thought snapped at the sound of her name.
"Yes, N--Grandmother?" The old woman's eyes narrowed
at the near sound of the silly pet name the young girl
called her ("So improper! I am your Grandmother!")
but merely shrugged it away as she continued.
"Dearest, you are now 14. You will be 15 within one
week, yes?" Haruka nodded. "For this, you will be at
the age of your purification. You, in that time, will
become eligable for a young, rich, suitor. In doing
so, you are to attend the Business Convention Banquet
with the entire Ten'oh gathering, making you soul heir
to our fortune. You must make a good name for us."
She watched the young girl, her innocent eyes hanging
onto her every word. "In order for you to seem, shall
we say, more 'open' to possibilty, I will be giving
you the honor of wearing my combs. And-"
but her words were cut short as the wild legged Haruka
lept up from her seat and embraced her with a
maddening hug. "Oh, thank you so much Nana-san! I've
never been so=""TEN'OH HARUKA! Enough of this childish
antic!" Realizing her mistake of her emotional rush,
Haruka slumped to the floor, tears filling her eyes.
"Grandmother-" "Hold your tongue, child." The biting
words seemed to hang in the air as Grandmother wiped
her flushed brow with a dainty napkin. She glared at
the girl, bearing out the words. "I do not EVER want
to hear of another one of your outbursts, young lady!
A true woman does NOT engage in such a manner!
For shame, acting like a dog pouncing a cat!
Should you keep such behavior, you will bring
humiliation on the name of the Ten'oh family!"
She paused, knowing her lecture would get through her
mind. "Now, go take your bath. Today's lesson is
over."
With that, she turned and made her way to the parlor
for some sewing. Haruka sat, slumped onto the Persian
rug of the dining area. A tear, clear and pure as the
crystal chandelier above her, slid down the alabaster
skin of her smooth face. Why, oh why, did she have to
react like that? She knew Grandmother wouldn't
approve. But, she was trying hard; she had kept her
physical purity from the lewd worldly ways, she kept
clean language, tidied her room, did her lessons...so
why couldn't she get the hang of this lady thing?
Standing slowly, she took in a deep breath.
I will bring honor to the Ten'oh name....I will not
ever fall into a disgusting level of humanity....
I will do my best....I will be Ten'oh Haruka.