Figure Two
Weave your smoke into my lungs
Haruka found it funny how Rei's demeanor completely changed when he was no longer around Nagisa's parents. Rei was stiff and respectful, the ideal Nagisa man when in the Nagisa household. When he was alone with Nagisa and Haruka, however, he became open and laughed more often. Amongst them, Rei had changed the least. Where Haruka was more flexible and taller when he'd met them last, Rei was about the same height and build. His calves were a bit thicker and his arms a bit less muscular, but overall Rei had changed the least. His new black glasses were a welcome improvement, if Nagisa's frequent glances weren't able to convey that.
They were standing outside the front porch trying to keep their voices down. Nagisa's older sisters already had their suspicions about Rei and Nagisa's relationship. Haruka was there as a measure to prevent any troubling curiosity. Haru didn't mind being used, not at all.
What he did mind was the little dance that Nagisa and Rei constantly held around each other.
"How was your trip, Rei-chan?" Nagisa asked with a sugary sweet voice. Rei flushed slightly and straightened his back.
"It was great, Nagisa," he replied as calmly as he could. "I missed you while I was at the conference." Nagisa's eyes shined brighter than before and Haruka tried not to gag. Rei seemed to guess that what he'd said was a stretch farther than what was normal, and he quickly sought to correct himself. "I-I also missed you, Haruka."
Haruka gave a grunt of acknowledgement, rolling his eyes inwardly. Nagisa wasn't discouraged, but things weren't exactly moving forward at this rate.
"How's it like being back home, Nagisa?" Rei asked shyly. At this rate, Haruka wished he'd brought a handheld game or puzzle. He pulled out his phone to see whether he could find any games on it when suddenly it gave a buzz.
Both of the men beside him snapped their necks to look at him. Haruka raised his eyebrows at them.
"What did you get, Haru-chan?" Nagisa asked politely.
"Mail," Haruka replied curtly. "From Rin."
"Oh, Rin's here?" Rei asked. Nagisa turned to him with his eyes doing that shining thing that annoyed Haruka.
"Yes he is! So is Yamazaki-kun and…er…"
"Makoto…" Haruka breathed in shock. Nagisa looked at him as if he'd murdered someone right in front of him.
"Ehhh? Haru-chan!" he protested.
"Makoto's back?" Rei gritted out, his expression becoming stormy. Haruka stared at the screen for a moment longer before looking up at Nagisa and Rei.
"Rin and Makoto are trying to stop a big fight at Iwatobi Swim Club!" he said urgently. "Ran-chan is using Rin's phone. She says it's looking bad."
"Ran-chan?" Nagisa and Rei asked together. Haruka shook his head impatiently.
"Makoto's little sister. We have to go now," he managed to get out just before dashing off. After sharing a bewildered look with each other, Rei and Nagisa followed.
"Wait, why are we helping them?" Rei huffed. He still kept pace (and was faster than the other two), but his expression clearly stated that he didn't want to do it.
"Rei-chan, no matter what Mako-chan is still a part of our team," Nagisa said cryptically. His eyes were determined enough to keep Rei on track. "Somewhere, I believe that our Makoto is still seeking our help. And that's enough to go to his aid!" This admission, if anything, made Haruka and Nagisa move faster. After Rei paused to look a bit ashamed, he gathered up his might and began keeping pace once more.
Rei thought of Makoto. The man had had his utmost respect throughout their swimming years and even for a bit after. Then he'd heard from Nagisa, who'd said in somewhat evasive terms that Makoto had bluntly thought that he and Nagisa should not be friends any longer. Rei had felt stung, thinking at first that Makoto had still thought of him like an outsider. Soon enough, this thought manifested into something much larger as Makoto decided to steadily drop conversation with all of them.
He knew that he shouldn't be so judgmental of Makoto's case, but Rei found it hard to do anything else when faced with such hurtful actions. It had caused him pain when he couldn't quite balance Makoto's words with his personality, like a theory that refused to fit. It seemed like his insecurity of coming to the group later than everyone else caused him to be the most expendable one in Makoto's eyes. Nothing else had made sense quite as much as that, but it was so underhanded that Rei couldn't quite meet the strings together to make a knot of certainty.
Even so, what Nagisa said was right. No matter what, even if it was a minor danger, the relay team always stuck together. In fact, Rei thought stubbornly, the very act of helping with the others was proof that he was truly part of the team. No matter what Makoto did, they wouldn't let him go as fast as he'd done them.
Rei glanced at Haruka's determined face. Haruka had been the driving force between him and Nagisa joining the relay and, in fact, the circle of friends. He was the reason Rin and Makoto were still around. He was extremely important; the one who brought them together. Although they'd forged bonds with each other to keep each other afloat after the initial friendship, Haruka still earned a bit of his own respect. He had taught them how to be free.
But, looking at Haruka right now, there was something that hadn't been there before. Something that he hadn't had since Makoto had left. Rei was beginning to wonder if Haruka had ever been free at all after he'd become a fisherman, still bogged down with whatever had happened with Makoto.
Haruka had never been one to force anything onto anyone. Even if Rin had felt inadequate about swimming with them, Haruka hadn't pushed him into it. He'd suffered somewhat in silence until his love for swimming forced him to swim competitively again, pitting him against Rin and digging up past troubles. Though they had gotten resolved in the end, it had taken some time and some pain. Rei sighed. Haruka hadn't been complete until Rin had come back and swum with them again. And if his ambition to help Rin and Makoto were any indication, Haruka wouldn't stop for anything until he knew that his two closest friends were safe.
There'd been a piece of Haruka missing for all these years, Rei realized. A Makoto shaped piece that was much larger than the one he'd lost with Rin. All this made Rei furious at Makoto all over again, but he knew that no resolution would come out of that.
Instead, he knew that it was time to get some answers. Maybe if he saw Makoto again, it could happen.
The three reached the place in record time before Rei realized that they'd forgotten to tell Nagisa's family that they'd left.
"Don't worry, Rei-chan!" Nagisa soothed. "I sent my sisters a mail telling them what was going on. I hope they don't get too overbearing…"
"Overbearing?" Rei asked.
"Uh…n-never mind!" Nagisa stuttered, waving his hands. "Forget I said anything!"
Haruka wasn't listening. He was fixated at the sight of the swimming club's entrance. There was no one there.
"Eh? Where did they all go?" Rei asked aloud. Haruka felt his throat close up as worry lodged itself in his esophagus. His fists clenched and before he knew it he was jogging to the entrance.
"Haru-chan! Wait, it could be dangerous!" Nagisa called, but Haruka plowed onwards. Didn't Nagisa know anything? If it was dangerous for him, wouldn't it be dangerous for Makoto and Rin as well? Or even…
Haruka's blood froze. Ran and Ren?
He heard Rei and Nagisa catch up to him, but he didn't pay them any mind. Instead, he focused on the setting around him and searched for clues. Ran's message had been sent about thirty minutes ago. He hoped that nothing too severe had happened.
Whipping out his phone, he texted Rin's phone again. When no message came after a full minute, he cursed and set about searching for clues again.
"Haru!" Rei called from the doorway. "It's open…"
Nagisa's eyes were determined. He smiled. "Good job, Rei!" he called. "Let's go, Haru-chan!" Haruka was already running up the steps.
The three ran into the dark building. Rei shivered. "It doesn't get any less creepy in here, does it?" he joked half-heartedly. Nagisa returned with a half-hearted chuckle at Rei's attempt to lighten the mood, but Haruka remained stalwart and moved forward while ignoring the both of them. The thought of either Ran or Ren inside this dark building frightened him. The thought of Makoto or Rin hurt frightened him even more.
As the three made their way cautiously through the rooms, they heard voices up ahead. Loud, angry voices. Without prompt, Haruka started to run, and the other two followed after him. At the very end of a long hallway leading to the manager's office, they saw a light. To Haruka's utter astonishment, cries from both Ran and Ren could be heard. Once Nagisa and Rei caught on, Rei began sprinting towards the light.
The office door banged open, and Rei saw Makoto standing in front of two children while Rin stood beside Coach Sasabe, yelling at the men before them. One of the men seemed to be casually watching his friends with a sort of smug air. He seemed to be the ringleader of the entire group, dressed up in a sharp suit that oozed professionalism and a cold, calculating distance. They all turned to look at him, and Rei saw with shock that the man who they'd been yelling at looked exactly like…
Haruka burst into the door and started upon seeing the man. "Otou-san?" he gasped in surprise.
"Mr. Nanase!" Coach Sasabe yelled from beside Rin. He straightened his form before he was crippled by the pain in his arm. "Let's handle this like adults! A peaceful discussion could've prevented all of this!" Mr. Nanase wasn't looking at him. He stared at his son as if he hadn't seen him since he was a child, which, to Rin's disgust, was probably the case.
"Haruka," he said calmly. Rin gritted his teeth and saw Makoto stiffen from the corner. "What are you doing here?" Everyone turned to stare at Haruka, but to their surprise, it was Makoto who spoke up.
"Mr. Nanase," he said in a low voice. "Let's move to a less threatening area, shall we? Or would you like the police force to know exactly what's going on?" He revealed Rin's phone, clasped in his palm. As Mr. Nanase's men moved to snatch it, Rin shouted at them.
"Do you really want to do that? All three of the men who just came in have their phones on them!" he hissed. "Not to mention there is one among them that is faster than anyone in this room. So unless you want a surefire way of letting the cops know-" Rin glared at the man who was closest to Makoto. "I suggest you step back." The man looked unsure, but as he glanced at Mr. Nanase, the boss nodded. Slowly, the men stepped back into their respective places.
"Well, aren't we a cocky bunch?" Mr. Nanase said smoothly. "I'm bored with you all. Just leave here and I will speak only to my son." Everyone's eyes narrowed as Nagisa and Rei clustered closer to Haruka.
"Like hell!" Rin spat. "Whatever you have to say to him, you can say to anyone else!" Mr. Nanase frowned at Rin threateningly. Rin stood steadfast, but before the pressure could escalate any further Haruka spoke up.
"Fine," he said dismissively. "I'll speak with you." Everyone looked at him in shock.
"No, Haru-chan!" Nagisa cried. "There's no way we're leaving you with him!"
"Are you insane, Haru?" Rin snapped. "Do you see me and Makoto? Do you see the bruises and cuts? You're asking for suicide!" Haruka clenched his fists and stared straight at his father.
"You can't hurt them anymore," he said decisively. Mr. Nanase smiled and nodded.
"Haru…" Rei said reluctantly. Coach Sasabe looked away with a grimace of defeat.
Just as the matter seemed to be decided, it was Makoto who spoke up and faced Haruka.
"Listen, Haru," he said sternly, clearly focusing on Haruka. "I understand your need to speak to your father, but I'm afraid I will not leave."
"Don't be stupid!" Haruka barked at him. "What about Ran and Ren?" Makoto gave him a sharp glare.
"Nagisa," he said calmly. "Take Ran and Ren outside and watch over them."
"What?" Nagisa stuttered. "But I-"
"Please, Nagisa."
Nagisa stared at Makoto for a moment, then nodded. For a moment, Makoto was once again the team captain. No matter how long or how distant, Makoto reserved a special place in their minds. Rei nodded to Nagisa and Nagisa made to lead the children away.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that," Mr. Nanase said coolly. His men made their way towards Makoto, Ran, and Ren, but before they could grab them Makoto delivered a solid blow to one man's face. He turned and kicked the other man, who grabbed his shin and fell to the floor. Ran and Ren stared on fearfully as the other man approached, unaffected by his comrades' defeats. Makoto guarded them, unable to recover from attacking the second guard fast enough.
Rin took this as his cue to leap atop the third man, stretching his neck back and bringing him to the ground. He then delivered blows on the man's face so that his head snapped side to side before he ceased struggling. Nagisa body-checked the final guard to the wall and left him disabled as well by placing a well-aimed kick to his groin. Rei quickly grabbed some rope attached to a life preserver and tied the last one's wrists, then worked on the other men.
Makoto breathed heavily and calmed himself. "Ran, Ren, follow Rei-kun back to the entrance," he said softly. Ran and Ren were shivering in fear at the entire exchange. Rei approached them cautiously and they shied away. Makoto turned to them and kneeled to their level.
"Listen to me, you two," he whispered. "You're scared right now. You're scared of me. But it's okay now…" Ran and Ren were both crying and clutching each other. Coach Sasabe approached from behind slowly and easily.
"Makoto, thank you," he said whole-heartedly. "I'll take care of them." Makoto glanced at him with such agony that it tore at the coach's heart. He nodded reluctantly and stood up and away. Ran and Ren watched him go with fear. Makoto couldn't bear to look at them.
"Follow Uncle Sasabe, kiddos," Sasabe said happily. "Don't worry. There are no more people to hurt you." Despite their fear, they looked to Makoto for confirmation. Makoto nodded and smiled slightly. Then, to everyone's surprise, they looked at Haruka.
"Haru-chan…?" Ren asked softly. Haruka stared at his father, his face a mask of stone. Mr. Nanase looked relatively unaffected by the entire fight, smiling away like there was no issue. The stark contrast between them was even more fearful than the men who had attacked them.
"Haru…" Nagisa said softly. Haruka didn't move.
"Haruka, is it okay if I take Ren and Ran home?" Coach Sasabe asked, his words dropping like stones on the floor. Haruka gave a short nod, never leaving his gaze from his father. If Ran or Ren had been hoping for more confirmation, there would be none.
Coach Sasabe nodded to them. "Ran, Ren, let's go and see your parents." As if he'd said the magic words, Ran and Ren grasped his jacket and he led them away. After a moment, Rei clenched his teeth.
"I'll follow them," he decided. "No more mishaps." With his phone at ready, Rei took off like a bolt.
The room was silent for a good while. Rin and Nagisa flanked Haruka as Makoto stared from the side.
"You all need to leave," Haruka said quietly.
"We won't, Haru," Rin snapped. Haruka's eyes glinted in fury.
"You can't make us!" Nagisa said empathetically. "I don't care if he's your Otou-san or a chestnut! We're not leaving!"
"This is no time to be stubborn," Haruka argued. "You don't know him like I do." If possible, Mr. Nanase's smile grew wider.
"Now, Haruka. It's not nice to make your friends feel unwelcome," he said politely. "If they want to stay here for my discussion, I'm perfectly fine with that." The threat rang clear in the air. Makoto clenched his teeth at the bare-faced rudeness.
Rin gave an irritated glare. "Old man, I don't think you know the beginning of what it means to be unwelcome," he snapped. "You may have moved here, but Iwatobi is our turf. You can do your best to threaten us with whatever, but we aren't kids anymore. We'll overcome whatever you throw at us." Rin's confidence spurred everyone to stand up a bit straighter. "What do you want from Coach Sasabe, anyway? We know the coach better than we know you, and that 'we' includes Haru." Mr. Nanase looked at Haruka, who didn't say anything.
"Coach Sasabe wouldn't do anything dumb like hit someone for something he wanted," Nagisa said, stepping forward a bit. "What did you want from him? Why did you beat him up?"
Mr. Nanase kept returning his gaze to Haruka, as if only recognizing him as the leader of the group. "I hate to tell you this in this way, but Iwatobi will soon be ours." Everyone gasped in bewilderment. Mr. Nanase waved his hand to gesture at the building. "Iwatobi Swim Club was the only unexpected factor in all of this. After the first swim club was torn down, I was going to buy the property and use it for my own enterprises."
"Your 'enterprises?'" Makoto asked suspiciously. Mr. Nanase glanced at him briefly.
"You look familiar, boy," he said pleasantly. Makoto and Haruka narrowed their eyes. "Have I seen you before?"
"You haven't seen him anywhere," Rin said angrily. Mr. Nanase slid his eyes over to him.
"Well, now, I know I've seen you before. Hm, I wonder where…" he pondered. When his gaze turned to Nagisa, the man tensed and stared angrily back. "Oh, but this big brute doesn't look all too familiar."
"That's too bad," Nagisa replied. "You'd have loved me in the past. I was-"
"Nagisa," Haruka said suddenly. Nagisa fell silent and Makoto read Haruka's expression.
"Don't reveal too much about yourself," Makoto said quietly. Haruka gave him a surprised glance for knowing what he was thinking. That glance was all it took, and Mr. Nanase suddenly charged forward and shoved his son aside. Haruka slammed against the wall and slid down to the floor. "No!" Makoto yelled, falling to Haruka's side. Rin and Nagisa attempted to catch Mr. Nanase only to have him smack their arms away with experienced moves.
When Rin turned the corner to catch up with Mr. Nanase, he saw nothing in the long hallway. "Where did he go?" he exclaimed in surprise. Nagisa looked around, but couldn't see anything.
"Let's not worry about that guy, Rin," he said suddenly. "Let's check on Haru." Rin nodded and went back to see Haruka pushing off Makoto's attempts to assess the damage.
"Did you find him?" Haruka asked vehemently. Rin was momentarily speechless at the amount of emotion in Haruka's face. His eyes glinted and his brows were deeply furrowed. It was the angriest he'd ever seen Haruka.
"No, he disappeared," Rin replied with disappointment. Haruka's eyes became downcast as he finally let Makoto assess the damage. His fists remained clenched as well as his teeth.
"I didn't know your Otou-san was…like that," Nagisa said bluntly. He then realized what he'd said and immediately sought to correct himself. "I-I mean…"
"No, you're right, Nagisa," Haruka said, finally managing to shake off Makoto. "He's…a tyrant." Makoto stared at him for a moment.
"Your mother…" he said softly. Haruka sharply turned towards him.
"What about her?" he growled. Then, reconsidering his question, he asked another. "Why are you even here?" Makoto reeled back, surprised.
"I'm here because I'm here," he said testily. "I wasn't planning on all of this!" Haruka huffed and stood up, dusting himself off.
"Get some bandages and then get out," he snapped. Makoto's face pinched in irritation.
"Fine! I plan to!" he replied.
"Guys…" Rin began.
"I don't think you understand, Makoto," Haruka said in a low voice, turning to him. Makoto flinched at the intensity of the glare. "Get some bandages, fix your cuts, and get out of Iwatobi." At this, Makoto became furious.
"You're not allowed to tell me what to do," he growled. "And even if you say that, I won't listen." Haruka's eyes widened, but then he growled and clenched his fists.
Nagisa and Rin watched the exchange for a bit before they shared a glance and moved towards the pair. Rin took Makoto's arm.
"You need to check on your siblings," he quietly said. Makoto's eyes were diffused of all their anger and he turned to Rin as if just realizing he was there.
"You're right," he said, defeated. "But I do want some answers. Your mother said that she didn't know you were here, and that she'd been living there for three years. My sister said that you stayed over at my house last year. Haru, the pieces aren't adding up."
"It's none of your business," Haruka snapped.
"Yes, it is!" Makoto replied angrily. "My sister, my brother, and I are all witnesses! Don't you get it?" Haruka flinched. "Yeah, you think I don't have any idea what's going on. Your father runs an agency that condones violence as a means to getting what he wants. And now he knows all of our faces. All of them!" He gestured to Rin and Nagisa.
"If you all just ran when I told you to…"
"There's no way we were going to do that, Haru-chan!" Nagisa said indignantly. Haruka looked at him in surprise. "No! Because in the end, we're all a team. No matter what happens between us, no matter how much distance there is, we'll always be a team!"
"Nagisa…" Haruka began.
"No, he's right," Rin said, stepping up beside Nagisa. "Haru, we're always there for you. No matter what the problem is, we want to be there for you." He gave Haru a smile and clasped Nagisa's shoulder. "That's what it means to be a team. 'For the team,' remember?"
"'I swim best free for the team,'" Makoto murmured. Nagisa felt a flutter in his chest, but still couldn't bring himself to face Makoto. Haruka stiffened and found himself too choked up on emotion to continue. "Let's go home, Haru. Let's check on Ran and Ren together." Makoto held out his hand, but Haruka shrugged it away.
"We'll all go to Makoto's house," Rin agreed. "We're safest when we're together. And it might be better to give Ran and Ren an extra layer of protection."
"Rei's probably already there," Nagisa added. "And Coach Sasabe might help us fit the pieces of the puzzle together."
"Aren't you all forgetting that his house is right next to mine?" Haruka snarled. They all looked down again, unsure. "My Otou-san and Okaa-san aren't weak-minded people. They'll know in an instant where we are, especially if I'm with you."
"What would you rather have us do, Haru?" Rin replied. "They already know who we are; what we look like. Ran and Ren are already at the house waiting for us. It's not like we can just go back in time and prevent all this from happening!"
Haruka turned his steely gaze onto Rin. "If you turn back now, there won't be any trouble," he said with finality. "So turn back and forget everything that happened."
"That's not an option," Rin retorted. "I think you already know that."
"We're not leaving, Haru," Makoto reiterated. "And if you're stubborn about this, we'll just go behind your back and involve ourselves." Haruka clenched his teeth.
"Haru-chan…" Nagisa said softly. "If you placed yourself in our shoes, you'd rush out to help against our parents. We're not being unreasonable here. We want to help!" Haruka looked down, troubled by the entire exchange. Makoto sighed.
"Let's just head to my house and think about what to do next," he said. Haruka stiffened, and Rin was quick to follow up.
"We'll take some precautions," he decided. "I'll mail Gou about our situation so if anything happens to us, she can give her proof. Sousuke too."
"I'll mail my sisters," Nagisa chirped. "They'll understand. And they can keep secrets well." Makoto nodded.
"I'll mail my coworkers and boss," he decided. "It's best to have a variety of sources."
"A variety of targets as well," Haruka grumbled, but he couldn't deter them from the ideas in their heads.
They walked through the snow quietly, tapping out elaborate messages detailing everything that happened. By the time the Tachibana household was in sight, no one had said a word.
Haruka walked up the steps and noted that the lights were on. He slowly walked up to the door and waited for the others. His friends were so stubborn, down to sheer stupidity. He knew his parents more than anyone else. He also knew that his friends were out of their depth. If only they could listen to his reasoning! He clenched his fists and refused to look at them as they approached, too furious for words.
Makoto could sense the depth of Haruka's fury, borne from his helplessness to stop them. He frowned, knowing that there was no way Haruka could accept pitting his friends into danger. He only wished that Haruka knew that it wasn't his fault; that his parents' actions had nothing to do with his own. Makoto looked at Nagisa and Rin, who were chatting together with badly-hidden anticipation written in their faces. If he looked through Haruka's eyes, he saw children wanting to rekindle their friendship by ways of action.
If he looked through Haruka's eyes at himself, however, he would see earnest willingness to help and save Iwatobi from whatever threat was coming.
Haruka should know that Makoto was as cautious as they come. Makoto didn't make decisions lightly, and especially not if his siblings were in the foray. But Makoto cared about Haruka as well, and there was no way he was going to let anyone get hurt if he could help it. Haruka just refused to see that, and so he thought that their aid was meaningless.
Once they reached the door, the four of them entered the house to Coach Sasabe's low voice. The coach, thankfully, had a makeshift tourniquet and an ice pack for his arm, which seemed only to be sprained. Makoto's mother and father were holding either of their children in their arms, but when Makoto and Haruka entered the door Makoto's mother stood up with a gasp and rushed to greet her son. Ren curled up against his father and Ran.
"Makoto!" his mother gasped. "Oh, dear! How could you be so brave?" Tears streamed down her face as she buried herself into Makoto's shirt. Nagisa ran to Rei, who shakily grasped his arms to look at him and make sure he was okay.
"Kaa-san, Haru saved us," Makoto confessed. Makoto's mother saw Haruka, but she didn't make a move. Haruka stared back at her quietly.
"Haruka," she said. Her voice was as cold as ice. "Explain to me why your father threatened my sons and my daughter."
"Natsumi…" her husband said. He turned to Haruka. "You don't know any more than the rest of us do, don't you, son?" Haruka looked to the ground.
"I know that my mother is conniving and ruthless, and my father even more so," he said quietly. "But I don't know their intentions, or why they targeted Iwatobi as their next point of conquest." Makoto's mother, Natsumi, clenched her fists.
"What about my family?" she snapped. "Ran and Ren are children! Why would your father target them?" Ran and Ren looked even more fearful than ever. Haruka stared at her with an impassive face. "Say something, Haruka!" she cried. Haruka flinched, barely visible, and his eyes were sparkling while his teeth were clenched.
"Kaa-san!" Makoto interrupted. "Haru doesn't know why his father reacted that way!"
"He must know something!" she returned. "Makoto, you're hurt! If he knows anything he should say it! I don't want anyone hurt again!"
"Oba-san," Rin said suddenly. "Mr. Nanase didn't target Ran or Ren specifically. They came to us when they heard the commotion between Coach Sasabe and Mr. Nanase. We told them to stay outside, but then we were overpowered because of the number of men and they discovered Ran and Ren. They brought them inside despite our struggles. Coach Sasabe probably told you this, but Haru and the others came much later, and Haru seemed especially surprised at seeing his father."
At this, Natsumi seemed to wither. She looked down at her feet and wrung her hands.
"Why is this happening? What's all this about?" she whispered. "I just want to know…"
"Coach Sasabe," Rei asked. "Why did they come to your club in the first place?" Coach Sasabe cleared his throat.
"Apparently, Mr. Nanase wanted to stake a claim on the Iwatobi Swim Club property after it was torn down. Since I'd bought it beforehand and renovated it, his plans went a bit astray. He was willing to purchase it off of me for 300 million yen, and he had the money right there. But Iwatobi Swim Club is worth much more than that, both in yen and in sentimental value. If I do retire, I'd want to give it someone I trust and who can take care of it, not to someone who offers me a trunk of money at nightfall," Coach Sasabe explained.
"Coach Sasabe…" Nagisa said in wonder.
"I immediately recognized his last name when he introduced himself, but I also knew that Haruka would never have acted in such a threatening manner, so I kept my mouth shut," the coach added. "I can speak for Haruka's behalf when I say that he had no idea his father played a part in any of this."
Makoto's father gave a relieved sigh, but Natsumi was still a bit dubious. Still, she turned to Haruka.
"Then I'm sorry for my behavior," she said quietly. "Haruka, make yourself at home. I'm…going to wash some dishes." Makoto stood up to follow her, but his father stopped him.
"Ren, Ran, I think you need to speak to your older brother about what happened," he said. Makoto glanced at his father, then sighed. He nodded and squatted in front of Ran and Ren.
"Both of you, do you mind having a chat with me?" he said softly. "I'm sorry for all that has happened. I'd like to talk about it and hear what you have to say." Ran and Ren looked at him with slight fear in their eyes, breaking Makoto's heart. "Please?"
"Can Haru-chan come, too?" Ran said hesitantly. Makoto glanced at Haruka, who was looking at them with an indecipherable expression on his face.
"Why is Haru-chan your favorite nowadays?" Makoto asked. "He can come if he wants." Ran looked at Haruka pleadingly. Haruka looked away for a moment, but Makoto gave him five seconds. He turned back and nodded.
"Okay," Ran said decidedly. "Let's go into Ren's room." Makoto watched as the little boy walked off sullenly. It was such a stark contrast to the way he'd led Makoto only a day ago that it forced Makoto to rethink his involvement in the whole affair. If it caused such pain in his family, was it worth helping Haruka and Iwatobi?
The answer was clear to him as soon as he'd thought it. Of course it was. Ran and Ren's world would be severely unhappy anyway if the Nanase's obtained the town.
"Well then, you four have some discussing to do," Makoto's father said decisively. Haruka and the others nodded and followed after Ran and Ren. "As for me, I'll go set up the beds. You all don't mind sleeping on the floor, do you?" Rin, Nagisa, and Rei paused, surprised.
"Oji-san, how did you know that we'd be sleeping over?" Rin asked. Makoto's father smiled.
"In what universe would we let Makoto's friends go home after such a night? I know you all are exhausted, after all," he replied. Nagisa smiled.
"You're just like Mako-chan," he said aloud without thinking. Rei turned to him in surprise, and Rin nodded in agreement. Makoto's father placed a hand behind his head and laughed.
"Well, I'd hope so," he said. "Now Rin, help me with the sheets, and the two of you move the table and chairs. Makoto will come as soon as he's done talking to his siblings." The men agreed and assisted him in getting the blankets. Coach Sasabe stood up as they left.
"I think I'm going to head home, Kyou," he sighed. "I've had enough action today. I don't need to have a sleepover with the kids I used to teach." Makoto's father, Kyou, turned to him in surprise.
"Are you sure? You're welcome to sleep in another room," he said. Coach Sasabe laughed.
"No, no. I know just how tiny this house is," he chuckled. "Good luck, all of you. I'll keep my phone on me just in case anything happens."
"Let us know if you get home safely," Nagisa said, concerned. Rei stepped forward.
"I'll walk you back," he offered. Coach Sasabe waved him off.
"Don't be silly. I don't live far from here anyway," he said. "I just remembered that I need to take care of a few things before I consider myself prepared for Nanase." Kyou and the other three nodded and smiled at him before he walked out the front door. After Kyou locked it behind him, he proceeded to spread the sheets onto the newly vacated area of the living room.
"Oji-chan," Nagisa said suddenly, causing Makoto's father to falter in carrying the sheets. "Why are you so hospitable? Aren't you…angry that your children were treated that way?" Makoto's father smiled and looked at Nagisa with kind eyes.
"Actually, I'm furious," he said pleasantly, startling Nagisa, Rei, and Rin. "I'm wondering how any self-respecting individual could have anything against my younger children and my always-kind elder son. But…" He turned to his pile of sheets, beginning to unfold them as the others listened to him raptly. "I know that you men are heroes, and Haruka, too. It would be unwise for me to place my anger onto the people that helped my children, however angry I may be, because it would only exhaust them more. My wife is protective of our kids and especially angry because she can't stand the thought of being defenseless for them. I admire her courage, but sometimes, a bit of level-headedness is in order."
"Yes," Rin supplied. "I agree." Nagisa and Rei snickered from where they were unfolding their blankets. Rin turned to them irately. "What?"
"It's just that Rin-chan is the first one to act and the last one to think things through," Nagisa giggled.
Rei pushed up his glasses. "Weren't you the one who was shouting at Mr. Nanase when we walked in? You're clever, but you're also one of the more impulsive ones."
"Tch," Rin tsked. "You all are just too quiet. It has nothing to do with 'level-headedness.'"
They bickered softly as they finished their tasks, and even after Natsumi finished washing the dishes and headed off to bed, the men continued their conversation.
Ran and Ren were looking at him like he was a monster as they cowered behind Haruka. Makoto gave an inward sigh, willing his sensitive heart to calm down. He had just acted the part of a goliath in front of them. Of course they'd be cautious.
It still hurt, though. They clearly saw Haruka as their surrogate older brother, not Makoto. The worst part was that Makoto was never one to act like an angry person, so he had no idea how to handle anything like this. They looked at each other in silence once more before Makoto cleared his throat and stared directly at either of them at a time.
"I'm going to ask you some yes or no questions, Ran-chan and Ren-chan," he said gently, smiling at them. "You only have to answer yes or no. And it's okay if your answers are different. Are you okay with that?" Ran and Ren looked at each other, then at Haruka. Haruka gave them a stiff nod and they nodded to Makoto in return. Makoto sighed. "And no imitating Haru-chan." He gave them a teasing smile, but they didn't return it and it withered.
"Now, second question. Are you afraid of me?" Makoto asked. Ren and Ran looked at Haruka, who looked straight back at them. They looked to each other, and slowly, both of them shook their heads. "Okay…then are you not speaking to me because you are mad at me?" Ren nodded passionately, but Ran took a moment before nodding her answer. Makoto smiled, mostly because he didn't know how to react in awkward situations like this.
"Well then, fourth question. Are you mad at me because I startled you?" he asked.
"Yes!" Ren belted out accusingly. Ran shook her head, but still looked annoyed. Makoto looked at her curiously, but then turned and regarded Ren.
"Ren-chan, will it help if I apologize to you?" he asked again. Ren shook his head and pouted. "Then what would you have me do?"
"Hot chocolate," he replied tartly. Makoto then broke into a laugh and held out his hand.
"It's a deal," he said happily. "If I can have Ren-chan as my brother back, I will get him hot chocolate." Ren returned a tiny smile. His eyes flickered to Haruka, who was watching the exchange with mild interest.
"The shop is open until nine o'clock," Ren said. "So we have half an hour left." Makoto smiled and rubbed his hair. But he looked up to see Ran still angry, looking away and folding her arms. Makoto swallowed, knowing that she was going to be much harder than Ren.
"Ran, what would you like?" Makoto asked.
"Don't think you can win me over with hot chocolate," she snapped. Haruka gave a surprised expression at her, and Makoto closed his eyes and sighed. Ran was going through one of her difficult stages.
"Then what else should I do?" Makoto asked. Haruka was a bit more interested in the conversation now, and his scrutiny made Ran a bit self-conscious of her words.
"Um…" she said quietly. "I want…I want Nii-chan to be friends with everyone else again."
Makoto stared at her in surprise. He tried not to look at Haruka, but he could feel the bemused gaze on his face. Makoto looked down at his hands.
"Ran-chan, I don't know…"
"Nii-chan!" she said suddenly. "That's the only way I'll forgive you for doing that. You have to make friends with Haru-chan and Nagisa-chan and everyone else!" Ren got caught up in his sister's antics.
"Yeah! Nii-chan has to be with his friends!" he cried. "And he has to come home!"
"Well, I don't know about that, but-"
"Do you not want to be friends with us?" Haruka asked suddenly, startling Makoto and his siblings. They stared at him in silence before Makoto turned away and bit his lip.
"That's not it," he said quietly. "But there are so many complications…"
"You said that last time," Haruka interrupted. "I still don't see any complications except your own imagination." Ran and Ren looked at Haruka with wide eyes, unused to this manner of speaking where their older brother is concerned. Makoto rubbed his forehead with a small flush on his cheeks. He really wanted to skate right now, possible do a couple of axle flips and see how many spins he can put in the jump. He wanted to cross cut backwards, thrilled with the knowledge that he could elegantly pull off the maneuver without seeing where he was going. Skating wasn't unexpected; it was always controlled.
This situation, however, was rapidly spiraling out of control.
"Haruka," he said. "I want to be friends with all of you. I'm just not sure how close we can be."
Haruka wasn't fazed. "You still know what I'm going to say even before I've said it," he retorted. "You still know me better than anyone else." Ran vigorously nodded, prompting her brother to do the same. Makoto worried at his lip. Other than his crush on Haruka, there was nothing really stopping him from wanting to become friends with everyone else. Rin had been right; he'd been afraid to be ostracized from everyone else if they'd figured out just how hard he fell for Haruka, but now that he knew that they wouldn't ostracize him, he felt the burning need to have things as they once were. Now that he knew that he was actually needed and there wasn't actually such a thing as moving on from the closeness of the friends he'd made, he wanted to try again. Unfortunately, his crush was still in effect.
"We can be casual friends!" Makoto said. "We live so far from each other that we'll hardly be able to communicate!"
"We're hardly communicating right now," Haruka deadpanned.
"You know what I mean."
"I do. But that's not a good enough reason for what you're suggesting. We can still call occasionally. I know you don't have all that little free time. At least let us know what we are doing with our lives." Makoto gave Haruka an exasperated stare, which Haruka returned with his own cool one. This went on for a minute as Makoto tried to come up with words to say before Ren tugged his hand.
"Nii-chan, can we get hot chocolate, now?" he asked quietly. Makoto broke his gaze with Haruka and smiled.
"Yes, of course we can," he said. "But don't you think you've had enough from this morning?"
"Nope!" Ren replied. Makoto sighed and turned to Haruka.
"Would you like to come along?" he asked. Even if he wasn't looking at Haruka, he knew the answer. "What if I stopped by the swim club?"
Immediately, just like old times, the war raged within Haruka. He could see his eyes mist over, as if contemplating whether or not he wanted to go. In the meantime, Makoto asked Ran and she shook her head. He turned to Haruka again to see that the balance was wavering, and he admired how much self-control Haruka had when it came to swimming as opposed to before.
"I wonder if I should pick up mackerel from the grocery store…"
Got him.
Makoto's mother only let them go out because it was close to home, and even then, they took all their friends with them. She avoided looking at Haruka, but Makoto could tell that Haruka felt it like a slap. Makoto had wanted to speak to his mother about how Haruka had been innocent, but Haruka had given him a look that clearly said it was okay and Makoto couldn't argue with him.
It was nice. The night was late when Makoto and Ren went to the hot chocolate shop. They were just about to close when Makoto reached the counter.
"Could I have one hot chocolate, please?" he asked. The man behind the counter smiled at him and Ren. He was somewhat burly, but with a kind, doughy face.
"Back again? I told you our chocolate is the best around!" he laughed. He went over to the back and started preparing the hot chocolate, but it was quite some time before he was able to come back out.
"Rin, why isn't your agent bugging you about training and everything?" Nagisa asked. Rin sighed and stretched.
"It's the off season," he explained. "I told him that I'm taking a break for the time being and coming home. That still means that I have to exercise and keep my body in shape, but it also means that I don't have to just think about training. He still messages me regularly asking after my regimen."
"Oh," Nagisa replied. "It's kind of the same with me. I can't swim when it's winter time because it gets expensive maintaining the heating on the boat for after I come up. Instead, I get to spend it home with Rei!" Rei blushed as Nagisa lurched on him.
"Oi, you two…" Rin growled. "Don't do such things so casually in public!"
"What are they doing?" Ren asked innocently. Makoto lurched and gave a shocked look.
"Ah, Ren! Er, they're…that is–" he spluttered.
"They're flirting," Haruka said flatly.
"Haru!" Makoto and Rin yelped, with Makoto covering Ren's ears. Ren looked over at Nagisa and Rei as Nagisa pressed their faces together, and he smiled to himself. He then turned to the way Haruka responded flatly to whatever Makoto and Rin said. Ren thought that Ran was right. His older brother truly belonged with his friends; they were as weird as he was.
After a time, the shopkeeper returned with the steaming cup of hot chocolate. Makoto decided that he wouldn't ask why it had taken so long, but he felt more suspicious when he saw how pale the man's face was. He tried smiling again.
"Thank you," he said politely. The man managed a shaky smile back that was a shadow of its former glory. "Ren, here's the hot chocolate I promised!" Ren clapped happily and blew on it slowly before taking a large gulp.
"Thank you, Oji-san!" he said politely, bowing his head. The man didn't smile at all, merely nodded before going back to his workplace. Makoto stared at him strangely before shrugging and heading out. It was past closing time for the shop, so he supposed the man was just fed up with late customers.
Outside, Haruka, Rin, Nagisa, and Rei had taken their argument further. Makoto hurriedly tried to calm them down.
"Everyone, let's just all go home and have a nice, long rest!" he said lightly. Haruka gave him a glare. "O-okay, after we head over to the sports store, we'll go home." Evidently, this meant that everyone argued on the way there. Makoto, by this time, joined them in the argument about public displays of affection. Ren stayed beside him and held his hand, smiling at the interactions. Eventually, however, his eyes began to droop and he started to walk slower.
"Ah, Ren-chan…" Makoto said. He took Ren's cup and set it on the ground, then had Ren go onto his shoulders as he gave him a piggy back ride. Makoto quickly drained the remaining hot chocolate before tossing the cup into the trash. He then went to catch up with his friends, trying not to jostle Ren too much.
Rin looked up when he came along. "Makoto…oh, Ren-chan fell asleep."
"Yes. I think we should get him home before long, else Kaa-san will worry," he replied.
"I already found what I was looking for," Rin replied, holding up a bottle of sprain reliever. "Haruka's looking at swimsuits, but he isn't planning on buying any I don't think. Nagisa and Rei are acting like a couple over on the far corner." Makoto laughed quietly.
"They never change, do they?" he said, smiling. Rin shook his head and smiled as well.
"They really don't."
Makoto felt a sort of camaraderie with his friends that he'd thought he'd never feel again. It was strange. He'd thought that he would never fit in so easily ever since he'd hurt them all so badly, but what Rin had said rung to his very core. They all were affected by his departure, and they all seemed to miss him just as much as he'd missed them. Makoto had never felt so guilty, but he'd also never felt so relieved.
"I want to show you something tomorrow," he told them. "Something I learned from my time away." Nagisa and Rei paused from their little banter and Rin raised an eyebrow. Makoto turned and found Haruka looking at him intently. "Right now, I don't have my ice skates. But I'd like to show you what I can do on the ice." In fact, Makoto was really excited to show them this piece of him. The others, however, gave various expressions of reluctance.
"Have you given up swimming?" Haruka asked, and Makoto's heart dropped at the question. Everyone was looking at him intently. Swimming had been what brought them together and cemented their bonds. Makoto had thrown away his swimsuit the moment he'd gone to college and thrown himself into his work. He now had the decency to feel guilty after five years.
"…I haven't swum in a long time," he confessed, avoiding their gazes. "I don't think I want to swim anymore. At least not competitively."
"And if it's not competitive?" Haruka persisted. Makoto met his gaze and he gave a sad smile.
"I suppose it's okay, though I'm not all that enthusiastic about getting back into the water," he replied. "Swimming isn't a part of me like it is you, Haru." Haruka turned away with a grimace. Rin didn't stop for a beat.
"You're lying," he said flatly. Makoto was silent as he evaluated his feelings, but that silence was enough to have Haruka looking at him over his shoulder.
"…It's hard to say," Makoto said finally. "I suppose I should get into the water before saying my feelings so suddenly." Nagisa's face gave a hopeful smile that Makoto couldn't help but return. Rei frowned a bit, not willing to forgive so quickly. But Haruka folded his arms and gave a determined walk back to the Tachibana household, and Rin smirked as he saw Haruka's eyes light up to the idea of having Makoto back in a pool.
They'd all be fine, he knew. Somehow, they'd all work it out.
