Haruka's head rose from the surface of the water. He had just finished racing Rin another time. He looked beside him to meet Rin's eyes and see his wide smile and those joyful eyes.
"I win this time, Haru," Rin said. "Try harder next time,"
Haruka said nothing. There was no need. It would just create an argument of some sort anyway. He looked up at his friends, Makoto, Nagisa and Rei and all of them smiled at him. He knew the loss didn't matter because his friends were there with him. Rin was satisfied for a while. That was what mattered.
"You did fine, Haru," Makoto approached him and helped him out of the water.
Haruka just nodded in response
"I guess this is enough for today," Makoto then said with a bright smile. "Let's change and go back,"
Again Haruka just nodded in response and walked towards the shower room. He showered along with Makoto and changed. The others were there too. Rin and Rei were discussing something while Nagisa was trying to gain their attention. Makoto and Haruka both stood silently. They finished around the same time and Haruka and Makoto said goodbye to Rin, Rei and Nagisa before walking the other way, back to Haruka's home, up the stone steps and into the small house.
Makoto helped Haruka to bed and placed the covers over him. The teen's eyes were so distant. Makoto knew his mind was elsewhere and he just smiled.
"I will see you tomorrow, Haru," he said softly before leaving the room and closing the door.
He made his way down the hallway and ran into Shibata-sensei. She had a serious look on her face as they stopped in front of each other.
"Tachibana-sensei, I'd like to speak to you for a moment," she said. "Would you be as kind as to follow me to my office?"
Makoto nodded and together they walked down the hallway to Shibata-sensei's office. She took a seat in her own chair while Makoto sad across from her.
"It's-" Shibata started but Makoto cut her off even though it was impolite.
"About Nanase-kun," he said. "I know, it always is,"
"Is he still living in those illusions?" Shibata-sensei asked.
Makoto nodded. "I'm afraid so. I try to take him swimming every now and then, but it doesn't really seem to help much,"
"May I ask again, what are these illusions about?" she asked.
Makoto nodded. "Apparently Haru- I'm sorry, Nanase-kun, has the idea that he, I and a couple of imaginary friends named Hazuki Nagisa and Ryugazaki Rei are members of the swim club at Iwatobi High and are rivals with a boy from Samezuka academy named Matsuoka Rin," Makoto answered.
"Have you asked if the schools had any students named that?" Shibata-sensei asked.
"Iwatobi High School doesn't have anyone named either Hazuki or Ryugazaki, but Samezuka does have a Matsuoka Rin," Makoto informed.
"Does this Matsuoka-kun know of Nanase-kun's existence?" Shibata-sensei asked.
"I haven't contacted him to see about that yet," Makoto answered, letting out a soft sigh. "I was planning to do that this afternoon,"
Shibata-sensei sighed. "Get that over with quickly. If he knows Nanase-kun, then call him in. Maybe that can give Nanase-kun a sense of reality. Now, about the swimming, does it have any effect?"
"It helps some. He has a few more 'aware' periods than before we started this," Makoto said. "I count them. He has gone from about one every other day to have one every day and they also increase in length from 10 minutes at max to around 15 minutes at max,"
"Have you taken him swimming today as well?" Shibata-sensei asked.
"Yes, we just returned from his race against Rin," Makoto answered with a kind smile.
"How did it turn out?" Shibata-sensei asked, looking slightly amused as she asked.
"I think Ha- Nanase-kun lost today," Makoto answered.
"I see," Shibata-sensei answered. "You're becoming close to him, Tachibana-sensei. That's good," she smiled kindly at Makoto.
"Thank you," Makoto answered. "I'm glad to hear I'm doing it right,"
"That's good," Shibata-sensei gathered her papers and nodded at Makoto. "You are dismissed for today," she said.
"Thank you," Makoto stood up and exited the room. He was planning to go to his own private room in the hospital and then get in touch with Matsuoka Rin from Samezuka academy, but a hunch had him stop and turn around and head back to Haruka's room.
He entered the room where the sun was now shining through the window. In the bed, Nanase Haruka was sitting, his blue eyes directed towards Makoto. Makoto knew the look in his eyes. The look meant that Haruka was aware of what happened around him and not in the illusionary world.
"Haru," Makoto said.
The teen nodded.
"You know who I am?" Makoto asked.
Haruka nodded. "My doctor Tachibana-sensei," he answered.
Makoto nodded and prepared for the doctor conversation. For some reason he found it way more difficult playing Dr. Tachibana Makoto than playing Tachibana Makoto, Haruka's high school friend.
They talked for a bit, about the usual 15 minutes or so, and then Makoto stood up.
"I have to go, Haru," he said, insisting on referring to Haruka by the preferred nickname. "I have to make a call," he explained and then started making his way out the room.
"Makoto!" Haruka exclaimed as Makoto set one foot outside the room.
The doctor turned around to look back at his patient. "What is it, Haru?" One look told Makoto that Haruka had slipped back into the illusion.
"Thank you, for always being there for me," Haruka said.
Makoto smiled. "Anytime, Haru," he said. It brought him joy to hear those words and that he was able to answer with a honest heart, because whether Haruka was inside the illusion or not, Makoto would always be there for him, he wasn't even sure he would be able to let go after Haruka was discharged, although, it would be a long time until that day came. Both Makoto and Haruka knew that.
Hey!
I just really missed publishing, so here's a oneshot I hope you understood the point about it, I find it interesting, but it might not be so much if you don't get what it's actually about.
I have a few more stories ready to go but I have been too stressed to even think about publishing. School is a serious bother sometimes. It's really tough.
Thanks for reading
Jackie