Chapter 242: Diving, Shinomiya Kaguya is Conquering
The fifth day in Hawaii.
"Raise your head and look at the deep blue sky~"
"On that distant peak of Fuji~"
"Riding the fresh wind as we soar~"
"Will this song reach its destination?~"
On the beach, a chorus echoed, carried far by the breeze.
The waves rolled in layers, blending into a harmonious melody.
Above, thick clouds drifted lazily against the vast blue sky.
This scene felt like the prelude to a youthful chapter.
Yukima Azuma stood among the crowd, pretending to participate but merely listening.
Mainly because—he didn't know the song.
It was the school anthem of Shuchiin.
But despite having attended Shuchiin for over half a semester, frequent absences meant that Yukima Azuma had yet to learn it.
"Look at you, if you beg me a little, maybe I'll teach you..."
( ,,⩌'︿'⩌,,)
Lately, Shijo Maki's gaze had been constantly fixed on Yukima Azuma.
Noticing that he didn't know the song, she immediately put on her tsundere act and volunteered herself.
However, just as she was about to start singing, she was cut off.
"Azuma-kun, let me guide you."
(✿◠ᴗ◠)
Shinomiya Kaguya suddenly appeared beside Yukima Azuma, smiling gently.
Hearing this, Yukima Azuma nodded in agreement without hesitation.
Witnessing this, Shijo Maki gritted her teeth.
How annoying!
૮₍ ˶>⤙<˶ ₎ა
"Alright, sing after me..."
"Discipline yourself, aim high~"
"The eyes of Shuchiin shine with elegance~"
"Marching forward together, passing through the twilight~"
"Never ceasing our efforts, striving for the peak every day~"
"And one day, we shall achieve greatness~"
Shinomiya Kaguya's voice was cold, like a crystal-clear icy spring.
It brought a fresh and unique sensation to the listener.
She seriously sang through the anthem twice.
After pointing out a few small mistakes,
Yukima Azuma had more or less learned the Shuchiin anthem.
"Always keep gratitude in your heart~"
"Ah, mother, the mother who raised me~"
"Ah, Shuchiin Academy~"
Yukima Azuma gave it a try.
When he finished, Shinomiya Kaguya clapped softly beside him.
"Azuma-kun, you have talent!"
੧(❛▿❛✿)੭
Yukima Azuma simply smiled.
He was just… not completely off-key.
At best, he was at the average level of a normal person.
The school anthem was simple to begin with—if it were any harder, he would have surely gone off-beat.
The girl's compliment was probably just a form of encouragement.
...
Afternoon.
After lunch, Yukima Azuma took a walk along the shore.
By now, there were barely any people on the beach.
Today, the sky was thick with clouds, and the sun was weak.
Many sunbathers had given up.
Moreover, after two days of beach activities, many had started to lose interest.
But Yukima Azuma never tired of the scenery.
After all, having lived through two lifetimes, his mindset was no longer that of a teenager.
His interests differed from those of actual young people.
Gazing into the distance.
The deep blue sea rippled gently, reflecting the white clouds above.
The footprints Yukima Azuma left on the sand were quickly erased by the waves.
The sensation of seawater brushing against his ankles carried a unique feeling.
His eyes, admiring the landscape, were soon drawn to something unusual.
Yukima Azuma squinted and looked in that direction.
Yukima Azuma saw an area of water with unusual ripples.
Was it a fish?
Just as curiosity arose within him,
A graceful figure emerged from the water.
Shinomiya Kaguya surfaced from beneath the sea, removed her goggles, and gently swept away the strands of hair clinging to her forehead.
At that moment, the clouds subtly parted.
A ray of sunlight shone down, precisely illuminating the girl's back.
The golden light highlighted her side locks, giving them a dazzling, golden-brown radiance.
This scene resembled a perfect painting.
Yukima Azuma's breath faltered slightly.
Then, he reached into his pocket.
Taking out his phone, he aimed the camera at Shinomiya Kaguya and pressed the shutter.
Click!
That sound caught Shinomiya Kaguya's attention.
Her gaze shifted over, landing directly on Yukima Azuma.
Stunned for a brief moment, Shinomiya Kaguya immediately dove back into the water, swimming toward the shore.
Her speed was swift—like a fish gliding through the sea—breathtakingly beautiful.
When she surfaced again,
The girl was already standing right before Yukima Azuma.
"What are you doing, Azuma-kun?"
Shinomiya Kaguya asked, tucking the wet strands of hair away from her cheek.
"I just captured a very beautiful photo. But I didn't ask for your permission first, that was my fault."
Yukima Azuma handed his phone to Shinomiya Kaguya.
That moment—if he hadn't captured it, it would have been a great pity.
Shinomiya Kaguya was already incredibly beautiful, but only in that instant, when all the right conditions aligned, did her beauty reach a level that could truly move a person's heart.
Shinomiya Kaguya took Yukima Azuma's phone.
On the screen was a picture of her.
The girl in the photo looked like a mermaid.
A flicker of astonishment flashed through Shinomiya Kaguya's eyes.
And after that astonishment—
Came a secret joy.
As expected, being mesmerized by the Great Oujou-sama is simply human instinct!
Shinomiya Kaguya smiled smugly.
"You took a great picture. If Azuma-kun sends it to me, I'll grant you special permission to keep it."
Yukima Azuma nodded slightly.
Shinomiya Kaguya's phone was still an old-fashioned flip phone.
Despite being a pampered Oujou-sama, she had a nostalgic side.
She couldn't use Line,
But email worked, so it wasn't a problem.
"Kaguya-san, were you diving?"
Yukima Azuma's gaze rested on Shinomiya Kaguya.
Now, she was wearing a wetsuit that perfectly accentuated her elegant curves.
"Umu, I rented the equipment from a shop nearby."
Shinomiya Kaguya nodded, then suggested:
"Would you like to try diving, Azuma-kun?"
Yukima Azuma nodded.
His impression of diving was still stuck on "oolong tea is flammable with 96% alcohol" from some anime,
But he was a little intrigued.
"Then go change first, and I'll teach you."
Shinomiya Kaguya led Yukima Azuma toward the diving equipment shop on the shore.
And there,
They ran into Shijo Maki.
"What a coincidence, are you two going diving as well?"
Shijo Maki spoke first, but her eyes avoided direct contact.
After lunch, she had gone out for a walk.
Then, she happened to see Yukima Azuma.
And unconsciously, she started following him.
When she reached the beach—
At first, Shijo Maki looked around, saw no one, and was about to step forward to greet him.
But then, she saw Shinomiya Kaguya.
Unwilling to accept it, she withdrew.
But guessing that the two would surely head to the diving equipment shop,
She had come here first to wait.
Shinomiya Kaguya gazed deeply at Shijo Maki.
Then, she simply smiled slightly and nodded.
"That's right, Azuma-kun wants to try diving, so I'm taking him to change."
Hearing that, Shijo Maki quickly said:
"Diving, huh? I'm pretty good at it too, I can help."
Standing beside them, Yukima Azuma couldn't help but be surprised.
He never expected to be this sought after.
His moment of fame? Main character Harem aura? Rizz Ikemen?
Two Oujou-sama competing over Yukima Azuma.
The two of them argued for a while.
Neither was willing to back down, so in the end, they decided to teach Yukima Azuma together.
First, he went to change into his diving suit.
The tight-fitting suit made him feel somewhat restricted.
Adding the heavy air tank on his back only made that feeling more pronounced.
But with Yukima Azuma's physical condition,
He quickly adapted.
When he stepped out,
The three of them headed toward the sea together.
"Underwater, we'll use these hand signals to communicate."
As they moved, Shinomiya Kaguya explained the common hand gestures used in diving to Yukima Azuma.
With just a single glance, he had already memorized most of them.
After all, this was merely a matter of remembering things.
Though, a certain Jojo meme suddenly popped into his mind.
Following the two girls, he stepped into the sea.
Normally, people would stop when the water reached their waist.
But this time, since they were about to dive, they kept going forward.
When the water reached his chest, Yukima Azuma felt a little uneasy.
"This should be far enough."
"Now let's begin diving. Don't dive in too suddenly—just go slowly."
"You can close your eyes as you descend, then open them gradually. Remember to keep your breathing steady."
Shinomiya Kaguya gave careful instructions.
Yukima Azuma nodded.
He adjusted his diving mask, ensuring there were no gaps.
Then, he closed his eyes and slowly sank into the water.
At first, being fully submerged wasn't exactly comfortable.
The surrounding sounds suddenly became muffled, and with his eyes closed, it felt as if all his senses had been stripped away.
He took a moment to adjust himself mentally.
Then, he slowly opened his eyes.
⋅˚₊‧ ଳ ‧₊˚ ⋅
What met his gaze was an overwhelming sight.
As if it was a reward for a newcomer brave enough to open their eyes underwater.
His vision suddenly expanded, stretching far into the distance.
Beyond the sandy seabed were magnificent, rugged rock formations and vibrant coral reefs decorating the ocean floor.
Looking even further, schools of fish swam gracefully, weaving through the deep blue water.
Like a painting tinged with fantasy.
Yukima Azuma unconsciously took a deep breath.
Bubbles escaped from his mouth, drifting to the surface, dissolving into the sea.
Though he had experienced more than most people his age, this was still his first time.
The novelty of it all pulled him in—he didn't want to leave.
Ahead, two slender figures waved at him.
Seeing them, Yukima Azuma smiled slightly.
He kicked his legs, swimming toward the two of them.
At the same time, a certain conversation with Suou Yuki resurfaced in his mind.
About Shinomiya Kaguya.
It seemed… she really did have feelings for him.
If that was the case… wasn't he the one being won over?
As that thought emerged, Yukima Azuma couldn't help but chuckle.
If that were true, then Shinomiya Kaguya's strategy was truly masterful.
....
(Note: the chapter is light and chill, there aren't many places where emojis can be added.)