Free! - Sink to the Bottom

(2) Chapter 8: Wheelchair man

Makoto Tachibana

"You can do it, Akane," I cheer as the little kid stands on the starting block. He's nervous, that's clear to me.

"You can do it!" the other children cheer with me. They've already jumped in.

Akane's legs are shaking heavily. I walk towards him and ask, "Are you scared to jump in?"

Akane looks at me and nods. He seems ashamed of it, but he shouldn't be. The starting block is really high, esspecially for a kid his age.

"Would it be less scary if I help you?" I ask and Akane nods. I jump into the water and stand in front of the starting block. "I'll catch you, okay?"

Akane nods another time and gets ready to jump into the pool. Before he's able to jump in another kid – Hana – points at something, distracting Akane.

"What's that man doing?" Hana asks and everyone looks at the other side of the pool, including Akane. Akane loses balance and falls forward.

"Aah!" he shrieks when he falls off the starting block.

Fortunately I'm fast enough to catch him before he falls face first into the pool.

I look at Akane, clamping himself onto me. "Are you okay, Akane?" I ask.

Akane nods, but holds me tightly.

"What was that about, Hana?" I ask.

Hana looks away, blushing. "I'm sorry, Akane and coach Tachibana."

One of the other children puts her hand in the air. "Coach, can people in a wheelchair swim?"

I frown and chuckle awkwardly. I wonder where this is coming from. "Some can, why do you ask?"

Hana opens her mouth and points at the other side of the pool. "There."

I look at where Hana's pointing at and gasp.

There's a young man with black hair transfering himself from his wheelchair to a starting block.

I feel a smile appearing on my face as I realize that this can only be one person.

It's Haruka.

"Is he really going to jump in?" Hana asks.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Akane asks.

I shake my head. "Not for him."

"How do you know, coach?"

I look at the kids and say, "That's a real good friend of mine." I say it with a smile. It feels like I'm showing off, but I'm just really proud of Haruka. "That's Haruka."

"Can we cheer him on?" Hana asks.

"Yes, coach!" the other kids ask. "Can we?"

I nod. "Okay."

"Go! Haruka!" Hana shouts, followed by the high-pitched voices of the other young kids.

Haruka glances at us. He seems confused when he sees the group of kids cheering him on.

"Go! Haruka!" I yell once, hoping he notices me.

Haruka's eyes meet mine and a smile appears on his face. I looks back at the water, his hands clenching around the edge of the starting block.

I pushes himself off the starting block. He moves forwards, straightening his body.

He dives into the water.