This Warmth Of Yours

Chapter 7 - The Boy in the Shadows

The moon had risen to paint the streets a lonely hue. Dark, yet bright enough beneath the moon's glow. Kana swung the huge  plastic bag containing the chocolate chips back and forth as they were on their way back home. "You bought so much. What are they for?" Haru typed.

"Oh, these. Yuki didn't tell you? My parents run a small bakery restaurant thingy, so we kind of need to refill em if they're running out."

Haru's eyes widened. "Can I go see it!?" Unexpectedly, she spoke. "Oh-- yeah. Was planning on showing you tomorrow anyway!" Kana regained her composure as quickly as she lost it. She watched as Haru could barely contain her excitement within her small frame, chuckling.

"... Oh." Haru stopped in front of the vending machine. "What's wrong?" Kana asked. Just a few days ago, Haru had stood in front of a vending machine as well. Though the circumstances were quite different, and this wasn't the same vending machine. She remembered fumbling as she inserted her coins in the slot, almost pressing the wrong button. Not that it mattered which drink she chose, she just wanted the apple juice with the rabbit on it because she liked it.

However, it didn't matter whether she liked it or not-- that drink was going to be used to ice someone's bruises, and if it was to be drunk then it would be by them, not her. She wasn't really thinking, so that thought never crossed her mind as she was purchasing it. It was just a habit, is all. Her hand slid towards the vending machine just as she heard Kana's words.

"Oh? Who are you?" Kana asked, her tone hostile and aggressive.

Her face turned, watching as a boy with a build much larger than them emerge from the shadows. Haru froze. It was him.

Kana yawned. "Kyoya... you're the one that beat Yuki up, right? Gosh, you're so strong! Sure, it's only been a couple days, but Yuki still has those marks all over his body! It's hard to touch him at all without him flinching!"

Haru grabbed Kana's hand, ushering her to run away. Kana shook her head, winking.

"You're the chick that hangs around that pest, aren't you?" the boy asked. "You know me? I'm flattered!" Kana replied. "Yeah, I am. So what? You wanna beat me up too to send a message?"

Her voice was clearly made to sound as provoking as possible. Haru could sense Kyoya's patience running thin already. "You don't have to do that, we all already know how insecure you are," Kana chuckled.

The boy clenched his fist, snickering. "Heh, you're making this so much easier for me."

Kana, are you trying to get beat up!? Haru froze in place. Kyoya held Kana by her collar, shoving Haru to the ground. Kana's eyes widened. Without an ability to think straight, Haru yelled.

"HELP! POLICE! ANYONE!"

The boy momentarily paused. Kana instantly seized the opportunity and slammed him to the ground, taking him off guard. Kana sat on top of him, resting her full weight on his body. "You know, people say me and Yuki are identical personality-wise! I agree with them, for the most part." Haru only had the chance to blink once before the next action happened.

Blow after blow landed on his face. Kyoya desperately attempted to push her off him or fight back, but she immediately restrained his arms. His face was battered and bruised, so purple you could barely recognise the man himself. She wiped the sweat forming at her forehead. "... That was for beating my friend, you piece of shit."

She stood up, spitting at his face. "And that's for pushing my other friend."

Kyoya sat motionless on the floor. Kana continued, "There's a key difference between me and Yuki, though."

"I don't back down from a fight."

Kana silently picked up the bag of chocolate chips she unknowingly dropped and began heading home. Haru removed the hands that covered her eyes. She wasn't sure what to make of the situation that had just occurred. Kyoya seemed horrible, and he might've deserved that. Whether he truly did or not wasn't up to Haru to decide, but she couldn't face him without slightly pitying him.

Watching Kana head back, she quickly worked the vending machine. She crouched down besides Kyoya's body, whispering in his ear. She wasn't even sure if he could still hear her.

"You don't have to do this to yourself. What about your dreams? Doing all of this would just destroy your future. Think of all the people you hurt. Regardless of what you think about them personally, you don't get to be the one that judges them." She handed him a cold drink. "Whatever you're scared of, you should face it proudly and honestly. There won't ever be an end goal in sight if you keep this up."

For some reason, her last words struck a chord within herself.

Not knowing what else to say, she stood up and chased after Kana's disappearing silhouette, leaving Kyoya on the ground. Kana glanced back at the girl who caught up with her. "Sorry about that, I've been wanting to do that for a while... You shouldn't have had to see that." Haru shook her head. "Are you okay?"

"Haha! I should be the one asking you that." Kana shook her hands, frowning. "Oh, but these burn like shit...!"

Kana's fists were red from the beatdown. Her mood was unusually high for someone who had just went through something like that. She seemed liberated.

"Kana, Haru!"

Yuki ran towards the two girls, frantic and panicked. He appeared dishevelled beneath the moon's glow. "Kana, your mom told me to look for you because you weren't back yet--" He paused upon seeing Kana's hands. His face darkened, clutching her fingers. "Who did this to you?"

Kana averted her gaze, her words spoken in a low grumble, "Well, more like, what did I do to him? Haha..."

Yuki squinted inquisitively. Haru chimed in to explain the situation via text. The boy looked at Kana, concerned. The tall girl poked his cheek, causing him to wince. "See, it still hurts. He deserved it, I don't care."

"You didn't seem bothered at all when I first told you. Besides, I was the one pissing him off, so--"

"The difference is that you were ratting him out to the teachers because he was doing something objectively wrong, and he beat you up!" Kana pouted, upset.

"That was reckless, Kana. What if something bad happened? Haru was with you too. What would you have done if something bad happened to her? What if Kyoya comes back to hurt both of you?"

"Uhm..." Haru tried to stop their bickering, but the situation was far beyond what she could handle. She steeled herself and pushed the two of them towards each other, wrapping them in her arms. "It's okay, I'm okay, we're all okay."

They stopped fighting, gazing at the shorter girl holding them. Yuki sighed. "Sorry, I know you're just looking out for me." Kana nodded, "... Me too. I don't regret beating him up, but I know you're worried too."

Haru smiled. "You should stick together so you can protect each other," she typed.

"You mean we should stick together?" Yuki corrected. Haru's smile faded and she turned away, turning red. She didn't even realise that she wasn't included in what she had said. It was only natural to her.

Kana squealed, "So cute!" She squeezed herself out of the hug. "Welp, let's go home. I've got some fists to put ice on."

Yuki chuckled, "Icy girl." Kana groaned. "Oh my god, that's your cringy nickname, okay? Don't lump me in with you!"

Haru tilted her head, wondering where she'd heard of the term before. A bubble of thought popped in her head, remembering the conversation between the two girls at the library. They were talking about someone called an icy boy...

"You're icy boy!?" Haru gasped out loud. Not just that, she assumed the nickname originated from a "cold" personality, not because he was often seen with an ice pack!

A dumbfounded expression on Haru's face, the pair of childhood friends bursted into laughter. The dead of night was alive amidst the cheerful banter.