When I Picked Up A Stunningly Gorgeous Downer-Type Beauty In Front Of The Entrance. - Chapter 24: I became dumber than a jellyfish as I swayed in the vinyl pool.

I became dumber than a jellyfish as I swayed in the vinyl pool.

“～～……っ”

With a slight splash, accompanied by a small ripple of water, Sajou-san cautiously dips her toes into the water.

It seemed colder than expected, as her body shivered briefly.

Her lips twitched.

However, as if she had made up her mind, she gradually lowered the rest of her body into the vinyl pool, quietly settling her hips down.

Initially tense, her expression gradually softened as she adjusted to the water temperature, complemented by the summer heat, presenting a comfortable look.

There’s a kind of atmosphere, like when a child who was afraid of water finally gets in and finds it enjoyable. I won’t say it out loud because I’d get kicked for it.

However, despite being larger than a bathtub, it’s still a vinyl pool sized for a balcony.

It’s a bit cramped for two people.

Even though we’re both folding our knees, our feet occasionally bump into each other.

“Ahh. Sorry.”

“…No, it’s okay.”

Though she says it’s fine, her skin exposed to the outside air has turned a light peach color.

With so much skin exposed, there’s no hiding it, and her complexion visually conveys her embarrassment.

Whether Sajou-san herself understands this or not, she shivers with embarrassment while hugging her shoulders, curling up slightly with her knees pulled against her chest.

Thanks to that, our feet no longer touch, but her chest, pressed against her knees, is having a tough time.

Even though it was barely contained to begin with, her swimsuit seems on the verge of spilling out from the sides due to the wrinkles.

Although Sajou-san usually embraces me like a hugging pillow, it seemed that things were different when we were both in swimsuits.

While I was getting excited about Sajou-san’s black bikini earlier, now that we’re both in the same vinyl pool, I can’t maintain my composure when our feet or hands occasionally touch.

It’s a feast for the eyes to watch, but when you touch, the vividness increases, or rather, it makes me feel shy.

Is this the kind of thing that seems virginal? I chuckle self-deprecatingly, averting my gaze. Whether I have any experience with sexual intercourse is beside the point.

Well.

Such embarrassment is only at first.

Bathed in the sparkling sun and immersed in the pleasantly warm pool, it gradually washes away.

“…(plop~)”

“…”

A moderate distance. A moderate water temperature.

Consciousness sways gently like a jellyfish.

Worries, troubles.

Washed and dried, they disappear from the heart as if the dirt is being washed away.

Naturally, it’s a fantasy, a daydream. Or simply an escape from reality.

For now, it’s nice, isn’t it?

Releasing consciousness, evaporating and dissipating like mist.

In recent times, the weight that had been increasing in my head seems to be lightening.

“…..Is something wrong…?”

Amidst the buzzing of cicadas, Sajou-san suddenly spoke, her voice cautious, her gaze probing for my reaction as she looked at me while hugging her knees.

Gone were her usual gloominess and thorns, replaced with a rare sense of concern.

I was preoccupied with my own thoughts.

Was my face so bad that she felt the need to worry, when she rarely ever pays attention to others’ moods?

As I reached to touch my cheek to confirm, Sajou-san narrowed her eyes.

Maybe it was an unnecessary action. I inwardly regretted it, feeling like I had somehow conveyed that something was wrong.

Avoiding Sajou-san’s worried black eyes, I leaned my head back suddenly.

My throat felt tight, as if it might spasm. The bones in my neck made a creaking sound.

The intense sunlight visualized as light burned my eyes.

Blinded by the brightness, I squinted while considering her question.

Was there something wrong…? There was.

I’ve been struggling, my head hurts, and my stomach feels heavy.

It’s similar to the symptoms of a cold, but I know it’s not an illness.

I understood that until I solved the problem, there was nothing I could do.

So… I didn’t want to think about it, and that’s why I’m here in the water now.

It’s summer. It’s hot. It’s a classic.

I thought it might distract me for a bit, but as I sink into the water and bask under the sun, everything seems less important.

I’ve heard that stress disappears with sunbathing, but is it really this effective?

Or perhaps, by being in the water, it reminds me of being in the womb, making me feel safe.

Or maybe, I’m just more carefree than I thought. That’s the one I dislike the most. It seems the most foolish reason.

However, deep down, I know it’s not good.

To toss aside things I should be thinking about and procrastinating.

To soak in lukewarm water and do nothing.

It’s lazy, it’s foolish.

It’s deserving of criticism and condemnation.

However, not everyone can persevere when faced with reality.

I lower my head. I look at Sajou-san. I see her tilt her head in confusion.

Escapism is necessary sometimes, and I didn’t want to admit that constantly running away was wrong.

It’s not necessarily bad to indulge in a closed-off miniature garden.

Lately, I’ve been thinking that way.

Well, not lately, really…

As I stare at Sajou-san again, I notice a crease forming on her forehead.

Is she angry about something?

“What’s with you lately? Your attitude seems suggestive, like something’s going on. It’s irritating…”

“I didn’t mean it that way…”

I scratch my cheek.

But, well…

While floating in the pool, I did decide on one thing.

So, I decided to tell her.

“My family’s away on a business trip right now. They asked if I wanted to come over to where they are.”

“Huh…? Wha…? What…?”

Upon hearing my words, Sajou-san looks visibly flustered.

It’s unclear what she’s saying, and her skin, already red, now turns even paler than before.

Watching like this feels too tasteless and makes me feel uncomfortable.

Before I collapse from hyperventilation, I decide to state my conclusion.

“Yeah, but… I’m gonna pass.”

As I lightly express my feelings, Sajou-san’s eyes widen as if she’s forgotten how to breathe, her mouth gaping open.

Her uncharacteristically clueless expression is somewhat endearing, and I can’t help but smile.

“H-hey… Why?”

With her soul seemingly returning to her body, Sajou-san hesitantly asks, rubbing her hands together, her body swaying from side to side like small waves, reflecting her unsettled state of mind.

Why? I wonder.

“I don’t know, really.”

Honestly, it’s not an answer I’ve thought much about, so I’m at a loss when questioned. Pressed for a choice, I just picked one because there wasn’t much time.

It’s like a game of mahjong where you run out of time and discard whatever tile comes to hand.

I didn’t even have any appropriate metaphors or words in mind.

There are plenty of post hoc reasons, like moving being a hassle, or not wanting to deal with changing schools, or how cold it seems in Hokkaido.

Looking back, I realize all my reasons are negative; I don’t have a single positive one, and that bothers me.

It’s like taking a test with negative marking.

But if I were to force one positive reason…

“Maybe because I want to be with you, Hitori.”

“…….”

I say it and feel awkward—not because of the content, but because of how I addressed her.

“Man, Hitori really feels really weird. Maybe I’ll stick with Sajou-san.”

My thoughts are as unstable as a drifting piece of seaweed, but strangely, I think it’s okay. It’s the epitome of laziness, but it’s also a positive way of thinking about happiness: not just becoming happy, but making yourself happy.

Yeah, that’s good. (I guess.)

As I float there, not thinking about anything more than a jellyfish on the surface of the sea, the vinyl pool suddenly ripples.

“Huh?”

Raising my face slowly, I see Sajou-san, dripping with water, trembling as she stands.

Her whole body is red, like it’s been boiled, and she grits her teeth so hard that the drops running down her cheeks look like tears of frustration.

“…Wh-what’s wrong~~~!!… I~~ don’t get it…!”

She splashes out of the water and rushes back indoors in a flurry.

I’m splashed in the face by the water she kicks up.

As I watch her in surprise, with water dripping from my bangs, I mutter to myself.

“…Maybe I shouldn’t have called her by name.”

Yeah, I should probably go back to how it was before.

With that thought, I collapse face-first into the water.

Splash.