“Pfft, Teaching someone how to swim is childs play, I’ve helped tons of kids learn how to swim!” He was just a helper by nature, he liked to help people, and whenever he noticed parents trying to help their kids to swim, he’d always offer at least a little assistance, sometimes kids responded better to someone closer to their age, or at least looked like they were closer in age. It always made him feel just a little bit special when they recognised him though, he’d been televised a few times in competitions so of course some people would recognise him but it always made him feel extra special when they did.
“Yes, good, confidence is KEY to success!!” he cheered, stopping at a depth where he could still comfortably touch the bottom, the water just about reaching his chest, waves making it a little hard to stand up straight but he’d be fine, and so would Guanghong with his floaties.
“Okay, so do you know how to tread water?” first things first, treading water was important, it’d help him actually get to the floating position if he needed it, plus it’d always help him stay afloat with little to no physical exertion. “Just move your arms a little in slow back and forth motions, slow and steady, don’t worry about your legs for now just try treading water, like this!” he started doing it himself, lifting his legs from the sandy floor to slowly start treading water, staying upright as he did “you have an advantage with your floaties so we’ll use that to get you used to it”
“but kids always learn much faster,” guanghong protests, the slightest whiny tone to his voice. it’s not that he doesn’t believe minami can teach him, and he is still confident, he just doesn’t think this will be easy. if swimming was easy then he would have already been able to do it!
at least guanghong kind of knows how to tread water, so he nods. the few times he’s gone to the beach, he’s always brought a some kind of pool float with him which he would hold onto while moving his legs around. he’s never tried doing it with just small arm floaties on him, but he figures it won’t be too difficult-- but if it is, then at least the ground is still very much reachable, and so is minami. (if minami has taught lots of children how to swim then he must be used to them grabbing onto him for support, and guanghong is not above doing the same if needed.)
with his arms moving back and forth, he copies minami, though guanghong looks far more concentrated. minami had said not to worry about his legs for now, but it’s difficult when that’s the part of him that needs to be lifted up. luckily, the floaties do most (all) of the work for him and he eventually gets used to treading water without too much trouble.
“i don’t know if i can do this without the floaties,” he admits, “it feels like i’ll just sink if i don’t have anything helping me.”