It was the Regional Tournaments; and it was hectic. [name] was seated in her wheelchair as she looked down towards the swimming pool. It was the final race; and it was the medley race. Sadly, [name] and the girls couldn't participate as they were short of one player; and [name] felt extremely guilty about it, which Makoto felt.
Makoto had then ruffled [name] on the head playfully, and kissed her cheek.
"We'll win this."
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.
.
And here she is now, watching the very last race before her.
"Go, go, go, go, go, Makoto!" the girls yelled out along with Gou and their teacher advisor.
"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Makoto!" the coach, Sasabe yelled in the cone like megaphone.
"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Makoto!" the girls repeated his cheer.
"He looks so… Free in the water…" [name] thought to herself as she looked at Makoto. He was swimming in a competitive manner, yet he was enjoying it till the very last moment. [name] then gripped the arm rests of her wheelchair as she watched Makoto make the turn first.
"Why…" [name] thought to herself as she looked down at her own legs.
"And…. Swim!"
"Swim!"
"Swim!"
"Nagisa!"
"Nitori!"
Makoto then swept his hair back with his hands as he smiled softly at his teammates. He then quickly turned to look at [name]; and he waved slightly at her. [name] then hesitantly waved back at him; and Makoto could totally sense what she was feeling.
Hatred for herself.
"And… Swim!"
"Swim!"
"Swim!"
"Go, go, go, go, go, Haruka!"
"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Haruka!"
"[name], look. There's so much to try out in here." Makoto spoke as he wheeled [name] alongside the Iwatobi team as they walked through the pathway of the school festival in Samezuka Academy. [name] then hummed in reply as she looked around.
"It there anything you want?" Makoto asked, and [name] shook her head in response.
"Excuse me! Three of your Samezuka-chan Love and Friendship Rondo Sandwiches please!" and the whole Iwatobi team turned to look at Nagisa who had dragged Mika by her hand towards the sandwich stall.
"N-Nagisa-kun! Wait a minute! If you eat that much, you won't have enough space for the swim club booth!" Rei spoke as he dragged Nagisa away from the stall much to his protest.
"Speaking of which, what kind of booth is it?" Nana asked as she turned to look at Hana.
"No idea. When I asked Sosuke…"
"Nene, Sosuke! What's your swim club planning on doing for the Samezuka School Festival?" Hana asked as she set a cup of iced tea in front of Sosuke.
"Don't you dare come!" both Sosuke and Rin threatened.
"Etto…" Hana mumbled out with a sweatdrop on her forehead.
"But it seems like Gou-san went last year, and she actually described it as amazing though." Rei spoke as he dragged Nagisa back to the group with Mika still attached to him by the hand.
"Move, move!"
*Bump*
"Ouch…" the person who had bumped into Haruka ended up on the floor; her bag of groceries was scattered all over the ground. Haruka then immediately knelt down and held his hand out;
"Are you alright?"
"Haru-chan looks like a prince!" Nagisa commented, and Hana huffed with jealousy.
"Thank you…" the girl mumbled out as she was about to grab Haruka's hand.
"What a beautiful lady." Rei commented, and Nana immediately let go of his hand out of jealousy.
"Wait… What's a girl doing in an all boys' academy?" Makoto spoke and [name]'s eyes widened in surprise.
"Nitori?" [name] called out, and Nitori immediately looked towards her.
"[name]-chan!" and [name] cringed at the chan behind her name. And almost immediately did Hana stopped her jealousy as she realised it was a guy who had fallen down.
"Ah, the Iwatobi team! You guys came!" Nitori added on.
"We just arrived." Nana spoke with a sweatdrop on her forehead as she took a good look at Nitori. Damn him for looking so cute in the maid outfit he was wearing…
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.
.
"Ai-chan you look so cute!" Nagisa spoke as he went behind Nitori and ruffled his skirt.
"P-Please stop!" Nitori whined out, and Mika pulled Nagisa back by his shoulder.
"Is this outfit for the swim club booth?" Makoto asked.
"Yeap! Samezua swimming club's tradition… The maid café from hell!" Nitori announced.
"No way… Rin is also… A maid?!" the boys called out at the same time.
"Woah. I want to see So-nii in a maid outfit!" Mika giggled out.
"Then let's go!"
"MOMO! QUIT YOUR WHINING AND GET BACK TO WORK!" Rin yelled and grabbed Momo's head in a death grip.
"H-Hai!"
"Excuse me?" Rin then let go of Momo's head as he heard a female voice…
"Welcome, to the maid café from hell." Rin called out with his eyes closed. He then looked at the customers who had entered and gagged slightly.
"We came to see you." Makoto explained.
"Mou, Rin-chan is a butler? Oh wait, Momo is a maid!" Nagisa chimed out.
"Even for the sake of the tradition… Having only the first years and second years to wear maid outfit while the third years are butler. IT'S TOTALLY UNFAIR!" Momo whined out.
"So last year… Rin was…" Rei, Makoto and Haruka thought to themselves and looked at Rin.
"DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!" Rin snapped at them. He then picked up Momo by his maid outfit collar and turned to look at the Iwatobi swim team;
"Anyway, my break is in a minute. So just sit and wait for me. Ai." Rin called out, and almost immediately Ai went in front of them…
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.
"Yes! Welcome back, masters!" Ai called out, and all of a sudden two rows of the Samezuka swim team appeared…
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.
.
"Welcome back, masters!"
"Oh god…"
"Sosuke, one more order of omurice." Rin called out as he wheeled [name] into the backroom of the café. [name] then took a look at Sosuke and smiled softly; he sure does look great in an apron.
"So… The Iwatobi team came huh?" Sosuke asked, not taking his eyes off the pan. Rin then wheeled [name] closer towards Sosuke, and stopped her just beside him.
"Yeah. I did tell them not to come…" Rin mumbled out.
"But you'll still show them around."
"True. You tag along too, Sosuke."
"Fine." And then Sosuke grabbed a spoon and scooped up a little bit of the omurice.
"Rin, try th- [NAME]?!"
"Hello." [name] spoke out with a soft smile on her face, and Rin burst out laughing.
"Why not we play that?" Nagisa called out as he pointed to a booth. It was a water gun survival game, and [name] could only sigh at it. She couldn't participate in it; she can't possibly have one of her teammates to push her around in the game anyway.
"Survival game! That's a great idea!" Rin called out.
"Yoohoo!" and the whole group of swimmers turned to look at who had called out to them. A brown haired and dark ocean blue eyed man was making their way towards where the swimmers were standing.
"[name]!" and the man hugged [name].
"Nii-chan…" [name] mumbled back out.
"Happy birthday!" Hazuki called out as he planted a kiss on [name]'s forehead. The whole swim team stared in shock; including Hana and the girls as well.
"Today's [name]'s birthday!?" Nagisa called out. Hazuki then turned to look at the swim team with a confused look in his eyes and he opened his mouth to respond.
"Yeah. She was born one day later than me." Hazuki spoke.
"Ah, sorry! We didn't know, [name]-chan!" Mika cried out as she hugged [name].
"It's alright, it's alright." [name] spoke with a fake soft smile as she waved it off with her hand.
"You didn't have to accompany me. I could have gone around myself." [name] stated as she was being wheeled by Sosuke around the campus ground. Sosuke then chuckled slightly as he wheeled [name] through the booths.
"It's perfectly alright. After all, today is your birthday; isn't it?"
"Ah, so I only get special treatment on my birthday?"
"Don't start."
"Ok."
Then Sosuke shook his head with a soft smile on his lips as he came to a stop at a bench and bent down slightly to [name]'s head. He then nudged the back of [name]'s head with his nose, and [name] swatted him away; earning a chuckle from the both of them.
"Wait here, alright? I'll get us some ice-cream." Sosuke called out as he ruffled [name]'s head and headed towards the ice-cream stand then…
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.
.
"[NAME]-SAN!" and [name] looked up from her legs and paled slightly as Momo was making his way towards her at full speed; holding a water gun as well, he soon then came to a halt right in front of her and started to blabber.
"Ne, [name]-san! Where's Gou-san? What about Yamazaki-senpai? [name]-san, I've been wanting to tell you how cute you look. Oh, and I love to collect sta-."
*SPLASH*
[name] got hit in the face by a splash of water, and she stared with wide opened eyes. And then…
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.
*SPLASH*
"Oh no!" Momo cried out as he dramatically fell to the ground after being hit by the water from the water gun. [name] then looked up and spotted Nitori close by, and he was cheering. [name] then giggled slightly as she saw someone approaching Nitori from behind.
"Nitori-kun! What do you think you're doing to [name]?!"
"A-Ah, I'm sorry Makoto-san!"
*SPLASH*
Makoto had fired at Nitori, causing him to be out of the game. [name] then giggled as Makoto made his way towards where [name] was and he removed his blazer, covering her with it.
"I've got a bad feeling." Rin spoke out as he looked around the campus ground.
"What is it?" Hana asked as she looked around as well.
"I don't know if it's a good idea to leave Sosuke with [name]." Rin added on, and Hana immediately gasped as she remembered something about Sosuke.
"He's extremely terrible with directions! Oh no! I forgot about it!" Hana cried out.
And somewhere in the middle of Samezuka Academy, was a Sosuke holding two ice-cream cones in his hands, and wondering where the heck he is.
[name] wheeled around Samezuka academy on her own, trying her best to find Sosuke. Apparently she remembered how terrible his sense of directions was, and now she's worried. But what she didn't expect was to bump into someone who only knew how to trigger her thoughts…
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Kirimi.
"Oh, looks who it is; girls." Kirimi called out as she and her group of girls stood in front of [name].
"Woah, she really is crippled!" one of the girls called out.
"Told you, karma will get you." Kirimi added on.
"[name]!" Sosuke called out as he rushed towards where [name] was. He then immediately stopped when he noticed [name]'s shoulders were shaking, and tears were falling from her eyes. Sosuke then knelt down in front of her and wiped away her tears, and [name] could only cry more.
"Sorry, I got lost. Did something happen?" Sosuke asked, and he mentally slapped himself for asking such an obvious question.
"N-No…" [name] mumbled out and Sosuke sighed. He then stood up back to his height and went behind of [name], wheeling her forward.
"Come on, let's go find the others."
"[name]? Is everything okay?" Makoto asked as he placed [name] onto her bed and headed towards her wardrobe to get out a fresh set of night clothes for her to change into. He then set the clothes down beside her and also settled himself onto her bed just beside her.
"Nothing is wrong, don't worry." [name] spoke with a fake smile, and Makoto sensed it. He had been sensing how [name] was feeling for the past few months already; and he already knew that she tends to try her best to surpass her emotions and put up a strong front. He knew that she was going through a hard time for the aches he had felt in his heart; for the pain that he felt in his legs whenever [name] hit her own. For the pain on his arms whenever she does it.
"Mako-chan! Come down and give us a hand will you?" Nagisa yelled out, and Makoto sighed.
"They're calling for you, you should go." [name] spoke and ushered Makoto off her bed. Makoto then turned to face at [name] and stared at her with a serious expression; causing her to flinch slightly. He then cupped her cheeks into his hands and placed his forehead against hers.
"You want know something?" Makoto asked as he leaned his lips forward.
"W-What?" [name] stuttered out as her heart sped up.
"I love you." And Makoto kissed [name] on her lips. He then withdrew and pecked her forehead, before turning and leaving the now flustered looking [name].
"I'll be back." Makoto called out, and not even waiting for [name]'s reply; he shut the door…
"Great job out there, guys!" Gou called out as the girls met up with the boys after the regional tournaments. The boys had won the tournaments, and the girls were extremely proud of them.
"Mou, if only you girls could have participated in the medley relay!" Nagisa whined out, and was immediately shushed by Makoto. [name] then gripped her arms tightly as she heard what Nagisa had spoken out about.
"A-Ah, I'm sorry; [name]-chan!" Nagisa cried out, and [name] tightened her hold on her arms and looked up at him with a soft smile. She then waved it off with one of her hands;
"It's alright!"
"Don't you think you're just bringing down Nana and Mika?" Kirimi spat out as she blocked [name]'s pathway. [name] then glared at her as best as she could; but she knew what Kirimi had said was true.
"Because of you, Nana, Mika and Hana aren't able to participate in a relay." Kirimi added on, and [name] grabbed hold of her wheelchair and gripped it tightly.
"Maybe you should reconsider and leave them already."
"It's my fault. It's my fault that the girls couldn't participate in the medley relay. It's my fault that I brought them down. Pathetic…" [name] thought to herself as she opened her drawer and brought out a bottle of sleeping pills.
"Kirimi is right, I should end everything right now." [name] thought to herself as she poured out a good dozen of the sleeping pills. She then smiled softly as she lifted her hand and opened her mouth…
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.
.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" and [name]'s hand was slapped away harshly and she felt her back against her bed. She stared at the supposedly intruder who had barged into her room without notice; and he was currently pinning her down on the bed.
"What are you doing? Don't do such foolish things!" Makoto yelled out as he pinned [name] down by her wrists, and tightening his hold on them.
"L-Let me go!" [name] cried out, emotions building up.
"Why…" and [name] stopped struggling as she felt misery coming from Makoto. She then took a good look at his face and noticed he was crying. [name] then started crying as well as she realised she had hurt another person; and worst still, her very own soulmate.
"I rushed up here the moment I sensed your suicidal side. I can't stand it seeing you act this way." Makoto spoke out with a whisper as he lowered his body onto [name], trying his best not to squish her. He then let go of [name]'s wrists and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"You're my soulmate. The very first day when you first entered school; I was amazed by the cold vibe you gave off. You reminded me so much of Haru, but better yet; you're still being yourself. Why are you doing this to yourself? Just because the girls can't participate in the medley relay? Just because you're paralyzed spine and down? If that's the case, it's my fault too. It's my fault since I called you out. It's my fault for asking you meet me at the cross junction when I could have just met you at your house." Makoto spoke and tightened his hold on [name].
[name] then reluctantly but lovingly placed an arm around his back and hugged him while her other hand was on the back of his head as she ruffled his hair.
"Don't be foolish… We don't blame you for all this that has happened…" Makoto cried out the last part, and [name] stopped in her actions. Makoto then pushed himself up and supported himself with his hands as he grabbed hold of one of [name]'s arms. He then pushed down the sleeve to reveal the scars that she had hidden and kissed them.
"I told you, I'll be with you; every step of the way. So no more foolish thoughts, alright?" Makoto spoke as he leaned down towards [name] and planted a kiss on her lips.
"I love you too much to let you leave this world just because of this stupid reason."
