Translucent Waters (Nanase Haruka Love Story) (Free! Iwatobi Swimming Club)

Chapter Eight: Relaying the Lines

Chapter Eight

Relaying the Lines

 

Mizushima Kasumi’s Point of View

            I stood there awkwardly as the Yukimura team was deciding whom to send out in the relay—Ryugazaki or Rin. My teammates were chit chatting endlessly of the event and how they were to improve themselves. Either way, we would still win, considering that there was one tie, three wins for us, and one win for them.

            “Kimura . . . Ace this with all you’ve got. You gave Makoto a rough time there, keep that up,” Akiyama-taichou encouraged. “Arisu . . . Up it up with the nice work! And then . . . any improvements for me?”

            “Keep it up,” I exclaimed half-heartedly.

            “Ha, funny,” she rolled her eyes sarcastically. “And then . . . Kasumi . . . push it until the very end. To tie with Nanase like that is incredible, and hardly even feasible. You can do it. Again, push it till the very end, girl!”

            “Still, I did not win,” I muttered under my breath.

            “I heard that, you know,” she pointed her finger up and down as she walked over to line up for the relay.

            After putting on her swim cap, Kimura jumped feet-first into the water and got into position. The boys were already up and ready to go. By the looks of it, Rin would be versing us.

            “On your marks!” the speaker announced the start of the game. “Get set . . . And go!”

            Kimura was already up and at it. The both of them were even, neck and neck, as they swam the best that they could to the midpoint. Flipping and using the board panel as a quick start, Kimura managed to increase her speed to return to where we were. Stroke after stroke, she eventually reached the ending point, slamming her arms against panel, as Makoto ended his turn at the same time as her.

            Arisu, still in her upbeat mode, was sailing across the first fifty meters as if it was a breeze. Upon reaching the end, she slipped against the slippery panel and was halted for a short bit. Nagisa was trailing past her by that very moment. Still intent on reaching there in time and not to fail her teammates, Arisu handled the complication very well, arriving at the end point just a little behind Nagisa.

Akiyama was behind Rin by just a few centimeters. Continuing to persist and set a good example for the rest of us, she reached the midpoint at the exact same time Rin was at. As the ace of our team, what else would you expect from our captain, eh?

By the time she was three-fourths way into the race, I stepped up onto the swimming panel. Once she touched the board, I leaped into the waters. My starting leap was perfect, strong enough to reach about five meters in. When I looked at my side to breath, I saw Nanase catching up behind me. I could have sworn that he was a little less behind . . . With that thought in mind, I swam farther and harder, reaching the midpoint in about twenty seconds. Returning back to the ending point, I was slightly nervous, but this was now or never . . . Show them what I’ve all got, or nothing . . .This was my chance to prove myself . . . That I was better than him.