Chapter 83: The Ideal Summer I Dreamed of Back Then (2) |
It wasn’t my first time talking to Shijouin-san on the phone. However, as the ringtone goes “prururururu…” and I wait for the person I like to answer, there’s always a mixture of nerves and a slightly sweet anticipation.
And then…
“Hello, hello! Is this Niihama-kun!?”
“Uh, yeah, it’s me. Sorry for calling out of the blue.”
Shijouin-san picked up the phone much quicker than I expected. I’ve been teased by Gingi as someone with a romance-focused brain, and I can’t really deny it. Just hearing her cool voice makes me feel so happy.
“No, it’s totally fine. But, what’s up today? Oh, maybe you’ve finally thought of a way to use that ‘right to make me do anything’ I offered as an apology the other day?”
“No, it’s not that! And, uh, I don’t remember ever receiving such a terrifying thing!”
Please don’t casually mention things like a war breaking out with that really bright voice! That’s like a nuclear bomb!
“Well, the thing is, we’re actually planning to go to the beach with everyone, so I was wondering if you’d like to come along?”
I had prepared the contents of my message beforehand so that my words wouldn’t get stuck. I’m not used to inviting girls to the beach, and it’s a forbidden act reserved for the most popular among the popular. It really doesn’t suit me, who has lived a life as an introvert.
But… No matter how incompatible it may seem, and no matter how much my heart feels like it’s about to explode from nerves, nothing will start unless I speak up about my wish.
“Well, I mean… We’re planning to go play at the beach today, so, would you like to join us?”
“Huh…”
The air conditioning is on, but I’m sweating from nervousness. Inviting a girl to the beach is like crossing into the territory of the most successful of the successful in romance. As someone who has led a life as an introvert, I wasn’t expecting a positive response.
But…even if it doesn’t match my character at all, and even if my heart is pounding, nothing will start if I don’t speak up.
I said everything I had to say in one breath, trying not to stutter.
How can these guys who are all so calm and collected deliver lines like this so smoothly? Is their humor lighter than hydrogen or something?
“Well, I mean, if you’re busy or anything…”
“I’ll go!! When and where are we meeting? Oh, I only have school swimsuits, so I need to buy a proper swimsuit…”
“Huh!? W-wait, really!?”
“What do you mean by ‘really’… Did you think I was lying!?”
“No, I mean, I’m 100% serious, but…”
“Phew, good! I was about to cry from happiness if it was just a tease!”
I thought I had chosen a situation that Shijouin-san would like, but her reaction was beyond my expectations. When I asked for her email address before, she also reacted with great enthusiasm, but her excitement now is even higher.
“Uh, well, I didn’t expect you to be this happy. I’m actually quite surprised…”
Shijouin-san and I have definitely become good friends. However, this time, there are no excuses like school events, the library committee, thank-yous, or emergency evacuations – this is a pure invitation to hang out as friends.
And moreover, it’s a trip to the beach. I was prepared for the possibility of her avoiding it, but…
“You must know that I’ll be overjoyed! It’s the beach, the beach! It’s like a dream to be able to go to the beach with you and everyone else!”
It’s as if she’s a child who had just been promised a trip to an amusement park by her parents. Shijouin-san’s voice is filled with unreserved joy.
“But you… I’ve never done anything summer-like with friends until now.”
With a self-deprecating laugh, she said, “Since I was a child, I’ve never had the chance to do things like camping or going to the beach with friends. I’ve had plenty of summer experiences with family and the housemaids, of course, and they were fun, but… It’s different, you know? It’s not the sparkling summer spent with friends that’s the typical subject of conversations.”
“Yeah, I understand.”
The time spent with family and that spent with peers are indeed different. Especially the latter, it shines even more brilliantly, and that’s why it’s called youth.
“Especially during the summer, doing things like going camping or to the beach with friends is considered a classic, but in reality, I’ve never had the chance to experience it… I’ve always admired it!”
I could hear the excitement in her voice as she talked about it. If we were in the age of smartphones, I would’ve used video call to see her cute face.
“So… thank you for inviting me! I’ve always admired those things, but I never had the courage to propose such plans to others myself. So, I’m really happy you reached out to me!”
“Shijouin-san…”
This is the first time ever (including my past life) that I’ve invited a girl to hang out, and seeing her genuinely delighted makes my heart swell with happiness. We haven’t even been to the beach yet, but I feel overwhelmed with emotion.
(I used to think of Shijouin-san as someone living the life of the most popular of the popular… rich, super popular, with lots of friends, and living the perfect youth…)
However, as I get closer to her, I begin to see aspects of her I didn’t know before. That she had also longed for a summer with friends, and that, depending on how I do things, there could be a future where we go to the beach together… These are things the previous me never knew.
“I’m really glad I mustered up the courage…”
“Huh?”
“Oh, I meant myself. Anyway, I’ll ask the others too. I’ll plan and discuss the details with you later.”
“Sure! I want to be part of the planning too, so please feel free to talk to me about it! Talk to you later!”
With that, the call that lasted over ten minutes came to an end.
I placed my flip phone on the table and looked around the living room. Naturally, there were no changes in the scenery around me. Outside the window, the summer scene was the same as before, and the air conditioner continued to blow cool air into the room.
Yes, there were no visible changes in the world I could see.
But… a revolution had taken place within my little universe.
“Yes! Yessss! The beach! It’s going to be the beach with Shijouin-san! Yeehawww!”
I abandoned the composure I had barely maintained during the call and shouted with a victorious pose. Well, it’s impossible to stay calm in a situation like this. Being at the beach with the person you like is something that felt like it only belonged in romantic comedy manga, almost like fiction.
But, it was made possible with just one decisive phone call.
Of course, this result is the accumulation of what I’ve experienced in this life. But, it’s also the result of taking the initiative and not being afraid of rejection or failure, something I shied away from and merely “waited” for in my past life.
“Well, since we’re going together with everyone, I guess there won’t be any intimate events with Shijouin-san. But, for now, spending time together at the beach is enough! Hoooh! It feels amazing!”
In my excitement, I danced a joyful dance like a primary school kid, completely losing my mind.
…And before I knew it, Kanako, standing at the entrance to the living room, had witnessed my bizarre behavior and commented with a sarcastic tone, “Has the heat turned your brain into tofu, big brother…?”
Bonus Chapter 1/2