Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 195, Section 36: "Immersed in the Journey"

Yonaha Maehama is located in the southwest of Miyako Island. Its beach stretches for seven kilometers and is known as the "Number One White Sand Beach in the Orient," making it a famous resort destination.

The white sand is as fine as powdery snow, and the seawater is as clear and transparent as a sapphire.

"What a beautiful beach."

Standing on the seaside highway and gazing into the distance, Chia's eyes sparkled.

Before her lay a shallow sea of ​​vibrant color, so close it seemed to be right next to her.

On the first day after the typhoon ended, there weren't many tourists on the beach. Some female high school students in uniforms were walking barefoot on the white sand.

"It truly lives up to its reputation as a famous white sand beach. I had thought the beach in front of the guesthouse was beautiful enough."

Asami got out of the car, stretched, and looked at the sea as she walked.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to the group and made a suggestion.

"By the way, how about trying that?"

"Which one is that?" Masumi asked.

"It's the one where everyone stands on the beach, strikes a pose, and shouts 'It's the sea!' at the ocean."

This is a common trope in youth-themed TV dramas.

But it's not very reliable in reality.

"That's too silly, I refuse."

Masumi refused without hesitation.

"Hey, it's really fun!" Mami pouted, clearly annoyed.

"That means doing things you wouldn't normally do creates the atmosphere of travel."

I echoed the words of my predecessor and put my arm around Masumi's shoulder from behind.

"Senior, please don't suddenly get so close."

Her slender, soft arms gave Masumi the feeling that sea snakes had crawled all over her from head to toe.

"Ok?"

My eyes are like those of an ancient sage, with arched eyebrows, upturned lips, and a gentle smile on my face. To anyone who sees me, it is a charming smile.

"Chiai wants to shout too, right?"

"Huh?" The sudden pointing of the finger startled Chiai, who shrank back behind Masumi.

"Well, sometimes I see similar scenes in TV dramas or comics, and to be honest, I kind of long for them too."

Facing the few people who were quietly waiting for her answer, Qian Ai scratched her ear and said.

"Great!"

Upon receiving Chiai's affirmative reply, Mami raised her hands and cheered.

"Now we have three people on our side."

"There are still four of us here," Masumi reminded them in her usual tone.

Actually, it was myself who expressed opposition, along with three other girls who hadn't voiced their opinions.

However, that's precisely the voting strategy.

"No, no!" Asami shook her finger. "The principle of majority rule doesn't apply here. It's not like we're electing members of parliament or forming a cabinet."

Masumi blinked: "It feels really unbelievable to hear the last two nouns from you."

Just six months ago, I didn't even know what a Democrassi was.

"Don't interrupt, Masumi-kun."

Mami gave him a reproachful look.

Masumi shrugged dismissively. "Then what rules apply to us?"

"On the surface it's three people and four people, but actually it's three people against three people."

She reached out her finger and gently touched Masumi's nose.

"As for you, Masumi-kun, you are not the one who votes, but rather the one who makes the choice."

"The three of us, or the three of them, who would you choose?"

Masumi was dumbfounded.

They actually resorted to this tactic.

"Hey—that sounds interesting."

I asked with a smile, "I'm also very curious, which side does Masumi plan to choose?"

With a mischievous expression on her face, she gave him a meaningful flirtatious look.

It's as if to say, "This is a perfect opportunity to test Masumi's ability to mediate when the girls have differing opinions."

"In order to study human nature, volunteers were recruited to conduct inhumane battle royale experiments on a deserted island."

Mami's unintentional remark from not long ago resurfaced in Masumi's mind.

He couldn't help but lower his head and murmur softly. A sticky sea breeze carrying a fishy smell swept past him. Was this a prelude to being caught in a bloody and chaotic battlefield?
Masumi turned to look at Kurokawa Mio.

If we were to say who among them is most likely to take the significance of this choice seriously, it would undoubtedly be her.

“Okay, it’s a little embarrassing, but if you treat this as your first experience with Masumi, it’s not bad.” She nodded and said.

"what?"

Ignoring the "first experience" part, the unexpected answer made Masumi's eyes widen slightly.

Seeing through his question, Kurokawa Mio flicked her blonde hair, a gentle smile appearing on her lips.

"As long as I can stay by Masumi's side, I will never do anything that would cause Masumi any distress or pain."

"..."

"She clearly did a lot of things that would make things difficult for Masumi-nii, like always sticking to him like that," Chiai muttered to herself.

"He was holding onto Masumi-nii's hand the whole time..."

"What did Qian'ai say?"

Kurokawa Mio suddenly leaned closer, casting a shadow over her fair face.

Qian Ai was speechless for a moment, then hurriedly explained with gestures, "No, it's nothing, that..."

"I didn't say anything! That's right, I didn't say anything!"

"Oh, really?"

As if to deliver a fatal blow to the bewildered Chiai, Kurokawa Mio took another step forward, the heel of her sandal lightly tapping the asphalt.

The girl who had grown up with him was now completely pale.

"Mio, stop scaring Chiai." Masumi sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"I wasn't serious, I was just teasing Chiai."

Kurokawa Mio smiled gently.

"You're not allowed to talk bad about me behind my back, okay, Qian'ai?"

A subtle threat could be discerned in her soft, layered tone.

"I... I was just telling the truth."

The girl, hiding behind Masumi, whispered her defense.

"Does Qian'ai have anything else to say?"

Her lips curved into a dangerous arc, and Kurokawa Mio glanced at her with a sharp gaze.

"No, it's nothing."

Qian'ai's defenses crumbled instantly, along with her expression.

Kurokawa Mio nodded with satisfaction.

"Great! Now it's four against three."

The culprit who caused things to turn out this way cheered.

"In that case, let's all shout at the sea together."

"Didn't Mami just say that Masumi should make all the choices?" Rinne asked.

"That's right, but let me guess, Rinne didn't originally intend to refuse, did she?"

She stared at Rinne with eyes that seemed to see right through her.

"I would never have fussed over something like this."

Despite having her feelings easily exposed, Rinne's face remained as indifferent as ever, and she replied nonchalantly.

At the same time, it pulls up the sea moon, gazing at the vast ocean, lost in thought.

Masumi glanced at my senior, Ruko, and found that her face still had the same smile as usual.

Did the senior expect this result?
A sudden thought struck Masumi like an electric shock—wait, could this also be a test by her?

If that's the case, it's terrifying. Masumi couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.

I probably won't be able to beat my seniors in any aspect of my life.

The inner turmoil has no effect on the present situation.

"Okay, everyone, please go to the beach and line up in a row."

As Mami spoke, the seven of them walked down the seaside road, stepped onto the white sand beach, and faced the sea.

"When Masumi-kun counts to three, everyone shout 'It's the sea!' As for the poses... do whatever makes you happy."

"Huh? Should I call out?"

"Yeah, well, what can you expect when Masumi-kun is the king?" Mami said sarcastically.

Masumi sighed, "I've never heard of the king in the final round of the King's Game being able to hold the throne in real life."

"Don't get hung up on this, Masumi-kun. You're clearly the one who got the better deal, but you're still acting innocent."

Mami poked his side with her finger.

Masumi brushed her hand away, finding it troublesome, which resulted in Mami puffing out her cheeks in a sulky manner.

Rinne, Chiai, and Kurokawa Mio coldly observed their subtle actions.

My senior, Ru Gu, still wore a gentle smile.

Haiyue squatted down on the beach and gently poked the umbrella-shaped cap of the stranded jellyfish with her finger.

“Well then, I’m going to start counting,” Masumi said.

Coming back to reality, the girls nodded.

"one……"

"two……"

"three!"

Masumi gave the command, and all six girls spoke at the same time—

"It's the sea!"

"It's the sea!"

"It's the sea!" "Yes, it's the sea!"

"Oh, it's the sea."

"Well?"

The six chaotic sounds overlapped in the sea breeze.

The black-tailed gulls' cat-like calls swept across the sky, breaking the sudden, brief silence.

Breaking the silence, Mami laughed heartily.

"What's wrong with it? It's not neat at all."

"Also, Chia is way too nervous!"

"Sister Mami!"

Rinne used her fingers to smooth out the matted ends of Kaigetsu's hair: "Haigetsu, did you forget what you were saying?"

"It's...Haye..."

"Such a long reaction time," Kurokawa Mio remarked.

◇

"Why didn't Masumi join in the shouting?" I squinted at her like a nagging old man. "She didn't even strike a pose."

"This is so embarrassing, please let me go," Masumi pleaded.

"Hey, Masumi's got quite the idol image to maintain," she teased with a laugh.

"Whatever happens to me is fine." Masumi put on a defeated expression. "Instead of that, how about we take a picture together, senpai?"

He made that suggestion.

"Huh? When did Masumi discover her love for photography?"

About half an hour ago.

"Half an hour ago?"

I, like a thousand-year-old ancient being, tilted my head with a curious look.

A glimpse of her fair skin peeked out from her neckline, extending upwards along her neck to her beautiful jawline.

“That’s right.” Masumi nodded.

"Taking a group photo together is a way to create memories."

He remembered what Mami had just said.

In the past, all sorts of people have claimed to have excellent memories, but Masumi himself knows that he just tends to remember what others say casually for a couple of days.

Therefore, that was merely someone else's opinion based on their own assumptions.

Perhaps I am like that too, self-righteous and making rash judgments.

"...Masumi?"

I looked at the direction Masumi was staring blankly in – at my own chest, which was still bulging high under my T-shirt.

She glanced again at Masumi's hand, which was still frozen in place and raised in mid-air.

She then grabbed that hand and pulled it towards herself—

"S-Senior! What are you doing?!"

Masumi finally came to her senses, looked at me as if I were a thousand years old, and was so shocked that her voice cracked.

The full shape overflowed from between her fingers, and Masumi reflexively tried to pull her hand back, but she pressed it down firmly.

"It's because Masumi kept staring at that spot in a daze."

"How is it? Are you satisfied?" I smiled, like a thousand-year-old ancient man.

"What would happen if I said I wasn't satisfied?" Masumi asked instinctively.

"Then the other hand too..."

"No need!"

Masumi tried to pull her hand away, but it was all in vain. Was her senior really that strong?
As if seeing through his thoughts, I, like an ancient sage, calmly said:

"Don't be fooled by the fact that working at an aquarium looks glamorous and romantic; it's mostly physical work."

The senior smiled quietly, waiting for his next words, a clear answer.

"……very good."

Masumi managed to squeeze out a sound.

"Hey, what's so good about it? What exactly do you mean? The feel? The elasticity?"

Seeing Masumi's stiff expression, I smiled like Kou Chitose.

"It seems difficult for Masumi to say it directly, so let me rephrase it—"

"Compared to Asami, who is more supple?"

"Uh, Mami, I guess."

Masumi's current reaction is a bit like Totoro's; she catches things with her paws whenever they're given to her.

"Which is bigger, the moon or the sea?"

"It should be a senior."

"And Rinne?"

"Rinne, I haven't...senpai yet!?"

Realizing she had fallen for a trap, Masumi unconsciously raised her voice at the end of her sentence.

I, like a thousand-year-old, laughed heartily.

I've been tricked again.

"No—that's not right. Masumi also enjoyed the benefits, so it's an equal exchange."

I am like a child who has successfully pulled off a prank.

"However, my body is glandular, so although it's not as supple, it's more elastic."

"Even seniors have competitive spirit, just like ordinary girls."

"Ok?"

These words earned me a dignified glance from me, who was as majestic as an ancient emperor, and I straightened my body forward again.

Masumi swallowed hard, but her fingertips still couldn't trace the end of the perfectly rounded edge.

◇

"Look this way! Cheese!"

Looking through the viewfinder, Masumi adjusted the lens to the appropriate position.

The girls looked at each other, then, as if defying the sea breeze, combed their bangs and made a gesture.

"Click - click -"

The sound of a camera flash.

"Masumi-nii, the filming is still so bad." Chiai criticized without holding back.

"Thank you for always paying attention to my photography skills."

"You have a really good attitude," Rinne said casually.

Mio Kurokawa: "As expected of Masumi."

Even though she fully affirmed Mio, she only cunningly praised him from a psychological perspective. Was her photography skill really that bad?
Masumi let out a heavy sigh.

“However, precisely because of this, even though Masumi isn’t in the photo, you can still feel his presence.” I, like Kou Chitose, smiled.

"My Miss Rugu is truly gentle," Mami exclaimed.

"Huh? Why is Sister Chitose supporting her chest with her arm? Are you feeling unwell?"

I gently shook my head, "No, it's just that my shoulders get a little sore after standing for a long time."

"Huh? Your shoulders will ache if you stand for a long time? That's the first time I've heard of that."

Chiai opened her eyes wide with curiosity and subconsciously asked the girl next to her, "Can Mio-neechan do that too?"

"will not."

For some reason, Kurokawa Mio's reply sounded indifferent.

Where is Rinne?

"Such situations can occur."

"Where's Mami-san?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty much used to it by now."

"Haiyue?"

"My shoulders are sore...it's so annoying..."

After asking three people in a row, the childhood sweetheart finally realized something, and her shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

"Do you need me to explain this to Chia?" Mami asked, suppressing a laugh.

"No need! Please don't continue this topic." Qian Ai covered her ears. "I don't want to hear anything that will cause me pain and distress."

"Hey, don't be like that, Chia."

Mami continued to tease her, "You started this conversation yourself."

An ostrich has appeared on the white sand beach.

"...This camera of yours, senior, seems to be the same one from high school," Masumi said, holding the camera.

In my first year of high school, the light music club's cultural festival performance was recorded with this camera.

My friend Ru Gu brought the typhoon relief supplies with him, and I kept them in my bag in the car.

"Yes, it's the Canon that Kagurazaka gave me."

"Chitose, from today onwards I'm a Nikon fan! This camera is for you, use it to take lots of pictures, you'll be very happy when you see them later."

I can still remember what Kagurazaka-senpai said back then.

Even though her expression when she was talking and laughing was ambiguous like it was under the flash of a camera, I still remember her.

Masumi gently stroked the camera's cold, hard outline. So that's how it is. Memories, perhaps?

It's incredible that something unintentional can become a container for emotions.

Then he raised his head, his gaze slowly sweeping over each of the girls present, and slowly began to speak:

"This is a rare opportunity, let's take a few more photos."

"Eh."

The girls had different expressions, but in the end they all had the same expression—a smile and a nod.

Suddenly, he wanted more, longer, to immerse himself in this time.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

(End of this chapter)