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Makoto rubbed his eyes, looking around his room. He’d been up late last night again, even if it was for another reason than usual. All Makoto could see when he closed his eyes were words he was supposed to know the meaning of. He went with his hand through his hair, this exam better go well.
Throwing a look at the clock he noticed he had overslept once again, meaning that Gou would be waiting for him in the hall already. He shot her a quick message, telling her he would be there soon, before pulling on his jeans and grabbing a green hoodie. Ten minutes later he came stumbling into the hall where she was waiting for him.
“Makoto-senpai, you need to stop sleeping through your alarms.” She shook her head even when there was a small smile playing on her lips. Makoto started apologizing immediately at which she just laughed before pulling him along towards their university.
“So, today it’s a pretty special day.” She looked up at him while Makoto was trying not to frown too much.
“It is?” Gou had a disbelieving look on her face and sighed.
“Makoto-senpai, it’s your birthday.” His eyes widened in realisation -had he really forgotten his own birthday?- before shrugging. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
Gou rolled her eyes. “You must be really tired to forget that. Did you stay up late talking to Haru again?” A smug smile tugged at the corners of her lips when Makoto’s cheeks started to turn pink slightly.
Five years ago Makoto talked to a guy on the internet about some show they both used to watch. After discovering they both liked swimming and had several things in common, they started to chat more and Makoto noticed he really had fun talking to this boy, even if he still was kind of scared that he would turn out to be a middle aged man. That’s one of the reasons they started skyping with each other and Makoto had been taken away the first time he saw Haru behind the webcam. Sure, he had seen pictures before but this was different.
Haru’s eyes were the bluest blue he had ever seen and the lazy smile, which was pretty hard to discover but unforgettable once it was seen, made him look happy and almost kind of cute. Makoto didn’t notice that he had been staring till Haru had snorted.
The first time actually talking to Haru was a whole new experience, his voice was really smooth and it just wasn’t fair. There was a noticeable difference with Makoto’s own cracking voice which Haru seemed to be amused with.
Since then they had talked frequently -almost every day now he thought about it, sometimes even more then he did with his other friends- and if asked, Makoto would say that Haru was his best friend. People would find it weird since they’d never actually met each other, but that didn’t matter. Haru knew him better than Makoto knew himself, and it was the same way around.
Haru had shortly after talked to Makoto’s other friends, Gou, Nagisa and Rei. After that unforgettable event Makoto had met those of Haru. This was how he discovered that Gou’s older brother, who lived on the other side of the country, also knew Haru. Rin was apparently a good friend of Haru’s and it was almost funny to see how much they’d bicker over everything.
It would be a lie if Makoto said he hadn’t started developing feelings for his best friend, but he also knew that a relationship would be impossible. They lived far away from one another and there was no way Haru would feel the same towards him.
Anyway, they had helped each other through difficult times and Haru did amazing things for him, things he never would forget. He was obviously still keeping the self made presents Haru sent him. Normally Haru would talk to him if he was stressed about an exam or something like that, which always calmed him down one way or another. Last night however, Haru had been too busy to do so and it worried Makoto.That also had been one of the reasons he hadn’t been able to sleep.
Makoto glanced briefly down at the friendship bracelet Haru had sent him before the icy wind brought him back to senses again.
“No, he said he had stuff to do and to take care of.” Makoto blamed the hard wind for the crease between his eyebrows. It was the midst of November and while it wasn’t freezing or anything, it was still pretty cold, especially in the mornings. He buried his nose into his scarf as the university came into sight.
“You will get it after class.”
“Huh? Get what?”
“Your present of course. Jeez you really do need more sleep.”
They kept talking till they had to go their different paths. Gou wished him success with his exam before meeting up with Nagisa and Rei, their talk developing in a heated discussion of which Makoto could only hear a few words.
Makoto heaved his backpack over his shoulder and started walking towards his class. “Let’s do this.”
Makoto yawned, that exam had been more tiring than the learning itself.
He was at the cafeteria where Gou had wanted to meet him again. At least he was done with the other stuff for the rest of the day and upcoming weekend which meant he could go to his apartment and just sleep. Maybe he could even find time to talk to Haru if he wasn’t busy anymore. Makoto smiled till his thoughts got disturbed by a bouncing ray of sunshine.
“Hello Nagisa, how-”
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAKO-CHAN!” Makoto got cut off as Nagisa flung his arms around his neck and pulled him in a hug which Makoto accepted while chuckling.
“Thank you Nagisa. Ah, hello Rei and Gou.” The other two came running in, out of breath telling Nagisa that he shouldn’t just leave without them.
After they’d both caught their breath and wished him a happy birthday, Gou looked up and a wide smile spread over her face. “Are you ready for my present Makoto-senpai? Oh, and I suppose you could say that Rin helped with this one as well.”
Makoto raised one brow curiously but nodded. “You know, you didn’t have to go through the trouble of buying me a present. It’s not-” He was cut off once again as Nagisa and Gou started to pull him towards the exit.
“I know, I know. That’s why I didn’t buy you one.” She and Nagisa snickered and oh, Makoto didn’t have a good feeling about this. Suddenly a comforting hand appeared on Makoto’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Makoto-senpai. I’m sure you’ll love it.” Makoto smiled thankfully at Rei, relaxing a little.
Nagisa giggled as they stepped outside and Makoto immediately regretted not quickly grabbing his coat, it was really cold. He could see the little clouds of breath drifting from his friend's noses and mouths.
He looked around, noticing that there were only a few people outside. When he looked back at his friends they were positively beaming, a grin spread over their faces.
“Is my present here?” They all nodded as Makoto looked around again. He didn’t see anything special. There was a broom leaning against the building, some papers scattered on the ground, a broken pencil laying in front of his feet, a pair of intense blue eyes staring at him from a good 30 meters away, wait-
Makoto’s breath caught in his throat. This was not possible. There was no way that there was a softly smiling, blue eyed boy waiting for him.
Makoto’s hand flew up to cover his mouth in surprise as his friend's smiles only grew wider. “No way... Haru?” The words came out as a whisper as he started to take the first few steps towards him. The other boy started walking too and before he knew it they were both running towards each other.
Makoto picked him up so Haru could wrap his legs around his waist and his arms around Makoto’s neck. Makoto welcomed the embrace and hid his face into Haru’s shoulder, inhaling his scent for the first time. He could hear Haru’s crystal clear laugh next to his ear as he tightened his grip on the blue jacket Haru was wearing.
“Hello Makoto.” Makoto tried to pull him closer because yes this is real, Haru really was here for him, he was hugging Haru, this was really happening. Haru went through Makoto’s hair with his hand and stopped at the back of his neck.
“Makoto, are you crying?” Makoto sniffed as he let out a quiet ‘No’. Haru laughed again and they stayed in that position for what seemed like forever. After awhile Makoto finally put Haru gently down again, getting a little flustered as he realised what just had happened. Haru looked so cute in his blue jacket and with red cheeks from the cold, Makoto couldn’t believe it.
“Is this- Are you really... Are you really here?” Haru smiled softly and placed his warm hand on Makoto’s cold cheek. “Yes Makoto, I’m really here you dork.” Makoto’s face lit up entirely and he embraced Haru once again who gladly accepted it.
“You know you’re even taller in real life.” Makoto laughed at the muffled words that were coming from under him.
“You’re even shorter.”
“Shut up.”
Suddenly someone coughed behind them and Makoto pulled away slightly to see Rei, Nagisa en Gou smiling at them.
“Remember the people who helped to organize this?” Makoto laughed loudly at Gou’s words as he scooped all three of them in a big hug.
“Thank you so much guys. I owe you, you’re all great friends.” Gou patted his arm as Nagisa giggled. Rei started protesting about how they were just repaying the favour and Makoto’s smile widened. He looked back over his shoulder at the wide smiling Haru.
Best birthday ever.