High Speed! Vol 2 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Run

The oddly tedious j.a.panese cla.s.s finally ending, Asahi came to Haruka’s desk again like always. He still doesn’t really know why he comes during each recess. Without talking about anything, he just pointlessly wastes his time. Sometimes, recess ends with him only gazing out the window. If he were to guess, Haruka’s seat is next to the window, so maybe he only comes to gaze at the scenery outside.

In j.a.panese cla.s.s, the teacher explained profusely about various aspects to the point of becoming tedious. Apparently, depending on the side you look at, things have different dispositions.

“Haru, what’ll you do for the next tournament?”

Is it possible that Asahi has these various aspects, too? He can’t find a disposition other than ‘annoying’, though.

“Haven’t decided yet.”

The next tournament will be held at the end of Golden Week. Unlike the previous tournament, there will only be preliminaries and finals, so it’ll end in just one day. Also, from this tournament onwards, they’ll be integrated into the age group one above them.

“Last time, you did the medley relay, right? If you’re going with those members, then it has to be the medley relay, huh.“

“I won’t take part in the relay.”

“But hey, if you don’t enter soon, you won’t make it in time. Tachibana from the cla.s.s next door’s a member, too, isn’t he? Are you practicing properly?”

“……”

He said he’s not taking part in the relay. Replying to people who don’t listen to what others say is a waste of effort. As expected, it’s extremely unlikely to find a disposition other than ‘annoying’ in him.

“Hey, what’re you talking about?”

Kisumi broke into the conversation. Combing up his silky hair, he shows the whites of his teeth.

“It has nothing to do with you. Because it’s about the Swimming Club.”

“Wow, so you both go to a Swimming Club. That’s why you get along, huh.”

Looking at it from the side, do they look like they get along? When he thinks of that, Haruka’s spirits dampened.

“Yup, I go to Bandou SC and Haru goes to Iwatobi SC, though. Well, it’s like that. What they call rivals.”

When he thinks of Asahi considering them as such, his mood fell another level.

“How I envy you, having relations.h.i.+p like that.”

“Hehe, it’s a world unknown to ordinary men…… Hey, Kisumi, you, why you b.u.t.ting in so naturally. Leave us alone.”

“When I sit at my seat on my own, the girls gather around and ask me all sorts of stuff.”

Combing up his silky hair, he points at his seat with his gaze. Indeed, three girls with reproachful looks on their faces were glaring at Haruka and the boys.

“What kind of things do they ask?”

“What my favorite food is, what my favorite song is, what my favorite color is, stuff like that.”

“No way you could answer what your favorite color is. Because it’s not like that’s the only color you use. You can’t paint a picture with just blue, can you? They ask ridiculous things, huh.”

It seems that inside Asahi, colors are synonymous with paints.

“That’s why I made an emergency evacuation.”

“Emergency evacuation?”

Asahi looks at Kisumi with a questioning expression.

“Yeah. Because when I’m here, the girls won’t come close. See, Haru’s unsociable and there’s no telling what he’s thinking and Asahi’s rude and noisy, no?”

In short, they’ve been turned into a cover.

Asahi’s pointed hair jumpily sways.

“Kisumi, you, aren’t you full of yourself just ‘cuz you’re a little popular with girls. A man’s worth is here and here.”

Asahi points at his arms and chest with his thumb. It seems the head is excluded.

“Yeah, that’s true. I’ll make sure to train them, too, with basketball. Ah, by the way, Haru. Makoto handed in the club application form.”

“……Makoto?”

He’d heard about him joining, but before he knew it, it seems like their relations.h.i.+p is becoming quite close. He’s impressed that as always, he’s the kind of guy to get along well with anyone. Not just Makoto, Kisumi is also the same kind. This must be what they call ‘birds of a feather flock together’.

“Hey, Haru should join the basketball club, too. Asahi, too.”

Asahi’s spiky hair sharpens into spikes even more.

“I already told you that it’s impossible.”

“Ahh what a shame. If we’d start now, I thought we could make a good team by the time we’re third years.”

“Oi oi, are you underestimating me? If I join the basketball club, I’d be a regular at once.”

“Wow, that’s awesome. That’s our Asahi. The savior of the basketball club. Then, here’s the club application form.”

“Yeah…… Hey, you think I’d fall for that trick?”

Maybe he didn’t notice until he wrote ‘s.h.i.+’ on the club application form. Or maybe he was trying to get a laugh. It didn’t seem that clever, though.

At any rate, he thinks. If Kisumi is walking around carrying club application forms, then perhaps there really are few applicants. In those circ.u.mstances, then Makoto’s application is practically settled. Bound firmly by the ties, he won’t be able to quit, that’s more or less how it would go……

“Nanase-kun!”

An unfamiliar voice suddenly called Haruka’s name. When he looks up, Yuzuki Tomo was standing there without hiding her resentment. Asahi and Kisumi look at Tomo with a confused expression. Had he done something to make Tomo angry?

“Yesterday’s homeroom––”

Aah, the realization suddenly dawned on Haruka. Yesterday Tomo was on day duty, so she filled the role of chairperson in homeroom. The subject for discussion was ‘decorating the cla.s.sroom with flowers’.

One of the girls does ikebana, so she can prepare flowers and a vase, so she suggested decorating the cla.s.sroom with them. Thinking that it’s a trivial matter, when they asked his opinion, he replied with ‘I don’t mind’ but it seems to have touched a nerve. Big eyes glared at him.

“I won’t allow you to be so pa.s.sive anymore. It was Nanase-kun’s fault that all the boys after him replied with ‘I don’t mind’, wasn’t it? That girl cried after homeroom.”

The other boys aren’t Haruka’s fault. In the end, they decided to decorate with flowers, so he thinks that there was nothing to cry over. They lost no time in putting neat, white roses and baby’s breath in a vase at the back of the cla.s.sroom.

“We’re choosing committee members today, so show me some activeness, all right? The same goes for you two!”

“Yes!”

Reflexively, Asahi and Kisumi reply with their back straightened. After equally looking them over, Tomo turned on her heels and took her leave.

“Scary. I’m bad at dealing with people like her.”

The breath escaping from his body, Asahi fell flat onto the desk. It seems he was quite nervous.

“But when people like her become the leader, they can surely drag everyone along.”

Kisumi laughed, showing off the whites of his teeth.

When he thinks of being trapped in new ties again, he feels fed up. At the same time as Haruka lets out a sigh, the chime signaling the end of recess rang.

 *

Thanks to Tomo, choosing committee members proceeded smoothly. For a start, leading the vanguard, she ran as a candidate for cla.s.s representative. Without a rival candidate, after she was elected as is, taking over from day duty to facilitator of the meeting, she promptly got started on deciding the boys’ cla.s.s representative. Seeing as there were no candidates, he thought that it was a brilliant handling of the situation how she wasted no time in changing it to recommendation.

“Since he’s cheerful, brisk and kind to everyone, I think s.h.i.+gino Kisumi-kun would be a good choice.”

Gaining immense support from the girls, Kisumi was decided as the boys’ cla.s.s representative.

Proceeding in a good tempo after that as well, Asahi was recommended as the animal caretaker a.s.sistant. That was also from a girl.

“I think it suits him, because their heads are like, the same.”

That was the reason for the recommendation. As the girls’ animal caretaker a.s.sistant, they’ve already decided on ‘the ikebana girl’. With an embarra.s.sed and loose expression, Asahi agreed to be the animal caretaker a.s.sistant.

Giggling, the girl who recommended him whispers to ‘the ikebana girl’. Her voices reached Haruka’s ears as well.

“It’s a chicken, a chicken.”

‘The ikebana girl’ modestly laughed a bit, too.

Oh, he gets it now. In that case, did she mean the contents when she mentioned his head? Or is it his hairstyle perhaps? After Haruka reflected on it, he reached the conclusion that it’s both.

Tomo glares at Haruka.

“Boys’ library a.s.sistant. Is there anyone––”

The way she says it reminds him of an auction market. Her gaze is constantly fixed on Haruka. When Haruka reluctantly raises his hand, he was instantly decided on.

“Next, girls.”

Raising her hand with barely a sound, time stopped in the cla.s.s for a second. Imposingly and with no hesitation at all, the hand of an unremarkable girl called Nii Satomi stretched out.

“––Then, Nii-san for the girls, please.”

Perhaps because she raised her hand with such conviction, when she was chosen as the library a.s.sistant, letting out a deep breath, she was relieved.

Choosing committee members coming to an end, when they were making preparations to go home, Makoto peeked his head in from the hallway. He though Cla.s.s 1 was fast, but it seems that Cla.s.s 2 was even faster.

Holding his bag, Haruka leaves the cla.s.sroom.

“That was fast, did you already finish choosing committee members?”

“Yeah. Because we decided to submit candidates beforehand.”

“Ohh. So, what did you become?”

“I applied for decoration representative, but I lost at rock-paper-scissors. What about Haru?”

“Library a.s.sistant. Let’s go home.”

“Ah, from today, I––”

“Sorry for the wait, Makoto. Shall we get going?”

Coming out from the cla.s.sroom, Kisumi puts his arms around Makoto’s back.

Oh, he gets it now. Club activities start today……

“Yeah. See you later, Haru.”

“Uh huh.”

His back being pushed, Makoto heads towards the gym. Turning back to face Haruka once, Kisumi stuck out his tongue.

He doesn’t know what for.

 *

When Haruka returns home, there were two Styrofoam trays at the bottom of the stone steps. There was a little bit of milk in one of them and the other was empty.

While thinking what a nice town it is, he looked around but the dog wasn’t there. Maybe it went off somewhere, or the health center took it away, or maybe it followed the person who left the food. At any rate, it seems that Makoto’s wishful thinking missed.

Clearing away the tray, climbing up the stone steps, turning left through the torii, when he pa.s.ses the chouzuya, the dog was sitting in front of his house. Seeing Haruka, it barks. It seems that Haruka’s earnest wish wasn’t heard.

Stuffing the necessary things into his bag after changing, he leaves the house. When Haruka goes down the stone steps, the dog followed him, too. Thinking that whatever happens, happens, he begins to run.

He raised his speed at the road alongside the coast. Leaving the village of Iwatobi like that, he finally approaches the foot of Mutsukibas.h.i.+. It felt as if Nagisa was there. But there’s no way he would be there. He was long gone already.

When Haruka finishes crossing the bridge, speeding up even more as if to shake off that fantasy, he runs through the embankment alongside s.h.i.+wagawa at a breath.

 *

While gasping for air, he went through the automatic door of the entrance. The dog sits obediently outside.

While taking off his sweat-drenched s.h.i.+rt in the changing room, when he thinks of having to wear that again on the way home, he felt a little disgusted. Then when he thinks of running with the dog again on the way home, his disgust goes one level further.

When Haruka comes out onto the poolside, Nagisa came to cling on him.

“Huh, where’s Mako-chan?”

“He started the basketball club.”

Kisumi’s face as he stuck out his tongue came to mind then disappeared.

“Eeeh, Mako-chan’s quitting, too?”

“He said he’s not quitting. He’ll come on the days he doesn’t have club activities.”

“Is Haru-chan doing club activities, too?”

“No, haven’t thought about it.”

Putting on his goggles, he heads towards the lanes. He can’t keep Nagisa company forever. Diving in like that, he slips his body into the water. Acknowledging each other and accepting. Recognizing that they’re mutually of a different nature and being accepted.

All of a sudden, the time they swam the relay crossed his mind. He thinks of what he was thinking about at that time. Was he thinking of swimming faster, of winning, things like that?

––Wrong.

That’s what Rin feels, that’s what Makoto feels. At the very least, Haruka wasn’t fixated on winning or losing. He wasn’t swimming for the sake of things like that. He was just thinking of releasing his energy and nothing more.

Rin was there, Makoto was there, Nagisa was there. While accepting the feelings of his companions, a limitless energy that wells up is released from deep within his chest. That was the only thing he was thinking of.

Then, a sight he’s never seen before ––.

Perhaps it was a sight he could only see with those members. If that’s the case, he might not be able to see it again.

In the neutral water where neither Rin nor Makoto are, Haruka meaninglessly kept swimming without being released or healed.

 *

When he goes out through the entrance, the dog was still waiting. Sitting obediently, alternately looking from Haruka to Nagisa coming out, he barks at each of them.

“Uwah, it followed you today, too?”

Happily running up to the dog, Nagisa takes its face in both hands and shakes it around. Perhaps because it felt good, the dog let him and squinted.

“It’s cute, huh. What’ll you do with it?”

“Nagisa, you keep it.”

“My place is…… no good.”

Unusually, he shows a sunken expression. However, he went back to the usual Nagisa right away.

“Hey, what do you do about food?”

He was grateful from the bottom of his heart that Makoto wasn’t there. If he were to say that Haruka gave food to it looking like he was having fun, he’d be so embarra.s.sed that he wouldn’t be able to look Nagisa in the face.

“Kind people from town feed him.”

“That’s no good. It’ll overeat or his diet will be one-sided like that.”

Unexpectedly, he says something proper.

“Don’t worry. From today, I’ll be keeping it.”

Even if he hides it, Makoto would probably say it anyways, he’ll be unnecessarily embarra.s.sed if he’s found out later.

“Eh, really?”

“Don’t misunderstand. Because Makoto insisted so much.”

“Uwaah, awesome. Hey, hey, can I go to Haru-chan’s house now?”

“What for?”

“You’re keeping the dog, aren’t you? In that case, there’s a ton of things you should know.”

Necessary for who to know what? He doesn’t understand what he’s thinking, but he couldn’t find a reason to decline either.

“Let’s go home.”

“Yeah.”

Nagisa following after Haruka, the dog ran after him. The dog getting quite attached to Nagisa, even while running, it always fooled around with him. He doesn’t come over to do the same with Haruka. It’s possible that he thinks of Nagisa as the same kind as him. If that’s so, he can accept it.

He didn’t intend on slowing down anymore like yesterday. He crosses the bridge at his usual speed. If Nagisa won’t keep the dog, then there’s no need to take him into consideration.   

“Wait up, Haru-chan.”

Seeming like he’s having trouble running, Nagisa comes running after him.

“It’s because you’re playing with the dog. It won’t count as training like that.”

“I know that, but the dog is, the dog is, wah, wah.”

“I’m going on ahead.”

“Wait up. Wah, wah.”

 *

When he reaches the bottom of the stone steps, Nagisa was completely out of breath. Because he wastefully used his physical strength. Contrary to what he expected, it might have been good training.

“This is it.”

“Haa, haa.”

Nagisa just nods, his breathing rough. It looks like even talking is painful for him. Turning left past the first torii and slipping past the chouzuya, they reach the house.

“Want something to drink?”

He asked, but Nagisa shook his head.

“Haa, wow, haa, it’s pretty s.p.a.cious, huh. Haa, haa.”

It seems he’s finally able to talk.

“Come on in.”

He shakes his head again.

“It’s fine. Haa, can I, haa, look at the garden a little?”

“Fine, I guess.”

It’s not much of a garden. A dog can be kept there, but’s pretty much it. The trees in the garden aren’t tended to, so the dogwoods and longstalk hollies are freely extending their branches. The fern are also casually growing, to the point that weeds can’t be told apart from the lawn gra.s.s.

Nagisa takes its face in both hands and shakes it around again. Maybe it’s a greeting for dogs. He thinks that it’s a well-practiced motion.

“Do you have a dog?”

If he’s already keeping a dog, it would explain his words from earlier. He can’t keep too many dogs.

“I don’t have one now…… But I used to.”

Nagisa’s expression sinks again.

“Did it die?”

While touching the dog, he stiffly nodded.

“Then, as a replacement––”

“There’s no replacement for it!”

Speaking out louder than he expected, it made Haruka swallow his words. The dog’s ears stood up as well and it gazes at Nagisa’s face.

“Could Haru-chan get a replacement for Mako-chan or me?”

He’s never thought about it. He thought that Nagisa saying something like that was very unnatural. He feels a strong feeling of wrongness from Nagisa’s sad gaze. Was he that kind of person all along?

Averting his gaze from Haruka, Nagisa turns it towards the dog again.

“Sorry, Haru-chan. For shouting.”

Like he’s saying it to the dog, an unnatural smile appears on his lips.

“No, it was my fault, too. ……Sorry.”

“……I had a white dog called d.i.c.k.”                                                  

Nagisa began to talk without looking at Haruka.

“When he died, I was so sad that I cried for three days. I wished I’d have played with him more. I wished I’d have taken care of him more. I wished I’d have noticed it sooner…… Even now, I still get sad sometimes when I remember. That’s why I won’t have a dog any more. I don’t want to feel like that anymore.”

Letting go of the dog and standing up, Nagisa faced Haruka head-on.

“You know, the night of the day we looked up at the cherry blossom, I cried. When we all met up, I hadn’t realized at all, but when I thought that we wouldn’t get to swim together anymore, the tears came out. I wished I’d have swum more with everyone. I wanted to swim more with everyone. When I thought of that, I suddenly got sad…… Companions and friends, too, some day you have to part from them, huh.”

–– Wrong.

If he were to say that, Nagisa might have shown an innocent smile again. However, Haruka didn’t know what is different and how. While being irritated at the fact that he can’t put his feelings into words well, averting his eyes from Nagisa, Haruka gazed at the leaves of hollies swaying in the wind.

 *

At a time when the morning dew was still there, Makoto came and gave food to the dog. While rubbing his sleepy eyes, Haruka goes outside and grabs the hose.

“Morning, Haru.”

“Hi.”

Watering the garden, he pours water into the dog’s bowl, too.

“Hey, it was just like how I said it, wasn’t it?”

Makoto direct a smile towards him with a triumphant air.

“…… Uh huh.”

This morning’s menu was fried horse mackerel and Salisbury steak. If it goes on like this, the dog’s diet really will end up becoming one-sided. After going back into the house, reaching the dining table while thinking that he needs to do something about, he reached out towards the deep fried shao-mai with the chopsticks.

 *

While heading towards the school, Makoto looks back at the stone steps. It’s the same no matter how many times he turns around. The dog doesn’t come.

“It’s not coming, huh.”

“Do you want it to come?”

“Not that, I thought that since it’s not tied to a rope, it might run off.”

Where did yesterday’s confidence go?

“It won’t come to school.”

“Yeah, it sure is a clever dog.”

He doesn’t know if it’s clever or not, but it’s certain that it was well-trained. Nagisa said so. After that, Nagisa taught him how to keep a dog and he learned various things that take up time.

Going to the health center, going to the animal hospital, he has to prepare tools and food. It seems that it’s not so good to give it human food. Apparently, milk isn’t so good either. He said that giving it water was good. And there are also quite a lot of things that he has to do, like taking it on walks and was.h.i.+ng it.

He got fed up while listening, but towards a gleeful Nagisa, without saying ‘I won’t after all’ by that point, he obediently listened.

“So, have you decided on a name?”

Makoto asks.

“Makoto.” [The dog’s name is written in katakana, whereas Makoto’s name is in kanji.]

“Eh?”

“Makoto found it first, so Makoto.”

“The same name as mine?”

“Feeding Makoto, training Makoto. I know, let’s teach it tricks, too. Makoto sit, Makoto paw, Makoto stay. Also, I have to dispose of Makoto’s p.o.o.p––”

“W-wait, stop it already. Please, let’s name it something else. I know, it’s black so something like Kujira [whale]––”

“Makkou.”

“Aah, like the makkou kujira [sperm whale], huh….. But it really does feel like my name’s in it––”

“Makkou.”

“……”

On that note, Makoto didn’t utter a single word until they reached the school. It was a meagre resistance. For now, the dog’s name was decided on as ‘Makkou’.

 *

When lunch break came, Asahi came to Haruka’s seat, bringing his bento.

“Finally time to eat. Aah, I’m starving.”

Sitting down backwards on the seat in front of him, he opens his bento so that he’s facing Haruka.

“Hey, can I join too?”

Kisumi came, bringing along a chair.

“Kisumi, eat with the girls.”

At Kisumi’s seat, the three girls surrounding the desk that had lost its owner and chair were reproachfully glaring at them. Se he tried not to look that way as much as he could.

“Why not, Asahi.”

“Don’t drop the honorific. Actually, call me by my family name.”

“Asahi calls me ‘Kisumi’, don’t you?”

“Shaddup. For you, dropping the honorific is fine!”

Can’t he at least get to eat lunch in quiet? Even though it’s the seat by window, like this, he can’t feel the rustling wind.

Since becoming a middle schooler, you could say that he looked forward to bentos the most. In elementary school, they were provided with lunch, the long-awaitedchikuzenni [chicken stew with vegetables] and ginger-fried pork were hopelessly dull with bread. He thinks that sure enough, it has to be white rice.

Today’s main dish was kinpira gobou [chopped burdock root (and sometimes carrot) cooked in sugar and soy sauce] seasoned with j.a.panese pepper. Waiting beside it are chicken teriyaki, rolled omelette and boiled broccoli in soy sauce. Pickled Chinese cabbage is enshrined in the corner of the cooked white rice. They’re all combinations that go with white rice.

The bento eaten beside the window was supposed to have become a period of supreme bliss. If Asahi and Kisumi weren’t there…… Asahi’s bento was fully packed with spaghetti. Boiled egg and sausage is on top of it. Kisumi’s was incomprehensible. Apart from the rough Salisbury steak and the fried chicken intermingled with orange, he doesn’t really know what’s inside the potato salad wrapped in lettuce.

Perhaps because he noticed Haruka’s gaze, Kisumi picked it up with his chopsticks and showed it to him.

“This? It’s potato salad.”

“What’s in it.”

“Uhm, corm, carrots, chicken breast and avocado.”

“Avocado?”

It was the first time Haruka heard of that ingredient.

“Want a taste?”

Pinched between his chopsticks, Kisumi sticks it out towards Haruka’s mouth. The atmosphere in the cla.s.sroom noisily swelling, a chill ran down Haruka’s spine. There’s no way he can eat it.

“Oh, of course. There you go.”

Kisumi places the potato salad on the bento box’s lid. Picking it up with his chopsticks, Haruka heard something like a tiny shriek as he carries it to his mouth. He was scared to look at the cla.s.sroom, so he ate while looking out the window.

“How is it?”

He wishes it were a little saltier.

“Delicious.”

“Right?”

“In exchange, this––”

When Haruka was about to give some of the kinpira gobou to him, the atmosphere got noisy again, so he stopped.

“Yoo, Haru.”

Ignoring that atmosphere, Asahi speaks with his mouth full of spaghetti.

“About the next tournament, have you decided?”

The tournament hadn’t crossed his mind at all. In the first place, the fact itself of competing with someone was something that didn’t exist within Haruka. If Makoto hadn’t invited him at the end of 5th grade, he probably wouldn’t have taken part in the tournament. If he hadn’t taken part in the tournament, he wouldn’t have met Rin and Asahi wouldn’t be following him around.

That Makoto is enthusiastic about the basketball club and hasn’t shown his face at the Swimming Club lately. If things go on like this, Makoto most likely won’t partic.i.p.ate in the tournament. If Makoto doesn’t take part, then Haruka either……

“Haven’t decided yet.”

“You say that, but it’s gonna be free anyways, right? Don’t think I’ve seen Haru swim anything other than free.”

It seems that he’s been paying attention to him for quite a while, not just in the previous tournament.

“Haven’t decided if I’ll take part or not.”

“What are you saying? Take part. You can’t possibly be thinking of joining the swim club, right? If you joined a place like that, they won’t let you take part in SC tournaments. Pa.s.s on it, pa.s.s on it. Club activities are just playing. Playing.”

Giving up on it or whatever, he hasn’t said a single word about joining the swim club.

“I won’t do club activities.”

Haruka murmurs it. As if to drown out those words, Kisumi sticks his chopsticks in the rough Salisbury steak with his chopsticks and points it towards Asahi. 

“It’s not playing.”

“O-oi. You’re making the ketchup fly.”

Asahi leans back.

“Ah, sorry.”

After eating the Salisbury steak in one bite, he continues again.

“I don’t know about the swim club, but everyone’s serious in the basketball club. There’s morning practice on Wednesday, and the practice contents are super hard, just so you know. Even Makoto said that the fundamental training’s tough. You’ll know if you’d try joining temporarily once. I’m sure Asahi would admit defeat.”

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d. If I let you talk, you get so full of yourself. If you insist so much––”

“Here’s the club application form.”

“Like I’d fall for that trick again.”

Somehow, it seems like he seriously fell for that trick earlier. Asahi filled his mouth with spaghetti.

“After we eat, I’ll prove it to you on the field. I’ll show you the difference between us!”

Say it after you eat. Don’t drop bits of food on a person’s desk.

“Fine. –– What about you, Haru? I’ll invite Makoto, too.”

“I’ll pa.s.s.”

He replies as bluntly he could. He doesn’t want to be persistently invited.

“Makoto said that he can manage both with Swimming Club.”

“You can do both?”

“Yeah, the captain said it was okay.”

That’s not it, the question is if Makoto himself can allow doing something so half-hearted.

Asahi speaks while scattering ketchup sauce again.

“Stuuupid. That’s just while he’s a temporary member. Once he officially joins, of course he’ll think that he’s theirs.”

Kisumi waves the Salisbury steak about again.

“That’s not true!”

“It sure is!”

If they’re having a barren argument, can’t they do it elsewhere? The top of his desk is covered in ketchup. Not in a mood to mention it, Haruka turns his eyes towards what’s outside the window while eating his rolled omelette.

Suddenly, he saw someone running on the field. Maybe they’re a third year. They have a good physique. Good enough that he can tell how thick his arm is even above the jersey.

“Oh, it’s Natsuya-kun.”

Asahi says, following Haruka’s gaze.

“Do you know him?”

“He’s the captain of the swim club. Name’s Kiris.h.i.+ma Natsuya-kun. We were at Bandou SC together, but he quit last year.”

–– Kiris.h.i.+ma Natsuya.

It was a familiar name. When he first took part in a tournament, he saw that name. Since then, he hasn’t seen it. It must be difficult to manage both with the swim club after all.

“Hey, look, Haru.”

Asahi furtively guides Haruka with his gaze. A few girls gathered by the window and were saying something while pointing at Natsuya.

“The girls are madly in love with Natsuya’s running figure. Natsuya-kun’s cool, huh.”

Asahi pursues Natsuya with an admiring look on his face. While thinking that if he likes him so much, he should hurry up and join the swim club already, Haruka tosses the last piece of kinpira gobou in his mouth.

The lively lunch break ending, Asahi and Kisumi finally left. Wondering if every day is going to be like this, Haruka was wiping off his desk with a tissue paper while feeling fed up.

“Nanase-kun!”

Hearing a voice above him, when he looks up, Tomo was standing there. He doesn’t think he’s done anything to be scolded for.

“What?”

“I’d like you to help with something, could you come to the home economics room?”

There was a forcefulness in those words that wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Is home economics next?”

While knowing that it’s a futile attempt, he tried a meager resistance.

“It’s work for the cooking club. It’s the club I joined.”

Why does Tomo joining the cooking club mean that Haruka has to help? Not even given the chance to ask that question, Haruka was half-forcibly dragged away.

When they reach the home economics room, two girls who seemed to be first years were putting up a stepladder.

“We were told to put away the equipment, but we can’t reach high places. Nanase-kun’s tall.”

There had to be other tall guys. Haruka tried recalling everyone who was left in the cla.s.sroom, but indeed, no one notable was left. Kisumi took everyone along with him.

Thinking that there’s no point in struggling after coming this far, Haruka decided to quickly get the work over with. Locking in place the stepladder that the girls had put up, he climbs up with the pot in one hand.

“Is it okay here?”

“Yeah, they said that it’s fine to put them in the empty steps.”

Randomly setting down the pot, white powder fluttering, it rained down on Haruka’s head. When he looks at the top of the shelf, a half-used bag of wheat flour sealed with a clothes pin was left there. How long has that been here? He got curious, but thinking that it has nothing to do with him, he decided to pretend that he didn’t see it. Even if mold mite were to breed in it, it’s not Haruka’s fault.

“Next, this one, too, please.”

When he takes the bowl from Tomo, he saw the pool through the window. Having climbed up the stepladder, the pool is just visible from that angle. The outside pool that has spent a winter was pitiful. Dead leaves and trash floating on the surface of the water that’s stained green, it’s turning into a swamp.

A number of people in jerseys were by the poolside and doing weight training. There were some who laid out mats and were doing sit-ups or push-ups, and there were some who used a tube to train their pectoral muscles with. They went as far as using full-fledged equipment like bench presses and bullworkers.

Suddenly, he stopped on Makoto’s figure among them. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, he’s doing lifts.

If they’re on the poolside, could it be the swim club? Taking a better look, the captain, Natsuya, was also there. He’s sure that he told him that he joined the basketball club, so why would Makoto be mingling with the swim club? Maybe Kisumi hadn’t invited Makoto. It’s entirely baffling.

“Nanase-kun––”

“Ah, sorry.”

Prompted by Tomo, Haruka got back to work. The wheat flour fluttering every time he put down something, he was bothered every time he could see Makoto through the window.

––What in the world could he be thinking?

After school, there was a committee meeting for the library a.s.sistants, they received an explanation about the contents of the job and the rotation. The library committee president was a boy with a fair complexion called Serizawa Nao, he filled the role of presiding over the meeting in an oddly elegant way. He’s fair-skinned but apparently he’s in the swim club. He mentioned it in his self-introduction. From beginning to end, thanks to him explaining the essentials well with a bright smile, he was able to understand it for the most part. Then, he learned that there’s unexpectedly a lot of work for the library a.s.sistants.

Of course there’s the work at the counter like lending and returning, but there’s also sticking the category labels on new books, taking the replaced books to the storage, and when the return of the books is delayed, apparently they have to go and remind the person. They dust and clean the floor every day, and it seems that on days when the weather is good, they dry the books in the sun.

In addition, they arrange the questionnaires and requests based on which they hand in the applications of the books desired for purchase, and make things like ‘News from the Library Room’. What’s more, for the book report that’s published there once a month, all the library a.s.sistants have to submit one and the president Nao chooses from them.

After they received a general explanation, while they were observing the actual procedure a little, the announcement informing them that it was time to leave school began to air.

“That’s all for today. I explained a lot of things all at once, so I think it must be difficult, but it’s fine as long as you learn little by little through the daily work. Well then, let’s end it with a handclap––”

When Nao says it, everyone claps, it scattered to each cla.s.sroom.

Going back to the cla.s.sroom where no one was left, when he takes his bag into hand, he heard Satomi’s huge sigh.

“Nanase-kun, did you memorize all that?”

“I don’t know until I actually try it.”

“I came forward as a candidate just because I liked books, but I might be regretting it a little now.”

“It’s not like we have to everything at once, it’s fine if we remember one by one. The president Serizawa said so, too. Leaving that aside, it’s already time to leave school.”

“Yeah……”

Haruka left the cla.s.sroom together with the heavy-hearted Satomi.

On their way to the school gate, Satomi let out a small ‘ah’ and stretched out her hand.

“Nanase-kun, your head……”

“Hm?”

Thinking that there’s something stuck in it, he tried brus.h.i.+ng it off himself.

“Not over there, here.”

When Satomi stood on her toes to brush it off of Haruka’s hair, white powder fluttered. It’s the white flour from that time.

“Thanks.”

Just in case, he brushes it off himself.

“Nanase-kuuun!”

Hearing a voice from far away and turning around, Tomo was running towards them. She’s holding a small packet in her hand.

“I’m glad. Haa, haa. I thought of giving it to you tomorrow, but, haa, here, eat this if you’d like.

The small packet held out to him, he ended up taking it by reflex.

“What is it?”

“Cookies baked in the cooking club. When I told the senpais that you helped, they told me to take it.”

“Aah……”

“Thank you.”

He didn’t do anything much in particular, but he’ll take it if she’s giving it to him.

“Thanks.”

When he was about to start walking after saying his thanks to Tomo, he’s called from far away again and turns around.

“Haru––”

Makoto and Aki came running while waving their hands.

“Did you have a library committee meeting? My club activities just ended, too.”

Which club activities. If Aki’s with him, then maybe it’s the swim club after all. He doesn’t really know what Makoto’s thinking.

“Mine just ended, too. Then I met up with Tachibana-kun.”

Which means that maybe it’s the basketball club. When he thought of questioning Makoto about it, somebody slipped right past Haruka and nearly crashed into him. In a flash, he dodges by taking a half step back.

––It’s Kiris.h.i.+ma Ikuya.

While walking with quick steps, he directs his gaze toward him for just a second. From beneath his long eyelashes, his piercing eyes s.h.i.+ning darkly shoot through Haruka––.

Without stopping his feet, Ikuya s.h.i.+fts that gaze to Satomi.

“Satomi––”

He keeps walking towards the school gate like that.

“Ah, wait, Ikuya-kun.”

Satomi running in a jog after Ikuya who’s going out the school gate, only an odd silence remained.

Makoto softly raises his up-slanting eyebrows.

“Then, let’s go home, too.”

Encouraged by those words, Haruka and Aki begin to walk, too.

“I’m going this way.”

After Tomo says it to Haruka, she ran off in the opposite direction.

“Okay, thanks for this.”

When Haruka says it, holding up the packet, Tomo waved her hand from behind while running.

“What’s that?”

Makoto asked.

“A cookie.”

“Aah, from the cooking club, huh. They shared some of it with the swim club, too.”

When Aki says that, Makoto directed a look of disbelief towards Haruka.

“Hmm. Why did Haru get it?”

Explaining it is a pain.

“There was some left over, so they said they’re giving it to me. More importantly, Makoto, what were you doing at the poolside during lunch break.”

Makoto raised his brow as if he’s surprised a little, then he went back to the usual smile right away.

“So you were watching, Haru. ––They let me join the swim club’s muscle training.”

He could see as much. He’s asking about the circ.u.mstances.

“Why?”

“In the corner of the field, there’s a basketball hoop, right? People were playing there.”

“Kisumi and the others?”

Kisumi said that he’s inviting Makoto, that must be it. Asahi was also supposed to have been there.

“Yeah. And then, the swim club was doing muscle training, and when I was staring at them, someone called out to me asking ‘are you interested?’”

“Who?”

“The swim club’s captain. He was running.”

He means Natsuya. It seems that that running was also meant to be a patrol to hunt for targets to persuade.

“And then, I was invited to give it a try, but when I said that I’m in the basketball club, he said that it’s for experience.”

During the trial period, they have a system where they’re allowed to experience other clubs as well. Nevertheless, it’s a little sad that experiencing the swim club is weight training. He thinks that it’s a swim club precisely because of swimming, but it can’t be helped that it’s a little too early for that. However, what’s even sadder is that the swim club took Makoto away from Kisumi and the others.

“What about basketball?”

“I told them properly that I’m leaving for a bit.”

How frivolous. He wonders if he was always this frivolous of a guy.

Aki cuts into the conversation with a cheerful voice.

“Are you joining the swim club?”

“They just let me experience it a little. But muscle training sure is amusing. They praised me that my muscles are good.”

It’s just the muscle training, huh.

“Did Yazaki do it, too?”

“Nah. The girls don’t have practice at lunch. Hey, Tachibana-kun. Join the swim club. Nanase-kun, too. Then let’s all swim together again. I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

“Umm, I really have to think about it. Basketball’s amusing, too, and muscle training has its appeal, too. Ah, they said I can do muscle training tomorrow, too. Haru, won’t you do it too?”

“No, I’ll pa.s.s.”

He declines Aki’s and Makoto’s invitation at the same time. At any rate, he’s a little worried if it’s alright to compare basketball and weight training. Once again, he doesn’t understand Makoto anymore.  

“By the way, that Kiris.h.i.+ma guy earlier––”

As Haruka suddenly changes the subject, Makoto and Aki’s smiles turn cold.

“What kind of guy is he?”

It’s rare for Haruka to take an interest in others. It’s natural that Makoto and Aki look at Haruka like it’s unexpected. He himself thinks that it’s unexpected. However, he’s curious. Those eyes––

“If I’m not mistaken, he’s the guy who talked about how the swim club, right?”

To that question, Makoto hesitantly replies.

“Since then, I haven’t talked to him…… But, he’s always alone. With a sullen expression, he looks out the window.”

“I don’t really get it yet, but it feels like all the girls find it hard to get close to him, I guess……”

Aki adds carefully.

Piercing eyes s.h.i.+ning darkly…… He’s seen it somewhere before. He’s not sure where it was, when it was, and if that was Ikuya at all, but he definitely remembers seeing those eyes.

“Hey, Haru. Are you going to the Swimming Club today?”

Makoto asked.

“Nah, it’s gotten late so I’m not going today.”

Formerly, he thought that he wanted to swim, even if it was for just ten minutes. And yet he doesn’t think so today. Could it be because it doesn’t heal nor release him anymore? Or perhaps……

“We can still swim if it’s just for a short while.”

“It’s fine for today. I have to buy equipment and food for Makkou anyways. Makoto, come with me.”

A part of the responsibility for keeping it lies with Makoto, too. At least going shopping with him is a natural obligation.

“Yeah, okay. ––Ah, Makkou’s a dog. It’s being kept at Haru’s house.”

Makoto explains to Aki.

“Wow, show it to me next time. Well then, I’m going this way. See you tomorrow.”

Smiling, Aki waves her hand.

“Uh huh.”

“Byebye.”

After they saw Aki off, Haruka offered the small packet in his hand to Makoto.

“Give it to your siblings.”

“Are you sure? But, somehow it’s……”

“Don’t be modest.”

“I’m not being modest, it’s just a matter of feelings……”

“I’ve already accepted the feelings.”

“…..Yeah. Alright, then I’ll take it.”

If he hadn’t know about the white flour, he surely would’ve eaten it deliciously. But Haruka had already ended up knowing. He just prayed that the heat had sterilized it.

Once they went back home, they headed to the home center by bicycle. It’s for the sake of buying together the things Nagisa had taught him about yesterday. Leash, collar, doghouse kit, food, food bowl, sheets, brush, shampoo. It became quite the load. It was the right decision to bring Makoto along.

Starting tomorrow, he has to take it on morning walks and shampoo it. Since they can’t carry a built doghouse, they decided on a kit that needs a.s.sembly. He has to build that doghouse, too. He’s getting a little fed up with all the things that take up time.

The next day, he put the leash and collar he had just bought on Makkou. It’s for the sake of taking him on walks. He thought that it wasn’t going to like it, but not behaving like that in the slightest, it obediently let him.

“Alright, good dog.”

Like Nagisa had done, he took the dog’s face in both hands and shakes it around. Makkou proudly puffed out its chest and barked at Haruka.

When it began to dawn, the boats that have finished fis.h.i.+ng return to the port one after the other. Seagulls were trying to perch on the end of their white masts. Because the boats were moving, the masts sway irregularly, too. Even so, while expertly making fine adjustments, they lightly perched down on the end of the masts.

While admiring that they’re clever creatures, Haruka ran through the port with Makkou.

After they reached the coast, they go down to the beach. He thought of trying something out with the meticulously well-trained and outgoing Makkou. Is it just behaving like it’s been trained, or is it really a dog with a lot of guts––.

Taking off the leash, Haruka walked until the water’s edge. There, he turns to Makkou. Perhaps because it’s waiting for an order, it stares at Haruka and stays put. Or perhaps the breaking waves frightened it……

“Come here.”

Reacting to Haruka’s voice, Makkou began to run with great vigour. As if he’s trying to run away, Haruka runs along the water’s edge. When Makkou catches up to Haruka, he ran on the seaward side. Even when the waves break close to it, it kicks up without hesitation. Reacting to the splashes that Makkou raises, the rising sun that shows its face from the edge of the mountain lets loose its light like fireworks. Turning into small grains of light and bursting open, it dissolves into the morning air filled with the scent of the seawater.

Running until the end of the coast like that, he stopped there. When Haruka’s heavy breathing evened out, Makkou ran back in the direction they came from. Then, coming to a stop before it went too far, it turns back to Haruka.

–– Come here.

Makkou was provoking Haruka.

“You little––”

When Haruka starts running, Makkou runs away too, kicking up splashes. While tripping on the sand, nevertheless it chased after him with full strength. The splashes Makkou raises. .h.i.tting Haruka, it sprinkles on his face. It’s doing it on purpose. Occasionally turning around, a mischievous expression floated on Makkou’s face.

Forgetting himself, Haruka laughed in the morning sun. It’s been a while since he’s felt like this. As he thought about when the last time was, he thought that it wasn’t in that distant of a past. He feels the same way he did in the water just barely a month ago.

On the early morning coast, basking in the morning sun and the splashes, the two smiling faces running were bursting with brightness.

When he gets home from school, he set about building the doghouse right away. Since it’s a kit, he didn’t need to use a saw and he just had to drive in the nails, but it had more parts than he expected, so it didn’t seem like he could finish before the day was over. So, he left the rest for the next day and decided to shampoo the dog instead.

Pulling out the hose from the bathroom, he pours hot water on it. Even during that, Makkou behaved properly. When he dries him off with a bath towel, a lot of Makkou’s fur stuck on it, so it became ‘Makkou exclusive’. When he brushes it, it squinted its eyes like it was feeling good.

The next day as well, they made a round trip to the coast for the morning walk. It’ll become pretty good training. Tripping on the sand makes it hard to balance, and on top of that, and since he consciously has to raise his legs higher, it became training for his abdominal muscles and dorsal muscles. Haruka thought that rather than running long distances, perhaps he was more suited for running short distances that applied a load to him. More than conserving his strength, letting it burst came naturally to him.

When he gets home from school, he set about building the doghouse right away again. Perhaps because they were attracted by the sound of nails being driven in, Makoto’s siblings came by and started playing with Makkou. Not knowing how it should handle the small twins, Makkou is at a loss. Seeing that it’s acting strange, Haruka’s lips unintentionally slackened.

“You’re as skillful as ever, Haru.”

Before he knew it, Makoto’s club activities were over and it was time for him to get home. It seemed like he could somehow finish the doghouse before the day is over, but he ended up taking the day off from the Swimming Club. He has to go the health center and animal hospital tomorrow. It seems like he’ll be taking another day off.

The following day, after registering at the health center, the dog was vaccinated at the hospital, and it ended up turning to dusk already with just that. It’s just a bit before the sun goes down that he finally arrived at home.

Climbing up the stone steps, pa.s.sing through the first torii and turning left, when he pa.s.ses by the chouzuya, Nagisa was in front of his house. Standing still with his bag in his hand, he directs a sunken look towards Haruka. Up until now, he’s seen that expression momentarily, but it’s really only for a moment, he returns to the usual innocent Nagisa right away. That was Nagisa. However––.

“Did you come to see the dog? His name’s Makkou––”

“Why aren’t you coming?”

Interrupting Haruka’s words, Nagisa’s eyes stare directly at Haruka. The setting sun s.h.i.+ning on the side of Nagisa’s face, it felt like he could see through to the depths of his eyes.

“Why didn’t you come?”

Like they’re flowing from the depths of its depths, tears fall from Nagisa’s eyes.

“No one’s there, you know. I’m swimming alone. I wasn’t put in the free relay or the medley relay, I’m swimming alone.”

He was, lonely. He’s already taken a break from the Swimming Club for four days. During that time, Nagisa endured loneliness. He endured it alone. There was no need for him to see deep into his eyes. Nagisa is always just the way he is.

“Even so, Mako-chan and Haru-chan aren’t coming, and I missed you.”

Nagisa clung onto Haruka’s chest. Clunging onto him, he silently cried.

Haruka acknowledged what he was feeling for the first time.

––Loneliness.

In the water where neither Rin nor Makoto are, he felt loneliness.

Nothing’s changed with Nagisa. Instead of crying, Haruka took a break from the Swimming Club. He ran away from the loneliness. He was running away. Just now, he acknowledged that for the first time. ––He couldn’t help but acknowledge it.

Haruka let Nagisa cry as much as he wanted until a bit before the setting sun reached the horizon.  After that, he told him he’d see him home by bicycle, but Nagisa shook his head.

“I won’t do…… something like this anymore. Sorry, Haru-chan.”

Leaving just those words, Nagisa ran off. Descending the stone steps, Nagisa’s figure traversing the port was visible from Haruka’s house. The sea dyed by the setting sun illuminating Nagisa in red, his long-stretching shadow leaving its traces kept endlessly swaying in the port.