The next morning.
I was having breakfast in the hotel dining hall as usual when a small figure approached from behind.
"Morning, Itsuki!"
I felt a pair of hands rest on my shoulders.
Turning around, I found my childhood friend, Yuri, standing there with a grin.
Hinako and the others greeted her with a polite "Good morning." I gave a brief "Morning" in return and studied her face.
"You're in a strangely good mood. Did something happen?"
"Nothing in particular. I just realized you’re more of a handful than I thought."
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
I tilted my head in confusion. Across the table, Tennoji-san and Narika both seemed to turn a faint shade of red.
I’d sensed Yuri had been up to something behind the scenes for the past few days. Knowing her, I didn't think she was causing trouble, but I wondered if she’d been having some private words with Tennoji-san and the others.
"Oh, by the way, I made that salad, so you’d better appreciate every bite. Well, I mostly just chopped the ingredients, but still."
"Yeah, yeah."
I gave a noncommittal reply as she pointed toward my plate.
However, in that moment, I felt a slight sense of incongruity.
"...Yuri?"
"What is it?"
"Are you... forcing yourself?"
There was a beat of silence before she responded.
"Huh? I'm not forcing anything."
I couldn't quite tell if she was telling the truth, but I knew that when Yuri got like this, she became incredibly stubborn. She rarely changed her stance once her mind was set.
I suppose I just have to believe her for now, I thought, giving a small nod.
"Anyway, do you really have time to worry about me? Don't you have an exam today?"
"Ugh... right."
She was spot on.
Today was the final exam for the Summer Seminar. Aside from that disastrous first day, I’d been keeping up with my prep and review, so I was managing the curriculum. Still, I had no idea what kind of score I’d actually pull off.
To be honest... I wasn't confident.
"Is it really something to be that nervous about?"
"Well... if I get a bad grade, Ms. Shizune is going to put me through a Spartan tutoring regime until the end of summer vacation..."
"Ms. Shizune? You mean that maid? That sounds like a dream. Most boys would be thrilled to have a beautiful woman like that teaching them every little thing."
"You only say that because you haven't experienced her 'Spartan' side firsthand."
When I said that with a straight face, Yuri pulled back slightly and nodded. "I-I see."
"Did you girls finish your exam prep?" Yuri asked, turning to the others.
"Yes. I believe we are as prepared as we usually are," Hinako answered before taking a sip of her Assam tea. I’d heard that Assam was high in caffeine, so I’d been drinking it frequently myself during the seminar.
"As for me, Mirei Tennoji, I have refined my knowledge even further than usual."
"Tennoji-san certainly is diligent."
"Y-Yes. I strive to be so every day... No, that's not it! This time, I will settle our score for certain!"
"Please go easy on me."
Lately, it seemed Hinako had figured out how to handle Tennoji-san.
Then again, 'handling' her was just another way of saying she’d come to understand her. I had a feeling this change was mostly on Tennoji-san’s end. Ever since she started prioritizing her own will over just the family name, she’d become much more approachable.
"Narika, are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah. I've already given up. I'm scheduled to have home tutors sent to the house the moment the Summer Seminar ends."
Narika spoke with eyes like a dead fish.
I was only one step away from that state myself, so I couldn't view it as someone else's problem.
"Well, there's no use crying over it now. Just steel yourself and do your best. If your scores are bad, I'll make you a hamburger steak set again."
"...You're right."
Yuri was right. At this point, all I could do was face it head-on.
"I'm counting on that hamburger steak set."
"Don't give up before you’ve even started."
Yuri gave my head a playful swat.
...From the look of it, she was back to her usual self. She’d seemed like she was pushing herself earlier, but maybe I was just overthinking things.
"By the way, everyone. What are your plans for the holiday tomorrow?"
Tennoji-san asked the question after finishing her soup, glancing around at our faces.
The Summer Seminar would conclude with today's exam. Apparently, it takes a full day to grade the papers, so tomorrow was a scheduled day off. The results wouldn't be announced until the day after.
"I haven't really decided on anything yet."
"Neither have I."
Narika agreed with me. We were both blank slates.
"I haven't decided either, but... since we're all here, it might be nice to go out somewhere. I'd like to enjoy a holiday and forget about studying for at least one day."
I was in total agreement.
Technically, this was still summer vacation. After focusing so intensely on our studies, a little reward event seemed perfectly reasonable.
"In that case, why don't we go to the sea?" Hinako suggested.
The sea? As we all tilted our heads, Hinako continued.
"It’s about a two-hour drive from here to the beaches on the Sea of Japan side. It’s not a private beach, so there will be other people around, but..."
"That sounds wonderful! Summer is synonymous with the sea. I shall join you!"
"I-I would definitely like to go as well!"
Tennoji-san and Narika were immediate converts.
The seminar had been so grueling that I’d completely forgotten, but we’d actually talked about the beach in the car on our way to Karuizawa.
Even so, I found it surprising.
(It’s rare for Hinako to invite everyone like this...)
Actually, it was rare for Hinako to plan any kind of event herself. Without public eyes on her, she could drop the act. I’d assumed she would want to spend a hard-earned holiday lounging in the hotel room...
"G-Going to the sea with friends...! Ah, the event I’ve only seen in my dreams...!"
Narika looked like she was about to cry from sheer emotion.
"Wait! B-But I didn't bring a swimsuit!"
"We can buy them on the way. There is a Konohana Group department store near the coast; we can stop there."
"I-I see. That works."
I hadn't brought a swimsuit either, so I’d need to buy one as well.
"Um... would it be okay if I tagged along too?" Yuri asked, raising her hand timidly.
Hinako gave her a warm smile and a nod. "Of course."
"Oh, thank goodness... When I heard the words 'private beach,' I thought a commoner like me wouldn't be invited."
"If the timing had worked out, I would have invited you to a private beach instead."
"Ooh... It really pays to have friends in high places..."
Yuri clutched her chest in exaggerated joy.
"But Yuri, what about your shift at the hotel?"
"It’s fine. Tomorrow happens to be my day off."
"I thought you’d be busier, but you’re actually getting some rest."
"I originally planned to use my free time for cooking research, so I asked for a light shift. Besides, the kitchen is heavy manual labor, so they’re pretty strict about giving us proper time off."
I knew from visiting Yuri’s house that kitchen work was exhausting. You couldn't afford to be sloppy in a high-end hotel kitchen either. To keep the staff from losing focus, they were apparently given solid breaks.
"We should probably head toward the classroom soon."
Tennoji-san checked the time and prompted us to move.
"Good luck on the test, everyone."
With Yuri’s send-off, we left the dining hall.
As the group walked toward the classroom, I hung back and spoke to Hinako in a low voice.
"Hinako. Have you been thinking about the beach trip this whole time?"
"Mm... I discussed it with Shizune and decided."
So that was why she knew exactly where the beaches were. It wasn't just a spontaneous suggestion.
"But are you sure about inviting everyone? If there are crowds, you'll have to keep up the 'Young Lady' act the whole time, right?"
"It's not a private beach, so I'd have to do that anyway."
I guess that was true.
"Besides... I thought this would make you happy, Itsuki."
Hinako looked me straight in the eyes as she said it.
She’d seen right through me. During the seminar, we’d been acting as a group the whole time. I’d definitely felt that if we were going to do something fun, I wanted everyone to be there.
"Thanks. I was hoping we could all go together."
"Heh... I know you too well, Itsuki."
Hinako puffed out her chest with a look of triumph.
Just then, Tennoji-san, walking ahead of us, noticed we were lagging behind and looked back.
"Is something the matter, you two?"
"No, it's nothing at all."
Hinako’s act resumed instantly.
I could only manage a wry smile. I still wasn't quite used to the speed of her transitions.
The day after the exam.
It was 2:00 PM. We had left the hotel in the morning, bought swimsuits at a department store along the way, finished lunch, and finally reached our destination.
"...It’s the sea."
My impression was incredibly mundane, but there it was.
Back in middle school, I’d gone to the sea once for a school event called the Nature School. However, the Tomonari family had been so broke that we couldn't even afford the travel expenses; Yuri's family had been kind enough to drive me there. I’d managed to scrape together enough for the meals during the trip, but as a result, I’d had to skip every meal except dinner for an entire month after I got home.
The food I ate on that trip might have been the most luxurious meal of my middle school years.
Remembering it almost brought a tear to my eye.
"It seems you've finished changing."
As I waited for the girls outside the changing rooms, Ms. Shizune called out to me.
She was still dressed in her usual maid uniform.
"You're not wearing a swimsuit, Ms. Shizune?"
"Did you want to see me in one?" she asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
I felt my cheeks heat up and quickly looked away.
"You still haven't built up any immunity, I see. And here I thought you spent every day by the Young Lady's side."
"...I'm careful in my own way. Especially when she’s in the bath and things like that."
"A most commendable attitude."
The trick, for the record, was to keep her in my peripheral vision without looking directly at her. That was the only way I could survive Hinako’s more revealing moments.
"I will be prioritizing my duties today to ensure everyone's safety. This is a public beach with many visitors, unlike a private one."
"Right. Sorry, I feel like I'm the only one here just to have fun."
"Don't worry about it. Thanks to your consideration, Itsuki-san, I was able to get much more rest than usual lately."
Ms. Shizune spoke with a gentle expression. It seemed she really had managed to recharge.
"Besides, the Konohana family has already deployed a hundred security personnel at this beach. The burden on me alone isn't that significant."
"I-I see."
Typical Konohana family. They didn't do anything halfway.
Looking around casually, I noticed several sturdily built men in swim trunks patrolling the sand. It was as if this beach suddenly had a hundred extra lifesavers.
"By the way, Itsuki-san. How did you feel about the exam?"
"...Well, I did everything I could."
To be honest, I had no idea how I’d done. A lot of the material wasn't covered in our normal Kikou Academy curriculum, so I was still feeling pretty anxious about it.