Chapter 3 A Fateful Swim
"Okasan, otosan, we're going out for a swim today! We'll be back before dinner, neh?" Young Yuri exclaims ethuastisly, practically bounching up and down. I stayed by her side, excited too.
"Ah! You girls had better take care of yourselves." Mother nagged, a basket of laundry in her hands. She frowned.
"But I really think—" she seem to have some doubts about the trip.
"Maah! Okasan, we'll come back safely. There's nothing to worry about!" She pouted , her plump arms on her hips, glaring up at Mother.
"...Oh well, I guess it won't matter then," She sighed, and walked out of the living room. "Have a nice swim, and take care of yourselves!" Her voice was slightly muffled.
"Yay!!" She jumped up and took my hand. Together we went out of the front door and the car was already there, waiting for us. We were going to the Sohma House Resort for a swim.
"EEEE, the water is so cold!! Hahahaha!!" Yuri screamed when she jumped into the water. She visibly cringed and started to move around in the water.
The cold water sent a shock over my body. It was cold.
"Look out!" I splashed a wave of cold water over her head. She screamed and swam back. When the water cleared, I couldn't see her. Then a hand grabbed my tighs. Tickled, I kicked franticly at whoever was under the water, yelling. Yuri's wet head descended above the water, laughing mightily.
We played like that for a while, until I got bored and suggested we play another game.
"Ok, how about we have a match? Neh, to the end there," She pointed to the opposite end of the lake. "Whoever reaches there first wins."
"Hai," I agreed.
"Ok, so one, two, three, GO!!" She shouted.
We both dived and swam.
At first my muscles were slow, because I hadn't exercise in a while. During the times when I surfaced to take breaths, Yuri was always behind me. Soon my muscles were more flexible and I could swim faster. I didn't look back again, as I was already nearing the edge of the pool.
My hand reached the slippery tile of the pool floor first. I won! I turn to look at Yuri, who was no where to be seen. I climbed out of the pool for a better view.
Yuri's body was floating face down the surface, motionless.
I screamed in shock and quickly dive into the water again, swimming to her. I grasped her by her waist and pulled her along with me to the edge of the pool. I had difficulty hauling her up, but finally I managed to do so.
I stood numbly, not knowing what to do at first. Then I ran to the door that leaded to the receptionist counter. The expression on my face must have told them what happened because the words were hardly out of my mouth when they rushed to where I came.
One of the receptionist, who was a woman, preformed the emergency rescue on her. The other pumped Yuri's chest. I watched it all in a daze; my head felt light and I thought my vision was getting darker.
Finally, she coughed and spit out some water. The receptionists breathed a sigh of relief. My emotions were in turmoil. I didn't know whether to cry or laugh. In the end, I just said: "We better get home. Okasan will be worried." after she recovered. Yuri only nodded and followed me out of the pool. I thanked the receptionist for their help.
On the journey back home I told Yuri what happened. She was visibly impressed when I told her that I rescued her from the pool. I flushed a bit and pretended not to notice it. If any, I was sure that my good deed today would impress Mother and once again forgive me. Then the we would once again be the happy family we once were. I felt excited just thinking of it.
But things didn't go so well as I had expected. Instead of praising me for my deed, Mother went hysterical.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR SISTER, ISUZU!!( Rin's original name. Rin is a nickname created by Shigure. Isuzu means "bell")" she screamed. "SHE COULD HAVE DIED! DO YOU KNOW THAT!! WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE CARE OF HER!? CAN'T YOU BE A SISTER AND TAKE UP SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONCE??"
I cringed; both outwardly and inwardly and lowered my head. Father heard the commotion and came out too. After hearing what happened, a screaming battle ensured again. Father backed Mother up and screamed at me. Tears were flowing down my cheeks now and I sobbed silently. I started to think that it wasn't such a good deed after all...
...why did you agree to the race? If you didn't she wouldn't have nearly drowned...why do I always do the wrong thing and make them angry?... I raise my hands to my face and wept.
"Allright, that's enough. From now on, you are grounded. Go to your room now. There will be no dinner for you tonight." Mother said quietly, so quiet that I sank even further into despair. I had never been grounded before...
On my way up, I caught a glimpse of Yuri. She had a look of absolute shock and fear on her face. She stared after me wordlessly.
Once the door closed, I climbed onto my bed and sobbed, holding a pillow to muffle my sound.
Somebody was knocking on my door. I fell asleep; I got up groggily and opened the door.
Yuri came in hurriedly; as if she was hiding something. I caught a nice smell when she passed me; my stomach churned in response. She was bringing food.
She crossed my room and sat on my bed. Then she extended both of her arms and my dinner was there, packed clumsily into my lunchbox. I looked at it, then looked at Yuri. We weren't suppose to bring food into the bedroom.
"Neh, this is your dinner." She smiled up at me. I stare dumbfondly back.
"Okasan and Otosan are so scary just now. I was thinking that they would praise you for rescuing me." She continued , dark eyes lowering. "Demo, I know it's not your fault." Dark eyes lifted up to mine. "Arigatou neh, for saving my life today."
I stood rooted to the ground. Yuri complained that her hand was aching and I quickly took the lunchbox form her.
"Neh, eat it up. You deserve it more than I do," she looked at me. Feeling awakard, I told her that I would eat later, even though my stomach opposed strongly to it.
Since we shared a room, Yuri lingered there for a while, playing with her dolls before going downstairs. I attacked my dinner like a hungry wolf once the door closed.
That night, when Okasan came to tuck us in, she ignored me. After tucking Yuri in, she left the room whithout glancing at me. Despair filled me again.
A rustle; I felt my covers being pulled up at my left. Yuri snuggled up beside me. She then gave a light kiss on the cheek, like what Mother would have done while tucking us in.
"Neh, Suzu-neechan, don't be sad. You got tucked in tonight also," she giggled softly. Soon after that she was silent, sleeping peacefully beside me.
That night I had a dream. In that dream, Okasan and Otosan were smiling and forgiving me, and we were one big happy family. Then it was broken by a kick in the face; Yuri was mumbling and her limbs were everywhere. I snuggled farther form her and soon fell into another dream. The next day when I woke up, Yuri was already on her bed, snoring slightly. No doubt she had gone back to her spacious and comfy bed. Even so, I felt a fuzzy feeling in my heart and smiled faintly.
