Friends from the Past

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Haru and Imani were speeding down the highway like a nascar driver. Imani took off her helmet and spread her arms out as if she was trying to fly. She loved the feeling of the wind in her face and in her hair.

Imani enjoyed the view of the city at night. For some odd reason, she loved the city lights and watching the people of the city bustle around in the streets and sidewalks. She was a city girl at heart and will always be. That was part of the reason why she wanted to come to Tokyo in the first place. It was a very well known and big city.

Haru was just enjoying the ride with Imani. Who knew she could be so spontaneous? He didn't know why, but when he first met her a couple of weeks ago, he thought she would be a pain in the ass killjoy. He finally realized that that wasn't the case. She can actually be quite fun, despite their antics at school, which he has to admit to himself, it was quite fun as well.

It was nice to get out of that house. Haru didn't want to hear his parent's constant bickering and arguing. Why didn't he think of this before? Perhaps it's better if he was accompanied by another person? To be honest with himself, he just wanted to do this with Imani. No one else.

Haru sped up the motorcycle, making Imani laugh with excitement. Haru was glad that she was having fun and enjoying his company. Haru doesn't get to spend lots of time with women. Ayumi follows him around everywhere like a lost puppy. It's quite annoying. Imani is the only female he actually enjoys and wants to be hanging out with.

Coming to a halt, Haru parked his bike on the side of the street.

"You hungry?" He asked Imani as he eyed a certain restaurant hungrily.

Imani nodded her head, holding her grumbling stomach.

"Good, I come to this place often. They have the best sukiyaki". He said, grabbing her hand and leading her across the street and towards the restaurant he was eyeing.

"Is that your favorite meal?" She asked.

"Yep".

Haru and Imani got seated and enjoyed a sukiyaki meal and dessert. Haru had learned more about Imani. Her favorite color was cobalt blue, she enjoys running and swimming, loves to sit down in a nice and quiet place and read a good science fiction novel about aliens, robots, space and time travel, her favorite Japanese cuisine is okonomiyaki, she loves rock, pop, rap and hip hop music, she sings in the shower or anytime she is alone because she doesn't like how she sings, and that she loves the salty smell of the ocean and the soft, warm feeling of sand in between her toes, and the sound of the waves of the ocean, crashing into the beach. He also found out why she can't be in elevators. Imani told him that when she was a young girl, a bully trapped her in an elevator when they were on a field trip to a museum. It was working fine, until it broke down and stopped. She was stuck and trapped and couldn't get out. She was afraid and panicking. She had an anxiety attack and lost consciousness. She had to go to the hospital afterwards. Haru definitely found Imani intriguing.

Haru doesn't like to talk about himself, but Imani found out that he likes the color scarlet red, rock and rap music, and the reason why his favorite meal is Sukiyaki is because it was the only fond memory he had of him and his parents eating together as a family. It was a relaxing meal. He was a young kid. It was the only time he felt as though they were a normal family, enjoying each other's company. Imani thought that was a sweet memory. She felt bad that his parents are going through a rough patch. She remembered how she felt when her parents were going through the same thing, which only made Imani want to be at his side more. She desperately needed a friend back then. She figured he needs one now more than ever. She was glad though. He seemed to not be thinking about his parents and seemed to be enjoying himself.

After dinner, Imani and Haru took a stroll around the area. Imani started naming constellations in the sky. Haru learned a lot of interesting facts when he was around her. He never knew stars could actually be interesting. Imani talks about it so passionately. She would make anything sound interesting.

"Well, I never thought I would be meeting you here, Haruto", came a familiar voice to Haru.

The two of them turned around behind them to see another student from a different school, about their age. Imani had no idea who he was, but Haru knew all too well.

"Shuichi", he mumbled.

Imani looked over at Haru.

"You two know each other?" She asked.

"You can say we are old pals", said Shuichi, before focusing his attention on Imani.

"What's your name, gorgeous?" He asked as he grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it.

Imani was taken aback, but looked at him with slight disgust.

"Imani Williams", she said, taking back her hand from his and wiping it on the back of her jacket.

"Didn't know you were into foreign women, Haru". He said grinning smugly.

"There's a lot you don't know about me. It's been quite a while, since we have seen one another, Shuichi". Haru said, eyeing the group of other male students surrounding them.

Imani did the same. She watched those boy's every movements. She didn't like the looks of the situation and she had a bad feeling nagging at her heart and brain.

"She's cute. I guess you and Ayumi didn't work out. Think I have a shot with her?"

Haru shrugged his shoulders."Perhaps? I don't know her type".

"Oh we all know her type". Shuichi smirked.

One of Shuichi's guys went up to Imani and started caressing her cheek. Imani sent glares at the guy and smacked his hand away.

"Hands off the merchandise, asshat". She hissed at him.

"Oo, your girlfriend is feisty. I can see why you like her. I'm already in love with her".

"You're not my type". She spat.

"Such a heartbreaker. You better watch out for that one, Haru. So disappointing", Shuichi feigned sadness as he traced a tear down his cheek.

"What do you want Shuichi?" Haru asked, getting annoyed and impatient.

"I just so happened to see an old buddy of mine and thought I'd come and say hello". He said, holding up his hands in defense.

"We all know that's a load of bullshit. We both know what you came over here for". Haru told him, not buying his faux innocence.

Shuichi nodded his head, before smacking Haru in his face with his fist. Imani gasped and was about to go over to help Haru, but two guys from behind her held Imani back by her arms.

"Let go of me, you assholes!" She groaned as she struggled to get out of their grasps.

Haru spat out blood and wiped his mouth with his thumb.

"Girlfriend trying to save you, huh?"

"Imani landed a better punch than that when we first met". Haru chastised him.

Shuichi narrowed his eyes and landed another punch on his other cheek. Haru looked over at Imani and grinned, nodding his head. Imani grinned back and nodded her towards him. Shuichi had no idea what they were doing, but he didn't like it, so he kneed Haru in his stomach. Haru widened his eyes as he coughed up blood to the ground.

"Your girlfriend will be fine, for now. Your attention should be with me". Shuichi growled at him.

"You're right, I should pay more attention to you". Haru mumbled, holding his stomach, before grabbing Shuichi by the shoulders and head butting him.

Imani took that as a sign and immediately elbowed one guy in the face and stomach, forcing him to let go of her right arm. Not giving the other guy any time to react, she roundhouse kicked the other guy in the face.

"Don't ever lay your filthy hands on me again". She spat on their unconscious forms and wiped herself off.

Haru smirked at Imani and gave Shuichi a knee  to his gut and two punches to his face. He wanted to pay him back for damaging his face.

"Run!" He yelled at Imani as he grabbed her hand again and escaped from Shuichi and his gang.

They were outnumbered, so Haru didn't want to get into any serious fights, especially with Imani around. He was well aware that she could handle herself, but he wouldn't forgive himself if something grave happened to her because of him.

They managed to escape the gang in a park four miles away. It was nighttime, so there was barely anybody at the park. The two of them collapsed on the nearest bench they could find, having to sprint the entire four miles from their previous location to this.

"That was exciting", Imani said, breathing heavily.

"My typical day." He said, panting.

"Any reason why he wanted to beat you to a pulp?" Imani asked.

"Let's just say we have an ongoing rivalry". "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Movies", Imani laughed, making Haru do the same.

"You never cease to surprise me. I don't normally like surprises, but coming from you, I don't mind. It just keeps me being intrigued by you more and more".

There was a nice silence as the two of them allowed their breaths to catch up and their heart rate to normalize.

The two of them sat up on the bench and looked around. The coast was clear. Imani looked over at Haru and laughed at his face. His cheeks were swollen and puffed up.

"You look like a pufferfish". She chuckled.

"Thanks for making my battle wound sound unmanly". He said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry", she said, still laughing and looking around for a drug store. "I'll be right back", she said, running across the street and coming back with ointment and gauzes.

"I'm not Kaito, but I do know how to apply first aid". She said, holding up the plastic bag.

"I prefer your soft, feminine hands to Kaito's manly ones any day".

Imani laughed as she rubbed the ointment on both of Haru's cheeks gently and taped gauzes on each of them. She placed a band aid on the corner of his lip, where there was a cut. Was Shuichi wearing rings?

"Anywhere else?" Imani asked.

Haru nodded, but hesitated. He lifted up his shirt to show her his bruised stomach and abdomen. Imani's face flushed, before she started rubbing ointment on it. Haru watched her with sincerity in his eyes as Imani deliberately avoided his gaze. She wrapped his stomach and abdomen with wrapping bandages and  threw away any empty wrappers.

"There, I didn't do a bad job". She said, quite proud of herself.

"No, you didn't", Haru simply said, staring at her and then at her lips.

There was more silence between the two and Imani was getting nervous, but not in the uncomfortable way.

"It's definitely getting late. I am positive that the Kobayashi's are having a conniption right about now. I told them I was tutoring you, but not about any of the other stuff we did". Imani rambled as she stood up, looking around. "Damn it! I left Miyuki's bike at school! How am I supposed to get to school tomorrow?" Imani rambled on again, starting to freak out.

She was about to start walking away when Haru grabbed her arm and pulled her into a deep kiss. Imani stood motionless as his kiss took her by surprise. Her eyes were widened and face flushed again, but she slowly eased into the kiss and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let her hands slowly comb up through the back of his head. Haru hugged Imani's waist tightly, not wanting to let her go and pulled her closer to him, their bodies pressed together. She turned her head to the side and parted her lips, allowing Haru's tongue to slide into her mouth. The two of them stayed like that, until they parted from each other's lips for air, staring deeply into each other's eyes. Imani was so embarrassed, so she pushed him off her and punched him in his already bruised stomach, making him wince in pain.

"Who told you to just grab me and kiss me out of the blue?" She asked him, feigning anger.

"My bad, couldn't help myself".

"Try harder".

"But wait, you kissed me back." Haru said grinning.

"No, I didn't". Imani said, turning around to hide her embarrassed face.

"You did, which means you like me". He teased her.

"I do not! I loathe you! I hate you with every fiber, every molecule in my being, even in the depths of my soul!" She told him, crossing her arms against her chest.

Haru grabbed her again and turned her around to face him. Imani looked into his eyes as he grabbed her chin.

"I hate you too, you stupid girl". He told her, before planting another kiss on her lips.

Imani closed her eyes and kissed him back. The two of them parted from each other's lips and smiled at one another.

"Fine, I like you, asshat". Imani whispered to him.

"I like you too, foreigner". Haru whispered back to her.

Haru and Imani found Haru's motorcycle, believing that Shuichi and his gang were long gone. Haru drove Imani back to the Kobayashi residence.

"I guess I will see you at school tomorrow". Imani said, getting off the bike and handing him the helmet.

"Keep it. I will be picking you for school for now on".

"You don't have to do that". Imani said, getting embarrassed again.

"I know, but I want to". Haru said.

"Okay".

"See ya", Haru said, pecking Imani's lips, before driving away.

Imani watched him leave, before stepping into the house and locking the door behind her. She was immediately met with a group hug and worrisome faces. The Kobayashi's stayed up and waited for Imani to get back home like she thought.

"We were so worried about you!" Said Shiro.

"I thought something terrible happened to you". Said Yumi.

"You were gone for far too long!" Cried both Rin and Rina.

"I'm so so sorry you guys. A lot has happened today and we just ran out of time. Time flies by when you're having fun they always say". She apologized as she rubbed both Rin and Rina's heads.

"It's alright. I'm just glad you're safe". Shiro sighed and then yawned, finally being able to go to sleep.

"Good night". He wished, before dragging himself to his bedroom.

"Good night Ima-chan!" Rin and Rina said, hugging her leg tightly, before residing to their bedroom.

"Before I go to sleep, who was that cute boy dropping you off on his motorcycle? Was that the boy that you was tutoring? What was that kiss? Are you two a couple now?" Yumi bombarded Imani with questions.

Imani smiled nervously, not sure if she was able to answer all of her questions.

"Haruto Akihiko, I was tutoring him, he was saying goodbye and maybe". She answered.

"Akihiko? Oo, a very prestigious family. Nice job snagging that one. Good for you". Yumi nudged her shoulder, acting like a proud mother. "If only Miyuki could snag a rich boy from that school". She said, hopeful. "Anyways, good night Imani". She yawned, before residing to her husband's room.

"Good night you guys". Imani said, before doing the same, smiling warmly to herself.

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