Tsundere Swimmer ( Iwatobi Swim Club x Kuudere)

Chapter 18

Third Person POV

      "Where's your best friend?" Ren asked,brushing rain water off her clothes. 

Yes. 

Rain water.

Haru and Ren were oh-so-coincidentally stuck with walking in the same route home because Makoto stayed behind for extra classes. In the goddamn rain.

"Extra classes," Haru answered simply.

"You don't have an umbrella?" The blue-headed swimmer questioned,not bothering to have any eye contact with Ren.

"Why of course I do,there's of course no other reason I'm stuck with walking beside you in the rain and cold for the next five minutes,is there?" Ren shot sarcastically.

Haru's face showed the slightest bit of annoyance. "Don't underestimate the water." 

"Sure." Was Ren's one-word reply.

"And if you're so conscious of walking beside me then walk slower."  Haru added expressionlessly. 

"However,I,unlike you,don't have an obsession for water,and I,unlike you,values staying dry." 

"But you,unlike me,doesn't know the true meaning of water,however much your personality suits water well." 

Ren grimaced as her sneakers squelched against the wet,muddy ground. "That's a high compliment coming from you." 

"I wasn't intending to." Haru said,and he looked up at the grey,gloomy sky,and closed his eyes as drops of rainwater splashed lightly onto his face. Ren observed this,wrinkling her nose as she gingerly stepped past puddles of mud water. "But what makes you say I'm like," Ren paused,rolling her calculative dark blue eyes,"water?" Haru opened his eyes,and let Ren's question hang in the air for a few moments.  "Blunt. Clear. People tend to find you scary."

"By people you mean Big One the Giant." Ren said flatly.

Haru frowned the tiniest fraction. "Makoto," He corrected(in case you were wondering,no I am not a MakoHaru fan,I prefer keeping things straight so I'm not very welcome in the yaoi department,nothing meant to the MakoHaru fans).  

"Dolphin,why do you like swimming?" Ren asked.

Haru glanced sideways at Ren. "No particular reason."  Ren studied Haru closely,narrowing her eyes,and thought that reply over for a couple of minutes. Ren then gazed curiously up like Haru did at the dark sky that was swarming with even more rain clouds,the light drizzle becoming heavier each second. "OW!" Ren screeched,as a water droplet fell squarely onto Ren's eye. 

"The water doesn't like you." Haru concluded under his breath. "I don't like you either." Ren groaned,rubbing her eyes with the base of her palms.

"Fine with me."

"Fine with me too."

Ren veered off course,leaving Haru behind,who looked weirdly at her retreating back,as if he wanted to say something but couldn't be bothered. The rain was hammering on the roofs of houses and disappearing to wash away into drains as it hit the roads,not showing any signs of mercy,at least not for a good hour,if Ren was lucky. Ren was soaked,and her temper was getting worse the wetter she got. She squinted through the sheets of silvery rain,and a well-lit bookshop caught her attention. Ren ducked inside,and shut the glass door behind her,closing out the gusts of wind and stray rain drops. 

Ren wandered randomly around the shop,and somehow or other ended up in the manga section,where she was

"Please tell me this is real."

Fangirling,hard core mode on.

"Please tell me this is real." Ren repeated to herself,and suddenly seized the person beside her by the wrist,who jumped in surprise. Ren turned to that person. "Tell me this is real."  

Rei Ryugazuki blinked at Ren,two volumes of a certain manga in his hands,along with a swimming guidebook. "Ren-senpai..?" 

Ren let go of Rei and snatched off copies and copies of manga off the shelf. She shoved them into Rei's hands,who staggered slightly under the weight,but just looking completely startled at Ren. Ren whipped out her wallet and dumped all of the money out.

"Speedo glasses(watch episode 11 preview),count that for me."

"Ren-senpai did you pick up something from Rin-san?"

"Shut up and count it."

"You're..using me as a human calculator?"

"That's what you are."

"This conversation seems familiar."

"Just do it."

"You have mountains of change,Ren-senp---

Rei was cut off as Ren shoved a fist in front of Rei's face. "If you like living,do it. Now."  Even being 7 cm shorter than Rei,with pale,skinny arms,she was able to strike fear into people's hearts,just like this.

"Yes,Ren-senpai." Rei gulped,and agreed meekly. 

"$23.25,Ren-senpai." Rei declared after a few minutes of sorting out the coins and notes. Ren's eyes dropped down to the numerous volumes of manga in her hands. She cursed. "Speedo glasses,I need two extra dollars. Lend me two extra dollars,and my life is complete." 

"You like manga,Ren-senpai?" Rei raised his eyebrows,pushing his glasses further up his nose. After he put down the stack of books,of course.

"Two dollars." Ren ignored Rei's question,staring intently into Rei's eyes.

"I'll return it to you tomorrow."

"Do it for your senpai,speedo."

"Please just do it,speedo."

"Please don't call me speedo glasses next time," Rei sighed,and withdrew a two dollar note from his pocket.

Ren broke out into a genuine smile,and nudged Rei's arm with her elbow. "Thanks,speedo,I'm forever indebted to you now." Rei cringed. 

"I'm starting to regret what I just did." He muttered. 

-----timeskip-------

The two blunettes paid for their books and exited the shop. "Ren-senpai,you don't have an umbrella?" asked Rei as he opened his. Ren made an impatient noise. "Should I walk you to your house? It's not very far from here so it's fine with me." Rei suggested. Ren opened her mouth to retort,but then stole a glance at the rain. "Fine." She sniffed,snatching the umbrella from Rei and stalking off,only her under the protection of the umbrella,Rei left out in the rain to walk beside Ren. "Um..Ren-senpai..?" 

"No,i'm not going to lend you my manga." 

"No...I was going to--"

"No,I'm not going to share the umbrella with you."

"But..Ren-senpai the umbrella's mine.. ;;"

"Doesn't matter."

"But-but that just goes against logic!" Rei spluttered,pulling at his blue hair.  Ren shrugged. 

-----timeskip-----

"Right,we're here. You're dismissed,speedo."  Ren commanded,turning the key into the lock of her front door.  Rei sighed at the nickname,and was handed the umbrella.

"Ren-senpai.." Rei began.

"Like I said,I will not lend you my manga. No,not even one volume." Ren responded acidly before even hearing out Rei.

Rei snorted,and gave up. "I was going to say remember to bring my two dollars tomorrow."

"If that's all,I have manga to read and food to eat,good day to you." Ren said coldly,and locked the door in Rei's face.

And that was it.

Rei couldn't process anything that's happened,Ren lived life at a completely different pace from Rei. He couldn't understand. But he figured that was just a part of Ren. "And please don't call me speedo glasses anymore!" Rei shouted at the shut door.