A/N: Hello, I do hope you like this chapter and story and will continue reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Free! Eternal Summer nor do I want to. If I did the story would be horrible.

Chapter Eleven: Escalating Trouble

Haruka's POV

Hearing our names called I turned to the voice. Why are people congratulating us so much today? "Thank you, we'll give it everything we got!" Makoto answered. "I'm not in it to win" I mumbled.

I don't even want to be in it anymore. "You should be swimming to win Nanase" the baseball player said. "A sport is a game, a game is supposed to be fun.

If you're not having fun it's not a game or sport anymore. You shouldn't be playing if it isn't fun" I spoke leaving them.

I went to the pool to get better, faster. I won't let the pain ruin the relay time for Nationals.

I can't keep worrying them. The pain is getting worse every day I'm in the water though. Is this helping or making things worse?

Rin's POV

The coach was naming the people who were advancing to Nationals. I'm more worried about Haruka though. Apparently he was talking like swimming isn't fun anymore. That's not like him at all.

I was one of the ones advancing. 100m Free is what I am advancing to Nationals in. "Be sure to focus from now until then alright?" the coach asked. "Matsuoka?" I turned my head from my phone to the coach when he said my name.

"Even more universities have scouted you since the Regionals. You could join any team you want" the coach explained. "You should start thinking about where you want to go" I nodded agreeing in the usual manner.

Walking over to the group I heard Momo repeating what Seijuro always says. 'There's no such thing as the last summer' Nitori was the only one to appreciated it.

"Why are all of you standing around talking for? Let's get started" I told the group.

Haruka's POV

Nagisa and Rei were complaining about 'Demon Coach Goro' and how tough he is on us. My speed increased by a second but that was it. I need to get over the pain for the relay at Nationals.

"It's good for us though" Makoto told them. "We should bring him a gift at SC Returns" Gou suggested. Rei said no protein powder and Nagisa said Iwatobi Cream Bread. I stood wanting to change and go home.

"I need to go" I have to think about what I'm doing. The day before Nationals is the day I have to choose whether to stay home or go to a housing facility. And if I'm going to a housing facility I need to decide where. "Oh why?" Nagisa asked.

"Nothing to worry about, just a final summer project and Art Club" I explained. I do have that but I can do it as I think. There's a festival tomorrow so I can get inspiration for the painting there.

Turning the corner when I left I saw Sousuke leaning against the wall. "Come with me" is all he said so I did.

We went to the side of the School. "You stopped in the middle of the lane, why?" he asked annoying me.

"You already know the answer. Besides I don't think I like swimming anymore" I told him. "Well you better start.

You may not live much longer but you better not hold Rin back again" he told me. His voice was stern but it wasn't a surprise. He told me not to make Rin give up on his dream just because I gave up on mine. "There's something wrong with that Sousuke" I told him easily.

He asked what he got wrong making me smile sadly. "My 'dream' never had a path leading to it. I would never reach it even if I had forever left" I told him. "This is all I had to say so I'm going" he told me.

He turned to leave and I never said a thing to stop him. "Wha? Haru?" I turned seeing Makoto.

"I thought you'd be home already?" he asked making me frown. "I was interrupted from my walk there" scowling at the way Sousuke went.

"It's been a while since we walked home together huh?" I only shrugged. Just a week.

In seven days I only got seven seconds faster which won't help. "Why were you here so late?" I asked. He said he was talking to Amataka but I don't think he's telling the whole truth.

Why is he lying to me though? "Isn't it almost time for the Obon Festival?" Makoto asked as we walked along the beach. "I intend to use the festival as inspiration for the new piece I'm working on" I smiled. "So you're going to it then?" I rolled my eyes at this.

"I can't really get inspiration from photos of the festival" I told him easily. "Are your parents coming home?" he asked next making me frown. "Don't think so" I answered simply coming upon a billboard. "They are such free spirits huh?" not the word I would use.

'I'm sorry Haru, it seems they won't be coming to see you in the next six years'

They won't even come see me and I'm dying slowly. "We should watch the fireworks together" Makoto told me. I frowned at this.

I realized I might as well spend time with them while I can. I might choose a city that isn't in Japan if I go.

Different scenery and what not. "Yeah, that sounds fun" I smiled before we went to our homes.

"Haru?!" I debated on stopping. "I… umm… wanted to… talk to you about post-graduation plans" Makoto said making me scowl. "You were doing so well, knew I shouldn't have stopped" my heart squeezed painfully as I spoke.

Why can't they get the hint I don't want to talk about it? I want to enjoy my life while I still have it. "That's not what I meant… I mean…" he was interrupted by Ren and Ran. So he was talking about his own future.

It's good he has one planned out. Looking at Ren and Ran I wonder if it will actually happen. "Let's eat together Haru-chan?" Ran and Ren said making me frown. "Sorry but…" looking up the stairs I debated if I should try.

"If your parents don't mind it's fine with me" I told them. They cheered and I saw Makoto's shocked face. They went inside and a second later they rushed out dragging me inside.

Rin's POV

Looking at the calendar I saw the '1 week off' with a dolphin and shark drawn on it. "Sorry we're late!" Nitori yelled.

I was glad he got his boyfriend without much incident. "Glad you could make it" I said turning to everyone.

"Is everyone here?" I asked concerned. They all said 'yes sir!' in unison and I resisted the urge to flinch. How could the other coaches and captains deal with it?

"We have a week off but the next time we meet will be the Nationals" I announced. "Those competing need to arrive two days early and make adjustments" I told them. "Get plenty of rest until then and be in peak condition" I explained easily. I resisted the urge to flinch again.

Haruka's POV

It was the day of the Obon Festival and our relay times have stayed the same. That's likely my fault. Even though my individual times have improved my relay times have dropped. "All of your individual times have been improving but your relay times have been the same since Regionals" Gou explained.

"Our exchange times are fine it's likely my fault" I told them. "It's not your fault Haruka-senpai" Rei said making me frown. "We all know it is" I said and the room went quiet except for Gou.

"Coach Sasabe is adjusting the regimen so do your very best at Nationals!" Gou said. I went home after a while and was looking at my survey.

I wrote down set designer because I want to do that. I want to work on sets for plays, movies, but just the artistic part.

Doing more would be fine so long as I can do it. I got a letter of acceptance to a design/art school in Sydney, Australia. That would be useful if I agree to a housing facility.

There's one there after all. "Haru!" hearing the familiar voice I leaned my head back seeing an upside-down Makoto. Though I suppose I'm the one that's upside down. "Now that we're here why don't we see the fireworks?" my friend asked when the other two greeted me.

"Yeah" I smiled getting up. We went to the cove where the boats are being sent off. It's always so beautiful to watch them.

I've only watched them twice in my life. Once with my grandma and once with Rin and my grandma.

She knew I liked Rin at the time and was happy that he was such a good kid. My parents weren't so accepting and told me and my grandma they would never come see me again.

"Haru-chan?" I have a bad feeling about this. "Before we go to Nationals we have something to tell you" Nagisa started. "I feel we won't be a team unless we tell you" Nagisa said making me frown.

"We've admired your swimming for a long time" Rei stated making me clench my jeans. I don't want to swim competitively. Why does it always come back to swimming? "Your swimming isn't like you anymore now that you're not swimming Freestyle" they don't even see it.

"We want you to swim in front of people all over the world" stop it. "And if people saw your swimming and was moved by it like we were," stop it. "Wishing that they could swim like you, I couldn't imagine anything more wonderful" stop. It! I'm done swimming, why don't people get that?

Makoto told me they had a point making me chuckle dryly. "Wish I could see your point. The best part about it though is ironic.

I'm glad you don't know why I'm acting like this. Why I stood in the middle of that lane and why my time was so off in the relay and individuals" I told them.

I went up the stairs of the mountain after I told them that. When I reached the top I got a call from Dr. Cortez.

"Yeah I know… I'm not telling them… I don't know if I will yet" I told her before she told me to think about it. I hung up when we said goodbye. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Makoto.

I listened to what he said but didn't comment or interrupt. I knew when he spoke that it would be a pointless talk. "I want you to find a dream Haruka, I want you to have a future" I gripped my jeans in anger at that. "You want to know something?" I asked chuckling slightly.

"If either of them didn't mention how they admire my swimming, want people to see it. If you didn't mention anything about futures or dreams. I was a centimeter away from telling you what was wrong. I was just about to start having fun again until they said that" I smiled turning to him.

"So a dream is the same thing as a future huh? That's priceless Tachibana" I smiled. "I still have a dream but it has nothing to do with swimming.

Never going to reach it even if I had forever to" I told him trying to get past him. "You have enough talent to get to that dream Haruka, even if it doesn't have to do with swimming!" he told me grabbing my arm.

"You don't even know what my wish is Tachibana. Stop mentioning my talent and stop mentioning me in general.

You really have disappointed me. I hoped at least you would understand that I don't want to talk about it, ever" I told him.

He was shocked by this before he asked why I don't want people to ask. Why I don't want people to say that I have a future. "And that's exactly it! I.

Don't. Have. One" I told him hitting him back with every word in that repeated statement. "Answer me this" I started.

"What does your future hold? No one knows what they're future holds because it isn't set in stone, there will always be complications. Tell me, with complete confidence, that what your dream is is certain to happen" I challenged. "I'm going to Tokyo University" he told me.

"Good. Let's actually hope you graduate, that Ran and Ren don't miss you too much to make you want to leave. That whatever you're searching for actually happens.

The future isn't a guarantee so nice try in sounding convincing" I told him. I walked away from him, his shocked expression etched into my mind.

My future doesn't exist because I'm going to die in at most six years. "You're lucky you even have a future" I whispered as I walked away.

I knew at least Nagisa and Rei heard. They were wearing confused expressions as I passed by.

A/N: Hello, I finished writing this at 10:34 P.M. on December 10, 2017.

I do hope you like this chapter and will continue reading.