Red Strings ¦¦ Chishiya Shuntarou x OC

Forty-Eighth String

Chishiya hated her, Kurenai was sure of it.

He was holding a grudge against her after the volleyball game because her team wiped the floor with his team. And now he was taking revenge on her for the game. Or at least, that was what Kurenai concluded from the fact that out of nowhere, Chishiya decided it was time to teach her how to swim.

She was sitting on the edge of the swimming pool, her legs dipped in the water but she had been refusing for the past thirty minutes to get into the water. Chishiya had been trying to coax her into the water patiently, holding his hand out every so often to see if she was ready.

"Look, the water is not deep," Chishiya said, walking around the water that only came up to his hips. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you either."

"No," Kurenai frowned, shaking her head adamantly.

Just being by the pool was enough to bring back bad memories that she had spent her entire life trying to forget. While it was not unusual for someone her age to not know how to swim, it was rather embarrassing to admit that she never even tried taking swimming lessons. It was hard for people who never drowned to understand what her fear was.

Wading over to her, Chishiya stood between her legs and stroked against her thighs gently. "You know I will never let anything happen to you, right?" he whispered, pressing her forehead against hers. "I will never hurt you."

Water splashed over the couple, interrupting their little moment. Niragi was the one who swept his foot across the surface, kicking the water all over them.

"How old are you to not know how to swim?"

"How old are you to not know any manners?"

Kurenai's tone was a little harsh, but she was not herself. Anywhere else, she would have taken Niragi's banter light-heartedly. Right now, however, she could only focus on the fact that she was surrounded by water. She had no time for his transgression.

"Hey, look at me," Chishiya said, holding her face in his hands and forced Kurenai to only look at him. "Don't worry about that asshole, just focus on me."

"Like I always do," she smiled a little.

The first smile since she sat by the pool.

Chishiya smiled too, and nodded. "Like you always do."

Taking in a deep breath, Kurenai put her hands on Chishiya's shoulders and gripped tightly. Slowly, she was edging herself off the side and was sliding into the water. She had her eyes closed and was already holding her breath but as he promised, Chishiya held onto her the entire time.

"See? Not bad, right?"

Still holding tight onto Chishiya, Kurenai opened her eyes and was letting out her breath slowly. She was in the water, and her heart was beating a thousand miles per hour, but nothing bad had happened. She was still very much alive.

"Y-yeah..."

They stood by the side for a little while, just letting Kurenai get used to the water. When she seemed to be a little more comfortable, Chishiya took a small step away from the edge, pulling Kurenai with him. She moved, but her arms around him became tighter.

All the while, Chishiya was whispering in her ear, telling her that it was okay. That she was safe with him, and that he was not going to let anything happen to her.

"What's everyone staring at?" Kuina asked, coming to the pool side after she had changed into her bikini.

Everyone by the pool seemed to be focused on something, and Heiya pointed to where Chishiya and Kurenai were clinging onto each other in the water. Kuina raised an eyebrow, kicking Niragi's foot so he could close his legs and give her a space on the sun lounger.

"It's kind of sweet," Doudou said, smiling as he watched the couple. "I mean, they're a weird couple but also romantic at the same time."

"More freaky than weird," Niragi commented. "Especially in bed. God, they are loud."

"If I had a boyfriend who was patient enough to teach me how to swim and overcome my fears, I would marry him right on the spot," Heiya said.

"You have Aguni-san," Doudou pointed out.

"Stop insinuating there's something between us. There's nothing between us!" Heiya frowned, throwing a grape at Doudou. "Besides, that big lump of muscles seems like the type to just throw you in the water until you can paddle yourself back to the side."

"That seems on point for Aguni-san," Kuina nodded.

"So, think you're ready to put your head under water?" Chishiya asked.

Very firmly and extremely determinedly, Kurenai shook her head. Walking around the pool while clinging onto Chishiya like a koala was her limit. She was already terrified of slipping somehow and going under but never coming back up. Why would she voluntarily put her entire head underwater?

What if she breathed in and choked on the water?

What if she lost all sense of direction and could not bring herself out of the water?

"How about just floating?" he asked. "You lie on your back, face out of water, and I'll hold onto you the whole time?"

Although it did not sound any less scarier than what he proposed before, Kurenai felt a little bad that Chishiya was going through all these efforts to try and help her but all she was doing was rejecting every single idea. She trusted Chishiya. He would never let anything happen to her, so why not try at least one thing to overcome her fears?

Just as she was about to lie on her back, however, there was a huge splash right next to her and Kurenai was washed over by the sudden wave. She started to panic, trying to get away but her right foot tangled with her left and the one thing she prayed for not to happen, happened.

She slipped right under.

Only for a split second, however, because Chishiya was quick to pull her back up. He held her right against his own body, holding her by the waist so she would not fall again. By then, she was hysterical. Her body was shaking, and she was crying.

Immediately, Chishiya looked up to see what happened.

Niragi, thinking it would be funny to frighten Kurenai, grabbed Doudou and threw him into the water right next to Kurenai, triggering her panic attack. If looks could kill, Niragi would have been dead about eight thousand times.

"Sorry!" Niragi called out, though the smirk on his face said otherwise.

Chishiya was wading slowly through the water to the side, holding onto Kurenai still. As he reached the wall, he was about to help Kurenai out of the water when he saw Aguni approaching Niragi.

Without a word, the big man grabbed Niragi by his shirt and swept him off his feet. Next second, Niragi was thrown into the water and Chishiya shielded Kurenai from the splash.

Kuina and Heiya both applauded, cheering for Aguni while Niragi was cursing out loud.

Then, Aguni walked over to where Chishiya and Kurenai were, scooping the woman out of the water easily. "You alright, kiddo?"

"She'll be fine," Chishiya said, pulling himself out.

He knelt beside Kurenai, brushing her wet hair behind her ear. She was not hysterical like she was a few minutes ago, but she was still sniffing. He picked her up in his arms, carrying her over to the sun lounger where Kuina had a towel ready for Kurenai.

"I'm sorry, baby."

"I don't...I don't want to swim again."

"Okay, we'll never go near water again," Chishiya nodded. He pressed his lips to her forehead and rubbed her hands. "You'll never need to swim with me around."