A/N: It's been quite some time since I posted the last chapter of this fic, and it was honestly never my intention for this chapter to take so long. This past year and a half I've been distracted a lot by events and gifts, but I never lost my love for this fic and my other ongoing multi chapters and always planned to get back to them when everything quieted down. That time has finally come, and I'm excited to present this chapter to you on Nagisa's birthday. Happy birthday, Nagisa!
There are a couple of things that have changed since the last time I updated this fic:
I bumped up the chapter count from 8 to 13. As I was writing this chapter, I soon realised that there was no way I could fit all that was left in this story in only two chapters I pondered about adding a sequel to this fic, but that didn't feel right as I do think this is all still part of the main story. So based on a new planning, I now estimate the fic to have 13 chapters in total. This is a rough estimate though, and as I've proven to myself countless of times in the past, this is subject to change. It's just to give you an idea of how much more you can expect of this fic.
I added chapter titles to all the previous chapters and the upcoming chapters will have them too. It's something that I've been thinking about adding for a while now, and with this update, I finally had the opportunity to. I hope this will add to the reading experience. Nothing about the previous chapters has changed apart from this, so there's no need to go back to read the whole fic if it's still fresh in your mind.
Besides that, this chapter is a bit shorter than the previous chapters, because I decided to split this chapter up into two separate chapters. I meant to write chapters that were shorter not only to make them more digestible, but also so I could put them out faster. But it turned out that it ended up being just as long as my average chapter, and because there's quite a lot of different scenes, I felt like it was best to split it up. This means that the next chapter is already done and the wait for that one definitely won't take as long as this one has, haha.
That's enough from me for now, so I hope you enjoy this long overdue chapter!
That morning, Makoto was not stirred from his slumber by Ran and Ren like he normally was. It wasn't the light hitting his face that had caused him to wake up either, and it certainly wasn't a servant knocking on the door to bring him his breakfast. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he woke up all by himself.
When he turned to lie on his back, he was met with the familiar wooden ceiling he hadn't seen since the start of this week. The sight of it disoriented him a bit, and for a moment he was scared that it had all been a dream; that these past couple of days with Haruka had been nothing more than figments of his imagination and panic shot through his body at the thought of it.
Fortunately, those doubts didn't linger. As the remnants of sleep dissolved and his mind cleared up, he knew it was all real. Meeting Haruka, growing closer to him, feeling things that he had never felt before, it happened and he was there to experience every moment. Though this whole scenario was straight out of his wildest fantasies, the memory of Haruka's soft lips brushing tenderly against his own and sliding his fingertips over his smooth skin was far too vivid to be a dream. A simple mind like his could never conjure up someone as amazing as Haruka.
Unlike most mornings, there was no reluctance to leave his bed nor dread for the day ahead of him now. All that was on his mind was Haruka and the wonderful time he'd spent with him, a goofy, enamoured smile naturally lighting up his face as he was flooded with an after wave of happiness.
Alas, this warm feeling was short-lived. When he heard the clinking of plates and the muted sound of voices coming from the kitchen, he was brought back to reality. No matter how great this past week might have been, he was back home now and though he was glad to be, that meant his daily life resumed from where it left off. He couldn't float on these feelings, because he had to work today.
He never minded manual labour, but he had to admit that dancing with Haruka and taking a stroll through a beautiful garden sounded far more appealing than carrying heavy crates from one end of the town to the next or forging a knife. Even singing the same old songs over and over at the town square didn't quite match up to serenading Haruka in a large ballroom. If only those precious days could have lasted forevermore.
That wasn't the only factor that took the warmth away though. The instant he remembered that today was the day that Haruka was going to negotiate with King and Queen Hazuki in the hopes of securing a future for Nagisa and Rei, anxiety began to coil in his stomach.
He had no influence whatsoever, but he couldn't help but be nervous on behalf of Rei and Nagisa, but Haruka especially. The future of their friends depended on Haruka's ability to debate and persuade and knowing that was not a light burden to bear. Makoto dearly wished he could have been there to shoulder it for him. Haruka often struggled to find the right words and therefore he preferred to let his actions speak for him, but that was not an option this time. Despite him probably being prepared for negotiations with other kingdoms for his future as king, he didn't have the advice and support of others to guide him through this conversation.
Of course, Nagisa was there, but Makoto didn't think the king and queen would be sensitive to their son's attempts at convincing them. Based on what he heard from Nagisa, they did not value his opinion much and expected him to obey them without protest. That meant that it was all up to Haruka.
Makoto wanted to do anything within his might to help them out, but sadly there was nothing he could do but hope and wait.
With a sigh, he pushed himself up, stretched his muscles and got out of bed. It wasn't like lying around with a head full of worries was going to benefit Haruka in any way, so he should get to work. If he fell back into his daily routine, he might be able to clear his mind a little. Judging by the sounds still coming from the kitchen, it was time for breakfast anyway.
When he got to the main room, he was surprised to see that all the chairs were empty and only his mother was standing at the counter, already busying herself with the dishes. Upon hearing the floorboards creak to announce his presence, she turned around and greeted him with her default smile.
"Good morning, Makoto," she sang, seeming more cheerful than she had in a long time. She ceased scrubbing the plate she was holding in favour of drying off her hands with a towel. "Sit down, I'll get you your breakfast."
"Good morning," Makoto mumbled as he sat down in his usual spot like she told him to, but doing so with confusion. "Where are Dad and the twins?"
"Dad just went back to the shop," she said with a nod towards the adjoint workplace, then she put a plate of yesterday's leftovers down in front of him. "And the twins are at school."
"At school?" Makoto asked with a frown. They always had breakfast together as a family before school started and the shops opened. The absence of his father and siblings combined with the fact that his mother was already cleaning up meant that it was he who was later than usual. "What time is it?"
"Around nine-thirty."
"Nine-thirty?" he yelped in shock, eyes widening in disbelief. "Why didn't you wake me earlier?"
"You needed the rest," his mother shrugged, "it's not bad to sleep in every once in a while."
"But I have to-"
"Work isn't going to run away if you're a bit later than usual," she cut in, wiping his protests from the table before he could put them there. "There will be plenty of hours left to work once you're done. Take your time to eat your breakfast and get ready before you leave."
He knew his mother was right, but he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty that he couldn't utilise every minute of the day to contribute to the household income. Admittedly, he had been really fatigued because of the past week, physically but also mentally. These few extra hours of sleep had done a good job at recharging him, as he felt far more energetic than he did most days. Because of that, he was grateful for his mother's thoughtfulness. "Thanks, Mom."
His mother smiled and then she faced away from him to continue scrubbing the plate. "I'll be at the Matsuoka's place all day, so you can stop by if you need anything."
"I will," Makoto assured and he eagerly dug in.
About fifteen minutes later, Makoto was getting ready to leave. He had wasted no time scarfing down the cold yet nonetheless tasty meal before he freshened himself up in their tiny but still properly functional bathroom.
He got dressed in his own simple, fitted clothing, but he did put on the boots that Kisumi had gotten him. He had no other choice; his old ones were still at the palace where he had left them at the start of the week. Not that he minded it, not at all. These boots were far more comfortable and appeared to be a lot more durable than his old pair. They didn't tire out his feet as much after walking around for the majority of the day, courtesy of the thicker, sturdier soles. This seemed like something small, but it made the difference between being tired at the end of the day and being absolutely exhausted. In his head, he thanked Kisumi again for getting them for him.
Because Kisumi's garbs weren't as much of a success, he folded them as neatly as he could and stuffed them into his bag. He'd make sure to give them to Nagisa when they inevitably came to tell him the outcome of the conversation, be it good or bad. Until then, he would hold onto them with crossed fingers.
He kissed his mother goodbye before he went to the workplace to greet his father and see if there was anything he required assistance with. Like he had been anticipating, that was not the case. So he put on his hat and slung his bag over his shoulder, leaving his home behind in the hopes of finding work elsewhere.
As with every Sunday morning, there were quite some folks out and about. It was gradually heating up, and Makoto figured it wouldn't be much longer until the blinding rays of the sun chased everyone away to find refuge inside.
Hot summers like these used to be good for business, as a lot of people felt much too lethargic to do their chores or run their errands and would gladly pay a small amount to have someone else do it for them. Nowadays, they instead made sure to finish what they had to do before the sun was at its peak. He hoped that there were still some left with a job to do and a coin to spare.
After strolling around town for a good while, having inquired at all his usual addresses and at many others too, he concluded that today was another one of those days. Nothing to do and nowhere needed. Sunday had always been the lowest day of the week, but the amount of errand offers were rapidly decreasing even during weekdays. With every rejection, Makoto felt more and more disheartened.
The savings they had been able to put aside because of what happened this past week might prevent them from going hungry today, but it wasn't going to last forever. It was a short term solution to a long term problem and with the way things were going here in Sano, it seemed like the situation was only going to get worse. They might be able to keep their heads above the water for now, but if this issue was lasting, it would cause them to sink sooner or later.
This was another reason why he so desperately wished that Haruka would be able to convince King and Queen Hazuki. The benefits of a possible alliance between Sano and Iwatobi would improve the economy in Sano greatly; it seemed like the only way to lighten this crisis that had taken its toll on the middle and lower class and made the average poor and the poor even poorer.
The prospect of this arranged marriage had been a tiny flame of hope for him, but word wasn't out to the general public yet. If it weren't for him meeting Nagisa, he would have only seen the darkness that lurked ahead, and this was the reality of many folks around the entire realm. Frankly, this was the only chance of improvement for countless of people here in Sano. If the negotiations didn't go as planned, then Makoto knew the future for everyone, including his family and him, looked very grim.
A possible future together with Haruka was the only beacon of light in that case, but Makoto didn't dare to get ahead of himself and count on that. Haruka was free to change his mind at any time and even if he didn't, the circumstances weren't exactly in their favour.
Yet his smitten mind couldn't help but imagine what a life spent with Haruka would be like. It would solve all of his problems and make him the happiest person in the entire world at the same time. The downside would be that only his family was helped by a relationship between Haruka and him, but if he were brutally honest, that was what mattered the most. His family was always his number one priority and he worked and fought for them above all others, regardless of how much he liked the folks around town and wished them well.
Things hadn't gotten to that point yet, though. For now, he had to do everything he could to regain Haruka's trust and prove to him that he was worthy of his forgiveness, that his feelings for him were true. Then, Haruka could decide if he wanted this too or not. In the meanwhile, he had to make sure to keep providing for his family in case things didn't turn out the way he wanted them to.
With those conflicting thoughts, Makoto stopped by the last place he would ask today before he'd go home to get his guitar. Sadly, he received a negative answer this time too and he couldn't stop the dejection from showing on his face. When the woman in question saw his crestfallen expression, she assured him that if she ever needed someone to run an errand for her, he would be the first person she'd ask. Knowing she was just saying it out of politeness, this was far from comforting, but Makoto did his best to smile and thank her sincerely.
It couldn't be helped, so he began to make his way back home. All that was left to do was to go to the town square and try to make a little there so this day wouldn't be completely unproductive. Singing was far more effective on days like these than going from door to door only to be shut down without making a single coin, so anything was welcome at this point.
As he walked past Matsuoka's Fitted Garments, he was suddenly reminded of the promise he made to Gou yesterday. Because he didn't know when he would have the opportunity to fulfill that promise, he decided he might as well stop by now. He had already wasted plenty of time, might as well waste some more now rather than on a busy day. His mother was here today, so when he would tell Rin, Gou and Mrs. Matsuoka the reason behind his abrupt disappearance, she would be there to support him in case they found the story so outrageous that they couldn't believe their ears.
With that in mind, Makoto entered the tailor shop.
Impatience, relief, exhaustion and excitement. Those were the feelings that dominated Haruka's mind as they were on the way back to town.
He still couldn't believe that he had actually been able to pull it off. Not only had King and Queen Hazuki agreed to cancel the arrangement in favour of an alliance without a marriage, after a lot of persuasion, insistence, but mainly bluff, they also gave Nagisa and Rei permission to tie the knot. It hadn't been easy, and he knew this was only the start. An obstacle far more difficult to defeat stood between them and their happiness: his own parents.
Those worries were for later though, for he allowed himself to celebrate this victory before he would brace himself for the toughest battle yet. He was relieved and happy for Nagisa and Rei, and he couldn't wait to tell Makoto about all that had happened.
When they were heading towards the palace that morning, they discussed the course of action. It would be bad if Nagisa and he accidentally stated something contradictory and demolish their credibility, so they needed a solid story of what supposedly went down this past week.
They instantly decided that they would not go with the truth. The whole point of sending Makoto was to make sure the king and queen wouldn't find out that their son had run away, so they definitely wouldn't tell them about Nagisa's exit and Makoto's appearance. Anything that could potentially jeopardise the chances of them letting Nagisa marry Rei was not an option.
Haruka did make a mental note that if everything worked out, he had to prevent his parents from becoming too chummy with King and Queen Hazuki. When the time came, he obviously couldn't tell them the same nonsensical story because they had already met Makoto in Nagisa's stead.
As soon as they arrived at the palace, Nagisa requested an official meeting with his parents. The servants were visibly startled by their arrival, but they informed the king and queen without any questions asked. Rei, Sousuke and Kisumi waited outside while Haruka and Nagisa went to meet with King and Queen Hazuki.
To say they were surprised to see their son and supposed son-in-law would have been an understatement. It was easy to tell that Haruka's presence intimidated them a little, and though he usually disliked people treating him differently because of his status and title, he knew he had to use it to their advantage now. He decided to forgo the pleasantries and cut right to the chase; he only had a limited amount of time in Sano and he'd rather spend it with Makoto than with King and Queen Hazuki.
He gave them a brief summary of how Nagisa had arrived at the palace and how they had spent their time together. Over the course of a few days, they gradually discovered that, though they enjoyed the other's presence, there were only feelings of friendship between them and nothing more. They were arranged to marry each other, but both of their hearts belonged to someone else. Therefore, they would much rather continue a strictly platonic relationship and engage themselves romantically with those they actually loved.
Nagisa had told him that the situation in Sano was a major reason behind the arrangement, so Haruka wanted to try to make all that accompanied the arrangement pass, just without the marriage itself. Thus, they had come to Sano to discuss these plans with them, King and Queen Hazuki.
At first, King and Queen Hazuki were very hesitant to cancel the arrangement as it was, as they simply didn't see any reason to. In their eyes, Nagisa and Haruka were princes who had to fulfill their duty whether they liked it or not, and if they didn't love each other now, they would grow to do so eventually.
Having already expected this kind of reaction, Haruka made sure to inform them that regardless of what they decided to do, his own parents were already planning to call it all off. Their sole motivation behind arranging a marriage for their son was to ensure their royal bloodline would be continued. With Princess Nagisa. That very instance, they were in another monarchy to look for a maiden suitable to take Nagisa's place. If they found one, then all what they had agreed on with the kingdom of Sano would be thrown away without second thought. Haruka wanted to prevent that from happening, so this was the solution that he offered; it was this, or nothing at all.
With lingering reluctance, they agreed to cancel the wedding. Haruka made sure to tell them not to mention any of this to their people nor the people in Iwatobi until they got official word from his parents - after all, everything that Haruka was selling was pure bluff. Getting King and Queen Hazuki to agree to this was the easy part, for the real challenge lied within convincing his own parents and their councillors to follow through with it.
He had some influence as the crown prince, but he was no king yet and only had a small say in what would happen. Considering the benefits for his own kingdom were small and pretty insignificant, he was sure his parents and their advisors would be a lot less eager about this than King and Queen Hazuki were. But he would deal with them later, for he had to focus on accomplishing his objectives one conversation at a time.
Then it was time for the most challenging part of these negotiations to be addressed: Nagisa and Rei's relationship. To maintain a friendly and light atmosphere, Haruka brought a marriage between them up like it was a mere suggestion.
It immediately became clear that the king and queen were not too fond of that notion. They said that, while Rei was a kind and reliable man who would make for a good husband, it was simply not proper for a prince to be together with him. It was nothing personal, but they could not allow their child to get married to a servant. They reasoned that now they had reached an agreement with Iwatobi without a marriage, this was an opportunity to strengthen the bonds with another kingdom through marriage.
This was something that Nagisa and Haruka had anticipated too. Thus, they were necessitated to take a different course of action. Desperate times called for desperate measures.
While it was not his favoured manner, Haruka knew that he had no other choice but to manipulate King and Queen Hazuki. He explained that they had misunderstood him when he had suggested it before; Nagisa's relationship with Rei being condoned was a vital term in the arrangement with Iwatobi. If they chose to marry Nagisa off to someone else, then the deal was through and there would be no more negotiations or possible alliance between Iwatobi and Sano.
Of course, they were free to decide what they valued more, a bond with Iwatobi without a marriage or a bond with another kingdom through marriage. But Haruka made sure to remind them of the fact that there was no realm anywhere near that was wealthier or more influential than Iwatobi, that an alliance with Iwatobi therefore benefited the people of Sano more than one with any other kingdom. If they rejected his offer this time, then Haruka guaranteed them that there would no more attempts at reconciliation for as long as he reigned.
None of this was easy for him to say. Abusing his power and forcing others to comply with his demands felt downright immoral, but it was necessary to achieve their goal. Never before had he felt the need to fight for something like he did now, and he knew it was worth all the discomfort and struggle he went through. That didn't change the fact that he felt like he would implode with every lie that left his lips, though.
Nagisa wasn't much of a help either, but Haruka couldn't exactly blame him. He knew Nagisa didn't dare to interrupt in fear of ruining things for himself and Rei. That being said, a bit more support was welcome. He wasn't used to bargaining, especially not on his own, and he highly doubted that he would ever get used to it. It was draining and troublesome and it made him feel awful, but he had to finish what he had started; he would not leave this palace until Nagisa and Rei got the royal family's seal of approval.
Fortunately, Haruka was able to retain his stoic demeanour throughout the entire conversation. Everything that left his mouth was pure bluff, but King and Queen Hazuki didn't know that his words were all empty threats. Therefore they needed some time to seriously consider all he had proposed and demanded.
Even if Haruka didn't exactly like the fact that others viewed him as cold and heartless, he couldn't deny that it worked to his advantage at times like these. Arguably, going to such lengths to ensure the happiness of two boys he barely knew proved him to be anything but that.
This was something that King and Queen Hazuki noticed as well, and they were curious to know why he was so adamant about their son being allowed to marry his tutor. Haruka smiled at that and claimed that he had grown rather fond of Nagisa, that he wanted him to be happy with the person he loved. That was not the main reason behind it, though; he himself had fallen for someone whom society deemed was an inappropriate partner as well.
He described how, when out on a personal trip here in Sano, he met a street musician who had caught his interest. Though their time together was limited, every minute they got to spend together was absolutely wonderful and even after returning to Iwatobi, he had been unable to forget him. As the days passed, he came to the realisation that he had developed feelings for the musician that were deeper than anything he had ever experienced before.
When he met Nagisa shortly thereafter, they discovered they were in the same boat. Neither of them were willing to try to make this arrangement work for they were both devoted to someone else. Because Haruka knew that his parents were going to blow off the wedding, as Nagisa could never fulfill the objective they set for him, they decided that they would do anything they could to be together with the ones they loved.
With King and Queen Nanase gone, they had invited Rei and the street musician over to the palace to discuss the situation with them. Coincidentally, Rei was already acquainted with the street musician; he had met him before in the town and they had talked about his brief yet heartfelt romance with Iwatobi's crown prince and how he missed Haruka so. In turn, Rei had shared his own troubles, and it was obvious that this was what all four of them wanted.
That being settled, they thought the best course of action would be for Nagisa and him to help the other convince their family. He was here to uphold his end of their promise, and he needed Nagisa to come back with him to Iwatobi to do his part in convincing Haruka's parents so they could all be together with the person they loved.
After listening to all of his terms and conditions, King and Queen Hazuki requested for them to leave for a short while so they could discuss everything with their advisors.
Outside the room, Rei, Sousuke and Kisumi were still waiting for them - the latter of which should have returned to work by then, but he couldn't leave without knowing the king and queen's answer. They filled them in on what had been discussed and how things were going. No one quite knew what to expect from Nagisa's parents, which made the wait for a response of some sorts even more dreadful. It wasn't quite clear how much time had passed before they were called back inside, but to Nagisa it felt like a new decade had started by the time the door opened again.
After waiting for an undetermined amount of time, they were finally told what conclusion King and Queen Hazuki had reached: they would accept Iwatobi's offer.
When it dawned upon Nagisa what that entailed, an impossibly wide grin stretched his face. He broke protocol and almost smothered his mother in a big and tight hug of gratitude, after which he practically tackled his father to do the same.
For the first time since Haruka met them, they both laughed at their son's burst of excitement. Unlike their stern and steadfast approach during the entire conversation, Nagisa's reaction made them smile in what almost appeared to be satisfaction. It showed Haruka that, though they seemed rooted in their own beliefs, they did genuinely want their son to be happy. He hoped that his own parents would ultimately feel the same way.
Nagisa's father patted him on the head and told him that he should thank his eldest sister instead. It was she who reasoned that a bond with Iwatobi was crucial for the survival of their people, and that it wasn't so bad for him to be together with a servant because the times were changing. In the end, it should not matter who Nagisa was together with, since he was not an immediate heir to the throne.
As the soon-to-be queen of Sano, she had a lot of influence and apparently, she wanted him to be able to marry the person he loved. In a way, she herself had as well; she was married off too, but she hadn't been in love with anyone prior to that and had soon fallen for her fiancé during their courting days. Whatever her reason might have been, Nagisa never loved his sister more than he did at that exact moment and he knew he was going to thank her personally as soon as he could.
Haruka cleared his throat and allowed a smile to break through his expressionless face as he shook the hands of King and Queen Hazuki to seal their newly-founded alliance. He was obligated to admit that it was far from an official agreement, but he assured them that he would uphold his part of their promise if they kept theirs as well. Soon, a formal meeting would take place and their alliance would be secured through proper documentation.
Still, it was nothing more than bluff. He had no idea if any of this would happen in the near future; the only way he could push this through completely was if he were king, but he didn't know if that would be in two years or ten or, depending on the developments yet to come, never.
He wasn't about to crack at the last second, and he tried to show them his humanity by thanking them with an even wider smile. To regain an amicable ambience, he talked some more with the king and queen about more trivial things, such as his trip to Sano and his current accommodation. But Nagisa couldn't wait a minute longer to share the news with the world and he ran out of the room.
Before Rei could even see him coming, Nagisa's arms were already around his neck as he was yelling incoherent nonsense that told everything there was to know. In an unusual break of character, Rei tightly hugged him back and began to press rapid kisses against his lips, often missing them because of Nagisa's continuous chattering.
When Haruka rejoined them, Nagisa didn't waste a second before he jumped on him too. He rambled on and on about how thankful he was to Haruka and how he would do anything to help him as well.
Haruka should have been used to it by now, but Nagisa's sudden embrace took him by surprised and he unconsciously tensed up. He didn't know what to do except tell him it was alright and patting his back in what he meant for to be a friendly manner.
As the hug was dragged out and Nagisa's stream of confessions about how scared he had been and how relieved he was now didn't stop, Haruka began to grow more and more impatient. He understood like no other that a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders and that he needed to release all his excitement, but Haruka had reached his limit of how long he felt comfortable being held by Nagisa. The way he was squeezing all the oxygen out of his lungs wasn't helping either.
At last, he just had to push Nagisa off himself. The boy in question didn't seem to care as he instantly latched onto Kisumi's neck instead.
Haruka was glad to be free, but the longer Nagisa took to express his happiness, the more annoyed he got. He was mentally exhausted and all he wanted was to go back to town so he could finally see Makoto again and tell him everything.
Perhaps it was a bit odd, but he was starting to miss Makoto a little. They hadn't been apart this long since they met and it honestly felt like a part of himself was missing. If he already felt like this now then he couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like when he inevitably had to return to Iwatobi.
Maybe he was getting annoyed and impatient out of jealousy.
When Rei got the hint that Haruka wanted to leave, he pried Nagisa off of Sousuke - who seemed to be very grateful to be freed from the hug he was unwillingly captured in - and told him that they should go to let Makoto know as well. Blinded by his eagerness, Nagisa was jogging towards the palace entrance before anyone could as much as blink. Everyone followed after him more composedly, aside from Kisumi, who waved them goodbye as they left.
And that was how he got here, sitting in Rei's coach as they rode over the cobblestone path that led up to town. Every minute seemed to pass even slower than the previous one and it felt like this twenty-minute ride was taking an eternity.
When he was making small talk with King and Queen Hazuki, they had offered to let him and Sousuke stay over at the palace, but Haruka had politely declined. In hindsight, he was really glad he did. He'd much rather stay at the inn and be a short fifteen minute walk away from Makoto as opposed to staying at the palace and having to travel for about half an hour to reach him.
When they finally entered the town, Haruka was surprised when Rei pulled over at the stables.
"Why are we stopping here?" he asked in confusion. There was no market today so it was possible to ride through the town. Wasn't it much faster if they took the coach to Makoto's house instead of walking there?
Nagisa smirked at his inability to mask his intentions and he sang, "I've got a hunch as to where Makoto is right now."
The way Nagisa phrased what he had said indicated that whatever Haruka had in mind as to Makoto's current whereabouts was false. Like it was a secret that only Nagisa knew. That confused Haruka more; he knew Makoto was a hard-working man and for him not to be at his family's shop in the middle of the day simply seemed unheard of. Especially considering Makoto had confirmed that he had to work today.
Detecting the questions that were burning on the tip of Haruka's tongue, Nagisa's smirk widened at the frown that was on his face. "Come on," he urged as he grabbed Haruka's hand and yanked him out of the coach.
Once they were both with two feet on the ground, Nagisa took off without a warning and tugged Haruka along with him. The excited glint in his magenta eyes promised Haruka that there would be no detours.
In the distance, he could hear Rei yelling at Nagisa to slow down, but for once Haruka didn't mind Nagisa's enthusiasm and he simply let himself be dragged along.
They weaved their way through the sea of townsfolk and after a little while, Haruka could hear the faintest hints of music drifting through the air. Suddenly everything fell in place and he knew exactly where Nagisa was taking him. His legs began to speed up without his awareness, like his steps were trying to match up to his heartbeat.
It wasn't long before they reached the town square, where a small crowd obscured their vision. Unabashedly, Nagisa pushed their way through the mass until they were at the center and saw what everyone had been gathered around for.
There Makoto stood in front of the steps, his fingers plucking at the strings of his guitar while his lips moved to form the words of the song. It was the same song he had sung for him back in Iwatobi, but the notes sounded slightly different. Like this was how it was meant to sound all along. Though his beautiful voice carried on the melody was undeniably captivating, that wasn't the sole part of him that was enchanting.
At first glance, he seemed like nothing special. His beige shirt and the suspenders he wore to hold his brown trousers up were not unlike those of many men surrounding him, the paperboy hat that sat atop his locks serving only to keep the sunlight from his gemlike eyes. Nothing about his clothing made him stand out; it was his charming aura, the friendliness he emitted and the gentle smile adorning his handsome face that drew everyone in. His voice wasn't any less magnificent, but Haruka was sure that many would buy a ticket just to see him perform even if it hadn't been.
It was a scene straight from one of those storybooks his grandmother used to read him before bedtime. Seeing this snippet of Makoto's daily life made the thumping of Haruka's enamoured heart speed up, his mouth falling open with a small gasp of amazement as he watched how Makoto entertained the masses. Countless of concerts and performances Haruka had attended, but none that were able to touch him like this show of a simple street musician, as many would describe him to be. But he was so much more than that: he was a kind and hardworking man, a loving son and brother, the person who had stolen Haruka's heart.
The lie Haruka told King and Queen Hazuki held a point of truth after all. Had he not been already, then this would have been the moment Haruka fell in love with Makoto.
"Mesmerising, isn't he?"
Nagisa's question pulled Haruka from his spell. It took a great deal of effort to tear his gaze away from the feast that was Makoto's performance, but when he did, he saw the knowing grin Nagisa flashed him.
Haruka simply nodded in response, as there was no use denying it; anyone could tell that Makoto was incredibly mesmerising. Even without his guitar and pleasant voice, Haruka knew his eyes would instantly spot him in any crowd. He was radiant like the sun, shining brighter than any other star in the galaxy. Truly one of a kind.
While Nagisa and Haruka marvelled and watched, Makoto hadn't even noticed them, too absorbed in sharing his tale with every ear willing to listen. His focus remained and he did his utmost best to amuse every spectator until the very last note ended.
Haruka was startled out of his trance by loud applause sounding throughout the town square. Determined to show his amazement, Haruka clapped harder than anyone else, drowning out even the whistles that Nagisa blew on his fingers.
Ever so humble, Makoto chuckled and made a slight bow of gratitude. A handful of people approached him to drop a coin or two into the tin cup that was at his feet, and he made sure to thank them with a beaming smile and an appreciative nod of his head.
When most folks that surrounded him were gone, Nagisa was going to run up to Makoto, but Haruka held him back. Urged forward by her mother, a little girl slowly approached Makoto. She was clutching a plucked dandelion behind her back, and Haruka wanted to see what happened next without disturbing her.
Makoto put down his guitar and crouched when she was in front of him, the gentle smile never leaving his face as his mouth moved to speak words Haruka couldn't make out. Then, the little girl got up on her toes and tucked the dandelion behind Makoto's ear. Though he was too far away to hear it, Haruka could feel Makoto's chuckle of endearment resonate through his entire body. Just like that, he was bewitched again.
In a show of thankfulness, Makoto ruffled the girl's hair as he tilted his head, his eyes falling shut with the motion. The interaction ended with that and the little girl quickly went back to her mother.
Seizing his chance, Nagisa shouted, "Makoto!" and ran up to him. Haruka followed after him, albeit a bit slower. Before Makoto could react, Nagisa had lunged himself at him, throwing his arms around his shoulders and not letting go.
"Nagisa!" Makoto yelped in surprise, clearly not having seen the prince coming but catching him on reflex. Thankfully he had already set his guitar down at this point, else Nagisa would have knocked it out of his hands and damaged the decades-old heirloom.
"We did it! My parents agreed to all of our terms! I get to marry Rei!"
When those words got through to Makoto, his eyes widened in disbelief before an immensely wide smile lit up his face. "That's great! That's amazing!" he gushed as he began to spin Nagisa around, unable to contain his elation. Not only would his friends be allowed to be together, the alliance with Iwatobi meant that things were going to get better; this was the best possible outcome for everyone. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Nagisa couldn't do anything but laugh gleefully and freely, and his laughter was so contagious that Makoto simply had to join in. As they spun around the town square, Makoto's hat and gifted flower fell from his head, but both boys were too lost in their happiness to notice or mind it.
Haruka watched the scene before him with a content smile. It was hard to tear his eyes away from the 'Nagisa' he had grown to adore and the real Nagisa, but there was one more thing he had to do. He searched his pockets for his wallet and swiftly dropped a couple of coins into Makoto's cup; the performance was amusing enough for Haruka to empty his wallet right then and there, but he knew he had to spare some money in order to stay here in Sano for the time being. The thought that Makoto's family soon wouldn't have to mind each and every coin anymore was a small comfort.
Rei and Sousuke finally caught up to them then. Unlike the sternness that was on Rei's face when he had called out to Nagisa earlier, there was now a fond smile on his lips as he watched his fiancé being twirled around in Makoto's arms. Sousuke was present physically, but it was quite obvious he was on an entirely different plane of existence mentally.
At last, Makoto stopped spinning, having gotten quite dizzy but no less excited. "I'm so happy for you, Nagisa," he concluded. He put Nagisa down and tightened his arms around his slender body for just a moment. Tears of relief burned in his eyes and he bit his bottom lip to suppress them.
"I am too," Nagisa said, and though joy was ever-present on his soft features, it had never been as genuine as it was now. "It's all thanks to Haru. You should have seen him! He was so cool and composed and mildly threatening and it was amazing!"
Makoto looked up from the embrace and for the first time that day, his eyes met Haruka's. A shy smile curled Haruka's lips at Nagisa's praises - if they could be called that - and Makoto naturally mirrored it. Before he could say anything to him, Rei, who Makoto hadn't even seen yet, spoke up.
"I must admit that I did not expect this result," he uttered, adjusting his spectacles on his nose, "I anticipated that His and Her Majesty would agree to the alliance for they did not have another choice, but I never would have thought that they would give Prince Nagisa and I permission to continue our relationship. Prince Haruka truly exceeded all my expectations."
Although it was clearly meant as a compliment, it was worded sort of backhandedly. "Thanks?" Haruka mumbled with a frown.
Rei instantly realised his slip-up. "I didn't mean to insinuate that I have no faith in your capabilities of bargaining!" he quickly stuttered, "It's just that… I didn't expect anyone to be able to convince them. From my viewpoint, there was no logical reason for them to agree to it; none of the scenarios I examined in my head had this outcome so didn't dare to dream of it. And I still cannot fathom it now."
His voice cracked as he was overcome with emotion. His spectacles fogged up as warm tears began to roll over his cheeks and he averted his head, magicking a handkerchief out of thin air and wiping at his eyes. No matter how determined he was to keep them at bay, the mere thought of the bright future ahead of him as Nagisa's husband made all the reigns slip out of his hands. So far, it seemed like only engulfing terror and encompassing happiness triumphed over Rei's self-control.
If there was anyone who understood this flood of feelings, it was Makoto. He stepped up to Rei and wrapped his arms around him in the bear-hug he had just released his counterpart of. "Congratulations, Rei," Makoto murmured as he cupped the back of his head with his large hand. "I didn't dare to dream of this outcome either."
"I did!" Nagisa claimed, bouncing around on his feet like a little nymph, "I knew that everything was going to be alright in the end."
"Did Kisumi tell you that?" Makoto chuckled. Pretty much every story has a happy ending. Those words were engraved in his mind, and he was sure that he wasn't the only one whom Kisumi had preached his wisdoms to.
"Yes, but that's not the reason!" Nagisa insisted, "It's because of Haru. If you would have seen how convincing he was, you would have too. He could make me any proposition and I'd probably agree to it."
"Let's hope my parents feel that way too," Haruka sighed, and hearing his lovely voice reminded Makoto that there was no one who he'd rather be holding than him.
After checking that Rei had regained somewhat of a composure, he let him go with two pats on his back in favour of turning around and drawing Haruka against his chest. Instantly Haruka's arms wound around him and he buried his face into Makoto's shoulder.
For the first time since their parting last night, complete and utter serenity washed over the both of them. There was nothing that felt as right as embracing each other, and they closed their eyes to feel the other's touch with every fiber of their being.
"Thank you, Haru," Makoto whispered in his ear, his lips brushing against Haruka's silky locks, "Thank you so much."
In response, Haruka only held him tighter. The smell of fire and soot that was permanently laced through Makoto's clothes entered his nose, but Haruka couldn't describe the scent as anything but home. He let out a deep sigh as all his troubles faded away for just a moment.
Finally he understood what his grandmother meant when she used to tell him about home not being a place, but a feeling deep in your chest. And oh, did he feel it; standing in the middle of an unfamiliar town square in a kingdom that wasn't his, enveloped by the arms of a man who he met not even a week prior, he had never felt more at home than he did right then.
Lost in their own world, they had no concept of how long their hug lasted. It wasn't until Rei awkwardly cleared his throat that they broke apart. The promise of more was caressed into their skin as their arms brushed when they tore themselves away from the other.
Between the reunion with Haruka and hearing the best news possible, it was safe to say that all the dejection and despair Makoto had felt just a few hours ago were eradicated from his mind. Wave after wave of happiness rushed through his veins and it simply had to be expressed or else he would combust.
"Ah, I'm so happy!" he guffawed as he pulled Nagisa in for another brief hug. Next, Rei was the one to be squeezed to death by Makoto's enthusiasm and then, much to his dismay, it was Sousuke's turn. The unexpected, unwanted touch crudely dragged him from whatever land his mind was wandering in.
In complete shock, he stared at Haruka as if to ask him what to do. Haruka just shot him an urging look. Left with no other choice, Sousuke went along with Makoto's whim and gave him a half-hearted pat on the back. To his relief, Makoto's embrace didn't last nearly as long as Nagisa's had earlier, and he was soon released again when Makoto saw it fit to give Haruka another shorter but nonetheless tender hug.
When they ultimately parted once more, Haruka's eye fell on the abandoned hat and flower that had flown from Makoto's head when he was spinning around. He bent down to pick them up. To remove any possible dirt from it, Haruka softly blew on the yellow petals before he placed the flower behind Makoto's ear like the girl who gave it to him did too.
"There," he muttered, forgetting their surroundings as he took a stroll through the forest of Makoto's irises, "I'm sure she wouldn't want you to leave her gift behind."
Then, Haruka dusted off the paperboy hat before it reclaimed its rightful place on Makoto's head. It wasn't as pretty as the crown he had worn when they first met, but Makoto looked just as good in it. In his case, the man made the clothes rather than the other way around.
A sweet smile adorned Makoto's lips at that thoughtful gesture and he fixed the hat so it was firmer in place and wouldn't be swept off again.
"Did a woman give you that dandelion?"
The bewilderment that Rei was unable to disguise in his question startled both Haruka and Makoto back to reality. Makoto couldn't help but snort; Rei might not have seen the interaction, but he should know better than to think that he would accept a romantic gift like that from anyone but Haruka.
"A little girl did," Makoto clarified, "Not everyone is wealthy enough to be able to give money to a street musician, but if they listened to my performance, some folks feel obligated to give me something in return. So they give me anything they can spare, like an apple or an egg, or in this case a flower. It's really not necessary at all, but I do appreciate the thought."
"Aren't dandelions weeds, though?" Nagisa asked sceptically.
"They are classified as such because they are wild and grow anywhere, but dandelions actually quite useful!" Rei stated matter-of-factly, the tutor in him coming to the forefront to give another one of his infamous lectures. "Not only are they completely edible, they are also packed with vitamins and minerals. Aside from their nutritional value, there have been several studies on their medicinal benefits-"
"Um," Makoto cut in sheepishly, "I don't think that's why she gave it to me. A lot of people see them as flowers and think they are pretty, so I think she was just being nice."
"Oh." Afraid to have spoken out of turn, a bashful blush lit up Rei's cheeks. He averted his gaze to the ground as he pushed up his spectacles again in a nervous habit. "Excuse me, I…"
"It's alright," Makoto brushed off with a shrug, bidding him one of his signature gentle smiles, "It's good advice, so perhaps my mom will have a use for it if I give it to her. Thanks."
"I- You're welcome."
In order to spare Rei from any more embarrassment, Makoto decided to change the subject. He sat down next to his stuff on the stone steps and asked, "So, how did the conversation with the king and queen go?"
"It was nerve wracking!" Nagisa exclaimed, plopping down next to Makoto and staring up at the vast blue sky. "They weren't exactly happy to see us, so it went off to a rough start."
"When we got to the palace, we requested an audience with Nagisa's parents," Haruka added, filling in the gaps Nagisa left in the story. "To say they were surprised at our arrival would be an understatement, but they didn't inquire further until they had lead Nagisa and me into the conference hall, where we sat down around a large, oval table."
Makoto moved his guitar and bag to the ground below him, making room for Haruka to sit down next to him. An offer that Makoto didn't need to make twice. He seated himself on the step as he continued to relay the events of that morning. Rei and Sousuke remained standing the whole time, with Sousuke being semi-on guard while Rei most likely was determined not to dirty his garbs.
Haruka told Makoto everything about the conversation in as much detail as he could remember, for he wanted him to have a clear view on what went down; like he was there to experience it himself. Nagisa chimed in every once in a while with comments of varying significance, but Makoto listened attentively to the story from start to finish, sidetracks included.
An adorable blush tinged both of their cheeks when Nagisa recalled the lie Haruka had fabricated about his motivation behind their trip. Even if it wasn't the whole truth, hearing their feelings being recognised and put into words like that was still odd, for at this point, they weren't quite sure where their relationship was at. After everything that had happened in such a short amount of time, voicing their blooming feelings in the other's presence was frightening. Especially because of the uncertainty of their situation. Talking about it was something they'd rather avoid for the time being, unless it was absolutely necessary.
Thus, Haruka quickly continued about Nagisa and Rei's relationship and how he was able to get King and Queen Hazuki to allow it.
When he heard how Haruka practically blackmailed his rulers into condoning their son's relationship with his servant, Makoto couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not surprised they agreed to all your terms when you put it like that," he giggled. "Being threatened like that, they didn't exactly have any other choice, did they?"
It was obvious that he had been rather menacing, but hearing Makoto describe his actions like that made the bad feeling that had coiled in Haruka's stomach resurface. He knew there was no ill will in Makoto's words, yet he couldn't stop the guilt from creeping up to him. "It couldn't be helped," he mumbled with a pout.
"I know," Makoto assured, smiling gently at his prince, "In this case, the end definitely justifies the means. You really did great, Haru."
As always, seeing that cute expression on Makoto's handsome face made all of the afflicted thoughts disappear. "And to think this was only the easy part," he remarked with a tiny smile, "Now let's hope my parents feel threatened by me too."
Another hearty chuckle left Makoto's chest and it made Haruka feel infinitely better.
"We truly cannot thank you enough, Prince Haruka," Rei said, breaking the bubble that had naturally formed around them once more. "You helped us so much, I promise we will do anything we can to help you too."
"Anything!" Nagisa emphasised, "Just let us know when we need to go to Iwatobi to talk to your parents and convince them to allow you and Makoto to-"
"For now, our main priority is getting my parents to agree to the terms we gave your parents," Haruka interrupted him, like he was scared for Nagisa to finish that thought. "Otherwise we're back to square one and no one wants that. Everything else is secondary, at least for now."
That was enough for Nagisa to get the hint and he closed his mouth, nodding in understanding.
"When are you departing, Prince Haruka?"
Rei's question caught him off-guard. Of course Haruka knew his days here in Sano were limited, but the thought of going back to Iwatobi and possibly leaving his heart behind in this town was harrowing. He stared at his shoes as he calculated how long he could stay here before his parents would send out guards and knights to track him down. After all, he wanted to optimise his time with Makoto, to get to know him better and to figure out what would come after this, but he didn't want to enrage his parents before asking them the biggest favours he ever had.
"Wednesday… evening," Haruka eventually muttered and to his regret, he saw Makoto's cheerful expression falter.
The crestfallen look that struck his beautiful features was gone as quickly as it had come, swept away by the summer breeze, but Haruka recognised the slivers that lingered in his precious eyes as defeat. In a strange way, the knowledge that Makoto felt just as wistful at the notion was comforting.
"Alright, we will make sure to be present at sundown on Thursday," Rei nodded, making a mental note. "Shall we come to Blacksmith Tachibana's?"
"Yes, that's good." If he was going to leave Sano without Makoto, then Haruka wanted to have a fresh imprint of his arms around him, taking in his gorgeous being carefully so he wouldn't forget him for as long as he lived. And if Makoto came with him, then he could say his goodbyes to his family in peace before leaving them for an undetermined period of time.
"Well then," Nagisa said as he leapt up, dusting off his bottom, "I guess it's time for us to leave; we have a wedding to plan!"
"What, already?" Rei cried in surprise as Nagisa threw his arms around his neck, pressing their cheeks together intimately.
"Of course! I'm not going to wait around for my parents to change their minds!"
Makoto laughed when doubt flashed through Rei's framed eyes as Nagisa began to shake him violently in excitement. Yes, this was what he had signed up for and there was no going back now; Nagisa was going to annoy him from the moment he arose to the second he slipped into slumber for the rest of his life. And he was going to love every last minute of it.
"We're going to have a big winter wedding when there's a lot of snow and everything will be covered in lights, and we'll have a big husky sled pull us around the kingdom afterwards!" Nagisa gesticulated wildly around himself as he spoke, like he had planned his entire wedding in his head a long time ago.
"What, a husky sled?! Where are we going to get huskies that are trained to-"
"And Haru and Makoto will be our guests of honour!"
Although it was mostly his enthusiasm talking, it brought a small smile to Haruka's lips because he knew Nagisa meant every word. Perhaps things might not go as he hoped them to, but in the very least he would get to see Makoto again at the next royal wedding.
"We'll discuss the details of our wedding later," Rei concluded before Nagisa could claim that he wanted to have a cake with enough tiers to reach the ceiling or something else ridiculous like that, but a smile broke through his serious demeanour too. "Please, do keep an eye out for an invite."
"We will. Good luck," Makoto said, his voice full of amusement at the thought of Nagisa and Rei planning a wedding together. He was sure that unlike the disastrous path to it, the end result would be very beautiful.
Nagisa's mischievous grin proved that Rei had a tough time ahead of himself. "See you!"
When Nagisa ushered Rei away and their backs were turned to them, Makoto was suddenly reminded of something. "Wait!" he yelled as he began to rummage through his bag and took Kisumi's garments out of it. "Please give these back to Kisumi!"
While Makoto went after them, Haruka stood and peered up at Sousuke. "So," he started, calling his guard back to attention, "Isn't there anything you have to go do now?"
"Uh yeah, guarding you."
Sousuke's blunt statement made Haruka roll his eyes. In fear of anyone overhearing, he grabbed the collar of Sousuke's shirt and yanked him down to his own level. "Listen," he hissed under his breath, "I will knight you the instant I become king if you leave us alone whenever I tell you to."
"That's nice and all," Sousuke said, unimpressed, "but I will not be held accountable if something happens to you."
"Nothing will happen to me," Haruka immediately retorted, "but fine. I'll sign a waiver or whatever later. For now, just go away." With that, Haruka released his hold and Sousuke straightened his back, smoothing over his clothing with his palm.
"As you wish, Your Highness."
It sounded ingenuine at best and mocking at worst, but Haruka had no more energy to waste on any further discussion with him. Makoto was approaching them again and the smile that graced his lips instantly made Haruka forget about Sousuke's very existence.
"Sorry about that," Makoto said when he was standing in front of them. "My mom went through the trouble of washing Kisumi's clothes last night so I could send them back with Nagisa today. Thankfully they were dry this morning because of the mellow night, otherwise I might not have had another opportunity to return them to him. But I don't know what I would have done if I forgot to give them in spite of that!"
"You remembered in time, and that's all that matters," Haruka shrugged with a small, blossoming smile.
"Yeah," Makoto agreed, shaking his head to rid them of the what-ifs. "So anyway, now that everything has been taken care of, I was wondering if there was anything you would like to do or see while you're here…?"
"You," Haruka blurted in response, and it wasn't until Makoto tilted his head in confusion that he realised how poorly he had worded that. "I meant your daily life. Just, what you would usually be doing during an afternoon like this one."
"Oh," Makoto muttered in understanding, "Well, it really depends. Nowadays a lot of my time is spent here singing, but you've already seen that and there isn't much to it. Besides, with this kind of weather, I don't think many more folks will gather around to listen to the same couple of songs they've already heard over and over again."
If it weren't for the explanation that singing wasn't likely to earn him much at this particular time, Haruka would have objected to the idea that there wasn't much to watching him perform. He could stay here for hours, listening carefully to every note of every song in his repertoire and being mesmerised by every word.
"On any other day, I'd probably be out running some errands for someone, but I only got shot down today," Makoto continued with a melancholic smile, "Or I'd be helping out my father with the shop, but he already said that he doesn't have enough work for the two of us."
"Oh," Haruka sighed. He tried to conceal the tiny pang of disappointment he felt, but of course Makoto noticed it.
"I could always offer to take over his work for the day," Makoto suggested, wanting to fulfill Haruka's wishes. "It's not like there's any other way for me to earn more today, so I might as well give my father an afternoon off. If he agrees to it, at least…"
Although Haruka truly appreciated the lengths Makoto was willing to go through for him, he didn't want to give him more work to do without any more payment for it. While he did think Makoto's father deserved a break, based off the impression Mr. Tachibana gave him last night, he would never put the burden on his children unless it was absolutely necessary. The chances that he would brush Makoto's offer off and tell him to go have fun instead were very high.
Struck with an idea, Haruka said, "Actually, I would like to commission you to make something for me."
"Oh," Makoto mumbled in surprise. "Uh, alright, of course. What do you want me to make?"
"I…" Haruka hadn't exactly thought about that yet. He had no clue how much time an average project would take, and it wasn't like he had any use for a sword or armour or farming equipment to begin with. "Surprise me."
"Alright," Makoto agreed, seeming like he already had something in mind. "Before that, though, are you hungry?"
"A little."
"Why don't we eat some lunch first, and then I can make you something after?"
When met with such an endearing look, Haruka couldn't have refused his offer even if he wanted to. "Alright."
A sweet smile stretched Makoto's cheeks and he bent down to gather his stuff. When he picked up his cup, his mouth fell open by the amount he saw inside of it. How it got there, or rather, who had put it there was no conundrum.
"I see you already paid upfront," Makoto remarked, unsure of whether to thank or scold Haruka for his generous donation.
The prince merely turned his head away. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Makoto's smile softened. Knowing that Haruka had no interest or use for these riches that meant the world to his family, he put the cup into his bag without protest. "Thank you, Haru. I really appreciate that."
"Appreciate what?" Haruka questioned, but lying and feigning clearly wasn't his expertise either.
Makoto only giggled as he slung his bag over his shoulder and picked up his guitar. "Shall we go?"
"Yes." Meanwhile, Haruka shot daggers at Sousuke to remind him of their conversation.
"Um, actually," Sousuke started, scratching at his head, "I have something I need to do. Where was that boy's tailor shop again? Rin was his name?"
"It's just around the corner," Makoto said and he pointed in a general direction that meant precisely nothing to Sousuke. "Why?"
"I uh… figured I should go apologise to him for what happened yesterday."
Remembering the dark blush that had spontaneously appeared on Rin's face when he heard Sousuke's voice, Makoto grinned. "I'm sure he'd like that. There's a big sign on the storefront that reads 'Matsuoka's Fitted Garments', so it's hard to miss. But since it's on the way to my house, we'll walk you there."
To that, Sousuke had no objections.
The tailor shop was only a stone's throw away from the town square and they dropped Sousuke off at the front as promised.
"You sure you'll be alright?" Sousuke hesitated. He might not have been too fond of Haruka, but he was quite fond of his job and he wanted to keep it. He wasn't one to disregard his tasks, and apparently he still didn't feel good about it even when he was directly ordered to.
"Of course."
To assure him, Makoto added, "We'll just be at my house, so there's nothing to worry about. My mom is here, actually, so she can walk you back when you're done so you don't get lost."
"Why would I get lost?"
The incredulity in Sousuke's voice left Makoto in bewilderment. Had he already forgotten completely about yesterday's affair? Because he didn't want to spend too much time reminding him of how he wandered off into the crowd only for Kisumi to have to go find him, Makoto simply said, "It's an unfamiliar town."
"I'll manage."
With that, Sousuke turned around and opened the door, the little bell that hung above it chiming to announce his presence, and he was gone.
"See you later," Makoto mumbled back to empty space, but he chuckled at it all the same. His eyes met Haruka's. "I suppose that just leaves us now."
"Yeah," Haruka replied, feeling a rush of nerves and excitement in his veins, "I don't mind that."
Makoto smiled tenderly. "Me neither."
A comfortable silence wrapped around them as they continued on their way to Makoto's house, content with just the other's presence. If the back of Haruka's hand bumped against Makoto's with every other step he took, then that was purely accidental. And if Makoto eventually grasped his fingers and held onto them lightly, then that was just as much of an accident.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
Like I mentioned at the start of the chapter, the next chapter is finished and I'm already working on chapter 9. While there are still chapters for other fics that I have to write too, I hope I can take advantage of this head start and update this fic somewhat regularly again. I can't make any promises, but I hope you'll stick around till the end.
In the meanwhile, you can find me on Twitter and Tumblr as DatHeetJoella for more MakoHaru content in between fic updates and more information on my projects and progress. You can also shoot me a message on Curious Cat if you want.
Thank you so much for reading, I hope to see you again at the next chapter, and for now I wish you a lovely day!