CHAPTER 1: QUALIFICATION

"Qualifying in mens' 100 meter backstroke, Akio Ikeda. Time of 54.24."

The crowd inside the Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center applauded, but above the roar one female voice could be heard screaming wildly. "Fuck yeah!" The twenty five year old woman shouted, earning a dirty look from an elderly Japanese woman standing to her left. "Wooo! You murdered that backstroke!" She swung her arms up, her elbow bumping the woman's shoulder.

"Sorry!" She lowered her arms and gently touched the woman's shoulder. The woman replied in Japanese, her eyes squinting as she took a step backwards. Blake couldn't make out most of what she said due to the crowd noise, but she did catch one word. American.

Blake smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "Not today, today we are Japan all the way!" She raised a fist into the sky and cheered some more even though the finals for the 100 meter butterfly were about to begin. "Good luck to whoever you have competing," Blake gave the elderly woman a quick wave and then began shuffling her way out of the crowd.

She was seated in the second row meaning getting to the swim floor was easy, however trying to get past the security guard proved difficult. "Manager," she yelled over the applause, "See," she pointed down at her official badge, "For Ikeda-san."

"You'll have to wait until the event is finished." The guard pointed over his shoulder to the pool.

Blake nodded in understanding and tried to calm her running thoughts by watching the 100 meter butterfly event, but it did little to lower her excitement. After all these years of training, after falling short in the trails in 2016, her cousin Akio had done it. He'd qualified for the Olympics. It meant even more to her considering he had placed 3rd yesterday in the 100 meter freestyle, placing behind another newcomer by the name of Haruka Nanase. Today was his last chance, their last chance. She had after all been his official sports nutritionist and manager for the past three years and his unofficial manager and biggest fan since they were children.

"Qualifying in mens 100 meter butterfly, Rin Matsuoka. Time of 51:56."

"Damn that's fast," Blake whispered as she watched the names and times of the participants flash onto the screen. "Hey, can I go now?" She lightly tapped the security guard's shoulder, who with one more check of her badge let her through.

Blake jogged into the hallway, pushing past coaches, managers, and swimmers. As she turned towards the post heat waiting area a security guard shouted at her in Japanese to show her badge. "Blake Anderson," she smiled and held up the badge that hung from her neck, "Here for Akio Ikeda." She said the last part while sprinting past him, assuming if he had an issue with her response he'd stop her which of course he didn't. Security had bigger fish to fry than a young woman running through their hallways.

"Akio!" Blake yelled once she saw her twenty two year old dark haired cousin. He had been sitting on a bench, towel draped over his now dry shoulders and his focus on a man in a dark blue track suit that stood in front of him,

"Blake," Akio stood up, his 6'1" frame towering over the man he had been talking to, "Calm down." He laughed as his cousin embraced him tightly, her head resting on his chest and her feet excitedly tapping up and down.

"I am just so proud of you," she released him from the hug and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Yeah well you're proud now just wait," Akio looked past Blake and back towards the man he had previously been talking to. "Blake this is Nakamura-senpai, Nakamura-senpai this is my manager Anderson-san."

Blake turned around and tucked her raven colored hair behind her ears, her shoulders rolling back and her posture straightening. "Kon'nichiwa," she held her hand out and firmly shook the man's hand taking note of his appearance. Nakamura was taller than her, yet shorter than her cousin. If she had to guess he was around 5'11", broad shoulders that implied he used to swim once, but the wrinkles on his face showed his age along with the wire spectacles that sat comfortably on the bridge of his nose. On the left side of his blue track suit jacket was engraved the Olympic rings, on the other the Japanese flag. An Olympic coach Blake concluded, and her demeanor changed.

"Eigo o hanasemasu ka?" Blake asked, trying to use her best inflection to ask the man if he spoke English.

"Yes, I do," the gentleman smiled, his accent think but his English very understandable.

"Perfect, so my name is Blake Anderson. I am Akio's sports nutritionist but more importantly his manger. Judging from your jacket I assume you're on the Olympic coaching staff?"

"You've judged correctly, and based on your accent you must be American. How is it you two are related?"

"Our moms are twins," Blake explained, "Akio's father is Japanese and mine is American, but even though we were born in different countries we are still very close."

"I can see that, and he has many compliments to say about you."

"He better," Blake smiled, "Well now that he was qualified there are some things I'll need to know. For starters I'll need an up to date list of practice times, and we will also need contact information for a host family considering we will now be in Japan through the Olympics. We will also need to schedule individual practice time, Akio where is Coach Chiba anyway- does he already have the practice information? If so then-"

"Blake," Akio interrupted her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Slow down, Coach Chiba is already contacting host families and he has the schedules. Nakamura-senpai was here to talk about something else."

"Yes Ms. Anderson I actually was here to ask Akio-san if he would be interested in swimming the backstroke portion of our men's medley."

Blake's brown eyes lit up and an ear to ear smile adorned her face. "You said yes right?" She turned to her cousin.

"Of course, means team practices and team press but figured two events was better than one."

Blake turned back to Nakamura but his gaze was now elsewhere and he was speaking Japanese. Despite spending every other summer in Japan until she was eight Blake's understanding of the Japanese language was poor. When Akio moved to America he would attempt to teach her his home language, so would her Uncle, but the language just never seemed to click with Blake. She attempted to understand what Nakamura was saying, but could only make out the words "teammate" and "join".

Akio leaned in towards Blake, already having grown accustomed to having to translate for her. "He's talking to another member of the medley, see." He nodded his head towards where Nakamura was looking. Blake looked and noticed a tall, muscular man with maroon colored hair and eyes to match. When he smiled she noticed sharp canines, yet another feature that made this swimmer stand out among the rest. She raised an eyebrow and realized he looked somewhat familiar.

"Was he in the last Olympics?" She whispered to her cousin, her eyes never leaving the male who was walking towards them.

"Yeah, didn't place though, fast as hell in butterfly."

"This is Matsuoka-san," Nakamura said in English, aware that Blake had been lost the moment they switched to Japanese, "He will be swimming butterfly in our medley."

Akio shook his hand and they exchanged some "nice to meet you"s in Japanese before the shark toothed male looked to Blake. He extended his hand and spoke in Japanese, she understood the greeting (Hello my name is Rin Matsuoka) but the rest was lost.
"Gomen'nasai," Blake shook his hand, noticing his firm grip. She could tell he was confident and an experienced swimmer, which of course he'd have to be to make the Olympics twice. "I do not speak much Japanese. My name is Blake Anderson, I am Akio's manager."

"Oh, American?" Rin replied in English. He was understandable through the accent, a sign that he had learned and practiced English more than the average Japanese citizen.

"Yes," Blake was used to the confusion by now. With her long black hair, dark eyes, and light complexion she could in some instances pass for a quarter or maybe even half Japanese. She was after all managing a Japanese Olympic swimmer, so first instinct wouldn't be that she was American. "It is nice to meet you Matsuoka."

"Call me Rin." He said it nonchalantly, a quick smile and then his attention was back on Akio and they spoke in Japanese. Nakamura excused himself and Blake stood awkwardly waiting for the two males to finish their conversation. Finally with a shared laugh Rin said his goodbyes in Japanese and gave Blake a quick "bye" in English and was on his way.

"Jeez," Akio mumbled, turning around to dig into his duffel bag and find a shirt.

"What?" Blake sat down on the bleacher, pulling her phone out of her back pocket to see missed calls and texts from her mom, dad, aunt, and uncle.

"Guy has awesome qualification time for butterfly and 200 meter freestyle, but talking to him he's most invested in the medley."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Medley's are nice and all but swimming is an individual sport. He already wanted to start setting up practice times with me."

"Still not seeing the issue."

"I need to focus on backstroke- that's where I want the gold."

Blake shrugged and looked up from her phone. She scanned the room and noticed Rin slinging his arm over a black haired, blue eyed male who seemed rather unenthused. Blake recognized the man. It was Haruka Nanase the one who had beat out Akio for a spot in the 100 meter freestyle. "Good point, these guys in here are our competition when you think about it. We come first."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: A new Free! story inspired by the Olympics! So this story will take place post what happened in the series with the boys (yes eventually all will be in the story) in their 20s. Feedback, suggestions, general thoughts are always appreciated!