Translator: RaidenTL
Far from celebrating Obon the traditional way, the beach was packed with people.
Then again, for modern people, these holidays are just long vacations.
Miyuki's family was no different.
"Matsuda-kun."
"Yeah?"
I turned around at the sound of Miyuki's voice behind me and jumped in surprise.
It wasn't Miyuki standing there, but Kana.
"Wh-what...?"
In the car, her voice was definitely different, but now it was exactly the same as Miyuki's.
Seeing my bewildered expression, Kana cackled and walked away.
Miyuki, looking at Kana as if she were helpless, approached me.
"My sister's pranks can be a bit much... Sorry. Tetsuya-kun has been a victim many times, too."
"Is your sister a voice actress by any chance?"
"No, but... she's been like that since we were kids."
Seems like she's the mischievous type, unlike Miyuki.
Does this mean a threesome with two Miyukis is possible?
I like the sound of that...
"Isn't the ocean beautiful? This feels amazing..."
Miyuki spread her arms, closed her eyes, and took in the sea breeze.
The headwind pressed her T-shirt and skirt back, revealing the full outline of her body.
Her chest is insane, no matter how many times I see it. A slim waist and wide hips, too...
Especially the slight bulge of her mons pubis below her Y-zone... That's so damn hot.
"Matsuda-kun! Come have some watermelon!"
Midori's call snapped me back to my senses, and I tapped Miyuki on the shoulder.
"Let's go get some watermelon."
"Okay."
On the sandy beach, I sat on a mat with Miyuki's family and ate various foods.
Tetsuya must be somewhere nearby.
He's probably trying to contact Miyuki right now, but sorry to say, she hasn't even thought about looking at her phone.
"Matsuda-kun, why are you being so timid? Is it because you're with my family? Just act like you normally do."
She's just having fun teasing me.
I glanced at Miyuki as she whispered in my ear, then moved my hand behind my back so no one could see.
And then, I gave her back a gentle press.
It was a gesture telling her to stop.
Miyuki, sensing my intention, grinned and stood up.
"Aren't you going for a swim, Matsuda-kun?"
"Now? I should digest first..."
"You can digest while you play. You always say that, Matsuda-kun."
"No, when have I ever..."
"If you're not going now, can you watch our stuff? My sister and I are going to change."
"Go ahead."
Miyuki grabbed her swimsuit and headed to the changing room with Kana.
Watching her leave, Wataru clicked his tongue.
"That girl... so rude..."
"Miyuki seems more excited than usual. I'm sorry. You should go for a swim too, Matsuda-kun."
In response to Midori's apology, I shook my head with a slightly exaggerated gesture.
"Not at all. I wasn't really planning on swimming anyway; I just came to enjoy the sea breeze. I'll just stay here and watch over everything. You two should go have fun."
"We didn't really come to get in the water either. It seems you're the type to enjoy the atmosphere, just like us, Matsuda-kun."
"It's less about enjoying it and more... that I'd be bored at home alone on a holiday..."
As I was chatting idly with Wataru and Midori, I turned my head when Miyuki and Kana approached, having finished changing.
The two of them were just wearing typical beachwear.
Shorts that looked like a skirt, and a long-sleeved zip-up outer.
I wanted to see Miyuki in a bikini, but she has no interest in showing off her body.
It seems to be the same for Kana... I guess it runs in the family.
Still, it's nice that I get to see Miyuki's pale white thighs.
"You're really not coming?"
Miyuki asked, bouncing a borrowed beach ball against my back.
It makes me feel good that she seems comfortable around me.
Go ahead and mess around all you want. You'll be crying and thanking me later.
"I'm not going. If you're going to play with the ball, stretch first."
"It'll happen naturally while we play. We're not planning on going deep, so it's fine. Well, we're off. If you get bored, come find us. Got it?"
I knew she'd ignore my warning.
Your lack of a sense of danger is at its peak today.
With a cheerful wave, Miyuki headed to the water with Kana.
After excusing myself to Midori and Wataru, I strolled along the beach.
I wasn't just walking aimlessly; I kept enough distance to keep an eye on Miyuki and Kana as they excitedly tossed the ball back and forth.
This beach has a spot where the water suddenly gets deep.
Usually, lifeguards patrol and stop people from heading there, but with a limited number of staff, it's impossible to control such a wide beach and so many people.
The event triggers when the lifeguard is elsewhere and Kana throws the ball far away.
Miyuki goes to get the ball, gets a cramp in her leg, and ends up falling into that deep spot.
It was a dangerous event. One wrong move and she could drown.
But that will never happen.
Even if I do nothing, Miyuki will be found by a lifeguard and saved before her condition becomes critical.
And it's not like my affection level drops for just standing by.
Of course, I'm not going to just stand by.
I'm participating in this event to pull Miyuki's heart firmly over to my side.
After checking the event-related items scattered around, I loitered near Miyuki and Kana, pretending to be taking a walk on the beach.
Tetsuya is... I can see him in the distance.
Looks like he's taking a walk, just like me. Shortly after the event starts, that bastard will spot Miyuki too.
It's about time for it to happen...
As I checked my watch, running through the image training I'd done dozens, hundreds of times,
Thwack!
"Agh, sis...! What are you doing...!"
Hearing the faint, whining voice from a distance, I tensed up.
It's started.
Miyuki approaches the ball, trying to retrieve it as it's carried away by the shallow waves.
The people around are busy playing, and Kana has taken her eyes off Miyuki to watch the seagulls floating on the sea.
Tetsuya will spot Miyuki in a little bit and realize the gravity of the situation when he sees her head tilted back...
Right now, I'm the only one watching her.
The ball was moving away pretty fast, so Miyuki soon started to swim.
As Miyuki swam toward the ball with a clumsy freestyle stroke, her head slipped under the water just as she almost reached it.
After that, she repeatedly bobbed up and down.
'Now's my chance.'
The moment I saw that, I grabbed a pink kid's tube and a life jacket someone had left behind and sprinted with all my might.
"Huh!? Mooooom!"
I heard the startled cry of a little kid who had been resting behind me.
He must think I'm stealing his tube.
Don't you worry... I'll pay you back for it later, you little shit.
Once the water was up to my waist, the resistance started to slow me down.
The closer I got to Miyuki, the clearer her pained expression became as she intermittently broke the surface.
Even if it's for the event, I hate seeing Miyuki in pain...
I should have just played with her and saved her the moment she fell in. Staying so far away was a mistake.
I yelled to Kana, who was looking around, with all my strength.
"Hey! Sis!!"
Kana turned her head toward me.
"Huh...? What? Matsuda-kun?"
"Get a lifeguard!"
I pointed in Miyuki's direction, threw the life jacket and tube near her, and dove into the water.
Splash!
Then I swam toward Miyuki, mustering every ounce of my strength.
"Cough! Gack...!"
Miyuki, who had choked on seawater, looked at me as I approached.
A small glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes, which had been filled with pain.
I barely managed to grab the edge of the tube as it was about to float away, and then, with maximum concentration, I threw it.
The tube landed right next to Miyuki with a thwack.
Miyuki instinctively reached out, and her hand touched the tube.
A perfect slider. With a pitch like that, I could probably place in the nationals.
Finally, grabbing the life jacket, I got right up to Miyuki, righted the tube that was about to flip over, and was about to ask if she was okay.
But instead of the tube, she grabbed my head, which was right in front of her, and I sank into the sea.
Miyuki's strength, awakened by her survival instinct, was immense.
So much so that I couldn't break free and get out of the water.
To make matters worse, I even lost my grip on the life jacket.
'Ah... fuck...'
They say approaching a drowning person directly is dangerous, and now I understand exactly why.
I approached too hastily.
I didn't even have a chance to feel her ample chest.
At this rate, I'm going to die first.
I should have put on the life jacket before approaching, but seeing Miyuki's expression made me rush and do something stupid.
Using all my strength, I pushed off Miyuki's hips and thankfully managed to get away from her.
From there, I got behind Miyuki, who was kicking one of her legs wildly, placed my arms under her butt and back, and lifted.
Miyuki was now floating horizontally on the surface.
Beneath the surface, I could faintly see the life jacket floating near her.
But opening my eyes in the seawater stings like hell.
I guided Miyuki toward the jacket, and her flailing arm caught it.
Confirming that Miyuki's struggling had subsided somewhat, I held her up and stayed still.
It was an attempt to let her put on the jacket by herself.
Before long, I felt buoyancy from Miyuki's body as she calmed down considerably.
She put on the life jacket.
Relieved, I slowly moved out from behind Miyuki.
"Gasp!"
As I exhaled the breath I'd been holding, Miyuki, who was still coughing and spitting out water, reached back to grab my head.
There she goes again. I get that she's scared, but trying to drag me down with her is too much.
I gave Miyuki's forehead a firm smack with my palm.
Smack!
"Cough... Haaak! Cough!"
There's a scream mixed in there. It's kind of funny.
Thwack!
I gave her forehead a flick, half out of worry and half out of anger, and said,
"Stay... huff... still, you idiot... Are you trying to kill me too? I'm going to... pull you from now on... so please just stay put... Got it?"
"Huuuh... Kehek..."
Miyuki, still coughing up seawater, gave a small nod.
She listens well after getting hit. A little corporal punishment is necessary, after all.
I grabbed Miyuki under her armpits and moved very slowly toward the shore.
Isn't this a technique lifeguards use, though?
I'd watched a lot of videos online just in case, but I never thought I'd use it so naturally in a critical situation...
The power of being the main character is sweet.
We were soon rescued by a lifeguard who had been called over by Kana.
Compared to all the fuss, Miyuki's condition was so minor it wouldn't even qualify as a Grade 1 drowning victim.
Knowing this full well, I looked past Miyuki, who was coughing on the boat, and scanned our surroundings.
Perhaps because Kana had been shrieking so loudly, people were gathering in small groups.
Among them was Tetsuya, staring at the boat with eyes full of worry.
Pathetic loser... You noticed Miyuki was drowning, but you couldn't do anything because of me, right?
After mocking him to my heart's content internally, I lay down on the boat.
Then Miyuki, her eyes welling with tears as she clutched her throat, crawled over to me.
No way, is she trying to hug me?
Just as I was thinking that,
"Cough!"
A big cough escaped Miyuki's mouth, and a spray of water shot out toward my face. I quickly moved my head.
The warm water grazed my ear.
My reflexes are insane... Maybe I should aim for a sports university.
Wait, but wasn't that a reward?
I dodged for nothing.
Smacking my lips in regret, I flopped down on the boat once the guards had calmed Miyuki down.
And with that, the summer vacation event is over.
Now, let's just enjoy the after-story and wait for school to start.