After lining up everyone's schedules, our day camp was set for July 31st.
We decided on it early in the week, and until now, the weekend, I'd been researching day camping between study sessions.
I figured I'd do nothing but study over summer break, but the research gave me a bit of a breather.
And the camp was finally tomorrow.
I didn't have work today, so If I focussed on studying in the morning, I could go shopping for the necessary camping stuff in the afternoon.
I spent the morning on exam prep, and during lunch, I asked Ayase-san if she wanted to go shopping with me. As I was doing so, my phone beeped. It was a message from Yomiuri-senpai in the LINE group we'd made for the camp. Ayase-san and I peeked at our phones.
Shiori:[You've probably already checked, but the site has a waterfall and outdoor sauna! Don't forget your swimsuits~"]
Say what? Ayase-san and I looked at each other in surprise.
"I didn't know we were planning to use the sauna."
"Looks like we can also go in the river. There's a place where the river is sectioned off next to the sauna to serve as a cold bath."
"I didn't even notice."
"Apparently campsites by the waterside are a thing."
"Seems like it."
I had seen that there was a sauna and river where we were going, but I'd just been thinking about the barbecue side of things.
Well, I can just wear the trunks I got last year since my size hasn't changed, so I don't need to go out and buy anything.
"I can just use the one I wore when we went to the pool last year, so it's no problem for me. What about you, Saki?"
"Yeah… makes sense. Hmm, lemme think about that for a bit," Ayase-san said a little hesitantly before falling silent.
She was mulling over something.
Caught up in the moment, my thoughts also unconsciously drifted.
The word "pool" brought up memories of the time we went to the pool at the end of August last year. I pointed things out about her that Ayase-san hadn't noticed. And she'd complimented me on the way I acted at the pool back then.
At the time, though, my self-esteem wasn't exactly sky-high, so I struggled to accept such one-sided praise from her.
No, maybe that's still the case.
That's something Maru always tells me. That my self-esteem is too low. But I feel like it's better to be humble than to risk inflating my ego by taking someone else's evaluation of me at face value.
"...leave."
"What?"
I hastily yanked my mind back into the present.
"I said that if you're going shopping, let me know before you leave."
"A-ah, okay, got it."
Our conversation over lunch ended there. After I finished eating, I went back to my room and took a look at the camping details on my PC.
Not only had Yomiuri-senpai sent me info about the place itself, but also a whole list of things needed for camping. I'd done my own research of course, using books and searching the net, but after comparing notes, it looked like just following her list was the best option.
I ran my eyes over the "things needed on the day" list:
〖For Camping〗
Tarp (Yomiuri will bring)Folding table (Yomiuri will bring)Folding chair
〖For Barbecue〗
Barbecue grill, fuel (charcoal), tongs, knife, cutting board (at the site)Cooler boxIngredients and seasonings
〖Consumables & Rain Gear, etc.〗
Rainwear, raincoatAlcohol sprayInsect repellentTrash bags, plastic bagsKitchen towelsDishes (paper cups, paper plates, etc.)Sponge, detergentFood storage bags, cling wrap, aluminum foil
It seemed like a lot, but Yomiuri-senpai was renting a car, so transporting everything wasn't going to be a problem.
We could divide the stuff we needed into 〖Camping Gear〗, 〖Barbecue Gear〗, and 〖Consumables & Miscellaneous〗.
You'd usually need to include tents in your camping gear, but since we weren't staying overnight, we didn't need to bring them. It was a relief, honestly.
"Tarp" had me stumped at first. When I looked it up, it turned out to be a large piece of fabric you could stretch out to protect against sun and rain, kind of like a makeshift roof.
While I got the gist of what it was online, I still wasn't sure how to go about setting one up. It seemed easier than pitching a tent, but might require some know-how depending on the model. Anyway, since Yomiuri-senpai had one, she'd probably know how to do it. She was bringing that tarp and a folding table.
I wasn't sure why she had camping gear. Maybe she had a lot of outdoor camping experience. It wouldn't be surprising if camping was one of her hobbies.
Folding chairs were just what they sounded like: small, foldable chairs. Each person needed to bring their own (it'd be weird if one person had multiple chairs). Looks like I'll have to buy one.
Hands[1] or somewhere like that probably sold them.
[1: He's talking about Tokyu Hands, a popular home goods chain]
"Folding chair" went on my shopping list.
Next was things we needed for the barbecue. Going off Yomiuri-senpai's message and the campsite's website, we could borrow most of the necessary stuff there—like the grill, charcoal, tongs, knives, and cutting boards.
Camping sure has gotten way easier these days.
We had a small cooler at home, but not a big one for storing food. When I mentioned this in the LINE group, Yomiuri-senpai said she'd bring one. Why would a girl in university living alone have such a big cooler box?
…Well, it is Yomiuri-senpai we're talking about, so I guess it makes sense.
Shiori:[I've already bought the meat and put it in the freezer too~!]
A barrage of smiling cat stamps came with her message, and I could practically see her grinning face from here.
The term "carnivorous girl[2]" popped into my head. Obviously the meaning was totally different in this context, though.
[2: Nikushoku joshi (肉食女子) translates literally to "carnivorous girl." This term is used in Japanese to describe a woman who is proactive in pursuing romantic interests, as opposed to being passive. It metaphorically compares assertiveness to the carnivorous behavior of going after what one wants]
What else did we need? Rainwear was important, but I already had some, so I didn't need to buy that either.
So, my shopping list, narrowed down to just the essentials, looked like this:
Folding chairFood and seasoningsAlcohol sprayInsect repellentTrash bags & plastic bagsKitchen towelsDisposable dishes (paper cups, plates, etc.)Sponge & detergentFood storage bags, cling wrap, & aluminum foil
We'd probably end up buying that stuff by coordinating through LINE.
After jotting everything down, I went to knock on Ayase-san's door to see if she was ready to go shopping.
Just then, I heard some scrambling noises from behind the door.
"J-Just a minute," came a flustered voice.
She seemed rushed, so maybe I'd accidently woken her up from a nap or something.
After a short wait, she opened the door.
"I was thinking of heading out to the shops now—"
"Ah, yeah, shopping. Um…" she said in a soft voice. "About that, can I… buy a swimsuit?"
"Huh? But couldn't you just wear what you wore to the pool last year?"
In hindsight, that was an incredibly insensitive question. I hadn't thought of swimsuits as fashion, more like school uniforms or gym clothes—something you don't change year to year.
"Wearing the same one two years in a row is a bit, you know… Trends change."
"Trends…. Got it."
That made sense. If someone was into fashion, they'd think about that. Plus, the only overlap between last year's pool group and this year's camping group was me, and I had no clue what patterns or colors were trendy back then. But Ayase-san wasn't one to compromise on her sense of style.
"Yep, that's how it is. Think about it in terms of equipment—it's a bit of a downer when your gear's level drops."
"Got it. Let's make time for that then."
Ayase-san let out a relieved sigh.
"I'll go get ready real quick, so wait for me at the entrance."
***
Despite the afternoon heat, we set off to shop for camping supplies.
Our destination was the well-known lifestyle goods store about 400 meters northwest of the Hachiko statue: Hands Shibuya.
Its entrance was at the corner where Organ-zaka meets Inokashira-dori. A cool breeze hit our skin as we stepped inside, a welcome relief from the sweltering heat outside. Though Ayase-san did draw in her shoulders and shrink down a bit.
"Cold?"
"A bit."
She slipped her arms into the sheer outerwear she had draped over her shoulders.
Now, where are the outdoor goods? Looking around for a map, we found one near the entrance that read, 『1A: Outdoor.』
"So it's on the first floor?"
"Which way is A?"
This store had a weird layout, with floors staggered in half-level increments. The first floor was particularly confusing, being divided into 1A, 1B, and 1C, but fortunately, the 1A was right near the main entrance.
The shelves were lined with a colorful array of outdoor apparel, bags, rain gear, lanterns, flashlights, headlamps, and other items for nighttime. We could ignore those, as we weren't staying overnight. There were also tumblers, cutlery of all varieties, disposable plates, and paper cups.
Ayase-san spoke up as she happily browsed the shelves.
"What do we need again?"
"I wrote it all down, just in case."
I showed her the list on my phone.
"That's quite a lot," she said, looking over the memo.
"Well, Yomiuri-senpai is taking care of the ingredients, since you know, she's the only one with a big cooler."
"Oh, right."
"Besides, most of these items aren't just for camping. Things like trash bags, kitchen towels, and detergent are useful everyday."
She nodded in agreement.
We had agreed to split the cost, so I'd have to save the receipt.
"Hey, can you send this list to my LINE as well? And then, I'll go this way, and you go that way, Asamura-kun. If we tell each other what we find, we can finish in half the time, don't you think?"
She pointed to the left side of the floor as she said "this way," and the right side of the as she said "that way." She'd suggested a divide-and-conquer strategy, attacking from both the left and right sides of the 1A floor.
I remembered how effortlessly she navigated store aisles when picking out clothes for me. Maybe her mind mapped out the most efficient shopping routes instantly. She might even be able to crack the traveling salesman problem[3] no sweat.
[3: The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is an optimization challenge in computer science, aiming to find the shortest route visiting each city once and returning to the start. It's known for its easy-to-understand problem statement but difficult solution]
Anyway, putting aside my fanciful thoughts, I found her idea practical and quickly sent her the shopping list via LINE.
We each took a basket and split up in opposite directions. I found one of the items, dropping it into my basket and shooting off a [Found it] message along with the item's name. Ayase-san's reply was a cat stamp holding a [Ryo!"]sign.. I hadn't seen that stamp before. "Ryo" meant "acknowledged," didn't it? It was a bit out of character for the usually cool Ayase-san to use a playful stamp like that. Maybe Narasaka-san or someone else is rubbing off on her.
Picturing Ayase-san sending those stickers with a completely serious face made me smile. I covered my mouth with my hand, glancing around nervously to see if anyone noticed. Of course, they didn't.
Ayase-san found an item too and sent [Found it.] I replied with a simple [acknowledged] of my own, sans cute stamp. I didn't have any of them, so it couldn't be helped. Maybe using the same one she did would make her happy?... Well, I'd think about it later.
Messaging back and forth on LINE, we efficiently covered the floor from both sides. Teamwork makes the dream work.
We met back in the middle.
"Phew. I think we've got everything now."
"It's quite a lot, isn't it?" Ayase-san observed, looking down into the baskets.
"Let's share what we've got with the group on LINE before we check out."
I sent a message listing everything we were about to buy.
A notification pinged immediately with a reply from Yomiuri-senpai.
Shiori: [Just bought the ingredients. Got extra meat!]
Her message came in her usual style. It really drove home for me that her way of speaking wasn't an act.
A "Yay!" stamp featuring a puppy with meat in its mouth popped up from Kozono-san.
Ayase-san responded with a serious question.
Saki:[What should we do about the seasonings?]
Shiori:[I'll bring those too!]
Erina:[I found unopened pepper and salt at home, so I'll bring them.]
I nodded after seeing Yomiuri-senpai and Kozono-san's replies. With that, we had all the necessary supplies.
"Umm, did we forget anything?" Ayase-san asked while checking the stuff in our baskets.
"We just need to grab those folding chairs now."
"Oh, I saw some back there."
"Let's go take a look then."
She led me to the corner where the folding chairs were on display. Ayase-san picked out a cute red folding chair. I reached out for the chair next to it—but then it hit me.
"Ah... maybe matching colors isn't the best idea."
It wouldn't bother Yomiuri-senpai, who knows we're family, but I wondered what Kozono-san, who doesn't know the full story, would think.
My comment made Ayase-san pause.
"Now we're on the topic, Asamura-kun, what are we telling Kozono-san about us?"
"Do you mean whether or not to tell her that we're step-siblings, or that we're actually a couple?"
Just saying "couple" made me glance around the store nervously. I hadn't checked if anyone was close enough to hear before saying it, and the thought of someone we knew overhearing us made me feel a little embarrassed.
"Thats… um, but y'know, since Kozono-san works in Shibuya, it wouldn't be weird for her to see us here, would it?"
"Yeah, that makes sense."
"So, if we don't want Kozono-san to find out that we're a couple, maybe we shouldn't act coupley in public either." Ayase-san's voice got quieter with each word.
I got what she was implying. That meant we'd have to ditch our "siblings at home, lovers outside" strategy and just stick to being siblings all the time.
But if that happens, that's like being just regular siblings, isn't it?
While my old man and Akiko-san might be relieved, what about the feelings that'd grown between us? Could we really keep going like nothing's changed under those circumstances?
"But Kozono-san doesn't go to Suisei High, and she did say her closest station wasn't Shibuya when we were setting up where to meet tomorrow, didn't she?"
"Yeah, true. So, the chances of her seeing us together are slim, and even if she does, we don't have to stress about school gossip?"
I nodded, and a slight look of relief played across Ayase-san's face.
But even as I agreed, I realized this wasn't really solving the core problem. Wanting to act natural outside meant always risking being seen by people close to us. We hadn't really talked about what we'd do if that happened.
How would we explain it to Kozono? She wasn't the only problem. There were plenty of people out there like her.
Behaving like lovers naturally do meant being ready for someone to find out eventually, and when that time came, we'd probably be forced to make a decision.
It's not like you go around sharing your relationship status with everyone, but avoiding that talk isn't some magic solution either.
"Well, for now, let's not buy matching chairs. You don't like being questioned either, right, Ayase-san?"
"I don't… but…" she trailed off.
"Something bothering you?"
Ayase-san pouted.
"When they were doing that special on infidelity, they said that cheating husbands like to pretend they're single outside."
"Ugh."
Maybe it's time to quit watching those daytime talk shows, don't you think?
"I wouldn't do something like that."
"I know. I know you're not that type of person, Asamura-kun, but still…"
I kind of understand the point of wedding rings now.
"Anyway, let's talk about this later when we have more time. We clearly don't have enough time to figure it out by tomorrow."
"Yeah…"
We still hadn't found a smooth, casual way to let people know about us. Us being step-siblings who became lovers after our parents' remarriage.
As we headed to the register, I thought about how we would answer if someone directly asked us about it. It seemed to me we might have no choice but to dodge the question with some vague answer or other. We really didn't have a clear response ready.
"So, we're just looking for a swimsuit now, right? But it doesn't look like they sell them here."
Well, not that they don't sell them, but knowing her, she wouldn't settle for just anything wearable.
"That's… fine."
"Oh, and of course, I'll carry half of the bags."
I wanted to say I could handle it, but didn't want to make her feel bad for offering. So, I handed her one of the bags. The lighter one.
We left Hands with our green-logoed paper bags and headed towards Center Gai in Shibuya.
We ended up at a beachwear shop. It seemed to be an Italian brand store that even had swimsuits and legwear displayed outside, making it hard to know where to look. It felt a bit intimidating to go near it.
Ayase-san mentioned in passing that Italian clothes are more about being elegant and sexy than just casual. But, she added, there are many exceptions. Still, I personally couldn't really tell the difference.
"Okay then, I'll just wait here."
Ayase-san gave me a questioning look as I tried to wait diagonally across from the store.
"What're you talking about?"
"Huh, but…"
I thought back to when we brought swimsuits separately last year. But at the time we weren't a couple yet, were we? Wait, does being a couple mean shopping for swimsuits together?
"Mm."
I had no choice but to grab hold of her hand when she offered it to me, and I followed her into the store like a cow being led by a herder. No turning back now. I did a quick check to make sure we didn't run into anyone we knew.
Fortunately, the heat had died down, so I didn't have to worry about sweaty palms.
"Outside, remember?" Ayase-san muttered as if casting a spell. "...Act like a couple."
After biting back a response, I gave in.
Walking past racks of women's swimsuits wasn't exactly comfortable for a male high school student, but I couldn't say that out loud. I desperately tried to convince myself not to look away or down. I wasn't doing anything wrong.
Ayase-san's pace through the store was decisive, as if she knew exactly what she wanted. She picked up a swimsuit, then another, asking for my opinion each time, like, "What do you think?" and "Does this suit me?"
If it were a flashy red bikini, maybe I could comment on it being too bold, but…
Her choices weren't overly flashy or skimpy, just selected purely on design, leaving me unsure what the right response was.
"Uh, I don't know much about women's swimsuits, so asking me for my opinion… I mean, I dunno how to answer…"
My fumbling response made her look troubled for a second, but then she seemed to hit on something.
"Um, how do I put this… It's not about right or wrong answers, I just wanna have a conversation. Your opinion on swimsuits is just a conversation starter."
I tilted my head in confusion. I'd never thought of questions like "What do you think?" as just fodder for conversation.
"So I don't have to give my opinion?"
"Just your impressions are fine."
That seemed like a tall order.
Noticing me tilting my head in confusion, Ayase-san made another troubled face, then scrunched up her eyebrows in thought. After a "hmm", she held up a hanger with a blue swimsuit on it between us.
"Um, so, how does this look to you?"
It had a unique design, transitioning in gradient from light blue at the top to a deeper blue towards the bottom. It was reminiscent of the transition from the sky blue of shallow water to the deep blue of the deep sea. I told Ayase-san as much, and she listened silently, nodding along.
"And also, I'm worried it might come undone if it's only tied at the waist on both sides."
Ayase-san burst out laughing at that addition.
"I think it'll be fine as long as you're not swimming competitively."
"Is that how it works?"
"Some ties are decorative, so if you're worried, you could choose one of those. This one needs to be tied properly, though."
"Oh."
I see. So that's a thing. I was genuinely impressed, but Ayase-san looked at me and laughed again.
"I mean, it's not like I would know that."
"Yeah true, I can't recall any men's swimsuits with ties on the sides."
"See?"
"It'd be nice though. Cute, even."
Sadly, the trend of valuing cuteness in men's swimwear hasn't really taken off yet.
"So, is this the kind of feedback you wanted?"
"Yep, that's what I wanted to hear. I didn't ask to find the 'right' swimsuit but to share the fun of shopping together."
Ah, I get it now. So, it's less about exchanging information and more about sharing feelings.
As we continued, Ayase-san would pick up swimsuits she liked, show them to me, and I'd share my immediate thoughts. She'd offer a word or two in response, then move on.
After a while, I realized this was similar to discussing a movie after watching it. There wasn't a "correct" answer when you discussed them. Obviously opinions do exist though, like saying, "This could have been better" or "That would have made it more exciting." Conversations might veer in that direction among filmmakers or movie buffs, but a conversation over coffee after watching a movie with a close friend is different. It's all about swapping impressions and enjoying the time spent watching the movie together.
A conversation for sharing feelings, huh?
As we repeated this process, the initial awkwardness of being in a women's swimwear store faded.
Ayase-san's brightly colored hair sparkled under the store lights. I liked how serious her face was as she picked out swimsuits.
We fed off each other's excitement as we chatted.
We left the store and were heading home. Ayase-san stretched her arms up towards the sky, the paper bag swinging from her shoulder.
"Ahhh, that was fun."
The sky was already dark, signaling it was time to head home for dinner to avoid being too tired the next morning. I was glad I'd finished studying early.
Looking up at the moon racing through the gaps between buildings, I nodded to Ayase-san.
"It was fun for me too."