Free! The Hidden Story

Episode 1

(Haruka's aspect)

[The water is alive. Once you dive in, it will immediately bare its fangs and attack. But, there's nothing to fear. Don't resist the water. Thrust your fingers into the surface and carve an opening. Then you slide your body through that opening. Moving your arms, your head, your chest...]

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[I was swimming through the pool of the Iwatobi swimming club. When I arrived back at the start blocks, I noticed that Matsuoka  Rin followed me. I pulled of my swimming hat and goggles and flipped my hair. “really, nobody can beat you when you’re in the water, Haru-chan,” Makoto said, mine biggest and best friend. He held his hand out to me and helped me out of the water. “how many times do you want me to say, don’t put ‘-chan’ behind my name,” I sighed. “that really was awesome, Haru-chan!” Nagisa said, another friend of mine, “I wish I could swim as awesome as you do.” “you really are as fast as the rumours said,” a voice sounded and I looked into the direction of it. It was the boy who was swimming next to me, Matsuoka Rin, one of the new members. “what’s your time?” he asked. “I don’t care about my time as long as im in the water,” I said. Rin laughed, “you really are like the rumours said. What do you say, Nanase-kun. Someday, shall we swim a relay together?” ”im sorry, I only swim freestyle,” I said before I walked to the girl on the bench, against the wall.

Her name was Sasabe Ryoma, she’s the daughter of the coach of the club. Even when she was a high diver and never swam a relay or something, she was always here, but I thing she actually was here because of her dad. She was always sitting there, drawing. She draw the most beautiful things and always whore a dolphin necklace. Her mother just passed away and she wanted to become better than her mother was at high diving. Even though she was always scared for the 10m.

“that awesome,” I said when I sat down next to her. “ah, Nana-chan,”she said, “doesn’t it look exactly like you? Your pose, your legs, your arms, your stomach,”she said and poked me with a lil giggle. I looked at her. Dammit, there I got that feeling again, a tingling feeling in my chest, but I didn’t dislike it. “whatever,  how many times do I need to tell you not to call me ‘nana-chan’ again, like haru-chan isn’t awful enough,” I pouted. She giggled, “but I like to call you Nana-chan,” she said, “I mean, nana-chan suits you, I think. Nana-chan I a cute way to call you, Nana-chan is..” “yeah-yeah, I get it, alright?!” I sighed and looked away. Actually, I didn’t really mind anymore when she called me Nana-chan. When she called me that way, I always felt myself unique, special, trusted etc. actually, I would be worry for our friendship if she wouldn’t call me ‘nana-chan’ anymore.  But shen was the only one who called me that, maybe it was just because of that. “oh, its 2 o’clock, I need to jump,” she said and gave me her stuff. “thank you for always taking care of my stuff when I need to jump, Nana-chan” she smiled. 

Makoto and Nagisa walked towards her as she got off the bench. “are you going to jump again?” Makoto asked. Ryoma nodded,  “Daddy want me to overcome my fear and that I’ll jump of the 10m.” she said. “but that the double from what you do now,” Nagisa said, “is the coach crazy?!” “don’t worry, im not gonna do that now,” she giggled, “now I’ll just keep doing the 5m.” “with those somersaults?” Nagisa asked. “three,” Ryoma said proud. “Ryoma, are you coming?” the coach said while he was standing next to the diving boards. The club had two pools, one for swimmers like us, and one with diving boards.  “yes, im coming,” Ryoma said and before she walked towards her father, I took her arm. I looked at her, “be careful,” I whispered]

(today)

Yes, I really had some thoughts back then.  There's an old saying my late grandma taught me. When you're ten, they call you prodigy. When you're fifteen, they call you a genius. Once you hit twenty, you're just an ordinary person. About three years until I'm ordinary. “Man... I can't wait to be ordinary, ” I said against myself while I got under the surface of my bathtub. Beside, after the club needed to shut down, I haven’t seen Ryoma anymore, who knows where she is.