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Haruka has more than a few problems with Tokyo.
There are way too many people, it’s entirely too loud, and everyone is always in such a hurry. The list goes on and on, really, but the number one reason that Haruka is having trouble adjusting to life in the city is that no one knows who he is.
He’s having trouble for reasons that one might not even consider. Back home, if someone hadn’t spoken to him directly, they at least knew of him. And that made Haruka feel suffocated, so in that aspect, Tokyo was a breath of fresh air.
No, the real reason he’s so annoyed about it is that the average passerby in Tokyo doesn’t have a clue about what he and Makoto are to each other.
In Iwatobi, practically everyone and their mother know that Makoto belongs to Haruka and vice versa. While their relationship wasn’t completely explicit back then, a person would have to be extraordinarily dense not to realize that the two of them were something more than just best friends.
And it was a good thing too, since Makoto is ridiculously attractive and is the perfect target for a wandering eye. Haruka loves the guy – really, you have no idea how much – but his skill in the art of being completely and utterly oblivious to how attractive he is to everyone is frustrating.
A typical week in Tokyo consists of Haruka getting bent out of shape at least six times when someone stares at Makoto longer than is really necessary. Yes, Makoto runs his hands through his hair when he’s frustrated or thinking – which is very distracting – and his glasses – also distracting – add a ridiculous amount of maturity to his face, but Haruka thinks it should be obvious that Makoto is off the market.
But no. University students are dense and riddled with hormones. Haruka is no exception, but drooling over Makoto is a privilege, not a right, and he doesn’t take kindly to complete strangers ogling his boyfriend. At least back home, Haruka, for the most part, knew an offender’s address if they forgot themselves.
“Haru, are you even listening to me?”
Haruka drags his gaze back to Makoto, who is regarding him with an expression equal parts amusement and confusion.
“Yeah.” Haruka replies, though he hadn't been.
Restaurants are the perfect place for poachers, and the moment they step foot inside the establishment, Makoto was attracting them like moths to flame. For the most part, Haruka had been glaring at a woman a few tables away from them who kept rotating between whispering with her friends and staring at Makoto. The sanctity of dates apparently isn’t a thing anymore, and Haruka is irked.
“Okay.” Makoto says, unconvinced. “What did I just say?”
“No idea.”
“What are you staring at?” Makoto laughs, though he doesn’t turn around to look for himself because that would be rude.
“She keeps staring at you.” Haruka says, entirely too annoyed to be subtle about it. He glances at her again only to find that she’s gone back to her dinner for the time being. He doesn’t dare hope that she’s given up. He’s witnessed Makoto deny advances one too many times for that.
“What?” Makoto’s back is turned to her, so it’s technically not his fault for being in the dark about it. This time. “Who?”
Haruka shrugs, staring at his fork as if it’s the most interesting thing in the room.
Makoto laughs again, propping his chin up with his hand, and when Haruka glances up at him, his boyfriend is smiling. “That explains it then.” Makoto says, almost too cheerfully. Haruka is immediately suspicious. “From the look on your face, I was wondering if Kisume had showed up or something.”
“Funny.” Haruka says. He’s starting to feel ridiculous for being as upset as he is. They’re not in high school anymore, and it’s not like anyone else actually stands a chance with Makoto. Rin’s always said as much, and Haruka’s starting to believe him when he says that Haruka is the only person Makoto sees. “If he had, I wouldn't be here.”
Makoto tips his head slightly. “You don’t have to be jealous, you know.”
“I’m not jealous.” Haruka shoots back, possibly too loudly if the brief glances that are shot his way are anything to go by. “I’m not. You don’t like boobs anyway.”
Not so much has changed that Makoto’s cheeks don’t turn a little pink at the suggestion, and it’s endearing enough to slightly calm Haruka’s ire.
“Well, you don’t like… well, anyone, but I still get a little jealous when other people look at you.”
“No one looks at me like that.” Haruka says, absolutely certain of himself. When he’s with Makoto, he might as well be invisible to others. It’s partially why Haruka was so drawn to him when they were children, back when he preferred not to speak and had Makoto act as his voice more often than not. He’s always disliked attention and appreciated that Makoto took it in stride. Now that he’s older, however, his ideology is changing.
Makoto nods, mouth quirking into a half-smile. “You’ve always been attractive, Haru. Of course people look at you. You’ve just never noticed.”
Haruka refuses to believe he’s as oblivious as Makoto. He’s too aware of his surroundings for that, and his skin tingles uncomfortably when people aside from those he’s close to look at him, though he’s starting to get over that.
But Makoto wouldn’t fabricate a story just to make Haruka feel better, so the blue-eyed swimmer is hesitant to discredit his words completely.
He looks to the woman again only to find that she’s back to watching Makoto from the corner of her eye. Haruka scowls.
“Hey.” Makoto says suddenly, taking his hand away from his face. “Lean forward a bit.” Haruka hesitates briefly before doing as he’s told. “A little more.”
“Mako – “ Haruka starts to protest, because the other man’s intentions are unclear, but then Makoto leans forward as well, meeting Haruka halfway and bringing their lips together in a slow, pointed kiss.
“There.” Makoto says as he settles back in his seat, so pleased with himself as Haruka stares at him in wonder. University has improved Makoto’s confidence in leaps and bounds, and it makes Haruka too hot to function most days. And Makoto knows it, too, the smug idiot. “Is she still staring?”
“I don’t know.” Haruka replies, and he never finds out, as his gaze never strays from Makoto for the rest of the evening.