Persona || Makoharu || Free!

•Loving You From Afar•

-Makoto's pov-

"My whole life, I've been chasing you. Ever since we were kids, I've been watching your back. I watched you grow up with a talent I couldn't even compare to," I speak into the mirror, I then laugh and drop my gaze, "It was all I could manage to keep up. But I was never jealous so much as I admired you. And I realized all I wanted to do was walk beside you. It was pointless to swim without you there, and no matter the distraction, you were my focus." I clear my throat and laugh again.

This is stupid...

"You wouldn't let me keep pretending everything was okay then," I say and then my serious expression breaks, finally letting my desperation and pain rise to the surface. "I meant what I said back then and I meant what I say...I love you, Haruka."I say and look down at the bathroom sink that is in front of me.

The words were surprisingly easy to say, slipping past my lips, but of course... I'm saying this to a mirror.

"Oniichan, I need to go to the bathroom and you're going to be late to school!" Ren yells from the other side of the bathroom door.

I sigh. I mess around with my hair a few times and notice the dark circles under my eyes before opening the door so my little brother can come rushing in to slam the door behind him.

"Makoto, take an apple before you leave!" My mother calls, but I just dismiss her and wave goodbye.

I run up the stairs that lead to Haru's house and knock on his door. The same door that I had a breakdown by a few days ago. I wait a few seconds before getting impatient and opening the door myself. I slip off my shoes and set my things by the entrance and make my way to his bathroom.

"Haru, I'm here!" I yell as I stand outside his bathroom door.

I hear a quiet hum from the other side. I take a few breaths and open the door.

-Haru's pov-

Once Makoto gets me out of the tub, tells me to get dressed and makes me eat, we make our way to school. Makoto is oddly quiet today. Usually he tells me what he has brought to school or what he has for lunch, but when he isn't talking, it's a comfortable silence... but today is different, Makto isn't talking and the atmosphere feels uncomfortable.

We make it to school, grabs the books we need, and then we go to our class.

I stand in the doorway to my classroom, it's only the idle chatter of my classmates and Nagisa waving around at me that seem to snap me out of my haze.

The blonde haired boy is sitting by Makoto's seat which is set in the back of the classroom where it seems the rest of my friends are at.

I hitch my backpack over my shoulder and stumble towards their general direction.

"Haruka-senpai," says Rei seriously as he arrives, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose to peer at him in concern. "Are you all right? You look a bit-"

"I'm fine," I reply as I cut Rei off.

Makto turns around to face our conversation, "Good morning, Haruka." Makoto mumbles with a smile, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

I get a queasy feeling in my stomach on the way Makoto said my full name. I shake off the sudden chill and go on with my day.

It's not until around lunch time that Gou appears in the doorway to call Makto, Rei, Nagisa, and I outside, long red ponytail bouncing behind her.

"Meeting break!" She announces.

"Ugh, it better be quick. I have a history exam right after this." Rei groans and fixes his glasses.

"Which you've been studying for since last month, so I think you'll live," says Gou, giving him a annoyed look as she pokes him in the ribs. "Anyway," she continues, "You all need to switch up your training regimens! I read the other day that if you don't keep doing that, it'll stop being effective after a while."

Nagisa nods sagely, and Rei adjusts his glasses. "Well, that's because our body tends to get used to sustained levels of activ-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Gou rolls her eyes, "I'll be needing your opinions on the rough draft of the training schedules I've come up with for you guys!"

At lunch, we all pile up in the meeting room while Gou explains everything and the others pitch in their ideas as I keep glancing at Makoto. I catch him once and awhile with a deep frown and his eyes dropping their usual bright sparkle.

Throughout the meeting, I hardly pay attention and I wonder to the pool, no one stopping me.

"Haru-chan!" One last hopeful voice in my head calls.

I spin around and see no one is there, just my imagination playing games with me.

I drop my head and my eyes harden, anger building up inside me.

I can't stay here any longer...

I storm away from the pool and run to go eat my lunch in a random hallway, no warning anybody that I won't sit with them.

When I get back, I see Makoto eating his lunch by himself as well at his desk.

I sigh and sit down for the next class to start.

The rest of the day is a complete blur.