Chapter Text
Bonus scene #1:
"Oh my god Rin-chan, it finally happened…"
"Huh?"
"Mako-chan and Haru-chan!"
"Woah, they announced it?"
"Nah, but they are kind of obvious, you know?"
"It's about time, honestly… You know, Haru actually asked me who Makoto likes, can you believe it?"
"You, too? I've never seen Haru-chan so bothered by something..."
"And he even borrowed one of Gou's stupid romance books; he's so clueless."
"But Rin-chan, I think you're a little clueless too!"
"Wha—? How am I clueless?"
"I don't know, you should ask Sou-chan!"
"Sousuke? What does Sousuke have to do with this? … Oi, come back here!"
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Bonus scene #2:
"I wanted to return this to you," Haru holds out the red and pink book to Gou. It hadn’t been easy, making sure no one sees the offending book.
Okay, he ought to be a little more grateful; after all, it had helped him.
"Thank you," he adds.
"Actually, you can keep the book!" Gou pushes the book back in his hands. "The other pages might be useful for you, too!"
She smiles innocently, but there's a mischievous glint in her eyes that makes Haru can't help but feel wary. Still, she looks determined, so he doesn't protest.
He'd find another day to return the book, he decides.
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Haru doesn't know if it’s boredom or curiosity that makes him pick up the book a few days later when he’s at home alone.
What other things would the book be useful for? He wonders, flipping it open to one of the last few pages, eyes falling onto the heading of the page.
5 things to know about sexual intimacy.
Haru almost drops the book, heart pounding.
He tries very hard not to think about it.
He’s not imagining flushed skin and gentle hands, Makoto’s breath hot against his ear, “Does it feel good, Haru?”, voice soft and a little uncertain as Haru shudders against his shoulder—
Cheeks burning, Haru slams the book shut, a feeble attempt to stop his mind from wandering down dangerous territory.
…
Maybe he'd just keep the book for a little while longer.
(After all, Gou said that she doesn't need it, right?)
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Bonus scene #3:
Hayami waits, tapping her fingers on her thigh. It’s not often that she feels jittery, but with each passing second, the urge to check her watch intensifies.
Just as she wonders if he had forgotten, an unmistakable voice interrupts her thoughts.
“Hayami-san, you asked to see me?”
Hayami doesn’t quite jump, but she whirls around abruptly to face Tachibana Makoto. He stands there, smile friendly yet a little expectant as he waits for her to say something. And Hayami isn’t one to lose her composure, but momentarily, she forgets why she had called him out.
Her mind flashes to a conversation a few weeks ago.
(“Hayami-san, you rejected another one?”
“Uwah, you have really high standards, don’t you? I would’ve considered him...”
“You dummy, she’s so pretty, of course she’s picky!”
“What’s your ideal type, Hayami-san?"
When all the eyes turn to her, expectant, Hayami doesn’t really have an answer, but her mind flashes to green eyes, brown hair, and a sweet smile.
“Someone … kind, gentle.“ She says, hoping it comes across vague. “Tall, muscular…”
Tachibana Makoto, she doesn’t say.)
“Is something wrong?” His slight smile drops at her silence, face turning concerned.
“No, no, I was just wondering… Is it true that you’re in a relationship?” She blurts, wincing as his eyes widen. She had meant to be more subtle than that, or at least a little more tactful.
The way Makoto startles, cheeks turning pink, is enough of an answer that she has to suppress the urge to turn away. Although she had been expecting it, she can’t help but feel a little disappointed.
It’s not like she doesn’t know that, despite receiving numerous confessions, Makoto has never accepted a single one. Maybe that’s why she didn’t want to confess, so she could hold on to the hope that she had a chance.
Thinking back, it had just been wishful thinking on her part. Deep down, she probably had known that Makoto doesn’t see her as anything more than a friend.
Whoever he’s dating is really lucky, she thinks, resigned.
“Ah, no...” Makoto’s voice sounds, and Hayami realises with horror that she had said the last part out loud. She blanches, an apology on the tip of her tongue, but Makoto continues.
"...I'm the lucky one," He says, words genuine, a shy smile curling at the corner of his lips.
At this moment, Hayami knows it’s time to get over him. Looking at the expression on his face, it’s clear that he’s completely whipped.
“You’re serious about them, huh?” She asks, intending for it to sound teasing, but she can’t help the wistful edge in her tone.
Makoto blinks at her, like the thought of not being serious about them has never occurred to him, and suddenly her question seems little foolish.
“I mean, I’m not experienced in this kind of things,” Makoto admits, looking a little sheepish. “But I’ll cherish them forever.”
His words are earnest, like he’s assuring her that he would treat them well. As if she has any doubts about that.
"I mean, if they let me," he adds, a little sheepish, probably at the use of the word 'forever'.
Makoto Tachibana, you oblivious heartbreaker, she thinks ruefully.
“I’m glad for you,” she says, and she means it. He deserves to be happy, even if it’s not with her.
“Thank you,” Although his smile is a little bashful, she still has to ignore the urge to turn away from the brightness of it. Is this what love does to someone?
“...But Hayami-san, did you just want to ask me about this?”
Shit. Hayami’s brain scrambles to come up with a plausible reason for calling him out; it’d definitely be too obvious if she had only been concerned with asking about his love life.
Thankfully, she spots something—someone—in the corner of her eye.
“Ah, is Nanase-kun waiting for you?”
She isn’t expecting the speed at which Makoto whips his head towards his friend, who is leaning against the wall at the other end of the corridor.
Is it her imagination, or does Nanase Haruka look more sullen than usual?
“Haru?”
Something about his tone makes Hayami pause, and she glances at the expression on Makoto’s face. His gaze is soft, sweet in a way that she just stares for a moment.
Ah.
Why hadn’t she noticed it before?
Maybe she had been subconsciously trying to ignore it; the way Makoto has always looked at Nanase-kun. He has always been friendly to everyone, but the way he looks at Nanase is different; his expression gentler, fonder.
It’s probably not the first time she has seen it, but now that it’s happening right in front of her, she actually pays attention to how his face lights up, eyes turning softer, lips curving into a happy, contented smile.
(Hayami wonders if she can find someone who will look at her like that.)
She’s not surprised when Makoto turns to her with an apologetic expression. “Sorry, Hayami-san, if there’s nothing else—”
“Go ahead,” She waves him off, and watches as he hurries over to Nanase.
She may appear outwardly calm, but her mind is whirling. No wonder she had always gotten the feeling that Nanase doesn’t like her; he probably sees right through her intentions.
It’s not like he has anything to worry about though; if she can see that Makoto Tachibana only has eyes for him, how can he not?
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“Haru, were you waiting for me?” Although he feels a little apologetic, Makoto can’t help the goofy smile on his face at the thought of walking home with Haru. Recently, they had even held hands...
“Do you think she’s pretty?”
“Wha—? ” The sudden question catches Makoto off-guard, cutting off his thoughts. Is he talking about Hayami-san?
“I mean...I guess so?” he answers uncertainly. Why is Haru asking him this?
Does Haru think she’s pretty?
“Well, then you should go back to talk to her, then, if she’s confessing to you.”
“Confessing? It isn't like that,” Makoto tries to explain, feeling a little confused at Haru’s sudden behaviour.
“Whatever. Let’s go.” He refuses to look at Makoto, a clear sign that he’s upset.
As they walk home, Makoto racks his brain for possible reasons for Haru’s bad mood. Is it because he was talking to Hayami-san? But why would he be upset?
Unless...
“Haru, are you… jealous?” He asks hesitantly.
Makoto isn’t sure what he’s expecting, maybe for Haru to scoff, but not the way he stiffens up immediately, turning away.
“Why would I be jealous?” he replies, but he avoids Makoto’s eyes, walking ahead quickly.
Ah, is he really?
Makoto reaches out to catch Haru’s left wrist, and Haru has no choice but to stop.
“Haru, you know that the one I love is you, right?" The words come out easily, since he has loved Haru for years and years now.
But judging by the way Haru’s blue eyes widen, he hadn’t been expecting the sudden declaration. Makoto feels his own cheeks start to heat up as he realises he hasn’t told Haru he loved him before. He just thought it had been pretty obvious.
At this point, he might as well just be completely honest. “Besides, you’re way prettier than anybody I’ve ever met.”
Haru stares at him, looking a little speechless, and Makoto wonders where this sudden burst of courage had come from. Heart thudding, he waits for Haru to react.
“You’re really good at saying embarrassing stuff, aren’t you?” Haru mutters eventually, cheeks pink, but his lips are curving upwards, and Makoto feels his own lips tug up into a smile. They continue walking home, in comfortable silence, until —
“... I love you too, you know?”
“What?” Makoto whips his head towards Haru. Did he just say—?
“Nothing.”
“Wait, Haru-chan! I really didn’t hear it properly, you spoke so softly!”
“If you didn’t hear it, then too bad.”
Makoto opens his mouth to protest, but Haru cuts in.
“I’ll say it again next time.”
(And he does. Many times more.)