a.n: cross-posted from tumblr (go fill teatreta's ask box lol). if someone could beta-read this, I will be grateful. And please tell me what Rei calls Makoto with.
It might be real, it might be a bad dream.
The pool's water ripples harshly, the 3 meter deep pool that's supposed to be closed. It might be his imagination
'The pool is closed for today.' Or so Makoto heard. 'A few persons drowned inside this pool on this day every few years, so don't dip in today.' At least that what he heard himself when he gets his room key duplicate from the woman behind the receptionist desk. 'There's a pool behind this inn, a little bit surrounded by trees. You'll see a vase of flower near the door. It's for the victims.'
He nodded, thanked the kind receptionist. No luck today, huh. I should tell the others too.
Makoto got to the stairs; he found Nagisa and Rei rushing towards him. Well, Nagisa was, meanwhile Rei was trotting behind him.
"Where are you going, Nagisa?"
"I'm buying some snacks, and Rei said he wants to jog. Right, Rei?" Nagisa turned his head towards his companion.
"Right. We will be going, Tachibana-san." Rei nodded to Makoto. "Do you in need of something? We can get it as well."
"Naah, just don't get yourselves lost. I don't want to spend the summer holiday looking for you guys." He joked. "And oh, don't use the pool the pool today, yes? It's someone's death anniversary today, the receptionist said."
"Eeh, but… alright. We'll be going, Mako-chan!" Nagisa waved his hand to Makoto. Rei nodded.
The green haired guy waved back. "Be careful!"
By the time he got to the room—which he shared with the others—Haru was nowhere to be found.
He got up and crept to the window, thankful for the view he got. The sun was not too bright by then. He slided his view downcast, he saw the pool. "Too bad we can't use the pool today, huh…"
And he saw a flop of dark hair marching near the pool. Haru. The words from the receptionist played again on his mind. The railing door to the pool should be locked, right?
Haru proved that wrong.
The dark haired pushed the railing door easily. Almost too easily.
It's not like he's afraid of urband legend or being superstitious, no he wasn't, but he was just being mindful of the warnings given. Haru was already tossing his shirt. Makoto ran through the door, cussing all the while.
By the time he got to the back door, leading to the pool, he saw harsh ripples and strange reflection of sunlight shone at him in the way he didn't like. The railing door was opened wide. The vase is broken, the water splattered everywhere. Haru's voice—more like sacreams, half muted by water. He din't think twice. He yelled for help. Shirt was still on, he jumped into the pool. Haru still struggled in the middle. The water is so… heavy. He never felt so breathless before. But Haru is still there, the time he spent under waater is increasing, until the dark hair stop showing.
Makoto never felt this helpless before. When he reached Haru's hand, he felt the air was knocked out of his lungs.
"Mako…to," Haru closed his eyes—
And then something was pulling on his leg, his free arm was floating uselessly on his side, as if freezing. His leg kicked the water as fast as he could. Haru stopped moving, little bubbles of air leaving his lungs.
This was supposedly a fun summer training-slash-vacation.
Makoto felt more hands—things reached Haru and himself, pulling them into the dark depths of water.
"Tachibana-san, are you alright?" the woman behind the receptionist desk asked, her face pointed with worry.
"Uh, sorry," Makoto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Was he dreaming? It might be a bad dream, but the water felt too real for his own good.
"This is the duplicate key," the receptionist handed him a key with a number attached; "The pool is closed for today. A few persons drowned inside this pool on this day every few years, so don't dip in today. There's a pool behind this inn, a little bit surrounded by trees. You'll see a vase of flower near –"
Black spots filled his sight. "—the door. It's for the victims.."