Someone Who Believes They Can Live Normally in a World Where Chastity Is Reversed (Did You Think You Could Live Normally in a World With a Male-To-Female Ratio of 1:5?) - Chapter 40: Childhood Friend Like JD Is Carried On Back

The scorching midsummer sun was blazing down on the sandy beach, raising the temperature to unexpected heights for early summer.

We had come to the bright blue sea, a classic summer destination.

“Wow, the sea~!!!”

“Hey, don’t just dive in like that! You need to warm up first, or it could be dangerous!”

As summer vacation began, the three of us—Koiumi, Mizuho, and I—had made it to the nearest beach as planned.

After dropping our belongings at a seaside inn, we headed straight for the ocean.

Ever since she laid eyes on the sea, Mizuho’s excitement had been through the roof, and she rushed into the water as soon as we reached the shore.

Is she really okay just diving in like that?

“Haha, Mizuho is full of energy, huh?”

“It’s fine, let’s just go along with her. I’m just going to hang out on the beach anyway.”

“Oh, come on, let’s swim together, Masato?”

With a mischievous smile, Koiumi stepped forward slightly ahead of me.

She had mentioned before that Mizuho swimsuit was more daring, but… Koiumi’s swimsuit was a two-piece set, with shorts on the bottom and a top with white ribbon designs on the shoulders.

While it was modest in terms of exposure, it emphasized her cuteness. Indeed, this type of swimsuit seemed to suit herwell. Though she could probably pull off a bikini too, given her great figure.

“So, what do you think?”

Noticing me looking at her swimsuit, Koiumi blushed shyly and twirled lightly in place.

“…You look cute. It really brings out your charm.”

“Fufu.. Thank you.”

…It might not be wise to give straightforward feedback.

Koiumi seemed happy, but given recent events, I felt conflicted.

“Hey, you two! Stop flirting and get into the water already!”

“W-We’re not flirting!!”

Before I knew it, Mizuho had returned and blew a whistle-like gesture with a smirk.

Mizuho’s swimsuit was also a two-piece off-shoulder type. It had a blue color scheme that exuded a refreshing feeling. While the top was modest in terms of chest exposure, her shoulders and abdomen were bare, and the bottom was a frilly bikini type. It was slightly daring, perhaps, but it seemed like a good swimsuit to emphasize Mizuho’s cute side.

“Mizuho, I thought you said you weren’t good at swimming…?”

“Well, you know! But the water here isn’t that deep, so I’ll be fine!”

I’ve noticed that Mizuho sometimes puts on a brave front.

It’s okay to admit when things are tough, you know…?

And today, she seems to be more inclined to put on a front.

She tried to get Koiumi and me alone on the train, and for some reason, she tries to distance herself from the group.

We’re here as a trio, so there’s no need for her to worry about that.

“I’ll go ahead and stick the parasol in an empty spot. You two go ahead to the sea?”

“Oh, I’ll help too.”

“There’s no need for help…”

“Come on, come on! It’s dangerous for you to wander alone, Masato!”

The beach was showing some signs of activity, despite it being a weekday during summer vacation.

Even though it was relatively quiet for a beach, there were still people around.

It’s probably better not to let Mizuho roam alone, huh…?

“…Well, then, I’ll go ahead! The sea won’t wait for me~!”

“Hey, Mizuho!”

With quick steps, Mizuho dashed back towards the sea.

Is that reckless girl going to be okay…?

“We should set up the parasol too, right?”

“Yeah, leaving her alone could be dangerous.”

As I responded to Koiumi, I kept an eye on where Mizuho was heading.

I need to make sure I know where she is…

“This spot looks good, right? It’s close to the sea too!”

“Alright. Shall we set it up here?”

Being too close to the sea could result in waves reaching us due to the tide.

We positioned the parasol at a moderate distance from the sea, ensuring it wouldn’t be affected by the waves, and placed our belongings there.

And at that moment…

“Ahh!!”

With a cry that I couldn’t quite understand, Mizuho, who was far away, fell down.

“That girl is something else…”

“Huh, Masato?!”

I’m glad I followed Mizuho out of the corner of my eye.

I ran to where Mizuho was and dove into the sea without hesitation.

Although I’m not particularly confident in swimming, this distance shouldn’t be a problem.

I quickly reached Mizuho and lifted her slender body.

“I told you! You should’ve warmed up properly.”

“Ah… um… sorry.”

Although the water was shallow enough for my head to barely stick out, one shouldn’t underestimate the sea. It’s a common story to suddenly find oneself in deeper waters.

“Are you okay…? Did your foot cramp?”

“No, I just lost my balance…”

Carrying the unusually meek Mizuho, I rescued her to the sandy shore. Koiumi had followed me to the shore.

“Are you okay, Mizuho?!”

“Ah, um… I’m fine! I just lost my balance for a moment.”

Even though we didn’t plan on going into the sea, we ended up taking a dip… Now, let’s just behave and stay under the parasol…

I brushed aside my annoying bangs that obstructed my view and adjusted my beach sandals.

“Haa…”

“What’s wrong, Mizuho?”

When I turned around, Mizuho stood still in place, her eyes wide open.

Koiumi also looked puzzled.

“…Hmm? It’s nothing! Thanks, Masato!”

“…Make sure to warm up properly.”

Shaking her head as if to shake something off, Mizuho started warming up with Koiumi this time.

I returned to the shade of the parasol and sat down.

Watching Koiumi and Mizuho, who were chatting amicably while warming up, I realized how cute they both were.

In the previous world, if there were two girls like them, they would surely get hit on.

“The previous world, huh…”

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot.

About Yuka, and about what happened with Seira-san the other day.

Considering the previous world’s standards, I’m just doing normal things, but apparently, that’s not the case here.

But then again, I can’t bring myself to act coldly towards these friendly girls just because of that.

I realized that when I saw Seira-san’s almost tearful face… I couldn’t bear it.

“What should I do…”

Lost in thought, my eyelids gradually grew heavy.

The sound of waves was soothing, and I decided to surrender to drowsiness.

—-

“…Ma….Masato!”

“Hmm…?”

I woke up to Mizuho’s face, who seemed flustered.

“Masato! Koiumi seems to be showing signs of heatstroke!”

“Huh?!”

Instantly awake, I looked around and noticed Koiumi, who was sitting next to me, looking pale.

“Ahaha… Sorry, I feel a bit dizzy…”

“Don’t push yourself. Are you staying hydrated?”

“Yeah, I don’t get it… I was drinking Pocari.”

Her face was red, and her breathing was heavy. She complained of headaches and dizziness.

“Mizuho, please keep a watch here. I’ll take Koiumi to the inn’s room and have her rest first.”

“U-Understood!”

“Koiumi, please bear with it for a bit…”

“Eh…”

I squatted down in front of Koiumi and helped her hook her hands over my shoulders.

Then, I stood up and carried Koiumi on my back.

“Make sure to hold on tight. Endure it for a little longer.”

“…Okay.”

The arms wrapped tightly around my body tightened even more.

…Maybe this kind of thing wasn’t good either, but for now, it was an emergency… I felt a bit disgusted with myself for making excuses.

When I glanced back, Mizuho’s usual smile seemed a bit shadowed, which also bothered me a little.

—

After laying Koiumi down in the room.

As the sun was about to set, Mizuho and I walked along the beach.

“It’s troublesome with Koiumi, isn’t it? I thought she’d be used to the heat since she played softball in high school.”

“If there’s a gap, it’ll disappear quickly. The sun was particularly strong today.”

After carrying Koiumi, Mizuho and I enjoyed swimming together. It was Koiumi herself who asked for it. She wanted Mizuho to play with her.

Well, I couldn’t leave Mizuho alone, so I agreed, but…

“But Masato is so cool! Carrying Koiumi like that in an instant!”

“No, that’s probably the least burdensome for Koiumi…”

“But still! isn’t it because you work at a bar that you’re kind to girls?”

“I don’t think that’s really relevant…”

She probably didn’t think so herself. Mizuho, who whispered teasingly, laughed cutely.

“Hey, Masato.”

“Yeah?”

As Mizuho started walking a little ahead again, she muttered without looking at me.

“If I were in Koiumi’s position… would you carry me too?”

I didn’t know what to answer and was momentarily speechless. But Mizuho’s back seemed a little lonely.

“…Of course. I mean… we’re friends, right?”

“Fufu, thank you.”

Mizuho turned around with a twirl.

…Somehow, maybe because she was wearing a swimsuit, Mizuho’s cuteness seemed to increase by about 20%. Mizuho turned forward again and stretched upwards.

“I hope my destined person is as kind as you, Masato!”

“I think it’ll be okay since everyone I’ve been involved with from my place is kind.”

The kindness of those people there is abnormal.

I feel embarrassed for initially being repulsed by their appearance.

Well, I still don’t like it when my voice turns into a cat’s purr during customer service.

While we were talking, the sun had set and it was getting dark, so we returned to where our belongings were placed under the parasol.

Looking around, everyone seemed to be either heading home or packing up their belongings.

After the sun sets, the sea becomes dangerous.

“What should we do for dinner?”

“It depends on Koiumi’s condition… How about we buy something delicious and eat in the room?”

“Sounds good.”

Since it’s just a simple lodging, dinner isn’t included.

Originally, we were going to eat nearby, but with Koiumi like this, there’s no other choice.

Suddenly, I noticed that Mizuho was taking something out of her bag.

It was a piece of cloth.

She spread it out and gazed blankly at it.

―― Huh?

“That’s my handkerchief, isn’t it?”

“Eh?”

Mizuho’s expression froze as she looked at me.