I waded into the sea alongside Alice. We didn't do any serious swimming; it was more about the simple, pleasant sensation of soaking in the water.
The Hydra Kingdom’s climate was naturally warm, so the water felt incredible against my skin.
"Kaito-san, would you like to get on a boat or something?"
"Sure, lounging on a boat sounds like a plan."
"Then let me get that ready for you~"
The moment she said it, Alice produced a massive rubber boat from thin air. It was... well, much more heavy-duty than I’d expected. It didn't look like something meant for casual beach use; it looked like it was built for navigating whitewater rapids. Still, at this size, there was more than enough room for the two of us to stretch out, so it was actually a pretty good choice.
"Lying down sounds nice. I just hope we don't drift away..."
"Oh, don't worry about that. I’m managing our position with magic, so it’ll be fine."
"I see..."
If there was no risk of drifting out to sea, I figured I might as well enjoy the ride. I climbed onto the boat and lay down, and a moment later, Alice settled in right beside me.
"Mmm. This is actually really comfortable."
"Yeah, you're right. The subtle swaying is so relaxing, it’s almost making me sleepy."
As we lay there side by side, I glanced over at her. Alice was reclined in her swimsuit, her skin shimmering with seawater. In that state, there was something undeniably alluring and provocative about her.
Floating there on the waves made it feel as though we were the only two people in existence... though, considering this was a private beach, that was effectively the truth.
"...By the way, Alice."
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay? Your face is pretty red..."
"Isn't it the mark of a good man to pretend not to notice stuff like that?! Of course I’m embarrassed! Don’t underestimate my status as a romance bottom-tier! I’m nowhere near over this kind of thing yet!"
"Ahaha, I guess not... But I don't know, you seem a bit more relaxed. Like you're consciously trying to be proactive."
"That’s because... Well, I’m embarrassed, but it’s also true that I want to flirt with you, Kaito-san. So, if you’re a capable boyfriend, you’ll take the hint and hold my hand right now."
I smiled at her indirect request. I entwined my fingers with hers, holding her hand firmly, and rolled from my back onto my side to face her.
Alice mirrored my movement, turning toward me. As she softly leaned in, I met her halfway, and we shared a gentle kiss. Perhaps it was because we were both wet from the sea, but the sensation of our skin touching felt different than usual, sending a strange, frantic thrum through my heart.
"...Kaito-san."
"Yeah?"
"Um, well, I know I’ve said this a million times, but I’m a total coward when it comes to romance. I’m probably going to keep being a bother to you in the future."
"I don't think you're a bother, but... what about it?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing special, really... Just, um, I look forward to being with you from here on out."
"Yeah, me too..."
We both spoke with a weirdly formal air, which made us burst out laughing at the same time a second later. The atmosphere had become so strangely serious that it just felt funny.
"Ahaha... what was that? Things got all awkward for a second."
"Well, it wasn't so bad... and the mood itself was actually quite nice."
"You're right... it's a good mood. Which is exactly why I can't let myself be a coward. Please, take the lead. I want to flirt even more."
"I feel like if you can say that so boldly, you could probably manage on your own... but I guess that's just like you, Alice."
I gave a wry smile and pulled myself even closer, drawing her into a deep embrace.
Serious-senpai: "...Huff... puff... It's... it's finally over... That was exhausting... seriously..."
Machina: "Your date with Shallow Vernal is next, though."
Serious-senpai: "Ah... Aaahhh..."