Volume 5 - CH 3

[Hikaru V5] Chapter 3

The meeting place was near the pool entrance

Shioriko latched her milky white arm around Koremitsu’s, probably due to the excitement at the prospect of going to the pool.

This aspect however clearly highlighted her innocence and cuteness as a child.

“Listen up, don’t sit on my lap in the middle of the public.”

“Got it.”

She answered obediently.

Honoka was the first to arrive, and was waiting for Koremitsu’s group. This was the second time he saw her dressed in casual wear, but on this day, she was dressed in a sleeveless summer knit and a slim pair of pants. The ridiculously large earrings and pendant matched the brilliant summer, and her great figure, coupled with the long, refined legs, made her a resembling fashion model.

After seeing Shioriko latch onto Koremitsu’s arm by the side, Honoka narrowed her eyes, her lips sharp.

“Hello, Shiiko.”

A forced smile appeared on Honoka’s lips.

“Hello, Miss Shikibu.”

Shioriko in turn replied with a radiant smile.

It was practically a recreation of the events two days ago, though both of them looked courteous on the surface, there was a frosty atmosphere beneath, and Koremitsu inadvertently let out cold sweat as he watched on.

“S-s-s-s-sorry for being late!”

And the bespectacled class representative with braids ran over to them, huffing and puffing like a goldfish.

“I had something going on, so, erm, I left my house late.”

She stopped abruptly in front of Koremitsu and the rest, adjusted the glasses on her nose bridge, and readjusted her breathing.

(Why is this girl here too!?)

Honoka responded to Koremitsu’s skepticism.

“Michiru was invited by me. Thanks for you help, Michiru, even though you’re really busy there.”

“No, I just didn’t have that many important things to do today.”

While Michiru continued to catch her breath, Honoka whispered to her,

“I’ll leave you with what I requested yesterday.”

“Y-yes.”

Michiru nodded seriously.

“Hey, what are you talking about?”

“Big brother Koremitsu, they seem to be whispering something. Let’s go in together.”

Shioriko tugged at Koremitsu’s arm, ready to pull him.

At this moment, Honoka stood in front of them immediately.

“How thoughtful of you, Shiiko. I’m done with what I have to say though.”

And then, she pulled Shioriko’s milky white arm over.

“Now then, big brother Koremitsu here can’t enter the girls changing room. Big sister Honoka will lead you in now.”

“Eh, wait, I can walk this far myself. Ahh, big brother Koremitsu~~~~~~!!”

Koremitsu was dumbfounded as he watched Shioriko get dragged away by Honoka, one step at a time.

And so, Honoka dragged Shioriko through the gate.

“See you later then, Akagi.”

“Y-yeah, I’ll leave Shiiko to you.”

“Wait, don’t treat me like a kid!”

Michiru followed Honoka quietly from behind. On a closer look, she was dressed in school uniform even though it was the summer.

“Alright, time for us to go to the changing room and change, I guess. Wait, Hikaru, you don’t have to change clothes.”

Koremitsu whispered, and in turn, Hikaru’s face was dazzling.

“Of course not. I have to get changed too! Get changed! Get changed, you know!”

And he was yelling excitedly like a child.

“Tch, you really want to go to wear trunks, huh?”

“This is the first time I am going to the pool with everyone! I often go to the hotel pools alone with another girl to play, but this is my first time going to a common pool. My heart is throbbing at this first experience.”

(Sorry for only being able to go to a commoners’ pool.)

Koremitsu’s temples were throbbing.

And so, Hikaru changed clothes about 7 times in the men’s changing room.

“Look? I can see the underpants logo under these surf pants ! Is it not cool? Or is this pair of mesh better? Looky look, Koremitsu, have a look at these. Which is the best?”

Koremitsu turned his back on his friend as he silently changed his clothes.

(You are at the same level as Shiiko and Shikibu.)

He thought.

Even at the poolside, Hikaru’s was grinning from ear to ear..

“Wow, this place is really crowded! So this is how a commoner’s pool look during the summer vacation!”

Hikaru stared at the pool that was filled with customers, and looked over at the customers waiting to ride the slide, looking impressed.

After much contemplation, he picked a refreshing pair of pool pants that glittered as brightly as his marble white skin.

During their first encounter, Koremitsu assumed that Hikaru was a female, and after the androgynous Hikaru removed his clothes,

(This guy’s a male after all.)

Koremitsu could not help but think about this.

No matter how silky white his skin was, how slender and refined his limbs, his skeletal structure betrayed the fact that he was male, and not female.

Hikaru himself was not typically particular about his body frame, but after seeing Koremitsu’s chest, he pouted, moved towards Koremitsu, and compared their arms.

“Eh, my arms are not muscular after all. My arms are as thick as yours, Koremitsu, but your arms look really sturdy and firm.”

He muttered.

“I may look like this now, but I do push-ups every night when I am alive.”

“Maybe it’s due to the body types. Either way, it’s scary if you have such a pretty face and muscles all over your body.”

“But it would have been great if there is something that can make me more manly, something that can make my body frame sturdier. If that happened, I will not have conversations like ‘your arms are thinner than mine, how depressing’. There was once where that girl told me ‘let us meet when my waist is 2cm thinner and yours is 2cm thicker.’, and she put on the clothes she took off before leaving. She already bathed too. I thought that voluptuous body of hers was her charm. Girls really are hard to understand, no?”

“Seriously, stop worrying about such things.”

While he interrupted this completely foolish worry, Honoka and the others, having changed their clothes, finally appeared.

“Big brother Koremitsu~”

“Kept you waiting, Akagi.”

“E-erm, sorry to keep you waiting, Mr Akagi. Ooo, are you angry?”

“Wow.”

Hikaru in turn exclaimed in amazement.

Shioriko was dressed in a white separate swimsuit with ribbon and flower decorations, coupled with flower-like frills surrounding the waist.

Honoka was dressed in a purple bikini with matching black trims that emphasized a mature vibe.

“This is really amazing, really amazing! Shiiko is like a snowy white Moth Orchid! The frills seem to be fluttering! White does suit Shiiko best after all. The tender milky skin is a perfect match for the white swimsuit, really too dazzling. Miss Shikibu’s bikini is really bold and sexy! The waist and spaghetti straps really emphasize her figure greatly, really a striking sight. Miss Shikibu today is the Purple First Lady. Those slender legs of hers can beat those of Miss Universe!”

Hikaru narrowed his eyes to a seem, heaping effervescent praises often the pair’s swimsuits.

“Hurry and say something too, Koremitsu.”

(Wait, you want this me to say something like Moth Orchid, Miss Universe?)

Koremitsu felt that something was stuck in his throat.

Honoka pouted her lips shyly, and Shioriko was bashfully staring at Koremitsu.

“Ho-how’s my swimsuit?”

“Big brother, this swimsuit you bought for me, does it suit me?”

“I bought my swimsuit using money earned from my part-time job. How does it look on me, Akagi?”

“Shiiko here picked this to be a little sister worthy of you, big brother. This one’s fine, right?”

“I-I suppose you’ll be embarrassed about having to pick such a childish swimsuit, right, Akagi? This time, I decided to be different and pick a swimsuit that’s more daring and mature looking that before.”

“But you won’t dare wear such a flirtatious swimsuit like now when you’re older. It’s better to wear something suitable now.”

There brewed a tense atmosphere between Honoka and Shioriko.

And Koremitsu interrupted them.

“Th-they’re both good, right? Shikibu’s great, and so is Shiiko’s. That…braid hair class representative’s good too.”

He uttered out such words awkwardly.

Both Honoka and Shioriko turned their heads aside.

“Eh? Are you talking about me?”

Michiru pointed at herself, shocked.

“…”

“…”

Honoka and Shioriko stared right at swimsuit Michiru was wearing.

A deep-colored school swimsuit.

The most ordinary type of swimsuit worn during school swimming classes, to boot.

For Koremitsu, he could not simply praise Honoka and Shioriko wholeheartedly while ignoring the class representative with braided hair. Though both of them realized this fact, they could not help but bemoan.

“Are you a school swimsuit fanatic, Akagi?”

“Uu, I thought nobody would be wearing such school swimsuits. Is this a tactical failure?”

Why would both of them look so downhearted, giving Koremitsu conflicted looks of condescension and disappointment?

(What’s with these eyes…didn’t I praise them, saying that they’re fine.)

“This is unexpected, Koremitsu. I thought school swimsuits are simply a representation of nostalgia.”

Hikaru nodded as if he was a neutral party amidst all of these.

“Damn it, you girls better warm up before you enter the pool.”

After saying such words, he started stretching his limbs, warming himself up.

However, he should not have raised his eyebrows at this moment, for the surrounding people gradually scattered, mistaking him for a delinquent.

“A-as-as-as-as expected of you, Mr Akagi! Everyone’s afraid of you! The once crowded pool is now completely spacious.”

Michiru tried her best to console Koremitsu, but the latter felt a pricking feeling in his heart.

“Big brother, this pool slide looks really tall and steep, shocking and very thrilling. Let’s go for it!”

Having recovered from her shock over the school swimsuit, Shioriko reached her little hand for Koremitsu’s, and was about to walk off.

At this moment,

“Sh-Shiiko!!!!! I’ll bring you there as a class rep!”

Michiru grabbed Shioriko by the elbow.

“E-erm, I want to try the slide there too. A-and, I want to know you better.”

“B-but I wanna play with big brother!”

“Yes, yes, speaking of which, Michiru’s dream is to be a kindergarten teacher! Just leave Shiiko to Michiru, Akagi. Let’s go to the adult pool over there. The children’s pool is too shallow that I can’t spread my limbs wide. I’ll leave Shiiko to you, Michiru.”

Honoka shot Michiru a look, and the latter nodded firmly with all her might,

“Yes, I understand, Hono.”

“Alright now, Akagi, this way.”

Honoka suddenly looked a lot cheerier as she pat her hands upon Koremitsu’s back, pushing him to the adult pool.

“Ah, wait!”

“Hold it!”

Shioriko shook Michiru’s arm off.

“If you’re going to the adult pool, big brorther, I’m coming too.”

“Sorry, but elementary school students have to use the children pool, Shiiko. If you want to use the adult pool, you have to grow another 30cm taller.”

Honoka puffed her chest that was covered by the bikini, bragging haughtily.

Shioriko paused,

“My swimming skills are such that nobody can claim to be better. I can swim leisurely for 5km; I can hold my breath underwater for 3 minutes.”

“Wow, amazing, amazing. But this has nothing to do with how long you can hold your breath underwater. It is dangerous for a kid to enter the adult pool when the feet can’t touch the floor. You might even get called out of the pool by the lifeguard.”

“Th-that’s right, Shiiko. So you’ll be playing with me at the kid’s pool. If Mr Akagi is to enter the kids pool, the other kids will be terrified to tears. It’s better for him to use the adult pool with Hono.”

“Yes, leave Akagi to me. I’ll watch~ him good so that he won’t do anything to girls in school swimsuits.”

“Hey! Am I a pervert!?”

“Big brother, I want to be with you.”

Shioriko hugged Koremitsu’s waist, and lifted her head.

It was normal for Shioriko to do this. However, it was a different feeling having direct skin contact.

(Woah, it’s itchy here. Hey!)

He felt ticklish on the belly, and nearly jumped due to the itchiness.

Honoka’s eyes broke into a glare.

“Akagi, if you’re going to stick with Shiiko so closely, you’ll be mistaken for a lolicon again!”

“Shiiko, there’s lesser people at the slide!”

“Big brother, even if the lifeguard comes threaten me, I want to use the adult pool with you.”

“Alright, all of you, just shut up for once!”

Koremitsu bellowed.

Honoka and the rest were shocked.

“Shiiko, you still can’t use the adult pool now. No matter how good your swimming in, you have to obey the rules here.”

“Ehhh!?”

“You just said something cool just now, Akagi! That’s right. Rules are important, Shiiko!”

“Shiiko, I-I’ll go play with you.”

“And I’ll got to the kids pool.”

“Eh, wai—Akagi.”

“Now there’s no problem, right, Shiiko?”

Shioriko, who was looking glum before this, broke into a radiant smile immediately.

“Right, big brother.”

And so, both Honoka and Michiru lowered their heads.

“Sorry to disturb you. Shiiko here will go play with big brother at the kids pool. Please go to the adult pool and try something exciting. Ah, you might want to find guys to date.”

“—!! I-I don’t have any interest in dating! I guess it’s a good thing to go to the kids pool and experience some childhood memories.”

“Th-th-that’s right, Hono. I-I just remembered that I can’t swim either! I-I guess it’s better to go to a pool where my legs can touch the floor.”

“I want to go wading too!”

Hikaru’s eyes were dazzling abnormally as he said this. You’re so pumped up in the changing room just now. Are you really glad to be at a commoner’s pool?

In the end, the 4 people and 1 ghost head off to the flowing pool for children

Hikaru looked completely delighted as he looked around, and could not help but blurt out things like “that mother is wearing a swimsuit a child can play in. This is such a heartwarming sight!”

And upon seeing that unfettered smile

(Speaking of which, this is the first time I’m going to the pool with others.)

His heart raced as he suddenly felt tense.

Right, he was always feared by others at school, with nobody he could call a friend. He never entered the water other than the school pool. Regarding this pool, his excitement at going to the pool with others was the same as Hikaru’s.

I see, this is the first place I’m entering the pool outside class. I’m not lonely either.

With an aberrant anticipation, they arrived at the flowing pool.

(Wow, the water in the pool is flowing. Amazing.)

Koremitsu sat beside the pool, placed his legs in the water, and was shocked when he felt the moving currents flowing to the side.

He entered the water, and it reached his waist. There was a levitating feeling at his waist, and he floated up comfortably.

(Wow, I’m moving. I’m really moving.)

(My legs are floating. It feels flurry.)

(So this is a flowing pool.)

“Koremitsu, there are many girls in swimsuits here. It feels like I have entered a fireworks parade, every single one of them looks cute. Ah, that girl’s shoulder strap dropped. And she tied it up now. That bashful smile of hers is really cute, really alluring.”

(Wow, even if I don’t moving my arms, I can continue to move forward.)

“Ahaha, this is really interesting, huh Koremitsu?”

“Yeah.”

Koremitsu quickly responded to Hikaru’s question, and the two men continued to enjoy the flowing pool.

“Uu, I finally picked a mature looking swimsuit, and Akagi has no interest in it at all. Would it be different if I wore a school swimsuit instead? Speaking of which, what’s with him? Leaving the girls aside to enjoy himself alone? Is he going to ignore any girl who doesn’t wear a school swimsuit?”

“Sorry for being unable to help in any way, Hono. I really shouldn’t have worn the school swimsuit here. I don’t have a slim figure like your, Hono. A bikini would have looked bad on me.”

Michiru closed her eyes as she lowered her head and apologized, her glasses covered with water droplets.

“That’s not true. You’ll definitely look cute if you spend the effort dolling yourself up. Doesn’t that orange checkered swimsuit fit you well?”

“But the excess fat on my tummy is too obvious. Anything you wear will look good on you, Hono…”

“Seriously, you’re too low on self-esteem, Michiru. You should try such things during the summer vacation. Right, it’s decided. To thank you for today, let’s go to the salon next week. Next, try changing your image.”

“Ehh, isn’t that…ahh, Hono! Shiiko’s headed towards Mr Akagi!”

“Ehh!?”

“Big brother, carry me!”

“Woah!”

With the weight suddenly added upon his back, Koremitsu’s head dipped into the water.

“Hehe, it’s like a tortoise parent and child.”

Shioriko climbed upon Koremitsu’s back, giggling away.

Her wet swimsuit was sticking tightly onto his back.

“Ah, you are really cute, Shiiko. Just like an angel. No, you are an angel.”

Hikaru poked his head from the water surface, looking blissful.

“Hey, Shiiko, it’s dangerous!”

“That’s it, keep swimming!”

“I’m not a dolphin!”

“Ne, ne, this is Shiiko’s request. Shiiko here will forgive you for leaving her alone in the future if you do this.”

“A-alright.”

And so, Koremitsu continued to carry Shioriko as he trudged forward.

“Wah~ I’m so happy~”

Shioriko in turn was buzzing away.

“I always dreamt on riding on a Great Pyreness or a Siberian Husky.”

“Am I a dog here!?”

Koremitsu grumbled.

“How great this is, Shiiko. I want to ride too~”

And Hikaru, swimming (?) beside them, looked envious.

(Scram, you idiot.)

“Okay, getting on!”

Hikaru floated from the water and leaned on Koremitsu’s back, looking like he was embracing Shioriko from behind.

But even so, he ended up passing through Koremitsu, only barely managing to maintain contact with the latter. Perhaps he liked this kind of fake riding(?).

“Waah, the Limited Express Koremitsu!”

(Hurry up and get off me, you ghost!)

Koremitsu grumbled quietly as he flailed about.

(Waaahhh. What are you two doing———————!!!??)

Honoka continued to whip up splashes with her hands as she saw Koremitsu carry a pretty elementary school girl, swimming through.

(Even though Shiiko is a pretty girl, and Akagi treasures her really well like a true little sister, he is really doting on her too much.)

The promise to go to the pool was only between the two of them.

Is this a date after all? Why am I feeling frustrated, spinning on the swivel chair alone in my room when summer vacation just started.

—I don’t want to go dating with Akagi.

—Akagi probably feels bored because he has no friends to ask out during the summer holidays. I’m just going out with him out of kindness.

Why was it, that when she talked about him, her face was sizzle?

—I might be able to use this opportunity to build my relationship with Akagi better.

Amongst other things, this was one thing she had been secretly wishing for.

Koremitsu however would not contact her no matter what. Well, it’s to be expected, Akagi has never asked a girl out before, and he won’t spend much thought on it anyway. This is bad of you, Akagi. What would have happened to you without this love expert in me leading you​? Her face blushing, she dialed Koremitsu’s phone.

And so, what was supposed to be a promise to go to the pool ended up with an elementary school kid popping in.

—Understood! I-I’ll go to the pool with you and Akagi as your guardian, Shiiko!

She yelled for some reason.

Upon recalling about it, she realized she had fallen completely into Shioriko’s trap

Back then, Shiiko was still distraught, going through the pain and loneliness of losing her kin, and it was to be expected that she wanted to play with her big brother. Besides, Honoka did think of wanting to build a good relationship with her as she was the little sister.

But at the swimsuit counter at the department store, the naive thinking she had before this went up in smokes once she faced off against the real Shioriko.

She had already heard that the girl was a real beauty, and even from the little photo with the black censor bar over the eyes, she could tell that Shioriko’s cuteness was outstanding.

The wonderful, silky hair was devoid of any split ends, that innocent expression of hers, the milky white skin, the rosy cheeks, the alluring pink lips that were glossy even without lipstick. Though the girl was underaged, her limbs were slender, to the point of seductiveness. She was dressed in a long skirt covering her knees, and she lifted her head up.

I have never seen such a cute kid before.

Is that an angel?

A pixie?

The angel-like, pixie-like pretty girl latched her slender arm onto Koremitsu’s, ostensibly declaring to others that Koremitsu’s was her belonging, giggling away at Honoka. At that instance, Honoka understood her intent.

This kid is dangerous!

She was warding off Honoka, standing in front of her, letting Honoka know that the latter was the obstacle between her and her big brother Koremitsu.

Stop kidding with me! Even if she’s a pretty girl who can be heads and tails above the rest in a contest, I can’t possibly lose to a kid with flat chest and hasn’t reached puberty yet!—Upon thinking about this, she undid the pareo, and got into battle mode.

She was really yearning for the pool date on this day, with the unyielding mentality.

She requested Michiru to assist her and get Shioriko away from Koremitsu.

—If-if you really wish for it, Hono, I-I’ll be willing to do anything. Why do you want to take Shiiko away though? A-a-a-a-and when did you ask Mr Akagi out to the pool? Even choosing a swimsuit with such deliberation. Are you intending to show it to Mr Akagi? Hono, so you do have…!

Michiru widened her eyes under the glasses.

—Th-that’s not it! I want to get Shiiko away from Akagi to control his lolicon tendencies! You see, didn’t Akagi create a commotion back then because he was a lolicon? If such rumors continue to persist, the Japanese Dance Club he finally managed to join might be forced to shut down. If there’s such a criminal in your class, you’ll be troubled as the class rep, right? Michiru?”

—Y-yes! I understand! I’ll help you to stop Mr Akagi from going on the criminal path of being a lolicon, Hono!

She got an affirmative response.

And after that, once Honoka’s target Koremitsu saw the swimsuit, he muttered to himself for a while, and finally said,

”Shikibu’s great.”

But there was the sudden doubt that he was a fanatic for school swimsuits.

And in the end, because she got careless, Shioriko clung onto Koremitsu.

Honoka was positioned such that she could not see Koremitsu’s expression from the front, but after seeing Shioriko gleefully playing on his back, Honoka could only think that Koremitsu was the same.

(Is-is it that Akagi’s feeling shy because Shiiko’s on him? Ahh no, I don’t want to see Akagi looking all lecherous!)

What to do?

If she did not hurry, she as the Purple Princess would fail to live up to the title of the love expert that gave lots of advice to girls skeptical over their loves.

“How about you do the same thing as Shiiko, Miss Shikibu?”

“Eh, how can I possibly do such a thing? –ACK!”

Honoka was startled due to a voice that should not be present. A short-haired boyish girl was leering away.

“Oumi! Why are you here!?”

“Wah, Miss Oumi…!?”

Michiru held her glasses with both hands.

Why would Hiina Oumi of the news club be here?

(Does she know that I’m here to swim with Akagi? Or is this a coincidence?)

She pondered as she stared at Hiina’s breasts.

Leaving aside her appearance, the massive humps wrapped under the refreshing green bikini were round like melons.

No, it would be more accurately to say that the bikini was about to burst out, or ripped apart at least.It felt like thin green clothes covering the most exposed areas.

Whenever Hiina moved her body slightly, the two lustrous round melons would dangle left and right.

And Honoka’s eyes followed them.

(A-amazing. They aren’t that obvious when she wears the school uniform, but I never expected them to be this big. Akagi said that he likes big breasts himself; if my breasts can develop to such an extent…)

“Miss Shikibu?”

After having her name called, she finally recovered.

She lifted her head, and stared at Hiina.

“What are you doing here, Oumi? Are you here to interview Akagi? I won’t forgive you if you make a report about the lolicon delinquent king playing with an elementary school kid.”

Hiina in return gave a boyish smile.

“You’re so cool protecting Mr Akagi like this, Miss Shikibu~ Aren’t you quite the gallant one~ I can feel those feelings of yours~ if you wish for your feelings to reach Mr Akagi, I shall do my best.”

“Mind your own business.”

“The way you blush and say this is really alluring~. If you go to Mr Akagi, say ‘Akagi, you’ve been taking care of Shiiko like this. Come play with me too’ and hug him, you’ll definitely succeed.”

She said that spiel of words in one go.

“I-I won’t do such a thing! I-I’m not an elementary school kid!”

If it was Shioriko, she could hug Koremitsu while maintaining an innocent look. If Honoka, as a high school student, was to do the same thing, Koremitsu definitely would be shocked, to say the least.

(B-but…if I don’t do this much at least, that dimwitted Akagi won’t treat me as someone of the opposite gender…)

But it was impossible. Definitely impossible for her.

No, no, no!

Honoka shook at head.

“If an elementary school kid can do it, why can’t a big sister high school student who has finished puberty. Here, let me demonstrate.”

“Eh, wait, Oumi?”

Hiina stood up, and sneaked up on Koremitsu.

“Ho-Hono!”

Honoka hurriedly pursued Hiina, and Michiru in turn followed them.

“Mr Akagi~~~!!!”

Hiina grabbed Koremitsu’s legs from behind.

“Warugh!”

As his legs were suddenly grabbed, Koremitsu fell into the water.

Shioriko too lost her balance and tumbled to the left. This too messed up Koremitsu’s balance, and with weights on his back and waist, Koremitsu sank further.

“Big brother!”

“Mr Akagi!’

The flustered voice gradually distanced.

“Wah, Koremitsu!”

Hikaru too exclaimed.

Koremitsu floated to the surface, and coughed hard as he choked on some water.

“Fuwah, ack ack. O-Oumi!?”

“Ahh, you look like you’re still suffering. This can’t do! Let me give you some CPR!”

Hiina closed her eyes, raised her lips, and closed in on Koremitsu’s lips lecherously.

“You idiot, leave me!”

And after saying that, he pushed Hiina away!”

“Why are you here!?”

“Ahh, why is it that when everyone looks at my face and give me such annoyed looks, telling me ‘why are you here!?’. It is depressing.”

Now that she had mentioned this, Koremitsu, who was usually shunned by others, felt a sense of guilt.

However.

“Well, it is a given that I am concerned by such things. Once I notice the stares around me, I won’t be able to get things for the latest scoop. That’s why I came here out of my own curiosity!”

“Wah!”

Hiina spread her arms wide and hugged Koremitsu.

Her large breasts were pressing onto his chest.

“!”

Shioriko gasped upon seeing the abnormally large volume of the springy breasts.

Hikaru too was effervescent in his praises,

“Miss Oumi today is like the pitcher plant or the Albany pitcher plant.”

Aren’t those carnivorous plants!?

“Hey, let go of me!”

The bouncy feeling pressing on his abdomen was really a bad thing to him.

“It is a rare time that we’re at the pool. Let us fully fee each other’s presence~”

“A pool isn’t a place for such public lewd acts!”

Koremitsu yelled. If he were to push her off hard, her swimsuit might end up being ripped off. Thus, he did not dare to use all his might.

Shioriko in turn tugged at Hiina from behind,

“What are you doing to Shiiko’s big brother!”

And later, Honoka caught up to them.

“Oumi, what are you trying to do! Let go of Akagi!”

While Koremitsu and Hiina were playing push and pull, Michiru yelled,

“Awahwahwah! Mr Akagi’s having an orgy!”

“You four-eyed braids! Know the term orgy better before using it!”

Hiina, Shioriko and Honoka were tumbled in a mess, and the surrounding onlookers watched this intense battle over Koremitsu,

“It’s an orgy!”

“All the girls are cute.”

“There’s actually such a young girl amongst them.”

“Lifeguard, that glaring delinquent over there is having an orgy!”

Such voices rang from the sidelines.

“I’m not having an orgy!!”

“Let go already, Oumi!”

“Only Shiiko is allowed to hug big brother Koremitsu like this.”

“You’re starting to feel excited now right? Mr Akagi?”

“Shiiko, can you please stop grabbing Akagi’s leg like that?”

“Miss Shikibu, your leg is twinkled with big brother’s yourself.”

“I-I just want to help Akagi.”

“I’m okay with a 4P!”

“Hey, all over you, stop pushing and let go of me already!”

“E-e-ev-ev-ev-everyone! It’s not a good thing to have an orgy in public. You’ll be taken away by the police for questioning!”

Fulfilling her responsibility as the class representative, Michiru got in to help break them up.

But as they continued to nudge about in a frenzy, someone’s elbow caused Michiru to be pushed aside, and she slid away, sinking into the water.

The pool was not very deep as it was designed for kids, but as she lost control of her legs, she started to flail about.

“Hey! That braid class rep fell into the water!”

“Michiru!”

Honoka let go of Koremitsu.

Koremitsu moved towards Michiru and leapt into the water.

But during this time, both Shioriko and Hiina had their hands on his waist, coupled with the fact that Honoka and Koremitsu’s legs were tangled. This caused him to lose his balance,

“Big brother.”

“Mr Akagi!”

And both Shioriko and Hiina undid the drawstring on his pants, causing the pants to slip off.

(Ack!)

As Koremitsu brought Michiru out of the water, a pair of swimming pants floated slowly to the surface.

Michiru, coughing out water as she gasped for breath downwards, “Wah!” exclaimed in shock.”

The surrounding onlookers gave Koremitsu disapproving looks.

“It’s an orgy after all.”

“So that girl with braids is part of them too.”

“A 4P!”

“Young kids nowadays.”

(I’m not having an orgy!)

Koremitsu grumbled furiously in his heart.

♢                                        ♢                                         ♢

Having vowed never to go shopping with girls again 2 days ago, Koremitsu made a vow ‘not to go swimming with girls again’ on this day.

After reaching home, Hikaru looked on grimly as he lectured Koremitsu, leaning at the wall,

“You need to reflect on some aspects”

“…”

“I do feel that you need to adapt to getting along with girls.”

“…”

“You are no longer that lone wolf from before, and it is not just a matter of one, two girls looking for you. There will be many more girls you have to interact with in the future.”

“…”

“Anyway, what I want to say is that if this keeps up, it will be a repeat of the commotion today.”

“…”

“And with more people from the other gender, the competitiveness amongst them will increase further.”

“…”

“Koremitsu, if your opponent is a girl, you cannot hit her or send her flying. That will only increase the number of casualties.”

“…”

“You were called away by the lifeguard for removing your pants in the pool. That is not something that can be easily settled by being forbidden to enter it again.”

“Ugh.”

Koremitsu gritted his teeth, letting out a gnashing sound.

“I think I should go to a country without girls after all.”

Before this, girls always shunned Koremitsu. Thus, he had never experienced the hardships of having to deal with them.

The mantra ‘don’t get involved with women’ was something his grandfather had after his grandmother suddenly left home. Even so, it was not because Koremitsu paid the preaching to heed, but because the girls did not want to get involved with him

Ever since he got to know Hikaru, who really liked girls, and completed the latter’s promises that were made before his death, Koremitsu had been appearing in front of girls like normal.

Such an improvement was certainly worthy of praise.

But Koremitsu still did not know how to get along with girls.

(I don’t know what those girls are thinking at all. I tell them to ‘shut up’, and they start yapping more. Even when I told them ‘leave me alone, you’re noisy’, they just won’t stop.)

As Hikaru said, I think I better heed gramp’s teaching before the victims start to increase, and break off with girls completely.

Hikaru started at Koremitsu with a pondering look, like a philosopher, and said,

“To be honest, Koremitsu, there is no place in the world without girls. It is completely impossible to live in an environment without girls.”

“Then what do I do?”

Koremitsu laid weakly on the floor

“Looks like you need to do some training.”

“Training, as in?”

Hikaru nodded firmly.

And then, he said

“Let us woo some girls tomorrow.”

“Woo girls, you say!? Are you kidding me!? You just want to do that yourself. What do you mean by getting a girl that likes to smile by wooing her? I’m asking you a serious question here!”

Hikaru however continued to grin cheekily, and said to Koremitsu with a matured look while the latter was incensed,

“But I am being serious here. From now on, I shall teach you how to get along with girls, one step at a time—when I depart, I will not be able to help you even if you want some of the most basic suggestions…”

The clear expression gradually dulled.

And Koremitsu’s voice was stuck in his throat.

“I do not know how long I can continue to remain in this human realm.”

The rich, gentle voice throbbed Koremitsu’s heart.

“Maybe I might even vanish suddenly in front of you tomorrow.”

Unknowingly, he had gotten used to having Hikaru by his side.

Though he would space out or think most of the time, the presence of the refreshing voice beside him allowed him to relax.

But such a relationship could not continue forever.

Perhaps they would have to separate the next time.

Or even at this moment.

If it was not as Hikaru as said, that he would not be able to depart until his promises with the girls were complete, what exactly would cause him to remain in this world? Koremitsu could not comprehend.

With a slightly crestfallen look on his face, Hikaru said to Koremitsu while the latter pondered,

“Koremitsu, I wish to repay you as much as I can while I am still on this world. Just as you fulfilled for me one promise after another, I want to repay you with what I can do, within my capabilities. As a ghost however, I can only do so little.”

“…”

(This guy is despicable.)

How was he supposed to reject Hikaru when the latter put it this way.

Koremitsu inadvertently gritted his teeth, gulped his saliva, and clearly spoke,

“Got it. Teach me the ways you pick up girls.”