強い人と弱い人
The Strong and The Weak
Chapter 21 : Thank youー
The day before the initiation was here.
Haruna was prepared to work early again. This past week, she's been mentally preparing herself for tomorrow's ceremony. Paperwork seemed to keep her distracted, but she knew the situation wasn't avoidable. The clansman to be was unsure if the feelings she had were still fear or newfound excitement about the opportunity to serve under a great king. Maybe it was both.
After her early shift, she decided to pay a visit to her friends at Bar HOMRA.
The entrance to the bar gave a small chime. Izumo rested on the sofa across from the bar table with his eyes closed and hands behind his head.
"Excuse me."
His ears perked up with the sound of Haruna's voice and cautious footsteps. He stretched his arms and legs out and yawned,"Hey, Haruna-chan."
The girl sat beside him and laughed,"I'm real surprised not to find you behind the bar today. Where's the rest of the boys?"
Izumo surprised himself too, after all running this place was his passion. He tilted his head back on the couch and scratched his head.
"I'm just taking a break. Some of the boys are doing reconnaissance with Anna-chan. A lot of stuff has been happening lately.
And when he meant a lot of stuff, he meant hunting down the colorless king and taking care of his red clansmen. His biggest worry was Mikoto. He gave himself up to the special forces because Mikoto knew there was no one else but Munakata who was capable of keeping him under control. Another reason was to make HOMRA appear less capable of creating a ruckus.
"Everyone is searching for the colorless king." Haruna added,"They're searching for that murderer... What's his name?"
"Yashiro Isana."
The boy was the self-proclaimed colorless king who murdered his long time friend. The video they leaked onto the web depicted him as merciless; killing him in cold blood. The maniacal grin was etched into their minds.
"Kusanagi-san...?"
The blonde snapped back into reality and gave a strained grin.
"Ah sorry, sorry." He apologized, still groggy after his rest.
"No, I'm sorry." Her eyes fell to the floor,"You guys are going through so much and I'm here just..."
"Just what?"
"I don't know what I'm doing."
The hands that were clasped in her lap turned white and her head dropped down a sharp ninety degrees. Her hair was undone and cascaded around her face. It was like a dark, sheer curtain. The man had seen that gesture before. Haruna-chan was a girl who had lost direction.
"Tomorrow will decide everything." She whispered loud enough so he could hear,"I will be a pawn that fights for the beliefs of her king."
The metaphor of a pawn and a king meant one thing in their world. This girl was going to pledge herself as a vassal to the blue king.
Izumo wrapped a gentle arm around Haruna's shoulder and brought her towards him. He placed her head by the crook of his neck and patted her head comfortingly. The next minute, her hands moved from her lap to clutch the denim of his jeans. Then something wet began to lightly soak his shoulder.
"Are you ready?"
She didn't seem to hear him and only murmered into his shirt,"I'm so sorry things had to end up this way for HOMRA, Kusanagi-san."
Izumo stroked her head again and combed his fingers into her locks of hair. This girl was so precious. She understood the loses he and his family in HOMRA had to endure.
"Shh, it's okay." The bartender closed his eyes and consoled her,"Don't apologize for things you can't control."
When her breathing became controlled, Izumo opened his eyes again. Haruna was sleeping soundly. He shifted his position slightly and peered down at her face. Her hair no longer obscured her profile. Loose tears continued to fall down her cheek like a parched river.
Another chime sounded throughout the bar, followed by three gruff voices.
"Osu!" Yata came through the door first and waved enthusiastically,"Ah? Kusanagi-san, what are you-"
The vanguard turned a hundred shades brighter, put a hand to his mouth and pointed a finger at the sleeping figure on the couch. Izumo put a finger to his lips and stood up slowly. He gently held Haruna's head and set her gently back on the sofa in a comfortable position. Just then, Chitose and Dewa entered with Anna.
"What's she doing here?!" Yata almost shrieked,"Isn't she working with the blues now?!"
"Haruna-chan is totally okay here, all right?" Izumo scolded,"Regardless of who she's affiliated with."
"Oh my, Kusanagi-san alone in the bar- with the pretty and defenseless Haruna-chan." Chitose chimed suggestively.
"I'm not like you, Chitose-kun."
"Eh? What are you saying?!"
"It means he's not a god damn pervert like you, idiot." Dewa whacked his friend in the skull and pulled his ear.
"Hey now, quiet down." Izumo waved his hands up and down whispering,"We don't want to wake the sleeping princess now, do we?"
Anna had appeared from her position behind Yata and approached Haruna.
"She's been crying." Anna noted simply.
All eyes were glued to the girl on the couch now. Even from their distance it wasn't too difficult to tell. Her usual bright self was nowhere to be found. Haruna has been going through some turmoils of her own. Izumo shifted his glasses up the bridge of his nose and cleared his throat. Catching the men's attention, he was ready to hear what they had found out about Yashiro Isana's position. Izumo will call the Tundra Woman to pick up the girl.
"Oi Anna, let her sleep." Yata called out to the eleven year old.
Anna's eyes didn't leave Haruna. The little girl reached out and touched the hand that laid across her stomach.
"She feels empty."
"Anna-chan..." Izumo opened his mouth to comment, but nothing had come out. He gave up and just gave a small frown. He brought a hand up and tousled her white locks of hair dotingly.
"The next time she comes back, Haruna-chan will be a much stronger and different person."
Izumo was the only person in the room who understood what he himself meant.
"I'm glad you care about us. You will always be welcomed in HOMRA, Haruna-chan. Thank you."
"Kusanagi-san...?"
Haruna woke up and opened her eyes to a ceiling that didn't belong to Bar HOMRA. She swore she heard the bartender's voice beside her just now. Alarmed, she looked looked around realized she wasn't on a sofa, but her own bed. She noticed a slip of pink paper on her dresser and took it into her grasp.
If you are reading this message now, it is already evening. Don't worry, Aigasa-kun. An acquaintance of mine informed me about your whereabouts and I picked you up. Please rest well for tomorrow. - Seri Awashima
She crumpled the note in a ball and threw it towards the corner of her room. Haruna wished Kusanagi left her asleep on the sofa. She curled into a ball on top of her sheets and tightly hugged her knees to her body. The sooner the better, Fushimi had said to her. This was no kind of excitement.
The fear continued to linger.
A/N: I actually felt like crying while writing this segment. A lot of shit has been happening to HOMRA. Izumo is always so composed, but two precious friends have been taken away. One is dead and the other one is... well you know. Yeah, I'm crying. DON'T LOOK AT ME. AH!
The events in K have been altered a bit. In a way that Haruna's ceremony doesn't happen right before HOMRA's raid at Ashinaka High, haha. That would stress her out... big time.
AlexandriaSummer: I'm very happy you enjoyed it! I loved writing Mikoto, haha.
SmileRen: Nice seeing you again, Ren! No worries, haha! Yeah... personally, I myself would be very honored to serve under a king. I wouldn't think I'd fear the committment to Munakata either; I think he's a very great man. It would be a wonderful power, but to Haruna... yes... she's afraid of the new world she will be entering. Psh, and no worries, I love philosophical! Your review made my day! Thanks again!
ウサギちゃん：え？マジか (ﾟДﾟ≡ﾟДﾟ)?（笑）ウサギちゃんの日本語は無理はないです。何を勉強していますか? 私は文法が苦手である（笑） あぁ、だい↓じょー↑ぶ！いつも、いつもありがとうございます！頑張りますo(・`д・´｡)！Just keep working hard, girl! I'll help you practice with my poor grammar skills, ohohohoho-
I'll see you guys next weekend, probably. (つ∀｡)ｷｬﾊｯ Toodles!
ーマキ