NOTE: To my lovely readers, for a better reading experience, my advice is to read Chapters 20, 21, and 22 in one sitting, unless you like cliffhangers. ʕ≧ᴥ≦ʔ
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Haru obediently stood up with a dumb grin on his face. Losing his balance a bit, he was still able to manage to walk alongside Sakura with her hands on his arm. As the couple led the way to the outdoor car park, the rain started pouring, soaking them wet since none of them brought their umbrellas. They dashed to where Kiyoshi's car was, and he unlocked the doors of his auto.
Mei sat beside the driver's seat while Kiyoshi helped Sakura with the door. He let her get inside first before pushing Haru, which made the drunk man tumble on his seat. Good thing, Sakura was there to assist him; she made sure he was sitting next to her comfortably, and she took her hanky from her handbag and wiped his face carefully. She wasn't still finished drying him up when his head gradually fell down right onto her shoulder.
Kiyoshi glanced at the rearview mirror as he revved the engine, "You okay there?", and Mei looked over her shoulder to check up on them, too.
"Yup," she assured them as she continued wiping his face.
"Good, he looks fast asleep," Mei smiled. "We'll drop you home first, and we'll just bring Haru with us."
"Unless…" Kiyoshi uttered.
"Unless?" Sakura glanced at him while untying Haru's hair to dry it up.
"Unless you take care of him. Of course, if it's just FINE with you," he emphasized, steering the wheel to the right. "I'm not saying you should look after him or something-"
Mei hit her boyfriend's shoulder lightly, "He's just fooling around. Haru's coming with us."
"I don't mind. He's not like he's completely wasted anyway. I can handle him," Sakura chuckled softly. In her opinion, taking care of someone who passes out after drinking would be an easier task rather than looking after a wasted person. And it's Haru. She wouldn't mind taking care of her friend who had also taken care of her in the past.
Mei shook her head in disagreement, "Err... no. Kiyoshi will take care of him, right Yoshi?" She then squeezed his arm and the latter agreed without protest. Sakura just nodded in agreement.
On their way to her apartment, Kiyoshi turned on the music, shuffled his playlist, and played Honne's 'Warm on a Cold Night'. After she dried herself up, Sakura glanced at her side and noticed the fringes covering Haru's eyes. She tucked his long bangs under his ear and stared at the man for a moment before watching the reflection of the city lights shining through the raindrops.
A while later, they reached her place and fortunately, the rain had already stopped. Sakura gently pushed Haru to the other side of the seat, then wore her bag in the crook of her arm, "Thank you for the ride. Take care, you two!"
"No biggie! See you tomorrow at work!" Mei waved her hand and so did Kiyoshi.
Sakura took one last look at Haru and opened the passenger's door, but before she could even get out, he grabbed her wrist. "Let me take you home..." he murmured, gradually opening his eyes.
"She's already home, dumbass," Kiyoshi darted a glance through the rear view mirror. "Now, say your goodbyes."
"I'm… I'm not leaving with you..." Haru sat up straight, still holding onto her wrist. "Are we here already?"
"I'll let you take me home-"
"Sakura, are you sure about this?" Mei muttered, her brows knitted together.
Sakura bobbed her head at her friend. She then turned to Haru and continued, "I'll let you take me home if you can stand up and walk me to my room without passing out." She fixed her eyes with his, patiently waiting for his answer.
As a response, Haru held her gaze and compliantly nodded at her.
"Alright." Sakura, already firm with her decision, faced the couple this time, "He seems he could still follow instructions. You said he'll just pass out sooner or later, right?"
"Without a doubt," Kiyoshi answered. "Just drag him if he passes out and leave him by the door if ever."
"I'd definitely do that," Sakura chuckled and bid goodbye to the pair. She opened the door and assisted him as they got off the auto by holding his hand tightly. She then wrapped her arm around his waist and placed his arm on her shoulder, and made their way inside her apartment building.
"Good evening, Ms. Aiuchi," the guard greeted her with a smile on his face and instantly recognized the man beside her. "Sir! Hello! It's good to see you again!"
The two female receptionists arched their necks towards the two after hearing the greeting. Like the guard, they also recognized the tall handsome man despite his drunken posture and disheveled long black hair from resting his head on Sakura's shoulder during their ride.
"Wait! He's the guy who left his name and number that morning… The one you've been crushing on since forever!" one of the receptionists tried her best not to squeal.
"Shh!" the other receptionist shushed her while also stealing a glance at Haru. "He looks cute when drunk tho…"
Haru drifted his gaze around the room and flailed his hand around, which made the women giggle and the guard laugh, so Sakura quickly pulled his arm down. She sheepishly smiled at them as they passed by their desk and hurriedly dragged the intoxicated man to where the elevator was.
He almost stumbled as he followed her lead and clung on her shoulder for support upon reaching the lift. "What's the hurry…"
A smirk escaped from Haru's lips and found himself being magnetized towards her pink hair when he caught a whiff of a pleasant saccharin smell. He could not distinguish it yet, but if he wasn't drunk, his olfactory senses would work perfectly and would know what the scent was right away.
Sakura looked at the changing number on the digital display, "I'm hurrying cos I don't want to drag you to my room if ever you pass out."
He chuckled softly, "There's nothing... to be nervous about…." He wanted to sniff the sweet smell further, but even before he could bury his face in the crown of her hair, the elevator opened.
She pulled him as she stepped inside the lift and pressed number 8. She then leaned against the panel, "Who said I'm ner-"
But Sakura was interrupted when Haru, who was just behind her a while ago, entrapped her in the corner with his right arm against the stainless steel wall.
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Meanwhile...
"Shit. We forgot to tell Sakura about something," Kiyoshi applied the brakes upon seeing the traffic lights' color turned red.
It took Mei a few seconds to realize what her boyfriend was talking about, "Oh my god! She's gonna freak out-"
He gazed at her and adored her cuteness while she was panicking, "You're the one freaking out, Mei Mei," and ran his hand on the back of her head before fondling her hair. "Now, hurry up and call her."