Divine Madness [Free!] [2]

🌸 Chapter 1 🌸

Heisuke carefully packed up two bento lunchboxes, smiling to herself as she did so. One of them was for herself and the other one was for Haruka. She tied her own in a pink cloth and Haruka's lunchbox in a blue one. The reason why she was making the bento for Haruka was simple – his mother had moved away to Tokyo to be with his father while he worked there, and Heisuke had eagerly taken up this duty.

Today was a Tuesday, marking the second day since high school opened for the year. But Heisuke had not been able to attend the first day, which happened on Monday. It was because Heisuke and Granny Chiharu had gone to Tokyo to visit Heisuke's uncle Yasuhiro and his wife, Miyoko. They had recently had a baby girl called Minami.

"Oba-Chan, I will be leaving for school now," Heisuke called out into the house as she pulled her bookbag over her shoulder and slipped her feet into her shoes before stepping outside the house. "Please take care of yourself!"

The Shidarezakura, the Weeping Cherry Blossom, that Heisuke and Granny Chiharu had planted was growing flowers once more, given that it was Spring again. It would not be long before it would be blooming once more. Heisuke found Makkou in the garden and quickly served him some food.

Makkou had grown up in the past four years. Because Haruka's mother moved to Tokyo during Haruka's first year at Iwatobi High School, Makkou had been moved to the Shidarezakura House so that he will always have someone's company – Granny Chiharu's, in this case.

"Did Haru-Kun give Makkou his food this weekend?" Heisuke asked, cooing at she rubbed the dog all over his body. Makkou gave her a small bark to let her know that it was true. She laughed gently and nodded. "I'm going to school, now, alright? See you later, take care!"

As she stepped out onto the stone steps that led down from faded blue Misagozaki Shrine, Heisuke caught sight of a tall brunet standing halfway up the steps, at the base of the the single torii with a chouzuya that led into the Nanase House.

It was Tachibana Makoto, one of Heisuke's two best friends. His tall structure and wide shoulders easily silhouetted against the sea in the distance, the diffused sunlight reflecting off the waves. His head was facing toward her and Heisuke could see his hachi-eyebrows knitted gently as he smiled at her.

"Mako-Chan!" Heisuke called out excitedly as she ran down the stone steps, something everyone had warned her against, and straight into Makoto's arms. "Good morning!"

"Good morning, Hei-Chan!" Makoto said, laughing as he wrapped his arms around the tall girl, embracing her against himself. "Did you and Granny Chiharu get home safely last night? I was worried,"

"Aw, Mako-Chan was worried," Heisuke said as she released the blushing male and she grinned at him. "Oba-Chan and I got home perfectly fine. I did text you, no?"

"Ah, did you?" Makoto asked as he immediately put his hands over his pockets, as if he was feeling around for his phone. Heisuke laughed and nodded in response.

"Leaving that, how was the first day back to school?" Heisuke asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Did Mako-Chan and Haru-Kun have lots of fun?"

"Ah, Haru didn't come to school tomorrow, either," Makoto informed the shorter female. Heisuke furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "I think Haru didn't want to go there without Hei-Chan,"

"You're hilarious," Heisuke replied and Makoto laughed. "Mako-Chan didn't get lonely without Haru-Kun and I, did he?" Makoto gave her an amused smile and sighed.

"I certainly did," Makoto answered and Heisuke grinned at his sarcasm. "Where is Haru? We've got to leave for school... we'll get late at this rate,"