Makoto was honestly scared of this day.

His mother, of course, had already told him about this meeting a week ago. She was patient with him, and she calmed the worry that immediately bubbled out of him when his mother mentioned that 'there was a man who was nice and a lovely person in general' and 'he also has a child your age' with 'would you like to accompany me to meet them?'

Makoto knew that his mom had plans of marrying, not that she told him directly.

In the eight years of Makoto's age, Makoto does not remember his father's face. His mother, Tachibana Tsukasa, told him that his father was still alive. Makoto asked why he was not with them. She told him that "there were things that went out of control with his family." That "he really loves us, but because he did, it was best for both of us to separate" and that "sometime in the future, you can meet him if you like and you can tell him that you are his son" but "now is not the time, and we must pretend that we don't know him."

Makoto didn't understand the way adults thought, but he trusted his mother. So he believed that his dad still loved the both of them, but he wouldn't be here for mother to greet him home every night. He wasn't here for the eight birthdays that Makoto celebrated with his mother, and that he wouldn't be here ever.

They were essentially bereft of a father figure in the family, even if the real one was somewhere in Japan, doing Makoto knows what.

But while Makoto didn't understand the complication surrounding his father's absence, he understood the situation they were in right now.

His mother did her best to fill the gap left by their father, to provide for the family and to accomplish patriarchal duties that otherwise would not have been her duty. But she also did not neglect her role as a mother, to foster Makoto to the best of her ability and to provide enough time to tell Makoto that she loved him, and that he was her most precious person.

"What about papa?" Makoto asked one-time, bidden by natural childish curiosity.

She replied that Makoto was more precious than even his papa. She had said it jokingly, but the sadness that rang in her voice told Makoto that there was a hint of truth within her words.

Makoto was not that kind. If he felt bitterness over having no father around, then he was sure his mother also felt this horrible feeling.

'I want to help mom so she wouldn't have a hard time taking care of me. I want to grow up fast!'

Makoto was blessed with genetics and he grow taller than normal. He also drank a lot of milk and did his exercises because the show on the telly said that it would make him grow faster.

'They probably meant grow taller.' Makoto realized a bit late when he was finally at the height of his mom's shoulder, at nine years old, and he asked that because he was this tall now if he could go look for a job of his own.

Tsukasa asked him why he suddenly wanted to work all of a sudden. Did he need extra money for his allowance?

Makoto innocently told her that if he grew faster, he could get a job and Mom could just stay inside the house because he was worried that she was always tired.

Makoto couldn't remember anything past that, aside from being engulfed in his mom's embrace. Saying apologies for worrying him, and that Makoto should not worry about growing fast enough. Makoto should enjoy his childhood more, and leave the worrying to her.

But it was that 'worrying' part that Makoto didn't want his mother to do. Makoto didn't want his mother to 'worry' at all. But if his mother worried that Makoto was feeling responsible already at the age of seven…

…then he should just wait for time until Mom said he could finally start working and just enjoy being kid.

Makoto did his best with his academics. He was diligent in class, and studied hard at night. His gentle and kind demeanor didn't scare his peers and he made fast acquaintances that he related to. The only person he could only call his friend was an upbeat boy named Sousuke, however. They were not best friends, but they were on a level just below it. Whenever a project calling for pairs came up, both their eyes would stray at each other and they would quietly laugh at how they would always do so.

Yamazaki Sousuke was a charismatic boy, but he was also smart and at the top of their class. In a sense, they were rivals for the number one spot, but on the other hand, they complemented each other. Sousuke's strength was theories and analysis. Makoto's intelligence lies on observation and simulation. They could easily debate over the most mundane things with carefully organized theories and supporting or contradicting facts being thrown around casually and without holding back. Their debates would grow more complicated, more complex with each argument put in place for dissection and assimilation, at least for 3rd graders. But in the end, they would always end up laughing over their antics

(Their class still remembered how the small debate of "what if an ant was thrown off the top of Tokyo Tower, would it survive?" turned into a heated examination about the ethics of giving human rights to those borne with a human parent and an extraterrestrial one. Needless to say, it was only the two that would remember that particular memory with fondness.)

It was Sousuke who introduced Makoto to swimming, on one idle day that Makoto remarked that jogging in the mornings had become redundant and a bit lonely.

The Sano Swimming Club was a modest swimming club in Iwatobichō. Compared to the more prominent Iwatobi Swimming Club, the SSC catered to those who lived too faraway from the ITSC.

Sousuke had insisted that Makoto tried swimming with him. It was one more thing they could compete over, and he promised to introduce Makoto to his peers. People that would become his companions in swimming.

Makoto gave in with little hesitance, he had to ask his mother first in order to discuss with the management what the corresponding fees were and what Makoto had to provide for himself in the swimming club.

Fees and papers managed, Makoto had finally found himself standing at the poolside in nothing but his newly brought violet and gold-striped jammers. He was a bit conscious at first, not really confident with showing off too much skin, but Sousuke eased his mind by distracting him with the basics of swimming.

They had gone through basic strokes, then with freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly.

Sousuke noted that Makoto's time considerably shortened with backstroke. Makoto told him that it was a very tiring stroke, but he felt that he propelled forward faster than the three strokes he tried earlier. Sousuke told him that he specialized in butterfly, arguably the most difficult and tiring amongst the four. Makoto just chuckled, agreeing that Sousuke beat him on that category.

Both had decided that since speed and power seemed to be Makoto's strength, he should focus on short distance backstroke events. Sousuke specialized in technical movements and endurance, so he was in long distance butterfly. The prospect of competing with one another fell short over the contest between speed and endurance, so they just decided to drop that issue and just competed on who would get the higher rank on the inter-town swim events that would be hosted by Iwatobichō during the summer.

They had swam for at least a year together, before Sousuke had to move away during their second year swimming together. Makoto visibly deflated when Sousuke told him about the sad news. It was only through Sousuke's insistence to "swim for both of them" that had kept Makoto swimming during the first year of Sousuke's absence.

It was a few months later that he finally swam for the sheer enjoyment of it. The cheers of the SSC members helped a lot in building his confidence though, but only a little bit. Everyone was still amused that such a young, but powerful backstroke swimmer had the confidence of a twitchy hamster.

It was that afternoon that he had to leave early because his mom told him that he wanted him to meet Mikoshiba Shun-san and his kid, who was the same age as he was.

Makoto knew that Mikoshiba-san would probably be a nice person. His mom was a good judge of character, and if she said that Mikoshiba-san was a saint, then he probably was.

Tsukasa fussed over him that whole afternoon, neatly ironing the clothes he was going to wear. Makoto wanted to tell her that the clothes were probably a bit too much, and was more suited for festive occasions, but Makoto saw the excitement and anticipation in his mom's eyes that he didn't want to rain on her parade.

He showered to remove the scent of lingering chlorine on his hair and body and dressed without fuss. Fixed his hair, brushed his teeth and waited for his mother in the living room. She was panicking, like a schoolgirl going out on her first date. Makoto suggested that fancy pearl necklace because the necklace made her a thousand times prettier.

Well, that was that with the activity in the Tachibana household before the taxi his mother hailed from the company arrived to pick them up and bring them to the Iwatobi Hotel, where they would have pleasantries and introductions done over gourmet food.

Tsukasa still worried, and looked panicky while inside the cab. Makoto reached out to her hand and lightly gripped, smiling that warm smile. It was like her worries melted away and she was able to focus herself.

She didn't want to make a bad impression on Mikoshiba-san's kid.

And if Makoto didn't feel comfortable around either of them, well…they could still stay as friends. A sad thought, but Makoto's happiness came first before hers.

She didn't know Makoto also placed her happiness over his.