Bonding By the Poolside - Free! Iwatobi Swim Club [Makoto Tachibana]

(C9) Creeps and Photos

Well, I lost every single game.

Apart from that little thing, I actually had a really great time! I've never been out with this many people for so long, but I enjoyed every second. Although it was the four of us, no one was left out. I sighed happily and stretched, "Man, today was just too fun. I wish it didn't have to end~" I said as I looked at my phone. 09:54 PM. Damn, we were out for a long time. Looking at my phone reminded me that I had none of their numbers. Why not get them? They are your friends after all. I asked them for their numbers and they all happily gave them to me. I looked at the contact pictures, felling a little down that I had nothing to fill them with. I obviously don't already have their pictures. If I did, that'd be creepy. It'd be nice if we had a group picture... I thought, sulking at the screen.

"Okay! Why not?" Nagisa suddenly pulled my phone out of my hand and motioned with his hand for us to huddle together. "Y-you heard...? Are you telepathic?!" No other reason, right? Nagisa laughed and put a finger on his lips, shushing me. Nagisa begged a poor stranger to take the picture. Just give a random person off the street my phone, why don't you? I thought angrily, hiding it behind a cheesy smile. From my left to my right, it went: Haru, Makoto, me, Nagisa. Nagisa insisted on being next to me, and only me, while Haru didn't really seem to care. I was happy (for an unknown reason) that Makoto stood next to me.

The man to whom Nagisa gave my phone to was wearing a brown, dirt incrusted coat with a brown fisherman's hat. His hair was caked in grease and, uh, 'unimaginable' things. I was a little far away from him, but it could still smell him.

The scruffy, dirty looking man with my phone asked us to strike a pose or two. He must think he's a photographer or something, "'Kay, how 'bout y'all pose like real close friends, hm? Don't be 'fraid 'bout bein' embarrassed, 'kay boys? 'S just a pic! And girly, you don' nee' be 'fraid 'bout holdin' their 'ands neither!" What the... D-did he even go to school? Or is he scared of pronouncing the beginnings and endings of things. I held a wobbly smile and nodded. We all seemed a little uneasy about holding each others' hands, well, except Nagisa. He grabbed my right hand and clamped his fingers in between mine. He held our hands in the air and stood on one leg with a happy grin plastered on his face.

I laughed at stood on one leg too, "Nagisa! Are you always this adorable and fun?" I moved my free hand to squeeze his cheek, but it was grabbed and pulled to my side with such force, I thought I would fall over. I looked at the hand grabbing mine and saw that it belonged to Makoto, "A-are you okay?" He didn't answer, he just stared forward with a blank expression. This is creepy. His aura is so dark, what's wrong with him? "Makoto? You," I wriggled the fingers that weren't being crushed by his strong grip, "you're hurting me..."

He blinked after what seemed like forever and looked at me, "...Ah! I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" Makoto looked away to the side and mumbled to himself. I didn't hear what it was. He loosened his grip immediately, my hand slipped from his. Nagisa and Haru walked over to the man, still holding my phone, to take pictures together. Makoto and I were now standing slightly away from the others, an air of unease blew past before I broke the ice: "What was wrong back there? I was messing around with Nagisa, then you grabbed my hand and held it tight! Why?" I asked. He looked at the ground and huffed, "Well... I, I, uh... you just... With Nagisa... He..." He trailed off. I looked at him - the night's light lit his face dimly, but I could make out a blush growing on his cheeks.

"I just... I'm sorry, but I... I was about to fall over, so I grabbed something to stop myself falling over! Haha, I guess it was you I grabbed. Heheh..." He laughed pathetically, his face was burning red. He should be the one we call "Tomo-chan." After exchanging a few awkward looks and coughs, Haru saved us by waving us over, "I can't take anymore pictures with Nagisa. Help me..." He pleaded, so we quickly joined them.

"'Kay. Right. You just stan' there, Negasi."

"It's Nah-ge-sa."

"Ah, my apologies. So, Momoto, you stan' next to, uh, Myazuki?"

"I'm sorry, but it's Mah-ko-toe."

"A-and I'm Mizuki. Me-zoo-key."

"Heh, I ain't so good wit' names, eh? Sorry. Well, no frettin' 'bout names. Right, now you're all standin' next to each other, how 'bout you all hol' each other's 'ands in the air wit' big cheesy smiles? Y'all seem like good friends, so this shouldn't be no bother, hm? It'll look great as a memento, or somethin'." He pushed my phone against his face and readied himself to take the photo. Nagisa held my hand and raised it above our heads, then I did the same to Makoto, and Makoto did the same to Haru. We all looked at each other with big smiles before turning to the camera. A bright flash blinded me for a few seconds, "Ey, not a bad pic if I do say so me self! Heh, y'all look like a cute bunch, 'specially the girly there. Super cute, you are..."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I went to walk over to him, but as I moved, a hand grabbed my shoulder, "Mizuki," Haru started, "don't go near him." He let go of my shoulder and took my phone from the man. I thanked him and said goodbye to everyone, seeing as it was very late. We all went our separate ways, except for Haru and I. He suggested that we walk home together, seeing as he lives next door to me and he didn't want me to walk alone at night. We talked for a while before I remembered something:

"So, uh, who actually won the race? It was pretty much neck and neck." I asked.

Haru slipped his hands into his pockets and looked around. "You shouldn't care about winning - just enjoy the water." He looked at me as he said that. I felt heavy. Am I really that bad a person?

"Sorry. But, I just want to know..." He raised his hand and gently rested it on my head, ruffling my hair and smiling, causing me to blush a little. "I was joking. But, you both tied. It's a little disappointing knowing that we can't rub the victory in the loser's face." We both shared a quite laugh. You know, despite his cold exterior, he's actually really nice underneath.