The first time you met him, it wasn't the most happy moment in your life. You couldn't breath as the water filled your lungs, you struggle to move your limbs but they refuse, you were so little and weak that the water just swallowed you whole. Your vision began to fade slowly but before darkness stole your sight you see someone dive in after you, you never did forget those deep maroon eyes and locks of hair.
You rested your chin in your palm as you stared out the window of your class room, it was just another boring day to your dismay. You glance over towards two of your fellow classmates, Nanase Haruka and Tachibana Makoto, it made you a little depressed that they didn't remember who you were...Maybe it's because you looked different from when you were little, you look at your nails which you had painted deep maroon yesterday, it reminded you of him...Oh no if you think about him right now you'll start to cry again, you just missed him so much that it hurt to even think about that big grin and cheerful laugh...Then his hugs...The last hug he ever gave you was when you felt him give to you the last of his warmth and became as cold as the deep ocean itself. You feel eyes fixed on the back of your head, you knew who it was but decide not to meet his gaze, Haruka had a way of staring at you when in class. You didn't understand if it was because you seemed familiar to him or that he just decided staring at you was more fun than class.
Lunch was just as boring, the same thing everyday seemed to be getting dull for you...You liked adventures, and you liked when you had adventures with him. Oh you were thinking about him and the tears stung at the corners of your eyes, you enjoyed the peace of sitting on the far side of the school roof well the other two groups that sat out on the roof as well ate their lunches, you look over at the two girls tilting your head as you feel one of them is familiar to you, you then look at Haruka, Makoto, and...Who was that with them- "Nagisa!?" The name busted out of your mouth causing you to cover it up trying to shove the sound back down your throat but it was already to late, his head turned around as his eyes locked on your (e/c) eyes, his eyes lit up with joy as he quickly walked over to you and knelt down. "(f/n)?" You nodded slowly which made him grin with excitement. "Wow! I didn't know you came to this school too!" Haruka, and Makoto walk over with puzzled expression...Well as much emotion that Haruka could muster. Makoto spoke up asking Nagisa who you were. "Guys you don't recognize little duckling (f/n)! Remember the girl you fell into the pool during one of our practices and Rin saved her!" Makoto had a shocked expression and Haruka's eyes went slightly wide, you look down at the mention of Rin's name as the painful heartache returned. "I've changed a lot, that must be why they didn't notice me." It was true, your once long hair as a child was now cut into a tomboy-ish hairstyle and dyed (f/c) making you almost a different person, your body had also developed as you had aged. Makoto smiled with joy as he held his hand out to shake yours, you shake his hand giving him a smile in return and nodded towards Haruka who looked away with his normal dull expression. "Heh, you guys never changed...But um...I heard you guys aren't swimming anymore?" Makoto had a glum expression as Nagisa did his normal whine of disapproval. "Yeah, this high school doesn't have the pool open." You had a painful emotion build in your chest knowing that these guys were collecting dust like old trophy's, it really bothered you to know that the pool wasn't in use. "Well I have to get back inside in time for my next class, see you three some other time!" Haruka nodded as the two others waved goodbye to you.
After school you decide to pay your older sister a visit, she went to a private school and stayed in the dorms to focus on her studies as a third year student, you enter into the dorms via the automatic doors and speak with the guard that sat behind the glass just then you feel someone bump into your shoulder causing you to stumble to your left a bit. You turned your head quickly to spot the deep maroon eyes that you've longed to see for so long, you grab the strangers jacket with clenched fingers as you look for words to say. "R-Rin?" He looked at you with an annoyed expression but that melted away to a softer emotion as he realized whom you were. "(f/c)..." You two stood there for what felt like an eternity until you feel him pull his arm away from your grasp then walks off exiting through the sliding doors leaving your mind in confusion and your heart aching for that comforting hug. "Rin...You really did change."
You sat in your sister's dorm spacing out as you thought about him, thinking what happened before he left after that one New Year's visit...The tears in his eyes and the anger that grew in his heart that rotted away to hatred towards his own friends. You clench your cup of tea tightly as your sister rambles on about tests and to much homework, you finally snap out of it when you feel her hand on your hands that were now trembling. "(f/n) what's wrong? Did something happen today?" You look into her eyes that matched your (e/c) eyes and with a pitiful sob choke out the sinful name that stained your heart. "R-Rin came back..." Her eyes went wide with shock as she leaned over the table to hug you close, you set the cup down wrapping your arms around her as she tries her best to comfort you, but nothing has ever matched his comforting warmth that now has vanished from his skin forever. "H-He goes to your school Emilia, why didn't you tell me?" She sighed holding you closer trying to make your trembling shoulders relax. "I didn't tell you to...Keep you safe from seeing who he has become." You grip her shirt tightly between your fingers and shake your head slowly. "No it's still him...He is still the Rin that saved me and taught me how to swim before he moved away."
Your sister walked you back home to say goodbye to you and check in with your parents, as she chatted with them you went up to your room setting your backpack down on it's hook then slipping your school uniform off enjoying the crisp air that made your bare skin shiver with excitement. You slip on your nightgown and pick up a picture off of your computer desk laying down on your bed with a sorrowful sigh as you looked at the picture of all five children with hope in their eyes and joyful smiles, and there you stood with long (h/c) as Rin wrapped one arm over your shoulder and his other arm over Haruka's shoulder, they had all been your friends and took time to teach you how to swim after...The accident. But now Rin...You know he won't ever forgive Haruka for what happened that day...But maybe just maybe you can break through Rin's hard shell to find the real him again and repair the wounds that he has given himself. "Rin...We promised to be friends forever...I intend to keep my side of the promise...Are you?" At that moment you sneezed loudly covering up your nose and mouth with your arm, you rub your nose sniffling. "Ah? Somebody is talking about me?" You feel your heart flutter at that moment.
As Rin sat in his dorm after the long night of running into the three people he hadn't expected to see so soon but then his mind went to you, the look on your face when you realized he had returned and was right there in front of you, why was he so stupid! Why did he rip his arm away instead of hugging you right there...Maybe he was just trying to keep you safe? Maybe he didn't want you to drown in the chaos that swirls around him lately. "(f/n) I miss your smile...You silly duckling." He loved that nickname he had given you, the little duckling who couldn't swim and always followed behind him and the others, but it didn't take long for you to learn how to swim when he gave you swimming lessons, those nights were the best as he held you close teaching you how to kick your feet then how to use your arms and finally the first time you swam on your own...He felt so proud of you for sticking with him as a teacher and friend...You were only children...It meant nothing to him...Right? Why was she so hard to forget about...Why was she the only one that made him feel needed and loved..."Shit...I need to see her."
You had fallen asleep with the photo in your arms keeping it close, your sister peeked in with a soft smile on her lips. "Goodnight little duckling...I'm sure that idiot shark can't resist you...You're a perfect little juicy meal." She closed the door as you rolled over grumbling in your sleep at the sound that reached your mind but you ignored it thinking it was just the tree hitting the window, but it sounded different from that...Like pebbles...You keep ignoring it and soon it stops all the way and you carry on sleeping in your soft bed as your dreams focus on the shark that was always circling in your mind. Rin Matsuoka.
The next day in class you yawned softly as you covered your mouth to muffle it, you hadn't gotten much sleep last night with all the dreams that bashed your subconscious, dreams of that day you met Rin for the first time, when he then introduced you to Haruka, Makoto, and Nagisa...The swimming lessons he had given you...The day he had left. You feel your heart ache when you think about how cruel your mind was to make you remember such a painful memory, the day he left all his warmth in your skin with one final hug. After first period you head up to the roof looking to enjoy your lunch when you feel hands clasp your shoulders from behind and push you forward almost making you trip, you look back to yell at whoever was being so rude and at caught off guard when you see Nagisa, Makoto, and the normally emotionless Haruka. "(f/n)! You want to join us for lunch!" You tilted your head thinking about it for a moment then gave Nagisa one of your classic warm and welcoming smiles. "I would be honored to have lunch with three of the best swimmers of Iwatobi High."
You listened to Makoto and Nagisa have vivid conversations as Haruka simply ate his lunch quietly, you slowly ate your lunch too distracted by Nagisa's stories when you feel your phone vibrate in your pocket, you kept it in your jacket's pocket for emergency's. You flip the screen open to look at the text your sister had just sent you, and read it to yourself in your mind. 'You will never believe what I just found outside my dorm addressed to you from one grumpy shark.' Your eyes went wide with excitement as you realize who she was talking about, you clutch your (f/c) cell phone in your fingers as joy fills your bones. Then your ears perk up as you hear Nagisa say. "Can't believe Rin and Haru raced last night...We got into a lot of trouble for breaking into his school's pool." You almost pounce on Nagisa as you had a warm smile. "You guys saw Rin last night!?" Makoto had a bit of a sad expression. "Yeah but it didn't go so well."
You sighed in defeat after listening to your story. "So he caused trouble...Typical Rin." look glance over at Haruka who seemed unamused like always. "...I should get going now, thank you for having lunch with me." Makoto and Nagisa smiled happily. "Anytime (f/n)! You should eat lunch with us more, it's always nice when your here to listen." You smiled softly as you packed up the left overs of your lunch and stood up. "See you guys another time!" You rush down the stairs feeling joy make your feet barely touch the steps. Haruka was silent for a bit then spoke up. "She saw Rin last night...I can tell." Makoto looked over at Haruka confused by this comment. "You think so?" Haruka looked at the both of them. "Why do you think she is smiling like that again."
You rushed over to your sister's dorm after school almost tripping on your way up the stairs, you knock on her door as your hop from foot to foot waiting for the door to open, she finally opens it and yelps when you come bursting into her dorm. "Well hello to you too!" You look around and spot the gift resting on her kotatsu, it was a little duck plushie with a bow around its neck with a note attached, you sit down in front of the kotatsu and slip the note off reading it softly to yourself. "(f/n) I know we left off in a rather cruel way, and I shouldn't have treated you like that tomorrow...But it's best if you keep your distance...From me?" You feel tears begin to sting at the corners of your eyes. "Why won't he just...B-be our friend again, why does he have to fight these stupid internal battles on his own?" You rest the note down and hug the duck plush close to your face and realize it smelled like his cologne. You feel a soft pink blush stain your cheeks as you hug the duck closer take long deep breaths through your noise to never let that scent escape your mind, he must have held it close at some point that his cologne just stained the fabric with his scent. You sister had a small smile spread on her lips as she watched you lay down with the plush held close, she picked up a blanket laying it over you and tucking your legs under the kotatsu. "You're hopelessly in love with that idiot..." You nod slowly your mind clouded by the cologne that you were trying to soak in.
When you woke up the sun was starting to set as it's soft gold and orange sunset colors bathed the dorm room, you sit up with the duck still wrapped close in your arms the cologne still strong against its fabric. You look over at your sister who is sitting at her desk studying, you get up and rest your chin on her shoulder which makes her smile warmly down at her book. "Morning sleepy head." You grumble softly still half asleep. "More like evening...Why didn't you wake me up?" She turned her head toward you only a little as your chin rested on her left shoulder. "Because you looked so happy I didn't want to disturb my little sister." she holds a small note up to you with a sly grin. "Plus I may have went to get Rin's dorm number for you." Your eyes went wide as you snapped out of your half asleep state snatching the note from her and reading it. "Y-You mean he lives in the dorms as well?" She nodded slowly as she tapped her cheek. "Now whose the best sister?" You giggled softly as you rolled your eyes then gave her a peck on the cheek. "You are!" She nuzzled her cheek against your lips making you turn your head and nuzzle your cheek against her's. "You are so in love with that boy you'll walk through fire just for him." You sighed as you knew most would think you should just forget about Rin, but you owed him your life...And he was the only one who had seen you at your most fragile state. "He means a lot more then you think...I just don't want to lose him." She nodded slowly with a tired smile on her lips as she tapped her pencil against the notebook she had open. "Then you better fight for him...That dumb shark doesn't know what his missing out on. A fine meal like you doesn't come around everyday, duck is an amazing meal!" You laughed as you pinch her cheek roughly. "Your so cruel!" She laughs swatting your hand away from her cheek. "I'm just telling you the truth." After bothering her for a little longer by telling her about the three other boys you decide to head home and on your way you pass by Rin's dorm staring at the door feeling his presence behind the door for sure, you reach to knock but slowly draw your hand back as you head off down the hall, just at that moment Rin opened the door closing it behind him as he looked down the hall just in time to see you turn the corner. His eyes went wide as he felt his heart skip a beat, he shakes his head tilting it back. "Get it together dumbass, she's better off without...Besides what is she doing in the dorms anyway?" He turned and went down the other direction trying to keep away from you as best he can.
You got home a little late that night after heading to a grocery store to pick up some baking ingredients, you set the bags down on the counters of your kitchen and start preparing your gift for Rin, you knew just what to make him. You weren't going to let him get away this time, there is no way your letting your friend just vanish from this world...His your love and your savior...Maybe it's just time you save him for once.