Only about a week after starting school all the third year students were handed a sheet of paper and asked to explain their plans after high school. Rin, Haruka, Sousuke, Aki and Aiichirou worked on them during the lunch break.
"What are you planning on writing?" Aki asked while holding her pencil in hand and giving her own paper a thoughtful look.
"Haru and I have had our plans for about two years now," Rin said. "Both of us are set on going to Australia and swim there, if possible of course,"
"I've meant to ask this for a while," Aiichirou looked up at Rin. "But why Australia, isn't it easier here in Japan?"
Rin grinned. "I've got a feeling that if Haru and I want to become the best swimmers, Japan is a little too small and limits our options. Australia gives us a broader set of options,"
"It's not a bad idea," Sousuke said. "But have you even gotten scouted by people from Australia yet?"
"No," Rin said in a tone that practically screamed that it was obvious. "Not by Australian people anyway, but since the international tournament last year we have been asked by people from China, Malaysia and even some French guy to come swim for their country,"
"I was also asked by one from Brazil," Haruka added while thoughtfully tapping his paper with the pencil.
"Seriously?" Rin turned his head to Haruka. "Those guys didn't even ask me, and you didn't say anything!" a hint of disappointment could be seen in his eyes.
Haruka just nodded and Rin turned back to the others to get back on topic.
"So you see it's only a matter of time. Other countries are already taking interest in us and I think we have been asked by almost every university in Japan to go there,"
"I wish I could say the same," Aiichirou mumbled. "I have no idea what I actually want,"
"Neither do I," Aki said while putting on a brave smile. "But I'm sure we'll both figure something out in time,"
"What about you, Sousuke?" Rin asked.
Sousuke seemed to think too. "I have narrowed down my options but there are still a few,"
"Alright," Rin smiled in return. "Just don't take too long thinking,"
They kept on talking about the matter of future plans until lunch break was over and they had to head back to class. The following day, everyone had to hand in their papers and discuss it with their teacher.
In Rin's and Haruka's case their teacher really didn't have much to say on the matter. Their plans of the future were so specific she had trouble pointing out anything they would have to consider, but she did discuss with them how they wanted to get into a university in Australia.
"You have to consider it seriously," she told Rin while he was in for the consultation. "Think about what you want to do. If you don't get scouted by people from Australia, then what are you going to do?"
Rin sighed. "What do you suggest?" he asked, knowing she had an idea she wanted to force on him.
"Both you and Nanase-kun prepare an application for university in Australia and hand it over to me next Monday. You have to write it as if you were not scouted but are still set on your plans. Also think up a plan B if you are not accepted into an Australian university," the teacher demanded.
Rin nodded, able to see the logical thinking behind that idea. But he didn't feel like doing it. It felt like he was admitting defeat before he had even gotten started on anything.
But now their teacher was expecting them to do it, and therefore Rin had no other option than go tell Haruka what was asked of them and actually do it.
None of the two had imagined they would spend their night discussing university applications and plan B's for what they would do if they were not accepted.
"You two sure are working hard," Rei said as he passed by the two sometime past 9.
"We were tasked with this, we have to do it," Rin said.
Haruka looked up. "I'm done," he said.
Rin blinked. "I don't believe that," he said before reaching out a hand towards Haruka. "Let me see,"
As he asked this, Nagisa peaked in his head to see what was going on. Rei was still standing in the doorway, just observing.
Haruka handed the paper over to Rin, who read it in a matter of seconds. He slammed it down on the table, making a loud noise that also caused Makoto and Kisumi to come running from the next room.
"I only swim free! Seriously is that all the English you have learned!" Rin yelled.
'Basically yes,' was what was written all over Haruka's face.
Rin leaned back, letting out one of the heaviest sighs in a lifetime. "Erase it Haru and write something serious," Rin said.
"I'm serious," Haruka said.
"Give me a break, you're not even pretending!" Rin yelled again.
"Maybe it's best if you don't do it together," Makoto advised kindly as he stepped into the room. "Haru, I'll help you with yours," he said before leaving the room. Haruka silently stood up and followed Makoto outside.
Everyone let out a breath, relieved that another fight had been prevented. Sure Rin and Haruka were arguing a lot less than they used to. It had continuously decreased from when they moved in with Makoto, but now the remaining family members had become good at detecting the few fights that occurred and prevent most of them from happening. Makoto was still the best at the job, but as long as someone stepped in, it didn't matter who.
"What are you working on, Rin-chan?" Nagisa asked out of curiosity.
"A layout for my application to a university in Australia," Rin answered while writing another sentence on his own paper.
"What for?" Nagisa asked.
"Because our teacher asked us to," Rin answered.
Nagisa wondered. "Weird, my teacher didn't ask me," he said with a bright smile on his face.
"That's because you're only in your second year and have way too many ideas on what you want to do after graduation," Rin answered in a somewhat irritated tone.
Rei picked up on this and gently placed a hand on Nagisa's shoulder. "Your math is still troubling you, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yeah?" Nagisa looked up.
"Go to our room, I'll come help you in a minute," Rei said with a kind smile. "I just need to pick up something first,"
Nagisa nodded quickly. "Okay, Rei-chan!" he said before heading off to the room that he and Rei shared.
As Rei and Nagisa left, Rin looked up again to see that Kisumi was still standing in the doorway. He was carefully watching the teen as he kept on writing, even if he was pretending not to be interested through his body language.
"Do you want something?" Kisumi asked, trying to pretend like he had just noticed Rin looking at him.
"I just wanna know what exactly is needed for an application for a university. Am I missing something?" Rin asked while slightly hesitantly showing the application layout to the older male.
Kisumi took a quick look at the sheet of paper. "Your physical skills are well explained and I suppose it's appropriate because you are going for the sake of swimming, but I would at least mention what I am good at in school, that you are actually good at English is an important factor that could give you an advantage over other students applying for the same reasons as you," he said before sending the sheet back.
Rin nodded and wrote down a few more sentences. "What about things I'm bad at?" he asked.
"Leave them out unless they're of importance to your study," Kisumi said. "They don't need to know your lacks on irrelevant stuff,"
Rin nodded and looked through the application. He smiled, satisfied at his own work. "I guess that'll do for now, thanks Kisu-me," he said.
"Careful Rin," Kisumi warned. "I might just take you on the word someday," he smiled and waved before leaving the room where Rin was also smiling. Ever since they had moved in Kisumi's apartment and Rin had confessed the joke he had made about Kisumi's name, the other had just laughed and said everyone had made that joke for as long as he could remember. Since then it had almost been accepted as a nickname for the model, and he wasn't bothered by it at all.