Teamwork for Hire

The kid standing in front of Ichigo’s desk wasn’t even from Karakura High School. He was making an enthusiastic case, however. Chatting up a storm, his words came out in such a rush that Ichigo figured the kid might pass out from lack of breath. Maybe swimmers could go a long time without oxygen? Ichigo just nodded along as the kid went on and on about how their swim team needed another member, just temporarily, because of some kind of tournament or other. 

Truthfully, Ichigo was only half-listening. The tennis club had already put down the best offer by far--ten thousand yen a match and Ichigo didn’t even have to show up for practice. 

Ichigo was about to give this little blond chatterbox the big brush off, except out of the blue, the kid blurted, “Plus, you have a girl’s name just like us, so it’s fate!”

“Wait, what?” Since when was Ichigo’s name 

girly?

The boy rubbed the back of his neck and grinned bashfully, “It’s kind of a thing with us. I mean, there’s Rei and Haruka and Makoto and me, and even Rin--so you’d be a perfect little strawberry topping!”

“Whoa, hold up on the topping stuff,” Ichigo said. “My name means first protector.”

The kid—crap, what was his name? It had been some girlish thing, hadn’t it? Nagimi? —gave Ichigo a pitying kind of look, like maybe he just hadn’t come to terms with something profound about himself. “Ok-ay. But, it’s a sign. When I heard you hired yourself out for any sport, I just knew you’d be perfect! You can swim, can’t you?”

“Of course, but—“

“Great! We’ll see you tomorrow after classes!”

#

It was late when Nagisa returned with news. Makoto took his coat and put it on the peg. He waited while Nagisa kicked off his shoes. “I’ve found the perfect person,” Nagisa said conspiratorially. He jittered with excitement.

“Do tell,” Makoto said happily. 

Nagisa sniffed the air. “Mackerel?” he mouthed.

Makoto nodded with a fond roll of his eyes. “What else?”

The crescent moon was visible though the big bay window and the light reflected on the cold, dark sea. Nagisa plopped down at his favorite seat at Haru’s Western style table. “He’s as tall as Haru-chan. He’s got crazy-colored hair, the brightest orange I’ve ever seen, like a tiger or something. His eyes are intense too.”

From the stove, Haru asked, “Can he swim?”

“He said so!” Nagisa answered cheerfully. “Everyone wanted him for their team. He must be very good. Some people were willing to pay a lot of yen. You’d think he was popular, given all the people there, but, I think he’s sad.”

“Sad? What makes you say that?” Makoto asked, as he dug through Haru’s cabinets looking for plates.

Nagisa leaned into his elbows where they rested on the table. “I don’t know, but maybe we can help him. Maybe we could all be good for each other.”

Looking up from the book he was reading, Rei asked, “How can we trust anyone who hires himself out like a mercenary?”

“It’s a good question, Nagisa,” Makoto agreed. This was a team. They needed to be together in all things.