Free! Iwatobi Swim Club~Tachibana Makoto x Reader: I Come Alive, Alive

Tachibana Makoto x Reader: Summer Paradise

Hey everyone!!! I'm excited for the next chapter because it'll be really special :3 I have also decided on how I will continue this story. Just a quick overview, it will be focused on you guys (the readers) and your overall outside life. I hope it'll be enjoyable to read and without further ado, Chapter 32!

Your POV

"Alright, yay! Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me," I beamed and hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" Makoto asked as he walked out of his living room.

"Err, just some friend," I replied and smiled.

The both of us got out of the house, ready to go to the airport. Today was the day that Haru and Rin were returning from Australia. Nationals being in just 2 days, Nagisa and Rei were training hard at the stadium.

"Ahh! We're late!" Makoto looked at his orange watch and panicked. We stared at each other and ran to the bus top.

*Timeskip* Your POV

Thank god, we made it on time because when we reached the airport's "Arrive" section, Haru and Rin just finished departing from the plane.

"Haru! Rin!" Makoto called out when we saw our two friends.

"Makoto! (y/n)! You came all this way to meet us?" Rin asked and they walked towards us.

"Well, you must be tired after your trip," Makoto said. Then he turned his attention to Haru and smiled. "Haru... Welcome Home."

Haru's eyes widened as he looked around awkwardly. "Thanks."

Rin and I shared looks and we both grinned. "Let's go. Everyone is waiting," I told the three boys and they nodded.

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The four of us got off the bus and walked to the stadium where the Nationals was being held at. "We all got here today to start preparing for Nationals," Makoto explained and we looked at the colossal building.

"I'm gonna go meet up with my team. See ya," Rin said and he started walking away.

"Rin!" Rin stopped and turned around. "Thank you," Haru said.

Rin had a surprised look on his face, but he smiled. "You bet!"

After Rin left, Haru and Makoto went ahead to meet up with Nagisa and Rei. They probably had a lot to talk about and hopefully Haru came back from Australia with a dream. As for me, I decided to follow Rin and meet up with Sousuke.

"Hey onii-san!" I cried when I saw him walking into Samezuka's pool. I ran towards him and tackled him into a big hug. "How was your trip?"

"It was good," Sousuke said and he ruffled my hair. "I got to see father and I helped him out with his buisiness for a few days."

"That's good to hear."

*Timeskip - At Night* Your POV

The two days breezed by so fast and within a blink of an eye, it was already the night before the Nationals. Everything went swell; Haru came back from Australia happy and alive with willpower, the boys were lavished with splendor and determination for the Nationals, and I finally achieved what I've wanted to do.

Since it was a special night, we were able to order as many things as we wanted for dinner and Ama-sensei was willing to pay for all of it. But soon, our feast was over and the sky began to darken.

"Look, the ocean is glowing!" Nagisa exclaimed when the four of us were walking by the pier. We all looked at each other in amusement and watched the beautiful water glistening with lights.

"If you think back to when we first started our swim club, it's pretty amazing that we made it this far," Makoto said aloud when we were examining the illuminating night. "(y/n) you weren't there, but we couldn't even use our pool in the beginning."

"Yup! Everything started with us fixing up that pool," Nagisa continued. "Back then, all Haru-chan cared about was getting to swim. I remember going to the hardware store and Haru stripping once he saw a tank filled with water."

We all laughed and Haru smiled in embarrassment. "Rei didn't join the swim club at first too. In fact, he originally joined the track team," Makoto told me.

"Yeah. At first, it made no sense to me at all on why I should join the swim team. But Nagisa-kun would always constantly bug me and soon when I got invited, I was instantly fascinated by Haruka-senpai's swimming," Rei said. "But I couldn't keep up with any of you guys. Even at our training camp, I had to be rescued by Makoto-senpai. It's because of all of you that I learned how fun swimming and the relay could be."

"It was all thanks to Nagisa for suggesting that we form a swim club in the first place," Haru added.

"You don't have to mention that again, Haru-chan," Nagisa told him.

"I think you've really worked hard, Nagisa," Makoto said. "I was a little worried when you ran away from home and I was impressed that you were able to manage both the club and your studies."

"I agree with Makoto!" I jumped in. "Nagisa in fact, when I first came to Iwatobi, you were the one that suggested I should join the swim team. We all had a wild ride this year and although I wasn't with you guys from the very start and never swam with you guys in any tournaments, I can tell you guys have all grown."

"And we will continue growing! Next year, we will continue to improve and-"

"Nagisa," Rei interrupted and put his hand on Nagisa's shoulder. "What are you saying? After tomorrow's tournament, all third years will be retiring. Next year just won't be the same, with Makoto-senpai and Haruka-senpai and (y/n)-senpai gone."

Suddenly, tears fell from Rei's eyes and Nagisa's as well. "I...I...I don't want Haru-chan, Mako-chan, and (y/n)-chan to leave. I...I want all of us to be together forever!" Nagisa cried.

"I do to!" Rei yelled. "We finally made a big friendship between us...I don't want that to be gone!"

Makoto, Haru, and I exchanged looks and our faces sulked, as Nagisa and Rei continued to cry. Before I knew it, I had tears streaming down my face too. I...I don't want this to end either. I...I want us to continue swimming...and having fun...and living young...and being free...

"Now now." I looked up and saw as Makoto placed his hands on Nagisa and Rei's head. "Don't cry. You guys are men, aren't you?"

"Mako-chan!" Nagisa buried his face in Makoto's chest as I balled my eyes out. I cried in my hands and felt Haru patting my shoulder.

"Besides, there is nothing to cry about. Nothing's over yet. The four of us will still swim tomorrow," I heard Makoto say.

"Makoto is right." Then the four boys stopped and they stared at me. I wiped my tears off with my sleeve and smiled. "We will always be connected, even if we end up walking in different paths."

"There won't be an end for us," Haru concluded and the five of us stared at each other. We all nodded in agreement with sniffs and comfort. On that silent night, we were bonded and united as one.

Summertime Sadness... I love Free! and this moment teared me up when I watched it. I hope you guys enjoyed this and please leave a vote and comment if you did. So many nostalgic moments and it makes me so sad knowing Free! had ended. I want to see my cute loving swimmers again and see them being wild. We all gotta remember, ~Free! Forever <3~