“As expected, it’s not easy to find him.”

After entering the pool facility, we each went to our respective changing rooms. Being a guy, I just needed to strip and put on my swim trunks, so I changed faster than Nanaka and waited for her.

Meanwhile, I was looking around, trying to spot Nanaka’s brother, Seo Tatsu—today’s main character and main homewrecker.

However, since it was a holiday, there were many people here. It would be difficult to locate Tatsu just by looking around in this crowd of families, couples, and students.

Seo Tatsu had an appearance that gave off a typical playboy impression—sunglasses and bleached blonde hair, but his personality was beyond what you’d call merely flirtatious.

He was a womanizer who would physically subdue and corrupt any woman he fell for, even if she had a boyfriend. In the game, he had a wide circle of connections with the school’s most beautiful girl and some rich young lady. Really, he was the type who lived his life just using his face and techniques to repeatedly seduce women.

According to the game’s backstory, Nanaka, who lived under the same roof as her brother, gradually lost any sense of guilt about stealing other people’s lovers. Now that she’d found someone she liked for the first time (Isamu), she was about to follow in her brother’s footsteps of homewrecking—that was the hidden setting.

Well, if someone who was screwing other people’s girlfriends every night was in the same space as you, I guessed your mind would get messed up.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

I heard a voice from behind, so I turned around and, of course, there was Nanaka in her swimsuit.

“Here, hold this.”

What she handed me was a collapsible parasol.

“You brought something like this?”

“Of course. I don’t want to get sunburned.”

“Right, can’t have the white homewrecker turning into a tan homewrecker.”

“Huh? What does that even mean?”

She stared at me blankly. To be fair, I just said that on impulse.

Reluctantly holding the parasol, I took a proper look at Nanaka, who was acting like this was all perfectly normal.

The white bikini she was wearing was relatively simple, with string ties at the chest, back, and both sides of the bikini bottom. Although it should be a relatively modest swimsuit, because Nanaka’s figure was unnecessarily voluptuous, her breasts and buttocks were bulging out. She had a hoodie tied around her waist, and I wanted to tell her to just put it on already.

“Ah, it’s so hot…”

“Wow, that girl is super cute!” 

“Man, her body is way too sexy.”

Nanaka didn’t seem to care about the lustful stares from the guys, as if she was used to it. Instead, she kept using her hands to tuck her breasts back into her swimsuit when they spilled out from the sides or bottom, and fixed her wedgie with her fingers.

Seriously, just wear the hoodie and all these problems would be solved.

“Why are you staring? Creep.”

“Nothing, I was just thinking how pitiful you are—getting all excited to wear a seductive swimsuit to tempt Isamu, but the size doesn’t even fit.”

“Excuse me? This was the plan all along. And these strings are just for show.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

“It means they won’t come undone even if you pull them. The swimsuit, I mean. Sorry to disappoint.”

“Who’s going to pull them? Let’s get going already.”

After our pointless bickering, we went down the stairs.

We set up the parasol to secure our spot, and then met up with Isamu and Haruka.

“Hey Shotaro, what’s the meaning of this?”

“It means exactly what it looks like.”

Isamu grabbed my shoulder and questioned me with a visibly angry expression. Well, I guess anyone would react that way if there was a junior trying to seduce them despite having a girlfriend.

“I told you anyone could come along, but why Nanaka?”

“That’s so mean, senpai~ You’re making it sound like I shouldn’t be here at all.”

“Well, it’s just that… Nanaka always sticks to me…”

“Oh my, senpai, you keep sneaking glances at my swimsuit while blushing—that’s not very convincing!”

She was still the same little devil. Haruka next to me gave a wry smile, but she seemed more composed than before. 

That’s the way, main heroine!

Isamu still looked unsatisfied. I whispered to him so that only he could hear.

“We need Nanaka this time. When it comes to you and Haruka, leave it to the great Shotaro.”

“W-Well, if you say so, Shotaro…”

He seemed to reluctantly agree.

Yes. This time especially—

“Hm? Shotaro-kun, is there something on my face?”

“No, it’s nothing, Haruka-san.”

Nanaka was the key. And I must protect Asatsuki Haruka from that womanizer Seo Tatsu.

Chapter 20: The Shadow Watches. A Misunderstanding

“I’ll leave it to you, Ii-kun.”

Haruka, lying face down on the leisure sheet with her ponytail swept to the right, made her request to Isamu.

Isamu gave an ambiguous response as he applied sunscreen to his hands. He seemed to be embarrassed.

Her beautiful nape, usually hidden by her ponytail, was now exposed.

Isamu gulped as if he was trying to endure something.

“Alright, I’ll apply it…”

The moment he nervously touched Haruka’s back—

“Hyaan!”

“H-Hey, could you not make weird noises?”

“But it was colder than I expected~ Sorry, Ii-kun.”

“Oh, I see… I should be the one apologizing.”

Isamu shook his head as if to regain his composure and clear his mind, then he resumed.

Squish squish.

Her skin was soft and plump, with a suppleness that seemed to cling to his hand.

He continued applying the lotion while turning his head sideways, trying not to look too much.

Then his hand stopped.

“…”

His gaze went downward.

He was probably wondering if he should apply sunscreen to her backside too.

Go for it, Yuuji! Squeeze it! If you make a mistake, you can just apologize and be forgiven—

“Shotaro, your face is annoying! You’re probably doing a play-by-play commentary in your head!!”

“Hahaha, you caught me.”

Well, I was sitting cross-legged next to them, staring intensely.

Having witnessed the entirety of Isamu’s inner struggle, I decided it was time to jump in.

“Why are you so embarrassed~?”

“O-Of course, I’m embarrassed! It’s, you know, my girlfriend’s skin…”

“Ii-kun, are you done?”

“Ah, yeah, um. Should I apply it to the lower parts too?”

“Hmm, yes. Especially my legs. Oh, but not where the swimsuit covers.”

“Too bad, Isamu.”

“I-I’m not disappointed at all!”

“Seriously, since when did you two become so close? Are you some kind of social butterfly?”

Nanaka, who had also been watching, asked with narrowed eyes.

“Heh, don’t underestimate the great Mob-Taro.”

“That face is annoying. Bleeh!”

“You two, on the other hand, don’t get along at all…”

After that, we just played continuously. The four of us played with a ball, raced, and more. It felt like we were living our youth to the fullest, which was nice.

“Ah, I’m thirsty.”

I got out of the pool for a moment and dried myself off.

Isamu and Haruka were playing happily. I couldn’t see Nanaka anywhere, but she probably went to buy something.

Figuring there should be a vending machine somewhere nearby, I wandered around.

I quickly found a vending machine on the other side. And there was also a figure in a swimsuit that looked like Nanaka. There seemed to be other people too, and as I approached, I saw it was two men.

“Huh, you can’t because you’re with someone? If dinner’s no good, let’s just hang out for a bit~” 

“Besides, are high school girls these days all this sexy and cute? We’ve really taken a liking to you. If you won’t play with us, maybe we should just kidnap you~”

Blocked by two sketchy-looking college-age guys, Nanaka stood in front of the vending machine with a displeased expression.

But she was probably used to this kind of thing, so she should be fine. I thought about just ignoring them, but it was strange that Nanaka wasn’t saying anything at all.

“Hey, hey, you’ve been quiet for a while now. What’s wrong?” 

“You look innocent, but you’re actually easy, right? Your swimsuit doesn’t even fit properly, so you must be okay with anyone, aren’t you?”

“…”

Nanaka kept her mouth shut and looked down, without a trace of her usual spirited attitude.

Why? Did something happen to throw her off balance?

I didn’t know the reason, but at this rate, she’d be taken away by those guys.

My goal was to stop homewrecking, not to let her be taken and violated by other men.

I clicked my tongue and quickened my pace.

“Could it be that you’re scared?” 

“Is that so? Don’t be so afraid! That hurts our feelings! Look, we’re just going to play for a bit—” 

“Hey, Nanaka.”

I brushed aside the man’s hand that was reaching out to touch Nanaka—who knew where he was aiming—and called out to her.

“You’re so slow, what’s taking you so long?”

I pulled Nanaka out from between the two men and draped the hoodie I happened to bring over her shoulders.

“…What the hell, so she has a boyfriend.”

“Huh?”

I turned my eyes towards the blonde who had just cursed. As I silently glared at him, the blonde looked away and laughed.

“Haha… don’t be mad. We don’t mess with girls who have boyfriends.” 

“But boyfriend, you should be nicer to your girlfriend, you know? Maybe she dresses so provocatively to attract other men because you’re so overbearing?”

What was with these guys? There was no way I was her boyfriend.

The two men left with those parting words. At least it didn’t turn into a violent situation.

“Sorry about that. Ruined your chance to pick up guys, didn’t I? Did you lure them by showing off your boobs? You’re still such a bitch.” 

“…That’s not it.”

What was with that lifeless response? It threw me off.

“Aaaargh!!”

I let out an exaggerated sigh. This kind of demeanor didn’t suit her at all.

Feeling irritated, I pinched Nanaka’s cheek.

“Oww! What are you doing?!”

“It’s because you’re making such a gloomy face. Why are you so quiet? Where’s your usual spirit? It’s no fun when you’re like this. Tell me what’s causing it.”

“N-Nothing in particular! That person has nothing to do with you!”

Okay. That word alone was enough. She’d probably ran into her brother.

“Alright, I get it. I won’t force you to talk. But if you’re going to have a gloomy face in front of Isamu and Haruka-san, I think it’d be better to vent to me a little and clear your head.”

Saying that, I inserted money into the vending machine and pressed the button for barley tea.

“Do you want something too? I have extra money, so feel free to choose whatever you want.”

When I asked Nanaka, she silently pressed the button for tea.

We drank our beverages in silence.

So the womanizer Seo Tatsu had finally appeared, huh? I’d definitely crush your homewrecking route right here.