"Kisumi?" Haru asked, vaguely remembering the name; it sounded familiar.
"Yeah, remember? Our old classmate? Shigino Kisumi."
Haru paused as his mind was suddenly flooded with horrible memories of his middle school arch enemy. The strawberry-haired tormentor always purposely tried to tear Makoto away from him and was spiteful towards him because no matter how hard he tried, Makoto always favored Haru. A particular moment stuck in Haru's mind.
"Hey! Makoto! Wanna come practice shooting some free throws with me?" Kisumi said in his memory.
"Sorry, I can't, I'm hanging out with Haru right now... He doesn't really like basketball." Makoto said with a gentle smile.
"Aw, come on! We have a game coming up and we need to practice! Can't he go hang out with Rin or something?"
"That's true... Hey Haru, I'll catch up with you later, okay? We really need to practice before the big game... You can watch if you want." Makoto said apologetically.
"No thanks." Haru said.
"Oh, okay then, see you later!" The green eyed boy said with a light chuckle as Kisumi playfully put his arm around his neck and the two boys walked off together. Haru felt alone, watching his best friend leave him by himself and he felt tears well up in his eyes. As they walked away, Kisumi turned around while Makoto wasn't paying attention and stuck out his tongue at the abandoned boy.
The painful memory played out in his mind over and over vividly, as if it happened yesterday.
"Oh." Haru said, returning to the present.
"Weren't you two good friends?"
"Nope."
"Oh. Well you can come by and visit me tomorrow while I'm coaching the kids."
"Only if I have time." Haru said nonchalantly. Makoto chuckled warmly.
Haru held Makoto's little brother in one arm and held his little sister's hand and Makoto's lunch with the other as they walked into the Iwatobi Swim Club. The olive haired boy caught sight of them and ran towards their direction. "Haru! You brought Ran and Ren too?" Haru held out the lunch to Makoto.
"Your mother asked me to bring this to you and they wanted to come along." Makoto laughed as his siblings shouted and hugged him.
"Thanks, Haru!"
Makoto returned to work and Haru sat and watched. The boy's ocean blue eyes widened in enchantment and he let a tiny smile slip. Makoto was so endearing and pure; the kids loved him. He could make anyone smile.
Afterwards, Haru waited in the lobby for Makoto to return. About 10 minutes had passed and Makoto's mom already picked up Ran and Ren so he went to search for his olive-haired boyfriend.
When he walked outside he heard Makoto talking to someone and froze.
"I want to teach Hayato how to swim. He reminds me of how I was when I was younger. That's why I don't want him to give up. Not him, and not you either." Makoto said softly.
"You really do love swimming, don't you?" Someone said with a laugh.
"Yep!"
"Well then, Makoto, I leave Hayato to you. If you need anything, let me know."
"I will, thanks!"
Haru peeked his head around the corner to reveal the identity of this stranger and was taken aback at who he saw. He turned around and tried to escape without them seeing him, but it was too late.
"Haru!" Makoto called out.
Haru sighed and turned back around to face them. The pink haired boy's violet eyes widened.
"Haru?" He called out and ran towards him with fake excitement.
The raven haired boy wished he could just disappear into thin air; anything to get him out of this situation.
Kisumi grabbed Haru's shoulder with a wide grin. "Wow! Haru, it's been so long! This sure brings back memories from grade school! I remember how lonely you got after Rin left..."
Haru removed Kisumi's hand from his arm, rage boiling in his veins, and didn't reply.
"Aw, come on now don't get mad!" Kisumi and Makoto chuckled as he put his arm around Haru's neck.
The two boys began to talk about grade school memories and Haru felt like a third wheel, much like he always did when Kisumi was around.
"Makoto." Haru said, getting impatient.
"Oh! You're right it's getting late..." Makoto said, understanding what he meant.
"You're so cold Haru... We haven't seen each other in ages!" Kisumi whined while pouting. Haru sighed.
"We'll see each other again." He mumbled.
"That's true!" The taller boy said with a fake grin, which Haru saw through.
His younger brother Hayato ran outside and called his name and Haru could not have been more relieved.
"Hayato! Well I guess I'll catch up with you later. Bye Makoto! Haru!"
Jealousy surged inside Haru like poison heating his blood.
The glint in Kisumi's purple eyes told him that this was not over yet. Makoto looked away for a split second and Kisumi stuck out his tongue at Haru once again. He still resented the shorter boy as much as he did in middle school and would try his hardest to steal Makoto to himself. But unfortunately for him, Haru reciprocated the feeling. Haru let out a quiet huff of breath, to which Makoto chuckled tenderly. The ocean blue eyed boy greedily held the taller one's hand after Kisumi left. The two had been dating for almost a year, but they agreed to keep it secret.
The emerald eyed boy rambled on about something on their way home, but Haru wasn't listening, his mind was focused on what happened with Kisumi.
"Haru?" Makoto asked.
He snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at him. Makoto's bright green eyes were full of concern.
"What?" Haru asked.
"Is something wrong? It seems like you're out of it today..."
"No." He lied, trying to conceal his emotions or else Makoto would see right through him. Makoto stared at him for a long time but Haru looked away. The taller boy stopped in his tracks and held Haru's chin up so he could look into his eyes. Haru pushed his hand away and looked down. Makoto would surely know what he was thinking if he looked into his eyes.
"You're lying." He said firmly.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Then look me in the eyes." Haru didn't reply. Makoto sighed.
"Is this about Kisumi?" Haru's eyes widened. How had he known exactly what he was thinking? Makoto laughed.
"Oh, Haru. Are you jealous?"
Haru's face felt hot. "Anyone would be with the way he was talking and looking at you..." He mumbled.
Makoto's eyes shone in the moonlight and he suddenly captured Haru in a bear hug and laughed into his neck. "Oh Haru! You know that's ridiculous, right?"
Haru tried to push him away. "And why is it so ridiculous? He's a social butterfly, he's good looking, he's rich, and he has everything I don't, so you should be dating him instead." Angry tears clouded his vision and rolled down his cheeks. Makoto's heart swelled at seeing Haru so insecure like this. He held Haru's face in his hands and used his thumbs to wipe them away.
"It is ridiculous if you could see yourself through my eyes." Haru looked up at him slowly. "Haru, you are so much more beautiful than anyone I have ever met. I love how you tend to be anti-social. I love how I always have to guess what you're thinking.I love how you're terribly stubborn. I love how you pretend not to care when you really do. I love everything about you, Haru."
The smaller boy's eyes overflowed with tears. "You ccan't mean that, I-I-" Makoto put a finger over his lips. "Haru. There is nothing you can say that will convince me that I shouldn't be in love with you. Kisumi could never, ever replace you, nor is he better than you in any way. I love you, Haru. Only you."
Haru sobbed aloud and Makoto wrapped his strong arms around him.
"I love you, Makoto!" Haru cried into his warm chest. "You know I love you too." He said into Haru's neck and lovingly stroked his back. Makoto smiled softly. "Let's go home."
The next day Kisumi found Makoto cleaning up after he finished work. "Hey, Makoto! Thanks so much for teaching Hayato how to swim, he's not scared anymore, he told me had fun!" Makoto chuckled. "I didn't do anything, it was all him." They both laughed together and chatted. Haru peeked into the window and felt the anger boil inside him again. Had Makoto lied to him? 'He doesn't love me.' Haru thought bitterly. Makoto saw Haru out of the corner of his eye. "Hey Haru! Come here for a minute!" Haru clenched his teeth. "Hey Haru!" Kisumi said and tried to put his arm around Haru before he slapped it away. The pink haired boy laughed falsely. "Haru come here please." Haru was confused, but obeyed. Makoto took his face by surprise and kissed him passionately. The blue eyed boy struggled at first but then eased into it. Makoto finally broke the kiss but still held the shorter boy close to him. "Kisumi, Haru is my boyfriend." He said firmly. Haru was blushing furiously, but felt so triumphant. Kisumi stood there, looking shocked. "Um, right, good for you two... I gotta go." As Kisumi turned to leave, Haru stuck out his tongue at him.