A day had passed since their last planning day at the restaurant, and the day of vacation had arrived. Zul, Elly, and Shimizu were gathered in front of Mizuha's house, waiting for Hikaru to arrive and take them to the resort.
"Ah, I can't believe Hikaru is providing our transport for the trip. Looks like he's really dependable for this," said Shimizu.
"Well, Shimizu, you'll be shocked when you see him arrive soon" Zul replied.
"Hmm, what do you guys mean?" Elly asked, confused.
Just then, Mizuha exited her house with her trip belongings.
"Thanks for waiting, everyone," Mizuha said.
"You're a bit late. What were you doing?" Shimizu asked.
"Just some preparations for the trip," Mizuha replied.
At that moment, a van stopped in front of them. It was a large, new good looking van with "Takumi Corporation" written on it. Shimizu and Mizuha were shocked by the sight of the van.
"Huh!? What's with this van? Why is it stopping here?" Mizuha asked.
"Takumi Corporation!? ... Takumi... where have I heard that name before?" Shimizu wondered aloud.
"Well, that's Hikaru's family name. Have you forgotten?" Zul said.
"Wait, it's Hikaru's...?" Shimizu asked, shocked.
The driver of the van, a beautiful woman, stepped out and opened the passenger door.
"Who is this beautiful person?" Mizuha asked, as she , Elly and Shimizu both stared at the driver.
"We've arrived at Mizuha-sama's house, Takumi-sama," the driver said.
"Huh!? Hikaru-sama?" Mizuha exclaimed upon hearing that.
"Thanks, but you don't need to do this. I can do it by myself," Hikaru replied, getting out of the van.
"Thanks for waiting, everyone. Sorry I'm late," Hikaru said.
Mizuha, Elly, and Shimizu were slightly shocked by this.
"What's wrong with you guys, looking at me like that? Is something funny on my face?" Hikaru asked.
"Wait, wait. First, there's nothing wrong with your face. Second, what's with this good-looking new van? Third, who is this beautiful woman with you?" Shimizu said.
"Is she your big sister, Hikaru?" Mizuha asked.
"Big sister? Haha, no, you're wrong. She's not my sister, and I don't have any big sisters, remember?" Hikaru chuckled.
"Let me introduce her. This is Kirisaki-san, my family's housemaid. She will drive us to our trip today," Hikaru said.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kirisaki, one of the maids at the Takumi family residence. I'll be your driver for this trip," the woman said.
"All of you get into the van, let me bring your belongings to the back," Kirisaki said.
"Ah, thank you, Kirisaki-san," Elly said.
Before they could all get into the van, Shimizu suddenly spoke up.
"What's up, Hikaru? I didn't know your family was this rich, even having a family maid like her. You didn't mention this before," Shimizu said.
"Yeah, I heard a rumor that your family is wealthy, but this is more than I expected," Mizuha said.
"Sorry about that. Actually, I didn't want to stand out with my family's status at school, so I've been keeping it hidden," Hikaru replied.
"That must be nice, being so rich. You can buy anything you want without worrying about money," Shimizu said.
"Really!? I don't feel anything special about being rich," Hikaru replied.
"Zul, is this what you meant when you said earlier that you were shocked after Takumi-kun arrived?" Elly asked.
"Yeah, that's it. Surprised, right?" Zul replied.
"Wait, Zul, you didn't tell them about this?" Hikaru asked.
"Yeah, I just wanted them to see for themselves instead of me telling them directly," Zul said.
"Geez, sometimes you just like doing things like this," Hikaru chuckled.
"Hikaru-sama, all the bags have already been loaded into the back of the van," said Kirisaki.
"Good, looks like everything's ready. What are you all waiting for? Come on, get in the van! We're moving now" Hikaru called out.
The group quickly climbed into the van. Zul and Shimizu took seats in the back, while Mizuha and Elly sat in front of them. Hikaru settled into the front passenger seat next to Kirisaki.
"All set, Kirisaki-san. Let's get moving," Hikaru instructed his maid.
"Understood, Hikaru-sama," Kirisaki replied with a nod before starting the van and driving toward their destination.
After the one-hour trip, they finally could see the sea from inside the van as they approached their destination.
"Mizuha-chan, look, we can see the sea from here," said Elly, pointing it out to Mizuha.
"Yes, you're right. It's such a beautiful sight," replied Mizuha.
"It looks like we're almost at our destination," said Hikaru.
Hmm, Shimizu has been silent for the past fifteen minutes. I wonder what she's doing now, thought Mizuha, glancing at Shimizu sitting behind her. Wait, are you actually falling asleep?
Shimizu was indeed sleeping, which explained her prolonged silence. As the van navigated through a winding road, Shimizu's head had fallen onto Zul's shoulder.
Woah, that's quite an awkward moment, Mizuha thought, noticing the scene.
Mizuha attempted to wake Shimizu, but she was in a deep sleep. "Hey, Shimizu, wake up. You're burdening Zul right now," she called out.
"Geez, she won't wake up," Mizuha sighed.
"Zul, are you okay with this? She's not waking up and is leaning on you," Mizuha said, concerned.
"Don't worry about it. Just let her sleep. I don't mind," Zul replied calmly.
"You're so composed, even in this situation," Mizuha said, feeling relieved.
Suddenly, Mizuha's face took on a mischievous expression. "I know what to do now, hehe," she said, pulling out her smartphone.
"Mizuha-chan, your face looks scary," Elly remarked, observing her.
"Wait, Mizuha. Don't tell me you're going to do what I think you're going to do," Zul said.
"Yes, that's right. I've been waiting for this moment. It's time for payback," Mizuha replied, snapping a photo of Shimizu sleeping on Zul's shoulder.
"Okay, saved. I'll use this later if she teases me," Mizuha said triumphantly.
"You must have picked up this attitude from her," Zul sighed.
"Really? I never noticed that," Mizuha chuckled.
Hikaru laughed from the front seat. "That's great, Mizuha. Save it, and please share it with me later."
"Understood. I'll share it with you later," Mizuha replied.
Hikaru-sama is laughing. I'm glad to see that. They must be really close, thought Kirisaki smiling, observing the interaction.
About ten minutes later, they finally arrived. Everyone except Shimizu, who was still asleep, got off from the van.
"We're here, finally!" they said in unison.
"Hikaru-sama, I have already placed all the belongings outside the van," Kirisaki reported.
"Ah, thanks for that, Kirisaki-san," Hikaru replied.
Mizuha looked around, her eyes wide with excitement. "Woah, this is a very good-looking resort," she said, taking in the surroundings.
"Yeah, I can't wait to see how it looks inside," Elly added. She then glanced at Shimizu, who remained motionless in the van. "Hmm, Shimizu-chan is still not awake?"
"Geez, that girl. How long does she want to sleep?" Mizuha muttered. She approached the van and looked at Shimizu's peaceful face. How long is she going to keep sleeping? she thought.
Determined to wake her friend, Mizuha swiftly delivered a playful chop to Shimizu's head. "Hey, wake up! How long do you want to sleep, huh!?" she shouted, her voice rising with frustration.
"Woah!" Shimizu exclaimed, jolting awake in shock. "What is it, Mizuha? Why are you shouting at me like this?" she mumbled, scrubbing her sleepy eyes.
Mizuha, her anger barely contained, responded with clenched fists. "Good morning, sleeping princess. We've already arrived at our destination," she said sharply. "Also, get off now. Kirisaki-san has already taken out our belongings and is preparing to return."
Shimizu recognized the danger. Woah, she seems so angry, she thought to herself. "Yes, I know, but you don't need to be this upset, okay?" she said, attempting to calm Mizuha down.
Slowly, Shimizu climbed out of the van while yawning. "Having a nice sleep, huh, Shimizu? So how do you feel after being yelled at by Devil Sergeant Mizuha earlier? I bet you were shocked," Hikaru said with a chuckle.
"Oh, shut up, Hikaru," Shimizu replied, punching Hikaru's arm.
With their luggage unloaded, Kirisaki prepared to return home. "Hikaru-sama, I will be leaving now. I will come again tomorrow to pick you up," she said.
"Understood. Thanks for that. Please tell my mother not to worry," Hikaru instructed.
"Understood," Kirisaki replied. She started the van's engine and drove back toward the Takumi residence, leaving the group at the start of their vacation.
As the group gathered their luggage, Hikaru turned to them and suggested, "How about we head inside first? We can sort everything out once we're in."
"Good idea," Mizuha agreed, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.
Hikaru noticed and stepped forward. "Mizuha, give me your bag. I'll carry it for you," he said, extending his hand.
"Thanks," Mizuha replied with a small smile, handing over her bag. She didn't bother arguing; she knew Hikaru would insist on carrying it even if she declined.
Nearby, Zul casually picked up Elly's bag without saying a word.
"Zul, wait! You don't need to carry that. I can handle it myself," Elly protested, reaching out to retrieve it.
"Don't worry about it. Just let me bring it for you," Zul replied with a calm smile, already walking toward the resort's entrance.
Shimizu, watching this scene unfold, sighed inwardly. Sometimes, I get so envious looking at them. When will it be my turn to have a partner like that?
Deciding to break the growing tension, she spoke up in her usual joking tone. "Hey, Hikaru, what about my bag? Don't you want to carry it for me too?"
Hikaru turned to her with a flat expression. "Huh? You have hands, right? Carry it yourself."
"Tch, so cold to me as usual. That's not fair," Shimizu complained, crossing her arms in mock annoyance.
Before she could say more, Zul walked past and picked up her bag.
"Hey, Zul, that's my bag!" Shimizu exclaimed in surprise.
"Just leave it to me," Zul replied. "You were slowing us down, and we still need to register and check in for our rooms."
"Well... thanks, Zul," Shimizu muttered, a bit embarrassed. She then shot a glance at Hikaru. "See, that's how a nice person acts—unlike that guy up front."
Hikaru whipped his head around to face her. "Hey, I heard that! Are you talking about me?"
Shimizu gave Hikaru a tongue twister, pleased to have gotten a reaction.
This girl! Hikaru thought, holding in his anger while walking alongside Mizuha.
Once inside, the group entered the resort's grand lobby, where Hikaru and Zul managed their registration by presenting the tickets they had won earlier. Meanwhile, Mizuha, Elly, and Shimizu found seats on the plush chairs in the lobby.
Mizuha glanced around, her eyes wide with wonder. "Wow... this lobby is incredible," she murmured. The space was filled with luxurious decorations, from intricate wall carvings to elegant furniture.
"Look at that chandelier," Shimizu said, craning her neck upward. "It's massive! I bet that thing costs more than all of us put together."
Elly chuckled. "It's definitely something else. This resort is on a whole other level compared to the one I went to with my parents last week."
As they admired the surroundings, Zul and Hikaru returned with the room keys in hand.
"All set," Hikaru said, holding up two keys. "Let's head up to our rooms and get settled in!"
"Mizuha, this is a room key for you girls. You'll all be in one room, while Zul and I are in another," Hikaru said, handing Mizuha the key.
"Oh, thank you," Mizuha replied.
"Room 48? What room are you in?" asked Mizuha.
"We got Room 49," Hikaru answered.
The girls got Room 48, while the boys were assigned Room 49.
"So our rooms are right next to each other," Mizuha observed.
"It looks like that. It'll also be convenient if we need to call each other," Hikaru replied.
All of them moved to the floor of their assigned rooms to find their accommodations. After a short search, they finally arrived at their respective doors.
"That's it! Finally!" said Shimizu, standing in front of Room 48.
"Mizuha, hurry up and open the door. I want to lie down on the bed," she said, her excitement palpable.
"Please calm down," Mizuha said, opening the room door. "You were sleeping earlier, so why do you need to lie down again?"
"Elly, here's your bag," Zul said, handing Elly the bag he had been carrying.
"Oh, thanks for carrying it for me, Zul," Elly replied with a smile.
"Here, Shimizu, your bag too," Zul added, tossing her bag to her.
"Oh, thanks," Shimizu responded.
"Then, see you all later," Hikaru said before they entered their respective rooms.
The girls entered the room and stopped, amazed by how large it was.
"Wow… this room is huge! Is this really ours?" Mizuha asked, looking around in surprise.
"Looks like it," Elly said, walking a few steps in and glancing around.
Shimizu dropped her bag without hesitation. "Who cares? This is the key they're giving us, right, then it's ours now!" she said, running toward the nearest bed. With a big jump, she landed on it, bouncing slightly. "Whoa, this bed is so soft and comfortable!"
Meanwhile, Elly walked to the large window and pulled back the curtain. Sunlight poured into the room, revealing a stunning view of the ocean. "Whoa… this room really faced the sea. You could see everything from here!"
She unlocked the sliding glass door and pushed it open. A fresh sea breeze blew in, lifting her hair and filling the room with the scent of salt and freedom. "Huh, this breeze felt amazing," Elly said, stepping onto the balcony.
Mizuha joined her, leaning against the railing. "It was kind of like the wind on our school rooftop," she said, closing her eyes as the breeze brushed her face.
"Yeah, but here it smelled like the ocean. It was so refreshing," Elly replied with a small smile.
"Hey, don't enjoy that by yourself, let me feel it too," said Shimizu, jumping between Elly and Mizuha, then landing her arm on their shoulders.
"Geez, you, Shimizu," said Mizuha, chuckling. Three all them standing at balcony feel the comfortable breeze from the sea.
Shimizu then suggested that the group change into their swimsuits since the weather was perfect for swimming at the beach. Excitedly, they all changed into their swimwear.
"Is this really alright? I'm really worried this is going to become tight like before," Elly thought, looking at her swimsuit, which she had already put on.
"Elly-chan, what's wrong? Is there a problem with your new swimsuit?" Mizuha said.
"No, it's nothing, Mizuha-chan, don't worry," Elly replied. "Here, Mizuha-chan, apply this sunscreen UV protection cream; it's to protect our skin from sunburn."
"Oh, thank you, I totally forgot about that," Mizuha said.
"Hey, Mizuha, tell them that we want to swim right now," Shimizu said. "Do they want to come along with us too?" she added.
"Geez, why don't you tell them directly? You've got a phone, right?" Mizuha replied.
"Sorry, my phone battery is dying, tee-hee," Shimizu said, actually lying about it.
"Alright, wait a moment, I'll tell them right now," Mizuha replied.
Mizuha informed Hikaru that they were ready to swim. Hikaru replied that he and Zul would join them shortly but asked Mizuha, Elly, and Shimizu to head to the beach first.
"What's taking them so long to prepare? Are they girls or what? It's taking this long to change?" Shimizu said, complaining.
The girls eagerly left their room and made their way to the beach. Upon arrival, they were greeted by a lively scene filled with numerous people enjoying the sunny day. The atmosphere was vibrant, with families playing in the sand, children splashing in the waves, and friends lounging under colorful umbrellas.
Mizuha, Elly, and Shimizu exchanged glances filled with excitement as they took in the beautiful view of the ocean and the cheerful crowd around them.
"Look at all these people!" Mizuha exclaimed, scanning the beach. "This is going to be amazing!"
Elly nodded, her eyes wide with wonder. "The beach looks so beautiful today."
Shimizu adjusted her beach towel, looking around. "There are so many people here; there's no good spot to set up."
"Then let find a suitable place for us to set our spot," said Mizuha.
After walking forward, they finally found a suitable place for themselves. The area still had people, but not as many as before. "I think this is perfect for us," said Shimizu.
"Geez, what are Hikaru and Zul doing? They are too late," Shimizu complained. "Ah, I can't wait anymore. Both of you, let's go jump into the sea!" She started running into the water. "Come on, Elly," Shimizu called.
"Please wait for me, Shimizu-chan," said Elly, following her. Both Elly and Shimizu ran into the sea and started playing with each other.
"The sea is so amazing!" shouted Shimizu. "Take this!" She splashed water at Elly.
"Geez, Shimizu-chan," said Elly. "Then take this!" She returned the splash.
Both of them laughed while playing in the water.
Mizuha then slowly walked into the water, lacking confidence and unable to swim. She seemed scared.
"Mizuha, what are you doing? Come on, the sea water feels great!" Shimizu shouted.
"Wait, Mizuha-chan, are you still scared to swim?" asked Elly.
"Yeah, it looks like that..." Mizuha replied.
"Don't worry, it's not so deep here," added Elly.
"Ah, how long are you going to wait? Come with me," said Shimizu, dragging her into the water.
"Wait, Shimizu..." Mizuha protested.
"See, it's not as deep as you're thinking. It's really safe here," Shimizu reassured her.
"Yes, you're right. Maybe I was overthinking," Mizuha said, feeling slightly calmer. "Since you're here, let's continue playing in the water together."
"Take this!" Shimizu splashed water at Mizuha.
"Geez, you've already started," Mizuha responded.
"Elly-chan, let's splash water at her together!" Shimizu called.
"You're right. Time to pay back!" said Elly.
"Wait, that's not fair! You guys are joining forces," Shimizu complained.
"Take this!" Both Elly and Mizuha splashed water at Shimizu. The three of them laughed while playing together.
After ten minutes, they returned to the beach to rest for a moment. "Geez, ten minutes have already passed. What are those two doing?" Shimizu continued to complain.
"Yeah, they're already too late, I wondered what they doing right now" Mizuha agreed.
"Ah, suddenly my throat feel so thirsty, alright, you two please here for a moment, I'll get a drink for all us" immediate moving to find the nearest shop to buy the drink.
"Wait, Shimizu….Mizuha said, but it was too late as Shimizu was already moving.
"Geez, that girl always makes things without thinking," Mizuha said, putting her hand to her forehead.
"She's really excited to look for it right now, right?" Elly said, chuckling.
"Hey, look at those two, they're quite cute," said the stranger nearby.
"Yeah, especially the one with blonde hair, she's totally my type," said another stranger.
"Also, look at the size of her chest, it's huge," said one of them about Elly's chest size. "Let's talk to them," said both with a smirking face.
"Hey, you two, you're both so cute. How about coming along with us?" they said, approaching Mizuha and Elly.
Woah, these were the type of guys she really didn't want to meet. Why were they everywhere? Mizuha thought, feeling uneasy and annoyed.
Elly was scared, clinging to Mizuha's arm and hiding behind her.
"Elly-chan, don't worry. I'll never let anything happen to you like before," Mizuha whispered, referring to a previous incident during their picnic by the river.
"Thanks, Mizuha-chan," Elly replied in a whisper.
"Ah, sorry, we cannot go with you. We are waiting for our friends," Mizuha said with a fake smile.
"Your friends can wait. Just come with us, okay? We'll treat you to food," said the stranger.
"Yeah, and you hiding behind her—why are you hiding? You're really cute. Come on, let's follow us. I'm really interested in you," said another.
Geez, these guys just won't stop, Mizuha thought.
"Come on, let's go together," they said, approaching Mizuha and Elly more closely.
Suddenly, both strangers stopped as someone grabbed their necks from behind. "Hey, hey, what were you doing to my friends? Huh!?" It was Shimizu that return from buying the drink, gripping their necks firmly.
"Shimizu-chan!" Elly exclaimed. "Sorry I'm late. I see these guys were trying to flirt with you," she said.
"Yeah, as you can see," Mizuha replied.
"I see. Just because they're both cute, you were trying to get them to come along with you?" Shimizu tightened her grip on their necks.
"How about asking me to get along with you? I'm actually interested in you guys," Shimizu said in an angry tone, releasing their necks and pushing them backward.
"What's with this tomboyish girl?" "Is this the friend they were waiting for?" they muttered, scared of Shimizu.
"Hey, Mizuha, what should I do with these guys?" Shimizu asked, her voice laden with anger.
"Do as you like, Shimizu, as usual, but at least don't kill them, okay" Mizuha replied.
Shimizu gave them a terrifying glare. "Hey, you two, drop dead and get lost before I beat you both up," she said.
"Let's get out of here. I don't want to get beaten up by this girl," "Yeah, let's go," they said, running as if the ground beneath them was burning.
As they ran, they suddenly bumped into two guys, causing both groups to fall and sit on the ground. "Hey, why are you standing and blocking our way?" the strangers said angrily.
The men they had bumped into were wearing Hawaiian shirts, short pants, and sunglasses that covered their eyes.
One of them is carry a baseball bat, while carry scroll of mat, while another one carry beach parasol while carry a net of watermelon on his back
Then, One of the guys said. "Huh, did you say something to us?" he demanded.
"Hey, you two!" said the other man."You did not do anything those girls, right?" another one asked with a scary smile.
The strangers from before, now terrified, exclaimed, "Erk, what now? What's going on with these two? They look like the mafia. This is not good—they're carrying that baseball bat. Are they planning to hit us with it? Let's run from here!" They immediately fled the scene.
"Geez, wherever we go, do we always have to deal with these types of guys?" said one of the Hawaiian shirt guys.
Suddenly, the crowd surrounding them was amazed by their presence. "Hey, look at those two, they look so cool," someone in the nearby crowd said. "Yeah, I'd like to take a photo of them," another added with amazement.
"Hey, this outfit make us stand out too much. Look at this crowd staring at us," one of them remarked.
"Just ignore them. First, we must go their location now," the other replied. "Hey", said him began walking toward Mizuha and the others.
"Huh, why are those guys coming here?" Shimizu wondered.
Oh, all of them is not noticing us with this getup, I think I want to tease them for a bit, thought one of that guy.
As they arrived to Mizuha and others, one of them said, "Hey, you cute ladies, you look very lively. Did something good happen?"
"What do you want here? What do you want from us? I won't allow you to go anywhere near my beloved friends. Go away!" said Shimizu, protecting Mizuha and Elly.
"Ha, your beloved friends!? That's so funny, Shimizu," he said, laughing.
"Why can't I go near them? You know they aren't just your friends," he added, removing his sunglasses and revealing his face.
"Huh, Hikaru!?" Mizuha and Shimizu exclaimed shocked with that. "And this must be Zul!? right" Elly added.
"Yes, Elly, it's me," Zul said, smiling and removing his sunglasses.
It was indeed Hikaru and Zul, the two wearing Hawaiian shirts from earlier.
"You were late. What you doing? Do you know that Mizuha and Elly were almost dragged away by strangers?" Shimizu complained.
"We know," Hikaru explained. "We had arrived at the beach earlier and saw everything. We wanted to intervene, but it seemed you had the situation under control."
"Anyway, you did an excellent job defending Mizuha and Elly, Shimizu. Thank you," Hikaru added.
"Well, it was my responsibility to protect my friends when they were in trouble," Shimizu responded, blushing slightly.
"Wait, were you blushing at Hikaru's compliment? That's so rare," Mizuha teased.
"No, I'm not blushing, you idiot," Shimizu retorted, displaying a typical tsundere attitude.
Mizuha chuckled, "It's not like you to act this way, Shimizu."
"What's with that getup? Both of you suddenly dressing like that—do you think we're in Hawaii or something?" said Shimizu, laughing at their outfits.
"That's mean, Shimizu. You're just laughing at us. Aren't we allowed to wear this here instead of in Hawaii?" Hikaru said, upset.
"Sorry, sorry. I never expected you two to dress up like that," she replied.
"Just ignore her, Hikaru. Actually, that shirt really looks good on you," Mizuha said.
"Um, thanks, Mizuha. I'm glad to hear that from you, unlike this person," Hikaru said, referring to Shimizu while tossing a rolled mat to her.
"Hey, why are you throwing this at me?" Shimizu asked.
"It's a mat for us to sit on," Hikaru explained. "We were late because we were preparing all this stuff. I can't believe you guys went to the beach without bringing anything."
"Oh, we totally forgot about that," Mizuha and Shimizu chuckled.
"By the way, Zul, where did you get this outfit?" Elly inquired.
"Hikaru bought it for me," Zul explained. "How do I look? Does it seem bad on me?"
"No, it really suits you. You look cool," Elly responded.
"Thanks, Elly," Zul said, smiling. "See, Zul, just as I said, this outfit really suits both of us."
"Yes, that's right," Zul replied, feeling uneasy and uncomfortable with the crowd's attention. "But I feel like it's making us stand out quite a bit."
To be continue Part 2….