RED • MITSUKI

viii. FAMILY

***

"Bet ten bucks he's not going to make it."

"Bet ten bucks he'll make it."

"Bet ten bucks he'll make it but fall."

Eiji, Ichiro, and Haruko stared closely at Denki, holding their money in their hand tightly. As Denki took his first few steps, Ichiro grumbled. As Denki began to wobble, Eiji and Haruko looked even closer. Denki fell down, making Haruko smirk.

"Pay up, boys," she said, a greedy look in her face. The two boys frowned, Ichiro glaring at her. "Looks like I'm going out tonight."

"With who?" Ichiro asked.

"Mitsuki, of cours-" Haruko smacked Eijo's head hard. She looked up to see Mitsuki getting up, only to follow Boruto's gang. Haruko sighed in relief.

"You idiot! He could have heard that!" Haruko whispered.

"So you do like him!" Eiji whispered, a bright grin on his face.

"No! I just don't want him to get the wrong idea," Haruko grumbled, pink blush dusted her cheeks.

Ichiro smirked. "We're not stupid, Haruko. Even I can see that you have a crush on him."

Haruko's entire face grew red. "No! Stop making assumptions, yo!" Haruko crossed her arms tightly and up like a child cooling down after a meltdown. "He's just a friend, yo."

"You only say yo when you're lying!" Eiji teased, poking her shoulder, "or when you're embarrassed, or nervous, or-"

"I get it! I barely say it!" Haruko grumbled. The three stopped fussing when the entire class went silent and stared at Denki and Iwabe.

"If you can't climb it at all, there's no point in talking about it," Iwabe said montone. He then walked away. Everyone stared at Denki.

"Oh shit," the three of them whispered. They looked at each other, each with a different expression. Eiji seemed worried, Haruko grinned, and Ichiro shocked. They both stood up.

Shino-sensei looked at his board. "Tests don't determine how outstanding a person is. The reason for that-"

"Oh man. Denki," Boruto interrupted, "that was totally your fault."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have said that about Iwabe," Shikadai chimed in.

Shino-sensei tried to speak again but everyone else began to say how Denki was rude to Iwabe and how they wouldn't want to repeat a grade. Haruko continued to grin. "Man, was that something. Who knew Denki would actually say something like that about Iwabe. Iwabe can rip Denki's face without even trying."

"Agree," Ichiro nodded. "Iwabe is strong in strength but not in smarts. He could use a tutor honestly."

"Iwabe is a cool dude. He's just kind of scary," whimpered Eiji.

Haruko smiled, "whatever. They'll make up or something. Boruto is going to do something stupid and they'll be best friends." Haruko looked up at the sky. "Besides, what's the worst that would happen?"

-•-

"Daiki! What did I tell you about entering the house? No wearing your sandals!"

Haruko crossed her arms, kicking the open toe shoes down the stairs. Daiki watched as his reaction was horrid.

"Those were my favorite, yeah!" Daiki shouted, running down the stairs. "I thought we were suppose to be nice to each other cause we're siblings."

Haruko's eyes lowered, frown forming on her lips. "Dude, you still act like a spoiled brat. How am I suppose to be buddy-buddy with you when you still act like that?"

Daiki put on his shoes. "I wanted to go out anyways. I'll be back before 10, yeah?"

Haruko rolled her eyes. "You need money for food?"

"No, I'll eat whatever is in the fridge or something," Daiki said, opening the door. "See ya."

Haruko stood on top of the stairs as the door shut. She was finally at a moment of peace and quiet. She ran a hand through her hair and turned to go to the balcony in her room. She chewed on the piece of gum she had in her mouth, staring at the orange and red sky.

"You miss your home, don't you?" a voice said on her roof.

Haruko turned around to see Inojin, standing there with a smug smile. He jumpes down in front of the Haruko. "What do you know?"

"Not as much as Mitsuki does, but I do know a bit of your background," Inojin shoved his hands in his pockets. "My dad has files on you and your clan. You got some backstory, huh?"

Haruko immediately went serious. "You shouldn't stuff your nose into other people's lifes, yo. You can get into some deep shit."

"What a foul mouth you have." The boy seemed to be enjoying himself. "It seems to go along with your family, considering they're a nasty bunch. I can't see the resemblance physically but your attitude is just like them."

Haruko grew frustrated. "Shut up! I'm nothing like them!"

Inojin shrugged. "The reason why I'm telling you this is nothing personally. I just happened to enjoy telling people their own secrets." Inojin took a step foward, looking Haruko dead in the eyes. "I'm just curious on why Mitsuki is so interested in you and Boruto."

Haruko tilted her head. "What?"

"He always follows Boruto but his eyes focuses on you. Don't tell me you haven't noticed. You're in a clan of observers," Inojin responded.

"I have noticed. I just didn't think about it too much." Haruko murmured. "Wait, your dad has files on my clan?"

"You're so slow!" Inojin laughed. "Yeah, he does. It's some top-secret stuff I accidentally read while organizing his files," Inojin had a small smile. "How's life without your mother?"

Haruko growled. "Shut up before I fight you!" She threw her fist up near Inojin's chin, glaring him viciously. "I'll kick your ass so hard, your ancestors will feel it!"

Inojin nodded a little. "Ah, that's how it is. Sorry to trigger you. I'll be going." Inojin turned around and was ready to jump when Haruko said something.

"You better not tell anyone." Haruko declared. Inojin stopped, a small smirk on his face.

"I promise I won't tell Mitsuki, if that's what you're worrying about. He probably knows already." Inojin jumped on her roof and ran off.

Haruko grumbled, heading back inside. The sky has gone down to a dark purple and her gum has lost it's flavor. Haruko closed the door and looked at the portrait of her and her family. The stone faces they all shared. Even Daiki, a newborn baby of a few months, had the same face as his father.

Haruko touched her red hair. It was the same as her mother's. It used to be long and beautiful. It used to be vibrant but to Haruko's eyes, it dulled down. It was like the death of her mother made her cheerful old self disappear. Her emerald eyes, they used to be electric blue-green. They use to demonstrate the sky and grass together but now they're the grass, the good old, dirty grass.

Haruko pushed the picture down.

***

[ author's note: schools a dick ]