High Speed!

Chapter 1: Swim

Chapter One: Swim

The water is alive. Even at times when the water's surface stretches out in silence, when not even faint ripples can be seen, it is just holding its breath, as if waiting for its prey. And, if you were to jump in, with a momentary spray of droplets, it will instantly bare its fangs and attack. It will wrap itself around your body, trying to steal the freedom from your limbs. The more you struggle, the more heavily and persistently it will coil itself, and before long, all your strength will be exhausted.

However, if you adjust your position without struggling, the water will become calm. From there, push your fingertips to the space at the water's surface and create an opening, then slowly slide your body forward - your arms, your head, your chest, your stomach, and your legs.

Do not reject the water, accept it. Do not deny the water, acknowledge its existence. The important thing is to take in the water; to feel it with your skin, your eyes, your soul. Not doubting the things that you feel. Believing in yourself.

Haruka put his hand on the wall of the pool and lifted his face out of the water. Even though he had just swum the thousand-meter crawl, he wasn't at all out of breath. When he got his goggles off, there was a hand being held out in front of him. His eyes followed the arm up. A boy named Makoto was looking down at Haruka with a friendly smile.

For a sixth grader, Makoto was a good bit larger than average. He had broad, solidly built shoulders, and riding just above them, a face young enough that it looked out of balance with the rest of him. He also had kind-looking, upturned eyebrows. That was Tachibana Makoto.

Haruka took his hand, and was pulled out of the pool with an amount of strength that was surprising coming from that smiling face with its upturned eyebrows.

"You swim as gracefully as ever. It's like you're a dolphin, Haru-chan."

"I think it's about time you stopped putting '-chan' on my name."

He didn't have Makoto's height, but his slender, tense body gave off a sense of energy that didn't seem to come from his muscularity. Also, there was a look in his eye that somehow made him appear fast. That was Nanase Haruka.

The two of them had been going to the Iwatobi Swim Club for three years already. It had originally been Makoto's suggestion, and Haruka just went along with it; even now, he still felt that way.

The only things they had in common were that they went to the same school and were members of the same swim club. And one other thing - they both had girly names.

Makoto didn't mind much, but Haruka was stuck on that last point. He hated being teased about his name more than anything, and whenever he could, he only used his surname in public. Even so, at times when he absolutely had to say his first name, he was in the habit of looking fixedly to the side and whispering it as quietly as he could. Whenever he saw that happen, Makoto would look amused.

"I get it. So, are you already done for the day, Haru?"

That was what Makoto, who had called him "Haru-chan" since kindergarten, decided to call him. With just that change of name, it felt like their relationship changed, too.

"I told you, you don't need to put my name at the end of every sentence. And call me by my last name." Though he wasn't angry, he spoke curtly, in a commanding tone. It was how he always was.

Without seeming bothered at all, Makoto just kept smiling and replied, "Haru, you call me 'Makoto', don't you? Should I call you 'Haruka', then?"

Haruka shrugged his shoulders at the unfamiliar form of address. "If you call me that, I won't talk to you anymore."