Even though I was supposed to be enjoying a swim at the beach, I had been suddenly abducted to the ocean floor. To make matters worse, the culprit behind it—my own lover—informed me that there was a condition I had to meet if I wanted to return to the surface.
If this were a book, it would sound like the beginning of a horror novel. In reality, the culprit was my girlfriend, and her only demand was a hug.
Shiro-san waited for me, her arms spread slightly. She looked as expressionless as ever, yet I could somehow tell she was in high spirits. I swallowed hard at the sight of her looking so adorable and slowly began to close the distance between us.
It wasn't often that I found myself in a situation where I was explicitly requested to give a hug, so I felt a strange surge of nerves.
Then again, seeing her head-on like this reminded me that Shiro-san's beauty was practically cheating. Even just standing there in a swimsuit with her arms open, she possessed a beauty that was almost ethereal.
When we first met, that divinity was so overwhelming that her beauty felt unreal... but the current Shiro-san, whose heart had changed so significantly, felt both beautiful and cute. She possessed a certain radiance that made me want to pull her close.
Shiro-san was nearly the same height as me, and as we stood face-to-face, I found myself staring into her striking golden eyes.
Captivated by those eyes and her translucent, porcelain skin, I wrapped my arms around her. Perhaps it was because her raw power was so immense, but touching her like this made her feel surprisingly delicate.
My fingers sank slightly into her soft skin. The sensation was so pleasant that I knew it would be difficult to pull away once I’d started.
Then, I felt the soft weight of her against my chest... Truly, it was the body of a goddess; I would have believed anyone who told me that every inch of her was perfection.
As I gently drew her closer, Shiro-san leaned into me without a hint of resistance. Since we were both in our swimwear, I could feel her body heat more clearly than ever before.
Or perhaps it was just that my senses were heightened because I was so on edge. Given how many things were racing through my mind, "calm" was the last thing I could be called.
Being in the silence of the deep sea, wearing nothing but swimsuits, and being hyper-aware of the act of hugging—it was all fueling my tension far more than I’d anticipated.
My thoughts were spinning in circles until Shiro-san suddenly tilted her head back to look at me.
Though she had become better at expressing her emotions lately, her default state was still a blank mask. And yet, right now, she was smiling with a look that anyone could recognize as pure happiness. It was impossible not to be enchanted by it.
It felt as if time had stopped. Those deep, beautiful golden eyes wordlessly beckoned me closer. I felt as if I were being sucked in. Before I knew it, as if following a natural instinct, my face began to drift toward hers... until Lilia-san caught my eye. She was off to the side, crimson-faced and flailing in a state of total panic. The sight acted like a bucket of cold water, snapping me back to reality.
"...There. Is that enough?"
"Muu... That was a real pity. A great disappointment, truly. However, my request was indeed for a hug, so the condition has been met. I suppose it can't be helped; I shall save the rest for another time."
"I’d appreciate that."
It wasn't that I didn't want to kiss Shiro-san, but doing it in front of others was still a bit much for me. My embarrassment usually won out in public.
Well, as Shiro-san said, maybe next time... when we're alone...
"I shall look forward to it then."
"Ah, wait—"
"It makes me very happy to know that you also want to be intimate with me, Kaito-san."
"Ugh..."
That was a blunder. I’d completely forgotten that she could read my mind. Having seen right through my thoughts, Shiro-san now wore a playful, amused smile.
What kind of public shaming was this? Still, the worst part was that I couldn't even deny it. I was a man, after all. If someone asked if I wanted to flirt with my beautiful girlfriend, the answer was obviously going to be "yes."
As I brooded over my embarrassment, Shiro-san looked incredibly pleased with herself. It might have been my imagination, but I could practically see the words "Deeply Satisfied" floating in the air behind her.
"...What are those? Those floating letters?"
Apparently, it wasn't my imagination. It was the usual stereoscopic text, and Lilia-san was staring at it with a bewildered expression.
Regardless, I had fulfilled Shiro-san's condition. Now, we should finally be able to head back—
"Well then, next is Lilia's turn."
"Wait, what?"