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@Ash :: Nine (on Danganronpa Amino)
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FREESTYLE
[Aoi Asahina x Reader]
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It'd been about a month since you had convinced your friend to teach you how to swim. Just prior to that month, you had been invited to a pool party with some of your friends in your same year, but had no choice but to decline because of your super embarrassing secret: you couldn't swim. It wasn't the end of the world if anyone found out, you knew, but you'r prefer it to be kept under wraps.

That's where your friend came in, and her name was Aoi Asahina, your high school's honorable captain of the girl's swim team. Not only that, but she had been one of your closest friends since the middle of junior high, so she had already known about your little inability. After that, you pleaded her to teach you her ways, practically begging her over a call one night, even after she found it in her schedule to agree. Since then, that whole month ago, you've been ruthlessly training— and by that, she just ran you through basic swim drills, and taught you the basics on how to float, as well as a few stroke techniques.

Heaving a sigh as you heard the final bell dismiss you from your class, you watched your (language of your choice) classmates scramble to exit the room and return to the safety of their humble homes. You, on the other hand, somewhat took your time packing up, slowly filing your worksheets into your binder for said class, and finally zipped up your bag. After slinging it over your shoulder, you put (in your earbuds/on your headphones) and selected your favorite music album, before waving a goodbye to your professor and shuffling out the door. Shutting it gently behind you, you saw a couple of people you recognized; Taka lecturing Mondo about skipping his classes, Makoto listening to Hifumi about his latest fanfic authorization, though ultimately not caring— the usual, as you described it.

Taking it upon yourself, you turned on your heel and stalked towards the school's locker rooms. Rummaging through your bag to grab your student ID, you eventually scanned it and unlocked the door to the (boy's/girl's) locker room, and let it swing shut behind you. Relieved to see no one was there with you, you ran your gaze across the sea of light blue lockers and eventually found an empty one, stuffing your bag inside, and pulling out what you needed: your swim gear.

Once stripping yourself of your school clothes, you changed into your (color) (swim gear of choice) and neatly folded your clothes, shoving them into your bag and carefully pulled out your phone, pressing the button to enlighten the screen. Checking the time, it was about four o'clock— you were twenty minutes early from when you and Hina both agreed to meet at the pool for lessons. Seeing as you had some time on your hands, you scrolled through your emails, and found yourself involuntarily smiling at the latest message from the heart-surrounded nickname of your swimmer friend.

You never had a way to put it into words, but you found during your last year of junior high, that you were crushing on your dear, sweet Hina. Back at your old junior high, when you first met her, she helped your through your social struggles, and you've been with her ever since. Whenever she'd make a new friend, the first person she would introduce them to, was you; each and every time, you were there, kindly waving and hopefully clicking with her newly made associate. And luckily, almost every time, it worked out, until the two of you collected a huge group of friends who you now never regretted meeting.

Snapping yourself out of your daydreams, you glanced over the email to see what she sent:

3:42pm
♡♡HINA♡♡: I'm gonna be at the pool just a tad bit early, k? Meet you there soon! :3

You mildly panicked, due to the realization that had been sent about twenty minutes ago, but managed to shake it off, as you knew she was patient. Still, you didn't want to keep her waiting, as you practically tossed your phone into the compartment and carefully shut the locker door. You didn't bother to actually lock it, since you learned, after a month of these lessons, that no one really visits the pool after school hours except for the occasional members of the swim teams. But even then, they hardly did unless it was an official pool team meeting.

Soon enough, you shook yourself out of your internal blabbering and stepped over to the door that opened to the school pool. Doing so, you turned the knob, and swung the door open, looking happily over the blue-watered area, though a small hint of anxiety lingered in the atmosphere. In your best attempts to shake it off, Hina practically doing so for you as you immediately took note of her waving your over with a cheery grin.

"Hey, (Nickname), over here!" It was a simple calling, but you undoubtedly complied and followed her voice, being sure not to slip on the water outlining the pool's rim.

Though, there wasn't much use in that, as you did do anyways, "Thanks again for meeting me, Hina—AH..!" You yelped out the last part, your foot sliding out from underneath you, and causing you to, without injury, directly back-slap your way into the chlorine-filled waters. Nothing much more to say about that other than that hurt, and you were grateful you fell into the shallow end of the pool.

Once finally regaining your standings against the ridged pool floor, you sprout your head up from out of the water, a deadpan expression across your face as your hair now mat against your head (unless it's shaved, of course.) Releasing a held breath, you rapidly shook your head to somewhat dry yourself, laughing as you purposefully aimed for Hina.

"Whoa, whoa!" The tan-skinned girl blocked her face with her arms, turning away with a light laugh aligning her vocals. "Watch it, (Nickname)!"

Ceasing you actions, you flicked your wrist a few times to rid it of water, as you then used it to wipe away the remaining droplets of water over you eyes. "But you're covered in water, anyways... so what's the difference?" You asked her, smiling cheekily at your own joking question.

Chuckling, she only shrugged her shoulders in reply to your questionnaire, cutely grinning from ear-to-ear. "I guess you do make a good point.." she thought for a moment, before abruptly bringing up her hands to create a wave that drenched your upper body once again. "But still! We aren't here to play around, got it? You've got your official "Hina Swimming Style Summative" quiz today!" She reminded, her voice mildly echoing off the walls and rippling water.

Once seeing her face churn down into that of mild seriousness, you quickly straightened your back and stood at attention with your hand frozen rather close to your forehead; your father had been in the military for his whole life before he retired, so he had taught you the proper way to solute. Funny how you knew how to do that, rather than having been taught or taken to learn how to swim, though you never really questioned the logistics, as you would much rather avoid any and all arguments with him.

"Right! Ask away, Miss Asahina, ma'am!" You smiled, now dropping your arm back down to your side and loosening your posture.

Resting her balled hands at her hips, Hina pointed at you and soon began to rattle off names of swimming styles, such as the breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, front crawl, and sidestroke. You did as commanded, and did your best to perform each and every style thrown at you, and you thought you did pretty good.

After such exercises, Hina proudly clapped her hands together as she inched closer to you, waiting for you to catch your now panting breath. "Awesome! With some practice with those... no doubt you could even be a member of the swim team! Though your backstroke could use a little work in form, we can worry about that later!" She waved it off sincerely.

Taking a break between words, you held a hand over your heart as you let out a light laugh, which ended up sounding more like a wheeze, in your opinion. "You think so? Geez... it's only been a month and you've already taught me so much. You really aren't the Captain for nothing, Hina." You complimented, running a hand through your flattened (hair color) hair (if you can) as you once again wiped the water from your eyes and clearing your vision.

"Awe, you're so sweet, (Nickname)." Hina giggled, bouncing a couple times on the balls of her feet as she continued to step closer, that same heartwarming smile across her cheeks. "There is one more style I want to quiz you about, though."

Piquing a brow at her statement, you tried to rack your brain for any other styles she had taught you, but nothing came to mind. You felt yourself grow a bit nervous as you knew you weren't prepared for the next question. "What style?" You finally asked.

"Freestyle!" She declared, not even giving you time to react before she took both of your hands into hers and closed the gap between the both of you, excitedly locking her lips with yours.

Your cheeks immediately flushed a bright pink as she did so, obviously not expecting her to provide her own "freestyle demonstration" on you. Though, you didn't complain as you just kissed her back, squeezing her hands happily before you eventually pulled back, your lungs still begging for air after your swimming performance earlier.

"I-I... I think that's my favorite style." You admitted jokingly, somewhat awestruck. Hina just snickered, enjoying the exasperated look on your face.

"Mine, too!"