Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh Zexal!
Haruto stared out his window with a lifeless expression. The lingering sound of children's laughter wafted through his ears. Haruto couldn't even remember how his own laugh sounded. Every time he wanted to laugh, to hear his own laughter, nothing would come out. It was undoubtedly because he had nothing to laugh at, to be happy at. The sound of the energy disk elevator reached his ears.
His eyes flickered to the elevation device, expecting his brother, Kaito. His brother couldn't even make him laugh. His brother always looked sad. He never tried to make him laugh. Haruto thought it was because his brother was too sad. Once a figure appeared silently, he stared in surprise.
A girl his age had appeared. Her two-toned green hair reached her waist, seeming to shine. She was wearing a short white dress, arms dangling by her sides. Her lidded eyes were accented by sleepiness. She was not smiling. Her eyes were even shut. Her eyes fluttered opened suddenly. Her eyes were the most beautiful shade of purple. "Hm…?" she questioned. She looked up at Haruto, "I'm sorry, I must've taken a wrong turn…" She said softly.
"It's fine," spoke Haruto, shock wearing off, "Who are you?" he asked.
The girl smiled slightly, "My name is Clover." She walked gracefully over to Haruto, standing in front of him. She looked at her shoes, "I should have expected you wouldn't have remembered me, Haruto."
Haruto's eyes widened in mild surprise, "You know me?" he asked.
"I do," she confirmed. She had a sad look but she was still smiling, "You lost your memories during the transaction." She looked up, "We've only met once before. Do you mind if I tell you what happened?" she asked timidly.
"I don't mind," said Haruto. Her manners suited her. It made her cute.
She looked back down to her shoes, fiddling with her hands, "Well, it started the day you…the day you ran away with your brother."
Haruto could not remember clearly but he remembered enough. It was the day he got his Barian powers.
"…Once you were taken back here, to the faculty…"
*Flashback sequence*
Haruto was led into a room by Heartland personnel. He was asked to stay until he was called upon. He looked around. It was a waiting room of some sort.
"Clover-sama, please stay here."
"Hai," someone replied. Haruto could only guess that was 'Clover-sama'. He sat down on a couch. It was hard for him to calm down though.
A moment later, a girl walked into the room. She had waist-length green hair. Her purple eyes were filled with confusion and slight fear. She spotted Haruto and came over to sit beside him. "Hi…" she greeted timidly.
"H-hello…" said Haruto quietly. He wished his nii-san was here. What were these people going to do? He looked to the girl beside him, "I'm Haruto, you?"
She smiled shakily, "I'm Clover. It's nice to meet you, Haruto."
"Why are you here?" he asked, wondering if he could get some answers.
"I'm not completely sure," she said, confusion clouding her eyes once more. "My tou-sama says I'm very sick though. He says my body is weak or something like that. That's why I'm here I suppose."
Haruto blinked before smiling in reassurance, "My nii-san says I'm sick too. He says it differently though. He says I'm just tired."
Clover smiled lightly, "I guess we have something in common, Haruto."
"I guess we do," he said back. He liked that girl's smile. He said it aloud, "I like your smile."
Clover blushed in slight embarrassment before smiling a little more, "T-thank you."
"Clover."
Clover and Haruto both looked up. Clover looked towards the person who spoke her name, "Tou-sama…" she said, almost whimpering.
Haruto's eyes widened. The man at the door was Mr. Heartland. He glanced at Clover, she's his daughter?
"Clover, you're up first," spoke Mr. Heartland.
"H-hai…" Clover whispered shakily, fear in her voice.
Haruto stared at her for a moment before standing up. He looked up at Mr. Heartland, "May I go first?" He asked.
"You?" asked Mr. Heartland. He pushed up his orange-rimmed glasses before nodding, "All right, Haruto-kun."
Mr. Heartland left the room, urging Haruto to follow.
"Ah, Haruto, it's fine," said Clover, "I can go first-"
"It's all right," said Haruto, turning to glance at her, "You don't have to be scared. I'll go first and show you how easy it'll be. My nii-san wouldn't let anything bad happen to me."
Clover watched as Haruto trekked out of the room. "P-please be okay…" she said quietly in worry.
Time skip!
Clover looked up as the door opened. Haruto walked in, Mr. Heartland ushering him. Clover was about to say something but she froze. She stared at Haruto.
Haruto's eyes were devoid of any emotion. His shining golden eyes were now dull. Clover gasped, "Haruto!" she said in worry. She stood up, going to see if he was all right.
Haruto just stared through her, like she wasn't even there. He whispered, "You are...?"
Clover froze. She was scared but if Haruto went through it, so would she. 'Haruto…' She thought worriedly.
"Clover, it's your turn," Mr. Heartland said. Even though he saw the pain Haruto went through, he didn't feel a drop of worry for his own daughter.
"Hai, tou-sama," she said quietly. Her father left the room, Clover following. Before she left, she looked at Haruto with a smile, "Thank you, Haruto."
Haruto stared at her before whispering, "You have a nice smile."
Clover sadly turned away, "Thank you, Haruto." She then left to have her transaction of Barian powers.
*Flashback end*
Clover looked back up to meet Haruto's eyes, "It was nice of you to go first, Haruto," she said softly in appreciation. She smiled slightly, "I should get going." She turned, about to step away.
Haruto moved on instinct. He reached out and grabbed the tail of her dress.
Clover's head snapped up. She looked over her shoulder at Haruto, "Y-yes?" she asked in confusion.
Haruto held her dress tightly in his small hand. He asked, "H-how do you still smile?" At Clover's confusion, he said, "I can't smile or laugh anymore. How can you?"
Clover smiled in understanding. Haruto let go of her dress as she turned to face him again. She said with a sad tone, "Haruto, when you got your powers, your memories were erased from force…So were mine." She looked to the ground sadly, "Haruto, you were able to laugh and smile because your memories shaped you that way. You had happy memories…you stopped laughing and being happy because they were taken away."
"And you?" Haruto asked.
Clover looked up to meet Haruto's eyes. Her eyes were full of sorrow but she was still smiling, "I didn't have any happy memories like you, Haruto."
Haruto's eyes widened slightly before asking, "How? Everyone has happy memories, even if they're forgotten…" he said, referring to himself.
"I never had any," said Clover, shrugging, "My mother died when I was born, my father and I are not like family, not like you and Kaito-san. I have no happy memories. That's why I'm able to smile. It's because I'm used to being sad. Nothing about me changed when I received my Barian powers. Not like you."
Haruto put a hand on her shoulder, wanting to give her reassurance, "Don't worry. I'll help you gain happy memories."
Clover gasped, staring at Haruto in shock. Haruto didn't think that would be her reaction. He took a step back, "H-huh?" he asked in confusion.
"You were smiling!" she said happily.
Haruto's eyes widened, he was smiling? "I…was?" he asked, moving his finger to his lips.
She nodded, "Yeah, you were!" she happily stated. Her smile reached her eyes. Haruto blushed at that. She was cute. Her smile was cute too.
She put her hands behind her back, "If I can make you smile, I can make you laugh!" she said, delighted.
Haruto looked down and shook his head, "You can't…I've tried…"
"You can't make yourself laugh," Clover said, moving her face closer to Haruto's, "Someone else has to make you laugh!" she said, tilting her head adorably, a smile adorning her looks.
Haruto blushed at the closeness. He nervously smiled, "U-um…"
"You smiled again!" Clover cheered, putting a hand on Haruto's shoulder.
Haruto blushed an attractive shade of red. He laughed nervously, but once he did, the two children froze.
"I…I laughed?" Haruto said. His eyes filled with wonder.
"You laughed!" giggled Clover, throwing her arms around his neck. She hugged him, "I told you I could make you laugh! It was only a little bit but you still laughed!"
Haruto felt his face grow hot as they're noses touched. Clover smiled with a small giggle, "I'm going to make you laugh again, Haruto! You have such a nice laugh!"
"T-thank you," Haruto said as Clover moved away, her warm embrace going with her.
Clover tilted her head and blushed, "You're really cute, Haruto."
Haruto looked down at his feet, blushing too, "Thanks, Clover."
After a moment of silence, Haruto's stomach rumbled. He blushed and held his stomach, "Um…"
Clover smiled, "Are you hungry?"
"A little…"
"I'll call on an Obot to come bring food," Clover said, taking out a D-Gazer. She pressed a button and brought the D-Gazer to her mouth, "Hello, this is Clover. I'd like…" She looked at Haruto questioningly, "What do you want?" she asked.
Haruto didn't know what. He didn't pay attention to whatever he was fed.
Clover noticed and spoke, "Two bowls of rice with meat-potato stew please. Hai. Thank you." She turned off her D-Gazer and put it away.
Almost at once, the food came up. The Obot put down a fold-up tray on the bed with the food on it. It quickly left with a 'cleaning, cleaning' sound.
Clover took Haruto's hand and pulled him to the food. She let go of him and they both sat down. Clover grabbed a bowl and her chopsticks and took a bite. Haruto watched her, not touching his food.
Clover turned to Haruto once she noticed she was being watched. "What is it, Haruto? Are you going to eat?" she asked with confusion in her eyes.
Haruto looked down at the food before picking up the chopsticks He held it with uncertainty, clutching it too tight. He held it wrong as well. Clover's eyes softened, understanding, "You don't know how to use chopsticks?" she asked.
Haruto looked up at her, ashamed. "I…" he whispered.
"Don't worry," said Clover, putting her own food down. She grabbed Haruto's bowl and his chopsticks. She smiled, "I'll feed you if you want," she said, picking up Haruto's rice with the chopsticks. She held it up to Haruto's mouth, "Say 'ah'," she said playfully.
Haruto let her and opened his mouth, "A-ah…" he said quietly. She popped the rice into his mouth and he ate it with a small smile. He tasted the potatoes and sauce, "It's tasty…" he said.
Once they finished eating, Haruto accidentally spilled sauce over Clover's front. He stammered, "S-sorry, Clover-"
Clover had a glint in her eye. She stood up, scooping up some rice in her hand. She smirked, "This means war!" she shouted and she threw the food at Haruto.
His face was full of rice as he stared at Clover in shock. Shock wearing off, he wore a matching smirk. He grabbed some potatoes. He then threw it at Clover. "It's on," he said, eyes full of mirth.
They started throwing their leftover food at each other, the bed being the only shield. The room was quickly covered in food. All over the walls, on the floor, food was everywhere. 'Everywhere' including the two children.
Clover and Haruto stared at each other, having no more ammo to throw. Clover was covered head to toe in rice, potatoes, sauce, and pillow feathers. Haruto had found the extra weapon once he dove behind the bed for cover.
Haruto was not that much off. He himself was covered in all the food and a napkin was sticking out of his hair.
They stared at each other before giggling. Their laughter was stifled slightly because they were covering their mouths with their hands. The giggling soon turned into full-blown laughter as they could no longer hold it in.
"I-I told you I w-would make you laugh, H-Haruto!" said Clover, her face turning red from laughter.
"T-thank you!" Haruto said back, holding his aching ribcage. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed this much.
The energy disk elevator whirred as it started up. None of the two noticed it because they were too busy laughing at each other's looks. Once the figure got to the top, they still hadn't noticed.
Kaito's eyes widened as he watched his brother and the girl. When was the last time he saw his younger brother laugh to his heart's content? His eyes watched the girl who made his brother laugh. A tear made its way down his cheek. Oh, how much he owed this girl.
I have no idea what I was thinking when I wrote this. Well, I hope you all enjoyed!
