Rin glanced over to the four that sat by the pool, chatting idly. It wasn't like he was being excluded from the conversation, but rather he didn't want to talk at that point. It was a joint training, a few days after crying and sobbing profusely in front of the others. How embarrassing Rin thought. But he was still overwhelmed with happiness, that he was able to swim with them again. Now one would think that his relationship with Haruka was intimate. But it was far from that, Haruka was closer with Makoto than Rin would ever be. Not that he cared as much, he was fine as friends, and never did he think he'd want to be more than that.


"What's wrong, Rin?" Makoto looked over at the maroon-haired man, dipping his feet into the pool as he sat at the edge, next to Rin. The ripples of the water shone beautifully, reflecting against Rin's bright crimson red eyes. He blinked before looking at Makoto. "Nothing."

A goofy smile made its way to Makoto's face, a glowing atmosphere surrounding him. Never in a million years would Rin think of falling for Haru. But never in a million years would he even consider wanting Makoto. Then why did that smile seem to warm his heart…?

Rin looked away again, a light pink dusting his cheeks, not daring to look at Makoto as the male chuckled under his breath. "You sure? Your stomach doesn't hurt or anything?" Rin shook his head, refusing to speak. How childish, Makoto thought as a soft smile graced his face.

Haru came along, sitting himself next to Makoto, "What are you two doing?"

Makoto's smile brightened, "Ah! Haru!"

Haru nodded slightly at Makoto, causing the olive-haired male to grin brightly. Rin narrowed his eyes. What, so he nodded his head, what did that mean? Oh well.

"Oi. Rin. What's wrong with you?" Haru asked as he looked at Rin with that usual deadpanned look on his face. Rin flinched. What, how was it that both of them realized? Makoto tilted his head slightly at Rin's reaction to the question once it was asked by Haru.

"N-nothing." Ah, a stutter, Makoto noted in his mind. Haru blinked in disbelief, "Is that so." He gets up and pats Makoto lightly on the head, "Well, I'll leave him to you then." Before walking off to the benches, where the others were.

Makoto, still smiling, looks back at Rin and tilts his head, "So, wanna talk to me about anything?"

"…No, not really." He replied almost instantly. But Makoto still had that clueless and bright smile on his face, still pressuring on.

"Why so quiet?" Makoto asked, eager to get the question he wanted. Rin looked into the boy's eyes. Even the water seemed to slow down while Makoto spoke so kindly. Rin shook his head nervously and looked away, "…It's just that. I don't know, I can't understand."

"Understand what?" Rin glared slightly at Makoto before his expression softened again, his red eyes glancing down at the clear water, "My emotions. My fucking feelings."

Makoto blinked, well that was unexpected. "Feelings for…?"

Rin could feel his face heat up. He looked down at the pool, tempted to just jump in and swim off to the other side, away from Makoto. "Y-you."

Makoto's eyes widened, his smile disappearing, "W-wait, what."

Rin snapped his attention to Makoto, hearing that slight stutter in the boy's voice. He felt his heart tighten to see that smile of Makoto's disappear. He wanted to get up desperately and make a run for it or just slip into the pool and never come out. Better yet have someone shoot him. He clenched tightly onto the edge of the pool, gulping harshly.

"I-I was thinking about you." He said, trying to muster the most ordinary and confident voice he could. But Makoto wasn't buying it. Makoto rubbed the back of his head nervously, no words coming out of his mouth as it opened now and then, trying to find the right things to say.

Rin was unable to take this silence with the goofball any longer. His breath hitched as he was about to speak up, because Makoto had finally decided to say something. "Rin. I-."

I don't think of you that way.

I only see us as friends.

I don't know you that well.

And the dreaded one.

Makoto sighed and a weak smile made its way to his face, "I… thought you liked Haru." He said, his voice sounding slightly choked up and broken, as if saddened by the thought but yet relief that it might not have been true.

Rin grit his teeth before suddenly finding the strength to get up from his position. He dared not to look Makoto in the eyes, but he felt paralysed in his position. That was before he glanced over to see the surprised looks on Rei's, Nagisa's and Haru's faces, did he suddenly have the energy to run off. He didn't care whether or not he slipped on the cold, white and wet tiles, nor did he care if he broke any bones. Anything to get him away from there for now.

Well, more like, away from Makoto.

Makoto stuttered as Rin had quickly run off, getting up quickly before glancing over at Haru, as if to ask for help. Haru shrugged and turned away. Thanks, Haru. Makoto carefully ran out of the pool area, unlike RIn's hasty run out.

He stopped now and then, shouting Rin's name, a small hope sparking in his chest that maybe he'd respond to his yells. Makoto continued to run through the school building, glancing now and then into the empty classrooms, in fact, any room he saw. He stopped and rest his hands on his knees, supporting his upper body as he breathed heavily for air. He looked down at the floor before swallowing down his nerves and continuing to run. He finally began to slow down to a walk as he looked lazily outside the window, looking at the slightly orange sky. Makoto sighed. He scratched his head and turned around, set on heading back to the pool area. That was before he stopped, as he heard a small sniffle come from a nearby room. He turned around and stayed quiet, not a single move did he make. Another sniffle. Makoto barged into the classroom to see Rin sitting on a chair that was exactly in the middle of the classroom, his legs pressed against his chest, and his head facing down between the space of his knees and chest.

Makoto sighed and smiled lightly. He walked over to where Rin sat, pulling a chair opposite to the desk in front of RIn. Rin asked in a coarse voice, "What do you want."

Makoto chuckled lightly, a laugh that seemed to take Rin's breath away. A light and simple laugh that warm the heart of any person, be it human or beast. "To cheer you up."

"…"

"…"

A breeze swept past them, the windows of the classroom wide opened. A fresh and crisp breeze that still wasn't able to calm the heat warming Rin's cheeks. "…Oi."

"Hm?"

"My heart hurts." Rin said simply, causing Makoto to blink confusedly. Makoto leaned in, lightly brushing his two fingers against Rin's ear causing him to flinch slightly. "I don't quite understand, Rin-chan."

"I said. My heart hurts." Rin replied in a shaky voice, stops between every word. Tears began to prickle at the corners of his eyes, threatening to fall down if he dared blink, even lightly. He looked up at Makoto's shining green eyes, the tears falling down his own even without having to move his eyes.

The tear trickled down as he studied Makoto's face, trying to figure out just what this guy was feeling. "Do something about it." Rin hastily added, a blush lightly making its way to his cheeks. That was when Makoto smiled warmly at Rin, causing the red haired male's heart to palpitate.

Makoto gently put his hand on Rin's shoulder, before leaning in to give a light peck on Rin's lips. Rin's eyes widened as he glanced at the angelic look on Makoto's face. That was when poor Rin began to sob heavily into the palms of his hands. He cried out, tears falling down onto the desk, coating his hands and his cheeks. Makoto gasped lightly from that sudden outburst.

Rin certainly had a lot to let out, even until now. He lightly chuckled before leaning over the desk, and wrapping his arms around Rin's back, kissing the top of his head as he whispered small words of 'it's okay' or 'I'm here' to help quiet down Rin's loud cries. He did quiet down, except he was hiccupping violently, his body flinching each time he did, and a few whines still escaping his mouth.

Rin hastily wrapped his own arms around Makoto, clutching tightly on the male's jacket. "W-why are you doing this?" His voice was shaky and coarse, his throat uncomfortable from his earlier sobbing.

"…Why are you?" Makoto smiled into Rin's hair, before Rin had lightly punched his back. Although, that was a good question. Considering Makoto was like a mother hen to all of them, it wasn't odd that he was hugging him. Thing was, the only weird thing happening was Rin hugging him.

"I-." Rin shook his head, trying to find the right words to say. "You-. Isn't it obvious why?"

"It's obvious." Makoto said, "But I need to hear it from you."

Rin hiccupped again, a few stray tears still falling from his puffy, red eyes. "I-. I-." He continued to stutter making Makoto chuckle and Rin to begin cursing.

"I like you… I think." He added in, as if to hide the embarrassment.

"You think?" Makoto teased, nuzzling his face in Rin's soft hair. Rin pulled away slightly, to look into Makoto's eyes, his cheeks as red as his eyes, "W-well! What about you?"

"What about me?" Again with that teasing, Rin thought to himself.

"W-what-. How. Well. That is."

"How do I feel?" Makoto finished for him, to save the poor boy from embarrassment. Rin nodded, his cheeks flushed pink as he looked down. "Well…"

"I think," Makoto started, "Rin-chan is adorable and slightly misunderstood. He's often seen as the harsh and dominant type, when he's actually just like a small kitten waiting for a storm to pass." Rin flinched and flushed deeper into the shades of red, causing Makoto to let out a heavenly and pure laugh. "He's quite a character, and though he may not seem like it, has a soft heart. And I feel,"

He stopped, causing Rin to fumble with his fingers with nervousness. "Ecstatic when he's around. I feel a warmth and a loving nature when he's around me and the others, despite him swearing nearly every second of his life. Those cries he had let out after admitting he wanted to be with us again were heartbreaking and made me feel saddened and hurt to see a person like him hurting so badly. But overall, when I'm around Rin-chan,"

He leaned in again, resting his head on Rin's shoulder, his hands gently at the sides of his head, "I feel happy."

Rin's heart tightened at his words, his eyes widened as he looked straight past Makoto's head. He could feel Makoto's fingers lightly at the sides of his head, slowly making its way to his neck. "M-makoto?"

"Hm?"

"I like you." Rin simply stated.

"Rin-chan, you already to-" Makoto was stopped when Rin continued, "No. I really like you. I like you. I like you." He repeated over and over as if it was some sort of chant.

"I like you so much it hurts my heart." Rin finally put his phrases together, giving Makoto the complete answer that he wanted.

Makoto pulled away slowly from RIn's neck and looked at him gently in the eyes, "That's all I wanted to hear."

Rin gasped lightly and pulled Makoto in for another kiss. Makoto wasn't complaining at all.