Clouded Distance | Free! Fan Fiction

5. Reopened

Clouded Distance

Chapter Five

Reopened 

"Though they hadn't yet gotten permission to refill the pool, if they wanted it to happen, it had to be cleaned. The following day, the pool had been emptied of water, and they got back to work cleaning and repainting.

"Coach Sasabe's new club would be great, but I think that we need to show potential members our pool first," Makoto voiced.

Rei nodded, "Indeed. Even if we don't have approval to fill it with water yet."

"Don't worry!" Gou chirped, appearing on the scene. She wasn't helping with the fixing of the pool, but stayed to offer support and agreed to go down to the store and get drinks should it be necessary. "I'm sure Amakata-sensei will take care of it!"

Miss Amakata going to talk the idea of filling the pool up with the school's supervisor, her argument being that the swim club needed to have a fully operational pool to attract possible new members. Hana hoped that it would end with a positive result for the swim club.

"I'm sure we'll get lots of new members," Nagisa said brightly, looking over at Haru. "Right, Haru-chan?"

Haru continued on with his job. "I just hope people who want to swim will join."

Nagisa moaned. "That again?"

Hana smiled. He's actually concerned about the swim club, isn't he? 

"But it's true," Rei voiced. "If we don't have more members by our third year, we won't officially be recognised as a club. Worse yet, we won't be able to compete in relays!"

Hana chuckled lightly. I didn't realise Rei loved relays that much. She'd always known it, but now she understood just how important the relay was to him. She didn't blame him. That was the only event he could compete in with all his friends.

Hana had only ever had one opportunity at a relay, and it looked as though that would be her last relay ever.

"We need to be more aware of the urgency!"

"We are," Hana reassured, looking over her shoulder from her position at her work, sending a reassuring smile his way. "We're still thinking of how to recruit new members, don't worry about that."

"Everyone!"

"Amakata-sensei?"

Hana's eyes widened as Gou squeaked out their teacher's name. She turned around and saw Miss Amakata approaching.

Could she have gotten permission from the school already? Could we be that lucky?

"I just got in contact with Coach Sasabe for you." Hana's spirits sank a little at first when Miss Amakata gasped that out, but her heart soon soared once more as she realised what this might mean for their club. "He says he wants you all to go over to the swim club. There's something he wants to talk to you about."

*          *          *

After receiving that news, they quickly finished up at the pool and headed on over to Sasabe's new swim club. Hana's mind whirred as she thought of what he might want to talk to them again.

That's actually a good question. What does he want to talk about? We haven't exactly seen him that much over the past few months - he's been busy rebuilding.

When they arrived at the swim club, where Hana was almost blinded by the amount of pink paint, Sasabe was waiting for them. They entered the club, and the first thing Hana noticed was the wall devoted to photos. She smiled as one photo in particular caught her attention - the photo of Haru, Rin, Makoto, Nagisa and Rei taken at the regional tournament the previous year.