Swimmer Boy (Book 1)

Chapter 5 ~ Swim suits and talks

We were now had four days left until the tournament. Haru, Makoto and Nagisa were in the pool training. Rei hadn't shown up yet. "Kou do you know where Rei is?" I asked.

"No idea." She said. "But he better get here soon."

"I'm here!" Rei appeared. "And I think I know the reason why I can't swim."

What?

"You've really figured it out then?" Makoto asked.

"It was right under our noses the whole time..." Rei said. "The answer is..." He left us hanging.

"Go on." Makoto and Nagisa said.

"This speedo!" Rei proclaimed and pointed down to the speedo he was wearing.

"Are you serious?" I asked, a bit exasperated and dumbfounded.

"Hold on, isn't that the swimsuit I let you borrow?" Nagisa asked. "I think you're overreac-"

"I am not!" Rei said. "Given the difference in our builds this treacherous thing is not proportional to my streamlines. I think I'll have the proof once I crunch the numbers." He looked fully confident.

"I guess I never realized how complication speedos really were." Nagisa commented.

"The solution is simple." Makoto said. "All he has to do is go buy a new swimsuit."

Time skip

The next day we headed to the mall to get Rei a new swimsuit. "Color plays an important part in picking the right swim wear." Rei said as he went down the aisles of swimsuits. "Oh, I'll need prescription goggles as well. Blurry vision may play a factor in my difficulties I hadn't considered yet."

While he was talking, Nagisa snuck up behind him and grabbed his glasses. He put them on and began to imitate Rei. "Knock it off!" Rei said.

"According to my calculations, you can't catch me!" Nagisa said and began to parade his way through the store, Rei desperately trying to chase him without his glasses on. I giggled.

"Are they always like this?" I asked Makoto who was beside me.

"Basically." He chuckled. I looked over to Haru who was staring at two different swim trunks that looked exactly the same.

"I'm trying it on." He said and headed to the dressing room. Nagisa was there waiting on Rei.

"I didn't know Haru was also looking for a new pair." Kou commented.

"Are you done changing yet?" Nagisa asked.

"You can have your speedo back, Nagisa." Rei's voice came out of the dressing room confidently. "I found my suit." He ripped back the curtain and revealed his new swim suit. It covered his whole lower half and had rainbow stripes on it.

"Rainbow?!" We all asked at the same time.

"Given the fact that each color represents a different state of mind, I'm stacking the deck in my favor." Rei said.

"You don't mind looking like a multi-colored zebra?" Makoto asked. I chuckled.

"I'm finished, too." Haru said and ripped back his curtain. "How is it?"

"Um, how are they different from the pair you normally wear?" I asked.

"They're not any different." Nagisa said

"Are to." Haru smiled softly. "They fit me better. Just look." I exasperatedly sighed.

"Hey, Mako! Hurry we have to find ours, too!" Nagisa said and pushed Makoto back to the swimsuit aisles.

"Changing rooms and ripped muscles. Talk about a super delux duo of eye-candy!" Kou blushed next to me. I sighed. The boys tried on multiple swim suits, most being decided against. Being tired of watching them and hearing Kou squeal beside me, I decided to go outside and get a drink from the vending machine. While I was there I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

"Sakura?" It asked. It sounded surprised and a bit shocked. I turned around and saw Rin.

"Rin!" I ran up to him and gave him a hug. He didn't return it. "You're back from Australia!"

"Yeah, I've been back." He said and I let go. "When did you get back?"

"This past weekend." I smiled at him. "I'm moving back."

"Is that so." He nodded.

"Hey!" A voice called out. I turned around and saw Haru. He looked a bit ticked off and glared at Rin. "What are you doing with her, Rin?"

"Calm down." Rin said and glared right back. "We were just talking. It's been a while, you know."

"I don't care. Leave her alone." Haru came up and gently pushed me behind him.

"Why? Can't she just talk to her old friend?" Rin smirked. "She doesn't need you to look after her all the time."

"Sakura go inside." Haru said, not taking his eyes off Rin's.

"But why-" I started.

"Just do it." He said sharply. I nodded and gave a small wave to Rin, heading back inside. That's not what I actually did, however. I stayed near the entrance to hear what was going on. After hearing from Makoto how Rin had been acting recently, I couldn't help being concerned for him and my brother. And the rest of the team, too.

"What have you done with yourself the last three years?" Rin asked. "You're better than this, man."

"It's hard to keep up with someone who trained in the Outback." Haru replied.

"Are you trying to mock me?"

"What do you want?" Haru asked. "Was winning our race not good enough for you?"

Race? They raced? When?

"It'd be hard not to beat you given the shape you're in." Rin said.

"A win's a win. Why isn't that good enough for you?" Haru said. "I'm finished here."

"Stop lying. I know you want a real race as much as I do." Rin said. "I need this. Or else I won't be able to move on."

Move on? From what?

"What a pain." Haru commented and I heard his footsteps starting to walk away. "I only swim free, and I'm not changing that for you."

Rin started to chase after him and pinned him to the fence. I wanted to intervene but decided not to. "Wrong. You'll swim against me whether you like it or not." Rin grumbled.

"In that case." Haru started and removed Rin from him. "I want you to promise me something. If you lose, you won't say you're going to quit. Don't embarrass yourself. Don't cry if you lose."

"Yeah like I'm still some little kid?" Rin asked. "I'll show you how different we are. It'll be completely clear." He then started to walk away. "Try to muscle up before the tournament. You're gonna need it. See you then, night."

I sighed and headed back inside, wondering why it was like this, how I could help fix it.