"You look better," Makoto said when they were done eating lunch.

"I didn't have much breakfast this morning," she explained.

"Oh, did you oversleep?"

"Too nervous."

"Oh. I see."

An awkward silence fell.

Kotonoha had every reason to be nervous. Although so far, things had gone reasonably well. Makoto liked her bikini so she didn't have to worry about looking good anymore. And to be honest, she really liked it too. Red was a color that suited her quite well.

"So, shall we?" he finally broke the silence.

"Aren't you supposed to wait an hour after eating?" she asked.

"Why?"

"Uhm… I don't know actually."

"Where you planning to do some pretty wild swimming?"

"You don't know how wild I am." She spoke the words without thinking, only realising a beat later she had said it out loud.

Makoto chuckled. "Well that was unexpected."

"I, uhm…"

"Now I kinda want to see that," he said excitedly.

"Uhum," she cleared her throat. "We should go."

She quickly went outside to hide her embarrassment. Makoto walked behind her.

Outside, she stopped to take his hand.

Her boyfriend smiled at her.

Together, they walked to the pool. From the clouds, it looked like it might rain later on, so they picked up the pace. It took them about ten minutes to reach it.

"There it is," he said.

The building itself was huge. From here, she could already count six different water slides.

Just then, the first raindrops started falling.

"Let's get inside," she said.

Since Kotonoha already had free tickets, they could immediately go through the gates without passing the register first.

"You've been here before?" Kotonoha asked.

"A few times," Makoto said. "You?"

"Yes, but it's been a long time."

They reached the changing rooms.

"Do I need to help you put it on or will you manage on your own?" Makoto asked.

"I-I'll manage."

She quickly went inside a cubicle and closed the door.

Kotonoha breathed out. His offhand remark had brought back memories about one of her dreams.

But she could not go on a tangent now. This was a public swimming pool after all.

Kotonoha stripped down and put on her brand new bikini.

The top was designed really well. Her own chest kept the fabric under tension, mainly at the bottom. It looked like less fabric had been used there to increase the tension and keep her chest up.

It was not that easy to close the clasp. Maybe she really should have asked Makoto's help?

She put on the matching bottoms, took her bag and went out.

Makoto was already waiting for her.

"You look good," he commented.

She blushed a bit. "Thanks."

They put away their bags in the lockers and went inside.

"Wow."

Even though she had been here before, it still surprised her how big it was.

"We're gonna have to try out those water slides," Makoto said.

"Agreed." She resolutely made for the nearest one.

"Hey, hold on a sec." Makoto hurried behind her.

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't go running of on your own. This place is huge."

He had a point there. If they got seperated, it wouldn't be easy to find each other again in a place this big.

"I'm sorry. Hold on, I've got an idea." She took his hand. "Better?"

He smiled. "Well I just don't want you to get lost."

She turned red. "I'm not gonna get lost. Come on."

She semi-dragged him to the first slide.

They waited in the line on the stairs.

"Do you want to go together?" he asked.

"Sure."

When it was their turn, they sat down on the slide. Makoto wrapped his arms around her belly.

"Makoto-kun?" So this was what he meant with 'going together'?

"I have to hold you, right?"

"Yeah, sure... uhm…"

"The light is green."

"Oh."

He pushed them forward so they slid down.

She forgot her worries for a moment. The air rushed past her, playing with her hair.

All too soon, it was over. Makoto released her just before the end.

She felt a little stab of disappointment.

They fell into the pool and swam away to a safe distance.

"That was fun," Kotonoha said. She moved her wet hair out of her eyes. "Let's try the next one."

"As you wish, my lady."

She chuckled.

They tried all of them, finishing with the highest one.

The last one did not end into a pool. Rather, there was a straight exit ten steps long, built in hard plastic. It contained water half a metre deep. When someone came out, a huge splash of water was send out which slowed them down to a stop quickly. Apparently this was needed because you went too fast to end in a regular pool.

Excitedly, they went up the stairs.

Once again, she sat down between his legs and he wrapped his arms around her.

It felt very safe like that. Yet, she felt something else too. A strange worry that something would go wrong.

But there was no time to think about that now. The light was green.

They pushed themselves down the slide.

It was fast. Way faster than the previous ones.

Makoto once again released her just before they reached the end.

A huge wave of water hit her which forced her body to a stop.

Kotonoha was unprepared for that. Water got into her nose and mouth and she started coughing violently. She pushed herself up and breathed in deeply. Damn, that was unexpected.

"Kotonoha, your top."

"Huh?" She looked up at him.

Suddenly, Makoto pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Makoto-kun." She was startled. "What are you doing?"

"Do not release me," he urged her.

"I…" She started panicking. What the hell was he doing? He couldn't suddenly embrace her like that in public. Actually, even out of public that would have taken her off guard. She was gonna freak out again and-

"Do you trust me?" he asked, looking her straight in the eye.

"Of course," she replied immediately. "But… Look, I'm really not ready for-"

"You don't feel it?"

"Feel what?"

A terrifying suspicion reached her. Did he know how wet she got when they embraced like this? He couldn't know that, right? He-

"Your top."

"My…"

Now that he said it, something did indeed feel off. She had been too distracted by other feelings to notice before, but something felt wrong on her chest. The tension was different.

She looked down. The wave had shifted her top. The left side had shifted so far up one of her breasts was out completely.

Kotonoha turned as red as her bikini.

"Don't worry, we can fix this," Makoto said.

"Don't worry!?"

"If you're gonna panic this is gonna end badly," he said calmly. "Rely on me for a change."

She looked around. People were deliberately not looking at them. Makoto's arms hid her well enough so they probably just thought it was slightly inappropriate to hug so intimate at the exit of the water slide. They could not see her predicament.

Kotonoha nodded. "Okay."

"I'm gonna open your top. You shift it back in place and then I'm gonna close it again."

"O-Okay."

"Are you sure you can do that?"

"Of course I can," she said.

"It's just that I'm having the feeling my arms are the only thing holding you up at this point."

He was right about that. Her legs were shaking. If he released her, she might fall.

Kotonoha took a deep breath and forced her body to calm down. "Okay, I'm ready."

He held her more loosely and opened the clasp. Kotonoha moved her top back in place and he closed it again. It went very smoothly. She doubted many people had noticed what had happened.

When he was certain it was all back in place, he released her.

"That was close," he said.

"Y-Yeah."

"We should probably get out of here, we're kind of in the way."

She nodded weakly.

He took her hand and guided her out of the water.

"Thank you," she blurted out. If Makoto had not helped her, it could have been a lot more embarrassing.

"Hey, don't worry about it. That can happen."

"But always to me."

"I don't mind saving you. Do you mind being saved?"

"It's not about that."

Why was she so clumsy? Kotonoha was certain these accidents did not happen so often before she met Makoto. Now she was fainting and tripping left and right.

"Kotonoha?"

"I'm starting to think it's your fault."

He chuckled. "I did not move your top, Kotonoha."

"Don't treat this like a joke. I'm serious."

"So you seriously believe that I somehow managed to move your top like that? I mean it would be an interesting power, but unfortunately I don't have it." His voice was sceptical and even a bit belittling. Like he was talking to a little kid. That annoyed her even more.

"And you're making me faint and lose my balance constantly," she added.

"Are you aware of how ridiculous you sound? How would I even do that? And why?"

"Because you like saving me."

He opened his mouth and then closed it again. All playfulness had vanished from his face.

"I'm going home," he announced.

He turned and walked away.

"Wait, Makoto."

She hurried after him, but her feet slipped on the wet floor. Kotonoha stopped to regain her balance.

How could Makoto walk so fast on this floor?

She only caught up with him at the lockers.

"Wait, Makoto-kun."

"If that's really what you think then why are we still dating?" He was really angry now.

"I'm sorry."

He looked at her. "No you're not."
Makoto tossed his bag over one shoulder.

"Wait." She grabbed his shoulder.

He looked at her hand. "I think you're pretty presumptuous in touching me considering you're freaking out if I touch you. Even if I'm helping you, which is usually the case."

She slowly retracted her hand. "Can we just talk? Please?"

He took a deep breath. "Alright then."

Makoto put his bag back in the locker.

"I know a good place," she said.

They walked back into the pool and up a flight of stairs.

At the top were a bunch of sunbeds. The glass roof allowed sunlight to shine on them. But considering it was raining right now, they weren't being used.

Kotonoha sat down on one of them. Makoto sat down on the one opposite of hers.

"I'm really sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to say it like that."

"But you did want to say something."

"It's just… since we dated, I feel like things are changing. I'm more clumsy when you're with me."

"Maybe I'm just distracting you."

"Maybe. But I usually don't faint that much. And you always happen to be around when I do."

"Maybe you just forgot to take your iron pills," he suggested.

"I'm usually fine without them. No, there is something else going on. You can't deny that you happen to be around every time."

"So you're saying I'm the cause?"

"No, no. Of course not. I shouldn't have said that, that's absurd. You're the one helping me all the time." She took a deep breath. "It's just… I don't know."

"I don't understand you anymore, Kotonoha."

"There is something else too. Ever since we met, I've been having strange dreams about you every night."
"What kind of dreams?"

"Uhm…"

"Yes?"

"Well, you know…" she played with her fingers. "Stuff."

"If you're not telling me I can't help you."

"Dreams where we are… kissing and such." She hoped he would not press on.

"Kissing? Well couldn't that be because you want to kiss me? You already kissed me this morning and I don't know why you wouldn't do it again. Do you regret it?"

"No, it's just… I'm scared."

"Scared about what? I'm not gonna bite. Much."

"I'm just a bit scared about intimacy."

"I understand."

There was a short silence.

"Sorry for ruining our date," she said eventually. "Again."

"Hey, don't worry about it. You didn't do it on purpose. I think."

"You think?"

"Well," he smiled. "There is always the possibility you secretly want to show your breasts to me. I heard it's a very common desire for girls who are near me."

"I… that…" Her hands hid her chest again, even though it was still covered this time.

"Did I hit a little too close to home?" he teased her.

She felt wetness seep into her bottoms. "D-Did you see them back then?"

"Hardly," Makoto said.

"Hardly?" What was that supposed to mean?

"I may have caught a little glimpse, but that's it. My mind does not work like a camera, Kotonoha. If you want me to picture you naked, I'll have to see them again."

For a moment, she really did consider it. There was no one here, she could just take off her top and show him. The idea excited her. But she knew she did not have the courage to do that.

"Would you settle for a kiss too?" she asked.

He smiled. "Maybe."

They moved closer together. She could feel his warm breath.

Kotonoha closed her eyes and tilted her head sideways.

Their lips locked.

Now he at least got something out of their date.

The kiss was much longer than their first one.

By the time his lips left hers, she was dripping wet. Luckily, he could not tell because she wore a swimsuit. At least, she hoped he couldn't tell.

Makoto smiled faintly. She smiled back.

"So, want to go on that water slide again?" he asked.

"I thought you'd never ask."