Title: The Truth about White Lies
Character(s): Miura Haru, Gokudera Hayato
Disclaimer: I make no claim to KHR

Chapter 1: Lost and Found

It'd been months since he last saw her, almost a year, so it took him a few seconds to register exactly who the young woman sitting on the floor was. She was in a small, dark room, up to her shoulders in technical books and computer monitors. Her fingers were blurring across the many keyboards and swiping across keypads as she worked. She was sitting on the ground with her legs sprawled out. The fact that she was in an unflatteringly baggy t-shirt and sweatpants, that her hair was matted and pulled into a baseball cap, left him stunned. This was not the Haru he had expected to see.

He shook his head and pulled at the collar of his shirt, loosening his tie. Why was it so hot in here? Oh right, they were in a basement level in a building in humid Hong Kong. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead.

She hadn't noticed him yet, probably because of the head buds in her ears. He watched her with small amusement as her head swayed with the music, and the occasional hum escaped her lips. She pulled out one headphone and scratched her thigh. He snorted.

"That's not very lady-like of you, stupid woman. Then again, I guess you never lived up to that self-proclaimed title," he said.

She jumped. "Hahi! Who is it?" She blinked rapidly, and then recognition spread from her widening eyes to the clench of her fists. "Oh, it's you. Haru should have known. Get out." With that said she plugged herself back in and stared determinedly at one of her monitors, her fingers traversing keys once again. She could have been a pianist if she had tried harder, he though, with fingers like that.

Had she stayed and continued their lessons together.

Sighing, realizing that there wasn't enough room to step inside, he lowered himself to the floor by the doorjamb, leaning against it so that he could watch her. She continued to ignore him for the next few hours, in silence that never failed to unnerve him. As he watched her he took notice of how her blank, determined expression became tired and so unlike that girl he used to fight with.

It was nearing midnight, and her stomach rumbled, which shook him out of the haze he had been slowly drifting into. He followed her movements as she struggled getting up, but managed it, and dusted her backside and the backs of her legs. Stretching high, she pulled her muscles and rummaged for a bit before lifting up a briefcase out of the back. He got up as she approached the door, eyes downcast to avoid his own, and let her through.

He sighed when she didn't stop, completely bypassing him.

He walked after her, wondering with growing irritation when she was going to stop acting like a child. He could understand her anger with him, but she had overstepped it by shutting everyone else too. "We need to talk, Haru," he said impatiently, following her out of the hall. Instead of going to the elevators she passed those too and went to the stairway. She pulled open the door, walked in, and before he could do something she shut the door in his face. He glared at her through the mesh wiring.

"Haru has nothing to say to you. Leave me alone. You're so annoying!" she hissed.

"That doesn't change the fact that we need to talk. I have things to say to you, and you're going to listen," he said, almost amused by how her anger seemed to grow as he spoke. She looked about to explode when suddenly all the fire died out and she let her clenched fists fall. Sighing heavily she turned away from him and began to walk up the staircase.

"Hey, stupid!" he called out, trying to pull open the door. "You realize that there's like thirty basement levels right?"

She didn't answer and he growled, kicking the door and heading towards the elevators. When he got back to the first floor he gave up and sat down in the front reception area. He wondered if he should call the Tenth, but decided against it in the end. It would only make him sad, and he didn't want to incite that in him. He ran a hand through his hair and fixed his tie and collar. Outside of the basement the air was much cooler.

He contemplated going back to his hotel when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He fumbled for a second, digging into his slacks to pull it out. It was the Tenth. He sighed resignedly.

"Tenth," he answered.

"Ah! Gokudera kun. How was your flight? Did you make it safely to Hong Kong?"

"Yes, Tenth. I'm already here. I've already seen Haru too. I found her working at one of our affiliated companies in the city. She's an assistant to a computer researcher. Verde will be angry," he finished, trying to diffuse his own tension.

That seemed to surprise him. "Really? I see. Haha, Verde will feel betrayed alright." he said laughingly. "But, how was she? Did you speak?"

"She kind of ditched me. I'll have to try again tomorrow."

"I see." His disappointment was palpable.

"Yes. But I'll have results tomorrow, Tenth. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Hesitation. "Oh, Gokudera kun? Tell her that we miss her. We really do."

"Of course."

Didn't he know it most of all.

This wasn't the first time that he had traveled to look for her.

But this time was unique in that he had actually gotten to see her. Every other time she always managed to evade him. This always made Reborn laugh and joke about how he should have trained her to be a hitman too. The Tenth never laughed. He never wanted the girls to be involved in the mafia, but irrevocably tied to him as they all were they all found themselves immersed anyway. Kyoko, married to the Tenth, and Haru running around working as a computer technician for Vongola, specifically for Verde. That was, until she resigned from her duties with him and left Italy. She traveled, and in the past year he had looked for her in Japan, Spain, France, and Egypt. But she always got away.

In Korea he finally had some luck.

But damn, she pissed him off so much. Didn't she get tired? What about the family? He wanted to accuse her of making everyone suffer, but deep in his heart he knew that he was also to blame. She wouldn't have left if he hadn't hurt her in the first place.

She hadn't stepped foot in Italy since she found out about his lie. He was at fault. Her pain was his to bear, and therefore so was the family's sadness. It was his job, then, to bring her back. He had to.

He made sure that he was already in her little office by the time she showed up for work at the most ungodly hour that was 5 in the morning.

She walked in and stopped shortly, obviously startled by his presence.

"What are you doing here? I thought Haru made it very clear that you are not welcome," she hissed in a strained voice.

He lifted an eyebrow, lowering a book he had been reading from her stock. "And I thought I told you that we need to speak."

Her lips curved into a grimace. "Leave."

He opened the book again and adjusted his glasses. "Not a chance."

He wasn't going to lose her again.