koi no yokan 

(n.) (phr.) the sense one has upon meeting another person that they will fall in love with. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It may have started back when Rin was in high school. He was enrolled in the all-boys school, Samezuka Academy. Due to the school's acquired title: powerhouse, the swimming club was granted a full-expense trip to a nearby island for their preliminaries training. Rin didn't think about it too much, having the confidence to beat most of his opponents on deck. Although, there was one person he grew obsessed on overcoming: Haruka Nanase. 

It was 5 am in the morning when Rin decided he could no longer go back to sleep. Nitori, as he called him, was dozing off to the other bed beside his. He sat, threw his leg off of bed and dressed up for a run. 

The sky was still dark, and the whole beach was quiet. No one was awake but him. Or so he thought. 

Rin was thirty minutes into his running when he heard a girl humming. The waves would overpower the voice at times, but Rin was sure there was someone else on the beach. Awake. 

So Rin moved closer to the shore, scanning the area to see if anyone else was there with him. You bet a tall muscular guy like Rin would've screamed like a little girl then and there when he saw a woman in a white dress. 

She had her back towards him, her voice humming a tuneless song. Rin glanced around to see if she was with someone. Nope, she was alone here all right. 

Is she a... ghost, perhaps? 

No way. Rin's outgrown most of his childhood fears. One lady in white wouldn't want him reverting back to a scaredy-cat again. 

So Rin trots towards the girl, high on guard just in case. The girl didn't seem to hear his footsteps, despite the crunchy sound the sand made. 

Slowly, Rin was able to catch a glimpse of the girl's face. She's pretty, is the first thing that comes into mind. Second, her lips were luscious pink as the underwater coral. Lastly... She's basically Snow White. 

Rin cleared his throat and readied himself to converse. At 5 am in the morning. "Um... hi?" the girl doesn't notice him until he pairs his greeting with a wave. "Miss?" 

The girl turns to him as she stopped humming. Her mouth was agape but she didn't reply. A curt bow was sent over to Rin's direction. 

"H-Hi..." Rin says again, realization dawning upon him. Why did I approach her again? "Erm... Yeah, hi, I just wanted to confirm you weren't a ghost..." 

Still, no response from the girl. Rin started to rethink, and doubted this girl even existed. He looked down at her feet to make sure she had some. Good, she did. 

She's not a mermaid, is she? 

"Sorry! For calling you a ghost, I mean..." Rin gushed out, cheeks flustered by his own assumptions. The girl continued to observe him silently. "You're not one, are you?" 

The girl blinked several times before her eyes widened gradually, and her mouth formed an 'o' as if something just registered in her brain. She lifted her right hand, the tip of her index finger touching her brow bone. 

'Hello.'

She gave Rin a salute, to which he missed to understand. "Pardon?" he tilted his head in confusion. 

The girl pursed her lips together, pondering how to communicate with the stranger in front of her. She didn't even have second thoughts about him being dangerous. Everyone on the island; she finds friendly. 

She surveyed the area and brightened when she spotted a medium-lengthed stick sitting by the shore line. She scampered over that direction and picked it up, before writing something on the sand. 

Rin followed her and read what she just jolted down. Hello. It read. "Oh..." he uttered dumbly, eyes trailing to the smile she's already grew on her face. Rin blushed. "I-I'm Rin." He found himself saying.

The girl made a sound of a 'hm?', head inclining. 

Rin furrowed his eyebrows, and wondered why the girl seemed slow on responding. It then clicked in his mind as if someone turned the light switch on. 

"Mute?" he mouthed carefully, slow enough so she can read his lips. She ended up ogling at him. He frowned. This conversation was going nowhere. 

Rin stretched out his hand, asking for the stick. The girl understood in a second, luckily. Rin then inscribed the characters of his name on sand. He pointed it then jabbed his thumb to himself, repeating "Rin" once more to the girl. 

The girl beamed with shimmering eyes and took the stick from Rin, writing her own name. Mikoto. Mikoto. 

"Mikoto," Rin sank in the name in his brain. "Nice meeting you, Mikoto." 

Mikoto stroked her right palm against her left hand, and pointed up her two index fingers before rotating them around each other.  

In other words, Nice to meet you too.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rin had to part ways with Mikoto after five minutes of attempting to make a decent conversation with her. He didn't know why he bothered, but after affirming that Mikoto, indeed, was a human being like him, he figured it wouldn't hurt talking to a pretty girl on a beach. 

Now that Rin's all alone, he thought about how odd it is for a girl to be alone there. At 5 am in the morning. 

Wait, hold on. Could it be that she's actually a ghost? 

Rin blanched and shook the thought away. Mikoto can't be a ghost. She has feet; she isn't floating. Though she was wearing a white dress. Holy shit, is she?! 

Before he knew it, Rin was already back at the lodging in his club stayed at. He saw Nitori there, talking to a fellow freshman and went over there. 

"Ah, Matsuoka-senpai, good morning!" Nitori greeted his roommate, who looked like he was trapped in his own world after a morning jog. 

Rin was still thinking about Mikoto, and her mysterious debut on the seashore. She was mute too, but she was humming? 

She's quite interesting, that's all Rin can say. That's why it's a shame he had to leave now. It was 5:35 am when they learned each other's names, and Rin had to go back in time for breakfast. He did had a 30-minute run before he came across Mikoto. 

"Matsuoka-senpai?" Nitori tried again, this time, Rin was able to snap out of it. 

"Huh, oh yeah?" 

"Are you okay? You seem out of it," the freshman noted, scrutinizing Rin's face.Unfortunately, like the usual, it didn't give away any sort of comprehensible expression. 

Rin rubbed the back of his neck and exhaled through his nostrils. "Yeah," he replied. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just hungry. Breakfast, come on." 

Nitori watched his upperclassman walk away; like a zombie. Rin really did seem clouded today, he wanted to know why. 

  *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

Since it was their last day on the island, Samezuka Swimming Club Captain Seijuro Mikoshiba proposed that the club explore the town today. Most of the members were pretty surprised that there was a community in this small island.  

Either way, Mikoshiba forced them to attend, even if you're one of the lackluster members like Rin. He was grouped with Nitori as their club was too large to occupy one place at a time. 

The town was more of a village. Small japanese houses here and there. Few stands that sold variety of the local's specialties. 

What caught Rin's attention was a small vintage shop. He was impressed this alone was able to run in this small town. It looked pretty old too. 

Rin told Nitori he was going to check the shop, the latter wanting to go with him too. He shrugged and sauntered to his destination, peeking at the shop's dusty window. It was open so he went inside and examined very old items. It was kind of amazing. 

"Oh, welcome! Feel free to look around," A man came in from the back door, two boxes secured in his arms. 

"Thanks," Rin nodded over to him. 

The man busied himself putting new books onto the rusty metal shelves that was placed across the room. Rin stared at an old globe and twirled it around. A smile tugged on his lips as the globe stopped on certain country that his father always dreamed. 

Nitori was occupied with the collection of shells displayed near the window, eyes gleaming of fascination. 

"Saw something you like?" asked the man, after he finished placing the new items. 

Rin looked over to him and then back at the globe with downcast eyes. "No... I..." There was a crashing sound that had Rin's head shooting right back up. 

The man let out an exasperated sound and checked the backroom, finding the cause of the ruckus. His daughter, sprawled down the ground, boxes of clothing on top of her. Good thing the boxes were really old, and it immediately got wrecked with the fall. 

"Mikoto!" he exclaimed, quick to assist his daughter back to her feet. "What're you doing? You're supposed to be sorting!" 

Rin heard the commotion and froze when he heard the name Mikoto. Mikoto? Could it be...? 

"You're such a handful child. Are you even wearing your hearing aids? Come on, put it on," The man was helping his teenage daughter up when Rin came to peer at the back door. 

He flinched when he was caught spying, and went to rub the back of his neck anxiously. "S-Sorry. Just thought you needed a hand...?" he reasoned lamely. 

The man didn't sort to suspicion. "Oh, it's fine, it's fine! My daughter's just being a handful as always. Sorry about that, no need to worry," he waved his hand reassuringly to the teen, but Rin made no move to leave. 

"Um... Mikoto?" Rin called the black haired girl who put her hearing aid on after getting scolded. This time, she heard Rin's voice and her head shot to where he was standing. "Mikoto!" 

A big smile grew on Mikoto's face as she was reunited with her new acquaintance this morning. She waved her hand excitedly as a greeting.  

"Eh? You know each other?!" Mikoto's father shouted in surprise, looking back and forth between the two teenagers. 

"It's Rin, papa!" 

Rin's jaw dropped as he heard her voice, with the knowledge that Mikoto is a mute. "You can talk?!" he bellowed, only for Mikoto to realize that, indeed, she talked. 

Slowly, her hands covered her mouth, as her eyes grew in shock as if it was news to her that she can talk. 

Mikoto's father stood there awkwardly. "Erm... would you like to have a tea? Bring your friend as well." 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Sorry about that girl. She doesn't really like to use her voice often," Rin settled down to a small wooden table at the backyard of the small house. Mikoto's father, A.K.A., Jun-san, gathered them all behind the house, claiming that it's mandatory to show hospitality to his daughter's friends. 

Friend, to be exact. Nitori's still trying to figure out how to talk to the girl who he was helping to make tea. 

"Mikoto... That girl's voice is something, that's why her mother rounded her into something weird about saving her voice for something important. Such as singing or communicating with someone special." 

"Oh, I see. I heard her humming by the beach this morning. It really is something that'll make your head turn." 

Jun blushed at the compliment, entirely flattered for his daughter. Especially when a fine young man had his interest poked by Mikoto. "Sorry about that. You must've been freaked out! She likes to wear a white dress after all, that girl..." 

Rin didn't reply to that, nor did he deny that he was a bit  spooked by a girl with long black hair, with skin white as snow, wearing a white dress, and singing a soft tune, alone. Yep, not your ordinary morning jogs. 

"Though, she is deaf. That's why I have her wear hearing aids. Guess she wasn't wearing it earlier." 

That's why she couldn't understand me. Rin thought to himself. 

"Sorry, kid. I gotta tend the shop for a while, can I leave youngsters here?" Jun said in a hurry, after hearing the shop bell ringing. 

"O-Oh sure." 

"Thanks!" With that, the man fled out of the scene and went back to work. 

Back to Mikoto and Nitori, they successfully made a pot of tea, and Nitori progressed in interacting with her. 

Nitori grabbed some cups for the three of them while Mikoto served the pot with a plate of sugar cubes at the side. 

Rin ogled at the serving, and asked where did they get these fancy glassware. Mikoto chuckled, grabbed a whiteboard, that sat on the counter, and wrote down something. 

Grandmother sends me some gifts twice a year. 

Rin sweat dropped at her weird way of communication. "Can't you just talk?" he urged, raising a brow. 

Mikoto pulled out her lips for him, erased what she just written and jolted another message for Rin. 

Nonsense. Mother told me to save my voice for important occasions. 

"You're making it harder for yourself," Rin implied, resting his cheek on his palm. Mikoto sat there adamantly. There was no way she'd waste her heavenly voice just to converse with an acquaintance. "Plus, you'd get bad breath for keeping your mouth shut all the time."

"Eek!" That emitted a quiet screech from Mikoto, her hand immediately coming up conceal the noise. 

Rin burst out in laughter, receiving a very cute stare from the pouting Mikoto. "Matsuoka-senpai, you shouldn't tease her like that. If it's that how she wants to talk, we should respect it," Nitori berated, gasping to himself, suddenly self-aware of how to spoke to an upperclassman.

Rin didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, sorry. Sorry, Mikoto. You do really have beautiful voice," he smiled at her, causing her cheeks to tint. 

She then gestured her hand to, with the looks of it, a flying kiss. And then she bowed. 

Rin was taken aback, not understanding basic sign language, and took it the wrong way. Good thing Nitori was there to the rescue. 

"I-I think that means thank you in sign language!" the younger boy interjected. 

"You know sign language?"

"Eh? I did, but I barely remembered some. Though, I'm sure that wasn't a flying kiss, Matsuoka-senpai." 

"Shut up!" Rin hid his blush by looking away, though he was sure Mikoto didn't notice. 

Nitori just smiled at the girl who tilted her head in confusion. What's got Rin so embarrassed? She was just saying thank you to him. 

In the end, they ended up forgetting about that chagrin of Rin's and proceeded to chatter until their Captain Mikoshiba blared their phones. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm sorry for the trouble these two caused," On behalf of Rin and Nitori, Captain Mikoshiba offered his apologies for the disturbance his two swimmers caused the old man Jun. 

He spent a whole hour looking for the two, only to find out that Rin and Nitori were 'goofing' - is what he claimed to see - around with a very, very pretty--no, beautiful girl. They were dragged out of the house, and here they are, bowing down to the Kishimoto family because of... hanging around with his daughter? 

"No, no don't worry about it. They're actually quite good kids," Jun guaranteed that Rin and Nitori behaved the entire time they spent in his house. He faced the two boys and bowed. "Thanks for keeping Mikoto occupied while I worked. Sorry 'bout her being a handful too." 

"No, no, thank you for welcoming us!" Nitori exclaimed in embarrassment. "We're sorry for the intrusion too." he returned the gesture.

Rin followed suit and sent his thanks. He peered at Mikoto, who was quietly watching from behind her father. A thought crossed his mind as he smirked. 

Everyone's jaw dropped - except for Jun, Mikoto and Nitori - when Rin sent a flying kiss to the Snow White maiden. 

Mikoto gratefully accepted it and repaid him with a flying kiss as well. In basic sign language, Thank you. 

"M-Matsuoka! Wh-What do you think you're doing?!" Captain Mikoshiba stammered in shock. Rin was unabashed. 

"That means thank you in sign language," Rin apprised nonchalantly. He then felt soft hands hold his own, and glanced down to see a bracelet wrapped around his wrist. "Mikoto..." 

Mikoto just smiled at him. It was Jun who translated for his daughter. 

"Oh, it's a souvenir from our island. Make sure to come back again, she says!" he interpreted. 

He can understand that? Everyone in the swimming club commented internally. 

When everything was all well and done, Rin and Nitori bid goodbye to their new found friends, the Kishimotos. They were leaving first thing in the morning tomorrow, so Jun promised that he and his daughter would see them off. Mikoto didn't say anything and just waved goodbye. 

Rin noted how blue her eyes were. And they were kinda shimmering.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As sworn, Jun was present just when the private boat of the Samezuka swimming club arrived on deck. The members started hopping aboard, Rin and Nitori falling behind when their acquaintance called for them. 

"Here," they were both given a ref magnet as a token of their meeting. 

"Thank you again! We'll be sure to come back!" Nitori offered his thanks for the nth time. Rin smiled gratefully at the man and went glancing around to see if... 

"Ah, Mikoto is..." As if reading his mind, Jun directed Rin's gaze towards the beach where Mikoto was standing on. 

From afar, he could hear her humming, though it was faint. Rin's stare didn't waver as he patiently wait for her to look over at their direction. 

She did, and he became breathless. 

Rin and Mikoto shared a moment right there. Him on the dock; her on the beach. 

Her voice was the first thing he heard. Her smile was the last thing he saw. Yet, somehow, it was the feeling that lasted.