Losing Makoto
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
For one glorious month that ended in exams, Haru and Makoto were back to being normal and ordinary. Even the most die hard Mako-chan fans among their classmates were too busy stressing about exams to do more than snap some random photos of Makoto with their cell phone and even that stopped after a week as the Makoto returned to being a familiar sight.
So Haru was able to enjoy the return of the routine of walking with Makoto to and from school and studying for exams late into the night with Makoto, usually at Haru's house as Makoto's siblings (despite having their own exams) tended to turn their study time into playtime. It was almost as if Makoto had never met that talent scout. Almost.
The illusion of nothing having changed shattered one afternoon when Haru and Makoto returned to Makoto's house to find his mother in tears and his siblings indignant with jealousy, "Onii-chan! How could you!"
"How could I what?" wondered Makoto, "Mom are you okay?"
"I am fine," replied his mother, "I just realised that my little boy is all…" she sniffed, "All grown-up!" she sobbed.
"Eh?"
"We went to the shopping centre with mom after school to buy a present for Hina-chan," Ran explained, "We are going to her birthday party this weekend. That's when we saw you on the TV, kissing that girl! How could you onii-chan! I am going to marry you when I grow-up!" she whined.
"No! I am going to marry Onii-chan!" protested Ren.
This finally brought a smile to Makoto's mother face, "Unfortunately, neither of you can marry Makoto."
"Why not!" they twins demanded in unison.
"Because Makoto belongs to Haruka of course," his mother declared with a laugh.
"Mom! Don't say embarrassing things!" protested Makoto as he turned to a blushing Haru, despite this not being the first time Makoto's mother teased them about being a couple, and said, "Sorry about this," Makoto apologised.
"It's fine," Haru mumbled.
Makoto's mother laughed again at their embarrassment but continued in a more sober tone, "I guess it really hit home when we saw that ad playing on a loop at the perfume display," she explain, "You really are becoming an idol and no longer my sweet innocent little boy."
"Mom, um…" Makoto didn't know what to say, "It was only pretend…"
"It didn't look pretend!" protested Ran, "It looked just like when you were with Zaki-chan, only worse!" Ren nodded in agreement.
"It was just pretend!" Makoto insisted exasperated, "It's just a stupid ad."
Haru had, had enough, "I am going home," he declared.
"Haru-chan wait!" Makoto called after Haru, "Weren't we going to have dinner together here before going to your house to study?"
"I changed my mind," replied Haru and started to put his shoes back on.
"Haru…" Makoto whispered, at a loss for why Haru suddenly changed his mind but sensing that Haru needed some time to himself, let him go.
As soon as Haru got home, he reached for his cell phone and pulled-up Makoto's fan forum. Sure enough, the current top trending post had Makoto's new ad embedded in it. It was worse now that they had polished it, added a filter that rendered everything black and white except for Makoto's vibrant green eyes (the actress got to keep her red painted lips and red dress in colour) and the music too seemed to be better quality than Haru had heard on the rough cut. It was just… worse! Haru closed the browser and put away his phone as he started to strip. He needed a bath. He needed to calm down before Makoto came after dinner for their study session.
The next disruption in their illusion of normalcy came in the form of a phone call from Shiori, "You're going to Dubai."
"You got me a catwalk job even though I messed-up?" asked Makoto in amazement.
"Well you trended for a solid three days and then the Seduction ad hit the airwaves. So it was easy to get you some jobs. You'll be gone for about 8 days, you are doing three shows over three days and will have to leave straight after your exams finish. Do you have a passport?"
"Umm… no, I never had to leave Japan before," replied Makoto sheepishly.
"I'll send you the forms, fill them-up quickly. You'll also need a temporary work visa, I'll send you the forms for those too. Get everything back to me as soon as you can," Shiori told him.
"Wait! About… Haru…" started Makoto.
"I didn't forget," said Shiori, "Ask him if he wants to tag along with you. Your ticket will be paid for by the contract. Nanase-san's will be coming out of your pay. But twin bed hotel rooms cost about the same as single bed hotel room so that's not a problem. But I warn you, you won't have a lot of time to spend doing touristy stuff."
"Yeah I understand, I just really want to show Haru-chan the underwater hotel," replied Makoto.
"About that… you don't have any problems with the ocean do you?" asked Shiori.
"Huh," was all Makoto said but if Shiori could see his face, she would know he was going into utter panic mode.
"There is a job available, I want to put you forward for it. Especially given your swimming experience but it is risky," explained Shiori, "But if you get it, I could get you guys rooms in the underwater hotel. It's for a tourism brochures aimed at the Japanese market. What they want to do is have one person, you if you get the job, freedive down along the side of the hotel to the top most level and be on the other side of the glass from the other model," explained Shirori, "The concept being something like reconnect with your loved ones in Dubai. Technically they could fake it but they would rather do it for real if they can. So can you do it?"
There was a noticeable paused before Makoto asked, "If I do it, Haru and I get to stay in the underwater hotel?"
"Yep and I might even be able to get free tickets for Nanasa-san out of Dubai tourism," added Shiori.
"I'll do it," said Makoto, "I haven't freedived before but I have read about the technique involved. I can practice in the pool. The top most level wouldn't be too far below the surface right?"
"I honestly don't know," replied Shiori.
"I would…" Makoto was beginning to panic just thinking about it but still he pressed on, "I'll do it."
"Great! I'll let you know if you get the job," Shiori hung-up. After she did, Makoto spent a good ten minutes trying to calm himself before he returned to the roof to continue having lunch with Haru. Nagisa and Rei hadn't joined them yet so Makoto had some time alone with Haru.
Still, when he mentioned his upcoming trip to Dubai and asked Haru to come with him, he did not mention the freediving job. Afterall, he didn't have it yet, no need to worry anyone with it. But, "I am not sure I can afford tickets to Dubai," Haru replied, his tone was neutral but Makoto could tell he was upset.
"It's my treat Haru-chan," Makoto replied.
"Makoto, you can't afford tickets to Dubai for me either," Haru pointed out, "Haven't you already been advanced a bunch of money by your talent agency? Plus you have the apartment in Tokyo and stuff."
"It's fine," replied Makoto, "My Go Out magazine contract pretty much covers my Tokyo living expenses. I am a little in-debt with the agency but its not too bad. Besides…" he really didn't want to worry Haru, "I might be getting another job that'll come with free tickets for you."
"What kind of job?" Haru asked, getting a little suspicious as he picked-up on Makoto's hesitation and distress.
"A photo shoot for a Dubai tourism brochure for Japanese tourists," Makoto replied honestly.
"What do you have to do for it?" Haru pressed.
Makoto was saved from answering by the appearance of Nagisa, "Haru-chan! Mako-chan! How did your exams go?"
"I think I screwed-up english," replied Makoto grinning, "But I think maths went okay."
Unfortunately for Makoto, Haru was not about to let him off, "Makoto," he said in a dead serious voice, "What do you have to do for the tourism brochure?"
"Ah? Did you get more jobs Mako-chan? Do you have to be sexy and all kissy, kissy like in the perfume ad?" Nagisa wondered.
"Nagisa-kun!" Rei chimed in, "Stop pestering Makoto-senpai."
Makoto turned toward Nagisa and was about to address him but Haru cut him off with a simple, "Makoto, what do you have to do?" he asked again.
Makoto gave-up, "Freedive in the ocean."
All three were shocked into silence. Haru recovered first and found himself angry beyond words. He got-up and left the roof, clearly giving of the vibe that he did not want to be followed. Especially by Makoto.
"Mako-chan," Nagisa suddenly asked, "Are we your friends? Me and Rei-chan I mean, and Gou-chan too I guess. Maybe Rin-chan too…"
"Huh?" Makoto was surprised, "Where did this come from, of course you guys are my friends."
"I wonder sometimes," said Nagisa, uncharacteristically subdued and sober, "Because Mako-chan is nice and kind to everyone but only Haru-chan seem to be special to Mako-chan. So sometimes I feel that for Mako-chan there is Haru-chan and there is everyone else and we fall in with everyone else."
Makoto didn't know what to say, "Of course Haruka-senpai is special to Makoto-senpai," Rei offered, "They are childhood friends and best friends!"
"But it's not just that!" protested Nagisa, "I sometimes think that if Haru-chan wasn't there, Mako-chan wouldn't… wouldn't treat us any differently to how he treats the rest of our schoolmates. Mako-chan is kind of cold, sweet but cold."
"Like ice cream," offered Rei, "I can understand."
"That's not true at all. If anything, that's more what you guys would do," countered Makoto, "If Haru wasn't here, you would totally ignore me."
"No we wouldn't!" protested Nagisa, "I choose Iwatobi for both Haru-chan and Mako-chan. You are both special to me!"
"Me too," replied Rei, "I really admire Makoto-senpai. Just as much as I admire Haruka-senpai."
Makoto smiled, "And I think of both of you as my friends. You are not the same as the rest of our schoolmates. Gou too is special to and Rin…" Makoto sighed, "Rin's different. I can't really explain it but I will admit that Rin, Haru and Zaki, you remember Zaki-chan don't you Nagisa, are in a different place in my heart from all my other friends."
"Maybe because you are all the same age," offered Rei, who had heard a little about Zaki from Nagisa and seen her pictures in coach Sasabe's photobook.
"Maybe," acknowledged Makoto.
"But you definitely think of us as friends," insisted Nagisa, "You won't… you won't forget us when you become a star and ignore us and never acknowledge us or anything like that?"
"Of course not!" Makoto readily replied.
Nagisa immediately brightened-up and hugged Makoto, "Yay!" but then letting go he added, "But Mako-chan should probably make-up with Haru-chan before your next exam."
Rei nodded, "Getting distracted during exams does not lead to beautiful outcomes."
It was too cold to swim in the outdoor pool, but still Makoto found Haru crouched by it. "I am sorry, Haru-chan," offered Makoto as he cautiously approached Haru, "It's just, I really wanted Haru to come with me. I really wanted Haru to swim in a different sea and see the underwater hotel, maybe even get to stay at the underwater hotel. But," Makoto sighed, "I guess it was selfish of me. I mean, you'll miss the last week of school and be away for the first few days of the spring holiday and so won't have as much time with your parents. You are going to go see them during spring holidays right?" Haru usually did go to his parents who were currently living in the UK, his father being on a year long secondment to one of his companies UK partners, which is why Haru had a passport.
Haru shook his head, "Winter holiday was enough," he replied, "UK is just too far away."
"Oh," said Makoto, "So… so you can come with me? Well, you still would miss last week of school and would have to have Amakata-sensei mail you your results but I…"
"Makoto," Haru interrupted him, "If I didn't go with you, would you still freedive?"
Silence, "I don't have to take that job, even if I am offered it," replied Makoto, "But I wouldn't want Haru to pay for his own ticket as I want to take you to Dubai and I also really want to stay with Haru at the underwater hotel. That's something I totally can't do without taking the tourism brochure job. So I… I really want to do this job and I think I can do it, if… if Haru is with me."
"But if I am not with you, you don't have to do it," Haru pointed out.
"I want to do it," replied Makoto.
"Because you want to take me to Dubai and stay with me at the underwater hotel," Haru summarised what Makoto had been saying, "You are not doing this for yourself. You don't really want to do this do you?"
"Haru-chan, if I gave into my fears I would live in the middle of the desert," replied Makoto, "But I don't want to give into my fears. Especially when it keeps me from doing things with Haru. So please, come with me to Dubai and watch me freedive. Well," he added with a grin, "Assuming I get the job. Otherwise, you'll just have to watch me be a walking clothes hanger."
"I'll think about it," Haru said after a lengthy pause, that was enough to make Makoto grin wide and Haru knew his cause was lost. He was going to Dubai. He only hoped he was not going to bear witness to another awful accident involved Makoto and the sea.
Author's Note: From wikipedia, "Free-diving (or freediving) is a form of underwater diving that relies on a diver's ability to hold his or her breath until resurfacing rather than on the use of a breathing apparatus such as scuba gear." I am probably being too dramatic calling the dive Makoto has to do "freedrive" as the top (submerged) level of the (real but still being under construction) Dubai underwater hotel is probably not that deep. But then again…
Also, the whole Ren and Ran wanting to marry Makoto is from Drama CD 2. But I made the bit up about Makoto's mom totally shipping Haru and Makoto.
Lastly, since I keep mentioning Yazak Aki (Zaki) from high speed. So I thought I would point people here: makeupsyndrome dot tumblr dot com slash post slash 61319746760 slash where-is-aki. Basically, people think they have identified Aki from episode 10 and so imagine that girl in middle school as Makoto's first and only girlfriend for the purposes of this story.