Haruka glared at the door in front of her. A note, clearly something Shinra hastily scribbled, was taped to it saying that the apartment's occupants weren't home at the time. The frown set on Haruka's lips deepened when she mentally recounted how many times she'd seen that note in the past week.

'They're avoiding me,' Haruka thought, swiping the note from the door and replacing it with numerous alien stickers before childishly storming off. She pouted as she left building and wandered the city. Haruka realized that they'd been avoiding her since she had scolded Celty. 'They can't possibly be mad at me for that.' She then giggled when she recalled how much fun she had later that day. Speaking of fun, was that a familiar head of black hair she spotted?

The auburn-haired woman weaved through the crowd quickly and tugged on the person's jacket. "Yo~!" she greeted, happy to have found someone to play with.

The boy turned around, eyes widening in recognition. "It's you!"

"Yup! It's me~!" Haruka trilled, happy that the boy remembered her. "And since you don't look like you're doing much, how 'bout we hang out? I'm so lonely~!" Without letting the boy get a word in, she dragged him off to the Sunshine City building.

Hours later, Mikado was leaning against the outside of the Sunshine City building, panting heavily after the last bout of DDR Haruka forced him to play with her. [1] Of course, she picked the hardest songs and wouldn't let him stop when it turned out to be too much for him.

"Well," Haruka sighed, prancing out of the building to stand next to the tired boy, "I suppose you have to be heading home. You have school tomorrow, after all." She shoved a prize she won in the arcade into Mikado's arms, partially as a gift and partially because she didn't need it.

Mikado had no use for the toy either, but learned through the course of the day that one just doesn't win an argument with Haruka. "That's right. Thank you for today. You didn't have to pay for me, but thank you. I'll try talking to Celty on your behalf. That's what you really wanted, right?"

Haruka waved it off, though her eyes narrowed just slightly at the implication. "Don't worry about it. It was hilarious watching you struggle at DDR," she laughed. "And don't even think of getting rid of that toy. Give it to that little girlfriend of yours," she teased, winking just as the boy sputtered out that she wasn't his girlfriend, his face flushing a deep red.

"Yeah yeah. Now get going." Haruka watched Mikado disappear into the night crowd. Once she could no longer see him, she spoke up again. "You can come out now. I know you've been following us almost all day."

The person hesitated for a moment before walking out from the alley behind her. "What are you planning to do to Mikado?"

Haruka kept her gaze forward. "My, my. So distrustful. I'm not plotting anything. I'm just having some fun."

The high school boy was not satisfied with that answer. "Stop pretending to be clueless! I know you have an ulterior motive," he growled.

A light chuckle escaped the woman's lips as she turned to face him. Her piercing gaze made the boy take a step back. Like a cat taunting her prey, Haruka started circling the blonde. "You know, I find your situation rather ironic. You're his closest friend, yet you know him the least. You wish to protect him, yet he himself is your greatest threat."

Masaomi was stunned by Haruka's claims. "W-what do you mean? I'm his best friend! Mikado wouldn't hide anything from me!"

Haruka's cruel leer didn't falter at his outburst. "So says you. But isn't that a bit hypocritical? After all, you're hiding so much from him as well, aren't you?"

Seeing the guilt on the boy's face, Haruka felt she should give him a fair warning. She spun on her heel and sauntered away. "You'd best be careful around him, Masaomi-kun. Watch him and make sure he doesn't get too bored, lest you may have another Izaya to deal with."

[1] Dance Dance Revolution