With the exception of his darker years, Rin has never been one to shy away from a party. Especially when that party happened to be hosted by his first official sponsor. So he's shown up in full regalia, a silk black tuxedo jacket with a dark red satin vest underneath and his tie in a presentable Windsor knot for once.

He passes from guest to guest in a whirl of fabric and sparkling teeth pressed together in a charming grin. Each greeting is of course accompanied by a beaming introduction of his plus-one, a Tachibana Makoto, "aspiring swimming trainer who is, for the time being, content to give his time to promoting the next generation of Japanese Olympic hopefuls." Pleasantries are quickly exchanged between parties, somehow made out amid the din of over-zealous holiday music, as Rin drags Makoto off to the front of another table generously decked out in spreads of red, green and gold. "Our colors," Rin had coyly pointed out to Makoto during the early days of the season. It might also be the rationality behind the splashes of a green vest beneath Makoto's three-piece suit, the result of a six-hour shopping adventure. (Rin's stamina for shopping nearly rivaled what he brought to the water.)

Neither of them spare much time for drinks, although Rin does grab a few more protein-substantial appetizers as waiters flit by.

Eventually, Rin decides that he has played the model gentleman enough for the moment (and that Makoto has probably beyond taxed his capacity for a cavalcade of strangers) and settles beside a display of poinsettias in the shape of a swan. Really creative there. He smirks and pulls Makoto over for a quick selfie by the dumb bird.

Rin brings the phone in again and begins hunting for the app that allows him to add things like cat ears. "Enjoying our first big party?" He says it in such a way that the "our" could easily be missed by anyone not paying super close attention to the conversation, as his gaze lifts from the phone screen just enough to catch Makoto's eye.