𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 / 𝘪𝘬𝘶𝘺𝘢.

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 / 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦.

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nao took over the training of the first years, showing them around the pool area. as he led them to the locker rooms, he pointed to the boys, then the girls, though [name] was the only girl who'd joined in the first year.

wrapping up the tour, he had them warm up. in exercises that required 2 people, he helped [name] due to the uneven numbers. he didn't want to treat her differently, but with the knowledge of [name]'s heart condition, he felt he had to be gentler to avoid any unnecessary damage.

nao knelt on the ground as the first years lined up by the pool with their swimsuits, caps and goggles. their shirts had been discarded on the bench and their towels were waiting with their shirts. one by one, they dived in and swam a length of the pool in their preferred stroke.

'alright, shall we make a full 200 meter lap our last exercise for the day?' nao asked, hands on his hips while the students he was coaching stared up at him from the pool. 'it's just a cooldown, so you don't have to go at full speed,' he reassured, making [name] sigh in relief. 'next, use freestyle. ok?'

'yes,' makoto answered, readjusting his goggles and started swimming.

at a reasonable distance, nao called the next person. 'alright, next.' the routine continued as ikuya, [name], haru and asahi pushed off the wall once the person ahead had gotten a fair distance away.

'ok!' asahi said, pushing his body through the water. his limbs flailed about and his body remained in the same spot. he raised his head above the water to take a breath, but his body still didn't move forwards. nao walked towards asahi as he struggled, hitting makoto with his arm as the giant passed him.

'come on, asahi. don't play around,' nao said.

asahi laughed nervously. 'sorry!' as he attempted to swim again, nothing changed. ikuya stood at the sound of splashing, tapping [name] on the shoulder when she came closer. as she rose from the water, haru noticed the crowd in the middle of the lane.

'what is it?' haru asked as ikuya and [name] turned to him.

'well...' they started, glancing back at asahi as he stood up finally, pulling his cap and goggles off and staring into the water blankly.

'asahi?' the boy didn't respond to makoto.

'what? are you playing around?' ikuya asked.

'i... i can't swim free anymore!' he yelled. nao's brows furrowed and asahi's friends stared at him in shock.

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'hm... you really just became unable to swim all of a sudden?' natsuya wondered, looking at asahi, who was crouched in the corner of the locker rooms, his shirt on and a towel hanging from his head.

'yeah.'

[name] knocked on the door. 'is it alright to come in?' she called. at the sound of hums, she slid the door open, peeking through. her eyes landed on asahi and she sighed, stepping inside.

'isn't that because you just plain can't swim free? ikuya asked, turning around to his locker.

'no! i can swim it!' asahi protested, standing up with a glare. the towel fell from his head to hang around his shoulders. 'but... but today, when i tried to swim it... i just couldn't!' he turned around to lean against the locker shelves. 

'but why so suddenly?' makoto wondered.

'like i should know?'

'hm, it's probably a mental problem,' [name] suggested, readjusting her grip on her bags.

'mental?'

natsuya placed a hand on asahi's shoulder. as the red-haired boy turned, he was met with natsuya's bright smile. 'it's ok. if you were able to swim before, then it will instinctively come back to you soon enough,' natsuya comforted. this seemed to make asahi feel better.

'ok!'

ikuya stared at his brother and was reminded when he was much younger. he glared at the memory of him struggling to swim and natsuya supporting him, taking his bag from the basket and letting the basket fall to the ground.

'ikuya-' [name] began.

'hey, ikuya,' natsuya repeated, but the teal-haired boy slammed the sliding door behind him, letting it rebound against the frame. [name] watched sadly and natsuya ruffled her hair lightly, smiling sheepishly at her when she looked up at him.

'what's with that guy?' asahi asked.

natsuya glanced at him then back at [name], who still kept her eyes on the door. he sighed, but his smile remained. maybe ikuya was making progress in the friend department, despite his denial.