A/N: I initially had a different idea for part 5 that would have revealed a ton about the plot instead of just the background going in, but then I got THE BEST IDEA for how Haru and Hikaru would have met three days after Muta and Toto physically hold Hikaru back from nearly dying on the job.

But the really sad part is that this happening is all it would take for the story to never happen.

Sweet Part Five

'I feel ridiculous,' Haru couldn't help thinking after leaving the restroom and joining the line at the concession stand. She nervously looked around her, even though she knew that if her math teacher showed up here, there was precious little he'd be able to do in a public setting.

'Except sit next to you and make it awkward if you try to get up during the movie,' her inner thought whispered, making the girl shudder.

It wasn't like Professor Darington had done anything, per say, but Haru was getting a bit tired of both his antics to keep her under his surveillance as well as everyone else trying to keep her monitored.

'Baby-sat' might be a better phrase for how she felt, hence why she had snuck out so early without telling anyone. It might be a few hours before her mother noticed that she hadn't come down since it was Sunday, but Haru desperately needed to do one thing that didn't make her feel like a five-year old.

Besides, seeing a movie early on a Sunday was a good way to beat the crowds. If she was lucky, she might only have a handful of other people in the audience.

She distantly listened to the babble of girls ahead of her, only getting interested in what they were half-whispering to each other when it sounded like they were planning out an attack more than watching a movie.

"He's here somewhere, I can see Muta and Toto getting their tickets, and they never do anything with just the two of them. Three different rooms are showing Robin Hood, so we have to be methodical if we're going to find him."

Haru looked from the corner of her eye to see two men over at the ticket counter, one ridiculously large and the other almost ridiculously slim by comparison. She frowned at how nervous they looked, as if they were expecting an ambush as they kept almost too close of an eye on the gaggle of girls Haru realized she probably looked like part of. They joined the line a few people behind Haru, and she did everything she could to look straight ahead.

'Just stay calm, Haru. I'm sure whatever it is, it's nothing to worry about. The ushers won't stand for any nonsense in the theatre. Whatever's going on is none of my business.'

At least she was able to get her small soda without any trouble and began her walk for the last of the rooms showing Robin Hood. She couldn't help wishing this latest rendition of the myth would be less disappointing than the last attempt. Her father had been a big sucker for anything Robin Hood, so she couldn't help feeling like a snob when the myth wasn't done justice.

She entered the room, carefully scoping out where she would be least likely to be involved with people or any drama. She carefully made her way up the steps for the second to last row before her eyes picked out the shock of her life.

It was the market guy! It may have been a lame way to think of him, but there was no mistaking that crown of golden hair or those green eyes, looking terrified as they looked straight at her for the first time. The man was uncomfortably sitting on the floor instead of a seat, possibly to keep himself from being seen.

Haru gave a half glance at the entrance, realizing just how likely it was that this was who those girls were planning to hunt down and do who even knew what to. Her heart was pounding like mad at the fact that the man of her fantasies was so close, but she couldn't let herself focus on her selfish wish to run away in embarrassment. 'This may not be my fight, but I know how he feels.' Standing up a little taller, she forced herself to walk down that row, stop a good four seats away from him to set her drink in a holder, and casually remove her long blue coat and toss it in his direction like her couch at home without looking at it, even though none of the other moviegoers were paying attention to her.

The man only looked briefly confused but didn't waste time covering his head with the plain blue fabric in case any of his hair would have given him away between the seats. Haru sat herself down, forcing herself to stare at nothing but the trivia on the screen as other people also filtered into the room. 'Don't look at him, Haru. You are alone in this row. You are enjoying a little 'me' time. Good girl, no one here but you.'

It didn't take long until some of the girls from the gaggle entered the room, separating and looking around like a pack of bloodhounds.

One of them looked up at Haru. "Have you seen a gorgeous guy around here?"

"Isn't that what the screen is for?" Haru asked in her now perfectly executed faux obliviousness, gesturing with her head at the screen before taking a casual sip of her soda, still staring straight ahead.

The girl groaned before looking at her friends. "Any luck?"

"He's not here, either!" one of them whined. "What if it was a trick?"

"Ooh, those two would come up with a trick like this!" the first one fumed while stomping down the tiny set of stairs. "Come on; this movie isn't worth it if Hikaru isn't here."

Haru couldn't resist the urge to glare at the gaggle as they left, grumbling and chewing on their popcorn between phrases. Taking in a cleansing breath, she still forced herself to stare ahead and nowhere else in case they came back. 'So his name's Hikaru. It's nice to finally put a better name to him than 'the market guy'.' It would have been so easy to just look to the side and give him a comforting smile to say 'it's okay, I'm a friend'. But if those girls were so determined to imitate a bad anime- yep!

One girl quickly poked her head back into the room again, gave it another once over, and then slammed the door angrily that everything looked the same as before.

'This is just as good,' Haru consoled herself with another small sip of her soda. 'He's getting the idea I'm at least sane. If nothing else, I'll walk out of this theatre with his respect.'

That thought cheered her up. If this was a normal occurrence for Hikaru, his respect was probably a rare prize. She relaxed a little, though refusing to let her eyes leave the pointless advertisements until the two she recognized from the ticket counter had come in, now with popcorn and their own sodas.

They started up the tiny stairs but stopped short at the sight of her. Did Hikaru tell them where he would be waiting for them?

Haru gave the two men a friendly little wave but decided not to bring attention to herself until they drew closer, as if they were expecting her to spring a trap. "I prefer close to the aisle if you want this row," she told them apologetically, standing up and moving a bit so that they could sit with their friend.

Their eyes flicked once to Hikaru, who was still sitting on the ground with her coat over his head and grinned happily at what hadn't been said in front of the other movie-goers.

"Thank you, this row looks perfect," the slimmer one quietly praised before going in first.

As the bigger man followed, Haru could see that he was hiding a second soda for Hikaru behind his giant bowl of popcorn. The bigger man needed two seats to fit, so Haru still had one space between herself and the big one as they all made themselves comfortable.

It was a lot easier now that there was both the buffer of two men between them and not having to pretend she was alone on the row anymore.

After the room got dark and the first trailer began, Haru felt a light pressure on her knee. She looked down to see the bigger guy discreetly pressing a phone there with an inquiring look in his eye. Her hand took the phone and turned it over to see it was 'Set a New Contact.'

Her eyebrows raised in surprise. She definitely hadn't been expecting this! Sure, it could have been the big guy's phone, but the three were clearly close friends. Whatever she gave one of them, she was essentially giving all of them.

Finding the idea to her liking, she tapped in her information and saved it before returning the phone as discreetly as before, though the action reminded her to turn off her own phone before the movie started.

ooOoo

I would like to thank you for protecting me this morning. That wasn't at all what I was expecting to happen.

I have the opposite of your problem, so I understand wanting to be left alone. Are you sore from sitting like that for so long?

Nothing a good walk can't fix. But what do you mean by 'the opposite of my problem'?

Instead of a few people keeping me safe from a horde, I've got a horde keeping me safe from one specific person. I was only alone today because I was feeling stifled from all the 'babysitting'.

That may not have been the wisest course.

Tell that to my mental health. I've got mace, and he's the type to try mind games before brute force, so I don't think I'd be in physical danger if I stay in public places.

I think I want to hear more about this. Do you have plans for the rest of the day? I really would like to talk to you about this problem and why you recognized me on sight.

That one's easy, I'm usually entering the market at about the same time you're leaving and arguing with your mother on whether or not you're going to let her carry anything. It's a cute disagreement that always puts a smile on my face, not sure why.

I wonder why I never saw you. I really think I'd remember seeing you before. But do you have plans?

If I send a text to my mom to let her know I'm safe and with friends, we'd have plenty of time to talk. Is there anywhere you would like to meet up?

If you turn around, we can pick out a place together, as long as you don't mind my friends providing sarcastic commentary. I'm sure you'd like your coat back, if nothing else.