A rush of excitement surged through Gou's body as she walked through the entrance of Samezuka Academy. Since Rin had returned to Japan and enrolled in the boarding school, seeing him in person was a rare occasion. Chances were brief, but cherished. Swiftly approaching the main office, she asked about her brother, the grip on her bag tightening. An almost crestfallen expression slid across her face, a soft "I see" rolling off of her tongue. Offering a bit of thanks, the girl began to walk around the campus, asking for directions to the school's swimming pool. Without a doubt, her brother would be found there.

Where else would he be?

After a bit of aimless wandering, the young Matsuoka finally found her way to the pool, a gust of air sending locks of her hair astray as the she opened the door. Maroon eyes widened at the sight that they beheld, the pair taking no time in jumping from person to person, body to body, closely examining the perfection of the men's sculpted forms.

Pectorals, biceps, triceps, deltoids, trapeziuses, those calves. This was almost unreal, as if she had died and floated up towards the heavens above. Gou could feel her heart racing. She could feel her knees beginning to cave in as she swooned at the display. She-

"Hey, so it's you, right? The one looking for her older brother?"

"Huh?" Blinking slowly in confusion as she was pulled out of her own personal bubble, she turned ever so slightly, allowing her eyes to trail from feet to face, tilting her head to the side. Willing the moment's flustered feelings to pass, she hurriedly replied, "Y-Yes! That's right!"

Taking the liberty to spare the male a quick glance, which was really more of a long once-over, she met his eyes, waiting for a reply. The past composed demeanor that he had once worn had morphed into a slightly dazed one, a pink blush coating his cheeks. "Hey, wait just a second- Y'know, you're pretty cute."

A pleasant smile slid across soft lips, fingers curling even tighter around the handles of her bag. "Thank you-! I'm looking for Matsuoka Rin, and I was wondering if you've seen him around? I couldn't find him anywhere," not that she had walked around the swimming area in the first place, simply admiring the men from afar, "and the man at the main office said he wasn't back in his room."

The boy raked elongated fingers through slick auburn hair, a single brow dipping, the other rising, as he thought about the inquiry. "Matsuoka...? There's no one with that name on the swim team."

It took a moment for the words to sink into her mind, Gou's reaction being a little more than late. "-wai- What?!"

The boy nodded in confirmation, an apologetic expression resting over his features. "Sorry..." There was a short pause, almost as if he was grappling for her name, silently urging her to deliver it. But to his dismay, all he had received in return was a curt nod, a subtle smile of thanks, and a small wave. Before he knew it, she was gone. Seijuro's jaw had begun to drop, an outstretched hand raised, fingers poised in a way that expressed his disappointment, looking as if he had been calling for her to return.

A quiet sigh slipped past the captain's lips, his head drooping in dejection. "I didn't even catch her name..."

Hands clenched into tight fists as he shook his head, wiping his face clean of its previous expressions. Next time, if there ever was a next time, he'd catch it for sure. Otherwise, he'd never be able to forgive himself for letting such an opportunity slip right out of his grasp. What had gotten into him, anyways? He had been so flustered, shocked, stunned. Seeing her face, he had almost been speechless. Seventeen and popular, he had seen a number of girls, many of which had been beautiful. But the sister of that Rin figure? She was something else, that was for sure. Seijuro couldn't exactly put a finger on it, but at that moment, he knew in an instant that she was different.

He had to see her again. He just had to.

Gou, on the other hand, had completely forgotten the muscle haven she had unintentionally stepped into in search of her brother. Swimmers were typically men with incredible physique, but she hadn't expected to have been met with such beauty. But, her thoughts would digress. As she made the walk back to her own school, her mind absolutely refused to let go of the fact that her brother wasn't on Samezuka's swim team, something that she found to be more than just odd. It was unlikely, something that she wouldn't have been able to predict in a million years.

Swimming was something that consumed Rin's life; its spirit lived within his very heart and soul. Rin was competitive, and he was always striving to be the best. It was his passion. After training so hard for years upon years, one would have thought that someone like him would have made joining the school's swim team his first priority after his transfer. However, as she had been enlightened, that was clearly not the case.

The new knowledge was an enigma of sorts.

With a breathy sigh escaping the confines of her mouth, her shoulders slumped as she trudged on, soon arriving back on campus. Gou made a beeline for the pool that was under construction, being restored by the school's very own developing swim team. It had a long ways to go until it would be useable again, but the progress was fast, considering there were only three of them working on its restoration. Smiling, she took a seat beside the older woman, her chest heaving as she released another sigh.

There was a lot she didn't understand at the moment, and there was a lot she so desperately wanted to know about. But right now, what mattered most was getting the swim team together and ready to go in full gear.

Unanswered questions wouldn't remain in that state for long. It was a promise to herself.

Even so...

Whipping out her phone, she pulled up her text messages, navigating to the chat with her brother. Nimble digits ready, she speedily relayed a new message, silently praying that she would get a response.

[Aniki]
To: Aniki
From: Kouuu~
Message: Hey, Rin? Are you busy? I went looking for you today, but I guess you weren't around. I just wanted to see how you were holding up. But now, I've got a question. Why aren't you on Samezuka's swim team?
[message sent at 13:25:09]

Answer me, Rin!