uuuuughhhh I'm tired and I have responsibilities that I'm desperately trying to avoid.

At least spring break's coming up soon.


Days passed and soon those days turned into weeks. It was always Haruka going to the coffee shop, meeting Makoto there, and spend nearly the entire afternoon with him. It almost became a daily routine for them. Even Nagisa would tease them about how close they were becoming.

Summer had rolled around. The air had become humid and the sun was blazing on everything under it. It seemed that quite a handful of people weren't too fond of the heat and retreated to the air-conditioned coffee shop. Makoto just so happened to be one of them.

Haruka on the other hand, loved that fact that he could swim wherever he wanted now that it was warmer out.

But as for today, the water did not seem to be in his favor.

The door was thrown open violently, scaring at least half the people in the coffee shop. Haruka angrily stomped inside with Rin trailing behind him.

"Haru-chan, what's wrong?" Nagisa asked. "You're soaking wet."

Haruka shook his hair, sending water droplets flying everywhere. Makoto couldn't help but notice that Haruka smelled strongly of chlorine.

Saying nothing, Haruka took out his phone and shook it vigorously, water practically pouring out of it. He then threw it on the table.

Nagisa just stared blankly, "Uhh...I still don't get it. Someone care to explain to me?"

"We were at the pool and I pat him on the back a little too hard and he fell in the pool." Rin said. He turns to Haruka, "You never even liked that phone, why are you getting so pissy about it?"

The dark-haired man just sent a death glare his way and turned his head the other way. "Ugh, Haruuuuu. I said I was sorry, okay?"

"Rin-chan, I think Haru-chan's mad about the phone, because he won't be able to talk with Mako-chan." Nagisa explained.

There was a brief moment of silence, before Nagisa asked, "I'm right, aren't I?"

Haruka simply nodded. "You know, I've heard somewhere that if you leave your phone in a bag of uncooked rice for a few days, it'll start working again." Makoto said.

"Yeah, Haru-chan! You should try that." Nagisa agreed. "And if you somehow fall in the pool again, please dry off before you come here. It would make my job a whole lot easier." He pointed to the trail of puddles on the floor.

"Sorry about that."


Haruka and Rin walk into the coffee shop a few days later. Nagisa was there to greet them, like always. But there was no sign of Makoto.

"Where's Makoto?" Haruka asked, taking a seat at the counter.

"Mako-chan said he had to finish up some last-minute assignments for his literature class, so he can't come today."

Haruka replied with a disappointed sigh. "Hey, I know you get a little lonely when Mako-chan's not here, but it's only for today, so cheer up!" Nagisa said. "By the way, how's your phone?"

"I left it to dry in rice, but it's pretty much dead now."

"Oh...did you consider getting a new phone?"

Haruka shook his head, "I think I'm done with cellphones at this point."

"But how will you communicate with Mako-chan? You know sign language isn't an option because he can't see it." Nagisa replied.

"Whatever, I don't care anymore." Haruka got up from his seat and left.

Nagisa sighed, "Haru-chan says he doesn't care, but he's really bummed out, huh? And he was getting along with Mako-chan so well..."

"Hey, Nagisa."

"Yeah, Rin-chan?"

"Do you know Makoto's number?" Rin asked.

"Why?"

"This whole thing was my fault." Rin hands Nagisa his cell so that the latter could dial Makoto's number. "I'm gonna make it up to Haru."

He holds the phone up to his ear, listening to the dial tone. "Hello?" Said the voice on the other end.

"Makoto, it's me, Rin. Remember me?"

"Yeah, of course." Makoto replied, "Is there something you want?"

"Uhmm are you free for the next few days?" Rin asked.

"I was planning to go to the coffee shop after I've finished my assignments, but I guess that can wait a bit longer if it's urgent."

"I guess you can say it's urgent. Haru tried the rice thing and it didn't work. But he refuses to get a new phone." The red-haired man explained.

"Oh...sorry to hear that." Rin could hear the disappointment in Makoto's voice.

"Anyway, how good are you with identifying things with just your hands?"

"I've been doing that my entire life, what does that have to do with anything?" Makoto asked.

"So you're pretty good, then. Okay, tomorrow instead of going to the coffee shop, there's a bookstore about two blocks away. Meet me there and I'll explain later." Rin explained, "Don't tell Haru."


"Makoto's not here again..."

"Something came up all of a sudden, so Mako-chan won't be here for a few days."

"What kind of thing came up?" Haruka asked.

"Uhh...just some school stuff, I guess." Nagisa said nervously.

Haruka gave the blond a skeptical look. He knew that Nagisa was hiding something. "H-haru-chan, why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing. Never mind." Haruka replied before focusing his attention back to his sketchbook.

Nagisa glanced at him worriedly, but he soon went to serve a few customers.

A few hours went by, but Haruka didn't notice because he was so engrossed in his drawing. He snapped back to reality when Nagisa had set a cup down in front of him.

Haruka looks up to see the blond beaming at him, "It's my special cheer-up tea. It'll make you feel better in no time!"

"Thanks." He takes a small sip of the warm liquid, tasting lemon, ginger, and a small amount of honey.

"How is it, Haru-chan?" Nagisa asked.

"It's good."


Days passed, Haruka came by the coffee shop everyday, hoping that Makoto would show up.

Instead, he had to endure Nagisa's non-stop chattering and sometimes, the overly cheery blond would flirt with a certain blue-haired, glasses-wearing customer. Haruka had picked up a few things about the man during their interactions. His name was Rei Ryugazaki, he studies at a medical institution downtown, he has a strange obsession with beauty, and he spends his spare time calculating mathematical theories in his head and doing track. Rei seemed to be an ordinary person according to Haruka. He couldn't see what someone as carefree as Nagisa would see in a guy like that, but Haruka didn't dwell on it too much. Besides, who was he to judge Nagisa's taste in guys?

Today, Haruka was waiting at the coffee shop once again. He buried his face in his arms and was about to doze off, but then he heard the door open and the bell ringing quite loudly. "Hey, Haru!"

With sleepy eyes, he turned around to see Rin grinning and waving at him. Beside him was the person Haru had been impatiently waiting for. Without thinking, he quickly got up from his seat and ran over to Makoto, wrapping his arms around him tightly

"Whoa, Haru, are you okay?" Makoto asked, slightly surprised by the sudden feeling of Haruka's arms being wrapped around his waist.

Nagisa laughs, "He just really missed you, Mako-chan."

"Is that so?" the taller man smiled softly, the smile Haruka had been longing to see again. "I missed you too, Haru."

"Where have you been?"

"I was teaching Makoto a few things that may or may not come in handy." Rin replied.

"What kind of things?" Haruka asked.

Rin simply grinned at Haru then turned to Makoto. "Show him, Makoto and don't disappoint me."

"I'll do my best!" Makoto said. "Haru, can you hold out your hands for me?"

Confused and a little hesitant, Haruka's hands slowly reach out towards Makoto. He felt Makoto gently place his hands over his.

Instinctively, Haruka signed, "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to talk to you." Makoto replied.

Haruka froze for a second. Did Makoto just answer his question? He couldn't see him sign it, can he? "You can understand me?"

"Yep."

Then Haruka put two and two together.

Makoto was feeling his hand signs.

"You can really understand me?"

Makoto nodded. "Yes, I can. I still need to learn a little more, though."

Haruka felt this strange feeling bubbling up inside him. It felt like a combination of disbelief, excitement, and something else he couldn't place. He couldn't keep a smile from adorning his face.

"You know, I've never seen Haru-chan this happy in a long time." Nagisa said. "You did good, Rin-chan."

"I know I did." Rin looks over at the two. He couldn't help but find their new way of interacting a bit cute.

"So, how was it? Teaching Mako-chan."

"Let's just say it took hard work, determination, and lots of tears."


"You're here surprisingly early."

"You didn't tell me what time you were coming, so I figured that I show up early so you don't have to wait for me." Makoto said.

"You're too nice for your own damn good, I swear to god." Rin replied, opening the door to the bookstore.

Makoto laughs, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

The two walk inside, catching the attention of the red-haired girl at the register. "You're back here already, Makoto?" She asked, smiling sweetly. "Anything you need today?"

"No, nothing today. Sorry Gou-chan."

Rin glares at Makoto, "Hey, don't tell me you've been getting friendly with my sister."

"Onii-chan, stop it. He just comes here regularly, that's all." Gou said, "Don't tell me that you've come here to spy on me."

"No, I'm here for a completely different reason, but if I see some creepy guy trying to hit on you, you know I'm gonna kick their ass."

Gou rolled her eyes, "This is why I don't tell you anything anymore."

Sighing, Rin takes Makoto to a quiet corner in the back of the bookstore. "So what are we doing here?" Makoto asked.

Rin takes a seat on the floor. "Ever heard of something called tactile sign language?"

"No. What is it?"

"Basically, you would put your hands over the signer's hands and you would feel the signs they're making. It's typically used for people who are deaf-blind, but I guess it works for you and Haru too." Rin explained.

"Ah, interesting."

"I felt bad for ruining Haru's phone in the first place, so I'm gonna teach you how to read sign language."

"Then please be patient with me, because I'm probably gonna mess this up." Makoto said.

The red-haired man laughed, "That's part of learning, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll try not to be too harsh with you."

Teaching Makoto was a bit frustrating at first, Rin getting slightly irritated when Makoto would get something wrong, then Makoto would get discouraged and sulk, saying that he'll never get it right, prompting some words of encouragement from Rin. But at the days went by, Makoto was beginning to understand little by little.

He thought to himself, 'For Haru's sake.'


"And that's what happened."

"Wow, that sounds kinda tough." Nagisa said.

Rin laughs, "Yeah it was, but once he got it, he learned surprisingly fast."

"But you know..." Nagisa glances over at Makoto and Haruka having their own little conversation in the back corner of the coffee shop. "I think you brought them a lot more closer."


Ginger tea is good for the soul =v=

I came up with philosophy about Haru and Makoto communicating through tactile sign language means they've gotten more intimate with each other, since they have to physically touch each other to have a conversation. Cheesy, I know. But we're getting somewhere here.