One More Chance || Rinharu [EDITING]

Chapter 5 ✔

Sora

It was getting a little late now. The sky had become a beautiful golden amber. They were more than late coming back home. After all, the sun was about to set.

"Uncle Makoto?"

"Yes, Sora?"

"Do you think mama will be mad that I'm late home?"

"Well, mama won't be mad at you, Sora. Don't you worry"

There was an awkward silence that followed Makoto's answer. Neither one of them knew what to say next. Instead, they carried on walking back to Haru's house. It wasn't until Sora remembered something that the silence was broken.

"Uncle"

"Hmm?"

"That was Rin Matsuoka you were talking to back at the park, wasn't it?"

Sora glanced at her guardian to try to analyse what he was feeling. She saw that his face was blank but returned back to normal.

"Yes" he said confidently, confirming Sora's question. "Yes it was"

Ever since last year, the 6 year old girl had kept an extra special look out for any men with red hair. The possibility of any one of them turning out to be her father was near to impossible, given that Rin lives in Australia, not Japan, but that never stopped her from looking. Yet, when she saw a red haired man that looked exactly like her father in the photos, she felt reluctant to approach him. It was like she was scared to do so, not that she would admit it to anyone. Sora Nanase wasn't scared. Sora Nanase was brave!

"He won a gold medal at the olympics last year." She stated.

"Yes, indeed he did." Makoto smiled.

The young female remembered watching TV at a friend's house when she saw her father getting ready to swim. In her mind, there was no one better than him. He looked so effortlessly cool. His muscles were more defined than her mother's. She remembered cheering him on through the TV. Sora's mother, at the time, was at work so she decided to stay at a friend's house for a sleepover.

When it came down to Rin Matsuoka, Sora had mixed emotions about him. She wanted to tell everyone that her father was the great Rin Matsuoka, the gold medal winning champion of the waters. While she felt immensely proud of her father's achievements, she also felt rather upset that her father made her mother wait such a long time. They loved each other didn't they?

"Did he ever love mama like he loved him?" She asked. Sora never asked her mama about her dad because she knew it was something that made him upset for some reason, so Makoto and YouTube videos were her main source of information.

Again, Makoto stopped for a bit to think. "Yes. I think he did love your mama like mama loved him."

"Do you think he still loves mama even now?"

"Well, I'm sure that he will keep Haru somewhere in his heart."

They continued to walk quietly. Sora was on the brink of confusion. "That doesn't really answer my question." She said quietly to herself so that Makoto wouldn't hear.

Often, Sora wished that her dad was a part of their family. She would constantly see her classmates with their dads showing affection. In any case, Sora felt jealous that she didn't have a father in her life. That father of hers had gone off and no one knew when he was going to return.

"Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you hate your daddy?"

She turned away from Makoto as she didn't have a clear answer to give him. Hate was too strong of a word to use. Sora didn't hate him. She didn't really know enough to hate him.

"I don't hate him." She replied.

"So what do you think of him, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Umm... We'll. I don't know." She whispered.

"It's ok. You don't need to answer. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable, sweetheart."

Eventually, the two reached the Nanase household. Makoto took the key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

"Well hello there." Came a voice. "You guys are a bit late"

The blue eyed 23 year old man walked into the hallways to greet the two people that had just walked in. He was wearing a sky blue t-shirt and black shorts. He had a white towel around his neck. Most would guess that he had only recently gotten out of the shower... Or bath. Whichever.

"Haru, do you have time to talk some time?" Spoke Makoto.

"Very well. Is it urgent?"

"I don't suppose so, but I do think it's something you need to know." Makoto informed him.

"Ok, so do you have time to spare later?" Sora's mother asked.

"No, unfortunately not, but maybe some time tomorrow. I've got to take my little sister to her dance club and get dinner ready."

"Alright. Lets talk about this tomorrow then."

"Ok. See you Haru!"

"Bye."

Sora waved to her uncle Makoto and he waved goodbye back to the two Nanases.

"Bye uncle!" She called out.

"See you later, Sora!"

With that, Haruka closed the front door and locked it.

Credits to the artist who drew that image. You did an amazing job!