In terms of the existence of ‘the sea’, there’s also the sea in front of Tokyo.
Of course, there is a beach for swimming since it’s the sea. There must be people enjoying the beach too.
But… but I say.
Everyone here, except for me, is a Tokyoite, right? If we’re going to have a vacation, I want to go somewhere a little farther away.
That said, going too far would be a bit overwhelming.
Hanagawa High School is famous for being a school for kids from wealthy families, so some might even go abroad, but the Sasaki siblings, despite their father being rich, receive surprisingly little support and manage their lives through part-time jobs. Naturally, if they had enough money to go abroad, they would feel more secure keeping it in their accounts.
So the place we decided to go to was Kanagawa Prefecture, which is right next to Tokyo.
It took about an hour and a half by changing the subway and bus, which is fairly close for a vacation spot.
The place we arrived at is called Isshiki Beach, but as someone who doesn’t have a map of Japan in my head, I don’t really know exactly where that is. Then again, it’s not like I carried a map of the Korean Peninsula when I lived in Korea, so that’s understandable.
One thing is for sure, though: the scenery here is really beautiful.
I can’t say how this place has changed in the 2020s, but at least the scenery in 2004, when I was living, was truly stunning.
Waves rolled gently in front of the wide sandy beach. The area close to the shore was turquoise, but behind it, it deepened slowly into a blinding blue.
It wasn’t just an endless expanse of water in front of my eyes.
Like most beaches, the land here also had the sand stretching inwards towards the land, and not just the beach but the terrain itself had that wide shape.
What was visible on the other side wasn’t the horizon but land on the opposite side.
Black rocks were scattered throughout the sea, and beyond them—
“Mount Fuji?”
“Mount Fuji?”
Koko, who was next to me, mimicked my muttering. She probably doesn’t get the exact meaning. She wouldn’t know why I was surprised.
There are mountains in the middle of Seoul as well, but none of them are shaped like that pyramid. It’s more of a mountain range than a single large mountain. Describing it as rounded and large rocks would probably be more accurate.
Of course, the terrain visible from here was basically the same.
However, amidst that distant uneven mountain range, there was a single conspicuously large mountain jutting up.
It wasn’t the snow-covered appearance commonly associated with ‘Mount Fuji.’ Is it summer, so the snow has melted? I can’t be sure since it’s not well-visible from here.
“What a great view.”
Before I knew it, Yuuki, who had come alongside me, spoke up.
“…Yeah.”
It was hard to deny. I was seeing a volcano for the first time in my life.
And in my hazy memory, Hallasan didn’t look like that either, so just based on that, I could say it’s a sufficiently exotic sight for me.
There were quite a few tourists, but it wasn’t so packed that we couldn’t go into the water.
Buildings that looked like hotels lined the coast, and the hotel we were staying in was one of them. There was one single room and two triple rooms. It goes without saying, but Yuuki and I, being the followers, each paid our own way.
Yuuki seemed to be quietly trying to take some of my costs as well, but no matter what, it’s the peak season, and my face is not thick enough to ask him to cover the hotel expenses in such a famous tourist spot.
If it had just passed shortly after arriving here, I might have seriously thought about it, but since I had already received too much from Yuuki, I didn’t want to.
Still, the savings I had earned while working part-time helped quite a bit.
…Just for reference, I feel really guilty that Kuro is left in Yuuki’s care on the way here.
“…….”
Yuuki opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but then quickly closed it.
What was he going to say?
Maybe something like ‘It’s your first time seeing Mount Fuji?’
All the places I’m going to in this world would be my first time. After all, it is 2004. Even if I had been in Korea, it would have been a completely different appearance from the way I lived back then.
“Senpai!”
I heard Shii calling me from over there.
When I turned my head, Shii, dressed in a white, fluttery dress, was earnestly waving her hand towards me.
“Let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
When I said that, Yuuki nodded.
I grabbed Koko’s wrist. Koko followed me without any resistance.
Though she looked somewhat dazed and was smiling goofily, I questioned whether she understood the current situation.
Well, what does it matter if she doesn’t understand? I can’t just leave Koko with Yuuki and go off.
And when the vacation ends, she has to get involved with people as well.
While she still showed a bit of reluctance toward crowded places, as long as we were nearby, nothing major would happen.
No, Koko hasn’t caused any major incidents by herself yet.
…If she were to cause a big incident, I can’t predict the scale, but I do know that Koko can’t grow bigger than her own mass. So, for the time being, as long as she doesn’t get cut by a knife, nothing should happen.
For now, let’s leave it to Sasaki when Raiju shows up.
“This way, Senpai!”
As we headed towards Shii, who was waving her hand without getting tired, I glanced up at the sky.
There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. The sky was too clear to expect a typhoon to come.
*
Since we left early in the morning, after putting our luggage down at the hotel and changing into our swimsuits, we had quite a bit of time left.
“Kurosawa, let’s go!”
Yuuki pulled me quickly as I was thinking of sitting by the beach and relaxing.
He seemed even more excited than I expected.
When he first accepted my suggestion, I thought it was more about coming with Koko and me rather than for his own enjoyment, but once we got here, Yuuki seemed to be having more fun than I was.
…Well, thinking about it, Yuuki probably didn’t have friends to hang out like this. In the original work, he was playing happily at the beach and when Sasaki commented that he looked like he was having fun, he blushed and huffed, as I recall.
Just for reference, Yuuki looked very pleased when choosing his swimsuit. He was described as ‘having a nice body’ back then, so the figure before my eyes looked great.
It was a well-trained body. But that doesn’t mean it was an exaggerated style overflowing with muscles.
The swimsuit Yuuki chose was a plain black bikini without any decorations.
By the way, the swimsuit he picked for me was a black one-piece swimsuit with off-shoulder detailing around the shoulder area.
At first, he recommended a bikini with plenty of gathering details, but I felt uncomfortable with exposing my belly and rejected it, eventually leaving it to Koko, who didn’t know much.
Still, it made it easy to distinguish.
“Hey!”
As soon as we got into the water, Yuuki splashed seawater at me.
Caught off guard, I felt both the salty and bitter taste hitting my face.
Blergh, while I spat out the seawater that got into my mouth, more water splashed onto my face.
When I swiped the seawater off my face, I noticed Koko splashing water at me. She seemed to be mimicking Yuuki.
No, shouldn’t she side with me since we’re in the same situation?
I felt a bit baffled, but oh well.
It’s not like we’re at the beach.
Even if we enjoy a bit today, nobody should mind.
Ultimately, I played around until my long hair got completely soaked.
As we were splashing water around crazily, Shii had joined us before we knew it, and soon after, Nakahara, Sasaki’s childhood friend, joined in as well.
Ultimately, Sasaki and Hagiwara, who looked somewhat disgruntled following Sasaki, joined us, and we were able to play around vigorously until lunchtime.
Thinking back on it now, Hagiwara, in her senpai character, was probably planning to ask Sasaki to apply some oil on her, but she ended up playing in the water with us because Sasaki was too absorbed in having fun.
I feel a bit sorry for her.
Well, I’m not talking about Hagiwara. I’m talking about Sasaki.
To be honest, it’s a guy’s fantasy, right?
*
I’m an otaku.
Once you enter the path of being an otaku, it’s hard to change those tastes easily.
Even people who have ‘graduated’ because they’ve grown older rarely completely cut off anime or manga; usually, they take a break and then move on to lighter pieces or transition to movies or games.
I was the same way. Even after coming into this world, I couldn’t shake off my identity as an otaku.
That doesn’t mean I bought and read comic books or light novels. Buying new books was much more expensive than I thought. That said, for some reason, I didn’t want to buy used books. After all, I’m an otaku. It’s that kind of personality that’s hard to compromise on.
Instead, when I go to Akihabara, I occasionally stop by a used game store to buy a few retro games for the Super Famicom.
Given that these were already classified as ‘classic games’ by 2004, especially the more popular games could be bought at almost no cost. The games bought this way have helped me quite a lot in my tough life.
Sometimes, being able to immerse myself in something without thinking is a great way to manage stress.
In that sense, I was quite interested in the ‘events that often appear in manga’ occurring in this world.
For example, ‘the beach house.’
In Japanese manga, light novels, and anime, the line ‘Wow, it’s the sea!’ along with a trip to the beach is frequently depicted at a place known as the beach house. Despite its fancy name, it’s just a simple building. It has a food stall and a shop attached to it.
There’s a wide terrace-style area next to it, covered with a roof for people to sit and nearby is a kind of restaurant.
In the anime, the protagonists playing at the beach often buy something like yakisoba there—
“…….”
“Why? Is it a bit lacking in taste?”
Yuuki asked, looking a bit worried.
Here’s the thing.
I was confident I could eat most foods well. Since coming into this world, I’ve been sprinkling salt on my coppe bread or having them with bean sprouts.
I’m someone who knows the value of food.
And as someone like that, I seriously regretted spending that much money on yakisoba.
Yuuki, who knows that if I say it tastes bad, it really is bad, looked at me with a worried expression, but the others just seemed to take it as it comes.
“So I told you to just stick with cup ramen.”
Hagiwara said leisurely while eating cup ramen that was more expensive than the one sold at convenience stores.
No, no matter how you look at it, that price for cup ramen is a bit much. I picked that dish because it somewhat resembled food.
It seems that places with seasonal business are universally known for being expensive and tasteless.
“Well, we eat at places like this for the atmosphere.”
Sasaki said with a slightly bitter smile.
“Don’t worry! I’ve made a reservation at a famous place for dinner!”
Even Shii, Sasaki’s younger sister, reassured me as if comforting me.
“Do you want some of mine?”
Nakahara offered her ramen to me as if feeling sorry for me, but I shook my head.
As our opinions converged on the food being bad—
Slurp, slurp.
I heard a sound nearby of someone enjoying their noodles wonderfully.
Koko preferred a fork over chopsticks. Even though she appeared to be somewhere between a middle school and high school girl, her actions were really close to those of an elementary school student.
Because of that, the kids looked at Koko a bit oddly.
Her appearance looked so innocent that she seemed a bit foolish, and that must have contributed to their perception.
In actuality, she did arrive. Though she doesn’t know anything, being self-centered and kind is still a different law of nature!
“…….”
I silently pushed my yakisoba towards Koko.
Koko’s eyes widened slightly, and then she looked at me and then the yakisoba I had pushed.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m fine.”
After I nodded, Koko beamed and quickly polished off her own bowl and diligently devoured the yakisoba I had just given her.
…Koko even likes cat food.
Maybe as long as it takes the form of food, she’ll think it tastes good?
It’s great that she isn’t picky with food, but sometimes I worry she might reach out for something that isn’t food at all.
For example, hamsters.
…I should be careful not to leave Koko alone with small animals.
As I was thinking that, I felt strange gazes directed at me, and when I turned my head, everyone was looking at me with a complicated expression.
“……What’s up?”
When I tilted my head, everyone quickly averted their eyes.
“Just wait a moment.”
Yuuki, with a determined look, suddenly stood up and hurried toward the kiosk.
It did not take long for him to return; within five minutes, he appeared with something in his hands and placed it in front of me.
One was red bean bread, and the other was ramune.
“I’m fine.”
“No way. We played a lot at the beach just now and we’ll play more in the afternoon. Of course, we need to ensure our energy levels.”
“……Thanks.”
When Yuuki said that, I decided to accept his goodwill.
Since I’ve already come, what can I do?
As I tore open the plastic bag with the bread in it, I felt someone’s gaze fall on me.
Koko was staring at my bread.
“…….”
I tore off a bit of the bread and offered it to Koko.
“Are you okay?”
“Sure.”
When I nodded, Koko received the bread and ate it.
“It’s delicious!”
What wouldn’t taste good in her mouth?
I thought that and took a bite of my bread.
…And once again, I felt gazes directed at me and looked around again to find everyone glancing at me awkwardly. When our eyes met, they averted their gaze quickly. They seemed to be trying hard to avoid showing that they had been staring at me and Koko, shifting focus to whoever was beside them or immersing themselves in their meal.
…What’s going on?
I wondered if I missed something, and as I slowly chewed the bread, I glanced around, but nobody dared to meet my gaze.
Did I do something wrong?
Ultimately, even while I tilted my head, I couldn’t figure out the reason before we finished our meal.
*
Despite noticing it during swimming classes in the summer, playing in the water seems to consume far more energy than I expected.
The kids who were playing so diligently in the water this morning were now sneaking off to do other things.
For example, Nakahara, trying to gain points from Shii, was focused on building a sandcastle alongside her.
Recalling that when we came here, the suggestion had been made by Sasaki due to the two heroines clinging to him, it seems the effort was quite successful.
It surely would be easier to get closer playing together rather than strictly trying to befriend each other.
Also, Koko was getting involved with them.
Koko’s hair was tied back in a ponytail, just like Yuuki’s.
The scrunchie holding her hair was similar to mine, but it was a different shade of red.
It was Yuuki’s idea, of course Koko wouldn’t have been able to do a hairstyle like that by herself.
Well, I think she could do it, but maybe that scrunchie would just become her ‘skin,’ wouldn’t it? After all, her hair is technically an extension of her skin.
The older sister character, Hagiwara, seemed to think now was the prime time to ask Sasaki to apply oil on her, but it appeared she didn’t have the courage to say it with us around.
If she were the older sister character, she should push a little harder.
Thanks to that, we were all sitting side by side with slightly awkward expressions, blankly watching that scene.
“Peaceful, isn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
Sasaki replied to Yuuki’s mumbling.
“It’s my first time to be at the beach with so many people.”
“Is that so?”
Mhm.
It didn’t seem like Yuuki was particularly falling for Sasaki, nor did any tsundere traits come out.
“Yeah.”
Sasaki didn’t delve into her personal connection too much.
There was no point in having a sad story on a trip. Ultimately, we’d find out the details as the story unfolds, whether we want to or not.
“Actually, it’s my first time too.”
Yuuki said.
“Me too.”
Feeling like I had to say that as well, I echoed him.
The three of us turned our gaze toward Hagiwara. Hagiwara, who was sitting next to Sasaki, made a slightly awkward expression when she met Yuuki’s and my gazes.
Is she recalling what had happened last time in Chiba?
“……Me too.”
“We all are.”
As we listened to Sasaki’s words, we spent a while just lounging on the sandy beach.
