Makoto, Nagisa and Rei were all at home. Since the four boys were on summer break starting today, Makoto had promised to make something good for dinner. Therefore everyone had agreed to come straight home after school.

Haruka and Rin were the only ones who hadn't returned yet. They should have gotten off from school about an hour ago, so Makoto was getting a little worried about them.

"Aren't Rin and Haruka late?" Rei asked, as if voicing Makoto's worries.

"Maybe something came up?" Makoto wondered.

"They'll come soon," Nagisa said with certainty. "Rin-chan and Haru-chan won't allow themselves to be late, not today!"

Makoto smiled. "You're right Nagisa, we shouldn't worry."

Just then the door opened and they could hear Rin and Haruka entering the house. Now, they didn't know it was those two, but who else would it be?

"Makoto, come out here a second!" Rin called

Makoto came out to where the two were standing, just in front of the door. It didn't take long for Makoto to figure out why they were still standing there. Water was dripping from Haruka's bag and his clothes were wet as well.

"Haru-chan…" Nagisa whispered. He and Rei had come out too and stood behind Makoto.

"What happened?" Makoto asked as he went and took the soaking wet bag from Haruka's hand.

Haruka looked at Rin without saying anything, but Rin looked back at him with irritated eyes. "You tell him," he demanded.

"Later," Haruka said as he took off his shoes. At least they were dry.

Makoto nodded. "That may be a good idea," he said. "Go up and take a warm bath and change. I'll see what can be done about your books and the bag in the meantime."

Haruka did as he was told. He went up to take a bath and as usual, he stayed in the tub until the water had gone cold and didn't get up until Makoto came up to get him.

"Are you okay?" Makoto asked as he went into the room.

Haruka nodded. He was perfectly fine. He just liked the water a lot.

"Then come," Makoto reached out a hand to help Haruka out of the tub. "We're about to have dinner," he smiled.

Haruka reached up and grabbed Makoto's hand, allowing him to pull him up. He then dried himself off and went to get dressed in some fresh clothes. Makoto waited for him until he was done and then they headed downstairs to have dinner with the others.

After they had finished eating and washing the dishes was when Makoto decided to ask about what had happened again.

"Why were you all wet when you came home?" he asked Haruka. "And what happened to your bag?"

"It was thrown in the pool and I went to pick it up," Haruka answered.

"It shouldn't have taken that long to get it back," Rei said.

"Those who threw it in came back and did it once again," Rin said. "I saw it the second time they did it, and gave them a piece of my mind."

Makoto smiled at Rin's choice of words. "Of course," he said. He then got a concerned look on his face and turned back to look at Haruka. "Haru… are you being bullied?" he asked.

"Probably," Haruka answered.

"For how long?" Makoto asked, hoping it would just be an answer like 'this month' or 'since we started 5th grade' or something like that.

"Probably since we transferred school," Haruka said.

"And you never thought it was something we'd want to know!" Rin yelled.

"I told you I didn't want you to know," Haruka answered, irritated.

"Was it always this bad?" Makoto asked.

"No," Haruka answered. "It was nothing but notes and whispers in the corners at first, all the way through 3rd grade. It would be paper-balls shot at me, some mean acting or a push every now and then in 4th grade. They only just started getting creative," he finished.

"How so?" Makoto asked.

"Garbage in the desk, misplaced things… stuff like that," Haruka answered.

Nagisa moved uncomfortably as Haruka mentioned the latter thing and this didn't go beyond anyone's attention.

"Nagisa?" Rin asked in a dangerous tone, suspecting that Nagisa had something to do with all this. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Nagisa answered.

"Do you have something to do with any of this?" Rin asked.

"He doesn't," Haruka said. "Not more than you anyways."

"What does he have to do with it then?" Rin asked.

Haruka hesitated and then shook his head, signaling that he didn't know.

"What do you have to do with it?" Makoto turned to Nagisa to ask the question.

Nagisa hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should say it, but seeing as it was all out in the open, then it might be for the better if he let them know what he had seen.

"When I went into the school to look for Haru-chan, I really did find him," he started. "One of his books seemed to have been misplaced and I watched him getting it. I had a feeling Haru-chan didn't want anyone to know, not me either, so I didn't say anything," Nagisa explained.

"So you decided lying about it all was better!" Rin yelled.

Haruka looked at Nagisa with a hint of approval in his eyes. It seemed the blonde understood him better than he'd thought. "Thank you, Nagisa," he said.

Nagisa's eyes became full of tears and he sniffed as he nodded. Then he ran up to hug Haruka tightly. He started crying loudly as he did and Haruka was overwhelmed by the surprise of Nagisa doing this so suddenly. He hadn't expected it at all, and therefore it took a little time before he reacted. He placed one hand on Nagisa's bag and didn't do anything else. He could accept Nagisa's hug just this once.

"May I ask why you were being bullied, Haruka?" Rei asked.

"I'm different," Haruka answered.

"We're all different," Makoto said, not really understanding.

"Haru likes water too much, that's probably why," Rin said. "Also his name is girly."

"So is yours," Haruka pointed out.

"Don't go there!" Rin yelled.

"All our names are girly," Makoto said. "Mine, Nagisa's and Rei's names are all girly too, so that's really nothing to be ashamed about or anything." He smiled as he said this.

Rei nodded. "I was never bullied for it though."

"Me neither," Nagisa sniffed from Haruka's chest where his face was buried.

Makoto laughed. "I was only teased about my name in the beginning of elementary school, but it never really bothered me that much," he explained. "Anyways, I hope those who were bullying you will leave you alone now, Haru," he said.

"Either they do, or their bags will be floating in the pool," Rin said coldly.

Makoto smiled at this. This was just like something Rin would say, not caring about the consequences. He would admit that this somewhat made him happy. Once again Rin had shown exactly how much he cared for his twin.