Chapter 52. I Think I Just Didn't Grill It Long Enough
"Another me, Bronya-sis probably didn't mean it like that..."
Hearing Veliona's voice in her mind, Seele refuted in a small voice.
"Hm? Seele, did you just say something?"
Bronya paused her eloquent spiel and looked, a little puzzled, at Seele, whose lips were muttering.
"It's nothing.
Seele just feels that what Bronya-sis said makes a lot of sense~"
Blinking her innocent eyes, Seele continued, "Sometimes Big Bro really does go too far.
After this, Seele will definitely learn to say no!"
"Mm, that's more like it..."
"Seele, come over here~"
Just as Bronya nodded in relief, they heard Xander calling from not far away.
"Seele, try refusing him now, make him understand... Seele?"
Hands on her hips, Bronya was about to stand by Seele's side to bolster her courage, but when she turned, she found that Seele—who had just been standing beside her—had already vanished.
Turning back again, she saw Seele scamper over to Xander on the beach chair and happily ask, "Big Bro, what is it?"
"I want to eat some fruit."
Although he could reach the fruit plate just by stretching out his hand, compared to eating it himself, having Seele feed him would be all the sweeter and more delicious.
Seele immediately caught on, showed a helpless look that said she really couldn't do anything about him, then scooped some fruit onto a small plate and cheerfully squeezed onto the same beach chair with Xander.
Seeing the blissful scene of "you take a bite, I take a bite," Bronya's eye twitched, and she couldn't help slapping her own forehead.
Fine.
What she'd said just now was basically playing the lute to a cow.
So, Seele hadn't listened to a single word, huh.
Her tiny attempt at sowing discord failed, but Bronya didn't give up and promptly squeezed over as well.
Very soon, the beach chair, forced to hold three people, let out a pitiful groan.
...
With no need to worry about studies or work, a vacation is, of course, for enjoying oneself properly.
After Xander snuggled with Seele and the duck all morning, everyone played volleyball together in the afternoon.
Bronya and Xander were one team, Mei and Sirin were the other.
How to put it?
It was simply a stomp.
Trained since childhood, Xander and the duck properly taught Sirin and Mei a lesson.
Only when the physically weak Sirin was swapped out for Seele did the two sides become a bit more balanced.
By evening, Xander and Mei had already set up the grill.
All the ingredients were on hand, and a whole big fridge of fresh food was enough for the lot of them to indulge in over these days.
With the seasonings mixed and the ingredients marinated to taste, the beach soon rang with the sizzle of grilling, accompanied by that mouthwatering aroma that made one's saliva flow unconsciously.
However, happy times always come with small accidents.
When they saw Kiana happily grilling a skewer of mushrooms in her hand, Mei couldn't help crying out in alarm: "Kiana!! Where did you get those mushrooms??"
Because of the last incident, even if there were mushrooms in the fridge this time, Mei and Xander hadn't dared to take them out.
So where did Kiana's mushroom skewer come from?
Sure enough, under everyone's gaze, Kiana raised her hand without hesitation and pointed to the patch of dense woods outside.
"I picked them in the woods.
The afternoon sun was too strong, so I went for a stroll among the trees for a bit.
I didn't expect there to be lots of mushrooms by the roadside.
I thought I'd pick some to grill tonight."
Seeing her guileless grin that didn't look like an act, cold sweat broke out on everyone's backs.
"Um, how about we don't eat mushrooms?
Look, Kiana, last time you and mushrooms..."
Mei was already speaking as gently as she could, but Kiana replied, "Ah, relax.
This time it'll definitely be fine.
I asked someone online about last time's mushrooms.
It wasn't the mushrooms' fault.
It was just because I didn't grill them long enough.
Really.
I'll grill them longer this time.
Absolutely no problem!!"
As she spoke, she flipped the mushrooms in her hand, and at once a strange savory scent wafted out from them.
In the end, through everyone's efforts with reason and emotion, they traded two skewers of chicken wings from her for that ominous mushroom skewer.
Xander snatched it up and tossed it straight into the charcoal, which even made Kiana sigh in regret.
The hiccup resolved, they finally enjoyed a barbecue feast without danger.
Afterward, Kiana and the other two pulled Seele back to the villa to play cards.
Bronya finally seized the chance to be alone with Xander, and the two of them took a walk along the shore.
The beach at night exuded a pleasant coolness.
Although the salty, damp sea breeze didn't smell that great, with a beauty at his side, it was entirely acceptable to Xander.
They walked together along the shore.
The ebbing waves kissed their feet again and again, erasing the clear footprints left in their path.
Naturally, their palms clasped together, and their fingers intertwined.
"At a time like this, we would usually already be in the studio, right?"
The calm sea split the world in two.
The false stars shimmered with a radiance no less than the real night sky.
Gathering up her silver hair tousled by the sea breeze with her free hand, Bronya smiled as she spoke.
"Yeah.
Maybe we'd even be bickering about certain aspects~"
Looking at Bronya's face defined by the moonlight, Xander blinked meaningfully.
"You—don't tease me with that matter anymore.
Didn't I already say I regret it?"
Her cheeks puffed adorably, and a hint of dissatisfaction crept into Bronya's voice.
That round puffiness made Xander think of Miss Pufferfish.
Finding it interesting, he reached out a finger and lightly poked.
With a soft "pff," the puff deflated, making Bronya huff as she opened her mouth and bit down on that poking finger.
"Hiss~"
Hearing Xander's sharp intake of breath, Bronya immediately let go and asked nervously, "Does it hurt a lot?"
As she spoke, she took the hand she had bitten, holding it under the moonlight for a careful look.
Visible to the naked eye, a row of deep teeth marks remained on the fingertip, and upon close inspection one could even see a trace of oozing blood.
"S-sorry."
That had been a subconscious action.
She hadn't meant to use that much force.
She wanted to take out a bandage and stick it on, but then realized she was wearing a swimsuit—there was nowhere to keep a bandage.
"What are you apologizing for?
I brought it on myself."
Squeezing the still-intertwined hand, Xander spoke lightly.
"We don't have bandages on us now anyway.
How about we head back first?"
"If you had a bandage on you right now, that would be the real problem."
"?"
Seeing Bronya's confusion, Xander hurriedly coughed twice to change the subject.
"Ahem, it actually doesn't hurt much anymore.
It's fine.
I want to walk with you a little longer."
Bronya's eyes rippled slightly as she savored his voice.
To be with her, huh...
Xander tugged her to continue forward, but Bronya still stood where she was.
"Actually..."
Bronya suddenly took a step forward, rose on tiptoe, and wrapped her arms around Xander's neck.
"I have an even better way to ease the pain."
"What way?"
The sudden warmth of a body pressed close made Xander's Adam's apple bob, his heartbeat beginning to quicken.
Under the bright moonlight, their faces were very, very close—close enough to feel each other's breath.
Looking at Bronya, that face which had once been cute with a hint of youthfulness had now grown ever more enchanting.
"For example, like this."
With her face flushed red, Bronya's lips curved into a charming smile.
In that moment, Xander suddenly understood what it meant for a single backward glance to birth a hundred charms.
This unintentional allure was the most tempting of all, and his hands gradually circled her soft, slender waist.
Clouds veiled the moon's prying gaze, letting the two shadows that had been intertwined slowly melt into the darkness.
Soon, the moonlight broke through the clouds again, reflecting the glistening silver thread that slowly drooped between those two lips.
"How is it?
Any better?"
Breathing a little hotly, Bronya asked in a soft voice.
"I don't think it's enough yet..."
"Really?"
Biting her lip, eyes brimming with allure, Bronya rose on tiptoe once more.
"Then... one more time."
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