Why can't I be free!? - Free! (ON-HOLD)

Chapter 2 - Makoto and Haru

I love those two so much, you don't even know...
( ˘ ³˘)

I take a deep breath before erasing the frown from my face and collecting the courage to turn around. The two guys that approached me stop abruptly and widen their eyes as they sight me, just like me.

I feel a pang of pain in my chest and grit my teeth in sadness. 'Makoto... Haru...'

The tall brunette then does something I kind of expected. He runs up to me and hugs me tightly, making me feel the warmth of his body. He has always been such a kind and warm-hearted person...

"You're back! I can't believe it!", Makoto exclaims joyfully with a bright smile plastered on his face. I reply the gesture by slinging one arm around his frame loosely till he pulls away. I force a smile on my lips as I see his green pupils staring into mine, trying my best to look as 'happy' as possible. "Y-Yeah...", I answer.

"You've changed so much! I'm so happy that you are back...", the swimmer continues as he keeps his warm smile, making me nod. "Right, Haru-chan? You are happy too, ri-", Makoto attempts to ask the said boy but both of us notice that he had already walked ahead of us.

I look to the ground as Makoto's smile turns into a sad one. 'I should've known it... Makoto and probably Nagisa are the only ones who will be kind- But of course that's only a mask', I think and get interrupted by Makoto speaking up reassuringly. "Don't mind him. He will warm up to you soon."

"Haru-chan! Wait!", Makoto whines as we catch up to the ravenette, well, more or less run up to him. Makoto had grabbed my hand and started running. My already weak body starts to ache and I try to stop the brunette, but he keeps dragging me after him.

We luckily stop as soon as we were able to catch up to Haru, and I stop as the feeling of dizziness overwhelms me. My throat scratches terribly from inside and I take out a handkerchief from my blazer pocket, coughing into it for a few times before wiping my mouth and throwing the now with blood stained cloth into the nearest bin.

I then see Makoto and Haru who had walked ahead of me turning around, the former having his green eyes widened. I walk up to them and Makoto hugs me again. "I was so scared when I didn't see you, Mirai-chan!", he exclaims with a relieved tone in his voice.

Scared of what?
Losing me?

Didn't that already happen before?
But they wanted me to leave...
They wanted to lose me.

I hear Haru clearing his throat and I thank him inwardly because this made Makoto let go of me. His hugs can really crush bones if he wants them to.

We three continue our way to school without saying till Makoto interrupts the silence. "You two didn't show up to the opening ceremony yesterday", he states and makes me ponder.

So Haru didn't show up too?

"I called in sick", the ravenette replies as coldly as always and I nod as I mumble silently, "me too."

"Then, do you know which class you are in?" The giant gets no reply from Haru and a headshake from me.

"Class 1. We've got a new lady as our homeroom teacher. They've already given her a nickname", Makoto explains, chuckling joyfully at the last sentence. Haru doesn't look like he cares about that at all while he eyes the sea to our right. I, at least, listen to him interestedly.

Makoto always had something up his sleeves. It was either a funny story, a few motivating words or anything else. This side of him seems to have stayed and this made me kind of happy.

"She teaches Classical Japanese Literature, but she's a little on the weird side."

The brunette's gaze then wanders to Haru when he notices that he isn't listening and he smiles at his friend. "I hope it gets warmer soon so you can swim." Haru looks away clicking his tongue and Makoto laughs as I crack a small and probably barely visible smile on my lips.