The next morning, as Masashi and Kazumi walked into the Tokyo airport terminal, they saw the counselor in the distance, holding a small flag like a tour guide, with a whistle in her mouth, gathering the students together.
"Masashi, you're here." When Naoko saw Masashi coming, she smiled.
"Hello, Ms. Naoko." This was the first time Masashi had seen Naoko dressed in casual clothes. She was beautiful no matter what she wore.
"You must be Kazumi, Masashi's younger sister. Masashi has mentioned you. He said you do very well in school and are very smart."
Kazumi looked at Masashi strangely. Since when did he get so close to Ms. Naoko?
On the plane, a large group of students were chattering noisily like sparrows, with a few lecherous guys constantly asking the beautiful flight attendants for tea or water, trying to get closer to the women.
At the same time, Naoko also had her worries. Several male teachers sitting together kept talking to her, flattering her, or telling unfunny jokes. At first, Naoko could smile and handle it, but as the men's excitement grew, things started to get out of control.
There were too many monks for too little porridge, and especially with such a great beauty. The male teachers were all trying their best to make a good impression. At first, they politely tried to find common ground, but as the conversation intertwined more, the tension between the rivals grew, and their words became sharper.
Someone subtly hinted that another had less experience, and the person who was hinted at retorted by mocking someone for being too old. Someone else suddenly started reminiscing, mentioning seeing a certain person leaving a nightclub with a woman who didn't seem like a respectable lady. The person being reminisced about also commented on rumors about another teacher having problems with a student's parent.
In an instant, the conversation became more cutting, and a subtle, electric-like tension seemed to rise in the air as the male teachers' eyes locked in silent rivalry.
When no one was paying attention, Naoko quietly moved to sit beside Masashi.
Staring at Masashi's calm sleeping face, Naoko almost couldn't resist pinching his cheek, muttering, "You little brat."
Soon, the plane landed at Naha Airport in Okinawa. On the bus to the hotel, the students excitedly looked at the scenery outside.
Okinawa, located between Taiwan and Kyushu, consists of over 60 islands. The main island of Okinawa is narrow from east to west and long from north to south. Due to its unique geography, Okinawa's natural scenery is very different from other parts of Japan. Historically, Okinawa was an independent kingdom known as the Ryukyu Kingdom, with an area of 2,265 square kilometers. In the early 15th century, King Shō Hashi unified the Ryukyu Islands, but in 1609, the Satsuma Army invaded and took control of the Ryukyu Kingdom. In 1879, Japan annexed the Ryukyu Islands, making it Okinawa Prefecture. During World War II, fierce battles took place here between the US and Japanese armies. Currently, 70% of Okinawa's islands still house US military bases, with many communities and schools built by the US military. Okinawa has a mix of Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Japanese folk customs and architecture, but it also has an American influence. From time to time, one can see US soldiers in camouflage driving by.
After settling into a beachfront hotel, the principal and other teachers took the students to a restaurant to eat.
"Wow, so many foreigners," one student remarked.
"They're black. I've never seen that before."
In the spacious restaurant, when the students saw so many foreigners, they dared not speak loudly.
After the meal, the principal announced that everyone could go to the beach to play but must gather at the hotel entrance at six o'clock. As soon as he finished speaking, the excited students rushed back to their rooms to grab their swimsuits.
Okinawa's beach was undoubtedly beautiful, with pristine blue skies and clear waters. The beach was unaffected by pollution, and the sand was soft. It was an experience impossible to feel in the city. Because it was the peak tourist season, the beach was crowded, and vendors selling cold drinks and BBQ lined the shore.
"Look at that foreign woman, she's huge."
"Idiot, that one's really big. It's like she's carrying two basketballs."
The boys were finally seeing such a large number of beautiful women in bikinis with hot bodies walking around on the beach. Some of the weaker boys nearly had nosebleeds.
"Boys are really perverted," one girl complained.
"Men are all the same. There's no good one among them. Right, Kazumi?"
"Oh," Kazumi replied absently.
"Kazumi, are you looking for someone?"
"No, just looking around."
Where did that guy go? I can't find him anywhere.
At the same time, Naoko was also looking for Masashi.
After walking around the beach and avoiding several men who tried to flirt with her, Naoko still couldn't find Masashi.
Though she was dressed in a modest one-piece swimsuit and wrapped in a large towel, every man who saw her couldn't help but gulp. The skin peeking from under the towel, her slightly sunburned and glowing face, and her stunning figure made the men act like moths to a flame.
After asking a few students and getting no results, Naoko felt increasingly anxious.
"If I see that little brat again, I'll teach him a lesson. He actually asked me what brand of insect repellent I use on my body. It pissed me off."
"You shouldn't have gone to flirt with him for no reason. There are plenty of handsome guys here."
"Flirt? I just thought he looked so aloof and didn't want to talk to anyone, so I wanted to tease him. Who knew his mouth was so nasty?"
"Forget it, forget it. Let's just hurry up and find a good man."
Two girls in revealing bikinis walked by, chatting.
Naoko's eyes lit up as she walked toward them.
By a rocky area covered with stones of various shapes and sizes, she saw Masashi sitting leisurely on a large stone, dressed in baggy swim trunks, with no shirt on. In front of him, a small fire was burning, and a few fish were skewered on branches, cooking over the flames, with a pleasant smell wafting through the air.
When Naoko saw Masashi, her heart finally settled.