Reach (Rin Matsuoka FanFic)

Missed

Keitos POV

After that tiring shopping trip, I immediately went straight home. All that waiting for that boys trying out new swimming suits really made me tired out. Now, I know how a guy feels when shopping with a girl.

I went to my room and laid down on my blue covered bed. I look at the ceiling and sighed deeply as I recall my talk with Rin. I never really expected to talk to him again.

I looked at my right, where my study desk is, and stood up. I walked to my desk and reached out something in between my stack of books. It was a picture of Rin training at Samezuka.

It's a funny story how I got this really. I simply just find it somewhere on the bushes on my garden. Thinking a stalker might've rushed past the neighborhood and lost this copy.

(A/N: Remember when Gou took pictures when Iwatobi were having a joint practice at Samezuka then Haru picked out Rins picture and it flew away? Well let's say it actually landed on Kei's garden HAHAHA. Oh, and if you remember from the chapter "Run" Kei stated she wasn't there that time.)

I stared at the picture as I leaned at my desk. Not realizing that I made some of my books slip to the floor. I looked at the mess on my feet until I focus on the book that is opened due to the fall. It wasn't just a book though, it was an album.

I picked up the now opened album and looked at the page where it was opened.

In the album there was a picture of two people holding hands and smiling widely. Both were at the age of 9 years old. The younger one was a girl who has short ebony hair with wide red eyes. The older one was a boy with almost the same features, ebony hair with but with much darker red eyes.

I guess you figured the younger one out. It was me.

The older one? Maybe you already guessed it right also. He was my older twin brother. His name was Kaito Mizuhara. Like me, he used to be a swimmer and actually, he was the one who introduced the sport to me.

"Kai nii-san..." I mumbled as I turn the page.

The next one was full of pictures of me and my twin doing crazy stuff. One was me and Kaito in a cultural festival, me and Kaito playing fireworks and another one shown him having drawings on his face while me running with a pen on hand.

I smiled at the memory of what me and my twin used to have. But now those are just events running on my mind, never will be repeated as I grow.

Because he's gone.

Kaito died when we were 12, around the same year before I met Rin.

I continued looking at the photos we had and memories start playing back on my head.

We were in a hospital in Australia. We migrated there because of our fathers work so me and Kaito studied abroad for awhile. But Kaito wasn't able to attend school. He was born with a weak heart and by the time we arrived in Australia, his heart suddenly reacted and became more weaker despite taking the right medicine. He was confined in a hospital since then.

*Flashback, 6 years ago *

"Kai nii-san.." the 12 years old me mumbled as I reach out for his hand on the bed. He gripped my hand and smiled as if nothing bad will happen to him.

"Kei, I told you to smile right?" He asked politely.

"But Kai nii-san!"

"Nuh uh. Not gonna listen to you unless you smile." He retorted, crossing his arms.

I sighed then forced a smile. Kaito always make me do this saying he doesn't want seeing me sad. He smiled at me and patted my head.

"Do your best on the swimming school okay? That school is awesome I tell you! I saw how big was the pool on the net!"

"You want to attend the school to right...?"

"Well yeah, but how can I if I'm stuck with these" He said as he points out the medical equipment on his hands.

He face was showing pain but knowing him, he's swallowing it in, replacing it with a joking smile. He's always like this.

"Anyways, you'll do great there! I know it! You've been training hard when we were in Japan!" He added.

I couldn't help but gave him a worried look.

Both me and Kaito have this instinct we always feel certain of when one of us feels sad or happy. And right now, I can tell he's really sad deep inside. I gave him a more worried look.

He replied to me with a reassuring smile.

"I'll do my best here too lil sis. I'll stay strong as you say so." Kaito said as he pumps his fist in his heart.

"In the matter of no time, I'll swim with you again!!"

*End of Flashback*

Then after a few weeks, Kaito's heart suddenly stopped while we were sleeping. The doctors said that his heart can't take it anymore. He reached his limit.

A new set of warm tears start appear on my vision, going down to my cheeks.

"Kai nii-san.... " I weakly mumbled as I clench the album to my chest. A new pinch of pain finds it's way to my heart.

"Just how many times should I cry in one day?" I thought to myself as I bent down. Drowning in a wave of mourning.

I'll work hard for you Kai nii-san, I promise I'll win the nationals and work my way up to the internationals. I'll fulfill that promise we made.

"Together, let's be international swimmers okay? We can travel the world with that! Yeah!!! Let's promise that Kei!"

I looked up as tears continues to fall down from my eyes. Remembering his last words before he died,

"No matter how far you started, you'll always reach the finish line."