Chapter Text
Hina hummed as she sat on the tall lifeguard seat, a hum in her tune as she looked around the pool. Everything seemed to be in order; no chicken fighting, no horseplay, no one trying to dunk anyone… seems pretty peaceful so far.
“And Sakura was worried about me doing this alone,” Hina said after doing a ‘pssh’ sound with her lips, feeling confident.
She then noticed Maki, one of her underclassmen, sitting in a red one piece as she was near a gaggle of kids. “Now everyone, stay close to each other. If any adult gets weird, call out for me and I may or may not break their hands,” Maki instructed them as they all looked up at her.
“Yes Maki-ane!” the kids all said at once as Maki just rolled her eyes, but Hina couldn’t help but go,a “Aww,” upon seeing that. That made Maki’s head turn to her quickly, her eyes wide.
“Asahina? Why are you here?” Maki asked in surprise… before blinking in confusion at herself at asking why the Ultimate Swimmer would be at a pool . Kaito must be rubbing off on her.
“Oh, the regular lifeguard was feeling sick and since I come here a lot for exercise, the pool owner asked me to take over for today til he can get an actual sub,” Hina explained with a chuckle. “Those the kids from the orphanage you’re from?”
“Yeah… the den mother asked me to take them swimming while she and the older kids were doing errands,” Maki answered, making a good cover for the fact that they’re on a mission. Since she was at Hope’s Peak, they couldn’t risk exposing her that day.
“Awww, that’s sweet of you. Though I feel ya when it comes to something like this, I’m a big sister myself. I had to do a lot of babysitting for Yuta when we were little, even when we had an actual babysitter,” Hina chuckled, rolling her eyes as she thought back on all the stuff she and her brother went through.
“Heh… you don’t say?” Maki asked, leaning against the lifeguard tower as she watched the kids. “Hey! Haruhi! Walking feet, please!”
“Oki!” the little girl shouted as she slowed down.
“Hehe, you know, it’s kinda cute seeing you with the kids,” Hina admitted as Maki looked up at her. “Its kinda rare seeing you in your big sis role.”
“But I was born an only child,” Maki reminded her, confused.
“I mean, sure, but you’re kinda these kids’ big sister. Given you help take care of them more like that than a mom, right?” Hina asked, looking down at her. Maki just turned away at that.
“Maybe… but…”
“Bet it’s kinda hard when you didn’t have that yourself, huh?” Hina asked, looking down towards her. “Someone to look out for you, I mean. Hmm… okay how about this; my shift ends about the time you guys are likely to be heading home, right?”
“I guess…? Why?” Miu asked as Hina gave a grin.
“How’s about I take you and your pals out for some donuts?”
“I rather not have them hopped up on sugar, thanks…” Maki answered awkwardly as Hina pouted for a bit, before a better idea hit her.
“How about Ramen instead?”
“You know what? That doesn’t sound so bad.”
Hina then looked up at the kids and blew her whistle, “Hey no rough housing!”
A little boy was swimming with another and was trying to pull on a third boy. “Awww, we’re just playing.”
“Jouichiro, Soma, you both know that’s dangerous. She’s the lifeguard so you have to listen,” Maki sternly ordered as both boys gave a nod.
“Yes Maki-ane,” both boys said at once as Hina looked at her.
“They the rowdy ones?”
“They’re fine, just a bit wild. They say, ‘boys will be boys,’ or some crap, but I rather they not try and act that bad,” Maki said with a faint eye roll. Hina gives a nod in understanding as she sees something in the corner of her eye. “Hmm? What’s up?”
“Hey, does that little girl know how to swim?” Hina asked as she saw one little girl with bluish hair looking at the water nervously.
“Hmm… she never said she had trouble with it,” Maki explained as she saw Hina hop down from the chair and go over to the little girl.
“Hey sweetie, you okay?” Hina asked as the girl looked up at her, shyly rubbing her arm.
“The water looks really deep…” she answered as Hina gave a nod, as she looked around and saw the shallow end.
“How about this; if you’re not that strong of a swimmer, I can get you a vest to wear that’ll help you float. And if Big Sis Maki says it’s okay, I can help teach you how to be a stronger swimmer. That sound like fun?” Hina asked as the little girl looked at Maki with big eyes.
Maki sighed a bit as she turned to the little girl, “Yes Yuki, I’m okay with it. She’s a friend of mine, so you can trust her.”
“Yay! Thank you Maki-ane!” Yuki yelled out as Hina took her hand so they could get her the vest. Maki couldn’t help but smile a little as she kept an eye out on her, “younger sibling,” while Hina helped Yuki out.
Girl may seem a little bit of an airhead, but she’s a sweet airhead. That Ramen date is sounding better by the second.