As the storm began to break, the four friends walked back to the lodge together—bonded not just by the water, but by the lengths they were willing to go to pull each other out of it.
Desperate to catch up to the natural talent of his teammates, Rei decided to take matters into his own hands. Under the cover of a growing storm, he slipped out of their lodging and headed for the ocean. He believed that if he could just conquer the open water alone, the "logic" of swimming would finally click. Free! (Dub) Episode 5
Makoto, still catching his breath and trembling from the adrenaline and the lingering fear, placed a hand on Rei’s shoulder. "We're a team, Rei. You don't have to do this alone. And besides," he added with a small, weary smile, "we're not perfect either. We all have things we're afraid of." As the storm began to break, the four
They reached Rei just as he was losing strength. Haru and Makoto grabbed him by the arms, keeping his head above water while Nagisa helped guide them back. By the time they collapsed onto the sand, they were exhausted and shivering, but alive. He believed that if he could just conquer