Nito', Kaito and I make our way toward Aya-chan's place of work. We make our way inside and my bubbly cousin waves frantically.

"Aoi-chaan!" she beams. It's not busy in the coffee house so Aya can escape from behind the counter to embrace me.

"Hey Aya-chan!" I laugh awkwardly. "You remember Nito' and Kaito."

"Hey guys!" Aya-chan grins widely.

"Well if Sho's here now he'll be trying to escape." Nito' mutters.

"He won't be here yet."

"But." I spot a blur of blond pass me by. I take hold of the blond. "Hinata's here." I smile sweetly.

"Shit." the blond mutters.

"So you didn't come over to see your favourite cousin! Aoi-chan! You're so mean!" Aya-chan pouts.

"Well, not today... I've been helping out at coach Sasabe's pool with Makoto for almost a month now but we're almost no longer needed so soon I'll be coming back more often." I gabble.

"How sweet!" Aya-chan tugs on my arm and pulls the puppy dog eyes. "What sort of ridiculous thing did he do that's making you look away from me Aoi-chaan?"

I sigh. "The kids thought we were married."

"Oh my god! That's so sweet! They're like six, right!" I nod. "That makes it even more cute! Why are innocent little kids so cute!"

"Oh, I forgot that Aya-kun works here." Hinata says.

"Bad choice of hiding place." Kenta agrees.

"You're still looking away! HAS HE PROPOSED!"

"AYA!"

"No?"

"NO!"

"Dammit, can I be the maid of honour when he does?"

"He won't."

"But he WILL! He loves you so so so much!"

"Man, they sound like little kids."

"And you cry as much as a little kid does."

"That...that was mean Kenta!" Nito's eyes well with tears.

"Seriously Nito', I can't believe Rin'll consider you for captain if you can't take a joke!"

"That wasn't funny!" Kaito defends.

"Kenta...that was a bit harsh."

"Gomen."

"Look." I turn away from my cousin. I can feel the innocent teasing glare at the back of my head. "Hinata, Kenta, what made Sho act up?"

"Aoi-chaaann! Aki's been hounding me for weeks! I need to talk to you!!!!" Aya stomps her foot, ridiculous aqua wedges pounding against the wooden floors.

"Why don't you ask him yourself Aoi?" Hinata offers, ignoring the strop coming from my cousin.

"Speak of the devil and so he appears." Kenta snorts a laugh.

"Damn." Sho mutters. "I forgot you knew my route, Aoi."

"Sho." Kaito says.

"Please." Nito' looks strained.

"You guys just don't give up, do you?" the bespecticalled brunet sighs.

"Not really. That's why we're on the Samezuka swim team, is it not?" I smile sweetly.

"Fine." Sho turns away, leading the six of us to a secluded table.

"Finally." Hinata says.

The six of us sit down, all of our eyes are trained on Yoshida Sho.

He opens his mouth.

...

((Did you really think I was that much of a bitch? XD That's low guys!))

...

"Basically." Sho slumps down, elbows on the table and head in his hands. "I haven't realy got a choice about what to do. Sure I would love to go away and learn those MFLs in their countries but I have a future laid out for me."

"Huh?" I tilt my head.

"The Yoshida family has a business that Sho's meant to inherit after going to the local university." Kenta explains.

"Oh..." Kaito says, starting to assess why Sho was so mad at Fubuki.

"He was taught MFL's to make sure he knew how to communicate with those who aren't good at speaking Japanese." Hinata adds.

"I can talk for myself you know." Sho mutters.

"...Sho, please don't be mad. Fubu' and Mei didn't mean to force those ideas on you." Kaito says.

"So you're here to be Fubu's voice of reason?" Sho queries, glaring at us. He sighs, shoulders slumping. So slouches, leaning on the wall so he's sort of sideways.

He pushes up his glasses. "The fact that they wouldn't shut the hell up made me madder than their ideas. I just don't want to think about what'll happen after we graduate. It's not something I'm looking forward to, I want to just enjoy what we have now."

"Okay Sho, we're all sorry."

"No. You three are sorry. Don't apologise on the behalf of the people who didn't give enough shits to apologise on their own." he snaps. Kaito flinches.

"Sho..."

"We just didn't want to alarm you..."

"Let's justgo back to Samezuka. Nobody wants to spend the day like this." Nito' suggests.

"I agree." Hinata stands.

"Nito', sorry again. My sense of humour is terrible sometimes." Kenta excuses.

"Don't worry. I cry a lot. Common knowledge. C'mon Kaito." Nito' smiles.

Kaito too stands up. Sho gets up too.

"It was you who got them here. I'm not sure whether to be happy or not."

"Don't worry, Sho."

"Aren't you coming? We have training in half an hour."

"I have to talk to Aya-chan. I'll be back soon." I wave to the shaggy haired bespecticalled brunet.

...

((Again, did you really think I was that big of a bitch? :P Low))

...

My cousin takes off her apron. Her shift's over. I tilt my head as she orders somethng after going out from behind the bar. Two somethings.

Aya struts toward a table, tray in one hand as if she's gracing a catwalk in her ridiculous shoes. I follow her.

"Sit." I am commanded. I do as I am told.

"Aya-chan...about Aki..."

"He has been HOUNDING ME!!!" she whines. "Jun's sick of it. I'm sick of it. How is Rei COPING at home with Akira?"

"He gets drunk a lot now. He usually passes out. Rei's been spending lots of time at Nagisa's place. You know, Hazuki-kun."

"Akira was mad at Rei too. He thinks Rei's gay and is...doing stuff with his teammates."

"Rei is gay."

"That part was obvious. He clearly loves the little blond, Hazuki-kun." Aya nods, sipping from one of the coffee cups.

"I was home when that happened. I ended up crashing at Makoto's to avoid Akira's wrath."

"Don't you think avoiding him will fuel the fire."

"I don't care for Akira. I don't want to here what he has to say." I admit. "I'm sorry if that puts a strain on you and Jun and all but I really don't want my douchebag of a big brother assuming that I am with child."

"Is that SERIOUSLY what he's assuming."

"He's noticed that I gained weight."

"In muscle!"

"That's what everybody else said." I sigh.

"And Makoto would never do anything like that unless you wanted to and you are on that scholarship."

"You don't think I know that." I giggle, face on fire.

"What! Have you guys actually talked about that!"

"Aya... you're being loud." I chide, looking at the floor. Everybody's staring.

"Sorry." She pouts."But you two have talked about that?"

"Not really. Sort of, only to humour Akira's idiocy. We've only been together for a year." I blush violently, sipping my own drink.

"You two give off that be together forever vibe." Aya admits. I almost choke on my coffee.

"You think so!" My eyes are shining.

"Totally! I've got a bet going with Jun and Johan. Jun thinks you'll marry like a year or two after you two start work. Johan thinks you'll be married before your second Olympics."

"And you?"

"I think Makoto will have proposed before the second Olympics but I doubt you'll marry while you're in Olympic mode." I put my head in my hands, hearing Aya's beliefs. "But I wouldn't be surprised if he gave you something to seal you as his."

"Do you think Rei and Aki have caught those vibes." my voice is more like a sqeak than anything.

"Rei clearly has. Doesn't take a genius." Aya-chan rolls her eyes. I sigh, sinking in my chair.

"Aoi-chan? What's wrong?"

"He might be going away." I murmur, looking Aya in the eyes.

"Going away? For higher education?" I nod in response to my cousin's question.

"He's got his eye on a University in Tokyo." I state.

"Oh Aoi-chaaannn!" Aya-chan jumps up and hugs me tightly.

"I'll miss him so much." I hiccup.

"I have a plan. If he gets a spot in the University, give me a call." Aya says.

Ring. Ring.

"Crap! That's Rinrin! Looks like I'm busted, training was meant to start five minutes ago. I have to go! Sorry Aya-chan!" I gabble.

"Go, baka." she giggles. "Finish the drink first."

I nod, downing the coffee. I give Aya a quick hug.

"Come back soon!" Aya calls as I collect myself and prepare to run.

Thank god Rei's a former track and field athlete. I had to learn how to keep pace.