Yeah I know I haven't been writing for ages and by now I really mean for ages, but it was that I had a BAD writer's block for the whole last year because of a lot of reasons, an identity crisis you might call it. Anyway, I hope it's finally over and I've got a lot of spare time left for writing now.


Still, the chapter hasn't become that long because I decided to put the next scene (a place Haruka likes, mark that Betty ;-) to the next chapter.

THX & Dedications to:

- Phil: for finding the title song of the story No I won't tell the readers yet!

-Valli: as always, you say it best when you say nothing at all!

-TK: for a lot of fast food keeping creativity alive .

-Oba-san, Saki: I told you, it's a curse. The curse of the best male friend, that

could be an subtitle for this ficcie… Never hug a boy or he'll fall for you --

- all my male friends: I'm sorry guys, Jack turns out to become a weird mixture of all of you, except the two quieter ones and yes you exactly know who I mean by that -

Disclaimer & Warning:

Ew, I'm tired of this. Just leaf back to the first chapter. We all get annoyed by this stuff again and again, don't we?

The Other Side Chapter IV- Friendship

Ten past eight.

Haruka sat on the couch and was fidgeting around with her jacket's buttons, looked at her watch, ran her hand through her hair, looked at the watch again and sighed- if she only had insisted to drive on her own, she wouldn't sit around like this.

Jack had promised to pick her up at eight o'clock because Michiru was at Ayako's and she had decided to spend the evening with him in some pub or disco or maybe both.

Quarter past eight. Haruka picked up the phone and dialed Jack's number.

"Moshi moshi?"; a sleepy voice answered.

"Hey, this is Haruka, what are you thinking to leave me sitting here and waiting for you?"
"Haruka-san? Oh well, I somehow forgot…"

"YOU FORGOT? What were you doing all day?"

"I'm sorry…I wasn't asleep or whatever you're thinking."
"Fuckin' some of my friends or what?"

Haruka still believed he was playing around with everyone, including her.

"I didn't… I was just… thinking…"

"You should've thought about picking me up!"

"I'm there in ten minutes."
"Thanks a lot, but I'll drive myself."

"Haruka, please…don't always think I'm planning to let you down…"

"But you..."

"I won't do it again."

Before Haruka could say anything, he had hung up the phone.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang.

The blonde opened and let Jack in.

"Didn't you want to go out this evening?"; she asked in wonder when he sat down on the couch.

"I don't feel like that right now. If you want me to leave, I'll…"

Haruka sighed.
"Was that the reason for you were late?"

"Yes. I didn't want to pull you down…"

"You could simply have called and told me."

She looked at him who was having dark shadows below his eyes and became curious, then anxious: "What's the matter with you?"

But instead of answering her question, he stood up and smacked her forehead.

"I said I didn't want to pull you down dear, so let's go!"

"Since when have we been that close, Sir?"; Haruka asked in artificial seriousness.

"All right… Japanese… no dear, but I hope just "Haruka" doesn't hurt your dignity?"

"If that's your only problem, it's okay – iku ga!"

"Iku!"

When Jack grabbed her arm, she considered pulling it away for a moment, but then hooked onto his arm.

After all that happened at the party the week ago and this evening, Haruka had decided it would only be fair to give him a chance.

At the same time, at Ayako's house…

"… and she really wants to meet with him? What is so special about this guy?"

That was what Michiru had kept asking herself for the last days, as well.

Haruka had never ever shown any interest in men; not even to the extent of a friendship.

So why was she suddenly dating someone who had almost killed her on the track?

But, she tried not to blush, dating wasn't the right word, as Ayako said, she just wanted to meet him.

"The only thing that's sure is that I'm not supposed to be jealous", Michiru smiled.

"Well, are you?", asked Ayako in her typically frank way.

The violinist shook her head.

"It's just strange somehow…"

When they had entered the bar, Haruka had already felt a strong desire to get out as soon as possible because of some guys peering at her.

Though she could easily pass as a man among women, her feminine features were more striking in direct comparison with men.

Still, she didn't really feel at ease.

But drinking was not the way out since they had come with her car after all.

"And since when have you been into racing?"

Jack was sitting in front of her and tried everything not to stop their conversation; after half an hour, it had become unnerving to Haruka, but still she answered his questions patiently.

"Since junior high."

"Wow! But you weren't allowed to drive in the streets then, were you?"

Haruka sighed. Motorcycles sure were a great topic, but somehow too little to talk about nothing else all night.

Just when she decided not to listen anymore, she felt the grip of a hand on her right shoulder.

As she turned around, she saw a man about forty who grinned at her.

"Hi, me and my friends were just wondering whether you are with this guy…"

The blonde cocked an eyebrow.

"Didn't you see we entered together?"

"Yes we did. I meant, are you WITH him?"

Was the guy trying to flirt with her? Haruka smiled into herself and grinned at Jack who looked at her in amazement.

"No I'm not."

The man behind her grew more and more self-confident.

"Then I may say that you're a really beautiful one. Wanna come over to our table for a drink? I mean you can bring your friend …"

Should she bang her head against the table? Laugh at him? Run away?

Before she was able to respond, Jack had stood up.

"That she isn't with me doesn't mean she is single, don't you get that?"

"Oh well don't you think the lady can answer herself?"

Haruka got hold of Jack's arm.

"Just ignore him."

The least thing she wanted to do was having a fight because of nothing at all- nothing but a little too much alcohol, at the most.

"But…"

But the blonde had already dragged him halfway out of the bar.

"What was that about?", she asked Jack when they were back in the car.

"I just wanted to… protect you."

She let out a sigh.

"And you don't think I can protect myself?"

He frowned, then put a hand on her arm.

"But you're a woman and you know, guys like that can become really dangerous… I didn't want to insult you or anything like that. Believe me."

He looked as if her last question had knocked him completely down.

Kami-sama, Haruka thought, how old was this guy?

Trying to be some Don Juan, he wasn't more than a little boy.
Why be mad at him?

Haruka couldn't tell why, but she just had to hug him.

"Still feel like going out?"

Jack nodded silently.

"Then we're going to a place I like now."

2004/11/25, 2:42