Sora had wound up getting closer to me and kissed me herself. Her breasts softly pressed against my chest, giving me that second soft sensation. She pulled away slowly, her face crimson red.
I stared in silence, not saying a word.
"S-sorry," her voice was doleful as her cheeks lost their color. The only sound was the sound of us kicking and paddling our arms to stay afloat.
"Why?" I asked after a moment of silence.
"I'm sorry, I just—it felt like we were having a moment. I guess my body acted on impulse. I didn't mean—"
"No, why are you sorry?"
"Huh?"
"You shouldn't apologize for how you feel, that's like saying sorry for being yourself."
"So... You aren't mad?" I shook my head and the color returned to her cheeks. "Kichi!" She lunged at me, but I swam to the side, making her splash into the water.
"That being said, don't just jump on me. I don't like that."
"Yes you do," she smirked. "I can feel your heart beat increase when my chest touches yours." She slowly started swimming closer to me. I began slowly swimming backwards.
"Nah," I looked away.
"You're lying, I can tell."
"I just said nah, that's not a lie. It's an adverb."
"Uh-huh." She looked like a shark as she kept getting closer and closer.
"Well, I'm gonna go that way," I quickly turned around and began swimming but was grabbed by the ankle.
"Admit it!" She started dunking my head under the water.
"Sora! St—" I was dunked under again.
"Admit it, Kichi! You like me!"
"Sora! You're ki—" Dunked again.
"Say it!"
"Okay! I do! I do like you! Now stop drowning me!" She let go of my head as she laughed.
Was she some kind of sadist and enjoyed seeing me suffer!?
"I. Knew. It." She winked as she put a finger to her lips.
"Shut up," I mumbled as I swam back to shore.
I could hear her singing as I swam away. Kichi likes me. Kichi likes me.
After I swam to shore, I made my way to Han, who was lying down, using a large piece of cloth like a barrier between him and the sand.
"What's up," I approached him and sat down. I had grown weary from swimming, and needed a break.
"Nothing much," he said as he sat up.
I looked at his dark skin and couldn't help but ask the question.
"So, is that like a tan, or is that your actual skin color?" He laughed as the words left my mouth. He saw I wasn't laughing and he soon stopped.
"Oh, you were serious... It's natural. I was born in a tribe far in the mountains. We're characterized by our dark skin and red hair."
"What's the tribe called?"
"I'd rather not say. You'll think differently of me."
Ironic, huh. He wanted to keep his tribe a secret in fear I'd think differently of him, and I wanted to keep that fact I was from a different world for the same reason.
"Trust me, I won't. I only judge people by their personality, not where they've come from." He looked at me.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"It's the Chuun Tribe."
"...Who?" I titled my head.
Actually, I don't know any of the tribes, so this reaction would've been the same no matter what he said.
"What!?" He gave me a strange look. "You don't know about the Chunn Tribe? The tribe that was banished for acts of violence towards the Elves?"
"Nope, but even so, what's that gotta do with you?"
"How do you mean? That's my blood line, it's got everything to do with me."
"Really? And let me guess, this all happened thousands of years ago, right?"
"...Yeah."
"Well, I didn't see the Elves hating you when you first walked into the village, did you? I didn't hear them say bad things behind your back, did you?"
"Well, no. But—"
"But nothing. Blood means nothing, and I'm sure the Elves know that. Sure, you have the same blood as them, but not the same heart, not the same thought process, the same feelings. It doesn't matter where you're from, all that matters is who you are as a person, not what your bloodline or ancestry is."
I'd figured this out long ago. It doesn't matter who you are related too. You are your own person. Your blood doesn't matter. You hold no ties to them if you wish to not have any.
"Wow... You sure are wise, Kichichi."
"Nah."
"Whatever you say," he slapped my back in a friendly manner as he spoke. "Well, I'm gonna go for a swim. I've got enough sun."
With that, he made his way into the water.
Meanwhile, I was basking in the sun with my eyes closed when a shadow fell over me. I opened one eye to see Rubellia.
"You're gonna get a tan line if you keep your shirt on like that. Then you'll look stupid." That was the first thing she said to me as she stared down on me. Not "Wow, you look so majestic!" Or something of the sorts. Then again, this isn't an anime or manga, so I replied casually.
"Not like I take my shirt off in front of people anyway. So the only one to see my tan line would be me."
She pouted and puffed her cheeks at my reply.
But man, it was getting hot, and even those I was dry, I was sweating, and that caused the shirt to stick to my back uncomfortably. There was a different feel from a shirt getting wet and sticking to you, and sticking to you because of sweat.
It's like swallowing your own spit, it's natural. But you'd never swallow someone else, that's just gross.
"Aren't you going to swim? I haven't seen you get in the water. You've just been playing in the sand," I sat up and she sat next to me.
"I mean, I could swim," she looked at the sky. "But I don't feel much like it."
"Can't swim?"
"That's not it! I can totally swim! H-Hey, don't give me that look! I'm totally not lying!" I gave her a look of doubt as she jabbed her finger in my face. "Besides, why aren't you swimming?"
"I'm tired," I shrugged.
"Already?" She gave me a strange look.
"Yep." I use to be a shut-in. So doing things like this was new to me, even in this body. So I quickly tired out. Of course, fighting was different, that was a thrill.
She hadn't said anything after that, so we sat there in silence.
It was peaceful. The sounds of the other splashing and having fun. Patora was gladly swimming around, now that she could, while Han seemed to be swimming laps for exercise and Sora kept diving and resurfacing.
I felt something brush against my left shoulder and looked to see Rubellia was resting her head there.
"I'm glad we found this place," she let out a soft sigh.
I agree. This place is peaceful and no one knows about it. It's the perfect place to relax.
She must have been able to read me as she continued speaking. "It is the perfect place to relax."
"Yeah," I agreed.
"But honestly, I never thought any of us would get to relax like this."