Haru Okumora stood at the edge of a grandiose swimming pool, occasionally adjusting her stance whenever the hot concrete underfoot began to burn her soles. The sun beamed brightly overhead, a giant yellow orb amidst a sea of bright blue. The occasional tuft of cotton white clouds dotted the sky, moving lazily on a gently breeze. One cloud briefly interposed itself over the sun and the sudden change in light caused Haru's eyes to refocus as the sparkles atop the crystalline blue water in front of her vanished, only to reappear a moment later like a wave of tiny fireworks. The young girl dipped her toe in the water. Cool, but not cold. The perfect temperature for a swim on a summer day. She hoped her friends would feel the same way.
"Hmm, friends." She hummed to herself. The word felt strange on her tongue. Throughout her life the term had been foreign to her, a descriptor she used to classify people she was little more than acquaintances with. It always rang hollow in her ears. Meaningless, with no more depth than the shallow water Haru dipped her foot into now. Such is the result of having lived a life of languish and prosperity. Haru learned at a young age that people often cared more for her money than they cared for her. To protect herself, it was a simple matter of shutting everyone out so as to not be made a fool for the sake of feigned niceties. It was lonely that way, but she reasoned it was better to feel lonely by oneself rather than feel lonely amongst a crowd of fake friends.
"But things are different now." She thought, cheerfully clasping her hands behind her back and removing her foot from the water. In a few moments her real friends were scheduled to arrive. People who didn't see her as an opportunity or a paycheck, but a person. It was all Haru had ever wanted growing up, to be close to people who cared for the person she was and not the valuables she held. How ironic it was, then, that she found what she had always wanted amongst a group of thieves.
The large, rectangular pool spread out on front of her like a mirror, its shimmering surface broken only by the soft ripples she had caused a moment ago. Haru's soflty curled brown russet hair was held back by a few pink hair clips. Her pale white skin appeared to have a glossy texture in the water's reflection. She wore a simple pink two piece swimsuit adorned with thin frills. The straps of the top piece formed an elastic criss-cross pattern on her back while the bottom was tied on either side with bead tipped pink strings. With a turn Haru examined her back in the water's reflection, made a small adjustment to her top straps, and walked to a nearby line of poolside chairs, one of which had her towel spread over it. She laid on her back and let the warmth of the sun sink into her skin as she closed her eyes, hoping her friends would arrive soon.
…
…
…
"Hey Haru, wake up!" A pair of hands shook Haru's arm, rousing her from slumber. She opened her eyes and recoiled in alarm at the sight of a face mere inches from her own adorned with large, thick goggles that had a snorkel attached to the side.
"Gah!" She cried. "Oh my, Futaba you startled me!" Haru sat up as Futaba retracted her face, adjusting her goggles with one hand, the other holding a large blue innertube around her waist. Futaba was wearing an orange one piece swimsuit that almost matched her long auburn hair. Glancing down, Haru saw that she was also wearing comically large flippers on her feet. The ensemble was collectively quite a sight and Haru had to stifle a giggle as she sat up.
"I equipped all the max level water gear and am ready for my swim lesson!" Declared Futaba confidently.
"I can see that!" Replied Haru with a smile. "Though I don't know if you'll be needing all that for just the pool."
"That's probably my fault!" Called Ann, walking up behind Futaba. "I may have gotten a little carried away when Futaba told me she needed help buying a new swimsuit!" Ann looked like a runway model approaching. Her upper body was partially concealed by a transparent white cover up that was unbuttoned down the center and the sun shone in her wavy blonde hair, pulled up into their usual pigtails. A large white beach bag was slung over her shoulder and her face was mostly hidden behind a pair of round white designer sunglasses. Her red bikini top was strapless, leaving her shoulders bar and the bottom piece was cinched in the back, perfectly accentuating her curves. If Haru didn't know any better, she might have though Ann was trying to catch someone's eye. It was hard to tell though, since her fashion model friend often looked like, well, a fashion model.
"Hello Ann! Glad you could make it, are the others far behind you?" Haru rose from her seat and gave Ann a quick embrace.
"Yeah, we actually all rode together." Ann turned and pointed over her shoulder. Looking behind her, Haru saw the rest of her friends crossing the small piece of lawn between the house and pool area. Ren and Ryuji carried a large blue cooler between the two of them as they walked, lines of muscle rolling in their forearms and shoulders under the heavy strain. Ryuji wore a pair of yellow and red boardshorts along with a white tank top. Ren had on a simpler pair of blue swimming trunks and a white t-shirt. Both boys waved cheerily at Haru when they caught her eye.
"Yo! We brought some suds!" Called Ryuji. Behind him walked the last few members of the group. Yusuke and Makoto were chatting amicably about something or the other. The tall, slender boy had on a pair of navy shorts and a light grey hoodie, a sketchpad was tucked under his right arm. Makoto was wearing a black crop top along with a pair of jean shorts. The sight of her muscular stomach and toned legs made Haru subconsciously run a hand over her fleshy midriff. A black cat with white mittens was cradled in her arms, purring softly as Makoto scratched him gently behind the ears. Morgana, the team's unofficial mascot. As the rest of the group joined Haru next to her lounge chair she nodded and clasped her hands together, smiling brightly.
"Welcome everyone, so glad you could all make it!" She began. "I know we've all been working hard recently so I hope you can all take at least this one day and relax. I've had James set up longue chairs and towels for each of us, and of course the pool is open to everyone."
"Hell yeah!" Exclaimed Ryuiji.
"Schwimmin!" Echoed Futaba, her voice muffled by the snorkel she had stuck in her mouth.
"Thanks again for hosting us Haru." Said Ren as he and Ryuji set the cooler down next to the chairs. "We definitely needed a break and this couldn't be more perfect."
"Of course, anytime." Replied Haru, straining to prevent a blush from rising to her face. It had been about a month since her… delirious run in with Ren at the nurse's office. Ever since that day the young girl found it difficult to look at Ren without her stomach fluttering. She still only remembered bits and pieces of the event, but the parts she did remember set her face to burning. Haru was loathe to think about what Ren might have seen that she had forgotten about in her fevered state. Regardless of what happened, Ren continued to act like a perfect gentleman around her so Haru was content to try and leave the past in the past. "Well please make yourselves comfortable and, I suppose you want to start your swimming lesson now?"
"Yesssshhh!" Replied Futaba, grabbing Haru's hand and waddling to the shallow end of the pool. Her large flippers made comical 'FWAP' sounds as they slapped against the concrete. The two descend the stairs into the water while Haru glanced about to ensure the others were settling in. Ann sat on the lounge chair next to Haru's and fished into her large bag, producing both her phone and a black speaker the size of a small book. After a few swipes and taps on her phone the speaker sprang to life, playing beachy music at a moderate volume.
"Aw tunes! Nice going Ann!" Said Ryuji, peeling of his tank top. Since the formation of the Phantom Thieves, Ryuji had rededicated himself to his physical training. The results were evident in his lean, chiseled muscles that strained in the sunlight as the young man dropped his shirt on the ground and stretched his arms over head. Ren similarly disrobed and laid his shirt on one of the open chairs near the end of the line. While not as defined as Ryuji, the distinct outline of muscles in his back and arms betrayed at least a moderate exercise routine.
Yusuke set up in a chair one down from Ann, as Makoto had just claimed the one next to her blonde friend. He pulled a pencil from within the confines of his hoodie and flipped to a fresh page on his sketchbook. Sometimes it would take Yusuke hours to find the right inspiration for his drawings, but to Haru's surprise he glanced up towards her direction and immediately began to scribble away. Setting Morgana on the groundMakoto pulled her crop top over her head, revealing a simple black bikini underneath. As she undid the button on her shorts and bent to slide them down her legs, Ann stood and shed her cover up. Haru noticed Ryuji discretely stealing glances as he continued to stretch his arms.
"Ugh, Makoto you've got to show me how you got your stomach so toned." Commented Ann, poking Makoto's abs. "I'd kill for some definition."
"Sure thing," replied Makoto with a smirk. "But you may have to lay off all those… cakes!" She emphasized the last word with a small pinch on Ann's butt. The blonde girl jumped slightly and smacked Makoto's hand away.
"Hey, cut it out!" She giggled, glancing past Makoto. "And keep your eyes up Ryuji!" Ryuji quickly averted his gaze, pretending to find sudden interest in the clouds overhead.
"Such crass behavior Ryuji, have some respect for our ladies." Chided Morgana as he jumped up onto the foot of Haru's lounge chair.
"Oh shut it cat, I didn't do anything!" He replied indignantly as Morgana stretched out to sunbathe.
"I'm not a cat!" Yelled Morgana.
"Whatever…"
In the pool Futaba adjusted her oversized goggles and patted the large innertube around her waist. "Okay, I'm ready!" She cried.
"You can keep all that on for now, but after you get accustomed to the water I need you to at least remove the float, okay?" Haru bent her knees and sunk deeper into the waist high water, taking Futaba's hands. "Otherwise you'll never learn how to properly swim. Now, lean forward and let the float carry your weight." Futaba shakily leaned towards Haru while tightening her grip, flopping onto her stomach while the innertube held her aloft.
"Good! Now just slowly paddle your feet and I will guide you around." A muffled reply of confirmation came from the end of the snorkel as Futaba plunged her face into the water and began to kick her legs. Her kicks were messy and uneven, but they got the job done and Futaba began to glide around the shallows like a little motor boat. "Hehe very nice Futaba, now we're gong to turn…" As Haru continued her swim lesson, Ryuji made his way to the other end of the pool where a log white diving board extended over the water.
"Ah sick, yo Ren check this out! I used to do back flips all the time at the community pool when I was little. Let's see if I still got it!" Walking to the end of the board, Ryuji took a few test bounces before turning his back to the water. With one more bounce and a strong jump he threw his legs back over his head and completed a full rotation before cannonballing into the pool. The splash was sizeable, but barely reached the edges of the massive pool.
"Is it wrong I was kinda hoping he'd eat it?" Laughed Ann.
"Wrong? Yes." Nodded Ren as Ryuji resurfaced and paddled to the edge of the pool. "Do I blame you? ...nah."
"You call that a flip, Ryuji? Watch and learn." Makoto stepped up to the end of the board and took a running start, leaping off the end as she kicked her legs upward. She flipped backwards in a graceful arc while carrying her momentum forwards, making a decent splash as she hit the water.
"Maaan, I've always wanted to be able to do a gainer." Said Ryuji as Makoto's head popped out of the water. Her short, straight brown hair looked blackened when wet. Ann nudged Ren with her elbow.
"What have you got, pretty boy?" She teased. Ren raised an eyebrow and shrugged, then walked to the diving board. Taking a few short steps and a quick hop, Ren landed on the very edge of the board, bending it low before letting the momentum rocket him upward. Leaning forward, he made a perfect arc in the air before bringing his hands together over his head and swan diving into the water with barely a splash.
"Oh yes, very refined." Said Ryuji with a mocking golf clap as he tread water next to Makoto.
"Yes yes, quite the gentlemen." She replied, copying Ryuji's low, sarcastic tone. Ren resurfaced and paddled over to his friends near the edge of the pool.
"Never been much for flipping." He said with a grin. Ryuji turned towards the lounge chairs.
"Your turn Ann!"
"Eeeh, I don't think so. Don't really want to get my hair wet right now."
"Ugh you're so lame. Well here help me out I want to try a gainer." Ryuji offered his hand up to Ann who clasped it and set her feet to counter his weight. "Ah, too easy." He chimed, giving her hand a sharp tug while dropping back into the water.
"Ryuji you-!" Ann's curse was cut off as she tumbled headfirst into the deep end of the pool. Ryuji laughed and swam away as Ann came back up sputtering, her wavy pigtails now limp on the sides of her head. "Ryyyuuujiiiiiii!" With a grumble Ann swam after the blonde boy, catching him just as she reached the shallows.
"Hey now come on it was- Ow! It was all in good fun haha- Ow!" Ryuji feigned pain as Ann's playful punches bounced off the meat of his back and shoulders. As he began to stand, Ann latched onto his back and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"Oh no, you're not getting away!" She yelled. Hoisting Ann out of the water, Ryuji stood with minimal effort and began to wade through the shallows, the water barley reaching his wasit. Ren and Makoto were both watching in amusement, hanging on the edge of the pool in the deep end. As Ann rose out of the water, both simultaneously saw that the plunge and swim had caused Ann's cinched bikini bottom to slide down a bit on her backside. The top quarter or so of her butt was on display, glistening in the bright sunlight and shaking with each step Ryuji took. A distinct tan line separated Ann's almond skin from the white of her butt, making the misplaced bikini bottom stand out all the more clearly.
"Hmm, someone should tell her…" Commented Makoto.
"Mhmm, definitely." Agreed Ren. The two cut a glance at each other and grinned at the same time.
"Naaahh." They said in unison with a laugh. The two began to drift towards the shallows to join their friends. Makoto had mostly been joking about not telling Ann, but she couldn't help but notice than Ren's gaze kept returning to the blonde girl. He made efforts to look elsewhere as they swam, but his eyes kept sweeping back to her. For someone supposed to be a master of hiding his face, he was surprisingly easy to read sometimes. Makoto couldn't help but wonder if she would have the same effect on him if she were in Ann's position. As they approached, Haru walked by Ann and Ryuji with Futaba still paddling along in her arms.
"Good, good. Keep it up and- oh!" Haru did a quick double take as she noticed Ann's situation. A brush of pink swept across her cheeks and she discretely reached out, quickly pulling Ann's bottoms back into place. Ann was too focused on clinging to Ryuji to notice as Haru and Futaba slowly paddled by.
"Alright alright, mind getting off now?" Asked Ryuji.
"No." Pouted Ann. "You have to suffer first."
"Ha, well if I have to carry you let's at least make a game out of it. How about it Ren? Me and Ann, you and Makoto in a chicken fight?"
"I'm game." Agreed Ren.
"Yeah, sounds fun." Added Makoto.
"Wait why do I have to be your partner?" Whined Ann.
"Well Ann do you think you and I really stand a chance against Makoto and Ryuji?" Asked Ren, stretching his arms. Ann poked her finger into Ryuji's dense shoulder muscle and groaned.
"Ugh…. No."
"Cool, so it's set. Here." Ryuji sunk into the water so Ann would have an easier time climbing onto his shoulders. Ren did the same for Makoto and the two boys quickly hoisted the girls into the air, squaring off from one another. Ann became distinctly aware of the amount of skin contact between her thighs and Ryuji's shoulders. The cinched bikini bottom was not designed for heavy activity and rode up a little as she settled into a seated position. She ran a finger under the hem in an attempt to pull down more cover, but her efforts were in vain. There was a bit more cheek on display than she would have liked. Makoto was similarly busy ensuring her top and bottom were securely fastened. While the fantasy of showing extra skin was tempting, she much preferred to keep it just that, a fantasy.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen I want a good clean fight." Ryuji instructed as he settled into a stance. "No punching, kicking, or biting. Ann I'm talking to you, I know you have a history." Ryuji received a bonk on the head.
"That was like third grade would you let it go?"
"Never. All right, you ready?"
"Ready." Replied Makoto, cracking her knuckles.
"Uh, yep." Answered Ann, suddenly a bit less certain. There was a moment just before they began when Ryuji and Ren locked eyes. A silent, brotherly communication occurred where both boys understood and agreed to two things simultaneously. First, having a girl in a bikini on your shoulders felt amazing. Second, the longer they could keep the game going, the more time they would have to enjoy that feeling and the chances of something truly magical happening would increase.
"And…. Go!" The two teams collided on the far side of the shallow end, laughing as they pushed back and forth in their aerial wrestling game. Meanwhile, Haru led Futaba to the stairs at the entrance of the shallows and pulled her up so she could stand.
"You're doing great Futaba, you've really got the rhythm down." Said Haru with a cheerful smile. "Now let's try a round without the equipment."
"No way! I need my high level gear!" Replied Futaba, spitting the snorkel out of her mouth.
"But you're not really learning if you don't….. Hmmm. How about this, you can keep the others, but the inner tube needs to come off. Please?" Futaba thought for a moment, grimaced, and nodded her head. "Great, okay we'll put it right here." Haru pulled the large blue innertube off Futaba and set it on the concrete.
"But I'm gonna sink!" Whined Futaba.
"No you won't. Look, hold on to my hips and I'll support your upper body like this." Haru took Futaba's hands and placed them on her hips, just above her bottoms. Then, guiding the auburn haired girl back into a laying position, Haru held her chest aloft by grabbing her just beneath the armpits. "There now, see? Just keep paddling like you did before." Futaba looked uncertain but nodded and stuck the snorkel back into her mouth. With a guiding step from Haru the two once again began make their way slowly around the shallows.
Back at the opposite end, Haru and Ann were locked in a shoving match. Each girl had the other by the shoulders and while Makoto had the distinct strength advantage, Ann's base was noticeably sturdier.
"Press in Ren, go!" Commanded Makoto. Ren took a hard step forward and Makoto forced Ann to lean back with a strong shove. Noticing the shift, Ren slowed his advance and Ryuji picked up his cue, stepping under Ann's movement to keep her on balance. While fighting, both boys kept the opposite girl in their field of vision to ensure the balance of power stayed neutral and to make sure they didn't miss anything special. Both girls had decently sized busts, but Ann's was slightly fuller and with the addition of her wearing a strapless bikini Ren was hopeful something would happen soon. There were a few times a stray shove or turn sent the girls breasts bouncing in their confinement, but so far nothing more than a slight tan line had been revealed. Makoto's top was more secure, but she was also making more energetic movements than Ann and the vigorous bouncing was driving Ryuji's imagination wild. The match continued in that way for a while and eventually Makoto's competitive nature came out. Catching Ren and Ryuji off guard, the determined girl lunged forward with a powerful shove and sent Ann reeling.
"Aaaahhh!" She squealed, windmilling her arms.
"Gah!" Ryuji grimaced as he sunk a bit lower and quickly slid back to account for the weight change. What he and Ren had failed to realize, however, was that Haru and Futaba had made their way dangerously close to the chicken fight. As Ryuji slid backward he collided forcefully back to back with Haru. Not wanting to fall onto the swimming duo, Ann blindly reached out for a handhold and latched onto the front of Makoto's bikini.
"Hey! HEY!" Yelled Makoto in protest as her top began to pull away from her. She grabbed Ann's arm with both hands to ensure it didn't go any further, a red blush creeping into her face. Looking up, Ryuji could see the underside of two white mounds on the verge of spilling out of the strained top. A quick flash of nipple poked out and then was covered as Makoto strained to keep her top in place.
"Ann. Let. Go." Demanded Makoto through gritted teeth, her gaze murderous.
"B-but." Stuttered Ann, glancing back at Haru and Futaba.
"I said. Let…. GO!" Tightening her grip, Makoto yanked Ann's arm upwards and threw it away, sending the blond girl rolling over Ryuji's back. Ann, however, had failed to release her grip in time and yanked Makoto's black top upward as she fell. Free from their tenuous hold, Makoto's breasts bounced downward in full view, glistening in the bright sunlight. Ryuji's eye went wide and he barely noticed as Ann tumbled backwards. With her momentum Ann fell right over Haru and landed squarely on Futaba's small frame, pushing her to the bottom of the pool.
Makoto froze for a moment, her face flushing with red color as she realized the extent of her exposure. Her bikini had become enwrapped around her neck in a tangle and she threw an arm over her breasts as her other hand worked to correct the mess. When the top did not come free immediately Makoto let out a growl of frustration and slid off Ren's shoulders, allowing one white boob to slip free momentarily before sinking into the water up to her neck. Ryuji was mesmerized by the whole process.
Suddenly there was a commotion behind Ryuji that knocked him froward. Haru was similarly shoved to the side as Yusuke splashed down into the shallows out of nowhere, still wearing his white hoodie. The tall, lean boy moved frantically as he yanked Ann to her feet, nearly pulling her out of the water and setting her to the side. Then he was on his knees, plunging his upper body under the surface and quickly rising back up with Futaba cradled in his arms. She sputtered and coughed as she broke the surface. Her goggles were crooked and partially filled with water and her hair fell over her face in thick orange strands.
"Oh my gosh Futaba, are you okay? I am SO sorry." Ann wrung her hands as Yusuke carried Futaba to the edge of the pool and set her down. Still coughing up water, Futaba shakily removed the goggles and snorkel from her head with one hand and pushed back her hair. The other hand was clutched to her sternum tightly. She was too focused on catching her breath to respond to Ann, her chest heaving in panicked, rapid bursts.
"Here let me get you a towel." Ann turned and pushed herself out of the pool, hurrying over to her lounge chair and retrieving the large pink towel that was laid out on it. She wrapped it over Futaba's shoulders, but the shaking continued. Futaba's teeth began to chatter as she clutched the towel tighter, her eyes wide with fright. Yusuke pulled the flippers off her feet and stepped up out of the pool.
"Come on, your dry clothes are back in the house." He said, gently pulling Futaba upwards by the shoulders. Futaba managed to take a small step before stumbling, she would have fallen had Yusuke not caught her. Ann stepped forward to help but Yusuke held up a hand and wordlessly tucked an arm under Futaba's legs before lifting her into his arms in one fluid motion.
"I'll see she gets sorted." He said to the group before striding off towards the house.
"Oh, I feel awful." Cried Ann, a dejected look on her face. "It took so much convincing to get Futaba out here in the first place!"
"She grows more resilient every day." Replied Ren, massaging his neck. "It was an accident, don't let it bother you too much." Makoto rose out of the water, making small final adjustments to her top that was now back in place. As she walked to the stairs that lead out of the shallows Ryuji made as if to say something, but Makoto put a finger in his face.
"Not a word." She said with an icy glare.
"Yes mam." He gulped. She knew it wasn't fair to be mad at Ryuji, but the uneasy fear on his face did make her feel better. No, the person who was really to blame for her embarrassing exposure was standing on the concrete, biting her thumb as she watched Yusuke and Futaba enter the house. Makoto was going to get back at Ann… somehow. It needed to be discrete. She couldn't just walk up and rip the girls top down, as much as she might have wanted to. That would just make Makoto look mean and petty. It had to be 'accidental'. An opportunity would come, she just had to wait.
Back in the pool Ren noticed Haru seemed to be distracted by something. She was on her knees, the water nearly up to her shoulders, looking around and rubbing the back of her hand. It was strange she hadn't offered any aid to Futaba or even spoken up with a kind word. Haru was often the gentlest and most empathetic member of the group, so the fact that she had all but ignored Futaba's plight struck him as odd.
"Haru, you okay?" He asked. At the sound of her name Haru flinched and sunk a bit deeper into the water.
"What? O-oh yes I just… that was all very…uuuhh…startling...hehe…" She stuttered, obviously distracted as she turned in circles, her eyes darting to and fro around her feet.
"Did you lose something in the water?" Asked Ren, stepping closer.
"What!? No! I mean, yes I thought my uh… earing! Yeah haha I thought I lost my earing but uh, there it is ha…ha…" Haru placed a hand up by her ear and showed Ren the small studded earing she was wearing, slinking away in her crouched position the entire time she spoke. Ren was about to step closer when Ryuji waded up and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey man I think I'm gonna go check on Futaba. I kinda feel a bit responsible for that whole accident."
"Yes!" Agreed Haru with force. The two boys looked at her quizzically. "I mean, uh, she was so shaken up you should definitely go… Both of you! Should go, I mean. To cheer her up…" Ren looked confused for a moment but nodded his head.
"Yusuke seemed to have it under control." He said, eyeing Haru. "But it wouldn't hurt I guess."
"Yeah, I've never seen art man move so fast." Agreed Ryuji as the two boys walked to the stairs. "He had Futaba out of the water before I even knew she had been sunk! Man, if only we could get him to move like that in the Metaverse."
"Proper motivation goes a long way. I guess he and Futaba have become…" Their conversation faded as they made their way to the house and as soon as she was sure they were out of line-of-sight Haru continued her frantic search of the shallows. She wasn't sure how it had happened, but during the commotion of Ann's fall something had snagged on Haru's bikini bottoms. She had felt them rip downward in the crash around her ankles, but when Yusuke jumped in and pushed her to the side she lost track of them completely. Now that everyone was out of the water, however, it only took a single lap around for Haru to realize with horror that her bottoms were gone.
"Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic." She repeated to herself, running both her hands through her hair. "Maybe they slid into the deep end, yeah. Where were those…" Looking to her left, Haru spotted Futaba's goggles sititng on the edge of the pool. She quickly retrieved them, sliding on her knees through the water so she wouldn't have to stand. After adjusting the straps to fit her head the girl dove into the deep, accidentally letting her bottom half brush the surface as she did. Morgana, who had been sitting up attentively since the accident with Futaba, caught Haru's dive out of the corner of his eye.
"Did she not have any…? No, there's no way it must have just been a trick of the water." He thought to himself with a shake of his head. As he stretched out to continue his sun bath, Makoto strode by towards her lounge chair. Glancing at the cat laid out, a wicked grin played across her lips. She sat on her chair and looked to Ann who was still staring worriedly towards the house.
"Futaba will be fine." Makoto said assuredly as she patted Ann's chair. "Come on let's get some sun." Ann groaned but sat down nonetheless.
"I hope she knows how sorry I am…"
"Falling on Futaba was an accident," thought Makoto angrily. "But grabbing me was purposeful." She forced a smile and continued to reassure Ann.
"Yusuke, Ren, and Ryuji are taking care of her. Come. Sit." Ann sighed and did as Makoto said. Once she sat down, Haru resurfaced in the deep end with a gasp for air.
"Oh Haru, we are going to lay out for a while do you want to join us?" Asked Ann. Haru jolted at the sound of her name.
"What? Hm? Oh no I'm still uh… enjoying the water hahaha." She replied quickly before taking a deep breath and sinking downward. Ann tilted her head in confusion but shrugged off the odd response and laid down on her stomach. Makoto followed suit and nonchalantly unclipped the back of her swimsuit top, letting the straps fall over the sides of the chair. Ann tilted her head up, a slight furrow in her brow.
"You're gonna do that with the boys here?" She asked.
"I hate those weird tan lines you get, ya know." Replied Makoto with a shrug as she closed her eyes. "Besides, they're in high school. With all the stuff I'm sure they've watched on the internet I doubt a bare back is going have much of an effect on them."
"Hahaha, good point." Laughed Ann. She bit her lip and glanced towards the house. "Eh, why not…" With one hand Ann reached back and unclipped the wide horizontal strap that held her top in place. The strip of skin underneath was distinctly pale against the rest of her almond tone. Ann adjusted to get as much of her breasts underneath her as she could, but still a patch of pure white skin pressed out from underneath her as she settled back down. Placing her hands underneath her head, Ann closed her eyes and sighed in comfort. Makoto pretended to do the same, watching her blonde friend by keeping her eyes open just a pinch. After a few moments, Makoto silently reclipped her top.
About that time Haru surfaced again and made her way to the edge of the pool. She pulled off the goggles with shaky hands and pushed her hair out of her eyes. The mild panic she had felt before was now bubbling into a full blown fit. Her bottoms were nowhere in the pool, the thought alone nearly made her hysterical. She checked the house anxiously. There was no movement, but she had no way of knowing when any of the boys would return. Ann and Makoto seemed to be sleeping, along with Morgana, so in the moment she was safe. She needed to find some cover, and fast. Haru began to move towards the shallows and every foot made her painfully aware of her predicament. The water felt strange moving across her bare nether region
Stepping into the shallows Haru continued to make sure the water level didn't fall below her chest. She spotted her towel at the end of the line of lounge chairs and a small wave of relief washed over her. If she could just reach it she would be safe. Never before had a few yards of concrete looked like such a massive distance to cross. There was no way she could risk even that short of a trip without some cover. Makoto, Ann, or Morgana could wake up, or worse yet, one of the boys could come out of the house when she wasn't looking. Then she saw it, sitting next at the edge of the shallow end was Futaba's innertube. Glancing about, Haru made a beeline for it. Careful not to raise too high, she grabbed the floaty and slid it over her head.
"This looked a lot bigger on Futaba." She groaned to herself. The solid blue innertube had about a foot and a half of depth, which might be just enough to fully cover her bottom if she pressed it down. The hole itself was easy enough to squeeze through, though it did tighten around her chest for a moment. Haru slowly rose upwards, letting the tube cover the top of her hips. Taking a step up onto the first stair leading out of the pool, Haru pressed the tube down further until it connected with her butt. There was no way of seeing how much was covered, so she would have to go on feeling alone. With a press she felt the plastic slide over about half of her backside and stop. Not good enough. With a hurried glance Haru ensured no one had moved and shoved harder. The tube squeaked in protest but slid down another few inches. She felt the plastic was now covering most of her butt and looking down she saw her front was well covered. The only way someone would be able to see her nudity now was if they caught her from a low angle. She would have to risk it, Haru took a deep breath and stepped out of the pool.
Meanwhile, inside the house Yusuke, Ren, and Ryuji were seated in a large, opulent foyer. The cool marble flooring underneath shone in the sunlight filtering in through the sliding glass doors that led to the yard and pool. A huge oak coffee table sat in the center of a half circle of black leather couches. On the far wall hung an enormous flat screen tv, its screen dark. Futaba sat in the middle of the center couch, wrapped in a towel with the occasional shiver wracking her small frame.
"Just breathe." Instructed Yusuke calmly as he gently rubbed her back. Futaba sniffed, she wanted to cry, but she refused to let herself seem even more pathetic than she already was. She hated how long it was taking to get her breathing under control. Every time she felt like she was close to calming down the memory of being pressed under the water sent a fresh wave of panic through her chest. Futaba coughed again, her throat felt raw. Ren was seated on her other side and patted her on the head.
"Catch your breath, there's no rush. We can finish your swimming lesson anytime it doesn't have to be today." He said. Futaba nodded; her eyes downcast.
"I'm gonna get ya a soda." Declared Ryuji as he rose from his seat on the couch to Futaba's right. "Get that pool water taste out of your mouth."
"Thank you." Croaked Futaba. Yusuke continued to rub Futaba's back as Ryuji threw open the sliding door and walked out towards the pool. After a few minutes Futaba's breathing became more regular and her heart rate slowed. She realized her fists were still clenched tightly against her chest and as she relaxed them her eyelids suddenly felt very heavy. Maybe staying up half the night before researching swimming techniques hadn't been the best idea. Futaba felt her head swaying and she rested it for a moment against Yusuke's arm. His white hoodie was still sopping wet, but Futaba didn't care. A moment later she was fast asleep and Yusuke wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her closer, allowing her head to rest more comfortably on his chest.
"I think she's calmed down now." Said Ren softly. Yusuke didn't respond, he seemed to have forgotten Ren was there at all. As Futaba's arms fell to her side her fists fully unclenched, revealing a ball of fabric that had been clutched in her hands. Ren looked at it curiously and plucked it from her palm. Unraveling it he realized it was a pink bikini bottom, the hem lined with soft frills and the strings tipped with small beads. He stared at it for a moment, his head titled in confusion, when the realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Haru HAD been looking for something in the water.
"I'll uh…excuse me." He said, quickly stuffing the bottoms into the pocket of his trunks. Yusuke gave a slight nod, his eyes not leaving Futaba. Ren swiftly rose and walked out the door towards the pool.
Back at the pool, Haru emerged from the water and quickly stepped over to her lounge chair. The tube was pressed so low that it restricted the movements of her legs and as she walked a small breeze drifted by. The open air against her undercarriage sent a wave of goosebumps down her legs. Still dripping, Haru bent at the knees, careful not to tip forward, and snatched her long white beach towel off the chair. Her elation quickly soured to anxiety once more as she realized she had no way of covering herself so long as the tube was around her waist. Before she could come up with a solution, a voice at her back made her jump.
"Yo Haru, you know what flavor soda Futaba likes?" It was Ryuji, somehow the boy had snuck up behind her. Haru spun on her heel to face him, instinctively pressing on the front of the tube to tilt it downward.
"O-oh I don't uh... no I don't know." She replied, struggling to keep her voice level. Another breeze between her thighs sent a tingle up her back.
"Tch, random pick it is then!" As Ryuji stepped over to the cooler next to Makoto, Haru made sure to turn and face him the whole way. She unconsciously bent her knees a bit more than usual to make herself as low to the ground as possible. He fished in the ice a bit, his gaze lingering over the two sunbathing girls. He seemed to focus on Ann, whose bare back gently rose and fell with each breath. The small red triangle that was her bikini bottoms provided her only cover. Ryuji pulled away from the cooler, noticing Haru's gaze.
"Hey, thanks again for letting us all come over." He said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. Haru forced a smile, the towel still clutched tightly in her right hand.
"No p-problem." She said. "But please leave." She thought.
"I know we can all be a handful in a group, especially me. But getting together every once and a while for something other than work really helps cut down on stress, ya know?"
"Yes… absolutely." An awkward pause hung in the air before Ryuji raised his eyebrows and indicated to the soda in his hand.
"Well, better get this to Futaba!" He said, stepping by Haru. As he did, he stopped and flicked the innertube. Haru sucked in a breath. "Y'know these work better in the water hahaha."
"Haha, y-yes I do." She replied with another forced smile. Ryuji gave a her a strange look and turned towards the house.
"Make sure you get some sunscreen, looking kinda red in the face!" He called over his shoulder. Haru's reply caught in her throat as she turned to watch Ryuji leave. Ren was walking across the grass back to the pool, passing Ryuji on the way. The blond boy pointed to the soda in his hand and smiled, Ren gave him a nod and a thumbs up. Haru wanted to run, she wanted to scream at him not to come any closer but her body was frozen in panic and after a few seconds Ren was standing in front of her. He glanced down at the innertube and Haru's heart stopped, she drummed the fingertips of her free hand on the top of the tube, discretely pressing it down with her palm.
"So how is Futaba doing?" Haru asked. It took an immense amount of effort to keep her voice steady. Ren blinked as his head popped up.
"Oh, good. Good. Yeah, Yusuke is taking care of her." He seemed distracted by something. "And Ryuji is getting her a drink."
"Speaking of which, Ren could you hand me one? Any flavor is fine." Haru and Ren turned to see Makoto still laid out on her stomach next to Ann, one eye cracked open as she waved her hand. "Oh and a piece of ice to chew on. It's getting kinda hot." Ren carefully stepped around Haru and bent to retrieve a soda, stealing a glance at Haru's legs as he did. Her pale, plump thighs ran all the way up to the blue rubber of the floaty. He was just able to make out the curve of her backside, though it was no more skin than would normally be shown by a bikini. Then Haru turned towards the house, still pressing on the front of the tube, and Ren saw a few inches of her bare, snow white butt. He swallowed his shock and rose back up with a can of purple soda and a small chunk of ice.
"Here." Said Ren, stepping over to Makoto. She sat up and took the soda and ice in either hand with a smile.
"Thank you!" She said. Ren simply nodded in reply and immediately turned back to Haru. As he racked his brain on how to best broach the topic of Haru's situation with her discretely, Makoto peered back at Ann. Ensuring there were no eyes on her, Makoto tossed the ice chunk onto Ann's back with a flick of her wrist. The chunk shattered into a splash of ice and freezing water. The reaction was almost immediate. Ann jolted upward with a squeal, pushing herself into a seated position and rapidly wiping her lower back where the ice had landed.
"Eeeek! Cold Cold Cold Cold!" She cried, garnering everyone's attention with the sudden outburst. To Makoto's delight, Ann's top failed to stick to her chest and the blonde girls bust bounced freely in her excited attempts to get the ice off her back. A thin sheen of perspiration made Ann's pale breasts almost shine in the sunlight, her perky pink nipples swaying with every movement. The tan lines around her breasts were distinctly sharp, highlighting her nudity like a reverse censor bar.
"Gah! What happen- Whoa!" Morgana sprang up from his nap into a pouncing stance at the sound of Ann's squeal, his eyes darting back and forth before landing on Ann's bosom. "Oh….wooow!" He purred dreamily. Ren and Haru turned simultaneously with mirrored shocked expressions as they caught sight of Ann. Makoto had to stifle a snicker looking at everyone's reactions. Ann got to her feet, looking over her shoulder while running both her hands over her lower back repeatedly. She bounced a few times on her heels to dislodge the small bits of ice she couldn't reach. The subsequent jiggling of her bust caused Morgana to sigh and pass out. Ren cleared his throat and made an attempt to stare at his feet. He failed.
"Ooh dear." Said Haru. "A-ann..."
"Hm?" Replied Ann, tilting her head. Haru swallowed and attempted a halfhearted laugh as she pointed to Ann's exposed chest, unable to form the necessary words. Ann blinked and followed Haru's gaze downward. Her lips pursed tightly as her eyebrows raised up, and another small squeak sounded from the blonde girl. A deep red coloring flushed into Ann's face as she quickly swept both her arms upward to cover herself.
"Hahaha…whoops!" She laughed, her voice cracking from embarrassment. Turning on her heel, Ann bent to retrieve her top and let her arms fall to the side as she retrieved the small red piece. There were a few more quick flashes of nipple before the top was secured, as Ann's hands trembled with the effort. Once it was clasped into place, she returned upright and refused to meet anyone's eyes.
"I'm…. going inside for a bit." She declared, her hands tapping anxiously at her sides. With her head down, Ann pushed past the group and made her way to the house. Makoto cracked her soda with a self-satisfied smile and took a sip. It tasted sweet. She laid back down on the lounger and closed her eyes, content to take a nap. Ren shook his head and glanced around. Ann was gone, Morgana was out cold with a ditzy smile on his face, and Makoto was occupied. This would be his best chance.
"Come with me." He muttered to Haru, grabbing her by the elbow. She flinched at his touch, dropping her towel.
"W-wait. Ren!" She was helpless to resist as Ren pulled her along towards end of the pool, away from the loungers. Haru had to take tiny, careful steps to so she wouldn't trip and she pressed down on the floaty to ensure it didn't rise up as they walked. When they got to the end of the pool Ren stopped and looked around one last time before leaning in and whispering to Haru.
"Look I don't know how to do this without looking like a pervert." He said, his eyes apologetic as he fished into his pocket. "But here, Futaba was clutching these to her chest and, well, they're yours…right?" A wave of relief washed through Haru's stomach as Ren produced from his pocket her pink frilled bikini bottoms.
"Oh! Ren you absolute angel!" She gushed quietly, taking her bottoms from him with both hands. "Yes they are! How did you… know?" The implication made Haru's face burn with shame as she looked back at Ren. The boy rubbed the back of his head, a tinge of pink across his nose.
"Oh the colors matched your top y'know. I didn't, uh, see anything. Haha." His eyes stole downwards and Haru instinctively took a step back, pressing down on the float.
"G-good. Well, thank you for bringing them back to me Ren." It was a struggle to meet his eyes, but Haru forced herself to look Ren in the face. "I know this wasn't your fault and I really appreciate you looking out for me. Now I'm just going to, uh, you know…get myself sorted." Haru blushed again as she indicated to the pool. Ren cleared his throat and nodded, turning his back to the water. Descending the first few steps, Haru felt a tingle as the cool water washed over her legs and undercarriage. The innertube pushed against the water and Haru quickly glanced back to ensure Ren wasn't watching. When she was sure it was safe she stepped into the shallows and sunk downward.
The tube caught for a moment on her hips, her skin having dried against the rubber of the tube. For a second Haru feared she had gotten herself stuck, but as the water seeped upward the tube loosened and she fell through the hole up the her chest with a splash. Examining her bottoms, Haru was relieved to see that they were still tied at either side. She would just need to slip them on. Bending forward, she oriented her bottoms correctly and raised one leg, slipping it through the left hole. She kept her body low so as to not accidentally rise out of the water. As she went to put the other leg through, however, Haru had to raise her chest out of the water a bit and hunch forward to get over the circumference of the tube. She stretched her arms to their limit and quickly leaned forward, desperate to have her bottoms back in place. But just as she got her second leg through the bottoms Haru's weight shifted forward and she flipped over the tube face first into the water. Hearing the splash, Ren assumed Haru had made herself decent.
"All sorted out Har- OH!" Ren gaped at the sight before him. Haru's legs kicked helplessly in the air, tied together by her pink bikini bottoms. The blue innertube had stuck around her hips when she flipped, perfectly framing the girls plump, white butt that glistened in the sunlight. Two stripes of reddened skin crossed the girl's cheeks horizontally where the tube had been covering her before. Each feeble kick sent a shake down Haru's prodigious backside. For a few seconds Ren froze, unable to take his eyes off the sight of her bare bottom. Then he snapped into action and hastily descended the steps. Ren tried to get a hold of Haru's legs to push her over, but the panicked kicking along with the slickness of her skin caused his hands to slip. Looking down Ren swallowed hard, his eyes focusing on the set of vertical lips nestled between Haru's thighs. They were shaven, to his surprise, free of any hair and with each kick they parted slightly to reveal a sliver of pink flesh. Feeling the heat rise to his face, Ren finally wrangled Haru's legs and gave them a hard shove. The momentum carried the girls pale bottom over the edge of the tube and Haru's upper body flipped back up out of the water.
"Gah!" She cried as she breached the surface in a fit of coughing. Her wavy brown hair was slapped across her face in wet, darkened clumps and it took her a few moments of sputtering to catch her breath. Ren held her arm steady as Haru wiped the hair and water from her eyes.
"Easy there, you're okay. Just breathe." He said calmly. Once her vision was cleared Haru took a deep breath and looked up to Ren. Her face was beet red and Ren wasn't sure if there were tears or just residual pool water in the corners of her eyes. Wordlessly Haru slipped the innertube over her head and tossed it to the side, Ren made a pointed effort not to look down as she dipped into the water and pulled her bottoms back into place.
"I didn't uh, see anyth-" Ren's apology was cut short as Haru placed a finger on his lips, her eyes downcast.
"It is not gentlemanly to lie to a lady." She said quietly, her voice quivering with emotion. "I think I'm done swimming for today. Thank you for your help." Retracting her hand, Haru slowly made her way out of the pool with her head held high. She seemed to be on the verge of tears, and it was for that reason that Ren held his tongue as he watched her step out of the water. Her bottoms were on backwards with the small frontal piece riding high on her hips like an impromptu thong. A sizeable amount of Haru's fleshy cheeks were on display and they shook with each step. Ren bit the inside of his cheek and tried not to stare as she walked to her lounger and bent to retrieve her towel. He failed.