Haru took his books out of his schoolbag, frowning, and placed them neatly arranged inside his desk. The first period of the morning was English, and that was the reason he was frowning: first, although he was a decent student who always got pretty good grades, English was not a subject he enjoyed; and second, his English teacher was in hospital for a knee surgery, so today they were meeting her substitute teacher. Again having to stand up and say his name aloud, urgh! And the worse was that anybody understood why it bothered him so much. As if having to speak aloud while everybody watched was something completely normal and even enjoyable!

The classroom door opened and all his peers rushed to seat down. Haru looked by the window and sighed. If he squinted and tried hard, he swore he could see a bit of the school swimming pool behind the trees. Yes, that was definitely a little piece of blue, was it? He tried to space out, leaving all the voices and book shuffles behind, and imagine he was swimming after the school lessons, drinking the weak light of the afternoon sun with his wet and bare skin…

"Nanase Haruka?"

A gentle voice said his name, raising the end in a question. A couple of girls giggled. He turned towards the front of the classroom and stood up, bowing slightly. He knew what came next, the usual surprised comment: "Oh, I thought you were a girl, with that name…" But instead, the gentle voice said:

"Pleased to meet you. Miss Nagane has told me a lot about you; I'm really impressed."

Haru straightened up, slightly shocked, and looked for the first time at his new English teacher. The man was… young; he didn't look more than twenty-two or twenty-three years old. Is this his first job?, Haru thought. And he was tall and broad-shouldered, not the kind of lanky bearded guy with rimmed glasses they used to get as substitute teacher… And he had the brightest and sweetest smile Haru had ever seen. He stood there without saying a word, thinking hard of something to say, but the new teacher turned his focus on his list again and called the next student. Haru sat down again, feeling a bit embarrassed.

The rest of the morning lessons were fine, though tedious and long as always. The lunch break couldn't come sooner. Haru took his home made bento and rushed outdoors. He didn't have enough time to swim, but he still could eat his lunch beside the pool. It was a consolation prize, but he would get all the stress of the day drowned in a few hours, when he finished school and could spend hours inside the water, at last.

When he approached the gym, something caught his attention: a group of girls from his class stood at the gym doors, looking at something and giggling. He wasn't a curious person, but they were on his way, so he came closer to them and muttered:

"What happens?"

The girl directly before him got startled at hearing him, and gasped loudly, stirring the others girls, who screamed and started running down the corridor. Haru was roughly pushed against the half opened door while the girls ran, and he cursed and straightened up, making sure his bento hadn't spilled out.

"Haru?"

He raised his head and found out what those silly girls had been spying behind the half open door: their new English teacher was in the gym, lying on a weight lifting machine, dressed in short pants and a tank top. He had his back to the door, and only then, hearing the girls' noise and the door open, had he noticed he was being watched. He turned his head to look at Haru with a startled face. The boy, in turn, couldn't take his eyes from the rivulets of sweat going down his teacher biceps and wide neck. He knew he should say something, anything, but he just stayed there, rooted to the spot, and nothing remotely similar to words came to his mind. After an awkward moment of silence, the teacher smiled, wrinkling his eyes in a very attractive way, and sat up on the machine.

"Where you going to use the gym?" he asked. "They have told me I could use it during my lunch time, so I hope you don't mind I'm here."

Haru shook his head.

"No?" the teacher asked, visibly confused.

The boy cleared his throat, looking anywhere but to the man. Fuck, say something. Whatever. You look like a fool.

"I… I…" He stuttered and started again, grabbing his bento tightly. "I don't do weight lifting."

"Oh. But you look athletic. I bet you go jogging, eh? In what club are you?"

"Swimming."

"Ah, nice, I love swimming! The school pool looks great, by the way. Pity I'm only here for a couple of months; I would like to join. Teachers are allowed, right?"

He is talkative, Haru thought. He couldn't answer, his mouth completely dry all of a sudden. His palms were sweated and he secured his bento, afraid it would slip from his hands to the ground. He risked a quick glance to his teacher. The man was still sitting there and staring at him, with that wide smile that reached his eyes. Haru noticed, entranced, how the sweat made his tank top stick to those wide pectorals… and his eyes got caught at a taut nipple. Blushing, he focused again on his bento. Then he remembered he was supposed to say something. Feeling completely unable to talk, he shrugged, offered a little bow of his head and retreated to the corridor. He started to run as soon as his feet touched the concrete ground.

Oh my God. He might think I'm retarded. No, what did he say in the class? That he was impressed because of what Miss Nagane has told him? What the hell has she told him? I have no idea of what the teachers say about me. Oh my God, scratch that, he might think I was spying on him behind the door! Damned silly girls! Why me? Why him, why is he so attractive? And I haven't even caught what's his name…

His name, as it turned out, was Tachibana Makoto. He was only twenty-one, in fact, and he was in Iwatobi High School as a trainee teacher, as he was still at his last year of Uni. All of this information came to Haru without even having to ask, as the new English teacher was the trendy conversation topic among all the girls in the class. He just had to eavesdrop while pretending to study. He kept his face blank, but he still could feel his cheeks go hot as the image of the man flooded his mind. Tachibana Makoto… Makoto… I will be seventeen next month, so it's not a big age gap… He suddenly shook his head in despair and frowned, feeling his sense coming back to him. What am I thinking? Am I seriously considering hitting on a teacher? A man? He heard the eternal giggle of his female peers, and looked at them with the corner of his eye. They used to pay him a lot of the attention, when they were in middle school. Now they knew perfectly well that every smile or attempt at conversation would go ashtray: Haru was rarely interested in other people, and could find anything interesting at all in the group of cheerful girls who talked so lively about Tachibana Makoto. But of course, it doesn't mean that he wouldn't find them attractive. Men usually find cheery girls nice and attractive. How could I compete with them? He won't even notice me. One of the girls saw him peeking at them and stuck her tongue out at him. Haru tried to focus again on his book, ignoring her.

But the thought of certain teacher crawled into his mind again that night, when his mind was at its weakest, drifting into sleep but still conscious of his body… A body that felt tighter and warmer without previous notice, not fair at all. He let his mind return to that morning, to the sight of that man dressed in his tight and sweated sport clothes, the way his smile made his whole face glow, his charming green eyes wrinkling. Haru growled and turned to his side, hiding his face on the pillow. It was annoying; he could have tried at least to talk to him, to leave a good impression. But no, his shy self has had to act yet again, making him look like a fool. As every single time that I've found someone attractive. At this rate, Haru realised while he felt his heart sank, he would die alone, passing his days watching how everybody found their perfect matches and was happy with their other halves, while he was lonely and cold, always surrounded by his stupid bubble of lack of communication. He sighed. Not that this new teacher was the answer, of course; he was only a handsome and gentle man, but who knew how was him in reality. He didn't know him at all. But Haru decided that he would like very much to get to know Makoto.

I could have invited to join the swimming club, was the last awake thought of Haru that night. He felt asleep cursing himself.

The next day he had English after lunch. The knot in his stomach was bothering him, a light but constant presence nudging him. By the time the English lesson started, he was in a hell of a mood. But he had decided to talk to his teacher after the lesson and tell him to come and use the swimming pool during his stay at Iwatobi. Makoto stepped in the classroom, smiling shyly, clearly conscious of how all the girls looked at him. All the girls and Haru, who couldn't concentrate at all in the lesson, too busy drinking every twitch of Makoto's face and the way his muscles tensed and relaxed when he moved.

"Haru, exercise two, please?"

Haru's mind came back, alarmed, and a disgusting cold sweat made its appearance down his back when he scrutinized his book and found said exercise.

"Hmmm…" Was all Haru was able to say. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Michael say he want a piece of cake."

Makoto hummed, non-committal, still wearing a little smile.

"Yes, but it's reported speech… He told you that yesterday, right? He told you "I want a piece of cake", and now, today, you tell your friends what Michael said yesterday. As it was yesterday, not today, you must use the past tense, yes?"

Haru just stayed silent. He could feel his mind unfocused. How was he supposed to concentrate in finding the past tenses of those damned English verbs with all the eyes fixed on him? It was annoying.

"Come on, Haru, try again, I know you can do it right."

Haru tried to focus, he tried hard. The cold sweat was now running happily down his neck, temples and had invaded the palms of his hands. It was disgusting. He felt the strong urge to run away to the corridor. Feigning a nausea (which wouldn't be that pretended, though) and escaping to the toilet would be easier than stay there, under the weighing scrutiny of the whole class. But there was also Makoto. He couldn't escape and make a fool of himself in front of Makoto. What was the sentence again? He couldn't remember. He shook his head and looked again at his teacher. Makoto's smile only grew wider, as if he found his discomfort amusing.

"Let's see… The sentence was "I want a piece of cake". Michael said it yesterday. You said it well, you only have to turn the verbs into past simple, alright? Let's try: "Michael say…" What's the past tense of "say", Haru?"

What was it? Damned English and its list of irregular verbs. Or was it regular? He couldn't remember it for the life of him. He lowered his eyes again, hating that feeling of defeat, and shook his head again. He wasn't looking, but he could swear that Makoto sighed at this. The next thing he heard was the scratch of the chalk on the blackboard. Makoto was writing the whole sentence and explaining the verbs, but Haru disconnected, too exhaust to focus on the English grammar. He felt miserable.

He watched Makoto during the rest of the lesson, not hearing a word of the explanations or exercises. Was I wrong about him? Apart from being kind and handsome, is he just one more person, not worthy of my efforts? Because trying to focus in a person and get to know them was a huge effort for him. If in the end his teacher wasn't worth of him going out of his way, then the sooner he knew it, the better.

But the more he observed him, more convinced was Haru that that wasn't the case. Makoto was extremely kind and patient, and he never lost his cheerful mood, not even when he got rude answers from the couple of punk students in the class. He enjoyed teaching, and it showed. His eyes glowed every time he got the right answer from someone he (they) didn't expect to, and he seemed to know each of his students that early in his stay at Iwatobi: who needed patience, who was brilliant and needed to be praised, who was behind and needed help… He had the right kind of smile for everybody. And, Haru had to admit, every time Makoto stood to write on the blackboard he could feel his own body grow hot with each slide of the teacher's hips and each twitch of his wide back, and soon he was spacing out and wondering how it would feel to have those strong arms holding him tight. By the end of the lesson, his cheeks felt warm and he had half an erection, and took all of his will to relax enough to make a decent exit of the classroom. He didn't dare to stop and talk to Makoto.

The next day he had swimming club. Instead of jumping into the water and ignoring the instructions as he usually did, he waited until the rest of the club members were already swimming and stood in front of their trainer, Gou. The girl noticed him, startled.

"Haru. Can I help you?"

"Well…" It wasn't so embarrassing talking to Gou; he knew her since Elementary school. But what he wanted to tell her made him rather anxious; so again, it wasn't easy. "I wanted to ask you something."

Gou smiled, relieved.

"Of course. I'm here to help all of you! What can I do for you?"

"It's not exactly for me… There's a new English teacher, the one who came to substitute Miss Nagane while she has her knee surgery…"

"Ah, yes, the sexy one! I've heard a lot about him! The girls don't shut up, I wished I had him in English instead of Mister Kawashima!"

Haru was a bit annoyed, but he shrugged it off and continued.

"He has told me that he loves swimming, but he thinks he can't join our club because he is only staying at Iwatobi High for two months. Could you invite him to join us, even if it's only for his stay here?"

Gou's eyes widened in surprise.

"Ah, really? Why not? I'd love to have him here, in fact! Thank you, Haru, I'll talk to him tomorrow. This is… a bit odd from you, you know. Showing concern for someone else, I mean. But you could have invited him yourself."

"I thought it was better if someone as our trainer told him. I'm only an ordinary member." And with that, he decided the conversation was over and ran to the water.

He tried to keep his mind focused on other things during the weekend, but on Monday morning the anxiousness was there, eating him up, and the English lesson during the second period was torture. At least Makoto didn't ask him to talk aloud again, except to fill a word when it was his turn, and nobody raised their heads from their notebooks to stare at him just for that. Practice speaking in pairs was something he could do perfectly well; he wasn't completely useless at English after all, thank you very much.

Still, it was quite the surprise when Makoto appeared at the swimming pool on Tuesday afternoon, wearing an ankle-length swimsuit, quite professional looking and tight as a second skin. He also wore his sweet shy smile, and seemed eager to greet every member of the team, his green eyes shining in joy when he recognised Haru among them. The boy freaked out and jumped into the pool before Makoto could approach him.

He couldn't hear what they said, but he watched with the corner of his eye as Gou apologised for his rudeness. Makoto didn't seem to listen to her, though. He was mesmerized observing Haru. The boy focused again in swimming, feeling uneasy. After some minutes, he saw Makoto and the rest jumping in the pool and he could relax and enjoy of the water as he always did. Never did he feel as free and comfortable with himself, with the whole world, as when he was swimming. The water engulfed everything else; suddenly the rest of the team disappeared, his parents and granny disappeared, the lessons, the future, and every single thought that had ever troubled him, everything disappeared and turned into strokes, into displaced water that allowed him to go through, with respect. Nothing else mattered then.

He was so relaxed, and his mind so far from the real world, that the hand extended towards him the moment he was about to get out of the pool was a bit of a shock. Especially because at the other side of that hand, attached to an arm, was a smiling Makoto. Blushing, he let the teacher pull him out the water. That? That had never, never happened to him. He wanted to say "thank you", but the surprise didn't help at finding words, and he still could feel his cheeks as warm as the palm that had been in contact with Makoto's one. He couldn't find the courage to take a glance at his face. When he did it, at last, after a long and awkward silence, he found Makoto's eyes fixed on him. The man quickly averted his eyes, shyly, and a feeble blush spread across his cheeks. Haru opened his mouth in surprise. Damn! That's so cute! And he was staring at me! But Makoto was certainly braver than him, because he overcame his shyness in a moment and said to him:

"You know, you are quite a sight when you swim, Haru. You look like a dolphin, or a mermaid."

"You mean a merman", Haru objected without thinking.

Makoto's blush spread wider, and he looked again at everything but Haru's face.

"Yes! Of course! I didn't mean you looked feminine or anything, just…" he paused and raised his head to look at Haru again, "I had never seen anyone swimming that way. It's amazing."

The rest of the team was heading to the showers, so they started walking, too. Haru found the silence between them comfortable, and he hoped the man, being more talkative, was okay with it as well. Once in the showers, and feeling bolder than before, Haru contemplated his two options. He could have a quick shower, as always, and go home as soon as possible… or not. He sighed, feeling stupid, but he knew he would feel still more stupid if he just ran away home now that Makoto was there. So he stayed outside the cloakroom and consulted some technical things with Gou. The girl was surprised: Haru never seemed too interested in things like best times or ways to improve their speed. But she happily obliged. A quick peek told Haru that Makoto was also chattering with some team members and still hadn't showered. Good. Most of the boys were already leaving the cloakroom when he saw Makoto grab his bath soap and towel; he cut Gou with a quick "Thank you!" and ran inside. Towel in hand, he stepped in the shower area. Only three other people were showering, but if someone had asked him later, he wouldn't be able to answer who the other two were. Because there, in the centre of the wide white room, there was a very nude Makoto under the splash of the water.

Haru reacted fast this time: he pushed the nearest shower button and pulled his swimsuit down, and turned facing the tiled wall when he felt Makoto turning to see who had entered. He stayed like that for a minute or so, aware of the fact that he was blushing, but feeling the intense gaze of the man drilling holes into his body. Because when he dared a quick glance at him, Makoto was indeed watching him, with his cute face dyed in a nice shade of red. Haru almost smiled at this. He stayed way too long under the spray of the water, making sure his hands ran across his flanks and his thighs, offering Makoto a bit of a show. The other boys first left the shower area and then finished dressing, and Haru started to panic at the thought of being actually alone with Makoto, so he stepped out of the shower and put his clothes on really quickly. Makoto followed him, avoiding his eyes. They left the cloakroom together, again silent, but Gou called for Makoto once outside. She wanted to make sure that Makoto had enjoyed and was going to come back the next practise day; Haru took the chance to slip away. He ran all the way back home.

The next day was Wednesday, and that meant English in the first period again. Haru felt embarrassed as soon as Makoto got in the classroom, and he could tell that he wasn't the only one. Makoto avoided looking at his general direction the whole lesson, didn't ask him any question and, in fact, seemed to choke when he said his name while roll calling. In the end, Haru didn't know if he should feel pity for the man, if he should be amused at his reaction, or if he should be annoyed. Last evening he had felt honestly proud and happy, and had stared at his own reflection on the mirror for long minutes, something he had never done before. But then he felt self conscious for the first time in his life. Was he attractive? Makoto's reaction could mean that the answer was a "yes", and a strong one. Was there any other reason for his reaction? Haru could think of none. He was showering with other nude males when he entered the shower, and Makoto was joking with them, not embarrassed in the least. Was that a good signal? Did Haru have a chance with Makoto? It seemed so, if only because of his beautiful way of swimming. It was the only thing Haru stood out, after all.

But. That day's lesson. Not good, not good at all. If they weren't able to look each other in the face, or to talk to each other… then there was where the story ended. And it didn't even had started, for God's sake! Haru felt upset and concerned again. Makoto liked him, he was almost sure. But it seemed it wasn't enough. Well, I really don't know what else to do, so it seems that's all.

They had practise again that afternoon, but after that morning's fiasco, Haru didn't expect his teacher to come. Again, he underestimated Makoto, or perhaps he adjudged the man his own behaviour, forgetting Makoto was older and more mature, and of course more extroverted than him. Because yes, the English teacher appeared at the pool again, wearing the same tight swimsuit that left nothing to the imagination. Although I don't need imagination to know what's under that swimsuit, Haru thought, feeling his cheeks warm again. That was a recurring reaction when Makoto was near, it seemed. He looked directly at the man's eyes, daring him to avoid his face like that morning. Makoto looked more relaxed than in the classroom, and so was Haru. They exchanged a short greeting, Makoto offered his usual cheerful smile, and all the team got into the pool and started their practise.

Haru spaced out while swimming, as always. Things were different when he was in the water, and even Makoto was a faded image in a corner of his mind. Gou's whistle shook him out of his reverie, and when he swam towards the edge of the pool to get out, that hand was already there for him. I could get used to this, Haru thought as he took it, letting Makoto pull him out of the water. The strong pull, in fact, almost made him trip and fall into the man's arms, but luckily he regained his balance in time. Things were awkward enough as they were, no need for extra help with that! Makoto smiled at him, a tiny shy pull of his lips, and Haru felt tempted to reciprocate. He rarely smiled, and his lips wouldn't move, but he could feel his own eyes wrinkling with kind amusement. Makoto, observant as he was, caught the slight change in Haru's face, because his smile grew wider, and when he turned to head towards the cloakroom, Haru realised his hand had been in Makoto's one until that moment.

He was a bit ashamed of his behaviour of the previous day, so he showered right away, along with most of the group. Makoto's body wasn't so distracting while in the middle of a little crowd, although both of them stole glances to each other now and then. Haru found it exciting. They finished and exited the cloakroom together again, and this time anybody stopped Makoto. They found themselves walking out the school at the same pace.

"Can I ask you something?"

Makoto turned, bewildered. Haru could understand his surprise: it wasn't very common that it was him who initiated a conversation. But for once, he was curious.

"When we met you told me Miss Nagane had told you things about me and you were impressed… May I know what did she tell you?"

Makoto laughed, and Haru felt his heart taking a leap against his ribs.

"Ah, that! She gave me a little report of everyone in the class, to be honest, but she dwelt a lot with you; you are clearly one of her favourite students, Haru."

Those were surprising news. He was well-behaved and obtained good marks, even in English, but he thought teachers always preferred participative students, and well, his lack of enthusiasm at speaking aloud in front of the others…

"She told me… that your parents are usually living in another town due to work, and your grandmother died last year, so you are virtually living alone…" Makoto's gaze lowered, as if he was still embarrassed. "And you take care of the house perfectly well, you cook all your meals and your grades haven't decreased in the least." He slowed down and finally stop, looking at Haru again with a face the boy couldn't decipher. "You know, when I was your age my mom still made my bento every day, and if one day she couldn't do it, I ate at the cafeteria. And my parents had to nudge me to study for the exams and do all my chores. I… I honestly don't think I would have finished High School and went to the Uni if I had had to do everything on my own."

Haru shrugged and kept walking. So it was that. Was that what all the teachers thought about him? Were they pitying him? It was a bit annoying, to be perfectly honest. In fact, he didn't want them talking about him at all. He heard fast and strong steps after him, and a hand at his forearm.

"Wait! Sorry, I didn't think you would be upset."

Haru shook his head.

"No problem. I asked."

"It's not a bad thing, Haru. All the teachers think you are doing great. You are very mature for your age, and that's definitely a good thing."

Haru stared at those bright green eyes. I suppose being considered this way is better than the opposite. Although I don't feel mature at all. If I was mature, I wouldn't feel my knees go weak when he looks at me this way. And I would know how to react, how to flirt, how to tell him things that would make him go crazy for me… Makoto smiled, one of his cute sweet grins, and Haru sighed in frustration, but in the end a half smile tugged his lips and they resumed walking. Their ways separated too soon, and they said goodbye for the evening.

Lying in his bed later, Haru essayed what he would like to tell Makoto, and how he would react. A real grin curved his lips when he finally felt asleep.

Thursday's English lesson wasn't as uncomfortable as the previous day, and Makoto glanced at him and smiled openly a lot. Haru felt light and embarrassed in equal parts. But after the lesson, while they were packaging to go back home, he noticed some girls whispering and darting him annoyed looks. Sorry, bitches, but Makoto is mine, he thought, feeling bold. Well, he will be. Soon.

He intended to talk to him the next day, after the swimming practise. But during lunch time he overheard that Makoto hadn't come to the school that day. And, of course, there goes my luck, Haru thought, feeling his mood turning suddenly dark. For once that I gathered the courage to talk to him… Perhaps this is a sign that I should give up. His mood didn't improve during the afternoon lessons, and he was glad that at least he could swim after the school. That would help him to face the weekend with higher spirits than the ones he had right then.

He jumped into the water as soon as he was in his swimsuit, without waiting for the rest of the team or their daily address by Gou. She would be a bit upset, but he really needed it, he needed the water. Once inside, he felt relieved, his anxiousness already slipping out from his body and mind. He swam some slow strokes, and then drifted on his back and closed his eyes to the afternoon sun. This is better. I have the water, I don't need anyone. But deeply inside, he knew he was only trying to fool himself. The water couldn't cure that hunger that had grown inside of him that last week, menacing to last and eat him up completely. It was useless; some gentle words, a pair of bright and sweet eyes and he was damned. He sighed, annoyed, as the splashes of the team members going into the pool signalled the beginning of the practise.

"Hey, Haru! Want to race me?"

He turned to face the voice, surprised, and was met by a pair of powerful shoulders and a pair of not less powerful eyes.

"I thought… I thought…" he stuttered. "Someone told me that you didn't come to school today", he managed to finish.

Makoto laughed, adjusting his cap.

"I couldn't come in the morning, I had to take my mum to the doctor. But I wanted to come and swim with you guys in the afternoon. So… about that race?"

Haru felt his heart racing on its own, and he just nodded and started swimming. Makoto cursed quietly and followed.

When the whistle marked the end of the practise, he pulled his cap out but lingered in the water, nervous. He had decided to talk to Makoto, right? So the moment had arrived. The team started to go out towards the cloakroom. It was then or never. I can always delay it, Haru thought, starting to panic. He will be here for two months, won't he? No need to hurry. Suddenly, the words that he had carefully chosen last night seemed foolish and childish in his eyes, and he was sure Makoto would laugh at him and his pretentions. He was an adult, and a teacher, Haru was surely seeing what he wanted to see in his reactions. That's it, let's leave it. He was already mostly convinced of letting it go and shower like every other day, and then go back home, watch a film and have dinner, and call it a good Friday evening. But suddenly he noticed that he wasn't the only one left at the pool.

Makoto was sitting in the border, on top of the pool but with his legs hanging down inside the water. He watched Haru with a serious and determined face. They remained silent while the rest of the team members left, and when they were finally alone Haru shortened the distance between them, leaving still a few meters. Makoto took his cap off and scratched his hair, thoughtful, lowering his eyes. It was strange not seeing him with his usual smile.

"Haru… you know, there was another reason I wanted to come to the swimming club today."

The boy's heart threatened to jump out of his chest, and Haru put a hand over it, to reassure it, in a way. He gulped.

"Yes?"

Makoto still avoided his eyes, and a light blush tinged his cheeks. Haru thought that the evening peach-coloured sky suited Makoto beautifully. Especially a blushing and shy Makoto.

"I wanted to swim with all the team members, but above all I wanted to swim with you, Haru."

The boy came a bit closer.

"Really?"

Makoto raised his eyes, meeting Haru's again, and the boy felt something odd in his throat. He didn't dare to move closer and stayed there, under the piercing gaze of Makoto.

"Yeah, really. I know… I know I shouldn't have these feelings but… but I can't help it. I'm very fond of you, Haru." His gaze lowered again, his hands started to grip the stony border, and he looked all of a sudden as if he was going to cry, so pained was his face. "I'm completely aware that I am your teacher, and of course older than you. I think… I think you might like me back a little, but I'm not going to act on it. It would be inappropriate."

"Who cares about appropriate", Haru said, closing the remaining distance to Makoto and placing himself between the man's legs.

"Haru!" Makoto whispered, reaching to touch Haru's face, but stopping mere inches from his skin.

Haru took his hand and settled it on his cheek, feeling the warmth of his contact. Makoto's knees were touching his sides, and he suddenly wanted more, more touch, more warmth. He reached his other hand until he could pull Makoto by his nape. Makoto took the obvious hint and closed the distance to Haru's lips with his own eager ones. They were warm, they were wet, they were… tickling him, the tip of Makoto's tongue caressing the corner of his mouth. It was a bit unsettling, but he didn't care. Makoto sighed in his semi opened mouth, and that sent a shiver down his spine. The man let him go after a moment.

"This is wrong, sorry. Go and shower, Haru, I'll go in a minute."

"No. I won't move from here, and neither will you."

Makoto opened his mouth to protest, but then he chuckled.

"I should never trust the silent people… What's in your head, Haru?"

Haru feigned disappointment.

"You don't know?"

Makoto looked back. The cloakroom's exit was the other side of the building, so nobody would come their way, unless they wanted to go back to the pool. He hold Haru closer to him.

"I think I have an idea, yes."

And then his lips were again on the boy's, his whole mouth open, and suddenly Haru thought Makoto was going to devour him, and that what they were doing was a bit dangerous, but he didn't mind at all. His head felt light, as that time his father had allowed him to drink a cup of wine with him. His hands grazed the hard and wet plains of Makoto's stomach. I'm allowed to touch. The thought made him still dizzier. He moved his hands up, greedy, and let them roam over his pectorals and forearms. Makoto jumped down, joining Haru in the water, and started to assault his neck. When they separated enough to stare into each other eyes, their foreheads still touching, the two of them were breathing like if they had just swum a two hundred meters race.

"Haru…" His name came out like a breath, like a sigh. "We should stop here. This is not right."

The boy felt suddenly angry.

"Why?"

"You know perfectly well why". There was a prolonged silence between them; both of them regained their breath and kept staring at each other and stroking the swath of skin under their hands. "What do you want from me, Haru? Please tell me."

All the sentences Haru had prepared so carefully had suddenly vanished. This is bad, he thought, panicking. I don't want him to go. What will he think if I don't say anything?

"Hey, don't be scared", Makoto said, his voice full of concern. "It's okay. Let's see… Do you want to fool around with me, just today? No? Good, because I'm not in for that. Do you want to see each other more and… get to know me?"

Haru nodded, relieved. He was glad, incredibly glad in fact, of not having to voice all his thoughts. Perhaps things could be easy, for once. Perhaps relationships didn't have to be always dull or embarrassing. Makoto joined their lips again, and Haru's mind went deliciously blank.

When he felt a bite on the delicate skin of his neck, he couldn't help to moan loudly. Well, perhaps he should cross out embarrassing from the list of thing this relationship wouldn't be. The strong fingers around his waist grabbed him still a bit rougher, and although it was unexpected (…And I thought he would be all gentle and sweet… Appearances are deceiving), he couldn't deny that it was a turn on. Then Makoto used his grasp to move him and exchange places; Haru felt the cold pool ladder against his back. His mouth still on Haru's (his tongue exploring every corner of that mouth), Makoto let go of his waist and moved downwards, anchoring his hands behind Haru's thighs and raising the boy's legs in the air. Haru gasped and grabbed the ladder behind him with both hands to avoid falling. Makoto placed Haru's legs around his own waist, and Haru followed the silent instruction and crossed his ankles behind his lover's back. In doing so, their bodies came closer again, in a different and way more interesting angle. Haru gasped again, and not only because the surprise, when he felt something rubbing against his half hard member. Something not half hard, but big and rock hard. Haru had to close his eyes and loop an arm around Makoto's neck to avoid that he could see his face, undoubtedly red and featuring an embarrassing grimace. He hid his face on Makoto's shoulder, while the teacher started to grind against him, moaning softly in Haru's ear. That's hot, oh, God!

He felt his erection peeking up his swimsuit, rather chafed by the tight fabric and the constant rubbing, so he let go of the ladder to lower his swimsuit until it didn't touch his delicate bits. As soon as Makoto saw it, he groaned and pulled the fabric down and out of Haru's legs, resuming their positions as fast as he could. His hands roamed over every inch of Haru's skin that he could reach, and in the end took hold of those two peach-rounded hills of his backside and clutched them tightly, still thrusting against him. Haru felt a tightness inside of him, menacing to erupt and explode, and the feeling was completely different from what he felt when he touched himself. It made him feel a bit nervous, but he trusted Makoto and wanted to play along all of this.

…Or perhaps he shouldn't trust Makoto so much, he thought all of a sudden, opening his eyes wide. What is he doing, where is that hand sneaking? One of Makoto's hands was squeezing one of his buttocks, and the other one was rubbing against his crack, Why? And then a finger started probing against his butthole, pressing around it, scratching, and finally entering just a little bit. Haru tensed.

"It's okay, Haru, relax", Makoto whispered in his ear, his voice coated in velvet. "Let me try, you might like it."

"If I don't like it, will you stop?"

It was Makoto's turn to tense and stop moving.

"Of course. Aren't you enjoying it, so far?"

"Yes! I mean… Yes, so far."

"You have never done this before?"

Haru shook his head, still pressed against Makoto's shoulder. He felt a kiss on his hair, and the hand on his bum moved upwards to stroke his lower back.

"As soon as you don't like something, just tell me and I will stop. OK?"

"'K."

Makoto resumed his thrusts, rubbing their dicks (one clothed, and one bare) in different angles, most of them feeling really good, others just a promise of more pleasure coming. And he still had a fingertip inside of Haru. He started to move it, inserting it deeper or moving it in circles, and Haru gripped his neck with more force. He felt conflicted. Firstly, that finger felt good, but in a wicked and strange way. He felt like if he was going to poop, and it was making him feel really uncomfortable, so a part of him wanted nothing more than shake that hand away from his bum. But. It was Makoto who was doing it, and he had said that Haru might like that. Would he feel offended if Haru told him to stop? Perhaps. Who knew. Haru decided to be patient and focus only on his frontal side.

Makoto was visibly excited and his breath was laboured and dotted with husky moans. Haru in part wanted to see more, to touch more (God, that thing seems huge! Should I touch it?), but another part of him was a bit overwhelmed by too many new sensations at the same time, and felt more comfortable with his eyes closed. That way he could focus on the warmth radiating from Makoto's chest, his sexy breath on his ear and the delicious and hot sensation of their joined dicks. But then he obviously missed the change in Makoto's grip on his bum, which led to a harder pressure on his hole. What the hell…? Haru felt it, then, as the pressure of two fingers probed his insides, caressing first and then stretching him. The sensation of being about to poop had completely vanished, thank God, but he could feel those fingers rubbing against his bones, burning, and it was again more uncomfortable than painful, more an unwanted presence than a physical discomfort. Until it wasn't. Suddenly, the fingers touched something that made his cock take a little leap. He gasped. That was… unexpected. Do it again? He wished then he could ask aloud. Those fingers found again that spot a moment later, and it was strange, because it was just an almost there pleasure, but it made him want to jump to chase it. His hips bucked against Makoto, and after a few well-timed rubs, Haru moaned:

"More! I want more!"

Makoto chuckled. Haru opened his eyes to look at him, and was surprised to see that it was almost dark, the evening getting close to night. All the lights in the school and the swimming pool were off, but he still could see Makoto's face, so close to his.

"Where do you want more, Haru?" Makoto whispered. He suddenly grinded hard against Haru, making him groan. "Do you want it here? Or here?" Then his fingers pushed deeper inside of his ass, barely rubbing that spot that made Haru claw Makoto's neck and close his eyes tightly. Makoto laughed softly and kissed his cheek. "Both, then?"

"The… the second."

He didn't dare to open his eyes to look at Makoto's reaction, but he felt him go still. Then, Makoto let go of him and he heard a rush of clothes: he was at last taking his swimsuit off. It was too much for his curiosity, he needed to see it… Ohmygod, ohmygod… it's huge, I knew it was huge, but not that much! Watching him was a bit too much, too, because Makoto had gotten rid of his swimsuit and was now grabbing his cock with both hands and stroking it with fast movements, easing the obvious pressure of having been chafed for so long. And his face… Haru almost couldn't take it, he looked so pained and desperate, but his gaze fixed on Haru was the hottest sight the boy had ever seen. He hesitated, not knowing what he was supposed to do. He wanted to stroke that cock in front of him, he wanted to kiss Makoto with all the hunger that was consuming him, he wanted Makoto to keep on doing what they were previously doing… In the end, it was Makoto who decided.

Makoto took both of Haru's legs again and placed them around his own waist. So we are going to follow what we were doing… Good, Haru thought while he positioned himself as before. Makoto pushed his chest back against the ladder, and he grabbed the metal bars with both hands. Makoto leaned forward and kissed him deeply, making delightful wet sounds, while his fingers found again Haru's eager hole.

"Hmmmf!"

There were three fingers now, pushing their way around and inside his hole. Even surrounded by water, Haru felt a rivulet of sweat falling down his temple. He withdrew from Makoto's kiss, needing to focus on relaxing his inner muscles. Makoto wasn't helping much with that, keeping his face barely inches from Haru's and staring intensely at him. The boy opted by closing his own eyes, or he would worry too much about the embarrassing face he was surely making. He focused on his breath, and on the way the water shrouded them, cradling them with its small wavy movements. At last, he felt all three fingers deep inside of him, moving in circles, scissoring, rubbing his canal and sometimes, but only sometimes, touching that sweet spot that made him shiver.

Makoto took his fingers out and, with a shaky hoarse voice, said to Haru:

"Tell me if this hurts, okay?"

Haru opened his eyes all of a sudden. What? He felt it before he could see it, the pressure on his hole suddenly harder and blunter. He was about to panic (Is that really meant to go in there? What if my insides break?), but Makoto kissed him again, and Haru wrapped his arms around his neck and closed his eyes again, giving Makoto a taste of his hunger for him. The wide head of that huge dick was finally going in, and uncomfortable as it was, Haru couldn't help to think that the mental image of that magnificent cock going inside of him was definitely a hot one. He bucked his hips and gained two more inches of hard flesh and a load groan from Makoto.

"Haru! Oh, God!" The man started to nibble his earlobe and his neck, alternating load moans with the muffled whispers of his name, again and again, in a hot litany. He barely moved, letting Haru be the one who took his cock deeper when he felt ready for it.

Haru's breath was still more ragged than before, sweat running down his back and his neck, but that huge stretch was starting to feel more comfortable. Little by little, the pressure was more bearable and didn't feel like if he was going to break. He still felt full, and stretched, but that thing rubbing all of his insides was starting to feel… good. Pretty intense, but good. The fact that the thing was joined to Makoto was definitely adding up. Holding Makoto, feeling the heat his body irradiated, even in the water, running his hands through his short hair, smelling his salty sweat that joined his own, and at the same time feeling Makoto's strong arms under his thighs, holding him back… All of it added to the intensity of the experience.

After a while, Makoto started to thrust inside of him, and it was Haru's turn to groan. If he had thought it was intense before, now it was overwhelming. When, after a few shoves, Makoto's dick started to rub against that spot that felt so good, Haru cried out and shivered. He braced himself firmly on both of Makoto's shoulders and started to move in earnest in time with Makoto's plunges. Almost all of the discomfort had vanished and turned into white pleasure, and he only needed one more push to let his taut body explode… And that final push came when Makoto got hold of his leaking and forgiven cock and started to pump it. Haru screamed, and his body seemed indeed to explode. Makoto whispered his name in his ear and kept stroking him until he finally stopped trembling and the last drop of his come was out. Then, while Haru was still trying to come back from his high, and was unable to move or speak, Makoto grabbed his hips hard and crushed his back against the ladder, sinking in with quick and shallow thrusts. His moans turned louder and still more desperate, until he finally came inside of Haru. The boy ran his hands through Makoto's hair and kissed his forehead, still barely recovered. Makoto rested his head for a bit on Haru's shoulder, his breath laboured, and then he pulled back, leaving Haru open and exposed and feeling strangely vulnerable. He had never felt the water there. Makoto kissed his lips gently, and then grimaced.

"What's wrong?" Haru asked.

"We have stained the water".

And Haru would swear that Makoto was blushing. That, and the sight of both their swimsuits floating (Makoto's some feet from them, Haru's one, oddly, on the other side of the pool), was so ridiculous that Haru couldn't help to chuckle. Makoto caressed his cheek and smiled fondly at him.

In all honesty, Haru couldn't remember when was the last time he had laughed.

Monday, second period. Haru took his English book and notebook lazily. If someone had watched his face closely, they would have noticed a certain looseness of his features that in Haru was the closest to a smile. The reason of that almost-smile was entering the classroom door at that given moment. Makoto wore a goofy grin, stuttered while greeting the class and blushed when he arrived to Haru's name on the rollcall. When Haru thought that Makoto couldn't get cuter, after all the whatsapps they had exchanged during the weekend, he had to admit he was wrong: that public display of shyness and embarrassment was definitely the cutest.

I wonder what other cute sides of him I will find out next… The thought was thrilling and exhilarating, and Haru was, for the first time, looking forward to his English lessons.