The cicadas' song beat against my ears.
"Ugh... so hot..."
It was 7
*****
Even hidden in the shade of a tree in the university parking lot, the morning sun's rays burned my skin. I was already making full use of my sweat towel.
*****
"I might have come too early..."
With half an hour still left before the meeting time, it was no surprise no one else had arrived yet. I gazed at the nearly deserted parking lot, scattered with a few isolated cars, and muttered to myself.
*****
Kotaro was at university, welcoming his first summer vacation. With help from his classmates and Misaki, a senior in the same department, he had managed to achieve relatively good grades on his first periodic exams.
Starting today was the Summer Training Camp for the Social Welfare Research Society, which both Kotaro and Misaki belonged to. Though nominally called a "training camp," they rarely engaged in serious activities. Their plans mainly involved hanging out, drinking, and more hanging out.
Their destination was the mountains. Since we're going, I should at least get to see Misaki-senpai in a swimsuit by the sea! he had thought, but...
"I'll show you next time. Okay? Don't get all gloomy, you pervert."
"You really don't need to call me that!"
As usual, she was teasing me. Misaki's cheeks were flushed slightly pink, so maybe she was just hiding her embarrassment. I'm looking forward to the Summer Training Camp, but I'm even more excited about spending time alone with Misaki at the beach... I never imagined I'd be this excited about summer when I first entered school.
They've been practicing this early in the morning.
Sipping the barley tea I bought at the convenience store, I watched the tennis court next to the parking lot. Amidst the cicadas' shrill songs, I heard the crisp sound of rackets striking balls and spirited yells. Practicing this early in the morning means it's probably not a circle, but a proper club. Either way, it's completely different from the laid-back tennis circle where the guys aggressively hit on girls during the entrance ceremony.
Y'know, "Echizen"... I was absentmindedly humming a phrase I'd heard somewhere when someone tapped me on the shoulder.
"Huh...? Oh!"
A slender, tiny index finger tickled my cheek.
"Wow... you fell for that so easily. Just as I expected, Kotaro."
Misaki, the number one tease, kept her finger jabbed into Kotaro's cheek as she twinkled with amusement. He was steadily establishing his reputation as the number two tease.
"...Good morning," I greeted expressionlessly, unsure how to respond. My face burned with shame at being so easily tricked.
"Morning. Heh heh..."
Misaki stood with her hands clasped behind her back, beaming with delight at the success of her morning prank.
"Seriously... what are you doing so early in the morning...?"
The rest of the sentence vanished into the back of my throat the moment I saw her.
She was wearing a T-shirt printed with a refreshing, painterly landscape and denim hot pants. I stared, captivated by the soft, pillowy mounds that strained against the fabric. Spring Misaki was lovely, but summer Misaki was equally stunning. Her vibrant freshness seemed to shout her age of 20. No, wait... I found myself seriously contemplating, even if Misaki-senpai were 25 or 30, she'd still pull off this outfit perfectly.
"Oh? You're really biting my bait, aren't you? ...They were pretty tight, but I'm glad I wore these after all."
Misaki muttered quietly and abruptly turned away. As she said, her unusually large, childbearing hips were barely contained by her denim hot pants. Her shapely, round buttocks seemed to proclaim their presence with a defiant swagger.
"This... this is..."
Kotaro was speechless, his eyes fixed on her taut, nearly bursting rear.
"You're staring too much. Your eyes are practically glowing."
Misaki chuckled wryly, patting her hips and swaying them gently.
"...I feel weird just waking up."
"Ah... if you'd come 15 minutes earlier, I would've dragged you into a nearby restroom and done it with my mouth."
"What?!"
"Joking, idiot!"
Her voice pitched up at the unexpected suggestion, and her cheeks were gently pinched between her hands.
"You're sweaty."
"I got here too early."
"Were you expecting something?"
"Summer Training Camp, right?"
"What else could it possibly mean?"
"Hey, Misaki-senpai, your face is turning red."
"Shut up."
As they chatted casually, Misaki glanced around. The Tennis Circle must have taken a break; the courts were empty.
Misaki narrowed her eyes and leaned in closer.
Huh...?! Misaki-senpai, she's going to kiss me here...?!
My heart raced at this unexpected turn when I saw a car pull into the parking lot. We sprang apart, our bodies snapping back. My muscles screamed from the sudden movement. It was 7
*****
—fifteen minutes before the Circle's meeting time.
*****
"Ugh... What was I even thinking...?"
"Senior Misaki, that was way too bold..."
"No, Kotaro, you should have stopped me too. You know I wouldn't have stopped once I got like that, right?"
"I don't think it's right to shift responsibility onto your guardian."
"Who's anyone's guardian?!"
Misaki playfully punched Kotaro in the stomach. It was cute, but surprisingly painful.
"Good morning, Misaki, Kotaro-kun... Hey, what are you two doing?"
Megumi arrived at the parking lot on her bicycle and tilted her head curiously at the sight of Misaki playfully punching Kotaro in the stomach, while he braced himself with a hint of seriousness.
*****
This year, 40 members were attending the Summer Training Camp, making it quite a large group. Due to poor transportation options, members with driver's licenses would drive the Circle members in their cars. Those with their own vehicles would use them, while the rest would rent cars using the Circle's budget.
"Misaki and Kotaro-kun will be in my car. Though it's actually a rental."
"Understood."
"Here we go!"
Fukushima, the representative and a third-year student, smiled warmly. The car was a spacious eight-seater. Fukushima took the driver's seat, Megumi—Misaki's classmate and Fukushima's girlfriend—sat in the front passenger seat, the first- and second-year girls took the middle seats, and Kotaro and Misaki settled into the back. The unfamiliar scent of someone else's car made them a little uneasy as they got in. It felt a bit like the awkwardness of being in a friend's house.
This isn't a coincidence, is it?
I just wished I could be with Misaki, and now I've gotten the most fortunate seat possible. He glanced forward and saw Fukushima and Megumi smiling, thumbs up. Misaki was also giving a thumbs-up. It seemed they'd planned this in advance. All he could do was feel grateful.
Oh, Misaki-senpai's scent...
A faint, refreshing, sweet fragrance drifted from Misaki beside him. He felt comforted by the familiar soft scent when he felt something prickling the back of his hand. Wondering what it was, he turned around and saw Misaki grinning mischievously.
Huh, she's just too cute...
I almost ignored everyone else and hugged her.
"It's a three-hour drive one way... I'm definitely not falling asleep, definitely not!"
Fukushima placed his black coffee in the holder. There were already several more bottles in the convenience store bag, but seeing him so determined was a little intimidating. Did he stay up all night yesterday, too excited to sleep?
"Hey, are you sure you're okay?"
"You look scary!"
The two women in the middle teased Fukushima playfully. Despite being the oldest in the car, his gentle nature made him a frequent target of such banter.
"Don't worry, I won't let you sleep."
"Mm."
Megumi turned around with a smile, and the atmosphere in the car softened.
"Ah, um, let's just pretend that never happened..."
Everyone in the Circle knew that Fukushima and Megumi were dating. There was no way to interpret his words in any way but sexually. Megumi, usually calm and composed, flushed crimson.
How cute, Megumi-senpai... I thought.
"Hmm?"
Misaki pinched my cheek. When I looked, she was puffing out one of her cheeks.
"...Misaki-senpai, you're too cute."
"Ugh?!"
After confessing my true feelings to Hamster-senpai, who was puffing out his cheeks like a hamster roasting a biscuit, a strange sound escaped from his pursed lips.
The cars around us gradually began to leave the parking lot.
"Alright, let's head out too," Fukushima said cheerfully, and our car slowly began to move.
My personal favorite lines from this chapter were "Yaaah, Echizen!" and "Don't worry, I won't let you fall asleep."
Next update will be on January 8th (Tuesday) at 7 PM! (^^)
Thank you for reading, as always! (^^)