High Speed! Volume 2

Chapter 12: Accelerate

The clear sky spread endlessly. It's always like that when they come to the Hiyori Swimming Stadium. It was always sunny. He thinks it's better when it's sunny.

"Mmm."

Makoto stretches, facing towards the cloudless sky.

"It's good that the weather's nice today, too, isn't it? Haru."

On sunny days, Makoto's voice is cheerful. An even more cheerful voice comes running at full speed from the path lined with plane trees.

"Haru-chaaan!"

Grabbing Haruka's jersey with the force he came running with, he uses it as a brake and stops.

"Haru-chan, Mako-chan. Morning!"

"You came, Nagisa."

Makoto's happy voice bounces all the more cheerfully.

"'Cuz I promised. Right, Haru-chan?"

"Uh huh."

He forgot what kind of promise it is.

"So today, we'll all cheer a lot for you."

Nagisa's companions are lightly bowing their heads from beneath the plane trees. Seeing as they're carrying their swimming club bags, it seems that they intend on going to practice after cheering.

"Uh huh."

"So, come and cheer when it's my time again, okay?"

Haruka looks at Makoto. Still smiling, he was nodding to Haruka. It means he's telling Haruka to reply himself. Perhaps because it can't be helped, he gives up.

"......Uh huh."

A reply that's a bit on the small side.

"See ya later. Good luck!"

While waving his hand, Nagisa went running back to where his new companions are.

"Looks like Nagisa has entirely gotten familiar with them, huh?"

"Uh huh."

While looking at Nagisa blending in with his companions, Haruka and Makoto started to walk again.

"Haru, were you worried?"

"About Nagisa?"

He had recently realized that just worrying about Nagisa is a waste.

"That's the kind of face you were making."

"I did?"

He's the kind of guy who puts mayonnaise on stewed squid.

"At heart, you're relieved, aren't you?"

"Certainly not."

He had already forgotten Nagisa's face from when he decided to join the swim club and had shaken him off.

"You can't show an uncool side, huh."

Makoto's relaxed voice is tinged with power.

"––Uh huh."

Haruka quietly emitted energy from his body.

Sousuke was standing in front of the locker room, leaning his back against the wall. Folding his long arms like he's finding them to be slightly unmanageable, he's slightly smiling.

"Yo."

His gaze was fastened onto Haruka. Makoto looks at Haruka. It means he's telling Haruka to reply.