Disclaimer: Hmm…no, no and no. I do not own Groove Adventure Rave; it's characters and the series. And although I don't own Japan either, I perfectly understand I'm allowed to use their language. And…uhhh, other things like that.

Wow… I never realized people were onto this fic. 0.o I was planning to dump the whole idea but since people liked it…uh, I guess I'll go on with it then.

Translating to Japanese is hard, so I'll try to minimize it this time. Updates might be more common this time, as at least I've finished my zoids fic and I can give more time to my other fanfics.


Chapter 7

Gale eyed the platinum blonde wearily, sulking as he walked a bit slower than Haru did.

(Flashback)

"Gale…" Shuda tapped the boy's shoulder, catching the blonde's attention.

"I entrust you Haru's safety from now on. I can't look out for him at school. But I know you can. You can keep an eye out for him as you have schedules almost the same…" Shuda looked straight at him in the eyes.

"Hn, why should I? It's not like he's going to kill himself or anything like that. He's a grown man, for crying out loud…" Gale was just about to leave when Shuda grabbed him by the arms.

"Listen, Gale. If it weren't for Haru's father, I myself wouldn't be sure that you'd be able to stay here any minute. It would be to Glory-sama's dismay to find the one he'd help out wouldn't help his son later on…"

Gale froze at the statement, but snapped his arm from Shuda's strong grip. The distraught look in Gale's face however was all the assurance Shuda needed to

know Haru would be safe.

(End Flashback)

The way Haru limped, how he weakly clutched his books on one arm, how messy and ruffled his hair is, how his eyes exhibited fatigue from stress and lack of sleep (possibly even from crying), and how he slacked as he walked… it was Gale's turn to get somehow shocked. Haru, it seemed, knew how to brood even better than him. Gale's cold states were peanuts compared to when Haru moped.

"Ne, Haru-kun!" A voice called out from the corner.

What was the name again?

Ah, Julius Rhozen…

"Aagh! Haru-kun! Daijobu desu ka! You look sick! Geez, your skin is pale, your hair is matted, and now you have eye bugs!" Julius started fussing over Haru.

Gale, seeing how irritating Julius became, voiced out…

"You wanted to know why? His family disappeared in sea, practically nowhere. He's taking things too hard…" Gale drolled, shrugging his shoulders, apathetic to Julius gasping and Seighart blinking.

Then, Haru turned his head to face Gale…

His eyes shot a mean glare at him…

Full of rage and anger, at being so insensitive with the issue…

Yet, suddenly faltering, tears welling up and turning rage to sorrow…

Haru slumped back, his fringe masking his eyes. He continued walking, even if Julius was now catching up on him, Seighart following behind.

Gale was somehow taken aback…the play of emotions replaying in his mind…

Apathy…anger…sadness…lethargy… all within a few spaces of seconds…

"Haru…"

The blonde kept walking, his fringe covering his eyes, masking the pain and loss he was keeping to himself.

"Haru!"

He thought of where could his family be…what happened…what went wrong…he earlier planned to surprise Gale by asking his family to come visit them. Maybe if Gale somehow felt the love of a family…then he'd warm up to his side…and…and…

At least he thought it would be…

"Haru! Stop it at once!"

The platinum-haired blonde was a bit shocked when he was grabbed by the arm and turned forcefully towards Seighart. The boy had been calling after him, and had only caught up with him after deciding to run after.

"Haru…"

Haru just stared into his eyes, searching the depths of azure for some sort of protection…some sort of proof that he'd belong to something more than just friendship. Feeling weak though, he gave up and hugged Seighart tight, crying on his chest and allowing Seig to hold him up.

"We're sorry for what happened, Haru…please…don't cry…" Seighart did his best to comfort the boy who was trembling in his embrace, tears evident now in his uniform.

"I don't know where to look towards to, now Seighart…they're my family. If nothing more, they were what I was expecting to go back to after I finish college…" Haru clutched at him more tightly.

"It…it'll be alright, Haru…you'll see. Maybe they'd find you're family later on…the coast guards might not have given up their search just yet…" Seighart ran his hands smoothly on the boy's back, hoping to suppress the tremors brought by crying.

"You think so?" Haru looked at him, with wide eyes.

Seighart blushed lightly at this, caught off guard. " Yes…I do…"

Haru finally stopped crying and angrily wiped at his tears. Julius caught up with them, with Elie in tow. Gale followed smoothly after them, eyeing Haru from a distance.

He felt relieved.

Because for the first time of the day, Haru smiled again, a genuine smile.

All five arrived in school just in time, except for the minor difference of Haru being called to office as the administration has been informed of the said mishap of Haru's family. He was given special pass to leave at anytime of the days to go with excused absence and compensation of grades until he be given news of his family. Haru thanked the school's grace and consideration and hurriedly informed of his friends.

"Seig, I'd like to ask you a favor…" Haru turned towards the azure blonde.

"Yes, Haru?"

"I don't know much of where to go where I might be able to find news of my family. Can you accompany me later on? I asked the board and he gave you the same privilege as I have…"

"Hey! Why only him? What about us?" Julius and Elie mouthed out in retort.

Seighart decided to answer it for Haru. "Haru and I have the same schedule of classes, so I don't think it will be a bother for me."

Haru added in. "Besides, you're teachers intervened when I asked them about both of you. Uh…they said you had to work on your grades, so they weren't keen in cutting you some slack…Seighart however, excels in all of his classes, so they said it was okay for him…" Haru scratched the back of his head ruefully.

Julius and Elie just kept mumbling about rowdy teachers and their ways of getting into student's lives. Seighart and Haru bid them momentary goodbyes as they went outside the school to find news of Haru's family.

"So where do we start, Seighart?" Both walked side by side towards downtown. The sun seemed a bit more cheery than now and the birds, a bit more noisy.

"We can start good with going to the port first and ask for the coastguards there. They have first hand information of what would be going on. Then, we could go to the local newspaper house and then finally, the bar shacks on the port…"

"Bar shacks?" Haru eyed him weirdly, hearing the two words for the first time.

"They're bars situated near the fisherman's villages, and offer drinks to the men after a night's fishing. People like them also have firsthand news with anything that goes on the sea."

"I get it…" Haru nodded in understanding.

Both halted by the bus stop and took the nearest route towards the coastguard's office. Haru explained the situation well to the officer, who gave his sincerest condolences to the boy. Haru accepted it graciously and left the number of the Shiro Honya in case they have news.

They then took the route towards the newspaper printing press. The handler there was a friend of Seighart's dad and promised to inform them as well if things are found.

Tired a bit, Seighart offered they rest and eat for a moment at downtown square, by the number of café's that lined the plaza. Haru steadily declined, persisting to go to the fisher's village.

"We can't go there right now, Haru." Seighart reasoned with him.

"Why not? The sooner, the better right?" Haru quirked.

"The bars don't open until 3am in the morning, it's when the time fisherman leave for the sea. The following two hours, their wives swarm it, where they wait for their husbands. Then at 6 am, when they'd have come back after fishing, they go drinking there again." Seighart explained.

"What? So it means we have to go there tomorrow?" Haru stiffened, worry gaining control over him again.

"C'mon, Haru. You have to eat at least. God knows what would happen to you if you kept at this pace in an empty stomach." Seighart decided to stop the baby act and forcefully drag the boy with him inside a restaurant.

Sighing, Haru allowed himself something to eat. Seighart ordered two slices of pizza and a banana split for each of them. Although Haru really had no intention of eating, he allowed Seighart to prod that slice of pizza and that spoon of ice cream into his open mouth.

"Knock it off, Haru. You act like some kid that needs to be spooned just to eat." Seighart smiled a bit from Haru's antics. Haru grinned as he wiped his lips of ice cream and prodded that finger into his mouth, savoring the cream and fudge.

Both ate in silence for a few moments. A few people passed by, some few girls giggling at them, and a few men as well. Both didn't mind them though, Haru thinking about his family's whereabouts and Seighart thinking of some other matter.

Afternoon came, and both took the bus back to their school. Haru reported to the dean of today's itinerary before going home, and Seighart reporting to Julius and Elie of today's itinerary before bringing Haru home.

"Wow, so you took all that time today just to find news about Haru's family and almost three quarters of it was spent eating two slices of pizza and a banana split?" Julius mouthed out before stopping himself from doing so, the quartet walking towards the bookstore while Gale, unknown to them, was following and listening on cue.

Both blushed momentarily before eyeing the other one with knowing eyes. Seighart smiled at Haru, and the other, offering a grin.

Gale didn't miss that look on Haru. The look of Haru's eyes on Seighart.

"Oh please, will you two knock that talk! You two look like some guys from that yaoi doujinshi I borrowed from Julius!" Elie playfully punched both men's shoulders. Julius, in an instant, was on Elie; digging his fists on the girl's temples, while Elie, stretching Julius face to a wide radius.

Haru reddened further more. Seighart only blinked a bit, but noted that blush in Haru's cheek. Of course, Elie had only meant it a joke between friends but why would Haru blush that much? Seighart wondered…

"Saa, I'll see you guys in the morrow then…" Haru waved goodbye when they reached the intersection. Seighart reminded him of waking up 3am in the morning for their trip to the ports, to which Haru mildly noted. After that, each separated to their own accord.

Haru silently prodded his way back, his mind adrift. Probably the reason why he didn't notice Gale coming up on him…

"You could easily die if you walk like that Glory…" Gale said behind his back, to which Haru promptly jumped in surprise.

"Ah…didn't see you there, Gale-san…I was thinking of something…" Haru said in a dazed voice.

"Hn, you'd better watch out for yourself, it's not everyday that I can keep my eyes on you…" Gale walked by his side.

"Eh?" Haru raised a brow on that.

"Shuda asked me to look out over you after last night's incident. Bit afraid you'd do yourself some hurt…" Gale looked away while talking, a bit shy himself over the issue.

"Sou ka? It's okay…you can stop doing that now. I'll tell Shuda-kun I'll be fine from now on. I guess I just overreacted last night…" Haru looked down.

"Overreacted? Hearing your family disappearing into the ocean? You have all the right to react accordingly as what you did last night…" Gale looked at him.

"Why? Gale-san? Did you cry when you found out you've no family? Maybe you've been used to hurt all along…accepted the fact that you're family doesn't exist anymore. But I lost mine…and it hurts more that you know you lost your family that loves you than being given away to some orphanage because your mother cant afford to keep you near her…"

Slap!

Haru clutched at his cheek, which was now starting to redden at what Gale did. Haru sensed the anger and hurt in the other boy, his eyes betraying his emotions.

"Fuck you! Are you trying to insinuate what happened to my condition? I didn't lose my family because I was given away…I lost mine because some stupid person connived against my father and in the end brought my family to death. You heard your family disappear into the depths of the sea…you know what I saw? I saw my father and mother shot before me! Would you think of that as something nice! Huh! Haru!"

"I wouldn't think so…no…so in the end, we're here, and just the same unable to do anything about what happened to our families. I guess we have nothing to talk about then, Gale-san…you made me see that it's all fair between us…I lost mine and you lost yours…now leave me alone!" Haru sulked all the more, walking in a straight line, his eyes hidden behind the fringe of his hair.

Gale was stunned a bit, but not before recollecting his scattered mind and catching up with the other blonde.

"Look…I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to start that issue, but you looked all the way…well…close to suicide. I just didn't want any reason of being kicked out of the dorm…" Gale shrugged at him.

"So is that it then? Am I just a fragile object that guarantees your stay in the dorm, huh? What am I to you anyway? We're just dorm mates, I'm not the one sending you to school! I told you I'll go talk to Shuda about your responsibility over me, so that you can stop worrying about me and your whole stupid dormitory rental crap!" Haru regarded at him angrily.

"You might just be right on that…you may not be sending me to school…but your father was…" Gale whispered softly.

"What? What did you just say?"

"Your father was a good friend of my dad. He…they were very good friends until that day I lost him. I was left in an orphanage for three years until he found me. He supported me, sent me to school and answered for all my allowances and financial needs. Your mother knew and even your sister. And they accepted me, and would come visit me when they'd have time, bringing cookies and small items of interest…"

"Cookies? I thought those weekend visits were going to grandma…" Haru gaped.

"I wanted them to stay with me, not until Uncle Gale told me he had a son to go back to. After high school, he still sent me my allowances and needs, but he and your family never came again to visit. I was angry then…not at them but…at you."

"Losing them and their visits was like losing a second family. That hurt even more to me, because I know they'd have a choice of coming to see me…but they didn't…because of you."

Haru stopped walking and regarded at Gale. He nodded a bit, seeming to understand things.

"You're dream? Of me shouting at you? That was real. I came to your house and tried to know you…why you were important to them. I shouted things my distraught mind wasn't able to put two and two together. And that resulted to a lot of confusion."

"Your father was a good friend to my dad, and he was the one who tried to save his soul…in the end, my father being a hard headed fool met his death…my kindly mother a victim of that incident. I was sent to the orphanage with the idea that it was your dad's fault…not until I saw the man himself who killed my dad. Your father sent him to jail, and I was very glad at that." Gale brushed off a tear that started to well in his eyes.

Haru regarded him thoughtfully. "But why, then? Why are you still being a jerk towards me if all that you said was true? Shouldn't we be at least friends knowing that my father helped you somehow?"

Gale smiled wistfully at him." I tried Haru; I really did try to like you as a friend. Ever since that day, when we met at the ship. Your father told me you'd board on that day on the ship he told you to do so. You found me, and I was inching enough to even shake your hand…but I didn't. I returned to my tough guy image and became a jackass in front of you. I guess old habits die-hard. I still wasn't maybe able to accept you as a competition to the love of your family though…"

Haru was still absorbing all the facts that he had given him.

"By the way Haru…my full name…is Gale Lucia Rareglove…"


I know that it isn't really his name...but I hate calling a guy Lucia! Please bear with me! cowers in a corner

Well…and so I updated. Not much of an update, but I hope that will do. Reviews are appreciated if you liked this style much better than the previous six. I'll reply on your reviews by the next update.

Probable update: 1 week. That's a maximum. Unless some sort of catastrophic world wide disaster like a meteor hit the Pacific Ocean and the world is submerged fifty meters below sea level…or I pricked my forefinger on a needle…then my update will be good to go by next week….

P.S. I'd knock myself out of the Japanese translation stuff…the reason: I'm still holding an audition for probable muses. It's really hard making a story without one. T.T