"Look at all these mountains, Desir!"
"You've never seen mountains before?"
"O-Of course I have! It's just been a while since I'd last travelled by train!"
I smiled warmly at Althea's animated reply. I reached out to her dainty little head and gave it a little pat. Following that, I traced Althea's gaze out of the train window, only to find the heaps of mountains that laid bare before us.
So why were we here? On a train ride far from our apartment?
Immediately after Len proposed our summer getaway, the man got straight to work. He planned out the itinerary of the trip, the overall logistics, and even the perfect dates so that none of us would have clashed schedules.
That brat even wrote to my manager and applied for the leave in my stead!
I was glad that I didn't have to do any additional work, but god damn… How did he manage to convince my manager to give me a week off?
Either way, with my week off and Althea summer break beginning, our trip started off quite smoothly. We packed our bags with a week's worth of clothes and took to the train station as planned. As for why we were taking a train rather than renting a car straight, my hometown was in one of the most remote parts of the country. If we were to drive directly from the city, it would take a full day and night to reach the nearby town, excluding the pauses we took for breaks.
Thus, Len suggested we ride the bullet train to the station and then rent a car. That way, our travelling time could be cut down drastically.
"It's a pity that Sienna and Len aren't here with us..." Watching the hills fly by at nearly the speed of sound, Althea fretted about our missing friends.
"They just took an earlier train," I laughed at Althea's innocent desire to be with her friends on a train ride. "I'm sure that they have already enjoyed the scenery."
"Still, it would have been fun if we sat in a group of four." Althea pouted cutely. "We could have played plenty of games to pass the time."
"Hah… It can't be helped. They are visiting Len's parents for the first time since the pandemic began. I'm sure that they would like their privacy."
Unlike myself, Len's parents were still alive and healthy. When Len suggested we return to our hometown for a vacation, it was also an excuse for him to visit his parents. In fact, the original itinerary even said that Althea and I should visit Len's parents as well!
However, I turned that down without a second thought.
As much as I liked Len's parents, I didn't want to spend an entire day listening to their lectures. They watched me grow up and knew about my circumstances. So it wasn't a stretch to think that they would nag the moment I showed up. In my opinion, an hour to give my greetings and to report my situation was more than enough. If I had to spend a whole day… My brain would likely explode.
Not to mention, Althea would be there with us as well. Spending her first day of summer vacation with total strangers? Even the kind and patient Althea wouldn't be happy with that.
And so, Len and Sienna took the 6 a.m. train while Althea and I opted to sleep in a little to take the 9 a.m. train. By the time we reached our hotel, it should be early in the afternoon. While Len and Sienna had to deal with those nagging parents, we could take our time to enjoy our comfortable first day.
Yeap! That's how a summer vacation should start! And speaking of summer...
"… Ah! Look! It's the ocean!"
As the train passed by the final mountain range, the sparkle of blue flashed through the train window. Shimmering rays of resplendence reflected off the wavy surface, bringing light and grandeur to all who laid eyes on it. Ever so often, a surge of water would slam into the nearby cliffs as if it were a jackhammer that was trying to break it down. The gorgeous colours stretched in what seemed like an infinite distance as hundreds of birds flew in unison. However, even their flock was insignificant to the majesty of the vast ocean.
And if we can see the ocean from here…
"We're arriving," I noted calmly. "Alright, take as many pictures as you want now. We'll be arriving in about fifteen minutes."
"Fifteen?!"
Althea became flustered. She wrested her handphone away from her purse and proceeded to open her camera app. Like a busy bee, she filtered through all of her settings to find the optimal landscape before finally taking a few pictures.
"D-Desir! Hurry, let's take a two-shot together before this ocean view passes!"
"Haha, understood."
Goodness, weren't we going to the beach already? Not to mention, you've already taken thousands of pictures of us just lounging on the chairs. Did you really need to take more photos?
Once again, I was made aware of our generational gap. Sighing, I squirted over to the young girl's chair and allowed her to do her thing.
❖❖❖
After we arrived at the station, I followed Len's instructions and found the cheap car rental place that he'd introduced to me. Seeing that we would be here for a full week, I chose a pricier blue sedan with comfort at the core of its design. Following that, I drove quickly to the hotel that we've booked, a resort built near a beach with summer-goers in mind.
Given how remote my hometown was, it was likely only open for locals to enjoy. Thus, I was able to get a room at a reasonable price.
Speaking of the room, I was considering if Althea and I should have stayed in separate rooms, given how cheap they were. Furthermore, our relationship had only just begun, and I'd just told her that I didn't want to rush into a physical relationship.
Sleeping in the same room was dangerous in more ways than one.
However, the one who turned down that idea was none other than Althea herself. She claimed that we were a couple, and it wasn't weird to sleep in the same room. Plus, while the rooms were relatively cheap, we would obviously save much more money if we stayed together instead.
Being a logical person, I couldn't argue with such articulate reasoning. However, I was afraid that my senses would run amok when my girlfriend, who was more beautiful than any girl I'd ever seen, slept face-to-face with me.
Thus, much to her protests, I came up with a compromise.
We could stay in the same room, but we must get one with twin beds.
Needless to say, Althea wasn't all that thrilled with that idea. Apparently, she had envisioned that we would be sleeping on the same bed throughout the week, giving us plenty of time to fill her cuddle meter.
While I was curious about what the heck was a cuddle-meter, I was too afraid to ask. Thus, while she was distracted, I quickly booked the twin-bed room.
Alas, my hastiness came at a price.
"I apologise; your room isn't ready yet."
When we reached the resort's reception, a warm-looking young woman bowed her head, offering us a sincere apology.
"Oh, how long would it take?"
"We have dispatched our cleaners to the room. It should be done within the hour."
"That's fine," I smiled in reassurance. "Ah, could you help bring our luggage to our room while we wait?"
"Naturally," the receptionist flashed a cordial smile. "While you wait, you can browse through our hotel's amenities. We'll call you when your room is ready. Here's your room's key card for identification. You can use it to access the swimming pool, rooftop garden and get discounts at our shopping facilities."
"Ah, thanks."
I received the key card while handing over our luggage to the bellboy. Turning to my partner, I asked: "You heard her; we have some time to kill before we check-in. So what do you want to do now?"
"Ermmm, if it's not too much to ask. Could you accompany me to the shopping area? There was a store that caught my eye..."
"Okay!"
There was no need to ask. I had planned to spend the entire day with Althea anyway. And while we had plans to tour the town, we had to check into our rooms first. So we had at least an hour to kill, and shopping was a great choice to pass the time.
"Great! Follow me!"
Beaming from ear to ear, Althea took a firm grasp on my hand and led me on a two-minute walk. In the beginning, I shared her sentiments. As long as Althea was smiling, my face would also break into a wide grin.
However, the moment Althea showed the store, she was eyeing… My smile broke down into a frown.
"A-Althea… W-Why are we here?"
"Why? To shop, of course! Why else would we come here?"
"B-But… Don't you already have swimwear?"
"Hehe, it doesn't hurt to get a new one, right?" Althea chuckled like an imp that had successfully pulled off a prank.
In a sense, Althea really did pull one over me. I'd thought that the girl was going to innocently shop for clothes, but to my utter surprise, she brought me to the one shop that was selling swimsuits. Well, they sold other things as well, such as beach equipment and souvenirs, but for the most part, the store was dominated by mannequins wearing skimpily-clad bikinis.
As a 1.87 metre man that looks like an incarnation of the Hulk himself… I felt out of place here.
"The one that I have is over three years old. Plus, I really want to get your opinion on the best possible beachwear… Can't you help me?"
T-There it is! Althea's ultimate ability, Puppy Eyes!
If I were in a video game, my heart would have taken a critical hit!
Jesus, how am I supposed to defend against such an overpowered attack?!
"F-Fine..."
"Yippie!"
Yelping in undisguised happiness, Althea pulled my hand as we stepped foot into the uncharted badlands. The first thing that hit me was the thick scent of Nylon and Spandex. Next was the lack of customers in the store. Well, that benefitted me, so I wasn't complaining all that much. However, I couldn't avert my eyes from the one thing that the store specialised in the end.
The sweet, smelling swimsuits...
Wait, why are there so many colours? Don't swimsuits only come in black and grey? Why are there blue bikinis? Won't the women wearing them get camouflaged in the ocean?
Goodness, where should I even look?
Alas, I wasn't able to stay silent for much longer. After separating from me for a few seconds, Althea returned with a stringless, black bikini and presented it to my face.
"Desir! What do you think about this one?"
"... Isn't it too revealing?"
If I were to be honest, everything here was too revealing. No, there was a one-piece swimsuit that was catered directly for swimming. Good, let's get Althea that one!
However, my girlfriend wasn't even interested in that boring section. Rather, she pulled me deeper into the forbidden lands… The rainbow of nightmares… The bikini section.
"Wow, there are so many cute ones! I can't choose them all!"
"... How about choosing none?"
"Hehe, don't joke around, Desir."
I wasn't joking! Ignoring my SOS signal, Althea continued to browse through the area, sliding hangar after hangar to find the optimal bikini. After fifteen minutes of searching, Althea finally settled on five designs. She had me carry them as she walked into the only dressing room in the shop.
And to my utter surprise, rather than asking me to leave, Althea asked me to wait outside as she changed.
"A-Althea, should I really be here?"
"Of course! I need your opinion on which swimsuit is the best!"
"B-But..."
What was this fear? This pressure that I was going to do something wrong? Even a nonchalant raised eyebrow from the shop assistant sent palpitations to my heart.
I-I'm not going to do anything, alright?! I-I'm forced to be here!
"Give me a minute; I'll be right out."
Althea chuckled and disappeared into the fitting room by pulling its curtain. From my end, I could hear the ruffling of clothes and the occasional gasp as Althea tried on her swimwear.
God… Why is this so stimulating? Aren't I just a watchdog while Althea changes? Don't think dirty thoughts. You are a monk, Desir Snow. You have been repressing your desires for twenty-six years. Surely you can handle your girlfriend changing, right?
Wrong.
After two minutes, the girl finally slid open the curtained door. And well…
My mouth dropped.
Donned on her perfect, snowy skin was a black fringe bikini top. The black and white contrast reminded me of the perfect harmony of Yin and Yang. The same went for her perfect waist. Her black bikini bottom covered all of Althea's untouchable garden, but that didn't stop one from imagining what it would be like to have a peek underneath.
Althea was a transcendental beauty; there was no doubt about that. However, since she had begun exercising with me, the perfect contours of her body had taken shape. Her waist had the ideal balance of fat and muscle. For the first time in a long time, I witnessed the perfect hourglass body that all women dreamed of having.
Everything was perfect.
Althea's face that had been smoothed out by our exercises. Althea's arms that lacked any flabby parts and seemed like it was toned down by marble rock. Althea's upper torso that contained the perfect balance of fat and muscle. Althea's ample buttocks that were filled up with womanly glory. And finally, her perfect, white legs that would make a snow crab cry in shame.
A goddess.
I was witnessing the descent of a goddess.
"D-Desir? W-Why did you go quiet? D-Do I look strange?"
"No, I was just mesmerised by your beauty. Althea, we're in trouble. I might lose all of my reasoning if you wear something like that."
"T-There you go again! Saying things like that!"
Althea blushed furiously, making her already alluring appearance multiply in charm. My god, is this what you call a biological weapon? I can't let this creature out on the beach with that outfit! Half of the men would be nuked out of existence!
"S-So, you like this bikini?"
"I have conflicted feelings."
"Conflicted?" Althea tilted her head, bewildered at my confession. "What do you mean?"
"I like this bikini very much. So much so that I'll buy it for you on the spot."
"T-Then what's the problem?"
"... I don't want anyone else to see you in it." I professed my true feelings. "I know that it's irrational, but this beguiling sight… I don't want anyone else to see it. Sorry, am I weird?"
"..."
Althea looked at me with wide eyes, not believing the words coming out of my mouth. However, after a brief moment to contemplate, Althea's face broke into a wide smile. She wrapped her arms around my neck and locked her emerald eyes with mine.
"No. No, you're not weird." Althea said determinedly. "Hehe, I'm happy. I'm happy that you have such a desire as well."
"As well?"
"Yes," my girlfriend nodded, her arms showing no signs of leaving my neck. "Just as much as you would like to monopolise me, I want to monopolise you. I'm not going to let any woman see your embarrassed face or the mesmerising glint in your eyes when you work on code."
"I-I see..."
So that's what this desire of mine was… I wanted to monopolise all of Althea for myself.
"I'm thankful. Thankful to know that your desire to monopolise me is as much as my own." Althea's eyes shone brightly. "In fact, I was worried that you wouldn't feel the same. Hearing your thoughts is an affirmation that your feelings for me have only grown."
"S-Shut it..."
Embarrassed by Althea straightforwardness, I blushed and quickly averted my eyes.
In the end, to appease my unreasonable request, Althea changed out of the perfect bikini and went with something more conservative. We left the bikini shop with a less stimulating flounce purple bikini. At the same time, I bought a swim skirt to hide as much of Althea's skin as I could.
And I certainly didn't buy the black bikini just because I wanted to see Althea in it again.
Most certainly not.