28 DAYS [MakoHaru]

ten

Chapter Ten

By the time the two return from the blizzard, they are flushed, out of breath, and soaking wet from all the snow.

"You idiots," Asuka practically sings from her spot at the counter, not even bothering to look up. She has her nose in a book, a pair of wide-rimmed wire glasses slipping down her nose. Makoto wonders why she is straining to read when none of the lights are on, the store having closed up due to the storm. "I tried to warn you that you wouldn't make it home."

"You didn't warn us, Asuka," Haruka hisses, kicking off his shoes by the door.

"Oh, I didn't? My mistake," Asuka apologizes, not looking nor sounding sorry at all, judging by the knowing smile on her face. "Mind locking the door behind you? I don't think we're going to get any more customers for the rest of the night. Might as well close early."

Makoto looks around the now empty bookstore. What used to be filled with customers and readers is now a ghost town within twenty minutes of being gone. Haruka turns around and spins the brass lock on the door, promptly spinning the We're Open! sign to show they're closed. Not like it would matter, anyway. Anyone who is sane would be safely tucking into their homes for the night to avoid the blizzard.

"So you're staying the night then, Tachibana-kun?" Asuka prompts to Makoto, who is standing there helplessly, arms draped over his sides in a futile attempt to keep himself warm. It does nothing, however, as he is chilled to the bone and his clothes are soaked through.

"Just Makoto is fine," He mumbles. He doesn't like when people call him Tachibana; it reminds him of his father, a no-nonsense adult who pours his life into work and studying. "And no, I wouldn't want to be an inconvenience to your family. When the snow clears, I'll head home."

"It's not going to stop snowing for several more hours," Asuka tells him matter-of-factly. She flips her book upside down and finally looks at him, resting her chin on her propped-up forearms.

"The city won't be running the trains until the next morning, either," Haruka adds on glumly, looking just as cold and just as miserable. He is twitching ever so slightly, like he wants to run off to get into warm clothes.

Makoto wrinkles his nose, remembering how bad the blizzard was the first time he experienced it. Though, last time he had the luxury of curling up in his bed in warm pajamas and soundly sleeping. This time, however, he is shivering in wet clothes and being forced into the company of two brooding cousins.

It is in this moment, when Makoto is feeling helpless and exposed, that he hears the pounding of footsteps and two figures reveal themselves from the back room.

"Haruka? C'est toi?" A husky voice calls in what Makoto assumes to be French.

"Yeah," Haruka responds in standard Japanese.

The voice reveals itself when they round the corner; he is a good-looking man in what Makoto assumes to be his mid-forties, with dark, slightly graying hair and laughter lines around his eyes. He has similar blue eyes to Haruka and is quite tall, with a swimmer's physique – easily recognizable as he is an ex-swimmer himself – and wears a powder-covered apron over a forest green button up and dark jeans. He has started speaking to Haruka in rapid French that completely flies over Makoto's head; Haruka replies in the same cool, effortless way he always does.

However, it is not Haruka's uncle that shocks Makoto; no, it is the other figure that emerges from the shadowy back room: his aunt.

"Amakata-sensei?"

"Goodness! Makoto! What a surprise to see you here!" Miss Amakata gasps as she turns the corner. She has a matching white apron that is thrown over her work dress. Judging by the expression on her face, Makoto assumes the surprise is not of the good variety.