Clouded Distance | Free! Fan Fiction

18. Letting it Out

Clouded Distance

Chapter Eighteen

Letting it Out

Hana stood at the end of the pool, her breaths coming to her in ragged gasps. Her hand hands clasped themselves above her head as she tried to make things easier to breathe for herself, allowing easier access of air to her lungs. She felt as though she were made of jelly.

How hard have I been pushing myself? I haven't felt this exhausted during a normal practice for quite a while.

She breathed out heavily, followed by a sharp breath inwards. Breathe in, breathe out. Hana repeated the routine, her heartrate and breathing rate slowly beginning to return to normal.

"Hana, you're working hard. Take a break."

Hana looked up, and saw Gou crouching on the edge of the pool. Her friend's eyes were narrowed slightly and she pursed her lips, assessing Hana's exhausted state.

A break sounded so lovely, so tempting, but Hana resisted the urge and shook her head. "I can't," she stared firmly. "Prefecturals are just around the corner."

Gou raised one eyebrow, and folded her arms over her chest. Hana gulped a little. She hadn't dealt with Gou in this mood for some time now, and it wasn't something she wanted to experience right now.

"You're exhausted," Gou pointed out. "If you won't have a proper break, then at least take the time to have some sports drink to keep your energy up."

There's no arguing with her while she's in this frame of mind. Though her determination was definitely an asset as manager, it turned Gou into someone you didn't want to argue with. Hana thought back to that incident with the bento inspections and shuddered. After that, she had taken special care and thought while preparing each and every one of her meals. She was definitely eating better now.

Left with not much choice, Hana heaved herself out of the pool, wrapped a towel around her body, and followed Gou so she was seated at one of the benches surrounding the pool. Gou handed her a sports drink. "Thanks, Gou," Hana murmured, uncapping the bottle and proceeding to take a large gulp.

It wasn't until the liquid passed down her throat that Hana realised just how thirsty she was. It took all her self restraint to not down the entire bottle then and there. The flavoured water wasn't as refreshing as normal water, but Hana knew the sugars would kick in soon to give her that boost of energy.

"Any reason you've been training so hard lately?" Gou asked, while Hana continued to sip at her drink.

Hana swallowed her current mouthful and paused. She thought over her words before speaking. "Well... I'm behind everyone," she murmured. She absentmindedly spun the cap of her drink bottle around the rim. "And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. I doubt anyone competing will have such a short experience to swimming like me. I only have a limited time to close that gap. I want to use each second to my advantage."

"Aren't you taking it too seriously? If that's all you think of, swimming is going to become boring."

"It won't." Hana looked at her friends in the pool, and then at the friend sitting beside her. A smile lit up her face. "I've got those guys, and you, by my side. Swim club is what I look forward to each day. I want to spend as much time with you all as possible in the pool... and that's why I'm training so hard. So I don't have to quit as soon as prefecturals finish. I want to go as far as I can."

Gou smiled. "You've still got your joint manager position," she pointed out. "It's not like you'll have to give up the swim club entirely."

"It just won't be the same, you know?"