The Iwatobi Swim Club was alive with the clamor of competition and the sharp scent of chlorine. Children, with dreams as wide as the ocean, lined the edges of the pool, their feet tapping against the wet ground in anticipation. Among the crowd was a young girl, Matsuoka Gou, barely ten, her gaze darting through the swarm of swimmers to find her brother, Rin.Gou's eyes finally landed on Rin, poised and ready in his lane, but it was the boy next to him that captured her attention. He had hair as dark as the night sky and eyes that reminded her of the deep blue sea she remembered from boat rides with her dad. His face was unreadable, a cold mask, yet Gou found herself inexplicably drawn to him.
The starting gun cracked through the air, and as the swimmers plunged into the water, Gou's eyes were fixed on the boy with the ocean in his gaze. He moved through the pool with a grace that seemed to defy reality, his body swaying in a silent dance with the water. Each stroke he took was in perfect harmony with the rhythm pulsating in Gou's heart.
As he touched the wall, securing his victory, the crowd erupted into applause. Gou found herself cheering the loudest, her voice ringing clear even to her mother's surprised ears. Her heart swelled with a joy she couldn't place, a joy that seemed tied to the success of this boy she'd never spoken to.
She rushed down to the poolside as the swimmers climbed out, water cascading from their limbs. "Rin ni-chan! Rin ni-chan!" she called, her voice laced with excitement. She threw her arms around Rin when he approached, her smile reflecting his own.But her eyes quickly sought the blue-eyed boy again, who now stood alone, drying his hair.
Tugging on Rin's arm, she asked in a whisper loud enough only for her brother to hear, "Ni-chan, who's he?" pointing at the boy who had enthralled her so completely.Rin chuckled, the sound mingling with the residual echoes of splashing water. "That's Haru," he said with a brother's pride.
Guiding Gou through the throng of people, he approached his friend. "Haru, this is my little sister, Gou. And Gou, this is Nanase Haruka."Gou corrected him gently, a shyness creeping into her voice, "It's Kou, ni-chan." She then turned to face Haruka, offering a timid but genuine smile. She extended her hand, and Haruka, taken aback, hesitantly met hers in a gentle shake."I like the way you swim," Gou said, her words floating on a dreamy sigh, "and congrats on winning the race."Haruka's response was a soft "Thank you," that seemed to hold layers of unspoken thoughts.
On the journey home, Gou's mind was a whirlwind of blue—the color of Haruka's eyes that seemed to hide stories untold. She wanted nothing more than to see him swim again, to witness the beauty of his silent communion with the water.
Dinner passed in a blur, Gou's thoughts far from the conversations around the table. Her heart and mind were still at the poolside, her spirit swimming alongside the boy who danced with the waves.
That night, as Gou lay in bed, the image of Haruka's swim played on loop in her mind. She saw the cold mask of his face again, but this time she looked deeper, finding a myriad of emotions in the depths of his blue eyes—a silent longing for freedom, a fierce passion for the sport, and a quiet strength that spoke volumes.Her dreams that night were filled with blue skies and ocean depths, Haruka's form gliding through the water, leading her on a dance across the waves.
And though she didn't understand the full extent of her feelings, Gou knew one thing for certain—Haruka's swimming had touched something deep within her, something that she yearned to understand, to be a part of.As the first rays of morning light streamed through her window, Gou awoke with a sense of purpose.
