A song i would recommend if your that kind of reader. I was listening to it while writing this first half.
Mario M- Daydream (by 17tumba on Youtube)
Of course this is optional.
I lost.
Red eyes stare frozen at the second place rank on the scoreboard. The crowd's wave of cheers are nothing but white-noise to his ears; a faint static sound registered only in the recesses of his consciousness.
All he really hears are two words. The weight of them sets in, trapping him in a void of despair.
I lost.
Rin doesn't look to his competitor. He can only stare, slack jawed, at the number beside his name.
"Senpai!"
He blinks, shifting his gaze to the gray haired boy frantically running towards him. Praise from the crowd rings loud and clear in his ears as the world comes back into focus.
"Senpai, you really shouldn't stay so long in the pool," the boy says, thrusting a hand in his face.
Rin freezes a moment, realizing he's the only person left in the water, and takes the offered hand. His legs wobble as he's lifted from the pool. Without the boy's helping hand, this may not have gone unnoticed by onlookers. He curses himself inwardly for nearly allowing such a weakness to show.
When his feet touch the pavement, he composes himself, straightening his back and plastering a look of cold indifference on his face. People watch him in awe as he transforms into the image of a champion even after losing such a race, but they cannot see his image inside. They cannot see the way he breaks; pieces of him leaving with the droplets that fall off his body, splattering into watery fragments upon the ground.
Nitori gazes at him with wide blue eyes, also seemingly ignorant to his inner state. Rin raises an eyebrow and the boy loses his trance. He stutters the whole way to the locker rooms, still embarrassed by his obvious show of admiration.
While his teammate rambles on, Rin uses all the strength he has left not to crumble then and there. It's when the team comes across a four-way intersection in the building that he almost loses it. He can feel his presence before actually seeing him and on instinct raises his head.
There on the opposite side of the cross is the one who beat him; who always beats him. He has his head turned to the side as he walks, observing the hall as if there were patterns on the walls that only he could see. The other team members laugh and jest just as they used to when he himself was apart of their trio. His absence shows no sign of ever fazing them, and it leaves an ache in his chest every time he thinks about it.
Their newest member turns red at a remark from the bouncing blonde beside him, sending the other teammates into fits of giggles, excluding the victor who simply smiles. Rin clenches his fist. It's a miracle the subject doesn't feel the heat of his glare.
You don't deserve my place.
His eyes suddenly widen in horror. Is he jealous? He whips his head down, eyes boring into the squared tile floor as if the segmented cracks hid an answer. They continue to pass and Rin uses the last second to steal a final glance at the victor, only he finds the other is already staring at him.
He feels all control leave him in that moment.
Panic rises when his wall starts to fall apart. I can't lose it yet.
The moment passes after what feels like days, but in actuality was probably a mere few seconds. Both teams cross the hall and continue like normal to their assigned locker areas. After that, Rin tunes out, something he's been doing too often to be healthy, and the rest is a blur. He goes through his routine like a ghost, showering, dressing, hydrating… Eventually he slumps on a bench in the back corner of the locker room.
"Rin. We're leaving now, coming?"
Rin utilizes the fact that his face is directed towards the ground to quickly simulate his usual look of indifference. He straightens up and replies to his Captain with as much nonchalance as he can muster.
"Nah, I'll stay behind and hitch a ride with my sister. I think she wanted to hang out later or something."
Seijuro shrugs and turns after the team, slipping Rin a "Suit yourself," before shutting the door and leaving him alone.
He sits there a while in silence. His lip starts to tremble as his wall finally breaks down.
"Tch!" He slams a fist into his thigh and crumples to the ground, curling his hands into his hair and succumbing to the quiet sobs that now wrack his body.
Damn you Haruka…
His eyes widen when they see the score. Something shifts then. He feels it; the weight of it is strong.
This loss.
He watches the reel of emotions flash across his crimson eyes. He's seen this before; never wanted to cause such pain again. But it's too late. Something deeper sets behind those eyes, turning them a darker shade of red.
This is about more than just a race isn't it, Rin?
"Haru-chan!"
The reflection is cut short when Nagisa comes crashing into him. It's been made apparent no one ever taught the boy about personal space.
"Haru-chan, let's celebrate now. Everyone's ready to go!" The blonde hops around enthusiastically. Haruka wishes he could share in the happiness, but something in the back of his mind won't allow him that. He thought winning this race would lift something, some sort of burden, but it's as though it only worsened.
Nagisa takes his silence as an "okay" and drags him out of the building with the others. All the while, Haru replays his rival's emotions in his head. The loss of the race, the shock of seeing Rei fit in with the team, and finally when their eyes met for the first time that day, he saw something he couldn't decipher. What was it?
"Looks like Rin isn't leaving with his team."
Haru's again jarred out of his thoughts, only this time at the mention of Rin. He scans the group waiting for their bus. Rin's not with them.
Haru stops abruptly and the others turn to him with questioning looks.
"I forgot something," An obvious lie, he's aware, but it's all he could think of in the moment. Makoto looks slightly concerned, while the others seem more confused.
"What could you possibly have left?" Gou chimes.
He's quick to respond, although the lie is still quite bad. "My phone. I just need to fetch it, and I might stay later. I wanted to visit some of the swim shops and I'd… rather be alone."
He turns and jogs off to the front entrance before they have a chance to respond, leaving them completely dumbfounded by his blunt request. He's never been one to stumble over his words, but even this feels off.
Makoto's gaze suddenly softens, face forming a small smile.
"But you left your phone at home…"
Hey Readers! Here's a new story i'v decided to start on a whim, ha. It's a bit more serious or dramatic take on a very happy-go-lucky-esque sort of anime. It will be short, only a handful of (equally as short) chapters or so. I do a thing where i imagine a bajillion different scenarios for an anime story. This was one i suppose. Anyway, hope someone enjoys it!
(Also, a trick to repeat Youtube vids for those of you who don't know and want to follow my song recommendations, just search the song on regular Youtube, click it, then type "repeat" before "youtube" in the search-bar.)
Feel free (haha, free...) to review or send me questions :)