Childhood Memories (Rin Matsuoka)

Old Versions

"Rozu?!" I felt Makoto shaking me awake, when I came to I was leaning into Makoto on the ground and everyone was looking concerned.

"Rozu-chan? Are you okay?" Nagisa asked looking worried. I sighed and nodded, I'd suffered from blackouts my whole life. Haru handed me a cup of water. I took it with a thank you as Makoto helped me to my feet.

"I'm fine" I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"Shall I take you home?"

"It's fine, Mako-chan" I smiled as best I could "I can make it home myself"

"Are you sure?" He asked and I smiled, I didn't want to ruin their evening.

"Yeah, you guys go on up to the temple, I'll see you tomorrow I should get some sleep"

"Okay, if you're sure...." Makoto said slowly, worried as always. I smiled and bid them farewell, promising Makoto I'd call him when I got home, heading towards the exit.

I took the route by the beach, leaning over the fence I decided to slide through the bars. I pulled of my shoes and sat down on the sand. I'd always had low blood sugars so if I didn't get enough sleep or eat enough etc. I was prone to fainting spells. I took a big inhale of the salty air and just sat, letting the headache fade. My eyes focused on a figure down by the water, I could recognise the red hair in a second. He launched a rock into the ocean. I sat debating on whether or not to talk to him but he looked so lonely I found myself walking over.

"Rin?" I asked and he turned and I saw his cheeks colour slightly "what are you doing out here?"

"Could ask you the same" he replied, looking back out over to the pier. He looked at me from the corner of his eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked "you look really pale"

"I'm fine" I shrugged, that was a lie, I felt weak and I was hungry. My stomach growled and I clutched it, Rin turned.

"Fainting again?" He asked and I dropped his gaze "Shouldn't you eat something?"

"I'm fine" I lied but my head throbbed and I flinched, stumbling to the side. Rin grabbed my elbow as I fell into his side.

"You need to eat something" he said stubbornly, I could feel my face heating at his hand on my waist to keep me up "come on"

He grabbed my wrist and took off towards the festival. I stumbled after him, staring at the back of his head as he walked. He'd become so hard to read. He used to be like an open book. He dropped my wrist when we reached the festival, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He turned to the closest food stall and ordered me a squid burger.

"Rin, you don't have to I'm fi-" he just shushed me and handed over the money.

"Come on" he said, handing me the burger "I'll walk you home" I sighed and gave in, he was so stubborn. We walked in silence and I just ate slowly, not knowing what to say. I never used to feel awkward around Rin, I sighed and he looked across at me.

"Did you grow at all since I last saw you?" He said, trying to joke.

"Shut up" I mumbled, nudging him playfully "You definitely grew" I said, throwing out the bag for my burger. He smiled a little sadly.

"So why are you back in Iwatobi?" He asked but I felt my heart twist and I looked at the ground, my eyes stinging. I really wasn't ready to talk about it yet. I desperately brushed at my eyes as tears started falling.

"Rozu?" Rin asked, looking down at me, his eyes widened when he saw I was crying "S-sorry I didn't mean to" he stumbled and I waved away his apology

"It's fine" I muttered as we continued walking. The breezy atmosphere was replaced with another awkward silence as we climbed the stairs to my house.

"Do you remember when I ruined your 7th birthday?" I asked to try and lighten the mood. He actually chuckled then and looked over at me.

"You didn't ruin it" he smiled

"Rin you had to go to the hospital on your birthday" I joked

"You collapsed into a fit at my dinner table" he said "you scared me, I wasn't gonna not go with you"

"You had to wait until the next day to open your presents" I added and he just smiled as we reached the door.

"Thanks Rin" I said and he nodded, turning to leave and I sighed opening my door.

"Rozu?" he said and I turned "Its good to see you again" he said quietly and I smiled before I could reply he turned on his heel and scurried away.

x

I woke with a start, covered in a cold sweat and shivered into the darkness. I sat up slowly, fragments of the nightmare I'd been having ebbing away. I turned to look at the clock, 4:30 am a few days before regionals. I flopped down on to the pillows with a sigh, the room silent around me. Makoto had left for regionals last night and I was taking the train up there with Kou today. Giving up any hope of getting back to sleep I got up and flicked on my bedroom light, I squinted into the sudden light. I was already getting nervous for today, I swear I got more nervous than the team when it came to their swimming completions.

The day was slow, I went round to Nagisa's to help him with his math homework and he helped with with a new book we'd been studying that I really didn't understand the language too well. We'd been invited to Coach Sasabe's tonight, apparently he wanted to feed the guys up with some meal that will help them for strength in regionals. Nagisa and I were late and we we got there we saw the team looking mildly confused around a hot pot.

"You two, come in here!" couch grinned and Nagisa and I reluctantly walked into the steamy house "this is my special Sasabe hot pot, it's gonna give you strength" he said loudly, pushing to steaming bowls to me and Nagisa.

"Uhh.." I managed not wanting to be rude. I picked up some chop sticks, I could see the four of them waiting for me to try it first and I shot Makoto an annoyed look. I took a small piece of fish and put it in my mouth, to scorched my tongue but I was over whelmed with amazing tomato flavours.

"Wow, it's really good!" I said, putting more in my mouth. Nagisa grinned and started shovelling it down. After dinner we decided to shoot off some fireworks for luck, Kou and I left the boys to it and I sat inside, helping her clear up the magazines Nagisa had knocked over. Couch Sasabe cut us up some watermelon and I sat eating it.

"What's this Couch Sasabe?" Kou asked as a book fell out of the Magazine pile, she ran out to the boys excitedly and I followed her "It's a photo album of the old swimming club!"

"Really?!" I grinned, grabbing it from her and sitting down, throwing open the pages.

"These bring back memories" Makoto said happily

"Look Kou, there's us!" I giggled, pointing to a picture. It was one of the four boys, Makoto's arm was around my shoulder and my young eyes were grinning into the camera. Kou was hugging Rin, who looked embarrassed.

"There's when we had a barbecue behind the club" Makoto said, pointing to the one above it, I cringed at my old self covered in barbecue sauce.

"I didn't know about that!" Kou said

"It was before Rin-chan transferred" Nagisa said

"This one's from the summer tournament" I said, pointing to the next one "This was the first one where I was allowed to swim" I looked at me in the middle next to Makoto a happy smile on my face.

"Huh? Is that my brother?" Kou asked, pointing to a happy Rin in the back with a medal round his neck.

"We didn't know Rin yet" Haru said and I turned the page.

"Oh, here's where Rin starts showing up" Couch Sasabe said.

"It snowed hard that day and we all made snow men" Makoto said fondly and I giggled, you could see me smiling evily behind Nagisa, about to jam a snowball down the back of his coat cause he'd pushed me in the pool that day. I looked at the happy smirk on Rin's face and I sighed. 

I missed the old him.