Ch.165Because It’s Summer (8)

“Hamin oppa. I found the tube that Bandoduk unnie let float away.”

“Ah, thank you, Scarlet-chan. I should have done it myself, but I can’t move right now.”

“Well, I don’t particularly mind… But what are you two doing right now?”

“It’s a knee chair. No, a Do Hamin chair, I guess.”

“I can see that. I’m asking why you’re doing that right now.”

Siyoung, who had retrieved the tube that had drifted away, frowned as she looked down at Miss Ban Doyoung, who was sitting on Do Hamin’s lap, using his knees as a chair.

“Ah, seriously. It’s irritating to look at. Since when did swimming class turn into a dating class?”

“Hmph, it’s because you didn’t help me up right away when I fell into the water earlier, saying I hadn’t eaten enough yakisoba bread. To some extent, you caused this. Now I’m shivering like this.”

“Who knew someone would flounder for so long in water that only comes up to their waist?”

“R-right now I’m just helping Doyoung relax after being tense in the water. If she stays stiff like this, going back into the water won’t make any difference.”

“Did you hear that? Teacher Do Hamin says it’s fine. Just be a good assistant and follow what the main instructor says.”

“Aren’t you so great. You’re about to fail because you can’t even float in water.”

“If I can’t float in water but can float on Hamin, isn’t that good enough?”

“Grr…”

“Stop…! Both of you, stop fighting over nothing.”

Unable to watch any longer, Hamin stretched out his arm to separate me and Siyoung. Then he briefly set me down from under the parasol and approached Siyoung.

“I’m sorry, Scarlet-chan. But I can’t just leave Doyoung alone when she’s scared after falling into the water. Our goal today is to at least get Doyoung to float in water.”

“…That sounds like you have some kind of plan. To make Bandoduk unnie float.”

“I see a slight possibility. It’s like this…”

Hamin whispered something quietly to Siyoung, who was standing nearby. I thought about leaning in to hear what they were saying, but before I could figure out what they were discussing, Hamin had already finished talking and pulled his face away from Siyoung.

“Hmm… I understand what you’re saying, but it’s a bit annoying. That she can only float in water under those conditions.”

“Everyone has their own habits, I guess. Still, it’s risky to implement right away, so please watch from a distance so you can rush over if anything happens.”

“Okay.”

Siyoung nodded and then held out her right hand to Hamin, as if demanding something.

“Give me money. I’ll pretend to buy yakisoba bread and watch from the food stand.”

“Ah, alright, Scarlet-chan. But isn’t that a bit far? To see Doyoung from the food stand?”

“It’s fine, I have 20/10 vision in both eyes.”

“W-wow, as expected of a world kendo champion…”

Hamin, with a slightly surprised expression, took out his wallet from inside the jacket he was wearing. Then he immediately handed over the cash from his wallet to Siyoung.

“Why… why are you suddenly getting extorted? And not by some random thug on the street, but by someone you know?”

A scene of extortion unfolding before my eyes without any context. I thought Hamin might have some mishap with thugs roaming the beach this summer, but I never expected him to be extorted by someone he knew rather than a stranger.

I should have realized it when she specifically asked for yakisoba bread among all the bread options.

“Then I’ll be over by the food stand.”

“Yes, I’m counting on you, Scarlet-chan. Oh, and…”

“…Is there something else you want me to do?”

“No, that’s not it… I didn’t get to say it earlier, but I wanted to tell you that the swimsuit you’re wearing really suits you.”

“D-don’t say such random things and just do it properly without getting caught…! If Bandoduk unnie notices, it’ll all be ruined!”

Siyoung’s face turned red as if embarrassed, then she shook her head up and down before suddenly running off toward the food stand where she had bought the yakisoba bread.

“Why is the one who extorted the money, not the one who got extorted, embarrassed and running away?”

Before I could understand what I had just witnessed, Hamin returned to the parasol where I had been sitting with a pleased expression. I don’t know why the person who got extorted, not the one who did the extorting, had such a satisfied look.

“What happened with Ban Siyoung?”

“Ah… I think the bread she ate earlier wasn’t enough. She said she wanted to buy more, so she asked for money.”

So it really was extortion.

“I can’t believe she’s still hungry after eating that carbohydrate-on-carbohydrate bread. Does all that food go straight to her athletic abilities? So you handed over all the allowance you got from my family’s eldest son?”

“B-but in exchange, we can be alone while Scarlet-chan is at the food stand.”

“W-what’s with that suggestive comment?”

It was like a wife trying to enjoy a romantic atmosphere with her husband after sending their children to kendo training. It was hard to believe this was the Do Hamin I knew, with such remarks and behavior.

“I-if you don’t like it, we can just go buy something at the food stand with Scarlet-chan. Or we can go back into the water.”

“…I didn’t say I didn’t like it.”

I sat on Hamin’s lap in the same position as before. There were some suspicious circumstances, but I decided to attribute his more bold behavior to the effect of summer memories.

What could I do even if I was suspicious? Miss Ban Doyoung’s body was desperately seeking Hamin.

“Upsie-daisy.”

Hamin’s lap felt even warmer than before when I sat down again.

“…Hamin, have you always been this warm?”

“W-well, what can I do? When you’re pressed against me in a swimsuit like that.”

“Heeh… Since you never once mentioned anything about my swimsuit on the way here, I thought you didn’t like it, but I guess that’s not the case.”

“T-the swimsuit isn’t for others to judge whether they like it or not. It’s for you to be comfortable when swimming.”

“Why do you think swimsuits are only for ‘swimming’?”

“…T-then when else would you wear them?”

“Oh come on. Stop pretending to be innocent when you know perfectly well. I know you’re desperately trying not to let what’s behind you touch me.”

What is he asking? Of course it’s for sex.

I deliberately pretended not to know and pinched Hamin’s cheek as he turned his head away.

“Ah, ahwa gwahae.”

(Ah, it hurts. Stop it.)

“It’s supposed to hurt. Since you said swimsuits are only for swimming, don’t you dare ask Miss Ban Doyoung to wear a swimsuit at home as some kind of wish, okay?”

“G-guheo buta a haheoeun?”

(I-I don’t make such requests?)

“Make the request.”

“Eoheu hoi geohae?”

(Which one is it?)

I applied more pressure to my fingers pinching Hamin’s cheek at his impertinent answer. If he says he won’t do it here, it sounds like he doesn’t like Miss Ban Doyoung’s swimsuit that I chose.

It was already bad enough that all the swimsuits Miss Ban Doyoung originally owned had to be thrown out because they no longer fit her chest size.

“Ah, it slipped.”

The flesh of his cheek slipped from between my thumb and index finger with a ‘pop’ sound. Indeed, it doesn’t have the elasticity it used to have.

Instinctively, as if longing for the elasticity that would never return, my two fingers that had been pinching Hamin’s cheek rubbed against each other’s fingerprints.

“Well… I’d prefer to go beyond just the knee chair if possible, but it’s not bad that this guy is taking the initiative like this.”

The body that had been frozen with fear in the water gradually relaxed as it touched Hamin’s knees. It’s not a great comparison for this hot summer day, but it felt like sitting on a warm floor heated by a grandmother in a countryside home.

The warmth transmitted from Hamin’s legs to Miss Ban Doyoung’s buttocks and thighs warmed her wet body comfortably, loosening the muscles that had been tensed up. As if this moment of skin contact was what they had been waiting for.

“You want to… go further, right?”

“…Huh?”

Hamin touched my stiff shoulder and, confirming that the tension had eased and it had become soft again, tilted his head toward me and said:

“I’m glad. It’s not just me who thinks that way.”

“…Hamin.”

“I also… want to go further. I haven’t… done everything I want to do yet.”

Hamin’s hand came up onto Miss Ban Doyoung’s thigh. My body reflexively reacted to the unexpectedly bold choice of area from the start, but I forcibly relaxed my stiffened body, not wanting to reveal my surprise.

“J-just so you know… if you do something like last time, acting like you’re going to do something amazing but then just giving me a massage, I’ll really kill you, got it?”

“I won’t. It would be terrible if you fell asleep again. I won’t give you a massage. I just noticed there are still places that are trembling with fear of the water.”

“Then… I don’t mind if you touch a little.”

Miss Ban Doyoung’s body was yearning for Hamin. If this body, which is truly a part of me, wants it, then perhaps I can set aside my stubbornness and embarrassment for a moment.

It didn’t feel bad at all to have my tense body relax under Hamin’s touch. Right now, I felt like I could forgive his hands no matter where they went.

“Just stay like that, Doyoung. Relaxed. As if nothing is happening.”

“Y-yeah. I know that without you telling me.”

I closed my eyes gently. In case Hamin, who was trying to progress things, suddenly leaned in for a kiss, it would be awkward if our eyes met.

As if determined not to be disturbed no matter where the contact came from, I relaxed my body comfortably, focusing only on his body heat.

…

…

…

And a moment later, when I opened my eyes.

“Hey, Doyoung! Success! That posture and relaxed state! You’re perfectly floating on the water right now!”

“…”

I was floating alone in the sea without a tube.

“That’s exactly the feeling. If you just remember that pleasant sensation of your body relaxing, you’ll definitely be able to swim successfully! With this, we can move on to the next level!”

“…You sneaky bastard.”

“Why, why…?”

I felt pathetic for unconsciously puckering my lips forward.