☻︎ ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ᴘʟᴀʏɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ☻︎

❦︎- Haruka Nanase

At some point I compared myself to him, but let's not talk about that...
•___________________________________•

Someone who keeps to themselves and seems to have a free and peaceful life seems to be a good choice of person to be around. Whether with friends or not, he always looked deep in thought. Making anyone look at him with curiosity. And you were one of them. He's in the swimming club, the one that has suddenly appeared out of the blue. With three more friends and a few more seen around. He's in the same grade as you and you both have a few classes together. No matter how long and how many times you seem to look at him, he usually has the same look on his face. The one that has gotten you interested in him.

"Hello, would you like to join our swimming club?"

You were pulled out of your thoughts by a cute bright boy smiling at you. "Umm..." the others were standing a few feet away. Putting energy and exercise isn't your thing. But unfortunately, you must join a club to graduate. Walking around the whole evening you still haven't found the right one. "I don't do sports..."

"Oh, well that's fine. We need someone who can help with other stuff too." The look on his face was full of determination, "We have enough members, but you seem to be in need of joining a club, right? You can join us, it won't be hard... what do you think?" He holds up the clipboard holding the same bright smile.

~~~

"Haruuu... come on, just this once. I know you want that trophy, it's looking right at you." Nagisa says trying to convince him, Haru stays quiet and Nagisa looks your way. He gave you a 'Your turn' look. "The trophy will look good on the club's shelf, plus I think making a good image for the club is good since it is just starting again." You said explaining a more logical reason to convince him. Makoto chuckles and nods "If you win first place you'll get a medal and money."

"I do need to buy more Mackerel."

All of you except Haru make a concerned face. "So...?"

The boys entered the challenge, each of them in the subject they were good in. Which they train hard and long for, a definite win for you as you watch it all. You've been in the club for a year already, it's been fun. At least you think so, and the work you do is not hard at all. Usually helping around with equipment, office things, and signing the club for events. The thing that you look forward to every day is staying late after school giving Haru company as he enjoys the pool for himself. He just barely opens up to you, but you know that he doesn't mind your company, which you are an expert at.

"Are you staying late today Haru?" The boys asked and he nodded, "I have homework to do~" Nagisa pouts while whining. "I'll stay tomorrow, 100%!" Makoto laughs, "Of course, I have to take care of my little brother and sister. Are you staying with him, Y/n?" They all look your way, and you nod.

'Of course I will.'

Not even a second after the boys leave, Haru is already in the water. You fix a few things and turn off the lights, as the school had given you warnings to stay late. You usually sit at the edge of the pool, feet in the water and either take his time or learn while watching him swim. A few minutes later of you staring at his back muscles, he approaches you, still in the water. "Hey," he says quietly while looking at you with his blue eyes, which seem to shine with the moonlight. "Do you know how to swim? I haven't seen you swim before..."

'That's embarrassing...'

"Uhh... I do." 

"Why don't you get in, isn't watching me swim boring?" He asks still with that monotone voice of his. "Well not exactly... you swim pretty, so I wouldn't call 'watching-someone swim-pretty' boring." You reply and he looks a bit confused, "Pretty?" You nod, "You swim fast and somehow peacefully. Basically... pretty." He says nothing, "That's weird, right? I've been learning more thanks to you guys, but-"

"Swim with me."

Shocked you looked around, the darkness of the school's pool, and back to him. He swims free, therefore swimming with someone is not something he usually does. "Are you-"

"If you can't swim, that'll make you the only one in the swimming club who can't, isn't that embarrassing?"

...

"Do you know CPR?"

He looks away from you thinking, "Well... it's not like you're going to drown or something..." he looks back at you. You sighed, "Fine." You took off your sweater and dipped yourself into the pool with clothes. You were too lazy to change into swimwear, plus you always have extra clothes just in case. He swam away from you and waited for you across/end of the pool. "Come on," you swam his way and he judged you, "you swim fine, although a bit more practicing will work out fine." Your face went warm, "are you going to teach me or what?" He looks away thinking of an answer to your question, "If you want to, I have time." The next few days as he stayed late, and you accompanied him, he used that time to teach you more like complement your swimming. He would tell you to swim here and there and then say tips or ways to swim 'in your own style' as he would say it. He's calm and patient with you. Can't say that you've shamelessly taken a hold of his arms whenever he moves close to you. But that's not the point, he's become easier to read.

"Rin," Haru says and the shark man helps him out. You three were out to find places where the two now very challenging men could find somewhere to improve and show off their swimming skills. Rin sighs in tiredness, "It's getting late, we should go back now." You were thinking that you were getting to know Haru better, but Rin proved all that wrong. They're childhood friends anyway, but their connection was more stronger than yours and Haru's. It was making you feel like a joke, thinking that you two could become more than just companions, more than classmates, a close friend.

Before you knew it, it was just Haru and you in the living room. He was walking around the room doing something before sitting down, Rin had gone to take a shower. It was pretty late, you were struggling to keep your eyes open. "Haru..." you called out for him, "yes" he responded from the kitchen.

'Why did I call him for?'

You thought to yourself, from the couch, you glanced his way he was writing something while sitting on the kitchen chair. He seemed deep in thought, not hearing anything from you he turns your way. "Ah, sorry... I umm... are you, having fun? Like, do you have fun hanging out with Rin?" Was the first thing you can think of, he goes back to his writing. "Yes, it's fun... are you?"

'Having fun? Am I?'

"I... he's a nice friend, you have nice friends Haru, you're lucky." It goes quiet, but something inside you... that voice inside your head is wanting to tell you something, but you don't understand what it is. Taking a deep breath, closing your eyes you lean back and open your mouth letting your brain take over and say what it wants. "Seeing your relationship with Rin makes me a bit jealous... you're both so close... to be honest I'm jealous of you in general. You have such nice friends and a talent for something with a big future ahead of you. Hah, everything opposite from me... why am I even here...?"

"You're our friend too..."

'Friend.'

"Would you consider Rin your soulmate?" A random question was what came out of your mouth, you saw him turn his head from the corner of your eye. "Like someone you're meant to be with, someone who you were destined to be right next to..."

"Rin, is my friend."

You turn your head his way, he is waiting for what you have to say next. The only answer to making you feel better was to let it out, let it all out. "Haru, you're a nice person, a special person to be honest. You're one of a kind, I don't think there has been and will be someone else like you that I ever meet. I am happy that Nagi offered me to join the club, I would've never crossed paths with you. I would've never gotten to know you better, I would've never... never had ended up falling for you." The light from the TV reflected onto your hand, making you feel even more sleepy as you focused on it.

"I like you, Haru..."

Silence, that's everything you received back. You thought of the worst, 'he'll stop talking to me.' But your body and head were too tired to do anything else. You finally gave in and closed your eyes letting sleep take over.

•___________________________________•

#: I heard somewhere that people tend to tell secrets or confess in the middle of the night because they're sleepy.