You Are Mine - Free! Iwatobi Swim Club | Rin Matsuoka |

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

*Emi's POV*

Walking slowly down the deserted road, I looked up at the looming sky. The stars hung over me like a cloak, making me feel somewhat safe, even If it was already dark. 

'One more day and then I'll be gone, huh...' I thought, chuckling to myself. It was the final night, the night that I was dreading for a few weeks. Tomorrow, I would be flying out to Australia, pursuing my dream, starting a new life. The thought of making new friends and living with a completely different culture didn't phase me at all, in fact the one thing that scared me the most was well... right in front of me.

All of the messages saying that they'd miss me, saying that they would wait for me to 'come back' hadn't sunk in till now. Makoto, Haru, Nagisa, Rei, Kiyo and Kou... was I being selfish? Should I have really accepted that letter in the first place? Like hell If I know. All I know now is that I have no other choice. 

I came to an abrupt stop outside my house, looking up with my eyebrows raised.'The lights are off? Maybe Makoto wanted to go to bed early...'

I strolled up to the front door and rummaged around in my bad until I found my keys and slipped them in the door effortlessly. 

"Hello...?" I poked my head into the hallway whilst shutting the door and taking my shoes off. I ultimately got no answer, so I shrugged it off and began to walk towards the stairs. 

Suddenly, the lights turned on and I felt someone engulf me in a hug, sending me to the floor. I was greeted with  a grinning Nagisa, who had practically jumped on me. Rei stood behind us, chuckling with a smile on his face. "Surprise!!!"

"What is this?!" I asked, pulling Nagisa from my t-shirt that he clung onto as if he became a Koala. Makoto, Haru, Kou and Kiyo surfaced from the living room, that was occupied with banners and food.

"We couldn't just leave you to go to Australia without a goodbye, could we Emi-chan?" Nagisa pulled on my T-shirt, dragging me past everyone as we entered the living room. Without hesitation, he sat me down whilst pushing everyone else down, and then sat in his own spot that he had left. "Congratulations, Emi-chan!"

"You didn't have to do this, you guys..." I laughed, although a tear escaped my eye. Quickly, I wiped it away with my sleeve as I looked up, smiling at them all. "but thank you..."

"Don't cry!!! We will come visit you! Oh, Rei-chan! We can learn English together!" Nagisa blurted out, tumbling over his own words. Rei pushed his glasses up uncomfortably, his eyebrows twitching.

"Ultimately, I'd end up teaching you, Nagisa." He sighed, ruffling Nagisa's hair. 

"Yeah, but you'd help me, right?!" Nagisa looked up to Rei with gleaming eyes.

"I'd have no choice in the matter either way..." Rei glared at Nagisa who had taken refuge on his arm. The pair of friends looked at me expectedly, waiting for me to ultimately say something that would appease both of them. 

"Hey! You can come and visit anytime you're free!" I gleamed, grabbing Nagisa's cheeks as he squirmed. "and don't rely on Rei to teach you English, Nagisa."

"I won't! I'll start learning it when I get back to my house tomorrow! Haru, Makoto, you should come too!" He squealed excitedly, as if he would jump out of his seat and begin climbing the walls any second. Sighing, I grabbed a cup from the table and got up, everyone's eyes following me. 

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to get some water." I tilted my head to the kitchen, watching everyone nod their heads in approval.

"I'll come too." Haru got up from his seat too, grabbing yet another glass from the table. Everyone resumed the conversation whilst Haru and I strolled into the kitchen, closing the door quietly behind us.