Free!

The water is alive.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, groups or events is purely coincidental.

Once you dive in, it immediately bares its fangs and attacks.

But there's nothing to fear.

Don't resist the water.

Thrust your fingers into the surface and carve out an opening.

Then you slide your body through that opening.

Moving your arms, your head, your chest...

His swimming always looks so smooth.

Yep, like a dolphin!

Who's that?

Matsuoka Rin.

He transferred into our class last week.

Nobody can beat you when you're in the water, Haru.

Stop calling me that already.

That was so cool, Nanase!

I wanna swim like you!

You're fast just like the rumors said.

What was your time?

I don't care about my time.

That's just like the rumors said too.

Hey, Nanase.

You interested in entering a relay with me at the next tourney?

I only swim freestyle.

That's right. I don't care about getting faster times.

All I want is to feel the water.

With my skin, my eyes, my soul...

To never doubt what it makes me feel.

To believe in myself.

To embrace the water.

To welcome it.

We accept one another.

Yeah...

There was some funky stuff going through my mind back then.

There's an old saying my late grandma taught me.

At ten, you're called a prodigy.

At fifteen, a genius.

Once you hit twenty, you're just an ordinary person.

About three years until I'm just that.

Man...

I can't wait to be ordinary.

Rage on, until you have to look away

from the blinding light

Why did you show me our city reflected in the water?

I stray, but fly true

With my hand I felt

a world I had known nothing of

When we race I feel I'm pulled into a maelstrom

I only chose the drop point

Show me the truth

Now's the time for our dreams, but we're ready for grief

Say goodbye

r Freedom machine r

Rage on, until you have to look away

from the blinding light

The sun is blazing on my world

I don't feel like turning around

On your mark

There's no going back on our path

Get set, here we go

Reunion at the Starting Block !

Good morning, Mrs. Tamura.

Good morning, Makoto.

Take this with you.

Oh, thanks.

See ya around!

Take care now.

Good morning.

Oh, come on...

Excuse me.

Naturally, he's here.

I'm coming in.

Good morning, Haru.

I told you to lay off the nickname.

You were in the bath with your swimsuit on again?

Buzz off.

You're gonna be late.

That's my line.

Wait, why are you grilling fish?!

I haven't had breakfast.

And you're wearing an apron over a swimsuit.

Aren't you cold?

I don't want to get oil on my swimsuit.

Toast and fish?

So?

Why did you come get me?

You didn't show up for the opening assembly yesterday.

I called in sick.

Do you know which class you're in, then?

We're in the same class again.

Class 1.

We've got some new lady as our homeroom teacher.

They already gave her a nickname.

She teaches classical lit., but she's a little on the odd side.

It needs to get warmer so I can swim in the ocean.

I hope it gets warmer soon so you can swim.

Mr. Tadokoro Junichi.

Here.

Ms. Tezuka Kaori.

Here.

Nanase Haruka

Nanase Haruka

Um...

Ms. Nanase Haruka.

I'm used to being mistaken for a girl.

Ma'am, Haruka's a guy.

Oh, you're right!

I'm sorry, Nanase.

You were absent yesterday, right?

I'm Amakata Miho, your new homeroom teacher.

Nice to meet you.

I heard Ms. Ama is from this area.

She went to college in Tokyo and found a job there,

but she came back after her dream fell through.

What was her dream?

Beats me. Maybe music?

We're supposed to be learning from a woman who became a teacher as plan B?

I want to go home.

So, lunch...

Wanna eat on the roof?

He needs to get a clue.

Gou, what are you doing? Hurry up!

Hold on!

And don't call me Gou!

Sorry!

I didn't bring lunch.

Gonna buy something, then?

Or do you want some of this?

Squid.

Haru! Mako!

It's been forever!

I'll be joining you here at Iwatobi High School.

"Mako"?

"Haru"?

Nagisa?!

How many years has it been?

I don't think I saw you after the swimming club was shut down.

Yep, because I went to a different school.

There're cherry trees next to the pool!

Weren't there some of those next to the pool at your grade school, Haru?

Can you stop calling me that?

But that's your name, Haru.

That pool's old and nobody uses it, though.

There's no swimming club, either.

Where do you swim, then?

I quit swimming competitively.

What?!

Why'd you quit?!

I was all excited about getting to swim with you again in high school!

We're not little kids anymore.

Things aren't the way they used to be.

Haru...

Well, he may've stopped swimming competitively, but he still loves water.

Haru can't live without being in water.

During the summer, he swims in the ocean, and he was soaking in the tub this morning.

What does that have to do with swimming?

That just means he likes baths.

I know! How about a hot springs club?

Let's start a hot springs club!

I can't stand the heat.

Nagisa hasn't changed one bit.

Don't be like that!

No.

Okay, then...

I refuse.

I didn't say anything yet.

Aw, I should've gotten the same thing you did.

Hey, did you hear about how the swimming club we went to in grade school is gonna be torn down soon.

So before that happens, how about we drop by?

To dig it up?

Exactly!

We can sneak in at night...

You can go by yourself.

Don't say that!

Come with us, Haru.

I'm not going.

Don't you think it'll be fun?

I don't.

Why don't you just humor him?

No, it's too much effort.

There's a pool there.

A pool is much bigger than a bathtub.

Wow...

You live alone, Haru?

His mom went with his dad when he had to move because of work.

Wait, fish again?

Nobody's forcing you to eat it.

Looks delicious.

Haru was always a good cook.

So, are you sure about this?

Weren't you all for it earlier?

Getting cold feet?

It's not that.

Is it okay for just the three of us to dig it up?

Can't do anything about that.

Rin isn't in Japan anymore.

I won't be going to middle school here.

Huh? What do you mean, Rin?

I'm going to Australia.

You mean you're going to a different country?