Chapter 39
Underclassmen and the Pool (Part 1)
September came, and even though the second semester had started, nothing really changed.
Classes in the advanced program were still as difficult as ever. Kamunagi Seiya got called out again for doing something with a girl—but he ran off before they could catch him. And even when I step outside, it’s still ridiculously hot…
If things keep going like this, I’ll probably just spend my precious Sunday reading in the library again.
Lying face-down on my bed—with what was probably a miserable expression—I was reading a borrowed book when…
“Hm?”
My phone, resting on the desk, started to vibrate.
I stretched out my arm from the bed to grab it. An incoming call. …Wait—!
“Hello!”
“Ah, it’s Tsukiyo. Is now a good time?”
It was Kaminagi Tsukiyo calling.
What a pleasant voice. We walked home together after school on Friday, spent a boring Saturday apart, and now it was Sunday. You could call this a literal angel’s call.
Feeling lonely not seeing Tsukiyo even for a day… well, I can’t really say what that means aloud.
“Yeah, I’m free.”
“Actually, I wanted to ask you something…”
After hearing what she had to say, I thought about what to do.
Honestly, the old me would’ve probably made up an excuse and declined.
Even now, I might have—if it weren’t Tsukiyo asking. The time I spent with her over summer vacation meant a lot to me… really, a lot.
If it’s something I can do for her, I want to.
“Sure. Let’s meet there around one.”
◇◇◇
The water park near the shopping mall was still packed, even in September.
The lingering summer heat was brutal—felt just like midsummer again.
As I arrived, three girls waved at me.
It was Tsukiyo, who had called me, along with our same-grade childhood friends Sera Umika and Urihara Kinori. The three of them were inseparable.
“Thanks for coming, Taiyō-san.”
“’Sup, senpai!”
“Hello.”
“Hey, everyone. Good to see you.”
So yeah, the reason I’d been invited was basically to ward off guys.
Apparently, Tsukiyo and Sera attract a lot of unwanted attention. Normally, they’d ask Seiya—my older brother—to tag along, but he was working today.
I’d gone to this water park every summer, but this year I’d been hospitalized, so I never got the chance.
Didn’t think I’d end up coming here in September, though.
After paying for the ticket, we went inside and split up to change.
Three high school girls… yeah, the pre-summer-vacation version of me would’ve never come to this.
I quickly changed into my swimsuit and headed to the meeting spot.
A “mock date” at the summer festival before… and now the pool, huh.
I didn’t bring my camera this time—it’d be way too suspicious to take pictures here.
Maybe I’ll try with my phone? Nah, better not.
“Heyyy, sorry to keep you waiting!”
Whistle!
There she was—Sera, in a sleek black bikini, her well-toned body nothing short of impressive. She looked totally at ease, no trace of shyness.
I couldn’t help but envy the guys on her swim team who got to see this all the time.
Then Tsukiyo and Urihara arrived, both wearing parkas over their swimsuits. The moment they’d take them off… that’d be another sight to behold.
“Whoa, Yamada-senpai, you’ve got a pretty good build too! Poke poke~”
“Hey, cut it out…”
“Tsukiyo, look! Your senpai’s got quite the attractive body, huh?”
“I–I know that already!”
Tsukiyo turned bright red and looked away.
I guess she isn’t used to seeing a guy shirtless.
Well, I am in a sports club, so I’m reasonably fit.
We found a spot to sit down, but then…
“Hey, senpai.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve already been hit on twice! You’re way too invisible!”
“Hey, Umika, don’t say that…”
Tsukiyo tried to defend me, but yeah—can’t argue there.
I know I don’t really match up to the three of them, but still… this stings a bit.
Guys kept swarming around—well, no wonder. All three of them are cute, especially Tsukiyo. She’s the kind of girl who makes you turn your head every time she passes.
“But thanks to senpai, they’ve backed off for now.”
“R-Really?”
Urihara also tried to comfort me.
“But if Seiya-san were here, no one would dare approach us.”
“You really love bringing up Seiya, don’t you.”
I can’t even complain—she’s a hardcore Seiya fan.
Not that I’m any less of one myself.
We borrowed a blue tarp and a parasol to set up our base camp.
“Anyway! When are you two gonna take off those parkas?”
“W–Wait, Umika!”
Before Tsukiyo could stop her, Sera yanked her parka right off.
And when I saw Tsukiyo’s swimsuit—
…I couldn’t help but gasp.
