Chapter 5
ooOoo
Why did he do that? And in front of Tsuna-san? Oh Tsuna-san please don't hate Haru. Haru is not cheating on you!
These thoughts occupied Haru's mind as she anxiously strode in their living room. Her parents, who have been curiously watching her walking around in circles for around five minutes already, decided that it was time to approach their seemingly troubled daughter.
"Haru."
Haru jumped in shock at her dad's worried voice. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts she forgot they were there in the house with her, probably have even been watching her since then.
"Y-Yes, dad?"
Mr. Miura took a long breath before continuing. It's not that unusual at all for their daughter to act very weirdly. Haru has always been a strange girl. But only those people close to her knows when her strangeness draws the line and is something they should be worried about. Now is among those times.
"Do you have anything you would like to talk about?"
Haru wide-eyed at this. Well there is something on her mind that she wants to talk about but she wonders if her parents are the best people to talk it over with. She decided to avoid the topic.
"Nothing, dad." She gave them what he thought was a reassuring smile. "Just distracted about school."
Her mother eyed her suspiciously, clearly not believing her daughter's words. If there is something Haru isn't good at, it's lying.
"Haru-" Mrs. Miura started but Haru cut her off.
"No, really. I'm fine."
"Did you fight with your friends?"
"Eh?" Haru gave them a confused look. "No mom, it's nothing like tha-"
Suddenly, the window clattered open. The Miuras fearfully watched as a figure emerged from the opened window. Haru took a step backwards to her parents and Mr. Miura was readying himself for the trespasser. Mrs. Miura held tightly into her husband's arm while safely tucking Haru behind her.
A moment later, a tall and slender teen with blonde hair and a tiara stood in front of them. He wears a rather cheerful grin on his face, quite inappropriate at the tension inside the house.
Haru stepped forwards.
"Hahi! Bel-san?"
Both her parents arched their eyebrows at this. One of Haru's friends? But this is the first time a friend entered their house through the window. No, actually, Haru rarely brings her male friends over. It's mostly Kyoko and the kids. Mr. Miura regarded her daughter in question.
"Haru, who is this?"
Haru's eyes flitted back and forth between her parents and Belphegor. She was expecting him to come after what he had told her at lunch earlier. But never in Haru's mind did she thought the blonde prince would enter through their living room window.
"Ushishi. Good evening." Belphegor greeted casually. As if he had not just made their hearts' attack due to his trespassing.
"Bel-san! Y-You, why did you come through the window?"
Belphegor gave a quick glance back at the opened window before turning to Haru.
"Going through the door is a little boring for the prince."
Haru's parents glanced at each other. Just where did their daughter pick up this weird friend of hers?
"Excuse me? What can our daughter do for you?" Mr. Miura asked with a polite yet commanding voice that parent's like him are capable of.
This didn't seem to intimidate Belphegor at all. He strode towards Haru and suddenly lifted her off her feet. Haru shrieked in surprise.
"Wh-What are you doing, Bel-san? Put Haru down!"
Belphegor smirked down at her. He gave his usual grin to Haru's shocked parents before leaving.
"Bye, bye. The prince has to leave with the princess."
Mr. and Mrs. Miura stood frozen on their spots. It was only after their daughter and the blonde teen exited through the window did they move from their spot. Mr. Miura ran outside, searching for the two teens but there was only the empty streets and the cold dark evening.
ooOoo
Haru was all red in the face as she and Belphegor were outside. She was about to protest and flail herself at the blonde prince but Belphegor suddenly leaped to the roof, carrying her. To her surprise, she immediately grabbed unto Bel's black and red striped shirt and clung into his neck. Bel didn't stop there because he jumped off to their neighbor's house. Belphegor jumped from roof to roof as he carried Haru in bridal style.
They stopped. Haru looked around to see they were in front of the sushi restaurant of Yamamoto's dad. Belphegor put her down and Haru reluctantly followed him inside TakeSushi.
At the counter, Mammon looked up to see Bel with Haru behind him. The ex-Mist Arcobaleno regarded them with amusement.
"I didn't think you were serious about bringing her here."
"Ushishi. I do want I want because I'm a prince."
From behind the counter, Yamamoto's dad greeted Bel.
"Oh Belphegor! Nice to see you again" he looked a little closer to see the teenage standing behind Belphegor.
"Eh? Aren't you Miura Haru-san? Takeshi's friend."
Haru nodded. "Yes. Hello Mr. Yamamoto."
Bel ordered shortly and went to look for seats. Mammon followed him and Haru behind them.
As soon Bel sat down, Haru rounded on her.
"Why did you do that? My parents must be worried sick now!" she scolded him. Belphegor just gave her a lazy look.
"Urgh. You're so annoying!" Thankfully, Haru has her mobile phone with her. She walked a few steps away from the two Varia before giving her parents a call. True enough, Mr. Miura was panicking on the other end of the line. Mumbling about kidnapping and calling the police. It was hard calming them down and assuring them that she is okay.
Meanwhile, Mammon turned to Belphegor.
"You should know that I won't pay for her food. Why did you even bring her here in the first place?"
Belphegor cupped his chin with his hand and gave his usual smile. "I'll pay for her. I received my paycheck anyway."
"I really have no idea what goes on in that head of yours."
Haru finished talking to her parents. She felt exhausted after explaining to her parents that Bel is indeed her friend. She does not blame them. Especially as they had just witnessed their own daughter being taken by a total stranger in front of their eyes.
Haru slumped down on her seat and sighed. "This is all your fault." She told Belphegor.
The Varia prince didn't seem to be in any worry. In fact, he looked rather cheerful to Haru.
"That was exhilarating." He said to her. Haru huffed.
"It was shocking! Haru was afraid we would fall to the ground at any moment!"
"We won't. I'm a genius and that was nothing of an exercise for me."
"You're very weird."
"Ushishi."
Their food arrived shortly. In her annoyance, Haru immediately picked up a sushi with her chopsticks and started eating. She finished then took another one, and another, and another. She ate fast. Belphegor and Mammon could only stare at him.
"I didn't know you were this hungry. Should I order more?"
Haru glared at him before swallowing her sixth sushi.
"Eat slowly. You'll choke."
She ignored him again. In her haste, she swallowed her seventh sushi and choked.
Belphegor laughed with mirth at Haru clutching her throat with one hand while reaching out for water. Mammon poured water on her glass and she gulped everything down.
"You're really interesting." Belphegor said in between laughs.
Haru gave her a look. "Stop laughing at Haru!"
Belphegor's laugh subsided after a while and he went back to consuming his favorite sushi. Mammon remained quiet.
"Why did you do that?" Haru suddenly asked, referring to Bel's kiss on her forehead earlier at school. "Tsuna-san might think otherwise!" She was really worried now. She worked so hard to be Tsuna-san's bride and was afraid the gesture the Varia prince showed him might destroy all her efforts.
Mammon raised an eyebrow at this. "What happened?"
Haru turned to Mammon, fuming. "Bel kissed Haru on the forehead! In front of Tsuna-san!" Behind his hood, Mammon turned to look at Belphegor. He never heard of their Storm Varia showing any gestures of affection before. No, he didn't know him capable of being any close as human. He has always been the psychotic, sadistic Prince the Ripper.
Belphegor just flashed them his usual toothy grin and didn't answer. Haru was growing frustrated by the minute now.
They finished their meal soon and the trio left the restaurant. Haru was still annoyed at Bel and she immediately went her way when they were outside. Belphegor started to follow her.
"Where are you going?" Mammon called him back.
"Ushishi. I'll walk the princess home."
Mammon raised an eyebrow at this. Since when did Belphegor walked someone home? And a girl at that. He ignored him and went the opposite direction.
"I'll go home first."
Haru stomped her feet on her way home. She was really angry now. At first, getting along with Belphegor was so she could fulfill her role as a good wife to her future husband's subordinates. She's starting to regret it now. She should have realized sooner that the Storm Varia would only mess with her. He even threw his knives at her before!
Haru was so absorb in her thoughts that she failed to hear footsteps behind her. When she did, she immediately whirled back, expecting the blonde prince to be following her. She was ready to tell him off but she froze when she saw it was three wicked looking teenagers leering at her. Seriously, why is she being a target of lustful men lately?
"Look we found a cutie."
"Miss, want to play with us?"
One of them approached Haru and held her by the wrist.
"Let go of me!" Haru kicked at the teen's stomach, sending him doubling on the street in pain.
The other two teenagers didn't take it nicely that Haru brought their companion down. They walked towards Haru and pinned her on the wall behind her. Haru struggled in their grasps, she opened her mouth to shout at them but one strong hand covered her mouth and stifled her scream. Beads of tears start to form at the corner of her eyes as one of the teens leaned close to her face and Haru closed her eyes tight shut.
A swish of metals was heard and her two assaulters collapsed on the street in front of her, crescent-shaped knives stuck on their backs and blood ooze from their wounds.
"Ushishi."
Haru looked up to see Belphegor grinning down at the fallen men. She sighed in relief, but instead of mouthing her thanks as Belphegor expected, Haru burst into rage.
"This is all your fault!" she lashed at Belphegor. "If only you didn't bring Haru outside at this hour. If only you didn't do that in front of Tsuna-san. If only Haru didn't become friends with you!" she cried; all of her frustrations spilling out like waterfall from her mouth.
It took a while when Haru realized what she'd done and she bit back her mouth in regret. She expected him to be angry, so she stared down on the ground as she heard Belphegor closed the gap between them.
"Is that so?"
His voice didn't sound angry at all. Haru looked up at him in surprise.
"Are you not angry?"
"Ushishishi. Words like that doesn't get to me." He grinned.
Haru wasn't convinced. She continued staring at him, looking for a hint that she had hurt him with her words, but his bangs blocked her view of his eyes and Haru reached for his bangs to brush his hair away but Bel instinctively caught her hand with his.
A noise behind Belphegor alerted both of them and Haru saw the teen she managed to bring down earlier recover and launched himself at Belphegor to deliver a punch. Belphegor was quick to send a knife straight through the teen's chest, sending him backward and unconscious.
"Did you kill him?" Haru sounded alarmed.
"He will if he does not get treatment immediately."
Haru quickly whipped open her phone and call for an ambulance. Once finished, she grabbed Belphegor's wrist and ran away from the scene. It would be troublesome if they were seen near the injured teens and Haru was sure they won't buy her excuses with Belphegor around.
She stopped at one corner, panting heavily from running. Haru leaned on the wall and slid down to take a sit on the street. Belphegor crouched down beside her.
"You're strange. Those guys attacked you first but you called for help for them." Bel commented, one hand supporting his chin.
"They hurt Haru, yes. But they don't deserve to die."
"Has Sawada brushed on you?"
"Tsuna-san is nice and kind. That's why Haru likes him."
"But he does not like you."
Haru whipped her head to his direction it made her momentarily dizzy.
"Hahi! How can you say that?"
Belphegor smiled knowingly. "The prince just knows."
"You don't! Tsuna-san will definitely like Haru. He thinks of Haru as a friend for now but he would like me soon enough!" Haru piped up defensively.
"I wonder about that."
Haru pointed an accusing finger at Bel. "How can you even say that! What do you know about Tsuna-san's feelings?"
Bel gave a thoughtful expression. "Hmm, nothing. I'm a genius that's all."
Haru crossed her arms over her chest. "Tsuna-san will surely like Haru soon. Just so you watch Bel-san."
"What if he won't?"
Haru turned to him in shock. Just what is the Storm Varia babbling about all of a sudden?
Belphegor grinned. "If he won't like you, what will you do?"
Haru gulped. She has always been positive that the young Vongola boss would reciprocate her feelings that she was now left speechless at Belphegor's question.
Haru attempted to open her mouth, then she shut it closed again. Belphegor smirked at her speechless form.
The Varia prince stood up. He held one arm for Haru to reach. She took it and slowly stood on her feet.
"If Sawada won't like you back, would you come with me instead?"
Haru froze, Belphegor still held her hand.
"What will you do?"
Haru let go of her hand. "Are you teasing Haru again, Bel-san? That's not very nice.
"Ushishi. The prince is serious."
"But why?"
"Because the prince likes you."
ooOoo
