Makoto and the merman
Chapter 3 - Friendship
I arrived at the research facility and I entered the building. I was guided to the room with Haruka's tank in it. My father and the other researchers were waiting outside the door.
"Makoto, it's good you could come so soon," my father said.
"Makoto, let me intruduce you to the one in charge of the reasearch of the merman, Dr. Ryo Hamada."
"It's very nice to meet you Doctor," I said and reached out my hand to Doctor Hamada but he didn't take it.
"I heard you were successful in communicating with the merman," he said with a slightly unpleasant tone to his voice.
"Yes, we talked," I said.
"I would like you to talk to him again and ask him some very important questions."
"Like what?" I asked him.
"Like where the rest of his kind is located," he answered.
"Why do you wanna know?" I asked him.
"I would like to know if there are more of his kind wouldn't you?" he said with the same unpleasant tone as before.
"Well sure but just so we're clear, when you're done with your research you intend to let him back into the ocean right?" I asked him.
"Of course," he said but something about the way he said it seemed off.
"Yes Makoto we just wanna know how they live and how their society works. We have only been able to preform tests to determine how their anatomy works since he wouldn't talk to us," my father said.
"These tests didn't hurt, did they?" I asked my father.
"I haven't been involved in the tests at all so I don't really know. Doctor Hamada conducted all the tests himself." he answered and looked at the doctor.
"I assure you I didn't do anything to harm the subject," he said but the way he said it seemed off just as before and I didn't like the way he called Haruka a "subject".
"So you want to know how mermen and mermaids live and what they do. That kind of stuff?" I asked Doctor Hamada.
"Yes, that's all."
"Okay, you want me to go in now?" I asked.
Yes, if you will," Doctor Hamada said.
Everyone else moved aside and I entered the room.
I closed the door behind me and walked up to the tank in the middle of the room. They had litsened to my request and had removed the chain around Haruka's wrist and he was know sleeping at the bottom of the tank. Small bubbles were coming out of his mouth and I could hear a faint snoring sound. I knocked carefully on the glass and Haruka opened his eyes but he didn't look at me.
"Are you here to preform more tests on me?" he asked in his usual monotone voice.
"No, it's me Makoto," I said.
He reacted to my voice and with fast movements he had gotten up and was now face to face with me on the other side of the glass.
"I'm so glad it's you and not the others, especially not the Hamada guy," he said.
"I really wanted to see you again," I said and smiled. He looked away and I could see he was blushing just like the day before. It was kind of cute.
"I have so many things I want to ask you," I said after a short silence.
"Like what?" Haruka asked.
"Like how your family is like for example," I answered.
He looked at me a few seconds and then opened his mouth.
"They're really nice," he started.
"My mom is very good at telling stories and there was this one that I really liked," he said.
"She always used to tell me it was a true story. I don't know if I believe her but I still loved the story," he continued.
"My father can be a little strict sometimes but he's really a good guy. He always told me it could be dangerous to be to close to the shore in case humans would spot me and I guess he was right because that was how I ended up here."
"Why would you risk getting caught by being near the shore?" I asked him.
"I was looking for someone. Someone I meet a long time ago. I always came to the shore to look for him."
The sad look he usually had on his face became more sad as he seemed to be thinking about something.
"Are you okay, Haruka?" I asked.
Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about that someone. I wish I could meet him again but the thing is, I can't really remember his face."
Silence filled the room as none of us said anything for several minutes until a thought popped into my head and I opened my mouth to speak.
"Hey, Haruka. Is it okay if I call you Haru-chan?" I asked him.
"I don't like being called -chan," he said.
"What about just Haru then?"
"Okay, but why?" he asked.
"Because we're friends now," I said and smiled at him. Through the glass I could see that he was blushing once again.
"If you want to be my friend of course."
"Sure, that would be nice," he said in his usual voice.
Right after he said that the researchers came in through the door and there was no more time to talk. Like the day before I was brought to a small room with a table. Unlike yesterday however not only my father was with me but also Doctor Hamada. I told them everything Haru had said and after that I was told I could go home.
That night when I was lying in bed I thought about Haru and how much he must miss his family but I couldn't help but to feel a little happy that Haru had been caught. Because if the hadn't I would have never met him but there was something that bothered me, but I couldn't figure out exacly what it was.