[Warning 15+]
Part Three"―Seriously, Your Vibe Hasn't Changed a Bit Since the Old Days!"Chapter 118The Heck Are You Two Even Doin'?
Once lunch was done, they decided to hit up the lazy river this time.
By the way, Himeko almost charged straight for the water sliders again, but she flipped her mind real quick when Kazuki was like, "Since we're already at the pool, wouldn't it be a waste if we didn't conquer all the other types of rides too?". As usual, Himeko is a total pushover when it comes to stuff like that.
Plus, Kazuki, Haruki, Iori, and Ema just muttered stuff like, "Yup, they're definitely siblings..." like it made total sense, while Hayato just stood there lookin' all grumpy with nothin' to say.
The lazy river at Kōjien is definitely one of the star attractions, right up there with the water sliders.
It circles around the outer edge like a moat and has a ton of variety—fast and slow currents like a real river, twisty-turny sections, sharp curves, and depths that keep changin'. It’s a blast even if you're just driftin' along.
It’s wide too, and you could see plenty of people havin' a good-*ss time in the water.
"H-Hayato! I'm still sinkin'! It's not workin'! What am I supposed to do!?"
"Chill, chill. You're way too tense, Haruki. Besides, you don't even have to kick here—the current's gonna carry you, though. Just focus on floatin' for now."
"Ugugu... ...easy for you to say...!"
While everyone else was havin' a blast in the river, Hayato was stuck helpin' Haruki with her swimmin' practice.
Just like she herself admitted before, Haruki is basically a "lead weight" in the water.
Haruki just sinks, no matter what. Even when she tries to kick at the surface, her legs somehow sink straight down and she looks like she's legit drownin' and flailin' around. In a way, that's almost a talent. No matter how many times she's tried since they started, she's still lookin' like a total mess.
"Alright, look, just grab my hand. You don't even have to put your face in the water. Just relax and let the water take you."
"D-Don't let go, okay!? Seriously, don't you dare let go of my hand!!"
"Got it! I won't let go, so just chill out."
"I'm countin' on you, okay!?"
"Y-Yeah."
Haruki was sayin' some pretty suggestive stuff, but she didn't even seem to realize it. Hayato, on the other hand, was just standin' there with a frown.
Then, Haruki tried floatin' one more time. She gripped Hayato's hand like her life depended on it, but her body was so stiff she didn't float at all, and her feet just ended up hittin' the bottom of the pool again.
"Haruki..."
"..."
A teen boy and a teen girl, just standin' there in the middle of the lazy river, holdin' hands and facin' each other.
Haruki's face was red as a beet from embarrassment as she looked away, while Hayato just stared at her with a look of total disappointment.
"Eh, one more time! Let's give it another shot, okay!?"
"This time, seriously, just relax. Don't squeeze my hand—just let it rest there. Think of it like when you're just veg-in' out in the bathtub."
"Veg-in' out in the tub... ...Hmm, like this?"
This time, Haruki actually nailed it. Well, technically her lower body was still totally submerged, so instead of callin' it floatin', "driftin'" was probably a better way to put it. Since she was just lettin' the current take her, that word definitely fit the vibe better.
But man, lookin' at how Haruki was doin' before, this was a massive step up.
"Yo, Haruki, you actually did it!"
"Zip it! I'm tryin' to concentrate here!"
"O-Oh, my bad."
Haruki had this dead-serious, intense-ass look on her face. Looks like she was puttin' everythin' she had into just tryin' to relax.
Hayato let out a little chuckle at how "classic Haruki" she was actin'―but that's when it happened.
"Oh, sorry about that!"
"Whoa... ...oof!"
"!? H-Hahyak!?"
Thump! A boat-shaped tube slammed straight into Hayato's back. Because of that, he ended up lettin' go of Haruki's hand.
The boys who looked like elementary schoolers apologized with awkward-*ss looks on their faces, but neither Hayato nor Haruki had the time to even care about that.
"Haruki! Chill out! Your feet can reach the bottom!"
"Mmpfh... ...glub...!"
"!?"
"Hah, hah, cough, cough..."
Haruki, who'd gone totally under, started panickin' 'cause it happened so fast, flailin' her arms and legs around like crazy.
Hayato reached out quick and, even though he caught a few stray hits, he managed to pull Haruki up. She just clung to him like her life depended on it.
"...Eh, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good. Man, that totally freaked me out."
"I get it. But, eh, we're kinda close, so if you could just... ...step back..."
"!? O-Oh, my bad!"
"N-No, it's fine..."
'Cause Hayato'd saved Haruki, they ended up pressed right against each other. You could legit say they were huggin'.
Realizin' what was goin' on, Haruki looked all apologetic and scrambled to get some space.
But they were at the pool today. In swimsuits.
Even though it caught him off guard, Hayato felt Haruki's body—way softer than he ever imagined—the clear bounce of her curves through that flimsy fabric, and the feel of her skin like it was stickin' to his. His brain was totally fried, his instincts as a boy red-linin' just 'cause of Haruki.
"Kya! Ahahahaha! This is awesome! If you can't swim, Haru-chan, you should just play with a tube... ...Oh, Kazuki-san, this time try goin' across the current!"
"Haha, as you wish, Princess!"
"Ugh! Hime-chan..."
"...Man, Kazuki too... ...what the heck is that boy even doin'?"
Right then, Himeko—who had her b*tt shoved perfectly into the hole of a tube—drifted past 'em with the current. Kazuki was right behind her, actin' like a chauffeur and pushin' the tube along.
Looks like they were havin' the time of their lives, goin' ham on the lazy river by paddlin' against the current, zig-zaggin' around, driftin', and just straight-up swimmin'.
Both Himeko and Kazuki had these big-ass, innocent grins on their faces like nothin' else mattered. Honestly, it was a pretty unexpected duo, if you ask me.
But seein' smiles like that made both Hayato and Haruki relax a bit and let out a "Good grief" kinda dry laugh.
Besides, it was a total godsend. They used it as an excuse to switch the subject and play it cool.
"Man, maybe tryin' to get the hang of floatin' with a tube first ain't a bad idea."
"True that. Hey, Hime-chan! Let me in on the fun too!"
"Oh? Haru-chan, you finally throwin' in the towel?"
"I-I-I-I ain't givin' up! This is just... ...part of my trainin'!"
Hayato watched Haruki's back as she waded through the water toward Himeko.
Unlike usual, Haruki's back—covered only by her swimsuit—and the way her hair was tied up in braids made it real obvious how dainty her shoulders were, how slim her waist was, and just how curvy her feminine silhouette really was.
Haruki had a k*ller body. Even Hayato couldn't deny that. And it looked like everyone else at the pool felt the same way, 'cause he noticed a bunch of boys startin' to eye her. A frown creased his brow.
Truth is, 'cause Hayato'd just felt Haruki's body directly a second ago, he couldn't stop thinkin' about how hot she was, and he felt the blood rushin' straight to his head.
Just then, passin' by Haruki, Kazuki came walkin' up with his hand raised.
Kazuki's face was glowin' with a grin even bigger than usual, and Hayato just gave a dry laugh and raised a hand back at Kazuki.
"Hayato-kun, maybe we should've grabbed another tube after all, huh?"
"Yeah, no kiddin'. I should've just prepped one from the jump."
"Haha, didn't Nikaidō-san say she didn't need one 'cause she'd definitely learn how to swim today?"
"Man, talkin' like havin' an extra one would hurt or somethin'."
"Haha, but man, this is a blast. It's been a long-*ss time since I've had this much fun."
"...Kazuki?"
While sayin' that, Kazuki had this big, carefree grin like he was legit lovin' every second of it.
But Hayato noticed a tiny shadow of gloom behind that smile.
Kazuki's ex, and those middle school classmates they ran into when they went to the movies the other day. All that stuff flashed through Hayato's mind.
Hayato didn't know the full story. But that was all in the past now.
As much as it sucked to admit it, Hayato had come to accept that the Kazuki standin' here right now was someone he could actually trust.
Frownin' even harder, Hayato let out a long-*ss sigh, scooped up some water with both hands, and splashed it straight into Kazuki's face.
"You better thank Iori for invitin' us... ...take that!"
"Wha—!? Wh-What the heck was that for, Hayato-kun!?"
"Haha, look at you, lookin' like a real 'drowned rat' hottie! Get some more!"
"...Oh, it's on now! Take this!"
"Pffft, not bad! Here's some payback!"
"Bring it!"
"Wahahahahahahaha!"
"Ahahahahahahaha!"
Both Hayato and Kazuki kept splashin' each other while driftin' down the lazy river. Who even knows what was so funny, but they just kept at it like a couple of idiots, actin' like total kids. But man, they were havin' the time of their lives.
"......The heck are you two boys even doin', Hayato?"
"...Guess Kazuki-san has a childish side just like Big Bro, huh?"
""!?""
Right then, both Haruki—chillin' on a tube—and Himeko—who was haulin' Haruki along—showed up with "Are you serious?" looks on their faces.
They both froze up instantly. Hayato looked awkward as heck and started blurtin' out excuses at a mile a minute.
"Eh, look, we were just havin' a match to see who'd go grab the other tube. And, well, I figured if I let Kazuki go by himself, he'd probably get hit on by a bunch of random girls, so I'll just go. Anyway, I'm leavin' both Haruki and Himeko in your hands, alright!?"
"Hayato-kun!"
"Oh, Big Bro's bailin'."
"Yup, Hayato totally bailed."
And just like that, Hayato beat a hasty retreat.
From behind Hayato, Himeko's voice trailed after him, soundin' both fed up and like she was totally messin' with him.
Truth was, Hayato really did need a sec to clear his head.
"Big Bro! We'll be waitin' for you at the wave pool!"
Hayato raised his hand to acknowledge 'em, then took a quick look back.
There, Hayato saw both Iori and Isami Ema driftin' along with the current on their backs, lookin' all lovey-dovey while holdin' hands.
After checkin' on Haruki, Himeko, and Kazuki—who all looked totally stumped on how to even talk to those two—Hayato turned around and headed for the lockers in the changin' room.
Author's Notes:
Meow.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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Once lunch was done, they decided to hit up the lazy river this time.
By the way, Himeko almost charged straight for the water sliders again, but she flipped her mind real quick when Kazuki was like, "Since we're already at the pool, wouldn't it be a waste if we didn't conquer all the other types of rides too?". As usual, Himeko is a total pushover when it comes to stuff like that.
Plus, Kazuki, Haruki, Iori, and Ema just muttered stuff like, "Yup, they're definitely siblings..." like it made total sense, while Hayato just stood there lookin' all grumpy with nothin' to say.
The lazy river at Kōjien is definitely one of the star attractions, right up there with the water sliders.
It circles around the outer edge like a moat and has a ton of variety—fast and slow currents like a real river, twisty-turny sections, sharp curves, and depths that keep changin'. It’s a blast even if you're just driftin' along.
It’s wide too, and you could see plenty of people havin' a good-*ss time in the water.
"H-Hayato! I'm still sinkin'! It's not workin'! What am I supposed to do!?"
"Chill, chill. You're way too tense, Haruki. Besides, you don't even have to kick here—the current's gonna carry you, though. Just focus on floatin' for now."
"Ugugu... ...easy for you to say...!"
While everyone else was havin' a blast in the river, Hayato was stuck helpin' Haruki with her swimmin' practice.
Just like she herself admitted before, Haruki is basically a "lead weight" in the water.
Haruki just sinks, no matter what. Even when she tries to kick at the surface, her legs somehow sink straight down and she looks like she's legit drownin' and flailin' around. In a way, that's almost a talent. No matter how many times she's tried since they started, she's still lookin' like a total mess.
"Alright, look, just grab my hand. You don't even have to put your face in the water. Just relax and let the water take you."
"D-Don't let go, okay!? Seriously, don't you dare let go of my hand!!"
"Got it! I won't let go, so just chill out."
"I'm countin' on you, okay!?"
"Y-Yeah."
Haruki was sayin' some pretty suggestive stuff, but she didn't even seem to realize it. Hayato, on the other hand, was just standin' there with a frown.
Then, Haruki tried floatin' one more time. She gripped Hayato's hand like her life depended on it, but her body was so stiff she didn't float at all, and her feet just ended up hittin' the bottom of the pool again.
"Haruki..."
"..."
A teen boy and a teen girl, just standin' there in the middle of the lazy river, holdin' hands and facin' each other.
Haruki's face was red as a beet from embarrassment as she looked away, while Hayato just stared at her with a look of total disappointment.
"Eh, one more time! Let's give it another shot, okay!?"
"This time, seriously, just relax. Don't squeeze my hand—just let it rest there. Think of it like when you're just veg-in' out in the bathtub."
"Veg-in' out in the tub... ...Hmm, like this?"
This time, Haruki actually nailed it. Well, technically her lower body was still totally submerged, so instead of callin' it floatin', "driftin'" was probably a better way to put it. Since she was just lettin' the current take her, that word definitely fit the vibe better.
But man, lookin' at how Haruki was doin' before, this was a massive step up.
"Yo, Haruki, you actually did it!"
"Zip it! I'm tryin' to concentrate here!"
"O-Oh, my bad."
Haruki had this dead-serious, intense-ass look on her face. Looks like she was puttin' everythin' she had into just tryin' to relax.
Hayato let out a little chuckle at how "classic Haruki" she was actin'―but that's when it happened.
"Oh, sorry about that!"
"Whoa... ...oof!"
"!? H-Hahyak!?"
Thump! A boat-shaped tube slammed straight into Hayato's back. Because of that, he ended up lettin' go of Haruki's hand.
The boys who looked like elementary schoolers apologized with awkward-*ss looks on their faces, but neither Hayato nor Haruki had the time to even care about that.
"Haruki! Chill out! Your feet can reach the bottom!"
"Mmpfh... ...glub...!"
"!?"
"Hah, hah, cough, cough..."
Haruki, who'd gone totally under, started panickin' 'cause it happened so fast, flailin' her arms and legs around like crazy.
Hayato reached out quick and, even though he caught a few stray hits, he managed to pull Haruki up. She just clung to him like her life depended on it.
"...Eh, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good. Man, that totally freaked me out."
"I get it. But, eh, we're kinda close, so if you could just... ...step back..."
"!? O-Oh, my bad!"
"N-No, it's fine..."
'Cause Hayato'd saved Haruki, they ended up pressed right against each other. You could legit say they were huggin'.
Realizin' what was goin' on, Haruki looked all apologetic and scrambled to get some space.
But they were at the pool today. In swimsuits.
Even though it caught him off guard, Hayato felt Haruki's body—way softer than he ever imagined—the clear bounce of her curves through that flimsy fabric, and the feel of her skin like it was stickin' to his. His brain was totally fried, his instincts as a boy red-linin' just 'cause of Haruki.
"Kya! Ahahahaha! This is awesome! If you can't swim, Haru-chan, you should just play with a tube... ...Oh, Kazuki-san, this time try goin' across the current!"
"Haha, as you wish, Princess!"
"Ugh! Hime-chan..."
"...Man, Kazuki too... ...what the heck is that boy even doin'?"
Right then, Himeko—who had her b*tt shoved perfectly into the hole of a tube—drifted past 'em with the current. Kazuki was right behind her, actin' like a chauffeur and pushin' the tube along.
Looks like they were havin' the time of their lives, goin' ham on the lazy river by paddlin' against the current, zig-zaggin' around, driftin', and just straight-up swimmin'.
Both Himeko and Kazuki had these big-ass, innocent grins on their faces like nothin' else mattered. Honestly, it was a pretty unexpected duo, if you ask me.
But seein' smiles like that made both Hayato and Haruki relax a bit and let out a "Good grief" kinda dry laugh.
Besides, it was a total godsend. They used it as an excuse to switch the subject and play it cool.
"Man, maybe tryin' to get the hang of floatin' with a tube first ain't a bad idea."
"True that. Hey, Hime-chan! Let me in on the fun too!"
"Oh? Haru-chan, you finally throwin' in the towel?"
"I-I-I-I ain't givin' up! This is just... ...part of my trainin'!"
Hayato watched Haruki's back as she waded through the water toward Himeko.
Unlike usual, Haruki's back—covered only by her swimsuit—and the way her hair was tied up in braids made it real obvious how dainty her shoulders were, how slim her waist was, and just how curvy her feminine silhouette really was.
Haruki had a k*ller body. Even Hayato couldn't deny that. And it looked like everyone else at the pool felt the same way, 'cause he noticed a bunch of boys startin' to eye her. A frown creased his brow.
Truth is, 'cause Hayato'd just felt Haruki's body directly a second ago, he couldn't stop thinkin' about how hot she was, and he felt the blood rushin' straight to his head.
Just then, passin' by Haruki, Kazuki came walkin' up with his hand raised.
Kazuki's face was glowin' with a grin even bigger than usual, and Hayato just gave a dry laugh and raised a hand back at Kazuki.
"Hayato-kun, maybe we should've grabbed another tube after all, huh?"
"Yeah, no kiddin'. I should've just prepped one from the jump."
"Haha, didn't Nikaidō-san say she didn't need one 'cause she'd definitely learn how to swim today?"
"Man, talkin' like havin' an extra one would hurt or somethin'."
"Haha, but man, this is a blast. It's been a long-*ss time since I've had this much fun."
"...Kazuki?"
While sayin' that, Kazuki had this big, carefree grin like he was legit lovin' every second of it.
But Hayato noticed a tiny shadow of gloom behind that smile.
Kazuki's ex, and those middle school classmates they ran into when they went to the movies the other day. All that stuff flashed through Hayato's mind.
Hayato didn't know the full story. But that was all in the past now.
As much as it sucked to admit it, Hayato had come to accept that the Kazuki standin' here right now was someone he could actually trust.
Frownin' even harder, Hayato let out a long-*ss sigh, scooped up some water with both hands, and splashed it straight into Kazuki's face.
"You better thank Iori for invitin' us... ...take that!"
"Wha—!? Wh-What the heck was that for, Hayato-kun!?"
"Haha, look at you, lookin' like a real 'drowned rat' hottie! Get some more!"
"...Oh, it's on now! Take this!"
"Pffft, not bad! Here's some payback!"
"Bring it!"
"Wahahahahahahaha!"
"Ahahahahahahaha!"
Both Hayato and Kazuki kept splashin' each other while driftin' down the lazy river. Who even knows what was so funny, but they just kept at it like a couple of idiots, actin' like total kids. But man, they were havin' the time of their lives.
"......The heck are you two boys even doin', Hayato?"
"...Guess Kazuki-san has a childish side just like Big Bro, huh?"
""!?""
Right then, both Haruki—chillin' on a tube—and Himeko—who was haulin' Haruki along—showed up with "Are you serious?" looks on their faces.
They both froze up instantly. Hayato looked awkward as heck and started blurtin' out excuses at a mile a minute.
"Eh, look, we were just havin' a match to see who'd go grab the other tube. And, well, I figured if I let Kazuki go by himself, he'd probably get hit on by a bunch of random girls, so I'll just go. Anyway, I'm leavin' both Haruki and Himeko in your hands, alright!?"
"Hayato-kun!"
"Oh, Big Bro's bailin'."
"Yup, Hayato totally bailed."
And just like that, Hayato beat a hasty retreat.
From behind Hayato, Himeko's voice trailed after him, soundin' both fed up and like she was totally messin' with him.
Truth was, Hayato really did need a sec to clear his head.
"Big Bro! We'll be waitin' for you at the wave pool!"
Hayato raised his hand to acknowledge 'em, then took a quick look back.
There, Hayato saw both Iori and Isami Ema driftin' along with the current on their backs, lookin' all lovey-dovey while holdin' hands.
After checkin' on Haruki, Himeko, and Kazuki—who all looked totally stumped on how to even talk to those two—Hayato turned around and headed for the lockers in the changin' room.
Author's Notes:
Meow.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
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