"OHTA," Kiyoni shouted while on a video call with Shuichi and Kuronue, "OHTA IS IN ON THIS NOW?!"

"Ikeda Kiyoni," her father chided from downstairs, "Will you please keep your voice down? You better be studying, young lady."

"SORRY, DAD! My bad, boys. I really am supposed to be studying but…Ohta is involved now?"

"Without question," Shuichi confirmed, "He switched both my lotion and water bottle."

"So what does that mean for nationals? If Ohta can steal your stuff and if Kaito catches you, it's bye bye championship."

"Have faith, Ikeda," Kuronue encouraged, lounging in his seat, "We're ready for them."

"Eh?"

To demonstrate, Shuichi displayed his level of control over electricity a suitable distance from his laptop. Multiple currents of electricity circulated between Shuichi's hands as if he was playing a voltaic game of cat's cradle. The trick brought a satisfying smile to his face.

"No way," Kiyoni gawked, "How did you do that?"

"Haha." Kuronue continued, "He's Killua from HunterxHunter."

"I needed to make time for myself for a few days," Shuichi informed, "That included asking Lady Botan to help me master this at the very least. I'm not there yet but it's enough to throw Kaito off for good."

"So all we need is Kaito and his phone," Kiyoni concluded.

"And since he has an iPhone…" Kuronue added, "it's as good as dead."

Kiyoni does a quick search for Kaito's TikTok page, looking for any inkling of him following through on his threats, "Don't I feel stupid? The one time I didn't listen to my intuition… Ooh! Kuromi has a TikTok page. Following. …AHHH! FELIX IS GOING LIVE TONIGHT!"

"Kiyoni Alaye…" Ava shouted, also from downstairs, "you had better be off that phone by the time I come up there. You're supposed to be studying."

"I AM, MOM! SORRY!"

"Did I hear 'Alaye'," Kuronue asked.

"Alaye is my…middle name that no one really knows somymomcallsmethatwheneveri'minbigtroublepleasedon'tspeakofitagain–Okay, I'm totally getting off track but…I mean, it's Felix… Okay, things look safe for now. When do you plan on getting the drop on him?"

"Nationals," Shuichi answered, "Obviously, Kaito wants to catch me right at the peak of everything and shift the environment in his favor. That's not going to happen."

Kuronue couldn't be more smug, "I can't wait to see the look on Kaito's face."

Kiyoni agreed, "Neither can I."

With the national junior high swimming championship coming within less than twenty-four hours, it's only fitting for it to take place in Tokyo. The same Tokyo that hosted the Olympic games where a few competitive swimming records were made and broken. That's what a few of this year's athletes were hoping to do.

Due to the fact that it's a first for one Meiou Academy, a noticeable amount of students were experiencing Tokyo for the first time as made evident by the amount of pictures and video that were taken. Mushiyori City may be urbanized but it has nothing on Tokyo. Vibrant signs, colors, and advertising, skyscrapers seemingly ripped from anime, tourists from just about anywhere, breathtaking landscapes, the Tokyo Tower itself. The city was a social media paradise.

"I can't believe we're here," Mei marveled through her phone. She, Kiyoni, and a couple of other members of the volleyball team were able to board the spectator bus to Tokyo. "If I don't walk through Akihabara before heading home, I'm gonna die."

She may have the time to. Since it's the weekend and the tournament is sponsored by a few national brands and is distantly connected to the International Olympic Committee, students who were able to go had to fill out a first-come, first-served permission form that includes room and board for one night at a specified hotel. Extra expenses such as food and souvenirs were at the expense of the chaperones and students. The competition is tomorrow so attendees are able to spend this day out and about. It also gives time for athletes to practice in a new environment. Just to keep up with everyone, all students are required to wear their uniforms when out on their own and to never wander off alone.

"Oh we have to go to Akihabara," Kiyoni stated, "I heard rumors that I may be able to find that statue of Gojo in one of those stores."

"No, no," Mei corrected, "I heard on the news that Ikebukuro is the place to go now."

"What?! So what's in Akihabara?"

"Beats me."

"I wanna check out the tower," Kuronue said, "Heard the view from up there is insane."

"You think Minamino would wanna go?"

"I doubt it. He never told me how long practice was going to be."

"Aw, man."

"Yeah. Oh! An Animate store! That's on my list."

"What do you need to go there for?"

"If you're going to look for Gojo, I'm gonna look for either Esdeath or Rias Gremory hehe."

"...Weirdo…"

On the athletic bus, the swim team was getting into the tourist spirit as well. Other than the coaches, only Shuichi and Karasu remained calm. Karasu was tuning out the world while watching some videos on his phone. Shuichi simply watched as the mainstream scenes of Tokyo went by. The fact that the boys sat on opposite sides of the bus and that Karasu had a good view of his team captain was enough for Shuichi to even feel that way. Shuichi didn't really care. Once he got a look at the tower, he wondered if he'd get the chance to go there with his friends before tomorrow. And then a text pops up.

[Kiyoni] "Hey. I hear there's an aquarium here. Wanna go?"

[Shuichi] "Are you sure? What if we find another spider crab?"

"[middle finger emoji] That wasn't funny [side eye emoji]"

"Actually I was thinking the tower"

"Heard the view is amazing"

"Misaki said the same thing"

"I really don't want to go"

"Why not? It's the tower"

"If not I would rather walk through Akihabara, Harajuku"

"Fashion aesthetics"

"Are you sure you don't want to check out an aquarium?"

"We already did that back home"

"Why are you so insistent on this?"

"Because this is Tokyo and it's probably bigger here and I thought since you are what you are you'd want to check out some more sea life and maybe pretend like we're back underwater and have some fun with it."

"That kinda sounds like…"

"( ๑ • ﹏ • )"

"Like what?"

"Eh…a date ( ๑ • ﹏ • )"

"( ー _ ー ゛ )"

"That isn't what I said"

"( ~ _ ~ ; )"

"ಠಿ _ ಠ"

"That's exactly how I'm looking at you"

"Now it's you who has to be honest with me"

"Are you asking for a date while we're in Tokyo?"

Kiyoni stared at her screen, reading and rereading that last message. Is she proposing a date in Japan's most world-renowned city?

Sure enough, as soon as the kids were settled in their hotel rooms not far from where nationals are to take place, it's time to explore. However, where to go?

"Okay," Mei concluded while looking at her phone in the hotel room, "We're in…Koto City. There's…oh, wow. We're that close?"

"Close to what," Kiyoni wondered upon checking out the room shared with Mei.

"Tokyo Aquatics Center. Where nationals will be. The same place as the Olympics."

"Oh. Hey, where's the nearest aquarium?"

"Aquarium? Why do you want to know about that?"

"Just…nevermind. I'll find out for myself."

"Hey…you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kiyoni lied as she was looking for an outlet for her phone charger.

"No, you're not. You're nervous about something."

"Okay. Meiou Academy is about to compete for a national swimming title. Doesn't that rattle your nerves?"

"Well, yeah but with you, it's different. What's going on, Kiyoni?"

As soon as Kiyoni sat her phone down to charge on a shared headboard, she grabbed the long, golden leg pillow that sat on her bed and clutched it tightly, burying her face in it.

"Minamino thinks I asked him out on a date," she mumbled.

Mei immediately jumped from her bed to Kiyoni's in girlish excitement, "What?!"

Kiyoni mumbled again, "Minamino thinks I asked him out on a date."

"Wait…why in the world would he think that? What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything! At least nothing that would make him feel that way."

"Well, did you?"

"I don't know."

"Don't know?! Well, how did this come about?"

Kiyoni grabbed her phone and just as nervously as she showed Mei the text messages, she buried her face back in that pillow.

Mei fell back on the bed as a response, "Seriously? You left him on 'read'."

"I didn't know what to say after that."

"Kiyoni…"

"What was I supposed to say? We're in Tokyo for two days. There's a lot to do and so little time."

"So that's why you asked me about an aquarium? Because it sounds to me like he's more for the tower just like Misaki. What's wrong with the tower?"

"...Nothing. I just don't want to go."

"Okay so…why an aquarium? Since nationals are tomorrow, I assume Minamino would want to take a break from anything water related."

Kiyoni could've said something right then and there; could've told the truth at that moment. The truth is she wanted to go back to Tsuran City…for real and with Shuichi. Given what's been going on with the surface world, a change of pace and the opportunity to be as closely-resembled to her domestic goddess was too good of an opportunity to pass up. She thought that by accompanying Shuichi to an aquarium, they could reenact their dream to an extent…and possibly make a date out of it.

Instead, she disappointingly said, "Nevermind. You wouldn't get it anyway."

"Okay… I heard some of us are already leaving to have some fun. Let's go."

"You go on ahead. I…I need a nap."

"Sure… I'll…catch ya later?"

"...Yeah," Kiyoni was left all alone in her hotel room still clutching that pillow while in the fetal position, feeling embarrassed for the entire situation. Before taking that nap, she reached out to her parents, making them feel at ease. If only Kiyoni could feel the same.

Tokyo Aquatics Center. Home of the swimming and diving events of the 2020 Olympic games and home of this year's junior high swimming nationals. 50 meters of water neighboring another pool used for competitive diving surrounded by up to 5,000 empty seats just waiting to be filled by competitors and spectators. Facing the diving area was where the competitors will enter the pool accessorized by a LED wall welcoming the country's finest as well as the sponsors of this event such as Yakult yogurt brand, Nikon, and Japan Airlines with commercials brought by Yakult playing on the wall, the scoreboard hung on the back wall, and another hung in the middle of the arena. Teams who were able to make it early were already in practice mode by the time team Meiou showed up. Practice might as well be the competition itself the way everyone looked at each other in sportive disgust and humor. It was both intimidating and exciting.

In a locker room with enough space for a thousand lockers, the boys got themselves settled in for practice. While Shuichi isn't allowing the competitive jitters get to him, Karasu is and he was going to let Shuichi know of it. Taking a locker right next to his captain, Karasu played the role of a bully once again, snatching Shuichi's precious bottle of lotion.

"What's your problem, Ohta," Shuichi asked.

"You! You're the fucking problem. No way in hell am I going to let a fish ruin my chances for the future."

"What are you talking about and will you please keep it down?"

"What am I talking about? I know what I saw, Minamino. You think I'm going to sit there and allow a cheater like you to take all the credit? Look around you. All of us have worked our asses off just to make it here and you think you can just Aquaman your way to the top? I don't think so. So I'll be taking this and you might as well hand over that water so we can get your secret out of the way and be done with it because I'll be damned if I get upstaged by a freak of nature like you."

Shuichi snatched that bottle right back, calming himself down in the process, "For the sake of what's happening within less than twenty-four hours, I suggest you get a hold of yourself. Look, I'm aware that you're nervous. I'm nervous as well but unlike you, I'm not willing to call someone out for it. Besides, exposing me for what I am will not only jeopardize my standing but yours and the rest of the team. The school even! What I am is not and has never been a factor in getting us to where we are today. I have faith in both you and our team as much as you do. I clearly remember how much you wanted to join the Olympic team. Take a good look at where you are, Ohta. You're in the same arena where the Olympics were held, where records were made and broken. I'm not the one to take credit for that. As you just stated, it took the will of all of us to get here. That's just one step closer towards accomplishing your dreams. The next step is winning this tournament. If I were you, I'd direct my energy into bringing out a side of yourself that has never been seen before and drench it in that pool so much, it'll reek of chlorine long after we return home. That's what I plan to do. And that's without fins."

Seems Kiyoni has rubbed off on Shuichi the way Karasu was left stunned. He had a point though. Seeing as how Japan is known for collective work, whichever team can put forth the most effort wins. There is absolutely no room for weak links. None whatsoever.