Haru put away the last of the training paddles away in storage, and made his way to the staff change rooms to remove his wet suit. The middle school kids were especially restless, since it was nearing summer vacation. Haru had decidedly upped the training, to remind them not to get rowdy in class, and to make sure they were too exhausted to cause trouble at home. Rowdy middle school kids could be a handful, after all.

Seven months. It had been nearly seven months since Makoto left for Tokyo, and he still texted him, and Haru still couldn't answer. Pictures, short video clips, things that happened to him, things that reminded him of home, his family, his friends, everything. He sent texts to everyone everyday, and made the extra effort to text Haru personal things, little small things that reminded Makoto of him.

The dolphin plushie being sold in the local toy store.

The new restaurant that had a mackerel tank in the front.

The nearby sports shop that started displaying professional swim wear in its window.

And Haru couldn't bring himself to answer a single one.

Over five hundred messages in about two hundred days. One message every day for the whole group, and another one for him. Not that Haru was counting.

Haru clicked his tongue in frustration over his own denial. Who was he even kidding anymore? He dreamt of Makoto every night, held on to his shirt when he couldn't bare the loneliness, and every day was slow moving, bland, boring without him. Swimming was barely enjoyable, either. Makoto wasn't there to cheer for him, to pull him out of the water, to tell him that he did a good job and praise his ability. Haru slammed the locker closed.

He checked the time on his phone. It was getting late, and Rin had said he would wait for him after work so they could walk to his house together. Everyone was going to sleep over tonight, in an effort to stay together. Nagisa had suggested they call Makoto, and before he could protest, everyone had agreed. That was the night Rin figured it out, and it caused Haru to sigh deeply again.

"Haru, are you okay? You looked pretty pissed when we said we'd call Makoto," he asked once the other has left.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said as he washed the dishes.

"Haru, come on. This is your best friend. The guy's been sending text messages to everyone every day for the past seven months, we should call him at least," Rin said, leaning on the counter next to Haru, watching him finish wiping the dishes dry.

"He knows how we've been doing, we don't need to call him," Haru muttered, putting away the last bowl.

"Oh come on, Haru, you're acting like you haven't been talking to the guy," Rin joked.

Haru froze, suddenly nervous. He glanced over at Rin, who looked at him with a question in his eyes. Haru tried to compose himself again, hoping Rin wouldn't ask, wouldn't pry.

"Haru," Rin began, and Haru started to move to the living room. "You have been talking to him, right?"

"Just let it go, Rin," he said, clenching his fists.

"Let me see your phone, Haru," Rin said, grabbing his wrist.

"No!" Haru panicked. He didn't want Rin to see the messages Makoto made the extra effort to send him, those belonged to him and him alone. He gripped his phone.

Rin and Haru were in a deadlock, but Rin managed to pull Haru's phone away from him, and opened it. His eyes widened, and Haru looked away from him, ashamed. "Oh my God, Haru. You haven't texted him back at all!" Rin exclaimed, staring at Haru. "You're insane! He's even been sending you extra texts. You haven't answered a single one?"

Haru slumped his shoulders, defeated. "No," he replied.

"What's wrong with you? Answer him right now!" Rin said, shoving his phone back to him.

"No," Haru said, taking his phone.

"Yes, Haru, do it," Rin raised his voice, impatient.

"No," Haru insisted. "I don't want to."

"Like hell that's true! Just answer him!" he cried. "What's one text even going to-"

"I can't, Rin!" Haru yelled, his eyes closed to prevent Rin from seeing the tears that were forming. "I just can't!"

Rin stopped at Haru's outburst, eyeing him, trying to assess what was going on. "What to you mean you can't? Yes, you can! Just text him back," he yelled back.

"No," Haru's voice wavered as he began to sink to the floor. "How can I after all this time, Rin?" Rin gaped at him, standing over him. There was silence between them as Haru crouched on the floor, head in his knees. Rin just stood there, trying to understand what was going on. Something hit him, and his eyes widened as he stared at Haru.

"Haru, are you in love with Makoto?" he asked. Haru stiffened when he heard the words leave Rin's mouth. Rin crouched down to peer into Haru's face, and Haru tried to get away from him, but Rin held him there. "Oh my God, Haru. You are, aren't you?"

"Rin, don't, please," Haru could feel the tears welling up at his eyes, but he refused them to fall. Rin looked at Haru, who seemed so lost with what to do. "I can't text him back now. Not when everything's changed."

Rin sighed and sat down in front of Haru, rubbing his temple as he thought of what to say. They sat in silence for a while, the ticking of the clock in the room the only sound that cut the silence. "Well," Rin said. "You'd better text him soon, Haru. He's been texting you everyday since he left. If you don't text him, he might stop texting you, and then what are you going to do?"

Haru knew he was right, after all. It wouldn't be long before Makoto couldn't keep up the texting anymore, and he would stop. But Haru couldn't muster up the courage to text him back. What was appropriate, anyway? Now that he knew how much he missed him? How much he wished he could hold him and stay with him?

Haru found Rin sitting on the bike rack by the front, and he called to him. "Let's go," he said. Rin turned around at his voice, and nodded his acknowledgement.

"Yo, Haru," he said. He stood up and they started to make their way to Haru's house. "Have you texted him back yet?" Rin asked.

"No," Haru muttered.

"Still? Haru, you really have to step it up. You're going to talk to him tonight, when we call him," Rin said, clicking his tongue at how frustrating it all was.

Haru chose not to answer, and turned his head away, as if to end the conversation. They walked in silence to his house, and found Rei and Nagisa waiting by the foot of the stairs.

"Ah! Rin-chan! Haru-chan!" Nagisa cried, waving to them. Rei looked up from his book and waved as well.

"Hey, guys, sorry. Were you waiting long?" Rin asked.

"Only five minutes, Rin-san. Not anything to worry over," Rei replied. He closed his book and put it in his bag.

"Haru-chan! How was work?" Nagisa jumped on Haru, who barely managed to keep himself steady from the force. Nagisa had begun to grow a little, and it was getting harder to handle his tackle hugs.

"Fine," Haru said, moving him off, so he could walk ahead of them to open the door.

"How are the middle school students, Haruka-senpai?" Rei asked.

"Rowdy," Haru said. It wasn't very explanatory, but it was true.

"I bet that you just suck as a coach," Rin muttered. Haru turned to glare at Rin as he opened the door.

"Am not," he shot back. Rin snickered.

"Aww, don't say that, Rin-chan. I bet Haru-chan's a very good coach," Nagisa said.

Haru decided to tune out the conversation behind him debating if he was actually a good coach or not, and proceeded to the living room, where the futons were. Everyone sat down, putting their things on the side. Nagisa pulled out his phone.

"So," he said loudly to get everyone's attention. "I've been texting Mako-chan, and he said he just got back to his dorm, so we should call him now!" Nagisa dialed his number and put it on speaker.

"Oi! Haru!" Rin called, but Haru moved to the kitchen. He heard Rin click his tongue, and moments later the ringing stopped. Haru held his breath.

"Ah, hello? Nagisa?" he heard a familiar voice on the line, and Haru had to clutch at his shirt. Makoto, Haru thought. He sounded the same from before he left. Had he changed since then?

"Hi, Mako-chan! You're on speaker!" Nagisa cried happily into the phone. "Everyone's at Haru's house right now. We're having a sleep over!"

"Hello, Makoto-senpai!" Rei said loudly.

"Yo, Makoto!" Rin said, bringing his mouth closer to the mouth piece.

"Hello, Rei, Rin! Ah, is Haru there?" Makoto asked. Haru clenched the hem of his shirt. Please, no one come get me, please, I'm not ready, I can't-

"Ah, I think he's in the kitchen," Nagisa said loudly. "You want me to get him?"

"Ah, wait, Nagisa!" Rin stopped Nagisa, surprising Haru. "He might be making tea. Leave him for now." Haru heard Nagisa sit down.

Haru let out the breath he was holding, silently thanking Rin. He moved to make the tea, listening from the kitchen.

"Makoto-senpai, how have your classes been?" Rei asked.

"Stressful," Makoto admitted, laughing at himself. "I have a comprehension quiz nearly every week, and I don't think I've ever written this much in my life."

Rin clicked his tongue. "I understand, Makoto. How're your clubs?" he asked.

"Fun. They give me something to look forward to after classes, instead of worrying about studying as soon as I get back," he replied, thoughtful.

"Yeah? What about the swim team?" Rin pressed on.

Makoto sighed loudly over the phone. "It's hard, Rin," he said. "I'm not even on the competitive roster, and it's still brutal training."

Rin laughed. "You didn't make the competitive roster, Makoto-senpai?" Rei asked.

"No, I'm a reserve. I still have to be competition ready, though. I have to hand it to Rin though," he added as an afterthought. "I would probably die if I was on the competitive roster."

"Only the best get to compete, Makoto," Rin gloated.

"Ehh, Rin-chan. Mako-chan's still amazing," Nagisa scolded.

"I know, I know, I was just teasing," Rin said.

"Ah, I almost forgot," Makoto said just as Haru moved to grab cups and bring the tea into the living room. "I'll be coming home tomorrow."

"Eh?! Tomorrow?! Mako-chan, why didn't you say anything?" Nagisa exclaimed. Haru paused in the door to the living room. Makoto was coming home tomorrow.

Nagisa looked up and noticed Haru. "Ah, Mako-chan! Haru-chan's here!" he said, and made Haru put down the tray of tea and snacks as he sat down.

"Makoto?" Haru was breathless, suddenly nervous.

"Hi, Haru," he heard that gentle amicability that he missed so much, and he clenched his fist on the table to prevent himself from shaking. "I'm coming home tomorrow."

Haru wanted to burst into tears and tell him how much he missed him and couldn't wait to see him. "Yeah," he said instead, suddenly quiet.

"Since you can cook now, Mako-chan, you should cook for us when you get back," Nagisa declared, causing the room to laugh.

"Honestly, Nagisa- oh, hold on a second. Yeah? Ah, I'm talking to my friends. Yeah, I'm packed, thanks, senpai," they heard.

"'Senpai'? Mako-chan, is your senpai there?!" Nagisa yelled. "Can we talk to him?!"

"You want to talk to him? Hold on," Makoto said. "Ah, senpai, do you mind? Here."

"Hello?" they heard a huskier, deep voice. The room was charged with curiosity and interest.

"Is this Chiaki-senpai-san?" Rei asked. Rin hit him.

"Idiot, drop the -san already, oh my God!" he scolded, embarrassed for him.

"Hello, Chia-chan!" Nagisa chirped. They heard a muffled 'Chia-chan', probably directed to Makoto. Nagisa continued. "How is Mako-chan?"

"Adorable," Chiaki chuckled. They could hear a flustered protest from Makoto, and Haru stiffened. "He's like a giant puppy." Makoto sounded indignant on the other end, and Chiaki laughed.

"Chia-chan, do you like Mako-chan?" Nagisa asked. Haru wished he would stop with this line of questions.

"Well, he's my roommate, so it would be bad if I didn't," Chiaki said calmly. "If you mean like then no, I don't. Besides, he-"

"Ah! Anyway, I have to study. Sorry, guys. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be at the station at around 5," Makoto cut Chiaki off. They could hear him laughing in the background.

They said goodbye to Makoto and hung up. Haru couldn't focus on the rest of the evening. He moved through the games, the conversation, the jokes with muted distraction.

Makoto was coming home.

Makoto was coming home and Haru would get to finally, finally tell him everything.