It's Free if it Takes Over Thirty Minutes

Chapter 5

Jaws? Really? Haru's mind cussed as his old friend sat on the couch after putting in his favorite movie. Yes, ironically Rin Matsuoka's favorite was the stupid western film, Jaws. It was pretty easy to see why, both Rin and the shark had sharp teeth and loved water.

"You want some?" Rin asked Haru as he removed a slice of pizza from the greasy cardboard box.

Practically starving, Haru gave a nod and took one. That's when his pants started to vibrate. Okay it wasn't actually his pants, it was the phone in his pants that was vibrating, but you get the idea. It was a text from Makoto, someone Haru had meaning to talk to but hadn't had the time. He quitly read the text, trying not to bother Rin while doing so.

Haru, email or call me when you get the chance –Makoto

"Rin? Where's your bathroom?" Haru asked. Rin, invested in the movie and pizza, pointed behind him. Haru decided to just go look himself. Walking through the large room he guessed was the kitchen, he found a small room to the right that look like a bathroom. Sure enough it was and locked himself in as he typed in Makoto's number.

After flour-ish rings, a familiar calming voice answered, "Haru?"

"Hey, Makoto."

"Haru-chan, are you okay?"

"Yeah? And stop calling me –chan."

Laughing, "Alright, Haru."

"Why?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"No reason," Makoto decided it might be best not to mention Sousuke.

"Tell me."

"Seriously, I was just checking in!"

"Makoto . . ."

"Fine. Yamazaki, Rin's friend, he goes to my school. He was with Kisumi, and I overheard them talking. About you. I don't know what they were saying, but I caught the end in which Yamazaki thanked Kisumi for answering his questions."

"Why was he asking about me?"

"I thought you could tell me!"

"No."

"Haru~"

"What?"

"Do you have any idea? Any at all?"

"I don't know. Maybe Rin."

"Rin? What about him?"

"He goes to my school."

Makoto's jaw dropped open. "What?! Since when?! Have you guys been in contact this whole time? I thought he was ignoring all of us!"

"Since this year. I'm at his house now."

"WHAT?! Give him hell for me!"

"okay."

"Sorry, that took me by surprise. Anyways, I'll let you go. Also, I'll keep you update on the Yamazaki thing."

"Thanks."

"Bye, Haru. I miss you."

"Bye."

Makoto took a deep breath. Why hadn't Rin reached out to him? Did Rin really not care? It was a Saturday night, Makoto was home alone, he'd just gotten out of work, and he felt like crying. He wasn't actually going to cry, but he felt like shit and was in that mood to watch The Notebook and pound down a couple quarts of ice cream. So, that's what he did.

It was 11:23 PM when Kisumi walked inside to find Makoto eating ice cream from the container with a spoon. He sighed, put his stuff down, and took of his coat. Kisumi snuggled right up to Makoto with a spoon of his own and stole some ice cream without a word. They sat like that for the rest of the night, eventually finishing the ice cream and falling asleep on each other.

In what would be midnight in Tokyo, Rei woke his boyfriend up with a kiss on the forehead. They had been dating for a year and a half, completely open about it. Makoto was the first one they told, who passed the message to Haru. Makoto was completely supportive, being openly gay himself, and Haru just didn't really care. The blonde's pink eyes fluttered open and pulled Rei down as he wrapped his arms around the other's neck.

"Morning," Rei whispered to Nagisa in English. They had been in America for a couple months, and they were forced to speak much more English than they would like.

Speaking in Japanese now, Nagisa asked, "What classes do I have today, Rei-chan?"

"Nagisa, it's a Saturday. No classes."

"Really?! Then come here," Nagisa tugged on Rei's sweater until Rei fell down onto the bed.

Rei laughed. "I've got to go run some errands, sorry. I just wanted to make sure you didn't sleep all day. We both know you would."

Nagisa sighed, "Let me come then."

"I'll be outside then." Rei said, leaving Nagisa to get dressed in his dorm room. The two lived in the same building for exchange students, their single-student rooms being side by side. They were honestly just really lucky, that they both could be admitted to the same program and that they could live so close to one another. It was much easier to make out in high school though, because they could be alone in each other's houses. Now they rarely had privacy, the walls in the building were paper thin. It didn't matter too much though, because there relationship didn't rely on anything physical.

Nagisa was dressed for the freezing weather in New York City. It wasn't much different than how it probably felt in Iwatobi right now, but it was much colder that the hot summer they had just experienced.

He was greeted by Rei as he opened his door.

"Ready?"

Nagisa hummed in agreement as he locked the door and jumped on Rei's arm.

Haru got back to his dorm around 11:00 PM and went straight to sleep. He had completely forgotten about the Sousuke thing until he woke up Sunday morning with a new text from Makoto.

Should I ask Kisumi?

Haru really didn't care what Yamazaki was interested in.

No.

He put his phone on the dresser and got back in bed to sleep a couple more minutes. It was Sunday, no school, and he was off from work. That mean all he had planned that day was swimming and homework. He had an uneasy feeling in his stomach though, and unsure why. Curling up under the sheets, he closed his eyes tightly wishing the strange emptiness away. His roommate was never there, ever. He must stay at his girlfriend's, or a relatives, or just anywhere else because Haru has only seen him three times all year. Haru was glad though, he was so used to living in an empty house, that sharing a room with another person seem like a strange concept to him.

Sleeping in another hour, Haru wasn't even remotely in the mood for breakfast. He headed strait of the pool with his duffle bag full of swim gear. When he got to the pool, he immediately jumped in, hoping to swim off this strange feeling in his gut. It didn't. Haru took several breaks to talk with coaches and teammates, but nothing could rid him of whatever was festering up inside.

When Haru had finished swimming he washed up and started to change. For the first time in possibly forever, he completely changed out of his swimsuit. And, as he left the changing facilities, he was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Haru!"

Turning around, Haru saw Rin, still in his swimsuit himself.

"Haru, wait up," Rin finally reached Haru and catching his breath. Looking into Haru's distant blue eyes, Rin looked puzzled. "Haru, are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine."

"You sure? You don't look so good . . ."

"I'm fine. What did you want?"

"Oh, I was wondering if you were taking Statistics with Mr. Yukihira."

"Yeah, Wednesdays and Fridays."

"I think I'm switching into your class. I can't stand my professor."

"Okay."

"Alright, I'll catch you later then."

Haru nodded and left, the feeling still there. I just need more sleep Haru convinced himself.