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DIVE!! (Light Novel) - Book 3 Chapter 1 - Wave
Book 3 Chapter 1 - Wave
This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml
The summer where water spray scattered beneath a blue sky passed, and the practice location moved to the Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center again on September 1st. On the next day after the night of the Olympics decision, Youichi had to hastily visit a certain place.
After his high school welcoming ceremony was finished and he was about to return home, Keisuke was waiting for him in a business suit that did not suit him.
“Sorry, but do you mind taking the day off from practice today? The matter of the Olympics decision was reported, and the president of Mizuki said that he definitely would like to see you. It’s sudden, but you are supposed to greet him at Mizuki headquarters.”
“To Mizuki headquarters?”
Mizuki was a leading sporting goods company that directly managed the MDC, which he belonged to. To Youichi, its headquarters located on Ochanomizu Street was also enemy territory in a certain sense. Its former chairman—Asaki Kayoko’s grandfather—established the MDC in hopes of developing the Japanese diving world, and after his death it was a well-known fact that the Mizuki management saw it as a burden. In order to let go of that dull, comparatively money-draining elephant, they wanted to wash their hands of the MDC that had continued to be under deficit management.
This was a sudden call from the enemy camp.
Youichi’s feet were heavy as he climbed the train to Ochanomizu. If his father didn’t work under the umbrella of Mizuki, he could have been completely enthusiastic about this demand. Thinking like that was too annoying, and his own obedience from just heading out like this also irritated him. When he saw the “Mizuki” logo, which was particularly noticeable from a towering group of skyscrapers, he added another reason: if they had plenty of money to maintain that building, then they could fix the torn-up mats.
The person who greeted Youichi in that condition when he arrived at the president’s office on the twelfth floor was, in a sense, an extremely cunning old-timer.
“Congratulations on the Olympics decision, Fujitani Junior-kun! No, no, it’s Youichi-kun, isn’t it?” The president of Mizuki said with his sagging old face inscribed with laugh lines all over, as he looked at Youichi’s face. “Well, I had occasionally heard your story. I was rooting for you secretly to do it someday, but no, no, you finally did it. When I received the report about the Olympics decision, I clapped my heads together without thinking. Therefore, I wanted to congratulate you directly. It was wrong, but I wanted to invite you all the way here for that reason.”
Even a cat would run away from that wheedling voice (1), which had passed the point of “how calculating” and reached the area of “you came all the way here” It was absurd to get seriously angry when it was this open, and Youichi’s ardour was dampened.
To begin with, he didn’t trust people who kept repeating “well” and “no, no.” Though the people in the diving world and the media were sometimes like that, their rude attitudes were only for athletes with bad results, and they only edged up amiably to those who were bathed in the spotlight. That was always their goal.
What’s this guy’s goal?
Next to Youichi, who was examining the president’s expression, Keisuke said, “Not at all, not at all” as he stooped at his waist.
“It is all thanks to Mizuki’s assistance that we are able to come this far…”
“No, no, no doubt this is a great achievement all due to the capable coach named Fujitani-kun. It was founded seven years ago, and how wonderful it is that they were pulled all the way here. The former chairman, the founder, would be rejoicing in heaven. Now, if you are able to win medals he might actually return from heaven, gahaha…”
“Not at all, not at all, something like winning medals is very, very…”
Although the president’s “no, no” rubbed him the wrong way, he felt a certain sense of flattery in Keisuke’s “not at all, not at all.” Youichi was fed up with the two’s exchange, and even wanted to break it up with a “now, now,” but then the president invited the two of them into the interior of the reception room.
“Ah, well, since standing and talking is so troublesome.”
The reception room, with only a little air conditioning, worked too well on Youichi, who rarely turned on the air conditioner. As though he was freezing, he put on his school uniform blazer that he carried in his hand while he stepped into the room, where there was already a man who looked like an employee, sitting on an L-shaped couch that enclosed a glass side-table.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, standing up when he saw Youichi’s face and held out his business card. “I’m Takada from the PR department.”
Takada still looked young compared to the title of “Department Head” written on the card, and he looked over Youichi shrewdly beneath his cheerful, smiling face. From the top of his head to the tips of his feet, his persistent eyes ran over him unblinkingly, and then finally he nodded, as if applying a seal of approval.
“Much better than from the photos. Nice face, nice style, nice skin! The length of your limbs is especially good. That silhouette would always be more attractive than TV personalities in that area. Yes, he’s definitely hip, President.”
“I thought so. Well, I also thought that when I looked at him just now.”
“If he also has a cool way of talking, he could be a sports commentator after retirement. Oh, but a diving commentator seems like they’d have a lot of free time.”
Without trying to sound apologetic, Takada turned to Youichi and lightly lifted his right hand.
“Youichi-kun, why don’t you raise your right hand like this, and try saying ‘Unexpected happening, the blue miracle of Ocean Blue surprised us too?’”
“Huh?”
Unexpected happening?
“What’s it for?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine, I’m just asking you to do this for us.”
Without knowing what was fine, Youichi stayed still, and was pressed from the side by Keisuke.
“Hey, Youichi.”
Youichi was irritated, and loosely raised his right hand like a ghost.
“Unexpected happening, the blue miracle of Ocean Blue surprised us too.”
“Wow, just like a modern-day moody high school student! President, he really is hip!”
Just when Youichi wanted to tell Takada that the word “hip” itself was already unhip, the president, who was watching their exchange with satisfaction, said something unexpected.
“Ah, that is hip, Takada-kun. Well, it looks like it will be an interesting commercial, won’t it?”
“Commercial?”
So that was what this was.
Mizuki, which dealt with sports equipment in general, was currently dealing with the development of sports drinks. The first of them, called “Ocean Blue!”, was expected to be on sale nationwide extensively next summer. They had already begun production on promotional events and commercials.
“A boy standing on the ten-meter platform. His shining body bathed in the sunlight from the skies! He will soar greatly, eventually disappearing into the water while drawing a beautiful somersault. The boy, who dived into the pool, discovers a bottle of Ocean Blue at the bottom. He grabs it and rises to the surface, his face emerging from the water with a splash. And, before he knows it he’s in the middle of a vast ocean. The boy is surprised at seeing the bottle in his hand. And so, he says, ‘Unexpected happening, the blue miracle of Ocean Blue surprised us too!’”
Hey, isn’t that hip? Takada said as he laughed, baring his large front teeth.
“That said, though it’s still in the rough stages, we’re planning to solidify the details after. We’re expecting to sell this product by linking it with the Summer Olympics, so we’re not rushing the commercial too much. Well, for the time being, Youichi-kun, I ask you to prepare yourself, and I’ll also be contacting you with the details later…”
While Youichi still hadn’t said yes or no to it, Takada kept talking on and on as though it was a done deal, and Keisuke and the president listened as though the matter of agreement was settled.
It was a strange feeling. The more people talked about him, the more he was ignored here. He was becoming an invisible person who cannot be seen by anyone…
Something was beginning to move.
They were focused on him.
Yet, it had nothing to do with him.
Youichi was seized by this strange feeling.
Initially, he didn’t even know why he was chosen as an Olympic representative. He received no explanation from Keisuke about the meeting that would be held this evening, and had no idea about the criteria and details of the qualifying trials.
What policy did the JASF change?
Why did they choose the representatives so quickly?
While Youichi was lost in thought, Takada left, replaced with other employees who talked on and on about something, but Youichi was no longer paying attention and was not listening. Well done. Do your best. We’re expecting great things from you. Come back with medals. All in all, it was a parade of those sorts of phrases. Why did he have to be burdened with the expectations of those who had never stood on a ten-meter?
In the end, the only thing that remained in his memory of the day was the promise he made with the president when he was about to return home.
“If anyone from the MDC goes to Sydney, then Mizuki will not close down the MDC. Do you remember that promise you made with Coach Asaki?”
Since he had to take the day off practice, he wanted to at least bring back the promise as a souvenir. To Youichi, who tactfully broached the subject, the president assured him generously, while throwing his head exaggeratedly, that “well, well, I’m beaten!”
“Of course I will keep the promise. In the event that you win medals, we’ll make original swimsuits for the MDC and distribute them to everyone in the club.”
“More importantly, the mats used for dryland training had been torn up for the last three years.”
“We’ll give you new ones immediately.”
“What I meant was that if they were fixed they could still be used.”
Despite the president barely keeping his lips fixed in a smile to Youichi’s provocative retort, his eyes were no longer smiling.
“An environmentally-conscious high school diver? Well, well, you are indeed an unique character.”
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It was three in the afternoon when they were finally released from the reception room, which seemed to have turned as chilly as a whirlwind. After leaving the headquarters carrying things like t-shirts and towels, all stamped with Mizuki’s logo, Keisuke spoke to Youichi with a worried tone.
“You are probably exhausted from that unfamiliar experience. I was too when I was in your shoes, but the Olympics are like a series of huge waves. Once you let down your guard, you get swallowed by them.”
The words went through his right ear, and Youichi tilted his head as though letting them fall out from his left ear.
“Is that stupid commercial the first wave?”
Keisuke responded seriously while stiffening his expression.
“I just heard about the commercial this morning and, honestly, I was surprised. Nobody can say until official word comes, but I think it’s a chance to get the minor sport of diving in front of the eyes of more people. In any case, getting the public’s attention is not a bad thing.”
“Would that commercial even kickstart a diving boom?”
“Even just one or two people is fine. If someone feels like they want to try diving because they saw your commercial, that’s just fine. It had been the longstanding desire of the whole diving world to increase the number of athletes.”
“Unexpectedly, the JASF is reluctant to train young athletes, and they don’t take out any large training expenses, either. But in spite of that they still make sure to collect the prize money earned by athletes and commercial performance fees.”
“They are only temporarily pooling it together. They will return it after your retirement.”
“But they’ll take their cut of it before that happens, won’t they.”
Keisuke restrained the bitter Youichi with his eyes.
“I know you’re suspicious of the way the JASF does things. But, don’t forget that it was the JASF that chose you as a representative.”
“I shouldn’t complain because I got chosen?”
Keisuke looked away without answering, his feet speeding up in unfamiliar leather shoes.
For the MDC, the JASF was a large organization that could never be opposed, just like Mizuki. The JASF led all of the groups involved in water sports all over the country, from SCs (swimming clubs) to DCs (diving clubs), from school clubs to private groups, so there was nothing good about defying them. Keisuke’s back, moving ahead at a quick pace, said all of that.
The wind that blew between the buildings was lukewarm, and the shadows that occasionally appeared beneath their feet disappeared easily with some sort of obstructing object. Youichi was indecisive as to whether chase after Keisuke, who was walking at a quick pace and whose back seemed like it would disappear any second, or if he should just lose sight of him like this. While he hesitated, the traffic light turned red, and he was able to catch up with Keisuke, who stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing.
Catching Youichi in the corner of his eye, Keisuke swiftly turned around.
“By the way, it was very good of you to bring up the mat issue. It had also been on my mind for a long time. If they are fixed, everybody will be happy.”
“Huh?”
The light turned green as Youichi faltered at this splendid switch of topics, and the two walked at the same pace again.
When he was with Keisuke, Youichi always felt unsteady, like he was at the tip of a springboard.
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Translation Notes
1. The kanji used here is “猫なで声” which has the character for “cat” in it, so it’s sort of like a voice that someone might use to get a cat to come over to them.
