Free! Iwatobi Swim Club X Reader (Oneshots)

the library encounter | rei x you

You were on your way to the library to get geometry textbooks. Apparently, you had failed your math class last semester due to the lacking of knowledge and skills on that topic, and now you have to retake the subject before the annual school festival starts.

Entering the library, you inhale the fresh air that was filled with the scent of the air conditioner, books, and piles of paper. You don't hang out here often, so you were unfamiliar with how the books were organized.

You roam around for a while to study the small room. There weren't a lot of students present, but this place can be very busy especially when the semester is coming to an end.

You walk towards the bookshelves, examining the categories of each of them. You look over at the Math section and sighed over the hundreds of book on each shelf.

Running your fingers along the spine of the textbooks, you search for the geometry ones. There were cards placed in front of each shelf indicating different types of a branch of mathematics.

As you scanned the section more, your eyes were trailing up to the topmost shelf, where there was a card, naming the branch you were looking for.

You curse under your breath and groan. You got on your tiptoes and tried to reach for one, geometry textbook but you couldn't seem to do it until the book was magically held by your hands.

"Got a little struggle there, huh?" A blue-haired young man with red-framed spectacles said, smiling humbly at you.

"Y-Yeah..." You lower your head down in embarrassment and held the book tightly in your hands. You look up and face the kind boy and bowed rather aggressively to show gratitude with the utmost respect. "Thank you!"

"E-Eh?! Really, it's no problem!" You heard him exclaim in panic and you look up again to find his features scrunched up in worry. He noticed you were staring at him and he quickly reverted back to his normal expression. He adjusts his glasses as if it was his habit of doing so and points at the object he helped you to get. "Geometry?"

You nodded and were starting to debate with yourself whether you'll tell a random student that you suck at one subject because of a certain topic or lie about getting the book just to study in advance.

You take your time to study his face and realized he was a second year as well. "I've seen you around with a blonde and those two senpais often, is that right?"

"Yes, we're part of the Iwatobi Swim Club members!" He proudly announces to you as he grins widely. You tilt your head a little, clueless about what he was saying. "Oh come on, you don't know them?" The blue-headed boy's face fell into a look of disappointment.

You gaze off somewhere, unable to come up with a valid answer that would necessarily convince the so-called swim club member. "Uh, I've heard of them... I-Is that reasonable enough?"

You saw his frown deepened before he raises his glasses up once again and breathes in a fair amount of oxygen. "You need to know about us or else the crowd would look inefficient without another person cheering us with high spirits on our next tournament which will be happening next week!"

His outburst had caught you off-guard causing you to clutch the book more closely. "I-I don't really, you know, I-I don't hang out around frequently... I mostly stay at home, reading fictions and stuff..."

The boy heaves out a sigh, his face returning to its neutral expression. "Gee, did I just promote someone on watching us compete?" He whispers to himself before planting a palm against his face. "I'm Rei Ryugazaki, by the way. My specialty is the butterfly stroke." He then extends his hand out to you, smiling.

"Cool." You shook his hand and told him your name. "Do you need help with that?" He asks as he eyes the book in your hand. "Don't mistake this as flirting, I'm actually one of the top-tiers in the school." He flails his hands in front of him, worried that you might misinterpret the offer he made.

'So that's why his name was kind of familiar.' You thought before your cheeks were tinted with light pink out of shyness and mostly embarrassment by the fact that this all happened due to the need of retaking a subject. You shake your head, disapproving of his question. "It's alright, I prefer studying on my own."

Rei raises an eyebrow, putting his weight on his foot and crosses his arms. "School festival's in two days, no one has time for that anymore." 'Oh crap, he's right.' You curse in your head as you realized this. 'Wow, what a lame excuse you thought of, self.'

The male smirks smugly at you. "Those who are only supposed to study this time of the week are the ones who failed the semester."

You groaned after you realized there was no escaping this. "Fine, fine, you're right. I do need to retake my math test because I suck at it, and I gotta go now." You smiled half-heartedly at him. "It was nice having a small talk with you, Rei. I hope you guys win your tournament."

You were about to walk out of your way to the exit until you feel your wrist get tugged back by someone. You turn around and looked down at his hand grabbing you, then shifting your eyes to him. There was a glint of determination in his eyes and a rather similar tint on his cheeks. "Y-You sure you don't want any help?"

His hand slowly lets you go as you look at him with hesitation. You look at some direction for a while before sighing and looking at him once again, scratching your temple. "I guess this time I'll truly disagree with that one."

Rei smiles in excitement over this new friendship he made with a girl before clearing his throat. "In return, you will come to the tournament to cheer for us, deal?"

You think over this for a moment, causing the swimmer to hope for the best. "Deal." You grinned enthusiastically at him, making Rei feel strange tingling sensations in his body.

The school bell rings loud outside the library, signalling the end of the break and for classes to be resumed. You gaze at your new friend. "I guess this means we have to part now..." You trail off, not knowing what to say next. "Y-Yeah, sure." Rei scratches his head and gives you a sheepish smile. "I'll get going now." He waves his hand awkwardly at you.

You nod and waved back, watching him depart from his spot in front of you. You stare down at your geometry book, somehow feeling incomplete after the departure of the boy.

You raise your head and decided to chase him out of instinct. Something felt missing.

In the middle of running towards him, you stopped in your tracks. You were surprised he was standing in front of you again, his features in a shock as well. He quickly returns to his normal state and stutters. "S-See you?"

Fixing your stance, you let out a sheepish chuckle. "Y-Yeah, see you... I guess, here, later?"

"In dismissal?"

"Yeah, in dismissal."

The both of you laughed at the scenario. Rei bids you farewell once again as you stand there, smiling while watching him leave the library slowly.

Rei Ryugazaki was seen smiling pleasantly as he made his way towards his class while gazing at the scenery outside the window.

The girl he just met couldn't seem to get out of his mind.