Hello, everyone! I wanted to personally thank all of you for reading this fic. It really means the world to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own any on the characters from Free! Iwatobi Swim Club.


"Please don't leave me."

Makoto was stunned. Why would this human look at her like that? As if he wasn't a monster… this felt so different to him.

"Uh, are you sure?" he said, trying his best not to startle her; even if his appearance should be enough.

The human smiled at him, her damp red hair stuck to her face. Makoto still thought she looked heavenly to him despite her near-death experience.

She slowly took two steps towards him. Makoto's fluke, his tail fin, tensed straight up. He didn't know what to do, he never had a human come this close to him. She took more tentative steps towards him, feeling the heat coming off the warm-blooded mammal. He wondered if it felt unbearable since he was flushed red as well. Makoto looked down at the human that came up to his forearm.

"Um, why did you save me?"

"I, uh, f-felt like you-you needed saving." Makoto stammered out. He sighed and then cleared his throat. "I wasn't going to leave you out there like that."

The human place a hand on his arm. "Thank you so much. I'm very grateful." She plopped down in front him with her legs crisscrossed. "So! What's your name?"

He was bewildered. Did she hit her head or something? I should've saved her faster. Wait, she's in the ocean. Did she lose a lot of oxygen from her brain?! Makoto cleared his throat again. "Uh, my name is Makoto."

"Ah, Makoto, huh? I'm sorry to say this but that name is sort of girly. Well, I can't say anything, my name is Gou and it's considered as a boy's name. Do you know how much I hate that name? I'm trying to get people to call me Kou but no one ever remembers. Even my best friend Chigusa refuses to call me that."

"I think Gou is a very pretty name. It fits you really well."

She blushed. "You saying I'm pretty?"

He turned another shade of red. "Uh, I mean you are-but that's not what I was trying to say. But you are… pretty."

Gou giggled lightly. "Thank you, Makoto. That really means a lot. You are actually pretty handsome yourself."

"H-handsome? Like how?"

"How? Well, look at you! You have the best six-pack I've ever seen!"

"Okay now, you probably lost a lot of oxygen from your brain. You're acting sort of delirious. Here, let me take you back to the other humans." He outstretched his palm before Gou.

"Other humans? Oh! Chigusa is probably worried about me! Can you really take me back for me?"

Makoto smiled gently at Gou. "Of course, it's the least I can do. Here, step on." Gou carefully climbed on his palm and he slowly brought her up to the top of his head. "Can you hang on for me? I actually go really fast in the water."

He felt Gou grasp on his brown hair. "Ay, Ay, Captain!"

He rolled his eyes. "You definitely lost a lot of oxygen in that human brain of yours." Makoto began gliding, his head sticking out of the water to keep Gou from harm. "So, I'm going to drop you off not too far from the shore and then you'll be home free."

"Wait, I'm not going to see you again?" Gou climbed up further on his head so she can lean forward to look into one of his green eyes.

"I don't think you want to hang out with a monster like me."

Gou furrowed her eyebrows and pulled some of Makoto's hair, making him yelp. "A monster doesn't save a person from drowning." She pursed her red eyes into his left eye.

Nervously, Makoto brought up his finger and patted Gou on top of her head. "Okay, I understand. But I don't think we can see each other again."

"Why not, Makoto? And don't tell me I lost a lot of oxygen from my brain, I am not incoherent or delusional at all. Ever since you saved my life, I am definitely most indebted to you. But above all, I really want to learn more about you, if you don't mind."

Makoto stopped in the water. He carefully brought Gou in his palms in front of his face. "Gou," he breathed. "Are you sure about this?"

Gou reached out her hand to touch his cheek. "Of course I am. Besides, I'm not taking no for an answer."

Makoto chuckled, feeling her fingers run up and down his cheek. "You are one stubborn human, Ms. Gou."

She stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "I am absolutely proud of that, sir!"

Makoto blurted out laughing, making Gou lose her footing and fall backwards in the water. When she resurfaced, Makoto was covering his flamed face with his hands. "I am so sorry!"

Gou couldn't help but cackle at the sight before her. "M-Makoto! You look-HA- so adorable!" she said between breaths.

Makoto peeked through his fingers to look at her. This girl is too much. But she's so cute like that. "Here." He picked her up and placed her back on his head. "Now, hold on tight." Once he picked up pace in the water, Gou was holding on to his hair for dear life.

As soon as Makoto was close enough to the shore, but hidden enough behind some rocks so he won't be seen, he slowed down and gently brought Gou in his hands once again. "Here's our stop. If you want, you can see me…tomorrow… if you want." He began blushing before her.

Gou's face lit up. "You mean it? I really want to know more about you! I mean, we're friends now, right?"

Makoto looked into her ruby eyes. "R-right."

Gou scrunched up her face. "You hesitated."

"I didn't hesitate, I stuttered."

"No, I know hesitation when I see it, what's wrong?"

"Why would I? You saw that I have a problem when I'm nervous, I tend to stutter."

"Yeah, but this one was different."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is. You hesitated."

"Fine! I hesitated!" Gou leaned back from his powerful outburst. "Sorry. I just- I'm worried that I won't be able to see you again."

She tilted her head in wonder. "Why, Makoto? What's wrong?"

"My… species are not allowed to be in contact with humans whatsoever. It's forbidden."

"What happens when you're caught?"

"I honestly don't know. I just know that the few that were caught in the past have never been heard of again."

"Wow. Makoto, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too. But you know what…" he brought her closer to his face. "This is going to be a secret."

"What?" she whispered.

"I want to know more about you. So, I'm going to secretly see you." He whispered back.

Incredulously, Gou stood up and hugged his face. "Oh, Makoto! Thank you! I'm actually really happy." She pulled back so she was face to face with him, or body to face if you will. "And thank you so much for today. I am forever grateful to you." She leaned forward and kissed him on the tip of his nose. She giggled when he started turning bright red again and then she dived in the water. She turned back to look at him. "That's payback, you know! Because technically you were my first kiss! See you tomorrow, Makoto!" Gou waved and began paddling back toward the shore. He waved back, watching her while blushing more because he could still feel the warm spot she made on his nose. He slowly dived back in the water and headed home.


While Gou was paddling back towards the shore, she seriously thought was becoming delusional. I'm not dreaming, right? This actually happened. Wow, this is the weirdest day ever. She smiled to herself though because she will get to see him tomorrow. Hopefully if she wasn't actually dreaming and not dead.

"Oh my god, Gou!" she heard a shout from the shoreline. Gou looked up to see the group of girls she rode with from school. In front of them was her best friend Chigusa. From the distance, it looked like she was crying for a while since her eyes were real puffy. Once Gou was close enough to walk in the shallow water, she was engulfed in a hug by Chigusa. "I was so worried! I thought you drowned! We've been searching for you all over and the stupid life guards refused to get police involved and I just-I'm just so glad you're alive!"

Gou wrapped her arms around the shaking girl. "It's all right, Chigusa. I'm here, don't worry. Everything is fine." She pulled back so she could wipe away some of her tears. "I did almost drown but I got help from Ma… from a fish."

Chigusa stared at her in confusion. "A fish?"

Another girl, Satomi, also questioned, repeating for emphasis. "Seriously. A fish?"

"Yeah, a fish helped me. It, uh, showed me the way back to shore."

Chigusa stared at her for a few more seconds before busting out laughing. "Oh my god, that's rich. Come on, Gou. We need to get you to a doctor. You probably swallowed a lot of seawater." Chigusa wrapped an arm around Gou's shoulder and started walking her back to the van.

Gou smiled at her then turned to look back at the ocean behind her. She's never going to believe me, will she? What a long day this has been.

After insisting she was fine the whole car ride, Gou was dropped off at her house. Even after the incident, the girls still didn't talk to her. Chigusa was the only one that was practically in her lap because she couldn't stop pestering Gou by asking her, "Are you okay?" for every five minutes. Gou rolled her eyes and answered for the umpteenth time, "Yes, Chigusa. I'm okay."

Before she got off, Gou turned back to Chigusa. "Please promise me something."

"Anything." Chigusa said.

"Please don't tell my mom. She already worries enough as it is since Rin is in another country."

"But you almost died!"

"But, Chigusa, I didn't. I am here in front of you. Just please don't tell her. Pinky promise?" Gou held out her pinky towards her.

Chigusa sighed and then attached her pinky to Gou's. "Yes. Okay, I promise. Just don't do something like that again. I seriously almost had a heart attack."

Gou rolled her eyes again and brought Chigusa in for a hug. "I'll talk to you later tomorrow. Bye!"

Once Gou walked inside her house, she sighed in relief against the door. I don't think I will be able to tell her about Makoto any time soon.

"Gou, honey, is that you?" Gou heard her mom call her from the kitchen.

"Oh, yes! I'm home!" she called out. Gou walked in the kitchen, noticing her mother chopping up tomatoes.

Her mother looked up at her and smiled. "Welcome home, dear. Oh wow, looks like you got a new tan. How was today?"

Gou jumped up on the counter and sat on the opposite side where her mom was at. "Oh, same old, same old. The girls from school ignored me like always and wasted time tanning while I got the water all to myself. Oh, Chigusa probably got herself a boyfriend because I could totally see her flirting when I was in the water."

"Oh? What about yourself? Did you meet a boy there too?"

Gou thought about it for a second. "Actually… I have."

Gou's mom paused from cutting the tomatoes and looked up at Gou in surprise. "Really? What was he like? Oh my, I'm so happy for you!"

"Um, mom, he's just a friend. I just met him today." She hopped off the counter. "Let me know when dinner is ready, I'll be in the shower!" she ran upstairs, escaping her mother's will for finding her daughter a boyfriend.

Gou's mother sighed. "Ah, fine, honey. It'll be ready in 45 minutes!" she shouted after her.

After she finished her shower, Gou flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. I can't wait to see Makoto tomorrow. I guess, this wasn't a dream at all. Since that water in the shower was boiling hot and burned me, geez. I wonder what Makoto is doing right now…


"For the last time, Nagisa, nothing happened." Makoto said, exasperated from Nagisa's constant questioning. Makoto caught up with Nagisa and is now currently hanging out with Haru and Rei, with Haru lazily swimming around the three of them, just enjoying the water with his eyes closed.

Rei adjusted his red-framed goggles. "Nagisa said that when he dived back in the water that you were right behind him. If my calculations are correct, you would have been exactly 2.2 seconds behind him, in other words there would have been no way for you to get left behind, especially since your fluke is a lot larger than ours, Makoto-san."

Nagisa swam up in Makoto's face. "See? Rei-chan's calculations would never be off. He's smarticle!"

"Nagisa-kun, that is not a word."

"Whatever, Rei-chan. Look, Mako-chan, something happened and you're going to tell me right now."

"Fine, Nagisa!" Makoto raised his arms above him in defeat, and in frustration. This emotion from Makoto made Haru perk up and stop swimming to look at him. "I… I saved a human today and shewantstoseemetomorrowohgod." Makoto said really fast in nervousness.

"Mako-chan! I bet it was that girl in the water, right? Wow, you go Mako-chan!" Nagisa said, patting Makoto on the back. Rei came up and slapped Nagisa on the shoulder.

"Nagisa-kun, this is no time for celebration! Talking to a human is forbidden! How could you do that Makoto-san, even you should know that!"

"I know, Rei, I just… couldn't help it. Please guys, don't tell anyone, okay? They'll tell the council and I'm scared to know what the punishment is."

"Of course we won't." Everyone turned to Haru. "If she was drowning, that means she loves the water right? That's okay with me." Haru then closed his eyes and swam around lazily again.

"Oh god, Haru." Makoto said, face palming himself.

Nagisa's face twisted up in a grin. "Okay, Mako-chan. We'll keep it a secret. But the condition is to let us meet her as well."

Makoto's flushed. "What?!"

"Oh come on, Mako-chan. You can't keep her to yourself. Why can't we meet her?"

Makoto looked at all of his friends' faces. He sighed in defeat. "Fine, but only the next time I see her after tomorrow. I have to let her know in advance."

"Dang, Mako-chan. You are making it seem like this is your girlfriend. We just want to meet her, do we seriously need your permission?"

"Yes." They all turned to look at Haru again; he was suddenly very talkative today. "Listen to what Makoto says." He said, his eyes still closed.

"Fine, then. Well, what's her name, Mako-chan?"

Makoto smiled at the memory. "Her name is Gou."

"Gou? What kind of name is that for a girl?"

"What kind of name is Nagisa for a boy?" Haru retaliated flatly.

"Wow, Haru. That hurt." Nagisa mocked, holding his hand to his chest. "Okay, then, Mako-chan. Have fun with Gou-chan tomorrow!" He swam away, leaving the group.

"Makoto-san, be careful tomorrow, okay?" Rei said before leaving. He adjusted his frames one more time before turning around and swimming off.

"Makoto." Makoto looked at Haru to see what he was going to say. "Listen to Rei. Be careful tomorrow, alright?"

"Right, Haru. I will."

Haru gently patted his shoulder and started swimming toward his home. He called back over his shoulder, "I can't wait to meet your girlfriend."

Makoto started to flush again. "Oi! Haru!"