Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Nagi no asukara

Summer break before high school… Kaname couldn't help but laugh at the irony, there was neither sun nor vacation. It was quite a shock waking up to the frozen ocean and drifts of salt-flakes piling around Oshiooshi as if it were a particularly chilly autumn in Shioshishio. After he had woken up the entire homeroom had come to greet him. Despite still being easily fatigued, it wasn't hard to smile next to Chisaki's beaming face. If anything his feelings for her had only grown stronger for her. Yuu had payed him extra attention, blushing furiously as she presented him a box of chocolates. He smiled, trying to be as polite and gentlemanly as possible whilst his mind was focusing on how a certain purple-haired girl was reacting. It peeved him to see how close she was standing to Tsumugu… or perhaps it was more how close Kihara was standing next to her.

Miuna and Sayu along with Akari and Itaru also came to visit. Both Miuna and Sayu were much more mature, it saddened him slightly to see how quickly their childish innocence disappeared. Sayu especially, she used to be so full of energy. Now she could barely meet his eyes. Why was that?

It was decided once he could be discharged from the hospital he would move into the Kihara household with Chisaki. It made him slightly nervous to think that she had already spent a year alone with Tsumugu. Strangely enough it felt like a race between him and the land dweller, despite his advantage of being Chisaki since childhood… as a friend. Perhaps that was his downfall, more of a handicap than an advantage. After finding out that both Hikari and Manaka were under the ice, he couldn't help but feel a little hopeful. He had already braced his heart for Chisaki and Hikari becoming a couple. Last year, this had been a likely outcome with Manaka so blatantly obsessed with Tsumugu. What he hadn't foreseen was Tsumugu's attention towards Chisaki. It tore his heart to see her rant about his rudeness, that kind of expression… he'd seen it on her face before.

No, he wasn't about to give up this time. Not when an outsider posed as a threat. However at the moment he would keep his thoughts to himself. Chisaki was happy at the moment, he didn't want to confuse her or add unnecessary burdens. So long as Tsumugu didn't make a move, which seemed unlikely at the moment.

How to ruin the summer break. Step 1: have the village submerged in salt-flakes. Step 2: have tutoring sessions to catch up on a year's worth of work in a month. Luckily he would be able to get in to the High school based on medical grounds, but he still needed to study in order to not fail his first year. He still remembered Chisaki's positively evil grin when handing over a year's worth of notes and worksheets. Yes it was a long holiday.

Chisaki twirled in front of her mirror, admiring the high school's uniform. She couldn't tell if she was more nervous or excited at the prospect of being a freshman. There was no guarantee she'd be in the same homeroom as any of her classmates from middle school. There were just so many people on land! She though the step from Shioshishio to Oshiooshi was big, as there were only four of them in Shioshishio. However the student body of Oshiooshi compared to Horikoshi high was just as drastic. Chisaki was extremely nervous about navigating the school, luckily Tsumugu would be there to guide her on orientation day he was good with directions… but if she wasn't in the same class with neither Kaname or Tsumugu… there's a high chance she'd get lost.

Isamu insisted on taking a photo of them, saying it was a milestone in their life which should never be forgotten. He looked so happy, yet sad saying it reminded him of when his daughter graduated from middle school. She never bothered to come back home after finishing high school, leaving Oshiooshi in her last year. She'd gotten a part time job in the city and complained about the long journey. Chisaki could still see how it saddened Isamu, it made her almost proud of Tsumugu to see how he put his grandfather's mind at ease by staying by the sea. No one deserved to be alone. Families should stick together…

The entrance ceremony was dull, very dull indeed. This was reflected by the masses of yawning students, trying their utmost to maintain a good impression on their first day… and failing. Chisaki managed to stay still for the first fifteen minutes before feeling the need to shuffle her feet, fix her hair, gaze at imperfections on the ceiling, stifle a yawn. Kaname caught her eye and grinned, knowing how impatient she was getting. Chisaki sighed, rolling her shoulders to get rid of the extra energy. She risked a sidelong glance at Tsumugu to see how he was fairing, almost groaning at his discipline. They were half an hour into the principle's speech at Tsumugu still sat as though a plank were behind his back, gazing towards the stage with an unreadable expression. It wasn't entirely unreadable… more extremely open to interpretation, Chisaki found that the longer she was around him the less sure she felt about his real emotions. It was hard to tell if he was actually paying attention to what the principle had to say about the student code of conduct or of in reality his mind was contemplating if jelly fish had a subconsciousness.

Kaname frowned slightly, annoyed at how long Chisaki watched Tsumugu. All he'd received was a quick sympathetic glance. Was the guy really that interesting? All he did was stare stupidly off into the distance whilst girls giggled and cooed as they tried to work out what he was thinking. Kaname couldn't be sure whether he was being paranoid, but he felt acutely aware of any guy gazing a second too long at Chisaki. He tried to convince himself that they were only curious about her eye colour. Really what was he kidding himself? She was beautiful, almost to the point that he wished she were slightly uglier just to attract less attention. Well, not really it was actually her complete obliviousness to her beauty that attracted him to her. He also felt endlessly frustrated at her groundless concerns over her weight and body. He wished it was enough for her, if he said she was beautiful.

Tsumugu, was indeed wondering if sea creatures were capable of thought, but was in fact contemplating a starfish' ability to think. Well he was, up until the purple haired Shioshishio resident sitting next to him decided to scrutinize his own expression. If he were a more open person, her open curiosity would cause him to blush and scratch his head awkwardly. Luckily he was good at hiding his emotions by using limited body language. This skill did not change the thought processes of the blushing guy, he was simply better at not making a fool of himself… yet equally as uncomfortable.

"Chisaki! We're in the same homeroom!" cried Kaori, shaking her friend excitedly. The two had bonded back in middle school at their first swimming lesson together. Kaori boldly groping Chisaki's chest, complaining slightly at their size. Despite the initial shock, over the past year she became much closer to Kaori and her friend Yuu. Yuu still had feelings for Kaname and Chisaki found it cute the way she shyly asked what her relationship with Kaname was. Chisaku assured her that they were just childhood friends… she decided it was easier to pretend Kaname had never proposed to her and was glad that he hadn't brought it up recently. Chisaki couldn't help but feel a little guilty at how she was managing the situation but she honestly didn't know how to respond. She still loved Hikari…

"Yuu-chan!" sang Kaori, slinging her arm over her befuddled friend. "Guess what? Count your lucky stars cause the two hottest guys from Oshiooshi are in our class!" Yuu was becoming pinker by the second. "It'll be the perfect opportunity to get closer, make sure you choose the same clubs. OH I know! How romantic would it be if both of you became class reps! Then you'd absolutely HAVE to stay back after school together!" she cried, forgetting to whisper.

"NO! Shut up Kaori! Can you please not jeopardise my reputation before we even start class!" exclaimed Yuu, covering her face in shame. Kaori rolled her eyes at Chisaki.

"Honestly the lack of sense in this girl! Shouting back is not making her any less inconspicuous." She sighed making Chisaki laugh. Kaori raised her eye brows seductively. "Planning on making some moves on Kihara-kun then?" It was Chisaki's turn to flush magenta.

"What!? No! There's nothing going on with us! I've already told you, jeez!" said Chisaki, feeling flustered.

"Oh? Ok then… does that mean he's free for me then?" asked Kaori, not entirely convinced with her answer… but then again it was Chisaki… she blushed at almost anything. Maybe it was because she came from Shioshishio…? Were their complexions lighter? Kaori tried to remember Manaka and Hikari, feeling slightly guilty that she'd already forgotten so much about them.

"Guys, let's go! The doors already open." Called Yuu, dragging her friends towards to classroom. Kaori snapped out of her daze, immediately on 'hot-guy-scanning-mode'. Nobody really stood out… but then again she was being far from objective, she still had a soft spot for Kihara.

Chisaki looked around the room, extremely glad that she already had friends. Friends which did not solely consist of Kaname and Tsumugu, there's only so much you can handle the same people. She could just imagine how nightmarish it would turn out if they had a fight… at home silence… at school silence… Thank goodness she had Kaori and Yuu.

Kaname was torn between ecstasy and frustration. He was in Chisaki's class, definite bonus… he was in Tsumugu's class… definitely not ideal. At least they weren't in the same class without him he mused.

"Phew, check out that hot chick!" laughed one of the guys next to him. He leant against the bench in a 'rebellious' manner, tousling his purposely messy blue hair disorderly.

"Wait where?" asked his orange friend, looking around the room with exaggerated curiosity.

"Her dumbass!" sniped a third, hitting his orange haired friend on the back of his head, pointing towards Chisaki. Kaname tensed automatically, not liking the topic of their discussion.

"Hey! Watch it Andou!" complained the victim. So the greenish-brown haired guy was Andou.

"Well ladies, I'm making my move so stand aside." Grinned the dark blue haired delinquent.

"No fair Kousuke!" sniffed the orange haired guy. Andou rolled his eyes.

"It's the first day, can you go anywhere without flirting?" asked Andou rhetorically. The answer was plainly, no.

Kaname felt like screaming, as if Hikari and Tsumugu weren't enough. It's been hardly half an hour and Chisaki has already created a fan group for herself. There was no way he was letting this Kousuke add to the mess.

"Chisaki," he called out walking over to where she sat with Yuu and Kaori. Yuu blushed as he smiled at the group.

"Hey good lookin." Smiled Kaori, Kaname paused feeling slightly confused, before realising she was talking to the person behind him. Tsumugu spared her a blank stare before walking over to lean against the window Chisaki was previously gazing out of.

"Kaname! Tsumugu! We're in the same homeroom! Isn't that great!" beamed Chisaki completely oblivious to the reason of their approach.

Kousuke sighed.

"You know I feel oddly satisfied." Laughed the guy with orange hair.

"Shut up Hansuke." Growled Kousuke. Despite the mousy haired guy's baby face, he didn't like the hint of steel in his eyes… not to mention the other guy leaning on the window… he wasn't even trying to be hostile, it was just unnerving.

This was going to be a long year.