Chapter 3: Lumiere
(Hachiman POV)
Shopping, the act of browsing objects created by companies to answer man's needs, problems, and curiosity.
Truly a harmless definition, but for us men, it is a frightening word, yet here I am, being dragged and dressed around by none other than Yukinoshita Haruno.
I truly regret saying 'yes' to this.
And she's enjoying every minute of it.
Because for the whole bout of the day I was told and ask to wait, twirl, stand still, wear this, wear that, "does this tie, complement my dress?", "Does this dress, makes me look fat?" And much more flags and innuendos that can make a simple man suffer for an eternity. Never in my life, that I thought that I'm going to be like this, never, but here I am; playing dress up.
"Come on Hachiman smile a little, like this"she said and then demonstrated a cute smile. "See easy"
"No" I deadpanned
"Would it kill you to smile?" She asked
"Yes" I answered
"Ugh, you're so boring" she said while fixing the tie that's strangling my neck.
"Then why would you invite me to do this stuff? We could've simply ordered online or hire a tailor to make me a suit that matches your dress." I said in retort
"Because firstly..." Haruno started "...you owed me a lot for last night, remember? You know it's hard to disclose that kind of information, specially if the information came from the informant herself..."
So Momiji ,is truly aware about all this...I am glad, cried like a bitch afterwards, plus...
...the knowledge that your child grew without you, is down right depressing.
.
.
.
.
I'm still glad though, that she grew up with her own two feet.
.
.
.
.
God, I'm such a crybaby.
"...secondly, tailors are hard to come by this month, because of the party that the 'bitch' is hosting, which now affected the online market for suits, solding some sites out, since the rich are too lazy to lift their foot over the other towards shopping centers; thus, led us in our current predicament..."
That actually made sense...except for the online marketing part.
"The part about the online market isn't true though..." I started "...since online shops always makes sure that the stuffs you want to buy are and always will be: available, so what gives, Haruno?" I asked her
She looked at me and smiled, then raised her phone taking a picture of us.
'what is she doing?'
"Which leads us to my last point: this guy..." showing me the picture of us that she took and zoomed in at a particular corner of the screen "He's been following me since yesterday, that's why I took the Bugatti; to loose him, but apparently Chiba is still a small city"
"What do you want me do?" I asked
"What you do best" she answered
I nodded
"Thanks for today's date, Minato see you next Wednesday?" She said then kissed my cheeks
"Yeah see ya then...darling" I replied hesitantly; thus, readying myself for her judging words. But she just smiled.
.
.
.
.
Wait is that blush?
She then went inside a store and positioned in an aisle near the shop's facade, while I went to a different direction trying to go around the back of the stalker, and succeeding.
'time to use that skill' I thought, as I activated it: Stealth Hikki. A skill from my 108 loner skills, that I have specially cultivated throughout the years, an effective method that could erase my presence and be swallowed by the crowed; thus concealing me entirely and eliminate my targets in silence.
And right now I'm behind a said target watching him lurk and swivel towards Haruno; unbestknown to him a bigger predator is following him ready to bite and snatch him from the shadows.
'And now the coup d' grace' I though as I prepared my pocket knife in my left pocket.
I then inched at him closer, every step our distance shorten, every foot tapped I tapped two, every second the gap between us closed.
I then waited for the kill, waiting for him to come close Haruno.
And when he did, I poked his back with the knife.
I was about to say something, but Haruno cutted in
"Come quietly" she said in a menacing tone.
The man nodded
"Hachiman keep the blade up" she whispered
I nodded.
We then walked on a nearby bench and sat down.
"Well this ,is quite a predicament..." the man said and looked at me "...right, my sworn friend?"
'sworn friend?' I thought.
And then it hit me.
This woman.
"Goddamit Haruno!..."I whispere loudly while facepalming "...I could've killed him!"
She laughed in mirth, in which I growled to.
She laughed for a few moments ,until she calmed down.
"Haaaaah...that was good; it's like being in an anime" she said while wiping a tear of her eye.
"Now for some reintroductions, Hachiman, you might already know Zaimokuza?"
I nodded "hey Zaimokuza"
"Sup Hachiman!" Said the thin perky man.
"He is our spymaster in the network"
"First is wow, really? And second that's too confidential, Haruno" I scolded her.
"Relax Hachiman, I already jammed the area" said Zaimokuza.
'Wow, it's like I'm in an action movie' I thought
I looked at Haruno, who's still in mirth, and
I shut her up with an annoyed look.
She coughed.
"Zaimokuza, this is Hachiman" she said as she gestured to me "He is my partner and co-conspirator in the network"
"Nice seeing you again Hachiman" said Zaimokuza "prison served you well?" He joked
"How about your plastic surgery? I see it did you good" I joked back
We both shared a laugh.
I was so enraptured by the moment, that even Haruno smiled at genuinely.
A moment full of socializing and catching up happened, what seemed seconds became minutes, minutes into hours, but we didn't mind, because nostalgia seemed to give us the boost in time, until it is time to go.
"This is all well and good...but we need the file now, Zaimokuza" said Haruno, in which
Zaimokuza nodded to and fished out a USB and gave it to Haruno.
Haruno thanked him, looked at me, and said "shall we go?" I looked at the clock which said 6 o' clock P.M. thus agreeing with her and looked to Zaimokuza "Drink?" I asked "is Wednesday, okay?" He questioned back "Yeah" he nodded and stood up and outstretched a hand "it really is good to see you" I shooked his hand.
"You too"
We said our goodbyes after that.
The walk back towards my car is silent; a good silence for once, and I was happy for once.
Was. Because right now, the individuals in front of me, made sure that the moment I was having, is crushed severely.
Blood began pumping through my heart, my thoughts went into the gutters, my body shook from the andrenaline I was currently having.
Anger flared through me.
I fetched the knife in my pocket, and charged at them ,but Haruno caught my arm in time
"Let me go!" I said to her
"Hachiman! Calm down!" Said a distraught Haruno
"We could end it all here! All of our problems will go away from here!" I retorted
"Hachiman! Calm down! We'll have our moment!" Said Haruno who is currently keeping my anger in check.
"Didn't you hear me!?" I shouted
"I heard you! Honestly, did you think you're the only one who wants their head? If it were up to me, I would've let you run them down, and see their head chopped off, but not right now...right now our chances are at the null, they have the law in their pockets, the mayor of Chiba in their hold, even the damn company is with them, reality can be whatever they want, they could order a hit on you right now, and imprison you for another year." She explained to me, but I'm having none of that.
'Why would she stop me? The solution is right in front of us?'
"Please Hachiman, think about Momiji" she said, and that is something I have to consider.
I began to calm down and followed a breathing technique '1...2...3' I started counting in my mind to match my breathing.
I began to think about my options: if I kill them now, our problems would be solved ,but life sentence will be served ,and I would be having none of that. Waiting on the other hand would be rational, and our revenge plot would severe them completely, but the chance at hand will be gone, and the moment will be lost.
Decisions, decisions.
But I will need to choose the latter; since they already left the scene and a chance was lost.
Which made me more angrier earlier.
"Hachiman..." Haruno said in concern
I quietly entered the car, slamming the door in the process, Haruno followed suit.
Once she entered the car, I drove off in a recklessly speed.
By midnight, we arrived back at my house.
Haruno was unnaturally silent, which didn't help my current build up.
'Just breathe... breathe...' said my thoughts, but my body isn't agreeing with it.
I then screamed incoherently, which startled Haruno.
"GOOOOOOOOOOD DAMMMMMMNIIIIIIIIIT!" I shouted inside the car, slamming my fist towards the steering wheel.
"Hachiman calm down!" Haruno said, but I didn't care and screamed profanities.
Haruno tried to calm me, began stroking my back and saying things like:"Hachiman breathe, just breathe, it's going to be okay"
As I release my pent up frustration, my anguish, my pain.
Minutes of full on shouting and thrashing, turned to crying and self-pity.
"Why, Haruno?" I said between my sobs "why can't I just be happy?...Why can't I just have what I have...wished before, something genuine? Why do...I have to deal with this? Why did she cheated on me? Am I that disgusting? Am I really down right hateful? Did my eyes scared her out of our relationship? Please tell me why? Why me?"
I looked at her with begging eyes.
And I saw her contemplating, what seems to be the answers to my questions, she then got off the car and said "walk with me"
Chapter 3 ended: Sorry for chapter 2 by the way, the cuts were removed by the upload hence the confusing text, by the way should I continue?