Ever since Rin Matsuoka was twelve years old, he always had constant dreams of being surrounded by water—specifically, pool water. And if it wasn't a dream about being in water or being near some sort of body of water, it was about water-related paintings or drawings or photographs or many other stuff. Sometimes, he would dream about actually drawing scenery with a waterfall as the focal point.

When it wasn't water-related, it would be things like woodcarving or cooking. But, over time, the cooking became more and more mackerel-centric. Oftentimes, these dreams were like watching small scenes briefly, something like a two-minute moment, if in real time. But, there were times when the dreams seemed to pan out in actual real time, like actually having to wait for the mackerel to finish grilling or patiently folding a blanket.

This frustrated Rin. He used to enjoy swimming, but when the dreams started bombarding him with water every night, he decided it was time to stop and see a shrink. He thought he was becoming pool-crazy.

Sousuke looked at the slump figure sitting across him. "You getting more of those pool dreams, Rin?"

Rin looked up and stared at Sousuke. He wanted to retort, to tell Sousuke to shut up, but he didn't have the energy. He shook his head. "It's winter. I'm getting more bathtub dreams than anything."

"So, why don't you just take a day off and spend the day in a warm bath?" Sousuke said, smirking a bit as he spoke. He knew Rin disliked his dreams and that those dreams were far from his actual desires, but it was fun teasing him this way.

"A nice, warm bath wouldn't be bad, would it?" Rin agreed, nodding his head. "But, if I do that and I fall asleep, I'm going to end up cooking mackerel in my dream."

Sousuke walked over to Rin and handed him a warm cup of coffee. "Maybe your brain's just telling you it wants mackerel. Try eating whatever you cook, it might stop."

Rin took the cup and muttered a quick 'thanks'. He took a quick sip, and then said, "Like hell it would. I already tried that." He set the cup down on his desk and stretched his arms. "And I already told you, my psychologist told me that these could be things my soulmate is experiencing."

"You actually still believe in that crap?" Sousuke asked, taking a drink of his own coffee.

"If you were experiencing what I am experiencing, you'd believe in it, too." Rin said, straightening his back and folding his arms across his chest. "And hello, do I look like a water-freak to you?"

"No, you just look like a romantic who's so hung up on the thought of having a soulmate. You probably want to find this person, don't you?"

Rin's jaw fell open and an eyebrow shot up at Sousuke's words. "Hey, not so loud!" He briefly looked around himself, scanning for anyone who might have looked his way. Everyone was minding their own business, except for his boss.

"What's with all this soulmate talk, Matsuoka?"

"Ah, Sir, it's nothing. I've just been sleepless lately." Rin answered.

"No need to hide it. I've heard of that superstition where one's dreams could be connected to their soulmate." He slapped Rin's back, then added, "it'll stop when you meet your soulmate."

"Mikoshiba!"

Seijuurou looked toward the person who called him. "Well, see ya, Matsuoka, Yamazaki."

Rin watched as Seijuurou walked over to a group of people wearing suits. "What are the higher-ups doing here?"

Sousuke shrugged his shoulders and walked toward his own seat. "Beats me. Looks like the sergeant is gonna be busy today."

"I guess we'll be busy, too."

"Hey, hey, listen to this!" Nagisa called out, holding a book titled 'The Soul Journey'. He opened the book wide enough for him to read comfortably. "If your soulmate exists within the same time period, i.e. both of you are alive in 1875, then you will both be subject to watching each other's experiences through dreams."

Makoto looked at Haruka, watching for a reaction.

"Contrary to popular belief," Nagisa continued, "it's actually random as to when the dreams will start. You could both have already been alive for half a century before the dreams come." He briefly turned his attention to Haruka. "Haven't you been having these weird dreams, as you call them, Haru-chan?"

"Is that why you're reading that to us?" Haruka asked.

Nagisa nodded. "Mhm, I read about this soulmate thing in a historical book we had to read for class once. When I heard Mako-chan mention it, I decided to read up on it. So, there, let's try analyzing your dreams, Haru-chan."

"No." Haruka slid out of the booth his friends were eating in. "My break is over. I'm going back to the kitchen."

Nagisa frowned. "We're going to continue this later, Haru-chan!"

Haruka blinked and turned away from his friends. "Whatever." He walked away and entered the kitchen quietly.

Nagisa turned to Makoto. "He seems a lot more bothered by it now."

Makoto raised his eyebrows. "Ah, well, there are times when the dream becomes a bit too violent, he told me once."

"Violent, how?"

Makoto shrugged and shook his head. "He didn't specify."

"Maybe we could find out who Haru-chan's soulmate is and ask why her life is violent." Nagisa asked, picking up the menu and looking through the list of food. He turned around and called for a waitress. A woman runs up to him with a pen and a notepad in her hands. "Could I please have one…"

Makoto laughed as Rei adjusted his glasses, frowning at the long list of food Nagisa was ordering.

"He's paying for his own food, right, Makoto-senpai?" Rei said, shaking his head with his arms folded across his chest. Makoto nodded with a smile still on his lips.

"Nagisa-kun, the concept of a soulmate is illogical. And your idea that they could watch each other's experiences through dreams is highly impossible."

"Rei-chan, there are some things that even science can't answer."

"It can't answer it just yet. But this whole soulmate thing, I don't get the logic in it. I know that soulmates are supposedly two souls that are connected or were separated when they were 'whole'. Scientifically, I don't see the point. What good is a soulmate?"

Nagisa puffed his cheeks as he stared at Rei, thinking about what he could answer to get Rei to believe or even plainly understand the concept.

"I actually get it, you know, Nagisa-kun. I just…"

"It's spiritual and science can't deal with the spiritual aspects."

The waitress came back to their table with a tray in her hand. "The appetizers" she said. She winked at Nagisa and added, "Nanase-san said he wasn't going to help with the bill this time."

"Whaaaat? He's being unfair." Nagisa turned to face Makoto, then back to the waitress. "Thanks, Chiyo-chan."

The waitress set the appetizers on the table and walked back to the kitchen, giggling.

Haruka hung his apron and exited the kitchen. He walked over to the booth where his friends were waiting for him.

Makoto turned his head to face Haruka. "You're early today, Haru."

Haruka nodded. "Nagisa said we were passing by the old swim club." He looked toward Nagisa and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not talking about my dreams."

Nagisa grabbed Haruka's arm and nuzzled his head against him. "But, Haru-chan, this is a rare thing. Aren't you curious as to who she is?"

"No."

"Do you think it's illogical, too?" Nagisa asked, standing up and moving beside Haruka. He pointed at Rei and said, "Are you like him, too, Haru-chan?"

Rei slid out of his seat and fixed his glasses. "I really can't see how Haruka-senpai would be able to dream about someone else's experiences."

"I don't know, but the book says that when you and your soulmate are both asleep, your dreams sync and you can see some of their best or worst memories and experiences." Nagisa said as their group walked out of the restaurant.

"Both asleep?" Rei asked, raising an eyebrow. "What happens if only one of them is asleep?"

"The book said the dream becomes something like a live-feed camera."

Rei shook his head. "That's ridiculous!"

Makoto looked at Haruka, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips forming a small frown. Haruka rolled his eyes and looked away from the arguing pair.

His mind drifted to the dream he had the previous night. Through the eyes of someone with reddish hair blown around by the wind, he watched as the sun set. He marveled at the orange color around the sun blending with the pinks and the blues of the sky. Just as he was about to run into the ocean, right before his feet felt the splash of the oncoming wave, his vision shifted.

He could now see a dark room, the furniture placed very differently from his own room. His line of sight moved and he watched as he approached a closet door. An inside light lit and he could see a hand reach out and grab a pair of pants.

Haruka watched as he ran out of the door, shoving the keys into his pocket. He was running, vision blurring and a voice that didn't belong to him panting.

"Haru?"

Haruka snapped out of his reverie and faced Makoto. "What?"

"You were spacing out. Is anything bothering you?"

Haruka turned his face away from Makoto. "Nothing."

They walked quietly for a while before Nagisa pointed to a building and ran, dragging Rei behind him. Haruka and Makoto hurried behind the two. Nagisa pulled away a yellow strip from the door and pushed himself in.

"I-I don't think we should be in here." Makoto said, his face paling and his hands gripping Haruka's shirt.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I've been here before." Nagisa said. He walked over to the reception counter and took hold of a notebook. "Hey look, it's one of the logbooks."

Makoto released Haruka and walked over to Nagisa. They opened the notebook and read through the lists. "It's from after we left." Makoto said. "Oh, look, Haru logged in one more time here. Hey, Haru what were you—" He looked around his surroundings but Haruka was nowhere to be found. "HARU?!"

"Do you think…" Rei began, stopping when he noticed something from outside.

Makoto dashed toward the pool area and grabbed at Haruka just as the latter was about to strip his pants. "Stop, Haru!" He struggled with Haruka who tried to push him away.

They stopped moving when a bright light flashed their way.

"What are you doing?" a voice called out, loud and commanding. "Didn't you see the tape around the door? You're trespassing. Come with me to the station. You and your friends explain yourself there."

Makoto released Haruka and nodded. Haruka fixed his pants and wore his shirt.

Haruka entered the police station with Makoto in front of him and Rei behind him. His eyes widened at the area. Everything looked familiar, like an old house one grew up in but left.

"These two," the officer pointed at Makoto and Nagisa, "room 1." He pointed to Haruka and Rei, "room 2." He looked around and pointed to two other officers. "Yamazaki, room 1. Matsuoka, room 2." He motioned with his hands for the four to be assisted to their respective rooms. "I caught them trespassing at that old swim club."

Haruka walked slowly to 'Room 2'. He felt like he'd been in it already and that he memorized how to get to it. The silver-haired officer guiding them opened the door and ushered them inside. "Please take a seat and wait for an officer to come in."

Haruka sat at the seat away from the door. A minute later, a man with wine-colored hair walked in and sat at the chair across from them. He looked first at Rei, and then at Haruka. Their eyes locked and Haruka felt his head fill with so many thoughts. Memories that weren't his filled his vision. He placed a hand to his forehead and looked away. Just as quickly as the headache came, it disappeared.

"O-officer, are you alright?" Haruka heard Rei ask, voice high and slightly shaking.

Haruka looked toward the officer and saw that he, too, was holding his head in pain. Their eyes locked again but nothing happened.