Halloween Party

Loud music pulsed through the dimly lit club as neon lights cast eerie shadows. The air was thick with smoke, spiced cocktails, and artificial fog. Jack-o'-lanterns, cobwebs, and cackling ghouls decorated the space, while a crowd of costumed partygoers—witches, demons, and movie characters—filled the room.

Haru and Sakura stepped inside, dressed as a zombie doctor and nurse. The moment they entered, all eyes subtly drifted toward Sakura, though no one dared to stare outright—not with Haru standing beside her. Unlike her, he wasn't here to make friends. His expression was that of a bodyguard's, silently warning anyone who even thought about looking at his girlfriend the wrong way.

Sakura, however, was here for a different reason. She wanted to make some girl friends—something she hadn't prioritised before. In her past life, she had never really thought about making other female friends. She had Mia, and at the time, she thought that was enough. But now, everything was different. Mia was no longer her friend, and for the first time, she realised how isolating it had been to rely on just one person. She wanted something new—genuine friendships, ones that weren't built on lies and betrayal.

Still, as she stood among the sea of unfamiliar faces, a flicker of self-consciousness crept in. Her costume left a lot of her legs exposed, and though she had thought it looked cute before, under all these watchful eyes, doubt began to form. It was undeniably better than the vampire costume she had tried on before, but that didn't make her feel any less exposed.

Haru noticed her hesitation immediately. His protective instincts flared, concern tightening in his chest. After everything that had happened with Kenji—the harassment, the assault—leaving her alone in a place like this didn't sit well with him. And the way her costume revealed so much of her legs only made him more uneasy. But when Sakura turned to him with a bright smile, some of his tension eased.

"Haru, I'm going to go and chat with the girls," she said, spotting a few classmates.

His jaw tightened slightly, but he nodded. "Okay. Have fun. I'm going to find Kei."

Even as he walked away, he couldn't shake the need to glance back, just to make sure she was okay.

Sakura approached two familiar girls from her course, determined to finally break the distance she had unknowingly put between herself and the other women in her life.

One of them, Miyu, was petite with short light brown hair and hazel eyes that sparkled under the dim club lights. She wore a soft pink princess dress, complete with a tiny tiara that tilted slightly every time she moved. Next to her stood Reina—a total contrast. Tall and striking, Reina had long black locks, dark lipstick, and a gothic dress that made her look like she had just stepped out of a vampire novel.

As Sakura joined them, Reina tilted her head and smirked. "I don't think I've ever seen you in a costume before, Sakura. What's the occasion?"

Sakura laughed. "It's a Halloween party! Isn't that reason enough?"

Miyu giggled. "Honestly, I never expected to see you at a party like this."

At first, the conversation felt a little awkward—the weight of Sakura's past reputation still lingering. But the longer they talked, the more that tension faded, replaced by genuine laughter and easy banter.

"You're actually really funny, Sakura," Miyu said, surprised.

"Yeah, you're not at all what I thought you'd be like," Reina added.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess—you thought I was all sweet and innocent?"

Miyu grinned. "Well… yeah. You were called 'Sweet Sakura' for a reason."

Sakura groaned. "May that stupid nickname burn in hell. But I guess I have no one to blame but myself. I was too worried about what people thought of me, so I actually did try to be sweet all the time."

Reina smirked. "That explains why you never said no to anything."

Sakura sighed dramatically. "Exactly! You know, because I didn't say no, I ended up being Jules' personal tutor for a whole year."

"Ouch." Reina winced.

"She complained to me about that," Miyu said, laughing. "I remember she stormed out of the library, saying you were a terrible friend. What did you say to her?"

Sakura scoffed. "Friend? She only came to me when she needed something. All I did was tell her to stop messing around with her boyfriend at night and actually study so she wouldn't fall asleep during lectures and beg me for help later."

Reina chuckled. "Damn, Sakura, you don't hold back."

Miyu grinned. "Speaking of boyfriends, how did you and Haru end up together?"

Sakura's cheeks flushed slightly. "I don't know… it just kind of happened." She smiled softly. "He's actually the one who helped me stop being a spineless loser who says yes to everything."

"Aww," Miyu and Reina cooed in unison.

Reina smirked. "And when you kissed him during that lecture—that was pretty legendary."

Sakura covered her face with her hands, her laughter mixing with the pulsing beat of the music. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she belonged.

…

Meanwhile, Haru was on a mission to find Kei, but it seemed like every step he took, a new girl would approach him.

The audacity, Haru thought, frowning. It was practically public knowledge that he and Sakura were a couple, yet they still had the nerve to flirt with him. What is it with these people?

After a few more awkward exchanges, he finally found Kei lounging on a sofa, surrounded by a gaggle of girls. Kei was in a Frankenstein costume, clearly enjoying the attention, as he spun one of the girls' hair around his finger, looking every bit the part of the infamous playboy.

"You're cute, you know that?" Kei cooed, his voice smooth, as he leaned in and kissed the girl—using mostly his tongue.

Haru cringed, watching in disbelief. He'd long known that Kei was a womanizer, but somehow, it never failed to disgust him. How could someone be so cavalier with people's emotions?

"Kei," Haru called out sharply.

"Sup, Haru," Kei replied nonchalantly, still seated, enjoying the girls' attention.

"Did Aoi say anything to you when you went to my apartment?" Haru asked, anxiety tightening in his chest.

"Surprisingly, he wasn't there. Lucky for him. Otherwise, I would've beaten the shit out of him for dating Mia. He's the one who took that video of us—remember, the one where we were drunk, talking about sexy Sakura and sexy Mia? He must've known I had a thing for her."

Haru's frown deepened. He still couldn't understand what Kei saw in Mia. Then, his face softened slightly as he looked at Kei.

"Anyway, thanks for doing this for me," Haru said, appreciation in his voice.

Kei stood up with a smirk, lipstick stains smearing his lips.

"No prob. But seriously, when do you plan on facing your brother? You can't hide from him forever. You know, my place is packed enough as it is. I can't have you crashing there for too long."

Haru sighed. "It's not like I'm planning on staying with someone who's so bloody loud at night, kissing his pillow." He chuckled, his mood lifting slightly.

Before Kei could respond, a loud scream pierced the air, and everyone's attention snapped toward the direction Sakura had been.