[Warning 15+]
Part Three"―Seriously, Your Vibe Hasn't Changed a Bit Since the Old Days!"Chapter 116That Thin' Is, Like, Seriously Somethin' Else
The massive water sliders at Kōjien with all their different courses are the total showstoppers of this pool.
They've got straight ones, curvy ones, and even ones that spin you 'round or coil up like a snake—all kinds of wild and crazy designs.
Crowds of people were lined up, and you could hear high-pitched squeals like "Kya!" and deep-*ss screams like "Uwo!" echoin' from the slides. Haruki and Himeko were right there with 'em, shoutin' their heads off and havin' a blast.
"Hime-chan, Hayato, that last one was fire! It went spin-spin-spin, then bam, and I was just like, whoa!"
"I wanna go again! And I wanna try a different one next! Next time, I'm hittin' that one with the tubes, the 'Kelpie Ride: Crossing the River of God'—I gotta do that one!"
"Haruki, Himeko... ...how many times are you girls plannin' on slidin', though..."
Once everyone hooked up, Hayato and the crew charged straight for the water sliders, with Himeko leadin' the charge. All six of 'em kept loopin' back and doin' it over and over. Since they went so many times, Hayato just gave up countin' after the fifth round.
All those different sliders, big and small, meant even a "lead weight" like Haruki who can't swim a lick could actually have a good time, and she was just as hyped as Himeko.
Cruisin' down a water slider with the rushin' water gets you some real speed and a solid thrill. That's the fun part, but it definitely drains your energy, too.
Lookin' at the sparklin' faces of the two girls who didn't look like they were stoppin' anytime soon, Hayato just let out a long-*ss sigh. Right then, Kazuki, lookin' weirdly stoked, came up to him with a big-*ss grin.
"But hey, Hayato-kun, we got the day passes, so it's a total waste if we don't slide until we get our money's worth, right?"
"Hmm, I guess you got a point there..."
Money's worth―those words totally flipped a switch in Hayato. Hayato looked like a samurai on a d*mn mission. Watchin' Hayato's back as he marched over to both Haruki and Himeko, Kazuki just stood there with a big-*ss grin.
"Himeko, Haruki, what are you girls plannin' to hit up next?"
"Oh, Big Bro. That Kelpie Ride―the one with the tube? Or is it a boat? I was thinkin' that’d be pretty sweet, but..."
"It's like the main event here. Since we're in swimsuits, I bet that flashy course where you get totally soaked and dive into the water would be a blast. But it's a two-person ride..."
"Yeah? Is that a problem or somethin'?"
Even though Hayato asked with all the hype in the world, the excitement they had a second ago was just gone, and their answers were lookin' pretty weak. When Hayato tilted his head, confused as heck, both Haruki and Himeko just gave a dry-*ss laugh and pointed toward a certain spot.
"...Check it out, over there."
"...Right. Gotcha."
At the end of their gaze were both Iori and Isami Ema, lookin' stiff as a board from nerves.
Both of 'em had faces red as a beet and were lookin' away from each other, but instead of holdin' hands, they were just hookin' their index fingers together. Even then, they looked like they were dyin' of embarrassment.
It was a total 180 from the slick, smooth-talkin' Iori or the bright and bubbly Isami Ema you'd see in class. They looked like the poster kids for a brand-new couple, actin' all innocent and shy.
By the way, they weren't even hookin' fingers at first.
It only got to this point after they took a total beatdown from Himeko's non-stop teasin', like, 'You guys are a couple, right? You're lovers, right? You're officially datin', so quit worryin' about us and just get all lovey-dovey already! C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!'
"..."
"..."
Both Iori and Isami Ema were clearly feelin' the vibe, but they were actin' awkward as heck.
Turns out, this was the whole reason they dragged Hayato and the crew to the pool today.
Even though they'd moved past just bein' childhood buddies, since they already knew pretty much everythin' about each other, they ended up gettin' all stiff and nervous whenever they were left alone.
Noticin' Hayato, Haruki, and the others starin', Iori frowned and asked all shy-like.
"Yo, so we hittin' that Kelpie Ride next? That thin' is, like..."
"It's a two-seater and you get real close and personal, y'know. Man, ain't that just perfect for a couple like you guys, Iori?"
"I-I mean, yeah, but... ...it's like, a bit too soon for both me and Ema, y'know?"
"Ahahaha, what are you even talkin' about? If anythin', ain't this the perfect chance to get even closer?"
"Wh-Why you little... ...Hayato...!"
Iori's face kept gettin' redder by the second, while Hayato's expression shifted more and more into someone watchin' somethin' totally wholesome.
Honestly, the other three were lookin' at this innocent-*ss couple with some real tender eyes too.
The Kelpie Ride is a hit attraction that uses special tubes.
You hop on 'em like you're straddlin' a horse, and since they're two-seaters, all you see are couples lookin' all lovey-dovey and pressed up against each other while they slide down.
"C'mon Big Bro, quit teasin'! We spent all that time brainstormin' how to get 'em to ride together, y'know! Look, Ema-san, don't be shy, alright?"
"Wait, hold up, Himeko-chan!?"
"My bad. Anyway, Iori, go have a blast with Isami-san, okay?"
"Yo, Hayato!?"
Himeko (the little sis), after scoldin' Hayato (the big bro), started pushin' Isami Ema toward the entrance with all she had. And Hayato followed Himeko's lead, pushin' Iori from behind.
The Kirishima siblings, meddlin' with the nervous-*ss couple, had these totally refreshed looks on their faces, like they'd just pulled off some big-time good deed.
Haruki just watched both Hayato and Himeko with a "Good grief" look on her face, while Kazuki was just grinnin' ear to ear.
"Yo, Hayato, can't we just go one by one?"
"Ahahaha, look at this line, man! You can't be doin' stuff like that, right?"
"D*mmit... ...You better ride with Nikaidō too, Hayato, and feel how awkward it is!"
"Wha-!?"
"Mya-!?"
Tryin' to get at least one good shot back, Iori threw those words right at 'em. Now it was both Hayato and Haruki's turn to go totally red as a beet.
When they looked at each other and then glanced over at the Kelpie Ride, they saw this boy huggin' his girl from behind, and it hit 'em like a ton of bricks.
Unlike back in the day, with the size difference they got now, Haruki would totally fit right inside Hayato's arms.
"..."
"..."
Both of 'em were in swimsuits. If they got that close, they'd basically be rubbin' skin against skin. Just thinkin' about it sent the blood rushin' straight to their heads.
Showin' some skin and actually touchin' are two totally different ballgames. This was way more serious than just holdin' hands.
Now they finally got why both Iori and Isami Ema were hesitating so d*mn much.
"That thin' is, like, seriously somethin' else..."
"Y-Yeah, for sure. It's definitely, like, y'know..."
Hayato looked at Haruki, who was fidgetin' and twiddlin' her fingers.
Haruki's skin was clear and white like porcelain, her body had that softness and smoothness you'd never find on a boy, and she had such a delicate, cute face.
Even if Hayato wasn't biased 'cause Haruki's his childhood buddy, her looks were legit on a whole other level compared to everyone else around 'em.
Hayato felt like he wanted to touch Haruki, even hold her close. But man, that was definitely not the kinda feelin' you're supposed to have for a friend. Hayato couldn't even fake his way out of those emotions, and he just ended up gulpin' hard.
"...-ki chan..."
"...Haruki?"
Suddenly, Haruki's face clouded over and she muttered somethin'. Hayato's own heart was drummin' so loud he couldn't even make out what she was sayin'.
"Hayato-kun, if you're feelin' a bit iffy about ridin' with Nikaidō-san, you wanna just ride with Himeko-chan instead?"
"Eh? With Big Bro~?"
""!?""
Kazuki's teasin' voice finally snapped Hayato back to reality. Meanwhile, Himeko was standin' there with a total sourpuss look on her face.
"I-It's not like I don't want to or anythin' like that, it's just, you know... ...it's a bit 'you-know-what'!"
"Y-Yeah, for real, it’s totally that! If both Hayato and I go together, then Hime-chan's gonna end up havin' to go with Kaidō, right!? Let's go, Hime-chan!"
"Oh yeah, good point. I guess it'd be pretty awkward for me to ride with one of Big Bro's friends, though."
"Man, looks like I just got shot down by Himeko-chan."
A panicked Haruki started tuggin' on Himeko's arm, while Kazuki, actin' like a total goof, just shrugged his shoulders lookin' all bummed out.
"..."
For a second—just a split second—Hayato imagined Haruki ridin' with Kazuki, and Hayato felt this dark, muddy-*ss feelin' stirrin' up in his chest.
Tryin' to play off that feelin', Hayato gave his head a rough-*ss scratch and barked out bluntly.
"Fine, so Kazuki and I are ridin' together."
"Shall we get started on our 'skinny friendship,' Hayato-kun?"
"We're still in clothes!"
"Haha!"
Since Hayato already told Iori they couldn't go solo 'cause of how packed the place was, it wouldn't make any sense for Hayato to ride alone now.
Lookin' totally drained, Hayato started followin' behind both Haruki and Himeko.
Right then, Kazuki just let some words slip like it was no big deal.
"Nikaidō-san is one thin', but Himeko-chan is legit just as pretty and cute, don'tcha think?"
"Himeko? I mean, sure, she puts a lot of effort into her look and all, but... ...really?"
"!? Eh, wait, I mean—Himeko-chan can totally hold her own next to Nikaidō-san. Himeko-chan's so bubbly and pure that it's almost scary to leave her alone, y'know...?"
"Huh? Ain't she just a countryside bumpkin you gotta keep an eye on...? ...Kazuki?"
When Hayato looked back, he caught Kazuki lookin' all shocked and scramblin' to play it cool.
"Ahem! Let's get a move on, or they're gonna leave us behind."
"Hey, quit pushin', Kazuki!"
Then Kazuki let out a little cough to clear his throat.
Switchin' back to his usual big-*ss grin, Kazuki gave Hayato's back a forceful shove.
Then, Kazuki muttered somethin' like he was just tryin' to convince himself.
"Himeko-chan is just like you, Hayato-kun. She's just a fun, good kid, that's all there is to it."
"Huh? What the heck does that even mean?"
"Haha, who knows, right?"
Author's Notes:
I haven't actually gotten the offer yet, but just in case, I'm lookin' for some SS (Short Story) ideas for Volume 2 (whispers).
I finally swung by the pet section at the home center after forever!
Man, there were a lot of new faces. Glad to see that Persian Chinchilla Golden found a new home, that’s awesome.
But then, I saw a newcomer that totally made my eyes pop.
An Exotic Shorthair. Over 500,000 Yen. ...Wait, what?
That's like double the price of the other kitties. I know they're rare, but for real...?
Once I knock out this deadline, the deadline for Volume 2 of Tsurekko no Imouto is probably gonna hit me, so the update schedule might get a bit messy... ...My bad...
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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The massive water sliders at Kōjien with all their different courses are the total showstoppers of this pool.
They've got straight ones, curvy ones, and even ones that spin you 'round or coil up like a snake—all kinds of wild and crazy designs.
Crowds of people were lined up, and you could hear high-pitched squeals like "Kya!" and deep-*ss screams like "Uwo!" echoin' from the slides. Haruki and Himeko were right there with 'em, shoutin' their heads off and havin' a blast.
"Hime-chan, Hayato, that last one was fire! It went spin-spin-spin, then bam, and I was just like, whoa!"
"I wanna go again! And I wanna try a different one next! Next time, I'm hittin' that one with the tubes, the 'Kelpie Ride: Crossing the River of God'—I gotta do that one!"
"Haruki, Himeko... ...how many times are you girls plannin' on slidin', though..."
Once everyone hooked up, Hayato and the crew charged straight for the water sliders, with Himeko leadin' the charge. All six of 'em kept loopin' back and doin' it over and over. Since they went so many times, Hayato just gave up countin' after the fifth round.
All those different sliders, big and small, meant even a "lead weight" like Haruki who can't swim a lick could actually have a good time, and she was just as hyped as Himeko.
Cruisin' down a water slider with the rushin' water gets you some real speed and a solid thrill. That's the fun part, but it definitely drains your energy, too.
Lookin' at the sparklin' faces of the two girls who didn't look like they were stoppin' anytime soon, Hayato just let out a long-*ss sigh. Right then, Kazuki, lookin' weirdly stoked, came up to him with a big-*ss grin.
"But hey, Hayato-kun, we got the day passes, so it's a total waste if we don't slide until we get our money's worth, right?"
"Hmm, I guess you got a point there..."
Money's worth―those words totally flipped a switch in Hayato. Hayato looked like a samurai on a d*mn mission. Watchin' Hayato's back as he marched over to both Haruki and Himeko, Kazuki just stood there with a big-*ss grin.
"Himeko, Haruki, what are you girls plannin' to hit up next?"
"Oh, Big Bro. That Kelpie Ride―the one with the tube? Or is it a boat? I was thinkin' that’d be pretty sweet, but..."
"It's like the main event here. Since we're in swimsuits, I bet that flashy course where you get totally soaked and dive into the water would be a blast. But it's a two-person ride..."
"Yeah? Is that a problem or somethin'?"
Even though Hayato asked with all the hype in the world, the excitement they had a second ago was just gone, and their answers were lookin' pretty weak. When Hayato tilted his head, confused as heck, both Haruki and Himeko just gave a dry-*ss laugh and pointed toward a certain spot.
"...Check it out, over there."
"...Right. Gotcha."
At the end of their gaze were both Iori and Isami Ema, lookin' stiff as a board from nerves.
Both of 'em had faces red as a beet and were lookin' away from each other, but instead of holdin' hands, they were just hookin' their index fingers together. Even then, they looked like they were dyin' of embarrassment.
It was a total 180 from the slick, smooth-talkin' Iori or the bright and bubbly Isami Ema you'd see in class. They looked like the poster kids for a brand-new couple, actin' all innocent and shy.
By the way, they weren't even hookin' fingers at first.
It only got to this point after they took a total beatdown from Himeko's non-stop teasin', like, 'You guys are a couple, right? You're lovers, right? You're officially datin', so quit worryin' about us and just get all lovey-dovey already! C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!'
"..."
"..."
Both Iori and Isami Ema were clearly feelin' the vibe, but they were actin' awkward as heck.
Turns out, this was the whole reason they dragged Hayato and the crew to the pool today.
Even though they'd moved past just bein' childhood buddies, since they already knew pretty much everythin' about each other, they ended up gettin' all stiff and nervous whenever they were left alone.
Noticin' Hayato, Haruki, and the others starin', Iori frowned and asked all shy-like.
"Yo, so we hittin' that Kelpie Ride next? That thin' is, like..."
"It's a two-seater and you get real close and personal, y'know. Man, ain't that just perfect for a couple like you guys, Iori?"
"I-I mean, yeah, but... ...it's like, a bit too soon for both me and Ema, y'know?"
"Ahahaha, what are you even talkin' about? If anythin', ain't this the perfect chance to get even closer?"
"Wh-Why you little... ...Hayato...!"
Iori's face kept gettin' redder by the second, while Hayato's expression shifted more and more into someone watchin' somethin' totally wholesome.
Honestly, the other three were lookin' at this innocent-*ss couple with some real tender eyes too.
The Kelpie Ride is a hit attraction that uses special tubes.
You hop on 'em like you're straddlin' a horse, and since they're two-seaters, all you see are couples lookin' all lovey-dovey and pressed up against each other while they slide down.
"C'mon Big Bro, quit teasin'! We spent all that time brainstormin' how to get 'em to ride together, y'know! Look, Ema-san, don't be shy, alright?"
"Wait, hold up, Himeko-chan!?"
"My bad. Anyway, Iori, go have a blast with Isami-san, okay?"
"Yo, Hayato!?"
Himeko (the little sis), after scoldin' Hayato (the big bro), started pushin' Isami Ema toward the entrance with all she had. And Hayato followed Himeko's lead, pushin' Iori from behind.
The Kirishima siblings, meddlin' with the nervous-*ss couple, had these totally refreshed looks on their faces, like they'd just pulled off some big-time good deed.
Haruki just watched both Hayato and Himeko with a "Good grief" look on her face, while Kazuki was just grinnin' ear to ear.
"Yo, Hayato, can't we just go one by one?"
"Ahahaha, look at this line, man! You can't be doin' stuff like that, right?"
"D*mmit... ...You better ride with Nikaidō too, Hayato, and feel how awkward it is!"
"Wha-!?"
"Mya-!?"
Tryin' to get at least one good shot back, Iori threw those words right at 'em. Now it was both Hayato and Haruki's turn to go totally red as a beet.
When they looked at each other and then glanced over at the Kelpie Ride, they saw this boy huggin' his girl from behind, and it hit 'em like a ton of bricks.
Unlike back in the day, with the size difference they got now, Haruki would totally fit right inside Hayato's arms.
"..."
"..."
Both of 'em were in swimsuits. If they got that close, they'd basically be rubbin' skin against skin. Just thinkin' about it sent the blood rushin' straight to their heads.
Showin' some skin and actually touchin' are two totally different ballgames. This was way more serious than just holdin' hands.
Now they finally got why both Iori and Isami Ema were hesitating so d*mn much.
"That thin' is, like, seriously somethin' else..."
"Y-Yeah, for sure. It's definitely, like, y'know..."
Hayato looked at Haruki, who was fidgetin' and twiddlin' her fingers.
Haruki's skin was clear and white like porcelain, her body had that softness and smoothness you'd never find on a boy, and she had such a delicate, cute face.
Even if Hayato wasn't biased 'cause Haruki's his childhood buddy, her looks were legit on a whole other level compared to everyone else around 'em.
Hayato felt like he wanted to touch Haruki, even hold her close. But man, that was definitely not the kinda feelin' you're supposed to have for a friend. Hayato couldn't even fake his way out of those emotions, and he just ended up gulpin' hard.
"...-ki chan..."
"...Haruki?"
Suddenly, Haruki's face clouded over and she muttered somethin'. Hayato's own heart was drummin' so loud he couldn't even make out what she was sayin'.
"Hayato-kun, if you're feelin' a bit iffy about ridin' with Nikaidō-san, you wanna just ride with Himeko-chan instead?"
"Eh? With Big Bro~?"
""!?""
Kazuki's teasin' voice finally snapped Hayato back to reality. Meanwhile, Himeko was standin' there with a total sourpuss look on her face.
"I-It's not like I don't want to or anythin' like that, it's just, you know... ...it's a bit 'you-know-what'!"
"Y-Yeah, for real, it’s totally that! If both Hayato and I go together, then Hime-chan's gonna end up havin' to go with Kaidō, right!? Let's go, Hime-chan!"
"Oh yeah, good point. I guess it'd be pretty awkward for me to ride with one of Big Bro's friends, though."
"Man, looks like I just got shot down by Himeko-chan."
A panicked Haruki started tuggin' on Himeko's arm, while Kazuki, actin' like a total goof, just shrugged his shoulders lookin' all bummed out.
"..."
For a second—just a split second—Hayato imagined Haruki ridin' with Kazuki, and Hayato felt this dark, muddy-*ss feelin' stirrin' up in his chest.
Tryin' to play off that feelin', Hayato gave his head a rough-*ss scratch and barked out bluntly.
"Fine, so Kazuki and I are ridin' together."
"Shall we get started on our 'skinny friendship,' Hayato-kun?"
"We're still in clothes!"
"Haha!"
Since Hayato already told Iori they couldn't go solo 'cause of how packed the place was, it wouldn't make any sense for Hayato to ride alone now.
Lookin' totally drained, Hayato started followin' behind both Haruki and Himeko.
Right then, Kazuki just let some words slip like it was no big deal.
"Nikaidō-san is one thin', but Himeko-chan is legit just as pretty and cute, don'tcha think?"
"Himeko? I mean, sure, she puts a lot of effort into her look and all, but... ...really?"
"!? Eh, wait, I mean—Himeko-chan can totally hold her own next to Nikaidō-san. Himeko-chan's so bubbly and pure that it's almost scary to leave her alone, y'know...?"
"Huh? Ain't she just a countryside bumpkin you gotta keep an eye on...? ...Kazuki?"
When Hayato looked back, he caught Kazuki lookin' all shocked and scramblin' to play it cool.
"Ahem! Let's get a move on, or they're gonna leave us behind."
"Hey, quit pushin', Kazuki!"
Then Kazuki let out a little cough to clear his throat.
Switchin' back to his usual big-*ss grin, Kazuki gave Hayato's back a forceful shove.
Then, Kazuki muttered somethin' like he was just tryin' to convince himself.
"Himeko-chan is just like you, Hayato-kun. She's just a fun, good kid, that's all there is to it."
"Huh? What the heck does that even mean?"
"Haha, who knows, right?"
Author's Notes:
I haven't actually gotten the offer yet, but just in case, I'm lookin' for some SS (Short Story) ideas for Volume 2 (whispers).
I finally swung by the pet section at the home center after forever!
Man, there were a lot of new faces. Glad to see that Persian Chinchilla Golden found a new home, that’s awesome.
But then, I saw a newcomer that totally made my eyes pop.
An Exotic Shorthair. Over 500,000 Yen. ...Wait, what?
That's like double the price of the other kitties. I know they're rare, but for real...?
Once I knock out this deadline, the deadline for Volume 2 of Tsurekko no Imouto is probably gonna hit me, so the update schedule might get a bit messy... ...My bad...
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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Read in other languages: