(Haru's POV)

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"I just can't get over how happy Haru-chan looks all the time now!" Nagisa pointed out happily.

Haru, who realized he was smiling at Makoto with wide eyes probably in the shape of hearts, returned his face to a blank expression like the flip of a switch.

"Shut up." He said without any menace. His cheesy little smile only returned when Makoto laughed in the most adorable way, his head thrown back slightly and eyes closed in bliss, mouth half parted, releasing the most beautiful sound imaginable.

"See! He's smiling again! Mako-chan must be a miracle worker!" Nagisa swooned.

Haru sighed and decided to not fight it anymore.

Yes, he was smiling. And Makoto was the reason. And he didn't care who knew.

Makoto scratched his cheek shyly, wearing a tiny smile. "N-Not really..."

Haru placed his hand on Makoto's thigh, silently inviting him to hold his hand. The taller boy blushed and entwined their fingers eagerly. They both sighed in unison at the feeling of closeness.

"I bet you're both thanking me now." The little blonde continued triumphantly.

Haru glared at him, not wanting to remember that day. "Nagisa."

"Too soon?" Nagisa tilted his head.

"I guess you did help... Don't you think you were a little blunt, though?" Makoto tried to put it in the kindest way possible.

Nagisa shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

Haru's eyes narrowed. "But you upset Makoto." He said grimly, remembering all the horrible mixes of emotions he felt that day, with the awkwardness, and then Makoto thought he liked Rin, and then the crushing realization that he had absolutely nothing planned for his future, and that Makoto could leave him- The thought was enough to make him sick to stomach and he felt panic begin to set in; Just at the thought.

"Too soon." He sighed. "Oh well, you'll thank me someday!" His magenta eyes were triumphant.

The bell in the cafeteria rang, and all the boys stood up, gathering their lunches. The raven haired boy was reluctant to let go of Makoto's hand, especially when he had just been reminded of one of the worst days of his life. Haru sighed in disappointment. His next class was bittersweet: It was art, it was the only class that he and Makoto didn't share.

"See you guys at practice." The brunette said to Nagisa and Rei. "See you later, babe." Makoto smiled and leaned down to give Haru a quick kiss, but not a shabby one. He cupped the shorter boy's face and softly put their lips together, lingering for a few seconds because he didn't want to break away, but if he didn't, he would be late.

Neither of them really cared who saw it, in fact, Haru would be surprised if the whole school didn't know that they were dating by now.

Haru blushed at the adorably embarrassing new nickname. Babe. "Bye, Makoto."

Makoto smiled warmly once more and went off to his next class, Haru smiling back at him.

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Makoto and Haru agreed to meet up after practice, as they always did. Except today Makoto would be late because he had to go to the store and pick up some groceries. He invited Haru to come with him, but Haru declined, deciding that he didn't need to put off the chores he had at his house any longer. The brunette insisted that he would help him, but Haru told him that he should take care of his own chores first. Makoto sighed, knowing that Haru was right, and said he would be back in about an hour, and would help Haru with his chores if he wasn't already finished when he got back.

Haru pulled out the broom and began to sweep his kitchen floor, which had obviously not been cleaned in a long time. Just as he started, he heard his phone ring from his bedroom. With a groan, he set down the broom and went to his room to retrieve the noisy device. He sighed when he saw that it Rin was calling. What did he want?

"Hello?"

"Hey, Haru."

Haru blinked. Where was the snappy, annoying comment? He felt genuinely worried. Rin's voice was strangely... Pleasant?

"Are you okay?" Haru asked in all seriousness.

"What do you mean, 'am I okay?' I'm fucking GREAT." His voice sounded like he was in a dreamlike state.

Haru's eyes widened in realization. "Rin, are you on drugs?"

"No! Idiot! I just, I-I... Ah, fuck, how do I say this..."

He could practically hear the blush creeping down Rin's face. Haru waited impatiently for Rin to spit out what he was trying to say.

"Um... Me and Sousuke are... Uh, together."

Haru finally exhaled in relief. So Rin wasn't under the influence. Maybe.

"I thought you didn't like him?" Haru teased.

"Shut up!"

Haru 'tch'ed and picked up the broom to continue his sweeping, leaving the phone on the counter on speaker.

"So how long have you been going out?"

"A little after you and Makoto."

Haru narrowed his eyes. "Why did you wait so long to say anything?"

"Well... I've been kind of busy, if you know what I mean." Rin snickered at his own joke.

Haru didn't get it. "Busy doing what?"

"Things."

The raven haired boy waited for further explanation.

"With Sousuke."

His blue eyes widened in shock as he finally registered what Rin was implying. Oh. Those kinds of things.

"O-Oh." He said lamely, heat rising to his cheeks.

"Honestly, Haru, you can be so dense. Anyways, I mean you should see the size of-"

"I don't want to know!" Haru cut him off.

"So have you and Makoto-"

"NO!" He was glad he was alone because he was sure that his blush was completely consuming his face. He did not want to discuss such private things! He and Makoto had not in fact done such things, so he wanted to end the topic right there. Even if they had, it was none of Rin's business!

"... Been doing good?" Rin asked in a confused tone.

"O-Oh..." His heart calmed down, realizing that Rin wasn't asking about that. "It's been perfect..."

"So I guess you owe someone a 'thank you', hmm?" Rin mocked.

"Shut up." Haru rolled his eyes. Why were all of his friends so insistent on being thanked? It wasn't even because of them. It was fate.

"Anyways, I gotta go to. Talk to you later."

"Bye."

Haru hung up the phone and decided that his floor was now clean enough. He put on a load of laundry, washed dishes, and vacuumed the house until an hour had passed. He then sat on the couch, awaiting Makoto to knock on the door.

5 minutes passed.

10 minutes passed.

20 minutes passed.

Haru worriedly eyed the clock. Where was he?

Another 5 minutes passed in silence when Haru decided to go check Makoto's house. He went out his front door and down the stairs to Makoto's house in a flash, anxiety clouding his thoughts. He rushed up to the Tachibana house and knocked on the door. No one was home yet. Haru stepped back, shoulders slumping because he wanted Makoto to be home already. What was taking him so long? Maybe he ran into a friend at the store... Yes, that must be it.

He was just about to go back home until a letter sticking out of the Tachibana mailbox caught his eye. The envelope was decorated with a golden seal on the front and the name of some prestigious college. He recognized it, of course. It was one of the best colleges in Japan. Haru hesitantly took the letter out of the mailbox. On the fancy envelope were the words: 'Acceptance Letter Enclosed.'

Haru didn't recall Makoto telling him about applying there.

He tried to swallow the growing lump in his throat, to no avail.

One word stuck out in the address.

Tokyo.

Makoto got accepted into a college in Tokyo. One of the best colleges around. There was no way he could refuse going there.

Tokyo was eight hours away.

Makoto was leaving.

Full blown terror began to set in. Tears clouded his vision as he stuffed the envelope back into the mailbox, running back to his house and locking the door behind him. He leaned on the door for support before collapsing to the floor in a broken mess.

Makoto was leaving.

Makoto was leaving.

Makoto lied to him.

Makoto probably didn't want Haru to tag along, that's why he didn't tell him. Makoto wanted to go far, far away so that he could meet different people and forget all about him.

A pitiful noise escaped his lips, echoing through his empty house, several more following that one.

The only one who had ever completely understood him, the only who cared enough to figure him out, the only one he trusted with every ounce of his life, the only one he's ever loved so strongly, with everything he had,-

Was abandoning him.

Images of his green eyed lover flashed through his head in a blur, his innocent laugh making him lightheaded, his beautiful smile manifesting in his mind over and over again.

He sobbed into his hands, a heartbroken whimper making his whole body tremble in panic.

The fact was burned into his mind.

Makoto was leaving.

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Next chapter: Strawberry Lies