28 DAYS [MakoHaru]

nine

Chapter Nine

Haruka went on the slides.

Makoto didn't think Suzuka had the power to break him, but she proved him dead wrong with the most intense, pleading puppy-dog stare ever known to man. Her baby blue eyes practically shining with tears, her lip jutted out ever so slightly, and her long eyelashes fluttering as she looked up at her older cousin was just too much for Haruka to say no to.

And so, Makoto had the pleasure of watching Haruka Nanase, the so called lonely freak of Iwatobi High School, slide down a bright green twisty slide with a squealing six year old in his lap.

Makoto smiles fondly at the scene, recalling the nature of the relationship between the two cousins.

How could anyone hate Haruka Nanase when he looks like this?

It had taken them nearly fifteen minutes to get out the door, considering Suzuka was so hyperactive and excited to finally go on the playground!! that she couldn't sit still, which did not bode well for cleaning up. She ended up knocking over someone's coffee mug, which resulted in Makoto mopping up the coffee while Haruka picked up the shards.

Then, she couldn't find her earmuffs, which meant Haruka had to dig through her entire backpack - that is, until Suzuka realized she left them in her storage cubby at kindergarten.

Finally, finally, they had made it out the door. The weather was nice enough for them to walk, and Suzuka held both Makoto and Haruka's hands, swinging her arms happily as she skipped down the sidewalk. Every so often she would stop and pet dogs they'd pass or marvel at something in the window displays.

Many of the downtown shopkeepers created winter wonderlands or holiday themed displays that attracted lots of customers. She would point at a toy and whisper to Haruka, "We better put that on my Christmas list for Santa!" And Haruka would nod, pulling her along before she got too excited.

By the time they made it to the park, which was a little ways out of the town and about a fifteen minute walk with Suzuka's shorter gait, Suzuka practically burst out of their grasp and made a beeline for the playground, scrambling up the jungle gym to get to the slides.

"Haruka!" She shouts from the top of the structure. "Come on! Let's go down this one!"

Haruka frowns at the slide, looking like the last thing he wants to do is squeeze himself into a tube that does nothing but get you dirty and covered with static electricity, but he moves towards one of the ladders anyway, which is enough to bring a proud smile to Makoto's lips. Instead of joining them, he moves to the swingset and rocks back and forth softly, bemusedly watching the two interact.

They slide down the slides - Suzuka insisted they go down all three of them together at least twice - and Haruka resembles that of a grumpy cat each time they spiral down them. Eventually he declares he's had enough, and Suzuka decides it is time for a new activity, practically jumping into one of the vacant swings.

"Haruka! Push me!" She demands, her fingers curling around the rusted metal chains.

Haruka keeps his head down as he follows her to the swings, moving behind her and glumly pushing her. She begins to squeal when she picks up speed, kicking her bandaged legs back and forth to push herself higher.

Makoto simply can't resist - the childish side inside of him is too strong, too enticing - and he joins Suzuka, kicking back some dirt as he pumps his long legs to get higher up. He falls in sync with the little girl, and she shoots him a toothy smile - though, one of her two front teeth is missing - that makes his heart melt so fast he feels like a popsicle under the hottest summer sun.