CHAPTER ONE: WAIT FOR ME

Short legs propelled the young girl forward. Mary Janes clacked against the concrete, a pink sweater caught in the breeze and fluttered behind her. A smile was on her face. She was so happy that he was alone; she loved when it was just them. Because she felt like they had a connection, like he accepted her. Sure the others were nice to her, but she couldn't be herself around them. Not like she could around Rin.

"Hey!" she called, slowing her speed until she came to a complete stop. Her breath was ragged from running and her onyx hair was a tangled mess.

"There you are!" the boy beamed giving the girl a toothy grin, "Took you long enough."

"I had to clean up my desk before I could go out for recess."

"Ha! You're gonna make a terrible wife if you don't learn how to clean."

Green eyes narrowed at the twelve year old boy who was laughing at his own joke. "I don't have to hang out with you today," the eleven year old said with a wide grin, watching how Rin's laughter ceased. Once his laughter stopped the girl spun around on her heels and slowly began to walk away.

"Misaki!"

"Better say something nice about me before I'm gone forever!"

"You wouldn't."

Misaki turned to look over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed and a sly smile on her young face, "See ya later Rin."

"Ugh! Fine!" Rin huffed and Misaki stopped walking but didn't bother to turn around just yet.

"Yes?"

"You're annoying," he mumbled to himself but Misaki heard and began walking away again, "But…ugh….um…."

"Oh c'mon!" Misaki spun around, crossing her arms over her chest in the process, "It can't be that hard."

"Yes it is," Rin stated as he scratched his cheek, his eyes upwards and a small blush forming on his face, "It's just embarrassing."

Before Misaki could say anything she felt her hand being grabbed as Rin tugged her along. Small protests left her mouth, but never once did she try to pull her hand away. Instead she tightened the hold, squeezing his hand and noticing how warm it was even in this chilly weather. The two continued walking, Rin leading the way and moving between the buildings in order to avoid the other kids. They already got made fun even when they weren't holding hands; the kids would definitely 'oohhh' and 'awwww' if they saw their hands intertwined.

When they stopped Misaki found herself staring up the trunk of a cherry blossom tree that had yet to bloom. Her gaze turned to her left to see Rin looking up at the tree and then down to the bricks around the base. A shaky sigh left his lips as he dug his chin into his scarf and Misaki gripped his hand even tighter.

"I…um….I think you're really pretty Misaki."

The words came out softly and Misaki felt as if her heart was about to beat out of her chest, "Huh?"

"And nice, and smart, and you're really funny even if you're joke are kind of bad," Rin turned to see Misaki blushing furiously and he could feel her hand becoming clammy, "And well uh that's all the nice things I'm going to say so don't ask for any more," his gaze quickly turned back down towards the decorated bricks as Misaki's airy laugh met his ears.

"You're cute when you're embarrassed."

"Hey! I'm not the one who looks like a strawberry!" Rin snapped as he watched Misaki cover her laugh with her hand, her eyes widening slightly at his comment.

"It's cause it's cold," she huffed, "My face turns red when it's cold."

"You sure about that?" Rin snickered as he leaned in closer and poked Misaki's cheek with his free hand, "You don't feel that cold. If anything you must be warm since your hand is getting all sweaty."

Misaki quickly pulled her hand out of Rin's grasp and wiped it on her plaid skirt, "Maybe I'm getting sick."

"Doubt it," Rin sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "You can just admit it alright?"

"Admit what?"

"That you like me," his eyes had been closed as to not betray his nervousness, but he slightly opened one to see that Misaki's face had turned an even darker shade of red, "I really don't want to have to say it first."

"I like you Rin."

"Huh?" Rin's arm dropped and eyes fully opened as he leaned in closer to see if he had really heard her correctly.

"I really like you," Misaki said as she played with the hem of her skirt, "What's that look for?"

"I didn't expect you to actually say it."

"Was I not supposed to!?" Misaki took a step backwards, her pulse racing as she wondered if she had made a mistake.

"No I'm happy you said it cause I like you too," a grin came to Rin's face, which caused Misaki to calm down and an odd fluttering feeling to form in her stomach, "And since you are in love with me-"

"I didn't say that."

"-you'll have to make a promise that you'll wait for me."

"Wait for you?" Misaki asked, forgetting about how she was going to reiterate that she didn't use the word 'love' even though it was true that she loved him.

"I'm not gonna to be here for middle school. I'm going to Australia."

"Aus-Australia," Misaki had seen that place on a map before. It was far away, so far away that she wouldn't be able to see Rin every day. So far away that, "You…you're leaving?" the tears started flowing down her cheeks before Misaki even had a chance to stop them.

"Oh c'mon don't cry."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I just did didn't I?" Rin stated as he moved closer and wrapped his arms around the sniffling girl, "I'm not leaving forever though. I'm gonna go train to be an Olympic swimmer and when I'm the best then I'll come back so that's why you have to wait for me."

"When I come back you're gonna be my girlfriend okay?" Rin said as he placed his hands on Misaki's shoulders, noticing how she was still crying, "And we'll go on lots of dates and do all that other stuff boyfriends and girlfriends do."

"Y-You promise?" Misaki sniffled, raising her hands to try to wipe away her tears.

"Of course! Look I even got you something so you won't forget me," Rin removed his hands from Misaki's shoulders so he could dig in his pant pocket, "Here," he smiled, pulling out a pink beaded bracelet.

"Give me your arm," he instructed and gently clasped the bracelet around Misaki's wrist, "See all these metal thingies? They are so you can tighten or loosen it so it'll fit forever. Now you'll remember me and our promise."

"Then you need something to remember me," Misaki stated as she reached around her neck and undid the clasp on her silver necklace, "Here."

"I can't take this," Rin said as Misaki placed the long chain in his hands and he noticed the small bird pendant that hung on the end, "Wasn't it your grandma's or something?"

"It's my favorite necklace so you have to keep good care of it okay?" Misaki closed Rin's hands around the necklace, the feeling of wanting to cry welling up inside of her again, "I-I'm going to miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you too," Rin placed the necklace in his jacket pocket before giving Misaki another hug, "But it's not like I'm leaving today, plus I said I was gonna come back for you didn't I?"

"Yeah," Misaki whispered, pressing her cheek against Rin's chest as she held him close.

"I'm gonna come back so I can take you on a date and so I can swim with my team again. Oh! That reminds me! You're gonna come to the relay this weekend right?!"

"Uh-huh," Misaki nodded as they parted, a smile coming to her face, "I'm really excited to see you swim! Do Makoto and Haruka know that you're moving?"

"I told them a few days ago, I also told them to take care of you."

"What!? Why!?" Misaki was sort of kind of friends with Makoto and Haruka meaning she did not feel comfortable with them taking care of her while Rin was gone.

"Cause you're a ditz," Rin said as he poked Misaki's forehead, "And if I'm not here to make sure you're alright then I want them to look after you."

"Ugh, fine, but I'm not a ditz," the girl sighed as she looked down at caught site of the bracelet now adorning her wrist, "Will you write me letters?"

"All the time."

"I'm going to wait for you Rin," her voice held determination as she swallowed away any tears that wanted to surface.

"You promise?"

"Promise."

Author's Note: And so begins my first Free! fanfic. This idea just hopped in my head and I couldn't get it out thus the birth of this story. I'm really excited to write this story- I have a lot planned for it so I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter and please leave a review!