As Shiro walked toward the manager, passing by the two idiots, some strange brainwaves started transmitting…
Sunrise. Beach. Fruit. Sex. Yamamoto…
"What the hell are you two imagining now?!" he yelled.
"Iori made me think of it!"
"Screw you, it was your twisted brain! And why does 'Cherry Poppin' remind you of Yamamoto?!"
"You three are too gross—stop it already!" Aina shouted. Shouldn't they be doing something elegant in a place like this?!
"Elegant?" ×3
The trio looked confused. Wasn't this place for spending money, drinking, and hitting on girls?
"Think about it! In movies, the bartender does that cool 'shake,' passes a drink from across the bar, and says stuff like 'Here's to your eyes'!"
The trio nodded thoughtfully. That did make sense.
"In that case, let me start!"
Shiro took on the first role. He had to show these two idiots what true bartending looked like!
Without hesitation, he added a few base spirits and started shaking smoothly. His piggy face even looked somewhat handsome.
Then—boom!
Mid-shake, the shaker exploded. Liquor splashed everywhere.
All three were drenched.
"So… the question is… who put cola in the shaker?"
Shiro's face darkened. He could smell cola in the air.
First round—failed!
"Let me do it."
Kohei, with golden hair and a handsome face, sat like the star of the bar.
"This one's on me!"
He slid a drink to Shiro.
No surprise, the drink flew right out and drenched Shiro again.
Second round—failed!
"Here's to your eyes!"
Final round: a simple toast. Iori and Shiro clinked glasses gently like old friends.
Then Iori poured his drink directly into Shiro's eyes.
Third round—failed!
"My glamorous fantasy is ruined!" Aina cried, clutching her face. How could these three be this ridiculous?!
"You idiots, who pours drinks on someone's face or in their eyes?!"
"Huh? You did a sake fountain too!"
"That was because of the cola!"
…
The bar manager watched them with a smile. Though it was chaotic, witnessing such youthful energy was nice.
"They seem to have a great relationship."
"Probably because they're always together," Kotobuki explained proudly. He and Tokita took great pride in these rookies.
"Oh? Then what's their relationship exactly?"
The question made Kotobuki and Azusa think for a moment… then they remembered that party.
"They've seen each other naked."
!!!
The manager's mental CPU crashed. His slicked-back hair became a mess.
"Ahaha… you're joking, right?"
"Nope. It's true."
"You can confirm it with one of them."
The manager, overwhelmed by curiosity, stopped Shiro, who was holding a glass of brown liquid.
"Kamishiro-kun, can I ask you a few questions?"
"Sure, go ahead."
He wasn't sure what was happening, but he figured he could spare a moment.
"So, do you have a girlfriend?"
"Hmm, not really. But I've got a few ambiguous relationships."
!!!
The manager's hair got messier. Ambiguous?! With Kitahara and Imamura?!
"Didn't you use to flirt with girls at the bar?"
"Yeah, but I'm kind of over that. I lose interest fast."
No longer interested?!
The manager was panicking now, imagining that all the flirting was just a cover for his true preferences.
"Final question: Have you faced many obstacles before…?"
Shiro thought back to high school and university and the beasts he had to deal with.
"Everyone always hated me!"
!!!
The manager was now completely convinced. Their relationship was exactly as strange as Kotobuki and Azusa said!
His eyes widened in horror. Thank goodness he listened to his wife and didn't learn bartending from Kamishiro!
His throat felt dry. Kamishiro's drink looked like oolong tea… but he didn't dare try it.
Then he saw Kohei had a similar drink. After Aina refused it, the manager took it.
"Well then, I won't hold back."
Before Shiro could stop him, the manager downed the entire 'special oolong tea.'
Bam!
The manager passed out on the table.
"He's down."
"Guess his tolerance is low."
"He needs more practice."
"Anyone who drinks that thing would black out!" Aina shouted. It was an entire glass of vodka and whiskey!
"So that's what you were gonna give me?"
Hanabi approached, eyeing the suspicious "oolong tea."
(;?＿?)
"Wha… what are you talking about?!"
Shiro averted his gaze. No way he could admit it!
"Let me go wake up the manager."
He approached the manager. After all, if he stayed like that, he'd catch a cold… cold… wait…
That was the See You Tomorrow cocktail!
Bam!
Shiro passed out on top of the manager.
At that moment, the manager instantly regained consciousness!
…
...
The next day
Shiro groggily woke up in bed, surrounded by a delightful, mouthwatering aroma.
The smell of food!
He shook his head, trying to clear his foggy mind. Last night, he had been drinking at a bar, originally planning to outdrink his editor...
But it seemed he had ended up outdrinking himself instead.
He sighed and glanced around. This was definitely his own home—someone must have brought him back.
On the table sat a bowl of steaming hot porridge.
He walked over and noticed a note beneath the bowl.
"You won't be so lucky next time. Stay away from that woman—your light novel is turning into someone else's memoir!
And get me a new manuscript in a month!
If you're awake, drink the porridge. It's pigeon porridge. If I don't see a new novel next month, you'll be the one turned into porridge!"
{{(°△°; "}}!
Shiro instantly sobered up after reading the note. What kind of message was this? It was practically a threat letter!
But at least there was some good news—it seemed the issue with his novel had been dropped?
Gulp~
The pigeon porridge was delicious!
.....................…..
"Ugh ugh..."
Since the jobs they did during the day were mostly physically demanding, both Iori and Kohei were struggling to even lift their arms after two consecutive days of hard labor.
"Tsk tsk, you two are just pitiful."
Shiro shook his head with a smug expression that made the two look at him with envy.
(¬_¬)
"Damn it, you bastard, why don't you have to work?!"
"Well, it can't be helped. After all, my manuscript fees pretty much cover the cost of this training camp."
"Damn it, I still can't believe you're the creator of Aqua!!!"
Kohei was completely broken when he found out that this shameless guy, Shiro, was the author of Aqua.
Why… why could this normie write such an amazing light novel?! And he even dropped it!
Damn you author!
"Well, maybe this is just the world of geniuses."
Shiro wore a proud expression. After all, not everyone gets to isekai, especially into a slice-of-life show where they get to act all cool.
Meanwhile, Aina and Chisa had black lines across their faces. These three couldn't go a moment without bickering...
"So, did you manage to gather enough money for the training camp?"
"We'll earn the rest tomorrow."
Kohei answered. Tomorrow's job was something Azusa introduced them to—working as staff to maintain order during an event. It shouldn't be too tiring, right…?
"If you two are short on cash, you can come join us."
"They said late entries are fine too."
Chisa and Aina promptly turned down the invitation. After all, they hadn't been spending recklessly on alcohol like some people.
Creaaak~
The five of them pushed open the door to the Grand Blue (GB) shop. It seemed like this was the first time all five of them had arrived together.
"Yo, the five of you came together?"
"That's rare."
"Ha~ (ˉ︶ˉ;) We just bumped into each other on the way here. Nanaka-nee, I want coffee."
"…Shiro, this is a diving shop, stop asking for weird drinks."
Nanaka handed him a bottle of beer. That was the only thing their shop currently had in stock.
With no other options, Shiro had to take the beer and start drinking. To him, beer and coffee had similar effects anyway?
"Shiro, did you stay up late? Didn't you stay in all day yesterday?"
Azusa rubbed his dog-like head. For some reason, it felt incredibly satisfying to ruffle his hair~
"Ha~ I was up playing a game last night. Borrowed one from Kohei."
"A game?"
"Yup~"
Shiro rubbed his slightly red eyes. He had to admit, Kohei was truly a galgame pro. He had tons of games even Shiro had never seen before.
Last night, he borrowed Black Beast from him and ended up playing it all night, his blood boiling with excitement!
He really didn't expect that the supposed 'pure love advocate' Kohei had this kind of collection (ﾟ∀ﾟ)
"By the way, Azusa-nee, what were you guys talking about earlier? I think I heard something about radishes? Are we eating radishes for lunch today? Can we change it? That stuff makes you... uh…"
Before he could finish, a hand stuffed the mouth of his beer bottle into his face.
Nanaka said with a "kind" smile,
"Shiro, you need to be polite~"
That terrifying expression snapped Shiro out of it instantly, and he nodded like crazy.
Damn, he was just trying to share some science facts!
"Radishes? Do we need radishes for diving? I'll go buy some for you."
Oh no! Here comes another victim!
Shiro snickered to himself as he watched the clueless Iori fall into the trap. Another poor soul about to be roasted.
However, things didn't go as he imagined. After all, Iori was the kind of obedient child who would eagerly volunteer to buy radishes.
"Ah, Iori, that's okay. They're not exactly cheap, after all~"
Pffft~
(¬_¬)
Shiro laughed shamelessly. For someone to be told they couldn't even afford a radish—just how miserable was this guy, Kitahara?
Smack!
He patted Iori's arm.
"Kitahara, don't force yourself anymore. The Men's Club will always be your home. I heard they're changing their name to 'Big Bird Spinning Club,' so now you can totally join."
"...No way in hell I'm joining that club! And are you judging clubs just by their names?! Even if they change it, it's still not a normal club!"
"Tsk, Kitahara, you're so hard to please."
"You're the one being ridiculous!"
"Now now, don't fight, you two. Actually…"
After listening for a while, Nanaka and Azusa understood what the misunderstanding was about. Just as Nanaka was about to explain, Azusa covered her mouth.
Azusa grinned wickedly and called over to Chisa, who was reading nearby. "Hey, Chisa, what would you do if Iori bought you a diving computer watch?"
Caught off guard, Chisa flinched.
After understanding the question, her face turned a rare shade of red. She half-hid her face behind her book and replied,
"…Just fifteen minutes. For fifteen minutes, I'd be willing to treat him like a human being."
"Ahaha, you hear that, Iori~"
Azusa laughed. Fifteen minutes! That alone showed how valuable the watch was!
(°ロ°)
Iori had a completely blank expression. Now he was curious—what was he in Chisa's eyes before that?
"Kitahara! Fifteen minutes?! What a dirty, money-fueled transaction. I'm calling the cops~"
"You bastard, stop making it sound like we did something indecent! She said she'd treat me like a human, okay?!"
"Wmmmm, and? You pay the money, she pays the price. Isn't that exactly what a monetary transaction is?"
"…You just invalidated the majority of all human transactions with that line."
"But money deals aren't inherently bad, are they? What are you thinking of, huh?" (¬_¬)
(´д｀)
Sensing Chisa's murderous glare, Iori spat out a mouthful of imaginary blood. Dammit, it was Shiro who said all that—why glare at me?!
After teasing Iori, Shiro turned to ask Azusa,
"So what's a diving computer watch? Weren't we just talking about radishes?"
"Haha, we were always talking about diving computers~
Diving computer: a device that continuously monitors your diving depth and time, and calculates the reduction in nitrogen levels in your body to avoid decompression sickness.
By the way, they range in price from 30,000 yen to 100,000 yen~"
!!!
"Kitahara, I kind of figured it out already, but I didn't think those fifteen minutes were worth that much. In a way, you're kind of impressive!"
Shiro looked genuinely shocked. He really had underestimated just how low Iori ranked in Chisa's heart.
At that price range, he was probably on par with a cockroach.
"That's not something to be proud of at all. Shiro, if you'd just erase my debt, I'd treat you like a human being for the rest of my life!"
"Sorry, Kitahara, but your goodwill is worthless~"
"Damn you!!"
Iori roared in frustration. Maybe he shouldn't pay that debt back after all!
The upperclassmen, seeing that everyone had rested enough, stood up from their seats. After all, they called everyone together for a reason—
"Let's go! Today we're gonna check out the diving equipment!"
…
.....................…..
Diving Shop!
"Wooooah!!!"
"There really are all kinds of gear!"
"I've never seen half of this stuff!"
"Honestly, I don't even know where to look!"
"How much does all this cost?!"
Out of the five of them, only Chisa maintained a bit of restraint—after all, she'd been here before. Even so, coming again was just as awe-inspiring.
For someone like her who loved diving, this place was practically paradise.
As for Shiro, his eyes had already transformed into yen symbols. This is one insanely profitable industry!
Unfortunately… they weren't here to make money today—they were the ones spending it. (≧∀≦)
He still preferred the zero-cost shopping method though.
"So, before diving, what do we need to buy?"
Shiro looked around the shop. Since they were here, they might as well spend something, right?
"But I heard you can just rent diving gear at first."
"Yeah, I heard that too."
Everyone else chimed in—they remembered Nanaka mentioning that beginners didn't need to waste money on equipment.
"That's right! Exactly! So, for beginners, all you really need to start is a towel!"
Tokita gave them a thumbs-up. Just a personal towel was enough to begin your diving journey—it was that easy!
"Got it!" ×3
"…Did they just forget about swimsuits completely?"
Aina didn't even want to comment anymore. Were they trying to do a "start with just a bowl" meme here?
Would it kill them to wear a swimsuit under the wetsuit? Not wearing one felt… off. Like, wouldn't there be friction or something?
"By the way, if you do want to buy something, start with the diving mask."
"Partly because it's cheap, so it doesn't hurt the wallet too much."
"But more importantly, diving is all about seeing the scenery underwater."
"If you end up with a mask that doesn't fit and you can't see clearly underwater, it'll drive you nuts."
Their seniors shared advice from experience.
"Got it! Let's go buy a diving mask!"
Shiro clapped his hands and headed straight for the diving masks.
"You little rich kid, slow down! We didn't even say we were spending money yet!"
"Are you some spoiled heir or what?!"
Iori and Kohei held Shiro back. At least let the senpai finish talking, geez.
"Haha, some people also say to buy a dive computer first—but you guys don't need that. We'll be with you, and we won't go anywhere dangerous."
"But if you're diving solo, it's essential."
"Got it! Let's go buy a dive computer!"
Shiro moved again, as if possessed. Something about this place was boosting his urge to shop—it's true what they say: once you're here, it's over.
"You madman! Just how rich are you?!"
"You're giving us financial anxiety over here!"
They wrestled him back again. This rich boy was just too much.
Suddenly, Iori noticed something he didn't recognize.
"What's this?"
He pointed to a small item with two hooks that vaguely reminded him of nostrils…
"Oh, that? That's a grappling hook. Like the name says, it's for hooking stuff."
"And this one?" Kohei found another weird gadget.
"That's a surface marker buoy. You inflate it and use it at the surface."
"Sugoii~. And this—I know this one! You just stab forward, right?!"
Shiro held a diving knife excitedly. Who knew they sold these here? This place was clearly more than just a dive shop!
"..."
Everyone took a silent step back. Literally anyone could use a knife.
"That's a dive knife—it's for clearing obstacles. We won't need that, so put it back, Shiro."
Azusa snatched it away. They weren't exactly hacking through seaweed jungles.
Looking at all the weird gear, the trio began to imagine things…
Scene 1:Iori uses the grappling hook to rescue Kohei. The hooks were, of course, attached to his nostrils.
Scene 2:Kohei inflates the buoy and straps it to Iori, only for both to explode together.
Scene 3:Shiro, armed with a dive knife, battles a horde of sharks while Iori and Kohei are already halfway down a shark's throat.
{{(°△°; "}}!
Just imagining it made the sea seem terrifying!
"..."
The others saw their faces and instantly knew they were thinking nothing good.
How were they even synced up in imagination like that? Did they share one brain cell?
"Anyway, feel free to look around. If you've got questions, ask us."
With that, Shiro immediately bolted to explore. There were too many things he was curious about.
First up: this thick-looking outfit with a hood—not a wetsuit?
"Oooh~ Shiro's got good taste~"
Before he could try it on, Azusa pounced. "That's a cold-water wetsuit~"
"Cold-water?"
"Yup! You'd need this for deeper dives, but we won't be going that far. Still… maybe I do need one. Shiro, raise my pay, will ya?"
!
"No way! Not a chance! A newbie like you doesn't get to make demands!"
"Ehh~ So cruel, Shiro. I heard from Hanabi you've got no artists working with you right now~"
"…Tch."
"What are you guys doing?"
While Azusa and Shiro were haggling, Iori arrived, looking for Chisa. But both Azusa and that guy were here too.
Chisa, meanwhile, was eyeing a little high-tech box that Shiro didn't recognize.
"Hey, Iori, do you know what this thing is?"
Azusa smirked mischievously, eager to hear his guess.
"Clothes? A box?"
After seeing all the weird gadgets earlier, a scene formed in Iori's mind.
"This is… a party accessory, right?!"
"…You forgot what kind of store this is, didn't you?"
"And your idea of a 'party' sounds illegal."
"Pfft—Hahahaha! Classic Iori!"
Azusa laughed out loud. As expected, Iori's brain worked on a different frequency.
Eventually, Chisa explained it was a 360-degree underwater camera.
Shiro bought it on the spot. He'd never owned something so cool—in either of his lives.
They also checked out some underwater communication gear, but it needed prior setup, so Shiro passed.
Useless!
So useless!
Why talk when you can just use imagination to connect thoughts?! Turn passive skills into active!
…
"Um, sorry to interrupt, but I have a question…"
Aina shyly approached the group after hearing them talk about communication equipment. A very important thought had just popped into her head.
"What's up?"
"Um, how do you choose a breathing regulator?"
"Regulator? You can just borrow those, right?"
"Yeah, no need to buy one, I think?"
"But still!"
Aina looked distressed. In her mind, she imagined using Iori's regulator—an indirect kiss!
(;?＿?)
Everyone broke into a cold sweat. How was she still hung up on that? Did she forget what club she'd joined?!
"Haha, don't worry—it's nothing like an indirect kiss," Azusa chuckled. "Just imagine how a regulator fits in your mouth…"
POP!
"If anything, it's more like… two people sharing a toothbrush."
"That's even worse!!!"
Aina freaked out. Now she was picturing Shiro brushing his teeth and then handing it to Iori without even rinsing it!
Shiro shuddered in horror and ran straight for the regulator section. Even if they were sterilized, he couldn't handle it—Azusa's analogy had been too vivid!
Why did I just see a vision of hell?! What the hell is that girl thinking?!
He vowed to keep his distance. Let Kitahara be the one to suffer their madness.
"Excuse me, sir!"
Shiro had barely taken a few steps when a store clerk shouted at someone nearby. He turned and saw Iori and the senpai—getting changed in the middle of the store?!
"Please use the changing rooms!"
The staff member looked like they were on the verge of a breakdown. Sure, sometimes guys changed in public, but this was swimwear! Just a pair of trunks!
Were they really planning to show off their chickens in the store?!
(′｀;)?
These store clerks are too soft. It's just changing clothes—what's the big deal?
Shiro made a mental note to suggest some counseling for the staff later.
WHAM!
Not far off, he ran into another friend—Kohei, kneeling reverently in front of two outfits.
"Kohei, you—"
Shiro trailed off as he saw what they were: plug suits from Evangelion—Unit 01 and Unit 02 pilots!
WHOOSH!
Without hesitation, Shiro pulled out his wallet. No man could resist mechs!
Crap. I don't have enough cash!
He'd bought too much already—and forgot his bank card!
Damn it!
Tears welled in his eyes. He stared longingly at the two outfits.
God… he had only one wish.
He suddenly missed his cosplay-loving ex.
When Iori finally found his friends, he saw this:
One kneeling in worship.
The other gazing like he'd seen God.
"..."
(???)
"You guys broken again?"
Iori hadn't seen Eva, so he had no idea what was going on.
"Kitahara, you too… did the mysterious force call you here?"
"You like mechs too, Kitahara?!"
"No, I was just looking for you. Also, these are just wetsuits, not mechs."
{{(°△°; "}}!
They stared in horror.
He… he hadn't seen Evangelion?
"This design is super stylish, but aren't these… for women?"
"No, I was just—"
"Being able to gaze upon them is enough!"
"…Why are you two acting like it's a religious experience?"
Iori didn't get it. The designs were nice, sure, but… seriously?
"I get it now. Wait here!"
He left, and the other two exchanged a glance—no sense of danger at all?
…
Pfft!
When Shiro saw them come out of the changing room, he couldn't stop the nosebleed.
"AAAAHHHH!!!"
Kohei nearly went Super Saiyan.
Chisa and Aina were wearing the Unit 01 and 02 plug suit wetsuits.
Shiro collapsed dramatically on the floor. His soul had ascended—this wasn't even about perversion anymore.
God bless.
Kohei trembled in the corner. He'd be willing to fight a mech for this moment.
"Kitahara, just for today—I'll call you a friend of the heart. Just for today."
(′｀;)?
Iori was confused. He never asked to be your "heart friend," thanks.
What were these two even on today?!
"What's up with them?"
"Something wrong with these suits?"
Chisa and Aina approached, finding them quite comfortable.
"Maybe they played too many games last night?"
Shiro and Kohei kept trembling. Let Kitahara say whatever he wanted—they were transcending.
…
Evening
Creak~
"We're back!"
They pushed open the GB club door, big smiles on every face. Everyone was holding something they bought.
"Ah, welcome back! Looks like you got a lot~ Great work, everyone~"
Nanaka greeted them with a smile, especially as she spotted what was in their hands.
Chisa bought a waterproof camera. The other four each bought a dive mask. Shiro even bought a regulator, dive computer, and a camera!
If he'd had enough money left, he would've taken those plug suits home too.
Feeling good, they tilted their heads when they heard Nanaue's words.
"'Hard work'?"
"All we did was shop, right?"
"Calling it 'hard work' seems a little much?"
"No no~" Nanaka shook her head. "You're all still paying for the Okinawa trip. And you went and bought diving gear on top of that? That's some serious effort~"
CRACK!!!
The four were struck like lightning.
They'd… forgotten about the budget!
Only Shiro remained calm.
He was a filthy rich bastard.
...
The next day, at a certain event venue—
Shiro and Nanaka were holding expensive cameras, enthusiastically snapping photos of the girls promoting on stage.
Beside them, Azusa watched the scene with amusement.
On stage, Chisa and Aina were dressed in outfits that were utterly embarrassing for them, promoting the event. At this moment, the only thing on their minds was the urge to strangle their past selves for their impulsive shopping spree!
That's right—both of them had also ended up taking on part-time jobs! The result of yesterday's shopping was that they, too, were short on money!
Ahhhhhhh!!!
Why did no one stop them yesterday?!
Even though these outfits technically covered more than swimsuits, they were still so embarrassing! And could people please stop taking photos already?!
Aina looked utterly hopeless. It's over… There's no way she'd ever get married now!
Down below, in the crowd, two figures in uniforms stood out...
Iori and Kohei currently felt like they wanted to die. No one had warned them that this event would be so packed!
At this rate, they might as well have helped Tokita-senpai move instead!
And hey—that creepy guy with the squinty eyes over there! If you're taking pictures, aim at the poster girls, not the staff! Photos of them aren't free, you know!
...
Though the part-time work was tough, it was all worth it in the end.
Because—
Okinawa, here we come!
Yahoo!
==========NOTICE==========
Yo~
Translator san's back and kicking finally so expect the updates.
And right, the Demon King Fic is finally picking up the pace so expect to it that I'll return to 2 chaps a day except sunday.
The Life Simulation is also 65% in completion and I'll focus into it. Its gonna result in 1 daily update of the Grand Blue fic. I think that'll also slow down the update for the SCP fic, sorry about that.
Imma get hard into translating the L.S. cuz my goal is to end it in early or mid May before our Barrio's Fiesta in late May.
Once I'm done with the L.S. fic, Imma start another project in June. Its prolly gonna be a Fate fic, a Danmachi fic, a One Piece fic, a COTE fic, or a Naruto fic.
Or I can write some short story shit, I dunno.
That's all.
Xiao~
Naha Airport!
"So hot!"
"Ah~ this place is totally filled with tropical vibes!"
"Coconuts! Wow, actual coconuts!"
As soon as she got off the plane, Aina was practically going wild, glancing around like someone who had never seen the world before.
Unable to watch any longer, Chisa cautiously reminded her that a lot of people were watching them.
"Ahaha, sorry, I just got a little too excited."
Aina scratched the back of her head apologetically… though she suspected those people weren't actually looking at her. Her gaze shifted to the beasts behind her...
"To celebrate our safe arrival in Okinawa!"
"And our fateful encounter with the local beer!"
"Cheers!!!" ×n
Thanks to a moment of carelessness, the beasts had already begun their party. The speed at which they stripped and started buying beer left the people around them speechless.
Some locals even started taking pictures—if nothing else, this was sure to be a highlight on the evening news.
"Let's just pretend we don't know those people..."
Chisa silently turned her head away. Great, this group trip just turned into a two-person vacation.
…
Gulp gulp
"So, what's the plan next?"
After finishing a bottle of beer, Shiro was brimming with excitement. Of course the first thing to do after getting off a plane was to try the local beer!
So refreshing!
"Are we going straight into training?"
"Or should we start with a welcome party?"
Iori and Kohei were just as hyped.
The group had split into two teams—on their side, it was the two senior senpais, plus Azusa and Nanaka, leading them to get their diving licenses. Only after that could they go diving in Miyako Island!
"Nope, first we'll spend the night here! The manager arranged a villa for us!"
"It's a bit of a drive from here, so let's take the rental car!"
The two senpais explained that since they'd come all this way, they might as well enjoy themselves first.
"A villa?!!" ×n
Everyone's eyes lit up at that word. As ordinary folks, they rarely got to see a villa—something only the rich could afford!
The manager's amazing, no wonder even Mizuki Kaya visits his diving shop. He's got real connections!
Gulp gulp
Shiro chugged down another bottle. He couldn't wait to see that villa!
How to get there?
Drive?
Drive…
(???)
He looked at the car in front of him… then at the now-empty beer bottle in his hand…
At that moment, he felt a strange calm wash over him. If he remembered correctly, the ones who just drank beer were…
Himself, the four-beast squad, Azusa-nee, and Nanaka-nee…
That means… the whole team is out of commission!!!
Just then, the others began to realize it too.
"What are we gonna do?!"
"Ah… I didn't even notice I was drinking."
"You mean buying that beer was totally subconscious?!"
"Yeah, it just sorta happened, you know?"
The two senpais had totally innocent expressions. Weren't they the ones who were enjoying it the most just now?
"Can't we just have another senpai come drive for us?"
Shiro sat hopelessly on top of his suitcase. He didn't want to walk to the villa in this blazing summer heat.
"Oh, the others are meeting us in Miyako Island three days from now."
Three days…
X﹏X
"Hahahaha, it's fine, it's fine! Chisa-chan has a license~"
Azusa smiled.
Don't forget, there were still two people in their group who hadn't drunk any alcohol.
Hearing that, Shiro and the others breathed a sigh of relief. If Chisa had a license, they could just rent a bigger car and it'd be fine.
"Maybe Aina-chan has one too~"
"No! I don't think she does!"
"She seems way too clumsy."
"Think about it—even if she does have a license, she's the type who'd confuse the gas and brake pedals. Who would trust her to drive?!"
The three of them didn't hesitate to shoot the idea down. The idea of the corpse-makeup beast driving was terrifying!
(*?????)
Aina looked like she was about to cry.
These jerks were too much! She and Kotegawa were both normal people, weren't they? Why the double standard?
"By the way, what kind of car can fit nine people?"
"No idea."
"Maybe a foreign one?"
With the license issue settled, the group made their way to the rental station.
…
"Alright! This is your car!"
Ta-da!
A tiny car was now bearing a weight it was never meant to handle. Not only were seven people crammed inside, two beast senpai had taken over the roof.
The atmosphere was grim—
"What's wrong, guys?"
The shop owner noticed something was off and asked curiously.
"You seriously have to ask?!"
"How are we all supposed to fit in this thing?!"
"Hold up, how did you even cram five people into a backseat meant for three?!"
Shiro was having mixed feelings.
His head was buried in Azusa's softness—if he ignored the fact that he couldn't breathe, it was actually kind of nice…
Damn it! Why couldn't he hold his breath longer?!
"Uh… Bukki, did you maybe book the wrong vehicle?"
Azusa's expression was awkward. It was way too cramped. And why was Shiro's face turning purple?
"Nope, I definitely booked a 9-seater."
Kotobuki pulled out the receipt, and it did indeed say 9 people. Clearly, this was the store's mistake.
"Oh, oops. You're right. Sorry, I mixed up the 4-seater and 9-seater."
!!!
"You moron! How does anyone mix up those two numbers?!"
"Four and nine are very different!"
"Ughhh X﹏X… oxygen…"
Shiro just wanted to live right now…
Fortunately, the shop owner wasn't unreasonable. Once he realized the mistake, he immediately agreed to give them a different vehicle.
To make up for the trouble, he even loaned them a convertible for free!
A villa!
A convertible!
At that moment, the newbie group's excitement shot right back to its peak!
But as it turned out…
Free stuff is never great.
A farm truck showed up in front of them. It was very spacious in the back, but…
There's no way this was meant for human passengers!
What kind of shop was this?! Why was it so hard for them to just get a 9-seater car?!
"We don't have cars that big in our shop~"
!!!
This place was definitely shady! People with squinty eyes are always the worst!
"Anyway, have a fun trip~"
The manager didn't give them a chance to argue. He just left the mini-truck there and dipped—he had a lot of other things to take care of, after all.
sigh Having a big business sure is troublesome~
"Ah!"
"Old man, don't go!"
"At least give us someone who can drive this thing!"
The three were on the verge of losing it.
The problem wasn't whether or not the truck was usable—it was that no one could drive it! It was manual transmission!
Chisa only had a license for automatic, and she had already gotten into the smaller car…
"Well, if it comes down to it, we can just walk. It'll be great exercise—diving takes a lot of stamina too!"
Kotobuki suggested optimistically. He figured they could challenge themselves and make it there before dark!
"That's not a distance humans are meant to walk!"
"Endurance! You gotta have endurance!"
"Are you guys just single-minded idiots?!"
"What separates modern people from cavemen is tools! We use tools!"
The three argued back firmly—there was no way they were walking. They'd die!
"Damn it!"
Shiro looked around. At this point, their only option might be to pay for someone who can drive a manual. Maybe the shop offered that service?
Wait a second…
Was this the manager's plan all along?!
He was caught off guard! What a brilliant robbery scheme!
He had a serious look on his face. If that really was the case, then they had no choice but to recruit someone from the street. They had the power to make it work!
A passerby…
Huh?
Wait, is that a manual license?
He stared at the license that suddenly appeared in front of him in confusion… until he saw who it belonged to…
The corpse-makeup freak?!?
"Hey, Kitahara, Kohei… I mean, driving after drinking a little beer shouldn't be a big deal, right? We only had two bottles."
"Yeah, seems fine."
"Life is precious after all. But there's one issue left—Shiro, do you even have a manual license?"
(′?`)
Come on… what era do they think this is… of course not!!!
Also… if we're already talking about drunk driving, does it even matter if I have a license?! What gear do you even start in…?
Inside the Light Truck—
A heavy atmosphere loomed over them. In the end, they rejected Shiro's idea of both drunk driving and driving without a license.
Compared to him, they were more willing to trust someone who at least had a license… Even though this "licensed" person was just as unreliable!
The trio seriously suspected that Aina had bought her license! And why the hell did she have a manual transmission license?
If you were going to buy one, wouldn't an automatic license be the smarter choice?
"Life is truly short."
"The sky is so blue today!"
"I never thought my final moments would be spent with you guys."
The three sighed in resignation. At this moment, the back of the truck was fully occupied by them and Kotobuki.
Originally, Shiro wanted to take the small car instead—after all, there were only three people in that one, so there was room for one more!
Unfortunately…
That car only had two extra seats left. The trio, unable to split up evenly, decided they would rather face death together…
"You guys are seriously rude!!!"
Aina shouted from the driver's seat.
Even if they wanted to say such things, couldn't they at least lower their voices a little? Had they ever considered the driver's feelings?!
If they kept this up, she just might make them experience "equipment-free diving" firsthand!
"Oh, this truck bed is actually quite comfortable!"
Only Kotobuki seemed genuinely intrigued, curiously enjoying the experience. This was his first time riding in one, and it actually felt pretty good.
Whenever he took a regular car, he always felt cramped—this was just the right size for him.
Disaster strikes again.
Just as they were contemplating life, that damned shop owner came running back.
＼(`Δ')／
"Hey! Mister, forget it! We are NOT buying any of your services!"
The moment Shiro saw the owner, he became visibly agitated.
He was already convinced this guy was running a scam—handing out free manual transmission trucks, waiting for the customers to realize they couldn't drive them, and then charging outrageous service fees!
Damn it!
He refused to let someone make money off such a devious trick!
(′｀;)?
The owner looked completely dumbfounded. What… happened?
Did they somehow find out that he owned this land too?
"Ah, I just wanted to remind you all—this entire area is my private property, by the way."
(In Japan, passengers are not allowed to ride in the bed of a truck without police permission.)
"..."
Shiro fell into a deep silence. He could almost hear a calculator frantically crunching numbers in his mind.
How much did all this land cost?!
Why was someone this rich unable to provide them with a proper nine-seater vehicle? A minibus would've worked too, right?!
Lowering his head, he realized—this black-hearted shop owner must have used highly questionable methods to make his fortune!
As the owner walked away, Shiro silently vowed:
One day! One day, I will become even more ruthless than him!
Damn it, why does the law have to set interest rate limits?!
Everything was ready!
Now, it was time to start the engine!
"Vroom!"
A cloud of black smoke puffed out as the slightly worn-down truck roared to life.
"Everyone, hold on tight!"
"Oh, dear God!"
"Uuuuu X﹏X"
The trio braced themselves, feeling as though time had slowed to a crawl—so much so that the truck, which should have shot forward, was… driving completely normally.
"Huh?" ×3
They were utterly confused—was Aina actually good at this?!
"Why are you so skilled at this?!"
Shiro leaned against the driver's window, staring in disbelief. This was the work of an experienced driver.
Feeling proud at first, Aina immediately tensed up at his words, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"N-no, I'm not experienced at all! Someone as sophisticated as me would never have helped out on a farm using this kind of vehicle!"
Shiro casually delivered a critical hit.
The moment the others heard her excuse, their nervous tension vanished. So, she actually had experience driving this kind of truck.
That meant they didn't have to worry about safety anymore and could fully enjoy the ride!
"Hahaha! This is unexpectedly exhilarating!"
"Aina's driving is really solid!"
"Youth! The ocean, here I come!"
"Hahahaha!"
The four of them burst into laughter. This was exactly the kind of training camp they were looking forward to!
Well… except for one thing.
"Too bad we didn't bring any beer with us."
"Yeah, we left it all in Chisa's car."
"Should we stop and go grab some? They're right behind us anyway."
"Agreed!"
The four exchanged knowing glances—this was the perfect mood for some alcohol!
"Absolutely not! Have any of you even considered the feelings of the driver?!"
Aina yelled in frustration. If they started drinking beer in the truck, who knew what would come next?
Strip poker?
A full-blown drinking party?
Come on! This was just a small truck! It wouldn't survive the impact of these beasts!
"Hmm, I guess you have a point."
After hearing Aina's protest, Shiro and the others reconsidered. She was right—they were being thoughtless.
So...
"Aina, do you want the local beer, or the kind we had before?"
"…I'M DRIVING, YOU IDIOTS! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO CONVINCE THE DRIVER TO DRINK?!"
At this moment, Aina genuinely wanted to take them all down with her. Was their brain filled with nothing but alcohol?!
(?????)
"Wait!"
"Shiro, we have a problem!"
Just as Shiro was about to reply, Iori yanked him back.
A cargo truck was heading straight toward them!
If they got caught, it would mean dealing with a whole lot of unnecessary trouble!
Their youthful adventure did NOT belong in a police station!
"Hide!"
"Damn it, there's no room!"
"Lie down?"
"There's a tarp over here!"
Once again, the seniors proved their worth—finding a discarded tarp in the corner.
It wasn't big enough to cover them completely, but it would work as a disguise prop!
The four of them quickly lay down, pulled the tarp over themselves, leaving only their ankles exposed.
In that instant, all four of them had the exact same brilliant idea.
The truck driver had no idea he was about to witness something horrifying.
Casually puffing on a cigarette, he noticed movement in the back of a passing light truck.
That… didn't seem safe.
If people were really riding in the back, he planned to report it to the police. No way was he letting some reckless idiots endanger themselves on the road!
As he got closer…
He saw it.
Four pale, motionless ankles sticking out from under a white sheet.
{{(°△°; "}}!!!
His whole body shuddered, and his phone slipped from his hands.
A white sheet?
Bare ankles?
A light truck?
That was a corpse transport truck!!!
Then… whose head did he see earlier?!
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
His scream rose with the speed of his truck as he sped away.
Back in the truck bed, the four of them threw off the tarp.
"Success!"
Their plan had worked flawlessly. Now, nobody would suspect there were passengers in the back!
…except for the two unlucky guys who ended up face-to-face under the tarp.
＼(`Δ')／
"STOP FIGHTING BACK THERE, DAMN IT!!!"
Aina was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
...
Behind them, Chisa and the others silently watched from the minivan.
"What are those idiots doing now?"
"Haha, Shiro and the others are as lively as ever—such a close bond~"
"Exactly! Chisa, you should hurry up and join in too~"
(???)
Chisa looked at the three already half-naked figures in front and chose to selectively ignore that last line.
Join in?
Sorry, but she simply wasn't perverted enough to be part of that…