The sun is shining and the beach reflects it. My skin is being burned. My ears are filled with the hustle and bustle of people and the faint sound of waves.
It has been two days since our study session. We were at a famous beach about an hour train ride from the nearest station to the school as planned.
「It’s the sea.」
「Shinozaki. It’s the sea. Say it a little more cheerfully.」
「If I lose too much energy here, it will affect my all nightery later.」
「If you’re so worried about it, why didn’t you just stop going to the beach? We’re going to the summer festival later. How can you stay up all night?」
「It’s all about energy.」
「That’s the spirit. Maa, I understand you want to save your energy but, can you help me set up the parasol and stuff?」
「Ah, sure.」
I put the parasol on the beach and let Shinozaki open it. The parasol was brought from home but it was difficult to open it, probably because of the sand in between. I laid out a leisure sheet and proceeded to make other preparations.
「Is that all we need to prepare?」
「Yes. Let’s wait for the girls in the shade for the time being.」
We sat together under the shade of the parasol that Shinozaki had opened and drank the juice he had brought with him.
「Hey, Amane, how are things with Hirose-san lately?」
「You’re going to ask me that too?」
Since the beginning of summer vacation, I’ve been asked by mother, Yuna, Wakamiya-san, and even Iori-chan. Isn’t that already a compendium of people I know? Ah, there’s still Ashi-san. I feel like Ashi-san would ask me too.
「Given your reaction, it looks like you’ve been asked a lot. Well, given how you and Hirose-san get closer and closer this summer vacation, everyone will naturally ask the real score between you. The other day, you’ve been fed by her with ice cream as if it was a normal thing to do. 」
「No, that’s not….maa, yeah. 」
「As expected. The other day, I heard you went to an amusement park with Hirose-san’s family. 」
You’ve heard that much? I’m getting scared with how information travels to society. That’s just the other day, isn’t it?
「I did. Where did you get that information? From Wakamiya-san? 」
「Just the other day, I went to Nanaka’s house and she told me after hearing from Mei about it. What about it? Did anything happen? 」
I couldn’t see any sign that he was interested or that he was going to end the conversation. Well, somehow, dating is something I’ve never experienced before and given my relationship with others, he’s the only one I can talk with about it. Would it be better if I just told him?
「I’m not sure how to tell you. Do you remember my birthday party? 」
「Yeah, I remember. 」
「Afterwards, on our way to the station, she said something to me that can be similar to a confession but not really. 」
「Seriously? 」
Shinozaki was totally surprised and you can see it from his eyes and even hear from his voice.
「Seriously. And since then, Mie has been very aggressive that I’m blown away. 」
「I see. So, what do you think? 」
「Well, I don’t feel bad and I’m already doing my preparations.」
There are many things that I could have said but the main thing is that I’m attracted to Me after seeing her different sides this summer vacation. Well, I’ve seen sides of her outside school before summer vacation too but not that much before her declaration. I made a closer look at her even behind her words and actions.
「So, you don’t want me to say anything. 」
「I appreciate that about you. 」
「Even so, I can’t believe that Amane, who’s always been cautious of girls, would let someone get close to him this much. 」
「Yeah. I know that much. 」
After the incident when I was in junior high school, I certainly became cautious of girls. I’m sure that if the 3rd year middle schooler me was asked out, I would have looked at her as if she was trash. However, when I think about it now, I wonder. It’s quite strange that I was able to get along with Shinozaki, who was on the opposite side of the spectrum and is popular with girls.
The bubble of the strong carbonic acid spouts in my throat as if reacting to what my brain was thinking. Looking at the clock, I found that it was almost time for the two to arrive.
「Sorry for the wait.」
「The changing room is crowded.」
As soon as I thought of that, they arrived in their swimsuits. It was no different from the last time we went to the pool but I guess a change of location gives a different impression.
「Thank you for making a place for us.」
「Ah, yeah. It was Shinozaki who opened the parasol and not me.」
「I didn’t think that the parasol would be that hard. It was packed with sand.」
「So, it was packed with sand.」
Shinozaki was acting normally from his “couldn’t believe what I heard” attitude which is helpful. Perhaps this is a skill of a popular guy. Even after a girl of his class confessed her lover to him and rejects her, he’ll still greet her with the same face later. Well, I could tell from her reaction that she must have confessed her feelings to him.
「So, what are we going to do now?」
「What? You haven’t decided yet?」
「Let’s play beach volleyball.」
「Let’s not play in the sea too much.」
「Well, considering we still have to go to the summer festival, we’ll probably have to leave early. There are too many people.」
「Then, let’s play beach volleyball while it still not too crowded.」
When Mei said that, Shinozaki ran off to go.
Hey, aren’t you supposed to be preserving your physical strength? I follow him while thinking so.