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Makoto completely froze as those words left his lips. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to figure out what he should do next. The silence continued with a light rustling of leaves before Seijuurou spoke up.
"Sorry to hear that man" he said before adding, "Surprised a girl would even think of turning you down though."
If possible, Makoto stiffened even more, and let out a weak laugh. He was increasingly feeling more and more awkward as time past but couldn't find the strength to unwrap his arms from Seijuurou.
"Is she someone you see often?" Seijuurou questioned as he turned inwards a bit to face Makoto better.
Makoto calmed down just enough to let his arms drop but kept himself from looking Seijuurou in the eye. "Y-Yes" he nervously replied.
Seijuurou looked as if he was hesitating to say what he was now thinking but eventually asked "How do you act around them after they had rejected you? I don't even know how I should be like around Gou-kun now."
Makoto took a deep breath before exhaling harshly. No one knew he had been heartbroken, not even Rei or Nagisa, and they certainly didn't recognized his actions with Haru. Heck, he'd be surprised if Haru knew himself no matter how well they could mind-read each other. With the situation being that way, it was obvious that Makoto had never voiced out these feelings and didn't know where to start or how to even begin.
"I don't think you can ever be 100% normal around them again" Makoto began quietly, "But I know that time helps to heal your heart until you can eventually let go."
Seijuurou hummed in thought for a bit before letting out a rough chuckle, which then followed "I wonder how I'll be around Gou-kun next. I don't know if you noticed but every time we speak, I would flirt."
Despite the serious atmosphere, Makoto couldn't help but let out a giggle before quickly covering his mouth. Seijuurou shot him a questioning look before he could finally answer "I think everyone noticed that Mikoshiba-buchou."
"What, really?!"
"Yes, really."
Makoto cracked a larger smile as Seijuurou himself started laughing as well.
"Well there goes any chance of being discreet about Gou-kun not returning my feelings" Seijuurou sighed as he leaned back on the bench.
"Well you could always pretend you got interested in another girl?" Makoto joked and Seijuurou smirked back, "I'll just go make eyes at the girl who rejected you."
"Yeah, Haru would hate that" Makoto laughed before completely freezing. How many times are you going to blurt out things like an idiot?! he reprimanded himself. He slammed his eyes shut once again and subconsciously tried to make himself as small as possible where he was sitting. Makoto jumped, startled by a hand suddenly grabbing his shoulder.
"Haru? As in Nanase?" Seijuurou slowly enquired. Makoto could only bob his head before hiding his face even more.
"Sorry Tachibana, I didn't mean to offend you by presuming you liked girls" Seijuurou then apologized.
Out of all things Makoto was expecting to hear next, it definitely was not that. He shot back up, as both his eyes and mouth were wide open. He closed then opened his mouth again to say something but just closed it again. A million thoughts were running through his mind, and he simply didn't know what to say. He stared at Seijuurou for a moment as Seijuurou was gazing back as well as cocking his head a bit with an uncertain smile.
Makoto cleared his sudden parched throat and mumbled, "You aren't going to say anything?"
Seijuurou made quite a confused face before responding, "You mean to Nanase? Or about Nanase?"
"Either, both" Makoto muttered, feeling the need to hide his face again. A tap under his chin however stunned him into looking back up again.
"I don't know what you are currently deliberating over Tachibana, so let me tell you what I am thinking" Seijuurou began as he removed his hand from Makoto's chin. "Firstly, I am also sorry for you to have been rejected by someone you liked. Frankly, I would have thought that Nanase would have returned those feelings as you two are practically attached by the hip. Also if you are worried about being judged for being gay, bi or whatever I certainly won't. To begin with, I have never seen a problem with it but I certainly never judge friends anyways" Seijuurou ended with a smile.
"We are friends?" Makoto cringed at himself for yet another thing he had blurted out accidently. Seijuurou however just laughed and slapped him on the back. "I don't see why not Makoto."
Makoto couldn't help but grin as a couple of tears escaped his eyes, "Thank you Seijuurou-buchou."
Seijuurou panicked a bit at the tears but correct, "Just Seijuurou is fine." Makoto chuckled at Seijuurou's flustered face, "Don't worry, I'm not crying over something you did, I'm just relieved I could finally let it out and talk about it Seijuurou."
Seijuurou was surprised that Makoto hadn't even mentioned it to his other friends but smiled after Makoto had used his name. "Well I guess it's obvious whom I'll be flirting with next joint practiced" Seijuurou winked making Makoto redden before joining in laughing.
Seijuurou stretched himself out before getting up from the bench and holding out his hand to Makoto.
"We must of been here for quite sometime, the sun looks like its already setting" Seijuurou commented as he pulled Makoto up as well, "We should start heading back."
Makoto nodded in agreement as he placed his bag over his shoulder. They began to walk back to the pool building with Seijuurou leading the way.
"Well I gotta head back in to grab my stuff and lock up, you got everything already?" Seijuurou asked and Makoto simply just nodded his head again.
"Then thanks for the talk and I'll see you next practice okay!" he smiled giving a one-armed hug before jogging back into the building with Makoto waving goodbye behind him.
Makoto couldn't help but grin as he began to head back home. Who knew that just mentioning those hidden feelings for Haru could make him experience such a sense of relief. He may of not explained what had happened or how he is currently feeling but just knowing there is someone supporting him, and not judging him made him feel so comforted, like a part of the burden had been lifted. Not that Makoto had thought that Rei or Nagisa would judge him at all but he knew there would have been this uncomfortable tension as they were always together with Haru. And he knew how devious Nagisa could be, who knew what plans he might cook up for either him, Rin or Haru. Rei would definitely get dragged into it too.
What Makoto had needed that he didn't realize until now was his own space without any connection with Haru. Yes, Haru knew Seijuurou and was connected to him through Rin and Samezuka, but there wasn't a close personal relation like with Rei, Nagisa and Gou.
Makoto now had his own place to be himself without having to have his mind half on Haru and it made him more peaceable then ever before.