There’s nothing quite like playing in the water at the beach. Just frolicking with friends and splashing in the ocean is what makes the beach the perfect backdrop, right?
Seeing Azusa, brandishing a water gun that I have no idea where she got it from, shooting at everyone is a heartwarming sight that just makes you feel all fuzzy inside.
Honestly, at first I thought, “What’s up with the water gun?” But hey, real guns hurt when you get hit, and managing them after getting wet in the sea is a hassle. So, playing with water guns totally makes more sense.
“Hehe~ It’s nice to see everyone so lively! By the way, I’m a bit surprised Mika-chan is in the same major as me!”
Hoshino, sprawled out on a towel next to the sunbed, peeked at me and said.
“Ahaha, well…”
I mean, if you just look at impressions, I should be the one in the midst, spraying water indiscriminately, and Saori should be here instead.
“Prepare yourself, Shirase Azusa…!”
“Sorry, Saori. I didn’t know it was like that.”
“Are you saying that just because you didn’t know? If you don’t know, you should’ve told me from the start!”
“Ugh. Saori, you’re being petty.”
“…Haha. If you’re going that far, I’ll get serious too—— pfft.”
“That’s enough, Sa-chan. I’ll protect Azusa-chan.”
“What…? A-Atsuko? How did you…?!”
“Hehe… this is what they call a pincer attack.”
“Wow~ That’s right! Let’s combine our powers and go for a swimsuit-themed superhero vibe to defeat the villains~♤”
Watching four streams of water tormenting Saori fits surprisingly well. It’s like I’m a fun uncle playing with little nieces and nephews.
The truth is, I don’t often get to just chill like this. There aren’t many times in life to kick back and relax. I’ve long passed the point of dwelling on my childhood or age.
Nothing brings peace of mind quite like lounging without a care, but to be honest, I’ve hardly experienced such tranquility in Kivotos.
At first, I was too busy for relaxation. Recently, getting used to people’s warmth has made it hard to enjoy alone time.
So maybe that’s why, seeing the other kids play while I lay back helped me truly feel that peace for the first time in a while. Hoshino beside me certainly added to that vibe.
“If I had to say, I don’t dislike being lazy like this either… I guess.”
“Oh? Is that so? Seems like Mika-chan and this old man have a bit in common. How about transferring to Abydos? I can take care of you well.”
“Ahaha… that seems a bit tough. It’s not an unwelcome suggestion, but I’ve got tons of loose ends over at Trinity.”
Apart from that, I also don’t want to leave without Nagisa. If she suddenly announced she’d transfer, I might just follow her without a second thought.
Well, that’s a 0% chance occurrence anyway, so it’s not really a concern.
“Hoshino-chan, how long were you two planning to stay here? You were here yesterday too. I mean, considering Abydos’s situation, you can’t be away for long…”
“Well, that’s true~. We managed to drive out all those troublesome guys in the Autonomous District, but they’ll come back after a while, targeting our academy.”
What’s bothering Abydos isn’t just a simple gang attack. It’s a planned assault coming from Kaiser Corporation. The moment they realize Hoshino is absent, they’ll undoubtedly send new hired forces.
“Originally, we planned to meet Mika-chan today or tomorrow and then head back. Since we met today, I might not go back today~?”
“Ahaha, I see. It’s a bit disappointing to only enjoy the festival until today. I hope next year’s festival will be a bit different☆.”
“Hehe? I might have to think about that. The sunlight’s getting a bit too harsh for this old man… it’s so hot that just sitting here makes me sweat~.”
Even though Hoshino says that, she’s probably thinking everyone will gather for the planning committee later. I can just sense she might end up coming out of concern for the juniors. If she does come, I hope everyone enjoys the festival then too.
By the way, it’s oddly fun to check out the kids’ swimwear.
Atsuko is wearing a surprisingly bold hot pink bikini, but knowing her outfit beneath her school uniform, it’s not that shocking.
Hiyori went for a black high-waisted bikini to cover her stomach; it suits her well. She often seems to take an interest in fashion magazines, and it shows with her black sheer cover-up as an extra touch.
Compared to Arius kids, who’ve never received a swimsuit before I got here, both Hoshino and Nonomi are sporting different outfits today.
Hoshino, going for a safe sky-blue one-piece that fits nicely, contrasts with Nonomi’s black lace bikini, a lot more modest compared to what you’d expect.
But just because the exposure is reduced doesn’t mean it’s any less sexy. After all, there’s an art to concealment, and it turns out that people from both genders often prefer outfits that spark the imagination rather than nakedness. So the increase in covered areas can actually make the design appear more mature.
Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve somehow declined in sexual desire, or at least I think the flesh I see is just pretty. If I saw Hasumi in a bikini while she’s feeling stressed about gaining weight, I imagine I’d have a similar reaction as now.
The problem is, just lounging here is making me recall some cliché scenarios.
Especially thinking about the committee’s part filled with Japanese subculture clichés…
“Hoshino-senpai~♡”
“Hehe—— guuuh!, blagh! N-Nonomi-chan?! I was peacefully resting! What’s going on…?!”
“But~! Since we came all the way to the beach, you can’t just be lounging around like that!”
“I see… If that’s the reason for interrupting my relaxation, then I cannot let it slide~.”
Sure enough, watching this cliché unfold in front of me was spreading a smile across my face.
As Hoshino grabbed one of the extra water guns prepared for us, I thought, “Ah, this is Abydos,” when—
SHHIIIING——
It wasn’t some gruesome act like someone ripping something apart, but a simple burst of water from the water gun splashed right across my face.
“Mika-san, don’t just watch! Come on and join us! Let’s play together~☆!”
“…Ahaha.”
As I picked up a water gun, Hoshino and I exchanged glances. Nonomi will soon regret poking the sleeping gorilla and tickling the whale.
Noticing the change in atmosphere, Saori charged at Nonomi from behind, signaling the start of rightful retribution.
*
After splashing around and having a water gun fight with everyone, Atsuko, Nonomi, and Hiyori were all worn out. Instead of continuing the water fight, we decided to prepare for a barbecue dinner.
“Mika-san, there’s a pension close to Trinity where Hoshino-senpai and I are staying~♤. They provide meat there too, so let’s have dinner there and come back to enjoy the fireworks!”
It seems like Hoshino didn’t mind Nonomi spending her personal money for this. While Nonomi was on the phone with the pension, asking them to prepare the barbecue, we began packing our belongings.
Then, Azusa decided to hand out water guns, which she probably got with her allowance, to the kids playing nearby. I would’ve wished our Azusa grew up beautifully like that, but then again, maybe it’d be better to block access to that community completely.
Rather than driving, we leisurely walked down the beach and reached a pension that had a classy atmosphere typical of buildings in Trinity.
Although it was called a barbecue, it was really just yakiniku. I took full responsibility for grilling the meat, and thankfully, everyone was familiar enough with me not to overly care about my status.
However, when I noticed Hoshino and Nonomi’s surprised looks at my grilling, I felt a bit awkward.
To be honest, while grilling, I was craving some soju so badly I thought I might die… Considering there’s been no soju in Kivotos and I haven’t touched alcohol in over half a year, I expected to get used to it, but human feelings are unpredictable.
After we returned to the festival site, we gathered at a relatively quieter corner of the beach to watch the vivid fireworks painting the sky.
As we watched the beautiful display of colorful bursts, it felt lacking to only observe, so we brought out some sparklers and Roman candles for our small fireworks display, adding another layer of enjoyment.
Sparks flew from the wires in our hands, and fireworks shot from the Roman candles, bursting in the sky and offering a different kind of thrill.
In the midst of this, there was a minor incident where Azusa wanted to make her fireworks, heading for her backpack, but… since many of us played together, the joy was amplified, and everyone showed signs of reluctance to part ways.
“Goodbye, everyone! If we get a chance, let’s meet again~☆!”
“Hehe~ This old man is completely wiped out… I wanna head in and sleep. Make sure to hit me up occasionally so I won’t get bored~.”
“…I might just think about it, Hoshino.”
“Yeah~ That’s enough. Everyone take care, and see you later.”
“Goodbye, Nonomi-chan! Hoshino-chan! I had fun today!”
After waving farewell to Nonomi and Hoshino, I took a separate transport helicopter back to the academy with the squad kids.
Even though it was anonymous, since I reached out first, I expected that I’d eventually connect with Abydos. But surprisingly, that link was established quite early. Looking back now, it was thankfully a good timing.
But after having such a fun time, all the issues I’ve been putting off rushed back, complicating my mind.
First of all, there’s the affection Saori, Azusa, Atsuko, and Hiyori have towards me. They’ve already been quite open with Nagisa about how they won’t give up, making it tricky for me to navigate.
But the real problem is, the long-distance swimming tournament today resulted in Gehenna sweeping the medals. And from what I hear, it wasn’t even named students who did it but some random mob students.
The sudden score jumping from 14-13 to 14-21 sent me into a complete panic.
If we can’t catch up with the score in the water skiing and shooting contest tomorrow, we might really end up losing this tournament.
Now, the only ones I can rely on are Ichika, Tsurugi, and Hasumi along with Hiyori.
Ironically, even Sakura-chan has signed up for the water skiing, but honestly, my expectations aren’t high…
