Open Waters | Free! Fan Fiction

24. Plans and Possibilities

Open Waters

Chapter Twenty-Four

Plans and Possibilities

While the team may have celebrated their victory last night and thought their happiness couldn't fade, there was still a dreadful reality they had to face: they had school the next day.

Even still, Hana basically skipped into school the next day, unable to control her elation. The buzz from the previous day's win, even though it hadn't been her own, continued to linger. She felt so happy for everyone as they got the win they all so deserved.

Makoto laughed as they approached the school gates. "Are you even going to be able to focus on school today, Hana?"

She shrugged, attempting to calm herself and appear more constrained as they neared the school gates and were surrounded by their fellow students. "Who knows? I might, I might not."

Makoto shook his head and was about to answer when a loud voice yelled, "Hana-chan! Mako-chan! Haru-chan! Over here, quickly!"

"Nagisa?" Hana murmured, spotted him, Gou and Rei standing by the entrance to the school gate, waving his arms to grasp their attention.

What's this all about? Hana was curious as they approached the three. It was then Hana noticed something else: Nagisa looked extremely excited, Rei a little embarrassed, and Gou a mix of both, though her excited side appeared more dominant.

"What's going on?" Haru asked.

"There's going to be an assembly during homeroom, to acknowledge our victory at prefecturals!" Nagisa exclaimed excitedly. "We've all got to stand up front, even Gou-chan and Hana-chan!"

Hana  felt her eyes widen. The boys, I can understand, but me?

"Wait, should I even be up there?" she asked. "I'm not a swimmer!"

"You're a part of the club, Hana-chan!" Nagisa said. "Now come on!" He grabbed her wrist and stated to pull her along.

"Eh? Nagisa... ah!" Hana cried out as Nagisa began to drag her along. She looked back at her friends, desperate for help, but they only laughed as they followed. Some friends you guys are, she thought, and allowed Nagisa to continue pulling her along.

The tennis courts were used to hold the assembly. Hana bit her lip as she realised a small block to act as a stand had been set up. Great. We have to stand up there?

Some of the school had already filed in. The others soon arrived, and they too looked shocked by the stand. Nonetheless, they all stood up. Hana was the only hesitant one.

"Hana-chan, you need to stand up here!" Nagisa said. "Gou-chan has!"

Hana hesitated for a whole longer, and then slowly stepped up. She stood between Haru and Makoto, stepping a little further back from the boys as though to emphasise the fact that it was them who had won. Makoto glanced back at her and chuckled lightly, reading her like an open book as always.

It didn't take long for the rest of the students to assemble. Once they had, the principal stood up to the microphone to make the address. "Despite being a brand-new club, our swimmers placed in the top eight for prefecturals and qualified for regionals. We hope that they are able to advance to nationals. That is all."

The other students and staff all clapped. Hana flushed deeply, looking down at the ground. She wasn't even a swimmer, and neither was Gou, and yet they were being applauded. She just wanted to step down and let the boys receive all of the applause and recognition.