Mple Water (Nanase Harukax reader)

Makoto's house -4-

I know that this chapter is a bit longer than the others sorry obout that
I had to cover many things
But at least we are going to have a Haru x Reader-chan scene at the next chapter.
Thank you again for reading my story :D

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Makoto's house was not really far from mine so we just slowly walk to its direction. The atmosphere is warning me that none of us is going to start an actual conversation, so I become to worry... Didn't they want to ask me anything? They didn't want to know what I did all those years? Personally I wanted to ask them how things were for them. It is something I care about, I wanted to know, they were my friends both of them, Nagisa also is my friend but he is different... I care for them, all of them... I wanted to ask so many things... but I was afraid... but maybe they were afraid too. But as a Senpai of them, I had to clear the things up. I have to make the first move for them...
When I decided to speak we were almost the half way to our destination. Makoto was next to me, and Haru was next to Makoto, sometimes I think that I saw him staring me for some seconds. But I had to make a start now or never. We can't pretend that I never left for long. And that was exactly the sentence I used.
"Well boys..." I took a little breath and then continued "We can't pretend that I never left for a long time, can we?" and a light smile appeared on my lips as they both turned to face me.
All Haru said was my name. And then his emotionless eyes moved to look only the ground.
"We miss you, if is that what you want us to tell you" My eyes widened at his answer, this was nothing I could ever expected especially from him.
"Haru..." Makoto's eyes full of worry met mine. I mean Haru didn't even face me when he spoke. What was this all about? But I have to take action, and now!
"Haru! First of all, I don't want you tell nor do anything to me that you don't fell like to, ok?" Finally I got his attention for once! But that only was not enough.
"And second..." A smirk came to my face. "I was just talking about, that we have to answer each other's questions eventually... also I would like to know how have past all these years, for all of you, that's all"
I breathe heavily again, I said everything I wanted and now all I can hope is that things are going to be simple. I want to share the truth about me about my family and all that happened with them. Haru's eyes widen a little as I finished. He didn't say anything but he looked at Makoto, as he was asking something. Sometimes is like they can communicate with telepathy or something. My eyes traveled back to Makoto...
"After dinner we can talk peacefully in my room, but we will have to take care my brother and sister first, so we can talk without interruptions."
Makoto had a quite serious expression on him, now I was sure that my words were not taken lightly. As Haru had nothing else to add, I nodded and we continued walking. Before I realized it we were there.
Makoto opened the door and we all left our shoes in the entrance. I saw a small head with blue-green eyes staring at me behind the corner. It must be...
"Ran! It's you isn't it? You probably don't remember me but I'm (Name)"
I saw her hiding herself more behind the corner. I giggled and turned my eyes to face Makoto and he nodded so I got closer to her. When I reached her I saw Haru had his eyes on me so I didn't want to screw everything.
"Ran... Do you know Hiroko Oba-Chan?" She didn't speak only nodded.
"Did she ever give you something? Didn't she gave you a blonde doll with a green scarf long as her feet?"
This was an old doll of mine. "She did gave me that" the cute little girl told shaking her head positively and those small pigtails moved on her small head of hers.
"She was mine when I was young like you. When I left from here, I thought she will feel lonely so I asked my Oba-Chan to give her to you. I'm happy that she really gave her to you." I said while smiling at her but her expression changed
"Ran can give her back to you if that is that (Name) wants, I remember (Name) but (Name) has changed a little." Is she scarred of me or something? I felt Makoto's eyes at my back.
"No no my sweetie, I'm sure that she will be more happy with you" She smiled again and hugged me tightly, and I couldn't help it but smile. She really has grown up.
I went back to Makoto and Haru but now Ran was with me as well to greet Haru. A few seconds later I saw Mrs. and Mr. Tachibana and greeting them properly we talked a little about my parents and what I am suppose to do at Iwatobi High and the swim club. All of these as Mrs. Tachibana were preparing the dinner for us, I offered my help but she didn't want me to to anything because today I was considered as a guest to her house, at least that was what she said. It felt strange to be in that kind of environment, for me, our family dinners was awfully silent and awkward, but all this felt so honest, so nice and so right.
I was surprised to see little Ren entering the room so bravely, looking around with those big light brown eyes. He went to hug Makoto's leg, he did the same with Haru but when he looked at me I could see his brave self fading away, I wanted to laugh a bit, but I hold back I just couldn't ruin his confidence. I looked him in the eyes and leaned down to his height,
"Hello, You probably don't remember me but I'm (Name)." Everyone went silent in the room and my eyes traveled to meet Mrs. Tachibana's. She sent me a cheerful look and now my eyes were on the little boy in front of me. I heard Ran talking loudly "Ren remembers you, but he is shy" I saw Ren's face to become red from the embarrassment he reminded me of myself when I was little. I took his hands to mine.
"Ren, where is no reason to be shy to me, I'm your brother's friend after all, is that true? Do you remember me?" At first thought that he is really going to cry but in the end he didn't. The redness on his face was now fading, he smiled a bit and nodded "Then can I have a hug?" I just couldn't take my eyes of that little cute thing, He just placed his hands to my solders and I did the rest. I saw that Makoto was smiling, and his parents too, Haru was looking outside the window ---as always---
We were summoned for dinner. Because we were seven, the original seats for everyone had to change a bit. So in the head of the table was Ms. Tachibana, the side of his left hand was Haru, and the other side was his son Ren. Mrs. Tachibana sat between Ren and Ran. I sat next to Haru and Makoto was on my right. It felt weird to have such a nice family around me. The food was delicious. Makoto's parents didn't ask me a lot of things, something that I was grateful. When I was finished with my dinner Ran drag me to her room and Ren silently followed as.
"When we finish I will come to get you (Name), try to be nice if you want her to come again ok?" They both nodded and I didn't know what to expect of them...
Ran tried to climb my back and she did it. She was not that heavy. "I do this to Oni-Chan all the time; you are not as tall as him but it feels nice up there." I placed Ran down and I saw Ren staring at me from the door. "Ne! Ren do you want to try it too?" A smile appeared on his face that makes me feel so warm inside. I helped him to climb my back holding his legs under my arms. He started laughing lightly, it was pleasant to my ears. He buried his face to my hair and his hands tight on my shoulders. "(Name) smells nice... She smells like mum but different" This must be the first thing that he actually tells me tonight. I felt the heat race to my face as my eyes widen. Why a kid would tell something like that? They say that kids never lies on these things. But that means that I really smell nice? Nobody has ever told me something similar. "Well thank you Ren!" I lift him down with a smile.
My eyes saw Haru in the door. I understand that it was time for me to leave them."Will you come and play with us one day?" Ren asked me while he stares at the ground. "Sure, I would like that" I saw a big smile at their faces and turn to follow Haru to Makoto's room.
It was not the first time for me entering Makoto's bedroom, but the last time I was here this room didn't belong to a tall handsome teenager who almost is finishing high school. I was a little nervous but when Haru closed the door behind him my nervousness disappeared. I saw Makoto sitting in his bed staring at us...
"Ah! Makoto! You have changed it." He obviously had changed the furniture but here was still the same. It smelled the same.
"Only once, I think it was two years after you left" At the same time Haru sat between Makoto's bed and his small coffee table on a flat pillar. I went to sit on the chair next to his desk. I could sense that both of them had their eyes on me. It was my responsibility to start the difficult conversation.
"You may guys have never noticed but my parents and I were never ok together. But what this has to do with anything huh?" I was dead serious. "Please if you have something to tell me while I'm talking, wait till I'm finished." They both looked look each other for a second, and then nodded.
"I, myself, noticed quite late... I thought my family was normal; my dad had never time for me, not because he had work to do but because he was bored to turn his attention to me. My mum never said anything about that because she knew that he couldn't handle kids. And even though we lived so close, in fact we were miles away. Everything I did was never enough, and it was always my fault for both of them. Before I could understand it I convinced myself that I was useless, He only taught me how to swim and then nothing. After I became fifteen he stated talk to me a little but it was too late for me"
"It's true that I can barely remember his face, back then I think I was afraid of him"
"Makoto!" I said calmly
"Gomeneee..." I was afraid of him sometimes too.
"So... The only person I could trust and talk was my Oba-Chan. Nobody asked me if I wanted to leave this place...We moved because of my father's work, that's what they told me."
"So you don't believe that this is the reason you left? Sorry to interrupt you but I think you said that your parents would be angry if you talked to Hiroko Oba-Chan. Did something happen between them?" A smirk appeared on my face.
"That exactly what I want to find out, coz none of them ever told me the truth. My Oba-Chan promised that she will find the power to tell me everything one day, but I can't wait any longer. I am so grateful that I'm living with her now. Back then I was so sad when we left, it's really embarrassing for me to say that you were my only friends, you two...and Nagisa. I manage to make one friend up there Ishiko; I met her in the rowing club."
"Rowing club? That means that you quit swimming too?" What that suppose to mean? -too- Haru's eyes widen in worry.
"I just join the rowing club, to have something to do, up there, I didn't feel like swimming, I didn't have someone to swim with anyway. And for the reason I love water in its nature, I decided to join the rowing club. Practices were quite long and that meant less time to think for me." I knew I had a sad face but I didn't do anything about it, they had to see it, I couldn't hide anymore. But I wanted to know what does that mean; If I quitted swimming too?
"Who quit swimming?" I know that what I'm going to hear will be no pleasant.
"Haru did" Makoto said. Haru took his eyes of me staring out of the window again.
"Wait... What? When? What for? But I saw him swimming."
"He started again recently..." Makoto added. But I had to figure out more about this. Before I could open my mouth to ask again Haru was o his feet and tuned to face Makoto.
"I'm going to the bathroom" He said in a calm tone. A while before he closed the door behind him he turned to me.
"I will tell you sometime I promise, I'm not ready yet."
Now the door was closed, my confused look met Makoto's.
"You are special to him, he hasn't told me about that yet." His eyes had a soft look.
"He probably plans to tell us both, the same time. I can't believe that I matter more to him than you do."
"I don't know who matters more and I don't care, but you matter to him more than you believe and in a different way. That all I can say."
Makoto smiled lightly in the end. Why everyone keep things from me? Why I have to be the last person to know... Well Haru came back and I continued talking about how I decided to transferee my studies here and live alone with my beloved Hiroko Oba-Chan. Both of them let me finished. I was satisfied that I was able to tell them everything. How happy I was to be here again, to meet them again.
"So what did you guys do while I wasn't here to take care of you?" I said with a playful smile.
"It was so sudden for all of us, me, Haru, and Nagisa, that you left. My mother was quite worried since she was close to your mother, you...I mean your parents left without a word. But the thing is that we were depressed. We all got more close to each other after that. And after one year Rin came to our life."
"Rin..." who is this guy? I haven't met him today so he isn't at Iwatobi high or he doesn't swim... but from the look of their faces I can't tell.
"Rin transferred to our school on last year of the elementary and we were at the same class. He was on the Iwatobi swim club too. Somehow he convinced Haru to join I a medley relay. I had backstroke, Nagisa had breaststroke, Rin had butterfly and Haru had-"
"Free, Huh?" The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of free stroke, its Haru, he and only.
"Yeah..."Makoto said with a smirk on his face. From the corner of my eyes saw Haru's emotionless eyes on me. But I turned to Makoto as he spoke.
"We won that relay; it's a pity that you weren't there."
"Really? You guys won? Indeed I was unlucky but what happened with Rin? I can see on your faces that something happen." Just by looking at them the more clear it became.
"Just after the relay he left for Australia, to join middle school, a swimming school. After that he never called us when he comes back here we never thought we will see him again, but when we went to visit the old swim club we run on him the other day."
"When I passed, it was already gone, did you guys at least spent a proper visit? My Oba-Chan told me when the swim club closed but I never could believe that it will be torn down."
"If you were here a few days before you would be able to see it yourself. But I wouldn't try to go alone, when we were there it looked like that place was hunted" Makoto added and laugh nervously.
"Well, Rin was admired Haru, now he is in Samezuka gakuen." I could tell that they didn't want to take it further for Rin so I distract them.
"So what did you do after elementary school? In middle school I bet that you two were on the same class, as always" They smiled a bit. This looks good
"Yeah... as always" Haru had quite time to let as hear his voice.
"Haru joined the swim club at our first year in middle school but he quite before the year come to an end. He haven't done any competitive swimming since then. It's ok if you don't want to talk about it now." Haru nodded and Makoto moved a bit at his bed and then continued. "Haru and I were always together we make some other friends too, but not something that special. Nagisa wasn't with us; his parents took him to another middle school." Makoto was thinking....
"Haru developed amazing skills such as drawing" I saw Haru blushing a bit, and I giggled.
"I like drawing too" I said with a big smile. "But Makoto what did you do? You only told me about Haru..." That was true, I didn't ask only for Haru, ok I was more interested on him, but Makoto is my friend too.
"I...I was at Haru's side when he needed me. Also sometimes I go and help he old lady who take care poor small animals. You know those who are abandoned by their owners.... Those kinds of things... I also went on a camp with my parents at summers...." At least he tries give me a good answer.
We spend at least half hour discussing about lots of stuff, they told me about someone Ryugazaki Rei from the track club. Nagisa tries hard to convince him to join the swim- our club. I learned that Kou is Rin's younger sister, and a lot more, I completely forgot about time, till I felt kind of tired. I looked at the clock on my phone and it was over half past ten.
"Oh! Look at the time! My Oba-Chan will be worried if I stay more." I got up grabbing my bag.
"You can't go back alone (Name)" Makoto complained as he got up from his bed.
"Haru will soon leave, why don't you walk her home?"
I got panicked, it's not that I didn't want to be alone with my...well my...my crush, ok I finally admit it, but I didn't want him to accompanied me by force.
"I'm old enough to walk alone at night Makoto; I have done it countless times before in Akita, I can protect myshelf"
I smiled nervously. And well done stupid myself, I just eliminate the possibility of someone of them walk me home in the future. (Clap...Clap...Clap...-Mentally clapping-)
"This is not Akita (Name), you are not alone here, I will walk you home" Haru's voice...I was shocked he believed what he said, I could feel it. Now he is in front of me, straitening his shirt. I looked Makoto he was smiling.
I went to say good bye to Makoto's parents, the kids were already in their beds. Makoto walked with us till the entrance and He said us Goodnight and I quickly hug him. He didn't response at first, but a second later he hugged me back.
"It was nice today, Makoto...Lets do this again sometime, with Nagisa and Kou too."
"Yeah probably at Haru's" He said as I waved at him.
"But I'm not going to cook for all of you, it's too many people"
Haru said and I giggled for a while.
Something was strange about Haru... he seem different after I hugged Makoto. He didn't say anything though... I and Haru...started walking at my house's direction...

-Haruka's point of view-
I did want to be alone with her for a little.
When Makoto told us Goodnight why did she hugged him? Not that I care... but they are just friends right? Will I get I hug too when I get her home? It's not that is something important.
Things were difficult for her, I can't understand exactly how it was for her, but I cared to know, even it is impossible for me to understand.
Wait, if she didn't swim since elementary, that means that she had to enter a pool since then... But she is not that angry right now...right? I didn't want to upset her, but I had to find out if I feel the same when she is in the water with me...
(Haru is blushing)
We are walking for about three minutes now and she hasn't told a thing, I like that since silence is not awkward between us, but it's unusual for her... I have to say something too....Now that she is finally back...
I can see a bench, this is my chance!
"Care to rest a bit?" I point the bench.
She nodded.
This is a good thing, right? 

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