Clouded Distance

Chapter Eight

Questioned

Hana yawned, covering her mouth with her hand as she did so. She closed the door behind her and stepped outside. She rubbed her eyes and stretched a little. Getting up earlier than usual, especially to do maths homework, was exhausting. Hana thought that writing an essay would have been easier at this time in the morning in comparrision to trying to wrap her head around a few math questions.

However, the wind was a rather cool one, and slowly Hana found herself starting to wake up.

She wasn't kept waiting for long; Makoto and Haru both stopped before her house. She smiled and, after greeting each other, they headed on their way to school.

"Hana?" Makoto asked presently, after a small silence. He peered a little closer at his friend, eyes narrowed as he realised Hana wasn't exactly looking like a usual self. "What's wrong?"

"Huh?" Hana stifled a yawn and flushed. "Oh... I just got up early this morning... to finish that homework we were set." She admitted this last part very quietly.

"How come?"

Hana hesitated. Did she want to say this in front of Haru? She didn't want him blaming himself for the state that she currently found herself in.

Well, if doesn't look like I'll have a choice in the matter. Makoto wants to find out.

She rubbed the back of her head. "I was up late... and mum didn't allow me to stay up to finish the homework..."

Makoto frowned. "That's annoying."

"Yeah..." Hana rubbed the back of her neck, and clenched her teeth to stifle another yawn. "Sorry I missed our morning run again."

"Don't worry. Your well-being is more important."

Hana sent a grateful smile in his direction. "Thanks, Makoto."

The three of the, continued walking. The wind played with their hair, bringing with it the salty tang of the ocean. Hana inhaled the scent deeply, smiling a little as she did so. The tang of the ocean was a familiar scent around the coast of Iwatobi. Strange to think I'd have hated that smell just a year ago. How things change.

Haru walked a little closer to the brunette girl.

"Hana... I'm sorry," he said quietly. It was too low for Makoto to overhear, but still, their friend paid no attention to this little exchange. He was used to their actions together by now.

Hana tilted her head to the side, a flash of guilt rising through her as she realised just what Haru was apologising for: for proposing the idea for their date, which ended up getting her into trouble.

Hana would never let him take the blame for something as silly as that.

"About what? You have done nothing wrong, Haru." Her voice was firm.

"Last night..."

"Pfft, I had fun with you, and that's all that matters." Hana moved her hand, so she intertwined her fingers in Haru's. "We just know now to move our dates to weekends, don't we?"

"I guess so."

Hana beamed. "See, problem solved."

They reached Iwatobi High soon after. Hana scanned the crowds for Gou, Nagisa and Rei, and deflated a little when she didn't spot any of them. She sighed, rocking back on her heels. Oh well. We'll see them at break.

Upon arriving at their class, Hana took her spot by the window and twisted around to see Haru and Makoto. They, like everyone else in the class, talked in their small group until Miss Amakata entered the room.

At once, Hana's eyes came to rest on the stack of papers their teacher was carrying.

Tests in homeroom? Surely not... Hana glanced back at Makoto and Haru, and found they were just as confused as she was.

Hana twisted back to the front. Miss Amakata smiled at them all. "Today, I've got to give you a career path questionnaire. It shouldn't take you too long to complete."

Oh, great.

Hana bit her lip. This is going to turn out marvellously.

Miss Amakata walked around, handing each student a sheet of paper. Hana took hers once it came to her and read over the brief questionnaire written there.

With a sigh, she picked up her pen and placed it to the paper.

*          *          *

When the final bell rang, Hana couldn't have been any more relieved. It had been a relatively trying day - having all started with that questionnaire - and Hana was glad that she could now move on with the day. She lacked her things away lazily and turned around to talk to Haru, only to realise that he was gone.

Hana frowned, rendered momentarily stumped. Then something switched on in her mind and she nodded to herself. Ah yes. That's it.

It was just her and Makoto, so they walked out together. They were two of the last to leave the classroom.

"Haru's got his counselling now, doesn't he?" Hana murmured as they walked along the corridor. She was pretty sure that was why Haru had left so suddenly, but just wanted to confirm it with her friend.

Makoto nodded once. "Yeah. When do you have yours?"

"Next week. You?"

"Around about the same time."

They continued to walk together in comfortable silence. The halls were mostly empty apart from a few people, most students either at club activities or hanging left already.

Neither if them had talked about it, but after an unspoken agreement, they came to a stop outside the counselling office. Hana sighed and closed her eyes as she leaned back against the window, feeling the glass beneath the exposed skin of her hands. It felt a little warm due to the sunlight filtering through.

Her mind flashed back to the questionnaire that she'd answered. Her answer had been writing, but Hana didn't feel as though that was a very concrete answer. It still felt vague to her.

Well, the questionnaire made one thing obvious to her: she definitely didn't know what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

I can't keep ignoring this forever. None of us can, for that matter. We'll be graduating before we know it.

Hana breathed out heavily, and redirected her focus to the door in front of them. "How do you think he's going?" she murmured after a short pause.

Makoto shrugged. "I don't know. It's Haru."

Hana chuckled to herself. What other way is there to describe Haru?

"All he cares about is swimming free," she murmured. "What else can you see him doing?"

"I don't know."

Hana opened her eyes, rolling her head to the side. "You've known him the longest, surely you must have some idea."

"And you know him best."

"Eh, you've got a point there."

The door opened. Hana shook her head, amused as Haru stepped outside. Speak of the devil.

"Hey, Haru," she called. You ready for swim practice?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Hana beamed. She wasn't even going to bother asking about the counselling right now; she had a pretty good idea what Haru's answer would be.

Instead, she spun around and gestured at her friends to follow.  "Right, let's go!"

*          *          *

They arrived at the swim club soon enough. The other three were already there, along with Sasabe and Miss Amakata. Gou sighed, informing them that they still hadn't managed to pick up any members for their club. Hana felt something inside of her deflate. Would they ever get any new members? Would Nagisa and Rei be able to continue swimming next year?

They soon had to put those thoughts behind them as they started swim practice. Hana quickly dived in and started her stroke. There was no need to push herself today, unlike at competitions; today was practice after all, and this was to build stamina. And as far as Hana knew, they weren't taking times today.

Only after Hana finished her tenth lap did she stand on her two feet once more. She hung her goggles around her neck and sighed, rubbing at her eyes. She did enjoy the thrill of competitive swimming, but loved nothing more than just being able to swim leisurely at her own pace through the water.

Though she knew that this wasn't just a leisurely swim. Today was all about building and improving technique. Sasabe had stopped her a few times to offer some advice as to how she might improve her stroke. Hana focused on those few little amendments now, and found it surprising how just a few small changes to her technique changed the way she swam.

As she breathed in a little, recovering, Hana noticed the sound of voices talking. Curious, she turned around and saw Nagisa leaning against the edge of the pool and talking with Gou, Sasabe and Miss Amakata, all whom were watching the five of them swim.

"If we make it to nationals, this place will become famous, too. I bet you'll get a big boost in membership," Nagisa was saying. His eyes widened, and Hana could almost see the lightbulb switching on in his head. "Oh, I know! If that happens, Mako-chan, Haru-chan and Hana-chan can start working here!"

Hana bit her lip. Me, working here? She didn't even know what to think of that. The idea wasn't exactly the one she'd go for when thinking about selecting a career gif her future.

"Dummy!" Sasabe said suddenly. "I didn't rebuild the club to give you a place to work!"

Hana wasn't sure whether she should feel relieved about that or not. The idea of having this job as a possible safety blanket had been an appealing one...

It's still too early to seriously start considering futures right? Besides, I've got my talent in writing; that's probably going to direct my career choice.

Oh, shoot! Writing! That reminds me, I have to think of ideas for that short story. I hope Hikaru and the others don't mind that I'm missing a meeting today. Surely they'll understand. Practice tine is precious, after all.

But, I have a feeling I'll be missing quite a number of meetings...

"What's this poster?"

Rei's question dragged Hana out from her uncertain thoughts. Welcoming a distraction from any thought of her future or the writing club, Hana directed her eyes over to where Rei was standing. He stoic just behind her, staring intently at a poster. Hana leaned forward, trying to get a close look at him, and grimaced when she found the poster was too far away first her to read anything on it.

"Ah, as you can see, it's a poster advertising our grand opening. You guys can help me get them up!" Sasabe sounded pleased.

He wants us to help him put them up? I guess that's only fair. He has allowed us to use this pool to train in before we're able to use the school's pool, after all. We can do this small thing find him in return.

Now inquisitive about the poster, Hana clambered out of the pool. Standing on the ticked floor once more, she padded over to where everyone else was gathering.

Hana took her place beside Makoto, once again cursing her small height as she stood up on tiptoe, having to peer over Nagisa's shoulder in order to get a look at what everyone was looking at.

Hana narrowed her eyes in consideration as she read the words on the pink poster.

Sprashu Fes!

It took Hana a while to read past the misspelled English to make out what exactly it said.

"Splash fest?" Makoto murmured in question.

Rei frowned, looking more than just a little unimpressed. "You spelt the English wrong."

"So what kind of event is it?" Nagisa asked.

Sasabe grinned. "Oh, I'm planning all kinds of fun stuff."

"Like what?"

"For instance, a kick board race that even kids who can't swim can take part in! A 'how far can you swim without taking a breath' water race! And finally, the armoured sidestroke!"

"The armoured sidestroke?" Rei asked blankly.

Hana pursed her lips together. The term sounded familiar, but she just couldn't pinpoint where she had heard it before.

"I've heard of that!" Nagisa exclaimed. "Back in the Warring States period, samurai used this traditional swimming technique to cross rivers without removing their armour!"

Ah. That's right. Hana nodded to herself. She recalled reading about that once a few years ago.

However, it didn't seem as though everyone had the same understanding as herself or Nagisa, though.

"I don't understand that," Rei muttered.

Sasabe sighed heavily. "I still can't come up with a good main event, though. Do you have any ideas?"

Nagisa's eyes brightened and he turned to face the rest of the assembled group. "That sounds fun! Let's all think of ideas!"

Gosh, I'm the worst person to turn to when asking to come up with on-the-spot ideas. Hana much preferred having time sit back back and think things through for a bit.

"I'd like to ask for your help as well, Amakata-sensei. If you wouldn't mind singing in a bathing suit or... ah!"

Sasabe abruptly halted in his sentence as Miss Amakata narrowed her eyes. Hana shrank back a little, sensing the angered aura coming from their usual calm teacher. Then again, Hana knew that Miss Amakata did tend to become rather heated when swimsuits were mentioned.

Shoot, if I'm feeling this from such a distance, I can't imagine what it must be like to be right in the firing line!

"Sasabe-san..." Hana flinched a little at how dangerous their teacher's voice sounded.

Sasabe panicked instantly. "Forget I said anything!"

Hana chuckled to herself. She cocked her head to the side as she considered the poster once more.

Splash Fest, huh?

Sounds like that could be rather interesting.