Peaceful Time

After enjoying the waterslide, Kazuma and Momose started competing in the swimming area, so Minato came to the streaming pool with Airi.

"Minato-san, why do you have a float? You and I can both swim, right?"

Airi tilted her head to the side, seemingly curious about the float Minato was holding.

Certainly both of them could swim, so it was understandable that they didn't need it, but Minato thought it was a rather important tool in a streaming pool.

However, since this was Airi's first time at a pool facility, she probably didn't know what kind of use it would be.

"This thing is like a little toy."

"Eh? But it's just a float."

"Don't say that. You see there are people using it over there?"

When Airi looked in the direction Minato was pointing, she saw a woman slumped over a hole in a float, floating.

She seemed to firmly understand what Minato was trying to say, and she let out a squeak of admiration.

"Ah… I see. So that's how you use it."

"Yes, so, Airi, you can use this."

"Are you sure?"

"…Do you want to see me relaxing like that?"

He stared at Airi, thinking that this would be impossible.

Minato didn't think it would be appropriate for him to do something like that. He didn't like the idea of him relaxing and having Airi support him.

As Airi imagined Minato relaxing on a float, she laughed hilariously.

"That doesn't look like it would suit Minato-san."

"That's what I'm saying. So don't be shy."

"Yes, thank you very much."

Airi was placed on the float, and Minato supported the edge of the float to control it.

The two of them drifted slowly, letting the water carry them along.

Naturally, there was nothing intense happening, like beach volleyball or water slides, though the edge of the float made Minato's heart beat restlessly as he became conscious of the close proximity of Airi's pure white skin.

It was a peaceful time, just like the ones they always had at home.

"It's kind of nice, isn't it? It calms me down."

Airi seemed to be quite relaxed, her eyes softly squinting.

He knew that she would like this way of spending time, and it seemed that she really did.

"This is good enough?"

"Yes, it's good to exercise. But I also like to take it easy."

"…Yeah, me too."

Minato reacted to the word 'like' and his reaction was delayed for a moment.

Nevertheless, Minato also liked the peaceful time. He even wished that this time could go on forever.

"…I wish time like this could go on forever."

"Eh?"

Airi murmured to herself.

Minato couldn't help but ask her back as what she had said was exactly what he had been thinking.

It seemed that she didn't mean to say it out loud, as Airi's face instantly turned bright red.

"Ah, no, that's not it. I didn't mean anything by it, really."

"I know, I know. I was just surprised that you guessed what I was thinking."

"…Did you think so too, Minato-san?"

Airi's face tore into a smile of happiness.

If she made such a face, Minato might misunderstand her, so he wished for her to stop.

She could simply mean that she liked the peacefulness of the moment.

"Yeah, it's like when we're at home all the time, right?"

"So that's what you meant…"

When Minato said this while trying to cover up his inner turmoil, Airi pulled back her happy face and turned dumbstruck.

Minato didn't know what she was thinking, but she splashed water on him with her hand.

"Oi, Airi, what are you doing?"

"Shut up! Good grief, this is because of Minato-san!"

"Stop it!"

"I don't care. Minato-san just needs to get some water on his face."

"Well, then I guess I'll do it this way."

" Hya~! "

She sprinkled water on Minato without listening to his restraint, and when he forcefully grabbed her hand to make her stop, she let out a small scream.

Although he had spent a lot of time holding hands with Airi today, he hadn't had nearly enough time to take a good look at her.

Her hands were completely different from Minato's, soft and feminine, yet slender and seemingly about to break.

Despite that, she was very active in beach volleyball, which made him wonder how she could work so well with such hands.

As he was staring at them, Airi called him to a halt.

"Um, it's embarrassing to be stared at like that."

"Eh, so-sorry!"

"…Minato-san ecchi. " (T/N: You should know what this means…)

She stared at him with rosy cheeks. To be honest, her words were not very powerful, and rather than being angry, she was embarrassed all over again.

Moreover, the way she cursed Minato was so cute that he felt like being mean to her.

"I told you not to do that. And I'm sorry I stared at you, but what did you imagine when you said ' ecchi '?"

"I-I didn't imagine anything! Minato-san, you meanie!"

"Sorry, sorry. It was my fault."

When Minato teased her, Airi turned so red that steam was coming out of her mouth and she started to freak out.

He tried his best to calm her down because she would be a nuisance to the people around, and although she stopped raging, she still cursed Minato with a pouty face.

" Ecchi , meanie, baka . I hate Minato-san– Uhh~ What is it with you, mou~…"

Minato had been taking Airi's snide comments in stride, but he finally decided to become docile.

"Um, I'm really sorry?"

"…I won't forgive you."

He didn't know what to say, but he thought that now would be a good time to apologize. However, he was flatly refused.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I suppose. Well then, please answer my question honestly."

"…As far as I can remember, that kind of pattern with Airi is not a good thing."

"Huuh~ I was humiliated by Minato-san. I'm so hurt!"

"Don't say anything misleading!"

"Hmph!"

Airi refused to listen to Minato's protests, as if to say, "I'm sulking."

In this situation, it would be better to follow what she had to say.

"What do you want to know?"

"Please answer me properly, okay?"

"…Yes."

Airi smiled, but somehow, the air was chilly.

Minato really didn't know what would happen if he were to disobey her here.

"What did you think of my hands?"

"I thought they were thin."

"Is that it? You said you'd be honest, didn't you?"

"I thought it was beautiful, and I also thought it looked soft. Honestly, I was just admiring it."

"Would you like to touch it?"

"If I could. But I won't because I don't think I can stop myself."

Minato was too embarrassed that he could feel his cheeks heating up.

Saying this much was like revealing that he had already become conscious of Airi.

Minato was afraid to look at her, as he also wondered if she was attracted to him. Then, she smiled bright red and beckoned him over.

When he brought his face closer, she put her face close to Minato's ear.

"It's fine if it's Minato-san. Please touch me as much as you like."

The sexy whispered words made him want to rip his heart out of his chest.

"…Airi, don't joke about things like that."

" Fufu , I'm sorry."

He warned her, but she apologized with a smile that didn't seem apologetic at all.

Minato, unable to look directly at her smile, which seemed to accept even his evil desires, immersed his face in water to cool his feverish head.