Still grappling with her inner moral condemnation, Shion’s hand trembled slightly as she pulled open the tab of the can.
Nevertheless, she picked up the bottle of fruit wine and gave it a gentle shake.
A cascade of effervescent bubbles gurgled up from the depths of the amber liquid, bursting upon the surface and releasing the distinct, sweet aroma of strawberry fruit wine.
“Shion-san, there’s no need to force yourself if you truly can’t drink it,” Nanami said, shaking her head and expertly swirling the can in her own hand.
“I simply enjoy fruit wine, so please don’t feel compelled to keep me company.”
“Who said I was keeping you company?” Shion retorted, her lips curving into a slight pout.
“I just felt like having a drink myself.”
‘When had Shion-san ever unlocked such a tsundere streak?’ Nanami chuckled inwardly.
‘It seemed Shion only allowed herself to relax and reveal this side of her personality when she was with Nanami.’
“Alright, alright, our Miss Shion is truly peerless,” Nanami conceded, holding her fruit wine and extending her hand towards Shion.
“It is *I* who wishes to share a drink with the lovely Miss Shion, not that Shion-san is a tsundere young lady herself.
Cheers, my dear Miss Shion.
Now, what shall we toast to…?”
A delicate blush had already begun to creep across Nanami’s cheeks.
While the fruit wine’s alcohol content was admittedly low, it proved perfectly capable of painting her face with a soft, rosy hue.
“To us,” Shion mused for a moment, then extended her own can, “and to successfully passing our academic tests.”
The two cans clinked together, a soft chime echoing in the warm afternoon sun and the rhythmic murmur of the waves.
Tiny droplets of pale yellow fruit wine misted into the air from the impact, catching the brilliant sunlight and reflecting the radiant smiles of the two young women.
Shion took a deep breath, then took a tentative sip.
It tasted akin to sweet sparkling water, much like cola infused with strawberry juice.
Yet, beneath the sweetness, a distinct, stimulating warmth of alcohol was unmistakably present.
As the fruit wine slid down her throat, it left a gentle, comforting heat in its wake.
“Hmph!” Shion exhaled softly, only setting down the can after taking another generous gulp.
It was, in fact, quite delicious.
Shion arrived at this silent conclusion, a satisfied, slightly foolish smile blossoming on her face.
“So, how does it feel?” Nanami chuckled, unable to help herself as she watched Shion’s adorably foolish grin.
“To be led astray by me?” She playfully tapped Shion’s head.
Shion gazed at the distant sun, its brilliance mellowed, as it steadily descended towards the horizon.
The sky remained an expansive, vibrant blue, like a vast canvas painted with scattered white clouds.
The sea surface shimmered with a myriad of sparkling lights, resembling golden fish scales dancing upon the water.
Far off in the distance, the silhouette of a massive cruise liner could be discerned, gracefully gliding across the boundless expanse of the ocean.
Shion let out a profound yawn, allowing the sea breeze to rush into her mouth, where the lingering aftertaste of fruit wine danced with the cool air.
After a long moment, she offered a languid reply, “Is this truly being led astray?”
“Well, if it is, then doing ‘bad things’ with you feels rather pleasant.”
Nanami observed Shion, whose eyes had already narrowed into sleepy slits.
A faint blush now graced her usually pale cheeks, and as her already weary body finally surrendered to complete relaxation, an overwhelming wave of drowsiness washed over her.
Truth be told, Shion hadn’t managed to rest properly that afternoon.
She had spent the entire morning studying Japanese, then prepared lunch for Sakuya, and from noon until she encountered Nanami, she had been diligently working on math problems at Shigure’s house.
Indeed, if one were to disregard all the myriad… sudden occurrences and unforeseen incidents, then today had been exceptionally exhausting.
It was the kind of weariness that permeated both body and soul, stemming not from her beloved friends and family, but entirely from the accursed…
Academic tests.
‘So tired… Perhaps a nap is in order.’
“Kazama-san,” Shion murmured, her voice laced with a newfound casualness and an underlying surge of irritation, as if she wished to unleash all the academic torment she had endured over the past few days in one swift outburst.
“Shion-san, don’t get carried away now,” Nanami warned, playfully pinching Shion’s cheek once more.
Shion puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, attempting to playfully butt Nanami with her head.
Nanami didn’t evade, allowing Shion’s soft bump to connect.
“I know, I know! How could I possibly get drunk?” Shion exclaimed, taking another generous swig of the fruit wine.
“It’s just… just a tiny bit of fruit wine, no different from strawberry cola!” The blush on her face deepened with each word, becoming increasingly pronounced.
“Uh… Shion-san, are you quite alright?” Nanami inquired, gently poking her once more.
Shion picked up the fruit wine again, pouring another large gulp into her mouth.
Then, she gave the now-empty can a bewildered shake.
‘It was already empty… Nanami had been utterly unprepared for this.
Despite it being Shion’s very first time drinking, and only a simple fruit wine at that, Shion’s apparent tolerance seemed remarkably high…’
Suddenly, Shion threw her arms around Nanami, resting her head against her shoulder.
‘Alright, so much for “remarkable tolerance.”
It was clearly just low-alcohol fruit wine, after all…’
“So sleepy, so tired… Just let me sleep…” Shion murmured, her voice muffled as she clung to Nanami.
Yet, even in her hazy state, she held fast to the can, clearly remembering Nanami’s earlier admonition about not littering.
“Sigh, she still ended up getting drunk,” Nanami muttered to herself.
“Dressed like this, she’ll surely catch a cold once the weather cools down.”
She herself, however, had no extra clothes to offer.
Despite it being late summer, the evenings, particularly by the sea, grew chilly with surprising speed.
If things continued this way, it would be a repeat of their very first boat trip out to sea, where one of them inevitably fell ill.
“To Shion-san’s successful academic exams, and to Shion-san’s future happiness,” Nanami declared softly, raising her own fruit wine can.
She gently clinked it against the can still clutched in Shion’s hand, then drained its contents in a single, decisive gulp.
With that, she wrapped her arms around Shion as well.
Shion had already succumbed to sleep, her soft, endearing breaths echoing gently in Nanami’s ear, a sweet counterpoint to the ocean breeze.
She felt as delicate and refreshing as a small white ice cream on a summer’s day.
Thus, the two girls embraced, their shared warmth a comforting balm against the encroaching evening chill.
Having finished her own drink, Nanami, too, began to feel the insistent pull of drowsiness.
She retrieved her phone, set an alarm for her intended departure time, and then allowed her eyelids to flutter shut.
As the sea breeze continued its gentle caress, time slipped by, minute by inexorable minute.
The sun dipped lower in the west, transforming the azure sky into a canvas ablaze with fiery crimson.
And then, Shion’s phone began to ring again, its insistent clamor desperate and unyielding.
****
“Idiot big sister! Idiot big sister! Where have you run off to play now? I’m absolutely starving to death!!!” Inside the shrine, Ayane stomped her feet incessantly, her eyes practically blazing with fury.
She had lost count of how many times she’d tried to call today without success.
If their family weren’t so strapped for cash, Ayane would have long since smashed the phone in her hand…
Truth be told, Ayane wasn’t actually hungry.
But her fury, that was undeniably real!