Chapter 344: Girls Waiting for the Opportunity
After breakfast, the girls insisted on taking care of the dishes, reasoning that Hachiman had already worked hard enough by making breakfast. This gesture brought a sense of relief to Hachiman, knowing that he was cared for.
After a short rest, everyone returned to the beach.
"Onii-chan, what are we going to do today?" Komachi asked.
Ruffling her hair, Hachiman smiled and replied, "You can do whatever you want. We're here at the beach to relax, so there's no need to stick to one activity. As long as everyone is having fun, that's all that matters."
Hearing his words, everyone nodded in agreement.
Indeed, the most important thing about coming to the beach was to have fun. There was no need to insist on doing the same activity together.
Although some of the girls wanted to spend time alone with Hachiman, it seemed unlikely for now. They could only wait for the opportunity.
And so, the girls played according to their own preferences.
Satania, holding an inflatable dolphin, dashed towards the sea, seemingly eager to attempt surfing again, which she failed to accomplish yesterday.
Vignette and Raphiel stood in the water, playfully splashing each other, occasionally accompanied by laughter and cries of "It's cold!" and "Take that!"
As for Gabriel, she lazily sat under a parasol, engrossed in her laptop.
Komachi and Kokoro, the two little girls, crouched together building sandcastles, with Kotonoha nearby offering guidance. Meanwhile, Shizuka rode on a jet ski again, seemingly enjoying the sensation of cruising on the sea breeze.
...
Looking around, everyone had smiles of happiness on their faces, clearly having found the entertainment they desired and enjoying this rare leisure time.
Hachiman didn't particularly feel like playing anything, so he headed towards a lounge chair to rest. That's when he noticed Yumiko already lying under the umbrella, taking a rest.
It seemed that the girl didn't choose to play because she hadn't slept well the previous night.
After thinking for a moment, he walked over.
Sensing someone approaching, Yumiko opened her eyes and saw Hachiman coming towards her. She immediately put on a disgruntled expression.
"Hmph, what are you doing here? Why aren't you with your snow princess?"
Seeing her sulking, Hachiman shook his head with a hint of amusement.
"I'm here to check on you, since you're not feeling well."
Hearing his words, Yumiko felt a hint of sweetness in her heart, but she still didn't give Hachiman a warm welcome.
"Who said I'm yours? You jerk, just leave me alone. I don't want to see you right now."
"Come on, don't be mad." Sitting beside her, Hachiman asked with a smile, "What happened yesterday? Did you have a nightmare again?"
Upon hearing this, Yumiko glared at him, "Who said I had a nightmare? It's all because of you, you jerk!"
"Me?" Hachiman looked puzzled.
"Yes, it's because of you that I... I couldn't sleep well last night." Yumiko abruptly stopped herself mid-sentence, realizing what she was about to say.
Aware of what she had just said, a blush spread across Yumiko's face, and she glared at Hachiman once again.
Last night?
What did you do last night?
Could it be...
With this thought, Hachiman's gaze towards Yumiko became strange.
Seeing his expression, Yumiko couldn't help but guess what he was thinking. Blushing with embarrassment and anger, she spoke up.
"You jerk, why would I do that? I just... I just had a weird dream last night, that's all."
"So it's still your fault. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have had such a ridiculous dream, you jerk!"
It was surprising that despite Yumiko's usual queenly demeanor, she was quite innocent in this regard. It was just a dream, after all, and she hadn't slept well.
However, seeing the faint dark circles under her eyes, Hachiman couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. He knew all too well the feeling of exhaustion from lack of sleep, having been a slave to the 9-9-6 work schedule in his previous life, never going to bed before midnight and then having to wake up early the next day to catch a bus. It was truly stressful.
Although Yumiko didn't have to go to work, feeling tired and lethargic was still unpleasant. Rarely having the chance to visit the seaside, yet being confined to lying down due to her health, would be frustrating for anyone.
Thinking about this, Hachiman smiled and reached out his hand to her. "Let me help you."
Seeing his outstretched hand, Yumiko looked wary and instinctively recoiled slightly. "What are you trying to do, you jerk? Don't tell me you want to do something like yesterday. I'll call for help!"
Seeing her defensive posture, Hachiman couldn't help but smirk. "What, do you think I'm going to do something like that? Although I do admire your body, I wouldn't do something like that in public. Yukino and the others would tear me apart."
Moreover, didn't you feel quite comfortable yesterday? The water stains on my fingers are proof."
"Don't be so impure. I just want to give you a head massage," Hachiman retorted, feeling a bit annoyed.
Hearing Hachiman's words, Yumiko almost snorted in disbelief.
Impure?
I wouldn't be impure if it weren't for you, jerk.
But upon hearing that he wanted to give her a massage, Yumiko still felt skeptical. After knowing this guy for so long, how could she not know that he could give massages?
"You? Give a massage? Are you serious?" she asked skeptically.
"Of course I can. Why don't you give it a try and see for yourself?" Hachiman replied, feeling a bit annoyed by Yumiko's doubt. Although it wasn't a big deal, as a man, being told he couldn't do something still irked him.
Seeing his reaction, Yumiko nodded. "Fine, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time. What do I need to do?"
"You don't need to do anything. Just relax and lie down. Leave the rest to me," Hachiman shrugged and then got up to squat down at the head of Yumiko's position.
With both hands, he gently pressed against her forehead, quietly channeling a bit of holy light and beginning to massage slowly.
Under the effect of the Holy Light, Yumiko felt a warm sensation enveloping her. The fatigue from not sleeping well had diminished significantly, replaced by a gentle warmth flowing through her body. Unable to resist, she let out a contented sigh.
"Mmm... this feels quite nice. I didn't expect you to be good at massage, Hachiman."
"Well, of course. Just relax, you'll feel better in no time," Hachiman replied with a smile, gently pressing his fingers against her temples.
Under the influence of the Holy Light, Yumiko continued to emit soft, contented sounds, her body feeling relaxed.
Before long, she drifted off into a light sleep, her breathing becoming faint.
Seeing Yumiko asleep, a smile formed on Hachiman's lips. He once again infused her body with a bit of Holy Light before preparing to stand up.
Just then, a melodious voice reached his ears.
"Hachiman-kun..."