A/n: Yosh! Chapter 7! Thank you for all the reviews! I wanted to mention, it's actually kinda late but still, that I'm referring to the characters in different ways than in the Anime. That much should be obvious by now, but I just wanted to explain why. For one, I'm referring to Gou as Kou because Gou just doesn't sit well with me :/ She's way too cute to be called Gou. And how Kou refers to Makoto and Haruka as san and not senpai, is also because I thought san showed a closer relationship between them than senpai. And that's going to become obvious in the upcoming chapters [The fact that they are close I mean] so I decided to use san. Oh and Mikoshiba referring to Kou as Matsuoka's sister and getting flustered about calling her by her first name in the previous chapter, I forgot he refers to her as Gou-kun so yeah my bad xD
Also, #Spoiler I suppose, this chapter contains mostly Makoto and Haruka and how this entire scenario is actually affecting Makoto just as much as it is affecting Rin and Haruka. Thank you all for reading~ You guys are awesome :D
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Chapter 7
Kou stared at Haruka with utter shock. She opened her mouth several times but failed to say anything. Haruka gave her an impatient look. Kou shook herself and slapped her cheeks twice. Then, "Haruka san did you just say what I think you did?" Haruka frowned at her like a child annoyed at an adult for not understanding what he was saying.
"I asked you to make a training regimen for me for the Regional Tournament." Haruka repeated, slowly, deliberately, like he was trying his best to make Kou understand. Kou continued to stare at him with a dumbfounded expression. Then she reached over and felt Haruka's forehead to make sure the other wasn't talking in a state drunk from fever. When she confirmed his body temperature was normal, she walked over to the pool and splashed herself with water. Then she turned and stared at Haruka with wide-eyes. Haruka frowned down at Kou and wondered if he should take her to the infirmary. Finally, Kou regained some bit of her former mental state and nodded at Haruka solemnly.
"Yes. Yes, I can definitely make you a training regimen for the Regional Tournament." That obviously seemed to cheer Haruka up and he jumped into the pool without further ado. He swam across several times vigorously, as though trying to make up for the precious minutes lost outside the water. Kou continued to remain in a daze and failed to notice the other three members of the swim club arrive. So obviously she screamed and slapped Makoto across the face when the other laid a hand on her shoulder when the redhead failed to acknowledge him.
"Uwaa I'm so sorry Makoto san! I didn't see you there!" Makoto sobbed into Nagisa's shoulder as the other pacified him. Rei looked at Kou with concern.
"Is everything alright? That was an awfully strong reaction just now." Kou's face turned the colour of her hair as she coughed and walked past Rei.
"W-Well anyway, Haruka san asked me to make a special training regimen for him so do you guys want me to make separate ones for you too?"
"Haru did what?" Kou sympathized with the trio's reaction of utter shock – in Makoto's case – bewilderment – in Rei's case – and amusement and sheer delight - in Nagisa's case. She nodded, confirming that they had heard right and weren't hallucinating.
"Haru asked you to make a special training regimen for him?" Kou placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder soothingly and nodded again. Makoto looked like he'd seen a ghost. Then he ran to the pool and called after Haruka;
"Haru chan?! Are you sure you didn't fall sick again?!" Haruka surfaced with a 'pwah' and dismissed Makoto's obvious concern with a 'Don't add chan after my name!' Makoto seemed even more worried. Rei was trying very hard to figure out the cause for Kou's and Makoto's reaction to what Haruka had said. He tried to ask Nagisa but the other simply pranced around, seemingly amused, but on the whole not affected by the situation. Finally giving up, Rei confirmed with Kou that yes, he wanted a special training regimen please. When the other two also voiced their confirmations, Kou sat down beside the pool and set to work constructing separate lists of drills and exercises. Nagisa was helping Rei with his butterfly stroke and Makoto trailed after Haruka, still not entirely convinced the other wasn't sick – much to Haruka's annoyance, as he couldn't swim without bumping into Makoto every few feet. Finally at his limit, Haruka spun around and used a hand-gun to spray water into Makoto's face. The teen spluttered and eyed Haruka with much concern.
"What are you doing Makoto?"
"Haru maybe we should go to the infirmary. I think you might be sick again."
"Why would I be sick again?"
"How long did you sit in the tub last night?"
Haruka tilted his head in thought. "Five hours?"
"Aha! I knew it! You caught another cold!" Haruka writhed and whined as Makoto tried to drag him out of the pool. The other three looked up from what they were doing, curious as to why Makoto would deprive Haruka of his only purpose in life. Finally, Makoto succeeded in dragging Haruka out of the pool. He stood, back facing the pool, as he grabbed the other around his waist and tried to stop him from jumping back in. Haruka stretched his arms around Makoto and tried desperately to go back into the water. But – sadly for Haruka – Makoto was bigger and stronger and the other had no chance of getting back in the water. Realising his defeat, Haruka whimpered and glared at Makoto, as the other ferried the blue-haired teen into the school and towards the infirmary.
"We'll be back in a bit~" Kou waved to Makoto and concentrated on her work, while Rei and Nagisa motioned enthusiastically for Haruka to do his best and hang in there. As Makoto dragged Haruka down the corridor, Haruka writhed and twisted, in an attempt to loosen Makoto's grip on his wrist. Haruka found himself failing, especially since the two teens were still wet, clothed only in their swim trunks and sploshing water across the floor.
"Oh my goodness what are you two doing?!" Makoto paused briefly and turned to look at a distraught Amakata sensei, the woman eyeing the trail of water on the floor with growing trepidation.
"Ah Ama chan sensei! I'm taking Haru to the infirm-"
"Oh my goodness just go go go!" She shooed the two teens hurriedly into the infirmary and slammed the door shut behind her. Spinning around, she placed her hands on her hip and frowned at the duo.
"Why in the world are you running around the school wet and half naked?!" Makoto and Haruka blinked at her. Neither of the two seemed to have realized that they had rushed in without their clothes on. When Amakata sensei realized this, she wavered and sunk down on the bed.
"Atleast think before acting so brashly! How am I supposed to explain that trail to the other teachers?!"
"You could tell them we went on a fishing trip." Makoto offered. Amakata sensei looked at him incredulously. Then she looked at Haruka who promptly looked away. Rubbing her temples she nodded and stood up.
"Yes, yes I think I shall tell them that.." Then muttering to herself, she filed out of the room and left the two boys alone. Makoto immediately pushed Haruka on the bed and threw a towel on the other's head. While Haruka protested, Makoto dried the blue-haired male's hair and continued wiping the water off his body. Once Haruka was dry, Makoto wiped what little water was still on himself and hung the towel around his neck. Haruka glared up at him from the bed. Makoto smiled sweetly and pushed his childhood friend down, effectively pinning Haruka's hands and feet under him. Haruka tried to roll away but – as he had learned a few moments ago – Makoto was bigger and heavier and could easily subdue him. Haruka pouted up at Makoto.
"Why are you doing this Makoto?" The other simply smiled down at him.
"Because I worry about you Haru chan." Haruka wriggled again and Makoto grabbed both of Haruka's hands and pinned them on top of the other's head. Then he leaned down, an inch from Haruka's face, and whispered;
"Haru chan we can either do this the hard way or the easy way." Haruka stuck his tongue out at Makoto. The meadow-haired teen raised an eyebrow and with his free hand grabbed the pink tissue between two fingers. Haruka glared at Makoto, though it wasn't as effective since the former's tongue was hanging half out of his mouth.
"I know why yoh'doing thif" Haruka said slowly. Makoto eyed the teen below him and smiled.
"Oh really?"
"And I won' tell you." Makoto's smile faltered and he let go off Haruka. Sitting beside him, he placed one hand next to Haruka's shoulder and green eyes locked with blue ones. Haruka was the first to break eye contact. He stared as the tendons in Makoto's fore arm rippled when he shifted over him.
"Haru chan…. Why must we do this? Why are you being so stubborn?" Haruka continued to stare at one of the tendons and refused to answer. Makoto sighed and sunk his head in his hands. Then he spoke so quietly, Haruka nearly missed what he said;
"Is this something you have to hide from me Haru?" When Haruka didn't reply, Makoto looked at his childhood friend. The former blanched at the look of obvious hurt on Makoto's face. But it was immediately replaced by a smile, as Makoto stood up and turned away from Haruka.
"Well it seems I worried for no reason. You seem perfectly fine. Just don't sit in the bath too long." Makoto strode forward and slid the door to the infirmary open. It immediately slid shut as Haruka pressed his palms against the handle. Makoto looked over his shoulder with a curious smile.
"Is something wrong Haru?"
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to worry you. Not because it's something I can't tell you." Makoto eyed his best friend for several seconds. Then, walking past him, he sat on the infirmary bed and patted the sheet next to him. Haruka silently walked up to him and sat down. Taking a deep breath, he started;
"When I lost at the prefectural tournament, Rin said he'd never swim with me again." Haruka paused, but when Makoto didn't interrupt, he continued-
"Obviously that depressed me. Since I wanted to swim with Rin again. That match left a bad taste in my mouth. I thought it would finally end, but it didn't. And the fact that I lost coupled with what Rin said… it was just too much for me."
"And that's why you decided to quit the team." Haruka nodded slowly, the way in which Makoto said the words wasn't out of spite, but Haruka still felt a sense of shame for abandoning his team because of his selfish problems.
"And then you met Rin chan again." Again Haruka nodded.
"And he told me that I had to break it off with him once and for all. He told me not to wait for him, that it was pointless. He said that even though he came back, things would never go back to how they were. He said he'd come for a new start. A new beginning that didn't include me in it." Makoto found himself pulling Haruka into his arms, as the latter ended his sentence with a choked voice. Haruka continued, now that he had started he wanted to just spit it all out.
"I had always thought it was my fault. Ever since that day when Rin lost to me and ran away. I should have run after him. I should have consoled him. But I let him go and because of that… I'm sure Rin despises me now. If not, why would he say things like that? Why would he just cut off our relationship like it meant nothing to him? Was it really all just a game to him? Every moment we spent together was just a joke? I don't even know what to think anymore. It's like he's laughing at me for waiting for him. For all those months I waited. I waited and believed that he would come back. And then he comes and says that he never wants to swim with me again? Like I was just a passing amusement that he can throw away whenever he felt like." Haruka paused and sat up. He ruffled his hair and took a deep, steadying breath. Then he looked at Makoto and the latter was surprised at the intensity of the resolve in Haruka's bright blue eyes.
"So I decided that I won't mope around any longer. Obviously Rin is going to take part in the Regionals. And I will face him again there. He won't have a choice. And this time I'll beat him and cause him to beg me to swim with him again. This time I'll try ten times as harder. And this time I won't lose!" Makoto found himself smiling at Haruka's determination. What he had found out was different than what he had expected. He hadn't expected Haruka to pick himself up on his own. It caused him a slight tinge in his chest. As though the other no longer needed his support. But Makoto smiled and ruffled Haruka's hair and said,
"That's great Haru! You go show Rin chan whose boss!" Haruka smiled, nodded once and jogged out of the infirmary. He stopped at the entrance and looked back at Makoto. The meadow-haired teen waved him to go, signaling that he'll follow soon. Makoto watched the door slide shut. He leaned back on his arms and looked outside the window. He watched the seagulls soar past in a perfect V formation as the sun dipped over the horizon.
'Looks like I was worried for nothing after all.' He unclenched his fists and looked at the semi circular marks that adorned his palm from the pressure of his nails. His hands trembled as the marks became darker. He sucked in a steadying breath and clenched his fists again. It wasn't the time for him to worry about trivial things. If Haru needed him, he would always be there. And he was sure the other knew that. Makoto stared at the semi circles on his palms and felt a sudden vulnerability overcome him. The fact that Haruka had gotten over the problem called Rin without his help, left him feeling useless and he began to question the reason for his existence. If Haru no longer needed him, what was his purpose for living everyday in this world? He heard a sound outside the infirmary and decided he had dawdled long enough. Steeling himself, he jogged back to where the others were, as he neared the pool, his typical smile took up its place on his face. He was going to do this.
A/n: Yes well, more of Makoto's insecurities coming up~ Also more of Kou and her keen-eyed-manager goodness :') [I just really like her lol]
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned~
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