After getting the hint that she wasnโt wantednnear Haru, Eva wandered to her usual spot under the tree.
She decided to skip lunch that day.
She wasn't feeling particularly hungry.
She closed her eyes for a brief second, when suddenly, she heard a voice.
"Jesus, you are a skinny one arenโt you?"
Evaโs eyes snapped open and she looked up to see a male in his twenties.
Her eyebrows furrowed with the realisation that he almost looked like Haru.
The male had his arms crossed and an extremely cold, icy blue gaze. He certainly didn't seem to be of the sort that was polite and kind. Instead, harsh and serious all the time. "Tch.. F*cking students p*ss me off. Even the frickin' sight of 'em makes me wanna puke. Eat some food d*mba**." He snapped. Only to then notice he got a text in response to one he sent earlier.
"Oi. What class are you in."
Eva furrowed her eyebrows more at his comments and the realisation that he might be related to Haru.
Maybe he was the one who hurt him?
She glared at him.
โWhy would you want to know creep?โ
She stood up.
โYou think Iโm afraid of you?โ
The male rolled his eyes at her comment. "I don't f*cking care if you are or not you stick-like brat. I'm asking because of my sh*tty brother who I was told to bring something for. Not that I f*cking care 'bout 'im."
He took out a key with a label that held numbers on it and held it up. On the side to that label, a tag with the name....
Haru
Was on there...
"Our old man wanted him to take it for later.. But I ain't gonna give it to him cause I can't be a**ed. So you do it for me. You seem like a weak b*tch who would just about bow down to anyone who makes you."
With her fists clenched, Eva took the key from the man.
"Then what does that make you? A daddyโs boy?" She spat.
She put the key into her pocket.
"Lazy people like you annoy the shit out of me, youโre practically useless." Her tone and her glare was ice cold.
"I bet all you have to do is click your fingers and you get whatever shit you want. If anything, that makes you the weak one, as you donโt even have to work for anything."
"Pathetic."
"Like a tidal a wave, Iโll make a mess~โ
The male suddenly walked closer. "What did you just say you little b*tch? You have no f*cking idea so why don't you just f*ck off and try not being a nose little pr*ck." He stated. But then he paused. "Hmm.. So I guess you do know 'im. And you think he is the innocent one. Right?" He grinned, soon pulling her by her hair to bring her closer so he could glare right at her face. "Well let me tell you something you pale a**, little moron."
"I have to work a lot harder than you will ever do. And still, I am better than a rat-faced girl like you. But Haru? Sure, he does extra work here and there, but he is treated like f*cking royalty without work. Perhaps.. Those words you should save for that piece of disappointment."
"And why not make him a little disappointed that his weak little friend can't stand up for herself, let alone even stand with needles for legs that can't do SH*T."
With that, the male lifted his fist and was about to go and hit the female when suddenly, a figure pushed in between and grabbed the male's arm before he could try anything. Soon using the other hands to directly protect Eva and becoming defensive.
Haru.
The male snatched his arm away and clenched his fists as he looked at Haru, his brother.
"Ah, so the fucking c**t decided to arrive. How Honorable of you, you pr*ck." He snapped, soon picking up the key and chucking it into his face.
"This is all I was told to do. I was tempted to frickin' burn it.
And maybe throw you in it." He snapped once more, before walking off with his hands in his pocket.
"Get that l*tlle b*tch to marry you or something. You both seem desperate for attention. Oh! And feed her once in a while! Your precious pet will die then!"
..................
Haru remained deadly still for a while, making sure his defensive pose remained until he was out of sight.
Eva also waited for him to properly leave, before falling to her knees.
Her hands and legs were shaking violently.
She let out a deep sigh, aggressively starting to wipe away tears that were falling.
She wasnโt sure why she was crying, maybe it was because of the way Haru was treated?
Or maybe the comments made towards her from his brother?
She didnโt know.
"Iโm sorry..." she said between a sob. "I just hated the way he was talking about you."
Haru sighed and slowly turned around, crouching in front of the female and placing one hand on her shoulder whilst using the other hand to check her hair where the male had grabbed it. "This is why I don't let others get included." He stated.
"Cause they either get hurt by people like him.. Or even myself." He continued, only to then wipe some of her tears away himself before removing his arms gently.
"This is what I deal with. Not others. They aren't really meant to even know of this." He sighed once more before sitting down properly and rubbing his head.
"Yet here you are.. Going straight into it and learning more. Not to mention meeting my wonderful brother and experiencing some of it yourself.." The male murmured with his monotonous voice, giving nothing away. But perhaps.. It was concern he was showing.
"You hold a new record."
Eva lifted a hand up to her head, touching the area that Harus brother had pulled.
It hurt, but she would be okay.
"He was right, I am pathetic." She said somberly. "Iโm all bark, no bite."
She looked to Haru.
"But thereโs no way I can stand and let you be treated like that. Itโs unfair."
She looked down again.
"Itโs not right..."
"Being pathetic in that situation would be to run away and not say a word. But to stand and bark with all your might, that isn't pathetic in the slightest as you did something. Whether it worked out or not." Haru replied sternly, only to then continue.
"However. for someone who says it isn't right, and to go on saying their fine when being bullied, or ignore the fact that it is fine to hinder their health, I don't exactly think you have much room to say stuff like that. Hm?" He knew it was a bit harsh, but it was true. The both of them told others they were fine, despite things being the completer opposite.
They were truly hypocrites of each other.
"Listen.. I appreciate you doing something like that. But...
You don't have to. Got it? So I'd rather you didn't."
And with that the male stood, but he clearly winced slightly as he did. What was up with his legs? And his wrists.. They seemed rather.. sore to move.
"Well.. We best head to the final class"
With her head still drooped down, Eva nodded, slowly standing up.
She didnโt fail to notice him wincing.
Grabbing her things and slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she walked inside and headed to her final lesson.
She didnโt understand what she was feeling in that current moment, but it felt empty.
Empty.. That's probably a good way to describe it.
Every waking day, every damn word he had to read, every damn word he had to say. Meetings upon meetings, comments upon comments. Ink on already written ink, handshake after handshake..
Every bloody smile after the next..
All empty.
That was how Haru perceived things by this point as he was sat on his desk early that morning. After weeks of not going to school because of work being loaded up, and the business booming because of his genius ideas and management... His parents now relied on him and his work and had overworked him many times after the day things began to really kick off even more than it usually did.
But with wealth falling into his family's hands, and his hands practically breaking from the work he had been doing constantly..
It appeared that the quality of his life had improved. In every possible way apart from..
Well... Happily. And physically.
There was not one day that the male had gone without an argument, a small fight even. Not one day that he had gone without something being done to him, whether it was a big thing or small.
But despite how he had never really expressed much emotion throughout the entire time...
Only one thing stuck.
That there was not one day that he didn't contemplate escaping and going to see a particular person and see how things have been.
Her.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This particular day, after weeks upon weeks of being away from school, the male was told that he was allowed to have a week or two off by the company. And his parents couldn't refuse due to the lawful rights of a worker or company's operations.
Which meant he could finally be able to get some other things on track, other than the business.
And so, with that in mind.. He had one final meeting to go to and then..
He was going to finally be able to message that certain someone and explain.
Not that he was worried.... Right?
He wasn't the sort to worry.
It had been so long since Eva had last seen Haru.
No conversations, no messages, no calls, nothing.
She hadnโt even seen him for that time either.
Now, without having him there, the bullying got worse, and now with every punch, came another cut on her wrists.
The medicine she was given seemed to ease her pain, just never for long enough.
So the daily doses became hourly doses instead.
Her parents were away on business for a few weeks, leaving her alone with her thoughts in the evenings.
No food was eaten, no water drank.
The healthiest beings in the house were her animals, who she continued to care for despite her own issues.
She still attended work and school, refusing to let her parents down, and held up on the guilt of if she failed.
But one day, it was too much.
As the rain fell down, so did the punches she received.
Despite forgetting to bring a coat, she couldnโt feel the cold, and still continued to her spot under her tree.
With shaking hands, she removed the pill pot from her bag and emptied all the contents into her hands.
As tears ran down her face, she took each pill in twos until they were all gone.
No more pain.
*RING RING... RING RING...*
........
*RING RING... RING RING...*
Nothing.
The male lowered the phone down to see that it had gone to voicemail, and he was quick to end the call. Why wasn't she picking up? He was phoning during the break time. Right?
Surely he was..
The male was quick to wander out from his room, heading downstairs to get a drink, and sending a few texts. But none of them were read after ten minutes.
Okay.. She definitely wasn't reading them for a reason.
The male placed his glass of water down, half empty by this point as he soon wandered towards the door.
Rain. Best bring a coat and an umbrella just in case.
And with that, the male got into his car, and drove towards the school. He was making sure to be a bit quicker to get there before the end of the lunch break.
And he didn't go without making several more calls to see if she would pick up. Why was he going through with all of this effort you may ask?
Because he knew Eva.
Not well, but well enough to know that she wouldn't be ignoring messages unless she had a perfectly good reason. And with her emotions not being in the best of places..
Something had to be up.
_____________________________________________________
*SCREEEEEECH*
The male parked the car quickly in a private area, locking it before putting up his umbrella and jogging through the streets to get to the school gates.
Once getting in quickly, the male ran to the school building, going to the lunch hall first.
Nope.
He went to the library...
"Haru-!"
Nope.
He sprinted to empty classrooms they were in.
"Hm? Haru...?"
Nope.
And then... He froze.
There was only one place left. And that was by that-
"That bloody tree."
"What?"
Haru glanced up, seeing his teacher. "Nothing sir, do excuse me a moment."
"Ah-! Wait-"
Without much more said, the male was running down the corridoors and down the stairs, leaping over several of them each time, and soon enough, he chucked down his umbrella and kept a hold of his coat as he went outside, it was only weighing him down.
And by this point, he gripped his coat tightly as he ran past the corner to look for the tree. And there it was, standing tall over the grass that was growing much taller than the last time he had seen it. And the rain was falling heavily between it's branches and landing on what seemed to be a lonely figure.
One... That was limp. And not moving.
Haru's breath hitched.
"That better not be you Eva."
Lightly coloured hair.. Drenched from the rain.
"No.."
Closed eyes that were tired and weak..
"No......"
Pale hands, one that dropped a book beforehand.
"Damn it... no.."
And the other........
Holding a pill bottle.
"NO!!!!!!!!!!"
The male threw himself to the girl, grabbing her and shaking her, trying to wake her up. Only to then grab the bottle with frantic hands, searching for whatever she took..
"Painkillers..." He murmured in shock, soon looking at the prescribed amount, when it was given and..
How much was left.
And to his dismay, looking at the amount, his heart.. SUNK.
"EVA YOU F*CKING IDIOT!" He yelled loudly, his whole body shaking from the cold reaching his skin through his suit, he was quick to use his number to speed dial the hospital, requiring the best doctor to come and help with an ambulance.
Her pulse wasn't great.. Neither was her breathing.
Haru was panicking.. Badly.
"Shit... Shit,shit,shit,shit,shit,shit,shit SHIT SHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!!!!!!"
He threw the coat down flat and placed Eva on it, soo looming over her and placing his cold hands on her chest, using the same procedures he was taught thousands upon thousands of times.
"Don't.." He murmured. "Don't even consider it you idiot." He murmured again.
"Damn you.." The male said, soon feeling his own breathing hitch more as he was trying his best as the ambulance paramedics were arriving.
"DON'T DIE DAMN YOU!"
The male stopped, his hands shaking as he cupped the girls face to see no signs of improvement, his whole body curled as he hunched forwards, shaking as the breeze blew on him as he shielded the girl from the rain.. From the cold..
By holding her close and wrapping her up with the coat.
Rushing to the ambulance in a suit newly drenched, a fever beginning to make its way into his system..
And a girl close to death.
"Haru-sama!!!!!!!!"
The people ran up to him as he stopped, waiting for them to come with the equipment.
"Help her... NOW."
_______________________________________________________________________________
*BEEP....... BEEP....... BEEP......BEEP*
"It appears she is now in a stable state. We are lucky that you contacted up immediately and tried to help her in whatever way you could. She is highly malnourished and parts of her system was damaged by the overdose. It if were another half and hour, she'd have surely died."
"I see.. Thanks."
"No problem. I suppose you are staying here for a bit before you go back to work?"
"Yes."
"Very well."
____________________________
Days had passed. And her parents were contacted by Haru and took a while to come back due to flight delays.
It didn't take them long to get to the hospital when they landed, soon bursting through the door to go and check on their daughter. Their poor.. Poor daughter.
And beside the bed, was Haru.
"I'm sorry."
Her parents paused.
The male stood, his tired, saddened and yet, angry gaze settled on the family.
"I apologise for not being able to help her sooner because of work. I should have kept an eye on her in your stead and I didn't meet that expectation. Again.."
The male bowed.
"I am sorry."
Before the parents could say anymore, the male began to leave the room.
"Let me know when she is awake, my contact is on the table."
And with that, the door was shut.
And he hoped it wouldn't be long until it could be opened by him once more.
___________________________________________________________________
It was a few more days until Eva opened her eyes.
Dark bags sat underneath them along with her pale skin.
As soon as her worried-sick parents say her movement, they leaped to her side, crying and apologising for not being there.
The girl was heavily confused, therefore not understanding the situation.
But upon hearing the steady beep of the heart monitor, and the smell of disinfectant, she realised where she was.
She had no recollection of what had happened.
A few minutes after, her father sent a call through to Haru.
"Haru? Itโs me...."
"Sheโs awake."
...........
"I'll be there."
The male stood, slamming his file on the table before gesturing to someone to take it.
"Meeting over." And with that, he began to walk out.
"But-! Sir, we haven't even-"
"I said this is finished. E-mail me your concerns another time."
*SLAM*
_______________________________________________________________
It didn't take long to arrive, and as soon as the nurses at the desk saw him, they quickly told him which room she was in and he was on his way there. What was he going to say? How was he going to say it?
What was she going to say...?
With those thought running around his head, he opened that door that he longed to have been opening for a while and walked into the room, hoping that despite changing into casual clothes with his hair still neatly combed, he didn't seem too odd or out of place.
After all, he didn't like to look weird of course.
"Haru.." Eva's mother said, soon smiling at him gently as he approached the peripheral sight of Eva before walking to stand near the bed, looking cautiously to see if she noticed him as he took a seat slowly near the bed. On the opposite side of her parents that is.
He found it hard to face them.
Difficult to face Eva.
And harder to face himself.
And so, when he took a deep breath in, he spoke with a soft tone. One he tried to put some emotion in rather than remain stern and rather serious. He didn't want to exclaim at her, be angry with her. Not yet. That could be saved for another time but now..
Now wasn't the best of time.
"Eva..?"
With somewhat clouded eyes, Eva looked to Haru.
โH-Haru?โ She said, and upon realising that it was him, she began to cry.
She had only recently found out that he was the one to save her, and she wasnโt sure how to thank him.
She rubbed her eyes, many cables connected to her hands and eyes.
Evaโs parents smiled gently and excused themselves from the room for the time being.
โI-I donโt know how to thank you.โ
"You don't need to."
The male was quick to interrupt her, a serious gaze held strong as he looked at her when he said so. He meant those four words very proudly it seemed. "What I did was out of common sense. And out of a friend's intuition I suppose." Haru continued.
"You did a lot to help me. Even when I didn't want it... And it wasn't fair to not contact you and make sure things were alright, even if I am hard to approach with that sort of thing.." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and turning away.
But he then noticed her tears were still falling and he was quick to grab a tissue and dry some of the tears away. "Don't want you getting the cables on your hand wet." He stated.
"Nor have you cry anyway. It.. Doesn't suit you."
With that, the male sat back down, moving the chair a bit closer in the process.
"I didn't mean that in a bad way. You know." He sighed as he was overthinking his words before shutting himself up for a moment.
"How're you feeling?"
Eva wiped her nose a little, along with her eyes.
โIโm doing okay, I just have one hell of a headache. They say that Iโll be able to leave in the next few days, but need to take a while off school.โ She was looking to the ground with shame.
But looking back up to Haru, she was happy to see that he was in good shape, and not as battered as he was last time she saw him.
โBut please, donโt you dare blame this on yourself, itโs not your fault in any way.โ
She shut herself up for a few moments.
โHow have you been?โ
The male glanced at her properly once more. "The usual, been loaded with work and all and got permission to have a private tutor come in when I cant come into school. I was able to escape today thankfully since there wasn't much going on." He shrugged. "And apart from the usual, and getting over a fever recently.. All good here." He finished, soon looking out the window nearby.
"But anyway... Glad to hear you're getting better. The doctors had everyone worried when you first came in."