The minute he was out the doors, Makoto was sprinting up to Haru's room. Something was very, very wrong.
The door was ajar when he arrived, and he stopped before it, panting hard. He took a little time to collect himself before he pushed it open fully…but even his gentle touch couldn't prevent the small creak it released as he did so.
"Haru?" he asked quietly. "Haru, are you here?"
He looked down sadly when he spotted Haru lying on his bed, blankets clustered haphazardly at his feet. His eyes were closed.
Obviously, he didn't want to talk right now.
"Haru…"
Makoto padded up to his friend, then hesitated. It was somehow both unnerving and endearing to see Haru so soft and unshielded…even if he was only pretending to be asleep. Sighing, he sat down next to him and smiled softly, then carefully pulled the covers over him. Haru twitched.
"Don't worry…" he murmured, smoothing the duvet around Haru's shoulders. "If you want to…we can talk about it when you wake up."
Resisting the strange urge to run his fingers through Haru's hair, he climbed to his feet, then crawled into his own bed.
Had he not, he may have noticed Haru's open eyes gazing at the empty wall. And though it was impossible, Haru desperately hoped that Makoto couldn't hear his heart trying to rip itself from his chest with every painful beat.
Rin Matsuoka stretched in the morning light, glass of orange juice in hand and television blaring. He sighed as he collapsed onto his couch.
"Jeez. There's never anything good on at this time," he muttered. Not really expecting to find anything worth watching, he began flicking through the channels, frowning when his doorbell rang.
"Huh? Who could that be?"
Reluctantly, he dragged himself from the couch.
"Hey," he began, opening the door. "I'm not expecting anyone so I'm pretty sure you have the wrong addr"- He paused in shock at the sight before him. "S-sousuke?!"
"Yo."
For a moment, Rin could do nothing but stare. Then he blinked a few times. Then he stared some more. Sousuke rolled his eyes.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
"Uh…"
"Cool." Rin's eyes followed him briefly.
"Sousuke, what are you doing here?" he asked dumbly. Then, he snapped out of it and his eyes widened. "Hang on, how do you know where live?!"
Sousuke grinned.
"Haru told me."
Rin groaned.
"Of course he did. That idiot…"
Sousuke raised an eyebrow.
"Why, you don't want me knowing where you live?"
"No, that's not it," Rin said quickly. "It's just that you think he'd tell me you called." He sighed, then glared at him. "I mean you could've just asked me yourself, you know." Sousuke scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah…I kinda asked him not to say anything."
"But why?" Rin asked, somewhat startled.
"Guess I just wanted to surprise an old friend," Sousuke replied, meeting his eyes.
Rin stared at him for a moment, then grinned.
"Well, I'm surprised alright." He held up his hand for a fist-bump, and Sousuke obliged gladly, grinning back.
"So, Sousuke," Rin said, throwing himself back onto his couch.
"Hmm?"
"Why are you here? Really, I mean."
Sousuke looked down briefly.
"Guess there's no hiding anything from you, is there?" He smiled half-heartedly, then slid into the gap next to Rin. "I guess…I guess I was feeling lost."
"Lost?" Rin asked, surprised.
"Yeah…I mean ever since I gave up on my old dream of swimming professionally, I've been struggling a little to find a new one. And you're always so driven…" He leaned forward in his spot to look a surprised Rin in the eye. "I think I thought seeing you again would clear my head a little, you know?"
"Sousuke…"
Sousuke rolled his eyes.
"Eh…I don't think I really know what I was hoping to find by coming here," he groaned, stretching his shoulder. "But whatever the case, I think it'll be worth it."
"And why do you say that?" Rin queried.
"Well, I got to see my friend again, didn't I?"
Rin laughed, then kneed him playfully in the leg.
"Shut up," he retorted. Sousuke grinned in return, not noticing Rin's slight blush. "So you still coming to Iwatobi to meet up with everyone?" Rin continued. "I mean I was looking forward to seeing you there, but it looks like I won't have to wait that long." Sousuke nodded.
"Yeah, I'll be there." He smiled gently. "It'll be good to see Ai and Momo again." Rin's eyes softened at the thought, and for a little while, there was silence. Then:
"Hang on a second…" Sousuke said. Rin knitted his eyebrows.
"What?"
"Isn't that…Nanase?"
"Eh?"
Rin swore his ghost almost left his body when he glanced at the television screen.
"What the hell is he doing on a reality tv show?!"
"Beats me," Sousuke replied. "And hey, isn't that Tachibana he's dancing with?"
Rin's gaze faltered on the tv for a few seconds before it dropped to the floor. The smile which played across his features was genuine, but also contained a hint of sadness. "Wouldn't surprise me," he murmured.
"I swear there's something up with those two," Sousuke commented.
"Wouldn't surprise me either, to be honest."
Sousuke glanced at Rin, then frowned, mildly concerned. "Something wrong?" he asked.
"Hmm?" Rin looked up in surprise, then grinned. "Nah, just thinking, that's all."
"That's never good."
"Yeah, yeah," Rin laughed. Then his eyes widened.
"Hey, Sousuke…"
"…Yeah?"
"We're in Australia."
"Okay. So?"
"So…you know there's a certain Olympic swimming pool here, right?" Sousuke snorted.
"Forget it — you're not pulling the same stunt you pulled with Nanase."
"Sousuke, I've told you before," Rin said firmly, climbing to his feet. "Don't crush your own potential before you even try."
"And I told you before I'd give it some thought."
"But you never figured it out, did you?" He grabbed his keys from the nearby counter. "Well, now's your chance."
"You're going now?!"
"What do you think?" Rin asked, grinning slyly. "Now are you coming or what?"
Sousuke glared at him for a few moments, then sighed and relented. "Doesn't look like I have much of a choice, do I?"
Save for a mischievous glance, Rin didn't respond as they walked out the door.
"I HOPE YOU'RE READY FOR THE MOST EXCRUCIATING EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LIFE!"
Beside Makoto, Sayuri flinched. This went unnoticed by Haru, who was too busy trying not to look in Makoto's direction.
Kaida sighed. "Please ignore Hideaki's dramatics. It's not so bad." She pointed to the pool. "This is a simple endurance and exchange exercise. All you have to do is swim as many laps as possible — just remember to pace yourself and you'll be fine."
"That doesn't sound too bad," Aika murmured uncertainly.
"Remember," Kaida continued, "it'll be the pair with the most laps by the end of the time who will win — not necessarily the fastest pair."
"Do we at least get a prize or something this time?" someone called from the back.
"Yeah like a trophy!"
"A trophy?" Hideaki asked, apparently aghast. "Is the splendour of teamwork not enough for you? I mean a trophy…well, a trophy is just a worthless hunk of metal, after all."
"And yet it's still worth more than you'll ever be," Kaida sighed.
Aika giggled as Hideaki flinched melodramatically, then nudged Haru. "You coming?"
"Yeah," he replied. He trudged after her towards the nearest starting block. Makoto and Sayuri followed close behind.
"Alright, everyone ready?" Kaida called.
"Hey, Haru." With these words, Haru was forced to meet Makoto's eyes. He was gifted with a warm smile. "Good luck!"
Oh god, his heart.
Haru swallowed.
"Yeah. You too."
"Oi, Haruka!" Aika grinned when he turned to face her. "Stop flirting with the enemy."
"Flirtin-?" Haru's eyes widened, then narrowed to slits. "Tch."
Aika frowned. "Relax…I was just joking."
"Didn't seem very funny to me."
Haru didn't know why the concept of flirting should touch a nerve, but he did know he couldn't deal with this kind of needling. Not today. Aika flinched at his hostility.
"Haruka…" she murmured. Haru could feel Makoto's concerned gaze upon him. He would probably have burst had Kaida not blown her whistle.
"On your marks…get set…GO!"
Happy to leave Makoto and Aika behind, Haru dived into the water along with Sayuri.
"You got this Haruka!"
"HARU!"
Haru resisted the urge to drop to the bottom of the pool; maybe there he would be safe from the effects of Makoto's voice.
Makoto himself, once he had lowered himself into the water, had turned his attention on Sayuri.
"She's so fast…" he said in wonder. Aika grinned down at him.
"Oh yeah, that's right," she noted. "You've never seen Sa-chan swim in an open pool before have you?" She turned her gaze on Sayuri. "Let's just say she's an angel on land...but a demon in the water."
"Wow…" Makoto stammered. He cupped his hands to his mouth. "KEEP IT UP SAYURI! YOU'VE GOT THIS!"
"Well, maybe for now she does," Aika observed, pulling her goggles over her eyes. She bent her legs. "But she doesn't know how to pace herself…"
"Makoto!" Sayuri called, hitting the wall seconds before Haru. Without hesitation, he pushed off into a solid backstroke, trying to avoid hitting Sayuri in the process.
Sayuri glanced up as Haru hit the wall and Aika dived in.
"Hey, Haruka!" she said. Haru shook his hair dry, then glanced at her in surprise.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You…you're really fast." She batted the water with one hand. Haru stared at her for a moment, then looked forward towards Aika.
"It doesn't matter how fast I am," he said. "This is meant improve endurance." He climbed out of the pool. "Either way, Aika's a naturally fast swimmer. Picking up the pace when it's necessary shouldn't be a problem for her."
Sayuri's eyes shone as she followed his gaze towards Aika.
"Yeah, she's great, isn't she?"
"What about you?" Haru asked.
"Huh?"
"You're a good swimmer." Sayuri stared at him.
"You think…I'm a good swimmer?" She looked down. "Thanks, Haruka, that really means a lot to me…but I can't even pace myself. When I dive in, I just…swim, y'know? I have no control over it." She bit her lip. "I'm not even sure why I was scouted."
"You're a good swimmer," Haru repeated. He readied himself on the starting block. "Besides…just swimming is the best way to swim."
Sayuri's eyes were still on him when Aika hit the wall and he soared into the pool.
"We lost," Makoto groaned a few minutes later. Sayuri giggled.
"I don't think we stood a chance against those two." Makoto laughed in response.
"Yeah, they're fast alright." He climbed to his feet, then padded up to Haru, who was still in the pool.
"Haru!" he smiled, offering him his hand. "You did great!" Haru glanced at him briefly, then looked away.
"Yeah…thanks."
He grabbed Makoto's hand, a basic reflex by now. But before he could get out of the pool, his heart twisted. Images of chandeliers and sounds of slow-moving music filled him…
"Haru!"
Makoto gasped as Haru slipped from his hold and crashed back into the pool. Before Makoto could come to his aid again, Haru scrambled to the edge and helped himself out of the water.
"Haru, are you okay?!" Makoto asked. His eyes were wide…and Haru couldn't bring himself to meet them.
"I'm fine."
Behind Makoto, Aika looked on nervously.
The sun was setting by the time they started walking back to their room.
"Haru…" Makoto murmured.
"What is it?"
Makoto hesitated.
"What's wrong?"
Haru clenched his fist and picked up his pace.
"I told you, I'm fine."
Makoto hesitated…then stopped in his tracks. Haru walked a little further, before stopping as well when he realised Makoto wasn't following him. He turned around to meet a pair of wavering, bright green eyes.
"…You're not fine," he said quietly. Haru stared at him for a moment, then turned away again and continued walking. Desperately, Makoto reached out towards him. "If you'd just talk to me… "
" I SAID I'M FINE!" Haru snapped, spinning around on his heel and smacking Makoto's hand away. Makoto flinched and Haru's eyes flickered uncertainly.
"Makoto, I…" He hesitated, then looked down. "Sorry."
Makoto's eyes widened. "It's okay, I…" He trailed off when Haru began to trudge back in the direction they had come. "W-where are you going?"
"Swimming."
Haru could feel Makoto's gaze burning into his neck as he walked away.