Seven: Problems


"You're Matsuchati-san, right?" Hinata's eyes flashed upward from her book to meet the eyes of a sullen looking boy, "You're friends with Hazuki-san?" She looked him over a bit skeptically before giving a hesitant nod. She wasn't sure if she would call the relationship she had with Hazuki-san friendship, seeing as they had only really talked twice before. However, saying she was friends with him wasn't really a crime in the school. Or at least she hoped it wasn't. There was also the matter of Hazuki-san not being in class today, apparently the swim team had been given permission to attend a professional swim match so that they could learn. Him not being here and the appearance of this boy seemed to be tied in some way, perhaps he needed something from Hazuki-san.

"Can you give this to him?" The boy questioned holding up a book, "It's Ryugazaki-san's, he left it in class yesterday." Hinata blinked, her hand reaching out to take the book from the boy. She hadn't really spoken to Ryugazaki-san but she had heard the rumors about him being smart. Somehow leaving papers in a classroom didn't seem so smart, at least not to Hinata. He was in the same grade as her but still he seemed a bit unapproachable. Still she had no choice because as she looked up she realized that the boy had left without really hearing her answer. Hinata sighed, shaking her head as she figured he had thought her taking the paper was acceptance enough. That's what she got for being curious. She'd just pass it along to Hazuki-san when she saw him next like the boy suggested then leave it up to Hazuki-san to give it to Ryugazaki-san. Going to tuck it into her bag, she paused and read over the title.

"Is this homework?" She questioned in a whisper, "I wonder if he needs this..." It would be bad if he needed it for school tomorrow, if he didn't have it then he couldn't do the work. If it was homework she should give it to him right away, but the only time they would be here was after school when they had practice. They'd be at the pool. A shiver ran through Hinata's spine as she thought of the clear blue water and that numb blue world underneath it's surface. She couldn't go there but maybe she could wait outside until Ryugazaki-san came out. If she did that she wouldn't have to go by the pool. She'd just sit by the locker room exit until he came out, give it to him, and then go home. There was nothing strange about her waiting for that reason right? Maybe, if she was lucky, she would see Matsouka-san and give it to her. Would Matsouka-san be on the fieldtrip as well? Hinata let out a groan as her head fell onto her desk, the teacher's dull lecture sounding in the background as she thought.

There really was no helping it. The best thing for her to do would be to simply go into the pool area and give it to him. However, she just couldn't see herself doing that. Even if she walked by the pool her ears would start to hurt and she panicked. She'd have to wait, she just hoped that no one misunderstood like they always seemed to do. It wasn't like she was waiting for anyone, well she was but she just needed to return the homework. Perhaps she could get Hazuki-san's homework from the teacher as well and say that she was already going because the teacher asked her. She thought she'd return Ryugazaki-san's homework as well. That wouldn't be strange at all, not unless she said something odd. Hinata bite her lip, knowing very well that she probably would say something weird unless she didn't talk at all. So should she do that? Give it to them, then run away? Somehow she didn't think that would be a good idea. She didn't even know why she was panicking so much because of returning a book. What happened if she saw Nanase-san? What would he think?

"Matsuchati-san!" Hinata jumped, her head flying up as the teacher called her name, "The answer to the problem, Matsuchati-san?" A blush played across her face, a small wave of giggles going across the room as she shook her head. She had no idea what the teacher was even speaking about.

"Six?" She questioned causing the teacher's eyebrows to fly upward and the room to break out into laughter. Apparently she hadn't said anything even remotely close to the answer that he was looking for.

"Close.." The teacher said sarcastically, "The answer was Island. Please pay more attention, we are in language class not mathematics." Hinata's stomach did a little flip as she sank into her seat, the students around her still giggling. How could she forget that she was in Language class? They were learning English and she had said six. It took everything she had to stay in her seat as she fought against the embarrassment of the situation. She just wanted the class to end as it ticked away second at a time. By the time the bell rang the situation was still a popular topic between her classmates.

"Matsuchati-san is funny," One girl, Yusa-san, said as she smiled at Hinata before exiting the room to catch up with her friends. All Hinata could really do was blink at her as she disappeared down the hallway. Funny was not the word that Hinata would put on the situation but she had other matters to worry about. Like the fact that school was now over and she still had to return Ryugazaki-san's book to him. Her mind fretted over the situation as she walked, her feet carrying her sluggishly toward the pool. All she had to do was sit outside until they came out, she had decided that while sulking about her stupid answer to the teacher's question. It wasn't bad to just sit outside, she had to return Ryugazaki-san's book to him. Still, she just hoped she didn't run into any of the other swim team members. Placing herself on a step outside the locker room, she hooked her bag over her knee and pulled out her English textbook. She wasn't good at any of this, it was like squiggly lines and strange dots. It was a shame she needed to pass the class to get into a good university, English was the only bad mark on her grades. Tilting her head to the side, Hinata glared down at the words.

"Block?" She questioned looking at the word in front of her, "No, it's black. The color? Geez, what is with this language!"

"Dock." Hinata jumped when Nanase-san's voice sounded from above her, "That word. It's dock." Hinata looked down. Dock, huh? She hadn't been too far off. Still, where had she gotten black and block from? She sighed, maybe she had to study a bit more. She remembered when she was little she planned on learning English as s second language simply so she could talk a popular language when she went to swim in foreign countries. She had wanted to make it all the way to American one day, in which case she'd need to know English. When she had given up on swimming she had given up on English, something she seriously regretted now that she had to take it in school.

"What are you doing here?" She had almost forgotten that Nanase-san was there. Slapping her book closed and standing, Hinata rummaged through her bag until she pulled out Ryugazaki-san's book which she held out to Nanase-san. He didn't really understand for awhile as his eyes looked down at the book before returning to her face. He still had the same, plain expression on his face. Something that Hinata had given long thought to despite trying not to. After the other day, seeing all the expression in his eyes as he talked about water, she couldn't get it out of her head. She was pretty sure that she had just been caught off guard, hence why she had been so captivated. However, after a bit more thought, Hinata had reluctantly came to the decision that she was captivated before she had never really seem that type of deep emotion before. Nanase-san, who didn't show emotion on a regular basis, was probably the most emotional and deeply effect person that she had ever met. She figured he had more emotion in one of his raven-black hairs then most people did in their entire bodies.

"This is Ryugazaki-san's," Hinata went on to explain, "His homework. I wanted to return it to him..." With a sly peak, Hinata studied the eyes that looked at her. They seemed to... bored. As if Hinata was the last person he wanted to talk to. The thought made her heart drop a bit because she had actually been hoping to talk to Nanase-san again. Was she the only one that felt curious about the other? Perhaps Hinata had simply imagined the fact that his strange words where probably meant to help her. That Nanase-san wasn't actually a deep person but a person that wanted nothing to do with her.

"Right." Nanase-san said turning and heading up the stairs, "Let's go." Hinata looked down at the book she was holding out, unsure of what to do as Nanase-san walked toward the pool lockerrooms.

"W-wait! Nanase-san, I was wondering if you could take it in to him..." Nanase-san paused, turning back to look over her with what Hinata assumed was a questioning look. There really wasn't much difference between this look and his normal expression. In fact there wasn't much difference between any of his looks and his normal expression.

"Why?"

"W-well... I already told you, right?" Hinata stammered, "I'm afraid of water an-"

"You're not going into the water though. You're returning the book."

"Well... yes but you see I still don't feel comfortable goin-"

"You're just returning the book." Hinata held back a groan. It was clear she wasn't going to get anywhere with Nanase-san. The boy was either too dense to realize she didn't want to go near the pool or just to uninterested to care. Either way it looked like Hinata was going to have to deliver the book to Ryugazaki-san herself.

"I'll just wait out here then."

"Fine." With that Nanase-san turned and entered the locker rooms leaving Hinata by herself. Sheepishly staring at the door Hinata wondered if she was being ridiculous. Nanase-san had been right when he said that she wasn't going in the water. All she was doing was going in to hand the book to Ryugazaki-san. She didn't even have to go near the pool but just stand at the door of the locker rooms. She was just returning the book. Not going in the water.

"I'm being stupid." She grumbled as she picked up her bag and walked up the stairs, "Stop being a baby, Hinata!" Even though she said that, why was it that she was shaking already?


Hey everyone! I'm glad that everyone is enjoying Ripples so far! Thanks to all of you that commented, favorite, or have followed this story so far! You are the best!

With that I thank you all for reading and hope that I'll see you all again when you return!