Careless, Painless and Voiceless

Karrie was crying on Shinjin's shoulder. Shinjin was comforting Karrie while Haruka was having an argument with their uncle.

"All of you have to do it! Dekim Barton already assigned all of you to do this." Mr. Llamas said. His green eyes were glaring at them.

"Karrie almost die out there! I can't allow you to send them on the field again!" Haruka said.

"What do you want then?" Mr. Llamas asked her.

"I want Karrie and Shinjin be removed from every mission. I'll do the job from now on." Haruka told Mr. Llamas.

Shinjin and Karrie were frowning.

"Haruka, we are a team. How come you're bailing us out?" Shinjin asked.

"We can't leave you alone." Karrie added.

"We can change tasks. Karrie would be the one to look for information while I go and assist you and find escape paths." Shinjin suggested.

"No. I won't let you do any of it. I promised Edward to take care of you girls. I'm the eldest now so do as I say and study hard." Haruka told them.

"I like your guts, Flame. So I'll do you a great favor and remove Shinjin and Karrie in every mission. Which means you'll do this mission alone." Mr. Llamas said.

"Yes, uncle." Haruka said.

Shinjin and Karrie were going to protest but Mr. Llamas frowned at them.

"My decision is final, girls." He told Shinjin and Karrie.

Shinjin and Karrie then closed their mouths for they know that they can't do anything to change both Haruka and Mr. Llamas' minds.

"This time, your mission is very easy. Since you're a graduate of engineering then it can be your advantage. You will be Doctor S's assistant in creating a special mobile suit for the operation. You'll leave tomorrow." Mr. Llamas told Haruka.

"Understood." Haruka said.

"Good girl. Someone will pick you up." Mr. Llamas said then left the room.

"Haruka!" Shinjin called with a tone of disappointment in her voice.

"Shinjin, you have to study." Haruka countered, knowing what she's going to say.

"You're so unfair!" Karrie protested.

"This is fair, Karrie! You're having trouble with school that's why I'm doing this!" Haruka told Karrie.

"I can always help her, Haruka. After all, we are both taking the same course." Shinjin said.

"I know that! But can't you see? You're graduating Shinjin while Karrie is still in second year. The both of you took the course at the same time but Karrie was delayed because of this job!" Haruka said.

"Nursing is a difficult course, Haruka!" Karrie told her.

"And so is engineering." Haruka countered.

"If you really want to join me in this job then fulfill your dreams first. This means, Shinjin should be a doctor and Karrie should be a nurse then you can join me in this mess." Haruka told them.

"If you don't want me to do that job then I'll find a different one!" Karrie said.
________________________________________________________________________

"You're awake." Trowa said.

Haruka noticed that she's not outside the circus. She was inside a room and lying on a bed. She sat up and looked around. She noticed that she was inside her own room in their house.

Trowa was sitting on a chair beside her bed. He was wearing a green sweat shirt and pants.

"What time is it?" Haruka asked.

"7 o' clock pm. Some of your friends are down stairs." Trowa replied.

"How did I get here?"

"They were about to take you when we came. We were able to rescue you but they took Karrie."

"Karrie."

"I'm sorry. We couldn't save her."

"Nanashi, it's not your fault. It's all my fault."

"Eos, you also tried but failed."

"I told you not to call me Eos. Call me Haruka instead."

"But that is part of your name, right? Your whole name is Eos Haruka Cole?"

"That's true but call me Haruka. I'm used to it."

"See. You're cheering up."

"Karrie…"

Tears fell down Haruka's eyes. Trowa saw those tears so he sat at the edge of her bed and wiped away her tears. He was surprised when Haruka suddenly wrapped her arms around his body and buried her face on his chest.

"This is not what I wanted for my birthday." Haruka told him.

Trowa knew that she was crying so he wrapped his arms around her and caressed her hair.

Mrs. Llamas and Shinjin entered her room with a tray of cakes and a tray of pitcher with tea and cups. Trowa noticed them entered and looked at them. Shinjin sat on the opposite side of Haruka and rubbed her back.

"Even though something happened today, we still have to celebrate your birthday, Flame." Mrs. Llamas told her.

Haruka didn't respond. She just buried her face deeper on Trowa's chest.

"You have to go down stairs and face your guests." Mrs. Llamas added.

Still, Haruka didn't respond. She kept crying on Trowa's chest. Shinjin was a bit irritated by the way Haruka acted.

"We'll deal with her, aunty." Shinjin assured Mrs. Llamas.

Mrs. Llamas nodded and took one last look at Haruka then left the room.

"Sorry for the way she acted, Trowa." Shinjin apologized.

"It's fine. I'm used to this." Trowa said.

"Haruka told us that you are her knight. You always help her whenever she was being harassed by your co-workers."

"I'm no knight."

"For her, you are. So in behalf of Karrie, we thank you for protecting her."

Trowa nodded then held Haruka tighter.

"By the way, I got the information you want." Shinjin added but she kept on glancing at Haruka.

"What did you find out?" Trowa asked.

"This card you gave me. The man who dropped this is a member of the Teddy Bear Corps. This means, they are responsible for kidnapping Karrie and I recently found out that they also kidnapped Maremaia Khushrenada." Shinjin said.

Haruka lifted her head and wiped her tears. She listened intently to Shinjin but she did not release Trowa. She hugged him tighter.

"The known leader of this Corps is Governor Theodore Glow but I doubt that. He always throws parties so that's impossible. The thing that bothers me is their reason. I'm guessing that they know something about us." Shinjin explained.

"You were used to be spies, right? Haruka told me that." Trowa guessed.

"Is that what they wanted? If they want us to work then they should have asked!" Haruka said.

"You're back! You must be finished sobbing." Shinjin teased.

"What else did you find out?" Haruka asked, ignoring Shinjin's tease.

"The Purcells are paying the media so these things won't come out. That was plainly weird." Shinjin said.

"They must be plotting something against the government. The Purcells must be members of that Corps." Haruka concluded.

"You are taking advantage of Trowa's kindness up until now. I know you want to feel his body. I can't blame you. How does it feel to touch his muscles?" Shinjin asked with a large grin.

Haruka blushed then pushed Trowa gently away from her. Trowa also released her.

"Theodore is having a party in Arabia. I took an invitation." Shinjin added.

"I'm going. I'll do it!" Haruka said.

"No. I'll do it." Trowa countered.

"It's none of your business, Nanashi. This is my family so anything that happened in it does not include you." Haruka told Trowa.

"Then, I guess it's time to add a guy in this family, Flame. So let him do it." Shinjin told her.

"No. It's fine if I do it. I'm used to these kinds of mess." Haruka said.

"He is also good at this. I know. IF YOU KEEP ON GIVING REASON LIKE HE IS NOT PART OF THE FAMILY THEN WE'LL MAKE HIM PART OF IT!" Shinjin nagged.

"Like how? You'll marry him? I'm the eldest here so I'll do anything to protect this family." Haruka told Shinjin.

"I'm not going to do that! You marry him! Then let him do it! I don't want you to get hurt!" Shinjin told her.

"Don't worry about me, Shinjin. I can take care of myself. I'm not yet ready to get married anyway." Haruka said while glancing at Trowa. She was blushing most of the times.

"Then, accept this offer." Trowa told Haruka.

"You're not going to ask her hand, aren't you?" Shinjin asked.

"No." Trowa replied matter-of-factly.

Shinjin frowned.

"I'll call my friend, Quatre Winner. He lives in Arabia. I want you to stay with him." Trowa said.

"If I do that, you won't follow, right?" Haruka asked him.

"Just accept it. At least I know you're safe." Shinjin said.

"Okay. I agree, Nanashi." Haruka told Trowa.

"I'll give you the invitation then." Shinjin said.

"Good. I'm going to greet my guests now. Thank you, Nanashi." Haruka said then kissed him on his cheeks and left the room.

Shinjin stood up and took a cup of tea and gave it to Trowa.

"I'm so sorry about her attitude." Shinjin said as she handed him a cup of tea.

Trowa took the cup and drank the tea.

"I'm used to it." Trowa assured her.

"Even the kiss?" Shinjin asked with full of enthusiasm.

"Pretty much. She usually does that whenever I save her." Trowa replied then took another sip.

"Really? She never told us that. That sneaky lass!" Shinjin said.

Catherine went in.

"You're still here. Haruka is already down stairs." Catherine told Trowa.

"Catherine, I'm going to Arabia." Trowa told her.

"Why?" Shinjin and Catherine asked in chorus.

"I have to follow Haruka. I have to make sure she is fine. I'll be back, I promise." Trowa replied.

"Why are you going to follow her? Who is she to you?" Catherine asked.

"She is my friend, that's all." Trowa said then he stood up and left the room.

Shinjin giggled while Catherine glared at her.

"Why are you laughing?" Catherine asked.

"It's nothing." Shinjin said.

"Tell me!"

"Well, I now know what part of Trowa, Haruka likes."

"Is that so? Then I want to know why he acted like she is important."

Then they looked at each other and giggled.

"It is possible, isn't it?" Shinjin asked.

"It is." Catherine said.

"This is great. I'm so happy for them but they are containing it."

"By the way, thank you for letting us stay here for the night."

"It's no big deal. You're clown is a friend of my sister and her savior so whenever you're in town, you'll have to stay here so you won't build tents and sleep outside. We owe you more than that."

Shinjin and Catherine left the room.

________________________________________________________________________

Karrie woke up on a bed. She sat up and saw big windows with fancy curtains, expensive lampshade on an oak side table, soft green carpet, a wide sofa and coffee table, two more beds and Maremaia Khushrenada. She was sitting on her bed.

"They took you, too." Maremaia said.

"Where are we?" Karrie asked.

"I don't know." Maremaia replied.

The door opened then Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian was pushed inside.

"Ms. Peacecraft, how nice of you to visit?" Maremaia said.

"I'm not visiting, I was kidnapped."Relena said irritatedly.

Then Relena noticed Karrie sitting on a bed. Relena assessed her.

"I know who you are! You're that girl in that commercial!" Relena said.

"Yes. I'm that girl in a shampoo commercial. I'm Karrie Cole." Karrie introduced.

"It is true. Your hair is shinier. I thought that it's only a hoax." Relena said.

"Why don't we think of a plan to get out of here?" Maremaia suggested.

"Right. Plans." Relena said.

"Are we going to wait until someone rescues us?" Maremaia asked.

"Only princesses in fairytales wait. Let's look around the room, we could find something useful." Karrie told them.
________________________________________________________________________

In someone's office, three men wearing coats and black shades are standing beside a door. A man sitting behind the table was looking at them furiously.

The man looked like 27 years old but he is actually 33 years old. His hair is blond, fixed really neatly and his eyes are red.

"I told you that I need Shinjin Cole!" He shrilled.

"Sir, the information given to us is you want someone from the Cole sisters." Their leader said.

"Who told you that?" the blond man asked.

"Lieutenant Ray, sir." The minions replied in chorus.

"Then kill Lieutenant Ray and promote Sergeant Dean. Go!" the blond man ordered.

"Yes, sir!" the minions said in chorus then went out of the room.

"Karrie Cole, huh? I could use her to influence the Yuy family." He told himself as he was looking at Karrie's picture in his laptop and laughed.