Here's the last chapter! Thank you all for your wonderful support!
Chapter 21 – Just Say
"How's your head?"
"The wound stings a bit, but that's all."
"No dizziness? Headache?"
"Just… just a slight headache. But I think that's from lack of sleep."
"Mmn. You should take today to just rest."
"I will… Thank you, Haru-chan."
"Mmn."
Makoto sat down on the couch in Haru's living room and hunched over on his knees, waiting for Haru to return from the bathroom. He took a deep breath and then sighed, reaching up to rub the back of his neck.
After getting little to no sleep, and all the running around he had done the night prior, his body had finally caught up to him. He could feel each muscle protesting as he moved, his pants rubbing painfully against his sore knees.
But all of the physical pain paled in comparison to the gaping hole he had in his chest. He had never felt so empty in his entire life. It felt as if his chest was caving in on itself, and no amount of pain medicine could stop it.
With another sigh, Makoto scrubbed his face and then held his head in his hands. His breaths were shaky and uneven, his back stuttering. How was he supposed to just sit here all day alone? He should be getting out there, trying to find another job! He needed to get more money to get a bigger apartment.
He needed to get Ran and Ren back.
"Makoto."
Makoto lifted his head from his hands and drowsily watched as Haru walked back from the bathroom, clad in his work pants and a white shirt. He knelt down in front of Makoto and stared up at him with patient eyes. The blue in his eyes was vibrant and seemed to sparkle.
"You should move in with me," Haru said.
Makoto blinked at him, processing the words. Then he reared back and squeaked, his eyes blowing wide.
"Eh?! Move in? Here?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah," Haru said with a nod.
"Haru…" Makoto murmured.
"You can live here while you save up for a new apartment," Haru said.
"Wait…" Makoto stuttered, moving a hand up to rub his uninjured temple.
"I can help you move your things," Haru said. "And I know that Nagisa and Rei would be—"
"Wait!" Makoto rasped, putting up his hands to stop him. His heart was thudding uncomfortably against his chest. "Haru, I… I can't just… move in!"
Haru's head tilted, his expression not changing in the slightest. If anything, he looked confused.
"Why?" Haru asked.
Makoto sighed, a crease forming in between his eyebrows.
"Sato-san said I needed to be able to take care of the twins on my own," Makoto said. "She said I needed to be able to prove that I'm capable of being a good guardian to Ran and Ren. I can't do that if I'm living with someone else."
Makoto lowered his gaze to look down at the floor in between his socked feet. His shoulders drooped and he curled in on himself protectively.
"And besides… it wouldn't be fair," Makoto said. "I'd be taking advantage of your kindness. Again."
A hand touched his forearm, making him slowly lift his head. Haru was staring back at him with a calm expression. Makoto swallowed, feeling his chest tighten.
It was amazing how just a look from Haru could make him feel so calm. How did Haru do that?
"You wouldn't be taking advantage. This is me being a friend to you," Haru said. "Let me help you. At least until you can get an apartment on your own."
Makoto swallowed, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. Haru's hand on his forearm burned. His offer would definitely ease some of the burdens off of his shoulders, but it was too much. There was no way he could just accept the free handout that Haru was offering him.
"But… I can't just let you take care of me like this without me paying something in return," Makoto said. "It wouldn't be right."
Haru's face hardened, his brows lowering slightly over his eyes.
"Fine. You can help pay for utilities or something," Haru answered impatiently. His face softened after a moment and he looked at Makoto expectantly. "Is that enough for you to move in?"
Makoto paused, biting the inside of his cheek. He felt Haru's hand tighten on his forearm, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. It made Makoto's heart squeeze. From the day they met, Haru had always been helping him onto his feet.
Makoto smiled at the memory of them in the sandbox. On a day where he thought he was all alone, Haru appeared, lending down a hand to help him up when he needed it most.
"Makoto."
Makoto glanced up in time to see Haru standing to his feet. He extended a hand down to him.
"What do you say?" Haru asked. "Want to get through this together?"
Makoto stared at the hand in front of his face.
"Are you okay?"
Truly, nothing between them had changed. Even though Fate had ripped them apart, they still managed to find each other in the end.
Makoto's smile widened, the ache in his heart lessening.
He reached up to take Haru's hand, gripping it stronger than he ever had before.
"Yeah. Let's do it."
"Ah, hello, Sato-san."
"Hello, Tachibana-san. What can I help you with?"
"Well, uh… I just wanted you to know that I moved out of my old apartment."
"You found a bigger apartment?!"
"Oh, uh… not exactly. I moved in with my boss. My friend."
"Oh, I see. So you have a roommate now?"
"Yes. I'm going to be staying with him for a while until I can find an apartment on my own."
"Hmm. Is this your boss from before? The one you stayed with when your power was out?"
"Oh, yeah. It's the same guy."
"So you must trust this man, then?"
"Yes. I do."
"And the twins… they trust him, as well?"
"Yes. He works well with them."
"I see… Well, thank you for keeping me informed, Tachibana-san."
"You're welcome."
"W-What? When did this happen?"
"Oh, uh… a few days ago."
"A few days ago?! Why didn't you call me then?!"
"I… I didn't want to worry you."
"Well, it's a bit late for that now, isn't it?!"
"Sorry…"
Sousuke sighed heavily on the other line, and Makoto could practically see him rubbing his eyes in frustration. He knew Sousuke would be upset if he called him, but he also knew that Sousuke would want to know about his situation.
Makoto curled in on himself as the guilt got heavier and heavier on his shoulders. He was still at Haru's apartment—their apartment—recovering from the concussion.
The boxes from his old apartment were scattered around him, all untouched except for one: the box that contained his parents' shrines. After just glancing inside that box, he pushed it away and sat down on the couch, feeling overwhelmed and pathetic.
That was when his hands developed a mind of their own and dialed Sousuke's number without his consent.
"Well… what's going to happen now?" Sousuke asked, jolting Makoto out of his thoughts.
Makoto fumbled with his phone, almost dropping it, and he switched it to his other ear.
"Um… I still need to get a new apartment," Makoto said.
"A bigger one?" Sousuke asked.
"Yeah. One with at least two bedrooms," Makoto said.
"So… once you get that, you'll get Ran and Ren back?"
"U-Uh, well, that'll make it easier to convince them that I can take care of them."
"Wait, so… so even if you get a bigger apartment, you still won't get them back?" Sousuke asked.
Makoto winced and closed his eyes in shame.
This was such a mess.
"Not exactly," Makoto answered. "They'll need to monitor my lifestyle for a while to confirm that I'm actually stable enough to take care of them."
"And… and how long will that take?" Sousuke asked.
"Well, after I get the apartment… probably three months?"
"Damn it…"
Sousuke sighed again and Makoto grimaced, hanging his head lower. He fiddled with the edge of the couch, his eyes flitting back and forth to the box that contained his parents' shrines.
"Do you need me to come back?" Sousuke asked, his voice gentler. "I can… I can get a flight tomorrow, be back in the afternoon."
Makoto closed his eyes and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Not this again, Makoto thought.
"Sousuke, aren't you due to stay in Australia for another three weeks?" Makoto asked.
There was a strangled noise followed by a thick pause. Makoto stared at a spot on the wall, his face deadpan, and waited for Sousuke to respond.
"W-Well, yeah, but—"
"Then you need to stay there," Makoto said. "You're needed, right?"
"Um…"
"Right?" Makoto emphasized.
"Really, Makoto. It's not that big of a deal," Sousuke said. "I can just drop out of the tournament and just come home early."
"Sousuke," Makoto chastised.
"Makoto," Sousuke mimicked.
Makoto sighed and shook his head, a small smile tugging on the corners of his lips. Sousuke had always been so hardheaded and stubborn, but his passion and love ran deep, making up for his willfulness.
"Don't do anything you'll regret," Makoto told him. "Remember how hard you've worked to get where you are? You had to go through therapy and so much pain and—"
"But you were there for me through all of that!" Sousuke snapped. "You went with me to every therapy session and you made me stick to the exercises that the doctors assigned. You even dragged me to some appointments when my stubborn ass didn't want to go!"
Makoto smiled sadly, a small chuckle rumbling in his throat. He remembered how Sousuke sulked in bed on the mornings he had appointments and he had to barge in to yank the covers away. It was the ultimate payback for all of those times Sousuke had dragged him to work out at the crack of dawn.
"And now… now you're there dealing with all of this," Sousuke continued, his voice choking slightly. The smile slipped from Makoto's face at the sound.
"Sousuke…" Makoto whispered.
"You shouldn't have to deal with all of this by yourself," Sousuke said with a sigh. "You shouldn't be alone, Makoto."
Makoto's heart was throbbing at the conviction in Sousuke's voice. It sounded so pained that Makoto was almost willing to let him come back to Japan.
Almost.
Sousuke sniffled, and Makoto managed a small smile.
"I'm not alone, Sousuke," Makoto said.
"Huh?" Sousuke squeaked. He cleared his throat and sniffed again. "What do you mean?"
Makoto's smile grew. "Haru's taking care of me here."
"Haru? You mean Nanase?" Sousuke asked, his voice a little more pointed.
"Yeah. Him," Makoto answered. "He offered me a room in his apartment to stay in while I save up enough for an apartment."
"Eh? You moved into his apartment?" Sousuke asked.
"Yeah. I finished bringing in all of my stuff yesterday," Makoto said. "I've got to still figure out where I can put everything."
"And… you're still working for him? In the restaurant?" Sousuke asked.
"Yeah, but Haru said I can't work that many hours anymore," Makoto said with a small whine. "He told me he's hiring another part-time employee to cover some of my shifts."
Sousuke was quiet for a moment, and Makoto had to check to see if he had hung up. But after a moment, Sousuke took in a shaky breath and then spoke again.
"So… you trust him?" Sousuke asked.
Makoto's eyes widened.
"Do I trust him?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah," Sousuke said. "Do you?"
Makoto paused and sat up straight on the couch, his free hand curling into a loose fist on his lap. He bit the inside of his thought of the past few months, how much his life had changed in just a short time—all because one man helped him to get back up and onto his feet again. And again, and again.
"Are you okay?"
No matter how many times Makoto fell, whether it was in that dumb sandbox…
"Are you okay?"
Or on the street because he ran into an open door…
"Are you okay?"
Or even when he had passed out.
"Are you okay?"
Haru had been the one to help him onto his feet.
Then, Makoto glanced around the apartment, seeing his empty boxes scattered on the floor.
No, Makoto thought. I'm not quite on my feet, yet.
But Haru is helping me get there.
"Yeah," Makoto answered Sousuke. "I trust him with my life."
Sousuke inhaled sharply and then the line went quiet for a moment. Makoto could almost picture him looking confused and torn. He could hear Sousuke sniffle a few times before he cleared his throat.
"Well," Sousuke said, his voice more confident. "He'd better take care of you until I get back. Then, I'm going to help."
Makoto smiled, his eyes welling up with thankful tears. His heart fluttered a little and he wiped his eyes.
"Yeah," Makoto said. "That sounds like a good plan."
"We've narrowed down the list for foster parents, so we should be getting close to finalizing a home for them."
"Oh, r-really? Um, so… would I be able to see them any time soon?"
"Sorry, Tachibana-san. But until we can find a home for them, we can't allow you to see Ran and Ren."
"Oh, I understand… So, I can't visit them until they get foster parents?"
"That's correct."
"Oh. Well, then can I… can I talk to them?"
"I'm sorry, Tachibana-san. But I can't allow that, either."
"Oh…"
"I know this is hard, Tachibana-san, but this is how things must be."
"I know. I just… I just want to make sure they're okay."
"… I assure you that they're doing fine, Tachibana-san."
"And… school is going okay? Is Ran treating Ren okay? How are their classes? Are they getting enough to eat and—"
"They're doing just fine, Tachibana-san. I've made it a point to make sure they're okay."
"… Okay."
"Waiter! I need some more water here."
"Excuse me, but we need more bread for the table."
"Ah, yes! Excuse me! We're ready to order!"
Makoto huffed and escaped back to the kitchen, nearly running into another waiter along the way. He sagged against the wall and took a minute to breathe. His heart was hammering against his chest and his head was pounding.
It had only been a few days away from work, but the stress was immensely high. He had already completed his morning shift and was now into his shift as a waiter. The restaurant was packed, and it seemed that every customer needed something different every time he stepped out into the restaurant floor. Even though he had been taken off two of the regular shifts, his body still felt exhausted.
And to make matters worse, he had not been able to talk to Ran or Ren in almost a week.
He swallowed thickly, thinking back to those shrines still hidden away in that one box in his new bedroom. He had still not even touched it since he opened it the first day he moved in.
"Eh? Mako-chan, are you okay?"
Makoto nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard that familiar chirpy voice in front of him. He glanced down to meet Nagisa's concerned eyes.
"You look really tired," Nagisa added, leaning up to peer at Makoto's face.
"Ah… well, I guess I'm a little… overwhelmed," Makoto said, glancing around the kitchen. He fidgeted with the empty tray in his hands. "Getting back into the swing of things is harder than I thought it would be."
Nagisa pulled his lip to the side in a small pout and he reached up to rub his chin thoughtfully.
"Maybe you should take a break?" came another familiar voice.
Makoto glanced over to see Rei at the door of the kitchen, his lips also pulled into a concerned frown. A crease had formed in between his brows, which meant he was in thinking mode. It was hard to shake him out of that trance once he started.
"You've been here all morning, haven't you?" Rei asked, taking a step forward towards him. "You probably should rest. You lost a lot of blood when you hit your head, so it's only natural that you would be woozy."
"Oh, uh… I'm not that woozy, actually," Makoto said, reaching up to rub the back of his neck.
"Eh? Are you feeling sick, then?" Nagisa asked, standing on his tiptoes to gaze at his face.
"Huh? Oh, uh, not really…" Makoto said, his hand tightening on his neck.
"You are looking a little pale," Rei noticed as he adjusted his glasses. "Are you sure you aren't dizzy or anything?"
Makoto sighed softly. He felt that he would get dizzy if they kept asking so many questions.
"No, I'm not dizzy or sick," Makoto said, looking down at the ground. "I just have a slight headache."
"A headache?"
The three of them snapped their heads up to see Haru standing in front of the counter with a worried look on his face. His white uniform was bright under the kitchen lights, and his blue eyes sparkled with nervous tension.
"Haru…" Makoto whispered as Haru stepped up closer to him.
"How bad is it?" Haru asked, his brows scrunching up a bit.
Makoto blinked down at him, a little too baffled to respond. His mouth opened and closed a few times, too many for Haru's patience. His brows lowered in slight annoyance and he reached out to grab Makoto's wrist, pulling him towards the door of the kitchen.
"Take care of his tables," Haru told Nagisa on their way out.
"Huh?!" Makoto squeaked.
"Yes, sir!" Nagisa said with the tip of his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth.
"Haru, wait a minute," Makoto protested.
"C'mon," Haru insisted, pulling him through the kitchen door.
"I'm really fine," Makoto said as they exited the kitchen.
Haru did not respond, however, and he instead dragged him towards the other side of the restaurant where his office was tucked away in the corner. He pulled Makoto through the door of his office and shut it closed behind them.
"Haru," Makoto said, still trying to fight him.
But, once again, Haru ignored him. He pulled Makoto's wrist and forced him to sit down on the couch. Makoto sighed once the soft cushions conformed around his thighs, immediately taking the strain off of his back. He hunched over and sighed again, holding his head in his hands.
He did not realize how truly drained he was until he relaxed.
"Just take a minute to relax. You've been working all day," Haru said, leaning back against his desk.
"Mmn," Makoto hummed. "Thanks, Haru."
Haru hesitated and then hummed, folding his arms across his chest. He studied Makoto carefully, his brows still creased over his eyes.
"Is the headache the only thing bothering you?" Haru asked.
Makoto's shoulders tensed, his hands burying in his hair. He held his breath in his chest and then slowly sat up. He rubbed his face with his palm, pointedly avoiding Haru's eyes.
"I… I guess I'm just feeling a little stressed," Makoto said.
Haru's face morphed into surprise. He was not expecting it to be so easy to get the information out of him.
"Is it about Ran and Ren?" Haru asked.
Makoto swallowed, feeling his body shaking lightly with each stuttering breath.
"I've been in some contact with Sato-san, but I haven't been able to talk to the twins," Makoto said.
Haru grimaced. "You haven't been able to contact them at all?" he asked.
Makoto shook his head sadly. "No," he answered. "Not yet. Sato-san said that she wanted to find them a suitable foster home first before they're allowed to talk to me."
Makoto sighed and hung his head, leaning his elbows on his knees and staring down at his shoes.
"She said they're getting close to finding a home for them, but…" Makoto sighed again, each breath sounding more painful than the last. "I just… I just wish that home was with me."
Haru bit his lip, his arms tightening across his chest. His muscles suddenly felt tight and his heart was fluttering uncomfortably in his chest.
How in the world could he comfort Makoto? He could not simply tell him that everything would be all right. He had no idea what was going to happen.
"I just… I don't know what to do," Makoto told him. He reached up and rubbed his head, carefully avoiding the small bandage that covered his stitches. "If my mom and dad were here, they'd know."
Haru winced and looked down at the ground, guilt plaguing his features. He bit the inside of his cheek and paused, looking down at the floor.
"Is there no one else you can talk to? No relatives that lived back home in Iwatobi?" Haru asked.
Makoto shook his head, sighing. "No, all of our extended family live on the other side of Japan. And… I haven't been back to Iwatobi since the funeral."
Haru swallowed thickly, his chest suddenly feeling as if it had caved in. He averted his eyes and took a deep breath, sighing through his nose. He had never been good with his words.
"I'm sorry," Haru said, but the apology felt lame and weak.
Makoto leaned over and dug the heels of his palms into his eyes, shuddering.
"Don't apologize, Haru," Makoto said. He released a wet chuckle and sniffed. "It's not your fault I'm so weak."
"Oi," Haru interjected, his voice harder than before. "You're not weak."
Makoto lifted his head, his eyes puffy and red. He gave Haru a weak smile, feeling his lips wobbling on his face.
"I am, Haru," Makoto said. He lowered his head again and stared at the floor. "I couldn't even properly set up my parents' shrines in our apartment, yet."
Haru paused. He had noticed that there had been one box still left untouched in the living room after Makoto had spent all day unpacking from his old apartment. But it had been pushed to the corner and left alone all week until it suddenly disappeared back into Makoto's bedroom.
So the box had his parents' shrines… Haru thought.
"Is there a reason you haven't been able to?" Haru asked.
Makoto fidgeted, his thumbs nervously dancing around each other.
"I feel like… I'm not allowed to." Makoto swallowed, a lump forming in his throat.
"Not allowed?" Haru echoed, pushing himself off of his desk. He took a step forward and then knelt down in front of Makoto. "What do you mean?"
Makoto closed his eyes and tried to sort through his thoughts. His mind was a mess, his thoughts jumbled and racing along with his erratic heart.
"I feel that… I can't take out their shrines because they're disappointed in me," Makoto started slowly. He lowered his head to avoid Haru's eyes, his cheeks burning in shame. "I feel that they put their trust in me to take care of the twins and watch out for them. But now, I've broken that trust."
Makoto choked on the lump in his throat, a sob clawing its way up and desperately trying to seize the breath in his chest. He swallowed down the sob and took a shuddering breath as he held his head in his hands.
"I feel that they would never be able to forgive me," he said in a sad whisper.
"Makoto…" Haru whispered.
Makoto felt a hand on his knee and he shivered. He sniffed a few times and blinked rapidly to keep the tears from coming.
"You need to forgive yourself, Makoto," Haru said. "Until you do that, you won't be able to move on."
Makoto hesitated and then slowly lifted up his head from his hands to meet Haru's eyes.
"Move on?" he echoed.
Haru nodded. "It's eating you alive and that's cluttering up your mind. You need to be focusing on getting your siblings back, not stewing over what happened."
His thumb gently rubbed over Makoto's knee to let him know that he was not chastising him. He knew this was what Makoto needed to hear, but he also needed Makoto to know that he cared.
"You need to find a way to stop beating yourself up and gain some clarity," Haru said. "Like… something to clear your conscious so you can be at peace."
"Be at peace…" Makoto murmured.
He only knew of one way he could clear his conscious: apologize to his parents. But that was impossible now. They were both gone. The only things left of them were the shrines and the graves left behind in Iwatobi.
The graves…
"Say, Haru…" Makoto whispered, his voice fragile. "Would… would you be willing to go back to Iwatobi with me?"
Haru blinked up at him, a little startled by his voice. "Oh, uh… sure. We can go on your day off," Haru said. He tilted his head a little and stared at Makoto. "But… why do you want to go back there?"
Makoto took a deep breath and then smiled. And it was one of the saddest smiles Haru had ever seen.
"I'm going to clear my conscious."
The train ride back to Iwatobi was long and tiring, but Makoto felt jittery the entire time. It had been about a year since he had been back to his hometown. The funeral had taken everything out of his soul, leaving behind crumbling pieces. The thought of going back terrified Makoto, avoiding the small port town as much as possible.
And now, as Makoto was grabbing his backpack from the compartment above his seat on the train, all of his senses were telling him to sit back down and wait for the train to bring him back to Tokyo.
With wobbling footsteps, he maneuvered around the other passengers and headed off the train. Haru was waiting for him on the platform, his eyes gazing around at the station. When he noticed Makoto departing the train, his eyes widened a little in alarm.
"Are you okay, Makoto?" Haru asked, taking a few steps forward to meet him halfway.
Makoto put on a strained smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Liar.
He felt like he was going to puke.
A hand found his shoulder, stabilizing his legs and stilling his churning stomach. He found Haru's eyes and forced himself to remain still.
"We don't have to do this, Makoto," Haru said.
Makoto smiled tiredly at him and he shook his head. He was grateful that Haru would offer him an out, but he knew what he had to do.
His mind had been in a fog for far too long.
He had to do this so he could move on.
"Thanks, Haru, but I'll be all right," Makoto said. He smiled sheepishly at Haru and reached up to rub the back of his neck. "As… as long as you're going with me."
Haru's hand squeezed Makoto's shoulder. He nodded at him, his eyes fierce and shining.
"I'm right here," Haru said.
Makoto's fears immediately melted away as he sighed in relief. The jitters in his legs and arms calmed, and the tight coil that had wrapped around his chest loosened, letting him breathe easily.
He nodded back at Haru and turned towards the exit of the station. He clutched the straps of his backpack and took a deep breath.
"Okay. Let's go."
Makoto led them out of the station and down the familiar street. He glanced back and forth around the area, watching as cars lazily drove down the street and stray pedestrians strolled down the sidewalk. It was calm, not busy and bustling like the cramped city that he had lived in for the past few years.
He found the familiarity of it all tugging on his heartstrings.
He did not realize how much he missed… home.
Makoto turned down the street and up some stairs that led to a tall hillside with a shrine in the back. There were so many stairs and he found himself a little winded. He glanced back behind him to see how Haru was holding up. But then, he froze.
Haru had stopped midway on the stairs, his eyes gazing out over the hillside.
"Haru?" Makoto called.
But Haru did not move, his eyes transfixed on something in the distance. Makoto blinked and then turned his head to see what had pulled Haru's gaze.
Makoto's eyes widened and he inhaled sharply.
Out in the distance was the ocean.
O-Oh… that's right, Makoto thought. How could I… have forgotten…
The fisherman and his kindness. Getting the fish and taking them home.
The storm. Several boats capsizing and sinking. Several casualties.
The seaside funeral. Graves for dead fish that never got to live very long…
A hand clapped down on his shoulder, causing him to jump. He glanced down to see Haru suddenly standing on the step below him, his blue eyes casting him a concerned gaze.
"Makoto?" Haru called.
Makoto stared down at Haru's eyes, his breath suddenly catching.
Haru's eyes were blue.
It was not as if he had not noticed this before, but it suddenly struck him that Haru's eyes were blue.
Just like the ocean.
But Makoto was not afraid of Haru.
If anything, Haru's presence and familiar eyes were what comforted Makoto the most.
Maybe blue could be something that calmed him instead of frightened him.
"Makoto, what's wrong?" Haru pressed, his hand jostling Makoto's shoulder.
Makoto snapped out of his hard stare and he chuckled nervously, raising a hand and waving it.
"I'm fine," Makoto stuttered. He smiled a little and stared out at the ocean. "Just… just caught in a daydream."
Haru's brows pinched but he managed a small nod. "Can you keep going?"
Makoto pulled his gaze back from the ocean, his heart lulling into a steady heartbeat against his chest. He nodded slowly and then turned around to face the stairs.
"Mmn. I can keep going," Makoto answered over his shoulder.
Makoto pressed forward, taking one step at a time as he climbed up the staircase. They finally reached the unoccupied shrine and turned the corner to head towards the grassy hillside.
As they inched closer and closer toward their destination, Makoto's hands trembled on his backpack straps. His heart felt as if it climbed to his throat, making it difficult to breathe.
Just keep going, Makoto, he told himself. You can do this. You need to do this.
Makoto tried to swallow his heart back down and pressed forward, keeping his feet on the stone pathway.
They passed a few gravestones on the way, Makoto's eyes squinting to read each name. He remembered picking out the stones with Sousuke, and what words to put on them.
It was by far one of the hardest things he ever had to do in his life.
Makoto stopped short at a pair of gravestones, his breath hitching in his chest.
His eyes burned and he squinted.
The name etched into the plaque along the side read the character for "Tachibana."
And underneath that name were two names.
One female.
The other male.
Makoto swallowed, desperately trying to remove his heart from his throat.
He managed a wobbly smile.
"Hi, Mom. Dad."
In front of him were his parents' graves, the stones sitting directly next to each other. On his mother's grave, it read "Wonderful wife, mother, and daughter," and on his father's, "Proud father, husband, and son."
It was such a disservice to them. Makoto knew he should have had something more heartfelt written on their graves. But he had felt too numb inside to even comprehend something more sentimental. He did not even manage to shed a single tear at the funeral.
And now, here he was, his eyes stinging and throat closing up.
It had been a long time coming, but Makoto was ready.
He was ready to face this ugly truth and put it behind him once and for all.
"It's… It's been a while," Makoto said, his lips curling into a sad smile.
He took off his backpack and got down on his knees. With shaking hands, he unzipped his backpack and carefully pulled out an arrangement of flowers—purple hyacinths and white lilies.
"Sorry for not coming sooner," Makoto apologized as he delicately placed the flowers on the ground in front of their tombstones. "I, uh… I've been… busy."
Makoto's hands curled into fists on his thighs when he felt them starting to shake. He felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder, the warmth spreading through his shirt. He glanced over his shoulder and tried to give Haru a wobbly smile.
"Sorry, Haru," Makoto apologized.
Haru's face softened, his hand tightening. Makoto took a deep breath and turned his head back to the graves. He tilted his head downward, unable to even look at his parents' names engraved on the stones.
"I, uh… I messed up," Makoto said.
Haru inhaled sharply, his hand tightening on Makoto's shoulder.
"I couldn't be the big brother that you wanted me to be," he continued. "I couldn't keep them safe. I tried my best, but… my best wasn't good enough."
He bowed his head down lower, a few tears falling from his eyes as he squeezed them shut. He felt Haru's other hand touch the space in between his shoulder blades and he shivered, his lungs burning as he tried to choke back his cries.
"I failed," Makoto whimpered. "I failed the twins and I failed you."
He sniffed hard and then wiped his face, cracking open his eyes to see the blurry ground below him.
A soft wind brushed the flowers, sending a stray purple hyacinth petal towards him. He stared down at the flower petal, remembering when he had bought them at the flower shop on the way. He had spent a long time looking at each flower, wondering which one would be best. He stumbled across these flowers, their beauty simple and elegant. And when he read its hidden meaning, he bought them right away.
Purple hyacinths meant, I'm sorry.
Makoto lowered his head further, prostrating himself in a humble bow.
"I'm sorry," Makoto rasped. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
His entire body trembled as he sunk lower and lower towards the ground, Haru's palm flattening against his back in an effort to calm him down.
Makoto repeated the apologies over and over again, hoping and praying that his parents would somehow hear him. He wanted some sort of affirmation of their forgiveness, something to let him know that he could move on. He was so afraid that he would be left hanging, never to be forgiven for the rest of his life.
Did his parents hate him for breaking their family apart?
"Makoto," Haru whispered, gripping his shoulder and trying to pull him up from the ground. "That's enough, Makoto. You're being too hard on yourself."
Makoto reluctantly let himself be pulled up from the ground and he wiped his face on his sleeve. His breath came in shallow hiccups as he tried to regain control over the tremors that racked his body. He kept his gaze tilted down to hide his face.
"Makoto…" Haru whispered again, his voice sounding more choked.
"Sorry," Makoto blubbered as he reached up to wipe his nose with his sleeve. He lifted his head, finally meeting Haru's gaze. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
"Of course you didn't, Makoto," Haru said.
Makoto sniffled pathetically and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. He turned to gaze back at the tombstones, his cheeks burning with shame.
"I just… I just wanted to find some sort of peace out of all this," Makoto said. "I thought that coming here and actually being close to my parents would give me some sort of… sign."
Haru tilted his head sympathetically, his brows furrowing. "A sign?"
Makoto sniffed and nodded, lifting his eyes to look at Haru again. They were red and wet with tears still escaping out the corners.
"A sign that… that my parents would forgive me. And that… that they don't… hate me," Makoto said, his voice choking at the end.
Haru's heart cracked and swelled painfully. He surged forward and wrapped Makoto up in a tight embrace. Makoto stiffened briefly out of pure shock, and then raised his hands to return the embrace.
"Your parents could never hate you, Makoto," Haru said. "I could see it in their eyes every time I spoke to them. They loved you Makoto. They still love you."
Makoto whimpered, a small squeak coming from his throat, and he buried his face into Haru's neck. Haru reached up and stroked his hair gently, minding the wound on his temple.
"Do you believe me?" Haru asked, pulling back to look Makoto directly in his eyes. "They love you so much. You believe that, don't you?"
Makoto blinked at him, his mind reeling.
Love me? Do they…
"Makoto."
Makoto's heart jumped.
Wait, I… I remember…
"Makoto, we're so proud of you."
More tears spurted out of his eyes and down his cheeks at remembering his mother's voice on that fateful day.
It was the last words his parents ever uttered to him.
"We love you very mu—"
Makoto squeezed his eyes closed, his heart thudding painfully against his chest. He nodded frantically.
Haru nodded once, thankful that he had gotten through to him, and then he pulled him back in for another hug—a gentler one this time. Makoto's hands carefully came back up to clutch Haru's shirt, his forehead leaning down to rest on Haru's shoulder.
Long moments passed as they sat uncomfortably on the stony ground, Makoto's head still lazily resting on Haru's shoulder. Haru's hand kept softly stroking through his brown locks, his arms tightening around him when he felt a cold breeze.
Soon enough, their reverie was broken when a loud ringing erupted from Makoto's pocket, causing them both to jump. Makoto leaned up from Haru's shoulder and wiped his eyes.
"Sorry," Makoto apologized.
He leaned back and reached into his pocket for the offending device that had interrupted them and immediately answered it without looking at the screen.
"Hello?" Makoto asked groggily.
"Ah, hello, Tachibana-san."
Makoto's heart leapt in his chest.
It was Sato.
"Oh, uh. Hello, Sato-san," Makoto said, his voice trembling. He was far more awake than he had been just a moment earlier. "Um… what can I help you with?"
Sato cleared her throat. "Well, I'll just get straight to it. We've found a foster home for Ran and Ren."
Makoto could feel his pulse quicken. He looked up at Haru with wild eyes, and Haru stared back curiously.
"A foster home?" Makoto asked.
Haru's eyes lit up with recognition.
"Yes," Sato said. "And I was thinking it would be good for you to meet them."
"M-Meet them?" Makoto echoed.
"Yes. That way they're informed of the situation. And it would give you peace of mind, as well," Sato explained.
Makoto breathed out slowly, his mind stuck on the word "peace." It was something he had been craving only moments ago, and here Sato was, offering it on a silver platter.
"Okay, uh… when can I meet them?" Makoto asked.
"Well, how about tomorrow afternoon? Are you working?" Sato asked.
"Uh, tomorrow?" Makoto blinked, looking up at Haru.
Haru nodded at him, his eyes telling him It's fine.
"Yeah, I'm free tomorrow afternoon," Makoto said.
"Good," Sato responded. "Then let's plan to meet. I'll email you their address."
"Okay," Makoto said, feeling his chest flutter with nervous butterflies. "I'll be there."
"Good," Sato said. "Oh, before I go, there's one more thing."
Makoto blinked, tilting his head. He suddenly felt a little scared, wondering if something was wrong. Sato's voice did not give anything away, though, and Makoto had a hard time placing his emotions.
"Y-Yes?" Makoto asked.
There was a pause, a few shuffling sounds, and then a voice.
"Onii-chan?"
Makoto gasped, his eyes widening comically. His heart and stomach had flipped over twice in his torso, his entire world spinning.
It was Ren's voice. It was his honest, fragile, soft voice.
"Onii-chan?! Are you there?!"
And there was Ran. Abrasive, loud, excitable Ran.
"Yes, I'm here," Makoto spoke, his voice shaking badly. Tears started to spill from his eyes again and he was frantically trying to wipe them from his cheeks.
"Onii-chan!" they both yelled.
"We miss you, Onii-chan!" Ran said.
Makoto chuckled wetly, his lips wobbling as he smiled.
"I miss you guys, too," Makoto said, sniffing. "Are you guys doing okay?"
"Mmn, we're doing fine," Ran said. "The beds here aren't as comfortable as ours at home, though."
Makoto smiled. He could practically feel Ran pouting.
"And we miss coming to the restaurant," Ren added.
Makoto blinked and then looked up at Haru, who was staring back at him fondly and gently.
"The restaurant?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah. It's like our second home!" Ran said.
Makoto sighed and shook his head lightly. Ran and Ren had not changed one bit.
He felt so relieved.
"Well," Makoto said, after he had composed himself. "Once you guys live with me again, I'll treat you guys to a meal."
The twins both gasped and then cheered on the other line, their voices screeching in excitement. They immediately began to plan what dishes they would try first.
It brought a smile to Makoto's face, and his chest felt light and warm against the cold air. He glanced up at Haru, who was still sitting in front of him with a gentle smile on his face.
Maybe this was his sign.
Maybe this was what he needed to find peace.
And this… was the boost he needed to keep going.
Makoto glanced up at the graves in front of him and smiled gratefully.
Mom, Dad… thank you.
Makoto squinted down at the address that Sato had sent him on his phone. He glanced around the neighborhood, observing the shorter, modest apartment complexes. He was getting close, but was unsure which complex was the right one. It was probably a good thing he had arrived a bit earlier than Sato had planned.
"Oh, Tachibana-san!"
Makoto glanced up from his phone and towards one of the shorter complexes. Sato was walking towards him, a small smile on her face.
"Oh, good afternoon, Sato-san," Makoto greeted with a slight bow of his head.
"Good afternoon," Sato said, bowing her head back. "I hope you're doing well."
Makoto smiled. Even though his eyes were puffy and sore from all of the tears the day prior, his chest felt light and he was able to smile more freely. He had no idea that just hearing his siblings' voices would cheer him so immensely. Tears pricked his eyes just at the thought.
"Yes," Makoto said, genuinely and honestly. "I'm doing well."
"Good," Sato said with a smile. "Well, they live in this complex over here."
Sato turned and gestured for Makoto to follow her back towards the complex she came from. It was surrounded by a tall, white-brick fence with patches of grass on the inside. It was quaint and friendly, not as intimidating as Haru's massive space, or old and sketchy as his old apartment complex.
After sliding a guest pass into the gate, they walked inside and headed towards a door on the far end.
"Ah, here we are. First floor," Sato said. She rang the doorbell, and after a few moments, a young man answered the door. He was a little shorter than Makoto, but his chest and shoulders were broad.
"Oh! Hello, Sato-san!" the man answered.
"Hello, Hirose," Sato said. "I hope we're not too early."
The man—Hirose—waved his hand in the air.
"Nonsense. We were just getting the bedrooms ready," he said. He finally turned his gaze to Makoto, his smile still on face. "So is this the brother?"
Makoto blinked and then bowed his head, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. Did this man know his entire background? Did he know why the twins were staying with them in the first place?
"I-I'm Tachibana Makoto. It's very nice to meet you," Makoto introduced nervously.
"Nice to meet you, Tachibana. I'm Hirose Koji, but you can just call me Koji," he greeted back. Makoto lifted his head and glanced up at Koji, a little surprised. "I figured that if we're taking care of your siblings, then we outta be less formal. It's easier to say, anyway."
Makoto hesitated for a second, studying Koji's face, and then he broke out into a large smile. He nodded in understanding.
"Then you can call me Makoto," Makoto said.
"Makoto," Koji said, testing out the name. "Okay. Sounds good. Well, would you like to come in? My wife should be just about done with tea."
"Thank you, Hirose," Sato said. She smiled at Makoto and motioned for him to enter. Makoto smiled and bowed his head in thanks as he passed through the doorway, politely taking off his shoes on the genkan.
"Well, make yourself at home! I know it's not much, but we do what we can," Koji said as he entered the open space of the living room and kitchen. Makoto and Sato followed him, spotting a woman pouring some tea. "Ah, here she is. This is my wife, Mei."
The woman startled a bit and frantically placed the teapot down on the tray. She bowed her head.
"Hello! I-I'm Hirose Mei!" she greeted.
Makoto was about to do the same, his body ready to bow in a panic, but Koji chuckled lightly and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"No need to get so nervous, Mei," Koji said.
Mei blinked up at Koji and then smiled lightly, a soft blush tinting the skin on her cheeks and nose.
"I know, I just… I just want him to like us," Mei said.
Makoto smiled warmly, thankful that this woman would be so considerate of him—someone who had made a mistake and is fighting to redeem himself. He could not believe that they would work so hard to make him feel so welcome.
"I'm Tachibana Makoto. It's nice to meet you," Makoto greeted.
Mei smiled at him, more relaxed now, and she nodded. "Nice to meet you, too, Tachibana-san."
"Well, now that the introductions are out of the way, shall we get started?" Sato said as she settled at the kitchen table. She had a few forms spread out in front of her.
Koji and Mei exchanged looks and then moved to sit at the table, Mei grabbing the tray of tea. Makoto followed behind and sat down in the chair next to Sato. He felt unusually relaxed.
"Well then, as you all know, this case is a bit different than what we've encountered before," Sato said. She looked to Makoto and spoke quietly to him. "They already know about your situation so there's no need to explain that."
Makoto nodded, feeling a small knot forming in his chest.
"We're so sorry for what's happened to you, Tachibana-san," Mei said, her face pulling down in a frown.
"Mmn, it's awful. I wish there was more we could do to help you," Koji said, looking equally as sad.
Makoto was taken aback, his jaw dropping in shock. He swallowed thickly and then smiled softly. He had a good feeling about these people.
"Thank you, I… I appreciate that," Makoto said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Koji and Mei smiled sadly back at him.
"Anyway, the reason I've felt it best to meet is because I thought you guys could work together," Sato said. "Tachibana-san is working hard to get both Ran and Ren back into his home, and the twins are wanting to go back with him, as well."
Makoto's hands curled into loose fists in his lap, tension suddenly pulling on his shoulders. He took a deep breath through his nose and concentrated on Sato's words. He needed to hear this and take in as much information as he could.
"You all have to be on the same page so that the twins are the safest," Sato said. "We need the twins to trust all of you so that we can get through this process with as little trouble as possible."
"We definitely want to make sure that Ran and Ren are happy here," Koji said, leaning forward over the table a little.
Mei nodded in agreement. "We will take care of Ran and Ren as if they were our own."
Makoto smiled appreciatively, the tension slowly loosening and leaving behind a warm feeling in his chest. His shoulders relaxed and he lowered his gaze to the table
"That's… You have no idea how much that means to me," Makoto said.
Koji and Mei smiled again, both of them warm. It made Makoto's heart clench. He was so overwhelmed and overjoyed with them.
Sato had chosen well for Ran and Ren.
"I'm glad we're all in agreement," Sato said, pulling Makoto from his daze. "Now, for the little details. Hirose Koji's job can pull him away for a few days at a time, but Mei will be available during the times that he is absent."
Makoto blinked at her and then looked to Koji with a curious look on his face. Koji smiled and scratched at his cheek.
"I'm a firefighter," Koji explained. Makoto's eyes widened a little in amazement. "Some days I have to stay overnight, but I'm sure my boss would let me rearrange my schedule to stay at home more."
"If you can get him to agree, that would be amazing," Mei said with a strained smile.
Koji chuckled nervously. "Y-Yeah, he can be a little tough sometimes…" He looked back to Makoto. "Anyway! Don't worry about the job. I am extremely careful on the job and we have a team of good men who know what they're doing."
Makoto could feel his muscles relax in his shoulders and arms. He managed a small smile and he nodded, thankful for Koji's reassurance.
"Good," Makoto said. "I'm grateful for that."
There was a brief pause before Sato pushed a few papers onto the table.
"Well, now that everything is in order… Tachibana-san, are you ready to read the agreement?" Sato asked.
Makoto glanced down at the agreement paper. It was different than the usual social services papers that he had to sign when he was specified as the twins' legal guardians. This document contained more information on his personal situation and his intentions to gain the rights of guardianship over Ran and Ren.
But to Makoto, it was more than just an agreement.
It was a promise.
A promise to get them back.
With a deep breath, Makoto turned back to Sato and gave her a curt nod.
"Yeah. Let's do it."
"Soup's up! And dinner for table 12 is ready!"
Haru placed the meals on the pick-up counter and turned back to work on his perfect mackerel meal. He was grateful that the new menus had finally been released. It was a chance for him to produce new meals for his returning customers. Even Makoto had helped him come up with the designs of the menu and the different names for the new dishes.
Haru paused at the stove.
Makoto helped a lot with the new menus… Haru thought absently.
His lips twisted as he pushed the fish around on the fry pan, watching its color change with the heat.
Makoto had been through so much in such a short time. Life kept short-changing him over and over again, pulling him away from his dreams and ultimately ripping his family apart.
And yet, he could still come to work with a smile on his face.
How did Makoto do that?
Haru flipped the fish, sending little spurts of grease flying and sizzling.
He wished there was something he could do to help get the twins back into his life again.
"Ah, there you are, Nanase-san."
Haru blinked out of his daydream and turned from the stove to see his manager walking towards him. He had a strange smile on his face.
"Ah, hello," Haru greeted. "You're not usually back here. Is the restaurant floor okay?"
The manager smiled and waved his hand in the air to calm Haru.
"The restaurant is fine. Especially with that waiter you hired recently. Uh, Tachibana, was it?" the manager asked as he rubbed his chin. "The single ladies really like him!"
Haru rolled his eyes and then frowned at that. Makoto was not a tool to bring back desperate women to his restaurant. He would not use his best friend as a tool.
"So, if the restaurant is fine, then what is it?" Haru asked, turning slightly to turn down the stove. "I still have orders to fill."
"I know, I know," the manager said with a placating smile. "But I was hoping that we could talk in private?"
Haru turned back to look at him, eyes widening a bit.
"Um… sure," Haru said. He turned back to another chef, raising a hand to him. "Hey, can you take care of this for me?"
When the chef nodded, Haru wiped off his hands on a towel and led the manager to his office, shutting the door quietly behind them.
"Okay. What's up?" Haru asked for what felt like the millionth time. He really just wanted to get back to his fish.
The manager pulled out a paper from his inside pocket of his blazer. He unfolded it and handed it over to Haru, who took it cautiously and glanced down at it.
Dear Nanase Haruka,
I am writing to inform you of my resignation of position as manager of…
Haru blinked. And then reread it again.
Resignation.
That was what the letter said.
"You're… resigning?" Haru asked, snapping his head back up to the manager.
The manager smiled, more genuine than before. He shoved his fingers into his pockets and stood tall.
"Yep!" he said simply. "My wife and I are getting older. We've been talking about moving out to the country for a slower-paced life, and we decided that now is the right time."
Haru remained speechless, the resignation letter still pinched in between his fingers. He bit his lip and stared back down at the piece of paper.
What was he going to do without a manager? He needed someone to run the floor and make sure that all of the employees got their paychecks, their work schedules…
He needed a number two around the restaurant to make sure that everything ran smoothly so he could take care of the kitchen.
What would he do now?
"Now, now. Don't look so upset," the manager said, breaking Haru out of his thoughts. "I'm sure you'll find the right man for the job."
Haru sighed, nodding softly. He knew that he could not protest. This man has been an excellent manager. He deserved this retirement.
"Thank you for a great experience. It's truly been a pleasure, Nanase-san," the manager said. He bowed to Nanase at the waist before sending him a bright smile.
Haru bowed his head back to him and kept it down until he left his office, the door shutting with a soft click. His bit the inside of his cheek and sighed through his nose, his eyes moving over the resignation letter in his hand.
He needed to find someone to fill in the huge shoes of the manager position.
With another sigh, Haru placed the letter on his desk and headed out of his office, making his way back to the kitchen to continue working on his food.
Let's see… I could make a few calls, Haru thought as he pushed the door open to the kitchen and stepped inside.
Or I could just… post a sign?
No, that wouldn't be a good idea. I shouldn't hire a manager from the street.
Haru went back to his stove, seeing that the fish was finished and already plated. He pouted, having wanted to cook that from start to finish. He huffed out a breath of air and finished decorating the plate.
"Order for table 23!" he called out and placed the plate down on the pick-up counter.
I need to hire someone from the inside.
"Ah! Thanks, Haru!"
Haru snapped his head up, his eyes meeting a familiar shade of green.
Makoto took the plate from the counter and gently placed it on his tray, ready to head out of the kitchen. He flashed Haru a brilliant smile before disappearing outside of the kitchen.
He paused for a moment, folding his arms across his chest in thought.
Someone from the inside…
He walked to the kitchen door and poked his head out, his eyes following Makoto as he delivered food to a certain table. He smiled brightly at the customers and he bowed politely to them, wishing them a good meal. Then, he walked over to the hosting station to chat happily with Rei and Nagisa.
Makoto had been doing really well the past week and a half. After the twins were taken, Haru worried that Makoto would never smile again. But seeing him working with the customers and talking to Rei and Nagisa… Haru was confident that Makoto was doing much better.
He was also the hardest working employee in the restaurant.
Haru gazed back at Makoto, watching as he took a menu from Nagisa and pointed out something to him, explaining some details that Nagisa probably missed. Rei also looked intrigued.
Haru squinted his eyes and pondered it over.
I wonder if he could handle something like that…
"Hello, Tachibana-san. I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
"Ah, hello, Sato-san. No, I just started my break, so you caught me at a good time."
"Perfect. Well, our offices were just informed that you've changed jobs recently. Is this correct?"
"Oh, yes! Sorry, I completely forgot to tell you. I just finished my training yesterday, actually, hehe…"
"I see. So what is this new job, Tachibana-san?"
"Oh! Uh, well, I was offered the position of Manager at Nanase's Rest House."
"A managerial position? Can you handle something like that?"
"Well, this will be the first time I've had such a responsibility, but… Haru, uh, I mean… my boss thinks I can handle it. He said he's going to help me with a lot of the details."
"Well, as long as you keep the job and excel, then you should be well on your way to being Ran and Ren's legal guardian again."
"R-Really?!"
"Of course. You did get an exceptional pay raise with this job change, yes?"
"Well, y-yes…"
"Then you should be able to save up enough money for a new apartment while paying off your debts."
"Oh. Right, of course…"
"Hm? Is something the matter, Tachibana-san?"
"Well… I was actually wondering something."
"And what is that?"
"Um… saving up for a new apartment on my own might take some time. Longer than I would like. And… well… Do you remember us talking about doing a background check on my boss?"
"Oh, yes. The restaurant owner. He's your roommate now, correct?"
"Yes. Would it be okay if we went through with the background checks on him? I'd… I'd like for the twins to live with me sooner."
"Hm… well. Since you've been on good behavior for the past month, and you've been paying your bills on time… I think I could get the process started."
"Are… Are you serious?"
"Yes, Tachibana-san."
"Oh my goodness. Thank you, Sato-san. Thank you so much!"
"You're quite welcome. I'll start pulling the paperwork for it now."
"And Ren finally got a good grade in math!"
"Ran, don't make me sound stupid!"
"Eh? But you're not stupid. I just told Onii-chan that you finally got a good grade."
"Ugh."
Makoto chuckled, readjusting the phone balanced in between his ear and shoulder before he moved his hands down to look over the inventory request form. They were out of flour and sugar again.
Makoto sighed. Haru must be experimenting with his mackerel cake recipe.
He shuddered. The taste was horrid.
"So, what about you, Ran?" Makoto said as he flipped the page for the inventory list. "Are you keeping your grades up?"
Ran snickered playfully. "Of course!"
"What about art class?" Makoto asked.
There was a brief pause.
"Uh…"
"Ran," Makoto warned.
"I'm working on it!" Ran said. "Ren is teaching me how to do it."
"Oh? Is he?" Makoto asked.
He flipped another page.
Haru needed more mackerel.
Of course.
"Well, I'm trying to," Ren said. "But Nanase-san is a better teacher."
"Ooh, you're right! He helped you to win that art competition!" Ran exclaimed.
Makoto beamed.
"Oh, yeah! How did that go, Ren? Did they hang up your artwork at the winter festival?" Makoto asked.
He smiled sadly. He was banned from stepping foot at the school to see them so he had to miss out on seeing their completed projects.
He really, really wanted to see what they had done, and was extremely disappointed for not being able to go.
"Oh, it went really well!" Ren said, his voice sounding chipper. "They hung up the painting that Nanase-san helped me with at the front of the school. It had my name on it!"
Makoto chuckled breathlessly.
He was so proud.
"That's amazing, Ren!" Makoto said. "I'm very proud of you both. You've done so well and… you're really helping me out."
Makoto set down the order form and smiled fondly down at his desk.
"Thank you, guys, for being such good sports about all this. I…" Makoto cleared his throat when a sudden lumped formed. "I… I really couldn't have come this far without your support."
Ran and Ren chuckled softly on the other line.
"You're welcome, Onii-chan."
"Yeah. You're welcome."
Makoto smiled and he switched his phone to his other ear. He picked up the order form again and flipped through it.
"So, what exciting thing did Koji do at work today?" Makoto asked.
"Oh! Onii-chan! You won't believe it!"
"Yeah, yeah! He said he jumped off of a roof today!"
"Wow, Mako-chan! How'd you figure out how to save all this money for food?!"
"Well, Nagisa, I did a lot of research to find the ingredients from different distributors."
"You even found fresher ingredients?"
"Oh, yes, Rei! If you look right about… here. This is where I'm getting the fresh produce from."
"Wow, this is… this is astounding! You've possibly saved the restaurant several thousand yen per month!"
"I told you he could do it, Rei-chan! Mako-chan is good at taking care of things! I bet if he was on a sports team, he'd be the captain!"
"A-Ah, well… I'm just doing my job as the manager, Nagisa."
"No, Makoto-san. This is more than just your job. You are creating a work environment that is cleaner, fresher, and more hospitable towards its employees. I am truly touched by your leadership!"
"Wahh! Rei-chan! What are you bowing for?!"
"Ah, Rei! You don't need to do that!"
"Wait, Rei-chan, are you crying?!"
"No! I am not!"
"So, these are the bedrooms. This one is bigger and has two beds and the other one is a little smaller. The one across the hall is mine."
"I see. So, how long have you lived here, Nanase-san?"
"Almost three years."
"Ah, so you've been pretty stable here?"
"Yes."
"I see. Good."
Sato walked down the hallway of Haru's apartment, a clipboard in hand and the other furiously scribbling down notes at every chance. She had a fiery energy that floated around her today; determined and passionate.
Haru was thankful that Sato cared so much for Makoto's wellbeing.
"And the stoves and oven? They work?" Sato asked, glancing over at the kitchen.
Haru sniffed and his brows lowered, offended.
"Of course," Haru said stiffly.
Sato paused and then suddenly let out a soft chuckle.
"Oh, right, right. Of course, they work. What was I thinking? You are a chef, after all," Sato said with a smile as she scribbled something else down on her clipboard. "Well, the apartment seems to be in order. Now all that's left is you, Nanase-san."
Haru breathed slowly through his nose.
He could do this.
Do it for Makoto.
"Okay. What do you need to know?" Haru asked.
Sato adjusted her glasses on her nose and glanced down at the stack of papers tacked onto her clipboard.
"How do you know Tachibana-san?" Sato asked. "I know that he is an employee of yours, but it seems that you two have met before."
Haru smiled softly at the question.
"We have," Haru said.
Sato raised a brow curiously, her pen stilling on the page on her clipboard.
"Really? Tachibana-san hasn't ever mentioned it before."
He probably didn't know before, Haru thought.
"Well, we met when we were kids," Haru explained. "We grew up together."
Sato's eyes widened comically, stunned. She blinked at him for a moment and paused, looking as if Haru was about to tell her that it was all a joke. But Haru just stared back at her with his usual deadpan expression.
"Oh. Really?" Sato asked. She blinked again and looked down at her notes. "He hasn't mentioned it."
"Ah, well… he moved away when we were ten. And then he lost his memory of me because of the car accident," Haru said.
"Oh my," Sato said, scratching her head. "That's terrible. I mean, I knew that he suffered a pretty serious head injury, but I guess I didn't realize how severe it truly was."
Sato seemed thrown off by his comments. She glanced down at the forms in her hand, her forehead creasing.
"And… what about the twins?" Sato asked. "Did you know them when you were children, as well?"
Haru shook his head. "No. His family moved away before they were born, so I only met them just recently."
Sato hummed, a crease forming in between her brows. "I see…"
"But," Haru said, immediately pulling Sato's gaze up from her papers. "I love the twins just as much as I love Makoto. They're his family, so they're a part of my family now, too."
Sato's face softened, the creases smoothing out. She hugged the clipboard to her chest and stared at Haru gently.
"You really care about him, don't you?" Sato asked.
Haru averted his eyes and nodded slowly, his bangs falling over one of his eyes and covering his nose.
"Yeah. Makoto is like a brother to me," Haru said. "And I want what's best for him and his siblings so they all can move on and be happy."
Haru averted his eyes, a light blush tinting the skin underneath his eyes.
"After all that he's been through, he deserves to be happy."
Sato hesitated, staring at Haru with a curious fondness, then her lips twitched into a warm smile. She readjusted her glasses and then glanced down at the forms in her hand, studying over the questions at the bottom of the page. She started scribbling something down, and Haru's eyes locked onto her hand nervously.
"I see," Sato said as she finished writing. "Well, I'm grateful that Tachibana-san has such a good friend to rely on."
Haru nodded slowly and then waited, watching as she tucked the clipboard under her arm. He stared at her questioningly.
"Um… do you have any more questions, or…?" Haru's voice trailed off, not knowing how to ask without sounding rude.
Sato waved her hand in the air and shook her head.
"I think I've got all of the information I need."
Suddenly, the front door flung open, and a panting Makoto burst through the doorway.
"S-Sorry! I had to finish things up at the restaurant!" Makoto called as he doubled over and held his knees. He panted for a few moments and then tore his shoes from his feet, stumbling into the apartment and bowing to Sato. "Sorry, Sato-san! I would've been here earlier but we had so many customers come in at once and—"
"Relax, Tachibana-san," Sato said gently. "Take a moment to catch your breath."
Makoto lifted his head, his eyes flitting to meet Haru's. Haru simply shrugged at him.
"Um…" Makoto panted, straightening his back. "Did I miss anything?"
Sato gave Haru a calm smile before looking back at Makoto. She patted the clipboard that was tucked under her arm and nodded.
"Well, Nanase-san's apartment is approved, and is background check has come back clean," Sato said.
Makoto blinked at her, his eyes slowly growing wider as the realization started to set in.
"So… that means…" Makoto stuttered, trying to put the pieces together.
Sato's smile widened and she hummed with a short nod of her head.
"Tachibana-san," Sato said. "I think we're ready to move on to the next step."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Makoto, stop fidgeting."
"Eh? O-Oh, uh… I guess I am."
"…What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, uh… nothing."
"Makoto."
Makoto and Haru stood in front their apartment complex, just outside the gate. Makoto was constantly moving, his body either shivering or squirming. He looked as if he had too much coffee and was twitching from the caffeine.
"You need to relax, Makoto," Haru said.
Makoto sighed, hanging his head. "I know, I just…" His fingers twisted, his bones and joints cracking. "I'm nervous."
Haru's brows furrowed slightly and he leaned forward to try to catch Makoto's eyes.
"What for?" Haru asked.
Makoto fidgeted even more, wrenching his fingers. Haru wanted to reach out and separate his hands before he pulled a joint out of place, but he instead placed a hand on his shoulder. Makoto jumped and then stilled, finally, turning his gaze to Haru.
"I guess…" Makoto stammered. "I want this to be real. And I'm afraid that… that it won't work out."
Haru shook Makoto's shoulder roughly, eliciting a tiny yelp from Makoto's throat.
"Dummy," Haru chastised. "Dummy Makoto."
"D-Dummy?!" Makoto squeaked.
"Yeah. You're worrying too much," Haru said, letting go of his shoulder. "You signed the papers. Sato-san signed the papers. The Hirose family signed the papers. I was there for all of that."
Makoto sucked in a breath and held it in his belly as Haru's eyes tore through him, ripping straight to his core.
"It's official," Haru told him firmly. "They're coming home. Today."
Makoto released all of his air in one heap, his eyes burning. He tried to ignore the violent shiver that ran down his spine and he managed to give Haru a small nod.
"Right," Makoto said breathlessly. "You're right."
Haru nodded once, standing tall and firm with a stern look on his face.
"Now stop panicking. They should be here any minute," Haru said.
Makoto nodded again and lowered his head, trying to control the shaking in his hands. He knew Haru was right. He was always right in these situations.
After months of working, getting a promotion, taking good care of himself, and finally paying off the hospital bills, the twins were coming back to live with him. The process was grueling and it tested Makoto's patience over and over again. There were many days that he thought he would not make it. He thought he was a failure.
But Haru was always there, forcing him back onto his feet and telling him that everything would work out.
Makoto's lips pulled down into a bitter frown.
He was definitely a dummy, too.
"I'm just… scared," Makoto added lowly, his voice trembling.
Haru turned his head to look at him, his face neutral and gaze soft. He stayed quiet, waiting for Makoto to continue on his own.
And luckily for Haru, Makoto did.
"I'm scared that… that it's not going to work out. I'm scared that I'm going to do something to get them taken away again," Makoto said, his hands finding each other again and his fingers pulling. "I just really don't want to mess up again…"
Haru's brows pinched sorrowfully and he stepped in front of Makoto, reaching up to grab onto his shoulders with gentle pressure. Makoto raised his gaze up from the ground, and Haru could see his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
It nearly broke Haru's heart.
"Makoto, you're not going to mess up," Haru assured. "The past few months have been hard, really hard. But you've grown so much, Makoto."
Makoto's lips parted slightly, his green eyes still glassy. But his face had changed from despair and self-loathing to alert, which told Haru that he was listening intently.
"You worked overtime to study rules and regulations about being a manager, and you've read so many books on how to be a good leader. The restaurant has actually never been any better. You understand all of the employee's needs and you do your best to meet their needs," Haru said. "You're doing what some people could never do, Makoto."
Makoto's eyes squinted when the tears filled to the brim and threatened to spill. He grit his teeth and clenched his fists.
"But what if I fail?" Makoto asked, his voice a whisper.
"You won't," Haru snapped, his fingers digging to Makoto's shoulders. "And even if you do, I'll be right there to help you back up on your feet. Just like always."
Makoto choked back a cry, his hand reaching up to rub his eyes. His ears reddened in embarrassment. How many times would he cry in front of him?
"You understand that?" Haru asked. "Everything will be fine."
Makoto took deep breaths to calm himself down, his palm pushing into his right eye. After a few stuttered breaths, he nodded, whimpering out a pathetic "Okay."
Haru squeezed Makoto's shoulders and nodded back at him. Then, he shook Makoto's shoulders gently.
"Now, get ahold of yourself," Haru said. "They should be here any moment."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a car pulled off to the side of the road in front of Haru's apartment complex.
Haru and Makoto stared at the car, both frozen in place, and watched as the driver cut the engine. Haru took his hands from Makoto's shoulders and squared his shoulders. He could feel Makoto going tense next to him, so he shuffled the slightest bit closer so their arms could touch.
Breathe, Haru's touch told Makoto.
Makoto took a deep breath.
The back door of the car opened, and Sato-san stepped out first. She had a smile on her face, her hands free of any clipboards or paperwork. She pulled the door opened further.
And then, two pairs of feet scrambled out of the car.
And then two familiar faces appeared from behind the door.
Makoto thought that his heart would burst.
Ran and Ren looked the same as he last saw them many months ago.
"Onii-chan!" Ran and Ren both cried as they broke out into a sprint.
Makoto took a step forward. And then another. And soon, he was also running towards them, sliding to knees as they collided into his chest. He held them close, his heart roaring in his ears and the tears unable to stop.
"Onii-chan…" Ren sobbed, his hands tightly grasping on to Makoto's shirt.
"It's okay, Ren," Makoto shushed, his own voice trembling.
Ran pulled her face up from Makoto's shoulder and stared at him with wide, tear-filled eyes.
"You did it, Onii-chan!" Ran cried. "I knew you could! I knew it!"
Ren tore his head away from Makoto's chest to look up at him. Ren's face was a mess but he managed to nod along with what Ran was saying, his hands still squeezing fistfuls of Makoto's shirt.
"Y-You got us b-back," Ren whimpered through tiny gasps.
Tears slipped down Makoto's cheeks, his chest warm but light. He pulled them both back in for a tight embrace and smiled.
"You're home."
Several months later…
"Well… I think that's everything."
"Are you sure? Do you need help unpacking?"
"I think the me and the twins can handle it. And Sousuke is supposed to be coming over later to help. But you can come over and help if you'd like."
"Yeah. I'd like that."
"Ah, thanks, Haru!"
Makoto and Haru stood at the front door of Haru's apartment. Makoto had arrived to grab the last of his things. In his hand was a key, his thumb rubbing over the edges of the metal.
It was a key to his new apartment.
"Oh, that's your key?" Haru asked, staring down at the shiny key in Makoto's hand.
Makoto glanced up at Haru and gave a small, timid smile. He held it out for Haru to take.
"It's actually a spare. This one is yours," Makoto explained.
Haru's eyes widened and darted back down to look at the key pinched in between Makoto's fingers.
"Really?" Haru asked, his hand hesitantly reaching out to take the key. He stared down at it and rubbed his thumb over it just as Makoto did a moment before. It was warm from being in Makoto's hand.
"Mmn," Makoto hummed with a nod. "You're welcome any time."
Haru flipped the key in his hand and smiled softly, looking back up at Makoto.
"Well, you're welcome to my place any time, too," Haru said. He looked off to the side, his lips pulling to the side. "I guess I'll have to get a key made for you…"
Makoto sighed and a soft whine escaped his throat as his shoulders droop.
"You leave your apartment unlocked most of the time anyway!" Makoto said.
Haru shrugged. "I guess you don't need a key, then."
"Haru!"
Makoto broke out into soft chuckles that made Haru's belly feel warm. It had been so long since he had heard that crystal sound, and now it had become a common thing.
He would do whatever it took to protect that smile on Makoto's face.
"Well, you did it, Makoto," Haru said, sending him a kind smile.
Makoto smiled brightly back at him, tilting his head.
"I couldn't have done it without you," Makoto said.
He extended a hand towards Haru, his smile warm and fond.
Haru blinked at his extended hand for a split second before his lips pulled into a wide smile. He reached out and clasped Makoto's hand, giving it a squeeze. He looked up at Makoto's light green eyes and nodded once.
Makoto's eyes shimmered, feeling overwhelmed.
He pulled Haru forward and wrapped his other hand around his back in a hug.
"Thank you, Haru," Makoto said. "For everything."
Haru gasped in surprise and relaxed in Makoto's embrace. After a moment, he reached up and held onto Makoto's back with his free hand to return the hug.
"Mmn. You're welcome, Makoto," Haru said.
Makoto took a deep breath and then released Haru, stepping back to look around the apartment. He glanced around Haru's apartment one last time before taking a deep breath and sighing softly.
"Well, it's been fun here," Makoto said. "But I guess I'd better get going."
"I'll walk you home," Haru said, reaching forward to pull open the front door.
Makoto chuckled brightly, the sound making Haru's chest flutter happily.
"You don't need to do that, Haru!" Makoto said as both he Haru walked out into the hall.
He tossed his thumb over his shoulder to the door across the hall from Haru.
"It's not like I live far," Makoto said, a cheeky smile on his face.
Haru rolled his eyes and pouted. "I'm just being a good neighbor."
"Ah, I guess we are neighbors, now," Makoto said with a soft smile. "Just like when we were kids!"
Haru could not help the smile that formed back on his face.
After being torn apart as kids both literally and mentally, they had finally reunited after all these years. They could continue their lives being the best of friends.
They could pick up right where they left off.
"Yeah," Haru said fondly. "You're right."
"Ah, there you are."
Haru and Makoto snapped their heads to the side to see two figures approaching from the hall. One was a familiar face while the other was a redheaded stranger.
"Oh, Sousuke!" Makoto said, lifting his hand in a wave. "You're here early!"
"Yeah, well… I wanted to make sure I could find this place," Sousuke said, averting his eyes.
His friend next to him grimaced and then smiled, shaking his head fondly.
"Anyway. Guys, this is Rin. He used to live in Japan before transferring to Australia. We used to swim together before he moved," Sousuke said. "Rin, this is Makoto and Na—Haru."
Rin gave a kind, toothy grin as he pushed his bangs out of his face.
"Yo!" he greeted.
"Haru is the chef that I was telling you about," Sousuke said.
"Oh, a chef, huh?" Rin said. "I wonder if his cooking skills are any better than mine."
Rin's red eyes slid over to meet Haru's, a daring look on his face. Haru frowned, somehow feeling strangely competitive.
Makoto scrambled to bow at his waist in greeting. "Nice to meet you!"
Haru elbowed him roughly in the side, making Makoto sputter and rub his side.
"Haru, what was that for?!" Makoto whined.
"Stop bowing so much," Haru said.
"Eh?!"
"Well, are we going to unpack or what?" Sousuke asked. "I even managed to convince Rin to come help."
"Eh? Sousuke, you shouldn't have asked your guest to help!" Makoto whined as Sousuke and Rin passed by him.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. It's not like he has anything better to do," Sousuke grumbled as he walked into Makoto's apartment.
"It's no trouble! It'll go faster with more people," Rin said with a cheeky grin as he passed by them and pausing at the doorway. "Who knows? Maybe I'll be the one to unload the most boxes."
Haru's brow twitched as he watched Rin disappear into the apartment.
"We'll see about that," Haru mumbled as he stepped up to the doorway. He paused and looked back at Makoto. "You coming, Makoto?"
Makoto paused, his gaze turning back to stare at Haru's door. He smiled, his shoulders relaxed and his chest feeling warm.
It was amazing how much his life had changed from just one little incident outside of a restaurant that he had passed every single day on the street. He even worried about ruining Haru's chalkboard sign that he had so gracelessly fallen on.
The words still echo in his mind.
"Are you okay?"
From the sandbox incident, to many, many others… Haru had been the one to help him up.
Now, Haru was the one leaning on him to keep his restaurant afloat as the new manager. He was determined to be the one to pull Haru to his feet from now on. He had to return the many favors that he had owed this man, his friend.
And Makoto would be living right next to Haru, just as he did as a child. They could continue living as neighbors, partners, and best friends. They could pick up their friendship where it had been so suddenly cut off and tape the pieces together.
It was as if they had been fated to be together all along.
Makoto turned back to Haru and smiled brightly, his head tilting and a hint of red tinting the skin underneath his eyes.
"Yeah, I'm coming!"
Makoto hurried to his own apartment, smiling when he heard the twins' voices from the inside. Haru walked into the apartment first, holding the door open for Makoto.
Makoto held the door open and glanced inside, seeing Sousuke wrestling with the twins with a smile on his face. He held them both in his arms, his right shoulder working and functioning just as it should. His swim team partner stood next to him, laughing and joking along.
The twins, both trying to escape Sousuke's clutches, were giggling and squirming. Their faces were red from laughter, happy tears springing in the corner of their eyes.
And Haru…
Haru stood right next to Makoto at the front door.
Right where he belonged.
Makoto smiled fondly, his eyes flitting to look at the corner where he had unpacked one box this morning. His parents' shrines were neatly set up and cleaned.
Mom… Dad…
I'm not alone anymore.
Haru glanced at him questioningly, his eyes asking him if he was okay. Makoto stuttered out an apology for holding the door open for so long.
I've finally found peace.
Makoto let go of the front door and let it shut behind him with a soft click.
I've finally found…
A place to rest.
The End~