"Haha you have to supervise the newbies at the swimsuit store!" Hinata laughs.

"Shut up Hinata, I wanted to go." Nito' pouts.

"You were worn out after one contest with them and you didn't even participate!" Sho laughs, pushing his glasses up.

"But Mei and Ami and Aoi have to go too!" Kenta snorts.

"Well stop showing off that you get more study time or get on the bus." Nito' laughs.

"Nahh, let's go and train." Hinata grins.

"I wish I was at training." I sigh.

"If you want Aoi, we can go on an extra long run on Friday." Mei-chan assures.

...

"Oh god." I glance at the garnet eyed girl. "Mei-channn."

"Shit!" she gasps.

"Kou-chan!" Ami-chan yelps.

"Hey girls. You shopping too?" we nod.

"What are you doing here? You're so far away from town!" I ask.

"I'm looking for protein powder."

"GOUU-SAAAAAANNNNN!"

"Mei-chan! Ami-chan! Intercept! Kou-chan, come this way." I try to move her but Momo shoves his sister and sister for all intensive purposes on the floor, slamming into me.

Momo babbles on and on as I crawl toward my friends.

"You girls are blind." Kuruno-kun scoffs.

"Shut up Kuruno-kun. Momo knocked 'em over." Hika-chan holds her hand out to Mei-chan, my original roommate helps me to my feet while Hika'-chan hauls Ami-chan onto her feet.

"Which do you like better?" Mei-chan asks, holding out swimsuits. One is white, a bandeu style, sweetheart. The other is portland orange. Both are very Mei.

"You can't wear bandeu swimsuits in tournaments." Kuruno-kun states.

"This isn't FOR tournaments." Mei-chan snaps.

"The white one. It looks better with your skin tone. The orange is too close to your hair colour." Hika'-chan states.

"I am way too fond of the silver tummyless swimsuit!" Ami-chan pouts.

"I think it would look good." I pipe up.

"Can't wear it in contests." Kuruno-kun groans.

"You don't think I know that? I swam in top swimming schools in Tokyo. I KNOW, Kuruno-kun but honestly. One can always have one more swimsuit." Ami-chan retorts.

"Haruka would like you." I muse.

"Isn't captain Rin dating a Haruka?" Kuruno-kun asks.

"Hey maybe we should ask for Rei's opinion." Ami ignores our sharper roommate.

"Don't you think that Hazuki-kun would be a bit distrubed by seeing photos of girls' swimsuits in Ryugazaki-san's inbox?" Hika'-chan muses.

"I honestly think that Aoi needs a new swimsuit!" Mei-chan states.

"You do?" I cock a brow.

"Yeah! You've been wearing the one with the bow too much! I'll pay and everything!" My jaw drops.

"We'll pay. You're splitting it with me. I agree, The swimsuit you seem o be favouring is doing great things for you but surely Makoto's bored of the same old swimsuit." Ami-chan adds.

"BUT she might be trying to avoid a nose period." Mei-chan giggles.

"He's only had a nose bleed three times." I pout.

"Eww!"

"It happens when someone loves your body Kuruno-kun. Aoi, you should be proud that his nose has bled three times.

"There's no way I'm listening to something so foul."

"Hey look." Hika'-chan points to where Rin, Nito', Momo and Sousuke are with Kou-chan.

Sousuke and Kou move aside as Nito' suggests a swimsuit for Momo. We can tell by the look in the lachrymose boy's eyes that he's aggrivated with roomming with the younger Mikoshiba brother.

"He's kidding right!" Ami-chan snorts, pointing at the green pawprint trunks Nito's holding up to Momo with a false smile.

"No Rin! Don't suggest a speedo! Stop being all captainy!" Mei-chan sniggers.

"N'awww look at Kou and Yamazaki-senpai." Hika-chan has us look away since Rin seems to have heard us.

"But...SEI!" Mei-chan gasps.

"Mei-chan. LOOK closer. He's looking at her dotingly. Brotherly. He sees her as a sister and isn't standing in the way of her relationship with Sei." Sousuke and Kou both glance in our general direction after that.

We turn away and are faced by a frowning captain.

"Ami." Rin growls.

"Sei's still in contact with Kou!" she yelps, steering Momo in front of her as a shield.

"Abandon ship! Abandon ship!" Hika'-chan teases.

We disperse thoughout the store, ending up in the bikini section.

Ami-chan and Mei-chan steer me into a changing room and hand me swimsuit after swimsuit. I grimace. Bikini after bikini. I thought we didn't want Makoto's nose to bleed.

I groan.

...

"Hey Nito', you alright?" we ask when we get into bonus training.

"Holy shit." Hika'-chan gasps.

"It's EMPTY!" I add.

Hinata, Sho and Kenta aren't here. Nor are the third years. OR the first years. None of them wanted to stay but Momo who turned around when he saw the deserted pool. There are minimal people here that haven't just come in; Fubuki, Kaito and Sei'-san in the outer lane. I spot a familiar face in the bleachers too. Johan!

I head up there.

"Johan!" I hug him.

"I was worried I was going to miss you before I went to the airport." he chuckles, tussling my hair.

"No way! I'm barely out of the poolhouse!" I giggle.

"I was starting to worry." he admits.

I hug my cousin.

"Good luck!" I beam.

"Aoi. I wanted to TALK before I left." he smirks. "I know you know I met your boyfriend the other day." I blush.

"Yeah." I nod.

"He loves you. He loves you A LOT. That boy clearly means a lot to you too, Aoi, you're a freaky kid. We all know it. And he's accepted that. Hold onto that boy." I blush at Johan's words.

"Thanks for the advice Johan. I had no intentions in breaking up with him anyway...I love him too." Man this is awkward.

"Good to know." he messes my hair up and I hug him. Johan kisses my head and proceeds to walk over to Rin. They exchange pleasentries and Johan departs. I go back to the pool.

"Ready for relay practise Aoi-chan?" Mei-chan asks.

"WAIT!" Momo sprints back. "Ryugazaki-senpai! I have to beat you!"

"Huh?" I cock a brow.

"Please don't senpai me Momo." I roll my eyes.

"I NEED TO BEAT YOU."

"Momo, it isn't going to happen. She is CONSTANTLY annhialating her PB. You'll never catch up. She's got too much to swim for." Mei-chan rolls her eyes at her younger brother.

"I'll race you Momo." I nod.

"It's pointless!" Ami-chan protests. "You know you'll win."

"100m, okay Momo."

"Hai!"

"Ready! Set! Go!"

...

"Owww!" I whine. "Someone get me some ice for my foot! I think it's going to swell!"

"I'll get it Ryugazaki-senpai!" Momo races out of the main body of the Samezuka pool house.

"Aoi-chan?" Mei-chan asks. I sigh, standing up and heading toward my towel without flinching.

"You...You...you threw the race so Momo can be in the relay!" Mei-chan gasps. I gulp as Mikoshiba Sei'-san climbs out of the pool.

"You threw the race for my little bro'?" I am asked. I nod, head hung. "Thank you."

"Huh?"

"Thank you Aoi, thank you for making Momo feel good about himself."

CRASH!!!!

"Nii-chan!" we sigh as the younger brother cries for his big brother.

He delves into his swimming bag and produces what looks like a makeup bag. In it are lollies, plasters and cold compresses. The plasters are decoracted with stag beetles.

"NII-CHAAANNN!" Momo cries.

"Go Macroshiba!" Ami-chan giggles, pointing toward the first aid room. Sei'-san shakes his head, jogging toward where the wailing Momo is.

"Thanks Aoi-chan." Mei-chan puts her arm around me.

"Tch, you're too sentimental." Kuruno-kun rolls her eyes, leaping into the pool.

"Thanks for the input Kuruno-kun." I shake my head.