It had been a few years or so when Natsuko moved away to America and had just got of the train to Iwatobi. Nothing has changed, the trees roads were the same. The trees still gave off the same shade. Heck even the small run down convenience store was still there. But there was one person who changed, just one, who fell in love with from the very beginning.

Do you remember when I'd always be there?
Ever since we were ten, baby.
When we were out on the play ground playing pretend.
I didn't know it back then.

His house was still there sitting in front of Haruka Nanase's house. The three of them were inseparable when they were young, and Natsuko's move to the States caused both boys great shock. I wonder if he remembers? Natsuko's mind starts to go haywire, wondering if her friend still knows who she is as she waits for someone to answer the door.

It opens with a tall brunette staring at the young girl. In all honesty, he never thought he would ever see her again. "Na-Natsu-chan?" His stuttering prevents him from inching closer to her, but his arms still allow him to pull her into a tight embrace, causing her to tear up.
"Makoto." It was barely a whisper, but the whole world to Makoto. He missed her, If she was the water to his Haruka, and those two were inseparable. She was Makoto's everything, and he only realized it when she left.
"Come in." He ushes her in, closing the door behind them. The first thing she notices is the charm dangling from a lanyard that held Makoto's keys. It was the one that he got as a set and gave on to her. Now the said charm was hanging on her phone.
"Makoto, you still have it."
"Yeah, it reminds me of the promise we made before you left."
"And I was right. I do always come back," Natsuko says as she puts her charm next to his. The symbol of a promise. A promise that she will always come back to Makoto no matter what, and he will always be waiting for her, forever.

Now I realize you were the only one.
It's never too late to show it,
Grow old together,
Have feelings we had before,
Back when we were so innocent.

At this point, Makoto couldn't help the small warmth rising in his cheeks and the flutters in his stomach, She was too perfect for him and he knew she thought of him as an older brother and nothing more, but for him, Natsuko was more than someone to protect. She became the love of his life, but she would never want a guy like him. Makoto said goodbye to those fantasies of getting married and growing old out the windoe years ago. The look in his eyes saddened a little as he watched Natsuko slip her charm next to his, her eyes squinting as she smiled. He thought that at one time she liked him, but that was before they knew what love was.

I pray for all your love.
Girl, our love is so unreal
I just wanna reach out and touch you,
Squeeze you, somebody pinch me.
This is something like a movie
And I don't know how it ends girl,
But I fell in love with my best friend.

All Makoto could do was pray that his best friend found the of her life, and support her from the sidelines. He watched as she went to places with other guys she had met and take picture with schoolmates who loved her as she graduated with him. Makoto was nothing but just another person she knew and left. He remembers all the high school crushes Natsuko ranted on and on about, and a little spark of hope flicked inside of Makoto, hoping that he was one of them. Unfortunately, none of them were. To him, it felt like a movie, where the girl never notices that one boy that has been with her through and through until it was too late. It always ended up in those cliche endings where something tragic happens, but Makoto was sure it wasn't going to end like that, for all he knew, he just fell for his best friend, and fell hard.

Through all the dudes that came by
And all the nights you cried.
Girl I was right by your side.
How could I tell you I loved you
When you were so happy
With some other guy?

They had just graduated from Iwatobi high school and applied to Tokyo University together, and ended up living in the same apartment and splitting the rent. Although Natsuko was two years younger than him, Makoto was in no shock when the school bumped her up two grades. She was the top of their class, graduating as valedictorian. Why didn't she go to any better college? She was thinking of Makoto, so it was only fair that Makoto heard her sobs emitting through their shared bedroom. He knew better than to opent the sliding door, for he almost scared her and resulting in a very red mark on his face. So he ever so gently knocked on the wall. "Natsu-chan, are you okay?"
"No." By now, Natsuko didn't care whether or not if he opened the door or not.
The door revealed two futons on a tatami mat florr, however one was more lumpy than the other. Makoto approached Natsuko with the utmost care and rubbed circles on her back as she accepted his embracing hug. It was her third breakup this year and she was sick of it. So was Makoto because he knew that Natsuko deserved better than this.
"Natsu-chan, guess what I got."
"What?"
"This." He displays two ice cream cartons, accommodated with two spoons, and a stack of DVDs is a small grocery bag.
"You got me green tea ice cream and a collection of Miyazaki movies?"
"Yeah, you are my best friend. I should know when my best friend is in love with Totoro," he notes, referring to the stuffed animal.
She almost makes him fall over with a bone crushing hug. What can he say, he knew how to cheer a girl up. And so, they spent the night crying, laughing, and enjoying the sweetness of the ice cream, until Natsuko had fallen asleep. Makoto found it cute how her mouth was slightly ajar and her hair was slowly becoming a mess as she rested on his arm. Picking her up bridal style, Makoto carried Natsuko, wondering why Natsuko hadn't found the right one yet. However, he didn't want to tell her that he loved her if she kept falling for other guys, so he just kept it to himself.

I know it sounds crazy
That you'd be my baby.
Girl, you mean that much to me.
And nothing compares when
We're lighter than air and
We don't want to come back down,

Makoto must have been hallucinating when Natsuko confessed to him underneath a sakura tree. It was probably the craziest thing that he can come up with because for the past few years, Natsuko was thinking of him as a friend. But at the same time, it wasn't. He wanted to be the one to wrap his arms around her waist. he wanted to be the one who stole little kisses from her when she wasn't looking, and he wanted to be the one to hug her at night. Why? Because the more time he spent thinking about her, the more he thought they were never going to get together. All this time, he cared about her and he thought that Natsuko never noticed how he loved her through the little acts of kindness and gifts. Well, at least till now. His heart was flying and it wasn't coming down anytime soon.

And I don't want to ruin what we have.
Love is so unpredictable
But it's the risk that I'm taking, hoping, praying.
You'd fall in love with your best friend.

"So Makoto, do you love me?" Natsuko had managed to say after a moment of silence. She watched as he sweated nervously, and she didn't mind. She didn't want to ruin their friendship anyway. "It's a stupid idea. Let's go home." She starts to turn around when Makoto grabs her wrist and pulls her into a hug.
"Finally Natsu-cahn. I thought I would never say this, but I love you too." His soft lips met her's and he couldn't ask for anything more. He had only prayed everyday that she would realize his love for her, his best friend. This moment was perfect and he wished someone would take a picture, and someone did.

With the click of his digital camera, Haruka Nanase captured their moment only to mutter,"It's about time you two got together. C'mon Aimi, let's go home."
"Haru, don't you think it's weird if they find out that you have been spying on them for the past few months?"
"They deserve it. It took them almost fifteen years to get together and I couldn't take it anymore."
"I guess it's okay as long as they don't find out."
"Don't worry, they won't." Haruka gave her a soft smile as he entwined his hand with hers and they made their way to the apartment below Makoto's

I remember when I said I'd always be there
Ever since we where ten baby.

Their wedding was small. It was mostly family and very close friends and their significant others. Everyone found it hilarious how Makoto was the last one to get married because every girl fell for him. It wasn't until he was twenty five when he proposed to Natusko, and twenty seven to get married. However, he did not want it to happen very quickly because she was still young at the age of twenty five and had big ambitions to become a doctor, but she didn't really mind as long as she had Makoto. Her parents didn't approve of her getting proposed to at the age of twenty two, but things eventually got sorted out, and here they were, face-to-face with their loved ones as they make their love for each other official. In all honesty, the two didn't want tog et married, but Makoto wanted to seal the deal just in case anyone tried to steal Natsuko away from him.
"You may kiss the bride." The officiant had just declared them married, and Makoto wanted to kiss her the moment he saw her, but he had to hold back for the sake of the wedding. It was about what he came for anyway, and he pulled her into a passionate kiss. Pulling apart, he took Natsuko's arm into his and walked down the aisle, with Haruka's daughter and Rin's son as the flower girl and ring bearer. Everyone thought it was cute as the two pouted as they held hands. Makoto watched his godchildren look away from each other as a slight blush crept up on both faces, and he laughed. They reminded him and Natsuko when they made that promise. It was the promise that he would never leave her, and she was always going to find him no matter what. But a new one had to be fulfilled by the tall swimmer because that was when they were ten. To keep the love of his life happy and to never let her go was the one that makoto made in his heart. He smiled at the girl next to hims and a flutter in his stomach made him blush a little. Natsuko was beautiful that day and Makoto thinks it's the natural glow she has that takes the cake. It didn't matter to him, she was beautiful anyway, and he was content that he finally found bliss and love. He had no regret that he fell in love with his best friend.

Author's Note:

1. This is a songfic based off of Jason Chen's Best Friend, and if you noticed I cut out the Chorus because it gets repetitive.

2. Haruka is with someone in this story because his story occurs in the same timeline as Makoto's, kind of confusing really.

3. Okay, the story with Haruka and Rin having a child will hopefully be cleared up later so stay tuned.

4. Excuse the bad grammar.

Thank you!

~~~Mandu~~~