The oddness has most definitely not phased out.
Haruka feels it in the air, polluting the cold ocean breeze that's seeping into his bones this November morning. There's something off in the way Makoto bemoans Ren and Ran's squabble that apparently had him putting down that library book he wanted to finish last night.
Nagisa and Rei meet up with them at the gates, giving Makoto people to chat with, at least until they reach the sophomores' classroom. Haruka nods them off and continues with Makoto still by his side. He's been doing a lot of thinking on how the dynamics of his and Makoto's relationship – friendship – work. As far as Haruka can tell, it looks decidedly one-sided. Makoto never complains though and it leaves Haruka wondering why. For such a genial guy like him, finding a new group of friends would be easy and yet he sticks with Haruka, apparently content to while away the empty hours doting on his best friend while everyone else did normal teenager things like going out to movies, karaoke bars, and whatnot.
They settle in their own classroom, arrangement unchanged, and Haruka definitely feels the near-isolationist vibe that's emanating from their corner. Their classmates are amiable most of the time since it's basically a rotation of the same faces ever since grade school, which also means that by now nearly everyone has their standardized group of friends. In Haruka's case, that set happens to be singular but any more and it's going to be troublesome (or so he has convinced himself). Makoto, on the other hand...
Looking over, Haruka isn't surprised to find that Makoto's attention is glued to a book – presumably the one from the library that he hasn't finished the night before. He's staring so intently at it though his eyes are soft and his lips are lifted in a gentle smile. Out of nowhere, Haruka is reminded of days long past, when a younger Makoto would excitedly run over to his house to share with him the latest additions to his shelf – a manga, a light novel, and once, a cookbook.
"What are you reading?" The question breaks the silence between them, drawing Makoto out of the fictional world and into the present. Haruka tries to remain cool, not knowing why he even feels the need to start a seemingly random conversation.
Makoto looks at him curiously, lowering the book instead of just showing the cover to Haruka. His answer, when it comes, is a little stilted. "It's, uh, Byron. Poetry."
Haruka nods, unsure of where to go to from here since he's not really interested, he just... He wonders why he even asked, it's obviously distracting Makoto from his reading but the brunet doesn't appear to be the least bit put off by it. Makoto is still staring at him, though, wearing a look like he's expecting another question and it makes Haruka scramble for something to say.
"Do you want to borrow it?" Makoto offers and Haruka sees that he's only got a few pages left.
"Not really," Haruka replies, looking away. Foreign authors aren't really his thing, poetry much less so. In fact, Haruka isn't interested in reading unless it's required for school. He'd rather swim in the ocean than do most anything so he knows this exchange is ultimately pointless and yet... Haruka feels like he should keep it going. He doesn't know how, though, but years of silence from his end apparently taught Makoto enough to fluidly carry any conversation.
"Do you want me to read it to you, then?" Makoto's eyes glint with amusement.
Haruka's attention snaps back at Makoto for his absurd suggestion. He knows that Makoto reads to his younger siblings before bed, they've had enough sleepovers for Haruka to get used to that nightly ritual and he has on more than one occasion been coerced into voicing a few characters for the twin's enjoyment. Makoto reading to him, however, is just plain unimaginable... and also kind of embarrassing. Haruka must be wearing a funny look on his face because not even a second later, Makoto dissolves into quiet laughter.
Amakata sweeps into the room, flourishing their textbook and everyone takes the cue to settle down. Class starts and Haruka forces the inane thoughts to the back of his mind just as Makoto carefully places the library book back into his bag. For the duration of their morning classes, Haruka determinedly channels all his focus on lectures that bore him out of his mind.
Lunch break rolls around and Haruka gets up from his seat, packed lunch in hand. He's already one foot out of the door when he remembers the promise made to Nagisa and Rei that they'll be eating together at the cafeteria. He makes a move to walk down the right-hand corridor but the call of his name sounding far away stops him in place.
Makoto has a hand raised towards him, loitering by his seat, telling Haruka to go ahead and that he'll catch up. Haruka sees Kaname beside Makoto, looking nervous but hopeful and the sight of it stirs up some unfavorable emotions that Haruka doesn't know what to do with. How in the world did he not even notice her coming up to their corner? Knowing that there isn't anything that can be done about it, however, Haruka just shrugs and walks out, acting like nothing is amiss. The trip down to the cafeteria is vague, even hurried. The next thing he knows, Nagisa and Rei are pulling up seats across from him.
Nagisa is pouting, complaining about Haruka ignoring their calls and making them leave the good spot they've reserved and "Are you feeling okay, Haru-chan? You look... off... Where's Mako-chan?" Big, round amethystine eyes stare curiously at him, demanding honesty in the politest way imaginable.
"He'll be down soon," Haru replies blandly, smoothing his expression into one of deceptive calm. He starts unpacking his lunch and the others do the same.
The cafeteria is abuzz with chatter, muffled ever so slightly between bites of food. Makoto shows up with an apology five minutes later, taking the empty seat beside Haruka.
It's not like there is any sort of tension between them and Haruka really doesn't like to talk while he's eating anyway but the shared knowledge that Makoto's tardiness is because he made date plans with their classmate makes it a little harder to swallow food on Haruka's end. It's starting to get annoying, noticing all these little details wherein Makoto proves himself to be a more or less permanent (if not defining) feature in even the most menial part of Haruka's day to day activities.
Rei puts down his chopsticks, addressing his question to the swim team captain. "Can we be excused from practice tomorrow?" Beside him, Nagisa nods, eyes wide and sparkling in supplication. "We have this group project that needs to get started on since it's due at the end of the month."
"Why don't you schedule that for the morning? You can still attend practice in the afternoon," Makoto suggests. It's the middle of tournament season after all. They're a decent team but they need to follow their rigorous practice routine if they want to maintain their standing. "Or how about we move the practice to morning instead?"
Nagisa opens his mouth to reply when Gou stops by their table, a decided look on her face. "Practice tomorrow is cancelled," is all she says, nodding once and not even meeting anyone's eyes before promptly turning around.
"Wait, what?" Makoto is surprised because out of everyone in the group, Gou is the last person they'd expect to call off a practice session. "Why so suddenly?"
"I'm not complaining," Nagisa beams.
"No particular reason," Gou talks over the blond's words, flippant laughter segueing into her next statement. "We can just make up for it by adding thirty more minutes to our training everyday after school next week."
Nagisa's expression sours almost immediately at the declaration. "But Gou-chan~" He looks towards the other members of the team for support but no one else seems to be affected. Rei's glasses gleam when he gives an affirmative nod and there's nothing to be questioned on Makoto's complacent smile. Haruka... well, the most they can get out of him is a brief shift of the eyes towards Gou followed by a voiceless sigh.
"Alright then," Gou concludes, ponytail bouncing as she heads off. "I'll see you guys later."
Haruka drinks his water, a passing notion that everyone else seems to have a plan for tomorrow floats in his mind. He tries not to think of how little effort Makoto has shown in resisting the cancellation.
Saturday dawns to find Haruka tangled in his sheets, void of dreams and other disturbances. He wakes with no particular agenda for the day, breathing in the crisp morning air and getting the urge to go for a run.
His barely used sneakers tap the stone steps to an empty tune as he makes his way down the hill. Haruka takes an old route that doubles as a shortcut to the beach front. The ocean greets him with a salty spray and the calming rhythm of its waves crashing upon the shore. He passes by the Tachibana home on his way back, eyes automatically going to Makoto's room – windows shut and blinds pulled close, Haruka shakes his head at the knowledge that Makoto will probably oversleep until noon again.
So much for planning to reschedule swim practices in the morning, Haruka thinks as he picks up his pace and heads back home. He lays down at the porch by the side garden, catching his breath and letting the warm rays of sunlight comfort him.
It's looking to be one of those blissfully uneventful weekends.
Most of the time, Makoto would drop by – or Haruka would be invited over to the Tachibanas – for lunch. Afternoons would be spent doing their homework and then playing video games in lieu of taking a break. Sometimes, if Haruka drops enough hints, Makoto would give in and let Haruka drag him out to the beach. They'll swim until the sun sets or until whatever curfew it is that Makoto's mom sets for them – usually it's before dinner time.
Haruka receives the weekly call from his parents around three in the afternoon. Same old, same old – checking up on his studies, on the swim club, make sure to buy groceries, clean the house, they'll try to see if they can come home the following week. It ends with customary "Take cares" and Haruka cradles the beeping phone to his ear for a couple of seconds, squashing down an inexplicable urge to call his mom back and tell her Makoto's going on a date.
It defies logic for him to think so much into it knowing that it isn't exactly the first time Makoto has gone out with girls – he counts maybe three or four times in the past, with months in between them and no second dates as far as he knows. Makoto did try to get Haruka to join a group date once but Haruka's stubborn refusal ended in Makoto not going to the party either.
Troublesome thoughts never lead to anything good so Haruka puts down his phone by the night stand and heads into the bathroom for a good soak. The sky outside his window is dimming by the time Haruka gets out and goes looking for proper clothes. He's thinking of ordering take out when his phone starts buzzing, breaking the droning silence.
Matsuoka Rin calling... the blinking screen informs him. Haruka puts it on loudspeaker, not really fond of having the phone anywhere near his still-wet hair.
"About time you answered!" Rin's irate voice fills the room. "I've been trying to reach you for hours!"
"What do you want?" Haruka pulls out a pair of underwear, closet doors wide open.
"I need your help," Rin says. "Meet me at the yogurt shop on the street corner across the mall."
Picking out a faded t-shirt, Haruka replies, "I'm busy."
"Hah, as if."
Haruka can almost see those pointy teeth exposed in a knowing grin and it grates on his nerves. "I don't feel like having another race."
"I just told you to meet me near the mall," Rin scoffs. "There ain't no pool in a yogurt shop, genius."
"Then what's the point?" Haruka asks back in monotone. When he receives static from Rin's end, Haruka walks over to the night stand and stares down the phone. "Oi." He normally would've just ended the call right there but it's been a boring day and Rin calling him up for non-swimming reasons certainly piqued his curiosity.
"Ah, damn it – I already told you, I need your help," Rin mutters.
"For what?" Haruka plants a hand on his hips, his interest draining away at the evasive answer. "I'm getting hungry. If you don't tell me what it really is, I'm hanging up."
"Fine! Fine, you jerk!" Rin intones a few more unpleasant words under his breath before continuing, "I need you to help me keep an eye on Gou."
Standing in the middle of his room in his underwear, Haruka blinks and dries his hair with a towel. "Gou's a high school sophomore, she doesn't need babysitters."
"She sure as hell does when she's going out with Mikoshiba!" It comes out as a near shout and Haruka is glad he decided to put his phone on loudspeaker instead of having the device by his ear. The accusatory tone is amusing just as much as the passionate deliverance of Samezuka's ace swimmer back talking the team Captain. "Can you believe that guy?! He actually freaking asked my sister – my sister! – out to see a dumb movie about space command or star fighters or something stupid like that. And Gou must've bumped her head because only a crazy woman would even consider–"
"Rin." Haruka has to stop his friend right there, his brain's processes hitting pause and rewind the moment he heard the words 'movie', 'space', and 'fighters' used in the same sentence. "Are you... That is to say, that movie... It's the one that's premiering tonight, isn't it?"
"Premiere, huh? Wait, let me check..." Rin talks to someone else on his end, their conversation carrying through the line. "Hey, Nitori, what time did Captain say that stupid movie date was?"
"A-Ah, I believe it's the first screening at eight-thirty," replies a timid voice which Rin then repeats to Haruka.
"It's in about an hour. Mikoshiba's been bragging about those tickets all week, going on and on like an idiot about planning the perfect date and then – then I overhear that he's taking my sister out. He didn't even ask for my permission! In any single one of the swim team practices we've had all week he could've told me but noo, that loser." Rin grouses. "So are you with me or not?"
Haruka spends a long second reasoning with himself why he should not – absolutely should not – entertain Rin's foolish plan. Number one on the list is the high probability of Makoto being there. Makoto and his date, Haruka reminds himself with a mental cringe. Number two is that it'll be rude to quote, unquote stalk the swim team manager like that even if she is – no, especially since she is Rin's sister. Number three, what would Makoto think if he sees Haruka in that movie theater – with Rin, too! Number four, if Haruka does see Makoto in that theater (and assuming that Makoto does not find him) there is no doubt in his mind that he will be watching his best friend more than the movie, you know the movie, the one he will be paying to see. The mere fact that he's thinking of spying on Makoto's date gets an insistent and obnoxious Bad Idea vibe creeping up his spine. Sane people don't invite themselves to other people's dates, Haruka reprimands his traitorous thoughts. And this surely goes against some clause or another in the Best Friend Code. He can always use Rin as an alibi, since the guy is the one who dragged him into this but...
Number five, a.k.a. the most important reason why Haruka should just say no: it's a Rin-plan. Based from past experiences Rin-plan's tend to end very, very badly for everyone involved.
"Oi. Still there, Haru? Aw, come on, I can't do this by myself!"
Say no. Say no. Say no. Say no –
"Fine, I'll see you at the damn yogurt place."
"Yes!"
Haruka ends the call with the shaky press of a finger. He racks his mind for some words of wisdom from his late grandmother to reassure himself that it's going to be okay but ultimately finds none. He returns to his closet in search of more decent clothes, already knowing that this venture is going to be more trouble than it's worth.
A/N: It's still pretty descriptive and not much dialogue-y but oh boy the plot is moving! :D Shout out to everyone who's followed, faved, and/or reviewed this fic~ All that positivity keeps my plotorcas happy, so thanks~