HARU
A knock startled him awake, though it wasn't a loud one. It was Haru. Jon blinked groggily as his best friend's face appeared in the doorway.
"Haru? What are you doing here?" Jon's voice was calm as he slowly sat up.
Haru grinned and stepped inside. He was tall and wiry, with messy black hair and his ever-present mischievous glint in his eyes. "The front door was open."
Jon raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. Haru had been his best friend since primary school, the one person who knew about his abilities. When Jon and him had a car crash a year ago, Haru had watched him heal himself."
"You need to stop leaving your mansion open," Haru said as he flopped onto Jon's bed. "It's like you're inviting trouble."
"I wasn't expecting anyone to barge in," Jon replied, his tone nonchalant. "You're the only one who does."
Haru smirked. "That's because I'm the only one who cares about your antisocial existence."
Jon rolled his eyes, but a faint smile tugged at his lips. Haru's presence was grounding, a constant reminder that even with all his secrets, he wasn't entirely alone.
As Haru stretched out on the bed, Jon turned back to his easel, the drawing of Harper staring back at him.
"What are you working on?" Haru asked, craning his neck to look.
Jon hesitated before answering. "Just... something."
Haru squinted at the drawing and then froze, his grin fading. "Is that—wait, is that Harper Bellini?"
Jon stiffened but didn't reply.
Haru sat up quickly, his tone suddenly serious. "Jon, tell me you're not drawing Harper Bellini."
"It's just a sketch," Jon said dismissively, though his voice was strained.
Haru scoffed. "Do you know who her boyfriend is? Cassius Nez. Cassius freaking Nez. Richest kid. And also, in case you've forgotten, pure evil."
Jon's jaw tightened. "I know who Cass is."
"Do you?" Haru pressed, his tone sharper. "Because you used to be best friends with the guy until, oh, I don't know, you stopped talking to him and started calling him a psychopath."
Jon's eyes darkened, but he stayed silent.
"And now you're drawing his girlfriend?" Haru leaned forward. "This is a bad idea, Jon. Even for you."
"It's not about her," Jon snapped, though he wasn't sure if that was entirely true. "It's… I don't know what it is."
Haru watched him for a long moment, then leaned back with a sigh. "You've got to stop with this self-destructive streak. First Charlotte, now Harper?"
Jon winced. "That's not fair."
"Isn't it?" Haru said, raising an eyebrow. "You know Charlotte's dad works for the Nez Foundation, right? You think that was just a coincidence? You break up with her, shut yourself off, and now this. I'm just saying, you've got a type, and it's 'trouble.'"
Jon ran a hand over his face, exhaling sharply. "This has nothing to do with Charlotte or Cass. It's… complicated."
Haru shook his head but didn't push further. Instead, he gestured at the drawing. "Well, if you don't want to start World War Three, maybe don't let Cass catch you sketching his girlfriend."
Jon didn't respond. Haru's words stung more than he wanted to admit, but before he could say anything, Haru changed the subject.
"So, what's the plan for today?" Haru asked, flopping back onto the bed.
Jon glanced at the clock. "I have that stupid luncheon at The Palace later."
Haru smirked. "Oh, the one with all the rich kids pretending they like each other while their parents compare bank accounts. Sounds fun."
"It's not," Jon muttered. "I wouldn't even go, but Tony said I need to make an appearance."
Haru tilted his head. "Well, Tony's not wrong. People notice who shows up to those things—and who doesn't."
Jon leaned back in his chair, staring at the drawing. "Yeah, well, I'd rather not."
Haru grinned. "You're the second-richest guy in this town, Jon. They'll notice you whether you want them to or not."
Haru smirked. "You've got it bad, man."
Jon glared at him but didn't deny it.
Haru clapped his hands suddenly, standing up. "Alright, enough moody artist vibes. Let's fence."
Jon blinked, caught off guard. "Fencing? Seriously?"
"Yeah, come on. Take your mind off all this. Besides, when's the last time we dueled? The 'Fencing Boys' are getting rusty."
Jon chuckled despite himself. The name was a relic from their childhood, when Tony would host grand gatherings at the mansion. While the adults debated in the drawing rooms, Jon and Haru would sneak into the garden with fencing gear and duel until the sun went down. The neighbors had nicknamed them the "Fencing Boys," a title that had stuck through the years.
Jon shrugged. "Alright. Let's do it."
The gym in the mansion was enormous, an expanse of polished wooden floors, mirrored walls, and neatly arranged equipment. A rack of fencing swords hung in one corner, a reminder of the sport Jon and Haru had adopted as their own.
Haru grabbed two sabers, tossing one to Jon. "Ready to lose?"
Jon caught the sword effortlessly. "You're kidding, right?"
"Confidence looks good on you," Haru said with a grin, taking his stance.
They began to spar, their movements familiar and rhythmic. Haru lunged, and Jon parried with ease. His enhanced strength and speed made the fight almost laughable, but he held back, letting Haru press the attack.
"Don't go easy on me!" Haru complained, landing a hit on Jon's shoulder.
Jon smirked, his voice teasing. "Alright. You asked for it."
He moved—faster than Haru could follow. In a blink, he was gone from sight, his voice echoing behind Haru. "Behind you."
Haru spun, but Jon was already gone again.
"Here."
Haru turned again, only to find empty space. Jon was circling him at an impossible speed, a blur that Haru could barely track.
"Jon, come on! Fight fair!" Haru shouted, panting as he tried to keep up.
Jon slowed, appearing directly in front of Haru, a playful smirk on his face. "Checkmate."
Haru glared, chest heaving. "You're scary when you do that, you know."
Jon raised an eyebrow. "Scary?"
"Yeah, scary. Remember how I found out about all this?" Haru asked, his tone light but his eyes serious.
Jon stiffened, his mind flashing back to the night of the crash, the moment his secret had been exposed. Haru's voice brought him back to the present.
"Well, I do," Haru continued, leaning against the gym wall. "Because you're not just strong, man. You're… something else. And one of these days, you're gonna have to figure out exactly what that means."
Jon didn't reply, but the weight of Haru's words hung heavy in the air. Before he could respond, there was a sharp knock at the door
The sharp knock echoed through the gym, startling both Jon and Haru. They exchanged a quick glance, their curiosity piqued.
The door creaked open, and Harper stepped inside. Her long, black hair cascaded down her back, framing her piercing blue eyes. She wore a mischievous grin, her gaze sweeping over their fencing attire.
"Fancy outfits," she teased, her voice laced with amusement.
Jon raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "What can I do for you, Harper?"
She leaned against the doorframe, her posture casual yet alluring. "I wanted to invite you to something. My sister and I are throwing a Halloween party at the carnival."
Her gaze lingered on Jon, and he felt a strange sensation, a mix of annoyance and fascination. He couldn't read her, her thoughts were a blank canvas, a frustrating enigma.
"Sure, I'll come," he replied, his voice even.
Haru, on the other hand, was openly captivated. His eyes lingered on Harper, a look of lust evident in his gaze. Jon, however, remained unfazed, his expression blank.
Harper smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Great. It'll be fun."
With that, she turned and left, the door swinging shut behind her. Haru let out a low whistle, his eyes still fixed on the door.
"God, she's hot," he muttered, his voice filled with desire.
Jon shrugged, his tone nonchalant. "Same as always. Can't read her mind."
Haru sniffed "she is probably going to be at luncheon at The Palace later, with Cass. "
Haru shook his head, a playful grin spreading across his face. "Oh well, since we can't fence all day, maybe we should go to the mall. You know, get some new clothes for the party."
Jon raised an eyebrow, considering the suggestion. "Sure, why not?"
As they walked out of the mansion gym, Haru couldn't help but glance back at the door, a lingering image of Harper's seductive smile playing in his mind.