Open Waters | Free! Fan Fiction

28. We're a Team

Open Waters

Chapter Twenty-Eight

 We’re A Team

They stayed a little longer at Sasabe's, looking and reminiscing over the several photos in the photo album of the swim club. With each picture of Rin that passed, with him smiling and having fun, Hana's curiosity about what exactly happened to change him grew. People didn't just change like Rin had overnight. There was something that was bothering him or something had happened to make him change, and she wanted to know what and why.

Could that explain the difference in attitude he had toward Haru and the others now?

It was late by the time they decided that had to head home and catch some rest. With the regional tournament just around the corner, they all needed as much of it as they could get.

"That was fun!" Nagisa said as they walked by the beach, headed for the train station so they could see Rei and Nagisa off. Gou and Miss Amakata had driven off in Miss Amakata's car. "We should drop by again."

"That hot pot was too hot," Makoto said.

"But it tasted good."

Hana chuckled, the ocean wind playing gently with ther hair. The soft, salty breeze was a welcome change after the hot pot.

"Hey, Rei…" Makoto turned around to speak to Rei, and paused in his walk. Hana paused as we;; amd frowned, notcining that Rei had stopped a little while back. "What's wrong, Rei?"

Everyone stared at him, waiting for his answer. For a moment, all they heard was the soft  sound of small ocean waves crashing against the beach.

"Just what happened... between the four of you?" Rei murmured.

Nagisa frowned. "The four of us? Are you talking about Rin-chan?"

"You were so close in those pictures. You all looked so happy."

I'm curious as well. Hana paid closer attention to what was going on.

"Well…" Makoto started, but then trailed off.

"Rei," Haru said suddenly. "I don't know if there's any point in talking about this now. But if you're interested, I can tell you what happened."

Rei didn't hesitate to answer. "Please tell me. I'm tired of being the only one on the outside. I'm part of this team, too!"

Haru stared at Rei for a moment, and after a pause, nodded. "Rin was obsessed with relays from the moment he joined our club. He didn't tell us why until right before the final: his dad had once been a swimmer, with the dream of making it to the Olympic. He had won a medley relay in sixth grade, but ended up becoming a fisherman and died in an accident. Rin wanted to go to Australia, enter a swimming school, and fulfil the dream his dad couldn't achieve. But before that, he wanted to swim a medley relay at his father's swimming club so he might share his dream. We won the relay, and Rin moved to Australia." Haru stopped, a small smile crossing his face. "Rin said he would show me a sight I'd never seen before. And, after we won the relay, it felt like I really did see it."

So, that's the full story behind the relay. Hana stared at Haru, surprised. She hadn't expected the relay to turn out quite like that. She knew Rin had wanted to become an Olympic swimmer, but hadn't known that it was because his father had died. She felt her heart reach out to him a little after hearing that.

"I also felt like I saw something completely different," Nagisa said.

Makoto nodded. "Yeah, same here."