As the sun begins to dip I blow my whistle and the few people who are left; an old couple and a girl gathering shells; vacate the area. I wait
until they are in the parking lot to come down from my chair. Aside from my hourly, fifteen minute breaks and my hour break in the middle of the
day I never leave my chair, the marks of the white wood imprinted on my thighs and the tops of my feet sunburnt. I always forget to sunscreen
my feet I grab my rescue tube, sunscreen, sunglasses and clipboard and head to the life guard barn. The same size as the concession stand
and sitting opposite, facing the parking lot, the life guard hut is more of a shack with a lost items box, spare pool noodles, various sizes of
goggles, stretchers, a clock, and multiple first aid kits. I toss the sunscreen into a box on a shelf, the bottle settling itself next to aloe vera,
peroxide, and gauze and I shove my rescue tube with the kick board and stretchers. I log today's incidents into the log book, copying them from
my clipboard; a kid getting cut from a seashell, a teen scraping their knee from rough housing, and a teen punished for smuggling an alcohol bottle,
not reprimanded further because it was full of water. I put my clip board with the log book on the shelf and grab a small garbage bag and a water
bottle from the not-so-cold cooler, drinking it as I head back to the beach. I begin from one corner and comb for lost items and trash, a few
candy bar wrappers and sandwich baggies are shoved into the bag. I'm so glad there's a no smoking policy on the beach, otherwise I'd be here all
night I toss in a few soda cans before finding a necklace, I put it around my wrist and keep searching, finding a discarded water wing, a dolphin
key chain, and a half soaked towel. I grab them all and take everything to the shack, tossing the trash away and putting everything else in the
lost and found. I make a quick note of everything in the log book and a short list in tomorrow's entry in my clip board. I hardly have people
coming to check for things they've lost and after two weeks anything that I can use I keep in the shack and the rest gets donated. If no one
comes for the necklace I can always give it to Gou. I hum softly as I use the phone in the shack to call the office and clock out, afterward gathering
my things, throwing on a shirt and taking the bus home. The ride is always short, the best thing about getting off work after everyone else. I
get home and greet my sister, her hand waving to me as she talks on the phone and she gestures to the kitchen. Walking in, I'm greeted with
fresh rice and salmon, a bowl of miso soup sitting next to it. Gou can always be counted on for a simple meal after work
"You didn't have to go through so much trouble." I call out to her, grateful that she did. I hear an unintelligible reply and smile, eating
ravenously before tossing them in the sink. "Don't touch the dishes, I'll do them in the morning before work." Hopefully she'll actually listen to me
this time. I climb up the stairs and close myself in the bathroom, forgoing a bath in favor of the more refreshing option of a cold shower. Sighing
as the tension begins rolling off my shoulders, I move my burning feet away from the assault of the cold water, washing my hair and body
tiredly. My mind drifts and I relive the day, tilting my face into the water. I need to remember to pack snacks with my lunch and to charge my cell
phone. I wonder if the same groups of people will come again tomorrow. Doubtful, everyone gets tired of the beach for a while after a full day being
burnt by the sun. My mind turns to the group of high schoolers and I slowly shut the water off, grabbing a nearby towel and drying myself with
it. I can't pinpoint what the problem is, it's not like they're troublemakers. I think it's because he was watching me. In Australia it was normal for
girls, and sometimes guys, to flock around the lifeguard stand and flirt, their entire culture was centered around beach life. But just him It was
abnormal for someone to just stare in Japan, and to be so neutral about it. I let it bother me for a moment before I walk to my room, tossing my
towel, trunks, and shirt into my hamper. Putting on boxers, I climb into bed, plugging my phone into the charger and checking the alarm, rolling
over to face the wall.
Tossing in bed I open my eyes and check my phone, fifteen minutes until the alarm goes off. I groan and debate with myself, grumbling before
deciding to shut off my alarm in the menu, getting up, dressed and heading down into the kitchen to use the extra time to do the dishes and
make my lunch. The dishes are done and a small bento box is sitting on the counter, a note on the fridge;
"Have a good day Rin! Make sure to take an extra water bottle and some snacks today, you seemed really hungry last night. I'm heading over a friend's
house. I have my cell phone so if you want me home or need anything, call me. I'll probably spend the night otherwise! -Love Kou"
Smiling reflexively I send her a text thanking her, reassuring her that I would be okay for one night and I shove my bento and a water bottle
into each pocket of my swim shorts along with the house keys. I grab another bottle of water and make my way to the bus stop, getting on the
early commute, exiting near the beach's parking lot. The sun is already bright, despite the early hour, and I make a note to remember to
sunscreen my feet as I absent mindedly head to the shack, unlocking the door and gathering my clipboard, sunglasses, sunscreen, and rescue
tube, depositing my bento and spare water bottle into the cooler. I check the clock, it's still early, seven twenty five in the morning. Yesterday
my shift didn't start until midday, but from here on out I'll be working from seven thirty until eight thirty at night. A long day, tiring and boring. I
asked for it, I want as many hours as possible. I put on the sunscreen and call into the office to clock in, looking at my clip board before going to
my chair. It will probably be quiet until noon or so. A morning jogger and an elderly couple walk on the beach I think they are the same couple from
last night, they must live close by. I watch them until they leave, making up stories as they walk, barely noticing when another person comes
onto the beach. I glance to them as they get into the water It can't be too warm but they don't seem bothered I watch him swim to the buoys and
as he swims back I notice that he's the same dark haired teen from yesterday. I look around, not seeing his friends nearby, just a solitary towel
he must have laid out before getting in the water. Unlike yesterday he doesn't seem to be paying very much attention to me, swimming
back and forth, occasionally stopping to float on his back. He swims so easily. I wonder if he'd be interested in a job. I'd still get the same amount of
hours, but I wouldn't have to watch so much at one time. Glancing back to the beach I notice the elderly couple are leaving the beach and the
jogger has long since gone and so, with no one else to watch, my eyes turn back to him. He swims to shore and gets out slowly, reluctantly
leaving the water and he looks at me, heading towards me. I feel needlessly panicked, nervous and unsure. This is ridiculous I sit up straighter
and swallow, the dark haired teen at my stand.
"Do you need something?" I ask curtly, mentally cursing myself for being so rude. He scowls slightly and nods.
"Do you have a lost and found?" He's just as short with his words and I frown. This is going to end up being harder than it needs to be if I make
enemies on the second day. And I think he's going to be here often. I nearly sigh exasperatedly, but instead I force a sharp smile.
"Yeah, we have one in the lifeguard's shed. I'll take you there." I look around to make sure no cars are pulling in and get down from the chair,
grabbing my clipboard. He follows me around the concession stand and into the lifeguard shack and I pull out the log book.
"Alright, so what is it that you've lost?" I ask him, pulling out the pen from the clipboards metal clamp.
"A dolphin keychain" Deadpan reply. I look up and raise an eyebrow. A dolphin keychain? It's on the list, but a serious guy like him lost it? His
expression is neutral and I shrug, striking through the entry on my clipboard and search for it in the lost and found, tossing it to him.
"What is your name? I have to put it in the log book."
"Haruka Nanase." He puts the dolphin in his pocket and looks around the shed. Haruka is a weird name for a guy, but I guess I have no room to
talk. I write it down next to the entry and make a mental note of what is still to be picked up and how long it's been in the shed. "Are the
goggles here for the public?" Haruka asks, motioning his chin towards the full box on the shelf. I nod and offer him the box. He pulls out a pair
and stretches the elastic, testing it in his hands before choosing a pair. I write the number on the band into the log book and write his name
next to it, and write the same thing in my clip board.
"Whenever you leave you need to bring back the goggles so that I can check off that I got them." He nods to indicate his understanding and we
leave the shack. I head to my post and he walks with purpose to his towel, dropping off the keychain from his pocket and he puts the goggles
on, tightening them slightly before going back into the water. I watch him swim, the dark haired teen seems even more at ease in the water.
Haruka, Haruka Nanase. My brain reminds me. I have a name for this person, a name for this swimsuit. Haruka is faster with his goggles and I
watch his body slice the water, his hands eating up the distance set in front of him. I hear a car pull into the parking lot behind me, the first
family of the day. I turn and watch them set up near the concession stand, a couple and a young child. I get comfortable in my chair and put on
my sunglasses, letting the day unfold in front of me.
