Lucia POV.
"You cant swim?" I ask Maura who was kind of trembling as we get in the water.
"I cant. Go ahead make fun of me" he says with a pout.
"I wont. Its cute" i say with a soft smile. Did i really just say that?
"Oh so you think im cute?" He asks teasingly and wraps his arms around my neck again. Leaning his face really close.
"Stop teasing or im leaving you in the water" i warn which earns another pout from him.
"Taking advantage of my weakness. Typical Prince of Shadows" he says.
We just stay in the water. This isnt even swimming. I just stood while Maura clings to me.
'if i didnt go with him, would he have asked Hiro?' I think to myself and end up imagining Hiro in my position instead.
There's the unpleasant feeling again and i didnt even notice i pull Maura close to me until he exclaims.
"Ahhh~! Dont be so rough Lucia~!"
I quickly look around if anyone was around to hear him and i sigh as i dont see anyone.
"Stop doing that voice. People will misunderstand again" i tell him to which he just smiles mischievously.
"Misunderstand what, my dear prince of shadows?" He asks
"You very well know what im talking about" i just say and let him have his fun in the water.
He seems to bask in the sun as I held him in the water and i cant help but stare. Why? Why do i keep staring? Why do i get pissed off when he and Hiro are together? Whats happening to me?
"Your swimsuit looks really nice" i mumble after a bit. It just came out. I missed my chance to say it earlier and i didnt even notice i mumbled it now.
"Why thank you" he says. Hes been waiting for the compliment. I see. That's why he came to bother me.
"So what now?" I ask after a bit. We were just soaking in the water not even swimming.
He shrugs "teach me to swim?" He asks
I think and shrug "sure. You have to let go though"
Kai POV.
Finally i was able to sneak away from the girls. Where did Lucia and Maura go?
I look about and find them in the water together.
"Ahhh~! Dont be so rough Lucia~!" Maura suddenly exclaims. That did not sound like it was because of pain.
A blush creeps up my cheeks as i hide and watch them from behind a tree. Taking a note of everything i see.
Soon they look like Lucia was teaching Maura how to swim. Holding his hands as he guides him in the water.
This is the first time ive seen Yonazuki Lucia interact with someone like this. I wonder...
Lucia POV.
I had to get out the water but I told maura to keep practicing. Off i go to use the toilet. Well.. make shift toilet we have here.
After a while i come back and Maura wasnt in the water anymore. He was on the bed of the river and Hiro was with him. What was he doing? Why are they together again?
I start to approach them when i hear Hiro say. "I care about you a lot Maura. Thats why i promise ill always be here for you. Ill protect you and make sure to make you happy always"
His words earns a soft smile from maura. A face i thought only i could see.
Theres this pain in my chest again that i cant explain. It feels tight and heavy and i cant breathe.
I walk away and get a cold juice and i sit by the grill. Kazuki offers me food but i didnt feel like eating.
The look on Mauras face keeps popping into my head. How gentle he smiled and looked at Hiro. Even I've only seen that face once. And it was only when he was half asleep too.
I sigh deeply. Catching kazuki's attention.
He sits on the log in front of me and waits expectingly.
"Talkin' about it might help ya know?" He says and keeps waiting.
"No no im just... Im troubled.. confused i guess..." i say and look at the canned juice in my hand.
He lets me continue. Staying silent
"Lately ive been having this feeling that i dont understand" i admit after a few minutes.
"I cant promise i can help but i can lend an ear to listen" he says
"Its just.. ive realized lately ive been looking at someone more... And when this person spends time with this other person i feel awful inside" i start
He keeps listening so i keep going.
"This awful feeling... My chest feels heavy and i have trouble breathing.. i feel mad and lonely at the same time.." i sigh "its weird. Just forget it"
Kazuki speaks up now "doesnt this just means you like that person?" He asks
"What do you mean?" I ask him
"The bad feeling. Isnt that you being jealous that the person is spending time with someone else? If youre jealous that means you like that person" he says
"That kinda makes sense but kinda doesnt. I dont think i like this person I..." I couldnt finish my sentence. Could kazuki be right?
"When youre with that person, how fo you feel?" He asks
"That person is annoying and clingy... But its always fun when we spend time together" just thinking about it makes me smile to myself which kazuki sees.
"And the bad feeling only comes when that person is with someone else right?" He makes sure so i nod.
"Yeah id say you like them. Why not tell them how you feel?" Kazuki suggests
"Oh no.. ill be teased out of my mind if i did that" i answer
Kazuki smiles "see? Youre not even denying you like them. Means you do" he shrugs
"I... I guess so.." I answer and get up from my seat. "Thank you Kazuki" i say and set off to find Maura.
"Hiro! What are you..?" I hear maura's voice and so i quickly turn the corner to where i saw him with hiro.
I stop at what i saw though.
I cant see everything but its obvious whats happening.
Maura was leaning back on the towel and Hiro was kneeling beside him. His body leaned towards maura and their faces were really close. That damn parasol in the way though. Probably to save me from a more surprising sight.
I stopped breathing. My sight becomes cloudy. My chest hurts
It hurts.
Maura was just playing with me.
It hurts.
What hes been doing has been nothing but mindless flirting.
It hurts
He wanted Hiro all along.
It hurts
I want to run but my legs dont follow my brains command. All i can think of was..
Pain.
I didnt notice my legs were already moving and I was going towards the water. The only place i know Maura wont be able to follow me.
'Wake up Lucia! Hes not gonna follow you! Youre on your own' my mind screams at me as i wade in the water. Deeper and deeper into the water.
This pain. I dont want to feel this anymore. I dont want to feel anymore.
I kept going. The flow of the river only strong enough to make me sway not to make me fall though or take me along with it.
My face was wet. Water? No. Tears...
I was crying?
I wanted to scream but i couldnt. I cant find my voice.
I look around. I was alone. Like i always was.
I was breathing heavily as i try to control the tears flowing down my face. Why'd i get caught up in his games?
I hate this. I dont notice the current starts to get stronger the deeper i went. In one beat, the water takes me.
Kai POV.
I was too busy observing Maura that i didnt notice where Lucia went. I set off to find him.
Then he crosses my vision. There!
I follow him and he wades into the water alone. Whats he doing? Hes going towards the deep end.
Its been a minute but he just goes deeper into the water. I notice the current starting to get stronger though. Whats he doing? Why isnt he coming back to shore?
Suddenly he disappears underwater.
"Ah! Yonazuki Lucia!" I go towards the water and wait for him to surface but he doesnt. He was acting really weird earlier after all.
"Someone help! Yonazuki Lucia's drowning!" I start to yell. Catching the attention of everyone else.
Hiro doesnt waste time and he dives into the water. Taking longer to find Lucia thankfully against a rock and not swept further away by the current.
At this moment Lucia was unconscious as Hiro lays him on the bed of the river.
Maura starts to give him cpr.
"Wake up Lucia!" Maura screams out and he quickly leans down and give him mouth to mouth before going back to cpr.
"Lucia please..." Maura kept mumbling as he keeps giving him cpr then two more breaths.
He does this a couple times to get Lucia to cough up any water he may have inhaled.
Lucia POV.
I can hear voices. And there are flashes of light. Whats happening? I was just in the river just now.
Suddenly i heave and cough up water and im turned to my side.
I look up and see Maura he was hovering right over me. He looked so worried. Then i see everyone else with the same worried face.
"Wh-- what.." everything fades again