A couple of days past and we are all getting ready for the tournament. We were all talking about what events we were participating in until Gou ran to me first and showed me this pamphlet thing that says stuff about a training summer camp and how it is a deserted kind of thing. She then showed it to the guys and they were all pumped up for it until we asked Ama-chan. We went to ask her to see if we have enough money for it and she said that we don’t and pulled out another weird quote from whomever.
We then all walked away from the store we came from where we bought Popsicle sticks to eat. I decided not to get one while Rei, Nagisa, and Gou all bought their own while Makoto and Haru shared a double stick Popsicle. We were all discussing about the camp and how it was unfair that we can’t have one because of the school budget. Until, Makoto got fired up and told us how we can have one without having to spend money.
Then, we all went to Makoto’s house and waited for him outside. I slipping away from the crowd and went to the little grave Makoto set for his fish; I clapped my hands together softly and prayed for it to rest in peace. That’s when Rei noticed me doing it and asked about it then both Nagisa and Rei came and prayed with me too.
Once we got all the equipment we all went back to Haru’s house and dumped everything on the floor. Well not dumped but we placed everything nice and neatly on the floor. Now that we have everything we just needed a ride.
Me: I’m ordering pizza again so whoever is eating you better say something!
Nagisa: SASABE-SENSEI!
Me: Urgh, again? We need him again? Okay, okay fine! Hello? Is this Pizza boy? Yes, yes, will Sasabe-san be delivering again? Yes? Alright thank you!
Once he arrives we all sit down to explain to him our situation like last time and wait for his response. In the end, Sasabe-san gave in and is going to sail us over and back to and from the deserted island for our training camp.
            After we all finished talking and eating, Sasabe-san left, and Makoto, Haru, and I escorted Gou, Rei, and Nagisa to the train station and waited for them to enter the train. When they did we all started to walk home together. Makoto was happily talking about what we are going to do and stuff while Haru stayed quiet. I just talked with Makoto so that he wouldn’t think of his incident of the ocean.
            Haru: Are you really okay with it?
            Makoto: Eh?
            Haru: ...ocean….
            That was when it got Makoto to stop and think for a second before answering Haru with an ‘I’m okay, that was a long time ago’ and a smile. However, to me I didn’t buy the whole act but went with it anyways and continued walking home with Makoto and Haru.
            The next day we woke up early and got dressed and ate breakfast early. We packed a couple of days before hand before we actually forgot. Haru, Makoto, and I walked to the meet up place where Rei, Nagisa, Gou, and Sasabe-san were waiting. Shortly after we arrived, Ama-chan came and as a token of her gratitude she gave him a lunch box or whatever that was wrapped in a towel. We then all set sail to the island for out training camp.
            Once we arrived at our camp Rei was still feeling sea sick and the view was quite nice. I helped the guys unload everything off the ship until they were all like,
            Makoto: Leave all the work to both Haru and I alright Shi-chan?
            Me: Eh? NO THANKS! I want to do something too!
            Haru: Then carry this *stacks a blue cooler in my hands* and this *stacks an orange cooler on top of the blue one*
            Me: GRR! FINE I WILL!
            I started walking off where our camping area was until Rei started to tell everyone to come and check out Samezuka training here and is using the swimming the pool. I just turned away and went back to all our stuff.
            Nagisa: Eh? Shi-chan, please wait up for us!
            Me: I wait for no one. If you all wish to return to camp please do so now and stop looking at Samezuka’s swimming team practicing. We need to practice ourselves too but at our own pace. I wish for us to start practice after we unpack.
            Everyone then agreed and decided to go back to camp to unpack. While we unpacking we were all deciding who was going to sleep with who. I brought my own tent and sleeping bags so I would be sleeping by myself; or so I thought! After we were finished with day one of our training we sat down and ate together. Since Ama-chan forgot the seasoning Gou volunteered to go get some. We waited for Gou to come back, I looked at Rei and told him that it was alright for him to be behind because we are all going at our own pace. So there was no reason for us to rush. He just looked at me and smiled at me uneasy like before turning back to the others.
            Gou came back empty handed without the seasoning and we all just decided to eat the pizza that Sasabe-san gave us. Haru handed me his Mackerel flavoured pizza and I just took it from him, thanked him, and ate it. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy and waited for me to take the first bite of the mackerel flavoured pizza that Haru made. Surprisingly, it tasted really good despite the fact that it looked disgusting.
            After eating, we all decided to go to sleep well most of us did. Gou and Ama-chan went ahead and booked a room at the lounge forgetting about me. I went ahead and set my sleeping bag and pillows in the tent and went to sleep. I slept for a couple of minutes before I hear someone opening my tent. I get up from bed and I see Haru just trying to get in and sleep. I lie back down on my sleeping bag with Haru lying next to me with his eyes closed and on his side. We both then fell asleep and slept for a couple of hours before I heard a ‘help’ out in the distance. I quickly got out of bed, ped my tent and saw that Makoto had left to help Rei who was stranded in the middle of the ocean. I quickly took off my t-shirt and shorts and swam in my swimsuit cause who knows when you’ll need it. I didn’t care at the moment because my main focus was to get both Rei and Makoto out of the water as quickly as possible without causing any injuries.
            However, Haru swam over to my side and took Makoto while Nagisa and I took Rei. We were all swept up by a huge wave and were all separated just for a bit. We then found one another. I walked over to Makoto and asked if he was alright after all that had happened and he said he was fine. We then went to look for a place to warm up and stay until the rain stops.
            We stopped at an old abandoned light house and we walked inside to see if there was any sign of life or signs of food here. We started walking for not even two minutes and Nagisa starts screaming which made everyone scream only to discover a flashlight. So we were walking around with the flashlight on and we came across a kitchen. We were separated into different parts of the kitchen; Mako and Haru with the right side of the kitchen, Nagisa and I with the left side of the kitchen and Rei with the refrigerator. We all went to check or sections first before going back to the fridge where Rei stood there, shaking a little bit. We waited for him to slowly and hesitantly open the fridge doors to find that there was nothing inside it.
            We continued walking around until we found something to wear and something to eat and drink. Currently we are all wearing aprons, eating canned pineapples, canned mackerel, and drinking boiled water to warm ourselves up. After we were done we were forced to play a game that involved a giant paper dice.
            Rei: WHY DOES MY NAME APPEAR TWICE!?!
            Nagisa: Because you are Rei-chan!
            Rei: That’s not a good reason…and what is that supposed to mean…?
            Nagisa: Let’s play! Okay Rei-chan you are up! Hm…what is your most embarrassing moment?
            Rei: Does it have to be an embarrassing moment?
            Nagisa: Go ahead!
            Rei: This happened in fifth grade when we were on an overnight trip and I was looking for something important and the teacher came and held it right up in the air. I didn’t want to claim it because I already feel embarrassed enough to see it up in the air where all my other classmates can see it.
            Nagisa: Ah, so it was your underwear.
            Rei: Don’t rub it in.
            Nagisa; it’s okay if you leave your underwear in the lockers I’ll grab it for you!
            Rei: I won’t do that!
            Nagisa: Oh it’s Haru-chan’s turn! Tell us about your first love encounter
            Haru: So it’s my turn right?
            Rei: Haruka-senpai’s been in love before?
            Mako: I have no idea.
            Haru: This was when I was in grade school, where I went on a trip with my parents to go mountain climbing nearby. That was where I had my fateful encounter. I couldn’t look away; that intensely beautiful, positively vibrant, sparkling and pristine……waterfall.
            Nagisa: Haru that isn’t a love story!
            Haru: I wasn’t done yet.
            Mako: EH?
            Haru: And there by the waterfall stood a beautiful girl. It was love at first sight and now I get to see her every day.
            Nagisa: EH? She goes to our school!?!?!?!
            I just sat there and smiled at them because I knew who Haru was exactly talking about.
            Next was Nagisa’s turn and apparently he had a performance for us to see and it was him, walking like a penguin.
            Haru: What are you doing?
            Nagisa: Can’t you tell?
            Haru: No.
            Nagisa: It’s a rock hopper penguin imitation!!
            Haru: It was?
            Rei: I couldn’t tell.
            Nagisa was a bit taken back at the fact that they couldn’t recognise it at all. Mako then started to laugh.
            Nagisa: Mako! You finally smiled, because you were a little subdued.
            Mako: I’m sorry for making you all worry about me.
            We all looked at him especially both Haru and I because we both knew what caused him to be like this.
            Rei: Um, I’ve been wondering when you went out of your way to save me why did you hesitate?
            Haru: We are not going to talk about this.
            Rei: BUT!
            Haru: Just drop it!
            Mako: Thank you Haru, but I think it’s best for me to tell everyone what happened.  I was scared; I was scared, of the ocean. When I was younger, I am sure Haru and Shi-chan can remember what happened; I would often visit this small fishing harbour that was located in the next town. There was this old fisherman that was really nice and he would even sometimes play with me. During the summer there was a festival near the harbour and I wanted to scoop some goldfish but I had already used up all my allowance. So I just watched the goldfish swim. However, the old fisherman had showed up with some goldfish for me. I was really happy, but then later on there was a big typhoon and the old fisherman’s boat sank. Many people on board drowned. It was three kilometers away from shore. I wasn’t really sad, I was scared. I fed and changed the goldfishes’ bowl but they still died. Ever since then I have been afraid of the water. I always feel as if there is something unknown hiding within the water.
            Haru: That’s enough Makoto.
            Rei: Even so, you still tried to save me
            Nagisa: Hey, can I ask you something? If you’re scared of the ocean then why did you choose to participate in this training camp?
            Mako: Because I wanted to swim; because I want to swim with you guys. When we all swim together, I feel like we can do anything.
            Nagisa: Eh? It stopped raining!
            We all run outside to see the sky and to swim home.
            Nagisa: Wow, it’s so gorgeous!
            Rei: The sky is nice and clear.
            And then Rei starts listing all the constellations that he can see and Haru and Nagisa asked where the mackerel and penguin constellations were.
            Nagisa: Hey, look at this.
            We all stared at the ground to see that not only we were stepping in a puddle but the puddle was reflecting the sky and all its stars and constellations. We all stood there to admire it for a while before I started walking down the rocky stairs and to the ocean shore.
            We all stood by the ocean shore until I started walking to the ocean. They started talking about Gou, or Ama-chan-sensei noticing us and whether they did or not.
            Mako: Oi, Shi-chan! Wait up! Let’s see who can get there first!
            Being me and waiting and wanting to go back to my nice and comfy tent I dived underwater and swam off without them. But they decided to follow after me. It didn’t take long for me to get there and change before they got back. I went in my tent and slept for the rest of the day. When everyone was up I was still sleeping in my own little tent nice and snug. Until Haru decided it was best for him to come into my tent and try to wake me up.
            Haru: Oi, Shi wake up!!!
            Me: No, leave me alone I wanna sleeeeeeeepppp!
            Haru: No. I’m pulling you out of bed in 5 seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2 –
            Me: OKAY I AM UP!
~Fast forward~
It was five days before the prefectures tournament and we all improved so much! Haru’s time improved and so did everyone else’s. Obviously, Mako improved and so did Rei. Nagisa needs to work harder on his . All of the sudden, Gou announced that we need a couch or something.
            Not paying any attention to her I just got out of the water and started swimming again. Pushing myself until I couldn’t feel my arms and legs anymore and Haru has to bring me home.
            Mako: there aren’t any coaches available for us at the moment.
            Gou: THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO LOOK HARDER!!
            Mako: Eheheh.
            Haru: Not necessary.
            Mako: Yeah, Haru probably doesn’t need a coach.