Ch.412IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (109)

Middle school student.

Right at the mid-teens age.

In my previous life, when I was very young, around ten years old, I thought I was quite grown up. After all, my age had gone from a single digit to double digits.

Wearing the same uniform as everyone else for the first time, feeling like I should use formal speech when meeting strangers, thinking books shouldn’t have too many pictures. That was also when I started reading novels in earnest.

You try to act mature and grown-up, but in reality, to others, you don’t look much different from an elementary school student. Still, you’re treated somewhat like a teenager.

It was also a time of boundless energy.

I had changed into my swimsuit, but I didn’t actually plan to go into the sea right away. I wanted to enjoy the leisure a bit more. That’s what I used to do when I went to Odaiba Beach with Souta and Shii before.

But—

“Kotone, what are you doing?”

Yuka, who was running toward the sea with the other kids, turned and asked me.

“Huh?”

“It’s the sea! You said you haven’t been to a place like this since becoming a middle schooler, right?”

It’s true I haven’t been to a proper beach since becoming a middle schooler. Odaiba is literally just the sea in front of the city.

“Then, since it’s been a while, we should play in the water.”

Yuka approached me as if she found me frustrating, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me toward the sea.

I didn’t resist.

Well, since I’m wearing a swimsuit, playing in the water is the natural thing to do.

“Kotone!”

Koko, who had already jumped into the sea with Shii, waved at me and called my name.

Koko’s hair was in a ponytail now. By adjusting the angle slightly upward when tying it, it barely avoided dragging on the ground, allowing her to run around energetically on the beach.

Still, the sand wasn’t completely flat, so the ends of her hair inevitably touched the sand.

Koko was already soaked from head to toe.

Maybe because it was her first time jumping into the sea. She looked good waving her arms enthusiastically with both hands raised high above her head.

The intense sunlight reflected off the sea and Koko’s wet body, making everything look hazy, just like a 90s Japanese film.

“Let’s go too.”

Yuka picked up her pace. I matched her steps and gradually sped up as well.

Yuka’s face was bright. She had seemed somewhat indifferent before coming here, but I guess that was all an act. Her tsundere-like behavior was already starting to show.

I glanced back slightly.

Kagami was sitting on a mat under a parasol, waving at us. Her face was bright. Dad was next to her, watching us with a smile.

Yes. Everything was fine.

Everything was fi—

“Blrgh!?”

While I was looking back, we must have already reached the sea. Suddenly my body tilted forward, and salty, bitter seawater rushed into my mouth.

Being midsummer, the seawater wasn’t very cold. Still, it was enough to instantly dispel the heat and clear my mind.

“Puha!”

As I emerged from the water, I flipped my hair back, and Yuka made an impressed sound, “Oh.”

“You looked like a model in a commercial. Though your body is a bit young.”

I splashed water at her in response.

“Ooh!”

Seeing me splash water at Yuka, Koko’s eyes sparkled and she immediately splashed water at Yuka too.

For some reason, Shii joined in, and then Souta and Nanami got involved as well.

In an instant, the area was filled with splashing sounds. For a brief moment, they almost drowned out the sound of the waves.

Other tourists playing nearby looked at us, but we didn’t really care.

Right. There was no need to care.

We’re here to have fun, aren’t we?

*

Playing in water is more tiring than you might think. Not only do you have to bear the weight of the water with your whole body, but the sea is constantly making waves, so just maintaining your balance consumes energy.

Splashing water with your hands is the same. Even though you scoop up only a small amount at a time, water is heavier than you’d expect. After splashing around repeatedly, you quickly use up your energy.

No matter how energetic children or puppies are, they quickly run out of energy when playing in water for this reason.

If it were my previous life, I would have lasted much longer.

Well, in my previous life, I wouldn’t have entered the water with these children in the first place. I would have been an adult.

Dripping with water, I went out to the parasol where Kagami was waiting. As if she had been waiting for me, Kagami handed me a pre-cut slice of watermelon.

Perhaps because I had just played in the water, the watermelon that entered my mouth tasted incredibly sweet and refreshing.

“Aren’t you going in, Mom?”

“Mom’s not going in.”

When I casually asked, Kagami answered with a smile.

Though she was smiling—I’ve lived with my mom my entire life in this lifetime. I’ve slept next to her more nights than not.

Of course I can read her expression immediately.

Kagami’s face turned a bit serious.

It’s not that I find it scary or unpleasant. Rather, it’s a rare expression for her.

Isn’t it a bit strange to buy and wear a swimsuit but not go in the water? Kagami is still in her late twenties. It’s not an unusual age to be married in the early 2000s, but if it were the 2020s, she’d still be at an age where people go out and have fun.

“Hmm.”

“Kotone?”

As I looked at Kagami while crunching on my watermelon, she watched me with slight tension.

Alright.

Let’s try this tactic.

The only way to get Kagami, who was showing off her married woman charm with a wide-brimmed straw hat, into the sea is to become her daughter and throw a tantrum.

“I wanted to play with Mom…”

When I mumbled dejectedly, Kagami immediately became flustered.

Kagami probably knows I’m acting. She’s lived watching my entire life too.

No, she might know me better than I know myself. She clearly remembers my early childhood that I can’t even recall. Kagami’s collection of my photos starts from when I was a baby.

Kagami is weak to all my actions and expressions. Maybe it’s because I rarely throw tantrums with her normally.

…

Thinking about it that way, I felt a bit guilty about what I said.

But I really do want to play with her.

I glanced up at Kagami. After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded.

“Then, I’ll go in with you after lunch.”

Kagami said.

“Yes!”

I hugged Kagami tightly. Despite the sand and water making me quite messy, Kagami hugged me back with a smile.

“…She completely turns into a little kid around her mom.”

“Kotone was always like that.”

I heard Nanami and Yuka talking, but I deliberately ignored them.

Before I knew it, Kagami was also hugging Koko. When I slightly raised my head to look up, I was glad to see she had the happiest expression in the world.

*

Kagami had better stamina than I expected.

Partly due to her blessed physique giving her good basic stamina, but separately from that, whether it was talent or regular effort, she played in the water longer than expected. Usually adults get drained after just an hour in water.

Hmm, or maybe it was because both Koko and I were in the water.

Kagami’s swimsuit was black.

She was wearing an outer garment that could be worn in water, but perhaps because it was summer clothing and therefore thin, the swimsuit underneath was clearly visible.

Souta’s face turned bright red. His gaze couldn’t settle in one place and wandered around Kagami. Kagami herself, seemingly unaware of how attractive she was, just mixed in with us and enjoyed playing.

If anyone was most shocked, it would be Nanami.

She seems to have initially thought of Kagami as just a friend’s mother, but upon facing the reality beneath the loose clothes she usually wears, Nanami had an expression like a sailor seeing Cthulhu for the first time.

Nanami’s figure isn’t bad either. In fact, it could be considered good. But considering she’s still in middle school, it’s hard to say how things will develop.

It must be shocking to have Kagami as a direct comparison. Especially since Souta, who had never blushed in front of his friends before, had such an expression. Shii was looking at Kagami and me alternately with a somewhat serious expression. I’m not sure why.

Yuka was looking at the three of us—me, Koko, and Kagami—with a somewhat complicated expression.

Somehow understanding the reason, I grabbed Yuka’s wrist and forced her to join us.

Just like how Yuka had pulled me into the sea earlier.

As if understanding my intention, Yuka laughed incredulously and splashed water on my face.

With that as the start, we once again had a round of water play, and ended up completely soaked from head to toe.