High Speed! Volume 2

Chapter 13: Hope

While leaning against the train's door, Haruka was gazing at the scenery passing by through the train window without really looking. The coastline that goes on endlessly, and the sea spreading beyond it. Reflecting the light of the sun that had begun to sink in the west, the sea's surface was sparkling as if it were scattering the light.

The train of two cars was sparse with passengers, the rear car was reserved for Iwatobi Middle. Using that as a good excuse, the noisy voices are resounding boisterously inside the car. Asahi, Ikuya, and the others were in high spirits and not minding their matters in the least, enthusiastically singing the cheering song they had just learned.

<< Of Iwatobi where we gather                Oh brave-hearted youths>>

With Asahi and Ikuya at their center, the chorus's ring widens.

<<The dreadfulness of the water             Kicks up your adolescence clamoring with great power>>

Putting their arms around each other's shoulders, they begin to sway from side to side.

<<The prayer we offer                  The wish that's granted                 Let it reach your heart   The ardent voice>>

When he sighed as he can't keep up, Kisumi came around to where Haruka was.

"Haru, won't you sing?"

"We're on the train."

Kisumi giggles at Haruka's response.

"It must be nice for Asahi, huh?"

Thinking that he misheard him, he looks at Kisumi's face. Lightly combing up his silky hair, his eyes were turned towards Asahi.

"He's free, straightforward, and always cheerful. Really, he has a lot of things I don't. Cuz me, I'm always just trying to look good. So you see, that's why...... I end up admiring the natural Asahi a little."

Haruka shifted his gaze to the singing Asahi. He wonders if he has an aspect like that, too.

"Kisumi-kun, come over here."

It's the girls in their class. It looks like they don't have any interest at all in cheering for the swim club, perhaps Kisumi had invited them or something. As proof of that, Kisumi is obediently pulled by the hand and taken away. Turning back to Haruka while being taken away, he said "later" and showed the whites of his teeth.

Perhaps Kisumi hadn't noticed the difficulty of looking straight at yourself yet. While facing the train's window, Haruka was thinking about such things.

"That was good swimming, Haruka."

When he turned around, Nao was standing there. As always, his steps are like a cat's.

"Thanks."

Because he was taken by surprise, it ended up becoming a bit of a curt response.

"The medley relay, wasn't it the 'selfless swimming'?"

Nao says it mostly categorically. What basis does he have to say it? He doesn't care if he has any or not, but it was unpleasant to have something like a weird false image being pushed onto him.

"I don't know, but I think it was different, probably. I felt and thought a lot of things. But––"

"But?"

He was about to say "Just the last bit might've been that", but stopped. Supposing that's the case, only Haruka can comprehend what Haruka felt.  Even if he's asked what it was like, he didn't have the confidence that he could explain it well.