Rin is going back to Australia. Makoto is going to Tokyo. Even Sousuke, who he does not particularly like or care about, is leaving to go someplace, though Haruka did not catch where. Kisumi, too, is going to Tokyo, he's heard Makoto tell Rin. His classmates scatter across the courtyard after graduation, drifting slowly, one by one, out of the gates, and Haruka is sure that he'll never see them again.
The cherry trees bloomed early this year, and the trees are a lush green already.
"Haru," Makoto greets quietly, coming up from behind him. "Nagisa, Rei, and Gou-chan want to go to dinner in a little bit. Rin and his team should be there as well. Will you come?"
Haruka is sure Makoto phrased it that way on purpose. He isn't asking if he wants to come. Makoto knows Haruka doesn't want to come, but he knows, too, that Haruka doesn't want to bother them with his absence.
"Yeah," Haruka says, not looking at him.
Rin is loud at dinner, at the party. He and Nagisa wax nostalgic about a dozen stupid, unimportant things. Momotarou and Nagisa have an eating contest. Rei fusses incessantly about wasting food by not taking the time to taste it properly. Nitori fusses about making a mess. Haruka watches his friends and even smiles occasionally. Beside him, Makoto laughs heartily and chatters excitedly about everyone's future plans. No one really says anything to Haruka over the course of the evening. He feels half-invisible, and is relieved.
The walk home is quiet, but Haruka can still hear everyone's voices echoing in his head. Even the second years are already thinking about their futures. Nitori and Rei talked about their captaincies and eventual career paths. Momotarou and Nagisa teased their friends and boasted of the places they'd go, once they were free from school. Haruka thinks about his grandmother's house, the walls and rooms he's grown up with, and the fish buried in Makoto's garden.
"Haru," Makoto says, as they approached their houses. "Will you visit me in Tokyo?"
"Yeah," Haruka says, almost automatically.
"Really?"
"Of course," Haruka says, looking straight ahead through the dark trees.
"Will you remember to take your phone around, so I can call you?"
"Yeah."
"If I text you, will you respond?"
"Yeah."
Haruka can feel Makoto smiling beside him. "I'll visit too," the taller boy says. "I'll come back to see Rei and Nagisa at tournaments. Ren and Ran will be mad if I don't visit often too."
"Yeah," Haruka agrees.
Makoto takes Haruka's hand as they approached the small fork in the road that led to their separate homes. "You'll be okay, right?"
"Yeah."
Makoto squeezes his hand. Haruka doesn't have the energy to squeeze back.
"Good night, Haru." Makoto turns and leans down to kiss the edge of his mouth. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Haruka nods. Makoto lets go of his hand and disappears into the trees. Haruka stands at the fork in the path and savours the smell of late spring mixed with dinner on Makoto's breath. He stands until the absence of the person next to him is cold and filled with silence. He stands until he thinks he's used to it, then slowly walks up the rest of the steps towards his empty house.
FILL: Team Aoyagi Hajime/Teshima Junta, G
Everyone is leaving.
Rin is going back to Australia. Makoto is going to Tokyo. Even Sousuke, who he does not particularly like or care about, is leaving to go someplace, though Haruka did not catch where. Kisumi, too, is going to Tokyo, he's heard Makoto tell Rin. His classmates scatter across the courtyard after graduation, drifting slowly, one by one, out of the gates, and Haruka is sure that he'll never see them again.
The cherry trees bloomed early this year, and the trees are a lush green already.
"Haru," Makoto greets quietly, coming up from behind him. "Nagisa, Rei, and Gou-chan want to go to dinner in a little bit. Rin and his team should be there as well. Will you come?"
Haruka is sure Makoto phrased it that way on purpose. He isn't asking if he wants to come. Makoto knows Haruka doesn't want to come, but he knows, too, that Haruka doesn't want to bother them with his absence.
"Yeah," Haruka says, not looking at him.
Rin is loud at dinner, at the party. He and Nagisa wax nostalgic about a dozen stupid, unimportant things. Momotarou and Nagisa have an eating contest. Rei fusses incessantly about wasting food by not taking the time to taste it properly. Nitori fusses about making a mess. Haruka watches his friends and even smiles occasionally. Beside him, Makoto laughs heartily and chatters excitedly about everyone's future plans. No one really says anything to Haruka over the course of the evening. He feels half-invisible, and is relieved.
The walk home is quiet, but Haruka can still hear everyone's voices echoing in his head. Even the second years are already thinking about their futures. Nitori and Rei talked about their captaincies and eventual career paths. Momotarou and Nagisa teased their friends and boasted of the places they'd go, once they were free from school. Haruka thinks about his grandmother's house, the walls and rooms he's grown up with, and the fish buried in Makoto's garden.
"Haru," Makoto says, as they approached their houses. "Will you visit me in Tokyo?"
"Yeah," Haruka says, almost automatically.
"Really?"
"Of course," Haruka says, looking straight ahead through the dark trees.
"Will you remember to take your phone around, so I can call you?"
"Yeah."
"If I text you, will you respond?"
"Yeah."
Haruka can feel Makoto smiling beside him. "I'll visit too," the taller boy says. "I'll come back to see Rei and Nagisa at tournaments. Ren and Ran will be mad if I don't visit often too."
"Yeah," Haruka agrees.
Makoto takes Haruka's hand as they approached the small fork in the road that led to their separate homes. "You'll be okay, right?"
"Yeah."
Makoto squeezes his hand. Haruka doesn't have the energy to squeeze back.
"Good night, Haru." Makoto turns and leans down to kiss the edge of his mouth. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Haruka nods. Makoto lets go of his hand and disappears into the trees. Haruka stands at the fork in the path and savours the smell of late spring mixed with dinner on Makoto's breath. He stands until the absence of the person next to him is cold and filled with silence. He stands until he thinks he's used to it, then slowly walks up the rest of the steps towards his empty house.