The whole travel from Del Sol to SanMy was spent in silence only interrupted by Warren’s grunts and fidgeting from the passenger seat.
Haru, focusing on the road and the traffic light that’s taking forever to turn green, loudly taps a finger on the steering wheel to drown out the commotion.
𝗪: 𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙀! Earth to Haru? Hello????
Unable to elicit a reaction from Haru, Warren slumps back onto his seat and rolls his eyes.
𝗪: I swear to Watcher, woman! Are we going to talk shit out or are you going to shut me out again until you start missing me?
Without warning, Haru stops tapping her finger and slams her forehead on the steering wheel.
Suddenly concerned, Warren approaches her carefully…
𝗪: 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘦, I know we’re both frustrated right now but won’t you please speak to me so we can solve-
𝗛: There’s nothing to solve, Warren! I kept taking you back when I shouldn't have too many times…I gave you all the chances in the world but all you succeeded in was finding new ways to disappoint and hurt me...
...𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸…𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲.
Warren sits in dejected silence for a moment. Haru never outright said before that she wanted to end things.
𝗪: Do you really mean that, Haru?
𝗛: 𝗬𝗘𝗦! The last thing we need right now is to stay in a pointless relationship. You have a lot to work on and I deserve better.
𝗛: Don’t be silly! We run in the same circles, it’s likely we’ll still see each other around.
Haru puts her hands on Warren’s shoulder.
𝗛: We have a year left in college - there’s still time for you to turn things around. I know the brilliant Orange is still in there somewhere. Make him proud.
With his mom’s place being only a block away, Warren figures it’d be best for Haru to take the free cab in front of them instead of driving him home.
But of course, Haru, being Haru, doesn’t take leave without making sure he can manage.
He assures her he’s more than sobered up and can drive.
It’s actually uncomfortable how aware he is of himself at the moment.
𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯? He drank, didn’t he?
𝘔𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴? It’s late, he’s sleepy!
𝗛𝗲’𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲! He might ask his mom to make hot peppermint cocoa with marshmallows on top when he gets home, though.
𝗛: The dorm at Mossy Lane in Britchester, please. It's close to Pepper's Pub.
Breaking up isn’t any easier for Haru.
They’ve been together for years, albeit on-again then off-again, and most of her teen milestones were with him.
She can cry but her body has had it (officially) and is flatly refusing to produce the tears necessary to feel somewhat of a catharsis.
𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸! 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳…
Just as Haru whips out her phone, the light turns green.
The phone on the other end rings for only a second before it's answered. Clearly, whoever she called was anticipating her.
????: MY BABY! Happy New Year! How are you?
Haru’s heavy heart immediately lightens at the sound of her mother’s voice.
𝗛: Mom! Happy New Year too! I’m okay...𝘐 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘴?
Rosie, Haru's mom, clicks her tongue in disapproval.
𝗥: Please tell me you at least took a break from your schoolwork to celebrate. Have you eaten already?
The truth is, all of her schoolwork had been completed before Winterfest, but she had to lie due to...𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴.
𝗥: Haru, don’t make me teleport there to force-feed you Japchae and Dango!
𝗛: OMW, yum! Is that what you guys ate? So jelly!
𝗥: I’m not joking, young lady…
𝗛: Why don’t I teleport there instead? Actually, I went to Julienne’s party but didn't have the chance to grab a bite...
Haru hears a scoff in the background, followed by the critical voice of her father.
𝗭𝗮𝗰𝗵: What does that kid serve at her parties anyway, rabbit food?
Haru giggles. She’s already feeling a lot better.
𝗥: What your father is trying to say is it’s not the same without you here. Give us a few to get ready to meet you at the spawn point-
𝗛: Wait! I’m still on my way back to the dorm. Let me change first.
𝗥: No problem. Call us when you’re good, ‘kay?
Haru hangs up the phone, her heart full and hopeful.
She’s not big on resolutions, but if there is one lesson this night taught her, it’s that letting go and not sticking to plans can lead to better outcomes.
𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙖 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜.
