Swing!

Hinata’s POV

The club president's voice echoed through the room, pulling me from my daydream. "It's October, and next month will be the cultural festival. The student committee wants us to perform a choir. Let’s work hard, everyone!”

I bit the inside of my cheek. So, for the next few weeks, my free time would be... gone. No more sneaking off to the library, no quiet afternoons to catch up on reading or... seeing him. Would Haruto feel lonely without me around?

The club president’s voice cut through my thoughts again. “Attention, everyone! I forgot to inform you that this man right here is going to help us with lighting.”

Confusion flickered through the group until a familiar, hesitant voice followed.

“I-uh, my name is Haruto—"

My heart skipped a beat. "Ha-Haruto?!"

He gave a small bow. “I’ll be the one who will take care of the lighting. Looking forward to it.”

I blinked, trying to piece together how he ended up here. What was he doing here? After the initial introductions, I hurried over to him. “What are you doing here?” I blurted.

Haruto shrugged casually. “Taking care of the lighting?”

“I know that,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “I mean, why?”

“Oh. Well, when I was sitting in class, your club president approached me and asked for help. I agreed.” He spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I crossed my arms. “Did you know I was in this club?”

Haruto’s expression softened, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Of course. That’s why I agreed. By doing this, I won’t feel lonely.”

His words hit me like a gust of wind. I could feel my cheeks warming, despite myself. Why was he doing this? Because of me?

“Hinata... Hinata?” Haruto's voice snapped me back to reality.

“Ye-yeah?” I stammered.

“You’re spacing out, and your face is kind of red. Are you feeling okay?” There was genuine concern in his eyes.

“What? I—uh, yeah, I’m totally fine.” I waved my hands dismissively, feeling the heat rise even more.

Haruto raised an eyebrow but let it go. “Alright. Let me know if you’re not feeling well. Later.” He gave me a small wave as he walked away.

“O-oh, yeah... later!” I called after him, though my voice sounded too high-pitched, even to me.

I stared at his back as he left, trying to make sense of the strange feeling swirling inside me. What was wrong with him today? And why was he suddenly… a little bit attractive? No, no, no. Stop thinking about it! There’s work to do.

Haruto’s POV

I couldn’t believe the words that had just come out of my mouth. “I won’t feel lonely?” What was I saying?

I shook my head, trying to focus on setting up the lighting for the choir. But every time I glanced in her direction, I felt… something. I had never felt anything like this before. Was it worry? Concern?

“Senior, I’ve done my work,” I said, clearing my throat. “I’ll head home now.”

The president nodded. “Sure, thanks for your help, Haruto.”

I left the auditorium, stepping out into the evening air. But something nagged at me. She still had about an hour left of rehearsal. Was she going to be okay walking home alone? It was already getting dark.

Before I knew it, I was standing outside the school gates. An hour had passed, and I hadn’t moved. What was I even doing here?

Hinata’s POV

Rehearsal finally ended. “Nice work everyone!” I called out, stretching as I walked outside. The night had settled in, and I was tired, ready to go straight home.

“You’re late.”

I froze, hearing a familiar voice. Was he talking to me? I spun around. “Haruto?!”

“Hey,” he greeted, casually leaning against the gate.

“What are you doing here?”

“Waiting.”

“For?”

“You.”

My heart skipped again. “Huh? W-why? You didn’t have to wait for me.”

“It’s getting dark,” Haruto said simply. “I figured I’d walk you home.”

I blinked in disbelief. “You’ve been standing here for an hour?”

“What? Has it been an hour? I thought it was only 30 minutes.”

I felt warmth bloom in my chest, and before I could stop myself, I blurted, “Th-thank you, Haruto!”

He smiled, that same easygoing grin I’d seen a thousand times before. “Don’t mention it. That’s what friends do, right?”

Friends… right. My heart deflated just a little, but I nodded. “Y-yeah, it is.”

“I’ll send you home,” he said, falling in step beside me as we started walking.

We began walking in silence, the quiet street stretching out before us. The soft rustle of leaves filled the air, and the evening breeze carried the scent of fresh rain. I glanced over at him, wondering what had compelled him to wait. He didn’t have to. Yet, here he was, walking beside me, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He suddenly broke the silence. “You didn’t seem like yourself during practice today.”

I turned to him, surprised. “I didn’t?”

“Yeah, you seemed… distracted,” he said, his hands shoved into his pockets.

I looked away, embarrassed. “I guess I’ve just been tired.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard,” he replied, glancing at me. “You always take on too much.”

I let out a small laugh, more to ease the tension than anything. “And you’re not tired?”

He chuckled softly. “I’m exhausted, but… it’s different for me. I’m just doing the lights. You’re the one performing in front of everyone.”

His voice had a way of comforting me. It wasn’t what he said, exactly, but how he said it—so casual, so calm, like nothing ever fazed him.

We kept walking, the sound of our footsteps blending with the evening's stillness. At some point, I realized I didn’t want this moment to end. The street lights flickered on, casting long shadows on the pavement. I felt a strange peace settle over me, walking home with him like this.

We passed by a park where children’s laughter still lingered, though the swings now sat empty. I stopped for a moment, looking at them. Haruto paused, turning to face me.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“I used to play in a park back in my hometown,” I said, my voice quiet. “The swings were my favorite.”

He tilted his head slightly, eyes softening. “Want to swing? We’ve got time.”

I blinked in surprise. “What? No, I—”

Before I could finish, he was already walking over to the swings, casually brushing off the seat with his hand. “C’mon. Just for a minute.”

I stood there, feeling a little foolish, but something in his easy confidence made me smile. I slowly walked over, sitting on the swing next to him. The chains creaked as I pushed myself lightly.

“You know, I haven’t done this in years,” I admitted.

“Same,” Haruto replied, his feet gently pushing off the ground. “But it’s kind of relaxing, right?”

I nodded, feeling the gentle sway of the swing. The night air felt cool against my skin, and for the first time in a while, I felt like a kid again.

After a moment, Haruto spoke again. “You’re always so busy, Hinata. It’s good to slow down sometimes.”

I glanced at him, the soft light of the streetlamp catching his profile. I wanted to say something, to thank him for waiting, for noticing that I was tired, for being here. But the words wouldn’t come out. Instead, I just nodded.

We swung in silence for a few more moments before he hopped off, landing softly on the ground. “Alright, let’s get you home before it gets too late.”

I smiled, standing up from the swing. “Thanks, Haruto.”

“Anytime.”

***

I stopped as we arrived at my house. “Thanks again,” I said, shifting awkwardly on the doorstep.

Haruto waved it off. “No problem. Make sure to get enough sleep, okay? I’m heading out.”

I nodded. “Okay, b-bye.”

I watched him walk away, my mind spinning. Why was he so kind today? It was such a simple gesture, but it meant so much. He stood there waiting for me, even though he didn’t have to. My heart felt light and confused all at once.

Even in the shower, even brushing my teeth, I couldn’t shake the thought of him waiting outside for me. Had he felt cold? What if he caught a cold? What was I thinking?! He was just being a good friend… right?

“Hinata…just stop thinking about him and go to sleep,” I said to myself, tapping my head gently.

***

Haruto’s POV

As I walked home, I kept wondering if Hinata was okay. Was she tired? Why was I so worried? She was my first close friend in high school, maybe that’s why.

But...

Why couldn’t I shake this feeling?

“Is she okay?” I murmured to myself.

Somewhere, I imagined her asking the same thing about me.

As I walked down the road on my way back, a question popped up in my head, "Does she love swings too?”

To be continued…