Author's Note - Helloooo~, Internet!

I want to deeply apologize for making you all wait.. my services for the internet had expired, so I had to patiently wait for 4 days for a paycheck to pay for the services to come back on. Then I made you wait even LONGER!

You'd be AMAZED how peaceful and stress-less it becomes when you don't have the internet to keep you entertained. Although, I was very, VERY bored..

Anyways, like always I have made previous edits to the previous chapters. So, take a gander if you so wish!

Here's part 3!

All characters are copyrighted by KyotoAnimation, Hiroko Utsumi, Futoshi Nishiya, and Kōji Ōji

WARNING!

This is a story of pure fanfiction and is to be taken subjectively. I am only taking in positive reviews and criticism. I will not tolerate any slander, slashing, maiming and theft of my character and story. If there is something that you do not like in particular and/or hate the story and character in general-

-leave now.

You have been warned.

What do you talk about when you meet someone new? The most common is 'what are you into?', from there it creates a chain of you spouting your interests to one another. Before long the person you're conversing with has become a mutual friend. Your new friend knows at least half the person you are, any more would be completely unnecessary.

At that point, you ask yourself; should I ask them the same questions? It's only right to know who the person you are talking to.

To Shiro, Gou was an interesting girl. She's easygoing and had a refreshing personality by the way she spoke. Another girl, Chigusa Hanamura, that Gou knew had joined their conversation. Most of the time Gou spoke to her friend, but occasionally her attention would go back to Shiro. The topics were mainly about school, classes, homework, etc. Gou did most of the talking while Shiro would answer her with 'huh's' and 'yeah's'. It felt odd talking so casually. She wondered if Gou found her strange for not speaking up much.

Talking to someone different for once was a nice change of pace. The only other people she has ever talked to are her brothers, her father, rarely, and her father's friends and crew member's at the coast, all of them adults.

At the sound of the bell, lunch was over. Before leaving Gou politely asked for Shiro's cellphone number to text her after classes to meet up. Shiro complied, surprising herself that she would give away her personal information to someone she just met. Well, it would have been rude not to after she invited her to eat lunch together.

However, Shiro had no interest in knowing Gou, or her friend, or anyone else in the school. She prefers to remain as mutual as possible and nothing more. It can be tedious to hangout with them every other day.

Although.. this is her first female friend, and probably the only one she'll have. It's not so tiresome if it is one person to watch out for. It's not like she's going to meet any more people later, right?

"Guess it's not entirely awful.. if it's one person. As long you're careful of what you say to them, then they won't question you later.."

Shiro returned to her classroom. Lectures resumed and she listened carefully to the teachers, jotted down notes and once in a while would gaze out the window. She couldn't help wonder what she and Gou were going to do after school. Were they going into town? Go shopping? Get food? There were so many scenarios that began to daunt her.

Before long the last bell rang and school finally came to an end. Leaning back, Shiro sighed in great relief in her seat. Today was almost over.. almost.

Like she said she would, Shiro met with up with Gou. The two talked while they wondered about the halls. Gou showed her new friend around the campus, pointing out what some rooms were, clubs, etc. Shiro did her best to come up with interesting topics. Gou again overtaking her, but Shiro at least felt a bit more comfortable around her. One topic lead to another, food leading into hairstyles. Then Gou threw her off completely when she asked her a question.

A question she has been dreading all day.

"Do you swim?"

Shiro tensed, freezing in her steps to a complete stop.

"Crap.. just when I thought I was in the clear, it was to good to be true. What the hell do I do?!" She thought frantically, trying to think of a shrewd excuse to avoid the subject entirely. "W-well, umm.. why do you ask?" That was smooth.

"Gou-chan!" The freshman was about to answer when they heard a voice down the hallways calling out to her.

Both girls turned to a young boy waving, jogging towards them. He seemed rather young and by his tie he was a freshmen. The young man was about the same height as her. Odd, a boy should be taller than that. "Were you able to find anyone yet?"

"No, not yet." She shook her head, sighing. Shiro looked between the two of them. They knew each other? Who were they looking for?

"Who's this?" The youth turned his gaze toward Shiro. He stared firmly at her, almost as if he was trying to see through her. At first glanced it seemed like his eyes were red, but in fact they were a dark cerise like Gou's hair, just pinker, like salmon.

"Oh, right. This is Shiro, Hamasaki." Gou introduced her to the young man. "She's new here, so I was showing her around."

"Shiro? That's a boy's name! Just like Gou-chan's!" He stated in an obnoxious tone, he didn't have to declare it out-loud. Shiro noticed Gou sighing under her breath. Clearly she did not approve of her masculine name as Shiro previously presumed. "I'm Nagisa, Hazuki!"

Shiro narrowed her eyes, "Huh, like you can talk about my name. You have a feminine name!" She retorted. This is the first time she's met a boy with a girl's name. Although, Kaito did often call his younger brother Hana-chan.

"Hehe, yeah. I get that a lot." He chuckles, not at all offended by her remark. In fact he seemed quiet proud of his title. "I'm not the only one. I have friends who have girly names too!"

"Who is it you're looking for?" She looked to Gou for answers, trying her best to ignore the now annoying young freshman. "Is it important?"

Frowning, Gou sighed, "Well, we're in a bit of a situation." It sounded like they were in trouble. "What happened?"

"There's this girl who's trying to threaten us!" The boy intervened. "She said that if we didn't find a girl to swim against her today then she'll go directly to the school board and change members!"

"Wait." She paused. She and this.. Hazuki kid are part of a club. The majority are all guys. Shiro recalled on their conversation just moments ago. Gou did ask her if she could swim.

...

"You're part of a swim club?"

"That's right! I'm the treasurer and Gou-chan is our manager!"

Whatever color Shiro had on her face had quickly drained from her skin. Her eyes widened in complete horror.

"NO! No, no, no, this isn't happening!"

She screamed mentally in her head. This was too much to be a damn coincidence! Meeting someone new, sure! Join a swim club in the same day?! No way in hell!

"So that's why you asked me if I could swim earlier." That's why Gou asked her to join her for lunch, and asked for her cellphone number. Get all nice and friendly with each other until you're duped into joining their stupid little group! Now angry she turned her gaze, glaring towards Gou. "Is that why you were friendly towards me?!"

"N-no, that's not it!" The female freshman raised her up her hands in defense. "I only asked because I was curious and.." Gou wanted to say more, but was quickly cut off by her friend.

"Wait, can you swim, Shiro-chan?"

"Don't call me that! When were we on the first name basis?!" She growled at the young boy, trying her best to scare him. He was invading her personal space. However, he was completely unfazed. Damn, it worked so well in the past against the others!

"I only asked a question."

"No.. but-" Eyes widened at her mistake. Hands came up to clasp over her mouth. You idiot, no!

"But?" Nagisa narrowed his eyes, stepping closer. Just say no! Don't second guess yourself, if you do-

"Yes or no?"

"...'

"Say no, say no, say no, say-"

'Yes."

"DAMMIT!"

"You swim?!" Both Nagisa, and surprisingly, Gou said in unison. Their eyes were in complete shock and relief.

Shiro sighed miserably. "Great.. my worst fears are coming true!" Suddenly, the young man grasped both of her hands tightly. How the hell did he do that without her noticing? "This is great, you have a boy's name and you can swim!"

"E-eh?!" Her face had grown flushed. "W-wait, where are you taking me?!" When it seemed like nothing else could get any worse, Nagisa began to drag Shiro down the hall. "Come on, you have to come to the club right away!" He said without missing a beat in his step, like he was on a mission.

All the meanwhile there were other students in the hallway who notice the commotion. They were staring at her. Some were pointing and whispering wild theories on what they assume was happening. Then laughter echoed in her ears. She can only imagine the kind of rumors that will spread around the school. This was turning into a nightmare!

"Stop! Let me go!" She tugged, trying her best to slow him down. He was strong for someone so damn short. "Let go of my hand, right now!" Another hard tug and she managed to free her hand out of the young man's grasp.

"I never said yes!" She held her hand to her chest, her whole face shown with embarrassment. How dare he drag her halfway through the building!

"You said you can swim, you have to join!"

"Why do I have to?!" He made it seem like it was a life or death decision. What was wrong with him? "You can't just kidnap people just because they say they can swim!"

"Please, calm down! I can explain." Gou had finally caught up to them. "You see.. we told someone else, another girl who can swim, that we knew someone else who could swim for us-"

"In other words you lied to this person in order to drag an innocent student into your mess?"

"It was the only way she would listen to us!" The irritating boy intervened. "She's really good at swimming, but she doesn't believe we can run a swim club with just guys." He belowed, hands clawed at his amber curled locks.

"So?" If that's the case then that's their problem, not hers. For all she knew these guys were just trying to get her to join their club. That or trying to impress someone.

"I know this seems like a lot, but' Gou locked her gaze on Shiro's, her eyes begging 'we really need your help, Shiro-senpai. We don't know what else to do!"

Shiro looked at her and then back at the saddened Nagisa. They needed her help. This was their last-ditch effort. To them she was just a means to an end. If she doesn't do this they might lose their club, if she turns away from Gou she may- no, she'll definitely lose a friend.

And if that happens..

Shiro sighed in defeat. She didn't have much of a choice in the matter, did she? "Do you have spare swimsuits?" The two freshman's faces immediately lit up with renewed hope. "Under one condition!" She interjected, pointing her finger at the duo "I'll swim for you guys and pretend to be part of your club. When this is over, I am not going to join, got it?"

Why was she doing this again?

Oh yeah, because she's only human and has a conscience.

From what Gou had told her there was indeed another girl who could swim, very well for that matter. She doesn't want to just join, however, but wants the entire club for herself. She goes by the name Ami, Kurosawa and claims to be a very 'talented' swimmer. Apparently she came to the school to find a club to join. She went to Gou and she told her she should tryout for their swim club. The girl did as well and swam for them. After that Kurosawa did not like the fact that it was just a 'male' team in the club and demanded to be the manager.

At first the girl was believed to be over her head or just being silly. However, when she claimed that she knew people in the school board and hailed from a wealthy family, the situation wasn't so laughable anymore. Thus began their desperate search for a girl who could swim.. it really didn't matter who it was.

"So, let me get this straight all of your friends, who are guys, have feminine names too?" After agreeing to help the freshmen's with their dire problem, Gou and Nagisa, lead her outside to the school's pool and straight to the locker rooms. The two freshmen's had changed their attires. Matching white and blue-bluestriped suits that had the school's name, 'IWATOBI', written on the back. Gou was wearing just a yellow t-shirt with blue pants, the schools mascot was visible in front. Nagisa too was wearing his club suit.

"Yep! Come on, she's probably already there!"

The two freshman's lead her outside to the school's pool. The natatorium was quite big, the water inside was a clean blue, very pristine, and clear. The light from the sun only amplified it's beauty. Blue and yellow flags were suspended over vertically across, the same color scheme was on the lane dividers in the water. Hazuki informed Shiro that the pool was in poor condition before they started their club. Him, along with his friends and help from their homeroom teacher, and used their own money to restore the pool to it's former glory.

Oblivious to him though this was only adding more incentive and pressure to make her save their club.

"Hey, guys!" Gou waved to the others at the beginning of the pool where the starting blocks stood. Three other males were there, along with another. A girl, appearing quite tall. Dark platinum hair that were in two tight braids, with one tail draped over the right shoulder. Her complexion of her skin was tanned and toned, as if she just came back from bathing from the sun. She too was in a swimsuit. A dark violet one piece with dark gold lines that hugged her body firmly.

"We found her, just like we promised!" Again, Nagisa grabbed Shiro by her arm and tugged her towards the group. His grip was strong, but not tight enough to cause her any pain. A firm grip that was gentle, but irritating on her skin. "Oi, I told you to cut that out!"

When the three students approached the group, who were also in their club suits, Shiro noticed two very familiar boys. "Ah, you." The male with the same brown, sharp hair replied when the three approached.

"Well, how Ironically convenient." It was the same two boys that were in her homeroom.

"Is this her?" The other female teen walked up Shiro, having to lean down slightly to get a better look at her supposed opponent. "You guys didn't tell me she was so small."

Shiro's eye twitched in annoyance. This must be the so-called swimmer girl Gou was speaking about. The one who wanted to take their club for her own. Her demeanor seemed to ooze with sass. Sharp eyes with thick lashes, painted with dark mascara and piercing flaxen eyes that radiated arrogance.

"Don't be fooled. She may look small, but when she gets into that water she's faster than a goby!"

"You're pushing it!" Shiro mutters harshly under her breath to him. He seemed to have a lot of confidence in someone he just met, enough to compare them to fish.

"Hmph.. we'll see about that." The girl scoffed, her tight breasts bulked up when her arms crossed underneath her chest. "Anyways.. I am Ami. Ami, Kurosawa!" She announced, smirking proudly. "You are in the presence of an athletic female swimmer!"

So she has been told. Scanning the teen up and down this boastful girl was quite fit. Shiro could even see the outlines of firm muscles on her abdomen protruding through her suit. "And you..?"

"I'm Shiro, Hamasaki." She greeted the girl named Ami, who tilted her head with an eyebrow raised. "How strange. A girl with a boy's name, huh."

"Yeah.. I get that a lot." Shiro shrugs, trying to avoid unnecessary remarks "So, from what I have been told; you were the one who has been trying to intimidate a bunch of grown men into handing over their club to you, is that right?"

Ami chuckled sweetly. "I wouldn't call it intimidation.. more like convince!" She defended. "I proposed that they should have an 'experience' swimmer on their team, one who knows how to get more 'feminine' recruits."

That seems to be only half of the truth. "Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe the club is more than content with the members they have already? Besides, not that I am 'trying' to be rude here, but majority of swim teams in real life are males."

"Exactly!" Ami exclaimed. "All the more reason for me to become the manager and captain and take over. There needs to be more female swimmers in a swim club!"

Captain as well? Being the manager meant you had full control of the club. The captain didn't really have a specific job, he was more or less a leader. "Uh huh.. Let me ask you. Why would someone as experienced as you be here and want your own club? If it's true in what you say then you're more than capable enough to start your own club somewhere else."

"Do I really need a reason?" Kurosawa glared down at the girl, as if she had any right to question 'her'. "It's not like I am doing anything wrong."

"That depends on who you're dealing with here. From what I can tell, these guys here.." She gestured her head to the side to the people behind her. "Are the ones responsible for this club's renovation and revival. If it wasn't for them this place wouldn't even exist."

"Why should I care? All that stuff doesn't matter now that there's a functioning club here." This woman was easily starting to anger Shiro. Ami reminded her of the egotistical girls she knew of back during her previous years in middle school.

"You haven't answered my question."

"And I already told you! I want this club and that's that! I think I have earned that right."

"Earned it?" Now this girl really did sound like she was over her head. "All you did was swim and complain about the members. That's hardly earning a respectful position."

"I don't need to justify myself. I worked very hard to be where I am."

"That doesn't mean you should come barging into a place and talk to people you hardly know of and demand everything to go your way." Shiro looked up at the girl, angry and agitated, "Not only is that disrespectful, that's just plain rude!"

"And who are you to judge me? Do you even have any idea who I am?"

"I could care less." In that instant she was reminded of the younger school girl classmates. Laughing, gossiping, having everything in the world. Money, parents, friends, but they still believe they have the right to want more. "I hate people like you.." Shiro said darkly, she looked down and her hair concealed her features. "You, who have everything they want, still complain that you don't have enough. You have no idea what it means to means to suffer. If you said that you worked 'hard' to earn the right to demand respect then you haven't worked hard enough."

She was seething now, looking up at her now. "People like you.. need to shut up!"

"W-what?!" Ami was shocked, flinching back at the sophomores words. Even the group behind her were a little taken a back. "H-how dare you!"

"Am I wrong?" She questioned her. "If you want to prove that you can run a club on your own then let's swim already."

"Hmph, that's more like it!" Recovering, Ami regained her posture. "I have a feeling I'll be the one winning. This will be my first time swimming against someone so short."

"Are you trying to say that my height gives me a disadvantage?" An eyebrow was raised as her attention was focused on the colossus individual. She wasn't going to let this cocky wench talk down to her. "I think you should be more worried about your assets there. I think your cup size might weigh you down. You must be at least a 'd', right?" She smirked up at her.

Gasping the girl subconsciously hugged herself, her face flushed. "I'll have you know I am pretty buoyant in the water!" What a little pervert.

Shiro could help but snicker, a half-smile slowly began to quiver it's way out from her lips. "Before we start this.. I have a few conditions I want you to understand."

Ami huffed in annoyance, but gave the young girl her full attention. "Since you have a goal, then mine will be this; if I win then you can not join the swim club."

Hmph! Like she would agree to something so preposterous. Unless.. "Fine, but I'll only agree if' The girl pondered for a while before smirking deviously, 'if you agree to be my first recruit!"

"Recruit?"

"That's right, if I win, then I'll need someone on my team for the first day. You'll be perfect." Her smile become more and more evil and obsessive. "I told you she was scary." Nagisa squeaked quietly next to Shiro. He was right though.. Ami expression reminded her of an evil and ugly sea witch that would do anything to make everyone around her miserable.

A knot grew in her stomach. She was getting nervous again, but at the same time she was.. excited. A feeling she hasn't felt in a long time. A sensation she would often share with her brothers when they used to swim with each other in her younger years. If she loses, then she'll be forever miserable for the rest of the semester, but if she wins..

Thinking about her original proposal to Gou and Nagisa, their club will be safe. There is no doubt that they'll want her to join after this, her proposition will most likely be revoked.

"Do we have a deal, Ha-ma-sa-ki-chan?" She said in a sickeningly sweet voice as she extended her hand out to her. She looked at the girls hand, noticing her nails were glistening, manicured nicely to the point they looked almost like sharp claws.

With a deep breath in she exhaled softly and grasped Ami's hand firmly in hers, sealing the contract.

"Deal!"

To be continued.

Holy crap... this one was loooong.

And I can't BELIEVE I ended part 2 here.. I didn't want to go into a 3 part, but I realized this was getting longer and I didn't want to make you guys wait any friggen longer. However, I am working on the next part!

Now, I know I said this was going to be a Rin fic.. and it still is! I feel like this story would be more interesting though if Shiro got to know EVERYONE! Not just Rin. All of the characters are just.. interesting!

After listening to the Drama CD log 1 of Free! and the High Speed Novel I think I can create a few scenes just based on their conversations. I would like to hear what you guys think! Actually, what would you like to see happen? As long as it's not something silly.. or sex.. I have standards.

So, that about does it. Thank you guys for following/favoring this story. I really appreciate it!

Till next time!

From your patient reader,

Phoenix.