-Repetition-
She smiled, sipped her drink, eyes overly bright, falsely inviting over the rim of the glass.
The bait was taken.
He's young, not too young, maybe Ayako's age.
Haruie of course, is much older.
But, that doesn't stop her. Nothing does, when those feelings come back. When the pain and loneliness are at their height, Haruie loses herself in the delusion of the young man's caresses, pretending it's another.
She doesn't even know his name.
In the morning, he's gone. Just another face to be forgotten; Haruie recalls she doesn't have classes and curls up in a ball, quietly weeping to herself.
Shintaro's gone.
He wasn't the one who called her 'sweet thing' with drunken breath and fumbling hands.
He wouldn't.
The next night, it begins all over again. A drink in hand, fresh makeup hiding the tear stains. Haruie was good at pretending. And soon she's caught the eye of another -
He's tall with a swagger in his gait, not too hard on the eyes either.
Haruie crosses her legs, her skirt hikes up to reveal a slice of skin.
She and he share half smiles; it's all going well until-
"I think you've had enough."
The boy coming from halfway across the bar, stiffens.
Nagahide says almost cruelly, "darling."
Then, when Haruie momentarily freezes and a hand falls hard on her shoulder; she understands.
Shame is the least thing on her mind, other than disappointment at the loss of another conquest and...curiosity. "I didn't know you went to places like that." Haruie says when they're seated in Nagahide's car, belted in and the air is heavy with silence.
The key is turned in the ignition.
"I don't." Nagahide said shortly.
The drive back was mostly quiet.
Both Yashashuu lost in their own thoughts.
But, Haruie's always been more vocal and so she asked what bothered her the most in the parking lot of her apartment building.
"Why?"
The engine idles.
Nagahide's expression is hidden by part shadow, like his thoughts and his feelings; Haruie always thought she knew them, but..
He cut the engine. "I was in the area."
No, but why. She thinks, her hand on the door handle. But, she doesn't voice it. What was the use-? He was always the loner of the Yashashuu. Maybe the reason was his own- something.
Then, she's surprised.
"..Haruie."
Just her name.
She stepped out into the cool night air of Tokyo.
Haruie could feel his eyes lacking the mocking contempt behind their frames, on her back.
"Take care."
She always thought he didn't care.
-Fin-
Disclaimer: don't own the world of MOB, Kuwabara-sensei does, I only play in her sandbox.
Note: something small. Thanks for taking a look.