Author's Note: Another marathon for you readers! Also, some shameless product placement. Mizuki Nana's album, Supernal Liberty, is 100% real and was released on the 16th of April (2014, for those of you who read this in the future). It is a BRILLIANT album by an extremely talented singer - those of you who have not heard of Mizuki Nana, I recommend her highly. Her album is available on CDJapan for 2800 yen (just google it: supernal liberty cdjapan), as well a large part of her recording history, generally at 2800 yen for an album and 1600 yen (or less) for a single. There are also other sources, but I can't condone them publicly. But, Mizuki Nana, people. Give it up for her!

"Sorry for making you guys come with me! You probably wanted to go with Onii-chan and the others, didn't you?"

"Not really. I don't need any new swim gear. And I've never gone shopping for girl's outfits before! Somehow, my sisters don't trust my taste." Nagisa-kun and Rei-kun came with me instead of going with the other three. I felt rude busting up the party, but I'm glad I did. This way I feel like I took first step, because I did. And for once, it's not about swimming. It's about being friends, and nothing more. This is the kind of relationship I want with them. Not 'club manager.' That's bullcrap. 'Friend.'

"Why exactly did you invite me, Gou-san?"

"Because, with you and your beauty, you should understand how to make good outfit. Right?"

"I suppose you're right. But…" Rei-kun does one of those hesitate-mid-sentence things. He's about to say something weird, I'm sure. "I haven't memorised the theories for outfit creation! I don't know what the latest fashions are! I don't know what designers are in style right now! I don't…" I clap my hand on his shoulder, and he clams up.

"Rei-kun, I don't care about that. I invited because I wanted your opinion, not something I could have read in Vogue. Is that all right?" I smile at him. He's a dork, but that's what I like about him.

And he blushes. He blushes, and he kind of contorts like he's trying to get my hand off his shoulder. And it shows off his muscles. And under my hand, I feel them twisting and convulsing and it feels fun. And I then kind of blush, too, and it looks like we just had a romantic moment. Which we totally didn't, but anyone walking past would have thought so. Until Nagisa-kun.

"Ah, Gou-chan! You're not allowed to ignore me!" And he pulls my hand off Rei-kun's shoulder and the atmosphere feels a little more comfortable.

"Well, thanks for coming, you two. It means a lot." And I smile at them, a different kind of smile to my normal one. This is my 'I was on my way to hell and you stopped me' smile. "This is the place."

The store is really pink, but it sells things that are much more mature than it looks. Its name betrays something of its truer nature: Nadeshiko and Sakura. A bit weird, but refined. Just the way I like it.

"Ehh, really, Gou-chan? It didn't pick you for being such a lady!"

"What's that supposed to mean!" I dress fashionably, but maturely. I'm not into short shorts and underwear that masquerades as a skirt. "Never mind. Hurry up, or I'll leave you behind." I walk in, feigning irritation, but I can't stop myself from smiling.

The three of us comb the racks looking for anything that I might actually wear. Yellow, red, and black are the colours that look best on me, so I keep my eyes open for those. But Nagisa-kun seems to have his own thoughts. "Gou-chan! Try this on!" He stumbles around a corner, holding a scallop-tiered shirt, alternating between navy and ice blues on each frill, and a pair of jean shorts. Not too short, but short enough to look comfortable.

"Really, Nagisa-kun?" Rei-kun chirps up from behind me before I have a chance to voice my opinion. "Theoretically, blue would clash with Gou-san's figure and colouring. I think this would be much better." He holds up a maxi-dress, in a scarlet red, with a flower pattern made in violet-come-black sequins over the left hip, shoulder straps, no sleeves. Well, it's not really a true maxi. It's about three-quarter length. And I'm torn between the two.

"Ehh, Rei-chan, you think so? I think she'd look really cute and athletic in this!"

"But that doesn't really suit her! This refined, classical-lady image is much more appropriate for a woman on the verge of adulthood!"

"But for a modern-day girl like Gou-chan, sporty is best!"

"Even then, you'll clash with her eyes and hair with an outfit like that. You're not considering this, Nagisa-kun!"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT ME LIKE I'M NOT HERE!" Ahh, I must be the luckiest girl in the world right now. The two hottest guys in the class are fighting about what would look better on me. I have so much power. "I haven't even tried them on yet. The fitting rooms are over here." I make my way over, making sure my hair flicks a little as I turn. "And don't fight over a lady in public. It's poor form." I'm not sure if I'm flirting. And I'm not sure if it's with both of them, or just Nagisa-kun. But either way, Rei-kun gets hit the hardest by it.

I try Nagisa's outfit first. "I like it. It's free to move in, and I kind of like the sharp contrast with my colouring. Good choice, Nagisa-kun!" I smile at him, and he nods proudly.

"You say it like you expected less from me!" He laughs a little, and then turns serious for a moment. "But, really. You two. Hold it with the –kun business. It's weird. Nobody calls me –kun. Or, well, no-one I like. I'm just Nagisa." He smiles again and I think. Does this count as a relationship upgrade when he said to Rei-kun too? But he's got a point. We're closer than we realise. He even picked my size. Not many guys out there can say that.

"Okay, then, just Nagisa. I appreciate your help. This is a strong addition to a maiden's wardrobe. You've done a favour to women this great day." I can't help but tease him. He just makes it so easy.

"Don't poke fun at someone who just invited you to stop using honorifics, Gou-chan!"

"Speak for yourself! Quit it with the –chan! I'm not a kid anymore! Like Rei says, I'm a refined, classical lady." I catch myself, realising I let Rei's name slip without honorifics. "It's alright if I call you Rei, isn't it? This honorific stuff gets to be a pain. Just call me Gou. Well, Kou ideally. But I can tell that's not going to happen, is it?" I smile again and snatch the dress Rei's holding, dashing back into the change room.

And in two minutes flat I'm back out again. "UWAA! GOU-CHAN!" Nagisa's staring at me the same way he did when I came out in my swimsuit on Monday.

"Does it look weird?" I'd taken the ponytail out of my hair. It didn't suit the dress. I think this is the first time I've worn my hair down in front of either of them.

"N-n… Not at all!" He just keeps stammering uselessly, trying to find the right word.

"You look beautiful, Gou." Rei steps up to the plate for him. I turn around, and see my reflection in the mirror, and for the first time in a while, I agree. The dress is semi-fitted, so while it's not so tight to show off every detail on my body, it shows off the ones I want shown. The floral pattern is refreshing to look at, and it draws in the eyes really well. The dress is a darker colour, so it stands out against my pale skin. And it makes my eyes and hair look like they're made out of rubies instead of red dirt, like they normally do. I feel like a proper lady, or a princess or something.

"Well, it's not exactly street clothing, but I've been in need of a good formal dress." I turn back to them. "Great find, Rei. Thanks." Thanks for finding this dress. Thanks for saying I was beautiful. Thanks for being my friend.

"But, Gou-chan. Which are you going to buy? This place is expensive."

Rei gasps a little. Quickly grabbing the other outfit, he checks the prices, and I can practically see the gears turning in his head as he adds up the price. "Gou… buying all three of these will cost 19320 yen!"

I run a set of my own numbers. I haven't bought anything in a while, and after Onii-chan came back home, we're saving money off his school fees, so I got an allowance bump. I check my purse. I have roughly 10000 yen in cash, and I'm not sure how much my account is holding, but I feel like it should be over 12000. "I've got enough. I mightn't be able to get lunch, but that's a small sacrifice to get my hands on these." I'll have to save up again and take these two shoe shopping one day. I pick up all my purchases and walk over to the register. "You do split sales, right?"

Gou-chan didn't have quite enough money. She fell about 750 yen short. But really, what's that? Less than two of the bread rolls I buy at school pretty much every day, so I pitched it in. My outfit was more expensive, because it was two pieces, so it was only fair I pay it, not Rei-chan. I wouldn't have let him pay, anyway. Not after fighting over which one was better. But even now, I should still have plenty to buy that new album.

"Now, to the music store! Iwatobi Shopping Force, away!" I laugh loudly as I break into a clumsy half-run in the general direction of a map, so I can find out where exactly we're going. It comes into eyeshot. Two floors up, and then back towards the entry. I point emphatically in the direction we need to go, showing Gou-chan and Rei-chan, who've fallen behind, where the store is. And we head off, at a brisk but comfortable pace.

Standing in front of it now, I wonder how we didn't notice it before. It's a fashionable sort of store, with all black walls, and modern-looking, angular pillars framing the entrance, supporting a gigantic fluoro orange sign, Rhythm. And it's huge. And with a name and aesthetic like that, it's not selling anything but music.

"So what exactly was it you were looking for, Nagisa-ku… Nagisa?" I laugh a little.

"Thanks, Rei-chan. You remembered. You're bad at adapting to honorific changes, aren't you?" He tenses up, the way he does when he doesn't want to admit something.

"It's just force of habit! But, you're dodging the question. There was a specific album you wanted to buy, didn't you?"

"Yes! Nana-chan just released her tenth album!"

"Nana-chan? Who's that?"

"You don't know her, Gou-chan? Have you been living under a rock or something?"

Gou-chan pouts a little, and turns her head away. "Well, maybe if you actually used her name, I'd know!"

Rei-chan pushes up his glasses, and I can tell straight off the bat he's set to give us a fact file. "Mizuki Nana, born Kondo Nana, is a highly successful pop singer as well as voice actress. She debuted as a voice actress in the 1998 game Noël ~La Neige~, which led to her singing a character album, counting as her official debut as a singer, although she released a song under a pseudonym a year prior. She was signed to King Records in 2000, debuting with a single called Omoi. With this last release, she now has 10 studio albums, 29 singles, 2 compilation albums, 22 video albums and over 100 other appearances as a backing singer or singing for anime characters and the like. Since her fifth album, Hybrid Universe, in May of 2006, all of her releases have attained a ranking of 5 or higher on the Oricon music charts. Her 2007 single Phantom Minds and her 2009 album Ultimate Diamond are the first number ones in their respective categories to be recorded by a voice actress."

"Wow. Even I didn't know all of that, and I'm supposed to be the fan. Where do you put all this stuff, Rei-chan?"

"My brain is built for the memorisation of theories. And when you told me that Mizuki Nana was your favourite singer, I decided to look her up. One read of her biography on the internet, and I know that much about her."

"You looked her up just because I said she was my favourite? That's sweet, Rei-chan." I smile at him, and he blushes. God, he's cute.

"I haven't heard any of her songs, though. I only read her biography."

"Well, we can fix that! I like to listen to a couple of the tracks before I buy anyway, so we can share the earphones." I smile mentally at the image.

"And what about me?" Gou-chan puts her hands on her hips and pouts, sort of. Well, she tries, but it doesn't really work. She's smiling too much. "Although, at least I know who you're talking about now. She's not the only Nana in the music business, Nagisa. As if I could guess off just her first name!"

"Well, whatever. Let's go!" I take off into the store, and I spot the new album almost immediately. Partially because I already know what it looks like from seeing it online, and partially because it's on a giant display wall. As expected from a singer of Nana-chan's calibre. I try to read the name. Why are they always in English? "Shu… shupaanal libaate? Is that it?"

"Your pronunciation is awful, Nagisa-ku… Nagisa. It's Supernal Liberty."

"Yours isn't exactly perfect, Rei. We'll ask Onii-chan when we see him, how's that?"

Rei-chan blushes, embarrassed. He gets that way so easily, but that's part of his charm.

"Well, let's listen. Which one has the most interesting title?" I scroll the list with my eyes, and settle on the one at the bottom, because it's in Japanese, so I can actually read it. "This one here – Ai no Hoshi – Tsuu Haatsu."

"We really need to work on your pronunciation if you plan to pass second year. Two Hearts."

"Quit spoiling the fun, Rei-chan!" It's my turn to pout, and Gou-chan laughs. "It's not funny, Gou-chan!" I turn away from them, back towards the screen, and I see that there are three jack ports. So we can all listen at the same time. I plug in three sets of the trial headphones, hand one to each of them, making sure Rei-chan can see I'm a little iffed, and set the song on its merry way. Well, now that I actually hear it, merry might not be the right word.

It's not what I would call a sad song. But it's not happy-happy. It's slow, reflective. And suddenly the vocal line kicks in and I'm miles away, carried away on her voice like a leaf on high tide. And, even though I've heard this song already, because it was on her last single, I hear it new. I hear the words for what they really are, and it hits me like a ton of bricks. This is totally how our friendship works.

Looking for something truly beautiful on this one and only planet, rather than something these eyes can see, wouldn't it be love? Rei-chan's always looking for his beauty, and he looks so hard he doesn't even notice I'm standing here throwing it in his face.

Even if quarrels and sadness cloud up the untainted sky, overlapping warmth becomes a light illuminating the world. Even we we're all fighting, we still shine, together, and we always will.

In this repeating time, if there is one thing that'll never change, it wouldn't have form, but it would be the joys of meeting you. Even though we'd spent so long apart, the joy of meeting Haru-chan and Mako-chan and Rin-chan never changed. It only got better when Gou-chan and Rei-chan came in.

We don't have even one special thing, only the power to feel things that are precious to us. The things like Gou-chan, like everybody, like Rei-chan.

By being together, we weave bonds limited in time, and leave tracks called miracles behind. We've worked miracles as a team, I realise now. We mightn't have made it nationals, but there are other kinds of miracles.

Whatever tomorrow might bring, I'm sure I'll be able to walk forward, no matter what tomorrow brings, with you, forever. That is what I want. I'm not sure why I never noticed it before, but that is what I want. To walk forward, push on and never give up against our future, hand in hand and heart in heart, with everybody. I look across to Rei-chan. Everybody is in my vision, but he's the one standing next to me.

And suddenly the song's over, and the three of us are left standing stunned in the middle of the store like we'd just seen the sky fall down.

"I can see why she's your favourite singer, Nagisa." Rei-chan breaks the silence, and I'm not sure whether I'm sad the magic's gone or whether I'm happy it was replaced by his voice.

"I'm moved. If I wasn't flat broke, I'd be buying the album, too." Gou-chan voices her agreement, and I look at the two of them.

But I can't say anything back. So instead, I just let my feelings take over, and I throw myself around the two of them, hugging them tight, tighter than I ever have before, letting my head fall on Rei-chan's shoulder. I feel like I'm about to cry, but it's a good cry. A happy cry. I look up at them, releasing them from my arms as I do. "Promise me we'll be together forever, okay?"

They just look confused for a moment, but then they smile and I know they feel the same way I do. And there's an unspoken agreement between the three of us. No matter what tomorrow brings, with you, forever. That's how it should be. So I pick a copy of Supernal Liberty up off the shelf, mentally bookmarking my favourite track before I even reach the counter.

"That's 2800 yen." That's the best purchase of my life. 2800 yen for an album, a friendship-maybe-more and a promise.

I try my best to stop that song echoing in my head, but no matter what I do it stubbornly refuses to move. And echoing along with it is Nagisa's promise. Together forever. I said I promised, so I suppose now I have to. And I want to. It's just forever's a long time. It's a long time to be with just one group. It's a long time to wait. It's a long time to be torn between two choices. And at this rate, I think I very well might be torn forever.

We go to lunch, because it's around midday, and we're starting to get hungry, unsurprisingly. Se we go to the food court, and we have a lot of options. Well, Gou doesn't because she's now broke after her expenditure at Nadeshiko and Sakura. I must admit, though, I agree. Money is a trivial sacrifice for the acquisition of beauty.

"Gou-sa… Gou." One of these days, I'm going to get the hang of changing honorifics. It seems16 years haven't been sufficient, so perhaps it won't just happen tomorrow, but I'll get there. "I'll buy you lunch, so get whatever it is you like."

"Don't be stupid! I can't ask that of you!"

"You're not asking, I'm inviting. I haven't bought anything today, so I still have plenty of money. So please, get what you like, and I'll pay."

She smiles, and I take a somewhat improper pleasure in knowing I caused it. "Thanks, Rei."

Nagisa hums quite loudly. I'm not entirely sure why that is, but he must have his reasons. "Don't get so ahead of yourself, you two. We still need to find a place to eat."

We all start rotating randomly, in some vain hope that we'll twist to face the obvious choice in a sea thereof. And unsurprisingly, it's Nagisa who finds it. "Ah! A new ramen house! Let's go there!" And unsurprisingly, Gou and I both tag along willingly.

Nagisa seems to have all of the power in our relationship. Not as in his and mine, but the three of us, him, Gou and I. I can't quite determine why that is, though. Sociology theory would dictate that both Gou and I want something from him, and hence capitulate in hope of having the wish fulfilled. I don't even know I want something out of Nagisa, so I can't judge whether or not Gou does. But, our relationship dynamic would certainly suggest it.

I shake my head, in an attempt to clear these thoughts until I have private space and time to consider, as is proper. We make our way over to this new ramen house, and wait to be seated. Or, we go to, until a customer already seated flags us down. "Oi! Gou-kun!" There's only one person I can think of who would call her that, and her half-angered, half-defeated sigh implies my guess is right. Former Samezuka Academy Swim Team Captain, Mikoshiba Seijuro, waves obnoxiously from a nearby table. "Come and sit over here!"

And we oblige, although I don't really know why. We've not spoken to him much at all. Except Gou, a little. But I suppose we can get ahead of the nightmare of a line this way. "I thought I told you already not to call me Gou-kun. At least Gou-san! It sounds enough like I'm a boy already!" She goes to sit next to him, and some instinct somewhere in me goes to stop her. My hand reaches out to catch her before I notice it, but thankfully Nagisa has somewhat more presence of mind, and catches me by the shoulder at the last available moment.

"Remember what she said at the store. Poor form." He whispers it straight into my ear, so I know it was a private comment. And he's right. It's only beings of high intelligence that can overcome natural instinct, so in the interest of maintaining my image of a beautiful intellect, I must overcome such stupid urges. I nod in acknowledgement, and let Gou file peacefully in beside Mikoshiba-san, while Nagisa and I take the two opposite them. They start prattling idly, more arguments about honorifics. I allow myself to tune out, taking no interest in the present flow and conversation. And moreover, I think allowing my mind to wander will distract me from this territorial feeling. I hate it. I hate giving in to my instincts that way.

So does that mean that I love Gou? Does the fact that I voluntarily do something I hate for her sake mean that I love her? Does the fact that sitting here, as much as I try to be absent-minded, I find myself being irritated that she's sitting next to Mikoshiba-san and not me mean I love her? Does the fact that my instincts, no matter how much I repress them, choose to protect her mean I love her, somewhere even I can't see? But if I do love her, what about Nagisa? If Gou sets my instincts into action, it seems to be Nagisa who can calm them. All he did was lay a hand on my shoulder, and I was then capable of my normal level of self-restraint.

Does that mean I love him? Does the fact that all it takes is a touch from him mean that my instincts have chosen him as well as Gou? Does that mean I love Nagisa? Or Gou? Or both? Is it alright for me to love both them? If I do, do I have to choose which one I love more? That's impossible. That would be equivalent to choosing between a mother and a father. I realise my brain comes to this conclusion independently, without my input. So I do love them both? But if so, then how do I feel about Rin-senpai? He seems to care for me, if not love me. So does that mean I own him some kind of repayment or respect as recompense for his love? They are so many questions, and all the theories in the entire world couldn't possibly answer even a single one.

And a voice snaps me back to the present. "You're Ryuugazaki, right? The one that gave up his relay position to Matsuoka?" I nod in reply, not trusting myself to reply civilly to Mikoshiba-san, his right arm threatening to embrace Gou at any moment. "Well, thanks on my part. You're crazy, but thanks. I don't know what he would've done if you hadn't given him that chance. And he's the best shot Samezuka has, so I owe you one." If I could claim that 'one' now, I would ask him to swap places.

"But Sei-chan, Rin-chan transferred." Mikoshiba-san tenses involuntarily, but I'm not sure whether it's over Nagisa's improvised nickname or his offhand comment.

"First, never call me that again. And second, what?" Equal parts of both. "You're saying Matsuoka transferred away from Samezuka, the swimming powerhouse, to a municipal high school? Why? How? He's in third year, right?"

"Sei-chan, calm down!"

"I told you not to call me that!"

And suddenly Gou just breaks out in fits of laughter at the sheer bizarreness of the affair, and suddenly we're all joining and everything just relaxes like there was never any tension to begin with. I trust my civility more after humour, so I reply to Mikoshiba-san.

"I'm not really sure how Rin-senpai managed it either. I think someone at Samezuka must have wanted him out. After our little relay performance, I wouldn't be surprised if some higher-up held a grudge, so there's that." I tick off possible explanations on my hand. "He is in third-year, but private high schools just do what they want, really, so I don't think that bothered them much. But the most interesting part is why. I don't know the theories to adequately determine that." It's only half-a-lie. I don't know the theories, but that doesn't mean I don't know why.

"Ai no Hoshi – Tsuu Haastsu." Nagisa pitches in from the side of table. We all stare at him, confused. Gou and I both know he's referring to the song we heard, but we're yet to figure out exactly what he means by it. "In this repeating time, if there is one thing that'll never change, it wouldn't have form, but it would be the joys of meeting you. Rin-chan wanted to see us again. When you know joy once, you look for it again. And the best joy I've ever known in the relay with Rin-chan and everyone. I'm sure he feels the same way." Wow. I didn't know Nagisa was capable of such reflective thought. And suddenly, a line from the song echoes in my head. No matter what tomorrow brings, with you, forever. I know that I feel the same way as Mizuki Nana did when she sang those lines. But I don't know who my 'you' should be. In Japanese, the expression is strictly singular. But a rough conversion to English in my head shows that the translation is ambiguous – it could be plural. So is it okay for me to have multiple 'you's? Can I have Nagisa and Gou and Rin-senpai and everyone else, or do I have to choose just one? Nagisa turns his eyes on me, and somehow I get the feeling he's thinking much the same thing.

"Waiter?" Mikoshiba-san's voice shatters my reverie, leaving shards of indecision scattered in my brain like pieces of a broken mirror. "We're ready to order."