Chapter 330: Takanashi Chisaki |
When the golden morning sunlight draped over the earth and ocean, the cries of seagulls and the crashing of ocean waves awakened Sasaki Ayane from her large white bed.
Wearing a white nightgown, her waist-length black hair cascaded across the pillows. Bathed in the flowing morning glow, her fair skin appeared so translucent it seemed to be glowing.
Like the moment Sleeping Beauty awakened from her long slumber, this breathtaking sight was enough to captivate the mind and spirit—but unfortunately, no one had the privilege to admire it.
In truth, Sasaki Ayane never had the habit of sleeping in. Today, however, was a rare exception; she lay in bed with her eyes open, lost in thought for a long time.
She was recalling the dream she just had, a dream that was actually exactly what had transpired the night before.
Above the boundless sea surface, she had wielded the might of heaven and earth. The Thunder Power that terrified all living creatures had obeyed her fingertips as naturally as if it were a part of her own body.
Relying solely on her own maximum effort, she could only manage to produce a few thousand volts of electric sparks. Yet, under Hoshino Gen's domination, the power within her body had been unleashed to terrifying heights, making her seem like the descent of Takemikazuchi, the god of thunder, last night.
Sasaki Ayane raised her hand. Staring at her slender, pale fingers, she subconsciously closed her hand into a loose fist in the air...
...
At home, her attire was rather casual and somewhat uninhibited. She wore a considerably loose white short-sleeved shirt on top, while her lower half was clad only in a pair of pure white panties. Her slender, pale, and smooth legs stretched out beneath the table, her pretty, pale little feet gently kicking the air in a rhythmic motion.
This continued until her grandmother, who had been busy in the kitchen, walked out holding a plate piled with pancakes. Chuckling warmly, she called out to her granddaughter, "Chisaki-chan, the pastries are ready!"
Hearing the commotion, Takanashi Chisaki immediately sat up. She dropped the orange in her hand and bounded over to her grandmother's side.
"It's pancakes!" Takanashi Chisaki's small face overflowed with happiness as she took the plate. "Thank you, Grandmother!"
"Ho ho ho..." Her grandmother raised a hand and rubbed her granddaughter's little head, sitting down together with Takanashi Chisaki at the low table.
Even though Takanashi Chisaki had been incredibly impatient the moment she smelled the aroma, once the pancakes were placed on the table, she first used a table knife to cut off a piece. Securing it with her dinner fork, she offered it to her grandmother's lips. Only after coaxing her grandmother to take the first bite did she finally begin to relish the pastries herself with immense delight.
In the first-floor living room of the villa, where the air conditioner hummed quietly, Takanashi Chisaki sat with her grandmother at the low table. The cute, charming girl ate her pastries while watching television, and the white-haired, kind elder knitted socks, occasionally lifting her head to cast affectionate glances at her granddaughter.
The scene was harmonious and filled with warmth.
That tranquility was broken when a string of telephone rings echoed through the room. Takanashi Chisaki's joyful chewing paused. A flash of displeasure flickered through her large, bright, watery eyes. She puffed out her slightly chubby cheeks and reached over to grab her mobile phone.
She glanced at the caller ID, feeling a moment of hesitation, but ultimately answered the call.
A woman's voice came through the receiver. It was somewhat overbearing, carrying an undeniable tone that left no room for refusal:
"During the summer term, Segawa Private Academy's first-year high school has released a quota for four transfer students. I've secured a transfer student slot for you. Even though you are scheduled to go abroad next year, you still need to receive a better education before then. When it was time to choose a school in the spring, you already indulged yourself once. You've played around for over three months, and it's time to regain your focus. Don't be willful this time; be a good girl and go to the interview this afternoon. Did you hear me?"
"..."
"I asked if you heard me!" The overbearing female voice grew a few degrees colder and harder.
"...Yes," Takanashi Chisaki replied in a flat voice.
The woman's voice softened slightly. "I am doing this for your own good, so you need to be a little more obedient. Yesterday, your piano teacher called and told me you've made great progress lately. That's very good..."
The woman began to talk incessantly, going on and on mostly about Takanashi Chisaki's education. From beginning to end, Takanashi Chisaki only offered brief, indifferent responses in a very low voice.
About twenty minutes later, the other side finally hung up the phone. In front of Takanashi Chisaki, her half-eaten pancake had long since gone completely cold.
Takanashi Chisaki looked down at the call screen. The caller ID displayed on it read—Mother.
...
On the beach under the bright sunshine, the rising heat was quickly scattered by the refreshing sea breeze.
Hoshino Gen was wearing beach shorts, and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone. He was reclining on a beach chair, choosing to rest with closed eyes, when suddenly a few water droplets splashed onto his face.
Opening his eyes, he saw a lively gathering of beautiful women on the beach, armed with a variety of water guns, playfully engaging in a water fight. That guy Asaba Shinichi was mixed in among them, having the time of his life. Those water droplets splashing onto his face were precisely Asaba Shinichi's deliberate doing.
Seeing Hoshino Gen looking over, Asaba grinned and chuckled. "Did you not sleep well last night or something? Using this wonderful time just to sleep is a massive waste!"
As he spoke, he pointed at a basket resting on the sandy ground nearby, which contained several more water guns. "Wanna play?"
Hoshino Gen stared at him with indifferent eyes. Then, he raised a hand. Out on the distant sea surface, a sphere of water the size of a soccer ball rose into the air. With a flick of his finger, the water sphere transformed into thousands of minuscule, nearly invisible water spikes that shot straight toward Asaba Shinichi's back.
No one else noticed this scene unfold, but Asaba Shinichi couldn't help but smile. Though he didn't move a muscle, the shadow beneath his feet instantly deepened into an even darker, more profound black. The moment the water spikes passed over his shadow, they were automatically tainted with a deep, pitch-black hue before plunging into his shadow and vanishing completely. "Don't be so hot-tempered!"
It was only natural that an attack of this caliber was easily neutralized by Asaba Shinichi. However, Hoshino Gen never really intended to strike the guy with a vicious blow anyway. After all, it was just a few droplets of water. He held grudges, sure, but not to that extent.
Giving the guy a little warning in response to his teasing was enough.
He closed his eyes once more. Asaba Shinichi chuckled in helplessness, shaking his head, before turning around and diving back into the lively gathering of beautiful women, laughing as he continued to play childish games like a water fight.
While the atmosphere over there was relaxed and joyful, it was relatively quiet on Hoshino Gen's side. Three beach chairs were lined up side by side. Aside from Hoshino Rin beside him—who was going through her menstrual period and had fallen asleep in her chair while hugging Tamamo-no-Mae—Sasaki Ayane on the other side hadn't joined the others' games either.
Like Hoshino Rin, she wasn't wearing a swimsuit. Partially, it was because she hadn't brought one at all, but that wasn't much of an excuse. After all, there were swimsuit shops all over the island, and the other girls had even offered to lend her one, only for her to politely decline every time.
Compared to playing water fights with water guns, she was clearly far more interested in the display of water manipulation Hoshino Gen had just performed from a distance.
Turning on her side, she looked at Hoshino Gen's profile and asked softly, "That thing you just did... was it also executed using the technique you taught me?"
"Yes," Hoshino Gen responded, keeping his eyes closed.