"Alright, everyone, pair up for diving! Find your buddy~"
On the beach, Nanaka's voice rang out again. They were all suited up and ready to explore the underwater scenery.
Since most of them were experienced, the Senpai didn't need to say much—just a few reminders about safety.
As for picking partners…
It was smooth sailing for everyone—except Kamishiro.
With slap and footprint marks on his face, he was once again the center of a tug-of-war between two girls.
What can he say—being too handsome is a curse~
╮( ??ω?? )╭
"Tomboy, your bestie is here. Shouldn't you dive with her?"
"Hah? And let you, a green tea b*tch, flirt with him? Don't you have your little underling? Go pair with him!"
Suddenly being referenced, Iori weakly raised his hand: "When did I become your underling…"
No one paid attention to him. The two girls stood toe-to-toe, glaring daggers at each other. Kamishiro, standing beside them, had to resist the urge to push their heads together. Who knows, maybe they'd end up kissing?
Of course, for the sake of his own survival, he didn't act on that impulse. He really didn't want to become fish food.
Unfortunately, their schemes were probably about to fall apart.
Kamashiro placed his hands on their heads and directed their gaze toward Nanaka and Azusa.
"You two think diving is some casual activity? It's dangerous. You need to pair with professionals."
Kiyoko and Sakurako blinked and found themselves facing Azusa and Nanaka.
Seeing those enviable massive forms…
The two girls immediately felt like garbage.
(╥_╥)
Why were they still so big even in wetsuits?!
After settling things with Kiyoko and Sakurako, everything returned to normal. Under the guidance of the Senpai, everyone entered the water in an orderly fashion.
Entering the Ocean
Kamishiro wore a content expression—he was finally experiencing that sensation of being enveloped by seawater once again.
The fatigue from the trip to Tokyo was completely washed away in an instant, and he could leisurely enjoy the beautiful underwater scenery.
At the same time, Kiyoko and Sakurako, who had originally been dismissive, also quieted down.
After all, having lived by the sea, they quickly overcame the initial discomfort of being submerged in water and got the hang of the basic techniques.
They were now completely captivated by the beauty of the underwater world.
It wasn't that they had never seen underwater scenery before, but experiencing it in person was worlds apart from seeing it in photos or videos.
Only by witnessing it firsthand could they understand the overwhelming awe and indescribable beauty—and finally grasp why their crush was so obsessed with this activity.
Their eyes involuntarily turned toward Kōshirō Kamishiro, who stood there smiling smugly at them.
The two girls shot him a glare, but the blush on their cheeks—caressed by the seawater—betrayed their flustered hearts.
Azusa and Nanaka also smiled at the scene. They swam over with the girls and had Iori, the group's designated helper, take a group photo for them.
Iori: "Death penalty! Absolutely deserves the death penalty!!!"
Unbeknownst to Iori, he didn't need to envy Kamishiro—someone else had their eyes on him too~
Meanwhile
Kōhei and Aina were seriously practicing their diving techniques~
"That was impressive."
"Almost at the level of a certified diving instructor."
After the dive, the two Senpai members couldn't help but marvel. The dive had left them thoroughly impressed.
Hearing their words, Kamishiro couldn't help but lift his chin, a proud grin tugging at the corners of his lips. If he had a tail, he'd probably be wagging it so fast he'd fly.
Kamishiro: "Aww, c'mon, senpai, don't praise me so directly. It's just a little progress. After all, I am the King of the Sea~ This level is perfectly normal for me~"
Obviously, the narcissistic Kamishiro thought the Senpai were praising him, since among the PAB newbies, only Chisa rivaled his skill.
If it had been Chisa, they wouldn't have reacted this way—since she already performed at instructor level.
The Senpai looked at each other in confusion.
"Kamishiro, did you misunderstand something?"
"We were talking about Otoya-kun. Can't believe a high schooler is already diving at this level!"
╯□╰
Kamishiro froze mid-smug expression, mouth agape. The sudden twist was way too awkward.
And of course, Iori and Kōhei wouldn't miss this golden opportunity to mock him. Standing behind him, they covered their mouths with exaggerated glee.
"Oh my, what a misunderstanding~"
"Someone got a little too full of himself~"
"'Don't praise me so much~'"
"'I'm the King of the Sea~'"
"…"
The two of them flawlessly mimicked Kamishiro's earlier tone and gestures.
Kamishiro had only one thought: just drop a bomb here and end it all. Then hang himself. There was no will to go on.
"You two bastards, shut up already!"
He glared fiercely at them and then turned to the culprit—Otoya!
A high schooler—why the hell was he this good?! Didn't they have homework or something?
Weren't high schoolers supposed to be buried under piles of homework and tutoring? Why was he getting all the spotlight?!
Burning with jealousy, Kamishiro completely forgot what he had been up to during his high school days…
He looked incredulously at the shy Otoya-kun. Besides looking like Hideyoshi, this guy didn't have any particular standout traits.
Noticing Kamishiro's fiery gaze, Otoya blushed slightly.
"Um… Kamishiro-san, your diving was really amazing. For a beginner, it's pretty unbelievable."
(?°?д°?)
"Hah?! Who are you calling a beginner?!"
Jealousy had hijacked his brain, and he completely ignored the compliment. He'd been at this for two or three months already—how could he still be a beginner?!
Otoya panicked, waving his hands.
"Sorry! I didn't mean it like that. I've just been diving for a long time, so it's not surprising. Actually, you're really good!"
"Hah?! That was a humblebrag, wasn't it? Definitely a brag!"
"Eh?!"
Panicking, Otoya turned to Iori with pleading eyes, like a helpless little deer.
Seeing his angel getting bullied, Iori could no longer stand by. He jumped in to defend Otoya, and the once-peaceful scene immediately descended into chaos.
Aina and Kōhei watched the spectacle with dark expressions.
"That guy's an idiot."
"Totally hopeless. He's already under Leviathan's control!"
(′｀;)?
Aina blinked at Kōhei in confusion.
"Leviathan? What the heck is that? Why do I feel like I'm being left out?!"
Damn it!
"Booze is here~!"
After the chaos died down, everyone felt even closer. Otoya, who had been stiff and awkward before, gradually relaxed.
Back at GB, the Senpai brought over drinks and sashimi. Naturally, a post-dive party was necessary to reward themselves.
"You all worked hard!"
"Cheers!"
Everyone raised their glasses. It had been a while since they had a diving party like this. Thanks to the shared experience, everyone's faces were full of smiles — even Kiyoko and Sakurako had forgotten their usual squabbles.
Unfortunately...
This peace didn't last long — thanks to Kamishiro.
Uncle Kotegawa was at the shop that day, and because of that, they got to enjoy the store manager's secret sashimi recipe!
Although Kamishiro usually wasn't a fan of raw fish, maybe it was some kind of magical buff or something — the sashimi tasted amazing with alcohol!
He immediately wanted to share it with the people beside him.
And then—
He froze, chopsticks mid-air holding a piece of fish.
He'd forgotten something. Seated to his left was Kiyoko, to his right Sakurako.
So here's the question: Who should he offer the fish to first?
Noticing the two girls' gazes, Kamishiro swallowed hard. No matter who he gave it to, he was screwed.
So, silently, he moved the sashimi to his own mouth instead. Time to use the Emperor's Balancing Technique again!
As long as he didn't give it to either of them, the war wouldn't reach him!
Truly a genius fit to be an ancient emperor — he'd be remembered for generations!
However—
Kamishiro had imagined things too beautifully. He forgot: even emperors have concubines who fight for favor.
Two soft hands landed on his shoulders. In his ears, his "beloved concubines" whispered:
"If you eat that yourself, who knows what might happen~"
"Make sure you sleep with one eye open tonight~"
Kamishiro froze, his mouth twitching. He darted his eyes between the two girls.
Damn it, those smiles were way too sweet. But why were there dark auras swirling behind them?! Had they awakened their Stands or something?!
Fearing for his life, he looked for salvation — to his angel.
Azusa-senpai!
Azusa: "Ehehehe, cuddling with Nanaka~"
Watching Azusa snuggling with Nanaka, a vein popped on Kamishiro's forehead. He wanted to drag the pervy girl back.
But he couldn't move at all right now!
(╥_╥)
If Azusa was unreliable, he needed to find another target!
Nanaka was out — Azusa had her pinned.
What about Chisa...? Nope, she was deep in conversation with Otoya about diving.
Out of options, he turned to Aina.
Their eyes met — Aina suddenly felt a chill down her spine. Two murderous auras locked onto her. She saw two shadowy figures with red glowing eyes standing behind Kamishiro!
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
Aina shook her head violently. She didn't know what Kamishiro wanted, but whatever it was, please don't drag her into it! She was just a helpless little girl, okay?!
Seeing her pitiful look, Kamishiro turned around — only to see two smiling faces staring back at him.
(′-ι_-｀)
He fell silent. Aina was clearly unreliable. If he pushed her, he might lose the girl who taught him how to do makeup (for corpses, apparently).
Better wait until she finishes collecting that (Youth Album). Then he could just snatch it from her~
Looking around, the only options left were clear.
Iori?
Kouhei?
The Senpai?
...He didn't want to choose any of them!
Just imagining giving sashimi to another guy made Kamishiro break out in goosebumps. He'd only seen that happen back in his hometown.
But right now, if he wanted to live— he had no choice!
Kouhei, you're up!
At least he was good-looking!
But then—those hands on his shoulders tightened again. The whispers returned.
"Kamishiro-kun, you're not thinking of giving that to a guy, are you?"
"You'd feed them but not your girlfriends?"
As the grip on his shoulders grew stronger, sweat poured down Kamishiro's forehead.
Wasn't this checkmate already?!
He couldn't give it to the girls or the guys — was he supposed to find a drag queen or something?!
Wait a minute!
There weren't any traps (gender-bending characters), but wasn't that a really beautiful one over there?!
Kamishiro glanced at Otoya-kun, who was chatting happily with Chisa, and a smile of relief spread across his face.
"Otoya-kun, try this—Uncle Kotegawa's secret sashimi!"
"Eh?"
Otoya-kun, clueless about what was going on, bashfully accepted the fish with a bowl and thanked him shyly.
"No need to be so polite. Sorry about earlier. I was being controlled by Leviathan at the time."
"It's okay. I knew you didn't mean any harm, Kamishiro-kun…"
Otoya-kun really was an angel—not even taking the earlier events to heart.
Although… what exactly is a Leviathan? And does sashimi even have a "secret recipe"?
Curious, Otoya dipped the fish in soy sauce and took a bite.
"So good!"
The moment he took a bite, a look of satisfaction bloomed on his face. As expected of a secret recipe—it was completely different from the usual stuff. Uncle Kotegawa's skills were top-notch; he could open a whole sashimi restaurant!
"Mmhmm, didn't I tell you it was a secret recipe?"
Kamishiro nodded in satisfaction.That piece of sashimi was meant as an apology. Now that Kiyoko and Sakurako couldn't keep fighting, he could relax.
The two girls snorted and let go, but the battle wasn't over yet.
Now fired up with competitive spirit, they both set their eyes on the beer nearby!
"Green tea b*tch, how about a drinking match?"
"Heh. Tomboy will always be a tomboy. Can't solve problems without alcohol, huh?"
Sakurako snapped back sharply, but despite her words, her hand had already grabbed a whole crate of beer.
Thud!
"Don't come crying to me later."
A blaze of fire roared behind her—she was a delinquent after all, and when it came to drinking, she had no fear!
"You'll be the one crying!"
Flames also ignited behind Kiyoko. She gave a scornful laugh—she had never backed down from a drinking contest!
(;?＿?)
Watching the two fully fired-up girls, Kamishiro quietly averted his gaze.
To him, these were just two lightweights—he could outdrink ten of them by himself!
If he was going to join in, it had to be a real man's battle!
His eyes turned to the two senpai nearby—it was time to challenge them.
But just as he was about to head over, something caught his eye.
Otoya-kun and Chisa had gone off alone!
Seeing this, Kamishiro lost all interest in drinking and eagerly sidled up to Iori.
"So what's going on now? (λ?_??)"
(′｀;)?
"What are you talking about? I have no idea.
Otoya-kun spilled soy sauce on his clothes, so Chisa took him to the wash area,
Also, aren't you in the middle of a battlefield yourself? Why are you so free?"
Iori shot the scumbag a glare. He hadn't even settled his own mess, and here he was trying to get gossip.
Kamishiro looked back—his "beloved close friends" were already into their second bottle. It looked like things wouldn't be over anytime soon, so he figured he could just help them get home later.
He then nudged his childhood friend teasingly.
"I saw you and Otoya-kun together at the wash station. Come on, spill it. What were you two talking about?"
"Nothing. Just diving stuff." Iori opened a bottle of beer and shoved it at Kamishiro's mouth to shut him up. "But they really are alike, Otoya and Chisa…"
Iori's gaze turned distant, recalling what Otoya had told him earlier.
"Even if it's the same ocean, depending on the season and the time of day, it has its own unique beauty.
That's why, no matter how many times I dive, I never get tired of it."
"They're really alike. Practically the same person…"
He murmured. Both were people who truly loved diving—they'd have a lot in common.
"What was that?"
Iori's voice had been too soft, so Kamishiro leaned in to hear it again.
Iori scowled and shoved him away. "Nothing. Just thought they'd make great friends."
"Oh? Just friends, huh?"
Kamishiro smirked with a strangely mocking expression.
"What do you mean by that?"
Iori looked puzzled—was this guy mocking him?
"You're pretty laid-back, huh?" Kamishiro took a swig and sat next to him. "He's a cute boy, right? Sweet personality. And he's into the same hobbies. Even someone like Chisa might start catching feelings, don't you think?"
Iori froze. He had never considered that possibility. Now that he did… .
He feigned indifference. "You know why Chisa and I are 'dating.' It's just to save my skin."
"Eh? Chisa?"
Kamishiro tilted his head, confused. It seemed like this idiot had misunderstood something.
"Yeah, it's a fake relationship. Even if something happened between those two, it has nothing to do with me."
"..."
Kamishiro slapped a hand on Iori's shoulder and sighed.
"Kitahara! You misunderstood! I meant Chisa might steal Otoya-kun away from you!!"
(???)
Iori froze. It took him a few seconds to process that, and then he glared at Kamishiro.
"You bastard! What the hell are you thinking?!"
╮( ??ω?? )╭
Kamishiro shrugged innocently. "Don't tell me you really thought you and Chisa were a thing? Some people lie so well, they start believing it themselves. So sad~"
He even pulled out a handkerchief from who-knows-where and mock-wiped his eyes.
(?°?д°?)
"Who's believing what?! I never even thought about that! And what do you mean Chisa's stealing Otoya-kun?! That's even more ridiculous!"
Iori grabbed Kamishiroby the throat. What on earth was going through this guy's head?
"Wait, you're not still into girls, are you? Give it up, Otoya-kun is a great catch."
"We're the same gender! Same hobbies! How's that supposed to work?!"
(′｀;)?
Kamishiro tilted his head. "Why not?"
Iori thought about what he just said… and realized, technically, it kind of could work…
But Iori was not gay!!!
He really should strangle this guy now. If Otoya-kun heard this, he'd definitely get mad!