A Liar's Truth [UNDER FINAL REVISION]

Ch 57: Choosing the lesser evil

Third person's point of view

Cold.

The ocean swallowed her whole.

For one disorienting heartbeat there was only blue—water pressing against her ears, the roar of the splash muffled into a low rumble.

Salt stung her nose while bubbles streamed past her cheeks.

She burst through the surface coughing, dragging in a sharp breath as seawater trickled from her lashes.

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAAAAT?!"

Another splash. A second one followed.

Hayami and Chiba surfaced nearby almost effortlessly.

Hayami pushed damp hair away from her face, "See?"

"SEE WHAT?!"

"You're floating."

"I'm TRAUMATIZED!"

"You floated."

"I'M DOING BOTH!"

Chiba swam over with an easy stroke, caught the drifting kickboard before the current could steal it, and held it out. "Here."

Ginka accepted it with both hands as though reuniting with a long-lost friend, "I trust you more than people."

"The board?"

"The board has never betrayed me."

"...You've known it for twenty seconds."

"It has an excellent track record."

Hayami gently nudged the kickboard forward, "Kick."

"...Kick?"

"Your legs."

"Oh."

"...Those."

She cautiously stretched out behind the board. It bobbed beneath her forearms, rising and falling with the gentle swell.

The water felt strangely heavy around her legs.

"Like this?"

She kicked once. The board barely moved.

Again. Still nothing.

On the third kick—She accidentally splashed Chiba square in the face.

"..."

"...Sorry."

"It's fine."

She kicked again. This time Hayami got sprayed.

"..."

"...Also sorry."

Hayami wiped seawater from her eyes, "Smaller kicks."

"I don't know what I'm doing."

"We could tell."

"I thought enthusiasm counted."

"It doesn't."

"It should."

"From your hips." Hayami glided forward beside her, legs cutting cleanly through the water with barely a splash. "Not your knees."