𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚎 • 𝚜𝚊𝚜𝚞𝚔𝚎 𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚑𝚊 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

33 - Sting

January, 1993 - Japan

The biting air nipped at Haruka's hands as she worked on her mural after school on a Thursday. It had been a little over a week since she had taken Akia to school and since she and Sasuke had their minor disagreement at the lunch table. Truthfully, she couldn't help but feel a little frustrated with him. She just had to keep reminding herself not to do anything stupid.

She was so engrossed with her painting that she nearly jumped out of her skin (and off the ladder) when she heard a voice from below.

"Hey," It was Sasuke, once again leaning against the mural. Her heart lurched in her chest. Oh god, not now, not now, I can't do confrontation! Go home, go home, go home!

"Hey," She said simply, returning her gaze to her work. Her brush rhythmically hit the wall and her brows were creased in concentration. Maybe if she didn't say anything more, he would leave?

"Could you come down for a second?"

Damn. She tried not to grimace as she continued painting. "Right now?"

"No, in a couple of hours."

"Oh, good," Haruka said. "See you later then."

"Haruka," He said. She finally looked down at him, and then with a sigh, she climbed down from the ladder. In the back of her mind she wondered what would happen if he ever accidentally leaned on a part of the mural that was still drying.

"What's up?" She asked simply.

He still leaned casually against the wall with his arms crossed. It occurred to Haruka that if she didn't know him better, she might have been intimidated. Then he spoke, and she really was intimidated. "Have you been avoiding me?"

Man, we're just getting right into it then, okay. She thought to herself. Then she mustered up enough courage to say, "Not really. But I guess we haven't talked much recently since we only have lunch together this term and I need to use mine to work on this mural."

He said nothing, simply looking at her. His gaze had never been so piercing.

Haruka let out a nervous chuckle. "Uh, hello? You okay up there big guy?"

"I don't believe you." He said simply.

"Well that would be your problem, because that was the truth." Haruka replied, walking over to her ladder again and starting to climb it. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"If that was the truth, why can't you look me in the eyes?"

"Geez man, which law agency do you work for?" She mumbled to herself. She forced herself back down to the ground again and willed her eyes to look into his. "I can, see?"

Yet again he said nothing, and she sighed, pressing on, "Really, it's just that I'm especially busy right now and I don't have that much time to spare. But I'll make it a point to hang out with everyone if they all miss me as much as you do, okay?"

"Okay," It was clear as day he didn't believe her. Why was he the only one she could never fool? "I'll see you tomorrow."

With that he started down the street. She watched him make it to the street corner, and then she let out an extremely graceful and proper groan of frustration. She called out, "Hold on, Sasuke,"

Haruka jogged toward him on the sidewalk as he turned to face her. Steeling herself with a deep breath, she said, "Okay, you're right. That wasn't true. Truth be told, I've been trying not to throttle you for the last week and a half because of what you said to Akia."

She watched his face contort: he thought she was being absolutely ridiculous. He started, "But that wasn't even a–"

"Big deal, I know. And you're right, it really wasn't. But that's just the thing with her. She thinks a lot, and the littlest thing sends her spiraling. She was brave enough to ask her parents for this, and she was like 90% of the way there, she was totally gonna do it. And then you talked to her for less than five minutes, and now all of the sudden she's seriously reconsidering. I mean, yesterday she told me she didn't have time for guitar lessons anyway." Now that Haruka had started there was no stopping her; she tried her very best not to let emotion seep into her voice but it was getting difficult.