Who Knows What They’d Do in the Water

Tamaki Shintaro grabbed Imaizumi Keita’s hand and shook it vigorously, his eyes gleaming with almost fanatical excitement.

“Imaizumi! This is… four female club members in swimsuits! That’s insanely rare, okay?!”

Hearing the president’s declaration—something straight out of an “otaku bible”—Imaizumi Keita felt a faint headache forming at his temples.

“Tamaki-senpai, while I understand your excitement… as far as I know, Tsukinoki-senpai is your childhood friend, right? You’ve known each other for so many years—haven’t you seen her in a swimsuit before?”

“How could that be the same?!”

Tamaki Shintaro immediately shot back, his face even showing a hint of displeasure at having his “expertise” questioned.

“A plain, standard one-piece swimsuit from swimming class is completely different from a ‘private swimsuit’ that a girl carefully chooses herself to show off her charm to the fullest!”

“The former is like standard-issue equipment, while the latter is more like their ‘ultimate weapon.’ You get the difference, right?”

“Yeah, I get it now.”

Imaizumi Keita nodded, noticing Tsukinoki-senpai walking quickly toward them, and continued, “So for you, senpai, what you’re most looking forward to right now is seeing Tsukinoki-senpai—who usually keeps herself all covered up—wear that ‘ultimate weapon’ full of girlish charm, right?”

“Of course!”

Tamaki Shintaro nodded without hesitation.

Just as he was about to continue, a slender hand reached out from the side and firmly grabbed his ear.

“Shintaro.”

At some point, Tsukinoki Koto had already appeared behind him. She wore a smile, but her fingers tugging his ear tightened slightly.

“I think I just heard someone having some very impure fantasies about my swimsuit?”

“Ow, ow, ow! Koto! I’m sorry!! But wait—why didn’t you choose a bikini?!”

Tamaki Shintaro immediately cried out, getting dragged by the ear as Tsukinoki pulled him toward the sea.

“Honestly, your head is full of nothing but nonsense. In this heat, what you need is some cold seawater to cool your brain!”

The two of them disappeared into the waves, bickering as they went.

Watching their retreating figures, Imaizumi Keita finally felt the world become quiet again.

Seriously, those two childhood friends…

They’ve clearly gone beyond just friendship, yet they refuse to break through that final barrier.

As he was thinking this, he caught sight of Yanami Anna approaching, carrying two brightly colored shaved ice cups across the soft sand.

She was wearing the same yellow-and-white striped bikini he had seen in the photo the night before.

The sunlight fell generously on her almost dazzlingly fair skin, outlining her youthful and lively figure.

Perhaps because she had just changed into the swimsuit and wasn’t used to being looked at like this, her cheeks were flushed, and her gaze wavered, avoiding eye contact.

She shifted her waist a little awkwardly, holding the lemon-flavored shaved ice in front of her chest as if trying to cover herself.

This slightly shy, defensive gesture only made her look even cuter.

Just last night, she had been so bold in testing him over the phone, but now that she stood in front of him, she had reverted back to her innocent self.

What a girl… always able to stir up emotions so easily.

Looking at her, the smile in Imaizumi Keita’s eyes deepened unconsciously.

Yanami Anna felt increasingly uncomfortable under his gaze and finally gathered the courage to look up and meet his eyes.

“Th-that… how is it?”

She asked with both nervousness and anticipation, “Does this swimsuit… look good on me?”

“Yeah, it looks great.”

Imaizumi Keita answered without hesitation.

Seeing her eyes light up instantly at his praise, he glanced again at her figure accentuated by the swimsuit, then slowly added the rest of his sentence.

“Though it’s a bit of a shame.”

“A shame?”

Yanami was taken aback.

“Yeah.”

Imaizumi Keita nodded, a slightly mischievous smile appearing on his face.

“It’d be even better if I could do more than just look—like actually touch it and feel the texture.”

“Y-you… you…!”

Yanami Anna’s face flushed completely red in an instant.

All the follow-up lines she had prepared—like “Really?” or “What part looks good?”—were completely blocked by his bold remark.

Her mouth hung open, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to react.

Should she do what she usually does and angrily call him a “pervert”? Or should she…

“Anna!!”

Just as she was about to decide, Shio Lemon’s voice came from the side.

Shio Lemon was also wearing a bikini, though hers was a strapless style tied with thin strings.

What caught the eye most was the contrast between her sun-tanned and fair skin, drawing attention naturally.

Holding a beach ball in one hand, she looked excited as she urged Yanami, “Wanna go in the water together, Anna? The sea looks amazing!”

“Lemon, um… I think I’ll finish this shaved ice first before going.”

Yanami Anna glanced at Imaizumi Keita, and seeing no reaction from him, she politely declined.

“Alright.”

Although a hint of disappointment flashed across Shio Lemon’s face, she still nodded cheerfully.

“Then I’ll go play first—you have to come later, okay!”

After saying that, she seemed to feel that playing alone might be boring, so she naturally turned her gaze toward Imaizumi Keita.

“Since Anna’s eating, Ima-chan, come with me instead! Let’s race and see who swims faster!”

This sudden invitation made the atmosphere subtly tense.

Yanami Anna’s hand paused slightly as she ate her shaved ice.

She could feel her heart rising to her throat once again.

No.

She absolutely couldn’t let him go into the water alone with Lemon.

Who knows what the two of them might do in the water!

But she had just said she wanted to stay and eat shaved ice. If she suddenly changed her mind and said she’d go too, it would be way too obvious…

Just as she was caught in an internal struggle, thinking of an excuse to keep Imaizumi there—

“Lemon! Wait!”

Yanami Anna blurted out instinctively.

She set down the shaved ice after only a few bites and suddenly stood up from the beach chair, wearing an expression that said, “Honestly, I can’t help it.”

“I’m coming right now! A swimming race, right? I’m not going to lose to you!”