So I usually put the Author's Notes at the end of the chapter, simply because I think it looks messy when put at the beginning. But I decided to put it up here because I thought what I have to say might gain more attention then what it would down below.
Now a reviewer made a comment that Hanako seems to be acting like she wants to be "romantically involved" with Makoto, and I'm sorry if I portrayed her in that way at all, but she in fact does not want any sort of romantic relationship with him.
That being said, she is really close to him though, because they are cousins and at the time of the accident he was the only other kid she knew around her age.
So after losing her only sibling she very much "adopted", I guess you could say, Makoto as a brother. Especially since she spent most of her childhood with him, but I don't want to spoil too much as it has yet to come into the story.
And again, after the incident she did isolate herself from everyone but him, as was previously mentioned. So she's obviously going to feel really uncomfortable in packed environments with people she doesn't know, and will heavily depend on Makoto for psychological support and all that sort of stuff, hence the really "clingy/affectionate" attitude towards her cousin.
I apologise if this is really long, and I'm not in any way trying to be rude or mean to the reviewer, I just wanted to explain her reasons for being the way she is towards her cousin and clear up the misunderstanding, though I know it's purely my own fault, as I've clearly written her character in a way that I did not intend and did not realise I have done so. I shall try to make it seem more like a "relative" relationship from here on.
After unpacking our bags and squabbling for a good half hour over who got what room, we were finally ready to start sight-seeing, much to my dismay. It's not that I don't want to hang out with Makoto and his friends, it's just...suddenly travelling with a club that I'm not even apart of, with people who I've only just met not even a week ago, to train at a different school that I didn't even know existed before, it's just all a bit overwhelming, to say the least.
I know it was for Makoto's sake that I came (not that I really had much of a choice with Nagisa's persistence), but it just doesn't feel...right. I feel like I'm intruding, so to speak. Like I'm the annoying little tag-along that no one really wants around, but they had to take with them because there was no other choice.
I honestly just don't belong amongst Makoto's friends. They're all close-knit buddies while I'm the hydrophobic transfer student with anxiety issues. I mean, they're a Swimming Club for crying out loud! What am I doing hanging out with them? I thought I'd sooner see the depths of hell before stumbling my way into a Swimming Club!
I think I'd much rather dance with the devil!
Sighing, I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my chin on top, staring out the window of the hotel room I shared with Gou and their teacher. Tree-lined roads, traffic and buildings stretched out from my window, with tiny glimpses of the ocean peaking out between the gaps of skyscrapers.
I can never get away from it, huh? I sighed once more and turned to get up and answer the door as a chorus of knocks sounded. I opened it to see the entire group huddled in the narrow hallway. Obviously reading the confusion on my face, Gou laughed and tugged lightly on the sleeve of my shirt.
"We're going out for a bit to explore the town, come with us!"
I sent a reluctant look to Makoto, who was standing ever so closely behind Gou, but he only smiled and gestured towards the others with his chin.
Knowing I couldn't wriggle my way out of this one, I sullenly agreed and closed the door behind me. And just when I felt like taking a little nap, too...
"Great! Come on, Hana-chan!" Nagisa sang my name with obvious enthusiasm as he looped his arm with mine and pulled me up to the front of the group before leading everyone outside.
Feeling more than a little uncomfortable, I shuffled behind the blonde, occasionally throwing desperate glances at Makoto in an attempt that he'd take pity on my current situation. But no, my dear cousin was too busy talking up a storm with Gou. I frowned and let my eyes fall, knowing I'd never grab his attention while he's preoccupied with her.
We soon arrived at yet another ice-cream parlour, which these people seem to love. How on earth are they not gaining anything? I get that they work it off and all, but seriously? How can someone eat three ice-creams in a week and keep such a perfect figure? I swear I'll be fat by the end of the month if this keeps up.
Declining as politely as possible when offered a sundae, I instead turned to watch a pair of butterflies dancing playfully in the air around a small garden of roses off to the side. As everyone settled down into their individual seats, I noticed one person in particular chose to sit further than the rest of the group.
He too, had no ice-cream in his hands. Instead, a bottle of store bought water sat on the round marble table. I watched as he knocked the bottle onto it's side and proceeded to roll it lazily back and forth for a good minute or two before pausing to stare at the intricate pattern of two dolphins swimming gracefully around each other.
Not realising I'd been staring, it came as quite a shock when two cobalt blue eyes were suddenly staring back. I jumped in surprise and quickly turned my head the other way, a sickening feeling forming in the pit of my stomach as I felt those same eyes continue to burn into the back of my skull.
Haru watched as Makoto's cousin snapped her head in the other direction so fast that all her hair swung around and fell over one shoulder, hiding her face.
He narrowed his gaze before turning back to his bottle, waiting impatiently for his friends to finish up so they could head back.
But no, instead of returning, the group decided they wanted to walk some more. Haru knew it was only for Hanako's sake that they were even out here, since they'd been here more than once and already knew the place rather well.
After a few torturous hours of sight-seeing, they finally stopped at the local park, much to Haru's relief. He wasn't a big fan of walking for miles, especially in this heat. At least it was starting to cool off now that the sun was setting into the late afternoon.
"Oh Hana-chan~! You have to see the food stands they have around here, they sell some of the best candies you'll ever find!"
"Nagisa, you should let her rest for a bit." Rei interrupted, pulling the brunette girl's arm out of Nagisa's grip.
"Hey Hanako, why don't I show you the old tree house that my brother and I used to play in when we came here?" Gou tugged the girl away from both the boys and started dragging her off in the other direction.
"B-but, I-" Hanako was cut off by Makoto as he tried to reason with the red head, agreeing with Rei that she should rest after walking so far.
The four began bickering and Haru watched with disinterest as Makoto's cousin quickly and quietly crept away from the commotion. Haru sidled up to a nearby tree and sat down by the large roots, using the thick, rough trunk as a support to lean against.
He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the birds chirping merrily to each other and the distant trickle of water running into the lake. Minutes passed as Haru sat there, just listening to the tune of nature and drowning out all the earlier commotion. That is, until he was rudely shaken out of his stupor.
Haru's eyelids fluttered open to see the blurry image of red and yellow locks hanging in his face. He blinked the dreariness away and sat up, rubbing out the stiffness in his neck. The objects in front of him gradually became clear and turned out to be people; Nagisa and Gou.
And they looked beyond worried. Which slightly concerned Haru, especially since Nagisa's expression was genuine.
"What is it?" He mumbled drowsily, trying hard to stifle a yawn. He hadn't realised just how tired he actually was.
"It's Hana-chan!" Nagisa cried. All worry Haru felt washed away at the mention of her name. He groaned and stood to his feet, shaking the leaves that had fallen from the overhanging branches out of his hair.
"Hopefully she took a bus home." He muttered to himself, not realising Makoto caught it.
Makoto frowned at his friend's attitude towards his cousin. He understood that the two held different views and didn't get along, but did he really detest her so much? "She's missing."
Haru turned his attention to the taller boy, suddenly a lot more serious when he caught the dark look Makoto was shooting his way.
The five set out along the path, shouting Hanako's name at the top of their lungs. Nagisa searched every nook and cranny while Gou and Rei turned down a different path to cover more ground, leaving Makoto and Haru alone.
Haru stayed silent while Makoto called out for his cousin, keeping his gaze fixed to the pavement. Makoto noticed his friend's silence and couldn't help but feel a little irritated that he wasn't helping.
"Haru," The two crawled to a stop at a fork in the path. Haru glanced in Makoto's general direction, avoiding eye contact. "What do you have against Hanako? Is there something else you don't like about her other then her hate for water?"
"Not really." Haru turned his head the other way, not wanting to have this conversation.
"Then give her a chance! It's no different to when Rei first joined us-"
"Yes it is." Haru whispered. Makoto paused, only just catching his friend's words.
"How...? How is it different, Haru?"
"It just is." Haru snapped, his tone harsher then what he meant it to be. How could Makoto not see just how different it is? He let Rei slide simply because he didn't know how to swim, he didn't hate water. But Hanako...she detests the thing he cherishes the most! How could he feel anything other than resentment towards her?
And as far as Haru knows, her hate has no justified reason!
Makoto felt the muscles in his brow twitch as he tried to keep a level head. He inhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut as he held his breath, before finally releasing it.
"I'm going this way." Said Haru before he turned down the path that led towards the park's lake.
"Wait, Haru...!" Makoto cut himself short with a sigh, his brows knitting together. He was torn between following the freestyle swimmer or taking the opposite path. He shifted his eyes towards the rapidly setting sun and decided that splitting up would give them a better chance at finding his cousin.
That is, if Haru even bothers to look. Makoto shot one last concerned glance towards the shrinking silhouette before jogging off in the other direction.
Haru glared at the cracks in the pavement as he aimlessly followed the path, frustration clouding his usually brilliant blue eyes. Why could Makoto not see that Haru wanted nothing to do with her?
With a sigh, Haru stopped and gazed up at the orange sky, the pink clouds hiding what's left of the sun. He squinted as rays of light poked through the gaps, lighting up his face.
Haru knew he shouldn't of been irritated with Makoto, he understands that his friend is really worried about Hanako. And rightly so, too, seeing as they're related. Haru lowered his gaze once more, regretting being so harsh before.
Even if he didn't like her, the least Haru could do was help Makoto after all he'd done for him. Moving into a steady jog, Haru followed the concrete path once more, keeping a look out for Hanako this time.
The path stretched over a hill before declining towards another fork, one leading further down towards the water's edge, which takes you across an old bridge that's been overdue in repairs, and the other levelling out atop the grassy bank.
Deciding to take the safer turn, Haru trailed the pavement atop the banks. Surely someone who dislikes water wouldn't take the other path, seeing as it's positioned high and stretches out over the lake towards a rounded deck.
Haru slowed to a walk when he caught a flash of light glinting off of something down the bank. Nearing the edge, he noticed that someone was sitting halfway down the hill, barely visible amongst the long grass. Held in one hand was a thin, silver bracelet with some sort of animal charm attached. It was the diamond eyes of the charm that had reflected the light.
As the sun gave way to the beginning of the night, Haru could clearly see the person below and knew almost instantly who it was by the colour of their hair.
Haru struggled to decide between racing back and telling Makoto that he'd found her, or collecting her himself. He didn't really want to do the latter, but what if she moved on by the time he got back with the others? Then they'd be out here even longer.
Ever so carefully, Haru stepped towards the edge a little more, holding back his reluctant sigh. Just as he was about to call out, he noticed something.
Now that Haru was closer, he could see her face a little clearer. Her cheeks were pale and damp, her eyes glistening with despair as the full moon peaked over the horizon and lit up the world with it's dim glow. Her gaze never strayed from the bracelet she held.
It was a new side of her Haru hadn't seen before. When she's with everyone, she's visibly brighter and her eyes hold a deep kindness akin to Makoto's. Although she hardly converses amongst the group, you're always aware of her presence.
But now, all alone, no one would even notice she's around. Her skin appeared pale, almost pasty, and the only emotion she showed was anguish. Was this even the same person Haru had been introduced to back at the pool?
As he stood there, watching the turmoil pass across her features, Haru couldn't find the words he'd worked himself up to say. They were lodged in his throat, refusing to surface.
Hanako shifted, bringing Haru out of his thoughts. She'd clenched the bracelet tightly before wrapping her arms around her knees, pulling them into herself as she braced against the wind. She gazed out at the water, her eyes reflecting the shimmering surface of the lake.
As she sat there, a whole new emotion overtook her. It wasn't hatred, like Haru had been expecting. It was...loneliness.
A startling crack echoed through the air, causing Haru to jump in surprise. He'd stepped forward without realising and placed his foot on a bunch of dried leaves.
A gasp sounded from below, and Haru glanced up to see Hanako jumping to her feet. A look of surprise and what seemed like embarrassment replaced the earlier expression as she wiped clumsily at her stained cheeks before turning and stumbling in the opposite direction.
Haru's eyes widened with alarm as she ran rapidly down the rest of the bank, tripping over her feet more than once.
"Hey, wait-...!" Haru leaped forward in pursuit. That idiot! Doesn't she realise she's heading straight for the bridge? Haru felt his ankles bend in an unnatural way as he rushed down the hillside, stumbling across the occasional holes hidden by the grass, but decided to ignore his aching feet. Why on earth had he chosen to wear flip flops?
Reaching the bottom, Haru had no time to rest. Hanako was now running with a slight limp across the bridge, probably not knowing that it lead to a dead end. He shot after her, being careful not to tread on any of the cracked or rotted planks of wood as he passed the "No Entry" sign.
"Stop!" Haru called out, his long legs allowing him to close a lot of the distance between them.
Hanako's figure ahead of him suddenly disappeared around the same time that Haru heard a loud crack. The girl's scream rang painfully in Haru's ears, so much so that he accidentally stood on a weak plank without realising and almost went down himself.
The railings of the bridge had fallen apart long ago, so when the board that Hanako was standing on had lifted up it knocked her over the side, leaving her dangling precariously above the thick, dark water below.
"Help!" She cried, the sound of an oncoming sob noticeable in her plea. Haru ran to the edge and fell to his knees to look over. There was Hanako, clinging with both hands to one of the support beams a meter or so below the bridge.
"Hold on," Haru shifted onto his stomach and stretched out his hand as far as he could, but there was still a good half a meter between him and the beam. "Grab my hand!"
Hanako reluctantly released the beam, stretching a shaky hand towards his own, but when the bridge creaked she went back to clinging for dear life. She whimpered pitifully and hugged the beam with all her might, her petite body shaking violently as fear struck her.
Haru furrowed his brows in frustration, tiny beads of sweat running down from his temple. All he wanted to do was yell at her to take his hand already, but he knew it would only make the situation worse.
"Let go...of the beam." Haru wriggled forward even further, almost his entire torso hanging over the edge now.
"I-I can't, I'm scared... I'm scared! Help, Nanase!" Hanako cried, her cheeks dampening.
"I'm trying!" Haru wheezed, all the air being squashed out of him as he stretched as far as he could. Just when Haru thought the situation couldn't get any worse, a sudden long, very audible groan echoed from beneath them, catching the two by surprise.
The bridge suddenly jerked underneath Haruka, slamming his stomach into the splintering planks. He choked out a cough at the impact and winced at the sharp pain in his lower abdomen.
Glancing down, he was surprised to see sheer terror reflected in the girl's eyes below him. All colour had drained from her face and her knuckles were bone-white from the death grip she held on the beam.
Though she was terrified, her mind seemed to be elsewhere, her gaze staring past Haru at something he couldn't see. Her eyes widened and salty tears filled them as the earlier look of anguish he'd seen her with before returned.
Hanako suddenly snapped out of her stupor when another loud creak rang through her ears. She looked to Haru and stretched her hand out in his direction, her fingers craning for his.
Haru ignored the pain in his stomach and reached towards the girl, his fingertips a hair wisp away from reaching her. "Nanase, please! I can't swim!"
Just as the two finally managed to link hands, the old rotting bridge gave a final creak before collapsing in on itself, dragging them down with it and into the cold depths of the lake below.
The last thing Haru heard was Hanako's scream before plunging into the icy water. Debris from the collapsed bridge plummeted into the water after them and Haru had to pull himself and Hanako to the bank before they both got squashed beneath it. He hooked one of his arms around the unconscious girl and pulled her tightly against him as he strained to bring the two of them back to the surface.
His legs ached and his lungs burned, but he continued to swim. Haru's head began spinning so wildly from lack of oxygen that he couldn't tell which way was up any more. Just as he thought he was going to lose consciousness, a sudden force jerked his body up and out of the water, dragging the limp girl behind him.