~Water Grows~ ((Ryouta Basket & sue werner)) MakoHaru Role Play

[Ryouta]

~My Character~

 

 

Kanji: 橘 真琴

Rōmaji: Tachibana Makoto

Gender: Male

Sign: Scorpio

Birthday: November 17th

Age: 12 (High☆Speed!)

17(Free!) Now is 18

Height: 151 cm (4'11") (High☆Speed!)

183 cm (6'0") (Free!)

Weight: 42 kg (93 lb) (High☆Speed!)

73 kg (161 lb) (Free!)

Occupation: 3rd year High School Student

Affiliation: Iwatobi Elementary School-Iwatobi Swimming Club-Iwatobi High School

Function: Captain

Swim Style:Backstroke (specialty), breaststroke, freestyle (crawl)

Events: 100m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 4x100m medley relay, 200m freestyle

Appearance: Makoto is a tall young man with short, olive green hair and droopy green eyes. His usual school uniform consists of light brown trousers, a white shirt with a green necktie, dark gray unbuttoned blazer and orange sneakers. During the spring and summer, he also wears his summer uniform that consists of gray trousers, a white shirt with a dark gray collar, the green dotted necktie and the orange sneakers.

While swimming, he wears black long leg swim pants that have green patterns on them. He's seen wearing black framed glasses once, but it's not said whether he really needs them or not.

Personality: Makoto is a nice and considerate guy, who is always concerned about his friends' welfare. Due to his caring personality, he is often seen with a gentle smile on his face. However, he is rather weak-hearted and can get scared easily, as shown when he appeared terrified of the possibility that their old Swimming Club may be haunted. When he gets scared he tends to hide behind Haruka or cling to him in some way.

Makoto also seems to be one of the more sensible people in the group and can get a bit worn out from his friends' peculiar antics and mannerisms. He is the one usually restraining Haruka from randomly stripping or diving into fish tanks.

Makoto and Haruka have been together for so long that Makoto is able to read Haru's mind. He is also shown to be slightly manipulative, often using Haruka's love of water to his advantage to convince Haruka to do what he wants. It was also shown that Haruka dislikes it when people use his first name, but Makoto always somehow manages to win the argument and calls him 'Haru'.

Childhood:Makoto and Haruka have been friends since at least kindergarten. It was in kindergarten that Haruka started calling Makoto by his first name and Makoto calling Haruka "Haru-chan". It was Makoto who wanted to join the Iwatobi Swimming Club when they were children and Haru tagged along with him. Due to the length of time Makoto and Haruka have been friends, Makoto can usually guess what Haruka is thinking and vice-versa, resulting in the both of them being able to hold wordless conversations.

When Makoto was young, he would visit a small fishing harbor. At the fishing harbor, there was a nice old fisherman that would sometimes play with Makoto. During the summer, at the festival near the harbor, Makoto wanted to scoop for fish but already used up all his allowance. The fisherman gave him two goldfish to make him feel better. Later that summer, there was a big typhoon and the fisherman's boat sank. Many people drowned including the old fisherman. Later when the two goldfish died, he made a grave, which is now a precious memory to him, for them, in which he changes the flowers everyday. Because of this experience he is afraid of the ocean.

Elementary: As a child, Makoto used to swim the breaststroke and usually won the 100m breaststroke events against Rin but would lose the 50m breaststroke against him. It was when he teamed-up with Rin, Nagisa Hazuki and Haruka for the relay in elementary school that Makoto switched to backstroke and found that he was more comfortable with the stroke and has since specialized in the backstroke.

Junior High: In Iwatobi Junior High School, Makoto was known as "the big kid from class 2" because of his good physique and because of it, Kisumi Shigino asked him to join Iwatobi Junior High's basketball team after seeing him play during one of the P.E. classes class 1 and class 2 had together. One day before their practice at Iwatobi Swimming Club, Makoto and Haruka ran into a black stray dog. Makoto liked it but Haruka told him not to pay attention to it because it will follow him around. Even though Makoto made sure not to look at it, the dog followed them and despite Nagisa's assumptions that the dog is attached to Haruka, it was in fact attached to Makoto. It stayed down the stone stairs near Haruka and Makoto's house, but Makoto couldn't keep it because his mom wouldn't stop sneezing it if was near her. Haruka then told Makoto he would keep the dog if it stayed down the stone stairs when they come back home from school.

Trivia:

-Like all members of the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club, Makoto has a female name.

-Despite being on the swim team, Makoto is afraid of the ocean.[3] However, in the High☆Speed!, Makoto is not only afraid of the ocean, but the water in general.

-Makoto has been described as the wishy-washy type by Haruka, because he is too nice and was unable to decide which club member would be his boyfriend if he were a girl.

-Makoto and Haruka appear to have a game that consists of Makoto guessing what Haruka is thinking.

-According to Free! TV Animation Guidebook:

-Makoto likes eating green curry and chocolate.

-Makoto's best subject is Literature, while he's bad at English and Art.

-Makoto likes physical activity and manual labor.

-Makoto was voted Sexiest Anime Man of 2013 by winning over Haru Yoshida from Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun with 24861 votes.

-Makoto has won the Muscle Contest held at the renewed Iwatobi Swimming Club, where Gou was one of the judges. However, the one Gou gave the most points was Rin.

-Makoto's voice actor, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, is the vocalist for OLDCODEX, the band which performed the opening themes for both seasons of Free!, "Rage on" and "Dried Up Youthful Fame".

 

~Sue Werner`s Character~

 

 

Kanji: 七瀬 遙

Rōmaji: Nanase Haruka

Gender: Male

Sign: Cancer

Birthday: June 30th

Age: 12 (High☆Speed!)

17: (Free!) Now is 18

Height: 145 cm (4'9") (High☆Speed!)

175 cm: (5'9") (Free!)

Weight: 38 kg (84lb) (High☆Speed!)

63 kg: (138 lb) (Free!)

Occupation: 3rd year High School Student

Affiliation: Iwatobi Elementary School-Iwatobi Swimming Club-Iwatobi High School

Function: Vice-captain at the Iwatobi High School Swim Club

Swim Style: Freestyle (crawl)

Events: 50m free, 100m free, 200m free, 4x100m medley relay

Appearance: Haruka is a tall, young man with short, straight black hair and blue eyes. He always retains serious expression on his face and never seems to show any kind of emotion. He seems to wear his swimming jammers everywhere. As pointed out by members of the swim team on multiple occasions, all of his swimsuits look virtually the same (they are all black swim jammers, but with slightly different patterns of violet), yet he claims they all fit differently.

His typical school uniform consists of light-brown trousers, a white shirt with a green necktie, a dark gray unbuttoned blazer and blue sneakers. During the spring and summer, he would wear his summer uniform, which consists of gray trousers, a white shirt with a dark gray collar, a green dotted necktie and blue sneakers.

Personality: Haruka is a strong and quiet person who loves water. He is a taciturn and reserved individual. His strength lies in his confidence in his decisions. Up until Rin beat him their swim race, Haruka never questioned his reasons for swimming.

Haruka is very protective towards his friends, especially Makoto. During the team's summer training, Makoto relived his childhood nightmare in the ocean and felt compelled to tell his team the truth about his fear when the subject was brought up. Immediately sensing Makoto's hesitation, Haruka commanded Rei to drop the question.

Haruka also deeply values his friendship with Rin. Afraid that he had hurt Rin when Rin lost to him in a swimming race when they were little, Haruka had given up on swimming competitively just to guarantee Rin's victory the next time they were to race. This willingness to compete was gradually restored, however, when Rin challenged him a number of times. He was extremely devastated when he had overheard that Rin wanted to abandon swimming, as he wished desperately to be able to swim with Rin again. Haruka demonstrates his great determination, through his efforts to revive Rin's passion by seeking him out and offering consolation before the relay race.

Haruka's attraction to water makes him a very comical person; he will swim anywhere and in anything with water (including a fish tank). His style captivates many others, and he has a powerful fixation towards freestyle swimming in particular.

Childhood: Haruka had been friends with Makoto ever since they were very young. One day, at the playground near their homes, Makoto asked Haruka to join the swimming club with him, but Haruka immediately refused, saying it's "too much trouble". When Makoto said he won't join as well and was asked why not, Makoto said that there was no point in joining if Haruka wasn't with him. Makoto eventually got Haruka to jointhe club with him and since then, they were the members of Iwatobi Swimming Club.

Junior High: Starting his junior high school life, Haruka wasn't intending to do club activities at all because he didn't like that they would cut his swimming time down. He didn't see the point of doing anything other than swimming and time spent in P.E. classes doing sports was enough for him. On the first day of school, Asahi approached Haruka and said, "You look like the type of guy with no friends," therefore having a one-sided friendship with him. Haruka didn't seem to like Asahi and when he asked him to call him "Haru" like Makoto does, he said that he could, but just because he did not want Asahi to follow him around more.

Trivia:

-Like all members of the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club, Haruka has a female name.

-He bathes with his swimming trunks on.

-Haruka will go anywhere as long as there's a body of water that he can get into.

-Haruka has exceptionally great art skills, such as drawing and wood carving.

-The year before, Haruka had been one of 987 entries entered in the Iwatobi Town mascot contest. His entry was named Tobimaru-kun. According to Gou, it wasn't very cute.

-He has a certain romantic attraction to water.

-Rin stated that Haruka has said "Tadaima" (ただいま), which means "I'm home", upon arriving to their swimming club during elementary school.

-If Haruka was a girl and he had to date one of the boys from the Iwatobi Swimming Club, he would choose Makoto because it was the easiest choice. However, his choice was quickly changed to Nagisa when the first year promised to cook him mackerel for breakfast every morning.

-Rei states that Haruka's decisions all center around mackerel.

-Haruka and Makoto appear to have a game that consists of Makoto guessing what Haruka is thinking.

-Haruka once wore a girl's swimsuit in elementary school. Nagisa borrowed his trunks because the blonde's sister swapped out his swimsuit for a girl's one. Haruka claims that he had no recollection of this memory, but shows that he does at the end of the track.

-Haruka's best subjects are Home Economics and Art, while he's bad at English.

-Haruka likes cooking and doing chores.

 

 

[sue werner]

Today was supposed to be the Graduation Day for the third year of Iwatobi High School. After three years of learning a way to life, the third years students would finally be able to shed their uniforms and grabbed their certificates and became free of a high school life.

 

Ring!!!

 

The loud sound of an alarm clock woke the young male in the bed. Peeking from under the thick light blue blanket was a turf of black hair. Slowly, the rustling of clothes and blanket could be heard in the male's bedroom. Emerging from the blanket was a dark haired teenager, eyes still closed together, hiding what was behind those lids.

 

Yawning, the teen rubbed his eyes and opened the lids to show to the world a pair of beautiful ocean colored orbs. He blinked his eyes repeatedly as he stretched both his arms like a cat. After that, he sat up and moved out of the bed to take a much needed bath.

 

Yes, him, Nanase Haruka would never live without his precious water.

 

As usual, his time in the bathtub was over due and he unconsciously, again, fell into a sleep.

[Ryouta]

Today was a big day! The Graduation day for three years. Makoto, Haruka also also other third years in Iwatobi High School. Even Rin and and Sosuke were going to graduate. It was a very big day for Makoto and he was looking forward to it. He was surprised that he could sleep the day before. He was so excited about tomorrow.

 

"Big brother, it`s time to go!"

 

Makoto woke up early as always, he couldn`t help it since he have to catch Haru, he slowly opened his eyes. He usually supposed to be late since he couldn`t wake up by his alarm so he told his siblings to wake him up though it was a bit hard! He wasn`t still used to it and he really did want to sleep more but guess no helping it! He slowly sat up and yawned. He brushed his hair from his face and then smiled gently as he always did.

 

Getting out of the bed, he stretched his body and then yawned again, looking at the clock, feeling relaxed since he had time. He looked outside and seeing the yellow sun made him relieved. Slowly starting to get ready, he washed his face and put on his uniform. After eating his breakfast, he fast went to the door and put on his shoes. "I`m off!"

 

Walking through the stair to the other`s room, he saw the same kitten as always. He sat down and played with it a bit. "You`ve really gotten big! Hehe!" It was strange a bit but Ms. Tamura wasn`t there to great him.

 

After a while, he went to the other`s place, this time didn`t bother himself to ring the bell since he knew he wsn`t going to get a reply. "Sorry for the bother." He went inside from the back door and then head to the bathroom, he understood that Haruka was there by his punch of clothes, he walked to the tub and offered him a hand. "Good morning, Haru chan!"

[sue werner]

Haruka slowly opened his eyes to the familiar voice. Glancing at the out-stretched hand, ocean colored orbs slowly trailed to the owner of that strong, long hand. Standing before him, was a familiar green eyed male with a smile that always managed to make a small bit of his heart flutter. That was Tachibana Makoto, his bestfriend and crush. Though, he would never tell that to the other teenager.

 

Huffing, he accepted the hand and clutched tightly onto it. The warmth that seeped into his own cold palm soothed him. Makoto was always warm and he liked that part of him. "Don't call me Haru-chan," he replied quietly as he stood up and walked out of his precious water.

[Ryouta]

Makoto blinked at the other as he said the same thing as always. Ah! Did he called him "Haru-chan" again? After a while he smiled gently, closing his eyes, stumped his head to a side a bit, that was the thing he usually did. It was hard to see Makoto sad and angry about something. He actually never raised his voice at someone. Haruka and all his other friends were precious to him and he didn`t want their heart to be broken. Makoto always wanted to see them and most Haruka to smile. He wanted to swim with him forever.

 

"Sorry, sorry!" His eyes suddenly moved to down to see if Haruka wore his swimsuit again that his eyes widened and he blushed. He jumped into the air and groaned, giving him the towel, covering his body like his mother. "Mou, Haru! If you are naked, tell me first!" He said as he sighed. "Come on Haru, please should leave soon!"

[sue werner]

Haruka just ignored his bestfriend's everyday's remark of, "Come on Haru, we should leave soon!". He trusted Makoto and he wouldn't let them arrived late at school. He huffed as he accepted the towel giving to him by his bestfriend. "It's not like you haven't seen me naked," he answered calmly. He didn't care that Makoto had seen his naked body, after all, the olive haired male already saw his naked body since they were children until middle school - they even took bath together. However, after being a High School student, Makoto always plead him to be more modest. But, it wasn't like he could hide anything from him. Makoto was akin to his second mother.

 

Letting Makoto to dry his body like a mother, he just stood there quietly as he eyed his bestfriend's flustered face. Makoto's red face was interesting. He wondered if he could make Makoto blush like that everyday. He waited until Makoto wrapped the pesky towel around his lower body.

 

Shaking his wet hair, he ignored the towel that sliding down his slim waist. Hm.. Makoto didn't wrap the towel properly but whatever. Ignoring the piece of clothe, he calmly walked to the kitchen in nothing but his birthday suit. Well, since he didn't wear his swimsuit to his bath today, he should just cook his favorite mackerel with whatever he was wearing now. Though, he was naked as a newborn baby.

 

Calmly, he put his apron on as he reached his stove to switch on the fire. No matter how late he was, he wasn't going to ignore his favorite meal, mackerel.

[Ryouta]

Haruka didn`t seem to hear what he had said, he just passed by him naked, made Makoto to blush again and jump on the air. He sighed after a few moment and then stood behind the curtain of the kitchen,. He kept looking at his watch randomly, aspping his foot on the floor, pulled away the curtain, looking at down. "Haru, if you are ready then we should lea-Ah!" He couldn`t say the rest of the sentence, as he raised up his head to look at his friend, he jumped again and saw him all naked and just with an apron. In that position, Makoto couldn`t almost see the whole back of his, even his butts. He blushed darkly and saw him cooking the favorite fish of his again. "He covered his face with one and hand then slapped his head.

 

Why just the black haired boy couldn`t learn?? He sighed and then grabbed the other`s shoulders, shaking it heard. "Mou~ Haru, we should leave or the ceremony would over soon! Please come with me, I know you are hungry but this is not an ordinary day! I`ll buy you a lot of mackerel when we are heading home!"

 

He said as he forcefully pushed his away from the oven and turned it off and sighed. He tried to clean around a bit but fast, he knew that Haruka would yell at him right now but he didn`t have time to hear his words. He slowly pulled him inside his room and searched for his uniform in the closet. When he had found it. He slowly took of the apron and gulped, when he saw him naked, he could help but feel embarrassed, Haruka was just so cute. He tried to concentrate. Hurry up! Hurry up!

 

He sighed and then started to wear his underwear first, just like a child. He didn`t hate it though, the feeling that they were this close was exciting.

[sue werner]

Haruka was cooking his favorite mackerel when his bestfriend shook his shoulders hard, "Mou~ Haru, we should leave or the ceremony would over soon! Please come with me, I know you are hungry but this is not an ordinary day! I`ll buy you a lot of mackerel when we are heading home!". He almost dropped his spatula and turned around to yell at the olive haired male only to be pushed away from his fish.

 

His heavenly meal.

 

His mackerel.

 

"Makoto, that's my mackerel you're putting in the away!" he declared angrily but fell on the deaf ears. He could only watch in horror when his fish, his mackerel going into the fridge. He didn't even cook it yet. 'Makoto, you jerk!' Haruka cursed inside his mind. How could someone be that cruel to a mackerel. It was a food from God of Water and no one, even if it was Makoto, could be that cruel. Mackerel should be cook delicately.

 

He promised to himself that he would ignore the green eyed teenager for the rest of the day.

 

"I hate you, Makoto," he said quietly as he stared with longing at the fridge where his fish was now.

 

Again, he was not expecting to be pushed to his room at the second floor. He tried to resist only to fail because the other male was stronger than him. Giving up, he let Makoto push him inside his bedroom and he watched as the green eyed male rummaged through his closet, definitely, trying to find his uniform. He would just let him be, he would not help him at all.

 

After all, Makoto killed his breakfast.

 

He glared through hooded blue eyes as his bestfriend undressed him of his only clothing. He didn't make any move to help him. He just stood there like a petulant child being denied of his candy. He shivered slightly as cold morning wind swept through his naked skin and the underwear that Makoto picked looking tempted.

 

But, no! That was not his swimming wear.

 

He wanted to protest and yet, he promised himself that he would ignore Makoto for the rest of the day.

 

So, he just let the other male lift his right leg first to go through the hole before his left leg join the other. The green eyed male then lifted the underwear slowly... very slowly, that Haruka almost yelled at him to be faster since he was cold. And did Makoto's hands tremble? His eyes darted down to the other male when he noticed something strange that he forgot about his silent war.

 

"Makoto, what are you looking so excited for?" he asked curiously.

[Ryouta]

Maokto`s eyes widened after he heard those words...

"I hate you, Makoto"

Wasn`t that a bit too much?? Makoto just hesitated after a moment and didn`t hear anything after those words, they just were repeating in his mind! He didn`t know what do to. Why those words hurt a lot. Makoto just couldn`t help but feel sad. He didn`t even reply to the other`s question and stood up after he was done. He was looking down at the ground, tried to take the usual expression though that wasn`t how he felt right now! He looked up at the other and smiled, his smile was kinda sad.

 

"Well then Haru, I think you don`t want me here then I shall be off! Sorry if I interfere with your breakfast. I`m going to leave!" He mumbled and then sighed, walking to the door, he wore his shoes and then left the house, shutting the door, careless to the surrounding, he headed to school.

[sue werner]

Haruka just stayed quiet after his question got no answer from the other male. He silently let the other dress him and was a bit surprise when he heard the other sighed in distress. He just watched as Makoto stood up and looked on the ground for a minute. His blue orbs widened when the green eyed male looked up at him and his smile was kind of... sad?

 

Did he do something wrong?

 

"Well then Haru, I think you don`t want me here then I shall be off! Sorry if I interfere with your breakfast. I`m going to leave!"

 

Haruka's blue ocean widened even more when his bestfriend stood up and walked out of the room, he just stood there frozen and not knowing what to do. His mind however clear when he heard the front door close and he quickly grabbed his bag and ran for his bestfriend.

 

He hurt someone again.

 

He hurt Makoto.

 

He didn't want that to happen. He didn't know what he do. For God of Water's sake, he didn't want to hurt another person again. Especially, Makoto. He wouldn't be able to live if Makoto was to leave him, just like when Rin was leaving him. Closing the door after wearing his shoes and locking it, he ran for the other male.

 

Hopefully, Makoto was not far.

 

His heart soared when he saw the other's tall, strong form. "Makoto!" he shouted and ran even faster to grab the other's sleeve. "Makoto, I'm sorry..." he mumbled quietly and added with a low whisper that he was sure only him could hear it. "I don't want you to leave me..."

[Ryouta]

Makoto hopelessly of being followed, headed to the school but suddenly the other called his name! He thought that he had just heard it wrong so he didn`t care and bother himself to turn around to see if miracles happen. Just why couldn`t he be good, just like Haruka liked? So that he would find him serious and swim with him. Just why it was always Rin and again Rin?? He just couldn`t take it!! But there was nothing that he could do about it.

 

Suddenly a gentle and small, familiar hand stopped him from walking...

"I don't want you to leave me..."

He looked back as soon as somebody grabbed his sleeve an his eyes widened. It was rare that the shorter male apologized. Before if he could tell him something back, he talked again and surprised him...he repeated the words in his mind again. He doesn`t want me to leave him?? Ge got really happy, incredibly!

 

He just wanted to hold him and thank him for saying a thing like that

 

the thing that he wanted to hear for years...

 

Maoto blushed brightly as he decided to not back up this time. No matter how much the other was going to yell or stay sulk. He couldn`t take it anymore. He was at his limit. He suddenly wrapped is arms around the other and pulled him into an embrace and squeezed him tightly in his arms. He was still small but yet warm. Makoto always had admired this person. He just couldn`t ask for more, he also wanted Haruka to stay with him.

 

If they just could be like that forever...

 

But he had to let go soon or someone might see them. He smiled gently and then tried not to cry! "Let`s go, Haru! Otherwise, we`ll be late!" It was just like another person. Makoto hardly change to the other side of his but when he do, it`s so hard to return him back to his usual self.

 

Grabbing the other`s wrist gently, he slowly pulled the other to the school gate. He just hoped that it wasn`t so late!

[sue werner]

Haruka was surprised when he was engulfed in Makoto’s arms. He blushed when he felt those strong arms tightening their hold onto his body. He liked it when the other male embraced him like this. Those free and warm feelings that settled deep inside his stomach, reminded him of the feeling when he was in the water.

 

He loved Makoto just like he loved the water.

 

However, he never said that to the other male.

 

But, there was a slightly different thing to liking Makoto and water perhaps, mackerel also. Despite the warm and free feeling when he was with his bestfriend and water, he never felt that flip-flop motion when he was inside a water. It was just with Makoto.

 

It was weird that foreign feeling.

 

And he didn’t like the feeling because he didn’t understand it. Sure, he loved Makoto, but why did his stomach act like that? Did he catch an illness? He frowned, but didn’t make a move to push the other male away.

 

He wouldn’t risk Makoto to leave him.

 

He didn’t want to feel those feelings again.

 

Those miserable and despair feelings.

 

Silently, he just let the other pull him towards the school gate. They barely arrived on time as they ran to the school’ hall where the graduation ceremony was held. Stopping near the big door of the hall, he took a deep breath to replace the used oxygen.

 

The moment he felt he could breath again, that guilty feeling came back full-force. Perhaps, the green eyed male had forgiven him, but still, he didn’t feel like he had properly apologize. If he didn’t properly apologize, he feared that one day, Makoto would surely leave him.

 

Just like Rin.

 

Uncertain and worry, he tugged on his friend’s hand that was still holding his. “Makoto, I’m sorry,” he said quietly and added. “I’m not sure what I did wrong, but…” his eyes looked down on the ground. “I never want you to leave me. I…I wouldn’t be able to be free. Not without you, Makoto.”

[Ryouta]

Feeling like those words hurt him a bit, he looked at the other and then sighed. He didn`t really know what he should do now, ah! He probably had to tell him directly hat he wan`t mad! "Don`t worry Haru! I`m not mad or anything so you don`t have to apologize, if there is someone that I`m going to be mad of, it`s going to be myself Haru since I did something that you would be angry or hate me about." He looked down and then chuckled a bit. "Though no matter if you hate me or not! I`ll be always there for you and protect you and so there is no way that you are worried I might leave you! I only want to be with you and I only want to swim with you! If it`s not you, it`s going to be meaningless!" He said and then closed his eyes. "Though you have always think about Rin and you are only interested to swim with him, I`ll always think about you and I want to swim with you only!" He mumbled and then looked away. "Though I kow that I am no good, you don`t have to go that far that you can`t b free without me, I already know how you feel! I can feel that you are kinda avoiding me since high school had started." He gently pulled back and then turned to the gate, still looking down but suddenly looked back with a tears falling from his eyes. He started walking in the yard, feeling sad.

[sue werner]

"No, Makoto!"

 

Haruka shouted, not caring people might hear him. He ran and grabbed the other male from behind. He hugged him tightly when he felt a warm water on his arm. What did he do wrong? Why couldn't everything turn out well? Why must he hurt every friend, he had had?

 

He tightened his hold.

 

"I'm sorry..." he said into the other's back, "I'm sorry. I never wanted to make you cry." He could feel his own eyes stinging. "I didn't always think of Rin. I think of Makoto a lot too. Makoto is special to me. Just like how the water is special to me. So, I want to say that you're very important to me. So, please... never said that you don't care I hate you or not..."

 

He stopped to take a gulp of air because he never said so many words at one time and he could feel his own eyes wet.

 

"I...I admit I avoid you since High School started, but..." he pressed his face into the green eyed male's back when he felt a drop of tear falling down his cheek. "But, what if I hurt you too? What if you leave me just like Rin? I'd lost one friend before this and if I lost you Makoto, I wouldn't be able to live! Water and you are important to me. That's why I can't be free if I lost one of my important things... I wanted to be with you after we finished high school and even after that."

 

By this time, he already cried. He cried silently as his hold on the taller's male tightened even more. What was wrong with him? Hearing and seeing his own words hurt Makoto almost killed him from the inside. What happened?

 

And he didn't know why he cried so easily when it was Makoto? He never cried before this but why now? Just like when he thought he would lose Makoto to the water - the angry water that almost drowned his bestfriend. It was never like that with Rin. He never cried for Rin.

 

He admitted Rin made him want to swim competitively but with Makoto now, he wanted to swim with him forever… always. “Don’t cry... I want to swim with you, Makoto."

[Ryouta]

Those words were just too gentle...

 

Makoto looked back at the other and then his eyes widened. Makoto couldn`t feel anything but happy when the other told him that he wants to swim with him. He was really thankful that he didn`t hate or something. Feeling that the tears of the black haired boy is falling, stabbed his heart. He grabbed the other`s hand, tried to not make more attention.

 

It was just like they were little...

 

He started walking slowly and calmly, pulled the other into the changing room of the swimming club and looked at his watch to see if they still had time. He looked back at the other and starred at his terrible face. It was a face that Makoto had never seen. It was the face of him crying, it was so rare or no! It had never existed! Makoto just tried to get the things together, he was still super happy of the sentences he heard.

 

Deeply breathed a few times, he looked at the other and tried to hold in his tears. He managed a kind smile as ever and the caressed his face into his hands.

 

Wiping Haruka`s tears away, he looked at the other and felt like that it was the right time to ask! The thing that he had in mind from when they start going to high school! He just didn`t know how to bring it up and he was kinda scared of being yelled at or rejected but he could kinda feel that in this situation, Haruka would probably think more about it so he had decided, being keep gazing at him, he had to comfort him first. He looked around, tried to think of something to say. He wanted this moments to be beautiful.

 

He slowly placed his hand under the blue eyed boy`s chin and made him to look at him by raising his head up. He smiled deeper and then pulled the other into an a warm and big embrace. "Thank you, Haru! I`m really happy that you think like that! I promise that I would always swim with you!"

 

He slowly let go though he didn`t want to. He just had a feeling that something important was going to happen... He looked at the other`s eyes and glanced a bit, hesitating about telling him the thing that was bothering him for a while though it wasn`t too hard to ask it.

 

He decide, he was going to tell it, now and 100%. "Haru...there is something that I want to as you!" He paused a bit. "I decided to leave my parent`s place after graduation..." He deeply breathed. "Want to...live together with me from now on?? Just the two of us?"

[sue werner]

Haruka kept crying after he said his true feeling. His real feeling that he hadn't had time to tell his bestfriend before this. Hugging the male, the ocean blue eyed teenager almost lost all his will but then, Makoto turned back at him and he looked up at him with pitiful blue eyes. He saw Makoto's green eyes widening as he looked at him.

 

'Please, Makoto...' he chanted in his mind. 'Just please... I want to swim with you, always.'

 

His heart soared when Makoto grabbed his hand and walked them to the empty changing room of Iwatobi swimming club. He just kept quiet, fresh batch of tears still streaming down his flawless cheeks. He wanted to stop crying but he could not. The tears just would not stop and it was as if they had their own mind.

 

However, he wouldn't remove his teary-eyes from his bestfriend's form. He could not. Not when there was a possibility that Makoto would hurt again by his acts or words. He stared at the quiet man and soft sobs escaping his lips. His blue eyes watched and kept watching. He watched as a small but genuine smile formed on his bestfriend's lips.

 

shuddering breathes escaped him at the changing emotion in his heart. He kept silently watching when Makoto raised his hand to wipe his tears away. He closed his eyes and relished in the other's warm touch. Makoto's warm hand. He missed this. He missed this kindness even if it they were just having a spat and misunderstanding for no more than an hour.

 

He would give anything to never lose this kindness.

 

Haruka opened his blue eyes when he felt no more of those kind fingers. His blue orbs watched intently as Makoto seemed to find a right word to say something to him. So, he just waited. Waiting for the other male to speak. Suddenly, his chin was lifted by the taller's male hand and he was made to stare right into those beautiful, kind green eyes. Then, he was engulfed in a warm embrace of Makoto. He managed a small smile as he inhaled the familiar smell of his bestfriend. It managed to calm him down as tears had stopped from falling down.

 

"Thank you, Haru! I`m really happy that you think like that! I promise that I would always swim with you!"

 

'Yes, I want to swim with you forever...' he answered in his mind.

 

He was a bit disappointed when Makoto released him from his big arms. He continued to watch silently as the other male began to hesitate about something. But, nonetheless, he wouldn't interrupt him. He kept waiting until that moment those words were freed from Makoto's lips.

 

"Want to...live together with me from now on?? Just the two of us?"

 

A slight widening of blue orbs were the only indication that he had heard the words. He stared at his friend and tried find if he was serious. But, he found no lie there. Looking down on the floor, he contemplated for a while.

 

Living with Makoto...

 

Those words kept repeating itself to him.

 

The possibility of being together with his bestfriend caused the small and deep part of his stomach to do that flip-flop motion again. But, this time, it comfort him instead of forcing him from it. He looked up to the other teen and managed a small but true smile.

 

"Yes, I do, Makoto. I want to live with you. Always, forever..."

[Ryouta]

Makoto got happy and then his tears gathered around his eyes again, he sniffed and then suddenly started crying like a stupid child. He looked at the other and smiled suddenly jumping on him and then sniffing on his uniform, clung on him. "Haru~Haruka! really?? I`ve never thought that you would like to stay under the same roof with me, I always..thought that you think that I`m annoying!" He was happy though, in that moment, he just wanted to stay like that and then kiss Haru...what?? Why should I kiss him?? He is Haru my best friend and also a guy!! Why...would I think like that??

 

He said and then fast pulled back, tried to stop his tears and shook his head to snap out of the stupid thoughts. He didn`t want to do something that he would regret later, yes! He didn`t want to hurt Haruka! He managed a kind smile and nodded. "Mm~ Then I`ll be like your family from now now! Nee? Haru chan~" He said softly and in a gentle voice and held his hand for him. "Shall we go?"

[sue werner]

Haruka was almost fall from Makoto's weight when he jumped and clung to him. However, he managed to steady his feet and was undecidable where to put his hands. He wanted to hug his bestfriend back but should he? After thinking for a while, he decided not to and just put his hands at the sides. But one thing for sure, he was glad to see the happy expression on Makoto's face though he was crying like usual.

 

"Haru~Haruka! really?? I`ve never thought that you would like to stay under the same roof with me, I always..thought that you think that I`m annoying!"

 

At this words, Haruka looked away in a bit of guilty. He did think of Makoto a bit overbearing when he acted like a mother but never annoying. He however missed the warmth when the green eyed male freed him from the hug and looked up to see the other looking like he wanted to cry again but shook his head and managed a kind smile.

 

"Mm~ Then I`ll be like your family from now now! Nee? Haru chan~"

 

He answered with a soft, "You're already my family...". After he lost his grandmother, Makoto's family was like his own with his parents busy working at the city and Makoto was like a little brother to him at that time. He let out a faint smile at the happy aura radiating from Makoto.

 

"Shall we go?"

 

Nodding his head, he accepted the gentle and warm hand and walked together to where the graduation ceremony was. He looked at his watch and looked up at his friend, "Makoto, we only have five minutes..." he paused and added. "Should we run?"

[Ryouta]

"You're already my family..."

Makoto was really relieved, those words...they were usually hard to hear from somebody so selfish like Haruka but now he could hear them. They were gentle and kind, also warm and nice. Makoto just couldn`t help but to repeat the words lowly for himself, he couldn`t kinda understand, so he was mumbling a few times to make sure that the miracle happened. Feeling like that it`s no lie, he looked at the other sniffing his nose, trying his best not to show his bed side or better say sad eyes to his friend but the best he could do was to avoiding the tears to fall. They could be obviously seen around his eyes.

"Makoto, we only have five minutes..."

Hearing that, he felt like that he was in abig trouble now. His tears dried by the time as he blinked and then groaned, looking at his watch, understood that Haruka`s words were right. He dog his fingers and then messed his own hair up, not sure what to do, just jumping around and looked for a solution but couldn`t find one. This time, Haruka saved him with his gentle tone of voice.

"Should we run?"

Looking at the the other from profile, he smiled gently and sighed. Guess no helping it, he wort can be that we would be captured and yelled by Nagisa and Rei! He thought inside and then chuckled, closing his eyes. Feeling a heavy blush on his cheeks, he deeply breathed and then offered the other a hand.

 

"I think we should..." Telling in to a gentle, usual voice, he grabbed his hand, not letting him to even say a word and fast started running to the ceremony hall. It felt so good, it was like that they were free and they could go everywhere without anybody to stop them.

[sue werner]

Haruka couldn't help but smiled as they ran to the ceremony hall. It felt so good, after solving all those misunderstanding... he felt so free. Free from all the troubles. He however, smiled and clasped the warm hand that was holding onto him tightly. 'I'm free...' he thought as he felt the breeze brushing passed his black tresses and face.

 

He just closed his eyes, believing in Makoto that he wouldn't let him trip or fall.

 

As soon as he would like, the breeze stopped and slowly, he opened his eyes and looked around him. In front of them was the ceremony hall. They just arrived in time when the students were standing to give respects to the school director. He looked at his bestfriend and whispered quietly, "Makoto, where's our class?"

[Ryouta]

Makoto sighed out of relief. They were on time. He thought about the question, looking around. He finally found the line that their classmates were standing and pointed at them. "There it is, hurry up! Let`s go!" He said, grabbing the other`s hand fast and ran to the line, looking around and made sure no teacher was paying attention to them.

 

Feeling it was like dream, he still wanted to hold the other`s small and warm hands...

 

But he knew he couldn`t, when they got to the line, he stood behind Haruka and then let go of his friend`s hands, panting lightly because he ran so much. He didn`t know but he tried to concentrate and understand what the headmaster was saying in his speech.

[sue werner]

Haruka frowned when Makoto released his hand. He wanted to feel that warmth longer. Though, it barely seconds since his bestfriend freed his hand, he couldn’t help but missed the other’s big hand.

 

Standing in front of his bestfriend, Haruka sighed as he watched the headmaster giving his speech about whatever it was. It wasn’t important to him and as usual, he would tune out what he thought was not important.

 

None of the talk registered in his mind.

 

Right now, he just wanted to take the certificate and walked home with Makoto… and dipped in a water.

 

Yes, that just felt right.

 

Water and Makoto, both of them were important and something he needed if he wanted to be free. Once, his grandmother had taught him, “When you're ten, they call you prodigy. When you're fifteen, they call you a genius. Once you hit twenty, you're just an ordinary person.”

 

And he still had two years to be ordinary.

 

He never liked to be in a spotlight. He just wanted to be an ordinary person and the perspective of living together with Makoto and going to the same college, thrilled him.

 

Clap! Clap! Clap!

 

Haruka woke up from his daydreaming when the students clapped their hands. He watched as the representative from the class next to them walked to the stage. Ahh… he had done it again and he wondered how much time had passed? Speaking of that, who was their class representative?

 

He waited the teacher announced, “And next we’ve the representative from Class…”

[Ryouta]

The graduation ceremony was the way too long. Makoto was exhausted and wanted to go home but he knew that it wasn`t over yet. They had to see Nagisa and Rei and then go to the beach to see Rin. This might have been the last time they were all together, probably...since Rin was going to Australia and also if Makoto and Haruka were going to live together, they had to go to Tokyo university both.

 

It was a bit painful though...to be separated from his best friends...

 

He couldn`t help it, anyone had a dream to follow and in order to make their future what they want, any of them choose a different way. Feeling like that the time pass to soon, it was just like yesterday that he and Haruka played around when they were child. The good thing was that he was going to with Haruka, that was sure the best.

[sue werner]

Clap! Clap! Clap!

 

Again the loud cheers and clapped hands from the people in the ceremony hall woke Haruka from his long daydream consisting of water, mackerel and Makoto. Looking around in lost, he saw that Miss Ama-chan signaling to their class to file out and headed to their classroom. He just followed the lead by their class president and homeroom teacher.

 

The walk to the classroom filled with chatting and laughing, his classmates were obviously happy to be able to graduate without trouble. Following silently, sooner than expected, they arrived at their class and sat at their own place. One by one their name was called by Miss Ama-chan to receive their Diploma and yearbook.

 

"Nanase Haruka!"

 

Quietly, he stood up from his chair and walked to the front to accept his Diploma and yearbook. He just nodded his head as he received it from their homeroom teacher. One by one his classmate was called to receive theirs and he sat back on his chair. He remembered promising Rei and Nagisa that they would meet after the graduation ceremony.

 

He would miss the two boys a lot. After this, he wouldn't sure if they would be able to meet like before this. Rin... he wondered where would the shark-teeth like boy would go after this. Ah... they were going into separate ways but at least he was able to stay with Makoto.

[Ryouta]

Makoto didn`t know what to do now! He didn`t think that they would have give them the Diploma and yearbook today but they were. Sighing, he just hoped that his friend, Rin would not be angry at him for coming late! Slowly after they entered the classroom and sat on their seats, he pulled out his phone and text the pink haired boy.

 

Title: Sorry!

I`m so sorry Rin! Here , our Sensei called us for getting our Diploma so we are go to be a bit late, wait for us!

I`ll buy you sweats T^T

 

He sighed and then hid his phone fast before Ama-chan sensei understood him. He sighed, knew that it was the only wa to keep the sharp teeth boy calm. Feeling like that he was going to be yelled b him though it wasn`t his fault. He was spacing out all around until when the boy`s name was called, his best friends....

 

Hearing the other was called to get his Diploma and yearbook, made him turn his face around to his seat and watch him walks to the board. He was really happy now! Looking at the other, his tears started to fall one by one. I`m happy for you, Haru-chan. He said inside and then closed his eyes, sniffed, tried to hold in his tears as the time comes...

 

"Tachibana Makoto!"

 

Feelinglike it was a dream, opposite of Haruka, he was happy that he was called, a smile appeared on his face and stood up "Hai!" The other`s clapped for him. He walked to the teacher and accepted the same things that was given to Haruka and stood next to him, smiling deeper at the blue eyed boy, he closed his eyes and shook his head to the other. "Congrats Haru chan!"

 

He was happy, more than ever, now he could really go to the un9versity of Tokyo and the best part was he was going there with the Dolphin friend, it was a miracle.