6 - "another makoto"

                                    

                                          
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It's been a few months since that day, Rui and Makoto talked and slowly became close friends. Mostly because of their seating arrangement.
The walk to school seemed normal so far, seeing first years and others walk by. Makoto silently sat down in her seat right before the bell rang.
An unfamiliar face walked into the classroom, staring right at her. He pulled the chair out that Rui usually sat in, "Can I sit here?" he asked. 
Makoto looked at him with a confused expression, "Are you in the wrong class?"
"Nope, not at all." he says, "I just transferred here." She stares at him blankly, "Okay.."
She let him sit in Rui's normal seat and sat stiffly, though he was beaming brightly at her.
The teacher explained that he was a new transfer student from another country, he was born here but moved when he was young. His name was Makoto Yamamoto, another Makoto. 
She groaned internally, slamming her head softly on her desk. Atleast he didn't have to sit next to her, it'd be awkward. Makoto wasn't good with talking to new people.
During breaks or lunch break, he would repeatedly try to engage with her. Sitting next to her or even during class he would ask her questions. It wasn't a nuisance to her because she didn't mind it, a lot of her classmates asked her questions and liked to hang out with her.
But it was sort of a nuisance to Rui. He wanted to talk to her at times but Yamamoto just had to sit in his seat during work periods.
To Rui, "it didn't bother him". He kept up his comfortable, care-free demeanour but it went to a point where it annoyed him that he had to ask Nene.
Not that she'd know all about this stuff but she listens well and gives good advice.
When he did ask her about it, not specifying who he was troubled about. Nene kept on teasing him, saying "Oh? I see." 
"Jealous that your girlfriend is now cheating with a random guy?" she said, smiling. Rui paused and looked at the ground, "Well.."
"Well?"
"She's not my girlfriend, so I don't really have the right to be jealous." Rui says, smiling awkwardly. Nene slouches slightly, "It's normal to feel jealous about someone you like.."
"I never said I liked her!" he said, Nene just nodding in response with a smile on her face. 
She sighs happily, "I don't typically get jealous of another person.." she pauses, "but if it were me, I'd try to talk it out with her. You communicate well, it should be fine."
Rui's eyes widen, "Is that it?". Nene tilts her head slightly, "What else do you want me to say?"
"Uh, nothing. I guess." Rui smiles, "Thanks Nene." 
"Good luck, soon she'll be Makoto Kamishiro you know." she laughs, Rui's eyes furrow together. Nene was happy for him, he had that look in his eyes that he had when he was young whenever he was teased or talked to Makoto.
He groaned quietly and walked back to class, while walking to class he stared out the hallway window. It was just a habit of his. 
Staring at the garden outside he saw Makoto watering the plants, he couldn't help but smile. The way her aura radiated out of everyone, that small smile placed on her lips and the way she looked struggling to carry the heavy watering can,  she looked.. cute.
Rui watched her talk to others intently, covering his smile with his palm and putting his elbow on the windowsill. He smiling, stupidly.
"Rui-kun," Mizuki walks over to him, "It's been a while." they pause before looking at where he was gleaming so happily about.
They glanced at Makoto then Rui, then Makoto again. They whispered in his ear, "Ohoho, Rui's got a crush?"
That snapped Rui out of his trance, he quickly turned to Mizuki and said, "No!"
"Sheesh, I was just joking," they frowned uncomfortably, "no need to be so defensive.". Rui runs a hand through his hair while sighing, Mizuki smirks at him. It wasn't this often they could see Rui this flustered about something.
"Hehe, is this what Nene was telling me all about?" Mizuki chuckled in their mind, smirking at Rui. 
For the remainder of both of their breaks, they both caught up on each others events and talked until they both had to go to class.
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After Makoto's volleyball practice, she was surprised to see Akito standing around. "Akito-kun." Makoto called out.
He jumped a little before relaxing again, "Makoto-senpai.." he sighed. Makoto smiled at him, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Aoyagi?"
"Why do you think that-" he cut himself off, "Nevermind, I'm here for An. She has basketball practice.. I think." 
"Uh, I think the girls basketball practice ended about an hour ago.." Makoto said awkwardly, still keeping that small smile on her lips. 
Akito furrowed his eyebrows, muttering something under his breath that Makoto couldn't hear. Makoto offered to go with Akito to the live house he was supposed to bring An to, since she had to go somewhere near it (it was a shop full of cute plushies she wanted but didn't have money before)
"God, I wish you were my sister," Akito groans, walking to the bus stop, "she usually grabs me to go around the mall or yells at me."
"I'm sure she can't be that bad.." Makoto chuckles softly, "I have a big sister too, she's not that bad. She's kinda bossy though."
"You have a sister?" Akito questions. "Yeah, she doesn't live with me and my mom anymore and moved to Inaka." Makoto replies, they both get on the bus.
"She lives on the countryside, must be cool and quiet.." Akito mumbles, looking at his phone. Makoto hesitantly peers at his phone, it was a picture of his group.
She knew Shiraishi and Aoyagi, but I didn't recognize the blonde haired girl. Makoto glanced up at Akito's eyes again, then at his phone. His eyes were planted onto Aoyagi.
Makoto paid it no mind, chuckling at it in her mind though. After hopping off their stop, Akito and Makoto bid goodbyes. 
Makoto entered the store, browsing around the different items like plushies and cute stationary. Though, she didn't want to buy a lot because she already had a lot of cute things. She ended up buying a plushie and stationary. 
After that, she was walking to the library. Paying her sole attention to her phone, she rammed into someone's body as a consequence. Nearly falling down if they didn't catch her by her back.
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Makoto Fukuda fact!!
Makoto's parents are divorced and Makoto and her sister split up, Makoto staying with her mother and her sister going with her father. Makoto's father recently passed so Makoto's sister (24) took the house in Inaka.