Thank you for leaving your lovely reviews, putting this story to favorites and/or following this story. Updates are slower and irregular now. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

(To be honest I've never done a MakoHaru fluff before and this was my first attempt to insert them in the chapter, but I don't think it worked the way I wanted it to.)

Chapter 5

Scents from a Lost Piece of Soul

:-:

The clock struck four in the afternoon. Rei hadn't come back from school, and Haruka was alone in their room. He had spent the day practicing to prepare for his next battle against Makoto and enjoying his time in a bathtub. He'd also fiddled a little bit with Rei's science books, trying to find any mention of earth spirit and its weakness. To his disappointment, he didn't find any.

Out of his expectation, he heard knocks on his door. The moment Haruka answered the door, Makoto was standing in front of him, dressed in his summer white school uniform and green dotted necktie. He flashed an adorable smile with a tilt of head and a faint blush on his cheek. He chimed a nice 'good afternoon' and asked for permission to enter his room.

"How are you feeling, Nanase-kun?" Makoto asked the moment he stepped in. "I've just finished classes today and I want to treat you again. Do you want an aromatherapy to help you relax?"

"Aromatherapy...?" Haruka repeated. Makoto nodded in response.

"If you don't mind, I'll perform the aromatherapy with materials that I've blended by myself."

"Tachibana," Haruka hesitated, "you don't need to do this."

"Even if I don't need to, I want to. I'm in charge to treat your injuries, and I thought an aromatherapy would be more pleasing to accompany your healing." Makoto paused for a while, "Plus, I'm still learning and I learn more if I do this. I hope you don't mind?"

Haruka sighed. "Fine." He wanted to continue with a 'thank you', but instead of pushing the words out, they dangled in his throat.

"Great. Now open up your shirt and lie on the bed. Let me treat your back."

Haruka pulled his shirt off. He climbed on his bed and released a sigh as his body relaxed on it, back facing the ceiling. Makoto carefully released the bandages wrapping his body and took out a bottle of essential oil from his bag. Then, he went to the bathroom to wash his hands. Makoto came back and began to spread the content all over his palms. When Makoto settled beside him, Haruka closed his eyes.

Warm, oily hands rested on his exposed burn with painless, delicate touch. They frequently massaged the back of his shoulders, gently. The scent of the oil quickly made its way through his nostrils. It smelled sweet and floral, but a little fruity as well. What is this...?

"Lavender blended with sweet orange." As if he could read his mind, Makoto explained. "Does it smell weird?"

"No." Haruka replied softly, relaxing under Makoto's touches. Both the hands and the aroma were so soothing that instead of pain, Haruka could drown in tranquility. His senses were almost lulled to sleep when Makoto's silky voice whispered comforts and repeated words of 'relax, inhale, exhale'. His voice hypnotized him, because Haruka subconsciously followed every instruction. Makoto's words were soon replaced by 'I'm sorry, I'm an amateur'. Haruka paid no concern to the last words.

He never sensed this tranquilizing aura radiated from Makoto before. Haruka assumed that he could only feel it when Makoto was attempting to heal, which made him wonder. He wondered if other people could feel this aura as well. Perhaps it was a healing wave rather than an aura. Whatever it was, it almost flew him to cloud nine. Probably this was what heaven on earth felt like.

"Nanase-kun!"

An energetic loud voice coming from Nagisa polluted the soothing and calm atmosphere engulfing the air. Haruka was pulled back with force from his trance, blinking several times. He didn't realize that he was sulking by the sudden interruption.

"How are you?" Nagisa barged in to his room, "Where's Rei-chan? I thought I will find him here. He left so quickly like a flash of thunder that I didn't get the chance to talk to him. Well, that's not so important. Nanase-kun, I'm so worried about you!"

"Don't worry, Nagisa. Nanase-kun's injury is healing greatly." Makoto answered and smiled to Nagisa's curious eyes.

"Of course. If it's Mako-chan, I shouldn't even need to wonder about that." Nagisa sat on the side of his bed. "Whoa! I'm sorry to interrupt. Nanase-kun, you smell so good. Are you having aromatherapy?"

"Sort of. Next time, remember to knock. It's inappropriate, Nagisa-kun." Makoto sighed, but a smile soon covered any trace of annoyance on his face. "I bet you did that because this is Rei's room."

Nagisa chuckled guiltily. "You got that right. Rei-chan's room is like my own room."

"Well, remember from now on that Rei's room is Nanase-kun's room, too."

"But this is still Rei-chan's room."

"Nagisa, I don't want to argue," was Makoto's final words, which received a whine as a reply from the blonde. "And," Makoto immediately continued, "I got a report that you messed up in a party at Samezuka's dorm four days ago. I disapprove. Go and write a formal letter of apology to Seijuurou-senpai."

"Eeh, but everybody messed up. It was a party! Mako-chan, don't do this to me."

"Nobody messed up like you." Makoto was about to slap his forehead with his palm, then he realized that his palm was still oiled. "Nagisa, you blew the girls' skirts with your wind."

"That was accidental. I was playing with Momo-chan and he challenged me to lift up the plates of foods with my wind so we can eat without wasting time in queue." Nagisa protested, his hands flailing up and down in front of him. "It wasn't as bad as you think."

"No excuse. Write a letter to Seijuurou-senpai." Makoto repeated, "Now, or I will reduce your points. Remember, if you want something, others want it to. Play fair. A queue was there for a reason. And, you hurt our faction's reputation that way—and mine, too."

Nagisa groaned. "Don't cut my points. Okay, okay. I hope you get well soon, Haru-chan!"

Haru-chan?

The dark-haired man turned his head to the side, staring blankly at him. Nagisa responded with a bright smile, then he waved before exiting the room. Haruka couldn't take his mind off Nagisa's new way to address him. Haru. Nobody had ever called him 'Haru' before. It was always 'Haruka'. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the name 'Haru' more than 'Haruka'. It sounded more masculine, since Haruka was a girly name.

Although he didn't really like the '-chan'.

"Nagisa seems to like you so much, Nanase-kun. He really admires you." Makoto chuckled. "Well, you did impress everyone with that high-leveled technique of water teleportation."

Haruka didn't even know he could do that. He was just merging with the water, really. He had always believed he was capable to merge with his element if he tried hard enough.

Now that they were talking about the battle, he would ask a question that had bothered him since the first night he arrived in this realm.

"Tachibana," Haruka started, "Why must we fight against one another as an entrance test?" He had wondered about it in his bed time. There must be a lot of people who didn't possess the spirit to fight, and Haruka was one of them.

Makoto was still massaging and radiating healing wave on his back. He concentrated on his job. "Because once you leave this school, you'll be in the open. No one will protect you, and all you can do is protect yourself with the spirit gifted to you. Your spirit, Nanase-kun, is there to protect you from harm in this realm."

Haruka turned his head, finding Makoto at the corner of his eye. "Are you saying that outside this school is a dangerous place?"

"That's right." Makoto's green eyes finally met his. "This school is protected by a certain tree from the evil spirits. These evil spirits, more often than not, are personified. Their nature is to bring harm. Lots of them have the tendency to attack both the physical and the mental. That's why combat skills against them are important. No, this school will not teach you martial arts, but this school will teach you how to use your gift to combat evil spirits roaming out there. In other words, we're trained to be soldiers. After you graduate, you will enter a war zone.

"When they aren't personified, they will most likely occupy a person to use him or her to perform evil. If you're able to use the gift of the spirit to its fullest potential, this evil spirit won't get a space to occupy your being." Makoto explained, lifting his hands from Haruka's back.

"What is that certain tree that's protecting this school?" Haruka finally had the chance to ask.

"Students call it 'Tree of Protection'. It's a very tall tree that reaches the sky."

"The sky, yes." Haruka answered. He turned his body a little to fully face Makoto, "I thought the name is Makoto no Sora."

After those words escaped Haruka's lips, he found Makoto's face was turning pale.

"Care to explain?" Haruka pushed a little, but if Makoto refused, he wouldn't force him to.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about..." Makoto gulped, forcing a smile which turned out sheepish. Makoto was the worst liar Haruka had ever met. Then again, Haruka hadn't met that many people anyway.

"You're a bad liar." Haruka turned his head away, resting his chin on his hands. Makoto replied with a nervous laugh. "Does it have something to do with your sky spirit?"

Makoto was silent.

"It's okay." Haruka closed the topic, "No need to tell me if you don't want to."

"I'm sorry."

The brunet had a habit to say sorry for something that really wasn't his fault.

"Who told you about the name?" Makoto asked. He had stopped massaging his back.

"Ryuugazaki. He heard the name from the seniors. Mikoshiba was one of them."

"I see. That name isn't important, so you don't need to think about it too deeply. My father is the headmaster of this school, anyway. He named things the way he liked it."

"Ah." Haruka nodded. He would just pretend to believe Makoto.

"I'm done with my work. How are you feeling now, Nanase-kun?" Makoto dropped the previous topic.

"Much better." Haruka paused, "Thank you."

The brunet's head tilted and he smiled warmly at him. "You're welcome."

"Hold the battle tomorrow." Haruka slowly sat down, facing Makoto. "I'm ready."

The smile hadn't left Makoto's lips. "Are you implying that you have decided to join my faction instead?"

"Probably." Haruka returned the smile with a very small one, his eyes closed. He had decided. Haruka couldn't really tell the reason himself.

Perhaps Tachibana Makoto was the reason. He pulled Haruka like magnet.

:-:

That night, their room was scented with Makoto's water lily reed diffuser. Makoto had offered him various fragrances he'd blended by himself. "So you can use them to make your room scented anytime you want," Makoto had said. Haruka had chosen the fragrance simply because of its name: 'water lily'. He liked the smell anyway. Its scent was light and fresh, and just the right amount of sweet scent. Rei seemed to like it, too.

Rei had come back to their room a little late. Haruka didn't bother to ask why, but Rei told him anyway. "I was doing my own experiments in the lab. Nanase-san, once you've joined this school, I will show you my great creations." He laughed menacingly. Haruka got an image of a mad scientist when he saw Rei.

"Ryuugazaki." Haruka was relaxing on his bed. It was late at night, and they were ready to sleep. He didn't expect he would enjoy any conversation with someone he'd just met, but he did with Rei. "How did you fight Tachibana when you first entered this school?"

"There's a rule, Nanase-san. You don't discuss it with a potential new member of the faction." Rei smiled at him, "But it was memorable. Me and Makoto-senpai established a good friendship throughout that battle. I didn't feel the same with Seijuurou-senpai, that's why I decided to join Iwatobi faction instead. It was actually the bond that attracted me. Nagisa told me the same."

Haruka listened to him intently.

"Iwatobi faction may not have as many students," Rei took off his glasses and placed it on the end table at his side, "but I never regretted my decision to join this faction. I have grown love for this faction. It's my home, and it's irreplaceable for me." His eyes soften, glimmering in the faint light. "I see that Makoto-senpai has attracted you somehow, Nanase-san."

Haruka's mouth remained shut. Rei's statement was spot on, but he wouldn't admit it. Not yet, and it wasn't just Makoto. Haruka didn't mind Rei and Nagisa's company. Instead, he started to enjoy the moment they spent together.

"You chose the right fragrance." Rei suddenly said, covering his mouth as he yawned. He took a deep breath of the sweet air. "Now I'm sleepy. Good night, Nanase-san. I will root for you both tomorrow."

"Thanks." Haruka answered softly, turning his body away from Rei.

The peaceful, sweet air of their room was soon caressed with subtle plucks of strings. Haruka's closed eyes gradually fluttered open as the melodious sound filled his ears. He sat up on his bed. Rei shifted beside him.

"Do you hear that?" Haruka asked, blinking his eyes several times to force it to open wider.

"Hear what?" Rei held his yawn.

"That sound."

More gentle tones gracefully flowed through the air, penetrating the glass windows.

"Ah..." Rei pulled his blanket to cover more of his body. "That's probably Makoto-senpai. Once in a while, he went out to the garden at night, playing with a traditional instrument."

"What for...?"

"The plants like the music, he said. Scientifically, it's still arguable, but it's becoming a habit of his. Makoto-senpai likes to spend his time outside in the garden and plays his instrument. Now you see the traditional way our faction leader has." Rei turned to him. "And he's breaking the curfew, although he has special permission."

Haruka slowly stood up, leaving the sheets of his bed messy behind him.

"Nanase-san, where are you going?"

"I'm not a student yet, so I'm not breaking curfew." Haruka answered, leaving Rei alone in his room. He pushed the door to open and made his way toward the back garden. The music was teasing his eardrums.

Once he made it outside, gentle wind caressed his cheeks. The night air was cool and crisp. The moon hung low on the sky, painting the dark clouds with gradations of lighter colors. The moonlit garden was beautiful with its rich, colorful vegetations. The tree leaves rustled when the wind pushed through. Haruka could smell refreshing natural aromas carried by the wind, blended in harmony and charged through his lungs.

Makoto was there, sitting in a white gazebo. A long, large plectrum was held in his hand, plucking around the strings of a shamisen. His eyes were closed in serenity. Haruka quietly approached him so he wouldn't interrupt. He didn't want the music to stop.

But it stopped anyway, once Makoto's eyelids lifted open, exposing a pair of green eyes that shone vividly under the faint moonlight. "Nanase-kun...?" Makoto looked confused, "Why are you here?"

"Can't sleep." Haruka kept his expression blank.

"Wha—sorry." Makoto rested his shamisen on his lap, "My music disturbed you."

Haruka shook his head. "No, that's not it." He sat in front of Makoto. "What's that song you were playing?"

"Oh, this...?" Makoto plucked his shamisen, producing three consecutive notes. "It's a variation of an old song titled 'Sakura'."

"Play it again." Haruka's shoulder leaned against a pillar of the gazebo. "Help me sleep."

"You're not going to sleep here." Makoto protested, "Fine. Just don't fall asleep." He settled the shamisen in front of him and began to pluck the strings. Various notes danced in the air, their harmonious melodies rubbed Haruka's eardrums. Haruka lightly shuddered in pleasure.

"You..." Haruka's eyes drooped down, "play a lot with plants."

"They're a huge part of my element." Makoto responded, his fingers never stopped fiddling against the strings. The plectrum still danced around them.

"That's a disadvantage." Haruka said, "Tomorrow, I will defeat you."

Plants. That means fire and ice should do.

"I like your confidence." A smile broke on Makoto's soft lips. His droopy green eyes hung half-closed. "I would like to see you try, Nanase-kun."

More floral scent suspended on the cool air. It pushed itself in and out of Haruka's lungs. "Water lilies." Haruka said, sitting straight. "You smell a bit like water lilies."

"I do? Perhaps that's because I was just experimenting with them." Makoto's body relaxed against the pillar of the gazebo, settling himself in a comfortable position to play the shamisen. He seemed ready for more conversation. "Putting that aside, Nanase-kun, how was your life outside in this realm?"

"Boring." Haruka answered, "Nothing really."

Makoto giggled, "I had a feeling you will say that. Let me guess, 'too much effort' to tell me in more details?"

How was this possible? This ability to read him like an open book, just like that same feeling Tachibana Akihiko gave him through his earthy gaze. Haruka sighed. "It's too much effort." He confessed, "But it's no more than what I've told you. My life was boring."

"Well, I know this is only your third night, but how do you feel here? Is it better than your previous life?" Makoto's smile was more gentle now when his eyes softened.

Haruka took a whiff of sweet air. "It is."

It was much better here. He hadn't really started his life here yet, but he grew a liking to this place—to the people, to Rei and Nagisa.

And he liked Makoto. Much more than he previously thought—much more than he wanted to admit. Haruka still couldn't interpret his own feelings. It should be his special aura—not the ethereal one, in which Haruka had started to get used to. Probably the healing wave, but not really. Makoto didn't emanate a particular aura right now, except his usual oddly mixed auras of earth and sky.

It was Makoto's mere presence that made him feel this indescribable sensation he'd never experienced before. Tachibana Makoto filled him like water did to a half-full glass. This surreal feel of near fulfillment—a discovery of a missing puzzle piece, safe in his hand, but not yet placed in its position.

As crazy and senseless as it sounded, he had a strong feeling that Makoto was a part of him—a slice of his soul, that he'd missed since...

Since when? Had Haruka's soul ever felt incomplete before?

"Nanase-kun, are you asleep?"

Haruka blinked. He didn't realize he had dozed off in his own slow train of thoughts.

"Who are you?"

Makoto almost dropped his shamisen. "Nanase-kun? A-are you having amnesia?"

"No. I know you're Tachibana, but who are you, really? You're really weird." Haruka's ocean blue eyes fluttered in sleepiness. "You're strange and surreal. Are you an alien?"

"Is that an insult?" Makoto's shamisen had rested on his lap. His full attention was averted to Haruka now.

Haruka lightly shook his head as a respond. "Play the music again. Help me sleep, Tachibana."

"Don't sleep here!" Makoto's voice went to a higher pitch. "Anyway, don't you think 'Tachibana' sounds a little long? Knowing you, have you ever thought that 'Tachibana' might have taken too much effort to speak?"

"Always." Haruka answered, "That's why I don't like calling your name. Too much effort."

Makoto sighed, but a smile soon followed after the brief whiff of air. "You may call me 'Makoto'."

"Makoto." Haruka echoed the name, feeling it rolling down his tongue. He liked it. "Okay."

The brunet's smile stretched wider. His cheeks were touched with pale pink tinges. "Then I can call you 'Haruka'."

"Drop the '-ka'."

Makoto's leaf-green eyes were shut as he amusedly giggled, one finger placed onto his lower lip. He nodded in understanding. "Haru."

Haru.

There was something pleasing from the way Makoto uttered his name. It sounded really different than the one he'd heard from Nagisa. This 'Haru' sounded special when it was produced from Makoto's mouth; from his breath and the rolling of his tongue.

Night breeze lulled Haruka to sleep. This time, Makoto didn't raise his voice. He didn't stop Haruka from sleeping. Instead, the plectrum in Makoto's palm plucked more strings attached to the shamisen.

"Sakura..." Makoto's voice was melodious. Haruka barely realized the brunet was singing before dreamland pulled him quietly in its wondrous embrace.

Fresh dews' kisses on young buds. Rain over the soil. Sprinkles of water drops on the tips of flower petals. The smell of damp earth, the fragrance of nature. Haruka and Makoto. How would they battle against each other, when one's nature was to support the other, and vice-versa?

Haruka didn't understand, and the thought lingered even in his dreamland.

:-:

Like he had done two days ago, Haruka snatched the microphone out of the MC's grasp, earning a small protest from the guy. He turned his head around, eyes fixed on the seats beside the arena. "Yamazaki Sousuke." Haruka's voice was magnified by the microphone, "And you. Maroon-haired guy who's sitting beside him. May I ask for your help on this arena?"

Makoto was standing in front of Haruka, wearing his usual summer school uniform. His arms crossed over his chest. He flashed him an amused smile.

This time, Sousuke didn't argue, nor did the guy sitting beside him. They exchanged a brief glance before nodding toward each other, leaving their seats and climbed down the stairs to the arena. Haruka didn't expect his request would be so easily accepted.

"Great choices, Haru." Makoto said. He was at disadvantage, but he didn't show any sign of worry over it. Haruka faced him again, blue eyes fixed against those lively green ones.

Water gives life to earth and plants, but fire and ice destroy them.

Haruka would destroy Makoto. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to destroy a part of his soul. It would hurt him for sure.

Yet this time, Haruka no longer cared.

"Yo, new guy." A hand landed on his shoulder. Before Haruka turned his head, the maroon-haired guy he'd seen on his first battle had smiled beside him. "I am Matsuoka Rin."

"Nanase Haruka." Haruka nodded. "Thanks for coming over here."

"No problem. Me and Sousuke had always wanted a rematch against Makoto anyway."

Sousuke had made his way to stand beside Rin. He didn't look at Haruka. The teal-eyed man presented a small smirk to Makoto, resting his hand over his hip.

"Now!" The MC took away his microphone from Haruka's hand with more force than before. "Three on one. Nanase Haruka assisted by Matsuoka Rin and Yamazaki Sousuke versus Tachibana Makoto. I will announce the battle to begin in three—"

Makoto took some steps back, standing near the soil at the right side of the arena.

"Two—"

"I want to tell you a fact." Rin nudged Haruka's elbow.

"One! Begin!"

"Iwatobi faction being less popular is bullshit." Rin gave Haruka a half-grin, revealing a row of unnaturally sharp teeth—like the ones belonged to a shark. "Tachibana Makoto has attracted many students, but man—this all-smiley guy is picky. Don't feel at ease because Seijuurou accepted you, because quite a lot of Samezuka students were actually rejected by your current opponent here."

Haruka didn't take his eyes off Makoto as he listened.

"And, be careful of his so-called 'aromatherapy'." Rin patted his shoulder, "They're toxic."

A giant, monstrous flower burst out from the soil beside Makoto. Its curvy pale pink petals had yellow blotches all over them. The center of the plant had a hole that kept pushing out puffs of soft purple-colored gas.

"I thought he's restricted from doing life-threatening harm." Haruka said, staring at the giant flower in wonder. He'd never seen anything like it before.

"He defeated his opponents in a much gentler way than Mikoshiba Seijuurou," answered Rin, focusing his eyes on Makoto, "Just a whiff of that aromatic air to be inhaled to your lungs and you're knocked unconscious. Congratulations. You've lost the battle."

Haruka would like a gas mask, then, although it was near impossible for him to get one now.

"No worries." Rin lifted his hand. Scorching flame lit up along his forearm. "I will burn his plants to sad ashes."

"And don't hesitate to ask me to freeze him." Sousuke turned to him.

Haruka imagined an exquisite frozen rose. The one Rei would exclaim about how beautiful it was.

Makoto's pain could be heart-achingly beautiful.

Thank you for reading up until this point. I'm sorry if you didn't even notice the fluffs.

Shamisen is a traditional Japanese musical instrument with three strings, played by plucking it with a long plectrum called bachi. Its model is a bit similar to a banjo.
Sakura is a traditional Japanese folk music, usually performed with stringed instruments, typically with a koto.

For kanamexzero fan: you're welcome!

For Guest: Thank you! As you may have seen from chapter two, it seemed like Makoto inherited his earth spirit from his father, because Haruka felt a very similar aura from Akihiko (without the sky spirit). I want the readers to have the same knowledge as Haru here, which is still learning about everything. What I can tell you is, it isn't pure random. That's right. Earth and Sky just shouldn't be merged or collided. Makoto, of course, has his own reason. He hid his spirit well enough (until Haru came, that is). Thank you and I hope you also enjoy the next chapters. ^^

I really appreciate comments and reviews. I hope I will see you again in the next chapter. Warm regards from Gariell. ^^