Haru wiped the counter as he got ready for his break, feeling listless as he moved through the motions of cleaning up after himself. He hadn't felt this desolate since his surprise trip to Tokyo had gone horrible.

He should have expected that seeing them together up close would yield the same result as all those years ago.

Haru mulled it over in his mind. Makoto had said that he and Hakune were no longer together. He had no reason to lie about that; there was no reason for him to hide their relationship if they still had one. But the way he'd been so openly affectionate with her, from the kiss on the top of her head, to the way she'd observed him, to the way he'd look at her closely, all of that held suspicion.

Maybe they had unresolved feelings, like Haru still did after all of these years.

He wrung out the towel he had been using to wipe the counter and took off his apron, making his way to the back door to sit outside. He put his hand on the knob before opening it slowly, peeking a little to see if Makoto was there.

Makoto wouldn't always show up to spend time with Haru on his break, probably coming around twice a week, but it was still irregular enough that Haru had to hold his breath every time he opened the door.

He sighed with relief when he found the bench empty. On any other day he'd feel twinges of disappointment that would follow him until the end of his shift, but today he relished the relief, wanting to spend the time alone to think.

He sat down and held his hands in his head, trying to ignore the pit that was forming in his stomach. He had spent the whole rest of the weekend trying to exhaust himself so he wouldn't see flashes of Makoto with Hakune; him being sweet to her; him caring for her; him holding for her easily in his arms like she belonged there.

If Makoto held Haru in his arms, would it look like he belonged there?

Haru ruffled his hair in his hands and looked up at the sky. He could feel the pit in his stomach growing, settling heavy, making him feel sick. He'd have to go to the swimming center tonight again if he wanted to avoid those images floating in his dreams, if he wanted to avoid the voice in his head that told him Hakune was a better match than he was-

The back door opened suddenly and Haru looked down quickly to see Nitori walk out, looking mildly depressed. Now that Haru thought of it, Nitori had been a little out of it all day today, having messed up an order, something he hadn't done since first working here. Haru watched him as he sat down on the bench next to him.

"Hello, Nanase-san," he said after a while, a little sigh escaping him. "I-if you don't mind, is it alright if I talked to you?"

Haru blinked a little bit, surprised. Nitori and Haru weren't close by any means, the politeness and conversations that were exchanged between them a result of the close proximity they had while working with each other. He shrugged at Nitori, gesturing that it was alright.

He watched Nitori rub the back of his neck, blushing a little, before letting out a nervous sigh. "Nanase-san," he started, and Haru turned to give him his proper attention, "i-is Rin-san seeing anyone right now?"

Haru felt himself blink, the gears in his head slowly beginning to turn. He shook his head. "... No," he replied.

"Oh," Nitori mumbled, almost to himself. Haru couldn't have missed the hope that flashed through his eyes before he pressed it back down. "D-does he like anyone?"

Haru thought for a moment. Other than their brief relationship, Rin had never pursued anything after that. His life had gotten too hectic with swimming. Did Rin pursue anything casual? Haru remembered that Rin had bragged once about hooking up with two people at an international party once, but it had only gone so far as kissing and touching.

"I don't think so," he said after a while. "Do you like him?"

He watched Nitori go bright red before spluttering nonsense. Guess that answered that question. "W-what makes you say that?" he fidgeted with his thumbs as he looked down at his lap.

"Y-yes," came the quiet answer to Haru's silent question. "Very much so."

Haru watched Nitori under the fringe of his bangs. He watched Nitori's expression melt into quiet, gentle fondness, a serene expression that was easily recognizable as someone being in love. "Then tell him," Haru said. Nitori looked directly at him with shocked eyes, brows raised at the notion.

"I couldn't," he shook his head, eyes looking defeated. "He might think I'm still projecting my admiration on to him."

Haru looked forward as the silence permeated the air. It was true, Nitori had been overly enthusiastic of Rin back when they were in high school together, but that was at least five years ago. "Is it?" Haru prompted.

"Pardon?" Nitori looked up at Haru with confusion.

"Is it just admiration?" Haru continued. He watched Nitori look ahead of him, seeing nothing as he thought.

"I thought it was," Nitori spoke softly as he answered, hands clasped together in his lap. "So when Rin-san had graduated from the academy, I saw him off with a smile and didn't really think much of it. Don't misunderstand, Nanase-san, I still admire him, but it's not just that. I don't think it ever was."

Haru turned to face Nitori, who was staring at his clasped hands still in his lap. Haru sighed before leaning on is knees. "You should just go for it," he mumbled a little, not brave enough to regard Nitori's expression. "Dive right in. He's not going to get it if you don't do something about it."

It was harder than Haru had expected to say those words to Nitori, harder than he'd like to admit. He looked at Nitori, who was watching Haru carefully, a soft smile spreading across his features. "I suppose you're right, Nanase-san," he replied. "He won't know if I don't do something, right?"

Haru nodded and watched Nitori get up and walk back inside. He leaned back on his hands and stared up at the sky. Haru wished he could take his own advice.

He couldn't. Not when his situation was so much different.

Haru locked the front door at the end of his shift. It was ten-thirty on the clock, and he checked around the restaurant one last time before going through the back, locking the door behind him. He stopped short of getting to the sidewalk, seeing a figure in a frock coat standing there waiting for him.

"Hello, Haru," Hakune called to him when he stepped out of the alley way next to the restaurant. Haru nodded his head in acknowledgement before shifting his gaze elsewhere, anywhere, feeling awkward as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you mind if you come with me for a bit?" Haru blinked at her before nodding, following after her.

"There's a local coffee shop I go to at this time of night when I have to stay overtime at work," she answered the silent question that Haru had hovering on his lips, and it left Haru to wonder how she could possibly do that without having to even look at him.

They entered the place, bell above the door jingling to indicate their presence. Hakune nodded at the server that was currently on her shift, and they were gestured to a circular table by the window. The only other customer was a disheveled looking student, probably cramming for a test, cups of coffee and plates of food scattered around his table.

"Can I get you anything Hakune-san?" the girl asked as they sat down at the table. Haru guessed that she frequented the place a lot.

"A menu would be nice," Hakune nodded her head in Haru's direction. "I'll wait for him to order first."

"Late night date?" the server asked coyly, and Haru felt his shoulders twitch involuntarily. Hakune just laughed.

"No, none of that," she replied smoothly. "Just a talk between friends." The server smiled at her before returning with a menu, giving them a few minutes to scan through.

Haru opened the menu, eyeing the prices. Hakune smiled and leaned on her elbow as she tapped away on her phone. "I'm paying, so order whatever you like," she said as she replied to message after message, screen lighting up her face. "Don't be shy, it's my treat."

Haru looked down at the menu, before settling on a matcha drink. The server came back and Hakune ordered for the both of them. "He'll have your white chocolate matcha, and I'll have my usual, please," she replied, biting her lip before she clicked her tongue, putting away her phone and crossing her legs.

Hakune looked over to Haru, reading the question that Haru was sure had been on his face. "I work as a computer software programmer," she said as she leaned back in her chair, hands in her jacket pockets. "I'm the only girl, so I get harassed a lot for not knowing what I'm doing, but I've saved so many of their mistakes so many times that I get paid double."

"Did you ever think about quitting?" the question was out of Haru's mouth before he could stop himself. Hakune shrugged a shoulder, looking out the window as she watched the lights of the town.

"Yeah, I have," Hakune said. "I'm staying where I am currently, though. I want to save money so I can start my own company, and where I am is the best place to work for it. I do get paid a ridiculous amount to deal with the sexism and the mistakes, after all."

Haru watched her as she looked out the window. He didn't know what to say to something like that; having to deal with prejudice in the work place, having to correct everyone's mistakes, being expected to keep quiet about everything. Hakune seemed to know where his thoughts were going, because she looked at him and smiled. "It's fine, don't worry. As soon as I quit, I'm raising my voice. I just have to stay silent so I can save up for what I really want to do."

Haru nodded and turned away, feeling the awkward atmosphere. He wanted to ask her about what happened between her and Makoto after he'd left. He wanted to ask her about her feelings towards Makoto...

He wanted to ask if she knew anything about what Makoto felt.

Haru was fidgeting at the continuous deafening silence. He swallowed. "Why did you bring me here?" he asked, voice faint with uncertainty.

Hakune smiled at him reassuringly, and Haru breathed deeply. "Wait for what we ordered to come first, then ask all your questions," she said, looking amused. Haru breathed in a sigh and looked out the window, allowing the silence to wash over him. It wasn't as awkward anymore, now that he knew Hakune wasn't purposely saying anything.

The server came with their order, and Haru stared a bit at the white and green swirls in his mug as he watched Hakune nibble on a biscuit, her cup full of a thick, pudding-like chocolate drink that she ate with the tiny spoon the server provided her with. Haru slurped his drink, enjoying the warmth, the soothing way it coated his throat, and he felt himself relax.

"Is it good?" Hakune asked. Haru nodded at her as he held the cup in both of his hands, feeling the warmth in his palms. Even though it was summer still, the nights could get pretty cold, so the drink was nice. "I'm glad," Hakune said, offering him a cookie, that he took gingerly. "Whenever you're ready, Haru."

Haru sighed and pursed his lips, looking at Hakune as she sat there, waiting patiently. "Where did you go after I left?" he said.

Hakune tilted her head to the side. "We went for dinner," she replied. "A really good Singaporean place that just opened up in town."

Haru nodded, taking another sip. "What did you do?" he murmured into his cup.

He watched Hakune take a spoonful of chocolate pudding drink in her mouth. "We talked," she said. "Caught up with each other. We promised that we'd hang out again."

Haru felt his stomach drop at her words. They're going to hang out again, he thought. Was that a date? Haru wasn't sure anymore. "Did you miss Makoto?" he could feel his voice grow smaller and smaller at each of her answers, as if he was scared of what he would hear, what he expected to here.

"Of course I did," Hakune said gently. "He's important to me, after all."

Haru bit his lip, feeling tears sting his eyes. He had to ask, he had to know, but he didn't want to know. He didn't want to hear it, but he had to know. "Do you," he took a shaky breath, "love him?"

Hakune straightened her back as she watched him. He waited for her answer; he could tell she was thinking about how to say what she wanted to say.

"Yes, I do," came out of her mouth, and Haru closed his eyes. He knew that was what she was going to say. He saw it in the way they interacted with each other. He was sure Makoto felt the same, there was no way he didn't. Haru had to give up, he had to let go. This was for Makoto, it was all for Makoto, Haru had to give up. If it meant that Makoto was happy-

"But not the way you do."

Haru's eyes snapped open and he slowly raised his head to look at Hakune, who was looking at him with that gentle, concerned expression of hers. He gulped, suddenly nervous. "What do you mean?" he whispered.

Hakune poured some milk into her drink and stirred it, effectively thinning out the thick texture before raising it to her lips to take a sip. "Do you believe in soul mates, Haru?" she asked. Haru blinked, having never really thought about it before. He shrugged.

"My mom used to believe that everyone had a soul mate," Hakune explained, a wistful smile on her face as she spoke. "And she used to believe that there were different kinds of soul mates, much like how our language has different words for love."

Haru sat there, hands in his lap, waiting for Hakune to continue. "When I'd asked her what she meant, she said she had maybe two soul mates," Hakune looked out the window, a distant look on her face. "Her first one was a girl in school that she had been become best friends with after a week, and her second soul mate being my father."

Hakune turned to Haru, smiling at the look of confusion that he was sure was on his face. "Right now, I have two soul mates," Hakune said gently. "One of them is Chiaki, whom I've been friends with since we were children. The other one is Makoto."

Haru blinked, feeling a twinge in his chest, but not quite ready to give in to it just yet. He was confused at this whole thing. "So you love Makoto?" he watched Hakune nod. "And he's your soul mate?" she nodded at him again. "Then what do you mean-"

"When I said 'But not the way you do'?" she finished for him, smiling. "Well, I never said I was a romantic soul mate with Makoto."

Haru blinked, and Hakune reached over to grab his hand, giving it a gently, comforting squeeze. "I love Makoto, and I would do anything for him, but all my feelings for him are platonic, and that's not going to change. Not now, and not ever," she replied.

Haru pressed his head against their joined hands and Hakune let him. He breathed in, trying to calm the wave of emotion that was washing over him as he gripped her hand tighter. Platonic, the word echoed in Haru's head. They were friends. Only friends. Just friends.

"Then what about...?" Haru's question trailed off, not sure how he should keep going, but Hakune seemed to get where he was going, because she let go of his hand to gently pat his hair.

"Any sort of outward physical affection we show is an old habit of ours," she replied. "It's the same with Chiaki. Although I think he's worse with Makoto than I am."

Haru looked up at her amused expression, probably because of a memory that popped into her head. She pulled out some money and left it on the table, gesturing Haru to follow.

They walked outside in the cool summer night, Haru still mulling over what Hakune had said to him. She turned around to face him. "I have to go," she said as a breeze moved her hair, and Haru could pick up the faint scent of lavender and sweet rain. "But I have a piece of advice for you, Haru."

Haru looked down into large grey eyes, sparkling with the moon and the town lights, and he found himself thinking that he could understand, even just a little, why Makoto really cared about this girl. "Don't be too afraid of speaking your mind to Makoto anymore," she said. "I think you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised by what you get back from him."

Haru waved good bye and began to go his own way, when he heard Hakune call out to him. "Haru! Next time we should hang out together!" she cupped her hand to her mouth so her voice carried over to him. "I think we might be soul mates!"

Haru felt a blush spread across his cheek as he heard her cheery laugh carry over to him on the breeze, as she turned around and walked away. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Perhaps she was right about that.

He was close to home when his phone vibrated, and upon opening the message he froze. 'Sorry I couldn't stop by today, I just got home. I'll stop by tomorrow', was what Haru read.

He took a deep breath and decided to take Hakune's advice.

Don't be too afraid of speaking your mind to Makoto.

He pressed in 'I'll have green curry for you tomorrow' and pressed send before he could even think about deleting it, staring at the phone with bated breath.

'I look forward to it, Haru! See you tomorrow,' came the reply and Haru crouched on the ground, shaking with joy.