𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑? | rin matsuoka

Chapter Twelve - Haruka-senpai

"No."

"Aww, please, Haruka-senpai! It's only temporary!"

"..." I sighed and put a hand on Gou's shoulder.

"Forget it, Gou, it's fine," I said, rubbing her arm. "You can't force Haru to take me in. It's fine." Now, the usually emotionless Nanase raised an eyebrow at me. It was just before one of the team practises, and while Makoto, Rei and Nagisa got changed, Gou held back Haruka to speak to him. He sighed, and shifted his bag strap on his shoulder.

"And you? What's your story of wanting to move out?" he asked boredly, looking at me through his fringe of dark hair. I sighed, and crossed my arms, leaning all my weight on one leg.

"Rin hates me, and I'm sleeping in his bed and living with his family," I said plainly. "Do you need any further explanation?" Haru scratched the back of his head.

"How long are you planning on moving out for?"

"Just as long as it takes for her and nii-chan to make up, promise!" cut in Gou, flinging an arm across my face. "Haru, I hate having [Name] so gloomy at home! Please, can she stay with you, just for a little while?! We'll pay you, too!"

"... I don't care about the money," said Haruka slowly. Gou clasped her hands together, pouting with all her might. I hid my face in embarrassment; I honestly didn't want this​ big a scene to be made.

"Please, Haruka-senpai! You're the only possible solution I can think of!" Haru looked straight at me, and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do you want to move out that badly?" I sighed yet again.

"Now that I see all the fuss that's going on, I'd rather I didn't," I mumbled in an irritated tone, running my hand through my hair.

"Hmm..." Haruka and I had a stare off, my [e/c] eyes locking with his own blue ones. Then finally, he sighed, and shrugged at me.

"Yeah, sure. You can stay at mine," he said casually, turning around. Gou squealed.

"Are you serious, Haruka-senpai?!"

"Yup." With that, Haru simply walked off to the changing rooms, leaving me baffled in his wake. He was willing to let me, a complete stranger from Australia, stay in his home.

"What just happened?" I asked Gou, confusion written all over my face. I'd been absolutely sure that he would reject Gou's request, but now I had no idea what was going on. The Matsuoka beamed and gave me a peace sign with her fingers, winking.

"Now we've got that sorted, we'll move your stuff after school," she said with a smile. "I'll explain to okaa-san that you're going to stay with one of my friends for a while, just so that you get a broader experience of different lifestyles in Iwatobi. She won't deny that, I know for sure." I continued to stare at Gou with my mouth agape.

"Where would I be without you?" I asked, realising how quickly Gou seemed to move everything ahead. She's pushed me to meet Rin, then to confront him, and now, she was helping me by finding me a temporary new home, until things had simmered down. I didn't notice it before, but Gou was practically bending over on her back to accommodate me, and to try and fix the mess that her brother had left with me. That confused me, and I wondered why Gou was so intent on getting me to work things out with Rin.

"Wishing every night that you could've spoken to my brother instead of pushing him into the pool," she grinned at me. I smiled in return, and the swimmers walked out of the changing rooms to greet us. Gou turned to face her team, and clapped her hands.

"Alright, guys! Let's get started!"

Living with Haruka? That'd be something new.