Chapter 385

"Don't go too deep."

Hiyori, already waist-deep in the water, gave me a sullen look at my firm warning.

"It's not that deep, you know. Besides, the water is so clear I can see the bottom."

"That's exactly what people think before they drown. Come here and put on the swim tube."

I held up the swim tube and motioned for her to come over. Hiyori slowly waded through the water toward me.

I slipped the swim tube over her head and said, "Go play over there where all the kids are."

"What? Why do I have to go there?"

"It's dangerous here."

"I have the swim tube on."

"Do you think that makes you invincible? Hurry up and come here."

"No."

"Do you want to get in trouble?"

Splash!

Hiyori answered by splashing water right at me.

I wiped the seawater from my face, reached under the swim tube, and grabbed her waist.

She was trying to climb entirely onto the swim tube, so I pulled her down and held her in place.

"Listen to me."

Was it because my hands touched her bare skin?

Hiyori stared out at the distant horizon and questioned my actions.

"You're the one being suffocating, sunbae-nim."

Her voice made it hard to tell if she liked it or if she was just embarrassed.

Was this the most direct physical contact we'd had since our rainy-day date?

Unlike back then, when our touches seemed accidental, my grip right now was completely intentional, which only flustered her even more.

"How can you call me stuffy for worrying about you?"

"Then play with me. Can you go grab my Cell Phone first?"

"Why do you need a Cell Phone when you're playing in the water?"

"To take pictures, obviously."

"No."

"Ugh, why are you acting like some conservative old grandpa...! It's so annoying."

Hiyori wriggled wildly beneath the water, and the second I let go of her waist, she jumped up.

She somehow found her balance on the wildly bobbing swim tube and lay back in a comfortable position.

I thought she had absolute garbage motor skills, but her sense of balance was surprisingly good.

Shaking my head at Hiyori acting like a total green frog, I debated whether or not to grab her rear where it dipped through the center of the swim tube, but ultimately opted for the handles on the side.

"So comfyyyy..."

That was her assessment as she fully surrendered her weight to the swim tube.

I clicked my tongue as she slowly drifted with the current in whatever direction I pulled her. "Aren't you going to play with your friends?"

"I'm going to hang out with them tonight."

"Don't try to go into deep water like this at night. It's genuinely dangerous."

"We're just going to lay out a mat and eat takeout, so it'll be fine. If you're that worried, you should come."

"I'm not going."

"Why? Do you have to play with Hanazawa sunbae-nim?"

"No. Why would I crash a hangout with kids I don't even know?"

"Everyone starts out as strangers. You get close after an awkward first meeting. Plus, you have me. And Miho."

"I only know the two of you. And I'm not even close with Mitsushima."

"It's fine as long as you're close to me."

"You know, the more I think about it, the more it seems like you're constantly trying to parade me in front of other people."

"I just want to introduce you to my friends because I like you."

She was saying cheeky things again.

"Stop spouting nonsense and button up your cardigan."

"It's not the right size to button uuup."

"Then take it off and cover yourself with it like a blanket."

"Could you please stop acting so conservative when we're at the beach? Also, the sun is way too bright here, so move me a little to the side."

"It's going to be bright no matter where you go... Didn't you put on sunscreen?"

"The glare is just blinding."

"Then wear a hat."

"How can I wear one when I don't have one...!"

She flailed the arms she had draped over the sides of the swim tube, splashing water everywhere.

I smiled and told the whining Hiyori to calm down. When she miraculously grew quiet like it was all a lie, I let out a dry sigh and pulled the swim tube along.

She already acted like a troublemaking kid on a good day, but being at the beach made her seem even younger.

She acted quite mature in front of other people, yet she acted like this when it was just the two of us.

Normally, I would scold her, but it was so obvious she thought of me as someone special that I decided to let it slide.

I would remember this, though. Later, on the day we first sleep together, I'd pay it all back with interest.

"Can I put my feet on your shoulders?"

"No."

"You said I could?"

"I said no."

"Thank you."

Plop.

A heavy sensation settled on both of my shoulders.

Hiyori's pale, pretty feet were resting right on top of my shoulders.

It was funny how she didn't even pretend to listen to my warnings, but there was a much bigger problem right now.

Because I was facing her, my eyes naturally drifted toward the space between her spread legs.

Since we were face-to-face rather than her having her back to me, the visual stimulation was far too intense.

On top of that, her perky breasts were completely exposed to my gaze, sending my urges skyrocketing to an unbearable degree.

She kept doing things that danced right on the line, and it felt like I was genuinely going to lose my mind.

I forced a calm expression and pondered what to do about Hiyori, who was flashing me a radiant smile. When a brilliant idea struck me, one corner of my mouth quirked up.

"Why are you smiling? Do I look like a pushover to you?"

Letting her bold words go in one ear and out the other as she held my gaze, I lightly bit down on her calf, which was resting right next to my cheek.

"Hyaaak!?"

Hiyori freaked out, clearly never expecting I would actually do such a thing.

She flailed her entire body wildly like someone who had just seen a ghost, causing her center of gravity to wobble right as a wave approached—and it flipped her completely over.

"Uwa..."

Hearing Hiyori's unfinished scream as she fell out of the swim tube and splashed into the ocean, I chuckled. She thrashed around in panic underwater until I grabbed her waist and hauled her back up.

"Puhah...!"

She sputtered and coughed out the water she had swallowed in that brief span of time. It wasn't entirely my fault, but somehow it still felt like I had messed up.

I was a little worried since the water was deep enough to submerge her chest.

"Are you okay?"

At my serious question, she instinctively reached out to grab my shoulders for support and shook her head furiously.

"No...! Do I look okay!?"

"I didn't think you'd fall out."

"I'm not good at swimming, so why are you bullying me...!"

"When did I bully you?"

"You bit my leg!"

"Is that bullying? You disrespectfully put your feet on my shoulders first, so I was just getting revenge."

"So you're saying this is my fault?"

"Exactly."

"Well, nothing we can do about it then..."

I found it hilarious how quickly she accepted it, and I wrapped my arms beneath her rear as she clung tightly against me.

"Ah...!"

Was she startled by the firm sensation under her butt?

She let out a short gasp, and her ears started to turn red.

The blush spreading across her entire face was quite cute.

It was also a sight to see the girl who had been acting so boldly just moments ago instantly turn so timid.

If she was going to react like this, why did she even bother acting out...?

Not that I minded, but it made me want to take a peek inside Hiyori's head just once.

"Relax your muscles. It's hard to move."

"....."

Like a young child melting into a parent's dependable embrace, all the tension drained out of Hiyori's body.

Feeling her weight grow heavier in my arms, I walked toward the drifting swim tube and gently scolded her.

"You sure listen well at times like this."

"Because I'm scared of the water..."

She was the one who had eagerly charged right into the ocean, yet here she was, making up weird excuses again.

Deciding to let her embarrassment-driven excuses slide, I said, "Grab the swim tube."

"I'm scared."

"All you have to do is reach out your hands."

"Because I can't swim."

It seemed Hiyori was gradually getting used to physical contact with me.

That much was obvious from how shamelessly she was acting now, completely unlike before when she could barely even speak straight.

Even so, she still had a long way to go before she built up an actual tolerance.

I retrieved the swim tube for Hiyori and asked, "Want to get out?"

"No. I want to practice swimming."

"Practicing in the ocean isn't the best idea. You'll get seawater in your mouth."

"Who says I'm going that far? I just need to splash around a bit."

"Then hold onto the swim tube."

"You scared me by bullying me, sunbae-nim, so I want to wait until I calm down a bit."

"You don't look all that scared, though?"

"I am scared, though? Look."

Saying that, Hiyori pulled my hand and placed it against her upper chest.

It was a completely unexpected move. But somehow, because I had a feeling she might pull something like this, I wasn't too shocked. Instead, I gave the boldly acting girl a light thwack on the forehead with my own.

"Ah! Why did you hit me...!"

"Why are you so full of mischief today?"

"Am I not allowed to be?"

"It's not that you're not allowed. But were you really scared?"

"Yes."

"Then let's take a short break before going back in. You'll get a cramp in your leg if you're tense."

"Can't we just stay like this...?"

"Let's go back and check if any of our things went missing, too."

"I don't want to..."

She openly showed her reluctance, evidently finding this carried position quite comfortable.

I chuckled and coaxed her back to the shore.

As I sat drying my hair with the towel left on the sunbed, she spoke. "sunbae-nim."

Hiyori, who had been watching the waves lap against the shore, had called out to me.

Wearing a mischievous expression, to boot.

Wondering what kind of prank she was planning this time, I asked, "What is it?"

"Look at this."

"What?"

"Hurry."

Looking past Hiyori's shoulder to see what she was pointing at as she urged me on, I forced down the warm smile trying to escape my lips.

It was because there was a drawing of a man and a woman sharing an umbrella—with "Matsuken" written on the left and "Hiyori" on the right.

This was the traditional aiaigasa symbol.

It was a classic rom-com cliché—a trope you'd feel robbed without.

It was endearing to imagine her secretly and diligently drawing this in the sand with a twig while I wasn't looking.

I could see the completely soaked shadow of the girl who had done something so sweet.

Why did it look so incredibly cute now that her trademark ahoge was plastered flat against the rest of her head?

"Doesn't my shadow look like a ghost?"

Hiyori must have found her own shadow funny, too, because she kept changing poses this way and that.

As a bonus, while she was striking those ridiculous poses, her hips jutted back and lightly bumped against my crotch right behind her.

"Ah?"

Startled by the thick sensation pressing against her rear, she let out a gasp, coughed a dry "ahem," and quickly changed the subject.

"I'm hungry. Let's go buy something to eat."

"What do you want to eat?"

"I dunno. They were selling skewers on the street back there. Should we go there?"

"Then wait a second."

"Why?"

"Your outfit is too revealing. I'll go grab a robe, so rest here for a bit."

"I have a robe right here, though?"

"Where?"

"Here."

Hiyori pulled a long white bathrobe out of her bulky bag.

She must have brought it from the Hotel... It seemed she knew perfectly well herself.

That her swimsuit was far too revealing.

"If you had that, why didn't you take it out earlier?"

"Why would I take it out earlier when we were going to play in the water?"

"Fair enough, but why did you act like you didn't have one earlier?"

"I dunno. Let's hurry up and go."

Hiyori grabbed the hem of my wet T-shirt and tugged me along.

Being dragged by her hand toward the street stalls, I glanced over my shoulder and noticed the drawing washing away in the seawater.

Even so, it still held its shape perfectly well. Things like that were usually used as plot devices to foreshadow an unbreakable bond between the protagonist and the heroine.

Hoping that my relationship with Hiyori—and furthermore, with Miyuki, Renka, and Chinami—would be just like that, I left the beach with Hiyori.

I had worried about whether we would have time to build memories, but that concern had been completely unfounded.

Just as so many things had happened in this short amount of time today, I was absolutely certain that plenty more events would unfold tonight, and tomorrow as well.