Smile (Free! Iwatobi Swim Club fanfic, RinxOC)

Chapter 7: Whirlwind

Chapter 7: Whirlwind 

As I run, I can't help but notice that my phone repeatedly vibrates. I run until my lungs threaten to burst, and pop right out of my chest. With ragged, shallow breaths I pull my phone out of my pocket. My index finger lingers above the power button, the button that would cause the screen to light up, and reveal who was texting me. What if it was Rin? How would I explain myself? What if it was my father? I don't want to read it or hear it, 'I won't allow you to be the manager of a swim team, especially an all boys swim team'. I slip my phone back into my pocket, my hands now shaking. Why am I so upset? I should calm down... I NEED to calm down. 

The wind blows a strand of my fair hair in front of my eyes, adding annoyance to the whirlwind of emotions I am feeling. Why am I getting so emotional? Why am I so angry? Why am I so scared? I tuck the strand of hair behind my ear, a motion that somehow helps me gather my thoughts. When I saw my father... When I panicked... I had run blindly. Where am I?

A series of high pitched giggles gain my attention, and my eyes soon rest upon a group of children, all clad in swimsuits. Ah, I'm there, the place I met Rin, Iwatobi Swim Club Returns. Their happiness seems to be contagious and I soon myself starting to smile. "Oi, are you coming in or what? It would be great if you did... One of my workers called in sick last minute!" Coach Sasabe hollers, forcing me to make up my mind. With a slight nod, I enter the building. 

Hurriedly changing into one of the club's spare swimsuits, I assist Coach Sasabe. He surprises me by giving me a group of children to teach. He gives me a little instruction, before leaving me to my own devices. The children, all eight of them, look at me expectantly. "I'm Natsuki Ami and I'll be your Coach for the day. You can call me Coach Natsuki or Natsuki-san. Or you can call me Ami-chan, I'm not too picky." The children listen surprisingly well.  

"Can we use the kick-boards first Natsuki-san?" one bright eyed boy asks, "I love the kick-boards! I makes swimming a lot easier!" there are murmurs of agreement. Seeing no harm in it, I approve. Surprisingly there are no arguments as the children get a kick-board of their favorite color. 

One child stands out to me, a girl with hair the color of fire. She doesn't get a kick-board, in fact the sight of the kick-boards cause her to burst into tears. "What's wrong? Do you not like kick-boards? You don't have to use one if you don't want to," I say to her, forced to sit on my knees in order to be able to look into her eyes. 

"I-I-I don't w-w-want to be here!" she wails, rubbing her eyes, trying to clear her vision. "Swimming is scary!"

"Why do you think it's scary?" I ask her, growing more curious by each passing second. 

"It's scary b-because you c-can die when y-y-you're swimming. D-D-Daddy died when he w-was swimming," her voice shakes intensely, and I struggle to process it all. She looks like him... Could she be the daughter of the Olympic swimmer that died last year during the Olympics? It was horrible...It was being broadcasted live... She must've seen it happen... What should I do? Should I convince her to swim? 

"I'm sorry to hear about your father," I respond, lowering my voice to a whisper, "but he wouldn't want to see you so deathly scared of swimming. I'm not going to make you swim, in fact I'm not going to make you do anything. All I ask is that you join me and your friends in the pool. Just stand in the shallow end, I'll stand beside you. I won't let anything happen to you." She sniffles a few times, before giving me a proper response. 

"O-Okay. But not for long. Just a few seconds." She flashes me a weak smile. I smile right back at her. "A-And you need to swim for us later. Coach Sasabe said you swim beautifully... I want to see you swim."  When did Coach Sasabe see me swim? Oh wait, he saw me swim when I saved a drowning child... What is it about children that help me face my fears? 

"I will. I'll even promise." I say, and the other children gleefully yell. 

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"Go Natsuki-san! Swim, swim, swim Coach Natsuki!" the voices of numerous children holler in encouragement. I adjust my swim cap and googles, prolonging swimming for just a few seconds more. The voices of the children become inaudible as the water muffles their hollers, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Faster... Faster... I need to be faster! My brother's face flashes before my eyes. He smirks, seeming to expect more out of me. 'You're better at swimming than you think' he would frequently tell me. 

When I surface, I am in for a major surprise. The children, and the nearby crowd applaud loudly, almost making me incapable of hearing my own thoughts. The crowd consists of the children, of the Iwatobi Swim Club Return staff, and the Samezuka Swim Team. "Wow Ami-chan, you're faster than a whirlwind!" a familiar voice belonging to none other than the energetic Momo exclaims. "That was amazing!" He is soon drowned out by the sound of various remarks of agreement. I find my gaze shifting, looking for HIM. 

Rin and my father stand side by side, both having black eyes. "What happened?" I ask, earning myself a chuckle from Rin, and a rare smile from my father.  

"We had a talk," Rin says elbowing my father in the side. 

My father hastily clears his throat. "Ami I'm sorry... I'm sorry for not trying to understand you... I'm sorry for pushing you so hard... I'm sorry for trying to get you to swim when you clearly have no desire to. I haven't been the best father... I'm sorry." His apology hits me like a blow to the stomach. It comes fast, heavy and without warning.  "This young man..." my father says, gesturing to Rin, "Has reminded me of my true job... My job is to make you happy."

"And if he fails to do so," Rin adds, "I'll make you smile."  

"I will too!" Momo screeches, causing Rin to roll his eyes. "And I'll convince you to date me!"

My father sighs deeply at Momo's outburst. "I'll allow my daughter to be the manager of your team but," my father says, giving the guys an intimidating look, "but if you want to date her you must get scouted for the university that I work for. I'll only allow the best to date my daughter."