At Last [Free! Iwatobi Swim Club]

The News

"And that's the reason why I was up on the roof, to get you guys to finally meet up again. I know, it was bad of me to lie about not texting him. I'm sorry." Upon finally testifying the truth, Gou breathed out dramatically. She only wanted to help her brother, and Hanako felt quite bad for how she treated the first-year initially.

Everyone was silent, replaying in their minds how Rin acted the night before, realising just how much he'd changed. He was once a happy and upbeat person, why has he grown cold and bitter? Hanako was the first to speak up.

"I just don't get it. He never used to be like this."

Haru looked grudgingly to the side, as if to say "That's right, Captain Obvious", and became distant.

The bell signalling the end of school rung out several minutes ago, the building now desolate and empty. The cleaners had started toddling around with their heavy loads of cleaning supplies, migrating from building to building. From the roof of the second-year building, the group could see it all.

After some time, Makoto spoke up too, "Well, I think that if we keep at it enough, we'll get to the bottom of this. Gou, please keep at it and do your best." Ending his sentence with a bow, everyone agreed and dispersed. Nagisa and Gou went one way, Hanako and Makoto the other, and no one saw where Haru mysteriously disappeared off to.

The only sound was the whispering wind, soft and gentle, as Hanako walked along with Makoto down the hill to her house. Until he broke the calm silence.

"So, um... I only live just down there with my family," Makoto said, pointing at a slightly modern two-storey house, "Where do you live, Hanako?"

"See the older two-storey next to yours? That's where I live now with my Obā-san." She explained, a little heat rising to her cheeks.

Letting out a gasp, Makoto looked straight into Hanako's eyes, "Really? Then... We're neighbours? I thought your route home looked similar to mine— I mean, I only just noticed it one day— Sorry, I bet I'm being weird." He laughed nervously and looked down at his feet as the two came to their front doors.

"Don't worry about it," Hanako smiled, waving as Makoto entered his house, "See you tomorrow!"

When his door shut with a click, Hanako let her hand drop to her side, a soft pang in her heart. She found herself thinking of Rin, the way he slapped her hand away one moment, and gripped her forearm with all his might the next. He was just so... enigmatic.

"Rin..." Hanako whispered, her tone longing.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I just—" She replied to the disembodied voice, turning around before jumping out of her skin. It was Rin! Hanako knew that she didn't have psychic powers, so why...?

Before she could say anything, Rin's hand smacked over her mouth. He started talking.

"I was just dropping by. You left without warning yesterday and looked pretty spooked."

Hanako used her free hands to wrench Rin's away, "I don't want to talk to someone who doesn't believe in my existence, let alone have them waste their time checking in."

Rin breathed out of his nose exasperatedly, "Don't be difficult, Hana. I owe you an apology."

The use of her old nickname made the pang in her heart even more intense. She crossed her arms and looked away, retorting coldly, "I won't accept it."

She didn't notice Rin placing his hands on the wall until he leant in, his hot breath sending strangely pleasant shivers down her neck. A bittersweet memory that Hanako had trouble matching up with her foggy past.

"What will make you accept it, then?" He questioned, and it was the first time Hanako had ever heard Rin's voice this husky. The pangs turned into quick heartbeats as she gazed into Rin's intense eyes. He was so close, she could smell the sweet but pungent aroma of his sweat, mixing with a spiced cologne that had almost evaporated. Hanako's mind started to wander. Was he rushing to get here? Was really he looking all over for me?

Hanako looked down, her heart caught in her throat, before looking back up at Rin. In a shaky voice, Hanako stammered, "Tell me why you left... Please."

"Do you really want to bring up don't ask, don't tell?" Rin asked, a slight edge to his voice. Hanako knew she brought up a touchy subject.

"Look, was it because of me or not? Surely you can answer that." She was struggling to see past the tears now, but could see Rin starting to ease off a bit. What she wasn't expecting was his hand to drift off the wall and cup her face. His touch was warm and gentle, but he didn't answer the question.

"I missed you, Hana. I didn't expect to ever see you again."

But Hanako couldn't talk, all she could do was let the tears and the sniffles consume her ability to speak. She could feel Rin's hand move from her cheek to the back of her head, and she cried into his tank top while her hugged her. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. He was here, and that's what only mattered.

"Just know that it wasn't you. It's not your fault at all, okay?" He reassured, his tone softening to soothe Hanako. "I'm sorry for leaving, and I'm sorry I never said goodbye. I didn't want to have to break the news to you and see you all upset."

That was all she remembered before she fell asleep from the stress in his arms. Rin carried Hanako into the house, and looked around. Her grandmother wasn't home. He carried her while he searched the house for her room, finally finding it on the second floor. Rin gently set her down on her futon, captivated by her sleeping form.

After a moment of peaceful silence, he stood up and left the house, his lips tingling and tasting of strawberry.

Strawberries had always been Hanako's favourites...

...

Hanako woke up again late that night and swore she had a dream of eating a freshly baked muffin. Why else did her lips feel so warm? Why else did she feel so... light? She fell back to sleep and dosed through her alarm, making Hanako very late for school.

As Hanako was about to sprint out the door in the morning, she was stopped by the voice of her grandmother.

"Hanako-chan, I heard a knock at the door last afternoon, and noticed your bag left outside," she smiled at her granddaughter, "Did you leave it out there accidentally?"

Hanako looked to where her Obā-san was pointing, and was astounded by the sight of the bag she took to the swimming centre. Wait... didn't she leave it there? Why— who would've dropped it off? Rin wasn't carrying anything with him the day before... 

Her cheeks flushed as she thought back to the embrace, but quickly returned to her task of running breathlessly to school, calling out a goodbye over her shoulder to her Obā-san.

She couldn't stop yawning during her first class, which she was already twenty minutes late for. Makoto asked if she wanted to go to the nurse, but she couldn't hear him as she again started to daydream about the afternoon before, about Rin and how he shifted around her question. About the hug that still left her body pleasantly warm.

After getting a stern warning from her teacher, Hanako and her class left to go to their morning break. Makoto and Hanako were on their way to their usual spot to meet with Haru and Nagisa, when they saw the two of them run straight for them.

Nagisa was talking fast and excitedly, so much so Hanako had trouble understanding what he was on about. Until he said a single word that made her gasp.

"A swim club?!"