Thank you so much for your reviews, putting this story to favorite and subscription. The events from the last chapter weren't going really well, so I hope I made up a little in this chapter. Hope you enjoy. ^^

Chapter 6

Enduring Friendships and Severed Ties

:-:

"I even thought you and him shared a soul. Your bond with him is that unbreakable."

—Rin to Makoto

:-:

Makoto finds himself wondering about Sousuke's tardiness in responding his texts. Ever since that particular night, Sousuke has been even more unresponsive to his long texts. This time, it isn't just the lack of words, but the time he takes to reply as well. Sousuke takes a whole day to respond. Makoto is aware of the sudden change, and he has kept his messages shorter each day. Their conversations have turned forced and awkward. They are dragged in a very slow pace now. Two texts from Makoto and one short response from Sousuke per day.

It has been going for five days straight, until Makoto decides to back away. It's just before weekend, when they've planned to visit the pool together.

He often worries if he's being too aggressive, texting him non-stop while Sousuke has clearly shown his disinterest. He may be a little pushy, but he secretly wishes that their relationship can be mended again. For Makoto, Sousuke is a valuable friend—someone he's decided to invite in his very small circle of trustable friends.

Tachibana Makoto has many acquaintances, but very few of them are considered good friends. They are the people he can trust, and now they are drifting away, one by one. Sousuke is one of them. Unlike what Sousuke has thought, Makoto has met Yamazaki Sousuke long before their meeting in front of the coffee shop under the pouring rain. Ever since then, Makoto had admired him from a distance—unnoticed and forgotten.

That first glimpse of his teal eyes under the April shower had brought his hope up and made his heart race. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach when Sousuke sat in front of him, looking nonchalant. This is the person in my dreams, Makoto had thought, the person from my past.

He wasn't surprised when Sousuke didn't recognize him as someone he knew. Their very first meeting was barely memorable for Sousuke. Realizing that, Makoto acted like he'd just met Sousuke for the first time. Makoto was happy to have the opportunity to build up a relationship with someone he'd had a secret little crush on since quite a long time ago.

Now, that opportunity is snatched away from his weak grasp.

He wishes that specific night won't change Sousuke's perspective of him—and desperately wishes that Sousuke won't believe the leaking photo of him being kissed by another guy, which in actual truth, is a photo of him being sexually harassed.

He knows he can't pretend to be naïve. Of course Sousuke believes the picture. A picture is worth a thousand words. Sousuke doesn't need to listen to any more gossip about him. That picture has obviously told Sousuke something.

Makoto fidgets with the cell phone in his hand. He has lost another friend. First, it was Mamoru. Now, it's Sousuke. Maybe Rin is next. Perhaps he will break off their relationship soon.

Probably Haruka as well. Ever since that night, they barely talk to each other.

Suddenly, Makoto wants to go home to Iwatobi, to meet up with his family. Then again, he has a feeling that his family has seen his scandalous picture. It's all over the internet now. Makoto isn't sure anymore if his parents and siblings will welcome him home in their usual demeanors.

He wonders if his father is angry, and if his mother is upset. He wonders if Ran and Ren don't view him the same anymore, probably falling out of love with their older brother. They are probably disappointed with him.

His chest hurts.

Makoto's hand opens up his empty email inbox. He starts to compose a mail to Haruka.

'Haru, I'm sorry. I need to talk to you. Please.'

After sending the email, Makoto leaves for work. He constantly checks his cell phone for any reply each time he has the opportunity. Despite the previous day being hard enough after being scolded by his manager about the scandalous picture, the recording of Sunshine Season is quite successful. Makoto tries to force a cheerful smile and an energetic voice until his lips twitches in tiredness, his throat scratchy, and uncomfortable air seems to linger in his throat.

Until it's time for Makoto to go home, his email inbox remains empty.

With numbness in his chest, Makoto stops a taxi and asks the driver to escort him to Haruka's restaurant. If Haruka refuses to reply to his message, Makoto will approach him. He's lost Sousuke and probably Rin. At least, he wants to keep Haruka, because Makoto has been holding on Haruka since their very early childhood. Haruka is a part of his family, a slice of his soul, and a home. Makoto loves Haruka, and Haruka is that one person beside his family who loves him back equally. Haruka is someone who won't ever leave Makoto, and accepts him for who he is.

Isn't that right?

Makoto is starting to doubt the unbreakable bond he has with Haruka. Perhaps it's still breakable, after all.

Halfway to Haruka's restaurant, Makoto's cell phone finally buzzes. The brunet hastily snaps open his email inbox, expecting a reply from Haruka.

Instead, the email comes from Rin.

'Meet me up at Haru's restaurant now. I know you're done with your work.'

An unfortunate coincidence. Makoto is scared to face Rin now. He won't be able to handle a rejection.

:-:

Makoto settles himself on a vacant seat at his favorite spot, just beside the window. His eyes stare blankly toward the window, watching the bright orange sky. Makoto's fingers fiddle with the menu, barely paying a glance at it. He's known what's in the menu without the need to look at it. Makoto has been a regular customer ever since Haruka started working in this restaurant.

He felt another person's presence in front of him. Makoto turns his head to the front. His eyes met with Rin's red irises. Rin taps his finger against the table after he sat down on a seat facing Makoto. "How are you, Makoto?"

"Rin." Makoto immediately breaks the eye contact and his green eyes droop down. "I'm..." Makoto looks up again, tilting his head and grinning. "I'm fine!"

"Lie." Rin sighs, "You're the worst liar I've ever met."

Makoto's smile vanishes in an instant. "I'm sorry. Rin, are you..."

"What?" Rin lifts his hand to the waiter for order.

"Are you still my friend?" Makoto timidly asks, in hopeful tone.

"Not anymore, dumbass." Rin orders a portion of rib steak and a glass of water. Ignoring the shadow crossing Makoto's face, he asks, "What do you want to order? Make it fast. I'm hungry."

Makoto shakes his head. Upon hearing Rin's answer, he has lost his appetite.

"Warm green tea for him." Rin orders for Makoto, "Also, green curry and chocolate fudge cake for the dessert. That's it."

As the waiter leaves, Rin's back bumps against the back of his seat, his shoulders slump. "You look terrible."

"What do you want?" Makoto refuses to meet Rin's eyes.

"I see that you're getting the wrong idea. Clueless as ever, Makoto. I'm still calling you by your first name, am I not?"

Makoto lifts his head, facing Rin with glimmering green eyes.

"We're no longer friends. We're really good friends now. Place me second after Haru, will you, Makoto?"

"I thought you're cutting me out." A faint blush colors Makoto's cheek as his eyes widen.

"Over a stupid picture that I refuse to believe? No. I've known you better. Now, tell me. Who are the bastards? I will beat them to pulp. The one who kissed you, though. He will probably end up in hospital, while I will happily drag his friends for interrogation after I've landed several blows on them."

Makoto's mouth parts open in awe.

"You look dumbfounded. You think our relationship is that fragile? And Sousuke—if you're worrying about my stupid best friend, just ignore him. He's an idiot."

"Sousuke, uh... how is he?" Makoto asks with a shy smile.

Rin's forearms rest on the table as his body shifts closer to Makoto. "Makoto, forget about him. He's doing fine, but he's been stupid these past days." His eyes bores to Makoto, "Well, how were your conversations with him? You guys are still exchanging texts, right?"

"Awkward." Makoto blushes, "It's obvious that Sousuke didn't like my messages, so I've stopped sending them since yesterday. Wait, Rin, if you're not kicking me out, then why does it take five days for you to come and talk to me?"

"Whoa, sorry. You were lonely?" Despite his words, Rin doesn't look like he's sorry.

"Well..." Makoto trails off, but he continues in softer tone, "I was lonely, yes."

"I did it on purpose. I've waited for any initiative from you to come to me and explain. If you think I'm your good and loyal friend, you will open up to me. I'm kinda disappointed that you didn't contact me, and I should be the one who takes the initiative, after all."

"Sorry." Makoto's head hangs low. "I was scared, you know. If I contacted you and Haru, rejections would be thrown at my face sooner. I prefer silent rejections."

"Smart guy," Rin says in sarcasm, "as if Haru and I will reject you—especially Haru. Dude, what is wrong with you? You've been together with Haru since you're toddlers, am I right? I even thought you and him shared a soul. Your bond with him is that unbreakable." A crease is visible on Rin's brows. "Great job, Makoto. You hasn't contacted him since that night?"

"R-Rin," Makoto is clearly touched, "but I'm worried. I've just send him an email this morning, but he hasn't replied."

"I want to strangle you, Makoto. You know Haru barely carries his phone around." Rin's hands curled to knuckles.

"You're right, but..." Makoto smiles sheepishly.

"But nothing. If you want to, you may tell me how's that night going with you guys."

"Not so good, actually." This time, Makoto doesn't attempt to lie. "Haru scolded me about pretty much everything, and I kept silent."

"What did he try to tell you through his scoldings?"

"That I... I shouldn't make everyone worry. I shouldn't keep secrets from him. He was especially angry because I was drunk, and—"

"No need to tell me more details. From what you've told me, there's not a slightest hint of him intending to cut you off. He loves you, that's why he scolded you. He should've yelled at you or thrown things to you if necessary. By the way, your food's here."

"Here's your green curry." A very familiar voice reaches Makoto's ear. The brunet quickly looks up in nervousness. Haruka is standing beside him, carrying a tray. Before seeing Haruka, Makoto didn't realize how much he'd missed his best friend. Haruka silently places a bowl of green curry in front of Makoto and a glass of green tea beside it. "Enjoy."

"Haru, I—"

"Eat up, Makoto." Rin says and smiles at him. Haruka lingers beside them, keenly watching his best friend.

The brunet looks confused, but he takes a spoon and scoops up the steaming green curry. "Wait... isn't this...?" his green eyes squint in suspicion. Makoto puts the curry inside his mouth, feeling its texture rolling on his tongue. He slowly munched the meat among the creamy sauce. "This is mackerel."

"It is." Haruka replied, keeping his expression blank.

"I thought mackerel isn't in the recipe." Makoto's eye twitches.

"I invented it for you." Haruka stares at him, looking indifferent. "Because you and I are one. You are the curry, I am the mackerel. So if you want to eat a green curry, you have to eat the mackerel inside, too. We're inseparable, Makoto. Like it or not, I'm inside you. If you mess up, I can still make you delicious."

Despite the sentences being forcefully crafted and spoken flatly, Makoto can sense deeper emotions in Haruka's voice. More blushes adorn Makoto's cheeks. His green eyes glimmer like sunshine pours over damp leaves, and his smile stretches even wider. "Haru!" He exclaims in awe.

"Rin." Haruka continues, looking down, "Rin composed those stupid sentences."

"Oi! Don't tell him. You're ruining the surprise!" Rin protests.

Makoto is still struck in unexpected happiness, after all. He hasn't smiled so widely before since the past five days.

"You look like an overexcited puppy." Rin sighs, grinning widely. "If you have a tail, I bet it's wagging so energetically right now."

"Y-you two..." Makoto giggles, pure joy has replaced his anxiety, "thank you!"

"We have to do this because Makoto is so stupid." Haruka says, looking away. He's blushing a little as well. "I'm even more angry because you dare thought that I'm going to break our friendship."

"Haru will hate the entire race of mackerel first before he hates you, Makoto." Rin says, grinning at them. "Right, Haru?"

The blue-eyed man silently agrees. He barely nodded. "Stupid Makoto."

"Thank you for sticking with me, Haru, Rin." Makoto smiles gratefully.

"Give me a space." Haruka nudges Makoto's shoulder.

"Haru, aren't you in your shift hours?"

"Got special permission." Haruka replies, "Just for ten minutes."

Makoto scoots to the side, leaving a space for Haruka to sit down. His best friend sat down beside him, eyes never leave Makoto. "Spill, Makoto."

"Huh?" Makoto's smile is still lingering on his lips.

A waiter comes and delivers Rin's orders, placing them carefully in front of Rin before making his away back to the counter. Rin stabs his meat, feeling its tenderness. He nods in approval. "Good stuff. Alright, Makoto. Tell us about that night. Haru can read you when you're being dishonest, so don't dare lying in front of us."

Goosebumps land on his spine when Makoto feels Haruka's eagle gaze on him. Makoto clears his throat and laughs nervously. "O... okay. Okay! Stop looking at me that way, Haru."

Haruka's eyes soften. "Promise us that you won't lie."

"I promise." Makoto's body relaxed, leaning comfortably on his seat. "...It's Mamoru."

"I don't think I've known someone named Mamoru." Rin cuts his meat.

"Mamoru is Makoto's friend at work." Haruka takes Makoto's cup of green tea and sips on it. "He's a rock singer with stupid hairstyle and dye. What's with him?"

Makoto starts to blush again, head hanging low. He refuses to meet his friends' eyes. "His friends..." his voice is weak and soft, "sexually harassed me."

"Shit." Rin drops his fork, "Did I hear that right?"

Haruka's jaw drops. He clearly doesn't expect this. Makoto has never told him about this before. "When did that happen?"

Makoto closes his eyes as his blush deepens. "It started two months ago."

In an instant, Haruka feels like a failure. He has failed as Makoto's friend—failed to earn Makoto's trust to tell him about his problems. He fails to protect Makoto. He has despised Sousuke's ogling eyes, trying to kick the guy away from Makoto, but he didn't even see Mamoru as an actual threat, even after several encounters with him. He had stupidly thought that Tsukuda Mamoru is trustworthy.

"Two months ago, after their practice, Mamoru excused himself to make a phone call, leaving me in the room with his friends. We exchanged stories and some jokes. That was when Mamoru's bassist was acting a bit touchy. His guitarist scooted closer to me as well, touching me constantly wherever inappropriate in between our conversations. I felt uncomfortable and excused myself to the bathroom. The bassist followed me to the bathroom and he..." Makoto finds his voice shaking, "He... uh..."

"Did he..." Rin tries with voice just above whisper, "take away your virginity?"

"No!" Scarlet washed all over Makoto's face and neck, "Nothing like that. He attempted to push me to the corner and release my clothes."

"Dude! Did you punch him on the face? Because you should!" Rin almost jumps on his seat.

Makoto shakes his head. "I kicked him. Hard. And I ran away."

"Nice move. What's next?" Rin sighs in relief.

"The day after that, Mamoru apologized to me. His bassist did as well. Mamoru promised to protect me whenever his friends did something that made me uncomfortable. He told me that his friends can be a bit touchy, but they won't really do harm. He has kept his promise, though. His friends didn't really touch me ever since then, either. Mamoru had been a good friend of mine until around a week or two ago."

"A week or two.." Haruka's thumb moves up to his chin, "That's when..."

Makoto nods. "Remember that day when I overate and said something about getting diabetes and dying, Haru?" He turns to his best friend, "I was upset. I just found out that he's been targeting my money. He sticks with me only because I gave him money. Sometimes I treated him and his gang of friends a lot of things they want."

"Stupid. What for?" Rin has left his steak, letting it cool.

"Because they're my friends?" Makoto forces a weak smile, "I want to make them happy once in a while."

"I'm wondering how often is 'once in a while' for you. Well, what about that night? After you've known that Mamoru's been using you, why are you sticking with them?"

"Mamoru is the only link I have to pursue a career in rock music." Makoto finally confesses, "I want to be rock singer. Mamoru has a professional band. If I stick with him, I can use the opportunity to have real performance with them. If you think about it, I've been using Mamoru as well, as a stepping stone. Yet, despite our status as so-called 'friends', nothing is free. That's why I've been saving up money."

"To give them to Mamoru?" Haruka snorts in annoyance.

"That's right. I paid him a lot to practice and perform with them. I treated him and his friends drinks and such. We're building up a fake friendship with benefits."

"So what you did that night is..." Haruka takes a deep breath, "performing with him."

Makoto nods as a response. "Those clothes and piercings I was wearing, they were Mamoru's requirements if I want to perform with his band. I had no other choice."

Rin finally smiles, "You would look great in the right costumes. Your clothes that night were actually amazing, but it wasn't you. Those weren't for Tachibana Makoto, if you know what I mean. Go on. Explain the picture. I believe these past few days have been rough for you."

"Yeah." Makoto exhales. "I'm not sure if he's a friend of Mamoru, or not. I didn't even know him. I've never seen the guy before. They got me drunk, and I barely realized what's happening except that I'd been touched. I excused myself to the bathroom and just after I stood up, that guy slammed me to the wall and immediately kissed me." Makoto's face couldn't get more red, "I pushed him away and ran to the bathroom. I was so upset that I quietly made it outside. I just wanted to go home, and that's when I met you guys."

"You were crying." Haruka remarks, "They made you cry."

Makoto let out a small laugh, slapping a hand on his scarlet face. "That was embarrassing."

"Wow." Rin's knuckles are itchy to punch someone. "Anyone who made Makoto cry deserves a prize of my knuckle on his mouth."

Haruka nodded in agreement, "It's hard to make Makoto cry, unless that person is—"

"—a complete asshole." Rin continued, "I will make him cry in return."

"You two," Makoto chuckled softly, "thank you, but please don't do that. Just let him be. I cried because I was drunk, and upset, and... I don't really know." His hand moves up, the back of it covers his lips. "He... stole my first kiss." The last sentence comes out with mild voice.

"Oh." Rin blinks his eyes. A part of his heart, which he's been ignoring since five days ago, screams its fury. That little piece of his heart wants Sousuke to give the first kiss to Makoto, and that precious moment should be the first kiss for them both. It could be crazily romantic, when you shared your first kiss with a partner of your life, and now it's ruined.

It's ruined because of some disgusting drunk guy who stole it from Makoto, who didn't even want the gesture—who cried because of it.

"No." Rin's mouth drops open, baring rows of teeth that seem to belong to a shark. "No..."

"Rin...?" Makoto tilts his head in confusion, "Are you okay?"

"He stole your precious first kiss!" Rin erupts in rage, "He stole your—dammit!"

Makoto smiles sheepishly, "My 'dammit'...?"

"I'll never forgive him. Just wait, Makoto. I will avenge you!"

"Eh? Please don't." Makoto repeats, "I don't want to start an unnecessary war."

Ignoring Makoto's weak plea, Rin slams his hand over the table. "Just sit down and wait. Enjoy a cup of tea while I do the work."

"Do what work?" Makoto whines, "This is suspicious. Don't do anything!"

"No worries, Makoto. It will be done before you know it. Ready, Haru?"

"Haru, you too?"

"Later, Rin. I have to cook more mackerels." Haruka gracefully stands up, "But I'll make sure to imagine that ugly Tsukuda and his gang of faceless friends to be the mackerels I'm going to cut down to pieces."

Makoto's palm slaps his forehead. "You guys are overwhelming."

"Oh yeah, but you love us, right?" Rin chuckles.

"Oh, I do." The blushes on the brunet's cheeks turn darker as he's presenting his usual, bright sunshine smile. "I insanely love you guys."

:-:

The local sports gym has an olympic-size pool, perfect for them to practice professional swimming. They are all registered members, and it doesn't take long for them to finally enter the area with the olympic pool. There aren't many people swimming today, since it isn't a public pool and the professional swim teams are usually on their holiday.

Haruka immediately jumps to the water with his purple and white striped jammers.

"I won't ever be able to stop him from doing that." Makoto sighs, but smiles afterwards. "Oh well, Haru's delighted to see the pool."

"Wait, Haru!" Rin shouts, "Let's race!" He runs toward the lane beside Haruka, settling himself on the starting block and jumps to the pool.

Sousuke takes a deep breath as he swings his arm in circular motion, one hand resting on his shoulder. He and Makoto haven't really talked except for a simple 'hi' and 'hey' toward each other. He closes his teal eyes, feeling the chlorine air entering and leaving his lungs. He's decided, and it's now or never.

These past six days, Sousuke has tried to convince himself that he doesn't give a care to Makoto anymore. He's never so convinced, but he's not going to admit that even to himself. He knows that he should push Makoto away from his life, slowly or immediately, before their relationship goes to a more treacherous turn. It's for their own good. Makoto isn't for him, and time will erase a hint of his crush on the brunet.

When Makoto turns to him and smiles amiably and adorably with a tilt of head, Sousuke almost loses his right mind. All his plans are threatened to fall apart, but Sousuke keeps hold on them in weak grasp. Sousuke clears his throat.

"Go enter the pool," He pauses for a second of hesitation and mentally kicks himself, "Tachibana."

There, he says the name.

The adorable smile on Makoto's soft lips evaporates to nothingness. Yet, another smile follows after. A forced, weak smile. "Uh..." he seems to be at loss for words. "Oh, I... I will, Yamazaki-kun."

They're back to last name terms now. It should be a good step for Sousuke.

"Yamazaki-kun?"

Sousuke focuses his eyes on Makoto's beautiful green ones—the eyes that he'd admired the first time he met Makoto. Sousuke raises his brow, looking indifferent.

"I want to say sorry." Makoto's droopy eyes shimmer under the indoor light.

Sousuke isn't prepared for this. "'s okay." He answers in a barely audible, gruff voice. He walks past Makoto without giving the brunet a longer time to say more than that. He doesn't need an emotional conversation that will lead him to instinctively pull Makoto in his embrace.

The moment Sousuke's shoulder bumps slightly against Makoto's, he can feel Makoto's body going rigid. When Sousuke takes a second glance behind, Makoto hasn't turned. His head hangs low in defeat.

Instead of a feel of victory, Sousuke feels like an asshole—one that deserves a punch in the face because he has heartlessly kicked an innocent puppy.

Notes:

Thank you for sticking with this story. From what I've indicated, Makoto and Sousuke have actually met long before the events in the first chapter, but it seems like Makoto's the only one remembering their very first meeting.

If any one of you ever wondered about Makoto's mental illness, so far he hasn't really done anything that indicates that he actually has one, yet. The actual truth still remains unclear for now, but this issue will be explored soon.

For kanamexzero fan: Thank you. His friends can be bad news or good news, because Makoto is using them as well. Rather than Sousuke, we've found out that Haru's the one sticking with Makoto, since Sousuke's relationship with Makoto is still very fragile. You're welcome! ^^

Reviews are very much appreciated. I hope I will see you again on the next chapter. Warm regards from Gariell.