Lal: Sigh. As much as I really am not comfortable for asking someone's help but I think I need a beta reader now.

Note #2: Here's Haru's perspective that summarizes her thoughts over these past few chapters. And uhm, sorry for the late update prior to my promise date, I uhh, deleted my original plan for a short chapter and made this instead! I choose something worth "realistic" other than the one I had in mind. That's why I redo this chapter four times already! You will see why.

Chapter Six: Support

It was all over.

Run.

Run.

It only lasted a day; this special training.

Run.

Run.

If this was one of the typical trainings given by Reborn—

Run.

Run.

Slipped.

"Hahi!"

Thud!

– then she deemed herself as unworthy.

Haru winced at the pain inflicted in both of her knees and arms. The careless childlike fall made her flushed in embarrassment. Haru stood up, ignoring the pain as she half-kneeled and half-walked towards a bench nearby. Ah, so she was at the Naminori park, huh? She thought that to fall like that was a mere humiliation to a human's eye but she would rather not care, for her thoughts were revolved around for that silly stunt she made to Hibari Kyoya.

As much as she admitted to herself that she hated Hibari, she knew that she only hate his actions and not for his whole being. And to cry like that in front of him, it was actually a miracle that he didn't bite her to death that time.

Tears still fell onto her eyes.

She didn't care if she could wail louder for the park was crowd-less.

Not only she berated him, she also slapped him across the face and also said something that was considered banal!

"In fact, I don't think Hibari-san likes Naminori at all!"

What an idiot.

To say something like this to Hibari.

Something like this—another tear fell onto her eye, was incoherent. It only took a day, since this special training had started, for her snapped out like this. And it was foolish for her to do so. Even just for one day, she couldn't take it anymore. She was distressed for searching for her parents for two whole weeks, annoyed that she let herself got intoxicated by liquor, ashamed that she slept in a bed of a man (and someone she barely knew!) for the first time, and afraid to face Dino and Tsuna!

More tears fell out from her eyes. She clenched her fists as another thought came into her.

Now what was she going to do now?

"Haru-san?"

She lifted her head up—tears still streaming from her eyes, and gasped upon seeing a familiar face before her. "C-Chrome-chan?"

Chrome's features changed slightly as her eyes shown of concern. "You're crying." And it was not a question.

"Hahi!" She jerked up, wiping the annoying tears away as she forced herself to smile. "This is not tears, Chrome-chan! Haru was just washing her eyes from the fountain!"

Even that silly excuse of a lie could tell a baby that she was making herself foolish. And Chrome assumed that there wasn't a fountain at sight nearby.

"Haru-san," the purple headed girl frowned. She sat beside her then added, "Is something the matter?" As much as she was not used to comforting others, she really didn't want to ignore the situation her friend had right now. Haru is someone…very special to her as much as the other girls.

Tears continued to fall from her now swollen eyes. Chrome blinked at the pitiful sight of her friend. "H-Haru-san?" Now she felt useless. And the next thing the eye-patch girl knew was that the girl's arms wrapped around her frail body.

"Chrome-chan!" She wailed as she continued to sob. "Chrome-chan, it hurts! Ha-Haru made something wrong! Haru deserved to be punished by Barley-chan or even Telehubby-chan! Even the gods of porcupines can go struck me with their needles!"

Then the wail continued as Chrome had no idea or whatsoever she was trying to say.

After a couple of few minutes, after Haru finally calmed down a bit, she told Chrome Dokuro everything: about her missing parents, the unfamiliar, fazing memory of her drunken incident, the special training made by Reborn (and also associated by Dino), her perspectives towards Hibari Kyoya and also her stupid stunt before she ended up here.

In truth, Haru didn't know why she was being too open to Chrome for the first time. She didn't want to open this to anyone else (let alone Dino or Kyoko) but for some reason, seeing Chrome made her talk more and more.

But all Chrome did was to listen.

"Now when I think about it, Haru hurt Hibari-san too much. I was actually angry deep inside the whole time caused by… Haru's mixed emotions since from that future. My parents' disappearance also caused me so much grief as well. And when Hibari-san said something I couldn't take, Haru actually vent that anger towards him even I was aware that it wasn't his fault. In fact, the worst realization Haru got is that…. When Haru got angry with Hibari-san…I was not protecting that couple at the alleyway but…it's only for myself." She bit her lower lip at the thought.

"I only protect my pride."

Chrome could only frown. Was it a sign of pity? Haru couldn't tell.

"I realized then," Haru smiled, bitterly. "That nothing has changed, huh? Back in that scary future, Haru thought that by knowing everything what they have been through, I thought that I will change. Haru thought that," her smile faltered. "I can share the pain what you all have been through." Her whole body trembled.

"But Haru was all talk after all. Haru…is too selfish."

That was right. Haru was aware of everything. She is useless, she wasn't as strong as the charismatic Kyoko who could put to an end with everyone's worries. She was not a fighter like Chrome or Bianchi and she knew that she didn't have any place of the dangerous mafia. But Reborn and Dino gave her a chance. With this special training, she could be useful for once but she had to ruin it!

"No, you are brave."

"Hahi?" Haru stared at the Mist guardian with disbelief.

"Ah!" Chrome flushed, suddenly realized what she blurted out just now. "Sorry. It is something Mukuro-sama and I agreed when we listened to your story."

"M-Mukuro-sama?" She asked, wondered where she heard that somewhere before.

"You don't know?" Chrome sounded disappointed. "I assumed that you had met Mukuro-sama at that battle."

"Ah," she just nodded, still uncertain of that "Mukuro-sama".

"We both agreed," she smiled, warmly which was caught by Haru's gaze. Haru had never seen that smile of hers before. "That perhaps only Haru-san can deal with the Cloud guardian."

"Eh?" Haru yelped in disbelief. She was no Reborn or Dino! And she was definitely not Kyoko's brother when it came to extreme persuasions! She jerked up as she waved her hands in denial. "T-That's not true! I can't even deal with him for just one day!"

Chrome just tilted her head. "Just now, you mentioned that you have mixed feelings of anger," she said in that cute face of hers which made the brunette blushed. "Maybe if you focused solely of your purpose then…maybe good things will happen."

Haru just stared at her. For some strange reason, the encouraging words coming from Chrome made her realized how Chrome sounded so different all of the sudden. Maybe it was because she didn't know her too well.

"Y-You're saying that Haru will unveil everything of my purpose with this?"

Chrome nodded then shyly added, "Good things happen all the time after a drastic measure."

Chrome's words hit her: Maybe what Reborn and Dino did for her, meant to help her find her purpose. Maybe this was a test meant for her: to control her emotions, to be herself despite knowing their situation and to know her role in the Vongola.

This must be the real definition towards this special training.

And all these things were the outcome of the things she had been through!

She slowly smiled as her eyes started to look withdrawn; look tremendously happy.

"Ch-Chrome-chan," she said—her head lowered.

Chrome stared at her, curiously, wondering if what she said was really wrong.

Just then another breathtaking hug gestured by the brunette once more. Her chin placed on the Mist guardian's shoulder as her mouth nearly touched the tip of her ear. Then she whispered, "Thank you, Chrome-chan," with a smile on her lovely face.

When Haru released the younger girl, she gave her the trademark grin. "You're right! I shouldn't let this emotion come to me! I should do what is right! And that is to apologize to Hibari-san, right?" The purple headed girl nodded. "Then Haru should do it when I see Hibari-san!"

"Ah," Chrome nodded again then smiled, warmly. "Good luck, Haru-san."

"Hai! Thank you, Chrome-chan," she said as she stood up then she turned to Chrome. "Ah, and tell this "Mukuro-sama" thank you, too. I appreciate his care."

"And what is this care of his, herbivore?"

Haru stiffened at the sound penetrating behind her. She felt goosebumps of a presence heading towards her. She gulped at the first thought that came to her.

Hibari is right behind her.

"Is it perhaps you prefer Rokudo Mukuro over me, woman?"

And judging by the warm breath she felt behind her, she knew that Hibari was a foot near to her back.

Why does it have to be sooner?

She stared at Chrome whom she desperately hoped to have help from her. But her large purple eye stared at her giving a mentality signals that now was the right time to do what Haru must do.

Great. How Haru wished she didn't understand that.

She sighed then she turned to face Hibari with a smile. "Ah, Hibari-san! Of course not!" Her smile seemed to waver when she heard the prefect gave a muttering growl. "Ah, it's just that Chrome-chan and Mukuro-sama—" then his glare grew pierced.

"—Hahi!"

She flinched at the sight of a murderous look of the prefect. Judging by the look of his face (and also that swollen cheek of his), Haru knew that he was really mad about the incident a moment ago.

Without hesitation, she fell into her kneels as she yelled in a rather loud yet fast paced statement.

"T-they m-made me realize that I shouldn't say something like that so I'm so sorry, Hibari-san! I know that you love Naminori more than I do! More than the mayor in here and more than anyone else! I am sorry! Sorry! Pl-Please don't bite Haru or Chrome-chan to death!"

Now it was back to normal.

Wasn't Haru supposed to be mature to apologize to him properly? Instead she begged him for forgiveness! And right in front of Chrome!

How embarrassing.

"That doesn't bother me, herbivore."

Haru blinked. Did she hear that correctly?

But when she raised her head, she could see that Hibari head turned to face at Chrome. "Chrome Dokuro, tell that Rokudo Mukuro not to interfere anything that has with me or I will bite him to death." And he mean it regardless if he does or not.

"Or perhaps," he stared suspiciously at the female mist guardian. "It won't be necessarily."

As if he nearly forgotten about her, he stared down at the brunette. "We're going home, herbivore." He made her stood up with his one mighty pull of his hand gripped onto her arm.

"Hahi!" She squirmed. His grip wasn't even gentle.

With another glare at the mist guardian, he darted off, dragging the poor brunette along his way. Haru smiled inwardly at Chrome as she said in a calm, unsure voice, "W-well, thanks for everything, Chrome-chan!"

As their forms began to fade at her sight, Chrome stood up with her eye still looking directly at that form.

Her lips curled into a sinister smile with a wicked thought in mind, "It seemed that you already sensed me long enough, huh?"

And a soft unusual laughter was heard from the park.

(-)

Haru wasn't sure what the prefect was doing. His hand was, until now, holding onto her arm and he remained quiet ever since they left the park. They were still walking and it seemed like endless when they walked.

When they finally reached home, she asked, "Hibari-san, aren't you mad for what I did?" Her question made Hibari finally released her.

He glanced at her with a hint of surprise (if Haru noticed that) then replied, "You want me to?"

Haru blushed. "N-No! It's just that you mentioned awhile ago that it didn't bother you."

"Hn." He didn't look hesitant. "You're not the first one, herbivore. So don't please yourself."

Her blush deepened. "H-Haru wasn't even proud of it!" She bellowed then realized of her tone. But when she looked at Hibari, he wasn't at least irritated at her voice. In fact, his eyes were darting somewhere else as if he was lost in thought.

Haru tilted her head, eyeing carefully at the wandered prefect. "Hibari-san?" She had never seen Hibari in that state before. Nor he ever had shown this to anyone at all.

He shook head, finally returning in his normal trance as he muttered a word clearly to her, "Coffee."

"Coffee?"

"Make me some coffee."

She stared at him for a moment. "Do you want it to be brewed?"

He gave a slight nod without indulgence. Haru knew that questioning him won't help her but guess now was the right time to say things right for him. After all, he was her special training associate.

"Hibari-san."

He turned to her and Haru gave him her warmest smile that she had never use for all these weeks. Despite her uselessness, despite her reckless behavior and her unworthy of actions, Hibari Kyoya, whose motive that she was aware of, didn't leave this special training even if she was always on his way. Thus, he deserved this.

"Thank you."

And now, she believed, her special training with Hibari Kyoya begins.

End of Chapter Six

Originally my planned had to be an old lady (who turned out to be Hibari's neighbor) Haru bumped into instead of Chrome. AND Haru had this certain "embarrassing" moment with Hibari at the end because it's supposed to be humor but I changed all that. Why? Because I should make this realistic. A girl who was forced into this without fully recognize of her emotions can't grow at all! I made sure Chrome made sense to her THAT! So from now on, Haru won't be as much scaredy cat at Hibari in the future chapters anymore.

Thank you so much, readers, and thanks to you, I now planned to make the story's progress faster…reaching to where I am aiming for since I planned this to be as slow as possible from the start. (thus, the romance will be far away if that happens!) So thank you so much.

As for the special training? I decided not to give clues. In fact, both of them have different set of opinions towards it right now, so I guess that makes it a clue, right? Uhm, sorry readers.

Anyway, next chapter will be a surprise!

Reviews are love! The more reviews I get the better I get inspired! It made an author happy to read your comments! Thank you!