After hearing a rumor from Airi via a LINE message of highly questionable authenticity—claiming that "Tanaka is being hit on"—we headed toward the scene of the crime.
"Hey, hey, what grade are you in?"
"We're from East Elementary!"
"U-Uhm, well, I..."
The ones hitting on Tanaka were... of all things, a trio of elementary school brats.
...What?
"H-Hey, Airi? It certainly looks like Tanaka is being hit on, but those are literally children."
"Yeah. While the two of us were waiting for Rui-chan to come out of the restroom, it happened all of a sudden."
"No, I mean, if it’s just elementary schoolers, there wasn't really a need to call us over, was there?"
"Airi thought about stepping in, you know? But those kids told me, 'Chest-fat, go away!'... so I didn't know what to do."
Those little shits! Not only are they hitting on Tanaka, but they called Airi fat? They're going to regret that so much in a few years.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that a girl with such massive tits and a face this cute is a once-in-a-century find.
"Good grief, how childish are those guys? They don't even understand how great Airi’s bust is."
"Eh? Ryouta, really! You're praising Airi too much!"
"That's not true, is it? To say something like that to Airi, who has such an amazing figure—those kids seriously have no eye for quality."
"Oh, Ryouta..."
"Hey, aren't you two flirting a bit much?"
"Huh?"
Having been called out by Yuria, Airi and I instinctively put some distance between us.
"W-We aren't flirting or anything, okay? Because Airi and him are shar—I mean, just friends! Right, Ryouta?"
"O-Oh, yeah."
"...I knew it. Something definitely happened at the sleepover yesterday."
"I told you, nothing happened!"
Yuria glared at me with suspicious eyes. I’ve told her so many times since before we got here that we didn't do anything!
"Well, if you say so."
"Is Yuria in a bad mood?"
"I’m not. I just asked because Ryouta was getting ahead of himself."
Yuria spoke while looking visibly pouting. It’s always so easy to tell when she’s sulking... though I still don't quite understand why she's sulking in the first place.
"More importantly! What about Tanaka-chan? Let's go help her, Ryouta!"
"I mean, elementary schoolers hitting on girls... aren't kids these days a bit too precocious? Or am I just getting old?"
"No, they're definitely precocious."
The "brat" factor was off the charts. It seemed they were hitting on Tanaka because they mistook her for a slightly tall elementary schooler. No matter how petite Tanaka is, I didn't think she looked that young... maybe it’s the school swimsuit that’s throwing them off?
(Well, the world of elementary school is a place where popularity is decided by how fast you run or how tall you are, after all.)
Once you get to junior high or high school, those things stop mattering, and facial features and physique take priority. They have no way of knowing that yet.
"Fine. I’ll go help her. You two stay here."
"Sorry to keep you all waiting... oh, where is Tanaka-san?"
Just as I was about to step in, Rui emerged from the girls' restroom.
"Ah, Rui. Actually, Tanaka is being hit on over there. By elementary schoolers, no less."
"Hmph... elementary schoolers. Well, Ryouta-kun, since you're the man here, I'll leave it to you."
Rui seemed strangely indifferent and dumped the whole responsibility on me. Come on, Rui, couldn't you at least say something like, "Shall I go?"
(I’m really not good with kids.)
Regardless, I took a step forward to rescue Tanaka.
"U-Uhm. Excuse me?"
When I spoke up, the brats all turned toward me at once.
"What, big bro? We're 'picking up' girls here."
"Don't get in our way. Anyway, who are you?"
These guys... they're completely full of themselves.
"U-Uhm... that girl is, like, my companion..."
"Huh?"
The moment I arrived, Tanaka immediately scurried over and hid behind my back.
"Wait! What's your relationship with this girl, big bro?"
"Eh? She's my best fri—"
No, wait. In this situation, wouldn't it be more effective to lie and say she's my girlfriend?
"Actually, she's my girlfriend. So, could you guys stop bothering her?"
"Ry-Ryouta-kun!? I'm your g-g-girlfriend!?"
Tanaka's face turned beet red and her teeth started chattering. Give me a break. Do you hate the idea of being my girlfriend even as a ruse that much?
"Oh... so she has a boyfriend."
"Wait, big bro, you look like a high schooler. You're a lolicon."
What—!
These brats... talking so big when they're so clueless.
"Listen here, kids... for now, when you get home, search for 'gravure idols.' You guys know way too little about the world."
"Ha, huh? We aren't searching for that! Whatever, let's go, guys!"
The trio of brats ran off along the poolside as if they were escaping. Between ignoring Airi, mistaking Tanaka for a child, and calling me a lolicon... they were incredibly rude to the very end. Is this what the youth of today is becoming?
"Ryouta-kun, thank you very much."
Tanaka thanked me while clinging to my back. The texture of the school swimsuit pressed against me, and my lower half reflexively reacted.
(Th-The sensation of Tanaka's... tiny chest... ugh!)
Getting excited over Tanaka... as her best friend, that's a new low.
"Hey, Tanaka! L-Let go!"
"Ah... s-sorry, Ryouta-kun! I just, ehehe."
Tanaka gently pulled away from my back. Why is she acting so shy?
"Anyway, why were you so flustered? They were just kids."
"U-Uhm... as you probably know, I've never been popular with boys in my entire life, so I was actually basking in the attention for a bit."
A second-year high schooler getting a rush because she was popular with elementary schoolers... Tanaka, that's just too pathetic.
"Tanaka-chan, are you okay!?"
Airi, looking worried, was the first to rush over.
"Sorry, Tanaka. I couldn't help you."
"That's not true! In the first place, it's my fault for feeling good about being pampered by children!"
"""...Huh?"""
The Beautiful Girl Trio was instantly repulsed. Hey, don't go out of your way to admit that, Tanaka! This is exactly why you're so disappointing!
"Tanaka-chan... are you serious?"
"Tanaka, you're..."
"Fufu, I wonder if Tanaka-san is a shotacon?"
"I-I'm not a shotacon! It's true that I own several 'one-shota harem' books where the boy is the submissive one, though!"
She's a total shotacon! Someone call the police right now...
"U-Uhm, well, since Tanaka-chan is safe, why don't we all head to the water slide?"
"O-Oh... yeah, let's go."
With an awkward atmosphere hanging over us thanks to Tanaka, we made our way toward the water slides.