Chasing the Clouds

It's a Date

    Haru and Makoto were at the pool that afternoon, practicing alone. Nagisa and Rei couldn't come for reasons Haru didn't know... but Makoto did.

    Just before practice she'd received a text from the penguin:

Nagisa: get your sexy on with haru-chan, mako-chaaaaan. we know you guys love eachother ☆⌒(≧▽​° )

    Makoto had blushed and sent Nagisa a text back:

"NAGISA??"

Nagisa: me and rei wanted time alone as well ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

    She had looked up from her phone to see Haru studying her. She redenned even more.

    "E-eto, Nagisa and Rei can't make it to practice today, so... i guess we have to go ourselves."

    "That's fine," she replied calmly.

    So there they were.

    Somehow Nagisa had convinced Gou not to come either. Makoto supposed he knew about it too. I guess it was more obvious than I thought...

    "Makoto?" Haru said breaking Makoto from her thoughts.

    "Uh, nani?" Makoto asked.

    "Betsu ni," Haru answered, but still eyed her friend suspiciously. Perhaps masking concern. Makoto blushed more.

    Suddenly Haru ripped off her seifuku and jumped into the water.

    Makoto started at the spontaneous act, but then smiled, There she goes again. She watched in admiration as Haru gracefully swam in the pool.

    Wait a second-- "Eto-- Haru! Where's your swimsuit!?" Makoto turned deep red for the millionth time that day.

    Haru stopped swimming for a second and looked down at herself thoughtfully through the water. "Oh I guess I forgot it today. That's weird." She blushed.

    Makoto covered her eyes. An idea sprang to her mind. "Ne, Haru! We won't really get to practice much without the others here... how about we go for some yogurt? I know this really good place you haven't been to yet!"

    Haru looked up at her flustered friend. "Sure," she said.

    She swam to the edge of the pool, Makoto meeting her there. As usual, she offered her hand to pull the dolphin out. But she had to move her hand from her eyes.

    Just as Haru had accepted her hand and she was helping her out of the pool, Makoto yelped and covered her eyes again, face as red as a tomato.

    Haru's eyes widened at the turn of events as she began to fall back into the pool. Suddenly Makoto's arms shot out and caught Haru, hugging her tight.

    Makoto was blushing at the sight of her friend in her bra and underwear. Oh my god she's so close. Makoto's hear beat fast. And she stepped away from Haru.

    She let out a sigh of relief. "That was close," she said nervously, averting her eyes from Haru's exposed stomache and underwear.

    "Yeah," Haru replied walking over to her seifuku in a pile on the floor.

    Oh no, I was so distracted that I didn't even pick her clothes up from the floor...

    Makoto walked Haru to the locker rooms. As Haru was getting dressed back into her clothes, Makoto peeked. She then blushed and looked away again.

    "Um, Haru? You should towel off so you don't get a cold," Makoto told her friend, concerned at her wet hair and the slight breeze.

    Haru looked at her friend and stifled a giggle. She looked so flustered and nervous it was a little cute... Now Haru blushed again.

    "Haru?" Makoto was waiting for her to reply.

    "Oh yeah. It's okay, you can look now." Haru reassured her friend.

    Makoto grabbed a towel for Haru. She dried off her hair gently. Then wrapped it around Haru's shoulders. They both walked, exiting the building to a surprise.

    "Oi! Haru! Makoto!" Makoto heard a familiar voice. Rin.

    Haru looked over to the redhead who was just beyond the green chain link fence. She was dressed as if she'd just been on a jog, but Makoto knew she took a detour to see them.

    "Hey, Rin." Makoto replied, smiling despite her bubbling jealousy for the shark.

    "Hi, Makoto." Rin chuckled,"Still not big on hellos I see, Haru.

    "So what are you guys up to?" Rin inquired casually.

    A moment of silence. "We were just about to head out for frozen yogurt." Makoto answered cheerfully, yet dreading what comes next.

    "Oh, hey mind if I join you guys? Been a while since I had yogurt." Rin said exactly what Makoto expected her to.

    "Sure I don't mind. How about you Haru?" Haru looked up at her tall friend, studying her. Something isn't right... She shrugged despite her thoughts.

    "Alright then. Let's go, guys. We should beat the dessert rush hour." Rin told them cheerfully.

    So much for a date. Makoto thought bitterly.