Mina lay lazily atop a swimming ring, drifting wherever the gentle waves carried her. Asui had already disappeared beneath the surface of the sea—she was probably diving somewhere below. Kurosawa Yoru and Chacha walked along the shoreline, the waves brushing lightly against their ankles.
Reclining comfortably on a lounge chair, Igarashi Masata sipped a cold drink through a straw and openly admired the breathtaking scenery before him. It was unbelievably relaxing.
As time passed, the sun climbed higher and higher until it sat directly overhead. This was the hottest moment of the day.
Looking up, the sky seemed freshly washed clean, its deep blue perfectly echoing the color of the sea below. Not a single cloud drifted across it—only a blazing, dazzling sun hung high above.
"Mina! Help me put on some sunscreen!"
Feeling the sun's harsh glare, Kurosawa Yoru quickly called out, urging Mina to come out of the water.
The girls who cared about skincare soon followed, leaving the sea one by one and gathering beneath several umbrellas. These parasols had been temporarily brought out earlier under Yaoyorozu Momo's instructions—naturally, the physical labor had fallen to Masata. After all, he was the only boy present.
"I'm coming!"
Mina, who had just been called, didn't bother climbing off the swim ring properly. Instead, she toppled straight back into the sea with a splash. After flailing around for a moment, she popped back up and swam quickly toward the shore.
Yaoyorozu Momo and Chacha also jogged over.
Sensing Masata's gaze, Yaoyorozu shot him an embarrassed glare.
"Go get me something to drink. I'm thirsty."
Masata didn't think much of it and simply handed her the half-full cold drink he was already holding.
Already parched, Yaoyorozu accepted it without hesitation, bit down on the straw, and started drinking.
Why waste it? There were still people in the world who didn't have enough to eat—throwing it away would've been a crime.
Luckily, Masata soon returned from the freezer carrying a basket full of drinks.
When he got back to the beach, Yaoyorozu was lying on a recliner not far away, while Mina behind her was enthusiastically offering to apply sunscreen.
Seeing Masata returning with drinks, Mina immediately cheered.
"Hey, why don't you help apply sunscreen to Yaoyorozu too? I just want to drink something!"
Hearing that, Masata instinctively glanced toward Yaoyorozu.
"No! Mina, don't talk nonsense!"
"Go away already! So many of us need sunscreen—don't just stay here!"
Feeling Masata's gaze again, Yaoyorozu lifted her head from the recliner, glared at him fiercely, and snapped in embarrassment.
Helpless, Masata could only stand up from the lounge chair and walk toward the beach.
Climbing onto a slightly higher reef, he jumped down without hesitation. His whole body plunged straight into the sea like a diver, letting the cool water wrap around him completely.
Suddenly, he felt something strange clamp onto his toes.
"Hm?"
Masata opened his eyes underwater. This part of the sea wasn't very deep, and with the clear water and bright sunlight, his vision remained sharp.
A massive lobster—easily over half a meter long—had latched onto his toe with one huge claw, while the other snapped threateningly at him, baring its pincers with ferocious intent.
Was this lobster blind, or just bold enough to challenge the top of the food chain?
It even seemed to be treating Masata as prey.
A wicked smile curled across Masata's face as he released a few bubbles and calmly reached down, prying the lobster off his foot in one motion.
Even then, the lobster struggled fiercely, still trying to pierce his skin.
Looks like there would be an extra dish for dinner tonight—and a pretty luxurious one at that.
Clutching the still-flailing lobster, Masata swam back toward the shore, quietly savoring the thought.