After tidying up their things, Toru took advantage of the time while the girls were changing into swimsuits to head down to the beach. He set up the parasol and inflated the swim rings.
Hitori couldn't swim at all, her skill level was basically limited to splashing twice before sinking and blowing bubbles.
The swim ring in his hands was specially prepared for her.
Once he'd finished setting up, Toru glanced at the glittering waves in the distance, feeling the sun's burning heat on his skin, lost in thought for a moment.
The sunlight was so harsh today, it'd be easy to get burned.
He didn't mind getting tanned himself, but the paper-thin wives around him were another story.
Just imagine it, Hitori with sun-kissed skin…
Wait.
Toru paused, reconsidering.
Actually… that might not be bad at all.
Especially the contrast of the tan lines where her swimsuit didn't cover.
As expected, human fetishes never shrink, they only expand.
Maybe next time in the simulation, he should try dating a tanned, athletic-type beauty.
"Toru-kun, are you done?"
Ryo came out of the villa, carrying a small bag, and walked toward him.
She was now wearing the white bikini she had bought during yesterday's shopping trip.
Toru took a good look at her...
Her chest was fuller than average.
Her stomach showed faint abs, her skin was fair, and her thighs looked toned and slender. Her figure had the grace of a model.
"Is it okay if I lie under the parasol on the chair?"
Ryo didn't mind Toru's gaze at all. She'd chosen this swimsuit for him to see.
Otherwise, Ryo wouldn't have bothered wearing it.
After all, most girls didn't have the nerve to wear bikinis.
People like Kita and Nijika—well, they didn't exactly have the size or presence for it, you know?
They couldn't pull it off, it'd just look flat and awkward.
"Of course," Toru replied.
"So, how's the swimsuit?"
"I already told you yesterday, didn't I? It's cute."
Ryo tilted her head with an adorably playful look. "Really?"
"I'm not lying."
"I don't believe you. Say it again, does my swimsuit look good?"
She stepped closer, completely unbothered by his gaze on her body.
"It looks good. Beautiful. Ryo, the cutest in the world."
Toru thought to himself that in the simulation, Ryo-chan hadn't been this aggressive. Why did the real one act like she'd had a full system upgrade?
Was this the difference between simulation and reality?
"Looks like you're not lying," Ryo said with a small laugh. She looked out at the sea and sighed. "The sun's really strong today."
"The UV index is high. Luckily, I came prepared."
Toru picked up a white sun hat from beside him and carefully placed it on her head. "I bought these just for you girls."
"Thank you."
Ryo took a small bottle from her bag and handed it to him. "Toru-kun, help me put on some sunscreen?"
"Why not ask Nijika and the others to help?"
It wasn't exactly proper for a guy to be doing that.
"Nijika's busy bullying Bocchi. She doesn't have time."
When Ryo had left the villa just now, Nijika and Kita were putting Hitori through some sort of witch trial.
They'd decided that Bocchi's chest was too big and declared her a traitor to Kessoku Band.
"So, your answer?"
"You're too cute to say no to."
Toru just hoped to finish quickly before the others came out—otherwise, this scene would definitely be misunderstood.
Ryo lay down on a beach chair beside him, adjusting her posture so she was lying face-down.
Toru squeezed a bit of the white lotion into his palm, rubbed his hands together, and began spreading it across her pale back.
The moment his fingers touched her skin—
"Ah! It's cold!"
Her voice came out soft and girlish, at least three degrees sweeter than usual.
"Ryo-chan, don't make weird noises. What if they hear you?"
"Okay, I'll try."
Ryo, however, secretly thought it'd be better if they did hear her.
Claiming her territory early would keep those little vixens from getting any ideas about her man.
After Toru had finished spreading the lotion roughly, he stopped.
Ryo looked up at him with clear, watery eyes. "You missed under my swimsuit, and the front too."
"The parts under your swimsuit won't get sunburned. You can do the front yourself."
"Fine, I'll do it."
She sat up, holding her bikini in place as she spread the lotion over her chest and stomach.
When she finished, she said, "Help me tie the strings."
"This…"
Ryo tilted her head, her tone teasing. "You can't?"
"Of course I can."
First sunscreen, now tying bikini strings.
Toru honestly didn't know where to look anymore.
Once he was done, to avoid being toyed with any further, he pretended to focus on setting up a second parasol.
A few minutes later, the other girls came out of the villa.
Nijika wore a high-waisted swimsuit with a cute vibe. She knew that going for a sexy look would be instant defeat, so she wisely chose another route.
Kita wore the bikini she'd talked about yesterday. Her vibe wasn't so much mature as it was like a little girl trying to act grown-up—adorably awkward.
Ijichi Seika, the only adult among them, ironically had the least adult-like body.
Were all the women in the Ijichi family like this? Genetics could be terrifying.
And finally, the last one to appear…
Hitori, nervously clutching her chest, which couldn't be hidden no matter what she wore. She fidgeted awkwardly—it was her first time wearing something this revealing in broad daylight.
Half an hour later.
With nothing else to do, Toru sat under the parasol watching the girls play beach volleyball.
Ryo had found an excuse to lie next to him, holding a drink.
That was when it hit him.
Ryo wasn't playing volleyball or going in the water—so why had she needed him to put on sunscreen for her?
What was she plotting?
Was she… just craving his body?
He turned his head slightly and saw Ryo looking at him.
Their eyes met. Her gaze was calm and clear, and Toru was the first to look away.
Some time later, the girls stopped playing volleyball and prepared to go into the water.
Hitori glanced around nervously, then as if steeling her resolve, grabbed a swim ring and walked toward Toru.
Once she reached him—
"K-Kitahara-kun, could you… teach me how to swim?"
She'd been thinking about it for a long time. If she wanted to hold hands with Toru this summer, this was her only chance.
Teaching someone to swim meant holding hands.
Perfect plan.
"Is… is that not okay?"
When Toru didn't answer right away, Gotoh stammered and lowered her head.
"No, it's fine. Let's go."
Toru glanced sideways at Ryo. She was still lounging there, watching something on a tablet. From the title, it seemed to be one of those low-budget movies with awful special effects—something like Three-Headed Sharknado.
A few minutes later, by the water's edge—
"Right, hold my hand. Don't be afraid. Seawater is denser than regular water, so the buoyancy is stronger…"
Hitori didn't hear a word of his lesson.
All she could feel was the warmth of his hand, sending her heart racing again and again.
[Congratulations, player. Simulation count +1]
She'd won.
In Hitori's mind, it was already a total victory.
For someone with social anxiety, holding hands with her crush was more than enough.
————