Chapter 98: Sunscreen

The typhoon was supposed to hit on the day we returned to Tokyo… but the weather forecast showed no signs of it.
However, we were planning to stay here for a week, so it made sense that the long-term forecast wasn’t available yet.

‘Well, reality is rarely exactly like fiction…’

Since the other events from the novel had already happened, would the typhoon also occur a week later?

Lost in thought, I sat on the villa’s terrace, enjoying the breeze from a fan and gazing at the beach.

“Ahhh~”

The summer sun beat down on the beach, and the blue ocean stretched out before me.
Lounging around in this cool breeze was the best. So why did I have to go outside?

“Rina-tan~! Let’s go out today!”

Mizuki, her pink hair tied up high, making her look even more energetic, approached me and linked arms. She was already wearing her swimsuit with a hoodie over it, practically vibrating with excitement.

“Oh, yeah… Let’s go.”

The main reason I didn’t want to go out was…

‘I have to wear a swimsuit!!’

I glanced around discreetly.

Aya, already ready to go, was wearing the white lace two-piece I’d picked out for her, with a light summer cardigan over it. My eyes darted away for a moment when I saw her exposed midriff, but I couldn’t deny she looked stunning.
As always, Aya had impeccable style. Heh…

I hadn’t noticed before, but Reina-senpai also looked amazing in a swimsuit. She was wearing a white bikini with a summer parka over it.

Sena-senpai, perhaps because of her health, was wearing a light blue sundress.
Couldn’t I just wear a dress and relax in the shade…?

But Mizuki shook my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Come on, come on~ Everyone’s waiting for you, Rina-tan! Swimsuit time!”
“Okay… I’ll be right back.”

I reluctantly headed towards the guest room.

As I took out my swimsuit from my bag and entered the changing room, my heart started pounding.

“Sigh…”

Thanks to all the cycling, the slight bulge around my stomach was almost gone, but wearing a swimsuit was still… mentally challenging.

I closed my eyes, put on the swimsuit, and then a long, thin parka over it. I finally looked at myself in the mirror.
Thanks to all the exercise, I actually looked pretty good.

“It’s pretty, though.”

The swimsuit itself was a cute, lacy one-piece.
Yes, there was nothing wrong with the swimsuit itself.
The problem was me being embarrassed!

Still, wearing the parka and zipping it up all the way helped alleviate some of the embarrassment.
Thanks to the lace trim at the bottom of the swimsuit, even though it was form-fitting, it looked like I was wearing a regular dress.

I patted my cheeks, took a deep breath, and opened the changing room door.

“Oooh~ Rina-tan looks so cute!”

Mizuki grinned, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me along.
“Wait, Mizuki! Slow down!”
“No way~ Everyone’s waiting!”

We quickly slipped on our sandals at the entrance and headed for the beach.
Every step I took felt embarrassing, but I was also a little excited…
‘Okay, let’s enjoy this… It’s summer, after all.’

As Mizuki and I stepped onto the sand, the hot grains seeped between my toes.
“Ouch! It’s hot!”
I hopped around, shaking the sand off my feet, and Mizuki laughed, running ahead.

“Rina-tan~! Come on after you’ve brushed off the sand. I’ve set up our spot over there!”

I followed Mizuki’s directions and found two large parasols and sunbeds already set up.
The chauffeur who drove the van must have set them up, but he was nowhere in sight.

Aya was lying on one of the sunbeds. She smiled and waved when she saw me approaching.
“Rina, over here.”

As always, Aya had a way of calming my nerves. Her simple words erased all my embarrassment.

“Okay, coming~!”

All the sunbeds were occupied except for Mizuki’s and mine.
Aya was lounging gracefully, enjoying the sun, while Sena-senpai, wearing sunglasses, was chatting with Reina-senpai.

As I lay down on the sunbed, the scorching sun was no longer bothersome.
The parasol was perfectly positioned to provide shade.

Aya sat up slightly and asked,

“Rina, did you apply sunscreen?”
“Uh… Not yet.”
“You’ll get sunburned quickly if you don’t. I’ll apply some for you. Turn around.”

Wh… What?!

My heart skipped a beat at her sudden offer.
But there was no reason to refuse, so I nodded silently and turned around.

Aya gently removed my parka, and the cool sensation of sunscreen spread across my exposed skin.

“Ah… Cold…!”
“Sorry, is it too cold?”

Aya’s hands moved softly and delicately across my back.
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t flustered by her gentle touch.

“You have fair skin, Rina, so you’ll burn easily if you’re not careful. You have to apply sunscreen diligently.”
“Yeah… Thanks. Did you apply some already, Aya?”
“Yes, I already did.”

Speaking of fair skin, Aya had the fairest complexion here… No, wait, Sena-senpai was beyond fair, she was practically pale.

Anyway, since Aya said she’d already applied sunscreen, I simply relaxed and enjoyed the moment, basking in her gentle touch.

Then, Reina-senpai’s cheerful voice broke the silence.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Aya so attentive to someone.”
“That’s true. Aya was quite aloof during puberty.”

Aya blushed slightly and glared playfully at Sena-senpai.
Sena-senpai chuckled at her reaction.
“Senpai! When was I ever like that?”
Aya retorted playfully.
“It’s like seeing the cute, younger Aya again.”
“…”
Aya seemed speechless, unable to retort further, and turned away.

Reina-senpai smiled at their interaction and added softly,

“You two look good together.”

Just then, Mizuki pouted and reached out to Aya.

“Aya-ring~! Apply some sunscreen on me too!”
“Okay, Mizuki. Rina, you can rest for a bit.”

And with that, Aya went over to Mizuki.

I heard some slapping sounds… Was Mizuki okay…?

Suddenly left alone with the senpais, I fidgeted with my hair, trying to hide my awkwardness.

Reina-senpai slowly got up.
“Hmm~ Should we have some watermelon?”
With that, she walked back towards the villa, leaving me alone with Sena-senpai.

Unable to bear the silence, I cautiously spoke to Sena-senpai. I also had something I wanted to ask her.

“Um… Senpai, are you Korean?”
“Oh? Yes. Didn’t I mention it?”
“Wow, I had no idea.”

Sena-senpai replied casually, looking at me.
Her purple eyes twinkled mysteriously beneath her sunglasses.

“How did you end up in Japan?”
“I came here for work.”
“Can I ask… what kind of work?”
“Hmm~ It’s a secret.”
Sena-senpai smiled playfully.

“Aw, come on! Tell me~ I’m curious.”

No matter how much I whined, Sena-senpai just smiled, seemingly unwilling to divulge any further information.
So, I gave up and was about to nod in resignation when…

Reina-senpai returned with a large plate of watermelon slices, her cheerful voice interrupting us.

“Oh? Sena-chan, that was a secret?”
“Ugh… Reina-chan?”
Sena-senpai blushed, flustered, and Reina-senpai, amused by her reaction, looked at me.

“Sena told me everything on the first day. I’m a fan of hers, you see.”
“Th-That’s right… Hehe…”

A fan?

I looked back and forth between the two, puzzled, and Reina-senpai added casually,

“Sena is a famous YouTuber with 4.5 million subscribers. Rina, you’ve heard of her, right? Taka—”
“Don’t say it, Reina! Ugh!”
“Okay, okay.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at Sena-senpai’s flustered reaction as she waved her hands frantically.
Was this how other people felt when they looked at me?

So that was why she seemed so familiar. Her voice, her appearance…
I tried to remember where I’d seen her before, but I figured I’d easily find her if I searched for a YouTuber with 4.5 million subscribers.
It was fascinating.
To think that such an amazing person was right here beside me.

As expected, Takamari Academy was a school for extraordinary students.

And… I suddenly felt a pang of envy.

‘It must be nice to make so much money… What am I going to do with my life…?’

Thoughts about the future suddenly filled my mind. I’d been busy with student council activities, taking the protagonist’s place in the novel, but I hadn’t really thought about my own future.

I was dating Aya, but there were still so many obstacles to overcome before we could even consider marriage.

“Alright, everyone, let’s eat watermelon! Watermelon!”

Reina-senpai clapped her hands cheerfully, and Mizuki and Aya came running over from where they were playing.

“Wow~ Watermelon! Watermelon is the best in summer!”
“Thank you, Onee-chan.”

As Mizuki and Aya approached with bright smiles, Sena-senpai also stood up and accepted a slice of watermelon with a gentle smile.

“Here, Rina.”
“Ah, thanks, Aya!”

I took the slice of watermelon Aya offered and took a large bite.
The sweet juice filled my mouth, washing away all my worries.

‘Yeah, I can worry about the future later. Right now, enjoying this moment is the best.’

I exchanged smiles with Aya, feeling at peace, and savored the moment.