Bonding By the Poolside - Free! Iwatobi Swim Club [Makoto Tachibana]

(C4) Really? You've Never...?

A.N-

The story will start to change now. I based the few chapters on episode one because it just seemed like it'd be a good way to start. And yes, this is the morning scene, but Haru and Makoto do this every morning, and I I love it, so I'm repeating it!

"What are you doing?"

"GAH!" I jumped and slammed the door shut on my hand. Goddammit! I was so close...

"Makoto, why is she here? And why is she in my fridge?" Haru looked at me. Expressionless as ever, I see. I held my throbbing hand behind my back and laughed nervously, "Heh, heheh... I'm sorry, Haru. I was just... sightseeing." Lying has never been my strongest point. I looked down shamefully and rubbed my foot on the floor. I looked back up and noticed something... odd, "H-Haru?! Why are you wearing swimming trunks?!" I couldn't help but look at his body. It's... It's... It's AMAZING! Just, the muscles! Haa~! It's so gorgeous!

"Uh, Mizuki...? Why are you smiling?" I unintentionally ignored Makoto.

"And why are you staring at me?" Haru looked at me. I bet I was burning up.

"Muscles...! You have nice muscles!" I said that unconsciously. Whoops. I cleared my throat and shook my hands, "I-I mean, m-m-mackerel! Y-you have n-nice mackerel!" I pointed to the pan on the stove. "Huh?! When did you start cooking that?!" Makoto asked. "I do this every morning." Haru said, putting on an apron. He looks good in an apron.

When we finished the breakfast that Haru cooked we started walking to school. We walked down the steps and passed a white, abnormally small kitten. "Oh my God! T-this is the smallest cat I've ever seen!" I knelt in front of it at held out my hand. The kitten cautiously moved closer to me, then mewed happily. I thought I was going to start crying with the cuteness overload. "Seems like she likes you, Mizuki." Makoto said, smiling and moving next to me. We asked if Haru wanted to join us, "I think I'll pass. I'll just see you two at school."

Fun guy.

So it was just me, Makoto and the kitten. I sighed happily, "I love cats... Do you, Makoto?"

"Yeah. I've always loved this little stray, and I've been meaning to name it. Oh! Mizuki, you can name it!" He said, smiling brightly. I can't do this! It's Makoto's kitten, it wouldn't be right... "No. I can't name the kitten you adopted. You should name it."

He laughed quietly, "I'm terrible with names. Please, I'd love it for you to name her! It'd make me love her even more!"

"Huh? Why would me giving her a name make you love her more?"

Makoto smiled weirdly and his eyebrow twitched like he just thought about something awful. "Uh, because... uh, because she'd have a name, and then... Yeah!" He cleared his throat and continued to play with the kitten by waving a plant around. I looked at the kitten and thought hard, "Well, she's white like snow... Hey, what about Yuki?"

"Yuki? She does have snow-white fur. I love it! Did you hear that, Yuki? Mizuki gave you a name!"

The kitten now named "Yuki" purred and rubbed its head on Makoto's hand. They're both so cute together, I could faint. Makoto and I finally left Yuki and made our way to school. On the way there, we just talked about this and that, nothing in particular, until the topic of relationships came up:

"So Makoto, I was just wondering, you have a girlfriend don't you?" Makoto looked at me, wide-eyed.

"What makes you say that? I don't have one. In fact, I don't think I have had anything serious with a girl more than a one-sided crush." Eh?! But, that girl...! She wouldn't take her eyes off of you when I was talking to you! I thought for sure that she may have been a jealous girlfriend. I rubbed the back of my neck and laughed, "I find that hard to believe - I'm sure there have been plenty of girls who have had crushes on you!" I blurted that out without thinking.

"R-really? Why? I'm nothing special... I'm not rich, I'm not popular, I'm not a member of a band. What would a girl see in a normal guy like me?" He said, sounded almost dejected.

"Do you want me to make a list?" I answered, trying to sound complimentary. Makoto smiled a warm smile and shook his head, "Hah, you're too kind! Thank you, Mizuki." He looked forward and blushed a tiny bit. "Sorry if I embarrassed you!"

"Eh?"

"You're blushing..."

"I'm not embarrassed! I'm just happy!"

"Why?"

"Uh... Oh look! There's the school! Come on Mizuki!" Makoto ran off and I had to chase after him.