The Present Or Future

Past times

Back when Haru and Akihiro had just walked out of the library and left the two girls a little confused. Surely being left out just like that made the two of them awkward enough to talk to each other

In order to melt the atmosphere, Mayumi then asked Misaki, the library guard. "Anu... I'm sorry about earlier, if I disturbed you two together"

"I? N-no problem anyway! The more people the better. I also don't feel lonely if people come to this place"

"So, do you come here often during break time?"

"Y-yeah, haha. I'm used to a place like this"

"Hee... It's worth your name to often enter the top 10 of the 100 best students"

"Oh, haha. It was just a coincidence. Oh, aye. How's your relationship with Haru?"

"I? Just a friend anyway. No more than that"

"Good, you know? Haru used to rarely hang out with women"

"Eh, is that right? Why can you say that?", Mayumi answered curiously, as Misaki said that

"Yes, I dare say this because I moved to school. But not for long, maybe only about 6 months, that time I was in class with him"

"Wait? What's up!? Does Haru know about that?"

"Of course not, he couldn't possibly believe that I said such a thing"

Mayumi asked again, "in that case. Why did you move there and only 6 months?"

"That's when I was in 3rd grade, more precisely in the middle of the third year. My father, who was then an active inspector, was assigned outside the area for a while due to a rather precarious case. Having no choice, we and our family eventually moved in while there, and of course I went to school where Haru went to school until I was done"

"What did your father do to the extent that he was assigned to leave the area?"

"Pursuing a mobster, or we used to call him a Yakuza. Of course, at that time it was a mission that should not be known by the public so as not to panic. Even I had to change my name back then, so that no one would suspect me when I went to school there"

Mayumi then praised him, "it seems your father was pretty cool, could be entrusted to arrest one of the Yakuza"

Misaki just smiled a little, fixed her dark blue hair bangs, and recalled the events back then. "Well, that sounds cool. Maybe you could think that your father would be a hero who eradicates evil. But back then, I wasn't as happy as you thought. I keep worrying about my dad, and I hope he's okay"

Mayumi then realizes Misaki's feelings, so she no longer dares to ask about her father. "Then, what about Haru? Why did you meet them?"

"As I said before, I was in the same class as Haru when I moved there. But at that time, I was very worried about my surroundings just decided to stay in class and read books and only occasionally I joined my friends at that time. I also sometimes look next to the window where the gangs gather with their members"

"Wait a minute, gang? Don't tell!"

"Well, as you thought. Haru is a pretty big former gang member at that school. I can be sure of the many members of the gang"

(That guy is a former gang member? It was only fitting that he wasn't too overwhelmed when pushing my kick away) Mayumi thought with quite a shock

Misaki then continued, "but, Haru is now very different from what I knew before. He's become a better man than ever. Even if it wasn't for the food box, I might not have noticed that he was the same person"

"What happened to the food box? I mean, did he do the same thing when you went to school there?"

Misaki then tidied up Haru's food box on her desk while answering Mayumi's question, "yes, you're right. The food box I saw the first time we met was the one she always brought with her when I went to school. At first I couldn't believe it. But when he mentioned his name, I was sure that he was the same person"

"Why did he bring supplies? Wouldn't it be that if he was a gang member, he would easily take money from others? For example, by threatening him, others will certainly give whatever he asks"

"Well, I don't know. I don't know either. But it seems he doesn't want to do that. The proof, Haru is a guy who was quite popular among the girls at that time"

"Yes, it's hard to believe. But that's how I heard it. Classmates also sometimes talk about Haru, but it seems Haru doesn't care about it because of something"

"One thing?"

"I've heard rumors that Haru once dated another girl. But the rumor says that Haru found out that her boyfriend was having an affair with another man. The reason the girl cheated on him was because Haru was an innocent guy, didn't know anything about spoiling his partner, and he didn't contribute anything in his alley. You know, like he just goes in an alley group and doesn't do anything"

"Did her affair have all that?"

"I don't know any more, but if the girl says that, then it should"

"So how did Haru respond back then? He must be very angry"

"Hm... You might be saying you're half right. It's not Haru who is angry, but the whole gang hates the girl and her affair. Because the affair was in another gang, then Haru's gang almost carried out a massive attack on his cheating gang"

"So Haru...?"

"Haru tried to calm him down, he said that emotions can't solve anything. I don't know any more, but Haru managed to quell the anger of his friends"

"It seems Haru was really respected back then huh", Mayumi responded

"Yeah I also thought of Haru that way when I was there. But that's not why Haru is known"

"Eh, what do you mean?"

"You remember my father who wanted to chase the Yakuza? Well, the one being chased was Haru's father"

Mayumi reflexively stood up from her chair and then responded in a high tone, "heee....!! Not likely? Haru's father is a Yakuza!?"

Misaki responded with a small smile, "haha, calm down. That was then, now another"

"What do you mean, Misaki!?"

"At that time, my father was looking for a Yakuza because one of its members was carrying some firearms that he obtained illegally. The person suspected was Haru's father. Of course as the only child can't let her father just walk away"

"So how did Haru help her?", Mayumi asked again

"Actually his gang could have helped Haru to help his father, but Haru himself did not want to make his friends interfere in his family problems. So Haru did that alone"

Misaki then continued, "and of course even though it wasn't easy and took almost 2 months. Haru then succeeds who the mastermind in the case really is. The story is very long, the point is that his father was framed by someone else so he could escape"

"Haru done it all? By himself? Wait, how did you know? Did you hear it from your friend?"

"No-no. The incident was after an incident where his girlfriend cheated on him, maybe about 4 months later. It was his father who said it all on one of the podcasts. Haru did not come there, because his father said he did not want to be seen by others. So it was all said by his father"

"Hee... You know a lot too. Doesn't it matter if you tell Haru's past to me? You're not worried that I'm gonna tell this to the guy?"

"I wouldn't suggest telling the guy, but I'm sure you'll"

"Why can you be so sure?"

"Of course I know, because you like it, don't you?"

Those words left Mayumi speechless for a moment, making once again a silence between the two of them