The Beautiful Girl Who Asked Me to Pretend to Be Her Boyfriend Didn’t Want to Break up With Me for Some Reason - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Enjoying Together

By the time we completed one lap around the lazy river with Shirafuji holding onto my arm, I felt mentally drained to the point of overload.

…Would calling this fatigue be disrespectful?

Perhaps calling it indulgence would be more accurate.

For several dozen minutes, Shirafuji had been clinging to me without pause.

Our skin brushed relentlessly, her chest pressed against me, maybe intentionally, and if I so much as glanced downward, the sight of her pale cleavage leapt into view. Her voice, uncharacteristically close, left me no time to calm down.

Even in the pool, under constant public scrutiny and with Kaha and Rin nearby, Shirafuji was utterly unconcerned.

In fact, her gestures seemed almost designed to show off, leaving me completely at a loss.

That said, separating myself from Shirafuji was never an option, not even from the start. From a safety perspective, it was better to stay by her side.

Even apart from that, I didn’t want to sadden Shirafuji, who looked like she was having so much fun.

“Hey, hey! There’s a water slide over there—let’s try it!”

“I’m in.”

“I’ll ride too.”

“Guess I’ll join as well.”

With Kaha’s suggestion, our next destination was set: the water slide.

The four of us headed for the entrance, where a considerable line had formed. The slide seemed to be one of the main attractions here.

The nearby sign advertised the 100-meter-long slide, boasting significant height differences for a thrilling experience. Judging by the twists and turns of the course, it seemed like more of a scream-inducing ride.

It used a two-person float, so there was no need to worry about swimsuits slipping off while sliding.

Considering the slide’s length and speed, handling it solo would have been difficult anyway.

Still, it had been a long time since I’d been to an amusement park, and I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this kind of thing.

As for Shirafuji… I wasn’t sure.

I knew she disliked horror, but the thrill of a water slide was different from horror. It wasn’t about jump scares or panic; it was a predictable kind of excitement.

Well, since it was a two-person ride, I probably didn’t need to worry about her too much.

Kaha and Rin would likely pair me up with Shirafuji anyway.

“Kuwa, you’ll ride with Harunacchi, right?”

“Is that okay?”

“We don’t have to stick to one combination, so this works for now.”

“Then I’ll ride with Kaha.”

“Sounds good. Nice to meet you, Shinocchi~”

“Looking forward to it… Wait, are you sure? From what I’ve seen, the two-person floats bring people pretty close.”

“It’s fine! If it’s Shinocchi, I wouldn’t mind if you sneak a little touch.”

“You shouldn’t allow that in the first place… but okay, I’ll be careful.”

Kaha’s lighthearted remarks were met with Rin’s slightly awkward response.

It wasn’t about dislike. Rin likely recognized the dynamics between friends of opposite genders. Crossing that line, even without romantic intent, was emotionally challenging.

I couldn’t imagine someone as sincere and straightforward as Rin acting improperly.

Likewise, Kaha probably trusted Rin enough to make those comments. Her carefree demeanor didn’t mean she lacked consideration.

About ten minutes later, it was finally our turn.

Following the staff’s guidance, Shirafuji and I boarded the round float.

“It feels smaller than it looked from a distance.”

“Yeah, figuring out how to sit comfortably is tricky.”

“Just hold on like you would at home. There’s room for two to grip the handholds.”

I searched for a position where we wouldn’t have to touch too much, but the float’s size made that impossible.

This design clearly wasn’t made for platonic male-female pairs.

Judging by the queue, only couples seemed to ride together.

If people assumed Shirafuji and I were a couple… I could tolerate that.

After all, it was part of our “fake dating” arrangement.

But it felt unfair to Kaha and Rin. Perhaps we should’ve ignored the couple dynamic and split by gender.

As I thought about that, I climbed into the float first, sitting cross-legged on its rubbery surface. Shirafuji then sat down, leaning her body against mine.

Her small frame fit perfectly into the gap created by my posture.

With only our swimsuits separating us, improper thoughts surged, but I forced them down.

If I lost control, I’d have no way to hide it, and Shirafuji would notice.

Her warm back pressed against my chest.

Feeling her direct body heat, along with the smoothness of her swimsuit brushing faintly against me, quickened my heartbeat.

Her shoulders, back, waist, and legs were exposed, with only the barest coverage over critical areas.

The vulnerability of her attire at this proximity had a clear implication—

“…Hakuto, I’m looking forward to this.”

“Y-Yeah. Don’t let go of the handholds, okay? You might get thrown off with the momentum.”

“I was hoping you’d hold onto me, but that might send us both flying. I’ll manage on my own.”

“Please do. I’ll help if something happens. By the way, are you good with rides like this?”

“If you mean thrill rides, yes. The last one I rode was a roller coaster during a school trip, though I went alone then.”

Shirafuji smiled wryly, recounting her lonely memory.

“This time, I’m here. Let’s enjoy it together. I’ll go with you as many times as you like.”

“You too, Hakuto. We’ll enjoy it together.”

I nodded just as the staff confirmed everything and pushed us off.

The float tilted as it slid into the water course.

Sprays of water flew as we sped down the slide, cold air brushing against our wet faces.

Clinging tightly to the handholds, both Shirafuji and I let out incoherent exclamations repeatedly.

Though my body instinctively tensed, it was more a matter of acclimation. My face held a genuine smile, proof I was having fun.

As the course twisted and turned, our bodies leaned and pressed together.

But focusing on holding on kept me from overthinking the contact.

Soon, we approached the final corner.

The float curved sharply, gaining speed—then, Shirafuji turned to meet my gaze.

Her blue eyes sparkled with genuine joy, perfectly complementing her gentle smile.

With a splash, the float landed in the final pool, sending up a large spray of water.

As the staff guided us to the pool’s edge, I helped Shirafuji step out of the float.

“Do I even need to ask if you had fun?”

“You did too, Hakuto. Though you still look a bit dazed.”

Shirafuji chuckled softly before glancing at the course exit.

Kaha and Rin’s float landed next, and both of them were laughing happily.

“Shall we invite Kiho-san next?”

“Sounds good. Kaha wanted to spend time with you too.”

“But after riding with Kiho-san, I’ll ride with you again.”

“…You liked it that much?”

“It’s fun as a thrill ride, and I get to enjoy it with you. Two birds with one stone.”

“Fair enough.”

Though she dislikes horror, she can handle thrill rides.

And there’s no avoiding being close like this.