Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 72

"...rub the back and other hard-to-reach areas together, and you can do the rest yourself."

Finally, without insisting that the girl turn her head away, Yuan Xudou compromised and quickly took off his short-sleeved shirt.

The lean, well-proportioned waist and shoulders, reminiscent of a top model, are immediately exposed, with almost no trace of excess fat. The well-defined muscles, without being overly prominent, are perfectly proportioned, filling every part of their proper place, creating a pleasing aesthetic.

"Wow……"

Under Genjiro's somewhat helpless gaze, Toyokawa Shoko, her eyes gleaming with excitement, covered her mouth slightly and involuntarily let out a soft exclamation.

—Is this what they call looking slim in clothes but muscular underneath? ...He usually looks tall and thin, but his figure is so voluptuous when he takes his clothes off...

—And her skin is so white… but not the snow-white of a girl's, it's kind of, kind of…

After thinking for a moment, Toyokawa Shoko finally found a good description.

It was like a dark, lustrous, jade-white color.

It wasn't a pure, blinding white that made him look pale and weak. It was a very healthy, understated, and pleasing complexion... exactly like his own skin tone.

Among boys his age, such a physique would surely be the envy of many—thinking this, Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but feel a bit proud for the boy, and then continued to admire him even more without restraint.

Since their relationship was so close that they could talk about marriage, what was so strange about her glancing at it? There's no rule that only men are allowed to find women's swimsuits attractive, and vice versa—handsome young men are just as attractive to the opposite sex.

The above are merely the girl's wandering thoughts while she was lost in thought.

Without feeling too awkward, Yuan Xudou quickly accepted and adapted to the feeling of the airflow directly contacting his body. After stretching his limbs a few times, he quickly applied sunscreen to his arms and chest.

He then handed the sunscreen to Toyokawa Shoko, lay face down on the beach chair, and calmly gestured for her to begin.

"Thank you for your help."

"N-nothing... Yeah, it's no trouble at all."

When it came to actually doing it, the girl wasn't so at ease.

Her slender, fair arms were slightly tense as she carefully squeezed sunscreen into her palm, then sat down next to the boy and gently pressed her hand against his broad back.

It had a firm feel, much like I had imagined, yet it was also a little elastic—Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but let her thoughts wander.

"This pressure should be fine, right?"

"...It's not a massage, the pressure doesn't matter."

Corrected by Yuan Xudou's gentle words, the girl, realizing she was daydreaming and had uttered irrelevant words, blushed slightly and silently spread the foam and oily lotion evenly on his back.

However, as she continued applying the ointment, Toyokawa Shoko suddenly felt something was off.

She slowly slid her finger up to Yuan Xudou's left shoulder and gently poked it.

"Xu Dou, why are there several red marks here?"

Although it's very light, it's noticeably different from the surrounding skin tone, so you can still see a little bit if you look closely... It doesn't seem to have been left just now; it's already faded quite a bit.

This shape... looks like... what?

"……cough."

Genjiro's light cough interrupted Toyokawa Shoko's thoughts, who suddenly narrowed her eyes and instinctively felt doubt.

He replied in a calm and unassuming tone, trying to dispel the other party's doubts.

"It must have just been scratched when I wasn't paying attention."

"……Yeah?"

Toyokawa Shoko sensed that the boy, whose thoughts were in sync with hers, wasn't lying. However, the girl's intuition still left her with some doubts.

"Hmm... but it looks a little too neat..."

...Of course it's neat.

From the moment she mentioned it, Gen Xudou had already guessed the origin of the red marks that Toyokawa Shoko was talking about.

It was probably during our kiss last night that Su Shi lost control of her strength and scratched his shoulder with her fingernail... It wouldn't be a lie to say she didn't notice, because it was definitely an accident.

However, the real reason certainly cannot be revealed in such a public setting... Since I cannot lie, I can only temporarily cover it up with this narrative trick.

"...Perhaps it was scratched out by accident."

"so?"

Fortunately, Toyokawa Shoko did not have the intention of digging deeper.

She was only slightly curious and asked casually based on her intuition. Since the boy didn't seem uncomfortable or lie, she quickly put it out of her mind.

However, things don't seem to be going so smoothly on the other side.

"Soyo, your neck is a little swollen."

Carefully and slowly, he spread the sunscreen evenly on Nagasaki Motoyo's back. Wakaba Mu's usually indifferent gaze was now firmly fixed on the slight redness and swelling on the girl's fair neck.

As if casually reminding the other person, she spoke softly in a cool voice.

Just as he immediately realized the reason, Nagasaki Motoyo, lacking the exaggerated composure of the boy, froze instantly, only relaxing after a while, trying to cover it up.

"Eh, is that so?... Ah, it must be because the window wasn't closed properly last night, and mosquitoes got in and bit me..."

She tried to remain calm and gave a rather clumsy reason.

If Ye Mu didn't respond, as if accepting the reason, she lowered her head and quietly applied sunscreen.

"Mutsu-Mutsu-chan? Don't misunderstand...?"

"……Um."

The more he explained, the more suspicious it became—but Ruoye Mu didn't intend to say anything more.

She simply lowered her calm, pale golden eyes and nodded in agreement with a nonchalant expression.

Then, I easily came to a conclusion in my mind.

'Lies Qi <②X"厁另④氿qi傘思悦/怡.'

Oh, it was a mosquito that flew in through the window and bit you? I thought you secretly went to the bed of some handsome, gentle boy that everyone likes and admires, and he bit you.

When playing games, he always seems to be playing with complete skill and composure, but when it comes to topics like this, he panics and can't even come up with a good excuse...

...It doesn't matter anymore, Ruoye Mu doesn't plan to publicize this matter.

After all, this isn't just about Su Shi alone. She will help Xu Dou keep this secret—

—Anything that Su Shi can do, she can do too.

Chapter 102 Playing on the Beach (Part 1)

After applying sunscreen, the four of them did a quick warm-up on the beach to prevent cramps. They then greeted Lixi and Deng, who had stayed on the shore, and walked step by step into the sea, their feet sinking into the sand.

It was early morning, and the surging waves clustered together, crashing against the crystal-clear sand and splashing up white droplets.

The sunlight wasn't intense, but it was somewhat dazzling due to the reflection on the water's surface.

Walking towards the shimmering, azure ocean, the cool seawater gradually washed over my feet, calves, and knees. By the time it reached my waist, I could clearly feel the force of the waves.

Experiencing this unsettling feeling of swaying and being pushed away at any moment for the first time, Nagasaki Motoyo instinctively grabbed onto Minamoto Kōto, who was also entering the sea for the first time.

The boy touched her fair back, which was smoother than usual because of the lotion he had applied.

Walking another ten steps or so into the deeper water, the water rose to their necks, leaving only their heads above water. A wave crashed over them, instantly washing away even the last bit of dryness.

Having accidentally swallowed a couple of mouthfuls of seawater, Gen Xudou frowned as he wiped the remaining water, which tasted completely different from fresh water and had a salty, pungent smell, from his face. Turning around, he saw Nagasaki Motoyo, who had also been hit by a wave, with his eyes tightly closed, looking pitiful and wet, coughing softly.

"Xu Dou, go a little further in, it will be much better if you float on the water."

The two who were meeting the beginners looked a bit flustered. Having had a few experiences before, Toyokawa Shoko thoughtfully gave them some advice.

Gen Xudou nodded, pulled Nagasaki Suze along, and stomped hard on the bottom of the beach, completely breaking free from the constraints of the point of leverage, and floated in the water.

Sure enough, once they were floating on the surface, the undulating waves no longer lapped at them, but instead carried them as they swung in and out of the water.

He quickly got used to the swaying sensation, like walking on a suspended pontoon bridge, and used himself as a temporary float to help the girl in his arms stabilize her body.

With soft, boneless hands resting on the boy's shoulders, Nagasaki Motoyo, whose slender waist was embraced by him, closed her eyes and took a few breaths. After a while, she opened her light blue eyes, which were filled with a sense of weakness and dependence. Reluctantly, she supported herself against the other's chest and slowly pulled away from his support, floating alone in the water.

Because of what they had just done, their skin was in direct contact in many places without any clothing to block it. The warm touch, which was different from usual, made her heart race, and half of her pretty face, bathed in sunlight, turned red.

However, another feeling soon welled up in my heart.

Feeling relaxed and cleansed, like leaves swirling in the wind. The ocean, which nurtures life, embraces everyone equally. Relaxing her body, she felt as if she were gradually melting into this boundless blue expanse.

A gentle breeze blew, and the sun shone brightly, as if she had returned to a gently swaying cradle. Nagasaki Motoyo squinted her eyes contentedly, her expression comfortable and relaxed. The cool water temperature soothed her restlessness, and she felt a peace she had never felt before.

With a "plop," Toyokawa Shoko plunged into the water. A moment later, she leaped out of the water like a slender and agile mermaid, her neatly tied sky-blue hair slicing through the water in a series of shimmering splashes.

The girl swam enthusiastically to Yuan Xudou and challenged him.

"Xu Dou, let's see who can get to that sea cliff the fastest?" Toyokawa Shoko revealed a confident smile.

"Okay." Yuan Xudou moved his arms slightly.

"The loser has to take the other person back with them!"

Before she finished speaking, she darted into the water, her slender figure moving rapidly like a fish, and in the blink of an eye, she had darted out a considerable distance.

—It's clear that she's very confident in her speed.

Even knowing this, the boy did not rush to set off, but first looked at the distance of the sea cliff that Xiangzi pointed to.

—I estimate it's about 200-300 meters away, and I should be able to get there within three minutes.

Then, he slowly plunged into the water, and under the watchful eyes of Wakaba Mutsumi and Nagasaki Motoyo, he accelerated suddenly like an arrow released from a bow, disappearing from their sight in an instant.

"...Xu Doujun looks very relaxed, but he's actually very serious."

Startled by his sudden burst of speed, Nagasaki Motoyo silently made a comment.

Including Xiangzi... These two are indeed of the same mind when it comes to not admitting defeat. On the surface, they are gentle and courteous, but when it comes to the crucial moment, they are very serious and will not give an inch.

It was like that night of their tryst; he held all the power, and she was the one being led around and enjoying herself the whole time…

Thinking of this, Nagasaki Motoyo felt her cheek begin to feel hot again, and quickly stopped reminiscing.

To distract herself, she struck up a conversation with Wakaba Mutsu, who was silently swimming towards her.

"Mu-chan, who do you think will win, Xu Dou-jun or Xiao Xiang?"

"?"

The girl tilted her head.

After thinking for a long time, she gave an uncertain answer.

"...I think Xu Dou will win."

She quickly added.

"However, Xiangzi should be brought back."

More than ten minutes later, they saw the two people swimming back together in the distance.

Just as Ruoye Mutsu had guessed, her signature sky-blue hair was now clearly falling behind her as she was being carried slowly forward.

Back in front of the two, Gen Xudou still looked relaxed, without even breaking a sweat, while Toyokawa Shoko was breathing rapidly, her cheeks flushed from exerting all her strength.

...Indeed, He Mu said it just so. After all, Xu Dou is a gentle and mild-mannered person who doesn't care about the gains or losses after winning or losing.

Seeing this, the two wisely refrained from asking who had won, lest the once confident girl become angry and embarrassed.

After catching her breath, Toyokawa Shoko coughed a few times, trying to cover up the topic.

"Everyone, feel free to wander around, but don't stray too far."

"The waters around here are still very safe. There are no whirlpools or strong currents, and there are no poisonous fish or jellyfish... Just don't swim to places where you can't see the beach."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After swimming around the surrounding waters twice, the four of them reunited and returned to shore.

As time passed, the sunlight on them gradually became scorching, while the seawater remaining on their skin felt cool in the wind. The unbearable sensation of alternating hot and cold made them quicken their pace and hurry back to the parasol.

"You are back."

Lying on a beach chair with her long, slender, fair legs crossed, Shiina Tatsuki, holding a bottle of drink in her left hand, raised her sunglasses, waved to them leisurely, and spoke in a cheerful tone.