A/N: So I have a few people to thank! I want to thank Potatomv on fiverr for drawing Riku and Rin! There's no way to put it as cover art so I changed my profile picture to it. I also want to thank Lesbian101 on for letting me throw out some ideas to get their opinion and ImmortalSpuffy202 on fanfiction for beta reading the fic, helping me fix my mistakes and give me feedback on different scenarios that came up as I was writing. As well as letting me get her thoughts on some ideas and chapters, and helping me out with the summary! 3
I wrote (like one scene in the prologue was originally in the first chapter so I split them) this a few years ago when Free like first came out but I never posted it. I rewatched season 1 and 2, along with watching season 3 and all of the movies, I remembered why I loved Rin so much. So I figured I'd finally post it after all these years. Enjoy!
Around the time I met Haru and Makoto, my mother abandoned my family. It hurt because my dad was so hard working and wanted to give her everything. But at least I had Haru and Makoto, along with their parents. The three of us joined the Iwatobi swim club, and that's where we met Nagisa. Shortly after, my dad met Sakura, and eventually they got married. I couldn't have asked for a better step-mom—she made my dad happy, and in turn made me happy as well. For some reason, between our mom leaving, and our dad getting remarried, my brother and I stopped getting along. My sister, Kaori, and I got along fine, but I always wondered why my brother, Koji, hated me so much.
Then one day, a boy transferred to Iwatobi elementary, with a name just like those in the swim club.
"Hi everyone! I'm Rin Matsuoka. Before I came here, I went to Sano Elementary School. My name might be girly, but you can clearly see that I'm a boy. Nice to meet you!" He bowed deeply.
I turned around to spare a quick glance at Makoto and Haru, as Rin was at the other tournaments they raced in during elementary school.
When recess came, the three of us went to find Rin in front of the cherry blossom tree. "Whoa, it's huge! Is it a cherry blossom tree?" Rin asked.
"Yeah it is," Makoto replied, giving Rin a small smile.
"Awesome! That means when spring finally gets here, the tree is going to drop a bunch of cherry blossoms into the pool!" Wistfully, he turned to look back at the water, "man that would be so cool, swimming with cherry blossoms."
"It wouldn't be cool, it'd be freezing! Unless you want to catch pneumonia, you'd better wait until summer to start swimming," Makoto replied seriously.
"I'm just kidding, man," Rin held his hands up. "You shouldn't take me so seriously all the time." I chuckled quietly at Rin's response, before Haru spoke.
"I have something I want to ask you." Haru told Rin.
"Let me guess: you want to take the new kid down a notch on his first day?" Rin looked to the side.
"Oh no! We just wanted to say that we recognize you from some of the tournaments we were in!"
"What? So, you guys remember me?" He asked in disbelief. "Oh wow, what's with the scary face, man? It's not my fault I ended up here when I moved. Talk about coincidences, am I right?" Rin scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"That's just Haru," I said. "I'm sure we'll all become fast friends!" I gave him an optimistic smile.
"Are you always this optimistic?" Rin asked, looking skeptical.
"Yeah, someone has to be." I shrugged, and the school bell rang moments later.
Rin was part of the swim club now, so I had a good feeling that he'd become a part of our friend group as well. Our class eventually agreed on planting a garden together, and Rin had to cover up the fact that he was trying to get Haru to swim freestyle in a relay by saying we should each write on the bricks. The class seemed to like it too. It was honestly a good idea, and I already knew what I was going to write on mine: love.
I decided to go hang out with Rin and Haru after the swim club because I didn't want to go home right away.
"Hey, tell me something. Why is Nanase so obsessed with one event? He keeps saying, over and over again, that he only swims free," Rin asked us, throwing rocks at a can.
"Honestly, I don't know, but I don't think it's because he likes it exactly," Makoto answered.
"What does that mean?" Rin asked, obviously confused.
"He's never said anything about it, but I think he feels at home in the water. He doesn't want to ruin it with rules or structure, so he just swims free." Makoto said with a shrug.
Rin got up, throwing the rock, "I still don't get it. There's gotta be some way for him to swim in the relay," Rin looked off into the ocean.
"Maybe," I told him. "You're frustrated with Haru's obsession, but you're just as fixated on the relay." I watched Rin closely, as he grinned, then laughed.
"I have my reasons," he answered.
"Okay," I smiled at him, "if you want, you can come over to my house this weekend with the others. We can go swimming or watch a movie!"
Rin turned back and smiled at me, "yeah!" His grin was blinding. At that moment I felt my heart start to race, and I knew I felt something more than friendship.
.oOo.
As time went on, I told Rin what happened with my mom and step-mom. It brought back some terrible memories, but I thought he should know. He was painfully understanding, and my feelings for Rin only grew.
When I found out he was moving to Australia, I was more than a little upset. I wanted to see him succeed, but hopefully he'd come back eventually. So, I planned on having the boys over to hang out before the relay.
"I wanna be a water ninja!" I yelled excitedly to the four boys who were swimming in my indoor pool.
"There's no such thing, Riku." Haruka said flatly, gliding through the water.
"Just watch." I mumbled as I slid into the pool. I was going to prove Haruka wrong! I dove under the water to swim by Makoto and Rin. I knew Makoto would freak out when I pulled his leg.
As I reached to grab him, an arm caught mine and dragged me to the surface. My eyes trailed up the muscular arm—that was currently attached to my own—and came to rest on a mop of sopping red hair: it was Rin. I felt a familiar heating rising in my cheeks.
"What were you gonna do to Makoto?" Rin asked me, a mildly stern expression on his face.
"Sneak up on him to show Haru I can be a water ninja!" I explained, peering up at him. Rin's face lost its severity, and he smiled.
"You think sneaking up on Makoto would work while I'm here?" He laughed, brushing the wet bangs out of his eyes.
"That's not funny! I would have done it if it weren't for you!" I splashed him in playful annoyance.
"Hey guys we really don't-" Makoto started.
"Yeah, sure," Rin rolled his eyes.
"I was right!" I glared, pointing at Rin, "I want you to race me!"
"You know I have to still race Haru, right?" He shot back, crossing his arms.
"I only swim free." Haru said in his token monotonous voice, watching us bicker.
"You guys can race now! It'll help you practice for the butterfly event, Riku-chan!" Nagisa beamed. I looked from Nagisa to Rin.
"Unless you're chicken, Rin smirked.
"I am not!" I splashed water at him, bottom lip stuck out in a scowl.
"Yes, you are!" He splashed back.
"Boys, your mothers are here," my older sister spoke, as she entered the pool house.
"You ruin all the fun, Kaori!" I pouted.
"You'll see your friends at the relay tomorrow. You've got to get your rest for the butterfly event." She narrowed her eyes in annoyance.
"Fine!" I spat, swimming to the edge of the pool to get out with the others. I kept my eyes to the ground as I walked up to Rin. "Promise to write me letters?" I asked shyly.
"Only if you write back!" He grinned.
"I promise!" I beamed, unable to keep the excitement off my face.
.oOo.
The boys won their relay, and I won my event. It was all so exciting, but so saddening at the same time. It was going to be the last time I'd see Rin, so I decided to write a letter for him to read on the plane ride.
.oOo.
The five of us were outside the elementary school looking at the bricks we wrote on.
"Which one is yours, Riku-chan?" Nagisa asked.
"That one," I pointed to the brick with love written on it.
"Wow! I never would've pegged you as the romantic type, Riku-chan!" Nagisa beamed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked him, unsure whether to be annoyed.
"He's just surprised, that's all," Makoto diffused the growing tension with ease.
The others turned to leave, but I caught Rin before he got too far, quickly pulling out the letter I wrote for him. "Rin, wait!"
"What's up, Riku?" He asked, turning to face me.
"Don't read this until you're on the plane," I held out the letter, encouraging him to take it.
"What if I want to read it now?" He asked with a sly smile.
"No! You have to wait until then!" I told him, holding out my pinky. "Pinky promise!"
"Pinky promise, Riku." He wrapped his pinky around mine.
"And don't forget to write back!" I added, before starting to head home.
Rin kept his promise, and we wrote back and forth, until I sent him a letter revealing my feelings for him. I was heartbroken, and wondered what I did wrong. As the years went on, my mind always seemed to go back to that letter, and why Rin stopped writing.
When I was a first year in high school, I started dating a third year that I met in the drama club. His name was Ryu, and as the months went on, he became suspicious of my friendship with Haru and Makoto. It didn't matter how many times I told him they were like brothers to me—he never listened.
I was doing homework in my room when I got a text from an unknown number.
Unknown Number: Hey! I wanted to know if you'd like to get together for dinner with me and Ryu! He spends so much time with you, and I've been dying to meet you!
Me: Who is this, and how do you know Ryu.
Unknown Number: My name's Yukari, and I'm Ryu's girlfriend! I found your number in his phone, so I wanted to take matters into my own hands to finally meet his brother!
I couldn't believe what I just read. Ryu accused me of being the cheater, when he was the cheater all along!
Me: I'm not his brother...I'm his girlfriend.
I read the text over before sending it. It made me so angry, and I wanted to see if he would actually come clean.
My phone started to buzz. It had to be Yukari.
"So, when he told me he's been spending time with Riku...he's been with you?" Yukari asked.
"Aren't you with him right now?" I shot back, since Ryu's supposed to be 'helping his mother' tonight.
"I told him I had a family emergency and left," she answered. "So, you're really not his brother?" She asked again, still wanting to believe Ryu.
"Yeah…" I trailed off.
"What an asshole!" She cursed, her anger palpable.
"Tell me about it," I sighed. "He's been accusing me of cheating on him with one of my friends, but in fact he's been cheating on me the entire time!" I told her angrily.
"I'm totally dumping him, and so are you!" She exclaimed. "Is it okay if I come over? I know you don't know me, but I figure we should stick together." I could tell Yukari was smiling.
"Uh, sure." I told her, before giving her my address.
So, the two of us talked about Ryu, and I told her everything about my friends. I wanted him to come clean, so I tried asking him to go out for coffee in hopes that he would tell the truth.
"How was helping your mom last night?" I asked Ryu as he set the coffees down.
"Fine." He answered curtly.
"What did you have to help her with again?" I asked, watching as he stayed silent.
"I had to help her put a shelf together," he answered coolly. I rolled my eyes and stood up.
"I'm breaking up with you," I said sternly.
"Fine! Go run off to your secret lover!" He exclaimed, looking irritated.
As I walked out, Yukari was waiting for me. I started to cry. I was betrayed and lied to by someone I trusted. I swore to myself I would never date anyone unless they truly understood that Haru and Makoto were my friends.
The only good thing I got out of my relationship with Ryu, was Yukari. It's unfortunate that she's going to college next year, but she promised she'd be there for me if I ever needed her.
After I broke up with Ryu, I quit the Drama Club. The Drama Club President tried to bring me back because she saw my potential, but all I ever wanted was to help with the sets.
Summer came and went, meaning Ryu was no longer a student at Iwatobi High. But I was optimistic; although I didn't expect this year to turn out the way it did...and it all started with an unexpected encounter from an old friend.