A/N: Originally posted on Quizilla a long long time ago, but Quizilla died, so I finally got around to posting it again. Reader-chan's friend Kaya is an OC. Please enjoy onegaishimasu!
"You need to get out of the house more often," declared [name]'s friend Kaya.
"No time."
"No really, you should, [name]-chan! We could go shopping, hang out at the park..." Kaya tried once more.
"Sorry...I'd love to, but I have to study...I have so much work to do, with my classes and all," [name] sighed, shutting her textbook with an air of finality and shooting her best friend a saddened look. The two of them stood up and tramped out the Iwatobi High School Library into the noisy hallway. Usually, [name] did her homework and studied at the library every day before walking home, arriving no later than 5 P.M. sharp (parents' orders). Kaya often stopped by at [name]'s table to chat and distract [name] from her studies. [name] didn't mind too much, as she enjoyed listening to Kaya's little rants about random topics, such as little bits of gossip about her classmates, who was dating who, or even about Ama-chan and her former jobs (which were very interesting, to say the least).
"Fine, but at least find someplace more relaxing to study besides the library today, it's way too loud. Anyway, I have to go, I promised to meet my boyfriend at the front gate."
"Alright then, bye! See you tomorrow!" [name] waved. What a waste of time, Kaya having a boyfriend when she could be studying some more, [name] thought. Or that was what [name]'s parents believed, at least. Ah, well. Might as well take up Kaya's suggestion and find a new place to study. She considered going to her classroom, the tennis courts, and even the small garden in the back, but they were all filled with people hanging out and enjoying their afterschool chats. That was when she finally came across...the new pool.
The poolside seemed to be a perfect place to study. [name] marveled at the beautiful ripples and patterns created by the rushing water as she set down her study things. Maybe it was too relaxing; for one thing, the sound of water was beginning to lull her to sleep, and for another, there was nobody there at the moment...or so she thought, as she began to doze off a little while reading a chemistry book in a beach chair.
xxxxxx
"[name]-chan?" said a slightly familiar voice. She felt something, or rather someone stroking her [h/c] hair.
[name]'s eyes fluttered open, only to meet the shining dark-pink eyes of a very cute blond-haired boy.
"H-Hazuki-san?! Wh-what are you doing?!" She jerked backwards, chemistry book falling noisily onto the concrete.
Nagisa simply laughed. "Sorry, but you just looked so cute when you were sleeping, [name]-chan! And you can just call me Nagisa, [name]-chan!"
"O-Okay...Na-...Nag-...I'm sorry! I just can't call someone I don't know very well so intimately..." [name] lowered her [e/c] eyes and blushed, embarrassed and trying not to think about the fact that her classmate was standing bare-chested with well-toned muscles in front of her.
"That's okay, [name]-chan, I understand. You can just call me Hazuki-kun then," declared Nagisa cheerfully as he lay back on the beach chair next to her and crossed his hands behind his head. "So, [name]-chan, what brings you to the pool to study? Usually you're in the library after school, so it's interesting that you're here instead."
He noticed where you went after school? Wait, why are you thinking about that...
"Um, I-I just wanted someplace relaxing to study after school, so I came here. Plus, the water's quite, uh, relaxing."
[name] didn't even understand why he was talking to her. In fact, they weren't even in the same school "group." Nagisa was the popular one in the other class, always talking about swimming with his friends. Girls liked him because they thought he was cute, and [name] was sure he knew it. He even hung out with Haruka-senpai and Makoto-senpai, who she believed were also cool and popular and had been part of his old swim team when he was younger, or so [name] had heard. And [name]...[name] was as introverted as Nagisa was outgoing. She was that girl in the corner who always studied, the one who sat somewhere to the side of the classroom, not talking much, only raising her hand on occasion to timidly ask or answer a question or two. Heck, they were complete opposites. She was used to being shunned by the "popular" people, and felt quite uneasy when they were talking to her, Nagisa in particular because, quite frankly, he should start ignoring her soon at one point.
Nagisa broke her train of thought. "It's good to get fresh air. Hey, [name]-chan, do you want to join our swimming club? It's super relaxing to swim in the water, even more so than just looking at it!"
"Uh...no, sorry, Hazuki-kun...uh, I'm going to go home now, bye!" she said hurriedly, packing up her things and jumping up from the beach chair.
"What, wai-"
She offered him a small smile and a wave as she began to take her leave. "I'm sorry, I really have to go, I must be back home by 5 o'clock."
"Oh, ok...well at least, come back tomorrow, 'kay? And even though you said 'no,' I still want you to think about my offer to join the swim club," he added. [name] turned around to see his warm smile.
"Okay, I will then..." she agreed cautiously.
"Good!" he said, relieved. See you, [n-a-me]-chan!" He winked and gave her a thumbs-up.
She hid a small smile behind her hand as she walked away from him. He could be so cheesy sometimes. Cheesy, but charming.
For the next few days (which turned into weeks and even months rather quickly), [name] kept her word, showing up at the pool every day after school to study, and, of course, to listen to Nagisa try relentlessly to convince her to join the swim club. Kaya too came often at first, but then eventually stopped coming altogether in order to give [name] "some alone time with your boyfriend." This statement made [name] blush. Sure she had opened up and had become better friends with the bubbly magenta-eyed boy, but it's not like she thought of him as anything more...or did she? The way he acted confused her. He made her feel like she didn't have to work so hard all the time, that she could have even a little bit of fun in her life.
"[name]-chan, are you finished changing?" Nagisa called towards the girls' locker room. He was leaning with crossed arms on the edge of the poolside, the rest of his body submerged in the shimmering ripples of water.
"Yes, I'm finished..."
"Well then come out already, I want to teach you how to swim breaststroke!"
Reluctantly, she did as told, darting quickly from the locker room and straight into the pool. She gasped for air and shuddered as she bobbed back up to the surface, her teeth beginning to chatter. The water's so freezing!
"Eh? [name]-chan, why'd you do that, now you're all cold!" He swam stealthily over to where she had resurfaced, and hugged her swiftly from behind. "There, all better now, ne? And stop hiding, you look absolutely gorgeous in that swimsuit." She turned her head to look at him and he winked, smiling a dazzling smile and causing her heart to pound. She could feel his toned muscles gently grazing her back, causing her face to flush a bright red as she tensed within his arms.
"L-let me go, Hazuki-kun!" she said, trying to break free from his strong grasp.
"I will, but you have to promise me three things," he said stubbornly, gently turning her around to face him.
"Fine, as long as you'll let me go," she said, pouting. He laughed at the adorable look on her face.
"Good. Promise me you'll join the swim club."
"Hai!"
"Promise me you'll call me 'Nagisa' from now on."
"Hai!"
"Promise me you'll be my girlfriend."
"Ha-wait wha-?!"
"Promise, or I'll never let you go," he said cutely, hugging her even tighter.
"O-oi! …Na-Nagisa...hai." He broke out into an adorable, lop-sided grin that made her melt.
"I like you a lot, [first name] [last name]," he said earnestly.
"I...I like you a lot too, Nagisa Hazuki."
They stayed together in the pool for a moment, listening to nothing but the sound of the relaxing water.
"Nagisa...I always thought you would shun me or something. In my experience many popular people have," said [name], finally breaking the silence.
"I would never shun you, [nickname]-chan." She giggled at the new nickname, but stopped when she saw the time on the big poolside clock behind him.
"Oh no! I have to go! It's almost 5! My parents-the rules-" she stuttered.
"Relax, [nickname]-chan...just relax for a bit."
"But Nagisa-" she began, but he put his finger to her lips and silenced her with a soft "shhhh!"
He then leaned forward and whispered slyly into her ear:
"Sometimes, [n-a-me]-chan, you just gotta break the rules." And with that, he pressed his lips firmly against hers. [name] knew for sure she wouldn't be going home anytime soon.