Hello everybody and welcome! This is my first attempt in publishing something in English, due to this being my second language. Hopefully, my english won't be that bad hehehe.
So, I hope you guys will read it and tell me what do you think about it, 'cause I'd like to improve.
For any doubt, feel free to contact me!
!The part in between "..." is what a character is thinking!
[This story was also published on Wattpad, DeviantART and Tumblr.]
It was early in the morning of a hot day in june, when Nanase Hanabi opened her eyes and closed the alarm of her white iPhone. Stirring, stretching and moving her bangs from her face, her sight fell over the calendar on the wall, which labeled the current day as Sunday 6th june.
"Only one day left..."
A big, pink cross marked the following day. Sighing, a small smile crept across her lips and she decided it was time to get up and go running laps before breakfast, as she did every mornig.
"I must remember to pack my things when I come back home."
Hanabi headed out careful to not make any sound and awoke her brother, Haruka. She sat on the porch of their house and put on her running shoes. It was really hot, and the sky was totally free from any kind of clouds. Putting also on her headphones, she headed toward Iwatobi's beach. Hanabi loved the water as much as Haruka did, and running near the ocean never failed to make her feel way better. She inhaled deeply, stopping her tracks after half an hour of running, and started her usual stretching. Because of a leg injury, she couldn't swim and had to run more in order to help her muscles and bones coming back without any other problem. Both her swimsuit and her bikini were awaiting her in her wardrobe, and she couldn't wait to use them again.
At eight o' clock she came back home, in time to smell the tipical fragrance of fried mackerel. Smiling widely, she entered the kitchen and silently walked behind her big brother, hugging him very tightly; he gasped for a second because of the surprise, but then hugged her back, while closing the fire under their breakfast. Then she took their blue glasses and dishes and put them on the table, and Haru put the food and the orange juice; then both sat down.
«You know, Haru, I'm scared.»
«Why? Both your swimming and school tests went very well.»
«Yeah, but you and the guys are in the midst of the relays; I don't want to leave the clubs by themselves. I feel responsible...»
«...And you fear you'll be alone once you enter the academy.»
She let out a half laugh, eating one bite of fish. Her brother knew her far too well.
«That also. I've never been away from home.»
«Rin's with you, along with Mikoshiba, Nitori, Momotaro and Sosuke.»
Hanabi blushed a bright shade of red when he mentioned the very tall and very tanned dark haired boy. It wasn't like she had a crush on him. No. Well, kinda. But the darkette knew he was a good guy, and trusted him.
«Rin is going to kill me after only two hours I'll be in the Academy.»
She chuckled at the thought; Rin was her best friend of all times, even when he was in Australia, he only answered her mails and calls. Of course, she never mentioned that to Kou or the others, 'cause she knew they wouldn't take it too well.
She then went up the stairs to her room, taking with her a suitcase, two boxes and her big practice bag. Hanabi stood there for a moment, looking at ther room before packing all in the respecive boxes.
"I'm not so sure."
«C'mon! Move those legs faster, the judges won't wait for you to reach the starting blocks!»
Mikoshiba Seijuro was shouting to the swimming team currently practicing in the outside pool. Just then arrived one of the women of the administrative office, calling for him to come by her for a brief moment.
«Good morning captain. Tomorrow will arrive the new girl. Since she's the first and only girl of the Academy, please tell your guys to keep their hormones under control. Do a good job!»
The swimmer laughed, nodding at the secretary, before turning his attention back to the team. He couldn't wait to work with Hanabi: he knew her, mostly because she had always trained with the Iwatobi and the Rin, and also because she was a very close friend with Matsuoka's little sister. On top of that, however, she was an amazing swimmer and - in his opinion - they nedeed someone with her skills. Oh, and she was incredibly cute.
«Rin, what the hell are you daydreaming for?! Fifty laps backstroke, now!»
Turning his mental attention back to Haruka's sister, he started writing down again the improvements and the timing of his team; he had already left a space in the chart for her name, timing, style, and things she could eventually have to work on. Also, he knew she was recovering from a leg injury, so he decided to pair her up with both Sosuke - also recovering from a shoulder injury - and Rin.
«Yamazaki! Come here!»
The tanned boy exited the pool and reached his captain, leaving his hair free from the swimming cap. He didn't know why Mikoshiba-sensei had called him, nor what he could possibly want to tell him.
«Yes?»
«Tomorrow will arrive a new member of the team, and will work with you for this year and for the relay. »
The guy nodded and dove back into the cool but pleasant water. He didn't spend much time thinking about who the newcomer could've been: it wasn't the first time he was paired up with more than one person, and it was okay with him. He liked when people used to rely on him, and in that aspect he felt very similar to Makoto. In fact the two gentle giants got along very well because at the end they found a lot of similarities.
Sosuke was incredibly courious: he honestly didn't expect someone joining the Academy in the middle of the year, and thought that maybe Rin could know something more.
"... Nah, if he knew he would surely tell me, right?"
Well, technically Rin knew, but didn't wanted to tell his friend, mostly because he knew a certain dark haired boy and a darkette having a crush on each other and don't wanting to tell.
That would have been fun.