The Shark and the Stingray

Chapter 17

"The Iwatobi fest is our club's last chance to recruit new members! If we win the interclub relay everybody's gonna want to join our team! So make sure you bring your A game! So go out there and do what I know you're capable of doing! It's the race to victory and let's rope in some new memebers!" I punch my fist up, "Probably some with strong muscles and tight abs!" Kou adds, I nod, "Yeah!" All the boys nod and they raise they fists up. 

"And now it's time for the main event! Iwatobi's famous interclub relay!" Everyone was at the track, all lined up, "Let's meet the competitors, the tennis, basketball, rugby, kendo, judo and swim club but who will find victory in the end? All right, here we go!" The loudspeakers cheer, Haru was up first, "He's..." Kou and I watch him, "Terrible..." We sweatdrop, "The swim team is in last place but what's this?! That was the smoothest baton pass I've seen all day!" Haru passes onto Mako who was next, he got all the way to first place, "Let's go. Let's go, let's go, let's go Makato!" Kou and I cheered, Nagisa got the board but he accidentally dropped it, "Darn," Kou held her hair, "We'll just have to rely on Rei and his old track and field training," I balled up my fists, Rei grabbed the board off Nagisa and began running, "I thought the track and field club wasn't allowed to participate in this?! No matter, it'll come down to the wire and... The swim team has won!" Everyone cheered as Rei crossed the strip of paper. "No one's here..." Kou was devastated, "I thought someone would have showed up for sure," Nagisa sighs, Kou had paper garlands ready to give to newcomers, "Well no matter how good we are at running, at the end of the day we're still the swim club," Rei slumps, "We did everything we could you guys, now we just wait patiently," Mako tries to reassure us, "Besides, you know what today is right? They're opening up the pool!" All of us lit up and we ran outside, "Let's switch gears from the running and the recruiting and focus on the upcoming tournament, be careful warming up, the water's ice cold. We have a few more days till we have to turn in our forms, in addition to the relay, we'd probably want to apply for individual races, huh I wonder what'd it be?" Mako touches his chin, I grabbed Haru's arm and held him back, I knew he was already going to jump in any second, "What do you say Haru? The medley relay?" I peek my head on his shoulder, "Well uh..." Everyone crowded around, "I only swim freestyle in the relay." He says, "I'm satisfied with your answer," I let go of his arm and he dives into the water, "Then it's decided, figure out your own individual races before the deadline. And you know, since this is my last year on, I'm thinking about participating in the freestyle race too." Mako smiles, "Really? Then maybe I'll go into butterfly too!" Nagisa raises his arm, "But isn't that your worst stroke?" Mako chuckles, "Yeah but it gives me something to work on! Hey Rei, since we're branching out you should do breaststroke!" Nagisa looks at him, "I don't want to look stupid, the butterfly is still the only stroke I can swim." Rei touches his glasses and looks up, "Aww come on buddy, don't beat yourself up like that! Besides, you're a completely different person now!" Nagisa drives his head into Rei's shoulder, "If you put your mind to it, you can swim anything you want," Nagisa slings his arm over Rei's shoulders, "Really?" Rei looks at him skeptical, "He's right, I mean why not. You're learning something brand new everyday." Kou touches her chin, "Well I suppose you can do anything with hard work, maybe I'll even do backstroke," Rei nods, "When you put your mind to it, anything possible." I grinned, "In that case I'm in! I'll present my backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. It'll look dazzling!" Rei strikes a pose, "Hooray!" Nagisa jumps up.

"Man I suck!" Rei gasps as he just kept sinking like a rock when he did breast, back and freestyle, "Hey he didn't suck, his form was great!" I bunched up my fists, "You can do it!" Kou cheers, "Take your time and relax, don't try rushing it okay?" Mako says, his legs in the pool, it was already sunset. 

"Something weird's going on with Rei!" Nagisa brings the four of us out, "I think you're overreacting," Haru rests his chin on his hand, "Yeah it's not like he's missed any practices," Mako nods, "Well, maybe not, but last Sunday I went over to drop in unannounced to check on him and when I did... he wasn't even home. His mum answered the door. He always studies at home on Sundays so where was he?" Nagisa throws his hands out, "Hey now that you mention it I saw him last Sunday," I perk up, "You did?!" Nagisa comes over to me, "Yeah, Rin and I went on a date to the cafe down the street and there he was. I would've said hi but he seemed so distracted by the desserts." I chuckled, "Rin always says he hates that cafe, he says it's too girly and never wanted to go in there with me!" Kou pouts, "Two-faced. That man drags me to that cafe every time we cross it so he can eat that apple parfait." I grinned, she gasps.