The reflection of the water threw watery ribbons of silver across Toragai Michi's face. A few shimmered over her eyes, and she had to raise an arm to shield them.
'It's too hot...'
Bending down, she scooped up some of the cool water and splashed it onto her face. It was times with sweltering heat like today where she was glad she was a member of the swim team. Vice-captain, at that; she'd been serving that position for two years now. Many often claimed with her dedication, she should apply for the occupation of captain of the team. But she could never fill that position. Only the graceful Furuda Masumi could. The way the senior swam; bursting with vigor and determination; it was an art within itself. An art that no one else could recreate even if they were pedestaled as being the top swimmer on the team. Others just gossiped about the whole hesitation as the manifestation of a power struggle and that Masumi had threatened Michi if she were to attempt to seek her position. They were all just foolish rumors to Michi. It was Masumi's last year here at Kurogaiji, after all. Why did everyone have to corrupt it with stupid bird-talk?
"Ah, Michi! Do you have a moment?" Masumi's mature voice rang out over the shivering surface of the pool.
Michi knew that voice almost too well by now. She knew the bespectacled face; the expression she'd see when she brought her gaze up to look at her. The girl was standing by the side of the pool holding a clipboard under the shade of a makeshift pavilion. She hadn't been in the pool yet, so her hair was still up in their twin, thin, dark green braids that spiraled down her back to her hips. The even familiar pair of emerald green eyes shimmered from behind the flashing lenses of her round glasses. She was cute with the glasses, but even prettier without them, although, that was a rare spectacle to be seen, since even when swimming she wore them, though under her swim goggles. On the front of the old swim uniform in neat Japanese read: "Furuda Masmi, captain." Michi straightened like a solider and made her way over to the beckoning girl, using the small peach towel slung over her shoulder to dry her face all the while. Her stony heart always skipped a beat whenever Masui smiled at her or when she was near her. She didn't quite understand why. It started sometime last year right at the last day of an intensive two week summer camp. It was a little irritating, yet it made her want to shine at her best even more for her.
Masumi held the clipboard out to her, pointing at a few names with the tip of her sharp pencil. "We need to start sorting out the member list. Some dropped earlier last week. This will be the finalized list, I think."
Michi scanned it over briefly.
"It's a bit of a shame we lost members so early on." She sighed.
There had been many exemplary students that had tried out. It had been the most influx of interested students that the swim team had ever see. Masumi had been so ecstatic, she cried when first seeing all the names on the list. Many of the students had been accepted in, but as the school year started to progress into a busy year, some had had to give up their secured positions, promising they would return next year. Masumi cried then, too, though it wasn't out of sadness. She'd cried because she had been glad that they had tried their best for the team and more importantly, for themselves.
"Masumi!" Another voice called out over the thriving pool.
The bespectacled captain looked up from her work at Koishimi Aimi, her smile never fading. "I'll be right there!"
She turned to the other girl, the smile turning slightly apologetic. "Sorry, Michi. I'll be back really soon. Would it be alright if you please took over this for the time being?"
"Sure." Michi nodded.
The clipboard was handed happily over to the vice captain. Masumi placed a gracious hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Thank you so much, Michi!"
"Of course."
The tall captain offered another warm smile before walking off to join the beckoning girl at the opposite side of the pool. Michi watched her leave then looked down at the clipboard in hand. Seven names out of twenty-eight had been crossed out. That would be a significant loss, but with dedication, they could still make up for it. Still, it was a much smaller number than previous years.
There was a desk set up beneath the pavilion and Michi took a seat on the stool provided. It rocked a little, so she assumed it might have been borrowed from the music club's room. They had one just like that in the corner. The whole school was kind of like this no matter how much it was attempted to be ignored. Kurogaiji was what one could call an ancient school; it had been around for a long time. IT didn't receive enough funds to fix all of its issues or renovate much. The swim team was planning to execute a fundraiser later in the year to help raise some money for the school, but with the lack of members, a full-scale one would be kind of difficult now. Michi drew the back of her arm across her sweat jeweled face again in frustration. The heat was beginning to give her a headache.
Splash!
"Masumi!"
The sudden commotion pinned her attention to the other side of the pool. There were a crowd of girls swarmed around the edge. The one who had screamed the captain's name was crouched over the edge, fear etched on her childish features. Michi bolted up from the stool. It clattered noisily to the concrete with the careless rushed force. The clipboard struck the ground with it. Before she could even inquire what happened, another shriek went up:
"Aimi is trying to drown Masumi!"
Splash!
Michi didn't even stop to analyze the scene. She dived off the edge of the pool and into the disturbed water like a knight rushing to save their princess. A hybrid cry of admiration and nervous surprise arose from the onlooking crowd. There at the smooth bottom of the pool were the two, draped in an undulating curtain of long dark hair. Masumi's braids had come undone, causing dark green to mix with the opposing silken black serpents. Aimi had pinned her to the bottom, one hand pressing on her shoulder and the other on her throat. Long, slender legs tried to pry off the assailant, but with each missed thrashing kick, she grew wearier and more out of strength.
Just as the captain let out the last of her air in a stream of bubbles, Michi had her arms around the attacking second year. The girl tried to writhe instantly out of her grasp, her hand tightening against Masumi's throat while the other tried to strike her. Michi held on. 'Hurting Masumi... Trying to drown her... I will never forgive you for this, Aimi!' The words were shouted in her mind.
When Aimi finally let go of Masumi, she refocused her attention on Michi. The vice captain repositioned her hands the best she could and pushed her new attacker away. Her gaze traveled quickly down to Masumi. Her eyes were closed and her glasses were a wisp from drifting off. 'Masumi!' She reached out for her, but an arm slung around her torso, pulling her back. A plume of long black hair engulfed her back and shoulders. She struggled to get out of her grasp, her blurring vision never leaving Masumi's buoyant form. 'Masumi...' Her lungs were aching. She needed to take a breath...
Suddenly, she felt Aimi's arms jerk away from her body. Another pair tried to grab her from behind, but she shook them off and dived lower for the unconscious captain. She scooped her weightless body up in her arms and pushed off the bottom. Air and water both rushed into her lungs when she broke up through the surface. Four additional heads bobbed up alongside her, two holding onto the apprehended Aimi. Michi paddled the best she could to the side. A shower of arms reached down to help her and Masumi out of the water. Michi was too exhausted to protest.
"Are you alright?"
"That was so brave, Michi-san!"
"Why would Aimi do that?"
"Lay her over here!"
The frightened, height-pitched voice blurred over each other in the resolving chaos. Michi spotted Masumi's body being laid down a little ways away. Something flared within her and she sprang to her side. Her blood suddenly felt hot in her veins.
"Don't touch her!" She'd practically shouted for some reason.
It startled the crowd of girls. They backed away slightly, worried faces brimming with confusion. "What?"
"Don't touch her..." Michi repeated again. Her hair had fallen over her livid eyes, giving her an ominous appearance. She wasn't sure why she was angry right now. Every part of her was blazing with the same fierce fire. "All of you just stood there when Aimi tried to drown her. None of you even tried to help! Masumi could've..."
The wave of anger suffocated any further words from coming out. She looked like a tiger, sitting there, crouched over Masumi's body. Teeth bared and shaded eyes blazing like fire underneath the shadow her bangs. "It's just because of those stupid rumors, isn't it? Masumi is retiring from her position this year, and everyone just takes advantage of her."
Her distressed voice sliced through the crowd, blurring past everyone except for its shivering target, Aimi. "Masumi could've died... What... WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
She had screamed the last words with all her might. The shrillness of her elevated boyish voice rang a nervous silence through the crowd. Michi pushed the peak of her anger through her teeth in a harsh stream of air and turned back to Masumi. She arched over her, pressing her open palms in a steady rhythm against her still chest. Then she lowered her torso until it touched the other's and pressed her open lips to hers, expelling all the air she could into the girl's lungs. When she could expel no more, she pulled back and pressed again with her hands. Again and again she repeated this. Pressing on her chest and shifting her open mouth over hers to breathe oxygen into the deprived lungs. A slight layer of moisture coated her lips with each desperate attempt to help the girl breathe. Finally, a breath was taken by the unmoving lips.
'Masumi...' That was the last thought that fluttered through Michi's dizzy head before her vision went black.
"You're so reckless, Michi. I can't believe you made yourself pass out." Masumi's solemn voice embraced the quiet atmosphere of the nurse's office.
The thick curtains were pulled around the occupied bed. Masumi at beside it on a swiveling stool. Her arms were folded on the side of the bed and her head was rested on a forearm. Fingers loosely laced with the unconscious girl's limp ones. She had been informed about the whole incident when she had recovered fully just an hour ago. How Aimi had flared up at her and tried to drown her, how Michi had bravely dived in to save her. They said Michi protected her once she was out of the water with the ferocity of a tiger. "She was really frightening!" A classmate had commented. "Absolutely terrifying!" Another had said.
The captain smiled softly at her vice captain. She couldn't really remember what happened now, but she did remember hearing the faintest of Michi's yelling voice. 'Like a tiger, huh?' She brushed a finger on the back of Michi's hand. 'Even when you tried to resuscitate me, Kisumi-chan says you were still just as frightening. You tried so hard you forgot you needed air yourself. That wasn't the first time Aimi has tried to drown me. She always let go in the past, but this time, she didn't. I guess I owe my life to you now, Michi.' The bespectacled girl raised her head then the rest of her slouched body. Her other hand pressed an open palm against the bed and she leaned over her so slightly, having to used it to hold back a long braid behind her. She brought her face closer to the resting girl's. 'Ah, what am I doing...?'
"Thank you, Michi..."
And pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
To her surprise, the kiss was slowly returned. Instead of breaking it in her slight shock, she let it linger, the loose fingers lacing tightly with hers. IT seemed to refuel Michi's strength. The recovering girl used it to pour an edge of long restrained passion into the kiss. As it gradually melted into mutual passion, so did all the confusion muddling the strange feelings she had felt for the captain since the previous year's summer camp. It left behind something beautiful. She didn't want to end. Masumi didn't pull away wither. But as the kiss continued, her lungs began to scream for air. She couldn't breathe with Masumi kissing her, so she produced a shuddering whine. The captain didn't let up at first, but she eventually got the message and pulled away. A thread of moisture fluttered onto Michi's lower lip as the kiss broke. She took a much needed breath.
"I couldn't breathe, Masumi!" She panted between breaths.
"Ah, I-I'm sorry." Michi started shyly.
She started to pull away. Michi reached up with her free hand and cupped it against her cheek before she could get too far. A light blush blossomed across Masumi's cheek. "Stay here, please, Masumi."
"B-But I-"
"I'd rather have my breath taken away by you any day, even if I pass out." Her tone was soft; a whisper among the honest words.
Masumi's eyes widened at first, but she couldn't help but offer another sweet smile. Each soft breath from the other washed over her rose-colored cheeks. When had their faces gotten so close again? She couldn't really recall.
"Me too." She responded softly.
With that, she arched her neck again to let their coral pink lips meet in another warm kiss. Thank goodness for the privacy curtain. They were poor at managing their breathing, even with years of being on the swim teams in their previous schools. One's breath would run out and they'd have to stop, only to be kissed again a second later until the other one needed a breath and repeated again. It hurt to run out of breath, but in this situation, it was almost pleasant.
'Breathless with the heat of Masumi's passion-'
'-I can barely breathe.'