HaruHaru

13. A Deeper Blue

"I-I'm sorry all of this happened! I'm really, really sorry!" Haruna begged for forgiveness. It was the end of the festival, and everyone was heading straight home. Haruka and Makoto were closer as ever, and as for Miharu...

"OH MY GOD, NAGISA CAN WE BUY SOME SQUID ON THE WAY BACK?!?!"

"Sure, sure! Let's drag Rei-chan with us--"

"Not happening."

Miharu finally changed her views towards squid. Ai and Nagisa made her give in, and she was under their control now. As for Rei, he was a bit irritated throughout the entire festival. Rin felt accomplished and decided to part ways with the group.

"Rin-chan, where are you heading off to?" asked Nagisa who was about to take a huge chunk of squid into his mouth. Rin looked back Nagisa, hands in his pockets and with a plain expression painted on his face.

"I'm off to go practice," he answered.

"Ah, yes! We have to practice, too!" Makoto gasped. "Gou sent me a message earlier saying that we have to go back to practicing. There's a tournament coming up, so we've got to prepare!"

"Ah, I think I got one from her, too!" Nagisa replied, checking his phone for Gou's message. 

"Haru, I think it's time to go back," Makoto said.

"Yeah." Haruka sighed.

"Haruka, just like you, I'll do my best for my team! For my friends!" Haruna told Haruka with pride. She made Makoto laugh and, at a rare chance, made Haruka smile. Haruka walked over to Haruna and patted her on the head.

"Do your best for your team while we do our part," Haruka told her. "Hopefully we'll meet up someday and we'll definitely beat you guys."

"Wrong. Our team will definitely destroy you two," Rin smirked at Haruka's speech of enouragement. With that sly grin on his face, Rin was too excited to brag about the Samezuka swim team.

"No, no, no! We have these twins on our team and they're basically the powerhouse of the entire school! There's no way we'll--"

"Haruna, Rin's from an elite school, but that doesn't mean we're going to lose to him that easily." Makoto laughed. "We beat their team once before, and it won't happen again." 

Ai was checking her phone when all of a sudden she received two messages.

Iori Message: Aicchi! We've got to practice ASAP! The Aikawa twins are practicing, so we should, too! Aicchi, let's do our best for the upcoming tournament!!

Jun Message: Um, Ai? Ah yes. Is Haruna-senpai doing okay? We need her for the one-hour relay practice. Drag her back to school tomorrow, okay? We're counting on you!

Besides, the twins are beyond gorgeous~~

"Ah, it looks like we'll be heading off to practice, too!"

"Reallly, Ai? That soon? But I just got my hands at the squid!!"

"Miharu, you can bring some with you on our way to practice. Nagisa, good luck."

"Same to you, Ai-chan!!" Nagisa giggled. He grabbed Rei's hand and pulled him closer.

"Nagisa-kun, you're too rough!" Rei complained while trying to adjust his glasses. Makoto and Haruka smiled at each other and decided to head off while Haruna and her friends ventured off on their own...

-AT HARUNA'S HOUSE-

After clearing things up with brother and Makoto, we've become close friends. Haruka finally decided to use his cellphone more often than not, and he began to text me whenever he felt like it. I've received a ton of messages from Nagisa, Rei, Rin, and Makoto. They all wished my swim team good luck. But still, I feel as if there's something missing. No, that feeling just went away. I've finally brought myself closer to Haruka now that we're connected. I'm very, very happy. I still feel bad about what I've done to Makoto and Haruka, but everything seems okay after that. Summer days sure are boring...

Haruna was lying on the floor as usual, with her long black hair resting freely on the floor. The little operating fan was keeping her cool while she bathed in the sunlight. She didn't feel like getting up this time, feeling relaxed and happy until...

*Knock knock*

"Miharu, you idiot..." Haruna groaned. She crawled to the door and opened it.

"Haruna, you're gonna be late for practice!" Miharu complained.

"Fine, fine." Haruna sighed.

Our swim team's practicing for the upcoming tournament, and I believe that we're gonna make it. We wil for sure.

-AT HINAMORI HIGH SCHOOL-

"You guys! Go check the roster!" one of the swimmers alerted the others. Ai climbed out from the pool and dried herself off. Miharu and Haruna finally arrived at school and headed straight for the pool. One of Ai's friends who messaged her the day before, Iori Miyamura, ran into them and directed them to the roster. Haruna was the first to check out the roster for the upcoming tournament, and it came to her surprise that...

"IWATOBI AND SAMEZUKA ARE IN THE SAME TOURNAMENT AS WE ARE!" Haruna gasped in amazement. Miharu and Ai walked over to Haruna and looked at the roster with her.

"This is amazing!" Ai said. She got out her phone and took a photo of it for keeps. Miharu secretly kept an eye on Haruna, who was beyond amazed at what she saw. At long last Haruna will be able to see Haruka at their very first tournament together...

Haruka, here I come! I'm coming to beat you and your friends. Just you wait!

~END~