[ Guys, I'm here with a new story. It's a one-shot, written for Tachibana Makoto's birthday, and well .. I guess it turned out a little long and weird. I still hope you guys can find enjoyment in this, though, and it's kinda late so I don't have anything I can think of to say. Sorry about that.

I hope it's not too bad! ]

"Tachibana." He says, and Makoto is surprised.

"Matsuoka-kun?"

It's his birthday. Which means a party is going to be held, courtesy of Nagisa, and he doesn't quite know what to expect. This year, there's Rei who's going to be joining them - So it's four of them instead of three, now, and that thought brings a smile upon his lips. He's glad he has friends like these, and the addition of the younger swimmer only brings out the joy of the occasion. Nagisa has long accepted Rei as part of their group, and he knows Haru hates change, but he dares himself to think that this change was one that was accepted by the stoic male, too. It's good, really, because at least there's someone who can accompany Nagisa, now, and though he feels guilty for feeling the way he is - Makoto is also glad that Rei appeared to take away the teasing Nagisa has always done to him, and focus more on the bespectacled boy.

He knows it's going to be a good day.

Slipping on his shoes, he exits through the door, allowing his feet to take control and walk those ever familiar steps, down the short path that leads him to somewhere he has to be, and Makoto habitually chances a glance at his childhood friend's room window, an easy smile tugging the corners of his lips upward as he shuffles closer to the flowers and the bowl, and how everything seems to be peaceful around here.

He watches quietly as the goldfishes swirl about in the water, like they belong, and Makoto bends his knees, brings himself down while his hands keep busy by opening the cap of fish food he's holding. He attempts to push down the bittersweet feeling of admiration, because he wants to belong in the water, too, like how the goldfishes do and how Haru does, whenever he's swimming. He wants to belong, just like Haru.

Just like Rin.

The thought of Rin brings a small smile to his lips, brings upon a dull ache he's not entirely unfamiliar with, and Makoto sweeps that thought aside, standing up and brushing his hands off on his pants once he's done feeding the fishes.

He stares at the fish bowl with a soft gaze, staring but not really seeing, and Makoto allows his mind to wander, allows himself to entertain the thoughts he would usually banish, and a sigh so inaudible he's not even sure he feels it leaves his lips. He breathes out a quiet 'I wonder if he's coming today' and watches as the air swirls around him, the mid-November cold urging him to return to the warmth of his home as he twists his body to face the direction he came from, reminding himself that his teammates would be here soon and he has no time to idle about, thinking thoughts of a person that is probably too busy to make time for him.

Makoto heads back into the warmth of his home, and does not bother to place on his big brother mask as he moves to sit himself on the couch. It's something like a tradition, he thinks, that every year, his parents would bring the twins out and leave their property to their older son for use when his birthday comes around. He vaguely wonders what sort of plans Nagisa has made for them, this year, and a tiny smile surfaces to his lips.

He faintly hears the rush of footsteps appearing, so he stands up to move towards his front door because no one can run that loudly but Nagisa, and Makoto silently wonders if it's just him hearing things, because the footsteps are way louder than it has ever been before, and Rei can't possibly walk - or run? - that loud, right?

A slight frown takes over his previous smile as he hesitates in opening the door, but he manages to convince himself that the blond, mischievous boy in their team wouldn't pull anything funny on his birthday, and he inhales, prepares himself for whatever obnoxiously exaggerated things the same blond, mischievous boy would try to bring, before his hand is on the knob and is already twisting the door open.

"Mako-chan! Always early in opening the door, I see!"

He blinks at the amount of people that are standing outside, and he has to doublecheck that he isn't seeing things as his mind registers that there are not, in fact, three people out on his front porch but is in actual reality eight full, fleshy human beings.

Raising an eyebrow, he directs a half-confused look at Nagisa, though his brain was catching up much faster than his heart - Something must have happened along the way, because Nagisa had only said that the three of them on the team would be present, but now there's Gou, and Amataka-sensei, and Samezuka Swim Team's Captain, and Coach Sasabe, and that kid from Rin's Team, too ..

Rin.

"Oh! About that, Mako-chan? Gou-chan didn't want to be-"

"It's Kou!"

"- left out, so she decided to tag along, and then we decided that we might as well have invited Goro-chan and Ama-chan too, right? But then Mikoshiba-san here wanted to come because Gou-chan was coming, so-"

"It's Kou!"

"- he came, too, and about him, I don't really know."

He sees Nagisa wave his hand at the kid from the corner of his eyes, and even though he feels bad for not paying attention, he cannot help but sweep his gaze across the people standing before him, even going as far as to peek over their heads to the open area of his front porch. Makoto doesn't quite want to have his hopes up, but he decides that looking wouldn't do any harm to him, and so he lets his eyes go off in a search to find a pair of fiery rubies he has come to be familiar with. He bites down on his lip lightly because he knows that his eyes can't possibly be mistaken, and there isn't that ninth person he wishes to see, but he's still unable to help it-

There must be something in his posture, or in his expression, or maybe there's something in his eyes that gives him away, because suddenly everyone is silent and Gou is looking at him with a soft look in her very own rubies, not quite as fiery as the ones he's looking for, but there is a striking resemblance that makes his heart twinge as she speaks, small and quiet, with a little something akin to sympathy filling her bright red orbs.

"Onii-chan isn't here today, Makoto-senpai."

He knows that he's suppose to expect that - he saw it for his very own two eyes, after all - but somehow, he feels his heart sink and his stomach drop, and the air seems to lodge in his throat as he struggles to keep a smile on his face. The looks on his guests' faces gives him the courage to break his gaze away from the seemingly unending emptiness of his porch, and he steps aside to allow them in as he manages to pull off a reassuring look, even though he's aware that he's not completely able to cover his disappointment up with his eyes shining in lost hope, and the way it feels like his heart was ripped out of his chest makes him think for a moment that they might just completely see through him.

He mutters a soft 'he's busy' and lets it end there, because Makoto knows Rin is busy - he always is, and something in the darker, weaker parts of his mind adds on to that, tells him that Rin will forever be too busy for him, and Makoto exhales, a soft, resigned sound, before he pulls himself together and heads over to the rest after shutting his door close.

He hears Nitori mutter his apology for not being able to bring 'Rin-senpai' along, and Makoto responses with a soft 'it's not a problem at all'. His attention is soon captured by the loud teasing of Nagisa's, and Rei's tired words of 'stop it', and how Gou is off chatting with Mikoshiba, now, with Nitori soon joining them, and he notes that Amataka-sensei and Coach Sasabe are getting along well. Haru is nowhere to be found, but he decides it's okay to leave him in the tub for awhile, since the party isn't officially starting yet.

Makoto smiles.

He knows it's going to be a good day, but it's not going to be the best.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, with a hint of childlike excitement present in his eyes, because this js something he certainly hasn't predicted to happen, and undeniably, it makes his heart pound just that little bit faster, makes his smile grow just the tiniest bit, and Makoto, realizing that he has been staring, quickly moves aside politely as he gestures for Rin to come inside.

"I came here to see you, of course. Nagisa said it was your birthday."

Blinking in mild surprise at the energetic boy before him, he notes that Rin isn't dressed in his usual wear, today. He seems to have ditched the jacket he always wears over his shirt, and he cannot help but feel mildly embarrassed when Rin turns to him, a teasing grin taking over his usual one, and Makoto uses a hand to feel his way up to the top of his body as he catches Rin staring at his head. A sheepish smile crawls its way to his lips as his fingers come into contact with the party hat he has been wearing all this while, ever since his birthday party has started, and Makoto hastily removes it from his head, gently placing it aside before he strolls over to the fairly amused Rin.

"Everyone has already gone home, Matsuoka-kun. Why didn't you come earlier?"

Allowing his head to tilt to the side, he watches as Rin moves from his front door to the couch, then to the kitchen, looking over the places with seemingly interested eyes before he comes back, stands in front of Makoto, and simply asks, in a curious tone, if he is able to see his room. Makoto thinks that maybe, Rin hasn't heard him, and if that's the case he shouldn't push it because it must be a sign, right? That Rin isn't meant to answer that question? So he offers a smile and gives a nod, leading the other into his room, and he attempts to clean up the utter mess that is his floor and bed as much as possible. It was only polite to do so, anyways, and he does it for a minute before he gives up entirely, because the things Nagisa does sometimes is just too much, and he takes a seat on his bed with a small smile tugging his lips upward.

He sees Rin with his hands on his hips, a large grin observed on his facial features, and Makoto cannot help but grin back, because his heart is twisting in a good way, and he wonders for a moment if Rin thinks he's weird.

"I know that everyone has already left, Tachibana. I came at this time on purpose, you know? So it's just us two!"

He feels his smile falter just that little bit, and somewhere deep inside his heart is screaming at Rin to stop, because how cruel can he be, saying things like that, has he no idea what sort of effect it has on him? Makoto wants to believe that he sees Rin's smile widen with the words he said, but he isn't quite sure and he doesn't quite trust himself, he knows he might just be imagining it due to his throbbing heartbeat and his mushed thoughts, so he swallows down whatever sort of embarrassing words he was about to say and brings his usual smile back up.

"Well, what do you want to do, Matsuoka-kun?"

They end up gaming a lot more than the usual few rounds and Makoto, for once, doesn't even care. He knows he's probably going to end up with his eyesight becoming worse, but he makes sure to keep the right amount of distance from the television and take sufficient breaks. Rin, though, definitely has not been helping his cause, and instead kept jumping about and begging him to 'go for one more round', only because Makoto has been handing his ass to him, courtesy of years and years of practice with Ren and Ran, and occasionally Haru. He remembers the first time Rin lost as clear as day, and the look of utter disbelief and how Rin had malfunctioned for a second makes his lips twitch up in fond memory. He promptly decides to entertain the wild thought of whether Rin has an unlimited amount of energy, and that does not fail to make him smile wider.

Making sure to balance the tray of snacks and drinks he's carrying with both his hands, Makoto walks back in the direction of his room, a large smile present on his face as he spots the mop of crimson red hair, and the sight of Rin on his bed, controller already in his hands, causes Makoto to laugh in a soft manner.

He sees Rin welcome him with a half-confused smile, but Makoto thinks it doesn't matter if Rin thinks he's weird anymore, because he's having the time of his life and he cannot help but hold this day close to his heart. He sits beside Rin, picks up the second controller, and soon Round 2 of intensive gaming has already begun.

Makoto thinks this might be the best birthday he's had yet.

"I wonder if Rin-chan will come later." Nagisa says, tone wondering and blissful. "He's never come over before, but maybe this year?"

"Has he never celebrated Makoto-senpai's birthday?" He hears Rei respond, careful yet prodding, and Makoto feels his heart drop.

"Not that I know of, Rei-chan! He never shows up even though we invite him every year. Poor Mako-chan, right?"

That's not true, Makoto wants to say, swallowing when he feels a hand land on his shoulder. Instead he directs a small, terse smile at Nagisa, gently peeling the boy's hand off of him. That's not true because Rin did come over once, that year when we swam that relay together.

"We should cut the cake now." He says, and his defenses immediately shoots up when all he sees are Nagisa and Rei's frowning faces. "I mean, I'm kind of hungry.. It's been quite awhile since we ate anything, hasn't it?" This time, Makoto makes sure to have a smile accompany his words, and that seems to do the trick even though Rei still looks skeptical. He shakes his head and stands up, brushing his hands off on his pants because it's a habit, and starts to wander to the kitchen in search of the cake he's meant to cut.

"Come on, let's go."

"Tachibana, come over here."

A sound of acknowledgement leaves his lips as Makoto pushes himself to roll over, and he feels the exhaustion from gaming and then just all-out chatting weigh heavily down on him. He blinks blearily, focusing his vision on the now not-so-energetic boy with slightly long crimson hair and bright, spark-filled rubies.

Makoto thinks his breath might get stolen away.

As he raises a brow in curiosity and makes a soft sound of questioning, a little voice at the back of his mind tells him to never lie on the floor again, no matter how exhausted he might be. He reasons that it's good for him, because lying on the floor helps straighten backs and that's what he needs for swimming the backstroke, but even so, the ache in his shoulders and the pain in his neck makes him think twice about it.

He registers Rin sitting up from the corner of his eye, and so he urges himself to carry his upper body up, too, only barely succeeding with how sluggish his body feels. The serious look in Rin's eyes catches his attention immediately, however, and he is alert now, with his back straightened and his legs crossed. He opens his palm towards Rin when he sees said male gesture for him to put his hand out, and he furrows his brows, partly in confusion and partly in curiosity.

Something not entirely soft presses onto his palm, and Makoto feels the metallic chain that the thing is probably attached to start to slip off his hand, so he clutches onto it and ensures that it does not fall. He notes the half-embarrassed look Rin has on his face, and at the single nod coming from their leader of their team, he slowly maneuveurs his eyes downward, before he releases most of his hold on the item, remembering to keep two fingers around the object lest it falls to the ground.

He is more than surprised at the small shark, connected to a long chain that he thinks is most likely supposed to go around his neck, lying on his hand.

"It's your birthday, so I spent today looking for - well, that - before I attached it to the chain. Kinda part of the reason why I came so late, but I also wanted to make it up to you for not knowing when your birthday is even though we're friends. So I, well, arrived at a time when no one else would be here to make sure it's just going to be the both of us. You know what I mean?"

He nods because he can sort of understand Rin's not-so-logical reasoning, but blinks in surprise at what he sees, next, because all of a sudden Rin is pulling out something similar to the pendant he's holding, and it feels like his heart is going to leap right out of his chest when he sees the only difference is the orca that is attached to the chain. He doesn't quite understand what the animals represent in this, but Makoto feels - knows - that it's going to be an important part of his life, so he brings the pendant up close and unhooks the chain. It's around his neck in a matter of seconds and he looks at Rin, beaming at him with a hand clasping around the orca, and he thinks he sees Rin's ruby orbs brighten up when their eyes meet.

A grin finds its way around his lips, and he mutters a soft 'thank you', watching the way Rin waves it off like it was no problem in the least, and Makoto is so happy he doesn't quite know what to do. He brings his knees close to his chest, and when he hears what Rin has to say next, he thinks he can swear on his new pendant that Rin's tone is softer than it ever has been, more fond than anything Makoto has ever heard, and this time Makoto's breath is stolen away and he cannot find it in himself to reply.

"Happy Birthday, Makoto."

"We'll be going now. Thank you for hosting the party, Makoto-senpai."

He curls his lips up as he hears that, and he shakes his head in a way that says it was nothing, shuffling close to his front door with a soft smile while he watches his guests make their way to him, and when he speaks, his tone is quiet and thankful.

"No, thank you for attending and accompanying me today."

He pauses, sees the surprised look on Rei's face, and he cannot help but laugh, just a short one, and he decides not to say anything when Rei's expression becomes confused. He thinks that sometimes, even he must be hard to understand.

"It was fun."

He means it, and this time no one is surprised. Makoto can do nothing but grin back when everyone, even Haru, breaks out into a smile, no matter how small or how large, and once again, he is glad he has friends like these.

He inhales with a sense of contentment, and starts to twist the door knob open with two more final words, soft and heartfelt, coming from the host.

"Thank you."

His party ends.

"I should be going."

He nods, even though there's a heavy feeling weighing his heart down. Makoto knows that he cannot even say that it's been too short, that the time he had with Rin is not yet sufficient, because he knows it's unfair. Isn't it already enough that he had the night with Rin?

It's never going to be enough, he thinks to himself, and he swallows down the lump forming in his throat, tells himself that at least, at least he has this pendant Rin gave him, and he has the time spent with Rin today that will forever be remembered, and even though the heavy feeling doesn't completely go away, Makoto thinks he can be okay with that.

He leads Rin to the door, and slips on his shoes, too, only smiling at the slightly confused look the other boy sends him. They go out onto his front porch, and he knows Rin is about to say something - something that Makoto would expect but not want, so he quickly opens his mouth, making sure that Rin doesn't get those words out as he speaks.

"I'll ride you to the train station."

He notes the way Rin raises an eyebrow, notes the way Rin parts his lips when he's about to speak, and Makoto just really wants to do this once - he wants to ride Rin to the train station at least once before the time where Rin has to leave for Australia arrives, and so Makoto takes the tiniest step towards Rin, making sure his eyes are in clear view, and he can only hope that seeing the hope in them is enough.

There's a spark aflame in Rin's eyes, but Makoto feels that he isn't quite there, yet, so he inhales once and wrings his hands slightly in nervousness, before he blurts out 'Rin' in the softest of tones, hopeful and slightly shaky.

Makoto thinks Rin's name feels foreign on his lips, but it's a good kind of foreign and he thinks he could get used to the weird fluttering in his heart, and how his smiles seem to be wider around Rin, and how the boy's name seems so unique to him, how saying it is different than saying anyone else's name, like Haru's or Nagisa's-

His heart is twisting again, he realizes, in that particular way Rin always makes it, and he smiles upon seeing Rin climb onto the back of his bike. He chuckles, which soon turns into a laugh, and even though he knows Rin must be looking at him like he's lost his mind, Makoto simply walks over to the bike before slinging a leg over it. He beams down at Rin with what he knows must be shining forest orbs, and his lips stretch so wide it's starting to hurt.

He feels thin, lithe arms wound around his waist, and Makoto starts to pedal.

They end up talking more at the train station while they wait for Rin's train to arrive, and Makoto has that aching wish for the train to never come because he wants to keep talking to Rin like this - he can't do this everyday, and he figures this is his only chance to really get to know Rin because it's the only time Rin isn't talking about swimming or the relay, and is properly speaking to Makoto.

He knows he's being stupid, because the train will definitely come in a few minutes time if not now, and Makoto does not even have the power - nor the right - to prolong it. His hand is up and around the pendant Rin gave him in a flash, and he worries at his bottom lip with his teeth. He's being unreasonable and weird. He knows. He knows but he doesn't want this to end.

And so he cannot find it in himself to say anything when the train finally pulls to a stop in front of them, even though he's had a minute or so to prepare himself with the announcer's voice coming through the speakers to inform them a few minutes before.

Makoto feels his throat close up, but he gathers himself together and turns to Rin, his lips tugged up in a smile, because he cannot be this selfish, and he reminds himself again that at the very least, he's had today, and that is enough for him.

He does his best to steel his resolve, but is only left in surprise when he sees that Rin doesn't budge, doesn't get up from his seat on the bench, not even when the train leaves. Makoto is surprised at the light shade of red dusting Rin's cheeks, and he's even more surprised when Rin speaks in a half-embarrassed yet sincerely genuine sort of tone.

"It's fine, it's not like I have to be home really soon, anyways, and that train looked packed.. I'll just wait for the next one."

He doesn't seem to be able to breathe properly, but Makoto doesn't even mind right now. His expression of surprise is morphed before he knows it, and he grins, wide and happy, with a soft blush of his own coloring his cheeks.

He feels Rin's hand gently curl into his, and Makoto thinks he's never been happier in his life.

"Rin-chan!"

"Rin."

"Rin-san."

"Rin?" He breathes, feeling the way his heart thumps at how foreign the name still sounded on his tongue, even though years have passed and he should have grown accustomed to it. "Rin," he tries again, eyes soft and just that little bit questioning, a weird, warm yet not entirely unfamiliar feeling settling in his chest - It has been too long, Makoto tells himself, because it has, and he doesn't quite know what to do, but that's okay, because Rin is here and that's all that matters, now.

"What are you doing here?"

Why now? is what he wants to ask, but something in the back of his mind is nagging at him, and Makoto thinks that there might be something he has forgotten. His eyes land on the metallic chain hanging snugly around Rin's neck, and he feels his breath cut off for a moment because he hasn't seen Rin wear that before ever since he came back from Australia, but there's a bursting sense of hope coming from his heart, and it's everywhere now as he gazes at the tiny orca lying on Rin's chest. He snaps his gaze up to meet with Rin's, and the earnesty in those rubies he has been looking for earlier makes everything else around him fade.

"I came here to see you, of course."

"It was fun, Makoto."

They're standing on the platform, now, the announcement of Rin's train about to arrive having already been made, and he smiles when he hears that, nodding because it really has been - the most fun he's had in a long time.

He sees the train heading towards them in the far off distance, and even though he still doesn't quite want Rin to leave, he thinks that's it's finally going to be okay, so he directs a genuine smile at Rin, and there's this lightheartedness he feels in his chest in replacement to the heavy feeling weighing him down before.

He watches as Rin turns to him with that grin of his - the grin that makes Makoto's heart jump, and he thinks he sees a fondness he's never seen before in those brightened rubies. Makoto watches the way Rin parts his lips to speak, watches the way a certain kind of nervous excitement enters Rin's eyes, and he just simply cannot breathe.

"There's another present I want to give you."

He tilts his head, patient yet curious, and he knows he must look questioning as well, because he hasn't expected Rin to even give him one present, much less two, though he doesn't mind this development in the slightest. He sees Rin fidget, so he opens his mouth to talk, but before he knows it Rin is already taking a step towards him.

He doesn't even get the chance to ask, because one of Rin's hands is holding onto his arm, the other pressed to his back, and it takes him a moment to realize that there is a soft pair of lips pressing against his.

Makoto is shocked, but it feels good, and his heart is thumping really quickly even if it's a really innocent kiss, just a soft press of lips against lips. He doesn't move, doesn't dare ruin the moment, and only watches quietly as Rin pulls away with his grin never leaving.

Rin is boarding the train before long, and he is still confused, but as he watches Rin wave enthusiastically from behind the doors, he waves back, not quite as enthusiastic as Rin, and he feels his lips twitch up into a soft smile.

He stands there even after the train has left, feeling out of place yet feeling like everything is as it should be, and he thinks 'oh no' because that kiss just confirmed everything, he's falling for Rin and he doesn't know what to do.

He's confused but he vaguely wonders if Rin will ever kiss him again, given the chance to, and his heart is beating so fast he thinks it might just burst.

Makoto remembers Rin once said that kissing other people was merely a greeting in Australia, so he turns around and starts to walk back in the direction of his home.

He doesn't think this is the end, no.

It is only the beginning.

"Here."

He hands Rin, who's sitting on the couch while he stands, a cup of tea. He knows that the Rin sitting in front of him isn't the same Rin he knew when they were children, and even though Rin is here like how he had wished earlier, Makoto doesn't feel any better.

"Thanks."

He nods and worries at his lip, his insides feeling like they might be tearing apart because of the suffocating feeling in his chest. He hates the awkward silence, because he has no idea what he can say to make it better, but he knows that if he doesn't try he'll never know, and so he opens his mouth to speak, slightly hesitant but determined.

"Rin -"

"Makoto -"

He blinks down at Rin, surprised to see the amusement clear in ruby hues, and before he knows it Rin is shaking and laughing. It doesn't quite sound the same, it's deeper and not quite as free as before, but Makoto thinks there is a large similarity and he's laughing along with Rin in a matter seconds, happy and relieved to hear Rin laugh again, because he's honestly thought before that he would never hear the melody of laughter coming from Rin again.

He watches as Rin calms down and sits up straight before he extends a hand towards Makoto, and saying that he is surprised is a gigantic understatement. He pauses and hesitates, because he isn't sure, but the look in Rin's eyes, expecting and gentle, sends a warm feeling straight to his chest, and so he extends a hand of his own, gently tugging Rin upwards.

Makoto stares down at Rin with eyes that asks a million questions, but as he sees Rin break out into a light, easygoing smile, he thinks that he doesn't have to ask any of them today. A grin is elicited from him and he notices how a small sparkle comes into Rin's eyes, also noticing the way Rin is staring back at him with an expression so similar to something he once knew, before Rin is saying something that makes his heart clench, and it sounds so right coming from Rin that the very same line in his memory is completely erased away.

"Well, what do you want to do, Makoto?"

Their hands never come undone.

"Thank you for coming today."

He merely smiles when Rin turns to him with a slightly raised brow, and he takes some time to silently appreciate the fact that he has gotten the chance to spend the night with Rin again, almost the exact same way it was done the last time Rin came over to celebrate his birthday with him. Gaming and laughing and hitting each other and cursing when a wrong move was made, though that happened more on Rin's part - He thinks they are childish and that 18 year olds should not act the way they had been acting like, but Makoto also thinks that it might just be okay, because it's the two of them and it only makes their bond more special than it already is.

"I really missed you, Rin."

Blurting his thoughts out recklessly like that, Makoto thinks it's silly, because he's unsure of how Rin will respond. When he doesn't hear anything come from Rin, though, he looks up in surprise, feeling his breath catch in his throat at the pair of softened rubies that tells him 'Yeah, me too', and he doesn't know what to say, so he closes his mouth and just stares at Rin for a short while.

He follows when Rin stands up, walking him to the platform where they wait for the train to arrive, and Makoto thinks that some things just never change when Rin looks at him with that certain fondness in his eyes, and that grin of Rin's is appearing before him again, and the bench that they had been seating on, he's pretty sure it's the very same one they sat on years before. A faint sense of nostalgia washes over him as he grins back, and this time he knows he's not mistaking the widening of Rin's grin.

His heart is doing that weird twisting thing he hasn't felt in years, and Makoto wonders if this is what liking someone feels like, because his breath is stolen away much too often and his heart is always flip-flopping with everything Rin says and does, and he just really doesn't know how he's supposed to cope with this feeling.

The train pulls to a stop in front of them, and he tries to ignore the heaviness weighing down on him. He almost chuckles because this is familiar, too, but he's grown more mature since the last time he experienced this, so his smile doesn't falter, not even when Rin gives him a small, apologetic smile.

"I'd like to say that the train is too packed right now and that I can stay and wait for the next one, but I have to get back before Ai starts to freak out. Also, sorry I didn't get you a present this time, Makoto."

He nods, says that it's okay, and Makoto thinks he likes the way Rin said 'this time'. The lightheartedness he felt the last time they were standing on this exact platform is back before he knows it, and he pins it to the fact that Rin hasn't forgotten about the time they spent together when they were kids.

He stares back patiently when he notices that Rin is looking at him, and he feels his heart just stop when he detects the nervousness in those ruby orbs. There is no excitement this time, but he thinks he sees a soft sort of want in Rin's eyes, so Makoto doesn't bother trying to ask this time, doesn't bother to wait.

He takes the one step forward, and before long Rin is holding onto his arm, one hand on his back, and their lips are meshed together and Makoto thinks that it's not just his heart that might explode, but him in general.

He also thinks that Rin's lips are as soft as before, and he feels that maybe nothing has changed, after all. Even if the man in front of him isn't quite the same loud, playful child he knew back then, he knows that Rin hasn't changed in the core, and that is really all that matters.

It's him that pulls away this time, and he watches as the red starts to spread from Rin's cheeks, throughout his entire face, to the very tip of his ears, and Makoto cannot find any other word than 'adorable' to describe it.

He lets his lips curl into a soft smile, and gently pushes Rin into the train carriage when he realizes that the other is too shocked to budge. It's him that waves enthusiastically this time, and even though Rin doesn't quite wave back, Makoto thinks that he is fine with half-raised hands due to what he thinks is embarrassment for now.

Like last time, he stands at the exact same spot even when the train leaves his sight completely, and Makoto is deep in his thoughts when he feels a light vibration coming from his pocket.

He picks out his phone, wondering who it could be, texting him at this hour, and he honestly cannot think of anyone but Nagisa. He sighs, but is entirely thrown off-guard when he sees that the sender of the message isn't Nagisa, but Rin. The message is opened in a flurry and he stares at it for a long while, staring but not really reading, and a soft shade of red is dusting his cheeks because Rin is never the one to message him, but the other way around. His eyes immediately lock onto the 'Happy Birthday' inserted at the very start of the message, and Makoto cannot surpress the smile he forms at that, though the words of 'I'm free this Thursday' sent by Rin makes him stop in his tracks, and re-read the entire message again. It ends off with a 'have a good night', and his brows furrow because he doesn't quite understand what Rin is getting at by telling him he's free on a certain day, but Makoto has an inkling of a suspicion and his heart is jumping, because if he isn't wrong, Rin has just invited him out, and that very thought makes his heart skip a beat.

Makoto cannot help but laugh, because it's just so Rin that he doesn't even know how to begin his reply, so he doesn't, and instead shoves his phone back into his pocket. He thinks their relationship is finally getting back on the ground, believes that things between them could work out, because it's the two of them and that's all that matters, and as he turns on his heels in the direction of his home, he remembers that Rin once told him that he wouldn't ever invite someone out when he could be doing much more meaningful things, and that memory makes Makoto smile.

He doesn't think this is the end, no.

It is merely another beggining to a new chapter.