Chapter 349: Mermaid Girl

Splash.

Water sprayed in every direction as Chika emerged from the sea, her cheerful presence stealing attention.

Her two-piece swimsuit, adorned with a shell pattern, gave her the appearance of a playful mermaid girl.

Droplets of water trailed down her skin, glistening in the morning sunlight. Her snow-white complexion, as if soaked in milk, was so radiant that it nearly outshone the surrounding beach.

The contrast between Chika and Kaguya was striking when they stood side by side. It was a stark reminder of the disparity life often presented.

One was like a budding lotus, just beginning to bloom.

The other was fully rounded and smooth, with graceful peaks that left no room for competition.

Though they were both high school girls of the same age, the gap between them felt insurmountable—a cruel but undeniable reality.

"Fraud!"

"Liar!"

Kaguya bit her lower lip, her cheeks puffing up in frustration.

"You were just saying I was the cutest in the world, but now your eyes are practically glued to her!"

"It's just useless fat! What's so great about it? It's soft and squishy, and that's it—nothing special!"

Kaguya spoke from experience—she had touched it before, more than once.

Since becoming friends, Chika often visited her home to hang out. When it got late, she'd stay over and share Kaguya's bed. Naturally, those moments had given her a chance to understand the "truth."

In Kaguya's opinion, it wasn't as remarkable as boys made it out to be.

"Ha-ha-ha! Sneak attack successful!"

Chika placed one hand on her hip, laughing mischievously. Completely unbothered by the attention, she flashed a confident smile and addressed the boys' lingering stares.

"Come on, you guys! Get in the water already. It's boring swimming alone."

Amamiya raised an eyebrow. "Did you warm up before swimming?"

"Well…" Chika hesitated, avoiding eye contact.

Amamiya frowned. "So, you didn't?"

Chika let out a sheepish laugh, tapping her temple with a fist. "It's summer! It's not that cold."

"It'll be too late if you get a cramp," Amamiya replied sternly before turning to Kaguya. "Always do warm-up exercises before swimming. It's important."

Kaguya nodded, folding her arms across her chest. "Understood."

Chika sighed, walking out of the water with a repentant look. "Alright, I'll do it now to make up for it."

There was nothing wrong with warming up after the fact. The issue arose when Chika began doing jumping jacks—a standard warm-up exercise.

The swimsuit wasn't exactly form-fitting, and with her energetic movements, certain "assets" began bouncing conspicuously.

As physics dictates, the larger an object, the greater its response to gravity.

In that moment, Chika exemplified this truth perfectly.

Amamiya couldn't help but notice, his eyes drawn involuntarily to the spectacle.

"Amamiya-san, is something wrong?"

Kaguya's voice was sweet, but her folded arms and faintly tilted head betrayed a dangerous undertone.

Her smile was radiant, almost blindingly so, yet it carried a subtle warning.

Amamiya instinctively straightened. "N-No, nothing at all."

Kaguya's smile widened, laced with hidden menace. "If you're fine, perhaps you should go handle something else?"

"…Right. I suddenly remembered something urgent."

Without another word, Amamiya turned and retreated to a safe distance.

Chika blinked in confusion, completely oblivious to the tension. "Huh? What's the matter, Amamiya?"

"It's… a matter of survival."

Amamiya's gaze shifted to the silent maid nearby.

His eyes met Hayasaka's calm, steady stare. Her expression remained neutral, without the slightest hint of shyness.

In her maid persona, Hayasaka was unflappable—always composed, always professional.

"Sure enough, there's nothing there."

Amamiya's gaze dropped a few centimeters, briefly sweeping across Hayasaka's chest. He sighed audibly, the movement deliberate and unmistakable.

Now clad in a swimsuit, there was no room for disguise. Her true development was clear for all to see.

When she had been disguised as "Hanamori," her figure had seemed impressive. But now, it was evident that much of it had been artificially enhanced. A lot of padding must have gone into that look.

A hermit crab scuttling near Hayasaka's feet seemed to sense the sudden tension in the air. Without hesitation, it veered off its path and retreated hastily.

"Calm down. Don't get angry. Just hold it in…"

Hayasaka folded her arms across her chest, her expression composed, giving the impression that she was entirely unaffected.

But within her, the little devil that often stirred trouble began stamping its feet furiously.

"What's with that sigh?!"

"If we're talking about being flat, Sajuna is way more so. So why am I the one you're sighing at!?"

"This is so frustrating!"

"I can't take this! I'll just switch identities later and give him a good beating to vent my anger!"

As these thoughts churned in her mind, Sajuna and Komi emerged from behind the nearby reef, having changed into their swimsuits.

Amamiya had already seen Komi's swimsuit earlier in the fitting room and found himself captivated. But now, as Sajuna and Komi stood side by side, the contrast was undeniable.

In every aspect—height, figure, development, and demeanor—the difference was stark. It could be summed up in a single phrase:

One was elegant and poised, the other delightfully endearing.

——

Noticing Amamiya's lingering gaze, Komi hesitated, her steps faltering. She instinctively raised one hand to cover her chest and the other to shield her abdomen, her face growing redder with every passing second. Under the morning sun, her blush seemed to glow.

"What are you staring at?"

Sajuna stepped forward, hands on her hips, attempting to block Amamiya's view. However, her petite frame wasn't nearly enough to obscure it completely.

"And why are you standing here instead of swimming?" she demanded.

Amamiya repeated the excuse he had heard earlier: "The sea water's too cold."

Sajuna raised an eyebrow, pointing out, "Neither Chika nor Kaguya said anything about it being cold. And yet, you're complaining?"

Amamiya turned to check. Sure enough, Kaguya was already in the water, swimming alongside Chika.

"Fine," he admitted, raising his hands in surrender. "What I said was a lie."

Sajuna frowned slightly, looking annoyed. "What's the truth, then?"

She recalled how Amamiya once promised never to lie to her. Yet here he was, caught in one.

Amamiya looked her in the eye, his tone earnest. "The truth is, Sajuna, you're so cute that I just wanted to keep looking at you a little longer."

"You—you—you…"

Sajuna staggered back half a step, her face turning bright red. Completely flustered, she looked to Komi for support but found no help there. In desperation, she snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting?!"

"I'm saying your swimsuit is adorable," Amamiya replied calmly. "Even if Komi-san is standing right there, I can't help but tell the truth."

Komi, being the quiet type, wouldn't reveal this exchange to anyone. Amamiya was certain of it.

"S-Stop talking!"

Flustered beyond words, Sajuna spun on her heel and dashed toward the water, her short legs carrying her quickly across the sand. "I'm going swimming!"

"Don't forget to do your warm-ups first," Amamiya called after her.

"I know!" she shouted back, barely glancing over her shoulder.

——

Seeing Sajuna escape, Komi hesitated for a moment before lowering her gaze. Not wanting to linger alone, she carefully stepped around Amamiya and hurried to follow her friend.

Amamiya, now left alone, shrugged and walked to the shore. After a brief warm-up, he waded into the water and began swimming.

The sun was still low on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the sea. The water was indeed a bit chilly, but it didn't take long to adjust.

Splash.

A wave crested nearby as Chika emerged from the water, her flowing pink hair swaying gracefully with the gentle rhythm of the waves.

"Amamiya, let's have a race!" she called brightly.

Amamiya floated on his back, nonchalant. "Why don't you race with Kaguya instead?"

"I already asked, but neither of them wants to," Chika replied, swimming circles around him like a playful fish. "Come on! It's boring just swimming leisurely!"

"Slow swimming is safer," Amamiya said, remaining unbothered. "Racing around recklessly isn't exactly smart."

"We won't go far," Chika insisted, pointing to a small island in the distance. "Let's race to that little reef! The loser has to agree to one request from the winner."

Though she called it a "small island," it was merely a rocky outcrop a few hundred meters away. Covered in jagged rocks, it was barely large enough to stand on.

"It's a deal." Amamiya's demeanor changed instantly, his energy surging. "If it means I can make a request, I'm suddenly wide awake."

"Hey, wait!"

Chika's face shifted, and she quickly added, "No pocky!"

"Why not?"

"Absolutely not!"

Amamiya tilted his head, his expression curious. After a moment, he blinked and said with a teasing tone, "Oh, I see now."

"See what?"

"You're scared."

"What?!"

"You're afraid of losing to me. That's why you're so hesitant to agree to the challenge."

"I am not afraid!" Chika puffed up her cheeks, her defiance clear.

"Then why are you so nervous about the pocky?" Amamiya pressed on. "If you're confident you'll win, any request should be fine."

Chika hesitated for a moment. "That's because…"

"Because you're scared."

"I'm not falling for such a childish provocation!"

"You're feeling guilty."

Taking a deep breath, Chika clenched her fists and finally snapped, "Fine! Let's compete!"

A spark of determination flickered in her eyes. "I just tested it earlier—my swimming speed has improved a lot. You're the one who's going to lose!"

Despite her bluster, there was no denying the truth: her pride had been wounded. If she refused the challenge, it would feel like an automatic loss.

And as for eating pocky… She'd done it before, so what was the big deal about doing it again?

"I'll count to three, and we'll start here," Chika announced confidently. "Whoever reaches the island first wins."

"Got it," Amamiya replied with a shrug. "Just don't forget to meet me for lunch on the school rooftop tomorrow."

"Don't get ahead of yourself! I haven't lost yet." Raising her chin, Chika began the countdown.

"…Three!"

The moment the word left her lips, Chika dove into the water, propelling herself forward like an arrow.

"She's really fast."

Amamiya couldn't help but be impressed as he watched her glide through the water. It was clear her earlier claims weren't an exaggeration—her speed was noticeably better than what he'd seen in the school pool.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed off, channeling his strength into catching up. He soon realized that his own swimming speed had increased significantly. The difference in his physical capabilities was striking, and after a moment's reflection, he understood why.

His improved physical fitness was the result of consistent progress in his basic attributes. Though the upgrades were incremental and hard to notice during everyday activities, they became evident when he pushed himself to his limits.

The two raced toward the reef, one after the other. It wasn't long before Amamiya closed the gap and caught up with Chika, swimming side by side.

Bloop, bloop, bloop.

Chika exhaled sharply, releasing a trail of bubbles as she attempted to accelerate and shake him off.

But Amamiya wasn't giving up. Increasing his speed, he began to pull ahead, inch by inch.

As the rocky island loomed just a few dozen meters away, Amamiya prepared to make one final push. Suddenly, a panicked cry rang out behind him:

"Help, help, help!"

"Huh?"

Amamiya immediately stopped and turned back, concern flashing across his face.

That's when he saw it—Chika, grinning mischievously, surged ahead and swam past him with remarkable speed.

"You tricked me," Amamiya muttered, his eyebrow twitching.

"This is a competition," Chika said smugly, not even bothering to hide her glee. "Using tactics like this is totally fair!"

Her prideful tone was unmistakable, and Amamiya couldn't help but smirk. "Fine. Laugh while you can. Let's see how smug you'll be during lunch tomorrow."

With that, he focused his energy and surged forward, rapidly closing the distance.

"What?! How can you swim so fast?!"

For the first time, Chika's confidence wavered. Panic set in as she struggled to maintain her lead, but her efforts were futile.

No matter how hard she tried, the gap between them only grew. The difference in their physical capabilities—amplified by Amamiya's enhanced fitness—was too much for her to overcome.

"Eh?! No way!"

Chika's cry of disbelief echoed across the water.

"Help, help, help!"

Using the same trick twice in such a short time? Only a fool would fall for it again.

By the time Amamiya reached the rocky island, he discovered that the surrounding terrain was steep and slippery, making it nearly impossible to climb.

Not that it mattered—reaching the island first meant he had already won the game.

"I win," Amamiya declared triumphantly as he turned around.

To his surprise, Chika had stopped swimming about ten feet away, her movements unusually hesitant.

"Come here quickly," Chika called out, her voice muffled as she buried her face in the water. "My swimsuit fell off!"

"I don't believe you," Amamiya replied flatly, his tone dripping with skepticism.

He swam back toward her at a leisurely pace.

"It really did fall off!" Chika protested, her voice tinged with frustration. "I must've swum too fast, and it… just disappeared."

"You just lied to me earlier," Amamiya reminded her, his expression unamused. "If you want me to believe you, you'll have to show me proof."

"I'm not showing you anything!" Chika puffed up her cheeks indignantly. "If you don't believe me, then go call Kaguya-chan over!"

That gave Amamiya pause. For a moment, he wondered—could it really be true this time?

With the thought nagging at him, he dived into the water to confirm for himself.

What he saw startled him. Chika's body was smooth and exposed beneath the surface. She floated awkwardly, one arm covering her chest and the other shielding her lower half, clearly struggling to stay balanced.

Amamiya resurfaced, looking around. There was no sign of her swimsuit anywhere nearby.

"Where's your swimsuit?" he asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

"I don't know," Chika replied with a helpless shake of her head. "The moment it fell off, I stopped moving."

"It must still be around here somewhere," Amamiya reasoned. "I'll look for it."

Taking a deep breath, he submerged himself again and began searching the surrounding waters. The task was more challenging than he expected, as the currents had likely carried it away.

Just as he thought the search would prove fruitless, he spotted a small piece of fabric drifting below the surface. Swimming toward it, he grabbed the wayward swimsuit and broke through the water's surface triumphantly.

"Is this it?" he asked, holding up the item.

"That's it!" Chika's eyes lit up with relief. "Give it to me, quick!"