The Iwatobi Less Travelled
by Tonari no Sakka
Episode 1 : I'm (not) free
"What the fuck did you just say?!" An angry voice penetrated the hallway of the Samezuka dormitory. Matsuoka Rin had just shouted down his mobile phone. A frightened Nitori Aiichiro attempted to calm his senpai down.
"Please quieten down, Rin-senpai! It's getting late..." Nitori had a lot of admiration and respect for Rin, but he would feel intimidated whenever his senpai had an outburst for whatever reason. "Gosh, so many veins are popping out of Rin-senpai's forehead!" Nitori thought.
"Haru! Don't you dare forgo the tournament! I will never forgive you if that were to happen, do you fucking hear me?!" Unfortunately, peace and quiet weren't anywhere in Rin's venomous vocabulary at the moment. The time was nearing 1030 at night.
"Rin-senpai..." Nitori could only watch on helplessly.
Nanase Haruka took the seat opposite his homeroom teacher Amakata Miho. There was nothing to be awkward about, at least that was how Haruka felt. However, Amakata-sensei had a slight quiver in her voice as she brought Haruka's attention to his career prospects form.
"Nanase-kun," Amakata-sensei began, "I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you wrote over here..."
"Mackerel with rice." Haruka replied monotonously.
"Erm, I can see that. But how is it a career prospect?" Amakata-sensei was taken aback by her student's indifference. She also acted as the advisor to the swim club which Haruka and a few other boys had re-established. She genuinely cared for the boys, yet her understanding of them was considerably low.
"I want to sell mackerel with rice for a living." Haruka rephrased himself.
"You want to what?!"
The boys were gathered at Haruka's house after school. Haruka had just stated matter-of-factly his decision to sell mackerel with rice as a career. Tachibana Makoto, his best friend since kindergarten, spluttered ocha across the table. Ryuugazaki Rei, their junior, dropped the piece of senbei that he had been munching on.
Only Hazuki Nagisa seemed excited at that possibility. Nagisa was also Haruka and Makoto's junior, and a classmate to Rei. "Really?! That's so cool! Ne, Haru-chan, can I work at your shop next time?"
"Don't be silly, Nagisa-kun!" Rei scolded. "Besides, you would probably eat up all the mackerel and rice."
"Rei, I think you are missing the point here..." Makoto countered.
"I can learn to grill mackerel like Haru-chan!" Nagisa offered.
"Nagisa, you are hired." Haruka said.
"Yay, I can be Haru-chan's sous chef!" Nagisa exclaimed happily.
"This is unbelievably insane! Argh!" Rei ruffled his hair in frustration. Makoto could only smile weakly at the situation.
"Haru! Why the fuck did you ignore my calls?!" An explosive voice echoed through the Haruka residence, startling everybody. It didn't take long for them to realise that Haruka's house was about to become a war zone. A flustered Rin had nearly torn open the front door.
"Rin, take off your shoes." Haruka said icily.
"As if I had the time for that! Haru! Don't you fucking dare dodge the subject! What is the meaning of this, wanting to sell mackerel with rice for a living?!" Rin clawed onto Haruka's shirt collar with a look that threatened death.
"What's wrong with that? I've finally decided on the path I want to take after graduation." Haruka replied indifferently. "Let go of me, Rin."
"You bastard! What about swimming?! What about all those memories we share?! What about us?! What about me?!" Rin landed a punch barely an inch above Haruka's head. Warm blood came trickling down his fist.
"Rin!" "Rin-chan!" "Rin-san!"
"So is this your idea of being free? Do you think you are really free to do whatever you want? You disappoint me, Haru..." Rin loosened his grip from Haruka and left without another word.