Chapter 131: Head Pats as a Reward

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

---

After finishing their drinks, the two sat in the café discussing what to do next.

“There's still a bit of time before lunch. Want to head back to the ocean?”

“Yeah, I still want to swim a little more… Oh! When I dove under earlier, I actually got an idea for the design for the art festival. I kinda want to look around underwater some more.”

“There's a famous snorkeling spot a little farther down the beach. Though… have you ever tried snorkeling, Sora?”

“Nope.”

Snorkeling could be fun even for beginners, but it did require at least some practice with breathing techniques. Spending all their time just trying it out would be a bit of a waste.

“Then let's just stick with wearing goggles and swimming around.”

“Right. I don't have any, though. Let's go buy some first.”

“Yeah, good idea. Let's return the glass and head to the shop.”

Leaving the café, still in their swimsuits, they walked over to a nearby shop where they could go in as they were and bought goggles. Then they made their way back to the beach.

Sora headed under one of the freely available parasols set up near the beach huts.

“Oh, right. I need to reapply…”

She pulled a waterproof pouch from her bag, took out some sunscreen, and removed her rash guard to start applying it. Her white and yellow swimsuit was now exposed.

…A tense atmosphere immediately followed, with many gazes turning her way. Ginji quietly stepped in to block the view.

“…Are people looking at me?”

“Yeah, of course they are. Once you're done, put your rash guard back on quickly.”

“Ugh… Y-Yeah. Isn't this usually the part where a boyfriend helps apply it though…?”

Sora looked up at him with puppy eyes—only to get a flick to the forehead.

“People are watching, you know. You don't want other guys seeing you, right?”

“…Oh.”

Realizing Ginji was jealous of the attention she was getting, Sora forgot her embarrassment and instead felt giddy.

Once she finished applying the lotion to the front of her body, she zipped up her rash guard.

“Alright, all set. Let's go.”

“Yeah.”

With an inner tube in hand, they put on their goggles and peered into the water. Mixed among the sandy seabed, seashells glinted faintly as they reflected the sunlight.

As they swam a bit farther out, the water grew deep enough that their feet no longer touched the bottom. Confident in the water, Ginji dove beneath the inner tube.

He pinched his nose and looked up, puffing out his cheeks and making a silly face.

Sora burst out laughing.

“Blblgh—AHAHAHAHA! What was that face!? I drank seawater because of you!”

“Never let your guard down.”

“That was totally a sneak attack!”

Amid their playful teasing, the two enjoyed the ocean to their hearts’ content.

As lunchtime approached, they returned to the roadside station and temporarily split up to change clothes.

Sora took a proper shower, tended to her hair and skin, and changed into a sundress.

Since it was right before lunch, many people were coming off the beach, and the area outside the changing room was packed.

She looked around but couldn't spot Ginji through the wall of people.

“I should probably text him… wait, right—my phone's in the locker.”

She had her waterproof pouch, but not her phone inside it.

Giving up, she started walking to look for Ginji—only to be blocked by two men who looked about college age.

She tried to sidestep, but they moved to cut her off.

“U-Um…”

“Oh, sorry. We didn't mean to get in your way.”

When she looked up—having avoided eye contact due to the crowd—she saw that the two had clean, well-groomed appearances and seemed polite.

They looked apologetic, and for a moment Sora relaxed, thinking they weren't trying to hit on her.

“W-Well, then… I'm heading to the lockers.”

She said that in a slightly louder voice than usual, feeling a bit proud. Maybe all her daily morning greetings were paying off. She planned to tell Ginji later that she spoke up properly.

“If you want, we could treat you to lunch or something?”

“Yeah, we're looking for some girls to match numbers with a group we're with.”

Nope, they were hitting on her.

Sora had always imagined that kind of thing would be done by tanned, flashy guys with bleached hair—so she was a little shocked.

Struggling to find words to reject them, she hesitated.

Apparently mistaking her silence as hesitation, the two guys stepped up their game.

“At first, we thought you might be in middle school, but when we looked closer—not only are you cute, you're stunning. Don't worry, you don't have to say your age. We'll introduce you to the other girls.”

“Yeah, after lunch we've got other fun stuff planned too.”

Sora looked down and fell silent.

The surrounding noise started to overwhelm her. She found herself unintentionally recording the conversation in her head.

She was on the verge of a mini panic attack…

But then—she took a deep breath.

“Inhale… Sorry, I have a boyfr—”

“'Scuse me—she's my girlfriend.”

Their words overlapped. A hand landed on her shoulder—the hand she loved, the one that always patted her head.

She looked to the side and saw Ginji, panting, glaring fiercely at the guys.

The intensity in his eyes made them shrink back.

Honestly, from an outsider's perspective, Ginji probably looked more like a delinquent than they did.

“Oh—uh, got it. Sorry, then. Bye.”

“S-Sorry about that.”

They scurried away.

Sora sighed and leaned against Ginji.

“I was so nervous. Thank you for saving me, Ginji.”

“…Sorry I was late. Too many people, but I heard your voice and found you. Looks like you were handling it fine yourself, though.”

“Well… I have grown a bit. But I'm happy. I kind of dreamed of a moment like that.”

Sora nuzzled her head against Ginji's chest.

“I mean, it scares me, so I'd prefer you be more careful. Let's go get our stuff from the lockers.”

“Yeah, but before that—hey, I did good, right? So… praise me.”

“Tch… You did great.”

He gave her a good-natured but slightly rough head pat, both to praise and to hide his embarrassment.

Sora closed her eyes and smiled happily.

And for a while, the two of them stood there, not caring about the gazes of those around them.