"G-Ghosts really pay attention to all that superstition stuff?" Makoto's shaking skyscraper of a body stood behind the rather indifferent Haru. He gazed to Nagisa, awaiting the answer that would most likely terrify him even more. He was usually rather unrelenting when it came to teasing Makoto's fears. Now didn't seem to be an exception, as he stopped suddenly with nay a word coming from his mouth.

"N-Nagisa?" Makoto whispered in fright. Was possession really possible?

The flashlight Nagisa held in his hands elongated the shadows of his features, showcasing a truly horrendous expression to which he slowly showed Makoto. The face glimmering in the dark sent a shiver up the teen's spine. He cowered further behind the fish boy, a groan of terror escaping his lips.

"Nagisa..?"

"Nagisa is gone." His chilling phrase and dead eyes struck a chord with Makoto. He yelped as his grip on Haru's shoulders increased.

It was only when the blonde saw this reaction did he laugh. His smile occupied the light of the flashlight, telling Makoto a cruel joke had been played on him.

"Come on, Nagisa! You shouldn't tease us like that. Right, Haru?" He turned to his blockade for support, but only indifferent blue eyes stared up. The light flashed under his chin, shadowing his pupils to a fine black.

"Who's Haru?" He whispered in return.
"Oh come on! Guys, stop! Please! We're here to look around!"

Loud noises of high schoolers long past their elementary years sounded in the decrepit building. They resounded throughout the abandoned shelter, making their way to a set of ears not so keen to listen. In turn, a scowl set upon his face.

Don't tell me-

Crimson eyes narrowed in annoyance. The teen sighed deeply. Picking himself from his crouched position, he began a stride towards the originating point of the voices. He knew three bumbling fools would most likely not be far away, which slowed his steps considerably.

Haru would be there, he knew.

What could he say? What exactly did he feel? Anger? Annoyance? Rin couldn't really be sure. There was only one thing he could truly be sure of. It was something he had known for a very long time and kept very close to himself, no matter what sort of wall he bumped into. You could say it was the one thing that kept him going, even if he didn't participate professionally in swimming.

And then there were the colors. It was something Haru had commented upon his vacation from Australia so many years ago, the time he had been beaten so easily by the boy who claimed to hold no interest in time or beating the clock.

I can't see them anymore, Rin. When I look at you, I can't see the colors anymore.

But why could Rin? Why could Rin see those horribly bright colors when Haru couldn't? Was it the world making fun of him? Had the relationship somehow become one-sided?

Perhaps Haru's phrase had hurt him more than losing the race. What did it mean? Was it some sort of fluke that it had happened in the first place? What about all the nights they had stayed awake, just pointing to the different colors or one they particularly liked? Was it all for nothing?

Maybe it would all be easier if it was. He wouldn't have anything to distract him if everything was black and white like it used to be. That being said...

He furrowed his brows.

Why did he feel so conflicted?

He wanted to be with Haru and his friends, but when he felt so close to them like this, only a burning hatred willed to his voice. He was annoyed at them. He hated them.

But he didn't want to leave them.

Rin's heavy steps pounded down the small hallway, turning the heads of the three friends he had abandoned. Their heads turned down the lone hallway, spotting the man immediately.
Rin glanced up from under the brim of his hat, eyes directly pointed towards Haru. After so many years of black and white, an explosion of color radiated from this boy, shaking the dark world to dull versions of the colors he had usually seen in bright sunlight. Rin stared on, crimson eyes narrowing.

Blue eyes widened at the sight of the gray hat and black outline of hair. The person he had not seen in many years now stood before him, slouched and clothed heavily. Haru's opened eyes soon narrowed as he realized just what this meant.

As it had happened before, no color had shown itself upon Rin's arrival. Black and white stayed just as it had, mocking him with the memory of happy red eyes he so wanted to see.

Nothing...

Haru lowered his gaze as if shame stole him.

Nothing had changed...

"Rin-chan!" Nagisa smiled at the sight of his old comrade. This expression seemed infectious, as a small smile set upon Makoto's lips as well. He straightened his posture from behind Haru as if he were not seen before.

However, Rin made no such move to express happiness. He stuck his hands to his pockets, glaring at the dark pink, green, and blue pupils that were now set to him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, plainly skipping past 'hello' and heading straight to his question. He didn't want to seem as though he cared enough to ask them how well they were doing. They might get the wrong idea.

Nagisa piped up, laugh accompanying his words.

"We're the same as you, Rin-chan! We wanted to see the swim club before they tore it down too-"

"That's not why I'm here." Rin's interruption left the entire scene quiet. His red eyes skimmed across the dirty ground, searching past rubble before he once again found himself staring to Haru. His eyebrows furrowed intensely.

"Nanase." He spoke a single word, still succeeding in willing the indifferent face to meet his.

"I challenge you to a race. If I win, you need to give me the answer. No lies or sidesteps this time, either."

Rin bringing up this old topic widened Haruka's eyes. He tightened his fists in anticipation. His slightly gaped mouth resented the topic and the question. He had never thought Rin would bring it up again, as it caused such a huge rift between the two in the first place.

"Haru, what's he talking about? What answer?" Makoto and Nagisa felt just a tad left out of the conversation. What on Earth were the two going on about?

"And what if I win?" Haru took a step away from the group supporting him. This was not a topic they needed to know about.

As if he'll win. Rin sighed to himself, wondering just what was equal to the question he had been waiting to ask for so long.

"I won't ask about it again. I'll forget about it." As if that were possible. That question and its answer would haunt him to his grave. At least he knew Haru would be speaking soon.
Nanase nodded.

"Fine."