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278659 SHORT-STORY ~ RESPONSIBILITIES ISSUES

"Say, aren't you from Midori High?"

"Weehee, an elite girl!"

"Hey, join our gokon (Asian type of gathering for single people to hook up with someone from the opposite gender, should count the same number of girls and boys), missy! We're a girl short."

"Aren't you pretty cute, huhum… I promise to take good care of you. Come have some fun with us!"

"Ahiii… Just mind your own business! Haru already has someone!"

"Haha, the cutie can bite! Well, you say that but we're rather good ourselves, right?"

"You're not obliged to tell your man when everyone just want a little fun, right?"

"Pfff, don't think you have a chance in comparison! Haru is not interested so let go!"

"Playing hard to get, tsk… Just drop it guys, there's plenty oth…"

"Haha, what are you talking about…? Just when it's starting to get interested… Don't you know that difficult cuties are the best once tamed…?"

"Wuh, count me out if it's another of your lame games… I just want a normal date for this gokon, you animal…"

"Ahiii! Are you idiots or something?! Stop ignoring Haru and take your hands off, I said! Or Haru will… ah? TSUNA-SAN!"

And Haru waves loudly at Tsuna and Gokudera passing across the street, even happier than usual to see them.

"Ah, Haru!" Tsuna answers, before spotting the four high-schoolers surrounding her and who have also turned to stare at them.

"S-scary… G-Gokudera-kun…"

"Tsk, what is this Stupid Woman doing again…? Let's go, 10th."

"Wh-what are you talking about, Gokudera-kun?! Let's help her out!"

"Help? What for?"

Tsuna's expression crumbles at wondering how Gokudera can be so clueless as long as the 'fight' doesn't involve regular violence.

"O-of course we need to help, because girls can't... I mean, right now, Haru is…"

"KYAAAH!" The piercing shout in their back interrupts Tsuna, and he turns just in time to see one of the guys' lips leave Haru's cheek.

BAM. A second later, her schoolbag has landed in the culprit's face though, pushing him away and obliging him to retract his arm from around her shoulders. A kick from her heel on the jerk's toes later and she's running away from the group of guys while insulting them loudly.

"Uwaah, they're coming this way too…?! What to do, what to do?!"

"Tsk!"

GRAB. Haru is sent flying towards Tsuna when Gokudera grabs her to make her pass behind his back, stepping forward while pulling out dynamite, ready to face whoever would come their way.

"Do not make light of a Vongola Guardian, damn brats…!" His dark tone and the threatening light in his green eyes are enough to make the teenagers stop on their tracks and turn heels, not planning to run into a fight just for the sake of evening odds for their gokon.

"Tsk, no guts, as expected…"

"Phew, thank you Gokudera-kun…"

"M-m-my honour, 10th!"

"T… thank-you-desu…"

"Ugh, what kind of damn face is that, Stupid Woman?! Tsk…"

"S… sorry… sob sob…"

"Ah, Haru! D-don't cry, see, it's finished, see…"

"Sob… H-Haru knows b-but… it still feels… sob sob… so disgusting… in front of Tsuna-san too, sob…"

"Ah hum, for me, i-it wasn't a big deal, I mean… Uwaah! D-don't cry! No I mean, I mean, s-sorry Haru, I really didn't mean…!"

"Tsk, just stop whining to the 10th when you just had to damn hit them first, you stupid. Waiting for them to land a hit first, how damn retarded…"

"Wh-wh-what?! How dare you, you insensitive Aho?!"

"Sensibility my ass! How old are you to cry for something like that?! If you don't like it, just counter before it happens! Blaming it on the 10th, tsk…"

"Ah no, well, she didn't blame me, and… and hum, you know, Gokudera-kun, I also feel responsible because we didn't go and help on time. I'm really sorry, Haru…"

"Guuh, 10th, for you to personally take responsibility although I was nearby… I'm really… a failure as a Guardian and as your Right Hand Man, ugh…"

"… where is that coming from again…"

"Ano, Tsuna-san…"

"Yes, Haru…?"

"Haru didn't mean to blame Tsuna-san, sorry-desu…"

"Eeh? Ah no wait, I mean, you're the one who was hurt so… and these guys were the ones responsible too… anyway, don't apologize, okay?"

"… sob..."

"Haru…"

But Haru's eyes are still watery, and she doesn't stop scratching her cheek with her sleeve, as if enough rubbing would make the disgusting sensation disappear. Tsuna can only try to comfort her while Gokudera's frown deepens at seeing the states she remains in.

Damn… The 10th is even personally blaming himself… personally cheering her up… Just why in Hell is this Stupid Woman like that for something so small… small but... maybe he's really the one not taking responsibility enough… After all, at that time, the 10th had called him to assist, and yet he hadn't taken the mission seriously… Damn, he ignored the 10th recommendation… Even though the Vongola intuition was probably speaking, he ignored his Boss' recommendation and failed to protect a member of their Family from tears… How can he ever make amend for that… How can he take responsibility…

Gokudera's fists tighten of frustration as he gazes at Haru still sobbing and Tsuna still clumsily trying to comfort her.

"… oy, Stupid Woman…?"

"A… hi…?"

"What does it take to make your forget these jerks?"

"Ahiii?!"

"Just spit it, tsk…"

"What are saying again, Aho?! Even if Haru could beat them down and hand them over to Namahage, Haru just can't forgive the worst attack of her life, unforgettable-desu!"

"Worst one…? You can't damn be serious…"

"Ahiii, don't make Haru repeat it, especially not in front of Tsuna-san! Shameful-desu, sob sob…"

"Just stop crying already, damn it! And stop bringing up the 10th's name every sentence!"

"… sob…"

"Fine, fine, then just get going with something worse than that, and you'll damn forget it, for Hell's sake!"

"What kind of reasoning is that, Aho?!"

"Raah, even a Stupid Woman like you is human, so just apply basic human psychology rules saying the mind remember the last important occurrence and get over it! The 10th will keep on feeling responsible if you don't stop crying soon, damn!"

"Ano, Gokudera-kun, I feel like a bad guy, with you saying it like that… can't you just say it kindly…"

"It's only a kiss too, nothing more than a greeting in many countries!"

"Haru is not from a playboy country like yours, you Aho! Stop making it sound like it's normal and no big deal just to annoy Haru! Hypocrite-desu!"

"What hypocrite?! I really damn not care! Raah, just get done with it already, for Hell's sake, wasting the 10th precious time again…"

"Done with what?! Stop pushing Haru!"

"Done with the new occurrence, I already explained, damn it! Do you ever pay attention to people talking, Stupid Woman?!"

"Haru doesn't want another occurrence, w-w-what are you saying, sob…! Heartless-desu… Haru never wants that again! Hateful-desu…"

"Ugh, why do you start crying again?! And it's the goal, the goal! A new shock to make you forget the precedent one and… Raah, forget it, you're not even listening anymore. I'm fed up already, damn it…!"

CHU. A huge silence falls as Gokudera's lips come and leave Haru's cheeks, just on the red spot she's rubbed to get rid of the sensation from before.

"Here, enough already?" Gokudera asks with his usual ranting frown, his tone lecturing and annoyed the same as when he's usually explaining the rationality behind maths to Tsuna.

But as Haru has frozen of shock and doesn't make any answer, he has to conclude that it wasn't enough to demonstrate his theory and he bends over again, bringing his lips to her temple, then to her cheeks and finally the corner of her lips, before pulling away to look at the result of his 'demonstration' with a scientific pose, his hand resting on his chin.

"So, how about now?" He asks again with the composure of a professor having just assembled together the pieces of an android and asking for a signal from his creation in answer.

"…"

"Hum?"

"A… hi… iiiiiiiii…?!"

"So…?"

BAM. So Haru's schoolbag slams in his face brutally, preventing him from seeing the expression of his guinea pig as she lands a kick in his tibia before running away at full speed to hide her crimson face from sight, shouting insults until she crosses the street and disappears.

"Aouch, no but what is this damn Stupid Woman's problem?! Hum, 10th, what is the matter…?"

"… I think I'm not cut to take over in Italy, that's for sure…"

"Eeeh?! 10th, is something wrong? Ah, wait, please don't leave! Damn… Did I… disappoint you in something or…?! But you said you were feeling responsible, so I just wanted to…!"

"… t… then please keep on taking responsibilities, Gokudera-kun… I guess I need a couple more years before being able to follow behind, sigh…"