How I Met Your Mother (And How I Met Your Father)

by WiiFan2009

When asked what she wants to read for story time, a five-year-old Kiki Naegi begs to hear the story of how her parents met and fell in love. Makoto and Kyoko reluctantly agree to tell her the story of their first two years together before Junko stole their memories. Rating subject to change.

25. Bonding Arc Chapter Eight

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: How I Met Your Mother (And How I Met Your Father)

Bonding Arc

Chapter Eight: A Culprit Escapes! Swimming Lessons with Hina!

Present Day

"So what happened next, Mommy?"

"Well, let's see…it was later that week, after school. I was on a case and pursuing a culprit when…"

XXX

June 4, 2014

"You're under arrest!"

"You'll never catch me!"

The culprit, a tall, lanky man, raced through the grassy plains of the park, Kyoko in hot pursuit. A confident smile tugged at her lips as she slowly but surely started gaining on him, handcuffs already in hand as the space between them dwindled more and more.

Suddenly, a lake appeared in the distance, the culprit's eyes shining in relief as he made a beeline for the water, diving in without a second thought. Placing the cuffs back in her pocket, Kyoko dived in after him without missing a beat, determined to apprehend him as her boots kicked in the water.

However, this culprit may as well have been a fish; once he started kicking and stroking, he was moving twice as fast as he was on land, while Kyoko found her speed slightly reduced as her stamina decreased. No matter how fast she stroked her arms or kicked her feet in the water, she could not catch up to him.

How…how is this possible?

Eventually he disappeared from sight, the culprit cackling as his voice rang out in the evening sky "SMELL YA LATER, DETECTIVE!"

Coming to a stop, Kyoko tread in place, closing her eyes as the frustration boiled within her. Once she opened her eyes, Kyoko let out an angry yell, punching the water and accidentally splashing herself.

…So much for being the Ultimate Detective. Might as well get back to campus and inform the Chief tomorrow…

Slowly treading her way to the other side, Kyoko somberly got out of the lake, wringing out her hair, only for her eyes to widen as she saw the very culprit she had been chasing, tackled to the ground and handcuffed by a brown-haired woman wearing a familiar black suit jacket, black shirt, and khaki shorts, glasses framing her green eyes.

"…Yui…"

Her ponytail whipped to the side as she turned to face her former protégé and partner, her eyebrows raised in surprise as she returned "Kyoko…"

An awkward silence passed, each of them recalling the last time they had parted, averting their gaze until the culprit broke it, yelling "GET OFF ME!"

A swift punch from Yui knocked him unconscious, allowing the two Detectives to return their focus to each other.

"You're…on this case too?"

Nodding, Yui explained "This guy's been responsible for a number of kidnappings in the Saitama Prefecture. The Police Department in Kazo assigned me to this case, and I've been tracking him all through Tokyo."

Nodding, Kyoko replied "He's responsible for a murder not far from Hope's Peak, so the Police Department asked me to investigate and apprehend him."

Nodding in understanding, Yui offered "If you were assigned to this case, it is kind of your jurisdiction. I'll hand him over and…"

Shaking her head, Kyoko declined "You…apprehended him fair and square. Taking credit for your accomplishments would be…undesirable."

Taking in Kyoko's sopping wet form, Yui frowned, offering "Still, you're sopping wet. Why don't I grab a towel from my car and you can dry yourself off."

"…Not necessary. I'll get dry once I get back to campus." Turning around, she dismissed "Goodbye, Yui."

"Kyoko!"

Kyoko walked off, vanishing from sight as Yui continued to call out after her.

XXX

"Kyoko, are you okay? You're wet!"

Although Kyoko had stopped dripping water once she got back on campus, her clothes were still dark from having absorbed so much water. Her frustrations with having failed to catch her culprit, combined with the emotional stress of having run into Yui again left her in a very unpleasant mood, to the point that the good-natured Makoto was met with an iron-hard stare and a growl from his friend.

"Not now!" Seeing Makoto flinch in shock at being yelled at, Kyoko's eyes softened, guilt flooding her heart as she apologized "My apologies, Makoto. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

"You don't have to apologize…" Makoto assured her. "Just…why are you upset? I'm your friend, Kyoko. You can talk to me about these things."

Unable to resist, Kyoko sighed and disclosed "I'm wet because I was chasing a culprit and he escaped when he jumped into a lake and swam faster than I could keep up", leaving out her run-in with Yui.

"Oh…okay, I think I get it. I'm sorry they got away, Kyoko."

Shaking her head, Kyoko replied "Don't; you're not to blame for this; the fault lies with me. I think…I'm slipping."

Shaking his head, Makoto denied "That's not true, Kyoko! You're…"

"I've been slipping. First, Jutaro caught me off guard because my combat skills were rusty. Now, I failed to catch a criminal because I wasn't a good enough swimmer. I fear this may be a trend, one I'm not comfortable with…"

"Kyoko…"

"If it's swimming training you need, I can help you out!" Both turned to see Hina and Sakura walking up to them, the Ultimate Swimming Pro rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly as she apologized "Sorry; Sakura and I were walking back to our rooms and we couldn't help but overhear."

"Kyoko…is this true?" Sakura asked, a concerned expression on her face as she asked "Is your swimming proficiency causing you to have doubts regarding your qualifications as a Detective?"

Glancing over to Makoto for guidance, who only nodded encouragingly, Kyoko reluctantly nodded, laying her insecurities bare to someone other than Makoto.

Hina then deduced "It's because you want to be the very best, right? You want to strive for that gold medal? I'm the same way!" Clenching her fists with a determined expression on her face, Hina continued "No matter what it is, I always have to strive for that gold medal! And if something's preventing me from reaching that gold medal, I just have to work even harder! And if one of my classmates is struggling to reach their goals, I wanna help them reach that gold medal!"

Kyoko stood there, shocked that Hina was willing to go so far out of her way to help her, and simultaneously surprised at how invigorated and determined she was feeling just by listening to her speech.

…It's not all that different from Makoto's optimistic aura… she realized as she mulled over Hina's offer. It's not all that different from me asking Sakura for sparring practice. Nodding, Kyoko accepted "I suppose there's no harm in giving it a try."

Beaming, Hina squealed "Great! We'll get started on Saturday after lunch! I'll meet you and Sakura over at the pool!"

Watching her run off, Sakura explained to a curious Kyoko "I like to join Hina's swimming practice for a more relaxing workout. We'll see you on Saturday, Kyoko."

Nodding, Kyoko watched Sakura walk of after the energetic Hina, leaving the Ultimate Detective alone with the Ultimate Lucky Student.

XXX

Present Day

"Wow, Auntie Hina was really nice to do that for you!"

Smiling nostalgically, Kyoko replied "Yes, she was very nice. Out of all of our classmates, I'd say she and your father were the friendliest and most outgoing."

Smiling energetically, Kiki replied "And she's always super helpful, and a great teacher! She was a great teacher to you, right Mommy?"

Giggling, Kyoko confirmed "Yes, she was. I remember when I had my first training with her. I had finished my sparring session with Sakura and had just had lunch with your father. I then went to the locker room to change and when I got out…"

XXX

June 7, 2014

"Hey, Kirigiri-chan!"

Kyoko stepped out of the locker room to see Hina and Sakura standing at the edge of the pool, wearing Academy-issued blue one-piece swimsuits, baring their shoulders but otherwise fitting like a glove over their bodies. Kyoko wore an identical swimsuit, covering just enough to obscure her rear while exposing her powerful legs. Abandoning her braid, two strands of hair fell on either side of her face, but the rest of her long, lavender hair was tied into a ponytail to keep it out of the way.

Nodding, Kyoko replied "Thank you for taking the time out of your day to assist me, Asahina-san."

Pouting, Hina protested "Oh, come on! None of that "Asahina" stuff! I'm helping you because you're my friend, and I told you, my friends call me Hina!"

I'm your…friend? Touched at being called a friend by someone other than Makoto, she acquiesced "Very well, Hina."

Grinning, Hina looked around and asked "Hay, where's Makoto? Don't you guys normally stick together like glue?"

…Are we really that close? Shaking the thought from her head, Kyoko explained "Makoto insisted that this was a good opportunity to spend time with other girls in our class, so he declined to come."

"Nah, this is a good opportunity for you three to bond and have girl time. Besides, I…" Makoto blushed as he admitted "I'd rather not be in a position where the others can accuse me of trying to take a peek…"

"Kyoko?"

Shaking the memory from her head, Kyoko apologized "Sorry, Hina. So, shall we begin?"

Nodding, Hina began "Okay! First, what techniques do you know?"

"I know the basics. My grandfather ensured that I knew the basic front stroke and flutter kick so that I wouldn't drown."

"Okay then! Since you never learned the other strokes, we'll start with that."

"Hina…" Sakura interrupted. "Perhaps it might be best to start with seeing how she does in the water before teaching her anything new. Then we'll have an idea as to her capabilities."

"Great idea, Sakura! So, Kyoko, you ready to get in the water?"

Nodding, Kyoko sat down on the edge of the pool and dropped into the nearest lane, slightly shivering as her skin registered just how cold the water was.

Jumping in after her, Hina gave her a minute to warm up before suggesting "It might be a good idea to take the gloves off in case…"

"The gloves stay on."

Kyoko's voice became immediately hard, making clear that there was no room for argument. Hina cocked her head in surprise, but ultimately shrugged and let it go.

"Whatever floats your boat, I guess. Alright, just do a lap from this end to the other and back again. Sakura, would you mind, going to the other end of the lane?"

Nodding, Sakura got into place, swimming to the other end of the lane. Once Sakura waved her hand in the air to signal Hina, she began to count down.

"Okay, ready, set, GO!"

Kyoko immediately began to kick, circling her arms in a constant stroke. With some time, she eventually reached Sakura, who waved to signal Hina. Kyoko then turned around, treading water before resuming her stroke, making her way back to Hina.

Once she arrived back to where she started, she looked up at Hina expectantly, who crossed her arms and cocked her head in a thinking pose before appraising "It's not a bad start…but I think you can definitely do better. Your main issue is that you're not pushing yourself hard enough from the start, which is limiting your performance when you really try to give it your all."

That does make sense… Nodding, Kyoko asked "So how should I change that?"

A light bulb shone in Hina's head as she opened her palm, slamming her fist onto it as she exclaimed "I've got it! Here's what we'll do; we're going to train each component of the stroke separately, to build up the power and endurance of your individual limbs before we put them all together. Understand?"

Nodding, Kyoko replied "Very well. So how should we start?"

"Let's start with your flutter kick. We'll do a few laps up and down the lane using only our feet to push us forward. You can tread water with your arms, but that's it. That sound good?"

Nodding her agreement, Kyoko treaded water on the end of the lane, eventually flanked by Hina on her left and Sakura on her right.

"Alright, Kyoko. Remember, Sakura and I are here to help, so let us know if you need it, okay?" Seeing the Ultimate Detective nod, Hina finished "Alright, on three. ONE, TWO, THREE!"

XXX

"Great work today, Kyoko! Next week we'll work on putting everything together."

Hina's praise rang in Kyoko's ears as she stepped inside the locker room, slowly stripping her swimsuit from her body, her arms and legs sore from all the exercise she had done today.

That was exhausting. Hina's training could give Sakura's sparring sessions a run for their money…

Once she was nude, she reached for her locker, swiping her Handbook across the lock so that it would open, revealing her normal Detective clothes. Grabbing the pile from the locker, she placed the swimsuit inside and sat down on the bench, giving a sigh of exhaustion as she got dressed. Once properly clothed, she closed her locker and walked out of the locker room and into the hallway, where she bumped into Makoto.

"Oh! Sorry, Kyoko."

Shaking her head, she reassured the apologetic boy "It's fine; don't worry about it."

Nodding, Makoto asked "So, how was your time with Hina and Sakura?"

"It was…productive. I'll admit, the school would be wise to hire her as an instructor after she graduates. Her lesson intensity combined with her willingness to work personally with a student would do wonders for their performance."

Smiling, Makoto agreed "Yeah; she'd be a pretty good P.E. instructor. And…how did you like spending time with her?"

Nodding, Kyoko answered "She's very personable, and she has this…energy about her."

"It just leaves you invigorated, doesn't it? Being in her presence, it just makes you feel so energized, right?"

"…I suppose that's one way to put it. I don't know how much we have in common, but our mutual desire to be the best in our field may be a good place to start. We'll see if these swimming lessons turn into something more."

Smiling, Makoto replied "I'm glad. It helps that Sakura's there to keep her in check. Hina can get a little…carried away at times. But she always means well, and Toko notwithstanding, there's really not a mean bone in her body."

Nodding in agreement, Kyoko mused Yes…she is very friendly…just like someone else I know…, glancing at Makoto as they continued walking through the halls.

XXX

Present Day

"I'm not surprised you were so tired, Mommy. Auntie Hina's great, but her swimming lessons always left me tired!"

Makoto and Kyoko smiled at the memory, recalling when Kiki was first learning how to swim and Komaru took pictures. Kyoko watched with a fretting expression, while Makoto smiled without a care in the world, entrusting his daughter in Hina's care. As it turned out, Kyoko had nothing to worry about; Kiki had enjoyed her lessons, though her arms and legs were so sore that nap time came early, the three of them curling up on the couch together as a family.

"Yes, Auntie Hina can be a little…intense. But, that's why your father hired her; she knows how to push the other students to output their best performance. And her overall friendliness makes her well-suited to teach others."

"Yeah! I bet she'd make a great Mom one day!"

Makoto and Kyoko looked at each other; Hina and Byakuya had expressed plans to the Naegi parents that they wanted to try for a baby soon, but after hearing of Toko's pregnancy, they opted to hold off until after Toko and Hiro returned to work so as not to burden Makoto with a severe lack of staff.

Turning their gaze back to their daughter, Makoto and Kyoko ruffled their daughter's hair and agreed "Yes, she would. And one day, she will be. In the meantime though, it's bedtime, young lady."

Nodding, Kiki nestled into her pillow, feeling the warm blanket cloak her as her parents tucked her in, kissing her good night before retiring back to their room.

XXX

"…I'm not looking forward to telling Kiki about what happened next. You remember that time, right, Makoto?"

Kyoko snuggled against her husband's chest, grasping Makoto's pajamas in her fist as he looked down at her with worry.

Leaning to kiss her cheek, Makoto assured her "I know honey, but it's an important part of our history, so we can't just skip it. Besides, it'll be okay; that was all in the past, and we'll tell Kiki that our mistakes back then don't reflect who we are now."

Reluctantly nodding, Kyoko nuzzled her nose in his chest, Makoto rubbing her back as she fell slowly into slumber.

"Good night, Kyoko. I love you."

*Yawn* "…Love you too."

Kyoko fell into dreamland, her worries forgotten for now as her smiling husband soon joined her, making sure her thoughts were filled with nothing but happiness.