Chapter 138: Ambulance
After packing his luggage, Ishikawa Hayato sat silently at the table.
Although the room had a solid wood bed that could provide him with the most comfortable sleep, he wasn't happy at all.
Compared to the several, or even more than ten kilometers separating them, the dozen meters under the same roof, yet unable to get close, was far more agonizing.
He had been thinking about it since he confirmed they would be sleeping on futons.
On the left were Hitori and Ryo, on the right were Nijika and Kita.
Or, on the left were Hitori and Kita, and on the right were Nijika and Ryo.
Before they fell asleep, he could see them in pajamas, a sight impossible to witness on normal days, and they could chat about scary things before bed, listening to Nijika and Kita's screams, while Ryo and Hitori might not be as afraid.
After they fell asleep, he could hear their even breathing, see their peaceful sleeping faces, and observe their sleeping postures, whether they were messy or serene.
He could see them with the first ray of morning sun, in the first glance upon waking, and watch them groggily get up in the morning, greeting them and discussing breakfast and the day's plans.
But now... Ishikawa Hayato only felt like he was in prison, surrounded by a dark cage.
His world had lost its light.
*Knock, knock.*
“Hayato-kun, we’re going to the beach now. Are you coming?”
Nijika’s voice came from outside the door.
Ishikawa Hayato immediately stood up, the sunlight shining on his back, filling him with energy.
“I'm going!”
Ishikawa Hayato packed what he needed for the beach, changed his clothes, and headed downstairs.
His steps were hurried, creating a thudding echo on the wooden stairs.
Arriving on the first floor, he walked through the corridor, and in the bright light, the hall and entrance appeared in his vision.
Next to the door was a small trolley laden with a large stack of beach gear.
Beach chairs, parasols, and inflatable toys occupied a significant visual space.
This wasn't the most eye-catching thing.
What truly drew attention were the four girls standing at the entrance by the door.
Ryo leaned lazily against the wall, expressionlessly looking at her phone.
She wore a semi-transparent sun-protective jacket, its loose fit concealing her swimsuit underneath, but her long legs were exposed as if she didn't care.
Noticing Ishikawa Hayato's arrival, she finally lifted her gaze and glanced at him.
Next to her was Nijika, smiling with a rare mischievous expression.
She wore a short-sleeved T-shirt on top, which paired very naturally with the high-waisted swimsuit she wore below.
She pressed her hands on Hitori's shoulders as if to prevent her from escaping, but also slightly bent at the waist as if shy, hiding her legs behind her.
Just seconds before, Ishikawa Hayato had heard her quietly tell Hitori.
“Bocchi-chan, don’t try to run away, okay?”
Hitori stood in the center.
Usually, when she sensed even a bit of malice, her features would distort, forming a frightening expression.
But at this moment, she merely hung her head, pursed her lips, her lip line trembling slightly, as if anticipating, yet also nervously awaiting something.
She wore a stand-collar shirt, but the buttons were not fastened, revealing a black swimsuit underneath that sharply contrasted with her skin tone.
The black swimsuit with a light-colored ruffle trim was striking, and at the center of her chest was an adorable little pink Hello Kitty head sticker.
Her legs trembled slightly as she tried to keep herself still.
“Mm.” She responded in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
Beside her, Kita also playfully grabbed Hitori, holding her arm.
Behind both her and Nijika's smiles concealed the the pain of an unfair reality as they compared Hitori's with their own figures.
All four were ready for a day at the beach, wearing their swimsuits and beach sandals.
Various swimsuits, girls in different poses, pairs of bare long legs, and small feet in beach sandals made for a dazzling sight.
Ishikawa Hayato stared blankly at this heavenly scene for a moment.
Just as Nijika was about to tease him, he snapped back to reality, stepped forward solemnly, and with an imposing aura, bowed deeply to them, saying.
“Please allow me to take photos!”
The girls, however, were startled by his sudden intense reaction.
Hearing his request, they felt an unsurprising sense of resignation.
Except for Ryo, the three of them called his name with a mix of hesitation and helplessness.
“Hayato...”/“Hayato-kun...”/“Ishikawa-kun...”
But their voices rang out simultaneously.
After the three looked at each other, two of them yielded the right to speak to Nijika.
Nijika exhaled and turned to Ishikawa Hayato.
“How could we possibly let you take pictures like this?”
“I'll cherish them dearly!”
Ishikawa Hayato’s face was filled with righteous confidence.
“That's precisely what I'm afraid of, that you'll cherish them dearly!! Hey!”
Seeing that his request would not be granted, Ishikawa Hayato didn't get discouraged.
He straightened up again and looked at the four beautiful girls in swimsuits standing before him, saying,
“Well, it seems I'll just have to record it with these eyes. Let's go! Playtime is precious!”
Although he said 'let's go,' in their eyes, he seemed to be lunging forward, causing all four to instantly tense up.
“Wait!” Nijika cried out in alarm.
“Ah... ah!”
Hitori was a mix of excitement and panic.
“What are you doing?!” Kita retreated repeatedly.
Ryo’s eyes widened considerably, and she slightly dodged sideways.
...
“Uh, I said I'd only record it with my eyes...”
Ishikawa Hayato pushed the trolley indignantly between the four, the bruise on his face from the heavy punch already starting to fade.
The one who inflicted the damage was naturally the seemingly most petite but actually very strong drummer in the band.
Hearing the young man beside her still daring to complain, Nijika sighed.
“No matter what, Hayato-kun, who suddenly lunged, is in the wrong, right?”
“Everyone is wearing swimsuits, you know...”
Kita also reminded Ishikawa Hayato.
Normally, Ishikawa Hayato's occasional touches didn't bother them much, as they were all in the same band, and their relationship was already like this.
But wearing swimsuits felt completely different.
In this situation, there was a high chance of extensive skin contact.
In fact, except for Kita, who had already adjusted, the others felt a little shy from just being seen in their swimsuits by Ishikawa Hayato.
Seeing Ishikawa Hayato fall silent, Nijika felt their conversation was about to stop, but she dared not let the topic drop now.
If it remained quiet, the atmosphere would turn terribly awkward.
She quickly found a topic, saying.
“Speaking of which! Hayato-kun is properly dressed, how admirable, admirable.”
“He usually dresses properly, doesn't he?”
Ryo retorted from the side.
“Are you referring to the situation where Ishikawa-kun might only wear a swimming brief to the beach?” Kita explained.
“Exactly!” Nijika turned to Kita, responding with a serious expression.
“What kind of impression do you two have of me...?”
Ishikawa Hayato sighed as he pushed the trolley.
“I... I believe Hayato will dress properly...”
Hitori also rarely expressed her opinion, drawing surprised glances from the four beside her.
However, her voice sounded very guilty and uncertain, rather like she was supporting him just for the sake of showing support.
“Oh, there are still people in the band who care about me... Bocchi is the best.”
Ishikawa Hayato was moved to tears.
When Hitori spoke, Nijika had paid attention to her.
As Hitori spoke, her face showed apprehension and hesitation, but upon hearing Ishikawa Hayato's praise, she suddenly broke into a silly, happy smile.
“Bocchi-chan...” she sighed softly.
Seeing Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori looking so happy, Kita thought for a moment and teased.
“Come to think of it, Ishikawa-kun hasn’t said a single thing about Gotou-san’s swimsuit yet.”
Ishikawa Hayato glanced at Hitori, seeing her eyes widen anxiously because of Kita's words.
He could probably understand her desire to hear it but also her fear at the same time, so without much hesitation, he said,
“Now that we’ve come this far, allow me to go in order and, with my most heartfelt worlds to praise everyone's swimsuits in detail, from head to toe.”
“Absolutely not!”
Nijika quickly stopped him.
“What a pity, everyone is so beautiful...”
Hearing Ishikawa Hayato feigning a regretful tone, Kita secretly cursed him for being so cunning with his words.
As the five chatted and played, the beach grew closer, and the sea transformed from a distant bay into an endless expanse that filled most of their view.
It wasn't their first time seeing the ocean, but upon seeing it after a long while, they were instantly captivated by nature's grandeur.
The magnificent scene before them simply has this magical allure.
They stopped and gazed at the sea, the sound of waves reached their ears, and seagulls circling around them.
Nijika's eyes widened in surprise, the dazzling light making her pupils sparkle.
She quickly came back to herself and looked at the others.
Ryo's expression remained calm, but her eyes were slightly wide as she gazed at the sea, as if enjoying the scene.
On the other side, Ishikawa Hayato held the trolley with both hands, his gaze gentle, devoid of his usual lively mischief.
His quiet expression made Nijika look at him a few more times.
She felt surprised that Hayato could also be so quiet and looked further to the right.
But her gaze met with Hitori's gaze.
Hitori's expression instantly tensed, and she frantically waved her hands, just about to speak, when Nijika smiled slightly at her.
Hitori quickly quieted down.
And there was no need to look to the far right.
The continuous clicking of camera sounds already told the whole story.
“Everyone! Towards the sea, let's go!”
Nijika saw everyone looking excited, and she joyfully cheered loudly to liven the atmosphere.
"""“Oh~”"""
Ishikawa Hayato, looking at the girls in swimsuits beside him, cheered with immense excitement.
The others also responded, though somewhat varied in excitement.
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