Chapter 56: Taking Pictures with Kushida
The ocean, which feels like summer all year round, the vast blue sky, and the gently blowing sea breeze softly enveloping the body.
Right here, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where the midsummer heat is nowhere to be felt—this is a paradise at sea. After leaving the room, Hikigaya first found a random place to eat something, then came to the deck alone to enjoy the sea breeze on his face.
"Oh? Isn't this Hikigaya-kun?" A familiar voice came on the wind.
Hikigaya turned his head and saw a blonde girl standing behind him. With a phone in one hand and holding down her short skirt that was almost lifted by the wind with the other, she gave Hikigaya a gentle and cute smile.
"It's Kushida-san..."
Against the backdrop of the sea and the blue sky, Kushida looked even more dazzling than usual, making Hikigaya's heart beat a little faster.
"Wow, it's so beautiful..." Kushida sighed as she leaned against the railing at the ship's bow.
The sunlight sprinkled on the sea surface. The sea unfolded like a golden cicada's wing, and also like a white gauze reflecting the blue sky. The boundless seawater and the clear blue sky merged into one, an exquisite scene where the sea and sky are the same color.
"Hikigaya-kun, I have something I'd like to ask for your help with, may I? Please, I'm counting on you." Kushida suddenly turned around, took two steps forward to move closer to Hikigaya, and looked at him with sparkling eyes.
'With her looking at me with such a cute, pleading look, I feel like I'm about to happily tell her my bank password.'
Before Hikigaya could refuse, she continued: "Hikigaya-kun, please take some pictures for me. Since we have this rare opportunity to vacation on an island on a luxury cruise ship, I hope to take a few photos as souvenirs."
"Take pictures? Got it, hand over the camera." Hikigaya reached out his hand to Kushida.
Kushida felt her school uniform pocket, then gave Hikigaya an embarrassed look: "Sorry, Hikigaya-kun. I forgot to bring my camera. How about you use my phone to take a few pictures for me?"
"Is that so? That works too..."
Saying this, she was about to hand the phone to Hikigaya, but then quickly withdrew her hand as if she suddenly remembered something: "H-Hikigaya-kun, let's use your phone to take the pictures, and you can send them to me later."
'Does this girl really not want me to touch her phone?'
She seemed to have read Hikigaya's thoughts, and she gave a shy smile, then said: "Hikigaya-kun, girls' phones also have many secrets they don't want others to see—'for example, the photo I just secretly took of Hikigaya leaning against the railing and gazing at the sea.'"
"I-I see... I'll tell you beforehand, I'm not very good at taking pictures with a phone," Hikigaya took out his phone from his school uniform pocket, walked a few steps away from the railing, and held up his phone, aiming it at Kushida.
"Ah, just a moment, Hikigaya-kun."
Saying this, Kushida turned her face away, walking back and forth around the railing, occasionally stopping to strike various poses. After quite a while, she finally found the right position and nodded with satisfaction.
Just as Hikigaya thought they could start shooting, Kushida somehow pulled out a small mirror, excitedly tidying up her appearance.
The sea breeze gently tousled Kushida's blonde short hair, revealing her fair and lovely face. The golden sunlight shone on her, adding a warm color to her fair skin. From a distance, it looked as if a soft, luminous edge had been added to her body.
Although Hikigaya was an amateur and didn't know much about photography, Kushida's posture at this moment was very beautiful.
'As expected of the archangel of Class D, Kushida Kikyou, she truly knows how to showcase her charm.'
She seemed to know exactly how to be photographed for the best effect, striking cute and playful poses.
Although Hikigaya had aimed the lens well at Kushida, he forgot to press the shutter. He only belatedly snapped out of it when he heard the slightly frozen-faced Kushida deliberately clearing her throat.
"...Okay, say, Peanut."
The sound of the shutter accompanied by the flash rang out. Kushida hurriedly increased the upward curve of her lips.
"How is it? Did I take it okay?"
Saying this, Hikigaya was about to hand the phone to Kushida to check the photo, but he found that she had already moved close to him, intently looking at the beautiful girl on the screen with her head lowered.
"The picture is indeed very cute... but, Hikigaya-kun, what was that phrase just now?"
"You don't know? We all shout that when taking pictures over there..."
"Don't lie like that..."
'It's not really a lie; I just thought it would be great if it could become popular. Everyone, when taking pictures, remember to say "Peanut" too!'
"Alright, I was just teasing... Since it's a rare opportunity, how about we take one together?"
It's really hard to refuse when someone says that to your face, and besides, I don't seem to have a reason to refuse. Although I could use a flimsy excuse like "my soul will be sucked out," how should I put it... this girl is right, it is a rare opportunity.
"Hmm, just taking a picture is fine. I'll go find someone to help."
"No need to find anyone, I'll take it. Hikigaya-kun, lend me your phone." Kushida said, moving one more step towards Hikigaya. She took the phone from Hikigaya, then held it high, aiming the lens at the two of them, ready to press the shutter button.
"Hikigaya-kun, don't move." Saying this, Kushida quietly hooked her other arm onto Hikigaya's right arm, her long, slender fingers also wrapping around it.
"W-Wait... Kushida-san? Wh-What does this mean?"
Kushida didn't answer, but instead squeezed her body closer to Hikigaya. Her soft chest pressed against Hikigaya's arm, and a scent of citrus wafted from her.
"Going to take it now. Say, Cheese!"
The phone emitted a soft electronic shutter sound.
Hikigaya's gaze drifted in the opposite direction from Kushida. Because of this, his eyes were even more rotten than usual, almost to the point of being a ghost photo.
Kushida immediately released her fingers gripping Hikigaya's right arm, and the deck sounded with a cheerful "thud." She took two steps back, leisurely turned, and thanked Hikigaya: "Thank you."
"There's nothing to thank me for..."
'That's right, taking a picture is a very ordinary, small matter.'
Looking around, many other people seemed to be holding up cameras side-by-side to take selfies. For high school students, taking a commemorative photo is no big deal. It could be with anyone, and it's not strange for a boy and a girl to take one together. On the contrary, taking pictures like this is very normal.
To cover his embarrassment, Hikigaya took the phone back from Kushida and deliberately spoke to her: "You're very used to taking pictures..."
Hearing Hikigaya's words, Kushida tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled: "Am I? Doesn't everyone take pictures often?"
"Who would take pictures often for no reason?"
Kushida clapped her hands together in front of her chest, secretly glancing at Hikigaya, and showing a cute smile.
"This is a very important memory! Hikigaya-kun, please take a few more pictures for me."
'Important memory?'
"...You're right." Answering briefly, Hikigaya raised his phone again.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting