For a moment it felt like being back in Iwatobi, instead of three thousand miles away in Indonesia. Back when Rin had been willing to teach him to swim, and his biggest challenge was staying afloat (instead of sinking like a stone to the very bottom). It hadn’t been that long, all things considered… But it felt like a lifetime.
Graduation would do that, he supposed.
“I’ll remember.” He promised, and let Rin detour back into the centre for his own events. “And good luck!”
An hour was just long enough to get down to the locker room, showered and changed, his swim bag slung over his shoulder as he hurried back down the way he’d come. The sports plex felt like a bit of a maze, the impression only heightened by the sea of unfamiliar faces, and different Asian languages.
All beautiful in their own way, yes– but a little disorienting when taken all together!
Rei arrived at the right pool jump in time for the swimmers to take their marks. He wondered if Makoto and the others were watching the event back in Japan (he hoped so). People didn’t give him a second glance, not with his swim bag and wet hair, as he slid into an empty seat near the entrance, his eyes moving across the lineup until he found Rin.
He was just one voice in the crowd as he yelled and cheered with the rest, as the starter’s whistle blew.
What his ears hear when he went back to Mikhail is a ten-minute scolding. How could he wander off like that without a heads-up? What if something happened to him? Rin proceeds to do his thing, doing a few stretches as his coach is showering him with ‘what if’ questions. Then followed by ‘not cool’. He should really drop the slang in all honesty.
The time has come. Time flies fast. Rin carefully places his swim cap on his head, making sure to neatly tuck his maroon hair in all comfortably. Then he puts on his goggles and doesn’t move his hand away before he gives his signature tug to the strap. A grin conveying determination and self-assurance is etched on the shark’s exterior. Once the swimmers are called to get in position, Rin is without his jacket, leaving him with his long-legged swimskins.
On your marks. Rin’s form, along with the others’, is bent over the jumping stand, one leg stretched back. His eyes are fully focused on the clear water which he is planning to tame and become one with. As soon as the whistle blows, with a strong kick Rin propels his leg, giving him the advantage of a flawless start. Now he only has to keep it up.
Diving in the water always feels magical. Rin believes that with hard work everything can be achieved. And as he is swimming, he could only think about the finish line. Everything else is a blur. It’s time for a turn, his body comes in a crouching position against the wall of the pool before he springs himself back in the opposite direction. He has a rival that is quickly catching up, however. He could sense him right on his tail. But that doesn’t mean anything. He continues pushing forward.
The last milliseconds will determine who will qualify. As soon as Rin’s hand hits the wall, he lifts his head out of the water and inhales. The crowd’s cheering becomes louder now that he perceives the surroundings. His name comes in second only by 0.5 secs from the first. He raises his fist in triumph, knowing he qualified.
After the swimmers have gotten out of the pool, Rin’s gaze wanders to look around the crowd. And since Rei is sitting not too far from where he is, Rin spots him and nods his head with a smile. Then he turns to talk with his coach for a bit, using a towel to dry himself.
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