"You're leaving?"
The news hit Haruka like a bus.
"Yeah, it's for training."
The red head replied packing his things from Haru's room into his duffel bag. Haru's hands clenched at his sides, once again, Rin, his Rin, was leaving for Australia for training, once again leaving everything behind, once again abandoning him.
"What about Gou? All of your friends? And what about me? You're abandoning us...again." Haru said, Rin looked his way.
"I'm not abandoning you Haru, I'm just leaving for training. It'll be only for a year at the most." Rin said zipping up his bag.
"Why can't you train here?" Haru asked.
"Australia has the training I need, my coach is also there so I have to go to Australia." Rin said walking out the room, Haru in close pursuit, they reached the door when Haru reached out.
"Rin!" Haru said grabbing Rin's wrist.
"Please don't go." Haru asked, looking Rin in the eyes, he felt tears stinging in his eyes. Rin sighed.
"I'm sorry Haru. I have to go." Rin said sadly. Haru's eyes widened, he let of Rin's wrist.
"Fine, if you're gonna abandon me again then we're done." Haru said quietly, head down.
"What?" Rin asked, eyes wide in shock.
"I said we're over, get out of my house." Haru said, eyes locked on Rin's shoes.
"Haru you can't be serious!" Rin yelled.
"Get out!" Haru yelled, after a moment of silence, Rin clicked his tongue.
"Fine." Rin said, opened the door and slammed it shut behind him. Haru remained standing until his legs gave out, he fell to the floor and for the first time in forever, he cried.
It had been a few months since Rin left and it has taken it's toll on Haru. He won't eat much anymore, he's even quieter than usual, and the worse of all, it had effected his swimming.
"You've done bad with your times Haruka-senpai! You're getting slower every time you swim." Gou said looking at her clipboard, eye brows furrowed as she looked down at him in the water.
"Sorry." That was all Haru would say, every time she told him.
"Are you feeling okay Haruka-senpai? You've been like this since my brother left." Gou said, Haru flinched at the name, his head looking at the glistening water.
"Ill work harder." Haru said, Gou frowned.
"Haruka-senpai?" Gou asked.
"I'm going to take a break." Haru said getting out of the water.
"Okay..." Gou said quietly, watching his back as he walked into the locker room.
"Haru-chan has been acting weird lately." Nagisa whispered to Rei.
"I noticed, what's the matter with him?" Rei whispered back.
"Apparently Rin-Chan left for Australia for training." Nagisa said.
"Without telling us?" Rei asked.
"He only told Haru and Gou." Makoto said walking next to them.
"I know Rin-san leaving is hard on Haruka-senpai, but he's acting so much worse." Rei said.
"Do you know what happened between them Mako-chan?" Nagisa asked, Makoto furrowed his brows.
"No, when I asked Haru about it, he said nothing happened." Makoto said.
"But something did happen!" Nagisa said.
"I know." Makoto said.
"What could have happened before Rin-san left?" Rei asked.
"I wonder what..." Nagisa wondered aloud, all the swimmers eyes locked on the door.
Haru sat on the bench in the chilled locker room with the towel over his face.
"I can't let this affect my swimming." Haru said, he brought his head down and looked at the floor. He felt so weak, so tired. Haru sighed aloud, he shouldn't be so worked up about Rin leaving. It wasn't the first time but why did it feel even worse this time? They left with bad terms, which made Haru feel awful. Oh how he wished he could go back and stop himself from saying those words, how he could go back and tell Rin good luck with a smile and that he'll be waiting for Rin's return. But he couldn't, it was too late. How was Rin doing? Is his training going well? Hows Lorell and Russel and Weenie?
"Haru?"
I'm sure Rin's swimming right now, swimming towards his and his fathers shared dream.
"Haru?"
He missed Rin so much, his heart ached for him so much. 'He probably doesn't even miss me...I'm not even on his mind anymore...' tears began to sting the corners of his eyes once again.
"Haru!"
"Huh!?"
Haru's head jerked up to whom who was yelling his name, he saw his tall, gentle friend Makoto, staring at him with a look of concern.
"Haru are you okay?" Makoto asked.
"I'm fine." Haru said, Makoto sighed.
"Haru I know your not, we've been friends since we we're toddlers, I can read you like an open book you know." Makoto said. Haru looked down at the floor.
"Are you acting like this because Rin left?" Makoto asked, Haru clenched his fists, fighting back his tears.
"This has nothing to do with him." Haru said, his voice rough.
"You're lying, something happened between you two before he left." Makoto said.
"Nothing happened." Haru replied.
"Haru please tell me what happened! I want to help you!" Makoto pleaded.
"I don't need help, nothing happened. I'm fine." Haru answered back.
"You're not fine, if you were fine then you wouldn't be acting like this, we're very worried about you Haru." Makoto said with a quiet voice. There he goes again, worrying everyone around him.
Haru clenched his jaw, trying so hard to fight his tears but he couldn't, the tears slid down his cheeks.
"Haru?" Makoto asked out of gasp and worry, hearing Haru crying, this has...never happened before.
"Haru-" Makoto could barely get his name out before Haru grabbed his bag, quickly slipped on shoes and ran out the door.
"Hey Haru!" Makoto yelled, following him out.
"Haruka-senpai!? Haru-chan!"
Haru ignored the pleas of his friends and ran as fast as his legs carried him, tears still rolling down his cheeks.
"Mako-chan, what happened!?" Nagisa yelled.
"I was just asking what happened and...he started crying. That's when he grabbed his bag and ran away." Makoto said sadly, looking as if he'd be the next to cry.
"Haruka-senpai started crying!?" Gou yelled asked, completely shocked, he never seen Haru with many emotions but sadness never fitted him, hearing that he was crying...made her worry.
"Makoto-senpai, what did you ask Haruka-senpai about?" Gou asked.
"I asked about Rin and I told him we were worried about him." Makoto answered, Gou pondered, was Haru acting this way because of her brother? What really happened after Rin left his house? She was going to find out.
After practice, Gou went home and called her brother.
"Hello?" Rin answered.
"Hi Onii-san." Gou said.
"Hey Gou, what's up?" Rin asked.
"Can I ask you something?" Gou asked.
"Course." Rin said.
"Can you tell me what happened between you and Haruka-senpai before you left?" Gou asked, she could slightly hear a gasp escape him, he then remained silent.
"Why do you ask?" Rin asked, he sounded pissed but was biting his tongue.
"He's been acting weird since you left so I thought something might've happened?" Gou asked, Rin remained silent.
"Nothing important happened, he's just being himself." Rin hissed out.
"Your lying! Why do you sound so angry? Course, you usually sound that way but more mean! Tell me what happened!" Gou yelled.
"I don't usually sound angry! If you wanna know so bad then ask him yourself." Rin spat out.
"Matsuoka, let's go." A male voice spoke.
"Look Gou, I have to go. Bye." Rin said hanging up. Gou listened to the dial tone then hung up, setting her phone down.