Minna-san, I am so sorry that I took so long to update! ''

I was a little too busy that I forgot to upload the latest chapter! I'll make it up to you somehow!

Chapter 9 – Peaceful days; growing pain

The days passed like flowing water. Pages of the calendar got torn off one by one. They piled up, higher and higher until it was turning into a mini-sized mountain.

And with each of the passing days, my friends never let me down. They came and visited, keeping me company. Makoto and Nagisa had even dragged Kou, a promising member named Rei who swam the butterfly style and Ama sensei, whenever she could take a day off of her busy schedule.

Rin had started visiting in the day too. He came with his younger sister, the swim club's manager. Every time the cerise-haired siblings came in, my eyes would always linger on one of them. Linger for far too long. Meeting Rin in broad daylight for the first time had angered Nagisa and Makoto got protective. After a lot of explanation later (and a few arguments), we had everything down. Well, sort of. Makoto and Nagisa were still quite mad at him for going to Australia and never keeping in contact with us.

As the days progressed, my sickness spread further. It has been fifteen months. A year and three months. Both my legs were totally immobile now, I'm stuck in bed. They feel like weights that I have to drag around. The more I look at them, the more pained I felt. These were the legs that I used to swim with. The very legs that I trained with all my might so that I could swim smoothly in the water with freestyle. They are useless now.

~.~.~.~

"What's so nice about the plain view out there?" Rin asked while he chewed on a meat bun. His teeth and tongue were sharp as usual.

"It's something that I can look at." I rested my chin in my hand while keeping my eyes glued to the scenery outside. And by scenery, I mean that all I can see is a tree and an empty expanse of rubble. The hospital was located by a few dilapidated old houses.

Rin flopped onto the bed with me and looked in the same direction as I did. "There's nothing there." he said as he took another bite out of his meat bun.

"Better than white walls." I answered. "At least this has colour."

The other youth clasped his fingers onto my chin and turned my head around so that my blue eyes would meet his flaming red ones. "Why don't you take a look at me instead?" His whisper was low, sexy and seductive.

I felt tingles going down my spine. I took his face in my hand and kissed his eyelids. They fluttered immediately to close when my lips landed on them and they fluttered open when it was over, like butterflies. Speaking of butterflies, I felt some flying around in my stomach already. Given that we have been going out for some time now, a kiss wouldn't be much of a surprise.

Rin nipped my ear and I let out a soft yelp. I still can't get used to that. "That wasn't fair, Haru."

"Why not?" Rin's teeth sure are sharp.

"I couldn't see you for a second or two there." Rin has this very odd, I might say, behaviour. He always likes to keep his eyes open, even if slightly, during a kiss. Out of curiosity, I asked him once why he did so. "I love your expression when we kiss." He had stated it so blatantly that I couldn't help but blush.

"Not my problem."

He smirked into my ear. "Never could force you to do anything, Haru."

"And you never will, Rin."

The cerise haired male gave a final smirk then turned to glance at his watch.

"Have to go?" Truth was, I started to feel lonely whenever Rin had to go to school. I do hope that he can ace his studies and everything, but there's this small selfish part of me that wants to keep my lover right beside me for all of time.

"Yep. Coach wants to make us do a relay practice after the first period." Getting up, Rin finished his meat bun and licked his lips.

"Good luck with it." And then added "You'd better be going. If you're late, then your Physics teacher would grill you."

Rin laughed a little. "True, true." Bending down, he pecked my cheek. "Love you, Haru."

"Love you too."

Grabbing his school bag, Rin swiftly made his way out the door and down the hallways. I listened and waited until I heard the pitter patter of his footsteps fade away into the elevator. The ding sound signaled that he was gone.

Sliding my eyes out to the window again, I looked at the rubble. They looked my legs now. Old and useless.

And then I remembered everyone else. Their support. Their friendship.

I wish that these peaceful days would continue forever.