—The fifth and last test of our school trip!' shouts Maeda, stretching.
I hide under my comforter, and think.
Quite a morning mood.
The young boy approaches me and pulls off my protective covering with a playful look.
—Yamazaki-kun, are you free today?
It might be a good idea for me to get to know the people in my class, so I don't have to deal with Anzu every time I have to group work.
—Uh … yeah probably, why?
—We want to go to the beach with Yamaguchi-kun and Inoue-chan.
The beach? Has that become a gathering point for normies or what?
— Inoue-chan? Who's Inoue-chan?
—Aneko Inoue, seriously Yamazaki-kun, how you not know the idol of the seconds! She's our classmate, and also an excellent pianist! What kind of world do you live in, you're way out of my league,' he laughed.
I could have done without his laughter.
Is she that important, Aneko Inoue?
—I don't know. But yeah, I'm coming.
I think I should be interested in other people.
—Let's tell Shimizu-chan, he says, winking at me.
I already feel less like coming…
We find the girls and leave together on the beach. On the way, I notice that groups have naturally formed, probably by affinity. Anzu is next to me and in front of us, my two roommates encircle Inoue, and ask him a lot of questions.
They must surely piss you off as much as me…
We walk along the coast. Under the morning sun, the wind touches my skin, its softness reaches the hairs of my arms slowly and rocks me sensually.
It is… It is not the wind?! It's Anzu who caresses my arm!? But why?
Suddenly, Anzu, with a cheerful air, proposes.
—Shall we dive, friends?
Everyone agrees with her idea so we put on our beach clothes and go for a swim.
In the distance, I notice that Yamaguchi and Maeda are having fun with Inoue.
Something is wrong.
If Anzu could stop splashing me with water maybe I could tell you my thoughts.
I pretend to want to go to the bathroom, to think.
The boys seem to force Inoue to play with them. If I see it, everyone sees it. She has a neutral face and doesn't look at them at all. Besides, her face is directed at me, isn't it? Why is her staring at me so much? Why is her staring at me so much? Social relationships, I don't understand anything, it's a delirium, seriously.
I find my comrades and analyse Inoue.
She has a feminine figure that would seduce any man. She must have the double, maybe even the triple of Anzu's chest. Long, black, straight hair. And is that some kind of fringe hiding her sweet face? Wait, but is she coming out of an eroge this girl? She's really hot.
Suddenly, her hazel eyes meet my gaze.
Is she blushing? Am I intimidating her that much? Why the hell is my heart beating so fast?
We have to leave, we absolutely have to leave, I'm going to have a heart attack for sure.
The end of the ordeal is getting closer, there was only the return trip left.
We go up to the bus to reach the prefecture of Yokohama.
On the bus, Inoue approaches me shyly.
—You are well, although I sit next to you, Yazaki-kun?
Unbelievable, I understood absolutely nothing.
—She wants to go next to this dirty otaku?
—Really? Our idol stoops to a guy like that?
—I can't believe it.
She wants to go next to me?
I look at her face, and admire her smile and her reddish cheekbones.
I move over and tell her.
—Sit here if you want, Inoue-chan.
Very mysterious girl… But I really have more time to myself to be alone.
Tired, Inoue suddenly collapses on me.
Who, what, what? What am I supposed to do now, exactly?
I stand still, not knowing what to say or do.
Her neck, so close to my face, gives me the smell of her perfume.
Rose, damn it she smells so good!
—She sleeps on the shoulder of the otaku?
—Impossible, she must surely make fun of him, he is a moron this guy!
—It's clear, touching a shit like him would be a torture for her.
Quite an atmosphere in this bus.
Yamaguchi and Maeda also notice Inoue, nestled on my shoulder, and advantage of it to make fun of him.
—Yamazaki-kun the stud, Yamazaki-kun the stud, sing my two former classmates.
I'm going to have one of his reputations, it's going to be horrible. Goodbye, short life.
I have two khukuris if I need them,' Kinari whispers to me, annoyed.
Shut up, psycho.
Anzu, silent, seemed annoyed when she heard the two boys' song.
I want to go home, right now. I miss my sanctuary.
Arrived at the station of Yokohama, the bus stops. I wake up Inoue by shaking her arm.
—Where am I?
There, you are on my shoulder…
She rubs her eyes, then she cries out.
—Sorry, Yazaki-kun! I wanted to get under you.
She makes a mistake on my last name, mixes the accent of Hokkaido and English, what is this crazy again?
—Oops, she blows her nose and hides her face.
What an idiot.
—It's okay, Inoue-chan.
She takes her hands away from her eyes.
—You … you know my name?
—Maeda-san and Yamaguchi-san gave it to me.
She looks away, then we get off the bus.
You're doing too much,' Kinari says again and again, jaded.
You are not wrong, old brother.
I return to my apartment and observe Chizu who runs to me before jumping in my arms.
—Big Brother, I missed you so much!
—You too Chizu, are you well?
—Yes, thank you! Besides Big Brother, you have a surprise in your room!
A surprise?
—Ah? I will see that.
With apprehension, I open the door and then jump up shouting with all my soul.
—Yui Yuigahama is real!?
Is this my present?
I rub my eyes, and look again.
—Ah it's you, Ôta-senpai, you scared me!
Ôta is sitting on my bed, a book in her hand.
Our president rises shyly, puts her hands against her cheekbones, and confides me with a sensual voice.
—I'm sorry I scared you, I just wanted to meet you again today, Ki-na-ri.
— Kinari? You call me by my first name?
When will this mess end? I can't take it anymore, seriously, I'm beat!
—Shimizu-chan is doing it… Can't I do it?
Chizu often explained to me what jealousy is. I had only a vague memory of this lesson, but it is undoubtedly what Ôta-senpai feels.
Masuko grabs my arm, puts her look on mine, then whispers to me with a soft voice.
This proximity, I'm going to have a heart attack.
—I missed you, Kinari.
—I missed you, Kinari.
—I missed you, you idiot!
Missed me? I'm going to pass out.
Upset, I feel a kind of shock inside me. My hairs stand on end and my face doesn't know what expression to adopt.
I keep silent.
She gently withdraws her hold, looks at me with her blue eyes, waves me off, then leaves.
I spread out in my bed, and declare.
—I was close to having a heart attack, there. Damn, she was always so adorable this girl?
Chizu calls me for dinner.
What a delight, it's my favourite dish, curry with a little rice, a treat.
After the meal, Chizu approaches silently and asks me.
—Close your eyes, big brother.
What does she want?
It's strange, but I can trust her, so I listen to her.
I feel Chizu embracing me before confessing in a tone full of sincerity and love.
—I love you, Big Brother!
Chizu is really caring as a sister. She is only fourteen years old, but her maturity shows that she has a wisdom that I don't have, and that I would never have.
I answer her with a smile on my face.
—I love you too, Chizu.
Chizu is the only person, until now, to whom I said these words.
Eroge: Japanese erotic games.
Yui Yuigahama: Waifu from the love triangle of Oregairu.