Track #13: For The Team, For The Future [Free! -Eternal Summer- 岩鳶・鮫柄水泳部 合同活動日誌2]
/For The Team, For The Future/
Gou: Well then, everyone—I’m counting on you! Nagisa: Okay! This is celebrating Haru-chan and the others’ graduation, after all! Gonna give our all prepping for it! Rei: Indeed! I’ll prepare some perfect decorations! Nagisa: Ugh, Rei-chan—that’s a sure sign you’re gonna fail! Oh, hey, Ai-chan—mind getting those plates for me? Nitori: Ah, of course! And some paper cups too… Nagisa: Thanks! Nitori: Everyone will be here soon, so we need to hurry! Momo: I’m super proud of this stag beetle gelatin! Whatcha think? Nitori: Uuuh, Momo-kun… Are you sure that’s fit for human consumption? Momo: How rude! It’s full of stuff stag beetles love, like rich honey and apples and cucumber and— Nitori: Ugh, I’m getting heartburn just hearing the ingredients Nagisa: Ooh what’s that? It looks delicious! Rei: Everyone, please get a move on! Nitori: Oh, right! My apologies. Come on, snap it up, Momo-kun! Momo: Gotcha! Makoto: Wow, this looks amazing! Sousuke: A lot grander than I was expecting. Nagisa: Ah, Mako-chan! Gou: Sousuke-kun! Makoto: Sorry, we’re here a little early. Nagisa: You came together? Makoto: We ran into each other earlier. Sousuke: Rin said he had some place he needed to stop by, so he left before me, but… Nitori: Rin-sempai isn’t here yet, though… Makoto: I think Rin’s with Haru. I got a call from Haru right as I was leaving, saying Rin had called for him and that I should go on ahead without him. Sousuke: Then I guess that means we’ll be waiting a while. Want some help? Momo: We’ll be fine! You third-years are the guests of honor, so please have a seat! Sousuke: I see. Makoto: Well, if you insist, then… Nagisa: I wonder where Rin-chan and Haru-chan stopped by… Rei: Indeed. I’ll bet it’s… Nagisa: Ah, Rei-chan—you realized too?? Rei: It’s pretty nearby, after all… Nagisa: I just hope those two don’t get into a fight… Rei: Indeed.
Haru: What did you call me out here for, Rin? Rin: Yo, Haru. Ah, it’s no big deal really—I just wanted to see this sakura tree…here at Iwatobi Elementary. Haru: You could’ve come and seen it by yourself. Rin: Aww, c’mon—don’t be such a sourpuss. After this, I’m gonna be in Australia—and you’re gonna be in Tokyo, right? So I figured before that… Haru: …It’s just like before. They’re still not blooming yet. Rin: Yeah. Still…was this flower bed always this small? The bricks looked so much bigger when we were in elementary school… Haru: You just grew taller, that’s all. Rin: That reminds me…we competed to see who was taller during our physical examination, didn’t we? Haru: And I was taller. Even Makoto said so. Rin: No, I was! Makoto was just saying that so he wouldn’t hurt your feelings! Plus—right now, I’m the taller one! Haru: We’re hardly any different! And it’s still too soon to tell. Rin: Hey, I might grow even taller than now too! …This is just like back then, too, huh… When I invited you to swim the relay. Haru: Most people wouldn’t transfer schools just to swim a relay. Rin: Aww, what did it hurt? I’m the type who goes straight for what I want the moment I’ve made up my mind. That’s why I invited you to swim the relay with me. Haru: You forgot to mention how annoyingly persistent you were. Rin: Hey, say instead that I was enthusiastic! Well, that just goes to show how much I wanted to swim with you. You’re glad you did it though, right? The relay. Haru: …Whatever. Rin: C’mon, fess up! And it was under this tree…that I said I was leaving for Australia, huh. Haru: Yeah… You do everything too suddenly. Before, too—I never would’ve imagined I’d go on an international trip right before Nationals. Rin: It was a surprise. Haru: How was that a surprise? Rin: It’s fine! You got to see some nice things, didn’t you? Haru: …I suppose so. Rin: Hey…Haru? Sousuke thinks…that swimming is a solo sport. He wants to swim alone, carrying the burden himself—that’s what he told me, before. Haru: And the one who taught him that there’s more to it than that…was you, wasn’t it? We’ve both been entrusted with our friends’ feelings; that’s what’s brought us this far. Rin: We weren’t swimming alone… Haru: Nope… And that’s why, from now on, we’re going to keep swimming with our friends. Rin: Whether I go to Australia, or anywhere else, that’s something I better not forget, huh! Haru: There’s no way you would. Rin: Heh, I guess not! Nagisa: Ah, I knew they’d be here! Haru-chaaaan! Rei: Haruka-sempai! Momo/Nitori: Rin-sempaaaai! Nagisa: Everyone’s waiting! Rin: Got it! We’re coming!
Nagisa: Hey, Rei-chan? Rei: What’s wrong, Nagisa-kun? Nagisa: Y’know… I’m really excited. Rei: Excited? Nagisa: Yeah… About the future! Haru-chan and Mako-chan are going to Tokyo universities, and Rin-chan’s going to Australia. Everyone’s shooting for their own dream! And I’m really excited about that! Rei: Nagisa-kun… You’re right! It’s easy to decide your own limits; but I’m sure there’s something waiting beyond those boundaries you set! And for that, you have to keep marching forward, to the future! Nagisa: Yup! We’ve gotta do our best too! Rei: Indeed! Nitori: We’re the same in Samezuka! We’ll take those thoughts and feelings entrusted to us by our sempai and use them to take that next step! Momo: We’ll be challenging Iwatobi again with our strongest team! Rei: The beautiful rivalry competition between Iwatobi and Samezuka! Nagisa: We won’t lose! Nitori: Neither will we!
Rin: What are those four laughing about? Haru: Rin… [pause] Let’s get along well from now on.※ Rin: Sure!
※Haru says これから、よろしくな。 He’s not explicitly saying, “Hey man, let’s try not to tear each other’s heads off lololol”, he’s saying a rather standard stock phrase—yoroshiku. This phrase is one of the most difficult phrases in the Japanese language to translate (especially without sounding overly formal, as I kind of have here), despite being fairly easy to understand. In this particular context, Haru is using this very common, stock phrase that basically means, “Let’s support one another/help each other/take care of each other/treat each other well/give each other a helping hand/etc.” It’s got approximately 5000 translations, so hopefully I’ve chosen something that kind of gets the gist across!