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Tachibana Makoto. Tall, handsome, sweet-natured, a real "give you the shirt off his back" type of person. Kisumi knew him in middle school, but they'd fallen out of touch since then. What a coincidence that Makoto was a swim instructor where Kisumi's little brother Hayato was taking swim lessons!
Well, Kisumi reflected, maybe not such a coincidence after all. Still, when Hayato went on and on about his "really nice!" swim instructor, Kisumi never imagined it could be Makoto. It was too bad the head coach at the swim club hired a new part-timer so Makoto could focus on his own training. Kisumi could have used more time seeing Makoto in that skin-tight wetsuit.
Makoto hadn't really changed. His voice was only a little deeper, and the expressions were the same: the sparkling eyes, the cheerful smile, and those eyebrows that perpetually tilted upward in concern. And still handsome as ever.
When he invited Makoto to play basketball one Sunday, he hadn't really expected him to say yes. Kisumi hadn't specified "you and Haru" in his invitation, but Makoto and Nanase Haruka seemed joined at the hip, so Kisumi was surprised when Makoto showed up at the park alone.
"Haru likes to sleep in on Sundays," Makoto explained when Kisumi asked.
"Ah," Kisumi said. "Of course."
Makoto's basketball skills had slackened since middle school, but his musculature had only improved. In fact the only reason Kisumi actually lost their one-on-one game was because he kept getting distracted by the sight of Makoto's bare arms.
"Phew!" Makoto exclaimed, collapsing beneath a shady tree. He paused to guzzle water from a sports bottle. "I can't believe I won!"
Kisumi chuckled and sat down beside him. "Everyone has off days," he said. "Guess this was one of mine. Rest a bit, and then I want a rematch!"
"I'd forgotten what a workout basketball could be," Makoto went on. "It uses different muscles than swimming!"
"You're just out of condition," Kisumi pointed out. "If you played more often it wouldn't be so exhausting."
Makoto smiled. "We've got Nationals coming up," he said. "Our training's only going to get more intensive from here. Our manager's really strict!"
"Swimming's your first love, huh," Kisumi stated.
Makoto's smile turned fond, a little distant. "Yeah," he answered quietly.
"Or maybe I shouldn't say swimming," Kisumi continued. "Maybe I should say your first love is Haru?"
The faraway look in Makoto's eyes sharpened abruptly as he focused back on Kisumi, a faint blush rising in his cheeks. "What makes you say that?" he asked with a nervous laugh.
Kisumi grinned. A-ha. "You mean Haru's not your boyfriend?" he asked innocently.
Makoto flushed crimson from the tips of his ears to his neck.
"There's no shame in it," Kisumi went on before Makoto could reply. "I like the cock too."
"Co---" Makoto's eyes widened, and his face got even redder. "Kisumi!"
Kisumi laughed.
Makoto swallowed, and in his face Kisumi could see him warring between wanting to blow it off casually (or maybe even deny everything), and the desire to be open about something so obviously close to his heart. He was quiet for several moments. "Is it that obvious?" he asked finally.
Kisumi smiled. "Pretty damn obvious," he confirmed. "Everyone in both your classes was sure. I just wanted confirmation."
"Even back in middle school?" Makoto squeaked.
Kisumi had to laugh. Makoto seemed so mortified. He nodded. "Even back then. Like I said, there's nothing wrong with it."
"You... you are too, Kisumi?" Makoto asked in a whisper, avoiding Kisumi's eyes.
"What? Gay? Sure. Well---no. I like girls, but I definitely like guys too. I'm not picky." He grinned again. "Actually, if you want to know the truth, I had a bit of a crush on both of you back then."
"Y-You did?" Makoto sputtered, eyes widening again.
"Yeah. Why do you think I tried so hard to get you to join the basketball team?" He laughed, feeling a little self-conscious. "Haru is so cool and beautiful and aloof, I wanted to see if I could get him to heat up a bit. And you... well, just look at yourself."
To Kisumi's amusement, Makoto actually did look down at himself. "I'm nothing special," he protested.
Kisumi smirked. "And that's just another great thing about you," he concluded, and laughed at the confused look on Makoto's face.
After a moment, Makoto turned away, and the fond smile came back. "I've been in love with Haru since... well, since we met, I guess. I didn't know what my feelings meant then, but looking back on it now..." His face, which had finally cooled back to a normal color, began to pink up again. "And I like to hope that we'll always be together... no matter where life takes us... but I know it's not always that simple..."
Hearing the shift in Makoto's inflection, Kisumi frowned. "Is something wrong?" he asked gently.
Makoto shook his head quickly. The smile came back, obviously forced. "Haru's just having some trouble deciding on what he wants to do after high school, that's all," he said. "He'd be angry if he knew I told you."
"You mean he's not going to be a swimmer?" Kisumi was surprised. He'd seen Haru swim---even back in middle school he looked like he might have been a dolphin in a previous life.
"The way Haru feels about swimming is different than the way others feel," Makoto explained. Kisumi thought he was very well accustomed to explaining Haru's quirks. "Everyone knows he has the talent to go pro, but that's not what swimming is about for him." He shrugged. "Haru has always done just what Haru wants to do," he said.
Kisumi nodded. He tried to smile, but hearing the obvious pain in Makoto's voice made it falter. "That's true." He leaned back against the tree, looking up at the leaves. "Well, Makoto, let me tell you how I see it. In middle school, you and Haru were inseperable. All of us knew you were together or at least in love with each other. But none of us ever made fun of you for it, did we? No one ever even mentioned it. It didn't matter. Even then we could tell your relationship was something... special. That you and Haru were so close, it didn't matter if you were both boys. You were meant to be together. A relationship like that can't just be broken by something like going to college in a different place. Even if your paths diverge sometimes, they'll always come back together. That's what I believe."
Makoto gazed at him, his eyes suspiciously liquid. "Kisumi..." he murmured.
"Makoto," came a familiar voice from a few meters away.
Makoto looked up, hastily scrubbing the back of his hand over his eyes though no tears had fallen. "Haru!" he exclaimed, and the smile this time was genuine.
Kisumi smiled at Makoto for a moment, gently, somewhat amused at the abrupt change in his demeanor---then let his smile broaden into a grin. He hopped to his feet. "Haru!" he called, waving.
Haru's eyes narrowed, his lips pursed slightly, but he began to walk toward them. Kisumi wished Haru liked him more, but he knew there were only a very select few that Haru actually liked. Most people he only tolerated---and even that was reluctant. Kisumi managed---barely---not to pounce on Haru and hug him. He knew that annoyed Haru to no end, which was exactly why he did it.
"Your mom said you'd gone to the park," Haru stated when he reached them.
Makoto, on his feet now, smiled. "Kisumi invited me to play basketball," he said, nodding down at the basketball between them on the ground, between the tree's roots.
"The invitation was for both of you, actually," Kisumi added. "I just figured you'd both show up so I didn't bother specifying."
Makoto laughed. "You should have said! But Haru doesn't really play basketball anymore, not unless forced."
"I only swim free," Haruka added. "Makoto, is your phone off? Nagisa's been trying to call you. He showed up at my house all frantic saying you'd probably been hit by a train."
"Wh-what?" Makoto slapped one hand over his eyes. "Nagisa," he groaned. "He always has such wild ideas." He patted his pocket and fished out his phone. "The battery died," he said, frowning.
"He wanted me to call the police but I gave him some strawberry ice cream and told him to wait at my place in case you showed up," Haru finished.
Makoto sighed. "I guess I'd better go appease him. He won't be satisfied until he sees me." He turned to Kisumi. "Sorry to cut today short, Kisumi. I know you wanted a rematch."
Smiling, Kisumi shook his head. "It's okay. There are other days, right? I have to come here every weekend to pick Hayato up from swim practice, so that'd be no trouble. I'll mail you, okay?"
Makoto nodded, smiling cheerfully. "I'll look forward to it!"
Haru was already walking away. Kisumi tried not to pout; he hadn't even said goodbye---or hello, for that matter. With a last wave, Makoto jogged to catch up to him. Kisumi waved back, and watched them go. They walked side by side, a little too close than two high school boys who were just friends would walk.
Kisumi smiled and picked up the basketball, tucking it under his arm. Well, now he knew for sure. It was a little disappointing, but that was okay. He'd never much given thought to the term "soulmate"---but watching Haru and Makoto walk away, he thought that term applied. He could almost see the red string tied to each of their pinkies---and it made him smile. Not everyone is that lucky, he reflected. I hope Haru realizes just how lucky he is... and that he never lets Makoto go.