Haru Without Makoto

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

My name is Yukihira Tamura. I am a recent college graduate and now list myself as a struggling writer. I earn a bit doing some freelance writing but hardly enough to support myself in Tokyo. So I am living with my parents. It's not too bad, just that it's hard to find peace in our small house. My dad is retired and occupies himself doing part-time work from home. My mom teaches piano and her students come to her. My grandparents also live with us, and I have a younger brother. My house is full, but I need peace and quiet. I am so close to getting the first draft of my novel done!

I often escape to libraries and cafes. But it would be nice if I could just stay in one place 24/7 and just write! But just when I was despairing of this idea, I am thrown a lifeline. My distant cousin who lives in the seaside town of Iwatobi tells me that I can stay at their house for summer. They were taking their kids on a camping trip somewhere in Hokkaido. That's also why they were planning on being gone for three weeks instead of their customary one. I could have the place all to myself! I was even going to be paid a bit for house sitting.

Honestly, the pay was a bonus. I would have house sat for free just because I knew I was going to get three weeks of peace and quiet. I mentioned as much to them, but they said they were happy to pay. I got their key and instructions mailed to me but due to a slight scheduling issue, I wasn't going to be able to meet-up with them before they left. They would leave for Hokkaido in the morning by airplane while I would be arriving by train in the evening. It would be dark by the time I got to the house, but that was okay. Iwatobi wasn't exactly the country. Close but not quite.

It was an unusually cool summer evening when I found myself taking the somewhat confusing route through the neighbourhood of Iwatobi to my cousins house. I had to stop and ask a number of times where the Tachibana residence was. The town folk was really helpful. They also explained that in the future, it would be easier if I walked down to the beach and walked straight until I saw the stone stairs leading to the temple. It was not only scenic, it was much more straightforward than the winding, maze-like route that led through the build part of the neighbourhood. Indeed, the end of the route I took was the stone stairs. I exited out of the road at about the second Torii and had to walk down the steps. Since my cousin's house was at the foot of the stairway.

As I got close to the first torii gate, I suddenly noticed a little boy. I nearly missed him in the gathering dark. But as I got close, I noticed him crouching in the shadows created by the lone streetlight tasked with illuminating the area around the Torii. I was startled. What was a boy doing out so late? That's when I notice that he was drawing. Using colourful chalk, he had drawn an impressive underwater scene on the step.

"Hello," I said, trying to be friendly.

The boy looked up. He had vivid blue eyes that were beautifully framed by midnight black hair. But he didn't speak. Indeed, there was something cold and dismissive in his gaze. Something detached. It creeped me out. I hurried down the steps. I had planned to step around the drawing but in my haste I stepped on his art, smearing part of it.

"Ah! I am so sor…" the words died on my lip as I turned towards the boy. He looked fell. I was thoroughly shaken and all but ran down the rest of the way. Thanking the gods that I just had a backpack and not a full suitcase.

Too afraid to turn around, I quickly dug in my handbag for the keys. Thankfully my tote was very well organised, and I easily found the keys. Opening the door I stepped in just as a small voice behind me said, "What are you doing?"

I jumped as I realised that the little boy had followed me down and was now standing behind me, "I ah…" I decided to finish my apology from before, "I am sorry I ruined your drawing. It was very nice."

The boy didn't answer, "What are you doing?" he asked again.

As things continue to be mostly normal, it occurred to me that he was probably just a local boy and wondering why I was going into the Tachibana house. "I am the cousin of the aunty who lives in this house," I explain, "I am going to be looking after it for her."

The boy seemed satisfied. He turned back but before moving on, he said rather ominously, "Don't step on the Orca," and with that he started up the steps and was soon lost in shadows that the streetlights had not banished.

Somewhat confused, I walked into my cousin's house and flicked the lights on. It was a house that had been renovated in the western style. It had a nice, homely feel to it. It made me forget all about the creepy boy with the vivid blue eyes.

I busied myself getting settled in. Unpacking my laptop and finding a good workspace. I then went over the instructions left to me by my cousin and familiarised myself with the house. They no longer had a guest room. Instead, I would be staying in their eldest son's room. That suited me just fine. I was not a person of high demands.

I reheated and ate the bento I bought at the train station. Then, being very tired and wanting to get a headstart on my writing early the next day, I decided to turn in. My cousin's eldest was called Makoto and his room was marked by a beautiful nameplate. I stood there admiring it for a moment. It didn't look homemade, but it wasn't quite generic either. It had a happy looking whale swimming next to a dolphin decorating the top edge of the nameplate. In the bottom right corner, there was a pair of green goggles. It seemed a bit odd. Why goggles? I would have put more sea life or at least a diver. But maybe the theme was snorkeling or something.

I didn't think much of it and started to step into the room. But then, something made me stop and take another good look at the nameplate. That's when I realised that the whale was a killer whale, an orca. Suddenly I remembered that creepy boy again and his warning, "Don't step on the orca."

I couldn't sleep. I tried to blame it on the unfamiliar bed, but that wasn't it. I kept getting the feeling that I was being watched. So strong was the feeling of something watching me that I found myself getting up and looking out of the window. The large window that Makoto had next to his bed.

He didn't have much of a view. His window looked straight across to another house. Due to the layout, the house in question was a bit further up the hill. His room was face to face with another room, another window. I found myself gazing into the darkened window of my temporary neighbours, envying them their blissful sleep...

Suddenly I screamed and jumped back. He was there! I swear! Even though it was dark, I could make out his outline! That creepy boy from the stairs. He was standing by the window and looking toward me. All I could see was his outline, but his eyes came into my mind. I could just imagine those vivid blue eyes watching me with their cold, detached look, unblinking.

I rushed out. I couldn't spend the night in that room. Indeed, I wanted nothing to do with that side of the house! This also excluded the bedroom of my cousin's twins. I didn't feel right sleeping in the master bedroom, in the marital bed of my cousin and her husband. So I took the sofa. In the morning, I would search for a futon. I am sure my cousin won't mind me sleeping in the living room.

In the bright light of the morning, I felt a bit foolish for my panic and fear. It was just a local boy. I probably just got a bad impression of him because I first met him in the evening. The dark can distort your perception. I put the boy out of my mind and started my writing. I was still a bit tired from my disrupted sleep, but I was not one of those precious writers that had to get in the mood. I was a freelancer. I had to write whenever I got a job, or I wouldn't get paid. Clients didn't care about my blocks. They wanted words on a page, and that was it!

My cousin had told me that she would leave a few things in the fridge. So I didn't have to go shopping, which was good. Because it meant that I didn't have to go grocery shopping for a few days if I didn't want to. I might go out for a walk along the beach in the afternoon but for now. I just had to write!

At about 4 PM I decided to call it quits, at least until after dinner, and stepped out to take a long walk along the beach. Maybe check out the local convenience stores and, since I didn't feel like cooking, pick-up a bento box. As soon as I stopped out of the house, I saw that boy. Even in full sunlight, there was something unearthly about him. He was standing at the foot of the stone stair, looking up. I followed his gaze and was startled to realise that he had covered the stone steps between the Tachibana house and the first Torii in the most stunning underwater scene I had ever seen. It was all done in chalk, but it was all so vivid.

"Wow!" I said to the boy, trying to be friendly, trying to shake off my baseless fear of him, "That's really beautiful."

He looked at me. His gaze seemed to pierce through him. Something in his eyes told me he thought I was an idiot; that I was wrong to praise his efforts. I didn't understand. I was just complimenting him. "The rain is coming," he finally said, as if that should explain everything. Without another word, he walked up the stairs, not caring about smearing his drawing. I was back to being creeped out by the boy.

That night it rained and washed away the chalk. With the chalk went the kid's drawing. Despite this, I was no closer to understanding the boy's attitude. Obviously he didn't want his drawing washed away. But surely he knew his chalk drawing wasn't going to last forever. What a strange, creepy child.

For the first week, I slept on a futon in the living room. But by my second week, I started to feel foolish. Especially since I hadn't had any more creepiness involving that boy. That boy with the black hair and vivid blue eyes that lived in the house next to the first torii gate. But perhaps that had something to do with the fact that I just didn't see him. I went out every day at about 4 PM for a 30 minute to an hour walk along the beach. That was also the time I stopped at the local supermarket if I needed any grocery. But I never say that boy during those times. That suited me just fine. Something about that boy's detached, cold blue eyes just didn't sit right with me.

Anyway, that night I ventured back into Makoto's room. Not that I minded the futon, but I do prefer a western style bed. I didn't turn on the light, but slowly crept to the window. I don't know why I was doing what I was doing. I just wanted to see if that boy was watching. He was. I decided I much rather sleep in the futon in the living room.

For the rest of my trip, I made no further attempt to sleep in Makoto's room. Soon enough, my period of peace and quiet was over as the day arrived when my cousin and her family was going to come home. That morning I woke up early and packed up all my stuff. I had managed to finish my book, despite adding a side character inspired by that creepy kid from up the stairs. I put the kid in how he had haunted me the last three weeks. A presence that I didn't see or hear but always knew was watching.

As if to confirm the fact that he had been watching, just as I finish hanging up all the linen, I heard the doorbell ring. I opened the door to find that creepy kid on the doorstep. He had a determined look on his face, and I noticed his fingers were covered in chalk. "I am waiting here," he informed me and stepped inside the doorframe. I was shocked and wanted to tell him to go away. But the look he shot me was full of confidence. It made me think he belonged here and I didn't. I couldn't say a thing.

The boy sat down just inside the door frame with his back to me, facing the outside. He had a clear view of the end of the stone steps. He seemed to be watching and waiting for something to happen. I didn't understand. It was confusing and scary. I moved back inside and tried to finish what I had to do.

I was hyper aware of noise. Hoping I would hear if the boy started to do anything. But he didn't. He sat silent and still, unnaturally so. Weren't boys supposed to be fidgety and unable to sit still. My brother was certainly like that. Once again I was seized with the thought that the boy wasn't of this world. He was too, weird. Weird, strange and creepy. He was also in the house and I didn't know how to get rid of him.

It was getting close to when my cousin was supposed to be back. Surely she wouldn't like this creepy kid in her house. Plucking up my courage I marched to the front door to tell the kid to get the hell out. But before I could say anything I saw him suddenly become alert. I couldn't see his face but I could tell from his posture he was excited. That's when I heard footsteps. Who or what had he been waiting for?

Before I could process that thought completely, I heard a gasp. Several gasps in fact. The boy got up and stepped out. "Haru-chan!" I heard a loud bubbly voice, "You drew this," it was a statement not a question, "This is amazing!"

"Welcome home, Makoto," it was that creepy kid's voice. But it wasn't cold and detached anymore. It sounded, normal, happy. Even a bit bubbly.

I stepped out of the house. My cousin and her family were back. They surrounded the kid, who no longer seemed detached and out worldly. Instead, he looked very human. Just an ordinary kid. I turned towards the stairs and gasped. Well, maybe not "ordinary" because I couldn't think of too many kids his age who could have drawn such a beautiful seascape on the stone steps of a temple with nothing but coloured chalk.

Before I left Iwatobi, I found out that the dark haired, blue eyed boy was named Nanase Haruka. He was the best friend of my cousin's eldest son Tachibana Makoto. Makoto and Haruka had been friends since Makoto was born. They were almost always together. This was the longest they had been apart and that Haru had been very lonely without his best friend. He also had trouble sleeping and every night; he looked out of his window towards his friends room to see if Makoto was back.

Before Makoto went on the camp. He had shown Haru some pictures of incredible street art that Makoto had found on the internet. So Haru had had the idea to surprise Makoto with a drawing on the steps. He had been practicing the evening I had arrived. I had stepped and smeared his orca. Apparently the Orca was Makoto although I didn't really understand why sweet, gentle Makoto would be a vicious killer whale of all things. But I wasn't about to argue with Makoto's best friend. Haru was also the person who had made Makoto's nameplate. It had been a birthday present.

Haru had finished a drawing the day I was heading out. He was very happy with the drawing and so was understandably upset that it wouldn't last until Makoto go back. But apparently he decided to draw something even better. Even as I was holed up in the Tachibana house working on my novel. Haru worked on the design for his present for Makoto. I am sad to say that I doubt my novel is half as good as the ephemeral street art Nanase Haruka drew for his friend. Maybe he is an out worldly being who was only anchored to his earth by Tachibana Makoto. That might well explain why he only seemed human, once he was back together with Makoto…

Author's Notes: I recently binged on some creepypasta story readings on YouTube. End result, I am scared to go to sleep with my light-off and I also wanted to do a creepypasta style fanfic for Makoto and Haru. I thought about doing one with a ghost kid that Makoto and Haru first encounter when they are kindergarten and then Makoto re encounters when he becomes a teacher in Iwatobi elementary. But I couldn't really figure out where to go with that storyline. Then I heard the drama tracks that came with Free! Illustrated works volume 2 and it had the following bit,

Nagisa: Hufufufu… Ma-ko-chan! (splashes him)

Makoto: Ah! Geez… Nagisa!

Rei: Ah, even Makoto-senpai now?! Everyone, calm down–

Haruka: (evil demon lord aura)

Rei: (faint shriek)

Haruka: Use the water quietly.

Makoto: …Sorry.

Nagisa: Yeees.

Rin: This is just bathwater, though–

Makoto: Aah, now now Rin!

It made me think about how creepy Haru would appear to strangers. Especially as a kid when he was even more silent, anti-social and not interested in the world outside of himself and Makoto. So yeah, hope you enjoyed this MakoHaru creepypasta! ^.^