It was lunch time and everyone was grouped together eating their lunches, except Haruka who sat off on his own looking longingly out the window. Just two desks ahead of him were three girls gathered around one desk happily chatting and eating.
The first girl was Midori, the oldest girl in the group who had long hair it was green at the start of the year until the teachers made her dye it back to her natural black, she had just returned from buying her favourite bread for lunch and was happily chewing away. Then there was Momoko the youngest girl in the class who had light brown, short hair pulled back from her face with her favourite red hair clips snacking on her homemade bento. Then there was Yuko, one of the most popular girls in the class, her dark brown hair hanging loose behind her, she had already finished eating and was simply drinking her juice box.
The girls were happily chatting about their class when the topic of the funniest thing in class happened, which quickly turned to who had the best smile.
"Hey, you know who I've never seen smile before, Haruka. Do you think he even smiles?" Midori whispers to Yuko, "You knew him when you were younger didn't you?"
Yuko shrugged, "I did, we were in swimming lessons together, or if not in the same class we always ended up in the same lane or in the lane next to one another." Yuko answered as she sipped away on her favourite juice.
"Do you guys still talk or anything?" Momoko asked curiously leaning in.
Yuko shrugged again as she sipped from her juice box, "Haru isn't one for talking, but if Makoto for whatever reason can't get him to school it's my job… or at least to check on him if he's alive. Over the summer I bring him fresh vegetables from our garden and any extra fish after I go out." She explained rolling her hand as she went on.
"Okay, okay we get it Yuko you can make friends with anyone. But have you ever seen Haruka smile?" Midori pressed and Yuko went to shrug with her juice box in her mouth. Midori frowned and reached forward and pulled it out, "Yuko has Haruka, our Haruka here ever smiled?" she pressed, "And don't give me one of those sneaky answers of yours, answer me."
"Yes, I've seen him smile, even laugh." Yuko answered sticking her juice box back into place.
Momoko giggled, "You're like Haru kind of Yuko, you smile a lot more, and you're not exactly taciturn. You talk a lot but you only ever say what needs to be said you know? Everything you say means something you don't blather on and on and on-"
"Like you are right now?" Midori interjected and Momoko paused to blush and giggle.
"And that protective loyalty you have for your friends." Momoko finished, "So… how do you make Haru smile?" she asked curiously.
Yuko smirked then, "There's one sure way to make anyone smile." She answered and with that got up from her desk and trotted over to Haruka. He had been staring at the pool the entire time fascinated with the water and day dreaming about jumping into it's cool, refreshing and oh so welcoming arms. Like always Haru was wearing his jammers under his uniform and all her wanted more than anything else in the world was to run down there rip off his uniform to be in his jammers and dive in. He imaged it diving in the splash of cool water against his skin and then the soundlessness beneath the surface and the blue wonder that the water reflects on everything.
He felt a gentle tap on his shoe, he jumped a little startled in his mind but on the outside blinked and coolly turned to look at who was getting his attention. He glanced up to see Yuko smile at him, he knew her and she was a friend but they didn't talk much in school.
"Haru… the others don't believe me that you can smile." Yuko started.
Haruka stared at her blankly, "No." he answered her knowing full well what she was planning.
"But Haru." She answered him, he shook his head and she looked ready to turn back to her friends. Mentally he was sighing in relief when the smirk cut across her features and Haruka knew that smirk all too well, he tried to back his chair up before Yuko could pounce him but it was too late, "I'll have to make you." She taunted and that's when she pounced on him.
She had learned his ticklish secret by accident when they were children and had used it on him occasionally throughout the years, ever since the became to grow distant since entering high school Haruka figured she'd never use it on him again. But he had been wrong her fingers seemed to know instinctively where he was most ticklish digging in and crawling along his flesh.
Embarrassed Haruka tried to hold it in, he ducked his head trying to hide his face behind his hair, "Don't hold it in~" Yuko whispered, "You know it only makes it worse." And continued to tickle him, he squirmed in his chair when a giggle escaped his lips. The tickling became more intense and frenzied and that's when the giggles erupted from Haruka and he could no longer hold them in. He surrendered to laughing but the tickling ended soon enough as if the fingers ad had their fill.
Haruka opened his eyes and glanced up at Yuko who was smiling up at him, her fingers still hanging in the air, "Don't worry I won't tell anyone about your smile-it's out secret after all." She whispered and stood up she waved at him and trotted back to her friends who were staring at her like she was a famed celebrity.
Haruka watched the girls in silence thinking about what just happened, Yuko constantly throwing glances over at him, until a tap on his shoulder broke his thoughts, he turned to see Makoto, "Hey what's going on?" he asked noticing Haruka and Yuko glancing back and forth as if having a conversation in their heads that only they could hear.
"I'm going to have to get her back for that sometime." Haruka answered and Makoto chuckled.
Author's rambling space
So... University has proven it's self to be super busy. I've felt really bad about not posting anything for like an eternity. This is just a quick something I wrote between classes and constant studying. This is my second one shot and I have to say I'm quite proud of how short I kept it... if you haven't noticed I ramble.
Anyhow hope you enjoy as always, thanks for reading.
P.S. If you like Yuko I might write more one shots with her, I have some ideas and she seems to have potential to be funny-but if you want just a one-shot I'll keep as is. :)