FMS Episode One 28 (Patreon)

"Puff, puff"

"Puff, puff, puuff"

Back at the cabin, they put their heads side by side on the surface and breathed heavily.

"Soo nourishing. After all, humans need air, right?"

Aya gasped. Her face flush red, even the free diver girl seemed to be in distress.

“You bet, Aya. Where, were, you?”

Chihaya wasn’t all that well either. Little did she think she would ever almost drown twice in the same morning.

Chihaya’s wristwatch timer stood paused at 4 minutes and 7 seconds. If it had been ticking till just now, it was quite a record breath hold time.

"I went down and then tried to get back up from the bottom bay, but the hatch was closed.”

"Huh? What bottom bay?"

"But I did get our glasses, and also I have a new gift."

"A gift?"

Aya opened her right palm that had held Chihaya's swimming goggles. There she had a firefly shell with glossy, translucent sheen. It must have been in the sandy bottom of the sea.

"···Wow"

Forgetting that she was out of breath, Chihaya stood staring at Aya’s shell for a moment. The faint bluish glow of the sea seemed to add an element of serene beauty to the small creature. Was the world of sea full of such mesmerizing treasures?

“Aya-chan, I’ll go down to the bottom of the sea, like you.”

"Oh," Aya seemed surprised. “I don’t think you can.”

"Why not?"

"Cos you’re not a very good diver. Slow and blowing bubbles a lot.”

“I’m not?" Chihaya pretended her rage. Because she had been so worried earlier, being able to chat with Aya was particularly comforting.

"Well, let me tell you I was on the swim team. I was actually the fastest freestyle in my class."

"Ha," Aya was not impressed. "Well, if you want to get better at diving, you just need to practice. A dive camp.”

"A dive camp?"

"Right. Follow-me, Chihaya." Aya said, and immediately her body slipped under the dark surface.

"Right now?" Chihaya followed suit. She wondered if she will ever get back up to the surface in one piece.