If Love Could Be The Cure We Need - A MakoHaru Medical AU

Chapter 7: You'll be Okay

Haruka Nanase

Makoto and his group took me out into the woods after our classes. It seems that they do this almost every day during rest period and after lessons, because they all have their own spot to sit and things to do.

Makoto's reading a book, Nagisa and Rei are chatting with each other and taking pictures and Rin looks like he's trying to take a nap for the tenth time today.

I've learned a lot about this group today, small and big things. Take for example when I was talking to Nagisa and Rei just now I found out that they're dating. This explained why they're always clinging to each other and doing things like hugging and flirting with each other.

Even though Rin doesn't really talk a lot I found out a lot about him too; he's illness harms his lungs which makes it clearer why he uses cannula to breathe through. His disease also causes extreme fatigue and that's why he sleeps so much. And Rin has been here for three years, which is one year longer than Nagisa.

Makoto told me that Makoto himself has been here the least long of them all, because he's only diagnosed three months ago. Rei has been here the longest and therefore knows every single thing about this place; what you can and can't do without getting into problems, things like that. In the years that he's been here he's seen a lot of people come and go, which must be painful.

They've all been stuck here coming closer and closer to dying, but when I see them here I realize how much more normal this group of teenagers looks when I compare it to my swim team. All we would ever talk about were competitions, winning and training, but this group exists from close friendships and relationships and even though the situation they're in is heart wrecking they talk about normal stuff. I've heard conversations about books, movie nights, childhood crushes, family and hobbies; normal things like that.

Right now they're having a discussion about foods and even though I don't have much of an opinion about the subject I can't help but enjoy listening to them debating about it.

"Why does no one agree with me?" Nagisa says, looking around the group in desperation. "Come on, you all must think that sweets and chocolate are basically the best things every, right?"

No one says anything, but Makoto looks up from his book. When Rin and his eyes meet Rin hurls and Makoto bursts out in laughter.

"Sweet things are the worst!" Rin mumbles, making a face.

Makoto shrugs, putting down his book to join the conversation. "I mean, chocolate is delicious, but I prefer curry."

"What do you think about sushi?" Rei asks. "I haven't had that in ages, but I just love the ones with cucumber and avocado." He pauses, glancing at us.

"Nah, I prefer meat to be honest," Rin says. "If you eat sushi it must be the ones with spicy beef in them, those are the best."

I glance down at my lap and quietly say, "I prefer those with mackerel." I've never had sushi before, but I bet they must have one with mackerel. Basically everything with mackerel tastes good.

There's a silence, all eyes are pointed at me. When everyone bursts into laughter I wonder if I said something wrong. Maybe they don't have sushi with mackerel, in that case I should be the one to invent it.

"No, no, no," Nagisa says in between chuckles. "You've got it totally wrong, Haruka. If you go for the fish ones..." Rei nods, probably already knowing what Nagisa is going to say. "The salmon ones are the way to go," they say in since before both chuckling.

When they both go quiet Nagisa's the one to break the silence again. "Okay, so if we can't agree on the type of sushi." He pauses, leaning back against the tree trunk thinking about a subject to talk about. "What are your thoughts on coffee?"