Kiyoko's phone buzzed as the blonde groaned and sluggishly rolled out of bed as she reached for her phone.

"Mum?" her voice hoarse as she pushed up her periwinkle blue eye mask.

'Hey, sweety! Oh, how is my baby?! Is Japan treating you well?! Do you want to go home, all the other mums are dying to see how you are doing! I told them about how you got offered so early!' her stepmother rambled through the phone

"Ah, mum what time is it now. It's six-thirty here! Ah! why are you awake at four in the morning?" she questioned.

'I couldn't sleep-,'

Kiyoko then heard her father's groan

'Kate why are you calling so early?' she heard her father's voice groan.

'I'm talking to Koko dear,' Kate put the call on hold as she then undid it.

'Your father is so sluggish as ever, so how is everything~?' she said in a sing-song tone.

"fine, everything is fine," she replied as she threw her eye mask on her bed walking to her mirror as she brushed her hair.

'Ah! everything is so boring without you sweety! I have no one to spoil, no one to shop with, your father doesn't even like shopping for tuxedoes,' she pouted

"I'll try to update as much as I can, I've managed to get into the art club and also I've joined the swim club-,"

'Wait swim club?! Honey-,' before she could finish Kiyoko hanged up on her getting ready for her day.

---

The next week on Thursday Kiyoko walked into the club room as she in front of her the three boys towering the first-year manager.

"What are you guys all looking at?" she questioned politely.

"Oh! Kiyoko-senpai! I was researching on how other schools train if they don't have indoor pools-! Hey!" As the freestyle swimmer snatched the poster.

"Who pays?" Haru asked

"The club will, who else?"

"Oh yeah, the money," Nagisa recalled

"Just from the flyer, I can tell that the dues at this place are going to be high," Makato noted, "Do you guys think we can all get that type of money together,"

"Maybe we should give up," Makato looked at Haru who just looked the other way.

"No way,' Haru said adamantly

"We could be able to swim all year round!" Nagisa said.

"I gotta go guys, my art president just called in for a club meeting, see you," she waved back.

---

"Where are we going?" Kiyoko asked perplexed as she followed the short breaststroke swimmer to the athletics tracks. 

"I finally found the perfect candidate to join our club," as they all stop, "He's over there!"

"on the track team?"

Kiyoko looked to see a tall first-year boy stretching with cobalt blue hair and sports glasses that hung on the bridge of his nose. Kiyoko uninterested only returned to her book about specialised architecture and the secrets behind acclaimed female Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima.

"Kiyoko are you listening?" Nagisa said as she looked up.

"No, not really,' she said bluntly.

"Anyways it's because of his name, Rygazaki Rei,"

"His name?" Kiyoko said confused

"Yeah, he's just like us. He's a guy, but he's got a girl name,' he turned to his peers.

"I don't," Kiyoko blinked

"Why do you have to have such a pretty feminine name!' Gou pouted as she crossed her arms as she then turned to the guy as her eyes sparkled.

"Well, actually on second thought his (muscle part I didn't hear) are incredible,'

"You really think he should be in our swim club?!" Makato blurted

"Have you ever considered a career in muscles, you seemed to know a lot," Kiyoko suggested

"Don't encourage her!"

"Listen to our manager Mako," Nagisa added

"Hey it looks like he's about to jump," Haru said as they all looked at the boy.

"he's actually calculating everything,' Kiyoko said as they all looked at her in shock.

"How did you know that?!"

"the way his eyes are so focused, his not inhaling and exhaling heavily also he's reciting all the calculations right now," she looked at them as if it was obvious," 

As they watched his starter run as he calculated every move, skimmed through his knowledge like a robot the pole fitted perfectly to the acute angle of the dig as it sent Rei up. His flexibility was something she admired, the way he bent his back at the precise moment and snapped much like a bamboo stick in the wind.

"That guy is a great diver, I mean his form on the pole vault is beautiful," Mako elucidated

"And the view on his biceps are beautiful too," Gou said in awe. 

"Is that all you see?!"

"I say you were jealous on how you always get annoyed," Kiyoko smiled a little.

"WHAT?! I"m not-,'

"Oh no not sexually attracted and don't like the attention other get I mean that your muscles suck and are close to being marshmallows if you don't eat enough and focus on muscle exercises," Kiyoko said as Haru chuckled a little and Gou glared at him in victory. 

"Nagisa what do you think of my muscles?!"

Nagisa's attention still remained on the boy who was in his grade as he remained calculating still on the mat.

---

"Kiyoko-chan!" she turned around to see Nagisa jumping up into the crowd as he waved his arms catastrophically 

"Hey Nagisa,' she said in her usual sweet velvet voice.

"Can you swim with us after school since you don't have an art club for the rest of the week? We're having a practice match with Samezuka Academy can you swim?" he asked

"I heard of them, they're school has a district and a few times national powerhouse swim team. Aren't they all males?"

"Yeah," he said still dumbfounded

"No,' she said simply

"Aw, please! You'll knock them dead!" he whined

"Didn't you hear the part all boy's school? I won't cause they're all guys. I'm not swimming with a room full of guys," she narrowed her eyes, "And in real tournaments it gender-separated dummy," she replied

"Aw, man! We have to find another member now! And quick, hey can you still come. You can give us some pointers on how we swim,"

"Sure I suppose," she responded

"Thank you!' he waved back as he skipped down the hallway.

---

In Samezuka academy the swim team jogged around the school. Rin stopped as his kouhai Nitori panted.

"no one told me it was going to be a joint practice," The maroon haired boy said pissed as the shapes and sunlight poured down through the trees.

Over the past years the boy grew, he was taller and his shoulders were boulder along with his muscular body due to all the training and his jaw sharper and slick; whilst his hairline slightly changed taking on much of his father's resemblance.

"the captain made that call on his own, your younger sister is Iwatobi's manager. Did you see their roster? Haruka Nanase, Makoto Tachibana and Nagisa Hazuki, no one would ever guess that they are all boy by just hearing their names," the grey-head informed as Rin fumed inside by hearing those old names

"How do you know them so well?" he questioned

"Cause I participated in that tournament. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't that the last tournament you swam in grade school?" he asked his senpai who he admired, "My team lost in the prelims. I gotta tell ya that race was amazing," as Rin grunted slightly.

"Oh! Also, its rumoured that they have a really hot girl swimmer who's the only female swimmer-," but he stopped as Rin shook his head and made a tch sound

---

"So this is Samezuka," Kiyoko looked around as she then frowned to see only Gou admiring all the boys stretching with their athletic builds and the thick stench of chlorine roamed the large room.

"I'm in heaven!" Gou said as she starred at swim team as the walked in.

"Hey," the two girls turned around to see the tall fiery red-head captain, "Thanks for coming out guys," as he then made eye contact with Kiyoko and was starstruck. 

"Oh, you must be that-,"

"I'm going to get my water bottle," she furrowed her eyes in annoyance as she went back to get it.

As the captain sweatdropped behind him the shark-like swimmer made his entrance next to his kouahi which he tolerated, grumbling under his breath.

"Oh, hey Rin," Nitori greeted, "Upset about something,"

"No, I'm fine," he then looked at his old teammates and then grimaced mentally at Haru who seemed to tune out whilst the Samezuka captain recalled his encounters.

"Oh hey there Rin!" Gou beamed as she jogged to her older brother

"Gou, what the hell were you thinking on bringing these guys here?" he muttered looking down at his younger sister.

"Hey Rin, after all this time we finally get the chance to swim together!" Nagisa said happily 

"Swim-," Rin then stopped as his face softened when he saw Kiyoko. His ruby orbs widening flashes of memories spurred through his head from every moment they spent together in Australia,

"Rin?" Gou asked concerned as she turned around to see what he was looking at to see only her senpai she admired so much.

"Koko?" he mumbled quietly still caught in his trance as Kiyoko was talking to the Samezuka captain, still unaware of her old friend's presence.

"Oh, you mean Kiyoko-senpai? She's our first female swimmer. She agreed to finally join us after me begging her to join!" Nagisa informed as Kiyoko nodded walking past the Seijuro as she then briefly made contact with Rin as her eyes widened a little but soon softened as she gave a genuine soft smile that had always worked to make his heart melt.

"Whatever," he mumbled as he then walked out as he followed his childhood companion. 

---

Kiyoko walked up the dim stairs upstairs bleachers. She couldn't help that her heart fluttered to see her Rin again after all the years they were separated, as she made it to the corner step she stopped as she heard that nickname that she never thought she might have never heard again.

"Koko!" Rin ran up the stairs panting as Kiyoko turned around to see Rin who stopped with his arm leaning against the rail.

It was if a cosmic connection sparked the two again, Rin's eyes adjusted from seeing the younger version of Kiyoko as it faded to the girl standing in front of him with still the features he loved and remembered.

She had matured, and the window behind her that spewed light made her look like an ethereal figure.

"Rin,' his name escaped her lips as he then smiled as he burst up the stairs and enveloped her into a hug as he then swung her around as he laughed.

His hands lifted her above him slightly as her gentle soft hands rested on his broad shoulders as their faces centimetres apart stared into each other's eyes.

He was completely captivated by her, it seemed the whole world had stopped as he then put her down gently and smiled softly, the hate of all the past scenarios fading away as he snaked his strong arms around her waist passionately and protectively resting his forehead under her chin that took her by surprise.

"I missed you so much,' he said in English as Kiyoko then ran her lean fingers benevolently through his hair.

"I missed you too,' she replied in her father's tongue as well.

Rin found peace in her embrace, after everything and picking up suddenly he was guilty of the selfishness that he had placed on her.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbled as he looked up at her ocean eyes.

"For what?" she replied in Japanese

"For me leaving, I didn't mean-,"

"Rin," she stopped him, "it was a long time ago and even so we still said goodbye, and you even got me this,"

Kiyoko pulled out the amulet necklace that he had given her before he left as his eyes widened as the opal stone sparkled in the light.

"you still have that?' he asked shocked as he pulls his head up looking down at the necklace as his hands still remained on her hips speechless.

"Of course, I still wear it all the time. Its special cause you gave it Rin, and I know that you used up all your birthday money for this," she replied as she placed it back under her dark red jacket.

"Well, you were the one who came when no one else did," he pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I gave you my word Rin, it was nothing," she smiled looking up at him, "I'm going up now to watch them," she said walking up the steps as she then felt her handheld by him as he smiled.

"I'll watch too," he said as he guided her up the steps.

---

Rin leaned on the railing watching from above as he stood close to Kiyoko, they observed the first year Samezuka swimmers line up behind their captain.

"To get the most out of our practice your gonna swim against our first-year students,' he clapped, "Okay first to start off with will be individual time trials. You there,"

He looked to Rei

"time to get suited up,"

"Right the thing is-,"

"The guy forgot to bring his swimsuit," Nagisa butted in as Kiyoko then heard a tch noise from Rin

"Why is he here is he's unprepared?" Sejiuro sighed, "We'll let him use one of our spare swimsuits today but he's gotta change right now. Nitori,"

"is that your Kouhai?" Kyoko asked

"Yeah," he replied

"Come with me please,"

"Okay, but I'm not-,"

"We don't have time for this!"

---

Makato stepped onto the platform, adjusting his Caribbean goggles as the prep whistle blew as he adjusted his stance.

His stance is mediocre but then again according to Gou his main style was backstroke to which I haven't seen yet Kiyoko thought as she then looked at Rin who was starring at Haru.

She recollected the times' Rin use to talk about the tournament when he was in grade school in Iwatobi elementary.  How Nagisa the bubbly boy had the illusion of making his arms longer, Makoto's backstroke was sharp and on point and of course, Haru's freestyle. Rin would always act like how Haru would finesse his arms in the water, fast and strong but it had an elegance to it as if it was an art of some sort. He said there was nothing like it.

Down below Gou looked observing her senpai and brother relatively close to one another as they leaned on the rail, she wondered how Kiyoko made Rin soften peeling off all that hardshell he had in an instant. It couldn't be love at first glance, not the way he had seen her by like in those movies but one of knowing her already.

She sighed at the thought of those two and how even from below Kiyoko looked so pretty at any angle.

Nagisa was next, his posture was a little off but it seemed his dive had no effect at all to it has he swam freestyle in the fifty-metre pool.

"Hey! I said next swimmer on the next block!" Sejiuro repeated looking at Rei as he tensed as he made his way to the block.

"What is he doing?" Rin scowled at his hesitation

"He's calculating," she replied calmly as Rin raised a brow at her, "Nagisa recruited him last minute," as she returned her gaze to Rei

"Kid's got form," he noted

As Rei dived, for a second the curve could have been mistaken for an Olympic swimmer's dive but sadly he just flopped as he sank into the pool.

"Rei?!" she clenched the rail leaning far as she peered down in worry sifting through the pool. 

Rin pursed his lips as he clenched his fists, he was greatly irritated that Kiyoko's attention was all focused on another guy, he hated deeply. 

He had met her first, his Kiyoko.

"Hey," he put his hand on her's reassuring, "He will be fine, look Haru is diving now," he said as Kiyoko looked as Nagisa and Haru helped him us as gasped for air as he was guided out and sulked against the wall with a towel over his head.

"I'm going down there," she said as she pushed the door as Rin followed her.

"he already has all the attention he needs," Rin argued as he stopped.

"Haru is swimming and I want to have a closer look," she replied as she spiralled down the steps as Rin grumbled fuming clenching his fists as he hit the wall behind him.

"Haru this Haru that," he sneered.

As Kiyoko opened the door was the moment Haru dived into the pool, as if in slow motion Kiyoko's hair flew behind her as he glided in the pool.

"His strokes, they really are beautiful,' she mumbled as she watched the boy swim across the pool.

---

After the swim practice with Samezuka academy, Kiyoko waited for her other teammates just near the victorian gates.

"hey Koko,' she turned around to see Rin approaching with his hands in his jacket.

"Oh, Rin," she smiled as he stood close in front of her.

"Next time when I swim, cheer me on okay?" he grinned as he cupped her cheek with his hand, rubbing her delicate cheek with his thumb as she blushed slightly, "You're too adorable,"

"you use to be too," she chuckled

"Aww, am I not anymore?" he cheekily grinned

"I dunno, haven't seen you be that dummy you use to me," she put her finger on his chest as he chuckled, "Hmm, I remember when you use to wear that shark onesie,' as he scrunched his nose remembering that as he then chuckled shaking his head looking at her.

"Oh, and-," she soon stopped as his face looked up changing his expression to a scowling one as she turned around to see her teammates.

"Big brother!" Gou waved jogging up to him happily.

"Gou," he said a little annoyed as the other four males approached.

"You know I actually pity you guys, I guy who can't swim. Tch, pathetic," he shook his head as he then ruffled Kiyoko's head.

"See you, Koko," he said as we walked past them ignoring them all making a last small glare at Haru.

"Rin,' Gou trailed off.

"The guy has got serious issues,' Rei folded his arms