Aqua

Summary: AU. In the year of 2068, science is at its finest. With the technology they have now, it was possible to finally get to the bottom of the ocean without the weight of it crushing down on them- but they never expected the mythical creature known as a mermaid to actually exist. RinHaru.

A/N: I know, odd summary. Probably think of a better one soon.


Chapter One

Rin Matsuoka was a prodigy. No qualms about it. Somehow he always managed to figure things out before anyone else.

Sure, he didn't have the best grades in the world. He didn't go out and attempt to find cures for unknown diseases and he certainly wasn't the boss of a major company.

Rin Matsuoka was one of the best swimmers Japan had to offer- meaning he was always crowded by people wanting autographs. He had no interests in it though- swimming was just part of his career.

Sometimes, he liked to go explore the oceans, more or less to be alone to think. In all honesty, swimming was something he never wanted to do again after the... incident that happened years ago. But he continued to swim, because the image of his closest ever friend flickered in his head:

'I always feel free in the water, which is why I swim free. The water won't harm me- and it won't ever harm you, Rin.' - So many years ago, his best friend Haruka Nanase had told him this. He merely laughed it off, wrapping an arm round his classmate's shoulder.

That incident... happened later that day after he heard his friend speak those very words.

Free! Iwatobi Swim Club

'Surprised hardly anyone's here,' Rin spoke, looking around the beach and watched a few younger kids play in the sand. 'It's sunny, so why is no one out?'

'That swimming tournament at the school is taking place now, a lot of people are going there because some of the fastest teen swimmers are there.' said Haru, brushing his black hair away from his eyes. Rin glanced at him and then closed his eyes and grinned.

'You wouldn't mind that, now would you? You near enough get the water to yourself!' he laughed, before opening his eyes when he heard a splash. He saw his friend jump in without a second thought- shortly after he jumped in as well, going straight under the water before he popped back up, taking a deep breath. 'Where'd you go? I know you're a fast swimmer and all, but you're not that fast!'

Rin kept himself floating, glancing around himself before swimming forward a bit. He waited, wondering where his friend would surface- but after twenty odd seconds he still hadn't seen sight of him.

'Haruka?'

He looked around himself before snapping his goggles over his eyes, diving under the water and having a look around before swimming deeper.

There was still no sign of him.

After he felt his chest tighten and his body gave signal to go get air, he went back to the surface, taking a deep breath in.

'Haruka! Come out, this isn't funny!' there was silence again before Rin puffed his cheek out and shouted again. 'Fine! Don't come out then!'

He swam to the shore and waited there, hoping Haru would make some form of appearance- but he never did.

Free! Iwatobi Swim Club

Rin shook his head, sitting back in his bedroom and sighed softly.

After that day, Haruka was never seen again. He should have knew that something had happened after his friend didn't show his face-

But what could have happened? Haru wouldn't– no, couldn't have drowned. He didn't want to admit it back then, but Haru was a stronger swimmer than he was. He also knew Haru would be a better swimmer today if he was still here.

So what exactly happened to him? Rin didn't know. He didn't want to know. Nearly 8 years had passed since that day...

And he would never forget that day.

He flicked his television on and then flopped on his bed, hardly caring to go for a jog like he told himself. His red eyes focused on the TV, before his expression got irked when it showed the news, set at the ocean not far away from him. He was about to change the channel, but what the damn woman said next caused him to stop.

"According to the fisherman here, they've captured what they could only describe as a 'mermaid' while throwing there net into sea. According to scientists, it is the only thing they can call it at this moment in time," Rin rolled his eyes. A mermaid. Caught in the ocean not far away from him. They expected him to believe this? Probably, but there was no way he was going to think about it. He watched the woman stop and press a hand on her ear, clearly listening. "According to a recent update, the creature seems to be male, meaning... It could be a merman?"

Rin stared at the screen before he turned the television off, deciding to go for his jog.

He would jog near that ocean. Not that he was curious or anything.

Free! Iwatobi Swim Club

The instant he got to the beach, he was quite happy that no one seemed to notice he was there. Everyone seemed to be focused on the news crew- who were talking to the fisherman who caught the so-called 'mermaid' or 'merman'. Rin still didn't believe it existed.

'You never knew Rin, maybe they do exist- they just live so far under that we'll never know they existed,' he could remember Haru was fascinated with the thought of mermaids. Never stopped talking about them. 'If I could, I would be a mermaid. Imagine being able to swim all day and never leaving the water?'

He stood with the ground, peeked over at the van that seemed to be parked on the sand, the back doors open and from what he could tell there was a tank in there. He would be lying if he wasn't a little curious as to what they had found, but all the same he found it stupid that some many reporters were here for something that could be a false rumour.

He sighed, before he turned to leave- until he caught out the corner of his eye a hand pressing against the tank before the van door was shut quickly.

"... What the hell?" Rin narrowed his red eyes before he jogged off again. He was determined to figure out what was in that tank now.

Because if he didn't, he knew he would regret it.