Free! The Hidden Story

Episode 3

(still Ryoma's aspect)

After the last bell of the next day I walked towards the swimming club again till I already found everyone in the staffroom. “ that’s not going to happen,”  I heard Amakata-san. “ why not?”  Nagisa asked. “The school will never spend that much on a club that just started and doesn’t have any performance yet. You should find another way to train during the cold times.” I looked up, “My aunt has a covered pool in her garden, you can also open the roof from i-“ “no thank you.”  I looked up as Haru was looking annoyed at me till he sneezed. “I told you not to swim in the pool yet, its still April you know,” Makoto said. Haru stayed quiet. “but Haru-chan, this is a great opportunity Ryo-chan is giving u-“  Nagisa started. “everything except that. I wont put any step in that pool,” he said. “ but Haru-chan, ..Haru,” the other two guys said before there was a short silence.

“so we’ll get money if we make more performances?”  Gou asked Miss.Amakata. “yes, that’s the best way to earn more money for your club.” “so if we could join the summer tournament,” Makoto suggested. “Then your offer will be accepted,” Miss.Amakata said, “ but you need 4 members to earn the max.”  “just one and I can swim all I want,” I heard Haru quietly before he walked out of the staffroom. “ Haru?” the others looked surprised as he just suddenly left and walked to the door. I followed them. Haru walked up to some students and looks like he was asking them to join.

The rest of the day I haven’t saw Haru and Nagisa anymore. I knew that Haru wanted to find new members but what was Nagisa doing? When I was walking towards home, I found Haru and Makoto walking into the same direction. “yo, Haru, Mako-chan,” I arrived at them. Haru ignored me. “hey Ryoma-chan,” Makoto replied friendly, “don’t you need to walk into the other direction to get home?” I nodded, “ yeah, but daddy wants me to get something for him,” I said, “ something which the supermarket in our own street doesn’t have.”  “alright, want us to go with you?” “ wha- oi, Makoto!”  Haru said on the background. “if you want to,” I smiled.

As soon as we arrived I bought the ‘thing’  and got out of the building again. “ oh, my mother just texted me about helping her with dinner, im sorry, I need to hurry,” Makoto suddenly said, “im sorry Haru, Ryoma-chan, I need to go.” “but M-makoto! Don’t leave me alone with her!” Haru said after him as he ran away, but Makoto didn’t heared it anymore. He sighed as I stayed quiet. “har-“ “lets hurry,” he said before he continued walking.  I nodded slowly before I quietly started to follow him.

“Haru, may I ask you so-“ I started. “why didn’t you say anything?” I looked up, “what do you mean?” “that you were on the same school,” he continued. “I don’t know,” I answered, “I guess I was afraid.” “afraid? Of what?” “ this,” I replied. “what this? Speak properly!” he said. I stayed quiet. He stayed quiet either before he looked away. “ you know when Rin was the first one you saw when you woke up in that hospital?” I nodded slowly. “I should have been the first one, but my parents wanted me to go with them on a trip. If I resisted and went to see you, this all never happened.” “Haru,” I said quiet before I slowly looked at him again, “its not your fault, its mine. If I knew earlier that you saved me and tried.. to wa-“ “ shut up!” he yelled, “don’t think that I’ll easily look at you in the same way as I did in the past. The past is gone!” I bit my lip, “nan-“ “Stop calling me that! Its Haru for you! Nanase Haruka!” he said before he stopped walking, turned around and started walking away. “Wa-!” I started but he was already gone. 

(Haruka’s aspect)

“come with me! I know the perfect person to join our club!” Nagisa said the next day as he pulled all of us to the track club. He pointed to a first year who was stretching his arms. “but he already joined the track club, why him? Does has has any titles or records on his name?” Makoto asked. “he does, its his name,” Nagisa smiled. “his name?” Ryoma repeated him confused. “ yeah, he’s called, Ryugazaki Rei-kun, he has a girly name just like the three of us.”  "and that’s your reason?” Makoto sighed. “he do can be right about being the perfect one, did you already saw his muscles?!” Gou said fangirling. “look, he’s about to jump,” I said before everyone turned around again. The guy, Ryugazaki Rei, looked forward with a serious expression. He was holding the pole with both hands and took a small step backwards before he started running and after a moment he pricked  the pole into a small gap. He leaded himself with a smooth bow over the pole some meters higher. “that was amazing,” Nagisa said after Ryugazaki had landed. “he’s probably an amazing diver,” Makoto said. “ and did you saw his muscles?!” Gou said again. “is that all you care about?!” Makoto said.

The next day after school, I was still talking some with Makoto till Nagisa walked up to us. “no luck, he doesn’t wanna join,” he said, “Maybe he doesn’t like water.” “we don’t need anyone like him, don’t let him in the water,” I said. “ if you say that then nobody wants to join,” Nagisa complained, “ and then we can only go jogging and weight lifting during winter, is that what you want Haru-chan?” I looked away from him. “ Maybe we should ask Ama-chan to strip down,” Nagisa said. “that probably isn’t going to happen, didn’t she said that she would never wear a swimsuit ever again?”  Makoto said. “ then, that they can show their swimsuits to her!” Nagisa suggested again. “is there actually anyone who wants to do that?” Makoto asked till Miss.Amakata was standing behind us. “you guys~” she said, if looks could kill. “we’re sorry!!”  Makoto and Nagisa said.

“Ne, Haru,” Makoto started on our way towards home. “is it actually a good idea to compete in tournaments? And probably racing Rin?” I looked away for a moment, “who told you?” “I ran into Ryoma-chan and coach Sasabe the other day,” he told me. I stayed quiet again. [With a loud bang the door was slammed and even before I realized what just happened, there was a loud scream from not far behind me. “Ryoma!” Coach Sasabe called her daughter’s name and I immediately turned around. Just In time to see how the water slapped her unconscious. I made my hands into fists before I started running along the side of the pool before I jumped into the water and dove towards Ryoma.] “Haru.” I looked up out of my thoughts. “it’s the past,” I said, “beside, Rin is already swimming again.” 

“guys, ive got great news!” gou said as we arrived the next day at the swimming club, “ive arranged a training together with Samezuka!” “that’s amazing, I couldn’t expect less from Gou-ch..”  “its Kou,” Gou spoke through Nagisa. “did you asked Rin?”  Makoto asked. “No, what ever I ask him he wont listen to me. That’s why I went straight forward to their captain,” Gou said proud, “but they do want to use the time so the min members who will come is 4.” “then we really need to find more!” Nagisa said again