Yuuri slept a little late, but Greta was still deeply asleep when he woke. The hall was almost empty when he stumbled out into it, exhausted and pretty much disgusted with humanity. And he had a distinct sense, from the sort of listless stillness that permeated the castle, that Wolfram hadn't been the only one who'd had much too much to drink.

He wasn't sure where he was going. Somehow, Yuuri wandered to his office and found Gunter inside. "Morning," Yuuri said pleasantly, glad to find someone else awake and functional.

"It's wonderful to see you, Your Majesty. Did you enjoy your evening?"

"Not very much." There was no reason to lie to Gunter.

"Too hectic for my tastes as well. I'm afraid Your Majesty has quite a bit of paperwork piled up." Gunter gestured apologetically at the vaulting stacks of paper.

"Well, let's get on with that, then." Yuuri took his seat and grabbed his pen. Tax documents, order forms, legal verdicts… He was starting to get used to it. And compared to the nightmare of formal socializing last night, these were the kingly duties Yuuri found he preferred. And if he just dug his heels in and plowed along, he could be done by lunchtime. He hoped. Then he could go check on Wolfram and see if Conrad would practice some baseball with him. Nice day. He couldn't help feeling he sort of deserved it after that mess.

"Admirable work ethic, Your Majesty. Gunter looked pleased.

Yuuri nodded and got to work, feeling a hand cramp threaten already. He let himself get into swing of the work, signing his name automatically. "Gunter, do you know much about the Bielefelds? I mean, the ones besides Wolfram."

"Not very much, Your Majesty. Their province is on the opposite side of Shin Makoku from the Von Christ holding. I do remember the controversy that sprung up when Wolfram was born. Debate over whether he should inherit the family title, as a prince, or whether his oldest brother should. Tradition was murky on the subject. The eventual compromise was that Wolfram had all the privileges of the eldest except inheritance, which is why he's Wolfram Von Bielefeld, among other things." Gunter frowned. "They tend to keep a bit distant, but that isn't uncommon among aristocrats. Many great families prefer to tend to their holdings and avoid the pressures of Court."

"Oh." Yuuri frowned. Not much use.

"Mael Von Bielefeld and Maddox are considered to have been 'born lucky,' as well," Gunter added thoughtfully. "Twins are a good omen, and they were born within a minute of the other, Mael seconds before the end of the year, Maddox seconds after it began. They were both breeches but completely healthy and gave their mother no trouble. Wind from the south, a dragon seen flying above the house... Quite a conjunction of events. The whole kingdom was ringing about it for a long time."

That was actually very depressing. Especially for Wolfram. Yuuri nodded and went back to signing things with more interest. He wasn't sure he wanted to know more. The twins seemed like insurmountable foes for both the Maou and Wolfram. Yuuri knew he'd promised never to distrust, but this wasn't a matter of not trusting them. It was not liking them. He was entitled to that.

Yuuri was almost finished at noon, and very proud of himself. So was Gunter, but he ignored that. He was preparing to force his way through the last stack of papers when Conrad walked in, tossing a baseball from hand to hand.

"Any interest in some pitching practice?" he asked pleasantly. Yuuri didn't even bother to answer, rising from his chair and whipping around the desk.

"Yes, please." He grinned at Conrad and led the way out into the courtyard. His nerves needed this. Badly.

Conrad sent him an easy toss, so Yuuri returned him one. "I didn't see you at all last night." He could have used the moral support, in retrospect.

"There was a disturbance outside the walls that needed examining, so Josak and I took out a small patrol." There was a slight twinkle in his eye, and Yuuri guessed the disturbance was either a lie or produced by Josak himself.

"That was smart." Yuuri tried not to scowl.

"Apparently, very. Things have to be pretty bad for Wolfram to pull his little lush act."

"Well, that was mostly his brothers—Wait, he's done that before?" And here Yuuri had thought the evening's trials had pushed poor Wolfram to an awful extreme.

"Not often. It's what he does when the stress gets to be too much for him. Considering what he puts himself through, it's really admirable it doesn't happen a lot more." Conrad tried to throw a curve ball and nearly made it.

"Yeah, I guess his brothers really put him through a lot." Yuuri sighed and threw a very lousy pitch.

"They were more the last straw." Conrad shot Yuuri an odd look. "They bother him a lot, certainly. They do that to most people who know them. But have you ever seen a single challenge, even one like that, drive Wolfram to despair?"

Yuuri shook his head. "Oh, and he's been hurt for almost a week, now."

"That's sort of another straw, if not the last." Conrad tossed the ball from hand to hand for a few moments, getting his thoughts together. "Its Wolfram's own standards that do this to him."

"How do you mean?" Yuuri wasn't quite clear yet what "this" was, but he'd let Conrad lead and hope he could catch up.

"Wolfram is singularly gifted at magic. He inherited our mother's rather stunning looks and poise. All his life he's been surrounded by the gifted and powerful, all willing and ready to impart that knowledge and experience that made them great." Conrad sighed. Yuuri thought that was a very good picture of Wolfram, and couldn't begin to fathom the rather sad look on Conrad's face. "However, his natural personality, the expectations heaped on him, and the conclusions drawn as a result have turned what would be a blessing into a curse."

"I still don't really understand." Yuuri would never contest anything Conrad had said. Wolfram was an amazing person. No gainsaying that. He had a lot to worry about, maybe, but that didn't seem to be what Conrad meant.

"It's complicated." Conrad looked just the least bit impatient. Yuuri could only assume he was being dense. "Wolfram is a prodigy of almost unheard of proportions. He set fire to his own crib repeatedly."

"Really?"

"Yes, and it took three tries before he realized he wasn't fireproof. Gwendal and I both pulled him out of dozens of his own conflagrations when he was very young. But he'd mastered fire by the time he was walking. That isn't simply natural power, but control, which is as rare as the age he achieved it at."

"Wow." Yuuri smiled slightly. It was sort of a pleasure to watch Wolfram work. No other Mazoku handled power with such elegance and finesse. Well, Yuuri did, but he never really got to see himself do it. Or really remembered. "Well, then, shouldn't it be easy?"

"Very. That's exactly the problem. Wolfram uses the kind of magic instinctively that most have to work for a lifetime to achieve. And that's all he's ever known. So he expects everything else to come as easily and thinks there's something wrong with him that it doesn't. Rather than recognize his strength, he sees every other facet of his life as a weakness."

"Oh." Actually, that made sense. Yuuri understood now. He could empathize with underestimating yourself and low self esteem. He was an expert, after all, and only just coming to realize it.

Conrad went on. "What's worse, he believes people expect his expertise in every possible field. No one would think it odd if he'd opted to simply follow magical training closely. Playing to your strengths is fine, and even Evert Von Bielefeld was proud of Wolfram's skill. Even after severing ties."

"He's really that good?" Wolfram was fantastic, but Yuuri lacked a real eye for the art. Knowing as little as he did about the subtleties of magic power was like being tone deaf. He could tell when something looked very good or very bad, but the niceties escaped him.

"Well, for comparison, Gwendal is competent, but his magic is nothing special. It's the one thing Wolfram can indisputably claim over those brothers of his. Mael's grossly untalented and Maddox is, I understand, a bit of an embarrassment. Can't boil a pot of water. It's the one way the stars shone on Wolfram instead of them."

"You'd think he'd have noticed that."

"You would, but that branch of Wolfram's family had him trained to hero-worship. They couldn't do any wrong in his eyes until his father outright demanded control of the treasury from him. His eyes were opened then, but Wolfram will never stand up to any of them." Yuuri nodded silently. He'd seen that.

"He's really the only spectacular sorcerer in either side of the family. Gwendal's passable and mother can raise quite a wind when she's angry, but neither is anything spectacular. And of course mine is non-existent. So we focused on other areas where we excel naturally. Mother's forte is of course her social maneuvering, and Gwendal and I both devoted ourselves to the mundane aspects of warfare, strategy and hand-to-hand combat. Wolfram felt he had to match us both in martial prowess as a matter of course, though he's not really very well suited to either swordwork or tactics on a large scale. He's been running himself ragged since he was five years old trying to catch up with us both."

"I always thought he was a good swordsman,"Yuuri countered. Sure, Wolfram had lost to him, but Yuuri realized Wolfram had been underestimating him and not quite known what to do about using a sword like a baseball bat. Being a totally untutored amateur had protected him.

"Not really. His fencing is impeccable. Shockingly so, considering his total lack of aptitude. But he doesn't think well on his feet, or at least he doesn't translate thought to sword or follow his instincts. In formal competition, he's even taken a few prizes, but I'd never want him left with nothing but a sword in a real battle." So, in other words, exactly what Yuuri had deduced himself. "And never ask him to command or even help plan. He is the worst chess player I've ever met. Impulsive and arrogant. But he still tries. He used to stay up all night pouring over treatises on battle dynamics."

Yuuri could see that. In fact, he was starting to see every piece of the puzzle come together. Wolfram really did push himself. Hard enough that Yuuri had believed him a naturally gifted swordsman, even. Of course he was under a lot of pressure.

"He's just as bad about emulating Mother." Conrad scowled. "If he'd just pushed himself to martial mastery he'd probably be okay. But he also tried to force himself to mastery in art and etiquette. Wolfram is... no natural socialite. Bad temper, impatient, can't suffer fools, hates being flirted with, and has a real issue with crowds. When he was younger I had to take him out of mother's parties all the time. Inheriting Mother's looks was a misfortune, because it keeps him the center of attention and means people actually do expect him to be socially graceful. People assume that about the attractive, I've noticed. Nothing makes him more uncomfortable than chatting with uninteresting strangers, but he makes himself, and is always perfectly turned out in dress and form. Honestly, its unnerving. There's a dead look in his eye whenever he has to subvert himself for show." Conrad actually looked angry. "The art is even worse. We all know how miserable he is with a paintbrush, but he's been practicing for years. He's made himself a competent musician, actually, but that cost even more sleepless hours."

That was too much for one person. Yuuri was beginning to be alarmed. "Does he ever sleep?"

"Gwendal and I started drugging him a few years ago. His health was failing. He's gotten better since he's had the fun of sneaking into your room, actually." Oh, wonderful, one more thing to be guilty about. "It doesn't even end there. It wasn't just military theory he studied, but economic and political, alongside history and mathematics. He strove for his father's financial brilliance and political acumen. And all his life, Mael and Maddox have been overshadowing him with mostly sheer force of personality. As Mother proves, charisma can take the place of just about anything else, and it seems true they were born lucky." Conrad paused to sigh. "He sincerely believes he has to be perfect at everything or he becomes a failure. And he's been pushing himself even harder since impressing you became important. Nights he isn't trying to slip into your room are spent toiling over one project or another, and... well, he learned not to take tea from me, Gwendal, or Anissina a while ago. Anyone would collapse under the strain."

Yuuri bit his lip, looking away. Everything Conrad said rang true, but Yuuri had trouble believing it. It seemed Wolfram had practically killed himself to become a person Yuuri doubted he'd have liked. It was Wolfram's temper Yuuri found most endearing. His total incompetence as an artist was sweet, but where Yuuri had once found his perseverance sort of amusing, it now seemed practically pathological. A moment of weakness under the stress? Yuuri was surprised Wolfram wasn't a half-mad alcoholic after all that.

"Excuse me. I should go see how he's doing." Yuuri missed Conrad's approving smile as he ran past.

Conrad turned to call after him. "Walk softly, Yuuri. Wolfram never could hold his alcohol!"

Yuuri ran all the way to Wolfram's room, but once there he took Conrad's advice to heart. And he was sort of shy. He wouldn't look at Wolfram the same knowing what he'd been through. The Selfish Brat was really more of a heroic victim. Instead of knocking, Yuuri cracked the door to peek inside. Wolfram was lying still and alone. Yuuri let himself in. "Um, do you feel okay?"

When he spoke, Wolfram winced. Yuuri noticed a wet rag on his forehead. But the blonde still forced himself to nod.

"I'll let you rest if you want," Yuuri whispered, tiptoeing closer. He supposed he was attending a sickbed at the moment.

"No." Wolfram closed his eyes and pushed himself up, grimacing horribly as he did. Though on Wolfram, even that looked pretty, if pitiful. "I don't have the clearest memories of last night, but I apologize for any inappropriate conduct."

"Oh, um, there was none." Yuuri paused to mull for a moment. "I mean, not really anything to worry about. You were a little clingy, but otherwise you probably should have fallen down the stairs. And it wasn't that different from usual."

Wolfram looked away and groaned as the movement rattled his tender head. "It was inexcusable. Any punishment you see fit to dole out—"

"Whoa! Wolfram, punishment? What would I punish you for? You were a little drunk. It was kind of, um..." There was no right word. Yuuri sighed. Now that he had Conrad's words to think on, this was pretty much what he should expect.

"It was a humiliation for us both. It certainly didn't do you any good in the eyes of my brothers and probably left my own reputation in tatters." He still wouldn't look at Yuuri. "You should probably break our engagement."

"Wolfram, stop being so melodramatic!" Yuuri sat on the bed and leaned so he was in Wolfram's line of sight. He couldn't help thinking this was the perfect opportunity to get out of this damned, unwanted entanglement. But to do so would be downright evil, Yuuri knew, once he saw the abject misery in Wolfram's eyes. "You... don't have to be perfect for me, Wolfram. You just have to be, well, you."

Yuuri thought it would have been a nicer sentiment if he hadn't stammered his way through it. But he wasn't very good at saying the right thing. And, like all the times he'd had his arm around Wolfram lately, that could be taken the wrong way. Sort of the wrong way. Yuuri didn't know anymore.

But whatever it's flaws, the hesitant reassurance seemed to have worked. Wolfram stared at Yuuri for a long moment, then nodded very slowly. He reached out and shyly covered the Maou's fingers with his own, just for a moment, before he pulled back.

"Well, if you're content to let our reputation slide, that's your affair. Just keep in mind how it reflects on Shin Makoku." Wolfram lay back down, his hair spreading over the pillow in a halo.

"That's right. I am." Coughing uncomfortably, Yuuri stood. "I'd better go finish up my paperwork before Gunter gets mad."

"Alright. I should be functioning by tonight. Bring Greta and whatever she's reading now."

"I will."

Yuuri slipped out of the room. He should head back. There was that little pile of work left to be done. If he got it all out of the way, he'd be free to, well, he didn't know what he'd be free to do. But he needed to go think about what that might be. Yuuri apologized mentally to Gunter and headed outside. He walked to the flowerbed, where the picnic had been.

Beautiful Wolfram. It really was a striking flower. The color was brilliant, a bright, reflective yellow with a silvery undertone, exactly like sunlight and like Wolfram's hair. The slender, shapely petals were in a rather peculiar formation. When Yuuri looked closely, he found they formed a little star on the inside, a blotch of bright green at the base of each petal. About the shade of Wolfram's eyes. A perfect match and echoes of the sun and stars. Lady Celi had named it well.

Yuuri was confused and a little frightened of what he was beginning to feel. He'd taken Wolfram's constant presence for granted for so long. And then his long absence had changed that. Yuuri had been back and serving in Shin Makoku for months now. He was slow on the uptake, but something inside had definitely shifted with regard to Wolfram.

It was in those smiles that the indisputable proof lay. Other things could be explained away. Yuuri took care of his friends the best he could. He was sure that, had Gwendal, Murata, Josak... Anyone ended up drunk, Yuuri would have been happy to drag him up the stairs. And the increased awareness that Wolfram was a beautiful specimen? Well, he was. Yuuri had always known Wolfram was shockingly pretty. But there was a warm, slightly shaky feeling he got whenever he saw Wolfram smile. And that couldn't be ignored.

And he liked that feeling. It unnerved him, but he always felt better when he had it.

Dancing with Wolfram had been surprisingly pleasant once he relaxed. And when he thought about it, Yuuri could suddenly feel Wolfram's lean body flush with his, an arm around his waist, the occasional strand of flyaway blond hair on his face. The sudden stream of sensation was as vivid as the flowers before him, and he liked that, too.

Wolfram was more than a friend. He meant more to Yuuri than a friend, though Yuuri didn't think that quantifyingsuch things was a good idea. Could he say he cared more about Wolfram than, say, Conrad? Not exactly. But it was a very different feeling. The same went for the undeniable care for his family. And his feelings for Greta. He cared about Conrad because of trust, respect, and a certain sense that they were kindred spirits. He loved his family unconditionally. He loved Greta because she needed him.

And he didn't know why he was so entranced by Wolfram. By all accounts it didn't make sense. Whatever his excuse to be that way, Wolfram was an arrogant brat, selfish, judgmental, and egomaniacal. He was brittle emotionally and physically, and not given to caring at all about others.

But when he smiled, Yuuri's breath caught, and his pain tore the Maou's heart out. He'd figure it out later. He'd apparently have a lifetime to do it, because he wasn't going to struggle against this marriage anymore. But that didn't solve anything. Yuuri's nurturing instinct was taking over, now that he'd admitted it pertained, somehow, to Wolfram.

Wolfram was still hurt because of Yuuri. And he was hurting himself, according to Conrad. He needed to be taken care of, cherished, and reassured. Those were things Yuuri tended to be pretty good at, but usually by accident. It was hard to figure out how to do something special when most of the time it seemed he just had to be nice to melt the hearts of thousands. Diplomacy was very easy compared to friendship. Or whatever this thing with Wolfram was.

And, Yuuri remembered, it was going to be his birthday very soon. Even knowing how Wolfram felt on that subject, Yuuri couldn't forget it. It only seemed fair to get some recognition.

So the Maou did what any man in a bind would do. He went to ask his mother for advice. He ran back to the castle and found Conrad. "I need to go to Earth. Just for a little while."

"Any special reason?" Conrad had on his "it's your business but you're making me curious" face.

"Yes. Anyway, I'll hurry. And I'll go alone. I just thought someone should know." Someone who wasn't Gunter. Yuuri was flustered enough.

He barely waited for Conrad's nod before running to the baths and stepping in. Murata had been teaching Yuuri to control his passage better. In time, he was hoping to reverse the time incongruities, or at least restructure them a little. He wanted to be able to come back to Shin Makoku the moment he left. Especially as he had almost no time left until that birthday.

Yuuri blinked at the sudden sunlight. His mother had taken to leaving the kiddie pool out in the yard with just a few inches of water. Much more comfortable. The sun was very low, which could mean he'd been back in Shin Makoku a few hours or a few days. He'd have to start worrying about that once school started back up.

He let himself in the house. His mother was in the kitchen, humming off-key to a Spiral Spiders CD. He didn't' hear anyone else. "Mom?"

"Call me Mama, Yu-chan! Did you have a nice time being the demon king?"

"Um, yes." He ducked into the kitchen. She was chopping away at a pile of leeks. "Curry?"

"Of course! Mama's curry is always waiting for you at home. And this time I'll put some in a container for you to bring back to your friends. Maybe you can give the recipe to someone. I'm sure they have good cooks, since you live in a castle and all. I've been meaning to ask. When can I visit? Sho-chan got to, and it's not fair that Mama doesn't get to go see her little Yu-chan's castle."

"Um, I'll arrange something." Without telling Celi. "Mo-Mama, do we still have that fancy camera from when Dad had his mid-life crisis and wanted to run off to Borneo to photograph leopards?"

"Hmm. You know, I never figured out if they have leopards in Borneo. Yes, it's gathering dust on the top shelf in the hall closet. There's a few rolls of film, too." She giggled. "I don't know why we don't use it. I guess all those little buttons and lenses are more trouble than it's worth, when we can just get a disposable camera from the convenience store. I took all your pictures with those little cameras."

"Um, oh." Yuuri shook his head. His mother's chattering tirades always took a little getting used to when he came back after weeks in Shin Makoku. "Do you mind if I take it back with me?"

"Oh, are you going to take pictures! Pictures of another world! How wonderful! Oh, I should get an album ready for you to fill!"

"Alright." He could take a roll of photos for her. Or Wolfram could. Yuuri just hoped he wasn't giving Wolfram another reason to stay up all night trying to hone skill he had no need or real desire for. It would just be an easier way to take out his artistic impulses. And Wolfram would be the only photographer in Shin Makoku.

Yuuri went to fetch the camera and found, handily, that it had a waterproof bag with pockets for film. Nice. That, he thought, would be a perfectly good birthday present. But that wasn't all he'd come for. There were times when only a mother's advice, even a lunatic mother's, would do.

He walked back into the kitchen and sat down. "It smells good."

"Thank you! It's nice to be appreciated sometimes, you know." She posed with her clever and a half-chopped carrot for a moment, caught in a blindingly brilliant sunbeam for effect.

"Where're Dad and Shori?"

"Your Papa's at a security meeting at work, and Sho-chan is waiting in line for the newest dating sim. You know, I check sometimes, and he always loses at those. I wonder why he's so wild about them?"

"Because he's too stiff and overprotective for any real girl to go out with him and too stubborn to give up after virtual girls reject him, too?" It was Yuuri's best theory. "Anyway, um, there's something I wanted to ask you."

Miko looked delighted, setting her vegetables down and sitting across the table from Yuuri, chin in hands. "Well, my sweet Yu-chan isn't too big to ask his Mama for help, even if he is Maou of a whole kingdom. What is it?"

"Um..." How to phrase this? "What's a good gift to show someone how much they mean to you?"

"Hmm, that would depend entirely on who that someone is." She looked contemplative. "Who's it for? Mama? Sho-chan? Oh, maybe Conrad? Or that adorable lover of yours? Does Wol-chan get a special present from Yu-chan? Oh, is it already White Day in Shin Makoku? Chocolate always works, Yuuri."

"Um, no, nothing like that." Though that did leave him wondering if presents should be given to a male fiancé on Valentine's or White Day. But mostly he was flustered by his mother's use of the word "lover." He'd gotten used to being Wolfram's fiancé, but lover was an entirely different story.

He wondered if he should lie, but he wouldn't get good advice that way. She'd giggle for hours if he admitted the gift really was for Wolfram, but at least he'd know the best she could tell him. And since she already had Wolfram's testimony, he wouldn't be admitting to much she didn't already think she knew.

"But it is for him. It's, um, a birthday present."

"Oh, I see. Well, there's no reason that shouldn't be special, too." She smiled dreamily. "My pretty Yu-chan, all grown up and in love and getting married. You really should bring Wolfram back again to pick out wedding things. Do you want a western ceremony, or something more traditional? Hmm..."

"Um, I think Shin Makoku probably has its own traditions," Yuuri said quickly, not up to arguing about the suggested wedding.

"Oh, those must be fascinating! I can't wait. But right. You asked. Well, let me show you the most wonderful present your Papa ever got me." She stood and disappeared into the next room. Yuuri heard her scurry up the stairs and then things crashing to the floor. She wasn't very organized. Yuuri was a little worried at the possible damage by the time she returned, carrying a small purple box.

"This was our engagement ring!" She flipped it open. The inside was satin, and the ring that sat within was simple, but very pretty. Yuuri was surprised he hadn't seen it before. It was silver, set with a rather striking stone. It was brown, but with shifting light shimmered with colors Yuuri couldn't possibly have seen in it. "We didn't have much money then, so it's only silver. And I couldn't go with Papa to pick it out, because he was traveling so much on business then. Since money was tight leading up to getting married I sort of figured we just wouldn't have one, and I didn't mind too much. But one day he came home from a trip to somewhere in Russia with this. The stone is called Alexandrite. He said it made him think of my eyes." She closed them for a moment, obviously lost in memory. "It was so sweet."

Yuuri was a little repelled by the engagement ring idea. Being Wolfram's fiancé still didn't exactly sit well with him. It was strange to think of an actual marriage rather than just the ongoing argument that had been between them so long. Though he'd never seen any sign of such tradition in Shin Makoku, and Wolfram probably wouldn't get it. But somehow, Wolfram not understanding the significance felt worse than the heaviness of presenting him with an engagement ring.

And he'd be pretty late. He didn't know just how long it had been in Shin Makoku, but it had been many months at least since his accidental proposal.

"Oh, but you haven't seen the best part, Yu-chan! Look here!" She lifted the ring from its velvet seat. "Look close. It's worn down a little, because silver is pretty soft. That's why I don't wear it very often."

Yuuri looked obediently. The band was inscribed. He had to tilt the ring into the light, but it was legible. "To Miko. From Shoma. With Love."

"Isn't it a wonderful way to put it? Perfectly simple and direct, just like your Papa. He proposed to me on our fifth date, you know. He was always completely up front with me, even about things that most people have trouble with. So matter of fact. It's so cute!" She was practically cooing.

"Um, thanks." Yuuri replaced the ring. Did he… dare?

"So, that's what I recommend. There's nothing so refreshing as a lover who will be honest and simple about love. It's better than flowery words and promises. It's just there. I love you. It sounds like I'm in some series from Shoujo Beat, but it's true, Yu-chan. There aren't any words more powerful than that." She sighed happily, closing her eyes and grinning.

"Thank you, Mama," Yuuri said quietly. Now he knew what he was going to do. What he owed Wolfram and what he wanted himself, too. "I better head back. I've got a lot to do and just a day to do it in."

"Okay! Good luck, Yuuri! Next time you visit, bring Wol-chan!"

Yuuri waved and smiled as he hopped back into the pool. At least he was less confused, if a lot more scared.