𝙠𝙣𝙮, 𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙

09. Love

"HAIZAKI-SAN! DON'T!" and Tengen immediately dodged Haizaki's kick from behind, which ended him landing in the pile of sand. Everybody burst out laughing at Haizaki's temper at how touchy Tengen was with his younger sister, and [name] could only smile as she watched Haizaki trying to strangle Tengen to death.

"Blessed..."

If there was one thing that has been keeping Tengen together, it was his girlfriend. He watched as [name] was being whisked away by Haizaki who had a scowl on his face which he sent towards Tengen for being so touchy with his younger sister, and he could only smile in response.

"Hey, why not we play in the water for a little while longer before we head for the bbq buffet?" Sanemi suggested as he wanted to cool down from the heat. Haizaki then stopped running away with [name] and turned to look them. He then hesitantly placed [name] down onto the sand once more, and was about to protest, only to have Mitsuri and the girls, including Ume, dragging his younger sister away.

"Hey! Wait!" he called out, clearly knowing that the girls didn't know [name] hated the water. He watched as [name] tried to get out of their hold, only to fail miserably as Ume had on a rather tight grip on her body.

"Haizaki, what's wrong? Why won't you let [name] play in the water?" Sanemi asked, a little annoyed with the overprotective radiating from Haizaki himself. He then stuttered in response, and the next thing that happened was the girls calling out to [name].

"[name]? Why are you not coming in?" and [name] shook her head in response as she slowly inched back to the shore. The water was already hitting her knee, and she wasn't feeling comfortable with it anymore.

"I-It's fine, I-I'll just sit by the s-shore," she stuttered and Mitsuri then grabbed hold of [name] and pulled her in.

"There's nothing wrong! Come on, join us!" and they watched as [name] splashed into the water, with her body kneeling on the wet sand. They watched as [name]'s eyes widened slightly, as the vague memory of how her phobia had started.

"[name], don't go too far out! You're still too young to be swimming on your own!" her father called out and Haizaki was busy building a sandcastle with his mother. He then watched as his father got up from the spot he was sitting on and walked towards where [name] was playing by herself, near the sea.

"[NAME]!" and Haizaki's attention went to his father as his mother quickly got up and ran towards where [name] was supposed to be. He heard a loud splash and the cries of his mother. He quickly got up and used his tiny legs to run towards where [name] was.

"Dear! No! You can't swim too!" their father, who was someone who couldn't swim at all, jumped into the sea to save [name]. For a big wave had come and engulfed her, dragging her into the deeper part of the sea, where a little girl like her couldn't survive.

Haizaki then watched as his father was struggling badly to get [name] back to shore, and soon a lifeguard appeared and jumped right in to save the duo.

But it was too late.

Their father had drowned while he tried to save [name], whom he had managed to kept her afloat no matter how difficult it was for him since he couldn't swim at all. Haizaki then remembered the fear shown on [name]'s face when they pronounced their father dead. The sadness lingering in her eyes along with his mother as well.

The reason why [name] no longer wanted to jump into the sea anymore.

"[NAME]!" and [name] turned as Haizaki quickly ran towards her as he watched the tears rolling down her face. It had been years ever since she returned to the beach, and the one thing that kept her away was the fact her father died while saving her.