Emotional roller coaster...
Chapter 37
"EH?! Rei-chan?!" Nagisa shouted.
Haru cocked his head. "Rei?" he said softly.
Kanade groaned and smacked her palm to her forehead.
"Nagisa?" Makoto whispered, also cocking his head.
"N-Nagisa-kun?!" Rei jolted. "What… what are you doing here?!" he asked.
"Me? What are you doing here?!" Nagisa shouted, pointing at him.
"I, well, I was…" Rei stuttered.
Nagisa then turned and glanced at Kanade who still had a palm covering her eyes. He pointed at her next.
"Did you know Rei-chan was coming here?!" Nagisa asked. Kanade's hand dropped from her eyes and she cowered slightly.
"Ah, well…" she stuttered.
"Eh? Kanade-san, did you know Nagisa would be coming to Tokyo today?" Rei asked.
Kanade grimaced and took a step back. "Yes, well, that's just—"
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Nagisa asked, his face pouting.
"Nagisa-kun, it wasn't something I was trying to hide, I just—"
"So you knew and you didn't even think to warn me about this?" Rei interrupted.
Kanade winced and looked up at him. "Rei-kun, I—"
"Kanade, what's going?" Makoto whispered to her.
"Makoto, I—"
"Enough."
The four of them stopped and turned to Haru, who had an annoyed look on his face.
"You two need to work this out," Haru said, looking at Nagisa and Rei.
"B-But, Haru-chan—"
"No 'but's,'" Haru said firmly. He walked past the two of them and looked at Makoto and Kanade. "Let's swim."
"Eh? Now?!" Makoto fussed, watching Haru walk through the front doors of the rec center. "Haru, wait!" he said, running after him.
"Ah, Makoto!"
Kanade called out to him, taking a step to follow. But she froze in place when Makoto disappeared through the doors. She winced again, hearing someone clear their throat behind her, and she turned around and saw Nagisa and Rei eyeing each other nervously.
"Nagisa-kun, Rei-kun, I…" she started. She took a deep breath and sighed heavily through her nose. "Listen… I'm sorry that I didn't tell you guys about each other. I… I wanted to, but…" She paused to look at them both, her face turning firm and serious. "You guys really need to talk to each other."
Rei and Nagisa glanced at each other before turning back to her with nervous looks on their faces. They both opened their mouths to speak.
"But—"
"No 'but's!" Kanade said, echoing Haru. They both shut their mouths in a flash and stared at her. "This isn't something I can fix," she said sadly.
"Kanade-san…" Rei breathed.
"Kana-chan," Nagisa whimpered out.
"Talk to each other. Please," Kanade begged, giving them one last look before turning on her heel and disappearing in the alleyway next to the rec center.
Rei and Nagisa were left standing in street, the sky bleeding different shades of blue and orange as the sun started to hide below the horizon. They hesitated for a few moments, looking at anything they could to delay the topic at hand.
Once the silence became too much, Rei and Nagisa turned toward each other and opened their mouths.
"Rei-chan—" "Nagisa-kun, I—"
They stopped when they realized that they had spoken at the same time and they looked away from each other awkwardly. There was another moment of heavy silence before they both turned to each other to try again.
"Nagisa-kun, I need to tell you something," Rei said.
"I do, too!" Nagisa said, his voice frantic.
"It's something that has been on my mind for a while and it has been agonizing not to tell you."
"Oh! Me too, Rei-chan!" Nagisa said, his eyes wide. "I've been keeping it from you because… I'm scared of what Rei-chan will think," he said sadly.
"That! That's preposterous!" Rei said, his voice raising. "I would never think badly of you, Nagisa-kun!"
"R-Really?!" Nagisa asked, his voice louder.
"Of course not!" Rei said. "I was more worried about you thinking poorly of me."
"Eh?!" Nagisa yelled in surprise. "Rei-chan! I would never!"
Rei blinked at him in surprise as well, his glasses slipping down his nose. He cleared his throat and adjusted them.
"I suppose we both falsely assumed things about each other," Rei said.
"Mmn," Nagisa hummed. "Okay, so what is it that you wanted to tell me?" he asked.
"W-Well, what if you go first?" Rei asked.
"No, you!"
"M-Me?!"
"Yeah, of course! You always know what to do, Rei-chan!"
Rei put his head in his palm and groaned.
"All right. Let's just say it at the same then," he suggested as he straightened and put his hands on his hips. Nagisa pumped his fists and nodded enthusiastically. "All right. On Three. One…"
"Two," Nagisa continued.
They both took a deep breath.
"I'm going to a university in Tokyo!" they both yelled simultaneously.
They both jumped and looked at each other with wide eyes and dropped jaws.
"You… you're going to a college in Tokyo?" Rei asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Y-Yeah, I'm going to Haru-chan's school," Nagisa said slowly.
"Haruka-senpai's school?" Rei echoed. "I… I'm going Kanade-san and Makoto-senpai's school!"
"S-Seriously?!" Nagisa yelled. His magenta eyes looked as if they would pop out of his head. "Rei-chan, do you know what this means?!"
"W-We… we'll only be ten minutes away from each other," Rei said, realization hitting him like a warm wave.
For the first time in weeks, Nagisa's face beamed so brightly that Rei thought he would be blinded.
"Rei-chan!" Nagisa yelled and he rushed forward and buried his face in Rei's chest.
"N-Nagisa-kun!" Rei whined. Despite the annoyance in his voice, Rei still put his arms around Nagisa's shoulders.
"This is awesome, Rei-chan!" Nagisa laughed, his voice muffled by Rei's shirt. Rei smiled at his bubbly laughter.
"Ah, y-yes, this is such exciting news!" Rei said happily. "When did you make this decision?" Rei asked.
"Ah, a few weeks after I saw the guidance counselor, I guess," Nagisa said softly. He squeezed Rei's waist in his arms and hid his face. "I'm sorry, Rei-chan," he apologized suddenly.
Rei's brows arched gently. "For what?" he asked.
"Keeping it from you," Nagisa said. "I… I wanted to tell you, but… I didn't know how. I was worried that if I told you, you would… be upset with me."
Rei rested his hands on Nagisa's shoulders and carefully pulled him off of his waist. He was met with wet and worried magenta eyes. Rei smiled fondly down at him, trying to sooth him when the tears started to fall.
"What are you saying?" Rei asked gently. "There's no way I could ever be upset with you, Nagisa-kun. Besides," Rei said, his smile faltering a little. "I'm at fault, too. I apologize."
Nagisa blinked up at him, feeling his tears slide down his cheeks.
"That's no fair, Rei-chan! Don't apologize!" he whined, wiping off his eyes.
"W-Well, you don't apologize either!" Rei said, taking off his glasses and wiping off his own eyes.
"Are you crying, Rei-chan?!"
"N-No, of course not! That would not be beautiful at all!"
"They've been out there a long time," Makoto mumbled.
Makoto was not given time to change to swim, so he just rolled up his pants and sat on the edge of the pool. He swished his foot around in the pool and watched Haru swim down the lane in a relaxed front-crawl. Haru touched the wall and then lifted his head back for air, panting only a little. He turned his gaze to Makoto, who was staring into the water vacantly.
Haru's brow twitched.
"So, what happened today?" Haru asked as he climbed out of the pool. Makoto jolted and stared up at him, his smile twitching.
"Ah, well, we gave Rei a tour of our campus. He really seemed to like it! He was impressed with the facilities and—"
"That's not what I meant," Haru interrupted. Makoto shut his mouth and looked down at his hands that were resting in his lap. He heard Haru pad over to him and sit down next to him. "You haven't talked about Shizumi all day."
"EH?!" Makoto's face flushed and he snapped his head to stare at Haru.
"You usually bring her up when we text," Haru said. He pursed his lips. "And you seemed upset," he added.
"Haru…" Makoto whispered. His eyes narrowed and he stared down at his hands in his lap once again. "I think I might've messed up."
Haru rolled his eyes and leaned down to dip his hand into the water.
"You probably didn't mess up," Haru replied. Makoto looked over at Haru's reflection in the pool, watching as Haru's hand distorted it. "What happened?"
Makoto sighed. "Well, a few days ago, I… we… we sort of held hands?" Makoto said, the end of his sentence rising in a question. Haru raised a brow.
"Sort of?" Haru repeated.
"Yeah, during class one day," Makoto responded. "And well, after that, she's been… distant. I think I... maybe... I messed up."
Haru blinked at his best friend, seeing the distress in his eyes. There was a stubborn blush on his cheeks as he spoke and he avoided Haru's eyes.
"Sorry, I know this probably isn't anything to get worked up over," Makoto said with a pathetic chuckle. "I know it's not that important."
"Don't say that," Haru said immediately. Makoto glanced at him with arched eyebrows. "If it's important to you, then it's important to me."
Makoto's eyes widened. "Haru…"
"So she's been distant then?" Haru asked. After a jarring moment, Makoto nodded. "Have you actually talked to her about it?"
Makoto gripped his knees and his foot stilled in the water. "No, not really. I mean, I've tried to talk to her but she just says she's fine."
Haru deadpanned. "Sounds like you."
"Eh?!" Makoto said. "What do you mean?"
"You do the same thing," Haru explained. "You bottle up everything and you hide everything just to make others happy."
Haru remembered junior high and when Makoto suddenly started to act differently. It pained Haru to see him try to change himself and try to be someone he clearly was not.
Haru squinted hard at the water and ran his fingertips along the surface.
"It was… just like in junior high," Haru said. He saw Makoto jump out of the corner of his eye. "You let it consume you for a long time."
Makoto's brows pushed together and his hands clasped together in his lap. That conversation on the steps…
"Makoto."
"What is it, Haru?"
"What happened?"
"…Nothing."
"Don't lie!"
"…it's true!"
"…Makoto."
"Really! Nothing happened. See you tomorrow, Haru!"
Those times were painful memories in Makoto's mind. He regretted lying to Haru so many times back then. His clasped hands squeezed together uncomfortably. He body felt heavy enough to sink through the concrete.
"Sorry," Makoto said sadly. He said it as if he was apologizing for the past, as well.
"Dummy," Haru said, splashing some water on Makoto. Makoto sputtered and shook the water from his hair. Haru watched his face relax from his self-deprecating gaze. "I already said it was fine."
Makoto blinked at him and then rubbed the back of his neck with a sweet smile. "Right," he chuckled.
"It sounds like you need to talk to her before she lets it consume her, whatever it is," Haru said. He slipped back into the pool, splashing some water on Makoto again.
"So, I'm just supposed to go and tell her I know that something's wrong?" Makoto asked. He flailed his hands nervously, inferring that Haru's idea was risky. Haru deadpanned again and lifted his chin out of the water.
"It worked for you, didn't it?" Haru said.
Makoto's eyes widened.
"You're Makoto!"
He remembered Haru confronting him that one night, snapping him to his senses and realizing his true self. Makoto stared vacantly at the water, the memory burned in his brain as it replayed over and over like a broken record.
"So maybe…" Haru started, making Makoto jolt and look his best friend in the eye. "Maybe confronting her directly… won't be a bad thing."
Makoto's eyes widened again and he watched his friend swim down the lane again. He stood to his feet, wanting to chase after Haru. But, he stopped short, his hand floating in the air.
"Haru…" he whispered. A small smile pulled on his lips as he rested his hand by his side. He shook his head fondly, making a mental note to thank Haru later.
"Oh, here they are!"
Makoto whipped his head up and saw Nagisa and Rei poking their heads inside the door of the pool. Once Nagisa made eye contact with Makoto, he rushed inside and barreled towards Makoto.
"Ah, Mako-chaaaan!"
"N-Nagisa-kun, don't run!" Rei called.
Nagisa crashed into Makoto hard and clung on.
"N-N-Nagisa! Wait, I'm going to—"
SPLASH!
Kanade was lying on her bed with her hands cradling her head. She had the lights off and she stared up at the dark ceiling, her thoughts spinning around her mind. Her heart was heavy with guilt.
What a mess… she thought.
Kanade took one arm out from under her head and draped it over her eyes.
I should have thought things through. Maybe if I had spoken to Rei about Nagisa coming then maybe…
Suddenly, Kanade could hear the front door of the apartment open. It closed in a hurry, and then—
"UWAH!"
—a loud thud.
Kanade shot up from her bed and rushed out of her room. She threw open her door and rushed to the front door. Her eyes widened when she saw a drenched Makoto sitting in a puddle on the floor. He was rubbing his hip and whimpering "ow" softly.
"Makoto!" Kanade said. She rushed to his side and grabbed his arm. "Are you all right?"
Makoto chuckled lightly as Kanade helped him to his feet. Water dripped from his hair and his clothes stuck to his body.
"I-I'm fine," Makoto said shakily. He stood on his feet and hung on to the counter while Kanade rushed to grab a small towel from a cabinet. She reached up on her tiptoes and gently started to rub the towel through his hair. "Nagisa accidentally pushed me into the pool," he explained.
Kanade stared up at his smile and her eyes widened.
"They're fine now, Kanade," Makoto said with his signature head-tilt. Kanade felt her face heat up. "They're actually all swimming down there now. You… you should come join."
Kanade set the towel down on his neck and took a step back. "They're… they're okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, they talked to each other. They're better than okay, actually," Makoto said. He grabbed the towel and dabbed his face and wiped off his hands.
"Oh. I see," Kanade said. She turned and leaned her back against the counter and stared up at the ceiling. She put her hands in her pockets and her lips pulled into a small frown. "Maybe I'll pass…" she mumbled.
Makoto stared at her, his heart clenching horribly in his chest.
"Kanade…" Makoto whispered. "What's… what's going on? You were all excited about trying out for the national team just a few days ago, but now… you seem distracted or… that you've given up."
Kanade hung her head and now stared at the ground. She huffed out a tired sigh and just shrugged.
Makoto winced and shifted his weight on his feet, starting to feel the air thicken as the silence lingered.
"You do the same thing… you hide everything just to make others happy."
Makoto gasped quietly.
"Maybe confronting her directly… won't be a bad thing."
He walked over to her with an outstretched hand and carefully rested it on her shoulder. Strands of black hair tickled the back of his hand. She tilted her head to look up at him, her blue eyes wide and her lips parted.
"Kanade, I… I want to help you," Makoto said. "I… I know something is wrong."
Kanade gasped quietly and jumped. Makoto's hand only gripped her shoulder tighter even though his arm was shaking with nerves. He held himself together long enough for Kanade to lose her own composure. Her lip started to tremble and her eyes filled with glistening tears. Makoto's eyes widened at the sight and panic pushed his heart into his throat.
"Makoto, I…" she whimpered.
A few tears fell down her cheeks and Makoto quickly lifted his hands to cup her cheeks. His thumbs gently and shakily wiped the tears from her face. It reminded him of when Ran or Ren would cry, which made his heart hurt worse.
"What happened?" Makoto asked softly. Kanade sniffed and hiccupped, shutting her eyes tight. More tears spilled from the corners of her eyes, but Makoto's thumbs were already brushing them away.
"F-Fukui-san… he told me that I…" Kanade took a deep breath to ease her hiccups. She started to wheeze with every breath and Makoto's eyes squinted at the sound.
"Take a deep breath," Makoto said softly. His gaze was gentle and calm, oozing patience that only he could muster. He wiped her cheeks again while she took a slow breath.
"Fukui-san told me that my last doctor's visit wasn't as good as I thought," Kanade started. Makoto's brows pushed together nervously as he listened to her words. Alarm immediately shot through his chest and sent his heart into overdrive. "The doctor said that I… I need to slow down."
"What about your pacemaker?" Makoto asked, brushing away another tear.
"He said my pacemaker isn't helping," Kanade whimpered. "Fukui… he… he told me that I…" More tears fell from her eyes as she tried to get the next sentence out. "He said I should look at other career paths."
Makoto's eyes widened for a moment and then narrowed painfully. He reached up a hand and held the back of her head. He gently pulled her to his chest and wrapped his other arm around her shaking shoulders. Kanade did not care how soaked Makoto was. She clung onto him for dear life.
"I… I don't want to give up my dream!" Kanade sobbed. Makoto winced and held her tighter. "I just don't want it to be over…"
"Kanade," Makoto said softly, his voice searching. He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back to look at her face. "Nothing is set in stone, yet, right?" he asked. "The doctor didn't tell you to stop, right?"
Kanade blinked at him and then shook her head.
"Then don't jump to conclusions," Makoto said. "I want you to be safe, but… I also want you to follow your dream."
Kanade's wide eyes shimmered and her heart jolted inside of her chest.
"We should make another appointment to see if there's anything different we can do," Makoto said. "What do you think of that idea?"
Kanade whimpered at his suggestion and then nodded, spilling more tears. Makoto only smiled fondly at her and then held her close. She cried softly into his chest as he gently ran his fingers through her hair.
"Kanade…" he whispered, trying to soothe her sobs. He patted her head and tried to think of ways to calm her.
Then, an idea came to his mind.
Makoto placed his hands on Kanade's shoulders and pushed her back to look at her eyes. She looked up at him with watery eyes and he smiled gently.
"I think I know how to cheer you up."
Makoto was dressed in his tracksuit with his jammers on underneath. He led Kanade down the stairwell and through the doors of the rec center.
"What are you guys doing, Makoto?" Kanade asked as they headed towards the pool. Makoto smirked at her knowingly.
"You'll see!" he said. Kanade cocked her head at him and raised a curious brow.
They walked to the double doors that led to the pool, already hearing voices from inside.
"You guys ready?"
"We're still waiting for Makoto-senpai."
"This is so exciting! I can't believe we're doing this!"
"Nagisa-kun, don't shout!"
"Aw, Rei-chan, c'mon! Have a little fun!"
"N-Nagisa-kun!"
Kanade gave Makoto a confused look, but he just shrugged and opened the door. They walked through and Kanade peered down towards the starting blocks of the pool. Haru, Nagisa, and Rei were all standing near the starting blocks with their jammers on as well as their goggles and swim caps. Nagisa had his arms wrapped around Rei, and Rei was trying to push him off.
As soon as the door shut behind them, the sound echoed, making the three turn their heads towards Makoto and Kanade.
"Kana-chan!" Nagisa yelled. He immediately let go of Rei and rushed over to Kanade. He skidded to a stop in front of her and clapped his hands in front of his body while bowing his head slightly. "We're sooo sorry, Kana-chan!"
Kanade jumped. "S-Sorry? W-What? There's nothing for you to be sorry for!" she said, waving her hands in front of her.
Nagisa stayed in his bowed position but lifted his head a little to give a pitiful look. "We were really rude and really mean."
"Oh, no, you didn't—"
"We should not have made you so upset Kanade-san," Rei said, walking up behind Nagisa.
"Rei-kun, it wasn't a big deal, really, you—"
He bowed deeply to Kanade and she flushed and waved her hands more. "We apologize for our actions!"
Kanade put her hands on their shoulders, making them both lift their heads to look at her.
"Seriously, guys, it's fine! Now, please, please, stop apologizing!" she said.
Rei and Nagisa blinked for a moment and then smiled, straightening.
"Are we ready to do this now?"
Everyone turned and faced Haru, who was itching to get into the pool. Nagisa and Rei exchanged determined smiles and they hurried back over to the starting block. Kanade stayed put, watching them all gather around one lane. Makoto started to pass by her, unzipping his jacket along the way.
"Makoto, what's…"
Makoto stopped and turned to face her, his signature smile brightening up the room.
"Could you give us the signal?" Makoto asked.
Kanade's eyes widened.
They were going to do a relay.
…
The four of them stood in a line at one lane, each stretching their arms. They all had their swim caps on with their goggles resting on top of them.
Kanade stood on the side with a whistle in her hand. She lifted the whistle to her lips and blew it, signaling the first swimmer to get into the pool. She watched Makoto hop into the lane and grab onto the bars on the starting block. His face was so focused and concentrated that Kanade almost lost herself.
She quickly regained her composure and straightened.
"Ready!" She shouted. She saw Makoto tense up as he pulled himself closer to the block.
Then, she blew the whistle, and in a flash, Makoto hurled himself backwards off of the block. Kanade's eyes widened at the sight as time seemed to slow down.
Makoto's back arched as he dove backwards into the water and then started his dolphin kick. Once he reached the surface, he started his backstroke. It was strong and powerful, his arms pounding into the water as he pushed down the lane.
Water droplets splashed into the air and the lights from above reflected off of them, making them shimmer and sparkle around Makoto's body. Kanade felt her chest flutter, realizing she was witnessing the relay team that went to nationals.
"Mako-chan!"
"Makoto-senpai!"
Kanade turned her head and saw the rest of his team cheering. Even Haru said his name a few times, his hands cupped around his mouth.
Makoto could feel the water around his face as he pushed and he saw the markers overhead. He could almost see it; the sky, the clouds, the sunshine… everything that represented the ultimate team.
"Makoto!"
Ah.
And there it was. Crystal clear and bright – the blue sky.
"The sight I saw back then…"
In a flash, Makoto made the turn at the far end of the pool, and Nagisa stepped up onto the starting block. He lowered his goggles over his eyes, and his usual bubbly demeanor changed. His lips pulled into a focused line as he carefully watched for Makoto's return.
Makoto's hand touched the wall and he reared back and shouted, "Nagisa!"
Nagisa dove off the starting block and over Makoto's head, landing in the water perfectly. He reached his arms forward and surfaced, starting his breaststroke. His arms extended in front of him and he came up in little pants as he surfaced to swallow air.
"Nagisa!"
"Nagisa-kun!"
Nagisa felt his chest bubble with excitement at hearing his name being called by his precious teammates. The relay from last year…
He surged forward and did the turn at the wall, clambering back to the start.
Kanade watched in amazement, her eyes glued to his small boy as he made his way back to the start. His arms tensed as they pushed in front of him, giving the illusion of an elongated torso.
Kanade saw movement out of the corner of her eye and saw that Rei had now stepped up onto the block. He lowered his goggles over his eyes and squinted as he concentrated on the shimmering water below. He took a slow breath, and Nagisa appeared before his eyes.
Nagisa's pale hands touched the wall and he shouted a determined, "Rei-chan!"
Rei dove from the platform and into the water, surfacing quickly to start his butterfly.
Kanade felt her heart jump.
His butterfly was perfect.
Rei swam quickly to the far well and did his turn. He remembered how it felt last year to swim in the relay with them; the warmth that spread to his chest, the butterflies fluttering in his stomach…
"Rei-chan!"
"Rei!"
Rei shut his eyes for a moment to take it all in before he headed towards the starting block. Water splashed as he surfaced to take in heaving breaths.
Kanade saw more movement out of the corner of her eye and she turned her head sharply towards the starting block. Haru stood on the block now, his hands grabbing the edge with his face stern and focused. Rei inched closer with each stroke.
Then, Rei finally hit the hall and reared his head back.
"Haruka-senpai!"
Haru dove over Rei. Rei's eyes widened and sparkled in amazement at Haru's form.
Kanade felt her own chest flutter at his dive, watching as he hit the water and then quickly started his front-crawl.
It was the form of a true professional.
Haru pushed forward, his hands carving out a path in the water. Something inside of him felt different as he pounded through the water. His chest ached with each stroke and it felt that his heart would burst. What was so different?
Haru took another stroke and took another breath and neared the wall. He had done so many meets and drills already this year, so why was this race any different?
Haru's eyes widened.
That's when it hit him.
He has not done the relay since nationals last year.
Haru felt his chest swell with nostalgia and he surged forward and made his turn.
"Haru!"
"Haru-chan!"
"Haruka-senpai!"
Haru swam furiously down the lane as if his life depended on it, his speed blowing past his previous records.
Kanade watched him as he reached the middle of the lane, and she felt chills run through her body. He was truly incredible.
He was truly incredible.
Haru heard his name being cheered, which only forced him to go faster and faster.
Then, his hand hit the wall and he reared his head back to gasp for a breath. He pulled off his goggles and swim cap and tried to get the ringing out of his ears. For a moment, Haru could almost hear a crowd cheering…
"Haru!"
Haru turned his head up and felt his chest constrict.
The three of them were all there waiting for him: his precious teammates, his friends, his ultimate team. They all wore teary-eyed smiles with red cheeks. Makoto's hand was extended down towards him and Haru gently took it.
As soon as Haru touched Makoto's hand, memories of the final relay a year ago flooded back to him in a rush.
The sights that they would never forget…
The crowd cheering their names…
The three of them waiting for him...
The tears as they hugged and laughed and cried…
The ultimate team.
Once he was out of the pool, Haru was bombarded with tight hugs. The tears came to everyone's eyes once again. Nagisa and Makoto laughed and cried while Rei became a blubbering mess. And once again, Haru stared at the three of them with tears of his own blurring his vision. A smile tugged at his lips as he let out a small laugh.
From the other side of the pool, Kanade stared at them in astonishment. Her chest felt on fire, feeling as if she had witnessed something sacred.
Then, she made eye contact with Makoto as he peeked over Haru's shoulder. The corners of his eyes had reddened but he wore a smile that could brighten up the darkest places on earth. He raised a hand to wave to her and he tilted his head in his signature smile.
Kanade felt as if her chest would explode. She raised a hand to grab a fistful of her shirt. These four… had definitely shown her a sight she had never seen before.
Swimming isn't just about winning or losing… Kanade thought. No, it's… it's much more than that.
She glanced up at the four of them again.
And she felt herself smile.
"That was SO incredible!" Nagisa shouted as he practically leaped into the air next to Rei.
Rei's smile was so wide that his cheeks had begun to hurt.
"It was quite the experience! It was inspirational!" Rei shouted. "Haruka-senpai's swimming is just as beautiful as always!"
"Oh, and don't forget Mako-chan!" Nagisa added as he pointed a finger. "It was so powerful and strong! He hasn't lost his touch at all!"
"You're absolutely right, Nagisa-kun," Rei agreed.
Nagisa curled his hands into fists and then jumped into the air.
"I'm so ready for nationals now!" he shouted. "Rei-chan! I think we can do it!"
Rei glanced down at the boy next to him and he gave a determined nod.
"Definitely, Nagisa-kun," Rei said.
They walked a few paces in silence as they headed towards their hotel where they would meet up with the rest of their team. They passed by several busy restaurants and crowded shops.
Rei noticed a particular restaurant they went to last year and remembered how he had embarrassingly messed up his order. He remembered Haru and Makoto both laughing…
Rei bit his lip.
He turned his head down to look at Nagisa. He was still smiling brightly and sauntering down the street in a lively stride. Rei could see the hotel up ahead. Once they enter the hotel, they'll have to entertain the others. There will be no other chances.
Rei stopped.
"This is our last year doing this," Rei said suddenly.
Nagisa stopped as well and turned back to face Rei. His magenta eyes were wide and searching. He blinked at Rei a few times and processed his statement. Then, he smiled sadly and glanced at the ground.
"Mmn," Nagisa hummed.
Rei's eyes squinted. He had no more tears to spill, but he felt that he could start crying at any moment.
"It'll be fine, though," Nagisa added.
Rei jolted and whipped his head up to look at Nagisa, who wore a nostalgic smile. Rei blinked at him in disbelief. He grit his teeth and sighed, hanging his head again.
"But… I finally seemed to have mastered the butterfly stroke and now…" Rei took off his glasses and wiped his eyes—a familiar scene from last year.
Nagisa stared up at him, feeling tears prick at his own eyes.
"But, Rei-chan…" Nagisa started, wiping his eyes. "Don't you remember w-what Haru-chan told us?"
Rei blinked away a few tears and stared down at his blond friend, trying to jog his memory.
"Swimming the relay together connected us. So even if we end up walking different paths, we'll always be connected to each other."
"We're… we're connected…" Rei whispered.
Nagisa sniffled and put on a smile, his eyes still red and raw.
"I mean… we never thought we'd be able to swim with Mako-chan and Haru-chan again, and look what happened!" Nagisa said, opening up his arms.
Rei's tears instantly stopped at Nagisa's words. The relay today…
Rei smiled and nodded at Nagisa. He wiped away the remaining tears and put his glasses back on his face.
"You're right, Nagisa-kun," Rei said.
Nagisa smiled up at him, his own tears starting to fade. "Now, let's go to our rooms before Gou-chan—"
"Heeey!"
Nagisa and Rei whirled around. They were met with a red ponytail and an accusing look.
"There you two are!" Gou fussed with her hands on her hips. "Where have you guys been?!"
Nagisa and Rei glanced at each other and smiled brightly. They turned back to Gou and Nagisa beamed.
"Nowhere, Gou-chan!"
"Whoa!"
The first-years' jaws dropped in amazement at the size of the stadium. The stands were already crowded and there was a section full of Iwatobi students, ready to cheer on their relay team.
"This is just like last year!" Nagisa said with a happy chirp.
"Whoa, it was this crowded?!" one of the first-years asked.
"That's right!" Nagisa said.
Dai glanced around the stadium, remembering that his parents had agreed to come. His eyes scanned the crowds, but there were no familiar faces in sight. He felt his shoulders droop with disappointment.
"Right, Dai?"
Dai jerked and snapped his head to attention, staring at his fellow first-year. He blinked at the backstroke swimmer, realizing he missed something.
"Huh?" Dai mumbled.
"Spacing out already? Seriously, Dai! Pay attention!" the backstroke swimmer said, nudging him.
"Y-Yeah…" Dai mumbled back.
"Okay, okay, you guys," Gou called. Amakata-sensei and Goro were both standing next to her, and she grabbed the whole team's attention. "This is the last race of the season. And… for some of us… this is our last race in high school."
Gou put on a sad smile, and the first-years faces' dropped. Hearing those words was like being hit by a truck. Gou tried to shake off the emotions and she put on a stern look.
"So make it count. Got it?!" she shouted, her voice quivering a little.
The first-years stood at attention, all shouting a loud "Yes!" Gou smiled at that and wiped her eyes. Rei and Nagisa stepped forward to her in an attempt to cheer her up.
Gou smiled at that and wiped her eyes. Rei and Nagisa stepped forward to her in an attempt to cheer her up.
"Gou-chan?" Nagisa muttered.
"Gou-san…" Rei whispered. "Are you—"
Suddenly, Gou lunged forward and threw her arms around their necks, pulling them close in a hug. Tears were gliding down her cheeks and she hung her head to hide her face.
"Gou-san!" Rei said.
"Gou-chan…" Nagisa whimpered.
She lifted her head and gave them a shaking smile as more tears fell down her cheeks. The first-years stared at her in awe and worry, at a loss of what to do.
"Go out there and swim your best!" Gou said.
Rei and Nagisa, with tears in their eyes, both nodded with determined smiles on their faces. The three hugged each other in a tight squeeze one last time before separating. Gou sniffled and wiped her eyes before pointing a finger at them.
"Now hurry up and go change!" she commanded. The team all smiled at each other before turning to head towards the locker room.
Dai glanced around one last time before he turned around to follow his teammates. His shoulders sagged and he hung his head.
They didn't show up after all… Dai thought. Just forget it. Just move on. Swim for them. Swim for him. Swim for—
"Nii-san!"
Dai stopped in his tracks and whirled around. He grunted when a small body collided into his, and when he looked down, his eyes widened.
"R-Ryu…?" Dai whispered.
Ryu lifted his head from Dai's chest, his eyes glistening with tears. Dai felt his heart drop.
"Nii-san… I'm sorry," he whimpered out. He buried his face into Dai's chest and squeezed him.
"Ryu…" Dai repeated. He put his hands on Ryu's shoulders and squeezed.
"I'm so, so sorry," Ryu repeated.
Dai felt as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. He leaned down and embraced Ryu, feeling his own tears springing to his eyes.
"I'm sorry, too," Dai choked.
Ryu sniffled and separated himself from Dai. He wiped his eyes and then stared up at his older brother. Ryu felt his face flush in
Then, Ryu felt his face flush in embarrassment and he ran back a few steps. He stopped and turned around to point a finger at him. His cheeks were still red and his lips were pulled into a pout.
"Y-You better do well!" Ryu yelled.
Dai, still dumbstruck by his brother's actions, only blinked for a moment. After processing his words, he smiled and lifted up his hand to give him a thumbs-up. Ryu's face softened and he smiled back, raising his own hand to give a thumbs-up.
"Dai, let's go!"
Dai turned his head to look at the locker room and then gave his brother a wave before disappearing behind the doors.
The four of them walked down the darkened tunnel towards the pool.
"This is it," the backstroke swimmer said.
"We can do this," Dai added.
"I wonder if we'll see a sight like last year," Rei said.
"We will," Nagisa said, his voice determined. "Let's go!"
They emerged out of the tunnel and were met by loud cheers from the full stands. The four of them immediately smiled, each feeling the bubbling excitement swell within them.
Nagisa and Rei glanced up at the stands and saw Gou sitting with Amakata-sensei as well as Goro. Up one row sat Makoto, Kanade, and Haru. Nagisa and Rei both smiled brightly and waved at them.
Dai glanced up at the stands as well and saw his family. The three of them were sitting together, all with smiles on their faces.
Even Ryu had a small smile on his face.
After a minute or two of stretching, a voice came on the intercom announcing the relay. The team quickly assembled by their designated lane.
"Take your marks," came the announcer over the intercom.
The backstroke swimmer jumped into the pool and then grabbed the bars at the starting block. He took a deep breath.
"Ready."
He pulled himself towards the block and listened intently.
Then, the buzzer sounded.
"GO!"
He hurled himself from the block and started his backstroke, his arms pounding into the water. Water splashed up as he kept going towards the far wall. Nagisa and Rei's eyes shined.
Nagisa and Rei's eyes shined.
He reminded them of Makoto.
He made the turn perfectly and headed back towards the start, and Nagisa stepped onto the block. He took a deep breath and lowered himself down and grabbed the edge of the block. He watched and listened carefully. He could see the first-year coming out of his peripherals and could hear his splashing.
Just as he was about to touch the wall, Nagisa felt his heart skip a beat.
Mako-chan?
The first-year touched the wall…
"Nagisa-senpai!"
…and Nagisa leaped from the block and dove in, climbing to the surface and starting his breaststroke. He hurried down the lane, feeling his arms extend in front of him.
"It's okay to not know."
"Just keep working hard…"
Nagisa felt his heart jump.
"We're all connected."
Nagisa felt his lips pull into a smile.
He made the turn at the far end and started to swim back.
"Nagisa-kun!"
Nagisa heard his name being called from the starting block. He smiled again. It was Rei's voice.
It was Rei's voice.
"I'm going to a university in Tokyo!"
Nagisa pushed forward and extended his arm, touching the block…
Was that a butterfly in the water just now?
"Rei-chan!"
…and Rei dove from the starting block and into the pool. He climbed to the surface and started his butterfly stroke.
"Does your shoulder hurt?"
"The angle of your arms is too narrow."
Rei adjusted accordingly, his shoulder feeling loose and flexible. He smiled to himself, feeling confidence wash over him like a wave.
"So even if we end up walking different path…"
Rei felt his heart clench as he swam faster, reaching the far wall and making his turn.
"…we'll always be connected to each other."
Rei pushed through the water once more, taking heaving breaths every time he surfaced. The starting block was getting closer.
"Rei-chan!"
Rei heard his name.
It was Nagisa's voice.
"I'm going to a university in Tokyo!"
Just push… push it… push—
Was that… a penguin?
Dai waited on the starting block, his hands down to grip the edge of the starting block. His eyes locked onto Rei, hearing him get closer. He watched for his hand, for the timing, for the right moment…
Rei pushed forward and reached out his hand…
"Dai-kun!"
…and Dai dove from the starting block. Once again, time seemed to slow, and Rei stared up at Dai's body as he dove.
"H…Haruka-senpai…?"
Dai dove in beautifully and elegantly before climbing to the surface to start his front-crawl. The other lanes did not matter at this point. It was just him… and his teammates.
He swam forward, his hands cutting through the water with each stroke.
"I want you to find joy in swimming again."
Dai winced, remembering how hard the past year had been. It had been dark and lonely for so long. He could not even remember what having company felt like. He shut his eyes to block out the thoughts that plagued him and the awful memories that bombarded his mind.
"Dai-chan."
"Dai-kun."
"Dai."
Dai opened his eyes, and suddenly, he could see his teammates swimming next to him, each with reassuring smiles on their faces. The dark waters surrounding them brightened, and Dai could clearly see the path again.
"If you can't swim for yourself, then swim for your brother."
"Nii-san!"
Dai's heart jolted at hearing his brother's voice echoing in his mind. A smile tugged at his lips as he pitched forward with his teammates by his side, his arms pulling him through the water at lightning speed.
He could hear his teammates cheering for him.
"Dai!" "Dai-kun!" "Dai-chan!"
Dai stretched his hand forward...
Almost there!
...and touched the wall.
The crowd cheered loudly. In the stands, Gou was wiping her eyes as the tears flowed freely. Makoto, Kanade, and Haru all glanced at each other with bright smiles.
Dai panted as he pulled off his goggles and swim cap, water dripping from his face.
"Dai-chan!"
"Dai-kun!"
"Dai."
Dai lifted up his head. He felt his heart clench painfully in his chest as he saw his teammates all standing in front of him, all wearing smiles with watering eyes. The backstroke swimmer had knelt down to him and extended a hand down to him.
"You did it, Dai," he said. Dai grasped his hand and put on a small smile, remembering that his friend had told him this same phrase before.
"We did it, remember?" Dai said as he was pulled out of the pool. His fellow first-year smiled and nodded at him, not letting go of his hand.
Suddenly, a teary-eyed Nagisa and a blubbering Rei pulled them both in for a group hug. The four of them laughed and cried with each other.
"Nii-san!"
Dai craned his head to look towards the stands. He saw Ryu standing up in his seat waving his hands at him.
"Good work, Nii-san!" he shouted. A huge smile was on his face.
Dai blinked for a second and then his eyes squinted as he tried to fight back the tears. He looked up a couple of rows to see Makoto standing and waving at him. He lifted his hand into the air and gave Dai a thumbs-up. Dai smiled and returned the gesture.
Iwatobi Relay Team
7th Place
Hey, guys! I listened to music while writing this. I recommend listening to the "My Best Team" ost from Free! ES during the last relay section. It really gave me goosebumps!
Thanks for reading!