Episode 131: It’s Summer! (1)

University summer break is surprisingly long.

The heat had been relentless through the middle of August, and while I had no desire to wear a swimsuit, today was perfect beach weather.

Endo-san beside me was happier than I’d ever seen her.

We’d agreed to meet Mai and Endo-san’s friend Miura Saaya at the destination. Endo-san and I were on a bus, swaying along.

“The beach is going to be so fun. I’m glad it’s sunny!”

Endo-san was delighted, but I was not delighted at all.

This trip wasn’t just a beach outing — apparently we’d rented a cottage nearby, and on the second day there were plans for a barbecue and the like. I was essentially a pet being dragged along.

I wasn’t worried about Mai or Endo-san, but I was genuinely anxious about Miura Saaya. I’m not good with people. It’s Mai and Endo-san who are abnormally good at getting close to others.

With those two, their pushy way of closing the distance is what led to me becoming friends with them. They’re people I never would have crossed paths with under normal circumstances — it just so happened there were opportunities at school, and we happened to get along. Without those chances we’d probably have gone our whole lives without meeting.

“Takizawa, do you really not want to come after all?”
“I’m fine.”

Endo-san peered at me with concern. This whole thing was her dragging me along forcefully — but in the end, I’m the one who decided to go. What finally pushed me to agree was finding out that Endo-san would be staying at the cottage.

Simply not wanting to be left alone at home was part of it — but knowing Endo-san was off somewhere without me, doing things I had no part in, made me feel as though something sharp had caught in my chest. I couldn’t stay behind.

I hadn’t wanted to come because of the swimsuit situation, but having said I’d come, I chided myself for being so distracted and made an effort to act normally around Endo-san.

When we arrived at the cottage we’d rented, Mai and Saaya were already there.

“Hi, nice to meet you! I’m Miura Saaya — call me Saaya! Nice to meet you!”

She took my hand as she said it. While I stood there mildly uncomfortable as she pumped my hand up and down, Endo-san swiftly freed me from her grasp, and I introduced myself.

“I’m Takizawa Hoshizora. Nice to meet you.”
“I’ve heard all about you from Mai and Hina! I’m so happy to finally meet you! Looking forward to it!”

A very smiley, very cute girl.

She looked young for her age — almost impossibly so — and seemed like someone with a genuinely good nature. That was my first impression.

“Sora~! It’s been so long!”

Mai launched herself at me and I nearly stumbled. This very Mai energy — it had been a long time.

“It really has. How have you been?”
“Oh, couldn’t be better!”

Mai squeezed me in a big hug. Endo-san, looking displeased again, forcibly peeled her off. This exchange too felt nostalgic — straight out of high school.

After putting our things away we all headed down to the beach together. Without my noticing, Saaya had closed the distance and was looking over at me with a beaming smile.

“Hoshizora-chan, can you swim?”
“About average? What about you, Saaya-san?”
“Just Saaya’s fine. I’m pretty good! “
“Saaya-chan then. That’s impressive.”
“Not really! Mai’s good too. Apparently Hina’s not a strong swimmer.”

Saaya laughed brightly.

Endo-san can’t swim well…

My heart lurched and a breath slipped out through my nose.

I didn’t know that.

Do friends talk about things like that — all that trivial stuff?

I actually don’t know much about Endo-san at all…

What she likes, what she doesn’t like. What she can do, what she can’t. What she struggles with, what she’s good at.

Of course there are things I could answer — but not as many as I’d thought.

This is my fault. I’d assumed Endo-san could do anything and never thought to ask.

“Saaya, stop. That’s embarrassing.”
“Sorry, sorry.”

Saaya said that and immediately clung to Endo-san’s arm.

My heart sped up at the sight.

Does Endo-san go around clinging to people and being all friendly like that at university?

What bothered me most was that Endo-san wasn’t holding back with Saaya at all. She was speaking more directly than she does with me.

I don’t like this…

Endo-san can smile and be charming with everyone else. But being angry, being in pain, being happy, being joyful — those should only come out in front of me.

I don’t want anyone getting close to her.

“Saaya-chan, I want to talk to you about something.”

I had no particular business with Saaya — but I couldn’t keep watching Endo-san and Saaya together, so I pulled her arm without ceremony. Leaving Endo-san and Mai behind, the two of us were alone.

“Perfect timing. I wanted to talk to you alone too, Hoshizora-chan~”

Saaya was smiling, but the gentle atmosphere from before was gone, replaced by something slightly unsettling.

Seeing that expression, a chill ran down my back.

“Does Hoshizora-chan like Hina?”

My body went rigid at the sudden question. Saaya’s unnerving smile didn’t waver. I was a little frightened and my voice came out unsteady.

“I…”

I’m going out with Endo-san. That’s what I wanted to say. But if Saaya didn’t know, maybe Endo-san had some reason for keeping it secret — the thought crossed my mind.

As I stayed silent, Saaya’s expression shifted into something cold, and she continued in a flat, hard voice.

“If Hoshizora-chan isn’t anything to Hina, I’d like you to stop being so close to her.”

Those words squeezed at my heart.

The playful warmth from earlier was completely gone — this was entirely serious.

But I had no idea why she should be saying any of this to me. I couldn’t say anything, and before I knew it Saaya was gone — leaving me behind with my heart hammering at me.

“Takizawa~? Are you okay?”

Endo-san suddenly peered at my face and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

“You were completely spacing out — are you okay? Aren’t you going in the water?”

Mai and Saaya were splashing around in the distance.

Stop thinking about it for now. I’m worrying Endo-san.

“Aren’t you going in, Endo-san?”
“Hmm, I think I’ll just wade for now.”

“You can’t swim, can you.”
“I can swim. I’m just not great at it.”
“Should wear a float then.”
“I’m not wearing something that childish. Can you swim, Takizawa?”
“About average.”
“Then teach me?”
“Sure.”

All that strange thinking had left me unable to look Endo-san in the eye. Endo-san took off the top she’d been wearing over her swimsuit, revealing a yellow floral frill bikini. Her figure was something to envy, and I found myself staring.

“Takizawa, you perv.”
“I-I didn’t do anything!”

I fumbled, my speech going strange, and then the smiling Endo-san was pulling off the top I’d been wearing over my swimsuit. The blue frill bikini-clad me was exposed to the world. I was so embarrassed I wanted to disappear on the spot. If I had a figure like Endo-san’s it would be one thing — but compared to her I thought I looked considerably less impressive.

Completely ignoring how I felt about any of this, Endo-san pulled my arm and led me into the water. When we reached a point where we could just barely touch the bottom, the grip on my arm tightened considerably.

“Endo-san, I won’t let go — try kicking your legs.”
“Like this, Takizawa-sensei?”

Some time passed with the swimming practice — rather more kicking practice than was strictly necessary, I think.

After a while, once we’d settled in a bit, a large wave came and soaked us both from head to toe.

The force of it tore my hand from Endo-san’s. When I surfaced, Endo-san suddenly clung to me.

“I’m still scared on my own.”

Unusually, I could tell Endo-san was genuinely frightened. She was trembling the same way she had during the thunderstorm that time.

But this situation was not good. With so little covered by the swimsuits, her skin and mine were in direct contact.

Endo-san’s body is soft.

Something I’d been keeping shut away in the back of my mind began to surface. Thinking this at a time like this — I’m the worst.

“Endo-san, it’s fine — let go.”

I pulled her away with a rather firm tone. But she was too scared and kept trying to cling even as I pushed her back.

As we grappled, our eyes met.

The wet hair against her made her look somehow more… and it was doing something to my heart that it shouldn’t.

“Takizawa? Your face is red — do you have a fever?”
“I don’t.”

Any closer and I’d start thinking things I shouldn’t. I hurried to bring Endo-san over to where Mai was and handed her off.

“Has Hina-kun learned to swim?”
“I’m not going to learn that quickly.”

The three of them — Saaya included — started splashing around noisily together. With that taken care of, I retreated to the tent on the sand to rest.

The skin that had been touching Endo-san’s was still warm.

Make it go away.

Otherwise I’ll keep thinking things I shouldn’t.

In the end, despite coming all the way to the beach, I was completely unable to enjoy swimming at all.