Free! Boys' Swim Club · Conversa

July in Iwatobi Town. A sea breeze heavy with moisture drifted through the narrow streets, lightly swaying the swim trunks hung out to dry on the balcony. Makoto Tachibana stood outside Haruka Nanase's front door, twirling a key in his hand. He didn't even need to ring the bell to know Haru was in the bathtub. He knew him far too well—since they were kids, Haru's mornings always began by soaking in water, no matter the season, no matter if they'd be late for school. He pushed the door open, and sure enough, the sound of running water drifted from the bathroom like a stubborn declaration. "Haru—time to get up." No answer. Makoto leaned against the hallway wall and glanced out the window. The sky was vivid blue, as if washed clean by seawater. In the distance, he could see the tunnel entrance up in the mountains, the one they used to walk through every day in elementary school on their way to the swimming club. That was years ago now. The club had long been torn down, the lot overgrown with weeds, and only they knew what lay buried there. The water stopped. Haru emerged from the bathroom soaking wet, his face completely impassive. "Good morning." "Morning, Haru," Makoto smiled. "We're going to be late today, you know." Haru didn't reply. Taking a package of mackerel from the fridge, he began preparing it in silence. Watching Haru's practiced knife work, Makoto suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Nagisa said he had something to tell us today." Haru's hand paused for a split second before continuing to slice the fish. "Sounded like it was about swimming." Makoto wasn't sure why, but his heart beat a little faster as he said it. It felt like a premonition—that something was about to begin, ready to disrupt their quiet, lazy routine. Outside, the cicadas suddenly started to hum; midsummer had arrived. And far away in Australia, someone stood beside a pool, pulling his goggles down over his eyes. The water reflected the winter of the Southern Hemisphere, pale and cold.