Another HarukixIsuke fic?! Whatever were you thinking, clicking on another HarukixIsuke fic?! Obviously you like HarukixIsuke, so have some HarukixIsuke.
In which Haruki is blind, and Isuke is a thorn-covered rose.
There was a girl, once. She was, as far as girls go, quite pretty – she was easy to look at, in any case – although she was not anything particularly special. She had a thick mane of red hair which always seemed so vibrant, quick fingers and calloused hands, eyes hidden behind bandages.
Rumour had it, the girl was blind.
Inukai Isuke was not one for rumours. Or small talk. Or any kind of talking, really. The only time she was known for talking was to spout out a barbed comment or scathing insult, even if her voice was said to be sweet like honey. It was a sweet sound most people didn't miss.
She knew this.
Isuke didn't care what others thought. Isuke acted for herself, because she was the only person who could do so. And, according to that logic, everyone else should just mind their own business, thanks.
The girl (why give the peasant the honour of a name, Isuke thought)would always sit by the window of the café. Isuke would never be seen dead in such a dreary, pathetic place, but…
One day, it rained. It poured. And Isuke decided in that flash of a moment that being caught standing in a pathetic excuse for a café would be acceptable once people saw the rain pelting down from the heavens.
She hoped her hair didn't get wet.
And so, rich girl Isuke found herself sitting by an empty table, wringing her hair. Actually, that would be technically untrue – the emptiest table in the small but too-crowded café was the one with the girl, the one with that stupid smiling bandage girl.
"Must be raining pretty heavy, huh?" The voice wasn't unpleasant, Isuke had to admit, unfortunately, but it was raw and slack, not at all the kind of person she wanted to be associating with. Bandage girl would have been staring out the window had she eyes, but instead had a delicately masculine hand placed against her chin. If she expected a response, Isuke said nothing, so there would have been disappointment.
Isuke's hair was dry by now, but the rain only forced down harder than before. Isuke had money, so she called over a waiter with a glance and asked in her nicest, most venomous voice, for a caramel latte to keep her occupied and warm. Even when the drink was placed in front of them and Isuke began to drink, bandage girl said nought. Silence reigned for a little bit longer.
"Sorry, do you have the time on you?" Bandage girl asked, in what must have been her politest voice, but Isuke still scrunched her nose in poorly hidden disgust. Bandage girl didn't have the privilege of seeing it.
"No I don't." She snapped, but bandage girl didn't seem to mind the harsh tone. If anything, she leaned into it. Caught every word. Sighed. "It's too dark out to see the time anyway… I sincerely hope you didn't have anywhere to go."
A sweet voice dripping with sarcasm and screaming 'I don't care', but the other girl didn't give the satisfaction of a response. Not for a while.
"No, I guess I don't."
There was a laugh and that same smile, but Isuke, master liar, could tell it was as empty as her cup. It was so empty Isuke felt something hurt. Of course, she wouldn't relent. Inukai Isuke didn't feel… Sympathy. Inukai Isuke didn't hurt for the sake of others.
When the rain finally let up, Isuke stood up with haste, perhaps with far too much haste, and her knees ached. She left that dingy café as quickly as her feet would take her, very much planning to never go there ever again and mentally planning a new route to walk home from work to do so.
Only the puddles remained of the torrent from minutes prior. Now, the sun shone brightly, smiling.
When Haruki could no longer hear the sweet-voiced girl's footsteps, she wondered why there was a fresh caramel latte in front of her.
She took a sip.
It was sweet.
Cross uploaded from tumblr because formatting. Enjoy sporadically posted oneshots infrequently.