After eating lunch with the gang, Shiori left to find someone to talk to until nighttime.

And Lo and behold, she found someone sitting next to the pool.

"Oh, hey Doi."

Do you want to spend your Free Time with Katsushi?

Yes
No

Shiori sat down next to Katsushi.

"So, why did you want to hang out with me again?"

"..."

"...It's the Aquaphobia, isn't it?"

"Pretty much."

Katsushi leaned back, laying his back on the floor.

"The incident happened when I was around five."

"My family and I were at a beach for a vacation. I went into the water to swim."

"At the time, I thought it would be fine if I kept going, so I kept going, and going, and going."

"..."

"Eventually, I got to the point where I couldn't breath."

"My mom tried to get me, but she also started....You know."

"A stranger came by and rescued me, but he didn't rescue my mom."

"She drowned that day."

"It was my fault."

Shiori leaned over him, "You didn't know at the time. It's not your fault."

"But it is!" Katsushi threw his arms in the air, "I-If I hadn't gone that deep, maybe mom would still be a-"

"Stop that train of thought. You couldn't have controlled that event."

"Yes, I could!"

Shiori placed her hands on both sides of his head, lifting one off the ground and hitting him in the side of the face with her hand, "No. You couldn't. If anything, it's your parent's fault for letting you get out so far."

Katsushi glanced off to the side, biting his lip, "I....Never thought about it that way."

Shiori nodded, rolling off him, "So don't beat yourself up over it."

Katsushi pushed himself up using his palms, "I'll try."

"Good."

Katsushi and I spent the rest of the afternoon talking.

I even got him to place his feet in the pool.

Tamao walked into the room, "It's almost nighttime. We should head up to the next floor. We already got your stuff up there."

Katsushi nodded. As both he and Shiori got up, the nighttime announcement played.

"It's is now officially nighttime! The water will be rising another floor!"

Katsushi froze. Shiori sighed and picked him up bridal style, much like Hikari did, and ran with Tamao to the next floor.

After setting up some sleeping supplies, the group fell asleep in a group pile.