Fate Coiling Sword Chapter 55: Exciting Splash Part 1 (Patreon)

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-Fuyuki-

The cicadas droned outside, their incessant noise pressing against the walls of the house. Heat hung heavily in the room, and the fan beside Shirou did little more than blow warm air in his direction. Beyond the window, the scenery blurred beneath the sun, and the mere thought of stepping outside felt exhausting. It should have been a slow day, a chance to rest after everything that had happened recently. Between running into and fighting Sagara alongside Rin and Luvia, then dealing with the ‘haunted’ apartment, the past week had offered him very little time to relax.

Much less mentally process everything completely.

“Hah…” Despite the calm atmosphere, Shirous let out a sigh as he stretched out his limbs while resting upon the tatami floor. It wasn't everyday that he got to just roll around without much going on around him. "It's been a while since I've done absolutely nothing. What a strange sensation."

The smile on his face faded as his thoughts returned to the previous night. Gray had been stunned, her face and hair changing in a way neither of them could explain. Still, the transformation seemed to have made her happy, which was probably a good thing. She hadn't stayed for long before leaving, and he could only hope that she was doing well.

Aside from her, his thoughts drifted to Ayako and the others… how they were managing after everything that had happened, but decided against calling them. They deserved some time to rest and recover, and he didn't want to disturb them when they might finally be getting a break. ‘Should I go back to the apartment room to see what caused all that? But… if I get stuck again inside a separate space, it'll be a pain to get out.’

Though he doubted it would happen again since Gray was not present. What Shirou feared was if that world ended up being influenced by his memories. 

“Hm?” 

Footsteps sounded behind him, drawing his attention away from the window. Twisting his neck to look over his shoulder, the boy spotted Reika walking through the room with a basin full of neatly folded bed covers, futons, and clothes.

"Reika?"

The green haired woman turned towards him with a small smile. "Yes?"

"What are you doing with all that?"

"I'm folding the bed covers and clothes. I thought I'd take care of them while I had some free time."

Shirou sat up a little, taken aback by her words. "There's no need for you to do that. Just leave them there and let me handle it."

Reika shook her head, holding the basin. "I don't want to impose on you. You've already done so much for me, so this is the least I can do in return."

"You're an important guest. I can't exactly have you doing chores around the house."

"I don't really consider it a chore. It gives me something to do, and it helps keep my mind off unpleasant things." Her expression, though stoic for the most part, felt like it had softened. "Besides, sitting around with nothing to occupy myself would probably be worse."

“Oh…”

Faced with such a counter, the redhead really could not say anything back unless he came out as too forceful or rude. Not that he didn't appreciate the gesture, it was just that it felt off letting her handle such chores when that was his job. 

"I see. If it helps you feel better, then I don't have a problem with it. Thank you."

With that settled, he lay back down, although having Reika around doing household chores left him feeling strangely uncomfortable. For a brief moment, the sight reminded him of Sakura doing the same things, and his mood sank. He turned his attention back to the sky outside, watching the sunlight spill across the distant scenery as a sigh escaped his lips.

‘Where are you? Are you safe? I want to see you again.’

He missed her, more than ever.

Lately, Sakura had begun appearing in his dreams from time to time. Sometimes, he would wake in the middle of the night and make his way to the kitchen, only to find it empty. On other occasions, he would unconsciously walk towards her room, hoping to see her there, but the sight of the vacant space always reminded him that she was gone. The house felt emptier without her, and no matter how much he tried to occupy himself, he couldn't deny how much he missed her. Clenching his fist, he stared out of the window with renewed determination.

‘I'll find you. Even if you don't want me to, I'll find you.’

Shirou closed his eyes again, hoping to get a little more rest, until the ringing of his phone interrupted him. He opened his eyes in confusion, wondering whether Gray or Ayako might be calling him, since he'd said they would talk about the incident later. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the phone and glanced at the screen. The familiar name displayed there caught him completely off guard. He hurriedly sat up, fumbling with the device for a moment before managing to answer the call.

"H-Hello," he greeted, a slight stutter betraying his surprise.

"Why, hello and good morning to you, Sherou."

Recognizing the delicate voice of his blonde friend immediately, Shirou couldn't help smiling. "Good morning to you too, Luvia. How have you been?"

"Oh, I've been doing quite well, hunting targets, gathering intel, trying some of the local delicacies — the usual. After our little bit of fun at Sagara’s house, I've mostly been dealing with a few smaller matters on my end. However, I grew rather concerned when you didn't call me, so I decided to take the initiative. Tell me, are you still alive?"

A chuckle escaped him. "I wouldn't be talking to you if I were dead. Dead people don't talk."

"Then you've clearly forgotten what a Servant is."

“I suppose you're right."

"I've noticed that you don't sound as cheerful as you usually do. Are you worried about those children?" The woman said, the tone of her voice dropping ever so slightly. 

"Yes. I've just got a lot on my mind at the moment, so I’m taking a small rest to rebuild my stamina and come up with my next plan if nothing happens soon." He considered telling her about the haunted apartment, but quickly dismissed the idea. There was no reason to bring her into that matter when he and Gray were already dealing with it. Better to keep it between them for now.

"Things will work out, but you shouldn't be putting yourself under so much stress. Rushing into a situation is more likely to create additional problems than solve the ones you already have. I hope you haven't forgotten that. Anyway I’m glad you're taking some self care for yourself. Whenever you find even the smallest opportunity to relax, you should take advantage of it."

“Yeah, but it's difficult to just relax in the middle of a war. Plus I was never the type who could just relax by just staying still and doing nothing. He guessed both him and Reika were the same in that regard, the green haired woman had been restless as well. Though she did not show it on her face, he could tell. “You never know when you’ll be pulled back into a battle after all.”

Especially when Caster's whereabouts were still unknown and she could strike at any time. He hadn't gotten any updates from Illya and he still had no idea where to find Bazett. Then adding the matter related to the remaining orphans and the mysterious apartment, and on top of it all Sakura’s missing whereabouts, and… 

On the other end, the blonde sighed in exasperation. "Don't take the word war so literally in our situation. Yes, it's called the Holy Grail War, but it’s not like you're being forced to fight a never ending army without break. The conflict hasn't reached that stage, and it's still quite early in the game so there will be plenty of people who will prepare for the later half — we’ll most of us at least."

He was about to mention Illya before Luvia added that last part.

"Only you could look at it that way." Shirou sighed, shifting onto his side, as he rested his head against his arm. "Anyway, what are you doing right now?"

"I was thinking about you, which is why I called. Wasn't that obvious?"

“...”

Thinking about… him?

The answer left him staring at the phone as warmth spread across his face. He didn't need a mirror to know that his cheeks had turned red, and the realization only made him more conscious of his reaction.

As if she could see him through their call, Luvia let out a mischievous chuckle. "Are you blushing?"

"I'm not."

Best to deny it, if he were honest, she would use that as ammunition to keep teasing him every time.

"Hoho, so you really are blushing."

"I'm not!"

"How cute. Does your face match your hair colour now?"

"Luvia!" He sat up in protest, only to hear her laughing on the other end of the call. Bringing the phone back to his ear, he tried to regain some composure. "Are you enjoying yourself at my expense? Is that the only reason you called?"

"I really did want to check up on you and have a little chat. Judging by your tone, though, I'm fairly certain you needed someone to talk to as well.” Well, she wasn't wrong. Though he had Rider, she was a great listener. But he couldn't deny that there were times he felt the house being a bit empty, especially after Sakura disappeared. “I really miss the moments we spent alone together on the boat."

Shirou nodded to himself, a faint smile returning to his face. "I do too."

"I hope you haven't been slacking off on my lessons. If you have, I'll have to knock some more sense into you, just as I did before."

Slacking off? With everything going on, slacking off was no different to luxury, even now he failed to enjoy just sleeping on the floor with nothing bothering him. Luvia had taught him far more than matters related to magecraft, and although her fighting style wasn't particularly suited to him, he had continued practising the techniques she had shown him. There was no harm in learning something new, especially when it might prove useful in a future fight.

"I have been practicing. I've even used some of your techniques from time to time." Or at least tried to, there weren't many people around that he could afford to get too close.

"Well, from what I've observed, you're particularly skilled at reinforcement magic and projection magecraft. Creating lethal bullets through projection magic and making them effective isn't easy. Even the average mage would need considerable practice and at least a little talent to accomplish that."

“...”

What…?

“—!”

How did she…

Huh?

Shirou rose from the ground, tensely looking around the room to find any possible hidden cameras or even a familiar spying on him. ‘I never told her about the bullets, she shouldn't know about them.’ His use of projection magic to create bullets had only recently become more frequent, and he hadn't exactly mastered the process! In the past, his success rate had been inconsistent, making the technique too unreliable for him to depend on it completely. He certainly didn't recall discussing those experiments with Lucia at all!

Goosebumps covered his body, surely not…

"A-Are you spying on me?" His tone turned dry as he tried to work out how she could have learned about it.

“Heeeeh, your worried tone sounds quite cute, Sherou.” A soft hum came from the other end, and he could practically picture the grin on her face. "You are surprisingly difficult to spy on, I was impressed. But, I have my ways. Besides, you aren't exactly known for being discreet during combat — I'll leave that as a hint. Don't lump me together with Tohsaka Rin. I know how to gather accurate information about people who interest me."

He tried to smile, but now he felt more scared of this woman more than anything else. But he refused to back down! "So you're interested in me? That warms my heart. Would you like to go on a date?"

“Cough! Cough! W-Wha—ah, curse it!” The other side got muted right after he heard the sound of a cup falling onto a table. Now that brought a smile onto his face, she was easy to tease from the looks of it and he was surprised that this managed to catch her off guard for a change.

"Why not?" The clear acceptance wiped the smile from his face. He had intended it as a playful remark, never expecting her to take him seriously. Before he could figure out how to respond, Luvia continued. "That brings me back to what I said earlier about you needing some rest. Spending a comfortable day at the beach always helps."

"Unfortunately, there isn't a beach in Fuyuki."

"I'm aware. Quite unfortunate, isn't it? But fear not, Sherou, because I have the perfect plan. I'll send you an address, and you can meet me there. Just remember to bring a swimsuit. We can spend the day relaxing together."

The suggestion sounded pleasant enough, but he couldn't shake the feeling that taking a day off at a time like this might be irresponsible. "Are you sure this is a good time for that? I don't really feel as though we should be having fun when there's so much going on."

"A strained mind will only hinder you and slow you down. Trust me, I understand how you feel right now. I may not know everything you're going through or all the problems you're facing, but taking some time to relieve that stress will help you work more efficiently. As a mercenary myself, I'm familiar with the temptation to keep going until you've accomplished your objective. I know you can spend days without sleeping if you thought it would help you finish a task, but that isn't worth the cost. There are brilliant minds and powerful monsters in this town. If you want to overcome the challenges ahead, you'll need to rely on your judgement far more than your perseverance or stubbornness."

She had a point, there was no fault in her tone. He knew she wasn't wrong, even if part of him still resisted the idea of taking time off. There were too many uncertainties surrounding the war, and the thought of missing anything made it difficult to relax.

"Or are you worried that I'll use this as a trap to lure you in and devour you?" She teased him, most likely sensing his hesitation.

As much as he tried to suppress it, another uncomfortable expression spread across his face. "Did you really have to use the word devour?"

"It sounds much more threatening and brutal than simply killing someone. Why? Don't tell me you were thinking about something else."

No... No, it was a trap.

"Hah… I'll think about it." 

"There's also some information I want to share with you about a certain Matou heiress. I'm sure you'll find it interesting."

"What?" His eyes widened, and he immediately sat upright. "What did you say? Luvi—"

The call ended.

"Dammit! She baited me." 

Staring at the screen hatefully would do him no good, he would get her for that in the future.

Ring~!

“Hm?” His phone buzzed a moment later. Opening the message, he found the location and time Luvia had sent him. His gaze settled on the address, and he blinked in surprise. "Oh, the swimming park Exciting Splash? It's been years since I last went there..."

Kiritsugu had occasionally taken him there when he wanted to cheer him up. The old man had never seemed particularly fond of such a bustling environment, usually preferring to spend his time at the bar or find somewhere quieter to sit with a book. Even so, Shirou remembered the place fondly and couldn't deny that he had enjoyed those visits. Another message appeared on the screen. Luvia had added that he could bring his friends along if he wanted. No one in particular came to mind aside from Rider and Reika, but he still thanked her for the invitation before putting his phone away.

“I do remember seeing posters advertising the Exciting Splash’s reopening after a complete renovation. According to Issei, the place had been packed.” He hadn't paid much attention to the news at the time. Perhaps that explained why Luvia had chosen it. The timing still felt strange, considering everything that had been happening, yet he couldn't bring himself to turn down an opportunity to learn more about Sakura. He had no idea how Luvia had obtained information about her, but he trusted that she wouldn't lie to him, and that was enough for now.

"You should go."

A voice from behind interrupted his thoughts.

“Wah!” 

His hair felt like they stood up as he jumped away in fright. The words had been spoken so close to him that the warm breath against his ear made his skin shiver. Spinning around, he felt both frustrated and relieved to find Rider sitting right behind where he had been moments earlier. He could have sworn she hadn't been there before.

"W-What was that for!?"

Rider tilted her head, looking genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"

Shirou pressed his lips together, she knew very well what he meant by that but still decided to play ignorant. Lately, she had been doing this more and more often, sneaking up behind him and speak close to his ear, sometimes without making the slightest sound as she approached. When she cooked, he could feel her watching him from behind, as though her gaze were drilling a hole on the back of his head. Even at night, there had been occasions when he would wake halfway from sleep and glimpse the blurry figure of a beautiful woman lying beside him, the moonlight outlining her curves. In those half-awake moments, she almost seemed enchanting, only for him to wake up the next morning properly later and find the space beside him empty. He had no idea what was going through her mind, and he wasn't certain he wanted to ask, so best to stay silent. 

"What do you think?" 

Rider tilted her head again. "Do you trust this Luvia?"

"Yes, I do." His answer came without hesitation. Although Luvia was participating in the Holy Grail War, possibly as a Master or perhaps under contract with another Master, he still trusted her. He had no reason to believe that she would deliberately mislead him, and he wasn't going to discard that trust simply because they happened to be involved in the same conflict. Even if she wanted to kill him, she had plenty of opportunities in the past and never done so.

"Somehow, I knew you'd say that. In that case, you already have your answer. Why ask me?"

"Because I value your opinion. I made the mistake of acting too rashly before, and I ended up making you angry. I don't want to repeat that or make you feel as though your words don't matter. That's why I asked you, Rider."

For a moment, she simply faced the redhead. Then a smile appeared on her face. "I'm glad to hear that, Shirou."

For some reason, that smile made his heart skip a beat. He was beginning to suspect that everyone around him had found a way to leave him flustered lately, and he had no idea how he was supposed to handle it.

"It's a swimming park, so perhaps we could take Miss Reika with us as well. She might need something like this to clear her mind." Rider nodded in agreement. "I'm not sure whether I should invite Ayako after what happened yesterday," 

"You could simply send her a message and tell her you're going."

"That sounds good." He reached for his phone, then paused as he realised he'd overlooked an important detail. “Um…” He had enough swimwear for himself, but the others staying in the house didn't have anything suitable. His gaze shifted towards Rider, and for a brief moment he found his gaze looking lower than usual. If Sakura had a set, her size would have probably fit…

She noticed his expression almost immediately. "What?"

"N-Nothing! Well, we need to get swimsuits for you and Ms. Reika. I don't have anything you could borrow, so we'll probably need to stop at a clothing store first."

Rider let out a small snort, barely managing to hold back her laughter. "Is that what you've been worrying about? Whether I'll be able to swim and enjoy the park? You do realise I can accompany you in my spiritual form, don't you?"

He knew that perfectly well. However, the thought of her being left behind while everyone else enjoyed themselves didn't sit right with him. He wanted her to have the chance to experience something pleasant in this town for once, instead of spending every moment dealing with other Servants or facing situations that threatened their lives.

Straightening up, Shirou looked at her with determination. "Please don't tell me that none of this matters because you're a Servant. You already know what my answer will be, and I'm not going to repeat myself."

Rider held his gaze while he waited for her response. Although he felt nervous under her scrutiny, he didn't back down.

"Fine. I'll play along for a while, if that's what you want.”

“Ah…”

Easier than he anticipated.

{Break}

-Fuyuki Mall-

Shirou had thought about many things he might have to face during the Holy Grail War. There were countless scenarios that could endanger his life, along with situations where every available choice might lead to consequences he couldn't easily accept. He had prepared himself to deal with those possibilities, or at least believed he had. Yet even after so much planning, he doubted he could have predicted the particular predicament he now faced: standing awkwardly inside a women's clothing store while Reika and Rider browsed through the available swimwear.

'I expected Rider to put up some resistance when I suggested she join us at the swimming park. I certainly didn't expect her to agree so easily, let alone come shopping for a swimsuit.' the boy glanced towards the two women, who seemed perfectly comfortable examining the merchandise. 'What's gotten into her lately? Not that I mind it, I'm glad she's more willing to try new things, but I'm curious about what changed her mind. Maybe I finally managed to get through to her.'

Stewing in his thoughts, his ears faintly picked up the conversation going up ahead. 

First one being Rider's voice. "No, this one won't do. It's far too revealing, and the fabric could slip out of place if you jump into the water. You don't want to risk exposing yourself in front of everyone." 

"Oh, I see."

"What about this one, then?"

"Isn't that a V-shaped bikini? Wouldn't it be even more dangerous?"

"You're right. I just thought it looked cute."

Shirou listened to their exchange, then quickly looked away before his imagination could make things any worse… especially upon hearing that last part. His heart had already been put through enough lately, and standing around while the two women discussed increasingly revealing swimsuits wasn't helping. “Best avoid getting seen as a pervert.” Deciding it would be easier to wait outside until they finished choosing, he handed Reika the money and headed towards the store's entrance.

“Where are you going?”

“Urgh!”

Before he could get very far, a familiar tone tugged at the back of his shirt. Turning around, Rider stood behind. Dressed in a sweater and trousers, leaving her blindfold off for the time being. Seeing her without it reminded him of her ability to control her Mystic Eyes, though maintaining that control required constant concentration. She could manage without the blindfold for a limited period, but there was still some risk involved. Even so, Shirou trusted her judgement.

"Where are you going?"

"Outside. You should take your time choosing something, and I don't want to make you uncomfortable by standing around watching."

"You don't make me uncomfortable." Before he could figure out how to respond, Rider held up several swimsuits for him to examine. "What do you think of these?"

The first being a black string bikini with thin straps, high-cut bottoms, and two small triangular pieces of fabric tied behind the neck and across the back. The second was a white one-piece with a deep neckline extending towards the navel, large cutouts along the sides that exposed the waist and hips, and an entirely open back reaching down to the base of the spine. The third was a deep purple two-piece, its halter top featuring a plunging neckline while the bottoms sat low on the hips, secured by ties at either side. The material looked thin enough that it might become rather revealing when wet.

“Cough…” Hard to find an answer that wouldn't make the situation more awkward. "They all look beautiful. Ju-Just pick whichever one you like best."

Rider watched him for a moment, unconvinced by his attempt to avoid choosing. Before he could ask what she was thinking, she turned and walked towards the changing rooms.

"Wait here for a bit."

"What do you mean, wait here?"

She offered no explanation before disappearing behind the curtain. Shirou remained where he was, hearing the distant chatter of customers and the rustling of fabric from the changing area. He assumed she was trying on the swimsuits, though he couldn't help wondering why she'd asked him to stay.

Then her voice reached him from behind the curtain.

"About the invitation. Even though I trust your judgement about Luvia, you shouldn't put too much faith in her or the bait she offered you concerning Sakura." She asked calmly, the sound of fabric bring taken off reaching his ears. Given this wasn't her usual combat gear, he figured she couldn't just dismiss it. Standing so close just felt wrong, like a single wrong move would bring upon his doom.

"I know. But I have to give it a chance. It might lead to something useful. Even if it's only a small clue, I'll be glad to hear it. Right now, I have nothing. No trace, no leads, not even the slightest hint of where she might be."

Rider hummed thoughtfully. "You really do trust this Luvia. What's going on between you two, exactly?"

Fond memories of the past resurfaced as soon as she said that. "Like I've told you before, she's a friend of mine, or perhaps something closer to a mentor. I wouldn't be where I am now without her guidance. She did a lot for me when she didn't have to."

"So she's your teacher as well? Does she see it that way?”

"Why wouldn't she? She's very different from the other mages I've heard about. My old man always warned me to be cautious around mages because of the sort of people they can be, but Luvia doesn't quite fit that image."

"There are always exceptions, even among people with such a cruel reputation."

Yet he kept meeting good people, even aside from Luvia. There was Rin, Gray, Waver for a bit and even Bazett. None of them fit the cruel image of a Magus he had in mind, only Sagara did so far. Though going to the Clocktower sometime in the future, that opinion would change. “Luvia can certainly be ruthless when she needs to be, and she's more than capable of doing whatever is necessary to get the job done. Still, I believe she has a good heart."

"You seem to find a good heart in everyone." He didn't have an immediate answer to that observation.  "Are you certain there's nothing more between you two?" 

The suggestive tone forced Shirou to clear his throat to avoid another stutter.

"...No, it's nothing like that. We tease each other from time to time, I suppose, but I don't think she sees me that way. Why would she? Besides, it would be a little strange."

"You might be surprised. You have plenty of good qualities. But you do tend to be blind when some people have a rather particular interest in you.”

"Thank—wait, I'm not blind! Luvia doesn't have that kind of interest in me! You only saw her a few times…” 

"Humph, for someone who claims to value my words, you dismiss my words rather quickly."

“Urgh…” Shirou groaned and massaged his temples. "Not you too. Why does everyone seem determined to tease me lately? Am I really that easy to pick on?"

She didn't respond immediately, leaving him to wonder whether she had finally decided to spare him another round of teasing. That hope lasted only until an exclamation sounded from inside the changing room.

"Oh!"

Shirou straightened at once, concerned about replacing his embarrassment. "Did something happen?" It wasn't every day he would hear her make such a noise.

"The strap snapped when I put the swimsuit on, and it fell down. Perhaps it was a size too small, though the material does feel rather cheap." There was a brief rustle as Rider moved around inside. "Oh, one of my swimsuits is missing."

Shirou heard her searching through a black coloured swimsuit nearby. "Ah, here it is.”

“I must have left it on the bench with the black and white bikini. I'll get them, I don't sense anyone nearby, Master. You can look away, or not, I don't mind either way.” 

“What!?”

His eyes widened as the curtain began to move.

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't come out like that! Careful, Rider! I'll give you the clothes myself! There are still people close by!”

Shirou hurried forward and reached for the curtain, trying to keep it closed before anyone could see inside. 

Whoosh!

Unfortunately, Rider moved faster than he did and pulled it open. He immediately shut his eyes and turned away. "Careful!"

A few seconds passed before her amused voice broke through his panic.

"Careful about what, Master?"

"Y-Your top!"

"My top?"

Before he could explain himself, another voice interrupted them.

"What is going on here?"

“Eh?”

No gasping from the people around… Shirou opened his eyes slowly, already trying to think of a convincing explanation. Instead, Reika stood nearby, looking between him and Rider with confusion. The purple-haired Servant had already changed back into the sweater and trousers she'd worn earlier, while the swimsuit she had supposedly been trying on rested inside a shopping bag.

“You…” 

It took him a moment to understand what had happened. She tricked him… and he'd fallen for the prank completely. He stood there with his mouth hanging open, unable to come up with anything to say as the Servant walked past him.

Before moving away, she reached up and tapped his nose with one finger, leaning close enough to whisper in his ear.

"It's because you're so easy to tease, Master. Your reactions are fun."

“—!”

"We're you disappointed?" She said with a sly smirk.

Another shiver ran down Shirou's back as he watched her stroll away and begin chatting at the confused Reika. At this rate, he was beginning to wonder whether his heart would survive spending the rest of this war.

.

.

.

After the swimsuit shopping was finally over, the group left the store and headed towards the swimming park. But upon arrival, something seemed off.

The parking lot was almost completely empty.

“No one? I'm pretty sure they're not closed for the day.”

Considering the place had held its grand opening just yesterday, Shirou had expected to see plenty of people eager to visit. Instead, the lack of cars left him wondering whether the place was even open. He took out his phone and checked the information Luvia had sent him, confirming that the date and time matched their current plans. The sign outside the building also indicated that the park was open for business.

"Maybe we arrived a little too early?" Reika suggested, looking around the deserted parking lot.

He checked the time again. "It's already noon. I'd expect there to be more people here by now, especially since it only opened yesterday."

"Perhaps everyone decided to wait until later in the afternoon?"

"Maybe, but we won't know unless we go inside."

Putting his phone away, he started towards the entrance. Just as he was about to reach the doors when footsteps caught his attention from somewhere nearby.

"Arrogant bitch. Telling me to come here at this hour when I've got more important things to do, and to a swimming park of all places? Damnit. Blonde bi—uh?"

A figure approached from the other side of the building, stopping as she noticed him as well. From the beginning, he was under the belief that Luvia had invited only him… but he may have been mistaken after all, and for a moment, the two simply stared at each other, each recognising the other despite the unexpected encounter.

Didn't Luvia hate her?

"Tohsaka?”

“Emiya-kun?”