Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

You guys have heard of lifeguards, right? Those people in their perches around pools and beaches, getting a tan, telling kids to be careful. Some of them would try to stop kids from running around the pool for they might slip.

Of course, they are supposed to do their job when needed. If someone is drowning, they would have to jump in and rescue them. If the victim is unresponsive, they would have to perform chest compressions.

Back home, I was a junior lifeguard. I go to the beach every Saturday to make sure everyone is safe. Because of that, I was CPR-certified. That meant that I knew how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, better known as CPR.

I only recall one time when I had to jump in the water to save a kid from going under. He had swallowed some of the salty seawater, but he was okay. That was the only time I saved a life as a lifeguard.

Until now.

I was kneeling next to the unresponsive body of a kouhai that I knew, water droplets dripping down from my soaking wet hair. I put my ear near Nakano-san's chest to listen for any respiration in her lungs. She wasn't breathing.

I then grabbed her wrist and checked for the radial pulse near the radial bone of her arm. I could barely feel a pulse. I decided to check another pulse point.

I put two fingers an inch or two under her jaw and felt for the carotid artery. I could feel a pulse, but it was faint.

Around me, students from my class and hers watched as I treated her. The gym teacher, quite surprisingly, didn't know how to do CPR. In fact, only two people did. Me and Takeuchi-san. She was watching me whilst standing next to CJ.

I then started chest compressions.

Earlier that day

Today was another ordinary day here in Japan. I was headed to school with Ono-chan by my side. The sun above was not obscured by any clouds. It finally felt warm enough for me to wear my summer uniform comfortably.

"Did you know that the pool is open today?" asked Ono-chan, walking beside me. She had her arms behind her back, with her brown leather bag hitting her thighs every time she stepped.

"Is it now?" I replied as I adjusted the strap to my Army satchel.

We stopped at a railroad track. The bar gate was down, its red lights flashing to indicate that a train is coming. I looked at Ono-chan in the meantime to talk to her.

"Yep! We can finally swim in the pool at school! It's gonna be fun!" she said, smiling brightly. I smirked back.

"Yeah, it will!," I said, "It's gonna be very fun!" I was actually looking forward to the pool opening. I can finally show off these bad boys (cue the arm flexing) to the cuties in my class… Ugh, that was a sentence I thought I would never say.

A train passed by. It was fast enough to gust us with a little bit of wind, yet slow enough to let me meet the eyes of the occupants of each train car as they passed by, on their way to start a busy day.

After the train passed, the bar gate rose back up, and we crossed the railroad on our way to school.

"So," said Ono-chan, keeping up with me even though I was briskly walking to get to school early, "Do you know how to swim?"

"I live in Hawaii," I said, shrugging my shoulders, "If I didn't know how to swim, I'd be a disgrace on the island."

"That was a dumb question," Ono-chan said, giggling and smiling. "I know how to swim too! Betcha I can beat you in a race." Oh? You're challenging me?

"Fat chance! You think you can beat me in a race?" I doubted this kid's spunk. I have to tell ya, cockiness can kill.

Like I said earlier, I have been swimming for my whole life. The island lifestyle forces me to go into the water almost every weekend. My dad actually thought that I would be a good sailor in the Navy. I'd get to work on the ships moored on the dock in the harbor. I said no, though, because I didn't have it in me to be in the armed forces.

"I'll have you know, I was on my school's swim team and I had one of the best times in the city!" she bragged as if that was the hardest victory ever. I'm about to end her whole career!

"Oh ho!" I exclaimed, "You, me, pool, Friday after school. Let's see who's a better swimmer."

"You're on!" Ono-chan gleefully accepted my challenge. She held up a fist of determination while smiling brightly. I smiled too. We both laughed for a bit.

We got to school pretty early. Ono-chan wanted to meet up with some classmates for a project, so we went separate ways.

I wandered around the courtyard, looking for something to do. I had my earbuds in. I was listening to the song Thunderstruck by AC/DC.

I always listened to heavy rock music in the morning to get myself pumped up for the day. I always liked listening to rock songs that have motivational lyrics, which also kind of motivates me for school.

"Hey, Sawyer!" a voice called out. She must've yelled pretty loud because my music was on full blast. I took off one earbud and looked around. I saw Kaylee waving her arms in the air to get my attention. I walked over there, lowering the volume on my music so I can hear Kaylee, who was with the other two girls.

"Yo," I greeted the girls. I waved hi as I approached. It seemed like the girls were in an argument.

"For the last time, I'm not gonna wear a bikini to the pool!" exclaimed Zara. "It's indecent and improper! Bikinis don't even cover anything anyways!" She turned to me. "Sawyer, tell Rose that I'm not gonna wear a bikini to the pool!"

"Woah," I said, holding my arms up, "I ain't getting in between you two."

"Who's side are you on?!" she exclaimed.

"I just got here! Chill! I don't even know what the hell you guys are talking about!"

"I was thinking of wearing matching bikinis to the school pool but Zara doesn't want to wear something that'll make her sexy," explained Rose. "Don't you wanna see me wearing a skimpy bikini?" Rose winked at me.

I turned red, blushing. This girl does not have any sense of decency!

"W-well," I stammered, "I-I like to see m-more skin of course, but you shouldn't force her to." Oh God, I stuttered as much as Saito-san as I said that.

"Oh come on, Zara," begged Rose, who had her hands clasped together and holding them up to her chest, "Kaylee and I are already gonna be wearing matching bikinis. We're gonna look cute together!"

"Totally!" interjected Kaylee, "We would look totes adorbs when we're wearing the same thing! It makes us look like we belong together!"

"Technically," I said, remembering a rule regarding the use of swimsuits at school, "Y'all are gonna be wearing the same thing. It's just that y'all got uniforms even in the pool."

Rose just stared at me. "You mean to tell me that I bought a new swimsuit for nothing?" You were already ready for this? Damn, I don't even go out often!

"Did you at least bring your other school swimsuit that they sold last week on Wednesday?" I asked. Rose nodded no. Just what I thought.

The school gave out new swimsuits for the pool last Wednesday. Before going to the student exchange meeting, I went over to the school store and bought a pair of navy blue swimming trunks. I guess Rose had forgotten.

"They sold them last week?" she asked. She had a confused look on her face as if she didn't know what I was talking about. She most likely had forgotten to get one last week.

I nodded yes. To be honest, it was fun watching her put her head in her hands in shame. Her face changed from confused to disappointed at the flip of a dime. It was like she speedran through the five stages of grief. I smiled and Kaylee started laughing. Zara smirked smugly as Rose turned as red as, well, a rose.

"Agh! I was thinking about my F in math class!" she cried out. She reached into her bag and pulled out what was supposed to be the bikini that she brought for the pool. And as she showed it to us, I now know why Zara did not want to wear matching bikinis.

"What in the ever-loving world is that?" I said as I pointed at the bikini. But at this point, I wouldn't even call it a bikini, it's pretty much just straps at this point.

"My bikini," whined Rose.

"That's what you get for not listening to me," Kaylee said, "We had to wear our uniforms in the pool."

The bell rang soon after. I waved bye to the girls and left for my class.

Inside, I sat down at my seat. CJ was already pretty much passed out on his desk. Takeuchi-san was looking out the window and staring into space, her head on her hands that were resting on her desk. She looked as if she was day-dreaming.

"You know," she spoke up, "I have always wondered what he looked like without a shirt." Woah! We're just friends! You're already getting those types of thoughts? Hold up, who's 'he'? Is he me? Or another guy?

"W-what?" I asked. Takeuchi-san shook her head as if to wake her up from her open-eyed slumber. She met my eyes and opened her mouth ever so slightly as if she was embarrassed at what she just said.

"H-huh? Oh, that was nothing," she said, waving her hand as if to swipe the topic away from the discussion.

"Oh yeah? Who's 'he'?" I asked, "Is this 'he' someone I know?" She has teased me many times already these past few months. I feel like that kid in that one anime. Didn't that anime had the name "Takagi-san" in the title? I'll make her feel how I feel!

"H-he's nothing," she stuttered. Ah, seems like I touched a nerve. "No one you know! Nope! You wouldn't know him!" Her lips seemed to turn white as they pushed against each other in nervousness.

I stared back at her, smirking, silently telling her that I still am waiting for a good enough answer. "Fine," she said, resigned, "I'm talking about a friend of mine from last year. You know? The guy who was in the club before you?" Oh, she's talking about that other dude last year. The dude who used to live in the Kobayashi household before bugging off for some obscure reason. I wonder what the hell happened to that guy?

I sat down, satisfied with the answer. At least it ain't me. That would've made things awkward. At least, before one of us possibly confesses their love like many animes does… Wait, why am I thinking about this?

"Well," I said, "if you were wondering what I looked like shirtless, you'll see me at the pool."

Takeuchi-san looked at me with a face of disgust, telling me that she didn't want to see me without a shirt.

"You're disgusting," Takeuchi-san said in a condescending tone.

"No, I am Sawyer," I joked, instantly shooting down that insult.

Takeuchi-san rolled her eyes and turned forward, a slight smile on her face, just as soon as the teacher walked through those doors. I quickly threw a ball of paper that I had in my desk at CJ to wake him up.

The ball hit his head and bounced off, landing on his desk. CJ stirred and woke up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The teacher did not notice me throw the ball or CJ sleeping at his desk, so that was good.

Lunch

I wasn't hungry that day. CJ went to meet up with the girls and Takeuchi-san left to do whatever the hell she does during lunch. I didn't want to follow either of them because I wanted to just go to the library.

I walked into the library with a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos and a can of Fanta. I went to the books that were translated into English.

You know in the libraries back home, there's most likely a section reserved for foreign languages, mainly Spanish and/or French? Here in Japan, the libraries would have a section reserved for books translated to English. Many foreign countries would have a section dedicated to English, whether it's in Europe or Asia.

I read the spines of books. There were a few books that I had already read back home. I searched all of the books, but there were no interesting books to read. A little disappointed, I decided to go to one of the tables to eat my bag of Cheetos.

I saw the dark purple hair of Saito-san reading a book. She sat in a way where her back was as straight as it can. Her back was not even touching the backrest of the wooden chair. I guess it was so that she wouldn't screw up her posture from reading.

I walked up to the seat next to Saito-san and put my hands on the wooden backrest. "May I sit here?" I asked. Saito-san looked up from her book and met my eyes.

"Y-yes," she stammered, "go ahead." I pulled the chair back so that I can get some room to sit down and put my bag of Cheetos and can of Fanta down onto the table.

I looked at the book that she was reading. It wasn't her usual novel actually, it was one of those nonfiction books. The pictures in the book were of a man swimming in water.

"What are you reading?" I asked Saito-san. This is weird of her. Why is she reading a book like this?

"U-um, I-I…" she stammered. She clasped her hands together and held them up to her chest. "I-I don't know how to swim," she explained, "I figured that if I t-teach myself, I can probably be able to swim."

"You don't know how to swim?" I asked. It's not a big deal, to be honest. The beach is pretty far from where we are and there is no real reason to hop in the water.

"N-no," she stuttered, "m-my other schools didn't have pools, so they wouldn't be able to teach us how to swim."

I looked at the pictures once more. The man looked like he was leaping out of the water like a dolphin, his arms up in the air as if he was reaching up into the sky. That was when I concluded that Saito-san had taken too big of a bite out of swimming.

"W-why are you trying to learn the Butterfly?" I asked as I pointed at the picture of the man. A few years ago, I was getting swimming lessons at the local community pool. They taught us four different kinds of strokes. There was the Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and the Butterfly. That last one was the hardest of them all.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked. She doesn't know what she is reading. I should stop her before she actually tries to get into the water to try this hard stroke.

"You have no idea how hard that one is, right?" I asked.

"N-no," she said, "I just flipped the book open to any page. Why?"

Looks like I'll have to teach her how to swim. I don't have PE with her, so I guess I'm gonna have to teach her how to swim by verbal instruction for now.

I ended up trying to teach her how to do the easiest stroke, which was the Freestyle. I tried to explain to her how it works without going into the water, so it would be much harder to actually teach her before we get into the water.

The bell ended up ringing soon after. I returned to my class and Saito-san returned to hers.

Locker room

Now it was time for PE. We were told to change into our swimsuits because we're gonna go to the pool. It still feels a little chilly outside, but whatever, I'm gonna go in… probably.

The thing is that not everyone brought their swimsuits to school, so they couldn't really start teaching people how to swim. A good amount of people weren't allowed to swim because of this, so we could just play in the pool, just screwing around.

I bent over to put my school uniform into my bag. It was pretty chilly in the locker room, especially since I was not wearing a shirt. I guess I left myself open and exposed.

"Ow!" I howled out as a sharp pain was inflicted on my bare back, my face twisting in agony. It felt like a whip. Someone whipped me with a towel, didn't they? Holding the tender part of my back where I got hit, I turned around. I saw CJ with a cheeky grin, holding a towel and snapping it like a whip. He also didn't wear a shirt, only his swimming trunks, showing off his muscular chest.

"You massive cockbite," I sneered through gritted teeth. Meanwhile, CJ started laughing.

"You should've seen the face you made!" laughed CJ. "It was priceless!"

I looked back at where he had hit me with his towel. There was a linear red mark. It felt tender to the touch and it felt sharp. I sucked in air through gritted teeth as I touched it. I looked right at CJ's eyes. "Watch your back," I warned, though CJ seemed unaffected with the threat.

We exited the locker room, our towels draped over our necks. Both of us walked over to the bleachers and put down our towels. I didn't wanna jump in right away. I wanted to wait for Takeuchi-san and Nakano-san.

The bleachers next to the pool were covered by a blue and white canopy.

"Hey!" a feminine voice called out. I looked to the source of the voice and saw Takeuchi-san waving. Nakano-san was walking next to her, her arms crossed while she was holding two towels in her arms. Both of them were wearing a navy blue tankini, their legs bare.

"Hi!" I said, putting up two fingers like a peace sign. "You guys gonna swim?" I asked.

"I might," Takeuchi-san said, "It just depends on my mood. What about you?"

"Maybe," I said, shrugging my shoulders, "I just don't wanna go through the hassle of showering and drying off. I really hate the feeling of being wet after swimming." CJ nodded his head in agreement.

"What about you, Nakano-san?" I asked.

Nakano put down the towels next to ours and said "Yeah, I'm gonna swim. Someone bragged that they could beat me in a race and I want to try and put her in her place." A wicked smirk appeared on her face. She ran to the other side of the pool and joined up with a few of her classmates.

I turned back to Takeuchi-san. She was already talking with CJ, her arms crossed. She still had her bow in her hair, holding her brown silk in a ponytail.

I didn't want to make anyone think I was a weirdo or a creep, but I can finally see that Takeuchi-san has a nice body. She doesn't have a chest that is overly huge. Her ass ain't too big too. In fact, if anyone had the best bust/butt to body ratio, it had to be Takeuchi-san.

"Lee-san, you're peeping too much there, bud," said Takeuchi-san. Oh crap! She noticed me staring!

I snorted and shook my head as if to wake myself, hoping to play it off that I was staring off into space. Judging by the looks Takeuchi-san and CJ were giving me, I didn't do a good job persuading them.

"Idiot, we still know you was eyeing up Takeuchi-san," CJ said, chuckling to himself. I narrowed my eyes at my buddy, glaring at him.

"Well," Takeuchi-san said while blushing and squirming, putting her arms toward the center of her body as to cover herself shyly, "It's for swimming only. You could look if you want." Sluttiest line in the book!

She said something that a hoe would say but in an innocent voice. Honestly, I was caught off guard for a second. Apparently, so did CJ, who stared at Takeuchi-san, slack-jawed. I also realized that my mouth was hanging open too in shock.

"Ha ha ha!" she laughed, pointing a finger at the both of us, "You guys look so stupid!" Oh danmit! She teased me twice today!

After she calmed down, she shot another question. "So," asked Takeuchi-san, "do you guys know how to swim?"

"Me? Nah, not so much," said CJ, "but I know how to stay afloat. I think that's the most important thing."

"What about you, Lee-san?" she asked as our gazes met.

"I," I said triumphantly, "Am the best swimmer in all of Honolulu!" I jokingly flexed my biceps. "I was a lifeguard at the local beach right off the Navy base nearby."


I noticed Lee-senpai talking with Monika and that other exchange student. I could tell that Lee-senpai was gloating about how he could swim very well.

My legs were submerged in water as I sat at the poolside. My hands were holding the edge of the pool. I wasn't wet at all. I was too afraid to jump in. I didn't know how to swim.

Damnit Natsuki! Why are you too scared to jump in!? I thought to myself, insulting my already damaged ego even more.

"Hey, Nakano-san!" yelled a classmate of mine, "Is that your boyfriend?" He's mocking me again? Why me? Why not any other person?

"Sh-shut up! He's not my boyfriend!" I retorted, lashing out in anger already. Why am I already angry? Is this why people don't like me?

"You know, he likes girls who can swim," he said, teasing me. "Too bad you can't."

"O-of course I can swim!" I lied as I glared at the teasing boy, who was floating nearby.

"Oh yeah? How 'bout you prove it?" the boy challenged. "Or are you lying?"

W-what? How am I gonna prove that I'm not a liar? Should I try to swim? Ohhh, what should I do?

I looked back at Lee-senpai. I just want him to see me. Maybe if I tried to swim, he would. But what if I can't swim and I end up going under?

Fuck it. I jumped into the pool and tried to swim.


"...But yeah, that's how I saved a kid's life," I finished explaining how I rescued a little boy at the beach who was drowning.

"My, you're so brave," Takeuchi-san said. I didn't know if she was mocking my ego or actually complimenting me. I hope it was the latter.

I heard a bunch of splashing behind me. What's going on? I thought to myself. I looked behind me and saw that the splashing had subsided. I walked over to the edge of the pool and tried to find the source. I just saw the water foaming up from the splashing.

My eyes widened as I saw the familiar pink hair at the bottom of the pool. "Oh shit!" I yelled in English as I jumped in.

I swam deeper and deeper, my arms and legs propelling me down into the depths of the Olympic-sized pool. My eyes stung from the chlorine in the water. I felt my lungs on fire from the lack of oxygen. C'mon, just a little bit more!

My feet touched the bottom of the pool. I grabbed her arm and draped it over my shoulder. I then put the rest of her body on top of me. I then adjusted my feet so that I have some leverage. I pushed off the bottom of the pool, helping me rise like the bubbles in the water.

The sun shone through the ripples, the rays of light reaching the bottom of the pool. I saw ripples in the light approach closer and closer as I swam up. I wanted to go toward the light, not Nakano-san.

I broke the surface of the water and looked around to exit the pool. Onlookers stood or floated at the poolside. I swam to the edge of the pool near the locker rooms and tried to hoist Nakano-san's limp body up onto solid ground. A couple of the onlookers helped me bring Nakano-san onto dry land.

I hoisted myself up onto the pool and crouched next to Nakano-san, my hair still dripping wet. I put Nakano-san onto her back in a supine position. I couldn't do any medical activity if she was laying down prone on her belly.

"Someone call 911 or an ambulance! Something!" I commanded. "And get the teacher!" Around me, people saw me go straight to work. Takeuchi-san and CJ were watching me as I worked my magic.

I remembered what I learned in lifeguard training. I remembered the acronym ABC. Airway, Breathing, Circulation. Is the patient's airway clear? Is the patient breathing? And if so, normally or in a weird fashion? Is the patient's blood circulating and the heart pumping? Those were the questions that I was taught.

I checked to see if there was any water in Nakano-san's mouth and throat. There was some, so I put her on her side onto a recovery position to drain the excess water away. I put her back into supine position.

One more thing, I put her head backwards by lifting the chin and putting pressure on her forehead. That way, her tongue would not enter upper airways as well as promote a clear airway from excess water. This maneuver was called the head tilt chin lift maneuver. Airway, check.

Next was breathing. I put my ear near her chest to see if she was breathing. I didn't hear her inhale or exhale nor feel her chest rise and fall. Shit, she's not breathing.

Last was circulation. I grabbed her wrist and felt for her radial pulse on the thumb-side of the wrist. Barely any pulse. I then put two fingers onto her neck and felt for the carotid pulse. I found it quickly. I could feel the pulse, but it was slow and faint.

The teacher arrived at my side and crouched next to me. "What happened?" he asked.

"She's not breathing and barely has a pulse. I'm gonna try to do CPR," I explained. The teacher looked so worried, as he should be. This happened on his watch.

"This is my fault," he said, "I should've been watching. I knew those assholes were gonna try to force her to swim." Force her to swim? As in persuading her to go in the water? Why? ...Stay focused Sawyer, I reminded myself, focus on the situation in front of you. And that situation is saving Nakano-san!

"Sir, please stay calm. Do you know how to do CPR?" I asked. He shook his head no. "Alright, it looks like I have to do it. Just stay calm, will you?"

He nodded. He stood up and stepped back. "I'm so sorry, Nakano-san," I heard him murmur under his breath.

"Okay, let's do this." I felt for her ribs. I started at the bottom of her left ribs and felt my way up to where the two sides met at the ribcage. That was the xiphoid process. From there, I moved my hand up two inches or so. I placed my right hand underneath my left and clasped my left hand, locked my elbows, then started chest compressions, hard enough to possible crack her ribs.

I pumped to the beat of a song. I followed the RPM of the song Another One Bites the Dust by Queen. I learned that you can either use that song or Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees. I thought the former was a rather sadistic song for CPR.

After thirty chest compressions, I went to Nakano-san's head and got ready to give her rescue breaths. I didn't have a pocket mask to keep me from touching Nakano-san's mouth and from Nakano-san accidentally vomiting something up into my mouth. Well, my first kiss is from CPR.

Without thinking, I placed my mouth on hers and breathed out hard.

Us humans breath in 21% oxygen in the air. We only use 5% of that 21%. The other 16% is exhaled. I was using my 16% for Nakano-san. I gave two rescue breaths and then went back to chest compressions. Then back to the two rescue breaths. The situation was looking tense. Chest compressions then to the two rescue breaths. But on my third attempt of rescue breaths, however…

A pair of arms pushed me off balance. I landed on my butt. I looked back at Nakano-san and saw her coughing up water. Oh, thank God she's alive!

I approached her while she was having a coughing fit and put my hand on her shoulder. "Easy, easy, you just came back from the dead."

She slowly looked up to meet my gaze. Tears welled up in her eyes. "L-Lee-san?"

"Y-you're okay," I said, smiling. I just saved another life. Around me, the crowd cheered. Nakano-san lunged at me, putting her arms around me. Usually, if she was gonna put her arms around me, she would put them around my throat. Instead, I hugged her back.

A great sob escaped her. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she cried and cried, holding me tight. Probably tight enough to break my own ribs. "Thank you," she said in between sobs, "Thank you for saving me."


Honorifics: (Underlined honorifics are the ones used in current chapter)

-san: Most common, it is an all-purpose suffix that can be used in any situation where politeness is expected. Basically the titles Mr. Ms. etc.

-sama: This suffix is one level higher than "-san" and is used to confer great respect.

-kun: This suffix is commonly used at the end of boys' names to express endearment.

-chan: Feminine version of -kun.

Senpai: Superior/Upperclassmen.

Sensei: Master.


Translation notes:

1. CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is a basic life-saving technique that manually pumps the blood.

2. Kouhai means lowerclassmen (opposite of senpai).


A/N: Konichiwa, my fellow weebs. It is I, the author. This is (by far) the longest chapter that I have written. A little over 5,000 words. Jeez, I wonder how I have the patience to write all of this. I was taking an EMR course at my high school and had a lesson on airway management and basically the first two items in the acronym ABC: airway and breathing. That inspired me to do this whole medical "lesson" in the second half of this chapter. That and my dad teaching me how to do CPR. Man, it's great to have Asian health care professionals as parents. Anyhoo, that's it for today. Peace!