It's Free if it Takes Over Thirty Minutes

Chapter 11

There was a knock on Rin's door. Haru was about to get it when Rin pushed Haru back onto the couch and mumbled something that sounded like, "My house, my door, I'll answer."

Opening the door, the little bell jingling, there stood a boy, grey haired, with a little mole under his greyish blue eye. His hair was much longer than Rin remembered, his eyes narrower, and he was overall taller. He was about the same height as Haru, who was just slightly shorter than Rin. It took Rin that second to realize his old roommate was standing at his doorstep. And crying. Nitori was the same old Nitori, no matter how different he looked.

"S-Senpai!" He wailed.

"H-How did you get here?" Rin asked, confused.

"Rin-senpai!" Nitori ignored Rin's question and hugged him.

Rin hugged back, but wouldn't let his question go, "Ai, how did you find my apartment?"

"Nanase-senpai sent me the address and said that you'd like me to come . . . "

"Haru," Rin spat, looking back at the boy that innocently sat on his couch.

"Rin-senpai, I don't mean to impose, but can I come inside? I'm freezing out here," Nitori asked shyly.

Embarrassed because he hadn't already invited him in, Rin quickly apologized and opened the door wide for him. Nitori walked in, took off his shoes and coat.

"Thank you for messaging me," Nitori greeted Haru who only nodded in return.

"Ai, would you like something to drink? Eat?"

"I'll have some water," Nitori scratched his head, disliking their awkward situation.

Rin walked to the kitchen and retrieved a plastic bottle of water from his refrigerator. Handing it to Nitori, the three had no clue what to do. It was so silent, you could hear the tap in the kitchen dripping. After ten minutes of awkward sitting and awkward sipping, something needed to be done.

"Rin, let's do something," Haru muttered.

Nitori excited pitched the idea of truth or dare, immediately regretting it because he realized that it's something only a high school student would mention.

Rin seemed to think otherwise, saying, "Anything's better than whatever's going on now."

Haru nodded in agreement as the boys arranged themselves in a more comfortable position. Haru was on the edge of the couch, Rin taking up the rest of it. Nitori sat on the floor opposite them, leaning on the coffee table to his side.

"Nitori, you can start. You came up with the idea," Rin said, nudging Haru with his feet, almost pushing Haru off the couch.

"Nanase, truth or dare?" He asked stepping out of his comfort zone.

"Dare."

"I dare you to . . . eat something blindfolded. Rin gets to pick what you eat."

A devilish grin appeared on Rin's face as he heard this. Actually kicking Haru off the couch, Rin dragged him to the kitchen. Rin excitedly grabbed a cloth from a drawer in his kitchen and tied it around Haru's head. Looking through the fridge, Rin pulled out a bottle of ketchup and squirted it into a measuring spoon.

"Open wide!" Rin exclaimed, pushing the spoon into Haru's mouth. Cringing at the taste, Haru swallowed it. Nitori laughed and headed back to his spot on the floor. Rin pulled the blindfold off of Haru and put it away. Haru didn't even ask what it was he ate, because he didn't think it mattered.

Getting comfortable on the couch again, Rin announced, "Haru, it's your turn."

"Truth or dare?" He looked to Rin.

"Truth," Rin said.

"What the most awkward thing that happened when you and Nitori shared a room?"

Looking at Nitori with and apologetic please-forgive-me look Rin said, "One time when we were studying for finals, Ai had books scattered everywhere."

"Senpai!" Nitori interjects.

"I decided to help him keep organized, and help straighten up his stuff. When I had almost finished clearing his desk . . ."

"Rin-senpai!" Nitori protested.

". . . I found a Doujinshi on his desk. A yaoi one at that. That's how I learned Nitori was gay."

Haru wasn't shocked by this at all. His best friend was gay, so it was a simple fact to accept.

Nitori on the other hand was a little mad at Rin for spilling his secret. "You promised you'd never tell!"

"Suck it up. Truth or dare?"

Nitori being the nervous wreck he was, went with truth as well.

"On a similar note, do you have any crushes?"

"Maybe,"

"Do tell," Rin said, sticking his toes underneath Haru who didn't seem to mind.

"Do I have to?" Nitori pleaded.

"Yes. It's truth or dare, no backing out," Rin replied.

Nitori gulped, "I may have a slight crush on Captain Mikoshiba's brother . . ."

"MOMOTAROU?" Rin laughed, "How did that happen? When I left, you despised him as a roommate."

"It didn't happen at once, just slowly. He would say encouraging things and he was always so positive."

"Do you guys still hang out even though you're in college and he's in high school?" Haru asked.

"I go to a University locally and I live with my parents who live really close to Samezuka. So, yeah, we hang out often. My problem is that he still has a huge crush on senpai's sister," Nitori sighed.

"That bastard better stay away from my sister," Rin sneered.

"It's your turn again." Haru said to Nitori.

"Oh, sorry. Rin, truth or dare?"

"Dare," Rin turned around and adjusted his position so that he was leaning on Haru.

Nitori thought for a moment and then brought out a serious dare. "I dare you to call another one of your old friends. Whether they were on the Samezuka team, or the Iwatobi team. Any of them. Sousuke-senpai, Momo-kun, Tachibana-senpai, Nagisa-kun, any of them."

Haru spoke, "Nagisa and Rei are in America. I wouldn't call them. I don't know what time it is there."

"I bet Sousuke-senpai would love to hear from you!" Nitori yelled.

"I can't call Sousuke. There's no way. I guess I'll call Makoto. Haru, can I borrow your phone? Mine's in my room and I'm too lazy to get it."

Haru answered by handing Rin the phone, Rin's back still pressed against Haru's shoulder.

"How do I get to your contacts?"

"Give it," Haru held his hand out. Haru quickly found Makoto's name and pressed on it. "Here," Haru handed the phone back.

Rin waited for Makoto to answer his phone, Haru and Nitori waiting with anticipation.

"Hello?" A voice answered.

"Makoto?" Rin called into the phone.

"Listen, Nanase, Makoto's in the bathroom. I can have him call you back when he gets out?"

"Wait, if this isn't Makoto, who is this?" Rin asked, sitting upwards. Haru and Nitori exchanged looks of confusion.

"Oh, sorry. This is Yamazaki Sousuke."

"SOUSUKE?" Rin screamed, almost dropping the phone.

Sousuke recognized the yelling voice on the other line as someone who definitely was not Haruka Nanase. "Rin?" He blinked, standing up from his position on Makoto's bed, their school papers flying everywhere.

"Sousuke, I-" Rin started.

"You what? You hit another wall? Just like Australia? You didn't care to call, write, text. I hear you didn't even talk to Nanase until you were forced to go to the same school. That's a load of bullshit."

"I meant to-"

"If you meant to for two years, don't you think it would have happened by now."

"It's only really been a year. . ."

"Am I exaggerating too fucking much? Well, oh well. When you're abandoned by your best friend twice I start to not give a shit. Sorry."

"Sousuke, please."

"Bye, Matsuoka."

Sousuke had hung up the phone. Rin had tears running down his face. Haru and Nitori didn't know what to do. And Makoto, he was still in the bathroom.

Chapter 11 is up and things got really awkward. Anyways, thanks for reading! Let me know in the comments if you would rather I post longer updates less frequently, or keep them the length they are. Thanks! Sorry for being late on updates again, crazy busy with school, work, and other fics/originals.
-Lavi