Haru couldn't quiet remember what happened after those words left Makoto's mouth.

"Who's Tachibana-kun?"

It couldn't be. Makoto had to remember who he was.

One glance at the way Makoto was looking around at everyone proved that Haru's fleeting hope was a false one.

The doctor's eyes widened slightly before his brows furrowed together with concern. Behind him, he could see Makoto's mother go pale, and he was thankful Rei was there to hold on to her elbow and get her to sit in a chair.

"Do you not remember anything, Tachibana-kun?" the doctor came forward again, examining his head and eyes, prodding and poking. Haru watched in a haze. From the way Makoto's eyes were, it wasn't helping. He couldn't remember anything. Not why he was at the hospital. Not why he was getting prodded at by the doctor.

Makoto couldn't remember his family, his friends, the memories he shared with them. All of that was gone. Every moment and feeling he shared with everyone he held dear vanished.

Haru caught Makoto's eye as the doctor turned his head, locking eyes with him. They were the same green eyes as always, beautifully green, facets of emerald and jade, making Haru think of summer leaves and grass fields blowing in the wind, but they were not his Makoto's eyes.

Those eyes didn't remember Haru.

"Well, your head seems to be fine, Tachibana-kun," the doctor stepped away a bit as he put his small flashlight in his pocket. "Don't feel dizzy? Nauseous?" Makoto shook his head gently at both questions.

Haru listened, feeling weak as he gripped on to the armrest. When did he get in a chair? "Can you try to think, Tachibana-kun? It might help a bit. Start with the basics, like the rest of your name," the room's air was heavy as everyone watched Makoto's brow furrow slightly, tilting his head as he thought. Haru hated how he tilted his head. He was only supposed to do that when he smiled.

"I'm... Tachibana..." Makoto closed his eyes. "Mi-Mioko? No... but it's close isn't it... it's... it's a girl's name, right? Oh... Makoto. I'm Tachibana Makoto, that seems more... right."

Haru couldn't find it in himself to celebrate Makoto's achievement.

"That's right, Tachibana-kun," the doctor looked somewhat relieved. "It doesn't look like the amnesia will be permanent but I'll go ahead and schedule you in for a scan to make sure there's no damage to your brain." He penciled in something on Makoto's chart before pulling up the stool to sit next to the bed. "It might be a little hard right now, but if you ever remember anything you have to say them out loud. Sometimes talking about it helps trigger the memory. We're going to keep you here until your scan, and then I think it's best if you went home to your family. Being surrounded by the people you grew up with will help."

Makoto glanced at his mother, who had been silent the whole time, tearing up but refusing to let the droplets fall. He blinked once at her before his expression changed to one of worry, and that was something that Haru recognized on his face, but Haru didn't want to see it there. "Okay, doctor, I understand," he said gently.

"I'll let you get reacquainted with your family, Tachibana-kun," the doctor patted him on the arm carefully and got up to leave. Haru watched him go, head resting on a curled up fist.

Makoto's mother shakily came forward to sit next to her son, and Haru could hardly look at the way Makoto watched her with wide, curious eyes, as if trying to piece together how he knew her, or how she was important to him. "How..." his mother swallowed over a lump in her throat, and Haru looked away. "How are you doing?"

"Good," Makoto sounded friendly as he smiled at her, gently, head tilting in a way so painfully familiar. "Sore, I guess... confused."

There was a pause in the conversation, a heavy lull, and Haru could hear Makoto slowly piece together bits of information. "I-I'm sorry..." Makoto placed a bandaged hand over his mother's trembling one, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I-I feel like you're important to me, but I..."

Mrs. Tachibana shook her head. "No, it's... it's okay, dear. It's not your fault..." she took a heavy, shaky breath, before opening her watery eyes to him. "I-I'm your mother."

Haru didn't have to look at them to know that Makoto's eyes went wide, blinking in slight surprise like he always did when someone told him something he didn't know. "O-Oh... I'm..." his voice faded with the words he wanted to say, as memories fought to click back into place.

"It's okay," her voice was thick, as she gave his hand a squeeze, leaning forward to kiss his forehead. "Don't force yourself. I'm just glad you're alive. We were all... so, so worried."

Haru got up and walked out, unable to take any of it anymore. He could hear Makoto begin to apologize for not remembering any of them, for not remembering his own mother, and he had to get out, he had to leave.

What about me?

Haru looked up to footsteps barreling down the hallway. He saw Nagisa, behind him Rin, Hakune, Chiaki and everyone else. Gou and Sousuke following closely, with Ai looking worriedly. Haru didn't want to wait for them; he rushed passed, ignoring Rin's calls to him.

He managed to get down to the lobby of the hospital, seeing the main exit before he stopped and he stared, empty, hollow emotions running through him, the barest trickles of self doubt ringing through each of his steps.

"Haru, wait!" Hakune managed to reach him, stepping around him and blocking his path. He could only see passed her, even as she held his wrists with both her hands to remind him that she was there.

"He doesn't remember," the words mumbled through his lips as reality began to crash into him with each breath he took; it scarcely made a difference. Everything still felt numb, cold.

"Haru..." Hakune rubbed the tops of his arms to keep him warm, keep him from losing to the cold that was building up with each strained second.

"He doesn't remember anything... his family... his friends... me," Haru looked at Hakune then, blue eyes reflecting into silver, and he could see the well of tears wanting to spill from his eyes, mirrored back to him in steady silver. "He doesn't-"

Something overflowed within Haru, and a broken half sob escaped him as he covered his mouth to hide it, posture crumbling at the knees. Hakune caught him in her arms and managed to drag him to a set of chairs in the hospital lobby, as dry, heaving sobs wracked through his body, every part of him shaking with the realization that he'd just uttered out loud.

Makoto remembered nothing.

Not his family, not his friends, and not Haru.

"He might never love me," Haru realized, the weight of his conclusion heavy on his tongue, constricting his throat and clogging his nose as he tried to breathe. "H-He must have... he had to have loved me... a-at some point... and now... a-and n-now-"

"Haru, stop," Hakune gave him water, and some spilled out of the corners of his shaking lips as he tried to drinking, feeling like he was choking, wondering if with each swallow he would drown. "Breathe, Haru. It's okay."

Hakune managed to make Haru guzzle half the bottle, all the while soothing, comforting words eased out of her mouth, soft, gentle sincerity flowing from her voice as she did so. "Calmer now?" she asked. Haru nodded, feeling heavy still, but at least now he could breathe.

Haru stared down at his hands, still shaking slightly with the weight of the air around him. It caused his eyes to feel sore and his throat to constrict on him, but he breathed. He had to.

"Makoto... doesn't remember anything..." the words felt heavy on his tongue, constricting his throat and clogging his nose. He pressed his hands together in a clasp and rested his forehead on it, drained. The reality of saying what was true out loud made it easier to accept, but not easier to bear. He and Hakune were quiet, only the sounds of the lobby cutting through the silence.

"He has amnesia?" Hakune's quiet voice cut through his thoughts after a while, and Haru nodded. He could hear the clock tick in the distance, and Haru began to count each one, automatic. It was something for him to hold on to, however monotonous.

He'd give up anything exciting he'd experienced in his life for monotony if it meant Makoto would remember him.

They sat in silence, uncomfortably so. Haru had found that sitting in silence with Hakune was much like sitting in silence with Makoto. It held words that didn't need to be said, Haru often finding that He didn't need to push himself to say anything for the sake of conversation, instead being able to get up and come back without having to worry that he'd made her feel awkward. Now, with both of them thinking, the fact of Makoto's memory weighing heavy between them, Haru felt as though he'd be abandoned if Hakune left him there.

"Everyone's in the room with him now," he turned his head to see Hakune looking at him, eyes tired, but seemingly undeterred by the news. "We should go see him."

"I can't," Haru breathed, hands scratching at his knees as he clenched his fists. "It hurts to look at him."

Hakune patted him gently, understanding what he meant.

"But he needs you, right, Haru?" she murmured gently. "He may not remember you now but... let's say he never does. You can mourn the memories he lost... or you can make new ones."

Haru blinked up at Hakune as she stood up. "I'll give you a minute to yourself. It's your choice, in the end," she gave him one more pat and left Haru there, forcing him to stare at her retreating back.

He wanted more than anything for Makoto to remember him. More than anything for Makoto to remember all the times that Haru looked at him with eyes that said 'I love you'; for Makoto to remember all the times he looked at Haru and -

Haru stood up abruptly and looked down the hall to where Makoto's door stayed open. He began to walk, slowly at first, then more frantically with each step he took.

What would Makoto even remember of his feelings for Haru in the past?

Haru stood carefully just before the doorway, listening to everyone carefully introducing themselves, to Hakune and Chiaki gently laughing at all the things that they were excited to share again with Makoto, to Rin crying and yelling at Nagisa, to Makoto's parents and siblings murmuring words of love and comfort to their son, their brother.

Haru stepped through the door, determined.

Makoto wouldn't have many good memories of his feelings for Haru. Not when Haru never looked back at him.

Not until Makoto left for Tokyo.

Not until Makoto found someone else, someone more ready to open up to him.

Not until Makoto nearly died.

"Oh, Haru," Rin swung his arm around Haru's shoulder and drew him towards Makoto's bed. Haru looked down at Makoto, who blinked, wide eyed, smiling at him the way he would a stranger, someone passing him by on the street.

"Hello," he said cheerily as Haru sat down. "You were here earlier, but I don't remember if I introduced myself... though I guess that's kind of silly, you probably know who I am."

Haru took a deep breath before giving Makoto a gentle smile, one that he hoped told Makoto that he meant so much to him.

I'm here Makoto. I'm here for you.

I love you.

"I'm Haru," he said gently, squeezing Makoto's hand that lay on top of his sheets. "We've known each other since we were kids."

Makoto's eyes widened before he smiled at him, gentler, like he'd just found an old friend, which in a way, Haru supposed he had. Not quite the eyes that Makoto used to turn towards him, and it hurt to think He may never look at me with those eyes again but Haru shook his head.

"Ah, really? I'm sorry then, that I don't remember," Makoto's eyes furrowed together, anxious, apologetic. "We must have been close."

Haru sighed gently, before squeezing his hand. "It's not your fault," he said gently. "You did it to help someone. I'm not surprised you did it."

Makoto laughed gently then, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth slightly, and it was so familiar that Haru bit his tongue to hold back the tears. "Is it really something I'd do?" Makoto joked. "It's too bad I don't remember anything... I feel like people are talking about someone else when they say things about me..."

Haru looked up to see everyone smiling gently, sadly, as they watched Makoto talk and get to know them all over again. "You'll have time to remember," Haru said carefully. "And we'll make new memories with you along the way."

Makoto tugged at his left earlobe unconsciously. "Well, I don't know, I don't want to trouble you all too much..."

"Don't be silly, Mako-chan!" Nagisa piped in from where he sat perched on Rei's lap. "We're more than happy to help you."

"You always did that for us, anyway," Rin added, eyes red from blubbering next to his sister, who was holding a box of tissues for him. "Never asking for things in return."

Haru looked into anxious green eyes flitting from person to person as they nodded their heads in agreement. "It's time we helped you, too. You..." Haru glanced down before looking at Makoto again, "you were always there for me. The least I can do is take care of you this time."

Makoto smiled, eyes watering a bit at the corners, and that was more than enough for Haru at the moment.

It was more than enough to see him comforted.