sick • rinxharu

twenty five

•Twenty Five• Rei's POV •

I felt so proud of Nagisa.

He did it! He won!

Soon he had come back up to us. "Well done!" Coach Sasabe exclaimed.

"Thanks." Nagisa replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You did amazing, Nagisa." I spoke with a smile.

"That's not like you, Rei." The blonde came over to me. "Now you have to make me happy."

"I will."

"Good. I heard you're racing Sousuke. I wouldn't worry about it though."

"Really?" That made me quite nervous, if I'm honest. I didn't want to lose.

"Are you alright?" Nagisa asked me with a concerned expression.

"Yes... oh I'd best go change! I'll see you in a minute." I rushed away to the locker room.

***
Soon I was in my swimsuit. For some reason, wearing it calmed me down a bit.

With the worry of being late, I went straight to the pool and warmed up there. Other people were doing the same thing, so I didn't look like a complete idiot.

• Sousuke's POV •

I strolled out of the locker room, to find Rei doing something by the pool. "What are you doing?" I asked confusedly.

"Stretching." Rei replied, looking at me.

"I did it earlier..." I spoke. "We've never really talked properly, have we?"

"Unfortunately not-" We were cut off by being told to get ready.

I stepped onto my starting block and waited.

"Ready."

As soon as I heard it, I got into my starting position along with everyone else.

The whistle.

My thoughts had drifted off to shit, and I had delayed my dive. Rei had already started swimming, and it was like he was doing it effortlessly.

Within a few seconds I had begun to swim too. Usually, I would feel safe in the water, but then seemed different.

Not in a good way.

My technique to swimming fast in butterfly was to raise my body higher above the water. Why wasn't it working as effectively?

It may have not been doing much, but I had caught up to Rei. Surprisingly we were going at the same speed.

At that moment, I could hear Samezuka cheering me on as loudly as possible. Their encouragement didn't help one bit. I started to panic as I went into the turn.

I tried to push forwards as much as possible but of course, it refused to do anything.

How was this happening?

All my training. Everything was going downhill all of a sudden.

It was almost the end of the race, and I was still neck and neck with Rei. He was really putting up a fight.

Hm, I wasn't putting up with that. As a result I tried to lift my body even higher and see what happened.

Nothing!

Crap.

Once again my thoughts drifted off, and a little bit after I had snapped back to reality. My hand touched the pool's wall.

Quickly I lifted my head out of the cool water and took off my swimming cap and goggles.

After that, didn't even look at the results board. No. Instead I just got out of the pool and walked to the locker room.

I had only one race that day, so I had decided to just get changed again.

Nobody else was in there, so it was better.

"Sousuke." An angry voice said from the enterance.

It was Rin.

"Yeah?" I replied, zipping up my Samezuka jacket.

"What just happened out there?" My friend walked over to me. He was really pissed. "Well say something!"

"I just wasn't feeling it today." I answered, not looking him in the eye.

"Right. That's not good enough! You've ruined everything for yourself, and how long have you been swimming for?"

I laughed slightly.

"What's so funny?" Rin asked aggressively.

"It's just... why does this concern you?" I answered. Now I was facing him.

Suddenly, he pinned me against the wall of lockers and glared at me. "Take a wild guess."

"I asked you first."

"I care because I know what you can do." Rin let go.

"I still don't understand." I spoke. "Do me a favour, and focus on yourself."

"I thought you knew better than this." I could tell Rin was still angry.

"Like I said-"

"I don't care." He spat. "I'll see you later."

Then he walked away without saying another word.

"I'm so excited to swim," a familiar voice said... Makoto. "Hopefully I can win and join Nagisa and Rei."

So I lost?

"Yeah." Replied Haru.

Hearing his voice pissed me off.

"I'll be back in a minute, Haru."

"Fine."

Makoto left his friend.

"Come with me." I made my way over to Haru and stared at him.

"Why?" The dark haired boy replied.

"Because I have shit to say. Now come."

For some reason he followed me. We went into a storage room and stood in silence for a few seconds.

"What do you want?" Haru finally spoke.

"I want you to leave Rin alone until your race together is over."

"You're kidding."

"Believe me, I'm not." I shrugged.

"Do you really think you bother me?" Haru looked away.

"No, and I haven't intended to either." I rolled my teal coloured eyes and leaned against a pole. "So, are you going to do as I say or not?"

"Of course not."

"Typical," I murmured. "You really piss me off."

"Do I?" Haru looked at me.

I nodded.

"Then why do you keep talking to me?"

Really, that question made me think. I didn't actually know the answer... it was just something I felt like I had to do.

I came up with the solution to avoid what he wanted to know altogether.

"All I wanted to do today was ask you that one simple task," I headed towards the door of the small room. "I'll see you later."

With that, I left Haru to see Makoto looking at the door we we're behind with narrowed eyebrows.

"Good luck." I spoke as I brushed past him. Soon I realised that it was quite bad... the fact Makoto could potentially know anything in the matter of an hour.