Free! A rare member

Rescue!

"GUYS! LOOK WHAT I FOUND!"

Gou, the manager of the swim team, came running out of the building holding a yellow stained piece of paper.

You had been talking with Makoto and Rei, a guy from the track team who joined after a lot of begging from Nagisa. The three of you looked up. Nagisa and Haru, who were doing stretches, walked up too.

"Look! It's a paper for this training camp the club did before they closed down! Isn't it the perfect exercise to build up our stamina?" The red-haired girl exclaimed enthusiastically.

You took a closer look at it. It kinda just seemed like childish drawings. "Uh... What is it? " You asked carefully.

Gou rolled her eyes. "It's a camp where the members swim about 4 miles between each of these islands and run 1 mile on each island. They do this every day for about 5 days. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Nagisa gasped and took the paper from her hands. "This sounds awesome! Can we please do this?" He asked, his eyes turning like those of puppy's.

You noticed Makoto kept silent. When you glanced at him he was gazing at the ground. You paid no mind to it. "Do we have the money for it?"

"We'll just do it on a budget," Gou said. "We just need permission from Miss Amakata and a couple of tents. So, are you guys in or not?"

Nagisa grabbed Rei's hand and put it in the air. "We're in!" Rei blushed and put his hand down, scolding at Nagisa.

You nodded and grinned. "I'm in too."

You looked up at Haru and Makoto. Haru seemed to wait for Makoto's answer. Once Makoto noticed everyone was staring at him he put up an innocent smile and nodded too. "Sure, I'm in. We can use my family's camping gear."

Now everyone was looking at Haru. He scanned Makoto up and down before shrugging. "It's fine by me."

Nagisa and Gou cheered loudly. You smiled at their happiness.

***

You, Nagisa, Rei, and Haru were waiting outside of Makoto's house, who was getting the tents. Gou and Miss Amakata were already in the cars.

He came out together with Ran, who apparently wanted to say goodbye properly. She jumped forward and nearly climbed on top of you. "(y/n)! (y/n) Can I come too?! Pleaaaase?"

You giggled and crouched down. "What did your older brother say?"

Her smile disappeared and she pouted. "He said I couldn't come." She mumbled softly.

"Then what do you think I'll say?" You asked, petting her head and standing up again.

She whined. "But I really, really, really wanna come!"

"Come on, Ran. I already said you can't come. You have to take care of Ren." Makoto smiled.

She looked up at him and pouted again for a few seconds. But she quickly turned happy again and grabbed your arm. "Will you tell me if you see any mermaids?" She asked enthusiastically.

You warmly smiled and nodded. You heard Gou press on the horn of the car. "Hurry up! Couch Sasabe is waiting for us!"

You and Makoto waved goodbye to Ran and the rest of the team carried the tents to the car.

All of you were bantering and telling jokes all the way there, even on the boat. Once you arrived you packed out everything, got mad when you realized Gou and Miss Amakata were sleeping in a hotel and ate breakfast.

After breakfast the five of you gathered up on the beach. Nagisa was hopping in place and was already taking his shirt off. "Let's go already! How long are we planning to wait?"