Chapter 68: Culmination of Effort

Two shadows were walking on the dark streets. The only thing that were illuminating their path were the street lights and the shattered moon. Seemingly spanning onto the horizon. It's not really but they were too drunk to notice.

They tried to walk at a straight pace but they would both wobble from time to time. They were walking side-by-side and shoulder to shoulder. From time to time they would giggle. Then the other would puke on the sidewalk. Luckily at this time of the night people were sleeping. Except for the people who live for the night, Partying until dawn.

The female of the duo quickly paced herself leaning onto a mailbox, puking at the nearby bush. Her companion rushed towards her side patting the mailbox, "Winter You drank too much. Your little sister's going to scold you, you know?" He said as he took a big swig from the beer bottle he was holding. Winter could hear gulping sounds and made her nauseous once more.

"Stop drinking! *Retch* Damnit Haruki! Also that's not me! That's My friend!"

"Huh? yer frends with yerself? That's sad..." Haruki said as he kept patting the mailbox. Winter then tried to strike Haruki. Haruki moved to the side, to dodge the strike. But he didn't need to, for she struck the opposite direction. "Watch out! You're gonna hit Winter, you crazy person!!" He shouted towards the mailbox.

The two drunk idiots bickered until they found a nearby bench to sit down on. "Ughhh... I think I drank too much." Winter said as she held her head. Haruki looked towards winter who was sitting beside him and laughed. "Hahahaha, This would probably give me a killer headache."

She held his arm, "Stop laughing, and stop trying to drink!!" She swatted away the bottle of beer he was holding. The bottle broke scattering the shards all over the place. Winter sighed and used her glyph to repair the broken bottle. When she was about to apologize towards Haruki he was already holding a new bottle of alcohol unfamiliar to her.

She held her face, "You know... you're really like my superior. He's a good guy but he's an idiot. He's a stubborn oaf but he tries his best. Good thing I'm his assistant because when I can't take it anymore I can stab him in his sleep."

Haruki laughed, "Hahahaha, Ironwood's about to get his ass handed to him!"

Winter shrugged her shoulders and sighed, "What's more? I'm working two jobs at once! A year Ago... I resolved myself to follow him, wherever it may lead to. Do you know what I got? He took me out drinking! He didn't even think of what I feel!

Two years!! I've waited for him for two years! What do I get? A pat on the back and A good job!?" She took the bottle from Haruki and drank more.

Haruki was already sweating bullets. What Winter said sobered him up a little bit, "Uhh, maybe you should take it easy on the alcohol there... Because this guy is sounding less and less like ironwood..."

Winter frowned and continued, "I resolved myself to follow him for the rest of my life. I did so many missions, unsanctioned ones. even the military doesn't know about it. Just so I could get his praise. That bastard works me to the bone! And it's not like I'm not making it obvious but I keep showing him hints. I'm not really sure if he noticed or he is ignoring them, but damnit you'd have to be the densest man in the world to not know it. It's not like my feelings were hidden deep down! I have needs too, for fucks sake!"

Haruki tried to pacify the almost Berserk Winter. But it seems that Haruki's words held no meaning for Winter let out all her gripes all at once.

"I try so hard... Even the time I spent with my little sister grew less and less. Because I was so busy doing odd jobs. And when I got back here, I found out he was cozying up with other women!? With former enemies at that! He's even quite close to my little sister, And her teammates! I swear! If I see that bastard once more I will castrate him!!"

Haruki gave a laugh with deep hints of nervousness, "Hehehe... T-that ironwood guy is a real piece of work huh..."

Winter narrowed her eyes, "Huh!? I'm talking about that other guy! You know the other guy! The man that I love! The dumb bastard who has a permanent cocky grin pasted on his face...

That idiot who takes care of other people, but can't even function well if no one's around. The stupid lovable idiot who can't even help himself but helps others like it's his responsibility." She showed a smile full of affection.

She patted the back of Haruki, "You're a nice listener Mister Mailbox."

Haruki was still sweating bullets. He answered in a high pitched voice, "Yeah, it's my charm point. So ready to go home?"

She narrowed her eyes and Gave him a wide smile, "No! Tonight we're going to have fun! I'm gonna let out all my frustrations and all my stress! We're gonna party till the sun shows up!!"

She stood up wobbly. She pulled Haruki up, "C'mon! We're gonna... we-we're gonna pull some pranks." She giggled as they both rushed towards Beacon Academy Dormitories.

As they were nearing the dorms, Winter was singing her heart out. Haruki was just getting dragged along. He was already fully sober, but the alcohol is still in his body so he was still staggering even a little bit. He just played along, He acted the part of Mister Mailbox perfectly. Well I mean he just doesn't want to lose little Haruki.

Their first victim were Team CFVY, The knocked on the door, "Room service!" Winter giggled, It was her first time pulling a prank. But after observing Haruki, She has slowly improved her skills.

What opened the door was a Brown haired girl, with two rabbit ears flopped on her hair. She was rubbing her eyes. Trying to see who the hell was knocking on their door on this ungodly hour, "Room service? Beacon has it now?"

She looked up and saw Haruki, She opened his eyes wide. She wasn't expecting this visitor. Then she saw a woman beside him giggling, she raised her eyebrow, but then she caught a whiff of a particular smell from the two of them. Alcohol...

She groaned, "What do you two want?"

Haruki was standing there motionlessly. His eyes were open wide, who knows what he was thinking. But he was staring hard at Velvet.

Winter realized her mistake, "Oh Wait! This is the part where we were supposed to run." She dragged Haruki towards the large hallway. Velvet tried to stop them but they have already ran away. She wondered what the hell that was, but whatever She was too tired to even think about what happened. She grumpily closed the door and went back to Dreamland.

Haruki and Winter on the other hand, We're running in the hallways. Winter was laughing her ass off. They stopped in front of the room of Team JNPR. Haruki knocked on the door, but no one answered. He tilted his head, "Where could they be at this time?"

He shrugged his shoulders and looked towards winter, "I guess no one's here." She pouted and pulled Haruki across and knocked on the door. "Room service!"

What opened the door was a girl dressed in red, With gold embroidery on her night gown. She was smirking towards Haruki, "Heya Handsome, Had a fun night?" Haruki gave her a wry smile.

"You smell like alcohol...*Sigh* Thanks for bringing him b- -" But before Cinder could finish talking, Winter dragged Haruki away in a huff. Cinder looked towards Haruki, and he wore an apologetic expression. She shrugged her shoulders and went to sleep.

Winter was displeased, but it quickly went away when she looked towards Haruki, He was playing the part of Mister Mailbox. She gave him a grin as she dragged him away from the dorms.

Weiss was Disturbed by the noise, for she was studying. She wanted to reprimand the people who were causing the commotion. When she opened the door. She saw Winter and Haruki trying to suppress their laughter as they ran away from the dorms.

This spiked Her curiosity, she secretly followed them. She raised her eyebrows, "They sound like they're drunk." She covered her mouth. It's time to reprimand Haruki. He must've coaxed her sister, She thought. She's going to scold him for drinking and for getting her sister drunk.

She tracked them down and finally, Hid on a nearby bush. They were sitting on the stairway towards the library. She frowned, "Do they know each other? They're awfully close." She went closer toward the two, to get ahold of what they're talking about.

The two of them gazed towards the stars, "It feels like that night, don't you think so?" Winter was the first to speak as she looked towards Haruki. He just smiles towards her.

"So much had happened in between, and I'm honestly more confused. But each time that I feel lost I look back to those memories fondly. And I remember the reason why I fight."

Haruki sighed, He stretched his arms upwards. "Well those moments... I'm not really particularly fond of."

Winter raised her eyebrows, "Oh? And why is that?" Her words containing thorns. If Haruki wanted to survive this night. He better Have a certificate in Public Speaking.

He looked away in embarrassment and mumbled, "Well because, I kinda cried like a wimp. It ruins my image..."

"Pfft* Ahahahahahah!" Her beautiful laughter echoed through the silent night. "You're still the same as ever. By the way, Do you even still have an image to protect?" She said as she held her stomach for laughing so much.

"Hey! That's rude!" Winter kept on laughing as she held his arms, while slapping her thighs. Weiss on the other hand was surprised. "They indeed know each other..." An uncomfortable feeling welled up in her, But she continued to observe.

Winter turned serious, and her fingers crossed together. "Hey, We're doing the right thing right?" Haruki sighed, "I...I don't know. But I'm not gonna stop. The sinners, Salem, Ozpin. All of them... they're the ones pulling the strings. I want to know the truth, My place in this world... and my purpose."

He looked towards Winter. "Sorry to put you through so much trouble."

She smiled towards him, "Perhaps I chose the wrong person to follow?"

"If I ever stray away from my path, kill me right away. That was the deal."

She held his hands, "Well, it's still within acceptable range."

Haruki smiled, "You're far too kind...I don't know where this path may lead t- -" Winter silenced him by putting her lips to his.

"I've already confessed to you! Don't brush the topic into something so unsavory." She said.

He raised his hands in protest, "I honestly thought you were drunk a while ago. I thought that you might want to do it sober."

She lightly hit him in the stomach, "So if I didn't make a move you won't do anything and just wait?"

Winter looked towards the broken moon. "I've got no choice but to try. I muttered those words to myself. The odds may not be on my side, but running away would be gutless. Even if I can't see the future, I'll just have to pull through with courage."

Her beautiful face was illuminated by the moon. Her smile was ethereal as she looked towards Haruki. He held her face softly, "You're right..."

He leaned his head forwards and Winter did the same. She kissed him on the lips one more time. "So long as you're with me, I can go to world's end. Even if it's a path I can't walk on my own, If you're by my side, I can walk it while singing."

Weiss returned to her room in a daze, not knowing what to think. To say that she was surprised was undercutting it a little bit. She laid on her bed with a multitude of thoughts racing across her mind. Eventually she fell asleep.

Haruki and Winter on the other hand were still sitting on the stairway. Watching the night sky. They were basking on each other's warmth. They leaned on each other waiting for the sun to rise.