AN: This story takes place post-series and it's based on my own Summertime Record headcanons because the anime didn't really clear up any of the things that I wanted to know about. Please keep in mind that it's merely inspired by personal speculations. I just wanted to write HaruTaka fluff because I am complete and utter HaruTaka trash and live and breathe for this ship

"It won't be long now, huh...?"

Inside a hospital room two people were sitting, the uncomfortable heavy silence around them only occasionally broken by a forced comment. It had been a few weeks since Haruka's condition had worsened severely, and day after day he had lost more and more strength until he was barely anything but a shadow of himself. Today he was finally facing a trial of either having his life prolonged until the next attack would hit or never wake up again from the anaesthetics.

For a moment a hint of anxiety and worry showed in his eyes, but even now, even as he was half-sitting, half-laying in the hospital bed too weak to even support his own body, the smile never left his expression. He was scared - he was so terrified that it felt like he could burst into tears any moment, but for the sake of the girl in front of him he would stay strong; he had to or else she would just end up worrying about him yet again. But it seemed his efforts had little effect.

A small and slim hand grabbed his own and squeezed it, and Haruka stole a glance at the person by his side - that girl who had always supported him no matter what, always stayed by him, always lectured his naïve and youthful self. Her furrowed brow and moist eyes sent those beautiful features into an expression he had seen over and over again, but every time hoped to have seen the last of. And yet, even though they had both aged and changed quite a lot since those tranquil days back in high school, this alone remained the same. She had grown so much - Takane had matured into a woman before he even became aware of it, even if physically she hadn't grown much. And she drew him in like never before.

"Takane..." Haruka's voice came out, far from as powerful as he would have liked for it to be, and for a moment he choked back his breath. Her hand felt so warm in his grasp, and he brought it to his cheek, resting his head against the soft skin. At the touch he could feel her jitter and try to pull away, but Haruka refused to let go; he felt that if he let go this time he truly was going to lose her, so no matter what he wasn't going to ease the grasp. After a moment she seemed to calm down and accept it, but her averted gaze and bright red cheeks spoke of the emotional turmoil she was going through.

Inside of his mind Haruka gave a chuckle as he noticed her eyes stealing sideways glances over at him, not capable of hiding her worry - ah, she was so cute. How had he never noticed back then? No, he probably had, but decided to settle for just keeping that sense of peace he treasured so very much, clinging to his yesterdays, never capable of moving forward. How naïve he had been back then, back before everything had happened. No, maybe he still was, still clinging onto peace even despite how much he himself had changed. Whether everything had been for the better or the worse was questionable, but no matter what Haruka had decided to not let that guy's existence vanish - how could he possibly do so?

It all felt like a dream or a fairy tale, but those memories floating around in his head still told the tale of 'the other him' - happy stories, sad stories, memories that terrified him so much that it was almost impossible to conceive that they had been carried out by his own two hands were floating around in his head, occasionally making it feel like it would burst from the overflow of events that he couldn't connect. It was almost too much; he sometimes wanted to believe that everything was just an illusion, but even then it was impossible to deny the face he saw reflected in every mirror surface. It was without a doubt his face, but at the same time it carried features that he should not have possessed.

Even as he lay here in bed, his bangs entering his field of vision should have been their usual raven black, but instead carried a peculiar brown-grey hue. At first he had been shocked and confused at this change, but the more he came to understand all of the memories he did not recall making, Haruka would acknowledge that he could not- no, that he would not simply just disregard the existence of his other self. Even if it had been brief, Konoha had lived. He had been his own person with his own memories, and Haruka was going to accept all of that as part of himself. Right now he definitely needed Konoha's bravery.

"Still, to think even my illness would return when I got my body back... Talk about unlucky, huh?" he muttered a bit sheepishly, well knowing that this wasn't what Takane wanted to hear, not in a situation like that. There were always the wonders: was this the right choice? Would it have been better to just let things stay as they were? But if there was one thing he had always known very well it was that the future was uncertain. There was never going to be any right answer or any certainties which was why he had always been so scared of relying on a 'tomorrow', been afraid of facing forward. "Was this really for the best...?"

"That-!"Takane quickly shot him a glance and gestured to argue with his carelessly tossed out comment, but before she could even get started she shut her mouth again and no further words left her mouth. If he wasn't all too mistaken he knew exactly why: Takane was wondering the exact same things but was too conflicted over her own emotions in the matter.

Ah, he had upset her again, hadn't he? Well, it wasn't like he had ever been good at doing anything but letting people down, so perhaps he hadn't changed as much as he thought he had. He could feel her fingers absent-mindedly stroke his right cheek where two black circles connected by lines were decorating the pale skin. A pattern that in no way could be the mole he had previously had in the very same spot, but it wasn't a tattoo either. It was one of the few physical aspects that still linked him to the person he had been, at least if only for a short while. One of the things that still linked him to Konoha.

"Takane... if I survive this-"

"Don't say something like that!"

Her eyes quickly darted back and locked onto his with a stern gaze making her anger very evident - but at the same time it seemed as if they could burst into tears any moment, probably because she knew that he wasn't just messing around, that his words were voicing the thoughts she feared the most and was trying her best to deny. Maybe he should just stop here to not hurt her anymore... no. If he didn't continue nothing was ever going to be different. He would never be able to cast away that gullible and oblivious youthful self he had come to dislike quite a bit.

"Takane, please listen to me," he repeated her name, and although his smile was the usual gentle one Haruka's eyes carried a serious determination that was very rare for the boy. Taken aback by this change from the Haruka who could barely even speak what was on his mind when it came to requesting something of people, Takane obliged and kept her complaints to herself, but there was a tension in the air suggesting that should he even speak one foolish word she was going to punch him right there and then with no remorse at hitting a hospitalised person at all.

"With a body like this I won't ever be able to give you the happiness you deserve, I know something like that very well. It might be a really bad idea and just end up inconveniencing Takane, but... If I survive this operation, let's get married."

For roughly a minute there was just silence. An uncomfortable anticipating silence as Haruka was simply just watching the girl at his side, trying to determine what impact his words had on her and what was going on behind that frozen expression. Then, almost as if caused by a chain reaction Takane's face turned first pink, then completely red and she shot up from the chair and stumbled a few steps back with an expression stuck in some comical mix between shock, embarrassment and anger.

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what?!" finally came the outburst.

"Takane and I. Let's get married." Even after repeating such an outrageous proposal, Haruka seemed surprisingly unaffected. His cheeks were a mild shade of pink, but that was more likely out of happiness and relief than the embarrassment Takane was feeling.

"Wh-why?!"

"Eh? You don't want to?"

"It's not... it's not that I d-don't want to but..."

"Great then! Let's do it!"

"H-Haruka...!"

"Why not? I really like Takane, and you like me too, right?"

"Idiot...! That's not... I..." It was very clear how much she was struggling with her words and her fists were shaking as she tried to hold herself back from letting them connect to Haruka's overjoyed grin. Instead she took a deep inhale, began fidgeting with the hem of her shirt and muttered in a barely audible voice. "... -ion..."

"Hmm?"

"... On one condition..."

If it was even possible at this point, Haruka's face lit up even more, and it was hard to see that he was a person who was about to face a huge, life-threatening surgery and could barely even move around as it was. Overtaken by pure happiness he put all his energy into nodding eagerly.

"It's not 'if' you survive the operation... It's 'when'. You got that? I won't forgive you if you die after saying something like that...!"

Posed with such a condition a dumbfounded expression spread on Haruka's visage and Takane had to control her laughter over this whole situation. But then a defeated sigh left the boy. This hadn't been entirely as he had planned for it to be, but on the other hand he had never really been much of a romanticist. He wasn't sure how many other girls would actually accept such a spur-of-the-moment proposal, but then again Takane wasn't exactly 'other girls'; but that was just what made her so interesting. Even if his prospects for the future were rather grim Kokonose Haruka was currently the happiest man alive.

"Got it. I promise."