"Hey, Makoto-chan, do you have a crush on anyone?" a blond teenage boy whispered curiously next to his friend.

"Huh?!" the tall brunette haired boy looked at Nagisa with a surprising look on his face as he became flustered.

"Ah. You do!" said Nagisa in a childish teasing tone, almost loud enough for the others to hear.

For a second, a pair blue eyes glanced over to the scenery to see if he could hear his friend's conversation. But it was no good. Seeing as though he wasn't close enough for him to hear them, unfortunately.

"Haru-senpai, are you listening?" a girl with long red hair up, in a ponytail, scolded at the teen who was off in his own world.

"Hmm?" the boy responded.

The girl gave out a deep sigh seeing as though she was going have to repeat herself.

Meanwhile, Makoto was trying to keep the blond boy from exposing their conversation. "Shh, Nagisa! The others will hear you."

"So, so, who is it?" Nagisa kept on moving closer to Makoto while he was trying to keep some distance from his friend.

"Well," he hesitated on saying. He wasn't sure himself if the person who he likes, liked him back.

Nagisa tilted his head. Seeing as though he wasn't going to stop asking any time soon until he got the answer. Makoto just couldn't explain it.

Then Nagisa's eyes beamed brightly. Just by realizing of who he had in mind of who Makoto might have liked.

"Its Haru-chan, isn't it?" he suggested as he waited patiently to see how Makoto would respond.

Makoto glanced at him but not fully. If he were to let out of who he likes then, Nagisa would never let it down. Not until the other person knew about it. Seeing as how this kid cannot keep a secret for more than just a day, not even from a life or death situation, Makoto was becoming nervous just by the invisible pressure that the hyperactive blond was giving him.

"Come on, Makoto-chan. It's got to be Haru-chan, right?"

The boy was cornered. Makoto couldn't take it anymore. Having a friend like Nagisa isn't easy to keep in line. Especially when his child-like nature comes out and he has no control over it.

Makoto hesitated. Seeing he wasn't going to win this, he then finally gave in. "Yes." he whispered so lightly that Nagisa almost couldn't tell of what to make of it, but the blond was able to catch it.

Nagisa backed a bit seeing he won as he smiled. "Hah, I knew it! Have you told him yet?"

"Of course not, Nagisa. Haru has enough things going on his mind right now. The last thing he needs is this." Makoto reminded him.

Nagisa gave an out disappointing sigh. "Oh, you're right. But still, do you think he ought to know?"

Makoto looked at him as he narrowed his eyes. As much as he would like to tell Haru, now isn't the time. Since their long childhood friend, Rin had just gotten back from his trip from Australia, and is now more than ever before, wanting to beat Haru at a race, Makoto wouldn't feel right if it was him putting more worrying on his friend with this foolish affection towards him.

He moved his legs to where as he could wrap both of his arms around them, holding them up, as he watched the rest of the team.

"It's that, I've never thought of not telling him," he started to explain. Hearing his voice becoming soft, Nagisa looked at him. "I just don't know how to say it to Haru. Since Rin came back, I'm pretty sure, he's the only thing on Haru's mind right now."

"Makoto-chan." Nagisa muttered. Seeing him like this now, Nagisa wouldn't know what to say to make him feel better. He gave out a smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure when the time comes, you both will be able to hear what the other one would like to say."

Makoto looked at him, as he smiled and nodded. Then he looked back up without trying to eye Haru.

As the boy was about to dive into the pool, he glanced up towards where his other teammates were, as he stared at them and squinted his eyes of how he felt the mood was and as well as seeing how things gotten tense, he wanted to know what they were talking about. And he will find out. One way or another.

It was after practice as two out of the four friends started depart from the other half. Nagisa waved at them, seeing as though he was about to have a long talk to Rei. Then it just leaves the other two at the gateway.

Makoto turned around seeing Haru was still there. Waiting for him. Makoto's eyes widen by the sudden surprise. "I thought you'd already left." he muttered.

The boy looked up as his blue ocean eyes were lock on him. "Why would you think that? We live almost right next door to each other." he reminded him.

Makoto blinked as he rub his chin. "Oh, right. Shall we go then?" he offered. Haru gave a nod.

They walked down on the side of the road as Haru, was sure enough, looking out into the ocean. Makoto glanced at his friend. Seeing as though this was the one thing that would never change. He knows of just how much Haru loves the water. Sometimes he would imagine if Haru wasn't really human at all. Instead he would be a fish being reincarnated into a human and is longing to be release to the ocean from waiting a long period of time.

Makoto quietly giggled at his own joke. But then started to see that would fit Haru perfectly.

The older boy then noticed something. He was the only one who was walking. Makoto looked back seeing Haru, still looking at the ocean, but only a few feet away from him.

I wonder what's wrong. Makoto thought to himself. He walked a few more inches to be as close to Haru then he was before.

"Haru?" he softly asked. Hoping that he didn't disrupt him. "Is something wrong?"

As he heard his friend's question, Haru glanced at Makoto. His eyes shot him a look that made Makoto bounce back a little. Feeling that Haru was annoyed with something or someone.

Haru wanted to know, of what he and Nagisa were talking about before at the practice. He felt his face starting to turn red by the thought of it. Haru took his hand as he tried to cover from his lips to his cheeks with his whole arm. All though it wasn't working as he thought it would.

"At that time, at practice..." he began. Makoto stared at him. "What were you and Nagisa talking about?"

Makoto froze. Haru wanted to know. About that talk that he and Nagisa had. His gaze slightly moved away from his friend's face as he started to rub his index finger onto his chin. Feeling a bit awkward.

"Oh that?" he asked as he rub that back of his head. Haru glanced. "Well," What should I say? Should I tell Him? He glanced at the blue eyes seeing that they were about to be filled with questions and no answers.

Makoto gave out a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "Actually Haru, there's something I want to tell you."

"What?"

Makoto was starting to feel afraid. Afraid that, if he told of how he felt about Haru on a different level, then things might not go well. Things would fall apart not just for them but the whole team. Depending on what the answer from Haru would be, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to look at him anymore. Knowing that, it was him who messed things up and had the team being torn apart, is something that Makoto wouldn't be able to live with.

But he just have to take the chance now to tell of how he really feels for Haru. Even if Haru never spoke to him again. He just had to risk it.

"Haru, for a while now, there's been something that has been troubling me." he started. Haru stood there as he listened. "I don't know if you feel the same way, but I just wanted you to know and, even if you hate me later on and don't want to talk or see me again, then I will understand."

By hearing so far of what Makoto was hiding, Haru felt his eyes starting too wide from the way he spoke those words. His voice sounded itchy and nervous. It was a voice that Haru barely know from the older male. He started to become much more curious now of what his best friend wanted to say.

Hearing his own heart beat being race by the pressure he was under, Makoto couldn't take it anymore.

"I...I-I like you, Haru!" suddenly, Makoto founded himself saying the words before he could even get to the point. He stood there with his hand over his mouth in shock. He looked at Haru who looked as though he had his eyes narrowed away from him onto the ground instead of him. Makoto felt his eyes becoming heavy.

He looked away. "Haru, I'm sorry." he muttered as he was about to leave Haru.

"Makoto!" a voice caught him in is tracks. Before Makoto knew it, he felt a pair of lips against his. Makoto was hesitating at first, but then he closed his eyes as he let the lips embrace his.

Haru ran up too him and kissed him without even a second thought. It felt for what to an eternally to Makoto, but only for a minute to the rest of the world, as Haru backed away from him. Looking at him but feeling his cheeks becoming redder. Knowing if, anyone on the streets passing by saw or not, they didn't care.

"Haru..." Makoto was still in aftershock from that sudden kiss. He then began to feel his face to heat up a little as small blushes started to appear across his cheeks.

Haru glanced away as he founded his eyes looking at the ocean.

"I was waiting." he muttered softly.

"Huh?"

"I wanted to tell you too but, I wasn't sure of how you would react to it." Haru said as he walked to a railing and leaned against it.

Makoto blinked. "You were?!" he asked surprised. Haru nodded. Suddenly, Makoto felt himself starting to slip out a laugh. Haru still, staring at the ocean, and trying to pretend not to hear him as he waited for him to stop. "Here I was worrying about nothing."

He glanced at him seeing that he too had a difficult time with it. So that was that conversation was about before with him and Nagisa. Nagisa probably wanted to know and Makoto was afraid for his own affection toward his friend.

"I'm glad." Makoto said as he smiled. Walking next to Haru and slipping a hand into his, as Haru watched him. "Everything worked out alright, Haru-chan."

Haru didn't respond to Makoto, as he went back out to see the ocean that he loved so much, but Makoto smiled seeing as though Haru was happy to know the answers that he waited for.