Another one of them fics to tease Haru-chan~!
Title: Soup-Port
Pairing: Nanase Haruka/OC
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Haru's life goes on... And so does his and the others' confusion.
Note: This takes place after Coastline.
So what happened after the heartwarming moment Haruka and Miharu had?
“Haruka-sen-“
Gou stops. Haruka and Miharu look up toward the girl on the other side of the pool. Gou’s mouth is slightly agape and her eyes are as wide as saucers. Haruka doesn’t feel the need to explain unlike Miharu, who suddenly feels embarrassed (now with her awfully red cheeks and unbelievably fast heart beats). Gou breaks into a smile.
“I see, I see,” Gou says in a teasing tone, carefully stepping backwards then hurriedly running out the door with a mischievous grin.
Haruka and Miharu stare at the closed door for a moment.
“Um… Nana- ACHOO!”
Haruka glances at Miharu. She’s still in her swimsuit and the air has just gotten colder. The wind’s picking up and the poor girl’s fragile body is trembling dangerously. Haruka takes Miharu’s school blazer in between them and coats her with it, surprising the girl just a bit.
“Thank you,” Miharu says with a fond smile. She stands up after gathering the rest of her clothes, walks to the side of the pool and starts padding toward the changing room. Haruka follows suit.
“You should take a shower first,” Haruka reminds from behind Miharu. He digs his hands deep in his pockets, looking to the side because he doesn’t feel like watching Miharu’s back for certain reasons.
“Would that be okay?” Miharu asks worriedly. She isn’t part of the swim club after all and she might take long in the shower.
“Yeah.”
Miharu takes a plastic bag from inside her bag and stops by the stairs while Haruka looks out to the water.
“Um… You should go on ahead. I’ll make sure to lock up,” Miharu says shyly. “I’ll clean up as well.”
Haruka looks over his shoulder toward Miharu, whose shoulders jolt for a second as she’s startled. Simply, Haruka looks away. Perceiving this as a reassurance of Haruka’s leave, Miharu descends the stairs and into the changing room. Once inside, she flips the light switch on and takes a look around. The room is kept neat and tidy (thanks to Gou). She steps further inside, only leaving her uniform on a chair near the shower room. She lets her feet touch the icy tiles of the bathroom as she slips out of her swimsuit and, slowly, she twists the shower knob and welcomes the water that caresses her face then her whole body.
He must think I’m weird…
Miharu sighs. The shower water is endlessly hailing her, washing the unwanted dirt and tiny dead leaves in her hair. Little by little, the cool liquid washes out her trivial thoughts until she finishes up and her entire trouble is gone.
I should hurry home.
Miharu wipes herself with one of the towels hanging on the rack outside the shower, folding it and taking her undergarments out from the plastic bag so she can put it there. She intends to wash it, of course. She puts on her skirt then undershirt and sweater and lastly she ties the ribbon around the collar. It’s loose because she doesn’t care how she’ll look since she’s just going home. She slips her socks on and folds her school blazer on her right arm before she combs her hair back with her free hand. The moment she opens the door and gets up the stairs, her heart freezes. Haruka’s still there, at the same spot where Miharu left him.
“Nanase-kun… I thought…” Miharu mumbles, uncertain.
Without looking at her, Haruka bends down to get his bag by his foot and stretches just a little to the left to get Miharu’s. When he turns around, Miharu has already scrambled to put her shoes on. She straightens herself like a soldier would and waits. Haruka hands her bag to her, pausing at the sight of a purple towel in Miharu’s plastic bag. Miharu notices this.
“I forgot to bring a towel so… But I promise I’ll wash it and return it tomorrow,” Miharu reassures.
Haruka slips his backpack on and starts for the door. Miharu follows after him. No one’s in the campus now as the sky grows darker for evening. Miharu and Haruka walk for quite a distance before they split up at the bridge because Miharu’s house is on the opposite side of where Haruka’s is.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Miharu says with a small smile.
“Yeah.”
Miharu turns to take the other way now and Haruka goes on his own. He looks up at the peeking stars with the usual expressionless gaze he has then he lowers it toward the road in front of him.
“Haru-chaaan!” Nagisa bellows the following day during first break. They’re up on the roof again, Makoto and Haruka standing by the railing to look at the pool in the distance.
“Haruka-senpai!” Rei shouts in some sort of surprise. By this time, Makoto and Haruka have turned to see what was happening with their juniors.
Nagisa is pouting while Rei looks like he just saw a ghost. Makoto and Haruka look at one another then at the other two boys.
“What’s wrong?” Makoto asks first. Nagisa abruptly latches himself on Haruka.
“Haru-chaaaaaaaaan!”
“H-Hey! Stop it,” Haruka says but Nagisa isn’t listening. He holds onto Haruka like a leech and rubs his face against the older boy’s chest whilst whining.
“Nagisa, what happened?” Makoto coos now, trying to ease Nagisa off of Haruka, who looks rather troubled by the sudden outburst.
“Oh, the shock that renders my body of any motion!” Rei bursts dramatically.
Makoto keeps looking back and forth at Rei and Nagisa, who’s still wailing against Haruka’s chest.
“Haruka-senpaaai~”
Everyone, except for Nagisa (who seems to not want to let go of Haruka), turns to Gou by the door.
“Gou-chan, do you know what’s going on between these two?” Makoto questions worriedly.
“Oi, Nagisa! Are you listening to me? Let go,” Haruka tells Nagisa, seriously troubled but Nagisa shakes his head in protest.
“Ah. Could that be the reason?” Gou wonders aloud as she crosses her arms.
Makoto’s eyebrows wrinkle in puzzlement. “What could?”
Gou smiles happily. She glances at Haruka, who’s still trying to calm Nagisa down, then proceeds to tell Makoto a tale.
A few minutes later…
“HARU DID?!” Makoto blurts after Gou’s explanation then he whips his head toward the quiet boy beside him, mouth open like a Goldfish about to eat. Haruka’s eyes slant a little. Nagisa has calmed down but he won’t let go of Haruka just yet.
“I’m not thinking of anything malicious but I found it nice that Haruka-senpai is bonding with his, ahem, number one fan,” Gou says, nodding.
“What really happened, Haruka-senpai?!” Rei questions hysterically, similar to how paparazzi trouble actors and actresses about their personal lives. Haruka diverts his eyes away from inquisitive, prying ones. Right then, Nagisa’s shoulders tremble but his face is hidden against Haruka’s chest that they can’t see whether he’s crying or-
“OH, HARU-CHAN! I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!”
Gou, Makoto and Rei gape at Nagisa, whose smile is too blinding, beaming up at Haruka, whose eyes are wide in surprise and bewilderment, somewhat. Nagisa pushes himself away from Haruka, with his hands gripping tightly on Haruka’s shoulders and he nods approvingly at a matter that hasn’t really come across to Haruka clearly. Caught up in the vague atmosphere, they don’t notice the door opening.
“Matsuoka-san?”
Gou and the others turn to the newcomer.
“Ah! Miharu-senpai!” Gou exclaims as she rushes over to the girl holding a paper bag. Rei, Makoto and Nagisa turn expectantly at Haruka then.
“Your classmates told me that I’d find you here but…” Miharu trails off, having seen Haruka and the other boys in one side with an odd aura hovering over them. Haruka doesn’t meet her gaze as he looks away. Gou looks behind her, at the boys, then back at Miharu, laughing awkwardly.
“So, did you need something, Miharu-senpai?” Gou asks to steer the awkwardness away.
“Oh. I heard that you’re the swim club’s manager so I figured I should bring this to you,” Miharu explains softly as she holds the paper bag slightly apart to make an opening for Gou to see what is inside. At this time, Nagisa finally detaches himself from Haruka and shuffles on over next to Gou to take a peek.
“Ah. It’s Haru-chan’s towel,” Nagisa says calmly like it’s the most natural thing to see in another girl’s possession. At this carefreeness, Rei and Makoto inch closer to Haruka. The quiet boy only steps back with caution and nothing else.
“Nanase-kun’s?” Miharu repeats cluelessly. I see. Maybe that’s why yesterday he…
“You didn’t know?” Nagisa asks, to which Miharu answers with a shake of her head. “Haru-chan must have let you borrow it yesterday when you guys were at the pool.”
“Eh?”
Silence.
“Look at the time! Nagisa-kun, Rei-kun, let’s head back to class,” Gou says unmistakably nervously, as if she’s running away from a crime.
“Oh but I have to ask Miharu-chan something-“ Nagisa tries to say but he gets cut off by Gou yanking on his collar as well as her tugging on Rei’s blazer. She does all that hurriedly - even the way she takes the paper bag off of Miharu’s hands and starting toward the door.
“We must know the truuuuuuuuth-“ Rei yells but the last part only echoes on as they head down the stairwell. Expectedly, Haruka, Makoto and Miharu stare at the closed door, somehow hearing Nagisa’s whining, Gou’s scolding and Rei’s ridiculous comments from down below. Makoto looks at Miharu’s back then.
“Miharu-chan.”
Miharu responds to Makoto’s call with a smile as soon as she shifts her attention to him. Haruka has gone back to facing toward the pool in the distance.
With a smile, Makoto looks into Miharu’s eyes with sincerity and something more fragile…
Trust.
“I’m glad you and Haru are getting along well,” Makoto says honestly. He’s not teasing or anything. Toward something as new as this, Makoto wants to face it with his true feelings.
Miharu tilts her head in wonder. “Did Matsuoka-san tell you something?”
As if wanting to confirm permission from Haruka, Makoto glances at his best friend of so many years with a chuckle.
“Sort of.”
Instantly, Miharu’s cheeks become warmer. Laughing, she scratches her cheek in embarrassment. Without letting the three of them continue the conversation, the school bell rings. Makoto leads the way, followed by Miharu and then Haruka. Unlike yesterday, now, passively, Haruka stares at Miharu’s back, the way her black, wavy hair gently sways only a few inches above the middle of her back; these same locks, he remembers, having been drenched with the water he so preciously loves, the day before.
It’s not like Haruka and Miharu have to talk about anything. Miharu said what she wanted to say, Haruka answered what he wanted to answer - as simple as that. But maybe, something deep inside Haruka is telling him to do more; to talk to Miharu again. About what? Perhaps anything would suffice. Haruka thinks that it doesn’t have to be the conversation they had yesterday but it somehow makes him think more. More, unnecessarily more…
“So with this rule, the sentence becomes…”
The English teacher is droning on about sentence reformation and how to use the proper adjectives to describe nouns. The classroom is unbelievably quiet then. Haruka hears but he doesn’t listen, looking out the window like he always does. Accidentally, the guy sitting in front of Haruka drops his pencil so he bends down to try and get it. During this, the teacher is facing toward the class which means Haruka has to return his attention to the board. He does so and inevitably sees Miharu’s back. She has tied her hair up in a messy ponytail and, unlike the rest of the class, her eyes are concentrated on the fleeting clouds outside. Haruka glances at the scenery Miharu’s taking in and finds that the clouds have become thin, like mist painted on a pastel-blue. The teacher asks a question at the same time and Miharu raises her hand, attention lingering out the window for a moment before she retracts her concentration and gives the answer that makes the teacher grin and praise her. Of course, Haruka doesn’t know if Miharu’s smiling or if she feels embarrassed, what with her back to him and whatnot but all he knows (because he sees) is that Miharu pulls her conscience out of the classroom and lets it wander out to the open once more. Abruptly, Haruka remembers that the guy in front of him hasn’t sat up yet and finds him, apparently, asleep, hunched over his desk then. Because of that, Haruka has to pointlessly stare at Miharu’s back until the end of the period.
School ends with noises, as usual. The students file out of their classrooms while chatting and laughing, some are yawning and others simply left without anything to share. Makoto and Haruka are tidying their things up when Miharu walks past them.
“You’re not going home yet, Miharu-chan?” Makoto asks after noticing Miharu without her bag.
“I guess I have to take care of something,” Miharu answers in her soft, shy voice. Even if she doesn’t show it physically, even if she doesn’t convey it verbally, Makoto knows that something’s wrong. It doesn’t display on Miharu’s physicality but it glows faintly in her small smile.
“I see. See you tomorrow then,” Makoto replies. Miharu waves at them a little before she takes her leave.
Haruka has stood up then, prepared to leave the room. Makoto chuckles at his best friend’s eagerness.
“Are you going to the pool again?”
Haruka nods. With that, Makoto lets Haruka go.
The way to the pool usually consists of Haruka, his wanting to see the water and nothing more. Yet today, he finds that his thoughts are racing up to him. His typical thoughts of wanting to swim and feeling the water and wishing it was warm enough to get into the pool are rippling in his head now but something is gaining on these contemplations like a baby seal swimming after fish. Haruka doesn’t delve into the unnecessary.
Then he sees something he doesn’t need to see - Miharu and a senior right below the pool, in front of the huge tree facing toward the high fences. Thinking that it’s none of his business, Haruka forges on. He doesn’t need to worry about being seen because the surrounding trees and bushes are keeping him well-cloaked in the background. Somewhere hidden, where nothing has to bother me…
“I already have someone I like.”
Some place I don’t have to trouble myself with anything…
“Thank you for your feelings but I already have someone I like,” Miharu tells the guy with an apologetic voice. The guy chuckles brokenly but he offers Miharu a smile then he bows and gives her his thanks for listening to him then he trudges off. Quietly, Miharu watches the guy leave then she glances to her side, to that spot where she heard leaves cracking and bushes rustling. No one is there.
“Haru? Why are you still here?” Makoto asks in surprise upon seeing Haruka standing by the gates. With nothing but a shrug and a cold shoulder, Makoto sighs then smiles as he and Haruka leave school grounds together.
It’s not like the cool, early winter air harshly brushing against their cheeks is anything new but Haruka and Makoto just can’t seem to get used to it, no matter how many years have passed and no matter how often winter visited them. Unlike the seasons that change because it can’t be helped, a person changing is much more alarming and Makoto understands this well, even when he’s known Haruka for so many years now, he can’t seem to refrain himself from acting like a mother toward her teenage son.
“Hey, Haru.”
Do you really like Miharu-chan?
“What?”
“It’s just…”
Won’t you talk to me about it?
Haruka looks at Makoto beside him. The taller boy has his eyes on the ground, the tiniest hint of a smile on his face for his shoes to see and the most unnatural yet strangely expected words coming right out of his mouth - one after another - are like tuned for only the air to hear and carry off.
“I was wondering why you left the pool early today.”
Haruka lifts his shoulders a little. “Is that what you really want to ask?”
Makoto is a little taken aback by this but it can’t be helped. Haruka knows him so well. Since they were kids, Haruka has always been able to see through Makoto, down to the deepest depths of his thoughts and emotions. Makoto is actually thankful for that because Haruka doesn’t accuse, nor does he suspect and judge. He just knows. Makoto wants to know too.
“Did something happen between you and Miharu-chan yesterday?”
Makoto doesn’t know if Haruka’s going to answer that but he thought it was worth a try. And even if Haruka doesn’t or won’t answer that question, as long as he talks about it with Makoto even for just a short while, then Makoto will be satisfied.
“She understands the water.”
Makoto doesn’t look but he catches the tiniest smile ever, in the corner of his eye. Haruka may have always said meaningful or nonsensical matters about the water but that’s just it - to Haruka, water is symbolic and important, perhaps like how dolphins acknowledge this gift of nature with their existence to glide in it and to simply live the rest of their lives there. So when Haruka’s words finally resonate in Makoto’s own line of perception, the taller boy only chuckles.
“I see,” he says and the rest of the way home is spent in significant silence.
Haruka is like that. He doesn’t say the full-length of what he’s thinking and he most certainly does not add tidbits to subjects he thinks isn’t worthy of details but he keeps what he says short (though not relatively sweet) and eloquent. Of course, Haruka doesn’t know this all too well himself because he thinks he just says what he really wants to - because he really does, in his own way that only a selected few can understand. And those selected few understand with the wholeness that Haruka leaves out all the time. This, Makoto knows. Plus, with the way Haruka answered just now, it’s enough for Makoto to feel giddy to the extent that he smiles too wide to contain his laughter. Why?
Because Haru isn’t always honest like that.
In time, Makoto has been able to keep Rei from pestering Haruka and Nagisa from teasing and asking silly questions. Gou even called for a club meeting during that short course of time because she knows that the boys have been itching- dying to swim since summer ended and she wanted to plan out a schedule for when they can swim again next year. With this, the whole club goes to the Nanase Residence that Saturday morning.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here, Matsuoka-san?” Miharu asks for the nth time that day. Gou had asked her to come along (“I need your help, Miharu-senpai!”) the night before and didn’t really give Miharu much of a choice.
The group has already arrived in front of Haruka’s house. After pressing the doorbell and waiting for a couple of minutes without an answer, Makoto jogs out back, with Rei and Nagisa in tow. Gou takes responsibility for watching over Miharu today so she waits with her by the front door.
“Haruka-senpai lives alone,” Gou explains the moment she notices Miharu’s confused expression toward the three boys’ leave. “When he doesn’t answer the door, he’s most probably in the bath, submerged in the water. It’s quite amusing.”
Replacing Miharu’s perplexed look is a smile. “Is that so?”
“Yeah! That’s why Makoto-senpai usually comes over to check on him. Apparently, he has the privilege to sneak into the house from the back door.”
Before their conversation can continue, Rei has slid the door open to welcome them inside.
“Nagisa-kun and Makoto-senpai are upstairs with Haruka-senpai,” Rei calmly informs the two girls as he leads them to the den. They settle themselves around the small table. Silently, at first, but-
“Hasegawa-senpai, what do you really think of Haruka-senpai?” Rei questions seriously. The way he pushes his glasses upward seems like how interrogators with glasses on TV dramas would do. Miharu stares.
“I like Nanase-kun.”
Gou’s and Rei’s jaws drop after hearing such a straightforward answer (and confession, mind you).
“Bu-Bu-Bu-“
Ding-Dong
“I’ll get it,” Miharu sings as she stands up and walks to the front door. Gou pats Rei’s back consolingly.
Meanwhile, at the entrance, Miharu slides the door open and is met with familiar-looking eyes and a subtle (and clearly surprised) ‘o’ mouth.
“Who are you?” the guy asks without hesitation that it makes Miharu freeze for a moment.
“Rin?”
Miharu automatically whirls around to the sound of Haruka’s voice behind her. The boy by the door finally grins.
“Yo,” Matsuoka Rin greets coolly, with a playful salute.
Minutes after Rin was ushered into the house and into where Rei and Gou were, Nagisa and Makoto join them at the table while Haruka puts on an apron and enters the kitchen, where Miharu follows him into because she has volunteered to help him. They watch Haruka frying mackerel again but with Miharu beside him (opening a can of the usual pineapples that Haruka likes mixing with his fish), somehow the picture becomes bigger and stranger. Rin leans forward and the rest huddle together.
“So who’s the girl?”
“Haru-chan’s girlfriend,” Nagisa answers straightly.
“Now, now,” Makoto adds in immediately because he knows Rin’s going to burst with shock.
“She’s in the same class as Makoto-senpai and Haruka-senpai,” Gou elaborates while Rin still hasn’t reacted.
“But she said she likes Haruka-senpai!” Rei frantically blurts out in such a whisper that only the ones present can hear.
“So basically, she’s Haru-chan’s girlfriend.”
“Nagisa, just because Miharu-chan said-“
“Miharu-chan?”
“Hasegawa Miharu. That’s senpai’s full name.”
“And she confessed to Haruka-senpai!”
“So she’s totally Haru-chan’s girlfriend.”
“Miharu-chan is-“
“She confessed to Haru?”
“She did. Oh and I saw them at the pool-“
“Where they took a vow!”
“Rei-chan, don’t be silly. They’re not getting married yet. Miharu-chan is still only Haru-chan’s girlfriend.”
“Wait. When did we get to talking about marriage?!”
“Since when did Haru get himself a girl?”
“Onii-chan, don’t use such crude speech.”
“Haruka-senpai didn’t even tell us! This relationship of his…”
“Don’t be sad, Rei-chan. I bet Haru-chan didn’t mean to keep his girlfriend a secret.”
“I don’t think Haru would keep such a secret… Would he?”
“I guess it’s bound to happen. Girls nowadays like those cool and quiet guys.”
“Are you hearing yourself right now, onii-chan?”
“And Hasegawa-senpai’s complete honesty is so theoretically impossible!”
“Rei-chan, there’s no such thing as theories for love!”
“Love… Love?! Hold on-“
“Gou, you saw Haru and this girl at the pool? What were they doing?”
“I’m not sure but- don’t you dare think about anything malicious!”
“No, no… I must think things through… Maybe Hasegawa-senpai just meant that she admires Haruka-senpai!”
“But Rei-chan, Miharu-chan said that she likes Haru-chan. If she only admired him, then wouldn’t she have said that she admires him?”
“Nagisa, you’re looking at this too simply…”
“If you just told me the details then I wouldn’t have to speculate on my own!”
“I already told you everything I know!”
“You haven’t told him that part when Hasegawa-senpai returned Haruka-senpai’s bath towel-“
“Oh, that! Now I think Haru-chan is a romantic guy for sharing his bath towel with Miharu-chan~”
“I think you mean Haru lent his bath towel-“
“WHOA. Haru actually lent his bath towel to a girl?!”
“Onii-chaaan! That isn’t the point!”
“The point is, they already have an exclusive relationship! Something Haruka-senpai didn’t want us to know-“
“Don’t be silly, Rei-chan! You’re making this sound too complicated~”
“You’re actually doing the exact opposite, Nagisa…”
“That Haru… He didn’t have to be so uptight about keeping this a secret from all of us.”
“You’re actually jealous, aren’t you, onii-chan?” (“I am not!”)
“Oh Haruka-senpai…”
With all the rambling going on outside, Miharu doesn’t feel that it’s safe to go out and prepare the dishes. She stands frozen by the kitchen sink where she’s stacked the plates and saucers together. Next to her, Haruka is pounding lightly on the bottom of the can of pineapple slices Miharu opened earlier so that a piece would fall on top of his mackerel dish. He hears Miharu sigh yet he continues to ease the pineapple slice out.
“Nanase-kun, when would you jump in?”
Haruka pauses.
“When the water is warm enough.”
Miharu lets Haruka’s words echo in her mind for a moment. Such easy-spoken words don’t usually make an impact on someone but Haruka’s words do this to Miharu for some reason. Perhaps even if Haruka didn’t really mean to (or if he doesn’t really know and is more likely unaware), Miharu can actually derive something from that short answer - something important and memorable, like a life lesson. So, she finds the courage to laugh.
“Thanks, Nanase-kun,” she says before she takes the plates and saucers to where the others are. Haruka watches her back again, the way she walks away from him and toward the rest of his friends - the way she leaves.
“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting,” Miharu says politely as she kneels next to Makoto, distributing the tableware accordingly. Makoto and Rei help her out for they have already recovered from their ambiguous conversation just now.
“I think I haven’t introduced you two yet,” Gou says after realization strikes her. She gestures to Rin beside her. “This is my older brother, Matsuoka Rin.”
Ah… No wonder I thought this guy’s eyes looked familiar. He and Matsuoka-san are actually siblings…
Rin and Miharu tip their heads a little as acknowledgement.
“I’m Hasegawa Miharu. It’s very nice to meet you, Matsuoka-kun.”
Rin shows Miharu a small smile but when Haruka appears behind the polite girl, his smile little by little becomes a smirk. Haruka only gives Rin his usual expressionless comeback then he goes to serve his pineapple-mackerel special, evoking weird looks from everyone. Even Miharu stares idly at the prominent color of the fruit on top of crisp fish skin. As they eat, the guys share stories about swimming. From training to upcoming competitions, the works. Gou would argue with Rin from time to time and the others would laugh. Haruka would occasionally smile a bit whenever Gou would hit Rin on the head because of a lame joke or something. Miharu, who sits in between Makoto and Haruka then, listens and observes carefully. After all, she doesn’t have anything to say and she feels more comfortable just watching from afar.
They’re all such happy people…
“OH NO!”
Everyone turns to Nagisa in surprise.
“What is it, Nagisa-kun?” Rei asks on behalf of everyone concerned (since Haruka doesn’t feel the need to abandon his delicious mackerel).
“There’s no soup!” Nagisa cries out, almost as dramatically as Rei (if he were to do so).
“I didn’t make any,” Haruka replies flatly.
“Come to think of it, I think it would be better if we did have something to warm ourselves up…” Gou shares, thinking. Makoto turns to Haruka.
“Even canned soup?”
Haruka shrugs.
“All this guy cares about is mackerel…” Rin mumbles.
“Then don’t eat it if you don’t want it,” Haruka dismisses. Rin glares at him.
Miharu puts her chopsticks down and stands up. “I think I saw a can of soup somewhere in one of the cupboards…”
Nagisa follows after her. “Maybe it’s expired!”
Gou, Makoto and Rei knowingly follow Nagisa and Miharu to the kitchen. Haruka continues to eat, ignoring Rin, who’s staring at him.
“You have your own mackerel.”
“So you like her?”
Haruka tries not to pay any attention to Rin because he’s enjoying his mackerel and pineapple but Rin doesn’t seem to like that idea. With a quick glance in the kitchen and seeing the girl who’s supposed to have attracted Haruka’s interest, Rin lets out a sigh.
“You know, we’re all friends here,” Rin starts out vaguely but Haruka knows where this is going. “But I’m not saying that friends have to invade other friends’ privacy. I mean, you can just tell us.”
Haruka finally gives up.
“It’s not like I didn’t plan on telling anyone,” Haruka replies in the quiet voice that Rin remembers hearing from when they were in elementary school. Rin remembers well, because this is the voice that Haruka speaks in when he’s completely uncertain about something, which is a rather rare case.
Rin waits patiently for Haruka to continue and his silence urges Haruka on.
“It’s more like, I don’t know how to.”
If this was something about water, then maybe I could explain more…
Rin scratches his head. “If it troubles you, then it gives you all the more reason to come talk to us.”
That’s just it. I don’t know how to.
“Can you tell me something then, Haru?”
Haruka looks up at Rin from across the table. His eyes are serious yet gentle at the same time. If only Haruka knew that Rin would only be bluffing then he’d tell him that his face looks ridiculous with seriousness but Rin isn’t, and Haruka needs to face the music.
“Do you like Miharu-san?”
I don’t think ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will be enough of an answer…
Because Haruka has always thought so, that such questions (and most questions, really) cannot be answered with just two words as choices. Haruka hasn’t known Miharu for too long to understand her completely but time would take care of that. What Haruka needs to know is how. Up until now, all that’s been entering Haruka’s heart and mind is swimming, feeling the water, diving into a pool… And a confession is really far from all those, because water doesn’t have words; it makes Haruka feel, just because. He won’t lie about that time at the pool when he found Miharu floating in the water, that strange feeling that rushed up to his heart - tightening, suffocating, for seeing someone new being cradled by something Haruka has always thought of being precious. He already ruled out the possibility of jealousy and everything close to it because right after hearing the words Miharu said with all the honesty she could muster, Haruka undeniably felt that he had all the more reason to treasure the water. Maybe that’s why…
“Oi, Haru,” Rin calls in his usual gruff manner and Haruka is pulled back to reality. “I never know what’s going on in your head but at least give me an answer.”
Haruka finally decides to stop running away. This strange feeling that’s filling up his chest - like how he does with the water, he’ll accept it honestly.
Haruka takes in a deep breath. “I-“
“RIN-CHAN! HARU-CHAN!” Nagisa bursts back happily into the room. Rin lets out an exasperated breath while Haruka regains himself. The hyperactive boy holds out a bowl of soup in front of the two with a wide grin. “SOUP-port.”
“What?”
“Nagisa-kun has been saying that absurd pun since Hasegawa-senpai found the can,” Rei explains from the kitchen entrance. Makoto’s right behind him, chuckling. Soon, Gou and Miharu distribute bowls of soup to everyone and they sip passively, savoring the warmth.
“Miharu-san.”
Miharu pauses from touching her lips to the rim of the bowl and concentrates on Rin then. A lopsided smile is decorating his face.
“I trust that you’re going to take responsibility?” Rin asks as if they’re talking about taking care of a cat (which, in this case, is Haruka). He trains his eyes on Haruka beside Miharu for a second before he sips more of his soup. Without meaning to, Rin actually makes Miharu blush so terribly that she swears the heat in her cheeks is far more dangerous than the soup’s.
“That’s right, that’s right! We gotta SOUP-port Haru-chan and Miharu-chan!” Nagisa cheers whilst raising his bowl for some kind of toast.
“It might spill, Nagisa-kun!” Rei panics.
“I don’t care! Mako-chan, toast with me!”
Makoto does what Nagisa wants, a smile gracing his face.
“Haru?” he calls as he bends back a little. Beside him, Makoto can see Haruka and Miharu staying quiet awkwardly.
“Soup-port, huh?” Gou repeats in delight. “Then Amakata-sensei and I won’t be lonely going to all your swim meets. Welcome aboard, Miharu-senpai!”
Rei adjusts his glasses. He’s finally come to terms with himself as he recognizes the beauty of a budding relationship a bit too late. “Indeed. To soup-port!”
“Aw, what the heck? Soup-port!” Rin goes along and everyone toasts their bowls, save for Haruka and Miharu, who are both still awkward about all this.
As soon as everyone has calmed down and finished eating, Miharu and Makoto clean the table up and take the tableware to the kitchen to wash. The rest stays at the table to further discuss about the upcoming swim meets and schedules.
“Makoto-kun…”
“Hm?”
“Actually, I don’t really know what to say.”
Makoto pauses from washing a bowl to look at Miharu beside him. Somehow, with that frown on her face, Miharu looks like a lost little girl. To this, Makoto wipes his hand with a cloth and pats Miharu’s head with the back of his hand. Miharu’s shoulders jolt for a second at the contact but she welcomes Makoto’s gesture like a little sister would with her older brother.
“You’re like Haru, you know? That’s why both of you need to talk more. It’ll be okay.”
Miharu puffs up her chest then gives in with a giggle. “Thank you, Makoto-kun.”
Both of them smile at each other right before Gou calls for Makoto and Haruka goes over to replace him.
Silence.
“Nanase-kun-“
“Soup.”
Miharu stops. Chocolate orbs gaze upon a quiet boy.
“Where did you find the soup?” Haruka asks further. Miharu hums in thought then she points at the cupboard on Haruka’s side. “So it was there…”
Over his shoulder, Rin is checking up on Haruka and Miharu while the others bicker about this and that, Makoto trying to calm them down.
Rin… My answer never reached you, right?
“Nanase-kun?”
Haruka picks up the saucer Miharu has in her hands and proceeds to wipe it clean with the sponge Makoto was using earlier.
“I’ll help.”
Miharu nods to that as she continues to do her share. Eventually, not being able to contain it any longer, she chuckles, pressing the inside of her wrist to her cheek to somehow hide her goofy smile and getting bubbles against her skin in the process.
“Soup-port, right? Just like what Nagisa-kun said.”
Haruka looks at Miharu and watches her laugh for a moment. Carefully, he reaches out and wipes the suds off of her cheek with the side of his arm and this surprises Miharu, of course, but instead of freezing up (like how she would normally do), she smiles naturally. Just now, the warmness that graced Haruka’s skin reminds him that Miharu’s right next to him, and nowhere else.
“Thank you, Nanase-kun.”
Thank you…
Haruka nods. “Sure.”
For this warmth that can’t be explained with words alone… This is my answer.
Under the sink water, Haruka’s hand bumps into Miharu’s.
And time stops.
Then-
Pairing: Nanase Haruka/OC
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Haru's life goes on... And so does his and the others' confusion.
Note: This takes place after Coastline.
So what happened after the heartwarming moment Haruka and Miharu had?
“Haruka-sen-“
Gou stops. Haruka and Miharu look up toward the girl on the other side of the pool. Gou’s mouth is slightly agape and her eyes are as wide as saucers. Haruka doesn’t feel the need to explain unlike Miharu, who suddenly feels embarrassed (now with her awfully red cheeks and unbelievably fast heart beats). Gou breaks into a smile.
“I see, I see,” Gou says in a teasing tone, carefully stepping backwards then hurriedly running out the door with a mischievous grin.
Haruka and Miharu stare at the closed door for a moment.
“Um… Nana- ACHOO!”
Haruka glances at Miharu. She’s still in her swimsuit and the air has just gotten colder. The wind’s picking up and the poor girl’s fragile body is trembling dangerously. Haruka takes Miharu’s school blazer in between them and coats her with it, surprising the girl just a bit.
“Thank you,” Miharu says with a fond smile. She stands up after gathering the rest of her clothes, walks to the side of the pool and starts padding toward the changing room. Haruka follows suit.
“You should take a shower first,” Haruka reminds from behind Miharu. He digs his hands deep in his pockets, looking to the side because he doesn’t feel like watching Miharu’s back for certain reasons.
“Would that be okay?” Miharu asks worriedly. She isn’t part of the swim club after all and she might take long in the shower.
“Yeah.”
Miharu takes a plastic bag from inside her bag and stops by the stairs while Haruka looks out to the water.
“Um… You should go on ahead. I’ll make sure to lock up,” Miharu says shyly. “I’ll clean up as well.”
Haruka looks over his shoulder toward Miharu, whose shoulders jolt for a second as she’s startled. Simply, Haruka looks away. Perceiving this as a reassurance of Haruka’s leave, Miharu descends the stairs and into the changing room. Once inside, she flips the light switch on and takes a look around. The room is kept neat and tidy (thanks to Gou). She steps further inside, only leaving her uniform on a chair near the shower room. She lets her feet touch the icy tiles of the bathroom as she slips out of her swimsuit and, slowly, she twists the shower knob and welcomes the water that caresses her face then her whole body.
He must think I’m weird…
Miharu sighs. The shower water is endlessly hailing her, washing the unwanted dirt and tiny dead leaves in her hair. Little by little, the cool liquid washes out her trivial thoughts until she finishes up and her entire trouble is gone.
I should hurry home.
Miharu wipes herself with one of the towels hanging on the rack outside the shower, folding it and taking her undergarments out from the plastic bag so she can put it there. She intends to wash it, of course. She puts on her skirt then undershirt and sweater and lastly she ties the ribbon around the collar. It’s loose because she doesn’t care how she’ll look since she’s just going home. She slips her socks on and folds her school blazer on her right arm before she combs her hair back with her free hand. The moment she opens the door and gets up the stairs, her heart freezes. Haruka’s still there, at the same spot where Miharu left him.
“Nanase-kun… I thought…” Miharu mumbles, uncertain.
Without looking at her, Haruka bends down to get his bag by his foot and stretches just a little to the left to get Miharu’s. When he turns around, Miharu has already scrambled to put her shoes on. She straightens herself like a soldier would and waits. Haruka hands her bag to her, pausing at the sight of a purple towel in Miharu’s plastic bag. Miharu notices this.
“I forgot to bring a towel so… But I promise I’ll wash it and return it tomorrow,” Miharu reassures.
Haruka slips his backpack on and starts for the door. Miharu follows after him. No one’s in the campus now as the sky grows darker for evening. Miharu and Haruka walk for quite a distance before they split up at the bridge because Miharu’s house is on the opposite side of where Haruka’s is.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Miharu says with a small smile.
“Yeah.”
Miharu turns to take the other way now and Haruka goes on his own. He looks up at the peeking stars with the usual expressionless gaze he has then he lowers it toward the road in front of him.
“Haru-chaaan!” Nagisa bellows the following day during first break. They’re up on the roof again, Makoto and Haruka standing by the railing to look at the pool in the distance.
“Haruka-senpai!” Rei shouts in some sort of surprise. By this time, Makoto and Haruka have turned to see what was happening with their juniors.
Nagisa is pouting while Rei looks like he just saw a ghost. Makoto and Haruka look at one another then at the other two boys.
“What’s wrong?” Makoto asks first. Nagisa abruptly latches himself on Haruka.
“Haru-chaaaaaaaaan!”
“H-Hey! Stop it,” Haruka says but Nagisa isn’t listening. He holds onto Haruka like a leech and rubs his face against the older boy’s chest whilst whining.
“Nagisa, what happened?” Makoto coos now, trying to ease Nagisa off of Haruka, who looks rather troubled by the sudden outburst.
“Oh, the shock that renders my body of any motion!” Rei bursts dramatically.
Makoto keeps looking back and forth at Rei and Nagisa, who’s still wailing against Haruka’s chest.
“Haruka-senpaaai~”
Everyone, except for Nagisa (who seems to not want to let go of Haruka), turns to Gou by the door.
“Gou-chan, do you know what’s going on between these two?” Makoto questions worriedly.
“Oi, Nagisa! Are you listening to me? Let go,” Haruka tells Nagisa, seriously troubled but Nagisa shakes his head in protest.
“Ah. Could that be the reason?” Gou wonders aloud as she crosses her arms.
Makoto’s eyebrows wrinkle in puzzlement. “What could?”
Gou smiles happily. She glances at Haruka, who’s still trying to calm Nagisa down, then proceeds to tell Makoto a tale.
A few minutes later…
“HARU DID?!” Makoto blurts after Gou’s explanation then he whips his head toward the quiet boy beside him, mouth open like a Goldfish about to eat. Haruka’s eyes slant a little. Nagisa has calmed down but he won’t let go of Haruka just yet.
“I’m not thinking of anything malicious but I found it nice that Haruka-senpai is bonding with his, ahem, number one fan,” Gou says, nodding.
“What really happened, Haruka-senpai?!” Rei questions hysterically, similar to how paparazzi trouble actors and actresses about their personal lives. Haruka diverts his eyes away from inquisitive, prying ones. Right then, Nagisa’s shoulders tremble but his face is hidden against Haruka’s chest that they can’t see whether he’s crying or-
“OH, HARU-CHAN! I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!”
Gou, Makoto and Rei gape at Nagisa, whose smile is too blinding, beaming up at Haruka, whose eyes are wide in surprise and bewilderment, somewhat. Nagisa pushes himself away from Haruka, with his hands gripping tightly on Haruka’s shoulders and he nods approvingly at a matter that hasn’t really come across to Haruka clearly. Caught up in the vague atmosphere, they don’t notice the door opening.
“Matsuoka-san?”
Gou and the others turn to the newcomer.
“Ah! Miharu-senpai!” Gou exclaims as she rushes over to the girl holding a paper bag. Rei, Makoto and Nagisa turn expectantly at Haruka then.
“Your classmates told me that I’d find you here but…” Miharu trails off, having seen Haruka and the other boys in one side with an odd aura hovering over them. Haruka doesn’t meet her gaze as he looks away. Gou looks behind her, at the boys, then back at Miharu, laughing awkwardly.
“So, did you need something, Miharu-senpai?” Gou asks to steer the awkwardness away.
“Oh. I heard that you’re the swim club’s manager so I figured I should bring this to you,” Miharu explains softly as she holds the paper bag slightly apart to make an opening for Gou to see what is inside. At this time, Nagisa finally detaches himself from Haruka and shuffles on over next to Gou to take a peek.
“Ah. It’s Haru-chan’s towel,” Nagisa says calmly like it’s the most natural thing to see in another girl’s possession. At this carefreeness, Rei and Makoto inch closer to Haruka. The quiet boy only steps back with caution and nothing else.
“Nanase-kun’s?” Miharu repeats cluelessly. I see. Maybe that’s why yesterday he…
“You didn’t know?” Nagisa asks, to which Miharu answers with a shake of her head. “Haru-chan must have let you borrow it yesterday when you guys were at the pool.”
“Eh?”
Silence.
“Look at the time! Nagisa-kun, Rei-kun, let’s head back to class,” Gou says unmistakably nervously, as if she’s running away from a crime.
“Oh but I have to ask Miharu-chan something-“ Nagisa tries to say but he gets cut off by Gou yanking on his collar as well as her tugging on Rei’s blazer. She does all that hurriedly - even the way she takes the paper bag off of Miharu’s hands and starting toward the door.
“We must know the truuuuuuuuth-“ Rei yells but the last part only echoes on as they head down the stairwell. Expectedly, Haruka, Makoto and Miharu stare at the closed door, somehow hearing Nagisa’s whining, Gou’s scolding and Rei’s ridiculous comments from down below. Makoto looks at Miharu’s back then.
“Miharu-chan.”
Miharu responds to Makoto’s call with a smile as soon as she shifts her attention to him. Haruka has gone back to facing toward the pool in the distance.
With a smile, Makoto looks into Miharu’s eyes with sincerity and something more fragile…
Trust.
“I’m glad you and Haru are getting along well,” Makoto says honestly. He’s not teasing or anything. Toward something as new as this, Makoto wants to face it with his true feelings.
Miharu tilts her head in wonder. “Did Matsuoka-san tell you something?”
As if wanting to confirm permission from Haruka, Makoto glances at his best friend of so many years with a chuckle.
“Sort of.”
Instantly, Miharu’s cheeks become warmer. Laughing, she scratches her cheek in embarrassment. Without letting the three of them continue the conversation, the school bell rings. Makoto leads the way, followed by Miharu and then Haruka. Unlike yesterday, now, passively, Haruka stares at Miharu’s back, the way her black, wavy hair gently sways only a few inches above the middle of her back; these same locks, he remembers, having been drenched with the water he so preciously loves, the day before.
It’s not like Haruka and Miharu have to talk about anything. Miharu said what she wanted to say, Haruka answered what he wanted to answer - as simple as that. But maybe, something deep inside Haruka is telling him to do more; to talk to Miharu again. About what? Perhaps anything would suffice. Haruka thinks that it doesn’t have to be the conversation they had yesterday but it somehow makes him think more. More, unnecessarily more…
“So with this rule, the sentence becomes…”
The English teacher is droning on about sentence reformation and how to use the proper adjectives to describe nouns. The classroom is unbelievably quiet then. Haruka hears but he doesn’t listen, looking out the window like he always does. Accidentally, the guy sitting in front of Haruka drops his pencil so he bends down to try and get it. During this, the teacher is facing toward the class which means Haruka has to return his attention to the board. He does so and inevitably sees Miharu’s back. She has tied her hair up in a messy ponytail and, unlike the rest of the class, her eyes are concentrated on the fleeting clouds outside. Haruka glances at the scenery Miharu’s taking in and finds that the clouds have become thin, like mist painted on a pastel-blue. The teacher asks a question at the same time and Miharu raises her hand, attention lingering out the window for a moment before she retracts her concentration and gives the answer that makes the teacher grin and praise her. Of course, Haruka doesn’t know if Miharu’s smiling or if she feels embarrassed, what with her back to him and whatnot but all he knows (because he sees) is that Miharu pulls her conscience out of the classroom and lets it wander out to the open once more. Abruptly, Haruka remembers that the guy in front of him hasn’t sat up yet and finds him, apparently, asleep, hunched over his desk then. Because of that, Haruka has to pointlessly stare at Miharu’s back until the end of the period.
School ends with noises, as usual. The students file out of their classrooms while chatting and laughing, some are yawning and others simply left without anything to share. Makoto and Haruka are tidying their things up when Miharu walks past them.
“You’re not going home yet, Miharu-chan?” Makoto asks after noticing Miharu without her bag.
“I guess I have to take care of something,” Miharu answers in her soft, shy voice. Even if she doesn’t show it physically, even if she doesn’t convey it verbally, Makoto knows that something’s wrong. It doesn’t display on Miharu’s physicality but it glows faintly in her small smile.
“I see. See you tomorrow then,” Makoto replies. Miharu waves at them a little before she takes her leave.
Haruka has stood up then, prepared to leave the room. Makoto chuckles at his best friend’s eagerness.
“Are you going to the pool again?”
Haruka nods. With that, Makoto lets Haruka go.
The way to the pool usually consists of Haruka, his wanting to see the water and nothing more. Yet today, he finds that his thoughts are racing up to him. His typical thoughts of wanting to swim and feeling the water and wishing it was warm enough to get into the pool are rippling in his head now but something is gaining on these contemplations like a baby seal swimming after fish. Haruka doesn’t delve into the unnecessary.
Then he sees something he doesn’t need to see - Miharu and a senior right below the pool, in front of the huge tree facing toward the high fences. Thinking that it’s none of his business, Haruka forges on. He doesn’t need to worry about being seen because the surrounding trees and bushes are keeping him well-cloaked in the background. Somewhere hidden, where nothing has to bother me…
“I already have someone I like.”
Some place I don’t have to trouble myself with anything…
“Thank you for your feelings but I already have someone I like,” Miharu tells the guy with an apologetic voice. The guy chuckles brokenly but he offers Miharu a smile then he bows and gives her his thanks for listening to him then he trudges off. Quietly, Miharu watches the guy leave then she glances to her side, to that spot where she heard leaves cracking and bushes rustling. No one is there.
“Haru? Why are you still here?” Makoto asks in surprise upon seeing Haruka standing by the gates. With nothing but a shrug and a cold shoulder, Makoto sighs then smiles as he and Haruka leave school grounds together.
It’s not like the cool, early winter air harshly brushing against their cheeks is anything new but Haruka and Makoto just can’t seem to get used to it, no matter how many years have passed and no matter how often winter visited them. Unlike the seasons that change because it can’t be helped, a person changing is much more alarming and Makoto understands this well, even when he’s known Haruka for so many years now, he can’t seem to refrain himself from acting like a mother toward her teenage son.
“Hey, Haru.”
Do you really like Miharu-chan?
“What?”
“It’s just…”
Won’t you talk to me about it?
Haruka looks at Makoto beside him. The taller boy has his eyes on the ground, the tiniest hint of a smile on his face for his shoes to see and the most unnatural yet strangely expected words coming right out of his mouth - one after another - are like tuned for only the air to hear and carry off.
“I was wondering why you left the pool early today.”
Haruka lifts his shoulders a little. “Is that what you really want to ask?”
Makoto is a little taken aback by this but it can’t be helped. Haruka knows him so well. Since they were kids, Haruka has always been able to see through Makoto, down to the deepest depths of his thoughts and emotions. Makoto is actually thankful for that because Haruka doesn’t accuse, nor does he suspect and judge. He just knows. Makoto wants to know too.
“Did something happen between you and Miharu-chan yesterday?”
Makoto doesn’t know if Haruka’s going to answer that but he thought it was worth a try. And even if Haruka doesn’t or won’t answer that question, as long as he talks about it with Makoto even for just a short while, then Makoto will be satisfied.
“She understands the water.”
Makoto doesn’t look but he catches the tiniest smile ever, in the corner of his eye. Haruka may have always said meaningful or nonsensical matters about the water but that’s just it - to Haruka, water is symbolic and important, perhaps like how dolphins acknowledge this gift of nature with their existence to glide in it and to simply live the rest of their lives there. So when Haruka’s words finally resonate in Makoto’s own line of perception, the taller boy only chuckles.
“I see,” he says and the rest of the way home is spent in significant silence.
Haruka is like that. He doesn’t say the full-length of what he’s thinking and he most certainly does not add tidbits to subjects he thinks isn’t worthy of details but he keeps what he says short (though not relatively sweet) and eloquent. Of course, Haruka doesn’t know this all too well himself because he thinks he just says what he really wants to - because he really does, in his own way that only a selected few can understand. And those selected few understand with the wholeness that Haruka leaves out all the time. This, Makoto knows. Plus, with the way Haruka answered just now, it’s enough for Makoto to feel giddy to the extent that he smiles too wide to contain his laughter. Why?
Because Haru isn’t always honest like that.
In time, Makoto has been able to keep Rei from pestering Haruka and Nagisa from teasing and asking silly questions. Gou even called for a club meeting during that short course of time because she knows that the boys have been itching- dying to swim since summer ended and she wanted to plan out a schedule for when they can swim again next year. With this, the whole club goes to the Nanase Residence that Saturday morning.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here, Matsuoka-san?” Miharu asks for the nth time that day. Gou had asked her to come along (“I need your help, Miharu-senpai!”) the night before and didn’t really give Miharu much of a choice.
The group has already arrived in front of Haruka’s house. After pressing the doorbell and waiting for a couple of minutes without an answer, Makoto jogs out back, with Rei and Nagisa in tow. Gou takes responsibility for watching over Miharu today so she waits with her by the front door.
“Haruka-senpai lives alone,” Gou explains the moment she notices Miharu’s confused expression toward the three boys’ leave. “When he doesn’t answer the door, he’s most probably in the bath, submerged in the water. It’s quite amusing.”
Replacing Miharu’s perplexed look is a smile. “Is that so?”
“Yeah! That’s why Makoto-senpai usually comes over to check on him. Apparently, he has the privilege to sneak into the house from the back door.”
Before their conversation can continue, Rei has slid the door open to welcome them inside.
“Nagisa-kun and Makoto-senpai are upstairs with Haruka-senpai,” Rei calmly informs the two girls as he leads them to the den. They settle themselves around the small table. Silently, at first, but-
“Hasegawa-senpai, what do you really think of Haruka-senpai?” Rei questions seriously. The way he pushes his glasses upward seems like how interrogators with glasses on TV dramas would do. Miharu stares.
“I like Nanase-kun.”
Gou’s and Rei’s jaws drop after hearing such a straightforward answer (and confession, mind you).
“Bu-Bu-Bu-“
Ding-Dong
“I’ll get it,” Miharu sings as she stands up and walks to the front door. Gou pats Rei’s back consolingly.
Meanwhile, at the entrance, Miharu slides the door open and is met with familiar-looking eyes and a subtle (and clearly surprised) ‘o’ mouth.
“Who are you?” the guy asks without hesitation that it makes Miharu freeze for a moment.
“Rin?”
Miharu automatically whirls around to the sound of Haruka’s voice behind her. The boy by the door finally grins.
“Yo,” Matsuoka Rin greets coolly, with a playful salute.
Minutes after Rin was ushered into the house and into where Rei and Gou were, Nagisa and Makoto join them at the table while Haruka puts on an apron and enters the kitchen, where Miharu follows him into because she has volunteered to help him. They watch Haruka frying mackerel again but with Miharu beside him (opening a can of the usual pineapples that Haruka likes mixing with his fish), somehow the picture becomes bigger and stranger. Rin leans forward and the rest huddle together.
“So who’s the girl?”
“Haru-chan’s girlfriend,” Nagisa answers straightly.
“Now, now,” Makoto adds in immediately because he knows Rin’s going to burst with shock.
“She’s in the same class as Makoto-senpai and Haruka-senpai,” Gou elaborates while Rin still hasn’t reacted.
“But she said she likes Haruka-senpai!” Rei frantically blurts out in such a whisper that only the ones present can hear.
“So basically, she’s Haru-chan’s girlfriend.”
“Nagisa, just because Miharu-chan said-“
“Miharu-chan?”
“Hasegawa Miharu. That’s senpai’s full name.”
“And she confessed to Haruka-senpai!”
“So she’s totally Haru-chan’s girlfriend.”
“Miharu-chan is-“
“She confessed to Haru?”
“She did. Oh and I saw them at the pool-“
“Where they took a vow!”
“Rei-chan, don’t be silly. They’re not getting married yet. Miharu-chan is still only Haru-chan’s girlfriend.”
“Wait. When did we get to talking about marriage?!”
“Since when did Haru get himself a girl?”
“Onii-chan, don’t use such crude speech.”
“Haruka-senpai didn’t even tell us! This relationship of his…”
“Don’t be sad, Rei-chan. I bet Haru-chan didn’t mean to keep his girlfriend a secret.”
“I don’t think Haru would keep such a secret… Would he?”
“I guess it’s bound to happen. Girls nowadays like those cool and quiet guys.”
“Are you hearing yourself right now, onii-chan?”
“And Hasegawa-senpai’s complete honesty is so theoretically impossible!”
“Rei-chan, there’s no such thing as theories for love!”
“Love… Love?! Hold on-“
“Gou, you saw Haru and this girl at the pool? What were they doing?”
“I’m not sure but- don’t you dare think about anything malicious!”
“No, no… I must think things through… Maybe Hasegawa-senpai just meant that she admires Haruka-senpai!”
“But Rei-chan, Miharu-chan said that she likes Haru-chan. If she only admired him, then wouldn’t she have said that she admires him?”
“Nagisa, you’re looking at this too simply…”
“If you just told me the details then I wouldn’t have to speculate on my own!”
“I already told you everything I know!”
“You haven’t told him that part when Hasegawa-senpai returned Haruka-senpai’s bath towel-“
“Oh, that! Now I think Haru-chan is a romantic guy for sharing his bath towel with Miharu-chan~”
“I think you mean Haru lent his bath towel-“
“WHOA. Haru actually lent his bath towel to a girl?!”
“Onii-chaaan! That isn’t the point!”
“The point is, they already have an exclusive relationship! Something Haruka-senpai didn’t want us to know-“
“Don’t be silly, Rei-chan! You’re making this sound too complicated~”
“You’re actually doing the exact opposite, Nagisa…”
“That Haru… He didn’t have to be so uptight about keeping this a secret from all of us.”
“You’re actually jealous, aren’t you, onii-chan?” (“I am not!”)
“Oh Haruka-senpai…”
With all the rambling going on outside, Miharu doesn’t feel that it’s safe to go out and prepare the dishes. She stands frozen by the kitchen sink where she’s stacked the plates and saucers together. Next to her, Haruka is pounding lightly on the bottom of the can of pineapple slices Miharu opened earlier so that a piece would fall on top of his mackerel dish. He hears Miharu sigh yet he continues to ease the pineapple slice out.
“Nanase-kun, when would you jump in?”
Haruka pauses.
“When the water is warm enough.”
Miharu lets Haruka’s words echo in her mind for a moment. Such easy-spoken words don’t usually make an impact on someone but Haruka’s words do this to Miharu for some reason. Perhaps even if Haruka didn’t really mean to (or if he doesn’t really know and is more likely unaware), Miharu can actually derive something from that short answer - something important and memorable, like a life lesson. So, she finds the courage to laugh.
“Thanks, Nanase-kun,” she says before she takes the plates and saucers to where the others are. Haruka watches her back again, the way she walks away from him and toward the rest of his friends - the way she leaves.
“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting,” Miharu says politely as she kneels next to Makoto, distributing the tableware accordingly. Makoto and Rei help her out for they have already recovered from their ambiguous conversation just now.
“I think I haven’t introduced you two yet,” Gou says after realization strikes her. She gestures to Rin beside her. “This is my older brother, Matsuoka Rin.”
Ah… No wonder I thought this guy’s eyes looked familiar. He and Matsuoka-san are actually siblings…
Rin and Miharu tip their heads a little as acknowledgement.
“I’m Hasegawa Miharu. It’s very nice to meet you, Matsuoka-kun.”
Rin shows Miharu a small smile but when Haruka appears behind the polite girl, his smile little by little becomes a smirk. Haruka only gives Rin his usual expressionless comeback then he goes to serve his pineapple-mackerel special, evoking weird looks from everyone. Even Miharu stares idly at the prominent color of the fruit on top of crisp fish skin. As they eat, the guys share stories about swimming. From training to upcoming competitions, the works. Gou would argue with Rin from time to time and the others would laugh. Haruka would occasionally smile a bit whenever Gou would hit Rin on the head because of a lame joke or something. Miharu, who sits in between Makoto and Haruka then, listens and observes carefully. After all, she doesn’t have anything to say and she feels more comfortable just watching from afar.
They’re all such happy people…
“OH NO!”
Everyone turns to Nagisa in surprise.
“What is it, Nagisa-kun?” Rei asks on behalf of everyone concerned (since Haruka doesn’t feel the need to abandon his delicious mackerel).
“There’s no soup!” Nagisa cries out, almost as dramatically as Rei (if he were to do so).
“I didn’t make any,” Haruka replies flatly.
“Come to think of it, I think it would be better if we did have something to warm ourselves up…” Gou shares, thinking. Makoto turns to Haruka.
“Even canned soup?”
Haruka shrugs.
“All this guy cares about is mackerel…” Rin mumbles.
“Then don’t eat it if you don’t want it,” Haruka dismisses. Rin glares at him.
Miharu puts her chopsticks down and stands up. “I think I saw a can of soup somewhere in one of the cupboards…”
Nagisa follows after her. “Maybe it’s expired!”
Gou, Makoto and Rei knowingly follow Nagisa and Miharu to the kitchen. Haruka continues to eat, ignoring Rin, who’s staring at him.
“You have your own mackerel.”
“So you like her?”
Haruka tries not to pay any attention to Rin because he’s enjoying his mackerel and pineapple but Rin doesn’t seem to like that idea. With a quick glance in the kitchen and seeing the girl who’s supposed to have attracted Haruka’s interest, Rin lets out a sigh.
“You know, we’re all friends here,” Rin starts out vaguely but Haruka knows where this is going. “But I’m not saying that friends have to invade other friends’ privacy. I mean, you can just tell us.”
Haruka finally gives up.
“It’s not like I didn’t plan on telling anyone,” Haruka replies in the quiet voice that Rin remembers hearing from when they were in elementary school. Rin remembers well, because this is the voice that Haruka speaks in when he’s completely uncertain about something, which is a rather rare case.
Rin waits patiently for Haruka to continue and his silence urges Haruka on.
“It’s more like, I don’t know how to.”
If this was something about water, then maybe I could explain more…
Rin scratches his head. “If it troubles you, then it gives you all the more reason to come talk to us.”
That’s just it. I don’t know how to.
“Can you tell me something then, Haru?”
Haruka looks up at Rin from across the table. His eyes are serious yet gentle at the same time. If only Haruka knew that Rin would only be bluffing then he’d tell him that his face looks ridiculous with seriousness but Rin isn’t, and Haruka needs to face the music.
“Do you like Miharu-san?”
I don’t think ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will be enough of an answer…
Because Haruka has always thought so, that such questions (and most questions, really) cannot be answered with just two words as choices. Haruka hasn’t known Miharu for too long to understand her completely but time would take care of that. What Haruka needs to know is how. Up until now, all that’s been entering Haruka’s heart and mind is swimming, feeling the water, diving into a pool… And a confession is really far from all those, because water doesn’t have words; it makes Haruka feel, just because. He won’t lie about that time at the pool when he found Miharu floating in the water, that strange feeling that rushed up to his heart - tightening, suffocating, for seeing someone new being cradled by something Haruka has always thought of being precious. He already ruled out the possibility of jealousy and everything close to it because right after hearing the words Miharu said with all the honesty she could muster, Haruka undeniably felt that he had all the more reason to treasure the water. Maybe that’s why…
“Oi, Haru,” Rin calls in his usual gruff manner and Haruka is pulled back to reality. “I never know what’s going on in your head but at least give me an answer.”
Haruka finally decides to stop running away. This strange feeling that’s filling up his chest - like how he does with the water, he’ll accept it honestly.
Haruka takes in a deep breath. “I-“
“RIN-CHAN! HARU-CHAN!” Nagisa bursts back happily into the room. Rin lets out an exasperated breath while Haruka regains himself. The hyperactive boy holds out a bowl of soup in front of the two with a wide grin. “SOUP-port.”
“What?”
“Nagisa-kun has been saying that absurd pun since Hasegawa-senpai found the can,” Rei explains from the kitchen entrance. Makoto’s right behind him, chuckling. Soon, Gou and Miharu distribute bowls of soup to everyone and they sip passively, savoring the warmth.
“Miharu-san.”
Miharu pauses from touching her lips to the rim of the bowl and concentrates on Rin then. A lopsided smile is decorating his face.
“I trust that you’re going to take responsibility?” Rin asks as if they’re talking about taking care of a cat (which, in this case, is Haruka). He trains his eyes on Haruka beside Miharu for a second before he sips more of his soup. Without meaning to, Rin actually makes Miharu blush so terribly that she swears the heat in her cheeks is far more dangerous than the soup’s.
“That’s right, that’s right! We gotta SOUP-port Haru-chan and Miharu-chan!” Nagisa cheers whilst raising his bowl for some kind of toast.
“It might spill, Nagisa-kun!” Rei panics.
“I don’t care! Mako-chan, toast with me!”
Makoto does what Nagisa wants, a smile gracing his face.
“Haru?” he calls as he bends back a little. Beside him, Makoto can see Haruka and Miharu staying quiet awkwardly.
“Soup-port, huh?” Gou repeats in delight. “Then Amakata-sensei and I won’t be lonely going to all your swim meets. Welcome aboard, Miharu-senpai!”
Rei adjusts his glasses. He’s finally come to terms with himself as he recognizes the beauty of a budding relationship a bit too late. “Indeed. To soup-port!”
“Aw, what the heck? Soup-port!” Rin goes along and everyone toasts their bowls, save for Haruka and Miharu, who are both still awkward about all this.
As soon as everyone has calmed down and finished eating, Miharu and Makoto clean the table up and take the tableware to the kitchen to wash. The rest stays at the table to further discuss about the upcoming swim meets and schedules.
“Makoto-kun…”
“Hm?”
“Actually, I don’t really know what to say.”
Makoto pauses from washing a bowl to look at Miharu beside him. Somehow, with that frown on her face, Miharu looks like a lost little girl. To this, Makoto wipes his hand with a cloth and pats Miharu’s head with the back of his hand. Miharu’s shoulders jolt for a second at the contact but she welcomes Makoto’s gesture like a little sister would with her older brother.
“You’re like Haru, you know? That’s why both of you need to talk more. It’ll be okay.”
Miharu puffs up her chest then gives in with a giggle. “Thank you, Makoto-kun.”
Both of them smile at each other right before Gou calls for Makoto and Haruka goes over to replace him.
Silence.
“Nanase-kun-“
“Soup.”
Miharu stops. Chocolate orbs gaze upon a quiet boy.
“Where did you find the soup?” Haruka asks further. Miharu hums in thought then she points at the cupboard on Haruka’s side. “So it was there…”
Over his shoulder, Rin is checking up on Haruka and Miharu while the others bicker about this and that, Makoto trying to calm them down.
Rin… My answer never reached you, right?
“Nanase-kun?”
Haruka picks up the saucer Miharu has in her hands and proceeds to wipe it clean with the sponge Makoto was using earlier.
“I’ll help.”
Miharu nods to that as she continues to do her share. Eventually, not being able to contain it any longer, she chuckles, pressing the inside of her wrist to her cheek to somehow hide her goofy smile and getting bubbles against her skin in the process.
“Soup-port, right? Just like what Nagisa-kun said.”
Haruka looks at Miharu and watches her laugh for a moment. Carefully, he reaches out and wipes the suds off of her cheek with the side of his arm and this surprises Miharu, of course, but instead of freezing up (like how she would normally do), she smiles naturally. Just now, the warmness that graced Haruka’s skin reminds him that Miharu’s right next to him, and nowhere else.
“Thank you, Nanase-kun.”
Thank you…
Haruka nods. “Sure.”
For this warmth that can’t be explained with words alone… This is my answer.
Under the sink water, Haruka’s hand bumps into Miharu’s.
And time stops.
Then-