Haru's Halloween

Haru felt naked as he stood in the Queen’s palace.

Not a naked where one was stripped of clothes or fur, the kind of naked feeling where one is in a place surrounded by no one that they know.

No one to cling to to make them feel safe or comfortable.

He wanted to call any number of his hyungs and ask them to pick him up and take him back to the dorm or maybe just join him so he doesn’t feel quite so alone in this place.

He felt out of place and that he’d made a grave mistake in the costume that he’d chosen to wear for this event. That costume being one of his favorite manga/anime characters called Detective Conan. Sadly, no one at the party seemed to know that and thought he was dressed as a geek or something.

Just because he was wearing glasses, a red bowtie, and sort of a suit didn’t mean he was dressed up as a geek.

He was more creative than that, he would never dress up as a generic stereopype of what others thought that a “geek” looked like.

He brought his phone out of his pouch and called Bang-u.

“Hyung,” he began, voice cracking around the edges as he was on the verge of tears, “hyung, I feel alone.”

“Haru, you’re at a party,” Bang-u replied, sounding confused, “why do you feel alone?”

“I don’t know anyone here,” Haru answered.

Bang-u chuckled, “Make some friends then, mingle.”

“Hyung,” Haru whined, feeling as if Bang-u didn’t understand, “I’m scared.”

“It’s the Queen’s Halloween Party, I think you’re supposed to be scared,” was the teasing response Haru received.

He felt like Bang-u just wasn’t getting it, so Haru told him nevermind and hung up.

He scrolled through his contacts, going to his friend Patty, his finger hovering over his name.

I don’t want to bother him, Haru thought, he’s probably busy.

Still, he stared at Patty’s name from among his contacts, wanting to call his best friend.

Maybe if he sent a text? Then Patty could respond if he wasn’t busy.

Haru moved windows on his phone to open up the messaging app.

Patty, r u busy tonight? Do u want 2

He stopped texting, reconsidering what he’d written so far. He quickly erased what he didn’t like.

Keep it simple, he thought, find out if he’s busy first.

Patty, r u busy tonight?

He sent the message, then waited, chewing at the inside of his bottom lip nervously.

He’s probably too busy, Haru thought, he won’t reply.

Haru sat down in a nearby chair, wracked with a feeling of not belonging.

He had come here to have fun, but he hadn’t done anything yet.

It just … didn’t seem fun when he couldn’t do these activities with a friend.

Haru felt his phone vibrate and he brought it out eagerly, hoping that Patty had maybe texted him back.

His heart swelled gratefully upon seeing that the text was indeed from Patty.

Relief poured over him as he read it:

I’m free, what’s up?

Quickly he typed out a response:

I’m alone @ the Queen’s Halloween Party, u want 2 come join me?

Haru didn’t want to say that he needed him to come over so he wouldn’t be alone, feeling that it would be better to phrase it more like an invite.

Yo, I’ll b there, w8 4 me!

Was the wonderful reply text that eased Haru’s worries. He sighed, relieved more than words could fully express that Patty was coming to join him.

When Patty arrived, Haru all but ran to him, embracing him in a near bear-hug.

“Thank you,” Haru practically sobbed as he cried into Patty’s fluffy neck.

“Aigoo,” Patty sighed affectionately as he patted Haru on the back reassuringly and let him recover.

When Haru had regained his composure and released Patty from the hug, he smiled at him appreciatively and wiped away the last of his tears.

“So what do you want to do first hyung,” he asked, smiling.

“Hmmm,” Patty hummed pensively as he looked around at the various activities available at the party, “How about pumpkin carving?”

Haru nodded excitedly at the suggestion and followed Patty over to where the pumpkin carving was taking place in the castle.

Haru picked out a pumpkin to carve and grabbed some supplies, then sat down at one of the long tables that had been set up as a carving station.

He waved at Patty, beckoning him over after seeing that he’d picked out a pumpkin.

“I already grabbed you a set of carving tools,” he shouted.

Patty beamed and came over to sit next to Haru, who slid the spare pack of carving tools he’d grabbed over to him.

“What are you planning to carve hyung,” Haru asked, beaming excitedly.

“Hmm, something traditional but with a twist? How about you?”

Haru thought for a moment, “A werewolf!”

“Oh! That sounds cool!”

Haru nodded and set to work, he’d put his noise canceling earbuds in this sort of situation, but he wanted to be able to hear the Halloween music that was playing and Patty if he wanted to hold a conversation while they worked.

The pumpkins had been pre-gutted, which meant that the only thing that Haru needed to worry about was carving his chosen design.

Haru was meticulous when drawing his design with a sharpie as he wanted the design to be perfect.

He had just started carving when he noticed that Patty had already finished carving his pumpkin, which made Haru feel bad that he was still working on his.

“Sorry,” Haru said reflexively, used to having to apologize for taking too long to do things.

“Don’t be,” Patty told him, “I’m cool with just watching you work, your pumpkin is looking amazing so far.”

Haru felt himself become hot under his fur from the blush that rose due to receiving such praise.

“Thanks,” he replied, though he wasn’t sure what else to say, so he just went back to working on carving.

Time seemed to fly by quickly as Haru became hyperfocused on the task.

Patty was a silent watcher, which was both good and bad as it meant that Haru was allowed to work without a bunch of questions, but it also meant that Haru got lost in the activity and didn’t realize how much time had passed until he had finished his masterpiece ans discovered that there was only half an hour left of the party.

“Ah, no! The party is almost over,” Haru pouted, “was there anything else you wanted to do Patty?”

Patty just chuckled though, “Was there anything else you wanted to do?”

Haru thought about it briefly, he’d already danced a little bit earlier and he wasn’t a fan of scary movies…which really just left chowing down on the various sweet treats.

“Could we snag some of the sweets on our way out?”

“Hell yeah!”

Together, they hit the various tables with sweets. Haru tried just about everything and took some extra of his favorites for later before leaving with Patty and their carved pumpkins.