Chapter 2

"I am Matsuoka Rin!" The loud and cheerful introduction pulled Haruka out of his blank stare towards the window, his blue eyes flickering from it to the red-haired boy at the front. "I have a girly name but I am a hundred percent boy!" He grinned as if amused by his own statement and bowed. "Please take care of me!"

Haruka turned back to staring outside the window, paying the overly-enthusiastic transfer student not an ounce of interest, thinking that this boy was probably just the same as the others.

In a few days' time, Haruka couldn't help his notice being drawn towards his new classmate when said classmate was too friendly; not exactly to him since they've had no interaction yet whatsoever, but to their other classmates. Somehow, he was able to blend in much easier than any average person would and he'd started to join a circle of friends. Then, during break times, he and his circle of friends would chatter nonstop at a little louder voice than most others and he would laugh so boisterously he would surprise the rest of the occupants in the room, including Haruka himself.

For the Haruka who like peace and quiet the most and the silence that enabled him to roam freely with his mind, the redhead's voice that so often disrupted his thoughts and brought him back to senses started to irk him. What's worse, the moment he realized that it did, he got even more aware of the sound of it to the point that he couldn't ignore it anymore. That annoyed him even more.

It became his initial reaction for his brows to knit together at the very sight of the red-haired or at the very sound of his joyful voice. Then he started to treasure the short moments he got to be away from his source of distraction that sometimes, he caught himself sighing without his consent. It was strange how a person he never even had contact with could affect him so much, and then that became another source of annoyance.

One of the short moments when Haruka was free of his distraction was lunch time since the red-haired and his group always went to the canteen to eat while he ate from a lunch box with Makoto in their classroom. He was contentedly enjoying his meal in peace when his attention was called to a group of students that ate near them.

"That Matsuoka is from an upstart family, isn't he?" A student from the nearby group whispered loud enough for Haruka to hear. "I heard that his family only roe up to ranks lately thus enabled him to attend this school."

"That's what I heard too." Another student contributed. "Should Uehara and the others really hang out with him? Their families would probably scold them for associating with someone from an upstart."

"Oh, but Uehara is from a low-ranking family. Maybe that's why they get along so well?"

They snickered and elbowed one another in mock scolding. "Hey, at least Uehara has history. But Matsuoka, isn't he a little too arrogant considering he's only an upstart? They always talk too loudly and become such a disturbance."

Haruka couldn't agree more to that last statement.

"Uehara didn't use to be so loud. Tsk, it must be because he's hanging out with Matsuoka, he's getting influenced! Someone should teach Matsuoka manners and etiquettes. It won' be good for us if we too, get influenced by his commoner acts!"

"You're right, how about we teach him a lesson? He should know his place and behave."

The group continued their discussion with increasing snickers and giggles. Haruka put down his chopsticks and closed his eyes with a deep breath. He told himself to stop listening and just mind his own business. The matters concerning Matsuoka didn't have anything to do with him and he's better off pretending he didn't hear a thing.

"Haru-chan, what's wrong?" Makoto, who sat across him, asked with a slightly worried look.

Haruka just shook his head and picked up his chopsticks again to continue eating. "It's nothing."

In the days that followed after Haruka heard that conversation, Haruka started to follow Matsuoka with his eyes, whether he was aware of it or not. He watched out for any difference in the redhead's behavior, wondering if their classmates had done anything to him at all. Then at the times Haruka caught himself thinking about these things, he'd frowned and scold himself for caring. Nothing changed though and he'd still continue to think about Matsuoka.

During the passing days, there seemed to be nothing unusual with Matsuoka. Like always, he greeted everyone with unmatched energy and continued to hang out with his circle of friends. He continued to be the cheerful, annoying him that Haruka irately thought that he might've been thinking too much.

However, Haruka was proven wrong when one afternoon, after they had been dismissed, he waited for Makoto by the lockers because the latter had been called to the staff room. They had always headed home together so Haruka waited for him. While he idly stood at the side, wandering around in mind like always, he heard the sounds of laughter and chuckling. In the midst of the silent lockers, Haruka couldn't help hearing the conversation.

"This time, let's see if Matsuoka still won't budge. If the previous ones didn't work, this time, for sure…"

Haruka frowned after hearing them and walked to where the voices were. He found the same group of students as the ones back in the classroom that ate near him and Makoto and talked about "teaching Matsuoka a lesson". They didn't seem to have noticed Haruka and continued to chatter amongst themselves while stuffing some sort of trashes inside a locker.

Unable to hold himself down, Haruka glared at the students and called out, "What are you doing?"

The students flinched and snappily turned their heads to look at Haruka. Their mouths fell open and their eyes widened with one of them stuttering out, "N- Nanase-sama!" Haruka's blue irises flickered to look at the open locker and, noticing where he was looking, the student nearest the locker slammed it shut.

"What are you doing?" Haruka repeated, his eyes going back to glaring at the students.

"No- nothing!" One of them answered and another added, "We- we have to get going now, right?" The other two vigorously nodded their heads, saying, "W- we'll see you tomorrow, Nanase-sama! Goodbye!" And without waiting for a response, they hurriedly fled towards the exit.

Haruka just stood still for a second before walking to the locker the other students were flocking around earlier and stood in front of it. It read: "Matsuoka Rin". He opened it and his face immediately twisted into an expression of disgust. He pinched his nose with his thumb and index finger and gazed at the interior. The locker contained not only Matsuoka's indoor shoes but also trashes of different kinds of varieties, and the shoes were soaked with some sort of sticky liquid. He could only stare at the contents silently, not quite sure what to think.

"Nanase?" Haruka slightly jerked before turning to look at the source of the familiar, annoying voice, suddenly finding himself face to face with the very owner of the locker he took liberties to open.

Matsuoka walked to him with one eyebrow raised as he inquired, "What are you doing?" before looking at his locker and his expression dawned with understanding. "Ah, they sure never know when to stop." He shook his head with a sigh.

Haruka watched the other boy as he carefully took out his soaked shoes, muttering, "Ah, I need to wash them!" then staring back at his locker, probably trying to figure out how to clean it. A few questions popped up in Haruka's head but he wasn't sure how to voice them out so he could only hesitate.

Matsuoka turned to Haruka and asked a question of his own so casually, "Nanase, why do other students call you 'Nanase-sama'?"

A frown etched itself unto Haruka's forehead as he thought about an answer. He always thought this question needn't be asked and assumed that everyone knew why. Didn't Matsuoka hear from his friends? He didn't really want to answer this question himself. "Who knows."

As Haruka was still pinching his nose, blocking the air access through it, when he spoke, his voice sounded muffled and it somehow incited a boisterous laughter from the red-haired. He removed his fingers and scowled at the other, not comprehending what was so funny with his muffled voice.

"Ah, sorry, sorry." Matsuoka said, wiping at the corners of his eyes from tears of laughter. "It's just that you always look so composed and proper, the muffled voice didn't fit your image." He went back to a lighter fit of laughter.

Haruka glared, finding the redhead's laughter noisy and annoying. He's even louder with their current distance that Haruka felt his ears drowned out of other sounds but laughter. "You should learn to tone it down, Matsuoka. This is exactly why those people are doing these to you." He gestured towards the locker.

The laughter abruptly stopped and Matsuoka stared at Haruka with surprise mixed in with some delight. "Hey, you actually remember my name."

Although that was also a surprise to Haruka when he realized it for it was uncommon of him to remember other people's names much less someone he'd never talked to before this, he still managed to twist his facial features with annoyance and groaned, "So what? We're in the same class, you know."

"Ah, it's just that you seem like the type who wouldn't remember people's names."

He wasn't mistaken so that just annoyed Haruka some more.

"Haru-chan, where are you?" Makoto's voice echoed through the silence, both Haruka and Matsuoka looking up at the end of the line of lockers to see Makoto enter their line of sight. The brunette spotted them and ran to them, looking at the two briefly then smiled down at Haruka. "We can go home now." He announced then turned to Matsuoka and back again at Haruka with a questioning gaze.

Matsuoka smiled at Makoto and explained, "I came back to get a notebook I forgot at the classroom and coincidentally bumped unto Nanase."

Makoto nodded his understanding and caught sight of the damp shoes Matsuoka was holding. He tilted his head slightly as he asked, "What happened?"

Matsuoka followed his line of sight and only smiled as he looked at his pitiful shoes. "It's nothing."

Makoto noticed the open locker and the awful smell it was exuding but he didn't say anything and just fumbled on his pockets. "Hold on." He pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to the red-haired. "Here, you can use this to clean up. You don't have to return it."

The red-haired only stared at the handkerchief for a second before smiling and accepting it. "Thanks, this'll help a lot."

The brunette had an apologetic look as he stated, "I'm sorry, I would've helped you but…" he glanced at Haruka who staring blankly at an empty space. "Haru-chan has a strict curfew. But, do you know who did these?"

Haruka's head snapped up at Makoto with a glare. "Makoto!"

Matsuoka chuckled and replied, "It's fine, you don't have to bother. I don't want to get you involved. You should get going if 'Nanase-sama' has such a 'strict curfew'."

Haruka glared at Matsuoka, knowing his name was said in sarcasm and stormed past the red-haired, towards the exit.

"Sorry, Matsuoka-kun, we'll see you tomorrow." Makoto politely bid farewell and followed after Haruka.

The day after, when Matsuoka arrived, he greeted the class like usual and headed to his seat. After dropping off his bag and exchanged greeting with his friends, he headed towards Haruka and Makoto's direction, attracting the attention of the class which he ignored and beamed down at the two with a, "Good morning!"

Treating Matsuoka like any other, Haruka didn't respond and just turned his head away, ignoring the red-haired and heard Makoto greet back a cheerful, "Good morning." Haruka knitted his brows together. Sometimes, Makoto's kindness and politeness wasn't good at all.

Matsuoka pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to Makoto. "This is in exchange for the one you gave me yesterday." He gave a small embarrassed laugh as he continued, "I don't know if this will do but I bought an identical one from the one you gave me."

Makoto looked sincerely grateful as he accepted the handkerchief and smiled up brightly at the other. "Thank you. Although, you really didn't have to do this." Then a look of worry replaced his happiness as he asked, "However, are you alright? I really wish I could be much more help to you."

Haruka glanced at Matsuoka's indoor shoes and they amazingly looked like they had not been damaged and seemed to be in better conditions. A small sigh of relief almost escaped his lips but he caught himself before it happened and he frowned while questioning himself internally as to why he felt relieved. It's not like he cared for Matsuoka at all.

"It's fine, you've helped enough." Matsuoka assured Makoto before turning his head to Haruka, his head tilted slightly with a question, "By the way, Nanase, why were you in front of my locker yesterday?"

Haruka's eyes widened slightly at the sudden question but that passed right away after the next second as he shot his deathliest glare at the red-haired. Makoto's eyes also widened and he turned to Haruka with disbelief, "Haru-chan?"

Getting a hint from Haruka's death glare, Matsuoka immediately waved a hand and explained, "No, no, I'm not accusing you or anything like that. I know you're not the one who did that to my locker. I'm just really curious why you'd be there, that's all."

The frown on Haruka's face was still present but he didn't look as angry anymore. He hesitated on his answer to that because he didn't know if it'd be wiser to tell the truth or lie. First of all, the matter was none of his concern and he wasn't obliged to speak of anything. Actually, why should he even answer? Besides, he didn't want to get involved. So he only glanced at the group of students who were the perpetrator of the mess behind Matsuoka's locker and were stealing glances towards their direction before whipping his head away to face the windows.

Makoto seemed to have noticed the glance Haruka gave the students though and looked at their direction. Understanding dawned on him and he looked at Haruka. "Oh, could it be that Haru-chan saw the students messing with Matsuoka-kun's locker?"

Why did Makoto have to guess all that he's thinking? Haruka thought irritably.

The expression on the brunette's face turned into a mixture of emotions as he asked his best friend, "Haru-chan, why didn't you stop them?"

Haruka was suddenly filled with anger and he scowled at Makoto, hissing, "They were in the middle of stuffing his locker with the trashes and other things already."

"Calm down, Nanase." Matsuoka said in a failed attempt to appease the black-haired boy although he did go back to his silence and looking out the window. "Well, actually, thank you for interrupting them or my shoes might've been in a worse state."

Haruka only huffed in response.

Makoto stared at Haruka, looking like he wanted to apologize and beg for it if necessary but because the other refused to look at him, he turned to Matsuoka instead. "How long has this been going on? We should report it to the teachers."

Matsuoka waved his hand. "Ah, no, there's no need to do that. I'm sure they'll eventually stop anyway."

Makoto was hesitant but replied, "Well, if you say so." Then his face brightened as if he'd just thought of a good idea. "Oh, I know! Matsuoka-kun, won't you eat lunch with us today?"

Haruka snapped his head towards Makoto with disbelief clearly displayed on his face while Matsuoka hesitated. "Huh? Well…" he paused and suddenly, he looked at Makoto with a bright smile as if he had not hesitated at all. "Sure, why not!"

From that moment onwards, Matsuoka started to exchange words with Haruka and Makoto often and always joined them at lunch. Haruka didn't think of it pleasant at all for he got to hear the noise that was Matsuoka even closer, and the stares he constantly got from the class almost turned hostile and he felt all the more uncomfortable. Among all others, it was Matsuoka's friends that had been giving him death glares but even then, he couldn't really bring himself to shun away the red-haired.

At first, Haruka thought that Matsuoka would be bullied less now that he started to hang out with him and Makoto. But he caught a new set of students filling in Matsuoka's locker with more trash and other things and even his school bag didn't escape from such harassment. The worst that happened was when the redhead's notebook pages were glued with razor blades that cut his finger. The bullying actually got worse but Matsuoka still continued to talk and eat lunch with them.

That actually became another issue of Matsuoka that Haruka got annoyed of because not only did it make Makoto worry, it also started to make him, of all people, worry although this he would never admit. Plus, Matsuoka getting close to them made the redhead's friends angry and upset. This, Haruka confirmed when he happened to walk unto Matsuoka and one of his friends arguing by the isolated staircase.

Haruka always seemed to bump unto the other when there's some kind of trouble and that irked him because he didn't want to get involved. But when Matsuoka was arguing with his friend by the stairs, Haruka stopped behind a wall and listened to their exchange.

"I told you it's not like that!" Matsuoka hissed. He sounded like he was holding back from raising his voice but not quiet accomplishing it.

"Then what is it?!" The friend yelled. This one wasn't even bothering to suppressing his voice at all. "Even if you say that, you're still making all of us think that you're going after Nanase-sama and Tachibana-sama's fame! Especially with your current status and all, you're not being very convincing with your denial!"

"Argh, I'm just trying to protect you guys, ok?! I don't want them to start harassing you guys too so I've decided to keep my distance!"

"By getting close to Nanase-sama and Tachibana-sama?! The harassment's just going to get worse! The others totally think that you're leaving us because it's more beneficial to be close to Nanase-sama and Tachibana-sama!"

"When the harassment's only worsened? I don't get how you guys think at all!"

"Just come back to us already!"

"No!"

"Come back!"

"No!"

The conversation just went on like that for a few more times until the friend's voice finally declared, "Fine! Do whatever you want!" then the sound of shoes stomping on the stairs echoed. Haruka waited until the friend appeared beside him and looked at him. He looked startled at first but quickly recovered and glared hard at Haruka before continuing on his way.

Haruka stepped out from the wall and looked up at the stairs where Matsuoka was just descending. The latter stopped in the middle when he saw Haruka and blurted out with surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I was just passing by." Haruka responded.

Matsuoka awkwardly scratched at the nape of his neck and averted his eyes. "Did you hear us?"

Haruka returned the question with his own, "So you're using us?"

Panic was written all over Matsuoka as he frantically waved his hands. "No way, it's not like that. I don't even know what sort of benefits getting close to you guys have."

"You're using us to protect your friends."

Matsuoka stopped with his flustered waving and his shoulders relaxed. "Oh, that. I'm not using you guys for that either. It just so happens that when I've decided to distance myself from my friends, I got the chance to talk to you and Makoto. Then my getting close to you guys is purely out of interest because," he looked at Haruka and grinned. "It's fun to be with you."

Haruka only frowned and turned his head away.

"Oh, right, Haru!" Haruka's eyebrow twitched at being so called familiarly by someone other than Makoto. He glared at the red-haired but got ignored. Matsuoka went on and ran to him with a huge smile pulling at the corners of his lips. "I have something I want to show you!" His excitement was obvious in his voice and Haruka only waited. Suddenly, his hand was grabbed by the other boy and he was pulled along to a run. At first, he was surprised and tried to struggle. "Wait, what are you-? Where are you taking me?" He called out and Matsuoka replied with a grin and continued to drag him. He gave up and let himself be dragged away.

For Haruka, it seemed like they've ran a long way for when Matsuoka finally stopped dragging him into a run, he was gasping for air and felt his lungs being squeezed. He didn't know where they were and couldn't be bothered to care when he was struggling for breathing.

"Haru, we're here. What do you think?"

Haruka sighed, finally got his breathing even again, before looking up to their surroundings only for his breath to be stolen away. He didn't know where in the school they were but they stood facing a big tree, that looked to be a cherry blossom tree, which was located in a center of other big trees. With only nature all around them, there was only the sound of leaves rustling and birds chirping to be heard and none of those endless chatter and gossip and whispering behind his back. There was not a sound of people that could disrupt his train of thoughts and there were not eyes everywhere that pierced him with their stares. Peaceful and silent; his ideal place to be.

"This tree is a cherry blossom tree." Matsuoka pointed out, indicating the tree that stood looming over them at the front. "It's too bad we didn't get to see it in the bloom but next year, let's watch it together."

Haruka stared at Matsuoka and was slightly surprised when the red-haired seemed to know what he was silently asking. "Well, Haru, you get really uncomfortable when people stare at you, right? Especially when we're eating lunch together. So if we are to eat our lunch here, then there won't be eyes looking at you anymore, right? Then you can freely be yourself."

Without thinking, Haruka squeezed the hand that was still clasped in his and realized that they were still holding hands. He looked up at the cherry blossom tree that had not a flower left, his cheeks slightly tinted with pink and he sighed, "Let go of my hand, Rin."

A/N : Thank you so much for the reviews and follows and favorites . My hard work is for all of you chuu~