The late morning sun had already warmed the sand, and the steady rhythm of the waves breaking along the shore created a calm, almost hypnotic atmosphere.
Yukiko lay face down on her towel, quietly enjoying the heat of the sun. Beside her, Aoi rested as well, her eyes half-closed as the ocean breeze gently played with her hair.
"Mom…" Aoi murmured softly, her voice relaxed. "I forgot how nice this feels."
Yukiko smiled faintly.
"The last time we came here, you couldn't stay
still for even a second."
She turned her head slightly.
"You'd be running along the beach by now."
Aoi let out a quiet laugh.
"I was just a kid…"
"Hehe… are you sure you don't want to go play with your friends?"
Aoi lifted her gaze.
Further ahead, near the water, Mio and Hina were tossing a ball back and forth, laughing loudly whenever it fell into the foam of the waves.
And a little farther away…
Souma was sitting with his family.
Aoi watched for a few seconds.
Then she got up.
"I think I'll go join them."
"Go on," Yukiko said gently. "Enjoy yourself."
Aoi walked across the sand, the cool water brushing against her feet as she approached.
Mio was the first to notice.
"Well, look who finally decided to show up."
"What are you guys doing?" Aoi asked,
stopping beside them.
Hina laughed.
"Playing ball… isn't it obvious?"
Mio tilted her head, giving Aoi a teasing smile.
"So, what brings you here?"
She subtly pointed.
"Yamamoto's over there."
Aoi blinked.
"Should I… call him?"
"Yes!" Hina answered immediately.
Aoi sighed.
"Alright…"
She started walking along the shoreline.
But before she could reach him—
THUMP
"Ah—!"
She bumped into someone.
"Sakamoto-san!"
Aoi looked up, surprised.
"Haru-chan?!"
Haru smiled brightly.
"Long time no see!"
Aoi laughed awkwardly.
"Yeah… I should probably visit Hina more often…"
"Come play ball with Hina-oneesan?"
"I will… I just need to take care of something first."
She glanced toward Souma.
Haru followed her gaze.
And fell silent.
…She's going to talk to that guy?
Aoi took a breath.
"S-Souma-kun! We're over here!"
Souma turned.
When he saw her, he smiled.
"Aoi! You came—"
Then he noticed.
The sunlight.
The way it framed her.
The swimsuit.
He immediately looked away, his face turning slightly red.
"A-Are you enjoying the beach?"
Aoi tilted her head… and realized.
She looked down at herself.
And blushed too.
"Y-Yeah… it's really nice here…"
She looked back at him.
And noticed his body.
Broad shoulders.
Defined abs.
"You're… pretty athletic…"
She froze.
"A-Ah! Sorry!"
Souma scratched his head awkwardly.
"N-No… I run… for the track club…"
Silence.
Neither of them able to look at each other properly.
"Hey, Aoi-nesan!"
Haru suddenly appeared between them.
He looked Souma up and down.
"Is this pervert bothering you?"
"P-PERVERT?!" Aoi froze.
Souma blinked.
"Huh?!"
Haru crossed his arms.
"Oneesan here is way too good for any guy."
"H-HARU, STOP IT!"
Souma, still confused:
"You… have a little brother?"
Aoi sighed.
"He's Hina's brother…"
She pointed.
"They're over there."
Souma looked.
"That's Hina?"
"Yeah," Haru said flatly. "Now stop staring at girls."
Souma thought, annoyed:
This kid is asking for it…
Aoi quickly stepped in.
"L-Let's go back to them!"
"Sure…" Souma said. "But after that, I wanted to—"
He stopped.
Haru was still there.
Watching.
"You're seriously going to keep listening?"
Souma said.
"So what?"
"Oneesan shouldn't hang around with perverts."
A vein popped on Souma's forehead.
Aoi started walking.
"Let's just go!"
She was smiling…
But clearly nervous.
Haru followed behind.
"I know you were staring at her butt."
"WHAT?!" Souma turned instantly.
And… without realizing…
He actually had.
For a brief second.
Haru pointed.
"See?!"
"Pervert!"
"THAT'S IT!"
Souma started chasing him.
Haru dashed away.
"Catch me if you can!"
Aoi stood there watching the two of them.
And started laughing.
"They actually get along pretty well…"
A little later, Souma reached Mio and Hina.
"Hey…"
"Souma-kun!" Hina greeted him.
"We saw you earlier," Mio added.
Soon, everyone was in the water.
Playing.
Running.
Laughing.
After a while—
"Are you thirsty?" Souma asked.
"A little," Aoi replied.
Mio smirked.
"Aoi."
"Go with him to grab some drinks."
Aoi blinked.
"Ah… okay…"
The two of them started walking.
Silence.
"Do you like the beach?" Souma asked.
"I do… but I don't come often."
"I see…"
"What about you?"
He looked toward the horizon.
"I used to live near here…"
"Really?"
"A small town… near the cliffside roads."
He smiled faintly.
"I used to come here all the time."
"Wow…"
"It's nothing special…"
But his expression dimmed slightly.
Aoi noticed.
"What's wrong, Souma?"
He shook his head.
"N-Nothing… just thinking…"
"Why did you move away? Didn't you like being near the ocean?"
Souma let out a quiet sigh.
"It's just… something bad happened, and…"
"H-Hey… maybe another time."
Aoi looked at him, confused.
"…Okay."
They reached the vending machine.
Aoi started picking drinks.
"This one for Hina…"
"This one for Mio…"
"Mio is so picky with drinks…"
She looked at him.
"Souma-kun?"
He seemed distant.
"Are you… still feeling down?"
He clenched his hands.
Took a deep breath.
"Aoi… there's something I wanted to tell you first…"
She grew serious.
"What is it?"
"In the town where I grew up…"
"One day… I was playing near the road, and—"
Suddenly—
An arm wrapped around Souma's neck.
"HEEEY!"
"T-TAKEO?!"
"Fujimoto-senpai?!"
Takeo appeared, smiling.
"You two came alone?"
"NO!" Aoi said immediately, flustered. "My mom's here! And my friends!"
"What a coincidence," he said. "My family came too."
"And Shinohara's."
"Seriously?!"
At that moment—
Haru showed up again.
He looked at Souma.
Then Takeo.
Then Aoi.
"…Another pervert?"
Takeo froze.
"…Pervert?"
"Who's this brat?!"
"BRAT?!"
They glared at each other.
Souma sighed.
"Hina's little brother…"
Aoi explained.
"This is Takeo… our senpai."
Haru examined him.
"…I see."
"So you're the leader of the perverts?"
"COME HERE!"
"CALM DOWN, SENPAI!" Souma held him back.
"I understand how you feel!"
Aoi laughed.
"This beach is chaotic…"
She grabbed the drinks.
"Let's head back?"
As she walked off—
Takeo nudged Souma.
"This is your chance."
"S-SENPAI?!"
"Go."
He pushed him forward.
Then looked at Haru.
"And you should be looking at girls your own age."
"Oneesan will fall for me."
"Yeah, sure…"
Takeo walked away.
Haru remained there.
Watching Aoi and Souma walk together.
Talking.
Laughing.
He placed a hand over his chest.
"…Onee-san…"
Back at the beach—
"HEY!" Yukiko called out.
Aoi froze.
"M-Mom?!"
Souma's eyes widened.
"T-THAT'S YOUR MOM?!"
"Why?!"
"N-Nothing!!"
Yukiko smiled.
"You must be… Souma?"
He straightened instantly.
"Y-YES!"
"Yamamoto Souma!"
"Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Aoi's classmate!"
Yukiko smirked slightly.
"Hmm… already calling my daughter by her first name?"
"MOM!!"
"Just kidding~"
She turned on her towel.
Immediately…
Several men nearby started staring.
Whispering.
"Wow…"
"She's gorgeous…"
Souma stiffened.
"A-Aoi… what are you going to eat later?"
"I'm not sure…"
They returned to the group.
"We got drinks!"
Mio noticed the attention Yukiko was getting.
"Aoi… you might want to stay close to your mom."
Souma tried to look—
But Mio grabbed his chin.
"And what exactly are you looking at?"
"N-Nothing!!"
"I just thought it was weird people were gathering…"
Mio grew serious for a moment.
"Yeah…"
"Aoi's mom attracts attention."
Aoi sighed.
"I'll be right back…"
She walked off quickly.
Hina giggled.
"Hehe…"
Then Mio slowly turned to Souma.
A teasing smile.
Narrowed eyes.
"So, Yamamoto-kun…"
She rested her chin on her hand.
"Do you like Aoi?"
Souma's face turned bright red.
"W-WHAT?!"