Everyone noticed, though, the day Makoto showed up to practice, Gou beside him, sporting a spectacularly bruised cheek and a sheepish smile. Nagisa and Rei were shocked. Mako just kept smiling while Gou turned an interesting shade of red. Haru was feigning disinterest, having already seen Makoto that morning on the walk to school and getting the entire story.

Apparently that weekend Rin had finally decided to pay his mother and sister a visit. His mother was at work, but his sister was home.

And she had a guest.

When Rin entered his sister's room, he found her up against the wall, a stranger against her.

Suffice to say there were hands under a skirt and way too many buttons undone. The next instant, Mako had a bruised cheek, Rin was in a state of shock when he realized just who he had hit, and Gou was running to get ice.

But this story was shared only between Mako and Haru, because Makoto knew that his best friend would be discreet enough not to say anything to anyone.

Mako gave Gou's hand a squeeze (it was then that the others noticed they were holding hands in the first place).

Nagisa's shrewd eyes darted from Mako to Gou, to Mako, back to Gou, and then…

"Gou! You used your sex appeal!"

She sputtered, blushed harder, and promptly ordered them all to get in the pool and get started on the damn workout.