CH 46

Chapter 46 – The Sea and the Distress and the Pairing [1]

“Whoa! Amazing. It’s been some time since I came to the sea but it sure is vast!”

“Geez, Mako-chan, you’re acting like a kid y’know?”

It’s summer break. Mitsuki safely cleared her supplementary lessons and we came to the sea.

The participants are Mitsuki, Hasumi, Prince, Soutarou, Kaname and I. More people came than I expected but since there’s an even number, we can split into groups of two, without leaving anyone out. Personally, I think it’s best if Mitsuki and Prince, Hasumi and Soutarou, Kaname and I pair up.

This time, I must work harder than usual. I can’t return home if I don’t somehow or other stick Mitsuki and Prince together.

“Well then, get changed and assemble here in 30 minutes!”

Nodding at Hasumi’s words, the men and women separate and enter the rooms of the boarding house.

Now then, the heart-throbbing changing time is coming for me. If it isn’t for Mitsuki’s sake, I would never, NEVER go for an overnight trip.

Apologies for the numerous repetitions but I’m female. Changing, exposed with guys around and even sleeping in the same room is an unbelievable act. If a high school girl behaves like this, her father will be worried about her lacking sense of crisis. However, in this world, I’m male in appearance and on paper. It may be hard to believe but I’m male.

For Mitsuki’s sake. It can’t be helped. Mitsuki, I’ll work hard!

“This bed’s mine! Claiiimed!”

The first one to rush in the room is Kaname. He takes position at the bed by the window and throws himself on it.

Subsequently, Soutarou enters the room in pursuit of Kaname.

“You can’t, Kana. Rock, Paper, Scissors! Because someone has to sleep in this small bed.”

In the room, there’s 3 single beds in a row and a slightly small cot by their feet.

“Ahh, I’m fine with this. I don’t mind.”

I quickly sit down on the single bed by the feet.

It may be narrow but it’s still kinda big enough for me, who’s below 180cm, to sleep. Moreover, perhaps because the mattress is firm, I think I can sleep way more soundly than I do on the bed at home.

“That won’t do, Mako. I’ll sleep there!”

“You’re huge so you should sleep somewhere more spacious, Soutarou.”

“You’re pretty much the same, Mako.”

Like a dog worried for his precious owner, Soutarou goes “Kyun, kyun” as he looks at me with upturned eyes.

Why does he care so much about me? It’s not like we’re going to stay here forever and I totally don’t mind this bed.

“There’s no problem if Makoto sleeps on my bed.”

“… You mean on the same bed?”

Having assumed silence until now, Prince expressionlessly drops a bomb.

He then nods at my words. The Prince who looks up at me with his large and round eyes glazed over, truly has a pretty face ―― wait, this isn’t the time to be making observations.

“Ahh…”

My mouth opens as I think of a way to say it without hurting him.

However, before I can say anything, someone comes in between Prince and I. It’s Soutarou.

“More importantly, let’s change?”

“Aah, right.”

We only have 30 minutes. If I don’t change quick and head for the meeting place, the adorable, adorable Mitsuki in swimsuit may get hit on.

I take out the swimsuit from my bag. It’s an entirely blue, half-pants type swimsuit. The gradation may make it look a bit fashionable? I don’t know. Certainly, it’s more fun for girls to select swimsuits because of the patterns, shapes and types available.

Changing in a room with other people, moreover males, is something I’m reluctant to death about but my hands are tied. It’s much weirder to sneakily go to the toilet to change, huh. Let’s quickly strip and quickly change. Yes, let’s.

“As expected of Soutarou! Amazing! Your abs are amazing!”

“Are they? The only exercise I do is basketball though.”

Soutarou’s abs are divided into six packs. Be it his dorsal or biceps brachii, they’re muscular; his muscles are all well-developed. It’s a figure like one you’d find in a manga. Well, the world view’s like a manga’s so that’s not much of a surprise.

“Oi, Kaname. Hurry up and change.”

“Mako-chan’s abs are amazing too! Why do you have muscles when you don’t even exercise much?”

“Stop all that touching, Kaname.”

My bad, tehepero, he puts on an expression which one can’t feel any repentance from.

It’s beyond strange how it takes so long even though we’re just changing. Having already finished changing, as I’m extremely worried about Mitsuki, I open the door in order to head out first.

“Mako, you’re going first?”

“Yeah. I’m kind of worried about making the 2 girls wait.”

Right then, Prince pulls my arm. It seems like Prince’s already done changing. Come to think of it, he hasn’t spoken a word since some time back.

“… Makoto.”

“Are you coming with me, Riku?”

Prince expressionlessly nods before gripping my hand.

Prince has delicate fingers and his hand is just slightly smaller than mine. The skin is smooth, its pores fine. He has a pretty hand.

Prince looks at me with his large, glassy eyes as he takes up a position beside me. I’m utterly happy to be hugged by Prince but, personally, I like it if he gets along better with Mitsuki instead. Nonetheless, I’m unable to to say such a thing to Prince who adores me so much.

Even if I’m acting like the nice guy, I can’t bring myself to be cold towards Prince.

I go to the meeting place with Prince in tow.

The beach is already so packed that one wouldn’t know if he’s swimming in the sea or swimming in people. I’m not that fond of crowds but it can’t be helped since it’s summer break.

Even though there’s so many people, Prince’s appearance is still top class amongst them. Be it his large, grayish eyes, his straight nose or his fair, oval face, they’re all comely. Truly a prince-sama.

The girls passing by before us are all going “Kya, kya”. As for Prince, he’s looking at the beach with his usual deadpan. As such, the girls don’t even enter his field of vision.

“Sorry Mako-chan, Kiritani-kun. Did we keep you waiting?”

“Eh, where’s Tsubaki and Fujisaki?”

Mitsuki and Hasumi jog towards us in their swimsuits.

Mitsuki’s in a pink-red flower-patterned and frilled bandeau bikini. Her bottom is a cute frilled skirt. On the other hand, Hasumi’s in a navy, paisley-patterned halterneck bikini.

Different from the slender yet soft Mitsuki, Hasumi has muscles. However, Hasumi’s chest is bigger. Mitsuki’s a B-cup that’s exceptionally close to A but it’s possible that Hasumi’s around C to D.

“Still changing. I suppose they’ll be coming later?”

After a wait of less than 10 minutes, Soutarou and Kaname arrive late.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“The hero arrives fashionably late!”

Shouting loudly, Kaname strikes a Light Magic: Cool Pose[1]. Am I suppose to be stunned?

By the way, the hero of this world isn’t Kaname but Prince.

“What now? Should we swim?”

Hasumi looks around and asks everyone for their opinion.

Kaname will definitely choose to swim in the sea. For Soutarou it’s Blue Cave while Prince will probably choose to wool-gather by the beach.

Prince will definitely go along with my choice. This may be conceited but in these few months, I understand that Prince’s pretty fond of me. Therefore, in order to have him move with Mitsuki, I just have to keep pace with Mitsuki. Following that, I just have to spin a tale and leave the two alone.

“What do you want to do, Sakurai?”

“Hmm. Where do you want to go, Mitsuki?”

“Me? I want to go to Blue Cave.”

The famous landmark of this sea is Blue Cave. I suppose it does have quite the atmosphere as a dating spot.

Maybe it will awaken love, even for Prince who has no intention of romancing.

“In that case, I’m going to Blue Cave too.”

“Really, how much do you like Mitsuki…”

Hasumi’s exasperated but this is the necessary choice to leave Prince and Mitsuki alone together.

“I’m going if Makoto is.”

“Me too!”

“Then me too~!”

I figured Prince would come along but this is out of my expectations.

Other than Prince, why are Soutarou and Kaname coming along too? What the heck.

Blue Cave is at the end of the beach.

It seems that you need to take a rowboat from the bay to enter the cave. There’s a somewhat long waiting line to take the rowboat and we’ve had to wait for about 30 minutes.

The cave entrance is small and more than half is hidden underwater. The boatman pulls chains attached to the entrance and guides the boat into the cave.

“Well then, I’ll come pick you up in 30 minutes.”

The boat leaves after we get off at a bank inside the cave.

Excluding us, there are many other people in the cave. I guess the spot is popular as it’s a new famous landmark.

“Whoaa, it sure is pretty isn’t it. Mako-chan!”

Sunlight flows in from the cave entrance and pass through the sea water. The light reflected off the seabed leaves the water in the dark cave, filling the water with blue light. The entire cave is dyed in blue, appearing extremely illusory.

“Yeah, it’s pretty. Super blue.”

“So blue~”

Kaname and I, whose comments are full of “So blue”s, proceed towards the depths of the cave together.

Soutarou and Hasumi seem to be talking about something near the cave entrance. My personal pairing of interest, Prince and Mitsuki, are following behind us at a leisurely pace.

“Amazing, isn’t it, Kiritani-kun! It sure is pretty~”

“Yeah.”

Mitsuki speaks with all smiles, even to Prince who gives a simple answer.

“It’s a little cold, huh~”

“… Want to wear this?”

Prince takes off the jacket he had on and hands it to Mitsuki.

“But Kiritani-kun will get cold so I’m fine.”

“I’m okay. You’re cold right, Sakurai.”

I’ve no idea how to express my excitement at this moment.

An event is occurring several metres behind me. Prince essentially gives cold responses to things he’s not interested in but isn’t this interaction quite the warm response?

“Are you sure? Thanks. I’ll be borrowing it then.”

“Yeah.”

Things may be proceeding in a pretty good direction.

Onii-chan will work hard so that Prince and Mitsuki can have many more Heart-throbbing Love Revolutions these 2 days.

Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com

Please don’t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe.

[1] ‘Light Magic’ -> those beams of light in the background when the hero strikes a cool pose in anime and manga. Another example.