Chapter 44

Haruka's POV**

"GO SQUID!!"

"YOU'RE DOING WELL (Y/N)-SAN!"

"SQUIDDO! SQUIDDE! GO! GO! GO!"

Complete and full blasted of cheers for my squid was in loop as she dived into the pool. I was only jaw dropped on how much speed and strength she used to be the first from all of the boys she's battling with.

A random guy who was just done competing in the swimming competition came, jogging towards me. He placed his palm on my shoulder and spoke, "The girl in your group swims really well."

I only uttered a nod at him since I was too busy watching the crazy scene of all the sidestroke swimmers trying all their best. "Mhm." I mumbled as I shortly nodded at him.

.

.

.

.

.

"Can we let her join our swimming group too?"

My mind suddenly felt like someone pressed the off button for it to fall off and go empty. I shook off my head and looked at the guy with one brow raised on my forehead. "What the hell did he just say?-"

"I said, can we let her join our swimming group as well? You know, whenever there's a new competition coming next year again?" he explains.

Then he pointed his index at a figure from his back making me look where he is pointing. "See that guy with funky pink shorts and weird-looking goggles?"

I nodded. "He is our freestyle swimmer, and he is absolutely the worse out of all of us in the group." he explained further causing me to gulp on what he is about to say next.

"I don't like what is coming right now.. he wants squid to join their grou-?"

"So yeah, to cut it short, we need your female swimmer to join our group to win." his dark orange colored eyes glinted, my jaw drops at what I was hearing.

It took me a moment or so to reply at him. I was trying to form sentences and words to actually get the right reply for him so that I could undergo this situation that I am currently struggling at right now.

I sweatdropped. "I'm not sure but-"

My words trailed off as a loud whistle bursted loud in the whole area, causing me to flinch badly. "What a lifesaver, indeed."

I turned my head at the guy and quickly muttered, "I'm sorry, I can't let you do that." then walked away as fast as I could. I shoved myself through the crowd that was covering on the other side.

A hand grabbed me and quickly pulled me in, "Your girlfriend won, Haru." Makoto proudly says as I tried to process what was happening at the sight.

My face brightens and my lips twitched into a smile as I saw my beautiful squid smiling while a person was putting a gold, shining medal to hang freely on her neck.

She politely bows at everyone with her smile not coming off, she looked adorable. "Thank you so much, I couldn't have done this without the help of my friends." squid said as she faced everyone with confidence showing.

Silence suddenly shifted the atmosphere and it felt like something was gonna happen. She took small steps towards someone- and that 'someone' was me.

Her figure walked towards me while at the same time taking off her medal that was swinging, she smiled at me and wore it on me to hang on my neck.

A round of applause was heard as everyone was saying '"ooh's" and "yiee's". My heart fluttered so badly at the moment she did that, she hugged me and said, "Thank you, I love you a lot."

Everything felt so right, I hugged her back while trying to mutter, "I love you as well, squid." but I think she didn't heard it since the people around us was just too loud for my ears to handle.

"Look here, you two!" A man's tone of voice spoke near, I let (Y/n)'s body turn around while looking at the man holding a camera. "Get ready for a memorable photograph! One! Two!-"

As the man was counting, everyone around us especially the Iwatobi Swimming Group- also known as my group-of-friends gathered around me and (Y/n) who was already smiling at the camera.

"Say cheese!" the photographer loudly said. And all of gladly replied, "Cheese!!!" with our mouth turning into a happy, bright smile.

And just like that, an existing image was happily created.

**

2nd Person's POV**

You groaned in pain while holding your right leg that was horribly dealing with a painful feeling. "Oww... why does this need to happen to me?" you questioned with a frown spreading wider on your face.

Good thing is that your group of friends was their in your house to accompany you. Today, after the competition- you all went back to your homes at the late night to rest but unfortunately, that is not the case.

Gou rans up to you with a first-aid-kit swinging on her fingers. She gladly sat down beside you on the sofá to help ease the pain on your leg.

"I feel like my bone just cracked." you dramatically told her as if you were acting inside a theater on the stage. You even said that while your hand was gracefully ontop of your forehead.

Gou chuckles at you while gently placing a cotton dipped with some ointment on the big wound you just had on your leg near your knuckles. "Don't move, okay?-"

"OUCHHH!!! MOM!!-" Gou places a tissue inside your mouth that eventually helped to cover your loud mouth that was screaming in pain. "I said, don't move squid!" Gou sighly says while continuing to do her job like some nurse.

You spitted out the tissue that was inside your mouth while frowing more and more at her. "Its not my fault that it hurts a lot!-- OWWW!!" the ointment that is brushing against your bleeding wound felt like it was burning fire, you were never good when it comes to this type of moments.

Gou covers her ears and gives you a playful glare, you had no idea what just came into her mind.

She suddenly calls Haruka's name, "Come here, Haru-kun! I need some help!" and not even a second passed by, Haruka was already making his way in the living room where you and Gou are in.

Haruka raises his brows, "What is it?" he asks while throwing a chip in his mouth.

"Hey.." you narrowed your eyes at the bag of chips he was holding. "That's mine! I just bought that in the grocery store two days ago!!" you pouted and pursued your lips in annoyance. "You thief!!"

Haruka continously throwing chips in his mouth, not minding your words at all with a slightly playful smirk. "I don't see your name on it, squid." he snaps back with a wink.

You gasped in irritation. "OH WHY YOU--!!"

An unexpected feeling came on your leg again. "OUCH!" you screamed, you didn't realized that while you were busy screaming your lungs off in annoyance to Haruka, Gou just continued at what she was doing- treating your badly injured at her best.

You stared at Gou's actions, she wrapped around a long bandage on your leg where the wound is, making sure it is tightly secured. "Done!" she says as she wiped a sweat on her forehead.

Haruka sat beside you, "Where did you get this injury anyway?" he questions, face full of rapid concern now.

You frowned while thinking. "Well, when I diving in, my knuckles suddenly hit the stairs from the pool. And I dived in with so much power so meaning, I hit my knuckles on the sharp stairs with big power too."

"Wait, wait- you got this injury when you were just starting to swim inside the pool?!" Gou asks in shock. "Then how come did you still swim that great back there?"

"To be honest, I didn't really know that I got this at the very start so I just swam in like nothing weird happened. I only realized I had this when I came back here in my house." you once explained more.

Gou facepalms at you. "You should be careful for now on, okay? Don't be too clumsy." she scolds softly you like some kind mother, you smiled at her. "Yes, ma'am. I promise." your sarcasmly replied as if you were some child.

Gou rolls her eyes and snaps her fingers, Haruka then stopped eating and tossed one last chip in his mouth while standing up. "W-Wait, what are you-"

Haruka grabbed your small body on his arms, "H-Hey! What the hell!-"

"Place her inside her bedroom, I'll leave squid to you now, Haru-kun." Gou says and waved as a sign of farewell, and just like that she left the house while Haruka was holding you like some baby on his arms.

You looked at him while your cheeks was burning so hard, he never have done this to you before. He caught you blushing while staring at him while continously pouting, he laughs.

"You should be thankful, squid. Since I love you this much, I'm carrying you in your bedroom." he said with a smile while starting to walk in the staircase to go up.

You covered your face with your hands. "You know, we can do something else than sleeping in your room if you want-"

"Pervert!" you yelled while your blushing face increased a billion times more. He just laughed at you with a smile.