Chapter 34: Blue Spring, Blue Summer, Blue Sky

"Hyah!? M-Masa… n-not so suddenly, ah…"

A cool, slick gel is spread over my body. Even under the blazing summer sun, it feels strangely cold, forcing a gasp out of me.

"Nnh… n-not there…"

My arms, my legs, my sides—everywhere gets coated in that slippery sensation, even places I rarely touch myself. But since I’m lying on my stomach, I can’t see what she’s doing.

"Hii… w-where are you touching… I’ve never… felt anything like this…"

Just as the Koharu inside my brain was blaring a full-on Ero-Death Alert, Masa—the one applying the sunscreen gel—spoke up.

"Aika, you’re loud. Please keep still."

"But this… it’s slimy and cold and… feels strange."

And also—wasn’t Masa taking advantage of the opportunity and touching my chest? When I turned my head to ask, she answered casually:

"My chest isn’t that big, so I was simply curious what a larger one feels like."

She says it so matter-of-factly that it leaves me oddly conflicted.

"Then perhaps you should try Maiha-san’s instead…"

"But weren’t you going to do mine, Aika-chan~?"

"Well… that is true, but…"

We’d arranged it so I would put gel on Maiha, Maiha would do Masa, and Masa—like right now—would do me.

"Alright, Aika. There are still some spots left, so lie down again."

"…Please don’t touch anywhere weird, alright?"

"Aika, please refrain from making indecent noises."

I puff out my cheeks, not thrilled at being accused of “indecent noises,” but I fold my arms and lie down again.

"Kyah!? Cold—ah…"

…Please just let this end quickly.

Masa finally finishes, and now it’s my turn to apply gel to Maiha.

"U-um… are you ready?"

In my previous life, I was a guy, so touching another girl’s body this closely is a first. I can’t help being hesitant.

"Yep, go ahead~"

"Then… here I go…"

"Nn… it’s cold, but kinda nice~"

When the gel drips down, she lets out a soft breath. Her skin is smooth, firm, and fresh—clichéd as it sounds, almost like a baby’s.

"How… is that?"

"I’m fine~"

Slowly, I work the gel into her skin, spreading it over Maiha’s stunningly pale, silky back. My skin’s a bit tanned from farm work, so I can’t help but envy her.

"Aika-chan, you’re so timid~ You don’t have to worry that much."

"It’s my first time doing something like this…"

Still, seeing it up close is… wow. Maiha’s body is big overall, but especially her chest—she’s lying down, so it’s squished and spread out to the sides.

"Your back is done… next is… your legs…"

"Hehe, that tickles."

I’m applying it carefully—maybe too carefully—so she doesn’t squeal the way I did.

"…"

When I glance over, Masa is sitting under the parasol, reading a strategy guide. She even brought that here?

After I finish Maiha, the last step is her putting gel on Masa.

"Hmm… maybe because the bottle was in the sun, it’s a little warm…"

"Masa-chan, your skin is bouncy~"

"Is that so? I can’t tell myself…"

Watching their pure, girly fun, I sip an ice-cold mandarin juice from a vending machine. There was a bit of a line since it’s near lunchtime, but it was worth it. It still can’t beat the mandarins from home, though.

After we finish applying sunscreen, hunger starts to kick in. We heard Muigahama Beach has a famous seaside food stand, so we headed there, but…

"Welcome! Today’s specials are ‘Chocolate Mint Fried Noodles’ and ‘Sea Cucumber Juice with Chocolate Drizzle’!"

The one shouting is none other than Shishidou Izumi, a member of Gehenna’s Gourmet Research Society—infamous for blowing up restaurants when displeased with their service, and one half of the duo known as Gehenna’s Top Two Terrorists.

Unlike the two upperclassmen, she doesn’t actively seek destruction, but she has a tongue and iron stomach capable of genuinely enjoying both delicious food and the kind people normally call “grotesque.” Many students have fallen victim to Izumi’s bizarre gourmet hobbies… and it seems a new victim is about to appear.

"That’s strange… I’m pretty sure those items weren’t on the menu when I checked beforehand…"

"And where did the actual manager go, I wonder~? There’s no way she’s the manager, right~?"

"…What should we do?"

Of course, I know the cause of all this and what’s going to happen afterward, thanks to my previous life. So, to be honest, I absolutely refuse to go anywhere near that beach stand right now.

"…How should I put it—this feels like a very bad omen."

"I agree, actually~"

"Then let’s head back for now."

We unanimously decide to retreat and instead fill our stomachs with some light snacks from another stand plus the homemade lunch I brought. It’s a shame we couldn’t enjoy the beach house, but we definitely don’t want to get sick after coming all this way. When we checked again after eating, sure enough, there was a full-on gunfight happening in front of the beach house, so we hurried back before getting caught in the crossfire.

Since we came here without any real plans beyond “let’s go to the beach,” we quickly ran out of things to do. There’s only so much three people can get up to. Maiha searches for pretty seashells, Masa goes fishing off a nearby pier, and I play around by having the Swordfish do some stunt flying. That’s when we suddenly get shot at. Ow.

"Sigh… what is it this time?"

"Look at the emblem on your guns… that’s Trinity, ain’t it? Which means if we nab you and demand ransom, we’ll be rollin’ in cash!"

"Ever since you brats and that big group showed up, everything’s gone to hell for us! Let us have a little fun for once!!"

Ah, the “big group” must be the teachers. Honestly, aside from the beach house incident, everything else happened because you guys picked the fights…

"Hmm, sounds like you’re just reaping what you sowed~?"

Maiha was thinking the same thing and stabbed straight through their excuses. After making a face like he bit into a lemon behind his sunglasses, the delinquent howled back in frustration.

"Shut the hell up!!"

They’ve gathered maybe thirty or forty people, but… after getting beaten up over and over today, they’re battered, exhausted, and barely standing—nothing but a disorganized mob now.

"Aviation squadron, begin bombardment."

"Guah!?"

The stunt-flying unit joins up with a newly launched group, and together they start a coordinated airstrike. For the few still standing afterward, the three of us surround them and take them down. End of story.

"It’s starting to feel kind of pitiful, honestly…"

"Yeah, even if it is their own fault…"

We exchange awkward smiles as we look at the delinquents collapsed across the sand. Well… they’ve got guts, at least. Guts and nothing else.

As the day cools and the sun begins to sink, we build sand mounds, chat about everything that happened today, and before long, the sky is painted red.

"Aika-chan, Masa-chan! Let’s watch the sunset together~"

"I’d love to."

I nod quietly, and the three of us sit side by side, watching the sun slowly slip beneath the horizon.

"Still, it was disappointing that all the fireworks were bought out. I wanted to play at night too."

Well, Azusa, Hifumi, and the delinquents probably bought them all up.

"But if we stayed out too late, wouldn’t your parents worry?"

"Well… that’s true."

Our conversation fades, leaving behind a calm, gentle silence. Then Maiha looks at us with a soft expression.

"Hey, you two. Did you have fun today?"

"Yes, of course. We ran into some rather unsavory people along the way… but getting to spend the whole day playing with you two made this a truly wonderful day."

It was an honest, unfiltered feeling. Being away from Trinity, free from all the obligations of the Tea Party, spending a day with just the three of us… it was—truly, truly fun.

"…What about you, Masa-chan?"

"I also enjoyed myself. I’ve never spent an entire day off like this with you two before, so… I was a little unsure at times."

After saying that much, she gave a soft smile.

"I’d like to come again. Anywhere is fine—another beach, or somewhere else—as long as it’s the three of us."

"…Yes. We’re only first-years, after all. We can go anywhere we like."

"Hehe, I’m glad you said that. I had a wonderful time too, of course."

None of us had said anything out loud, but when we looked forward again, the sun had already slipped beneath the horizon.

"Okay, the sun’s down! Let’s head back and change before we get cold~"

"Indeed, let’s go."

We walked to the changing rooms, changed back into our casual clothes, and said our goodbyes—Maiha and Masa heading toward the station, and I toward the pier where the Remarkable was waiting.

The next morning, before heading out for farm work, I checked MomoTalk and found a picture from Maiha—one I had no idea when she took. Oh, there’s also a notification from Sensei.

"‘Did you enjoy the beach? I got some good photos of everyone, so I’m sending them over.’"

Along with the message were several pictures of the three of us.

"…They noticed us!?"

Well, given how much we stood out during the whole delinquent incident, I guess it’s not surprising. Maybe it was just, “If the three of them are having fun, we shouldn’t get in the way,” that kind of consideration?

"…We can’t beat Sensei, huh."

I murmured that to myself as I got ready for the morning’s work. The After-School Sweets Club would be returning around noon, after all.