Chapter 132: Hundred-Meter (Part 1)
After satisfyingly watching the play and the animal show, the two walked toward the water park under the slightly slanted sunlight.
"Swimsuits, swimsuits~"
Ishikawa Hayato called out, hopping and skipping ahead.
Though they were still some distance from the water park, he could already feel the misty water vapor wafting toward them.
Having happily played for half a day, Kita was also quite pleased to see him so excited about getting to see her in a swimsuit.
But as soon as she thought about changing into her swimsuit, a scene from a few months ago suddenly flashed vividly before her eyes.
The image of Hitori in her school swimsuit instantly defeated her.
Looking at Ishikawa Hayato ahead, she hesitated for a moment before a hint of jealousy bubbling up.
She muttered awkwardly, as if talking to herself, "...Hayato-kun has already seen Gotou-san in a swimsuit, so why would he still want to see mine?"
Ishikawa Hayato, who had been in high spirits, stopped and turned around, looking at Kita's visibly jealous expression.
He stated matter-of-factly,
"This has nothing to do with anything else. Isn’t it normal to want to see someone you like in a swimsuit and to want to get closer to them?”
Kita felt a surge of delight, but she held back from letting it show on her face, struggling to suppress her rising smile as she said,
"But Gotou-san's... are much bigger than mine."
“Kita looks really cute like this, too—you have this innocent, lively charm. Just thinking about it is making me impatient."
As Ishikawa Hayato spoke, as if to prevent Kita from dwelling on it further, he eagerly took her hand, full of anticipation.
"Let's go, let's go! Kita's swimsuit!"
"Don't shout so loud!"
Kita shouted shyly, trying to drown out his voice.
Half a step behind him, Kita watched his broad, sturdy back, still subconsciously holding back a smile at the corner of her mouth.
She felt an emotion gradually seeping into her body, her thoughts, her heart.
She knew this was becoming dangerous.
She tried hard to remind herself that the person before her was a scumbag who was seeing multiple girls at once—a pervert.
But even so, those words seemed to take on a pleasant aura, suddenly becoming less detestable.
...
Sunlight from a hundred million kilometers away, tinged with a faint yellow hue as it refracted through the atmosphere, illuminated the girl’s snow-white skin, highlighting its subtle contours.
The mist from the water park clung to their skin, carried by the breeze.
Amid the distant sounds of playful splashing, the girl before him stood shyly, clutching her own arms.
Her figure was slightly slender.
Arms that seemed graspable with one hand, delicate shoulders, a cute bikini top hanging on her chest, adorned with two layers of ruffles in slightly different shades.
Her waist was slim and delicate, her thighs full and rounded.
While petite and adorable, one could also sense the softness and fullness of her body.
She wore small flip-flops, and her little feet, when noticed by his gaze, curled slightly in unease.
She stood motionless for a long while, nervously presenting her figure to the person she liked, while her averted gaze recalled the broad chest of the boy she had just seen.
"So..."
After waiting for what felt like an eternity without hearing the usually talkative boy's voice, she asked worriedly.
"Extremely cute."
Ishikawa Hayato gave his appraisal with admiration, then added,
"It's so cute that I want to immediately grab my phone and take a picture, but I also want to get closer, hug you, touch you... but I'm worried about being rejected. I even thought about carrying Kita home right now, locking you up so no one else can see."
"With so many thoughts, I didn't know which to do first, so I froze."
Seeing him get more and more exaggerated, Kita cried out warily,
"You're not allowed to do any of that! Just keep the same distance as before."
"Alright, if that's how it has to be."
Ishikawa Hayato smiled and reached out his hand.
Kita paused for a moment, then took his hand, following him as he led the way into the water park.
Under the sunlight, their figures gradually receded into the distance, leaving only the sounds of their cheerful play.
"Holding Kita's hand while you're in a swimsuit feels completely different from before."
"No weird fantasies allowed!"
...
Gripping the bodyboard tightly with both hands, she slid down the steep water slide, carried by the rushing water.
In that breathtaking descent and forward rush, water sprayed up from ahead.
With no protection other than the bodyboard, amidst what sounded like roaring wind, she plummeted into the pool with a trembling heart during the impossibly long yet brief dozen or so seconds, splashing up waves.
Letting go of her wildly beating heart, she stood up from the pool on wobbly legs, wading through the water toward the boy who had gone down a few seconds earlier.
Her shoulder-length red hair, wet and tousled by the water, and her joyful smile as she looked straight at him.
Now, having put aside selfies to fully enjoy playing, Kita's gaze followed him closely, as if placing all her joys and sorrows upon him.
"So, want to go again?!"
Ishikawa Hayato asked her excitedly for confirmation.
"Again!"
Kita raised her hand high with a beaming smile, her slender wrists and radiant expression incredibly eye-catching.
Each holding a bodyboard in one hand and holding each other's hand with the other, they walked back up the stairs.
While waiting in line, cooled by the breeze, Kita finally noticed the water droplets dripping from her hair.
She put down her bodyboard and reached up to wring out her hair.
Ishikawa Hayato, ahead of her, noticed her movement and helped tidy it up.
Even though it would get wet and messy again soon, he didn't say anything about it being unnecessary.
After smoothing it out and fluffing it up a bit, Ishikawa Hayato smiled and gave a thumbs-up, signaling that he’d done an absolutely perfect job.
Kita lowered her head with a soft laugh.
"After we've had enough of these rides, let's go over there for the raft ride and then to the venue to watch the show."
"Mm."
Kita wanted to say more, to make her response seem more earnest, but after playing all day, even she was feeling a bit tired.
She simply let her restless heart and the feeling within it drive her weary steps forward.
Sliding down the slope once more, she waded through the water with effort toward the boy.
Perhaps there was also a desire to experience some more different kinds of happiness with him.
After all, this date might be the last one.
The perceptive boy noticed her reluctance to continue here and led her away from the attraction, casually smoothing her hair as they went.
"Do you mind?" Kita asked with a smile.
She had never drunk alcohol, but at this moment, she felt as if she were drunk, lightheaded and swaying.
She even felt an urge to lean on the boy beside her.
"Maintaining my girlfriend's dignity is my responsibility as a boyfriend."
Seeing his gentle smile tinged with seriousness, Kita couldn't help but curse inwardly.
'His way with words is too cunning.'
Every time she didn't even know what answer she wanted to hear, his responses were always clever yet just right.
And, his advances were too strong.
Kita didn't know what to do about the hand that had somehow found its way to her waist.
Feeling Kita subtly tighten her already slender waist, Ishikawa Hayato mischievously gave it a light stroke, but a glance filled with a mix of coquettishness and slight displeasure from her made him behave immediately.
But he couldn't help but savor the incredibly smooth sensation in his mind as he enjoyed the relaxing time together while holding his girlfriend.
Noticing Kita beginning to show signs of fatigue, Ishikawa Hayato suggested they take a break.
Kita naturally agreed.
The two sat at a table outside a drink stand, located toward the back of the water park's central venue area, watching a band performing in the center of the venue in the distance.
After letting his gaze linger on the brightly lit stage for a while, Ishikawa Hayato turned his eyes away and looked at his girlfriend.
Kita was leaning her chin on her hands propped on the table, watching him.
The girl's eyes were illuminated by the distant colors, but her gentle gaze remained fixed on him.
Her hair was already half-dried by the breeze, with a strand or two fluttering softly.
The air was filled with noisy music, a cool breeze washing over them, carrying away the summer heat.
In this quiet, transparent moment, Ishikawa Hayato reached across the table towards Kita, and Kita silently reciprocated, extending her hand.
Under the bright stage lights, on the table, a thick, large hand and a delicate, fair hand, stark in contrast, intertwined their fingers.
Kita looked at Ishikawa Hayato’s hand with a slight smile, feeling the thickness and warmth of his palm.
She slowly raised her head to look at Ishikawa Hayato, and seeing his smile, she became lost in thought for a moment before suddenly snapping out of it.
'Wait, wait, wait! This atmosphere isn't right. Are we going to kiss next!?'
Kita's face flushed, and she covered her mouth with the back of her hand.
It wasn't that she was unwilling.
It was just that she had decided from the start that nothing beyond a hug was allowed.
She could still rationalize the idea of dating Ishikawa Hayato for a while before he started dating someone else.
But if they went further than that, she would never be able to forgive herself.
Ishikawa Hayato smiled, looking at her flustered and adorable expression.
He held up his index finger and thumb to form a ‘√’ under his chin, asking her proudly,
“Am I handsome?”
“Pfft.”
Kita, who worried that her reaction might've been too much and had hurt his feelings, burst out laughing at his shamelessness.
“Yes, Hayato-kun is very handsome.”
She responded with a sweet smile.
“Your reaction is too bland, isn't it? You should have gasped, ‘Ah~!’, and then said, ‘Handsome! I love you so much!’”
Ishikawa Hayato was dissatisfied with her reaction.
“Who would do that?!” Kita retorted angrily, raising her voice.
But as soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but recall how she had acted when she first met Ryo-senpai.
Then, meeting Ishikawa Hayato's mischievous smile, she suddenly felt guilty.
She changed the subject, looking at the brightly lit stage of the venue and said,
“The band on stage is performing really well.”
“Ours is better.”
Ishikawa Hayato stated with a calm, undeniable certainty.
Kita was surprised for a moment, then looked at his expression and quickly relaxed.
“If Hayato-kun says so, then I believe it.”
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