August 15.

It’s just five days away from Mai senpai’s birthday. 

Today, the whole club had a fun day out at the beach. A campfire was even lit when the sky turned dark, and we sat around it to talk. It’s the last summer for the Year 3 seniors, and everyone spoke with much sentimentality and nostalgia. Mai senpai was trying to hold back her tears, I could tell. 

“I know I said a lot of harsh words, but every time I see how you guys progress, I feel so proud,” she said, teary-eyed. “I know I shouldn’t be proud on my own like this, the progress is yours, but I can’t help it. And I’m going to miss everyone so much,” she said those sincere, honest words that made my heart ache.

To be honest, this heartache has been here since the end of this year’s inter-high. It’s only been a season since I’ve first met Mai senpai, but she fills my every day with meaning. I remember so clearly her shouts and the scowl she would wear on her face, the criticism we would wince at when we’re tired after long afternoons of training. I remember too her tender voice beside my ear, the patience in her instructions, the soft smile on her lips as we walked side by side when the team leaves school together after training.

I got the rare chance today, to be on my own with Mai senpai when we were on our way to the vending machine for some drinks. The scorching sun drove us to find some shade, and even with the glistening waters before us calling out to us, the thought of running into the cold waves was not enticing enough. We talked about our various plans over the summer holiday as we walked along the sheltered pavement. At the vending machine, I settled on a can of orange soda, while Mai senpai took a while before deciding on melon soda. I was in a daze due to the heat, when she placed the ice-cold can against my cheek which startled me. The laughter that left after, I still hear it now. It was melodious, it made my heart beat, and I would never forget it.

“I’m sorry, but you’re just too cute,” she said thereafter, to which my breath stopped. I still wonder if I heard it right. 

On the way back to where everyone else was, she gave me a sip of her melon soda. It was sweet, especially after the sourness that remained in my mouth from my own orange soda. I bought myself a can on a whim as I made my way home from the train station just now, and it’s sitting in the fridge. I don’t think I’ll drink it soon though, but I should probably warn my brother not to touch it.

We played a game of truth or dare by the campfire at night. Mai senpai denied having a boyfriend from the boys’ high a few streets down from our school. I remember the feeling I felt when it was first mentioned; it was as if something sharp was pierced into my heart. I wasn’t surprised though. For someone so beautiful like Mai senpai. She was shaking her head and waving her arms while denying, and her voice was loud.

I received a dare to scream or shout anything into the sea, apparently because I looked docile and they’ve never heard me raise my voice. Standing at the edge of the waves, I took a deep breath. “Suki,” I murmured inaudibly, before yelling, “da!” with my hands by my lips.

My chest felt a lot lighter after that.

The girls were laughing and seemingly surprised by how loud I could get.

We took a photo by the campfire before putting it out and cleaning up after ourselves. I could feel Mai senpai’s shoulder pressed against mine, both exposed in our sleeveless shirts, our skins sticky from the long day. I think I’m printing the photo out tomorrow, and I’ll put it into a frame on my study desk.

A long entry today. Ah, it’s late. I really didn’t want today to come to an end though. But night has fallen and the moon is up; I’ve released my feelings into the ocean and they’ve followed the waves away. Like a time capsule, I shan’t open up this Pandora box of this crush that marks my youth. 

I’ll take a while to forget about Mai senpai. But that’s alright. The vivid memory of the wind in her hair and the gleam on her face, I’ll probably still think about it for a while. As long as it doesn’t make me cry anymore... 

A droplet falls onto the page of her diary, and a few more follow. Nanase seats herself up and hastily wipes her face with the back of her hands.

I hope today was fun for her too. 

a/n: i enjoyed writing this even though it was short~ 

not @ how im just dumping all my nanamai feels into this collection but IT'S MY COLLECTION i guess i'll dump wtv i want into here

anw, finally a summer one! even tho it's short. i wanted to write something fun and light but i guess this turned out sadder than i thought it would be lol :,) i'll prob try to churn out more summer fics before the end of my favourite season. and the semester is starting too T_T this was inspired by nogi's song girls' rule as the title suggests, and i was actually contemplating for a while whether to write this fic with maharu and asahi as the characters instead of maiyan and nanase. i wouldn't have it be set in the same world as asahinagu even if i wrote this as maharu and asahi tho. anw i decided in the end that maiyan and nanase's personalities fit better into this fic as compared to maharu and asahi's. (i do wanna try writing a fic w maharu and asahi as the characters one day tho, they are just too adorable ><) i also don't really have a clear idea in mind what their club activity is, maybe it's naginata but maybe it's not? kyuudo, like maiyan and ikuchan did in girls' rule mv, idk? but i'd like an elegant, traditional japanese sport that keeps them in the budokan, haha.

maiyan drinking melon soda and sharing a sip with naachan is inspired from a song by yumemiru adolscence called melon soda, and it's one of my top 3 summer songs. was gonna write a fic (spoiler: it's sayamilky) inspired heavily by these summer songs. 

summer is my favourite season (if i haven't expressed it enough LOL.) even with the unbearable heat you can even smell it. i always hope the beauty of the season can be conveyed through the summer fics i write (try to write) every year. 

well, i don't know how many will be reading this but, hope this update finds you well and stay safe in the heat and the pandemic!