Haru walked briskly down the sidewalk, hurriedly walking through the crowd.

He was running a little late to meet with everyone for the small businesses expo at the mall, and he quickened his pace as he thought to how odd his conversation was with Nagisa the night before.

"We're just going to meet you there, Haru-chan!" Nagisa said over the phone as he stirred the pot of stew that he was trying out for the restaurant.

If Haru could eye Nagisa suspiciously over the phone he probably would. "So all of you are just going to walk together while I meet you there?" he asked, incredulous. Normally they'd all meet up at the station and go together, so this was odd behaviour.

"Uh-huh!" Nagisa's voice had gone a higher pitch, as if aware that Haru was suspicious of him.

"Alright," Haru conceded with a sigh, figuring he didn't want to understand Nagisa anyway, "if that's what you want."

He turned the corner and looked around. He didn't see any sign of Makoto or Nagisa, so he sat down on one of the benches and waited. About five minutes later, a hurried looking Makoto turned the corner, frantically looking around before spotting Haru on the benches.

"Oh, Haru, you're here," he said a little breathlessly. "Sorry I was running late, were you waiting long?"

Haru shook his head and moved over so Makoto could sit next to him, trying to ignore the electricity that shot up his arm when Makoto's sleeve brushed against him. He swallowed, licking his lips nervously.

They sat there for a quiet, painfully awkward ten minutes, Haru wishing that the sky would open and Amaterasu would fry him with the sun. Haru couldn't figure out what to say to him, couldn't even look at him properly, not when he looked so good in his stupid, well fitted shirt, and stupid, well fitted pants, and stupid, well fitted body, with his stupid green eyes and-

"Ah, it's Nagisa," Makoto said as he pulled out his phone, and Haru wiped his palms on his pants as Makoto answered the phone. "Nagisa, where are you guys? ... Rei what? ... Rin did what? Uh, well Haru and I are here already, did you want us to- Hello, Nagisa?" Haru watched Makoto stare at his phone, looking utterly confused.

Haru furrowed his brows at Makoto. "Uh... They're not coming, Haru," he said slowly. Haru blinked.

"What?" he looked shocked as he stared at Makoto.

Haru briefly thought of all the was he was going to kill Nagisa.

Makoto stood there, stuck between staring at his phone and blinking at Haru, and despite his panic he couldn't help but think how adorably lost he looked.

"So," Makoto began. "Did you just want to go home? We could try again some other time."

"No," Haru said quickly, despite his initial panic. Makoto turned around to blink up at him, and Haru could feel that wave of panic all over again. "We... we should look around," he licked his lips as Makoto turned to face him fully, "since we're already here."

Makoto slowly put his phone back in his pocket slowly. "You really want to spend today with just me?" he said wryly, one eyebrow raised as if in disbelief.

I want to spend everyday with just you, was what Haru was thought but he answered with, "I don't mind."

"Alright then," Makoto smiled gently, gesturing to the direction of the mall for Haru to go first.

Haru bowed awkwardly as he walked passed Makoto, who smiled at him with good nature, suddenly realizing that this was probably Nagisa's way of pushing them to date.

He glanced up at the sky, pleading for rain, for hail, anything that might kill him, he couldn't stop himself from shaking.

"Where did you want to go first?" Makoto asked as he looked at a program and floor map of the expo. Haru leaned over to take a peek, before he quickly leaned away after he brushed shoulders with Makoto.

"It doesn't really matter," he mumbled. From the corner of his eye he could see Makoto's expression drop before he turned back to the pamphlet, and Haru wished he could kick himself in the back of the head. That was so helpful, he scolded himself before rubbing his temple.

"Look, Haru, if you don't want to be here right now, we can always try again," Haru heard and he glanced up in panic. He looked at Makoto, who wore a worried expression on his face.

Makoto thought Haru doesn't want to be here. Makoto probably thought Haru felt tired being here with just him. He probably thought that Haru was annoyed with this outing.

"No, that's not," Haru stuttered, watching Makoto's face change from worry to confusion. "I want to be here. With you. I don't mind if it's just us."

Haru wished that he was more articulate, wished he was better at speaking, wished that his tongue didn't feel like lead, or bricks, or cotton. He soon forgot all of that when Makoto smiled at him, bright and surprised by what he said.

"Well, if you don't mind, then, we should just walk through the levels then, yeah?" he said. Haru nodded, wishing he had his sketchbook with him so he could press graphite to paper and immortalize that expression forever.

They walked together in comfortable silence, Makoto exclaiming and pointing to things that were being featured in each booth. Handmade mugs, knitted shawls, rugs, tableware, household items that were made by the small, family run businesses around the area.

Haru briefly thought about how it would be nice to shop at expos like this to decorate his home with. A home with a white cat. A home where he shared a bathroom, shared a bed, shared his mornings with-

"I could actually use this," Makoto muttered as he picked up a large, clay nabemono pot, turning it around to look at it further.

"You like nabe, Makoto?" Haru asked as he approached Makoto's side. He smiled at Haru, who blinked up at the easiness of it.

"It's an easy dish to make, and easy to share with family," he replied easily, and Haru could feel himself blushing, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why.

It was normal to share nabe with your family, pick out pieces of meat for them, feed them with your own chopsticks-

Haru blinked and shook the thought away as he watched Makoto pay the clerk, who blushed when he smiled and thanked her. Haru shot her a glare before following after him.

"There isn't much in my apartment right now, so I'm really glad we came to this expo," Makoto said as he grinned at his purchase. Haru looked up at him.

"You live separate from your family now," he stated, guessing what Makoto's statement meant.

"Yeah, I have to. I'm closer to the fire station and the middle school," he replied as they began to look at coffee mugs. Haru saw him eye a cat mug, and it made him smile to himself.

"This cat mug comes with a partner, young man," the old lady behind the table said when she saw Makoto looking. He straightened his posture to smile at her. "Normally, they go for ¥1500 a piece, but for you I can cut it down to ¥2200 for both. You can share this mug with your girlfriend."

Haru flinched at the word girlfriend as he watched Makoto react by nervously rubbing at his left ear. "Ah, I don't have a girlfriend, I'll just buy the one mug," he replied, albeit a little sad. The mugs did look adorable together and Haru figured he would still be weak to things like that.

"That's such a shame. You don't want to separate them, they're the last of the batch my daughter made," the old lady was obviously very good at getting people to buy her goods, Haru could see Makoto biting his lip.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't have any use for the second mug," he said apologetically. He pulled out his wallet when Haru grabbed his his wrist.

"I can buy the second mug," Haru said to the lady, pulling out his wallet as he glanced up at Makoto.

"Haru," Makoto said slowly, surprised. The old lady looked delighted.

"Wonderful! That'll be ¥1100 from each of you," she said happily as she wrapped the mugs in newspaper before placing them in a bag. "Y'know, even though people buying them separately would make me more money, it's such a shame to sell them as solo pieces when my daughter worked so hard for them to match."

Haru took his mug from the lady and thanked her, turning away from the table. He handed the mug to Makoto, who blinked at him in surprise.

"They're a set, right?" he turned away, embarrassed. "You keep them."

"I can't keep them, Haru, you bought the other one," Makoto said as he stared at Haru. Haru could feel his ears practically burning off his head.

"I-if I ever visit you at your place," he bumbled through his words, nervous, sweating, "then I'll have my own mug to use."

Haru squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could just melt through the floor. He peeked up at Makoto, who was staring at him wide eyed with a blush slowly spreading across his cheeks. Haru blinked up at him, surprised that Makoto was staring at him that way, before Makoto burst into laughter, high and joyous, causing Haru to blush and turn away again.

"Okay, then," Makoto said affectionately, and Haru could feel himself melt at his voice. "It's a promise. This'll be your mug when you visit."

Haru couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. He turned to face Makoto fully, feeling his heart pound in his chest. He opened his mouth slowly, taking a deep breath.

"Makoto, there's something that I-"

"Makoto?" a kind, gentle voice cut off Haru's sentence and he could feel his eyes widen as he watched Makoto's attention snap to whoever was behind him. Haru turned slowly, met with a girl standing there, all beautiful, dark wavy hair and large, captivating silver eyes framed with dark lashes. She stood there staring at Makoto with a surprised expression on her face, but it wasn't without affection.

Haru could feel panic settle in.

He turned to look at Makoto, who was just as surprised as Haru had been, as he blinked rather owlishly at the girl behind him, before his expression melted into one of affection, joy and care. Haru swallowed, feeling dread settle in his chest and spread down to his finger tips. Makoto smiled before he opened his mouth.

"Hakune..."