So, it's now my first day at Iwatobi. I don't know why I'm freaking out. This is, like, the third time I've transferred, and I went to school in Australia for Christ's sake. That's a long way away, and a foreign language to boot. But, even though I've been to the school before and know people there and all of that, this is the most nerve-racking of them all. I wonder if the swim club's meeting this afternoon. What I am doing, thinking of this afternoon? This morning's not over yet. I have to meet with the headmaster first. God, he's a dry piece of work. Does he really think I don't know how the education system works yet? I've only been in it, well, I don't know, my whole goddamn life. I perk up my ears a little when he mentions what class I'm in. 3B. Well, a transfer can't exactly expect to be put in class A straight up. I clear my throat, barely catching my manners before I speak. "Sorry to interrupt, sir, but do you know if Nanase Haruka-kun is in that class?" The guy puts on these ridiculous little half-moon glasses that make him look even more corpse-age than he already did. Fingering through a pile of paper that could be as tall as me if it tried, he found the class listing for 3B. It only took, like, half an hour. Is it really that surprising that third-year classes would be at the bottom? "You're in luck today, Matsuoka-kun. He is." He slides the glasses further down his nose as he looks at me. He's trying to be stern, I think, but it's really not working for the guy. "Any further questions?" "No, sir." I resist the urge to laugh at me being deferential to this thing. "Very well, then. Off to class with you." Bloody finally. The chair squeaks loudly and I half-walk, half-run to the door. "Wait, Matsuoka-kun. One more thing." Really? Are you doing this now? "Do you intend to join any clubs?" I laugh a little, and turn back to face the headmaster. "Damn straight I do." He seems to flinch a little as he realises my pointed teeth. They do unsettle people. "The swim club." And with that I stride coolly out of the room and off to class 3B.
Thank God our homeroom teacher didn't change for third year. Well, it doesn't make too much difference to me, but at least Makoto didn't have to the teacher I'm not a girl. Again. Seriously, is there not a thing on the roll? So we get the attendance done, and I start staring out the window. It's been too long since the four of us were together in that pool. We practically made that thing ourselves, but we didn't get to spend nearly enough time in it. And suddenly Awa-chan-sensei says something a little out of the ordinary. "I know it's a little unusual, but we've accepted a transfer student into this class. You can come in, Rin-kun." The window doesn't seem so interesting anymore. Awa-chan-sensei called him by his first name. That name was Rin. She called him –kun. So he's a guy. There can't be too many male Rins in third year, can there? And more to the point, how many would Awa-chan-sensei call by their first name? That was just too many coincidences. I hear him open the door, and I don't even have to look know it's him. The aggressive approach, the cleanness. It's just so Rin-like. And sure enough, a tall redhead follows the sound and it's unmistakably that person. My eyes widen on their own, no matter how much I try to stop them. And suddenly I'm staring daggers at Rin and trying to pretend I'm not. Well, he's staring daggers back at me, so I guess it's fine. He writes his name on the board, and I find myself wondering why Gou didn't tell us. Maybe she didn't know. "My name is Matsuoka Rin. I used to go to Samezuka Academy. I have a girly name, but I'm a guy." Wow. That speech is practiced. And identical to the one from back then. I look at Makoto and he's just a surprised as me, but seems to be dealing with it better. I look back at Rin and can't help but notice the seat in front of me is empty. A drummer beats on my heart and I find myself praying that that seat is his.
Well, I never guessed this would happen. Haru seems to have taken to it well. Or, as well as he takes to anything. If nothing else, we know we have a fifth member for the swim club. Haru stares intently at the seat in front of him like he's trying to set on fire. I don't have the heart to point out the other free chair in the other corner of the room. And Awa-chan-sensei raises her arm and makes the fateful decision. "Okay, Rin-kun. You can take this seat here." She points to the seat in the front. I'm a little surprised – she knows how close we are, and she would know there's a free seat in front of Haru. And I'm more than a little disappointed. It's been a long time since we had a class with Rin. I guess that kind of luck only happens in stories, huh? I look back at Haru, offering a sort of 'it's-okay-we-can-still-talk-to-him-at-lunch' sort of smile. And he can't see it. He can't see anything more than his knees at the minute. He's crushed. Way more than I thought he would be. And it annoys me. I can't tell why.