The Shark and the Stingray

Chapter 29

Mako: Haru qualified for the All-Japan in the 100m and 200m freestyle.

"Rin! Rin!" I opened the door to our room, "Ahh!" He freaks out, "Haru qualified for the All-Japan too! Look! Look!" I jumped up and down, he had a towel around his waist as he just got out of the bath, I showed him my phone and he read Mako's message, "That's great, I guess that means we're going to be versing each other again in the hundred free. You too." He grins at me, "Hurry up, we still need to finish packing and we leave tomorrow." He picks me up and spins me around.

We finally grabbed our luggage from the belt, "Hey mum, Rin and I just landed, we're back home now, we're heading to Samezuka for a quick visit but I'll be straight home after that." I call mum, "You're back already?! Why didn't you tell me sooner!! That's great! I'm going to be cooking up a storm tonight!" I could see her smile through the phone, "Can you tell dad for me?" I ask, "Of course honey, he;s at work right now but I'm sure he'll be very excited with this news, we also have a surprise for you once you get home!" She was very excited, I giggle, "Love you mum, see you soon." I smile, "Love you too sweetie." And we hang up, Rin held my hand as we exited the gate. I was scouted my a college coach, I didn't know who it was though and my original time from nationals was already enough to put me through into the All-Japan from the womens two hundred IM.

"I bet if Rin were here right now he'd be crying like a baby-" Momo laughs, "Oh yeah? Yo, what's up?" Rin waves his hand as I punch the kangaroo's boxing glove into Momo's cheek, "Rin! Yuki! It's you! You're back!" Minami, Nitori, Momo and Uozumi stand up, "Course, I had to come in and check on you guys," He grins, I pass Momo his souvenir of the kangaroo plushie, he holds it above his head laughing, "Aren't you two meant to be in Sydney?" Mimami asks, "We had a last minute change of plans," I put my hand on my hip, "The two of you are doing the All-Japan aren't you? That's what my uncle told me." Nitori walks over, "You're uncle?" Uozumi asks, "Mmhm! Yeah Uncle Mikhail." He shows us a picture, "Mikhail Makarovich Nitori." He smiles innocently, "What?!" Uozumi jumps over, "You mean you were Russian this whole time!" Mimami shouts, "He's not blood, he's just a relative on my mum's side." He waves his wrist, "Wow you're amazing Aii! So worldly!" Momo clutched onto the kangaroo, Rin and my jaw were on the ground, "Yeah that was a curveball... He and I have been working together lately." Rin nods, "I know! He's really impressed, in his message, he said that your muscles were the kind he only gets to see once every thirteen years!" Nitori bounces up and down, I laughed, "He's a good coach but he has his quirks." Rin chuckles, "Guess what! We've been training too and we've made it to regionals for our medley relay!" Momo shuffles over, "Wow! That's awesome news, good going." Rin smiles, "We didn't text you because we wanted to tell you in person!" Momo raises his fist up, "At this rate, you fella will have a shot at nationals no problem!" I wink, they all fall to the ground a blushing mess.

Nitori, Momo, Rin and I went to their dorm, apparently they had something to tell just the two of us, "Listen, we got word from Sosuke, apparently he's in Tokyo, we don't know why but we think it's because of his shoulder. Word around is that he's getting surgery, just thinking about it makes me really worried." Nitori says, "Do you know what's going on?" Momo arranges the plushie on his bed, "I'm not sure but I know he'll do what he thinks is best for him. He's gonna be okay." Rin puts his hand on Nitori and Momo's shoulder, "There's no need for you to worry, all you need to worry about is this competition." He smiles, "Okay." They nod.

Rin and I went our separate ways home, we were sure our families were super excited to have us home, besides, we already spend so much time together, I'm sure we could have a few nights away from each other, "I'm home~" I sang as I opened the door, "Honey?!" Mum peeked her head from the kitchen, "Ray!" Dad jumps up from the living room and runs over to me, picking me up, I laughed, "I missed you!" I hugged them both, they let me down and I hear yapping by my feet, "OH MY GOD!" I cried aggressively, "You already replaced me." I pick up the wheaten border collie, they sweatdrop, "Well without your constant yammering, the house got quiet so your mother and I adopted a puppy. We know how much you love dogs so it would be a surprise for when you came home." Dad smiles, I nuzzle my nose into it's neck, "It's so cute!" I kiss it's snout, it licks my face over and over again, I laughed and let it down, "What's its name?" I ask, "Kotaro, your mother picked it." Dad picks him up to let him lick his cheek then put him down, "Come on you two, dinner's all ready for you. Let's go!" Mum drags both our hands to the dinner table. "Itadakimasu," We clap our hands together, "So~ how come you're here back in Japan? You didn't warn us about this?" Dad asks, "I qualified for the All-Japan two hundred IM. Apparently my time at nationals and my record got some random coach on the inside to put my name down. I still don't know who it is though. Ooh ow, that's hot." I fan my mouth, "All-Japan! That's amazing sweetie! And Rin, he came back too, does that mean he also got in?" Mum asks, "Yeah, he qualified for the hundred butterfly and the hundred free. He's going to go up against Haru. This Russian coach called Mikhail Makasomething or other's been coaching Rin back home." I take another bite of rice, "Do you mean Mikhail Makarovich?" Mum perks up, "Oh yeah, how do you know him?" I look up from my bowl, "That was your uncle's rival. Everytime your grandmother would make us kids cheer your uncle on, it was always a close tie between the two." Mum waves her chopsticks, "Now that you mention it... wait! Was Uncle Ryuji called Well-Built Ryuji or something along the lines of that?" I point my chopsticks, "Yeah, that's what people called him. Stupid name if I do say so myself, stupid big brother would always flaunt in me and your aunt's faces about how he had an alias." Mum huffs, "Now, now honey. That's all in the past now." Dad chuckles and pats her leg, "I might head over and see the boys from my old team, like Mako and Haru as well as the club. They got new members too!" I switch the subject.

The next day, I got a call from Nagisa, "Hey Nagisa?" I answer, "Are you back in Japan! I heard from Kou that Rin was back and she also said you were back too!" He chirps, "That's right, I'm back in Japan." I nod, "Anyway! Guess what! We found our Rei got into nationals! For butterfly!" Nagisa cheers, "That's amazing!" I gasped, "Congrats Rei!" I squealed, "Thank you all, after three years of turmoil I'm finally on the path of becoming a true champion!" I hear him, the club starts clapping and congratulating him, "Are you guys in the club room?" I snickered, "Three years isn;t very long at all." I hear a voice, "Hang on? Shizuru?" I ask, "Hey Yuki." He says, "Holy crap, I haven't heard your voice in ages!" I was shocked, "How do you know Yuki?" I hear Nagisa, "She's my cousin, we hang out together when we have large family gatherings," He says, "But honestly Rei. He's right, three years is barely anything." I talk into the phone, "Very true, it makes me think he might be possessed or something." I hear a girl's voice, "Possessed?!" I hear another boy's voice, "Yes, I am possessed by the ghost of the butterfly." Rei puts on a spooky voice, "And get this! I'm going hundred meter breaststroke!" Nagisa pipes, "That's great! Mind if I come watch?" I ask, "Nitori and Momo made it in the medley too, alone with Mimami and Uozumi. Rin and I headed there yesterday." I say, "Aii's also in the hundred breast too!" Nagisa says, "So you're up against him too. Well do your best guys. I'll be sure to come!" I smile, "Yeah! We should all meet up some time!" Rei says, "Course! I'd love to, I'd like to see Haru and Mako too if we meet up." I lean back, "Sure thing!" Nagisa chirps, "Well see ya soon then," I smile, "Yeah, bye!" I hear them all say and we hang up.

Rin and I headed to the aquarium later that day, he met up with Sosuke earlier, "Guess what?" He had his arm around my waist as we watched the tank of sharks, "Sosuke's surgery. It was a success." He smiles, I look up at him, my eyes widen, I felt tears prickle, "That's great!" I smile, "Come on, no need to be sappy, this is our first date back in Japan. There's no time for tears." Rin uses his thumb to wipe my eyes, I laughed, "You're the sappy one." I nudge him. 

We went to the pool after the aquarium, apparently Mako and Haru were already there because Haru had training with his new coach, "There he is, training hard." Rin smiles as we saw Haru through the water, my jaw was on the ground, "What's wrong?" Rin asks, "Uncle Ryuji?!" I shouted and jabbed my finger at him, he lights up, "My favourite niece!" He bounds over to me and puts me in a bone crushing hug, "Tap out! Tap out!" I slap his arm, he lets go, "What are you doing here?" I ask him, Rin's eyebrow twitched, "You two are related?" He asks, we turn around and both put our fist on our hip, "You didn't know? I never mentioned it? Well here we go, this is my uncle. Ryuji Azuma. Mum's big brother." I say, he gulps, "The resemblance is uncanny." He shivers, Mako ran down and had the same reaction, "Anyway, answer the question. Are you Haru's new coach or something? You better not be asking for money!" I poke my finger at his chest, "No, no money is involved. He's just paying for my meal every once in a while. Funny I ran into you here and now. I was planning on coming to your house tonight to tell you the news." He looks at me, "What news?" Mako asks, "I was coming to tell you that it was me who put your name down." He snaps his fingers, my face paled, "IT WAS YOU!" I grabbed his collar, "YOU PUT MY NAME DOWN! WHY IN THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR!" I shake him back and forth, he shrugs, "Come on, think about it Kiki. You hold the current world record for the women's two hundred IM. Don't you think it'd be a waste to not use your talent for something? I don't care if you ever touch water again after this but please. Will you swim this last race? The reason I signed you up is because." He takes a breath in, "This was the last race your mum participated in." He looks at me, I let go of his collar, "Your mum was so excited to be accepted into the All-Japan but her dreams were crushed by another swimmer. That night, all she did was cry in her room, I couldn't bear hearing my little sister cry so much over a race so I want you to live out her last dream she ever had." He looks at me, my eyes widen, "Anyway, enough about the fluffy stuff, tell me, your parents told me you went back to Sydney, tell me, did you meet a guy names Mikhail?" He asks, "Funny, that's Rin's coach." I point at him, "Hello." He steps forward, Uncle Ryuji chuckles, "That's funny, the kid I'm coaching is about to go head to head with the kid I'm coaching. Seems like fate." He smirks, "Does that mean you're officially Haru's coach now Mr Azuma?" Mako asks, "Yeah in theory. But he doesn't listen to a word I say. Come on our for the day Nanase." He calls out, the three of us chuckle, "That sounds like our Haru." I wiped a tear forming.