Chapter 55 - The Sea and the Villain (5)
"Whoa, that's cold! Ryusuke, you're asking for payback now!"
"Wha—!? Mashiro, you're really going for it, huh?"
"Onii-chan, you're wide open! Take that! How do you like it?"
"Mai, you... wait, blech! This is salty! Two against one isn’t fair!"
We were splashing around in the shallow part of the ocean.
With the water reaching just below our knees, we threw water at each other, laughing like children, wearing wide, carefree smiles.
After we found a quieter spot, we set up the beach parasol and leisure sheet that Mai had rented for us. That became our base for the day, as we set out to enjoy the beach to the fullest.
And so, to make today the best day possible, we were having a blast.
Every time Mashiro raised her arms to splash water, her large chest would sway. My eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the sight, and the next thing I knew, a splash of seawater hit my face.
Mashiro giggled at the sight. Curious as to what was so funny, I realized there was a clump of seaweed on my head, making it look like I was wearing a wig.
"Ahaha, what is that, Onii-chan? Pfft, I can't stop laughing!"
"Mai, don’t laugh! Mashiro, you did this on purpose, didn't you?"
"It just floated by at the right moment! It suits you, Ryusuke!"
Mashiro giggled as she looked at me, while my sister, Mai, was laughing so hard she was holding her stomach.
Seeing the two of them laughing so happily made me smile too.
This scene, laughing and having fun at the beach, felt like a dazzling page out of the youthful days I had always longed for. It was like a dream, a moment I could never achieve in my previous life, but now it was more than enough to make my heart dance.
"Ryusuke, how about we take a break? Let's relax under the beach parasol for a bit."
"Yeah, let's do that. After a short rest, we can head out to the deeper waters."
"Onii-chan, I’m all for that! I want to come too!"
"Alright, it's settled. Let's rest for a bit, then we'll all go for a swim."
The three of us left the shallow waters and headed back to the beach parasol.
The leisure sheet we laid out was so large that even with the three of us sitting on it, there was still plenty of space. It didn't feel cramped at all, even with our belongings scattered around.
Mashiro had also brought a cooler box filled with cold drinks, so it looked like we could play for a long time without any worries.
As I sat down on the sheet, Mai came over, holding a deflated swim ring.
"Onii-chan, I hereby grant you the right to inflate this swim ring."
"No, no, I don't need that right. Inflate it yourself, please."
"Ehh, no way! I can't blow it up by myself. If I don't, I won’t be able to swim!"
"Geez. You can run so fast, but you can’t swim at all. Alright, give it here."
"Yay! As expected from my awesome Onii-chan! I love you! You're the best!"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Now hurry up."
I took the deflated swim ring from Mai and, with one deep breath, blew air into it. The ring steadily inflated as she watched with excitement, as if she were watching an amusement park attraction.
"There you go. Now even a non-swimmer like you should be fine."
"Thanks, Onii-chan! Now I can enjoy the sea too!"
Mai happily slipped the inflated swim ring around her waist and started hopping around in excitement.
Even though she had grown a lot since starting middle school and had become more mature, moments like these showed she hadn’t changed much from before.
Watching her act so carefree, I couldn't help but smile. At that moment, Mashiro quietly sat down next to me.
With a gentle smile, she took a towel out of her bag.
"Ryusuke, let me dry your hair. It got soaked from all the splashing earlier."
"Huh? But we’ll be playing again soon, so it's not really—"
"Nope. Little things like this matter. So, as Mashiro-san says, stay still, okay?"
"Uh, sure. I’ll leave it to you."
"Good, good. A very obedient response. Now, stay still."
Mashiro gently began drying my hair with the towel, her hands soft and tender.
Normally, having someone touch my hair or head would feel awkward, but with Mashiro, it felt strangely comforting.
"Ryusuke, your hair is so smooth. I’m jealous."
"Really? I never noticed."
"It’s a beautiful shade of black, too. And with it wet like this, you look more mature than usual."
"…Really?"
"Yeah, it’s making my heart race a little. Hehe."
Blushing slightly, Mashiro’s compliment left me feeling a bit embarrassed. Her delicate fingers running through my hair made my heart pound.
"All done! I made sure your hair is nice and dry, so it’ll be even shinier tomorrow."
"Though, I'll probably get soaked again soon."
"Haha, you’re right! But if that happens, I’ll just dry you off again."
"Thanks, Mashiro. I’ll count on you."
"Hehe, you're welcome."
We exchanged smiles as we looked at each other.
Watching us, Mai grinned mischievously.
"You two are always so lovey-dovey without even trying. It’s so sweet I could puke sugar."
"Come on, sugar puke? Really? It's just that Mashiro is very caring—"
"Don’t tease him too much, Mai-chan. You’ll make Ryusuke angry."
"Haha, sorry! But it makes me happy to see you two getting along so well."
"Thank you, Mai-chan. Can I keep getting closer to Ryusuke then?"
"Of course! There's no one else around, so feel free to show off as much as you want!"
"Alright then, here I go."
With a thumbs-up from Mai, Mashiro handed me the towel and then sat down on my lap, her back against me.
"Wait... Mashiro, what are you doing?"
"Since I dried your hair, it’s your turn to dry mine. And since sunscreen was too much for you, this should be fine, right?"
"Uh, no, this is still too much for me!"
"It’s not. Hurry up and start drying! Let’s make Mai-chan jealous."
With that, Mashiro comfortably settled into my lap, her warm, soft body exuding a pleasant scent.
"You really are something else, Mashiro."
"Hehe, I know. I’m a naughty girl, so my punishment is that you have to spoil me a lot."
"Fine, fine. I get it."
Worried that she might hear my pounding heart, I hesitantly reached for her silky black hair. Even wet, it was smooth and soft, like silk.
As I gently began to dry her hair, Mashiro let out a pleased "Mmm," and relaxed, leaning her weight against my chest.
"Ahh... having Ryusuke dry my hair is so relaxing. I feel like I could fall asleep."
"Hey now, if you fall asleep, your day at the beach will be over."
"That would be a shame. I want to enjoy more summer fun."
"Then you better stay awake. If you get tired, I’ll lend you my shoulder on the way back."
"Thanks. I’ll take you up on that."
Mashiro laughed happily, her smile utterly adorable, and I continued drying her hair, feeling her warmth.
Though I didn't use a hairdryer, her hair was now back to its usual beautiful, glossy state.
"Thanks, Ryusuke. That felt so nice."
"You're welcome. Glad to hear it."
"Okay, let's get ready to swim now!"
"Yay! Come on, Onii-chan, hurry!"
"Alright, alright. Don’t rush me."
Urged on by Mai, I stood up, and the three of us left the parasol.
The sun was still high in the sky, the heat intense, but with the three of us together, that heat felt strangely pleasant.