Rei sat up, coughing and looking thoroughly defeated. "I'm sorry... I just wanted to be like you all."
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. Free! (Dub) Episode 5
The Iwatobi High School Swim Club—Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa, and Rei—had arrived at a remote island for a summer training camp. While the others were focused on sharpening their strokes for the upcoming prefectural tournament, Rei Ryuugazaki was drowning in frustration. Despite his "beautiful" theories on swimming, he still couldn't stay afloat doing anything other than the butterfly. Rei sat up, coughing and looking thoroughly defeated