Because Haru-chan is too adorable I just wanna TEAAASE HIM!
Title: Coastline
Pairing: Nanase Haruka/OC
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It's when Nanase Haruka's quiet life suddenly gets interrupted by another 'Haru-chan'.
It’s autumn now. The leaves are slowly falling to the ground, some are even covering the school pool. Nanase Haruka stands rooted at the edge of the pool, by the starting block. His eyes survey the water tainted with leaves passively.
“It’s so cold today!” Hazuki Nagisa whines, hugging his coat closer to him as he enters the scene.
“Oh, you’re already here, Haru?” Tachibana Makoto calls out to Haruka, emerging from behind Nagisa. Haruka whirls around to the sound of footsteps behind him.
“Haruka-senpai is always here first,” Ryugazaki Rei comments upon arrival. He pushes his red glasses up on the bridge of his nose, stopping right next to Nagisa, who plops down next to where Haruka is.
The swim club’s on break because of the weather. The water’s too cold to swim in and exams are finally coming up. But the boys, excluding Rei, aren’t worried about tests so much. The four of them drop their bags in the corner and sit side by side at the edge of their mini ocean. Haruka folds up his pants and removes his shoes and socks and dips his feet into the water.
Ah…
“Ha-Haru-chan! Are you sure you should be doing that?” Nagisa blurts out in concern. He sort of felt Haruka shiver for a moment there.
“It’s cold, isn’t it? Your feet would freeze!” Rei bursts.
Makoto laughs, patting Rei on the back.
“Haru can take it,” he simply says. Haruka looks at Makoto on his left and the latter smiles at him in understanding.
The door bursts open then and the boys turn their heads toward the newcomer.
“I knew you’d be here!” Matsuoka Gou exclaims with both relief and surprise. She’s holding a flyer of some sort.
“Gou-chan, what’s that?” Nagisa asks, reaching out for the paper. Gou hands it over to him and the boys gather to read it together. It’s a flyer about a swimming tournament by the start of June. Of course, all of them are interested to compete.
“Are we joining this?” Rei asks.
“Of course we are! What kind of question is that, Rei-chan?!” Nagisa answers happily, jumping up to his feet. “As soon as the water warms up, we should go and train!”
“Yes, yes. You’re so fired up, Nagisa,” Makoto says with a chuckle.
“Hey. Aren’t you guys going home yet?” Gou inquires now. “You can’t swim around this time and exams are coming up. Shouldn’t you go home to study?”
“Then why are you still here?” Nagisa asks back, seriously curious yet unknowingly insulting Gou.
“I wanted to show this to you guys! And besides, I’m the manager. Even when there are no club activities, I have to make sure the club area is clean and neat.”
Rei stands up now and goes to take his bag from the corner.
“Gou-san’s right. We should go and study for the tests,” Rei says.
“As if you need to study, Rei-chan! You always do well on tests!” Nagisa teases.
“That’s because I study seriously,” Rei replies, sighing.
Nagisa laughs and retrieves his bag as well. “Anyway, let’s go home together.”
Makoto glances at Haruka next to him. He hasn’t said a single thing since they arrived. He’s still staring intently at the small currents that he makes with his feet and Makoto knows that Haruka doesn’t have plans of returning home just yet.
“You guys go ahead,” Haruka finally speaks up, earning everyone’s attention.
Wordlessly, everyone crowds around him and peers into his face suspiciously. Haruka moves back, uncomfortable.
“You’re just going to jump in the moment we leave, right?” Gou questions with a cocked brow. Beside her, Rei and Nagisa nod in agreement.
“I won’t,” Haruka replies simply.
The other four look at one another and nod.
“Okay then. We’ll leave him to you, Captain,” Gou tells Makoto, who’s still sitting beside Haruka.
“We’ll be going first. See you tomorrow!” Nagisa bids the other two goodbye on behalf of him, Rei and Gou. Rei bows to Makoto and Haruka before following Gou and Nagisa out the door. The wind blows strongly then. Makoto watches the leaves dancing hurriedly on the water while Haruka closes his eyes, taking in the autumn breeze.
“We should go home soon, too,” Makoto tells Haruka.
“Yeah…”
The sky is slowly turning orange as the sun sets. The clouds look like mist being blown away by the winds. As if finally feeling the iciness of the water, Haruka pulls his feet up and hugs his legs. Makoto starts to chuckle.
“Do you want to stay longer?” Makoto asks. Haruka doesn’t look at him but he nods slightly, easing out a tender smile from Makoto’s lips. “Alright. I’ll be heading back first then.”
Makoto stands up and walks to the corner. He hears leaves crackling so he looks to the side. Below the fence separating the pool from wandering spectators, a girl stands with her back faced to him. It seems like she’s waiting for someone.
“Um, excuse me!” Makoto calls out, jogging toward the fence to check. Haruka turns his attention to his friend.
“Oh!” the girl blurts out as she whirls around in panic. Makoto pauses by the boundary.
The wind whistles another of its gusts and it passes by the girl freely, combing her mid-long black hair to the side. She shields her eyes with her right arm until the breeze leaves and her uniform rustles back to its original place. Makoto keeps quiet as the girl fixes her hair back in place, as well as her shaggy bangs. She’s in the same year as them, with the green ribbon coiled loosely around her collar, jacket unbuttoned and sweater a bit messy. She seems familiar for some reason.
“Um…” Makoto mumbles then, right after the girl fixes her hair. She looks up at him.
“Ah. Hello,” she greets with a small smile.
“Who is it?” Haruka whispers to Makoto, tilting his head to the side to peek past the taller boy’s frame then down below. Haruka’s ocean eyes meet with the girl’s chocolate ones.
“We’re in the same class. I’m Hasegawa Miharu,” the girl introduces politely, bowing. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
Haruka and Makoto look at one another then back at the girl.
“What brings you here, Hasegawa-san?” Makoto asks with a smile. Haruka looks away.
Miharu hums as she points at the boys. “I guess I just wanted to see the pool.”
But she was facing the other way… Makoto thinks to himself.
“We’re about to go home now,” Haruka says.
Makoto snaps back to the current situation and catches Miharu’s eyes softening as she looks down at her feet.
“That’s too bad…” she mumbles.
“Maybe you can come over again tomorrow?” Makoto suggests.
Miharu slowly looks up with a prepared smile. “That would be nice. Thank you.”
Haruka sneaks behind Makoto to get their bags. He hands the backpack to Makoto once he returns and turns around for the door.
“Bye then,” Makoto says with a small wave toward Miharu, who waves back.
On the way outside, Haruka has his hands dug deep in his pockets while Makoto holds onto the straps of his bag, looking up at the sky.
“It would be nice if we had our own indoor pool,” Makoto says out of the blue.
Haruka nods. “Yeah. That way, we could train even during this weather.”
“And we wouldn’t have to fish out leaves every fall.”
“Yeah.”
The walk back home is somewhat quieter than usual. Haruka’s just looking down at the ground while Makoto looks to the horizon. They’re already at the port along the street to Haruka’s house. It’s already evening and the stars are beginning to peek out from the night blanket.
“Makoto.”
“Hmm?”
“Your birthday is coming up, right?”
Makoto stares at Haruka for a moment before he breaks out into a small smile.
“You remembered?”
“Just now.”
Makoto hums. “I guess it’s right around the corner. It actually slipped my mind.”
“Because of that girl?”
“What?!” Makoto bursts in surprise. Haruka rarely teases him about anything at all but of all the things, he teases him about a girl?!
“I’m kidding,” Haruka says indifferently. “But did she really come over to see the pool?”
Makoto recovers from his shock, tucking a thumb under his chin as he thinks.
“Come to think of it, when I saw her, she was facing the other way,” Makoto shares. “And she should’ve climbed up the stairs if she wanted a peek.”
Haruka stays silent from then until they reach his house. Makoto bids him a goodbye before turning around to leave.
The house is empty.
Haruka sighs. He removes his shoes by the entrance and shuffles inside. He leaves his bag in the den and strips down to his swimming trunks. He goes to the bathroom, prepares hot water then dips in. The warmth envelops him almost completely and he lets out a breath of relief. The evening is quiet, like his empty house. He scoops up a palm-full of water and watches it slip through his fingers.
I want to swim.
Haruka submerges himself in the water for a while then he gets out. He changes into comfy shorts and a shirt, frying mackerel for dinner again and washing the dishes after he eats. He drinks plenty of water while he scans through a copy of Makoto’s notes for History in the den.
“Exams…”
Haruka doesn’t really put effort into studying but he manages to pass just fine. Thanks to Makoto, of course. Being with him in the same class has always been nice.
Same class…
Haruka recalls the events of that afternoon. Hasegawa Miharu. The name sort of rings a bell but Haruka swears he has never seen the girl before. Or if he ever did, she must have just slipped his memory. Anything slips Haruka’s mind, except for swimming and his friends’ personal info. He lives that simply. Putting all this thinking aside, Haruka fixes his school stuff then off he goes to bed. Lying down on the mattress and feeling himself sink, he misses the water even more.
The next morning, Makoto and Haruka walk to school together, as usual.
“It gets colder and colder as the days go by, huh?” Makoto asks Haruka.
Haruka yawns. “Guess so.”
The road stretches before them like a never-ending pathway in some kind of maze. Haruka feels lazier during days with this weather. Makoto feels the same but it doesn’t wipe off the smile on his face. As soon as they arrive in school, they see a familiar face by the shoe lockers.
“Good morning!” Miharu greets Haruka and Makoto the moment she turns around and sees them.
“Morning,” Makoto and Haruka chorus, although Makoto’s sounds livelier.
Since they’re in the same class, they walk together in the halls. Makoto walks in between Haruka and Miharu, who are both looking the other way for some reason.
“Um… So, Hasegawa-san,” Makoto starts to somehow get rid of the awkwardness.
“Yes?”
“Have you studied for the tests?”
Miharu shakes her head. “I think it’s too early to study.”
A girl who studies late? No, no… I shouldn’t stereotype. Makoto shakes his head.
“Have you?” Miharu asks.
Haruka glances at Makoto then. The taller boy tilts his head.
“Only a little.”
“Is that so?” Miharu chuckles. “You’re such a hard worker, Tachibana-kun.”
“N-Not at all,” Makoto stutters, embarrassed.
“I feel like studying early would make me forget the lessons faster so I study a few days before exam week,” Miharu shares.
“I guess you can put it that way,” Makoto says in agreement. “How about you, Haru? Have you studied?”
Haruka blinks. He forgot that he was going to be a part of this conversation sooner or later.
“I tried but I can’t remember anything now,” Haruka answers honestly.
“See? Maybe Nanase-kun’s like me!” Miharu jokes. Makoto chuckles.
“Perhaps.”
Haruka frowns a little. They reach their classroom not too long after that and they settle down in their seats. It turns out that Miharu’s seat is in the same column as Haruka’s, only a seat separating them. Haruka realizes that maybe that’s the reason why he hasn’t seen Miharu. The person sitting in front of him is a tall guy after all.
“Good morning, everyone! Let’s start today with a review lesson,” Amakata-sensei announces upon entering the room.
“Okay!” the class chorus, except for Haruka, who looks out the window instead. The tress are swaying a bit so the wind outside must be strong. Just like this, the day goes on until the bell rings for the first break. Haruka puts away his study materials in his desk.
“Nanase-kun!”
Haruka looks up. A Pocky packet appears before him.
“Want one?” Miharu asks, a stick already stuck between her lips.
Haruka freezes.
“Haru- oh! Hasegawa-san,” Makoto says in a bit of surprise, jogging toward Haruka’s seat. He had just returned from outside.
“Do you want one, Tachibana-kun?” Miharu shows the snack packet to the other boy.
“Oh, thank you. I’ll have one,” Makoto replies happily. He takes a stick out and eats it with delight. “Strawberry~”
“I like the strawberry-flavored one the most. People usually like the chocolate one though,” Miharu explains.
“Haru likes the strawberry one too. Right, Haru?” Makoto turns to Haruka, who looks away in time. “Haru’s just a little shy. May I get one for him?”
“Please do.”
Makoto takes one more stick and holds it out to Haruka. The quiet boy takes it hesitantly. He bites the tip carefully and pauses when he notices Miharu staring at him. Haruka raises an eyebrow.
Miharu smiles. “I like Nanase-kun.”
Silence.
Makoto’s and Haruka’s eyes grow big in quiet surprise while Miharu laughs.
“Was that too sudden?” she asks politely. Makoto and Haruka only stare. “Well then, I have an errand to run so I’ll see you after break.”
After that, Miharu walks away with a Pocky stick stuck in between her lips while the one in between Haruka’s breaks into two, one part falling on his desk.
“SOMEONE CONFESSED TO HARU-CHAN?!” Nagisa bursts with utmost surprise to the extent that he jumps to his feet, shoving his face right in front of Haruka’s. Makoto and Haruka arrived at the rooftop not too long after Miharu’s surprise and Makoto just had to explain to the others why Haruka’s face looked awfully red. Although in the background, Haruka already said that it was just cold and that it didn’t have anything to do with Miharu.
“That is indeed a surprise!” Rei exclaims beside Haruka, glasses sparkling weirdly.
“So who is it, Mako-chan? This brave girl who confessed!” Nagisa urges excitedly.
“Um, well, her name’s Hasegawa-san-“
“HASEGAWA-SAN!” Nagisa exclaims like some kind of battle cry as he grips Rei’s collar and drags him down the stairs in a rush. Makoto’s and Haruka’s eyes grow wide in shock again as they realize what Nagisa wanted to do. They hurry to the halls to somehow stop Nagisa and his victim Rei but they can’t find them anywhere in the second floor.
“Where could they have gone?” Makoto asks, sighing.
“Ah! Captain, Haruka-senpai!” Gou calls out as she rushes to the two boys panting at the side. “You guys look drained.”
“Have you seen Nagisa and Rei?” Haruka asks in between pants.
Gou strokes her chin. “I think I passed by them near the library-“
Haruka runs past Gou immediately, surprising the club manager greatly.
“What was that?! Did something happen?” Gou asks Makoto worriedly.
“I’ll tell you later,” Makoto replies breathlessly before taking in a deep breath. “Ugh. Haru! Wait up!”
Gou turns around to watch Makoto chase Haru down the hall. She tilts her head in curiosity.
The library is almost empty if not for the librarian, student assistant and a couple of bookworms scattered in different tables. Nagisa peeks out from behind a bookshelf, scanning the premises carefully.
“Why did you drag me into this?” Rei whispers from the corner. He’s sitting on the floor, hugging his legs in worry while Nagisa is alert on his feet. “And why the library, of all places?”
“Aren’t you curious about this girl?” Nagisa replies quietly. “I think she’s the first girl to have ever confessed to Haru-chan!”
“Are you sure?!” Rei retorts in dismay. “And you didn’t answer my second question.”
“Maybe. Anyway, do you see someone who looks like a Hasegawa-san around?”
Rei frowns for having his second question left unanswered, turning his head to peek from his spot. There are two senior girls sharing a book at the table closest to the librarian’s station, a freshman boy studying at the table next to theirs and a group of seniors at the farthest table, trying to contain their laughter from something supposedly funny in a magazine. Rei doesn’t know what to say.
“I don’t think we could determine a Hasegawa-san just by looking at these people,” Rei replies cautiously. “We should return-“
“Do you think she might be the student assistant?” Nagisa mentions all of a sudden, squinting his eyes to get a better view of the girl. “No. She doesn’t look like she’s a Hasegawa-san.”
“Were you even listening to me?” Rei asks in disbelief. He buries his face on his knees while Nagisa focuses on the mission. Rei hears footsteps nearing them and senses a different presence in their midst. He looks up then to his right to see a girl looking down at him and he blushes maddeningly in embarrassment, moving back and accidentally bumping Nagisa’s leg.
“Hey, Rei-cha-“ Nagisa tries to say but freezes when he sees the girl before them.
“I’m sorry. I just wanted to check something from this section,” the girl explains worriedly.
“Please don’t apologize. We should be the ones to say sorry!” Rei blurts out as he gets to his feet and bows to the girl.
A sophomore… Nagisa thinks absentmindedly. He stares at the girl longer. He notes that she has shaggy bangs and that her hair is a little long and wavy but there are remnants of curls at some of the ends; her uniform is a bit messy and her eyes are brown like chocolates and her eyelashes are long and sheltering; her skin is pale and it makes her lips look redder compared to other girls’ and she’s taller than the girls in his and Rei’s class, and some of the girls in Makoto and Haruka’s class.
She looks like a quiet person.
“Nagisa-kun, apologize,” Rei reminds in a whisper, keeping his bowing stance. Nagisa suddenly panics as he looks to his sides, avoiding the girl’s curious gaze.
“Rei, Nagi-“ Haruka starts the moment he rushes over and sees the two boys behind a bookshelf but the rest of his words come to a stop upon seeing the addition. Rei and Nagisa immediately turn toward Haruka and Makoto. Haruka’s face suddenly turns redder than before and Makoto’s smile then looks awkward.
“Haru-chan?” Nagisa calls softly, curious as to why the older boy looks flustered.
Rei understands quickly as he looks toward the clueless girl. “That means…”
“H-Have you finished doing your errand, Hasegawa-san?” Makoto asks nervously yet with a smile to somehow break the ice.
Nagisa’s and Rei’s eyes grow wide this time as they gasp in unison. “Hasegawa-san?!”
“SHH!” the librarian hisses by the counter. She can see the mischievous group from her chair so she glares at them in warning. Rei bows in apology on everyone’s behalf.
“Y-Yes?” Miharu answers, uncertain.
Nagisa approaches her but before he could ask anything, the school bell rings and, this time, Rei’s the one to grab him by the collar and drag him back to their classroom. Miharu watches wordlessly while Haruka turns away and Makoto exhales deeply.
“So those two were your other teammates!” Miharu says in understanding. She, Haruka and Makoto are walking back to their classroom now.
“I’m sorry if they caused you any trouble,” Makoto says, truly apologetic.
“Don’t be! It was fun seeing lively first years,” Miharu replies with delight.
Haruka doesn’t say anything until they reach the room. Makoto actually finds joy in seeing a different side of Haruka’s but at the same time, he’s curious about Miharu.
Soon, the school bell rings for lunch break. Haruka hurries off to the rooftop while Makoto tries to catch up.
“Haru, you don’t have to be so bothered about this,” Makoto consoles as soon as they settle down in their usual spot. Nagisa and Rei follow shortly after and they eat quietly at first…
“She’s actually pretty, don’t you think?” Nagisa brings up out of the blue, making Rei choke on an eggroll and Makoto drop a chunk of round hotdog. Haruka sips on his carton of milk passively, as if he didn’t hear anything.
“C’mon. Agree with me, Rei-chan, Mako-chan!”
“I guess so,” Makoto finally replies, thoughtful.
“M-Maybe…” Rei stutters, blushing a bit.
“Look at it this way, Haru-chan,” Nagisa says with confidence. “At least you know you have a fan. Your own number one fan!”
“Can we stop talking about this?” Haruka retorts. The other three fall silent, to Haruka’s relief.
Come dismissal time, Rei and Nagisa wait for Makoto and Haruka in their classroom.
“I’m having Rei-chan tutor me for the exams so I’m going to his place today,” Nagisa informs as they make their way to the shoe lockers. “Do you guys want to join us?”
“We have different subjects and lessons,” Haruka points out, disappointing Nagisa.
Makoto chuckles. “I’d love to but my mom told me to go shopping for school materials for my sister’s class project. How about you, Haru?”
The three boys turn to Haruka then.
“I’m going… To the pool…” Haruka mumbles as he takes out his outdoor shoes from his locker.
“That’s Haruka-senpai for you,” Rei comments.
“Same old water-loving Haru-chan!” Nagisa sings. “Oh, we’ll be heading out first. See you guys tomorrow!”
“See you,” Makoto replies as Rei and Nagisa walk out to the gates. He slips into his shoes and turns around to look at Haruka but the quiet boy has already walked to the entrance. Makoto watches Haruka’s silhouette in the distance. He chuckles again. “Oh, Haru.”
The leaves crackle beneath his shoes and the calming swaying lullaby of the trees cradle his mind to ease. Haruka goes up the stairs, opens the door and slowly climbs three steps of the stairs to the pool but as soon as he looks up and sees someone sitting by the middle starting block , he hesitates about coming over.
She’s here…
Miharu’s hugging her legs then, the under flap of her skirt folded neatly to cover what needs to be covered. Her shoes and socks are right beside her, as well as her messenger bag and a couple of books.
Haruka steps backwards yet his presence makes Miharu notice enough to turn around.
“Nanase-kun?” Miharu calls out as she looks over her shoulder and toward Haruka, who freezes in place.
He turns around as soon as his senses return and starts walking down the stairs. Miharu stands up in alarm.
“Nanase-kun! I’m sorry!”
Haruka stops by the door.
“I didn’t mean to trespass! I just wanted to feel the water!”
To feel…
“I’ll leave so please don’t be mad. I’m sorry!” Miharu shouts finally. Her voice cracked at the end and Haruka turns around to check if she’s okay. Miharu’s panting hard, her cheeks as red as apples in spring and her eyes look terribly apologetic and sad. She swallows to get her composure back before she hurries to gather her things, gets her socks and shoes on and fix her uniform. As she rushes, she doesn’t notice Haruka having proceeded behind her, only realizing when she catches glimpse of a fluttering green necktie at the corner of her eye. Like the first time she heard Makoto’s voice yesterday, Miharu whirls around in surprise.
“If you want to stay, stay.”
Miharu blinks.
In the end, Haruka and Miharu stay at the pool. They sit at different corners though but both of them dip their feet into the cold liquid. Somehow, because of the water, they’re connected.
“I’m really sorry…”
Haruka hears Miharu yet he only looks at the water longingly. Instead of only seeing his ripples, he glimpses another from the other side. Because of this, it feels weird.
“Um…”
“Makoto already went home,” Haruka answers as if he already knew what Miharu was going to ask.
“I see,” Miharu replies quietly. “But I wasn’t going to ask where Tachibana-kun was.”
Haruka feels a sense of surprise and embarrassment together for the sudden revelation but despite that, he ignores it.
“I was just wondering if you were upset,” Miharu continues carefully. She wades her feet gently to make streams. “About this and that.”
“This and that?” Haruka repeats with not a single sense of curiosity but of obligation in terms of manners.
Miharu tightens both her hands’ hold at the edge as she reclines herself slightly to get a better look of the sky.
“This, for being here,” Miharu says simply. “And that, for saying I like you.”
Haruka stops his feet’s movements. He bows his head a little and his eyes soften toward the water. For some reason, his head is empty yet his sensations are getting sharper. Sharper, because the coldness of the water is hurriedly piercing through his skin and his chest abnormally feels heavy - sensations that he doesn’t know he had.
“I’m sorry for bringing these up again…”
“I’m not upset.”
Miharu turns to look at Haruka at the other corner. His focus is on the water that they’re currently sharing. Miharu’s lips curve into a small, understanding smile.
“I’m glad.”
Haruka leans back on his palms. The sky he sees now is the same sky that Miharu saw earlier.
“I’m not sure about what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
Haruka side-glances at Miharu. She’s busying herself with her streams.
“You said you’re not upset. That’s enough,” Miharu says with a giggle.
The awkwardness goes on, nonetheless. Haruka has already pulled his legs up but Miharu still has her feet in the freezing water. Haruka wonders for a second if she can still feel anything at all or if she’s actually having cramps but is putting on a strong front. Despite all these thoughts, he remains silent and forgets all together.
“I’m heading back now,” Haruka informs as he puts his socks back on.
Miharu looks at him. “May I stay here longer?”
“Why?”
In front of Haruka’s mild curiosity-painted eyes, Miharu offers another small smile, much less happy compared to the earlier ones but still a smile of some sort.
“I realize that the water calms me down.”
Haruka pauses.
Calming…
With a wordless nod, Haruka bids Miharu goodbye. On his way to the gates, Haruka looks over his shoulder to take in one last view of the pool for the day. Unlike the usual empty surroundings it has, the pool that day has a guardian.
A few days after that incident, Miharu has been talking to Makoto and Haruka in their classroom frequently. As a result, Miharu has been sticking to Makoto so close as if they were long lost siblings. Haruka notes that both Miharu and Makoto are fond of candies, as well as videogames and some kind of show on TV but Haruka forgets the title. They’re also both Scorpios and that Miharu’s birthday is a day after Makoto’s.
“They’re joined to the hip!” Nagisa said one day as they ate on the rooftop, discussing about this. Rei had both agreed and disagreed, defending Makoto’s friendliness as well as Miharu’s own female nature. Makoto said that they just had the same interests and that nothing weird was going on between them.
“She’s like another younger sister, really,” Makoto explained during that same day before Nagisa frowned and nudged his head against Makoto’s shoulder, accusing him of being a playboy. Haruka at the time had nothing to say.
“But she’s Haru-chan’s number one fan!” Nagisa burst. “You don’t have to be greedy and steal, Mako-chan.”
As Nagisa steered that conversation his way, Makoto and Haruka never heard the end of silly accusations and teasing. Rei had already become somewhat immune to Nagisa’s rambling about Miharu. Oh but Nagisa doesn’t hate Miharu.
“Haru-chan!”
Haruka turns his head immediately to the call but he realizes late that it was a girl’s voice, and not Makoto’s and much less likely Nagisa’s. He sees Miharu wave at the girl who called.
“You and Miharu-chan actually have the same nicknames, huh?” Makoto mentions as soon as he stretches over to Haruka’s desk.
“But you guys are the ones getting along quite nicely.”
Makoto chuckles awkwardly. “So you’re on Nagisa’s side now, Haru?”
Haruka smiles faintly. “Not at all. I’m just kidding.”
Makoto sighs but smiles a little right after. “Does it still bother you?”
“What does?”
Makoto glances at Miharu, who’s currently listening to her friend talk, then looks back at Haruka. The quiet boy knows this already so he shakes his head as a response.
There are days when Miharu would visit the pool and either Haruka or the whole gang would be there. That’s how Miharu became acquainted with Rei and Nagisa. Sometimes, the three of them would get into trivial arguments about shallow matters but they’d always admit that it was more of a good laugh than actual bickering, except for Rei, who was oftentimes sensitive. Miharu apologizes though, which Rei will accept confidently and Nagisa would tease him all over again. Gou and Amakata-sensei became friends with Miharu as well. Being girls, they just had a natural way of talking to one another that the four boys would never really understand. At some point, even after Nagisa teased Miharu about confessing to Haruka in front of Gou and Amakata-sensei, the three girls would simply laugh. Again, the four boys would be thrown to a deeper realm of cluelessness regarding the female mind.
Autumn is ending.
Haruka goes to the pool alone that Tuesday afternoon. The sun is preparing to set and nature is close to welcoming winter. When Haruka walks by, he doesn’t see Miharu anywhere. For just a second, he lets himself be curious of her whereabouts. Yet the creaky door opening ends this curiosity and instead floods him with surprise. Before taking the last two steps on the stairs toward the pool, the sight of a scattered skirt, sweater, blazer, green ribbon, socks, shoes and a bag stuns him. Haruka’s ears are caressed by the sound of water then.
Water…
He hurries to see what’s going on and the answer lies in the water, which currents are cradling a fragile body clad in a simple one-piece black swimsuit. Miharu is carelessly floating in the autumn water, with the dead leaves and other debris. Haruka slips his backpack down his shoulders and leaves it by the stairs before he approaches the edge of the pool. Miharu’s already in the center, her eyes closed and hair flowing, following the streams.
“Hey!”
Miharu opens her eyes but keeps her stance.
“You can’t swim now!” Haruka shouts. Is he annoyed? Is he mad? Or is it just concern and worry? Needless to say, something inside him just snaps.
When the top of Miharu’s head bumps into the other end of the pool, she straightens up and pulls herself out, sitting opposite where Haruka is standing. The boy is breathing hard while Miharu pulls at a clump of her bangs.
“No one’s allowed to use the pool at this time,” Haruka says curtly.
“I’m sorry.”
Haruka can’t tell. Is Miharu smiling? Is she giggling? Is she frowning? He doesn’t know. But he takes the scattered clothing by his feet and walks one length of the rectangle to reach Miharu, holds her uniform out to her and waits. Miharu doesn’t look at Haruka.
“The water feels nice,” Miharu shares with a tone Haruka hasn’t heard her use ever. “It’s perfect to just float in and let it lull you to sleep.”
Haruka doesn’t know what to reply. He puts the clothes down beside Miharu and takes a seat on the spot a few inches away from her. Now, Haruka hears Miharu laugh.
“I wasn’t planning on drowning myself, in case you’re thinking that I’m being dramatic,” Miharu points out jokingly. “I just wanted to face the water. Feel it more. The only things I wanted to drown in it are my thoughts. I needed to calm down.”
Haruka never really had a thing for talking so he listens. He listens to the water, he listens to Miharu. The girl hugs her legs, rests her chin on her knees and smiles fondly at the water that just relaxed her.
“Someone confessed to me a few weeks back. Right below this pool, in front of that big tree facing the barring fences. I didn’t have any special feelings for that person so I gave him my definite and candid answer. After he walked away, my chest became hollow. At that time, I realized that not only did I hurt that person, but I also hurt myself. I felt bad. I always feel like that when I say ‘no’ to something. It hurts.”
Haruka sets himself in an Indian-sit, right elbow resting on his right thigh and cheek on his right hand as he watches Miharu beside him. Seeing her up close somehow feels… Right.
“I stayed behind a little longer. Then, without expecting it, I heard something splash into the water. And I listened carefully to somehow determine what it was. It was gliding fast then slow then fast again. Whatever it was, I thought, ‘Wow. It’s making such a calming sound’. I don’t know how to explain it well but hearing the water like that eased the pain in my chest. At some point, when the sound disappeared, my curiosity got the best of me so I sneaked into the area and I…”
Haruka’s eyes soften just as a second passes for Miharu’s cheeks to blush, smile as tender as can be.
“I saw Nanase-kun floating in the water and I…” Miharu tries to say but her shyness is little by little seeping in. She shakes her head. “I was already in love with the water since I was a child. I don’t know how to swim competitively so I don’t know the proper strokes but I swim aimlessly, without any concern of where I would end up in the water. I just swim with this body, with my thoughts pouring out of my mind and this heart… Something almost never satisfied with anything.”
Miharu’s fragile figure reflects in Haruka’s ocean orbs perfectly while debris and dead leaves cloud Miharu’s chocolate ones. Miharu turns to Haruka and both of them mirror in each other’s eyes.
“I envied you, Nanase-kun. For always being accepted by the water, for being able to enjoy its embrace whenever, for being… Free.”
Haruka’s throat goes dry all of a sudden. The drops of water from Miharu’s bangs drip to her eyes and cheeks, as well as the particles from the ends of her hair to her almost shivering body.
“You looked so satisfied with just being in the water. I wondered to myself if I would feel what you feel if I submerge myself into that world of yours. I always thought about it ever since that day. I was so curious and troubled, I wanted to know what you were feeling,” Miharu confesses truthfully. She’s trembling not because of the cold, but because of her honesty; this honesty that she so yearns to reach Haruka, to glide its way to his understanding, even just a little.
Miharu takes in a deep, shaky breath.
“I think I understand now. You appreciate the water and it appreciates you. You welcome it into your life as it welcomes you to its world. You don’t do anything yet the water understands you. ‘Can all these be what Nanase-kun feels? Is this really his secret?’” Miharu elaborates softly then she chuckles. “It feels nice. This freedom of yours that I felt… Warms my heart.”
Haruka’s eyes widen only a bit to yet another one of Miharu’s confessions but this time, it reaches him wholly. This time, Miharu’s honesty is what he can understand, what his heart and mind could take. While Haruka almost loses himself in this foreign feeling, Miharu smiles at him with the rest of what she wants to convey to him yet can’t do with just words.
“I like you, Nanase-kun.”
After that, Miharu shuts her eyes tightly. She fears of seeing Haruka’s surprised face but she doesn’t mind hearing his rejection. Ever since the first time she saw Haruka in the water, she was prepared to let her heart sink. She doesn’t mind at all. To her, what’s important is that she told Haruka the truth; that, she conveyed the most honest of her thoughts and emotions; that, she expressed the secret that she so wanted to tell somebody. Not just any secret and not just to be told to any person because to Miharu, the secret of her heart can only be told to the only person who would understand.
Carefully, Haruka raises his hand-
Miharu opens her eyes. Haruka’s hand is resting on top of her head. The wetness of her hair is the least of her worries yet she trembles more for the thought of Haruka hearing the loud beating of her heart then. It’s okay. This should be okay…
Haruka smiles a little. Miharu’s blushing face bores into his eyes and they soften to the passing subtle music the wind creates with the water.
“I understand.”
Miharu’s heart clenches in utmost relief that it distracts her breathing. Her throat closes and she can’t help it - tears roll down her cheeks, chorusing with the beads of water dripping from her bangs. Haruka pats her head gently. He doesn’t have to say anything else. With the honesty of his words, Haruka knows that Miharu can fathom the secret he doesn’t know that he already had from the first time Miharu had confessed to him.
“Nanase-kun… I…”
Haruka tilts his head toward Miharu. The girl looks straight into his eyes with a smile that she wants him to remember even when he closes his eyes but she smiles like this so he can remember it most especially when he’s in his world - the water. Miharu takes in one last breath.
“I’m happy.”
The water sings its sweetest lullaby then. Haruka’s cheeks turn red and warm. He tries diverting his eyes away from Miharu but something inside him won’t let him.
Ah. This is…
Miharu still has her smile up for Haruka. The quiet boy lets it sink to the deepest depths of his eyes - that smile, just for him. He picks out a leaf stuck in Miharu’s hair and they both look at it before he lowers it to the water. Haruka and Miharu watch it drift slowly to the world they share now. Haruka looks at Miharu beside him. The autumn wind brushes her hair softly; it carries the giggle she lets out then into the orange sky that has been observing them since long ago. He realizes that even if Miharu and Makoto have more things in common, to him, sharing the one and same thought with Miharu is enough. Now, Miharu won’t slip away from his memory. Finally, Haruka learns something new.
Yes… Be free with me.
Pairing: Nanase Haruka/OC
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It's when Nanase Haruka's quiet life suddenly gets interrupted by another 'Haru-chan'.
It’s autumn now. The leaves are slowly falling to the ground, some are even covering the school pool. Nanase Haruka stands rooted at the edge of the pool, by the starting block. His eyes survey the water tainted with leaves passively.
“It’s so cold today!” Hazuki Nagisa whines, hugging his coat closer to him as he enters the scene.
“Oh, you’re already here, Haru?” Tachibana Makoto calls out to Haruka, emerging from behind Nagisa. Haruka whirls around to the sound of footsteps behind him.
“Haruka-senpai is always here first,” Ryugazaki Rei comments upon arrival. He pushes his red glasses up on the bridge of his nose, stopping right next to Nagisa, who plops down next to where Haruka is.
The swim club’s on break because of the weather. The water’s too cold to swim in and exams are finally coming up. But the boys, excluding Rei, aren’t worried about tests so much. The four of them drop their bags in the corner and sit side by side at the edge of their mini ocean. Haruka folds up his pants and removes his shoes and socks and dips his feet into the water.
Ah…
“Ha-Haru-chan! Are you sure you should be doing that?” Nagisa blurts out in concern. He sort of felt Haruka shiver for a moment there.
“It’s cold, isn’t it? Your feet would freeze!” Rei bursts.
Makoto laughs, patting Rei on the back.
“Haru can take it,” he simply says. Haruka looks at Makoto on his left and the latter smiles at him in understanding.
The door bursts open then and the boys turn their heads toward the newcomer.
“I knew you’d be here!” Matsuoka Gou exclaims with both relief and surprise. She’s holding a flyer of some sort.
“Gou-chan, what’s that?” Nagisa asks, reaching out for the paper. Gou hands it over to him and the boys gather to read it together. It’s a flyer about a swimming tournament by the start of June. Of course, all of them are interested to compete.
“Are we joining this?” Rei asks.
“Of course we are! What kind of question is that, Rei-chan?!” Nagisa answers happily, jumping up to his feet. “As soon as the water warms up, we should go and train!”
“Yes, yes. You’re so fired up, Nagisa,” Makoto says with a chuckle.
“Hey. Aren’t you guys going home yet?” Gou inquires now. “You can’t swim around this time and exams are coming up. Shouldn’t you go home to study?”
“Then why are you still here?” Nagisa asks back, seriously curious yet unknowingly insulting Gou.
“I wanted to show this to you guys! And besides, I’m the manager. Even when there are no club activities, I have to make sure the club area is clean and neat.”
Rei stands up now and goes to take his bag from the corner.
“Gou-san’s right. We should go and study for the tests,” Rei says.
“As if you need to study, Rei-chan! You always do well on tests!” Nagisa teases.
“That’s because I study seriously,” Rei replies, sighing.
Nagisa laughs and retrieves his bag as well. “Anyway, let’s go home together.”
Makoto glances at Haruka next to him. He hasn’t said a single thing since they arrived. He’s still staring intently at the small currents that he makes with his feet and Makoto knows that Haruka doesn’t have plans of returning home just yet.
“You guys go ahead,” Haruka finally speaks up, earning everyone’s attention.
Wordlessly, everyone crowds around him and peers into his face suspiciously. Haruka moves back, uncomfortable.
“You’re just going to jump in the moment we leave, right?” Gou questions with a cocked brow. Beside her, Rei and Nagisa nod in agreement.
“I won’t,” Haruka replies simply.
The other four look at one another and nod.
“Okay then. We’ll leave him to you, Captain,” Gou tells Makoto, who’s still sitting beside Haruka.
“We’ll be going first. See you tomorrow!” Nagisa bids the other two goodbye on behalf of him, Rei and Gou. Rei bows to Makoto and Haruka before following Gou and Nagisa out the door. The wind blows strongly then. Makoto watches the leaves dancing hurriedly on the water while Haruka closes his eyes, taking in the autumn breeze.
“We should go home soon, too,” Makoto tells Haruka.
“Yeah…”
The sky is slowly turning orange as the sun sets. The clouds look like mist being blown away by the winds. As if finally feeling the iciness of the water, Haruka pulls his feet up and hugs his legs. Makoto starts to chuckle.
“Do you want to stay longer?” Makoto asks. Haruka doesn’t look at him but he nods slightly, easing out a tender smile from Makoto’s lips. “Alright. I’ll be heading back first then.”
Makoto stands up and walks to the corner. He hears leaves crackling so he looks to the side. Below the fence separating the pool from wandering spectators, a girl stands with her back faced to him. It seems like she’s waiting for someone.
“Um, excuse me!” Makoto calls out, jogging toward the fence to check. Haruka turns his attention to his friend.
“Oh!” the girl blurts out as she whirls around in panic. Makoto pauses by the boundary.
The wind whistles another of its gusts and it passes by the girl freely, combing her mid-long black hair to the side. She shields her eyes with her right arm until the breeze leaves and her uniform rustles back to its original place. Makoto keeps quiet as the girl fixes her hair back in place, as well as her shaggy bangs. She’s in the same year as them, with the green ribbon coiled loosely around her collar, jacket unbuttoned and sweater a bit messy. She seems familiar for some reason.
“Um…” Makoto mumbles then, right after the girl fixes her hair. She looks up at him.
“Ah. Hello,” she greets with a small smile.
“Who is it?” Haruka whispers to Makoto, tilting his head to the side to peek past the taller boy’s frame then down below. Haruka’s ocean eyes meet with the girl’s chocolate ones.
“We’re in the same class. I’m Hasegawa Miharu,” the girl introduces politely, bowing. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
Haruka and Makoto look at one another then back at the girl.
“What brings you here, Hasegawa-san?” Makoto asks with a smile. Haruka looks away.
Miharu hums as she points at the boys. “I guess I just wanted to see the pool.”
But she was facing the other way… Makoto thinks to himself.
“We’re about to go home now,” Haruka says.
Makoto snaps back to the current situation and catches Miharu’s eyes softening as she looks down at her feet.
“That’s too bad…” she mumbles.
“Maybe you can come over again tomorrow?” Makoto suggests.
Miharu slowly looks up with a prepared smile. “That would be nice. Thank you.”
Haruka sneaks behind Makoto to get their bags. He hands the backpack to Makoto once he returns and turns around for the door.
“Bye then,” Makoto says with a small wave toward Miharu, who waves back.
On the way outside, Haruka has his hands dug deep in his pockets while Makoto holds onto the straps of his bag, looking up at the sky.
“It would be nice if we had our own indoor pool,” Makoto says out of the blue.
Haruka nods. “Yeah. That way, we could train even during this weather.”
“And we wouldn’t have to fish out leaves every fall.”
“Yeah.”
The walk back home is somewhat quieter than usual. Haruka’s just looking down at the ground while Makoto looks to the horizon. They’re already at the port along the street to Haruka’s house. It’s already evening and the stars are beginning to peek out from the night blanket.
“Makoto.”
“Hmm?”
“Your birthday is coming up, right?”
Makoto stares at Haruka for a moment before he breaks out into a small smile.
“You remembered?”
“Just now.”
Makoto hums. “I guess it’s right around the corner. It actually slipped my mind.”
“Because of that girl?”
“What?!” Makoto bursts in surprise. Haruka rarely teases him about anything at all but of all the things, he teases him about a girl?!
“I’m kidding,” Haruka says indifferently. “But did she really come over to see the pool?”
Makoto recovers from his shock, tucking a thumb under his chin as he thinks.
“Come to think of it, when I saw her, she was facing the other way,” Makoto shares. “And she should’ve climbed up the stairs if she wanted a peek.”
Haruka stays silent from then until they reach his house. Makoto bids him a goodbye before turning around to leave.
The house is empty.
Haruka sighs. He removes his shoes by the entrance and shuffles inside. He leaves his bag in the den and strips down to his swimming trunks. He goes to the bathroom, prepares hot water then dips in. The warmth envelops him almost completely and he lets out a breath of relief. The evening is quiet, like his empty house. He scoops up a palm-full of water and watches it slip through his fingers.
I want to swim.
Haruka submerges himself in the water for a while then he gets out. He changes into comfy shorts and a shirt, frying mackerel for dinner again and washing the dishes after he eats. He drinks plenty of water while he scans through a copy of Makoto’s notes for History in the den.
“Exams…”
Haruka doesn’t really put effort into studying but he manages to pass just fine. Thanks to Makoto, of course. Being with him in the same class has always been nice.
Same class…
Haruka recalls the events of that afternoon. Hasegawa Miharu. The name sort of rings a bell but Haruka swears he has never seen the girl before. Or if he ever did, she must have just slipped his memory. Anything slips Haruka’s mind, except for swimming and his friends’ personal info. He lives that simply. Putting all this thinking aside, Haruka fixes his school stuff then off he goes to bed. Lying down on the mattress and feeling himself sink, he misses the water even more.
The next morning, Makoto and Haruka walk to school together, as usual.
“It gets colder and colder as the days go by, huh?” Makoto asks Haruka.
Haruka yawns. “Guess so.”
The road stretches before them like a never-ending pathway in some kind of maze. Haruka feels lazier during days with this weather. Makoto feels the same but it doesn’t wipe off the smile on his face. As soon as they arrive in school, they see a familiar face by the shoe lockers.
“Good morning!” Miharu greets Haruka and Makoto the moment she turns around and sees them.
“Morning,” Makoto and Haruka chorus, although Makoto’s sounds livelier.
Since they’re in the same class, they walk together in the halls. Makoto walks in between Haruka and Miharu, who are both looking the other way for some reason.
“Um… So, Hasegawa-san,” Makoto starts to somehow get rid of the awkwardness.
“Yes?”
“Have you studied for the tests?”
Miharu shakes her head. “I think it’s too early to study.”
A girl who studies late? No, no… I shouldn’t stereotype. Makoto shakes his head.
“Have you?” Miharu asks.
Haruka glances at Makoto then. The taller boy tilts his head.
“Only a little.”
“Is that so?” Miharu chuckles. “You’re such a hard worker, Tachibana-kun.”
“N-Not at all,” Makoto stutters, embarrassed.
“I feel like studying early would make me forget the lessons faster so I study a few days before exam week,” Miharu shares.
“I guess you can put it that way,” Makoto says in agreement. “How about you, Haru? Have you studied?”
Haruka blinks. He forgot that he was going to be a part of this conversation sooner or later.
“I tried but I can’t remember anything now,” Haruka answers honestly.
“See? Maybe Nanase-kun’s like me!” Miharu jokes. Makoto chuckles.
“Perhaps.”
Haruka frowns a little. They reach their classroom not too long after that and they settle down in their seats. It turns out that Miharu’s seat is in the same column as Haruka’s, only a seat separating them. Haruka realizes that maybe that’s the reason why he hasn’t seen Miharu. The person sitting in front of him is a tall guy after all.
“Good morning, everyone! Let’s start today with a review lesson,” Amakata-sensei announces upon entering the room.
“Okay!” the class chorus, except for Haruka, who looks out the window instead. The tress are swaying a bit so the wind outside must be strong. Just like this, the day goes on until the bell rings for the first break. Haruka puts away his study materials in his desk.
“Nanase-kun!”
Haruka looks up. A Pocky packet appears before him.
“Want one?” Miharu asks, a stick already stuck between her lips.
Haruka freezes.
“Haru- oh! Hasegawa-san,” Makoto says in a bit of surprise, jogging toward Haruka’s seat. He had just returned from outside.
“Do you want one, Tachibana-kun?” Miharu shows the snack packet to the other boy.
“Oh, thank you. I’ll have one,” Makoto replies happily. He takes a stick out and eats it with delight. “Strawberry~”
“I like the strawberry-flavored one the most. People usually like the chocolate one though,” Miharu explains.
“Haru likes the strawberry one too. Right, Haru?” Makoto turns to Haruka, who looks away in time. “Haru’s just a little shy. May I get one for him?”
“Please do.”
Makoto takes one more stick and holds it out to Haruka. The quiet boy takes it hesitantly. He bites the tip carefully and pauses when he notices Miharu staring at him. Haruka raises an eyebrow.
Miharu smiles. “I like Nanase-kun.”
Silence.
Makoto’s and Haruka’s eyes grow big in quiet surprise while Miharu laughs.
“Was that too sudden?” she asks politely. Makoto and Haruka only stare. “Well then, I have an errand to run so I’ll see you after break.”
After that, Miharu walks away with a Pocky stick stuck in between her lips while the one in between Haruka’s breaks into two, one part falling on his desk.
“SOMEONE CONFESSED TO HARU-CHAN?!” Nagisa bursts with utmost surprise to the extent that he jumps to his feet, shoving his face right in front of Haruka’s. Makoto and Haruka arrived at the rooftop not too long after Miharu’s surprise and Makoto just had to explain to the others why Haruka’s face looked awfully red. Although in the background, Haruka already said that it was just cold and that it didn’t have anything to do with Miharu.
“That is indeed a surprise!” Rei exclaims beside Haruka, glasses sparkling weirdly.
“So who is it, Mako-chan? This brave girl who confessed!” Nagisa urges excitedly.
“Um, well, her name’s Hasegawa-san-“
“HASEGAWA-SAN!” Nagisa exclaims like some kind of battle cry as he grips Rei’s collar and drags him down the stairs in a rush. Makoto’s and Haruka’s eyes grow wide in shock again as they realize what Nagisa wanted to do. They hurry to the halls to somehow stop Nagisa and his victim Rei but they can’t find them anywhere in the second floor.
“Where could they have gone?” Makoto asks, sighing.
“Ah! Captain, Haruka-senpai!” Gou calls out as she rushes to the two boys panting at the side. “You guys look drained.”
“Have you seen Nagisa and Rei?” Haruka asks in between pants.
Gou strokes her chin. “I think I passed by them near the library-“
Haruka runs past Gou immediately, surprising the club manager greatly.
“What was that?! Did something happen?” Gou asks Makoto worriedly.
“I’ll tell you later,” Makoto replies breathlessly before taking in a deep breath. “Ugh. Haru! Wait up!”
Gou turns around to watch Makoto chase Haru down the hall. She tilts her head in curiosity.
The library is almost empty if not for the librarian, student assistant and a couple of bookworms scattered in different tables. Nagisa peeks out from behind a bookshelf, scanning the premises carefully.
“Why did you drag me into this?” Rei whispers from the corner. He’s sitting on the floor, hugging his legs in worry while Nagisa is alert on his feet. “And why the library, of all places?”
“Aren’t you curious about this girl?” Nagisa replies quietly. “I think she’s the first girl to have ever confessed to Haru-chan!”
“Are you sure?!” Rei retorts in dismay. “And you didn’t answer my second question.”
“Maybe. Anyway, do you see someone who looks like a Hasegawa-san around?”
Rei frowns for having his second question left unanswered, turning his head to peek from his spot. There are two senior girls sharing a book at the table closest to the librarian’s station, a freshman boy studying at the table next to theirs and a group of seniors at the farthest table, trying to contain their laughter from something supposedly funny in a magazine. Rei doesn’t know what to say.
“I don’t think we could determine a Hasegawa-san just by looking at these people,” Rei replies cautiously. “We should return-“
“Do you think she might be the student assistant?” Nagisa mentions all of a sudden, squinting his eyes to get a better view of the girl. “No. She doesn’t look like she’s a Hasegawa-san.”
“Were you even listening to me?” Rei asks in disbelief. He buries his face on his knees while Nagisa focuses on the mission. Rei hears footsteps nearing them and senses a different presence in their midst. He looks up then to his right to see a girl looking down at him and he blushes maddeningly in embarrassment, moving back and accidentally bumping Nagisa’s leg.
“Hey, Rei-cha-“ Nagisa tries to say but freezes when he sees the girl before them.
“I’m sorry. I just wanted to check something from this section,” the girl explains worriedly.
“Please don’t apologize. We should be the ones to say sorry!” Rei blurts out as he gets to his feet and bows to the girl.
A sophomore… Nagisa thinks absentmindedly. He stares at the girl longer. He notes that she has shaggy bangs and that her hair is a little long and wavy but there are remnants of curls at some of the ends; her uniform is a bit messy and her eyes are brown like chocolates and her eyelashes are long and sheltering; her skin is pale and it makes her lips look redder compared to other girls’ and she’s taller than the girls in his and Rei’s class, and some of the girls in Makoto and Haruka’s class.
She looks like a quiet person.
“Nagisa-kun, apologize,” Rei reminds in a whisper, keeping his bowing stance. Nagisa suddenly panics as he looks to his sides, avoiding the girl’s curious gaze.
“Rei, Nagi-“ Haruka starts the moment he rushes over and sees the two boys behind a bookshelf but the rest of his words come to a stop upon seeing the addition. Rei and Nagisa immediately turn toward Haruka and Makoto. Haruka’s face suddenly turns redder than before and Makoto’s smile then looks awkward.
“Haru-chan?” Nagisa calls softly, curious as to why the older boy looks flustered.
Rei understands quickly as he looks toward the clueless girl. “That means…”
“H-Have you finished doing your errand, Hasegawa-san?” Makoto asks nervously yet with a smile to somehow break the ice.
Nagisa’s and Rei’s eyes grow wide this time as they gasp in unison. “Hasegawa-san?!”
“SHH!” the librarian hisses by the counter. She can see the mischievous group from her chair so she glares at them in warning. Rei bows in apology on everyone’s behalf.
“Y-Yes?” Miharu answers, uncertain.
Nagisa approaches her but before he could ask anything, the school bell rings and, this time, Rei’s the one to grab him by the collar and drag him back to their classroom. Miharu watches wordlessly while Haruka turns away and Makoto exhales deeply.
“So those two were your other teammates!” Miharu says in understanding. She, Haruka and Makoto are walking back to their classroom now.
“I’m sorry if they caused you any trouble,” Makoto says, truly apologetic.
“Don’t be! It was fun seeing lively first years,” Miharu replies with delight.
Haruka doesn’t say anything until they reach the room. Makoto actually finds joy in seeing a different side of Haruka’s but at the same time, he’s curious about Miharu.
Soon, the school bell rings for lunch break. Haruka hurries off to the rooftop while Makoto tries to catch up.
“Haru, you don’t have to be so bothered about this,” Makoto consoles as soon as they settle down in their usual spot. Nagisa and Rei follow shortly after and they eat quietly at first…
“She’s actually pretty, don’t you think?” Nagisa brings up out of the blue, making Rei choke on an eggroll and Makoto drop a chunk of round hotdog. Haruka sips on his carton of milk passively, as if he didn’t hear anything.
“C’mon. Agree with me, Rei-chan, Mako-chan!”
“I guess so,” Makoto finally replies, thoughtful.
“M-Maybe…” Rei stutters, blushing a bit.
“Look at it this way, Haru-chan,” Nagisa says with confidence. “At least you know you have a fan. Your own number one fan!”
“Can we stop talking about this?” Haruka retorts. The other three fall silent, to Haruka’s relief.
Come dismissal time, Rei and Nagisa wait for Makoto and Haruka in their classroom.
“I’m having Rei-chan tutor me for the exams so I’m going to his place today,” Nagisa informs as they make their way to the shoe lockers. “Do you guys want to join us?”
“We have different subjects and lessons,” Haruka points out, disappointing Nagisa.
Makoto chuckles. “I’d love to but my mom told me to go shopping for school materials for my sister’s class project. How about you, Haru?”
The three boys turn to Haruka then.
“I’m going… To the pool…” Haruka mumbles as he takes out his outdoor shoes from his locker.
“That’s Haruka-senpai for you,” Rei comments.
“Same old water-loving Haru-chan!” Nagisa sings. “Oh, we’ll be heading out first. See you guys tomorrow!”
“See you,” Makoto replies as Rei and Nagisa walk out to the gates. He slips into his shoes and turns around to look at Haruka but the quiet boy has already walked to the entrance. Makoto watches Haruka’s silhouette in the distance. He chuckles again. “Oh, Haru.”
The leaves crackle beneath his shoes and the calming swaying lullaby of the trees cradle his mind to ease. Haruka goes up the stairs, opens the door and slowly climbs three steps of the stairs to the pool but as soon as he looks up and sees someone sitting by the middle starting block , he hesitates about coming over.
She’s here…
Miharu’s hugging her legs then, the under flap of her skirt folded neatly to cover what needs to be covered. Her shoes and socks are right beside her, as well as her messenger bag and a couple of books.
Haruka steps backwards yet his presence makes Miharu notice enough to turn around.
“Nanase-kun?” Miharu calls out as she looks over her shoulder and toward Haruka, who freezes in place.
He turns around as soon as his senses return and starts walking down the stairs. Miharu stands up in alarm.
“Nanase-kun! I’m sorry!”
Haruka stops by the door.
“I didn’t mean to trespass! I just wanted to feel the water!”
To feel…
“I’ll leave so please don’t be mad. I’m sorry!” Miharu shouts finally. Her voice cracked at the end and Haruka turns around to check if she’s okay. Miharu’s panting hard, her cheeks as red as apples in spring and her eyes look terribly apologetic and sad. She swallows to get her composure back before she hurries to gather her things, gets her socks and shoes on and fix her uniform. As she rushes, she doesn’t notice Haruka having proceeded behind her, only realizing when she catches glimpse of a fluttering green necktie at the corner of her eye. Like the first time she heard Makoto’s voice yesterday, Miharu whirls around in surprise.
“If you want to stay, stay.”
Miharu blinks.
In the end, Haruka and Miharu stay at the pool. They sit at different corners though but both of them dip their feet into the cold liquid. Somehow, because of the water, they’re connected.
“I’m really sorry…”
Haruka hears Miharu yet he only looks at the water longingly. Instead of only seeing his ripples, he glimpses another from the other side. Because of this, it feels weird.
“Um…”
“Makoto already went home,” Haruka answers as if he already knew what Miharu was going to ask.
“I see,” Miharu replies quietly. “But I wasn’t going to ask where Tachibana-kun was.”
Haruka feels a sense of surprise and embarrassment together for the sudden revelation but despite that, he ignores it.
“I was just wondering if you were upset,” Miharu continues carefully. She wades her feet gently to make streams. “About this and that.”
“This and that?” Haruka repeats with not a single sense of curiosity but of obligation in terms of manners.
Miharu tightens both her hands’ hold at the edge as she reclines herself slightly to get a better look of the sky.
“This, for being here,” Miharu says simply. “And that, for saying I like you.”
Haruka stops his feet’s movements. He bows his head a little and his eyes soften toward the water. For some reason, his head is empty yet his sensations are getting sharper. Sharper, because the coldness of the water is hurriedly piercing through his skin and his chest abnormally feels heavy - sensations that he doesn’t know he had.
“I’m sorry for bringing these up again…”
“I’m not upset.”
Miharu turns to look at Haruka at the other corner. His focus is on the water that they’re currently sharing. Miharu’s lips curve into a small, understanding smile.
“I’m glad.”
Haruka leans back on his palms. The sky he sees now is the same sky that Miharu saw earlier.
“I’m not sure about what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
Haruka side-glances at Miharu. She’s busying herself with her streams.
“You said you’re not upset. That’s enough,” Miharu says with a giggle.
The awkwardness goes on, nonetheless. Haruka has already pulled his legs up but Miharu still has her feet in the freezing water. Haruka wonders for a second if she can still feel anything at all or if she’s actually having cramps but is putting on a strong front. Despite all these thoughts, he remains silent and forgets all together.
“I’m heading back now,” Haruka informs as he puts his socks back on.
Miharu looks at him. “May I stay here longer?”
“Why?”
In front of Haruka’s mild curiosity-painted eyes, Miharu offers another small smile, much less happy compared to the earlier ones but still a smile of some sort.
“I realize that the water calms me down.”
Haruka pauses.
Calming…
With a wordless nod, Haruka bids Miharu goodbye. On his way to the gates, Haruka looks over his shoulder to take in one last view of the pool for the day. Unlike the usual empty surroundings it has, the pool that day has a guardian.
A few days after that incident, Miharu has been talking to Makoto and Haruka in their classroom frequently. As a result, Miharu has been sticking to Makoto so close as if they were long lost siblings. Haruka notes that both Miharu and Makoto are fond of candies, as well as videogames and some kind of show on TV but Haruka forgets the title. They’re also both Scorpios and that Miharu’s birthday is a day after Makoto’s.
“They’re joined to the hip!” Nagisa said one day as they ate on the rooftop, discussing about this. Rei had both agreed and disagreed, defending Makoto’s friendliness as well as Miharu’s own female nature. Makoto said that they just had the same interests and that nothing weird was going on between them.
“She’s like another younger sister, really,” Makoto explained during that same day before Nagisa frowned and nudged his head against Makoto’s shoulder, accusing him of being a playboy. Haruka at the time had nothing to say.
“But she’s Haru-chan’s number one fan!” Nagisa burst. “You don’t have to be greedy and steal, Mako-chan.”
As Nagisa steered that conversation his way, Makoto and Haruka never heard the end of silly accusations and teasing. Rei had already become somewhat immune to Nagisa’s rambling about Miharu. Oh but Nagisa doesn’t hate Miharu.
“Haru-chan!”
Haruka turns his head immediately to the call but he realizes late that it was a girl’s voice, and not Makoto’s and much less likely Nagisa’s. He sees Miharu wave at the girl who called.
“You and Miharu-chan actually have the same nicknames, huh?” Makoto mentions as soon as he stretches over to Haruka’s desk.
“But you guys are the ones getting along quite nicely.”
Makoto chuckles awkwardly. “So you’re on Nagisa’s side now, Haru?”
Haruka smiles faintly. “Not at all. I’m just kidding.”
Makoto sighs but smiles a little right after. “Does it still bother you?”
“What does?”
Makoto glances at Miharu, who’s currently listening to her friend talk, then looks back at Haruka. The quiet boy knows this already so he shakes his head as a response.
There are days when Miharu would visit the pool and either Haruka or the whole gang would be there. That’s how Miharu became acquainted with Rei and Nagisa. Sometimes, the three of them would get into trivial arguments about shallow matters but they’d always admit that it was more of a good laugh than actual bickering, except for Rei, who was oftentimes sensitive. Miharu apologizes though, which Rei will accept confidently and Nagisa would tease him all over again. Gou and Amakata-sensei became friends with Miharu as well. Being girls, they just had a natural way of talking to one another that the four boys would never really understand. At some point, even after Nagisa teased Miharu about confessing to Haruka in front of Gou and Amakata-sensei, the three girls would simply laugh. Again, the four boys would be thrown to a deeper realm of cluelessness regarding the female mind.
Autumn is ending.
Haruka goes to the pool alone that Tuesday afternoon. The sun is preparing to set and nature is close to welcoming winter. When Haruka walks by, he doesn’t see Miharu anywhere. For just a second, he lets himself be curious of her whereabouts. Yet the creaky door opening ends this curiosity and instead floods him with surprise. Before taking the last two steps on the stairs toward the pool, the sight of a scattered skirt, sweater, blazer, green ribbon, socks, shoes and a bag stuns him. Haruka’s ears are caressed by the sound of water then.
Water…
He hurries to see what’s going on and the answer lies in the water, which currents are cradling a fragile body clad in a simple one-piece black swimsuit. Miharu is carelessly floating in the autumn water, with the dead leaves and other debris. Haruka slips his backpack down his shoulders and leaves it by the stairs before he approaches the edge of the pool. Miharu’s already in the center, her eyes closed and hair flowing, following the streams.
“Hey!”
Miharu opens her eyes but keeps her stance.
“You can’t swim now!” Haruka shouts. Is he annoyed? Is he mad? Or is it just concern and worry? Needless to say, something inside him just snaps.
When the top of Miharu’s head bumps into the other end of the pool, she straightens up and pulls herself out, sitting opposite where Haruka is standing. The boy is breathing hard while Miharu pulls at a clump of her bangs.
“No one’s allowed to use the pool at this time,” Haruka says curtly.
“I’m sorry.”
Haruka can’t tell. Is Miharu smiling? Is she giggling? Is she frowning? He doesn’t know. But he takes the scattered clothing by his feet and walks one length of the rectangle to reach Miharu, holds her uniform out to her and waits. Miharu doesn’t look at Haruka.
“The water feels nice,” Miharu shares with a tone Haruka hasn’t heard her use ever. “It’s perfect to just float in and let it lull you to sleep.”
Haruka doesn’t know what to reply. He puts the clothes down beside Miharu and takes a seat on the spot a few inches away from her. Now, Haruka hears Miharu laugh.
“I wasn’t planning on drowning myself, in case you’re thinking that I’m being dramatic,” Miharu points out jokingly. “I just wanted to face the water. Feel it more. The only things I wanted to drown in it are my thoughts. I needed to calm down.”
Haruka never really had a thing for talking so he listens. He listens to the water, he listens to Miharu. The girl hugs her legs, rests her chin on her knees and smiles fondly at the water that just relaxed her.
“Someone confessed to me a few weeks back. Right below this pool, in front of that big tree facing the barring fences. I didn’t have any special feelings for that person so I gave him my definite and candid answer. After he walked away, my chest became hollow. At that time, I realized that not only did I hurt that person, but I also hurt myself. I felt bad. I always feel like that when I say ‘no’ to something. It hurts.”
Haruka sets himself in an Indian-sit, right elbow resting on his right thigh and cheek on his right hand as he watches Miharu beside him. Seeing her up close somehow feels… Right.
“I stayed behind a little longer. Then, without expecting it, I heard something splash into the water. And I listened carefully to somehow determine what it was. It was gliding fast then slow then fast again. Whatever it was, I thought, ‘Wow. It’s making such a calming sound’. I don’t know how to explain it well but hearing the water like that eased the pain in my chest. At some point, when the sound disappeared, my curiosity got the best of me so I sneaked into the area and I…”
Haruka’s eyes soften just as a second passes for Miharu’s cheeks to blush, smile as tender as can be.
“I saw Nanase-kun floating in the water and I…” Miharu tries to say but her shyness is little by little seeping in. She shakes her head. “I was already in love with the water since I was a child. I don’t know how to swim competitively so I don’t know the proper strokes but I swim aimlessly, without any concern of where I would end up in the water. I just swim with this body, with my thoughts pouring out of my mind and this heart… Something almost never satisfied with anything.”
Miharu’s fragile figure reflects in Haruka’s ocean orbs perfectly while debris and dead leaves cloud Miharu’s chocolate ones. Miharu turns to Haruka and both of them mirror in each other’s eyes.
“I envied you, Nanase-kun. For always being accepted by the water, for being able to enjoy its embrace whenever, for being… Free.”
Haruka’s throat goes dry all of a sudden. The drops of water from Miharu’s bangs drip to her eyes and cheeks, as well as the particles from the ends of her hair to her almost shivering body.
“You looked so satisfied with just being in the water. I wondered to myself if I would feel what you feel if I submerge myself into that world of yours. I always thought about it ever since that day. I was so curious and troubled, I wanted to know what you were feeling,” Miharu confesses truthfully. She’s trembling not because of the cold, but because of her honesty; this honesty that she so yearns to reach Haruka, to glide its way to his understanding, even just a little.
Miharu takes in a deep, shaky breath.
“I think I understand now. You appreciate the water and it appreciates you. You welcome it into your life as it welcomes you to its world. You don’t do anything yet the water understands you. ‘Can all these be what Nanase-kun feels? Is this really his secret?’” Miharu elaborates softly then she chuckles. “It feels nice. This freedom of yours that I felt… Warms my heart.”
Haruka’s eyes widen only a bit to yet another one of Miharu’s confessions but this time, it reaches him wholly. This time, Miharu’s honesty is what he can understand, what his heart and mind could take. While Haruka almost loses himself in this foreign feeling, Miharu smiles at him with the rest of what she wants to convey to him yet can’t do with just words.
“I like you, Nanase-kun.”
After that, Miharu shuts her eyes tightly. She fears of seeing Haruka’s surprised face but she doesn’t mind hearing his rejection. Ever since the first time she saw Haruka in the water, she was prepared to let her heart sink. She doesn’t mind at all. To her, what’s important is that she told Haruka the truth; that, she conveyed the most honest of her thoughts and emotions; that, she expressed the secret that she so wanted to tell somebody. Not just any secret and not just to be told to any person because to Miharu, the secret of her heart can only be told to the only person who would understand.
Carefully, Haruka raises his hand-
Miharu opens her eyes. Haruka’s hand is resting on top of her head. The wetness of her hair is the least of her worries yet she trembles more for the thought of Haruka hearing the loud beating of her heart then. It’s okay. This should be okay…
Haruka smiles a little. Miharu’s blushing face bores into his eyes and they soften to the passing subtle music the wind creates with the water.
“I understand.”
Miharu’s heart clenches in utmost relief that it distracts her breathing. Her throat closes and she can’t help it - tears roll down her cheeks, chorusing with the beads of water dripping from her bangs. Haruka pats her head gently. He doesn’t have to say anything else. With the honesty of his words, Haruka knows that Miharu can fathom the secret he doesn’t know that he already had from the first time Miharu had confessed to him.
“Nanase-kun… I…”
Haruka tilts his head toward Miharu. The girl looks straight into his eyes with a smile that she wants him to remember even when he closes his eyes but she smiles like this so he can remember it most especially when he’s in his world - the water. Miharu takes in one last breath.
“I’m happy.”
The water sings its sweetest lullaby then. Haruka’s cheeks turn red and warm. He tries diverting his eyes away from Miharu but something inside him won’t let him.
Ah. This is…
Miharu still has her smile up for Haruka. The quiet boy lets it sink to the deepest depths of his eyes - that smile, just for him. He picks out a leaf stuck in Miharu’s hair and they both look at it before he lowers it to the water. Haruka and Miharu watch it drift slowly to the world they share now. Haruka looks at Miharu beside him. The autumn wind brushes her hair softly; it carries the giggle she lets out then into the orange sky that has been observing them since long ago. He realizes that even if Miharu and Makoto have more things in common, to him, sharing the one and same thought with Miharu is enough. Now, Miharu won’t slip away from his memory. Finally, Haruka learns something new.
Yes… Be free with me.