A/N: Hey, readers. I just came back from an unexpected hiatus and now I have a bit more free time to work on writing the five stories on the Iwatobi series. I'm gonna try to sum everything up so we can get to the good stuff.

Samantha and Makoto: Honestly, I'm a Makoto girl. That guy is just too dang sexy to let go of after the second season ended. He is a really friendly guy with a sexy smile and sexy hair and-dangit, I'mma steal him from Samantha if I keep going. That sexy bastard is infecting my brain!

Really, he is a loving guy. He's a great best friend. And that's what I need from him to give to Samantha after she experienced a lot back in her home country of America before moving to Japan. She's a great friend like him, but I feel that she isn't going to open up as much as she used to in America because one:) she has little faith or trust than she used to in people and two:) There's a lot on her plate to adapt to a new society than the one she was used to since she was a kid. She keeps thinking positive, but I have a feeling that Makoto is going to be needed when she'll hit a curb (not an actual one, but a metaphorical one...). As for them together, I'm going to need to take baby steps. I'm working my way there! Please bear with me while I do.

As for notes, I'll try to come in and out between chapters for heads up or anything in the story or leave a comment about translations. I'm trying to comb through all the chapters I've posted in the stories to make sure I haven't misspelled something or mis-typed anything. If there's any concern about the Japanese translations or how the story is, feel free to drop by and give me feedback. I promise not to bite.

Thanks, and I hope to you soon in the next chapter!

Chapter Two:

My next day began with the sakura trees blowing petals in my front yard, the sun shining, and not so warm-of-weather that I expected in the beginning of April. I guess I expected a little too much considering the Tennessee weather I was accompanied to for so long. I wished that I could take this long of a walk with my grandma, get to talk, just see a familiar smile after this sudden change of pace for me, but her condition hadn't stabilized since I came here. One of these days, maybe even this week, I could set forward to visit her...

When I was walking up the street and close to the school, I saw lil' Misuzu starin' at her feet slowly carrying her to the front gate. I thought I'd say 'hi' so I called out to her as I quickly crossed the road. She looked up at me with a sad, somewhat tired expression, and I asked her if something was wrong. I never expected an answer like, "Compared to you I'm just pitiful is all," coming.

"Huh? 'Pitiful'? Did someone make fun of you?"

Or worse..what if she took the train and-

"D-Did someone touch you on the train?"

"Eh?!"

She nervously looked around at the street. That must've meant that he was still around!

"Oh! C'mon, Misuzu-san! Let's talk somewhere private!"

I took her by the hand and fled to the gates. The predator couldn't touch her on school property where there were other people around, and I felt that it was safer to hide behind a sakura tree. This time I asked her again, but Ella came up to us saying," Yo! Wazz-up!"

"Misuzu-san may have been touched on the train!"

"Wait, like, bump 'touched' or illegally 'touched'?"

"Illegally."

She snapped back to Misuzu.

"Misuzu-chan! Who touched you?!"

"N-"

"It's okay, hon'," I told her, "You can tell us."

Rule number one on the Comforting Friend's List: Don't make the other person feel pressured in any way, otherwise, they will shut down. It's kind of like the same thing when you're cohersin' a rabbit out of its hole. You don't pressure it, and try to not make a sound as you sneak up to it. So, I just needed to-Wait, do these two situations even use the same principles?

"We'll have to call the police, y'know."

"Oh, phooey! If this pervert is out there now then we'll hafta' get 'em ourselves!"

"Nah, who knows who this person is. If it were some wimp, then I say 'hell, yeah let's get 'em'!

"What if they have a weapon on 'em?"

"You're talkin' to a girl who's lived in the US! Where I'm from I've seen my daddy use different guns while deer huntin' so many times that I'd know how to take apart that gun in less than ten seconds!"

" 'Ano' (Umm)!"

Ella and I turned to Misuzu who became red-faced as she realized more than just us had heard her from inside the school building. I was just shocked that she could raise her voice like that.

"No one touched me. I never even got onto the train this morning...I'm sorry if there was some sort of misunderstanding.."

"Oh, thank the Lord!" I sighed, " You had me worried!"

"Misuzu-chan, don't scare us like that!"

The bell interrupted us while we stood frozen realizing that all of us were going to be late. Ella immediately made a bee line for the front doors shouting something back to us. I reacted a bit too irrationally by grabbing Misuzu's hand and running after Ella. We threw off our shoes at the entrance and forgot to put on our indoor ones as we ran down the hallway. Both of us carried our shoes and just ran with our feet in our socks, which may not have been the best solution while running up the stairs. We were so close-then Misuzu tripped over her own foot and laid out face flat. The pressure was on for us to get to class in less than a minute and now we had a set back. There was no other choice.

"Sorry, kitten," I mumbled.

I picked her up and tossed her over my shoulders. She wasn't any heavier than a bale of hay I used to carry to the barns back home.

"Hold on, I'mma get us there."

" 'M-M-M-Ma-Ma-Mate' (W-W-Wait-)-"

"I ain't quittin' on ya!"

And away I went. I leapt up the stairs two at a time running as fast as I could towards the classroom.

In order to sneak in the best way I had to use the door to the back of the class. It was about time that I had to use my gymnastics from Junior High to sneak in. So I took one large breath and opened the door, ready for this new challenge.

My mind zipped to the first step: getting Misuzu to her seat. I raced into the class, sliding on my knees and pulled out her chair. She hopped onto the chair. Then I somersaulted to my seat. Right on time the teacher called out Misuzu's name; she weakly responded. She looked over at me with a shocked expression. All I could do besides laugh at our situation on the inside was smile and think, Hey, if we got away with it, then that's all that counts.

Lunchtime came pretty quickly after that. It was a quiet day outside and the sunlight set the mood perfectly as the girls and I sat together to eat. Everyone was happily chatting away with each other, but Kou was depressingly looking down at her 'keitai'.

So I asked her, "So, what's the 4-1-1 from last night, Matsuoka-san?"

Hopefully it wasn't anything upsetting to her. I just went in without thinking about it. Good Lord, Sam. Can't you think before actin'? I thought.

"Eh? Wh-What do you you mean?"

Well, by her response it was less of a personal situation than I'd imagined. At least she was able to tell me what was on her mind.

"Oh, c'mon now, I can tell something is bugging you by that look on your face. Did something happen?"

"I...I sent a text to my brother to see if he had met with his friends Hazuki-kun, Tachibana-kun and Nanase-kun at the old swim school. But he hasn't replied back..."

That reminded me of that one guy who walked away from them at that old pool. But, wait, wasn't it more red, or magenta hair? Maybe..

"Hold on! You mean to tell me that your brother was the red-head from the other night?"

"What? You've seen 'Oniisan'?"

"Ah, well...yeah.."

I explained to everyone what happened the other night when I chased after the boys into the old swim school. Some of them laughed as I told them about the boys stripping and me shouting for no reason. But suddenly Kou asked me if they got to swim. That was new for me, askin' if they swam when there were better questions to ask than that.

"H-Huh? Uh-no. There wasn't any water in the pool so they left. That's when I came into the scene. And dadgum, did all of us get into trouble!"

"What?" exclaimed Misuzu, "You too, Mueller-san?!"

"Sure did! And I was the one who tried shooin' them off!"

When I saw the look on her face I changed gears. I wouldn't have expected her to be disappointed. I mean, back home many of the people I knew bragged about not gettin' caught from something (more of thrill seekers than hard-core crime junkies, mind you) or even gettin' into trouble. Even Bran-

No, I'm in Japan. I'm in Japan...

I didn't know what was wrong with me for the rest of the day as I sat back in class. I was looking at the board, taking notes and listening to the teacher, yet i wasn't. The classroom had changed with the glare of the sunlight in my eye, and I could've sworn that I was back in America with Jess sitting besides me, Brandon in the back with his friends, and our quirky English teacher Mr. Reed up front. Everyone laughed as he tripped over his rug under his podium and my friend whispered something funny to me about our teacher. Then it'd all disappeared like an unimportant dream...

When I finally got back to the teacher's lecture, I stared at the notes and I tried to catch whatever I'd missed. At this point I could find more interest in what I'd make for dinner tonight than taking notes.

Thankfully the bell rang and everyone left. I stood up and stretched my sore arms out. Misuzu sat mesmerized like she were in a daydream with her cheeks lookin' a bit flushed. She jumped when I called out her name.

"You feelin' alright, Misuzu-san?"

"U-Uh..yes. I'm just tired. Do you mind if I go on ahead?"

"Naw, you go on. I'm just gonna talk with Matsuoka-san before leaving."

"O-Okay."

Misuzu bustled out the door with our other classmates. I sighed to myself as I thought about dinner tonight and eating alone once again. All I wanted was to go back home and forget that I had even thought about the past. It just put me in a puckered out mood.

In any case, I couldn't miss out on meeting up with Kou. It sounded important and Ella had already found and dragged me down the hallway to go meet Kou. I put on the best face I could manage for her so that I could at least pretend I was okay.

We caught up to our friend who was talking to Tachibana and Hazuki by the end of the hallway. I picked up on some of the conversation they had, only translating "water", "we", and "fun". Dunno what they were going on about, but it seemed that Ella heard them as well. She stepped up to Hazuki and demanded, "What's this about a club?"

Man, was she up in arms. The way she was looking at Hazuki was like she was challenging him to a duel. He turned to her, her glare not even phasing him, and said, "Ah! Takemono-chan!"

"E-Takemono '-chan'?"

" 'Gomen', I don't know you first name."

Then I watched her look at Hazuki. She opened her mouth to jump his case, but she stopped. The glare in her eye faded, and she dumb-foundedly stared at him. To me, Hazuki was bashfully looking to the side and scratched his cheek. I could've sworn there was color in her cheeks, but she quickly shook her head, he looked at her, she turned and went, "Hmph!"

Oh, she's what you call a 'tsundere'! So, that means that she acts tough yet bashful around her crush. So then...she thinks he's cute? She likes him?...Hmm...

"Neh, Samantha-chan. We wanted to get some people together to form a swim club."

"You mean you guys don't have one now?"

I looked at the rest of the group. Kou turned to me and answered, "I think they used to have one, but most of the seniors graduated and there weren't enough members to keep it going. So then they shut it down for a few years..."

"Oh."

" 'Mah-neh', would you join it if we start one, Samantha-chan? It'd be really fun, and we'd-"

"Sounds great to me. I'll definitely join."

" 'Ya-ta'!"

Hazuki threw his fist up in the air, Tachibana and Kou smiling with him. I looked at Ella thinking that she'd say she'd join too, but she looked at her shoes and blushed as Hazuki asked, "What about you, Takemono-chan?"

She frowned, her lips pursed and she avoided looking directly at Hazuki. Everyone stood waiting for her to respond but she wouldn't budge.

I then told Hazuki and the others, "Y'know what, we both have to get home before the hour's up. Do you mind if we pick this back up tomorrow?"

"E-i. We'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Alright-y. Take care, guys!"

"Bye-bye!" Kou said as she waved to us.

I walked with Ella down the hall and tried to snap her out of her thoughts . She kept frowning to herself and uncurling then curling her fists. It was more concerning than that when we got to the front door and she started banging her head on her locker door.

"Uh, Ella, you okay there?"

"I-agh,...I'm fine. I just hate that guy," she said, quietly mumbling to herself at that last part.

"You..wanna talk about it?"

"Yes-no-I-AGH!"

She slammed the shoe locker door and stuffed her feet into her outdoor shoes. I jumped back. Was she really ticked off by Hazuki? What did he do to her that made her that upset?

"Let's go," she muttered to me.

I quietly followed behind her as we left school grounds and walked down the sidewalk. She grumbled to herself for the whole fifteen minutes we had to walk with each other, and I didn't have a clue of what to say to her. I thought of just starting off with how her week had been going or if she knew any funny TV shows. But there just wasn't a chance to talk to her. As she was off in her own world, she stomped her feet and sped up another few feet in front of me.

That's it-

"Ella-chan!"

I grabbed her bag strap and said, "You shouldn't stress yourself this much. If something's botherin' you, you can tell me about it."

She finally gave in and sighed.

"Hazuki ticks me off."

"Okay..." I replied, "that's a start."

I let go of her and stood tall. She scoffed to herself, probably thinking that talking about her issue was stupid, but we were alone on this corner and we had all the time in the world. I tried smiling to reassure her that it was okay for her to tell me what she could.

"Okay, that's an understatement. I hate him..but at the same time he's-he's-y'know! How do you say it?"

" 'Kawaii' (Cute)?"

"Sure, whatever," she scoffed. "So, whenever I see him I feel ticked off and I want to shout at him, but I also fell girly and giddy when he looks...ugh. Does that even make any sense?"

"Yeah, I understand. Do you want me to tell you what I think?"

She leaned her weight over to her left foot and closed her mouth.

"Well, I can say that you're feelin' somethin' complicated. You get goofy around him yet angry, and you want to hide it so you try to ignore him and pass him off...right?

"Technically, that's considered a crush. But so soon into the year...I say don't worry. Take your time to get to know him and then you decide how you feel. Pursue him if you want, or don't bother with him. It's up to you."

"...Oh-my-God! 'Like him'?! Are you-"

I knew she wanted to gag at what I had said, but what surprised me was when she stopped to think about it. At the same time I heard someone call out my name from behind. To my surprise I found Tachibana running towards me.

Whew, look at that! A hunk like that running for you? Didn't know you were that lucky lil'-

Hey, quit thinkin' weird things, Sam!

You thought it first!

Wait a minute! Am I havin' this conversation with myself right now?

"Ah, Tachibana-kun!" I said so I could quickly forget my awkward moment in my head.

Tachibana stopped in front of me with his hand opening up to me. In his palm was a lime green handkerchief that had the same initials as mine. And it looked like grandma's print too. Hold the phone!

"You dropped this after you left. I'm glad I was able to catch up to you."

"Goodness! I'm sorry you had to do that for me!"

I quickly bowed to him as an apology (customary here, anyways) and reached out to take it from his hand. But as I had just touched it replied, "Ei, don't be sorry. I'm not.."

Did I just hear that right?

I had back the handkerchief, but I almost dropped it as I looked up at him and blushed. Then came the disappointment.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't say anything-uh-well-I-"

He cleared his throat and excused himself from me. I waved goodbye to him, pretending to play it off.

"Can you feel the aw-kward tonight?" sung an off-key voice behind me.

I turned and countered, "Well it looks like someone has finally cheered up!"

"Ha! Talk about 'shy couple'. Can I say that you two are just so 'cu-ute' together?"

I chuckled to that, but I felt the sting of the past hit me hard.

"I don't think that's possible...not after.."

I bit my tongue, just for a moment, and then I told her, "Alright, I gotta get some food on the table. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Y-Yeah.."

She left in the opposite direction as I headed down one shortcut home. After Ella was gone I curled my fists and tried to think about something funny. Anything but that one day...

That night I stood in the kitchen cooking curry with my last clean pot. I got a call from the hospital earlier, and grandma's doctor had let me know that she would be able to come home within the week. So at least there was some good news for me. I needed that.

Well, it was getting better. The next day I came in ready to go and settled in my seat (on time, thankfully) and got through the morning. At lunch Hazuki waved around the club application form and tried explaining to Misuzu the plan to start up a new club. Ella had (apparently) talked to Hazuki and joined, but Misuzu had some difficulty deciding if she wanted to do the same. Both Ella and I knew that we couldn't force her, so I let her think it over until she had an answer.

And she really did take her time. The weekend came and went and yet there wasn't a response from her. But my good news finally came when my grandmother was back home on Sunday with fire in her spirit , though she put me through the usual guilt trip about not visiting her then a lecture from the letter she got from the school about me "allegedly breaking into private property". I was lucky that she believed me when I explained what really happened. We were able to talk to each other for the rest of the day and catch up on me and school.

Then the school week picked up after that and still nothing from Misuzu. We all missed her at lunch while everyone worked refurbishing the school pool (we had to agree to that when the school board finally approved). Though, Ms. Ama didn't do anything but "supervise" us from her sun chair underneath an umbrella.

As we were working around the fence one day I moved closer to Tachibana and asked, "So how did it turn out with the art club?'

"Eh? Ah, well..I didn't expect that they would do that."

I laughed to myself and put down my clippers.

"Yeah. They just sprung out of nowhere and tried to kidnap Nanase-kun. And then Hazuki-kun was on the floor trying to save him..."

I broke off so I could control my laughter. Tachibana smiled and started chuckling softly.

" 'Gomen' (I'm sorry) , I just find it funny, but you probably disagree with me."

"No, I understand. It was startling at first, but now I see what you mean."

"Oi, you two!"

Hazuki stood tall in the unfilled pool with his finger pointed at us. Ella looked up at the same time, and then both of their voices ordered in unison, "Quit slacking and get to work!"

"Hey, don't steal my words from me!" snapped Ella.

"O-I didn't mean to!"

"Hmph!"

"Aww, Takemono-chan! Please don't be that way!"

Tachibana and I watched them argue with each other, and then we started laughing. I had no idea what came over me but I looked at Tachibana and instantly felt that everything was okay, that I was safe. For this once we could relax. That I could relax.

Thanks to everyone's help, Misuzu's (whom joined us not too soon after), and Kou's, we were able to finish the pool by the end of the week. It looked brand new with the pool filled and the sidewalk cleaned. We all celebrated with some cider and cheered, and everything seeming well.

Then that one water fanatic just couldn't contain himself any longer.

One moment I hear someone shout, then the next there's an embarrassed girl staring at a shirtless guy ripping his pants off. I whistled to myself thinking that he was a son of a gun, but I turned back to Misuzu while she was working herself up to a point. A creep then comes up, scares her into the pool, she's saved by Nanase and then laying unconscious in my arms.

"Oh, Lord, so help me. I.."

I had no idea what I could do at this point. One person was floatin' in the too-cold-of-a-pool, one conked out, a teacher with an injured elbow, and a pervert makin' a run for it.

Go-what was-I-I-

I was almost on the verge of shouting at the top of my lungs when I felt a hand pat my shoulder, and a voice said to me," Mueller-san, please take a deep breath."

Tachibana gave me an encouraging smile. And suddenly my mind was clear.

With a deep breath I turned to Hazuki and asked, "Hazuki-kun, can you take Ama-sensei to the nurse's?"

"Hai!"

"Tachibana-kun, can you fish out Dolphin Boy before he catches a cold? Then one of you take Misuzu up to the nurse's with you?"

"Ye-wait, Dolphin Boy?!"

"And girls?"

Both Kou and Ella looked at me with serious faces.

"There's a pervert on the loose with pictures of Misuzu's panties on his phone."

"Pervert?!"

"What do you wanna do, Samantha?"

"Let's go kill the lil' bastard!"

I handed Misuzu over to Tachibana and stoop up with the other two. Ella took the gateway path and Kou went through the locker rooms. We knew the guy would hurry towards the main gate to get out, so in case he tried throwing us off of his tracks we split up. Without a moment to lose I jumped onto the fence and climbed over to follow the path he came. I jumped into the bushes he hid in, fumbling to the side but caught myself at the edge of the small incline. His foot prints checkered the ground as if he was in a hurry to scramble up. But the prints were still there. He was about as dumb as a chicken trying to hide from fox in a chicken coop.

"I'mma getcha'!" I declared, "and you'll regret it!"

That guy made it the entire way around the school up to the entrance. I was able to make out a figure as it stumbled on its feet by the school yard. I had a few seconds to catch up. No way was he gonna get away when I was so close!

"Hey! Hold it right there!" I shouted.

He looked right at me and tried to get up. Just as he was back on his feet, Ella came out of nowhere screaming something. The guy was quick to react. For one second I saw him raise his hands out to defend himself and then Ella jumps on top of him. Both fell to the ground.

"Ella!"

I ran as fast as I could to her. When I got there I found the guy on top of her with his hands...on her chest...on her breasts?!

She shrieked at him, then clocked him right in the head. He fell over to the side like a ton of bricks.

"Ella, what did he-"

"He just groped me! Oh my God! He's so dead!"

I laughed and replied, "don't worry about that. He's out for good. You punched his lights out, Ella!"

I helped her up onto her feet while she was still making a fuss about the boy. We looked down at his unconscious body wondering what we were to do.

"What do we do with him now?"

"I dunno...we could throw him into the pool..or bury him six feet under."

"No-o!"

"No one would know.."

"One: you're creeping me out. Two: it's not the end of the world when he fondled your-"

"Yes it is! I can't get married now.."

I looked at her and said, "I didn't think you were someone to consider marriage after high school.."

"Well, no, but-"

She turned her head and murmured, "Shut up."

Rolling my eyes I bent down and grabbed his ankles.

"C'mon, let's take him to the nurse's office."

"I wouldn't even touch him with a four foot pole."

"Ella, seriously, we can't leave him here."

"Mueller-san!"

Kou ran towards us with two others at her side, Tachibana and Nanase. I felt relieved to have someone actually help me than just complain.

Tachibana and Nanase carried him for us as we walked back into the school building. Kou walked with Ella and I to catch up on what had happened. It was a good thing she came back to find us because I almost worried that she had gotten lost during the chase. She told us that she ended up taking a wrong turn, went through the building to find the school entrance, then found the two others trying to find us.

We entered the nurse's office with the nurse jumping back and forth between Misuzu and Ms. Ama. Hazuki wasn't helping much besides bugging the nurse, but he saw us and said, "Ah! 'Min-ea' (Everyone)! You're back!"

"Who could possib-oh! Another unconscious one? Set him on that corner bed."

The boy set him down gently as the nurse walked towards him and checked his forehead for fever. Then she asked us, "How's this one out?"

"Well, um, you see, " I explained, "he...ran into a wall."

"You don't have to lie. It's obvious that he was punched..."

"I-I'm sorry, ma'am.."

"He probably deserves it. I've seen him in here multiple times for the same reason."

"Why's that?"

"Girls have caught him stalking them and gave him a good smack in the face."

Oh great, we've got a Grade A pervert on our hands? I thought.

"And it's about time he wakes up. I can't wait to see what excuse he gives this time."

From her desk she grabbed her cup of water and threw it right in his face. Everyone but Ella and Nanase gasped when she did it.

The boy coughed and gagged when he woke up with a rough start. Ella and I folded our arms, and she asked, "What's your name?"

"Nn-who..?"

"Name. Now."

"U-uh..Minami Gou. Look, I'm really sor-"

"So, Minami, you think it's fun to take pictures of girls' panties and try to run away?"

"It's not like that. I-"

"Don't weasel your way out of this, Minami-san. I'd do what she says, "I warned him.

He closed his mouth.

"What were you doing by the pool?"

"I took pictures-"

"So you admit that you took pictures of her-!"

"No-no! I wasn't! I was..."

"You were what?!"

"I was trying to take pictures of..swimsuits.."

Ella and I looked at each other for a moment. Both of us were thinking, What's the difference between taking pictures of underwear and swimsuits?

"You better not be making fun of me, Minami. I'll put you out again!"

" 'Ch-Ch-Ch-Chotto matte'-I'm serious!"

"Really? 'Cuz you seem like you're hiding something?"

"Well, I mean, my friends put me up to it, but I only agreed to it because..uh...swimsuits...are..interesting..."

"...That's pretty bold of you to say that right now in your situation," I said after a series of imaginary crickets chirped.

"Call me crazy, but I just had to say it."

"Swimsuits or not you're still a creep who has nasty photos of my friend. And I want them deleted now," demanded Ella.

"No problem," he muttered, "I didn't see any swimsuits anyway..."

Ella stomped over to him and snatched his 'keitai' out of his hand. As she snapped at him about his other photos, Misuzu moaned in her sleep, mumbling something about water. I slowly sat down at the end of her bed and called out her name.

"N-no," she cooed in her sleep, "don't...'darega'...help...'dasukete'..'onigai'..please..."

"Misuzu-san..?"

All of a sudden she rose up in a panic like she dreamt a bad dream. Misuzu gasped for breath holding her head in her hands. It scared me to see her like that. I'd never seen her that panicked before.

" 'Daijoubu' ?" I asked.

"M-..Mueller-san? Where...Where are we?"

"We're in the nurse's office. You..passed out after you fell into the water, do you remember?"

"H-Hai..Oh! 'Gomen-nasai'!" I shouldn't have worried you like that!"

"No need to be sorry. Things like that can't be helped, y'know? Plus, you can lean on us when you need to. We're friends, right?"

"..Friends?"

"Well, duh," Ella cut in, "you and I already knew each other before coming here and Samantha's cool enough to join our group. Kou, you alright with us as friends?"

Kou smiled a bit nervously before answering, "Of course!"

"There, Misuzu-chan. Now call us 'Samantha and Ella'."

"W-What?"

"Oh, c'mon Ella," I replied, "wouldn't that be a bit too much for her in a day."

Ella shrugged at me.

"Then she'll do it when she wants to."

Misuzu fiddled with her fingers, her eyes on the sheets, and then squeaked, "Sama-ntha-chan...Ell-a-chan..."

I couldn't contain myself when I heard her say my name.

"Aww! Did you hear that, Ella?"

" 'Kawaii', neh?'

Then Hazuki zipped over to us and asked, "Then that means we're friends, too? Right? Right? And Mako-chan and Haru-chan as well?"

Tachibana told him, "Only if they're comfortable with it, Nagisa."

"Hmph!...I suppose you could be a friend.." Ella huffed.

"Then that officially makes us friends, Ella-chan!"

She furiously crossed her arms and turned her head away with her cheeks glowing red. I laughed at them and then asked Misuzu, "So, Misuzu-chan, if it's not any-"

"N-N-Na-Na-s-s-se-"

I glanced in the direction that she was looking and gasped. Everyone then turned.

"Nanase! How long have you been in your swim trunks?!"

"Some time now.."

"How can you be so calm saying that?!"

Thump!

"Aww, Nanase! You just made her faint again!"

"Wha-"

"You're indecent! Where're your clothes?"

"By the pool."

"Then go get 'em on!"

"Now?"

And so I snapped, "It's either you walk out of here or I'll send you flying towards the pool!"

"Ha-ha-ha! Haruka-chan flying...like a flying fish!"

" 'Saba'?"

"Just go get'cher clothes already!"