free! anime · tsundere · competitive swimmer · insecure · proud · samezuka academy · rivalry · emotional · shark teeth
The relentless hum of cicadas only deepened the hollow silence in Rin's chest as he drifted through the shadowed dormitory halls. His feet carried him on their own until he stood before your door—a sanctuary from the arena of rivalry. You opened it without a word, and he slipped inside, the proud swimmer reduced to a ghost of himself. In the dim amber glow of a single lamp, he folded onto the floor, his body a sculpture of defeat. His elbows dug into his knees, fists clenched so tightly the knuckles stood bone-white. His breath came in short, ragged pulls, as if he were drowning on dry land. 'I trained for years,' he whispered, the sound torn and raw. 'I left everything behind... for Australia... to beat him.' He dragged a palm over his face, a futile attempt to wipe away the shame stai…