Green plums cannot become lovers.

It was only then that Hanami Anzu noticed Onami Kazuhiko standing next to her.

"Warm water! You're up so early too!"

"Hmm." Wen Shuihe nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before shifting away.

"Is everyone here?" The voice of Shao Yan Ningzi came from another direction. She ran over with a bright backpack on her back, her ponytail swinging behind her. Xiao Ju Zhihua followed behind her, squinting in the sun, clutching a small duffel bag in her hand.

"Xiao Ju, hurry up!" Salted Lemon called out as he turned around.

"Coming, coming..." Xiao Juzhihua quickened her pace and almost tripped over her own shoelaces.

The president and vice president arrived one after another. The president carried a hiking backpack and an insulated bag full of groceries, explaining that he had bought some in advance from the supermarket in case he couldn't find good food near the guesthouse in the mountains. The vice president helped him with half of the groceries, and the two of them stood outside the crowd counting the number of people.

"Is everyone here?" The club president looked around.

"Everyone's here!" Bana said as he saw Anja raise her hand.

"Then get in the car."

A crowd surged toward the platform, where the tram had just stopped, its doors wide open. An and Asuka walked at the very back, helping Himegami Karen carry her travel bag onto the tram.

There weren't many seats, so everyone sat down separately. Seeing that Anna had taken a window seat, Bana patted the seat next to her, gesturing for Himegami Karen to sit down, and then called out to An and Asuka, "Asuka! Over here!"

An and Asuka walked over and sat down opposite them.

Wen Shuihe chose a seat on the other side of the aisle, by the window, and placed his backpack on his lap. He didn't look in this direction, but just stared at the slowly moving platform outside the window, his expression indifferent.

The tram started moving.

The scenery outside the window began to recede slowly. The platform pillars, the pebbles beside the tracks, and the rooftops of the residential area in the distance all slid past my eyes. The train gradually picked up speed, leaving the sounds of the city behind, replaced by the rhythmic rumble of wheels rolling over the rails.

Hanami Anna took out a box of mints from her canvas bag, poured out a few, and handed them to Himegami Karen, then handed them to Anwa Asuka across the aisle.

"Want it?"

"Thank you." An and Asuka accepted it.

"Where's Wen Shui?" she called out towards the corridor.

"No need." Wen Shuihe shook his head.

Hanami Anzu put away the candy box, leaned back in her chair, and looked out the window at the fields rushing by.

"It's been a long time since we went out together."

The girl was very excited.

"Mm," Himegami Karen responded.

An and Asuka leaned back in their seats, watching the two girls opposite them. Banami Anna's gaze was fixed on the view outside the window, her profile bathed in a soft halo of sunlight. Himegami Karen lowered her head, her fingers lightly tracing the zipper of her travel bag, a quiet smile playing on her lips.

"Birds. ?c5 rise and scatter? cage? l? air umbrella?" Banai saw Anzu suddenly turn around.

"Ok?"

Did you sleep well last night?

"good."

"I have insomnia." She rested her chin on her hand, her tone slightly coquettish. "I'm so excited, I've been tossing and turning in bed, my mind is filled with images of the beach."

Himegami Karen chuckled softly beside her.

"You always do this when you go out."

“Not every time! Only when I’m really looking forward to it!” Banami Anna retorted confidently, then glanced at An and Asuka before quickly looking away, adding, “This time I’m especially, especially looking forward to it.”

An and Asuka smiled but didn't say anything.

The carriage was quiet, with only the sound of wheels rolling over the rails and the low murmur of passengers in the distance.

Sunlight streamed in through the car window, casting shifting patches of light on the floor. Banami saw Anzu turn to look out the window again, this time truly quiet, her eyelashes casting a small shadow on her face, her breathing gradually becoming even.

Himegami Karen took a book out of her bag, opened to the page with the bookmark, and began to read quietly. She read slowly, occasionally pausing to think before continuing. She turned the pages very gently, careful not to wake Anna, who was almost asleep beside her.

An and Asuka leaned back in their chairs, watching the fields and mountains rushing past the window.

The lush green rice paddies rippled in the sunlight, and in the distance, a few farmhouses with white walls and gray tiles stood, smoke rising from their chimneys and being dispersed by the wind. Further away, the outlines of the mountains gradually became clearer, layer upon layer, the deepest layer already a bluish-gray.

His gaze swept across the aisle and landed on Wen Shuiheyan.

Wen Shuihe was looking out the window, his expression still as slow and deliberate as ever. But his gaze seemed fixed on something far away, not the scenery outside the window, but something else entirely. His fingers rested on the backpack strap, motionless, and he was as still as a statue.

An and Asuka withdrew their gaze.

The tram continued forward. The traces of the city faded further, and fields and mountains dominated the view. The air seemed to become fresher, and the scent of grass and earth could be smelled through the cracks in the windows.

Hana saw Anna asleep, leaning against Himemiya Karen's shoulder, her breathing soft, a slight smile playing on her lips. Himemiya Karen didn't move, but simply turned to the next page of her book, her movements even gentler than before.

An hour later, the tram stopped at a station near the sea.

The moment the car door opened, a gust of salty air rushed in. The smell was completely different from that on land—moist, slightly fishy, ​​and carrying the scent of sun-dried seaweed.

An and Asuka stepped out of the carriage, took a deep breath, and felt as if the wind had cleansed them.

"Wow—" Banami saw Anja rush out first, her canvas bag swaying behind her, her footsteps making rapid sounds on the concrete of the platform. "It smells like the sea! I can smell it!"

Himegami Karen followed behind her, her steps becoming lighter as she caught up in her excitement. The president was at the back counting heads, the vice president was carrying the groceries for him, and Yakinoshi Lemon was already skipping and hopping towards the exit. Komari Chika jogged after him, calling out, "Wait, wait for me!"

It only takes a few minutes to walk from the station to the beach. After walking along a palm-lined path and past a row of shops selling swimming gear and cold drinks, the view suddenly opens up.

The boundless sea stretched out under the sunlight, its blue gleaming. Waves surged in, lapping against the beach, leaving behind white foam and tiny seashells as they receded. The sky was high and blue, with a few clouds drifting lazily, their shadows falling on the water and swaying gently with the waves.

The beach wasn't very big, but the sand was very fine and soft underfoot, so your feet would sink in a little. There weren't many people today; just a dozen or so scattered around, some sunbathing, some playing in the sea, and in the distance, a couple walking hand in hand along the coastline.

"It's the ocean—!"

Anna was the first to rush onto the beach, casually tossing her canvas bag onto the sand. She spread her arms wide and shouted at the sea. Her voice drifted on the sea breeze, startling several seagulls that were perched on the shore.

The roasted salt lemon followed closely behind, kicking off its shoes and stepping barefoot into the sand with a satisfied sigh.

"So soft! So warm!"

Xiaoju Zhihua stood at the edge of the beach, carefully took off her sandals, tentatively touched the sand with her toes, then pulled them back, then stuck them out again, repeating this several times before daring to step firmly.

Himegami Karen walked even slower, stopping a little further away from the waves. She put her travel bag down, looked up at the horizon where the sea met the sky, the wind blowing through her long hair. She squinted her eyes slightly, as if trying to take in all the blue expanse.

The president and vice president had already started making arrangements to reserve spots, taking out several waterproof mats from insulated bags and laying them on the beach.

The girls ran along the beach for a while, chasing each other through the waves, their laughter carried everywhere by the sea breeze. Hanami Anzu squatted down, picked up a seashell, held it up to the sunlight, and then stuffed it into her pocket. Roasted Salt Lemon tried to do a somersault on the sand but ended up falling headfirst into the sand, making Komari Chika stamp her feet in frustration.

An and Asuka stood next to the waterproof mat, watching them make a fuss for a while before speaking up to remind them.

"If you want to play, go change into your swimsuit first. Otherwise, it'll be troublesome if your clothes get wet."

"Oh right!" Yana exclaimed, slapping her forehead. "Swimsuit!"

She turned to rummage through her canvas bag, and Roasted Salt Lemon followed. Himegami Karen took her swimsuit out of her travel bag, folded it neatly, and put it in a small bag.

The changing rooms are on the east side of the beach, a row of light blue houses that have faded a bit from the sun.

An and Asuka changed into their swim trunks in the men's changing room. The dark blue fabric was the same one that Hanami Anna had helped him choose yesterday. He sat down next to the waterproof mat, folded his clothes, and stuffed them into his bag. He glanced up in the direction of the women's changing room; the door was still closed.

The president and vice president had already changed and were setting up a parasol on the beach. Kazuhiko Onami, having changed into dark swimming trunks, sat at the other end of a waterproof mat, slowly sipping a bottle of mineral water he'd bought from a vending machine.

Salted Lemon was the first to come out of the locker room.

"Is it pretty? Is it pretty?" she asked the club president as she twirled around.

"It looks good, it looks good." The president replied dismissively without even looking up.

"You didn't even watch it!"

"I took a look."

The roasted salt lemon snorted.

Komari Chika followed behind, wearing a one-piece swimsuit with a small floral print, the color very plain, as understated as she was. She walked quickly to the waterproof mat with her head down, sat down, and spread a towel over her legs, leaving only her toes exposed. Her toes were tightly curled together, as if afraid of being seen.

An and Asuka waited a while longer, but still didn't see any signs of Anna or Karen.

He looked at the roasted salt lemon.

"Where are Xingcai and the others?"

Hearing this, the man with the burnt salt lemon was applying sunscreen to his feet. He looked up and glanced in the direction of the changing room.

"I don't know, they're probably still dawdling inside. Why don't you go and check on them?"

An and Asuka stood up and walked to the door of the women's changing room. The door was closed, and rustling sounds and hushed conversations could be heard from inside.

"Please pull the strap at the back; I can't reach it."

"Wait a minute, my hair is caught..."

"It itches! Don't pull so hard."

Anhe Feiniao cleared his throat.

"Apricot vegetable? Hua Lian?"

The sounds inside paused for a moment.

"H-Asuka?" Anna's voice came through the door, tinged with panic, "Why are you here!"

"You haven't changed yet?"

"Almost there! Almost done!"

"Then hurry up, everyone is waiting."

"Okay, okay! You...you go back now!"

An and Asuka responded and turned to walk back to the waterproof mat.

A few minutes later, the locker room door finally opened.

Seeing Anja peek out first, look around to make sure not many people were watching, and then slowly walk out herself. She was wearing a light-colored two-piece swimsuit with a slightly puffed-up skirt; the color was as refreshing as the summer sky. The fabric shimmered delicately in the sunlight, making her skin appear even whiter.

She walked out very lightly, unlike her usual hurried pace. Her footsteps on the sand felt like walking on clouds. Her gaze first swept across the beach, then landed on An and Asuka, before quickly shifting away, a faint blush slowly spreading across her ears.

Himegami Karen followed behind her, wearing a simple, white one-piece swimsuit. Her pink hair was blown by the sea breeze, creating a gentle contrast with the white fabric. She walked slower, head down, fingers clutching the edge of a towel as if trying to wrap herself up.

The two stood at the locker room door, neither making a move.

Yesterday at the swimsuit shop, Hana saw Anzu confidently declare that she would "seduce him" and surprise him at the beach. She spoke so loudly then, as if it were an easy thing to do.

Now that I'm actually standing here, I realize that things are completely different from what I imagined.

It's not because the swimsuit is ugly.

It's because the person in front of me is too familiar.

They'd known him since junior high, or even earlier. They knew what he liked to drink, what he thought about when he was daydreaming, and how his eyes would crinkle slightly when he smiled. They'd seen him in his school uniform and playing the guitar in the activity room.

They were already very familiar with him.

But they never wore swimsuits in front of him.

She spent a long time choosing this light-colored two-piece outfit yesterday. She looked at herself in the mirror in the fitting room, tried on three different outfits, and finally chose this one. At that moment, she thought, "Tomorrow I must walk out confidently and let him see my best self."

Now she stands here, but her legs feel like they're made of lead.

"Come here," An and Asuka waved to them.

Hanami Anina took a deep breath and pulled Himegami Karen over. Their steps were slow at first, then quickened, and finally they almost fled to the waterproof mat, spread out a bath towel, sat down, and curled up in a ball with their knees drawn up to their chests.

"What's wrong?" An and Asuka asked.

"It's nothing," said Bana, her voice muffled as she saw Anja bury her face in her knees.

Himegami Karen sat beside her, not hiding her face, but her fingers kept fiddling with the thin strap at the waist of her swimsuit. Her eyes were on the sea, but her gaze was unfocused.

An and Asuka looked at them and suddenly smiled.

"What are you laughing at!" Bana saw Anja lift her head from her knees, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide open.

“It’s nothing,” An and Asuka mimicked her tone, “I just think you guys look really good.”

Bana saw Anja pause for a moment, then her face turned even redder.

"Who, who asked you to say such things..."

But she didn't hide her face anymore. She raised her head, pulled the towel off her body, folded it and put it aside, then stood up and patted the sand off her skirt.

"Let's go, Hualian, let's go splash in the water!"

She took Himegami Karen's hand and ran towards the sea. After a couple of steps, she stopped and looked back at An and Asuka.