28 DAYS [MakoHaru]

twenty → 12/17

Chapter Twenty: December 17th

A/N: oh hey, December 17th. it's the day I asked out my boyfriend. Yippee. No one cares, Han.

"Damn it, Makoto! You burnt my freakin' hand!"

Makoto stares at Haruka in horror, clutching the coffee pot of hot water so tightly his knuckles are turning white. Haruka grabs onto his now bright-red hand, doubled over, hissing in pain.

Makoto tries to stammer out an apology. "S-sorry! I didn't mean-"

"You were supposed to change the coffee filter!" Haruka interrupts him, shouting angrily from his pain. "How the hell did you manage to spill boiling water on me?"

"I... I don't know what happened, I was just-"

Haruka cuts him off with a disgusted eye roll as he marches into the back room towards the sink. Makoto watches him leave, stomach twisting in frustration and worry. After a moment, he hears the rushing of water.

For a moment, Makoto stands alone in the bookstore, blood buzzing under his skin like pins and needles, stewing in his annoyance. He allows himself to collapse as his head falls into his hands, his elbows resting on the counter. He exhales frustratedly, trying to let the tension leave with the breath, feeling idiotic at his mistake.

It was funny, really; he initially thought this bookstore job would be easy. He did so well shelving books with Asuka - though, it wasn't that complicated to figure out - and he didn't mind the tediousness of it. He figured the rest of the job would be easy to pick up on as well, but that theory is being proved wrong with his lack of ability to make a cup of coffee. Or at least be able to change the filter.

The worst part is, Makoto had repeatedly told Haruka he was going to mess up working the coffee machine. A fair warning was given, and yet Haruka ignored him like the stubborn guy he is. Makoto isn't even sure if this incident is his fault or Haruka's.

Haruka returns after a few minutes, rubbing an ice cube on his palm. "One thing's for sure. You're permanently going to be on book-shelving duty."

"I'm so sorry, Haruka. I really didn't mean to pour the hot water everywhere," Makoto apologizes, feeling his face warm up with embarrassment.

"Whatever, Makoto," Haruka rolls his eyes. "I'll get it over it. It's not like I'm going to die or anything."

What did he just say?

Makoto stares at him in absolute shock, completely horrified at what Haruka had said. What exactly was Haruka playing at, saying something like that? His face grows pale and he has to clench his fists to keep them from shaking; surely Haruka was making a joke... but at the same time, he's not, and Makoto knows it.

"Makoto, stop spacing out," Haruka snaps his fingers in front of his face. "God, you're such a ditz sometimes."

"Yeah well," Makoto comes up with the best comeback he can without thinking, "Only around you, Nanase."

Wait.

It took a couple moments for it to register in Makoto's mind how stupid he was to say something like that.

Makoto quickly takes a step backwards and he turns around, suddenly very interested in meticulously arranging the pastries in the display counter He can feel Haruka watching him, and his face burns as he tries not to hyperventilate.

"What was that, Makoto?" Haruka sounds curious now, taking a step closer. He speaks in an airy way, like he knows exactly what Makoto had said and he just wants to see him squirm.