Chapter 3! Enjooyy ~~ and drop what you thought of the story development! Thank Youu.

Sousuke enters his dorm room and Rin greeted him.

"You're back late.", said Rin as he flips his book.

Sousuke threw his bag on top of the table. Rin suddenly sat up and stares at Sousuke.

"What?", asked Sousuke.

"Where were you?", Rin asked.

Sousuke replied with a shrug.

"What? You're my mother now?"

"You got a girl's smell with you.", said Rin seriously.

"What?!"

Rin responded with a big grin.

"Sousuke, where were you?", teased Rin.

"Nowhere!"

The cheerful laughter of Rin's filled the room as Rin threws himself back to the bed.

Makoto replayed the same video 3 times already. He couldn't believe his eyes. The girl with such beautiful butterfly form in the water is the same girl that panicked when thrown into the water.

She was standing proud and on top of it, she looked happy. The gloomy long haired girl Makoto met in Iwatobi doesn't look like the girl on his screen.

What changed her?

"So are you looking forward to Gou-chan's 100-point bento?",asked Makoto.

Makoto and Haru walked together to the pool. They can hear the voices of the baseball club practicing.

Haru replied with a content nod.

"But... For some reason, something deep down in my heart felt a little bit scared. I wonder why is that?", replied Makoto with an awkward smile.

As they reach the pool, Haru stops and points his finger forward.

"What is it, Haru?"

"Isn't that Kamikura-san?"

Makoto found Akira's figure sitting on the stairway, softly stomping her shoes to the ground.

"Kamikura-san?", Makoto called.

Akira stood up and bowed slowly.

"Do you need anything, Kamikura-san?", Makoto asked again.

"No, I'm returning this."

Akira handed 2 small bags to Makoto. Makoto peeked inside to find his jacket and Gou's uniform in the other one.

"Thank you, Kamikura-san."

Makoto was relieved that Akira looked brighter than yesterday. She changed her bag into a maroon colored backpack and she braided her hair.

"Tachibana-kun, senpai, I'm leaving then."

"Nanase.", Haru said.

"Eh?"

"I'm Nanase Haruka."

"Nanase-kun. Good bye."

Akira walked away when Haru said his advice.

"Don't be afraid of the water. Accept it."

"Haru... Wait, Kamikura-san. Haru, can you go ahead first?"

Haru nodded and continued his way up the stairs.

"I'm sorry, Kamikura-san. Can we talk?"

Makoto prayed that Akira is not on hostile today like before. She definitely is in a better mood.

"Do you need anything from me, Tachibana-kun?", she asked flatly.

"No, it's not about that. But... I don't know, this might seemed like I'm meddling around with your business. But, I saw your old swimming records."

Akira moved her hands and hugged her body. It's that kind of talk again.

"You are one of the nation's best. Reaching that point is not easy. For someone like you to change like this, it's a wasted talent. Besides, don't you miss the water?"

"I already said it. I am not swimming again. I am not joining your club, no matter how much you persuade me."

"It's not about the Swim Club. It's about you. I know how it felt to be scared of the water."

A light shock came to Makoto when Akira raised her hand towards Makoto. Gesturing for him to stop.

"Thank you, Tachibana-kun. But I'm fine with the way things are right now. This is enough. Now, if you'll please excuse me."

Makoto stood there in surprise. For such a successful swimmer to hate swimming right now and admitting she's fine with it?

That is a drop dead lie.

Rei approached Nagisa who was getting ready to dive into the pool.

"Is that Makoto-senpai and Kamikura-san talking?", asked Rei.

"Maybe Makoto is apologizing for what you did, Rei-chan.", teased Nagisa.

"Nagisa-kun ..."

"But Makoto-senpai looked very serious about it though..."

Nagisa sighed.

"What happened with them ... What do you think Haru?"

Haru kept swimming and clearly didn't paid any attention.

Akira started to inspect the boxes lying around in mess on the house's first floor. Her brother entered from the terrace and slips his phone inside his pocket.

"What are you looking for, Akira?", Iori asked.

Akira read the labels on the boxes one by one.

"Did I left my fabrics back in Tokyo?"

"I don't think so. You brought our whole house here."

Iori observed as Akira paced the whole first floor. This house is certainly smaller than theirs in Tokyo, he might need to bring back the rest of the things to Tokyo.

"Hey, I just got a call about work. I'll need to go back to Tokyo on Monday.", he said.

"Okay."

"Okay? You're not angry that I broke the promise to accompany you longer here?"

"2 weeks is long enough. Besides, it's about work. I can't say anything."

Iori breathed out air of relief. His sister is not as depressed as before. She seems more cheerful even though he hasn't seen her socializing with fellow students or other people. She is really doing fine with being alone. But for how long?

"When did my sister grow up so fast?", joked Iori.

He approached Akira who seems to be digging inside a box and stroked her head softly.

"Call me when you need anything okay. And ... be okay."

Makoto walked through the streets between the houses. For some reason, he doesn't really remember the exact address, but his body remembered each and every turn.

Finally he stopped in front of a porch with 'Kamikura' written on it. He stepped towards the door and took a deep breath.

Then he rang the bell.

Just like before, it rang twice before a man's voice answered.

Iori greeted him again.

"Hello.", greeted Makoto.

"Ah, the Iwatobi Swim Club, right?"

"Yes, I'm Tachibana Makoto."

"We don't get much visitors, so I'll remember one. What do you need, Makoto-kun? Akira is out."

"No, I'm actually here to talk to you, Iori-san."

"Me?"

Makoto followed Iori into the house's modern looking living room. There were boxes everywhere.

"Pardon the mess, Akira brought more than half of the house with her. And I'm the one left to unpack and clean after her mess. Sit."

Makoto sat quietly, his eyes wander around, observing the space around him. His eyes caught a big framed photo hanging on one of the walls. Something that stood out from everything.

"Is that...?", Makoto stuttered.

"It's Akira. The Mermaid."

Iori places the glass of cold tea in front of Makoto. Makoto kept his eyes open at the photo that is dominated with light blue color, the color of the sea. Photographed was Akira swimming with a mermaid tail and smiling happily like the fairy tale mermaid coming to life.

"I'm a photographer. We shot it in a pool, the rest is retouched.", explained Iori.

"It's beautiful ..."

"It was my best shot of her."

Makoto looked at Iori with his mouth still slightly gaped open.

"Well, but Akira hated it though, now. She'll put the photo down and I'll put it up again. Just like that, again and again.", complained Iori.

Makoto clenches his palms together and tried to overcome his anxiousness.

"Iori-san, I saw Akira-san's past swimming records. She was a great swimmer but now ... She is ... What happened?"

Iori stared deep into Makoto's eyes.

"She died, Makoto-kun."