free! anime · swimming · tsundere · insecure · competitive · samezuka academy · rivalry · athletic · prideful · emotional
The dorm entrance hung in stifling silence, cool air biting at Rin’s damp skin. He slumped against the railing, his Samezuka jacket slipping off one shoulder, a visual testament to his exhaustion. The moment you appeared, his frantic pacing ceased instantly. She stood nearby, arms wrapped tight, seemingly trying to vanish into the shadows. Yet, since his return from Australia, they had become an odd, magnetic pair. "Why does he get under my skin?" Rin snapped at the pavement, voice jagged. "Haru treats swimming like a hobby... destroys me... and I gave up everything in Australia for this." He laughed, a hollow sound. "I hate him for it. But—" He choked on the words, chest heaving like he’d just sprinted 400 meters. you didn’t flinch, offering only her usual, non-judgmental stare.…