Chapter I: Welcome to Summer!
Chapter I: Welcome to Summer!
It was August. And it was miserably, impossibly hot. I’d never liked summers in this country. Really, I’d always hated them. It wasn’t even my country, anyway. I was here, first brought by my parents, and then later sent by my homeland.
Huang Lingyin. That was my name. I am a national cadet, the pilot of the IS ‘Shenlong.’ And, currently, I am a first year student at IS Academy.
“Uggghh, it’s soooo hot...” IS Academy began its summer vacation in August, later than most other schools, so around half of its students had returned home for the break. I’d thought about doing so too, but...
“.........”
But I didn’t. It’s not like I’d have been able to see my family even if I did, and it’s not like I wanted to spend all vacation training at some base. Plus, I had one other reason. He’s still there, I bet. Ugh. Why do I always have to take the first step? Is he ever gonna grow a spine? Frustration welled up in me as I stalked through the (not even air-conditioned!) halls of the dorm. You know what? I should just wait him out. I made a quick U-turn—only to come face-to-face with exactly who was frustrating me.
“Oh, hey, Rin! What’s up?”
“I-Ichika?! What are you doing here?! I thought you were in your room!”
“Nah, I forgot to turn in my report. Hey, what’s that you’re holding?”
“Oh, those? Nothing!”
Reflexively, I hid the tickets in my hand behind my back. Ugh... I just completely blew it. I could’ve just said something like “Oh, you noticed? Well actually...” and tried to pass it off. I totally could’ve!
“......?”
Bleh, now he was giving me that ‘what’s your problem?’ look of his. I cleared my throat.
“Pretty hot today, isn’t it.”
“Mm? You think so? It’s a bit cool for the time of year.”
“No, it’s hot! Summers here are always so hot!”
“Oh, right, you never did like warm weather.”
Uh. Hmm. I was a little bit happy that he remembered that from when we were little. Jeez, why was I so happy about that when he kept forgetting the important things?
“Anyway, if it’s bothering you that much, wanna hang out in my room? I can put the air on.”
Hm? Was this finally my chance?
“Y-Yeah, I guess. If you insist. You’ve got something for me to drink, right?”
“Sure. Barley tea’s okay?”
“If it’s cold, I’ll take it.”
I came up alongside Ichika as I spoke. The dorms were quiet, and it felt like we were alone. I really hope I don’t smell all sweaty. The thought suddenly sprung to my mind, and I took a half-step away from Ichika.
No, I was fine. Well... I thought I was fine, but honestly, in this weather, anyone would sweat a little, so there was no point worrying about it. Yeah, no point worrying!
“C’mon, Rin!”
“Wh-What?!”
Ichika pushed his face up toward mine. Wait, too close, too close! I reflexively pushed it away.
“I’ve been trying to get your attention, but you were spaced out.”
“Really? Oh! Sorry about that! I-I was just thinking about something!”
“Thinking about something? Huh.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, nothing. Anyway, if there’s someone you can talk about it with, you should. It’s not good to keep things bottled up.
“Hmph. You don’t need to tell me that.”
Ugh. My heart was pounding. Why’d he have to be like this? He’d started growing again, and he was a pilot now, and... He wasn’t really that lame little kid anymore... My mind racing, I fell silent, and soon he began to stare at my face again.
“Rin?”
“What do you want?!”
“What do you mean? We’re here. Let’s go in.”
“I-I noticed, you know.”
I followed Ichika into his room. It wasn’t the first time I’d been there, but this time, I just couldn’t relax. Ugh... C’mon, what’s wrong with me? This was bad. The second I sat down on his bed, I could feel how bad it was.
He smells so good... And it was his room, so everything smelled like him. I needed to get a hold of myself, and I couldn’t. Ugggghhhhh... I wanted to swing my legs back and forth and work off some of the nervous energy, but I didn’t want him to see me doing it, so I settled for a quiet sway.
After a little bit, I noticed a book placed on the table. A book... Or really, a photo album.
“You still take photos?”
“Mm? Kinda. The past few years, Chifuyu hasn’t been around, so... Yeah. The one with you, and me, and her is probably the last one. Do you remember that? Back in middle school, right before you moved?”
“Kinda.” That was a lie. It wasn’t just a vague memory. I still remembered it like it was yesterday. “I don’t get it. It was Chifuyu’s idea, right? To take family photos every few months? It doesn’t seem like something she’d be into at all.”
“I guess. Most of them aren’t just us. She said it was important to remember everyone else who was around us, too. —Oh, here, here’s some tea. It’s nice and cold.”
“Thanks.”
As I sipped, I casually felt for my wallet in my shirt pocket. Good... It’s still there.
“Can I take a look?”
“Sure, fine. I just went through and sorted it.”
Trying my hardest to pretend that I was just curious since I saw it out, I flipped through the album. This was the first time I’d really paid attention to it, I think. The first page was, as expected, a picture of Ichika and Chifuyu. How old were they then? Chifuyu was in a middle school uniform, and Ichika was so tiny.
“That’s from when I was in first grade.”
“Oh, is it the first one?”
“I guess. I haven’t seen any older ones.”
It seemed like he was about to add “...for some reason,” and I agreed. Chifuyu cared so much about him, so why was their first photo already in elementary school?
Ah. Did all the older ones have their parents? I didn’t really know when his parents had disappeared, though I’d heard it was from before he really knew what was happening around him...
“Well, that’s enough of that.”
Ichika turned the page.
He looks so shy. Little Ichika really didn’t like having his picture taken, it seemed. It was adorable, and looking at it cheered me up a little.
Lately we hardly ever get to spend any time alone together like this. Ah... Alone... Together... Ugh, I shouldn’t have thought about that... My heart is starting to— By the time I noticed, it was too late. My face was beginning to flush, and I could feel my cheeks burn.
“Hmm, I think this one’s from second grade. We went picking grapes on a field trip.”
Suddenly. So, so suddenly. He sat down next to me. My heart leapt into my throat as the creak of the bed echoed. Eh? Uh, ah... I, I hope I don’t smell bad... But... We’re on his bed... We’re sitting next to each other, on his bed... When I watched cartoons as a little kid, the theme song for the one with a team of girls had a line about ‘my brain short-circuiting’ that I just didn’t understand. It was some seriously bittersweet nostalgia remembering when I was naive enough to think that just sounded dumb. And how come it could short out that easily, anyway? That sounded like a defective part. Whose fault was that soldering job?
“Rin.”
“Fwah?!”
Where did that sound even come from in me? Ugh, it must have sounded so lame. I can’t believe I just did that...
“Wanna?”
Eh?
Ehh?
EHHH?
Wait, wait, whaaaaaat. I needed a who-what-when-where-why-how. Gimme a moment, here. Really? Ichika is actually— That was really, really to the point... What kind of sadist makes a girl answer a question like that? Was he teasing me because he liked me? Wait, was that it? Did he like me? Did Ichika really like me?
“Not interested?”
“Um, er, I-I need a second.”
“Sure.”
What the hell was going on here? My heart was pounding like it was about to explode. My face was so hot it hurt, and I could feel the sweat pouring off me. Ugh, I really, really shouldn’t have thought about that... Just thinking about the sweat was putting me in a panic.
Ugh, I should have showered before I came... No, wait. If I’d done that, it would have been because I was expecting something to happen. Something like this. Right?
“You don’t have to hold back.”
Eek! Ichika’s voice had drawn even closer, and I involuntarily leapt a few centimeters. Ba-dum, Ba-dum. My heart was pounding. Ceaselessly. Intensely, like a downpour.
“Ichi... ka...”
I nervously looked up at Ichika, and he was staring directly at me. Oh no... I can’t... Hold back...
“Well?”
“Yes...... Oh, yes...”
“Mm.”
He nodded, and reached out his hand to me, and...
“All right, I’ll pour you another glass.”
“...Huh?”
What was that?
“Another... glass?”
“Of barley tea.”
“Barley tea?”
“You said you wanted some, right?”
“I did?”
After a few seconds of blankly repeating back what he said, Ichika’s words broke my trance—and my heart.
“Oh, did you think I meant something else?”
“What? No! Absolutely not! No way, you creep!”
Smack! The staccato sound of an open-palm slap filled the room.
◆
“Owww, that hurt.”
“Hmph!”
Ten minutes later, Ichika was still rubbing his cheek where I slapped him. It must have really hurt, since his lips were still curled from the pain as if they’d stayed where I pushed them to. Serves you right! He deserved it for leading me on like that. And you know it! That was just— It was...
“.........”
If he had kissed me then... No, no, no, no, no! No way! He would never have done that! Ichika? We all know how he is. He’s gonna be a complete blockhead until the day he dies. Probably afterward, too. Thinking about it that way made me squirm in embarrassment at how I’d misread him. My face turned a painful red again, for an entirely different reason. Ugh... Maybe I should slap him again... With that idea rolling around the back of my head, I took another peek at his face.
“.........”
Well, I may have been wrong about how he felt, but I wasn’t wrong about how I felt. That’s why just thinking about how he wasn’t even trying to tease me made me even angrier. We’ve known each other how long, and he still can’t figure it out?
He was even like that when we saw each other for the first time in over a year. When I was training in China as a national cadet, and saw the news stories about ‘the boy who could pilot an IS,’ just seeing Ichika’s face for the first time in over a year made my heart flutter; even though it was only on TV. Then, because I was the right age and already had experience living in Japan, I was sent back to study at IS Academy. I was happy I’d see him again—happy, and looking forward to what might happen. When we were little, I’d always told him I’d cook for him every day... Meaning, we’d live together, maybe even get married. In middle school I never really had the opportunity to show off with a meal, but now...
Well, it was a nice thought. His response? “Wow, free food? For me? You’re awesome, Rin!” Close, so close, but oh-so-dismayingly off the mark. Sigh... I could feel the exhausted weight of dejection settling on my shoulders, but before I let it drag me down I was going to make one last push.
Anyway! Today will be different, I know it! From my pocket, I pulled out two slips of paper. Calm down, Lingyin. It’ll be fine. You practiced this.
“Ichika.”
“Hm?”
“Aren’t you gonna go anywhere for summer vacation?”
“Huh, now that you mention it that sounds nice.”
All right! It’s working!
“So you didn’t have anything set up? Jeez. Looks like I’ll have to bail you out.”
“And let me guess, I’m gonna have to pay you back.”
“Nothing, this time,” was what I wanted to say, but I cut myself off. I always wanted something, and being nice just this once would make him suspicious. He might even figure out that I like him.
“Well, duh. Everyone knows you’ve gotta pay to play, jeez.”
I ended up putting it the same way I usually did. Thinking back, I’d always gotten Ichika to pay me back. I think it started the first time he came to my parents’ restaurant for dinner. I was overjoyed, and I wanted him to keep coming back so I told him it was free.
Even back then he had told me, “No, no, that’s no good. After all, they say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and besides, your dad’s cooking is great. So, please, let me pay.”
I ended up giving in and taking his money. I didn’t really think the food at my place was that amazing, but I guess it was just because I had it every day. It made me happy to hear him happy about it though.
Of course, my parents knew exactly what I was up to... That was miserable... Mmm. Thinking about my time with my family made my heart ache. That was another reason I didn’t go back to China this summer. I don’t want to think about that right now... It was better to forget about that for the time being. Otherwise, Ichika would notice the one thing he was really good at noticing—when someone was feeling down.
“Mm.”
“What are those?”
Ichika was staring at the tickets I’d pulled out. That was a bite... time to set the hook.
“Didn’t you hear about it? They’re for the water park that just opened up this month. And I should mention, they’re already pre-sold out. If you want to go there and try your luck, you might get in, but only after you stand in line a couple hours.”
“Really.”
Ugh. He was sooooooo dense. Didn’t he realize just how hard these were to get my hands on?
“So, when are we going?” he asked.
“W-We?”
“That’s what you’re here for, right?”
“Well, yeah, but...” Perfect! I had had no idea how I was going to get him to come along with me, but it looks like I didn’t even have to work at it! No, wait... I needed to calm down. I’d learned, over and over, that the most important time for caution was when victory was in your grasp. “Well. I don’t think there’s anyone else who’d drag you along. You should be grateful.”
I slapped him gently on the cheek with the tickets. I was talking a big game, but I felt like my chest is about to explode.
“So, how much?”
“2,500 yen.”
“Isn’t that kinda high?”
“You don’t have to buy it if you don’t want to. I’ve got other offers.”
That wasn’t a lie. I just didn’t want to take them. After all, the only reason I’d bothered was to set up something with him.
“Okay, fine. Sold. When are we going?”
“Tomorrow, Saturday.”
“That’s not a lot of notice.”
He certainly had a talent for stating the obvious. Sorry, I didn’t have any choice! A friend had to bail and I bought them out!
“Oh well, I don’t really mind. You okay with it?”
“Oh, yeah! Absolutely!”
Whoops, that wasn’t good. That sounded way too desperate. He could probably read me like a book.
“Where should we meet up? We’ve gotta be in uniform on campus, so maybe somewhere else?”
“Yeah! Good point! Why don’t we meet outside the gate?”
Perfect! That was so perfectly date-like! Which made sense, since it was a date. Mentally, I pumped my fist. My new competition lately may have beat me out the gate, but now I was pulling into the lead!
“Okay, what time? Definitely in the morning, right?”
“Yeah, call it ten?”
“Sure.”
All right! I did it! With another imagined fist pump, I finished off the second glass of barley tea in one gulp. Setting it down on the table with a rap, I stood up— Nailed it.
“What’s with that face you’re making?”
“How rude! Anyway, don’t be late!”
Half-slamming the door shut behind me, I set back off down the hall. Out here, it was safe to fist pump for real. I did it! I did it, I did it! I still couldn’t yell like I wanted to, but I had to at least let it out physically. Gotta get back to my room and get ready!
Half-skipping, I made my way back home. Even though it was summer, I didn’t notice the heat. For just this one day, I didn’t mind that our rooms were so far apart. It was as if my legs had sprung wings. Seriously. I may have passed by a few other students—or maybe I just imagined it.
“I’m baaaack!”
As the door clattered open, my roommate, who was relaxing in bed, went wide-eyed. A half a beat later, the potato chip she’d just put in her mouth crunched.
“Welcome back...”
Blonde-haired, blue-eyed Tina Hamilton blinked at me from over a fashion magazine as if she wasn’t sure quite what she was looking at.
“Hehehe.”
“Ling, are you okay? Are you finally crazy from the heat?”
“Sure am!”
Who cared if Tina was trying to make conversation? I dove into my bed, with unhideable glee, and gave my blankets a big squeeze.
“...Are you trying to strangle your blankets?”
“Sure am!”
“You’re just trying to get me to stop bothering you, aren’t you.”
“Sure am!”
I sure was. Hahahahaha.
“Sigh. Okay.”
Tina resignedly turned back to her magazine while reaching toward her bag of chips. Who cared? Ahahahaha! Why can’t it be tomorrow already?! I couldn’t just lay there and wait, though. I needed to get ready.
My swimsuit’s still fine, I have that new outfit I just bought, and... Panties. Well, uh... It was summer. The weather made people do crazy things. And if the weather happened to make us do something crazy? Well, I needed to be prepared, just in case. Preparation is key! You can never be too prepared! Whoever decided that really knew what they were talking about!
“Hey, Tina! Didn’t they really know what they were talking about?”
“Yeah, sure.”
The crunch of another chip. This, from the girl who’s always worried that she’s getting fat. She really had no self-control. At least I don’t have to worry about that! I’d found out early on that we’d have free time on last month’s class trip, so I’d been dieting since June. It had paid off, and I was in perfect shape. It wouldn’t be embarrassing at all if someone were to see me— Not that I know that’s going to happen for sure. If someone were to see me, even without a swimsuit.
“Hey, Tina!”
“What?”
“Hot enough for ya?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
The sound of another chip crunching hung in the air.
◆
“Phew. Time for a break.”
I—Yamada Maya, that is—sat at my desk in the faculty lounge, sipping from a steaming mug of tea. Hot tea in an air-conditioned room in the middle of summer. This was really living it up, wasn’t it? I felt a little bit guilty wasting tax money like this. Let me have this, just this once. I need it after finally making it through the spring semester report.
This whole year had just been too weird. Boys who could pilot, unheard-of numbers of personal IS, one security breach after another, and now the treaty organization was after us demanding that we hand over a detailed report on what was going on, along with Orimura Ichika himself. Just thinking about it gave me a headache. It’s all downhill from here, though. So let me have my break. Maybe by the other meaning, though...
I looked at the two documents in front of me and let out a sigh. Each was a student profile. Which wasn’t that bad in itself, but one was Orimura Ichika’s and the other was Shinonono Houki’s. The duo who had personal IS without being national cadets. And while this wasn’t a problem with Orimura, Shinonono’s wasn’t registered to any country. That was going to cause a lot of issues. Any country could technically pick her off as their own, and get her IS with her. They all wanted IS so badly they would kill for them. It made sense, even a single one could swing the balance of military power. But now, when it’s one hand-built by Shinonono Tabane, the inventor of IS? Incorporating fourth-generation technology? Everyone in the world was probably desperate to get their hands on it.
I couldn’t help but sigh once more. Why did they all have to be in my class? Stranger still, why did they add two more halfway through the semester? You’d never normally have that many students with personal IS in one class. Someone must have been pulling strings. IS Academy may not legally answer to any government, but that doesn’t mean that it’d be immune to influence. Let’s try not to think too much about that. Anyway, just sitting here worrying about it wasn’t going to help. Let’s just finish this pile off, and I’ll be done.
With my tea break finished, I turned back to the mountain of paper. I picked up another sheet, and something flew nearly into my lap. Huh? Another sheet. The sheet of paper had split into two! No... it must have just been two sheets stuck together.
“I wasn’t expecting that. What could it—”
Snap. My thoughts froze.
“This is...” I’d gone through the entire pile making sure there was nothing like this in here, or so I thought. I can’t believe I completely overlooked it while dealing with everything else first. “This is bad. This is really, really bad...”
The teacher’s lounge may have been kept cool, but I was still sweating sheets. It was a cold sweat... And not just because of the air conditioning.
◆
“And so I return.”
Even as I languidly slid from my white Rolls-Royce before the gates of IS Academy, I was in high spirits. It feels simply fabulous to be under the same sky as my dearest. I, Cecilia Alcott, have taken care of my duties at home in England and returned to Japan. Alcott family responsibilities, debriefing as a national cadet, IS maintenance, a violin recital, reunion with old friends... And visiting my parents’ grave.
“.........”
Thinking about it made my heart ache. Why did they leave me without telling me anything? Why did they leave me alone? Why did they both leave me at once? Someday, maybe I’ll understand...
“Mistress.”
“Mm?!”
I turned to see Chelsea, my maid and lifelong companion, wearing her usual reserved smile.
“Is something the matter?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
My emotions were in turmoil, but I forced myself into the appearance of calm. Chelsea has always been quite perceptive emotionally for as long as I’d known her. She exuded an uncommon calmness for an 18-year-old. She was almost more of a big sister to me than a retainer. An object of admiration—an inspiration.
“I see. Then, shall we bring your things to your room.”
With a slight nod from Chelsea, she and another maid each picked up a suitcase. As for myself—
“Will you be visiting Mr. Orimura?”
“Chelsea? I thought you were handling my luggage?”
“My apologies! There was one last thing I needed to confirm, so I came back.”
“Oh, I see. What was it?”
“Are the white lace ones for him?”
“.........”
Eh?
“I must advise you, overly-showy lingerie rarely does what it’s supposed to.”
“It’s, er, ah—”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Without even waiting for a reply, Chelsea curtsied and left. Wait, how, what?!
“What in the—”
I’d bought those online and hidden them in a secret compartment in my luggage. How did she know?! Her gentle smile filled my mind’s eye, and I burned red. Ahhhhh... I wish I could find a hole to go die in... My face was so hot it hurt, and I’d have been sweating regardless of the weather. Especially my palms. I wished for a sink nearby.
“Huh? Oh, hey, Cecilia.”
Was that— Could it be?! Was that Ichika’s voice? What is he doing here? Oh my God, did he come to welcome me? I clutched a palm to my pounding heart, trying my best to appear my normal casual and collected self.
“Yo.”
“Why, Ichika! It’s been almost a week. How have you been?”
I gave him a formal curtsy as a greeting, even as my heart wanted to be anything but formal and quiet. It was him! Was he really here to welcome me? Why, Ichika!
“I simply couldn’t sit still when I heard you were returning.”
“Why, such flattery!”
“But true, as well. The week you were gone felt like an eternity.”
“Ichika... Oh, Ichika...”
“I’ll never let you go again, my princess.”
Ahh! Ahh, no! Not here! People may be watching!
“Cecilia?”
“Ah—”
A midsummer day’s dream... A daydream.
“Are you okay? You look pretty out of it. Are you sure you don’t have sunstroke? You need to be careful. Sunstroke’s actually pretty dangerous.”
“Ah, no! I’m fine! I was simply a tad dizzy from the drive!”
“Oh? That’s good.”
“Indeed.”
“Huh? I’m sorry, who were you?”
“I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Cecilia’s maid, Chelsea Blanchett. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Chelsea, who must already have been finished with the luggage, had returned, and greeted Ichika with a curtsy. But wait? Why is she alone? I realized almost immediately. She must have waited to see what would happen, and then took the opportunity to make her entrance. She really was quite perceptive...
“Oh! I’d heard about you from Cecilia. I’m Orimura Ichika.”
“Of course. Mr. Orimura. May I be so rude as to ask, how has Mistress described me?”
“Quite well. Considerate. Talented. Kind. And beautiful.”
“Oh my.”
Chelsea gave her usual smile. It would have been no flattery to call it stunning, but in a warm, embracing way rather than a cold one. I knew that better than anyone, and yet— I most certainly never described her as ‘beautiful’ to you, Ichika! As if she saw through my jealousy, Chelsea turned her smile to me. Ugh... I can’t fault her of all people for it... I couldn’t argue with that smile. I have never been able to.
“I’ve heard quite a bit about you, as well,” she continued.
Say, what?
“Oh, really? Like what?”
Wait, wait, wait! Chelsea! Please don’t tell him about that!
“Hehe. Well...” As if sensing my upset, she gave a cheekier grin than before and raised a finger to her lips. “That’s for us girls to know.”
Even as another woman, I felt that smile’s charm.
◆
“Wow, you really are as beautiful as she said.”
“I suppose...”
A change of scene: the café attached to the dining hall. Fully air-conditioned, open year-round, and with masterfully-made drinks and seasonal pastries which put the coffee shops downtown to shame, it was packed with classmates even during summer vacation.
“Hey, isn’t that Orimura from first year?”
“Wow, it is! I’ve never seen him in person before!”
“He’s so cute! Maybe I wouldn’t mind a younger man.”
“I like how he seems mature for his age.”
Bits and pieces of conversations drifted past my ears. Normally I’d be overjoyed to be spotted out together with Ichika. But now...
“.........”
With a strained expression, I idly swirled my iced latte. The rattling of the ice cubes as I poked at them escaped everyone’s notice but mine. How could they get along so well the first time they met? The better Ichika and Chelsea got along, the more irked I became.
“You’re amazing, Ms. Blanchett. I can’t believe you’re not even twenty.”
“Please, Mr. Orimura, call me Chelsea. You needn’t be concerned how you speak to me, I’m simply a maid.”
“No, I don’t mind. You’re older than me, to start. And it just feels weird to be impolite like that.”
“I see. I’m flattered. You certainly know how to charm a woman.”
“Huh? I don’t think anyone’s ever told me that before.”
“Really?” Chelsea chuckled.
Ichika was showing her a side he’d never shown me. At the same time, frustratingly, she was playing along even though she knew how I felt. Perhaps that rumor was true... I’d first heard of it at the end of last month. Even yesterday, it hadn’t bothered me at all, but now, I couldn’t get it out of my mind: ‘Orimura Ichika likes older women.’
I’d thought it was completely baseless, but seeing it for myself... Watching how he acts around Chelsea, it seemed almost like there was something to it. I don’t suppose there’s any way for me to end up older than him... Sigh... We were the same age. I wasn’t ever going to be any older than him, and he wasn’t ever going to be any younger. No amount of effort was ever going to change that. At a loss, I fell further into a gloom.
“Um? Cecilia? What’s wrong? Is it something I said?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that was blunt.”
Not even Ichika’s wince at that was enough to cheer me up. This was why I wasn’t happy that he’d asked me out for coffee. It’s all Ichika’s fault, I thought to myself, putting my lips to my straw. Extra wet, no sugar. It was normally delicious, but today I couldn’t stand it. But at least sipping away kept me from sighing.
“.........”
“.........”
Perhaps ten minutes, perhaps twenty, perhaps only one passed. Suddenly, breaking the silence, Ichika spoke up.
“Cecilia?”
“...Yes?”
“Want to go somewhere this weekend?”
“Y-Yes.”
◆
“Whew, this weather’s great! It’s a perfect day!”
A perfect day for a date! I clapped my hands together and pumped my fists as hard as I could. I may have only been in my room, but I was already dressed to the nines. I had a whole new outfit ready to go. Fufufu. I’ve finally got Houki and Charlotte beat! I’d been obsessing over pulling out ahead of the duo who’d lived with him for a while. It had really bothered me when I got here and heard he was already staying with another girl.
It may be the same swimsuit I wore on the class trip, but it’s the first time I’ve had it out on a date! Going out as a couple is completely different! Just thinking of the word couple made my cheeks turn pink. I’ve got the cutest pair of panties possible, and a spare pair in my purse just in case. How did the old song about summer love go? It didn’t hurt to be prepared. Maybe on our way back... Yeah...
“Today sure was fun, wasn’t it.”
“Yeah. Especially since I was with you, Rin.”
“Yeah. I’m glad you finally appreciate the time we spend together.”
“Rin...”
“Huh? Why are you grabbing me by the hand all of a sudden?”
“I finally understand. Now that we’re back together again, I understand how much you’ve always meant to me.”
“I-Ichika?”
“Rin, I love you.”
“I— Wait, not here...”
“Do you hate me?”
“No...”
“Then, why not?”
“You idiot... You don’t have to—”
Wouldn’t that be perfect if it actually happened?
“Wouldn’t it, Tina? Wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah, sure.”
She answered me without looking up from her ice cream. I shouldn’t have even bothered to engage her. She should have known how excited I was from yesterday! Well... I couldn’t be sure why she was so nonplussed, but I had my ideas.
“I’m off!”
“Bye.”
“I may be late!”
“Mm-hm.”
“See ya!”
“See you.”
I latched my door behind me. Another fist pump, and I was on my way.
◆
“Hm?”
“Oh?”
Two familiar faces passed by each other in front of the gates to Water World. Ling and Cecilia, after an awkward moment, each mumbled out a stiff greeting.
“Why, if it isn’t Ling...”
“Y-Yeah. Hey, Cecilia...”
They waited a few paces from each other, each wondering what the other was doing there. Each wondering why the other was all dressed up.
Cecilia must be waiting for her friends? Who cares! I’m waiting for Ichika! Ling couldn’t hold back something halfway between a sneer and a smile as she chuckled.
......
.........
............
Dammit! Where is he? What’s wrong with him?
“What could have happened?”
At the same time as Ling stomped in frustration, Cecilia whispered. The repeated glances at their wrists made it obvious that whoever they were waiting for probably wasn’t showing up. Ling was curious about Cecilia, but more focused on Ichika. Never mind 10:00 like he’d promised, it was already 10:30. He always has been late at the worst possible times... Just as she pulled out her phone in frustration, it rang. The number displayed on-screen was, of course, Ichika’s.
“Hey! Where the hell are you? What are you doing?!”
“I’m at school.”
“What?!”
“Hey, um. Ms. Yamada told me the lab that developed Byakushiki was sending a tech, and that I needed to stay while he did some tests. They probably really want a look at it now that it’s gone through second shift.”
“And?”
“Listen, I’m sorry. I’m not gonna be able to make it today.”
“What?!”
Ling’s mind boiled over in an instant, straight past anger to the world swirling around her. Ichika continued, “But, um. I tried to get in touch with you yesterday, but you weren’t picking up, and when I went to your room you were already asleep.”
“.........”
She had gone to sleep at eight to make sure she’d be on time. And turned her phone off so it wouldn’t wake her up during the night. And told Tina not to wake her up unless it was an emergency. That idiot! That was definitely an emergency!
“So, uh.”
“Yeah.”
Her reply was duller than she intended.
“I gave Cecilia my ticket, so you two can have fun together.”
What?!
“Right. Cecili— Wait, what?!”
“Huh? Isn’t she there? I told her to wait by the gate.”
Absolute silence. Maybe, maybe, maybe...
“Maybe I should kill him...”
“Whoa, Rin, is everything all right? It sounds pretty crazy down there.”
It was his nonchalant response that finally completely snapped Ling’s patience.
“It is very much not all right! Don’t you understand what you’ve done?”
“Whoa! Why are you so mad all of a sud— Yes. Right away.” She could hear half of Ichika’s conversation on the other end of the line. “Sorry, Rin. They want me to get going right away. Can you explain this all to Cecilia? Later!”
Click. The sound of his voice cruelly cut off.
“Ugh!”
Ling trembled in rage as she gripped her phone. If Cecilia had been a second later in speaking up, Ling surely would’ve dashed it to the ground rather than only squeezing it until it creaked.
“Er, Ling? What’s the matter?”
Ling chuckled lowly, “Listen up, Cecilia. Ichika isn’t coming.”
“.........”
Cecilia froze instantly. Seeing that her words hadn’t sunk in, Ling repeated herself, “Ichika’s not coming.”
“Huh? Wait, why? Why are you—”
“We were supposed to go on a date today, okay?!”
“What? But he had asked me out—”
“So what? I’m the one who got the tickets to begin with, understand?!”
Cecilia gave two slow blinks, then slowly broke the ice.
“Ling...”
“WHAT?!”
“Let’s go inside and get a drink. I don’t really have a handle on what’s going on either, but...” Above Cecilia’s smile, a vein throbbed on her forehead. “...I’d like an explanation.”
Before the gates of Water World. The charged air around them seemed to shimmer and twist with something other than the summer heat.
◆
“So Ichika must have sent me here in his place.”
“Sure looks like it.”
“Sigh. So something was up. Honestly, I knew it sounded too good to be true.”
“Liar. Look at how much effort you put into your outfit.”
“What?! Wait, no! I just wanted to dress properly for an outing!”
“Sure, fine, whatever.”
Ling folded her napkin into a paper airplane as she half-ignored Cecilia. The soft paper, as expected, simply fell to the ground rather than gliding. It was a good match for her mood.
“Hmm-hmm.”
“Sigh...”
Two sighs overlapped in Water World’s café.
“So?”
“So what?”
“Wanna leave?”
“I suppose. I’m in no mood to swim.”
“Sigh. Guess I will too...”
Just as they both stood up, an announcement came over the PA.
“And now, let me tell you about today’s main event! The duo aquatic obstacle course championship begins at one! If you want to enter, come to the reception area by noon!” At first, it sounded completely uninteresting, but then came the kicker. “Grand prize is an all-expenses-paid, five-day six-night trip to Okinawa!”
—That’s it!
—What a stroke of luck!
A trip to Okinawa. It’d be impossible for Ichika to worm his way out if they brought up what happened today. And with that in mind—
“Cecilia!”
“Ling!”
“LET’S WIN THIS!”
A firm handshake. Thus was born an unprecedented—if only because it was the first time—partnership.
◆
“The first annual Water World duo aquatic obstacle course championships begins now!”
The MC shouted as she leapt into the air. Her sudden motion seemed almost enough to make her voluptuous chest jump out of her skimpy bikini top. A primarily, low-pitched roar of approval rose from the gathered crowd of spectators, perhaps for the start of the race or perhaps just for that. If nothing else, they certainly appreciated that all the contestants were women. Of course, every single man who’d tried to sign up were met with a laugh that could only mean “Come on, dude, how dense are you.” Even in a female-dominated society, some things remained the same. And one of those was that swimming races were best with women as the participants. That was championship organizer and park owner Mukoujima Kouichirou’s guiding principle—or at least his fetish.
“All right, everyone! Give our contestants a round of applause!”
The participants bowed, to a hail of applause. Yet one pair among them was more focused on other things. Ling and Cecilia. The two were looking each other over as they went through their warmups.
“Whew. New swimsuit, Cecilia?”
“Well, yes. How shall I phrase it, it was, ah, a change of mood.”
“Liar. I bet you just wanted to show it off to Ichika. It’s really obvious when you pick something that flashy.”
“I don’t need to hear that from you! And what about you, anyway? Slimmed down a tad from the class trip last month, haven’t you?”
“Well, of course! That’s what happens when you live healthily!”
“I see, I see. I’d never have expected that from a night owl like you.”
Even if they were officially a duo, there was still plenty of competition going on. But each was more than ready to go, and both knew just how much was resting on this race.
“The grand prize is an all-expenses-paid, five-day six-night trip to the island paradise of Okinawa! Everyone, do your best!”
Yes. Their goal was that prize. Each of them let out a low chuckle as they dreamed of their victory.
No matter how much of a blockhead Ichika is, he has to know what happens when a young couple takes an island vacation.
They say summer changes a person. So if it’s their last chance to make summer memories...
Their eyes drifted together.
“Ehe.”
“Ahahah.”
I’ll figure out how to get them away from Cecilia later.
Perhaps I can trade something to Ling for them.
As the two finished their warmups, underlying their grins was a cunning wariness.
“So, let’s explain the rules! The first team which makes it to the island in the center of this fifty-by-fifty meter pool and grabs the flag is the winner! Now, as you can see, the course spirals inward. It’s littered with obstacles that teams will only be able to overcome by working together! Teams will have to show their friendship, their compatibility, and their ability to cooperate!”
Ling and Cecilia looked over the course as they listened. The central island itself loomed imposingly in midair... Well, it was hung up with wires, but that wasn’t the problem.
There’s no way to swim up to that. Need to find a shortcut, like—
That’s going to be hard to get to. And they said that if we pull it down into the pool, they’ll reset it.
Each realizing how clever the setup was, they began to plan around it.
None of the other participants are pilots, so...
Ling and Cecilia were each national cadets, commanding all the firepower of a 20th-century army, and they had the training to match. They’d easily be able to take any man off the street in a fight. They’d even have a fair chance against a trained soldier. The capabilities of an IS demanded an equally-capable pilot.
“All right! The race is about to begin! On your marks, ready...”
Bang! The report of the startup pistol echoed as 24 members of 12 teams dove into the pool at once.
“Cecilia!”
“Got it!” The neighboring team who’d snuck in a quick leg sweep at the start had reached the first island. This race was no-holds-barred. But what rule could be more suited to a pair of national cadets with military-equivalent training? “Here I go!”
“Yeah!”
Grabbing that other team’s ankles, they pulled them back down to the water. Quickly, the race was split into teams focused on taking the lead and teams focused on holding back the others. But that created its own problem. As the youngest duo there, Ling and Cecilia were the center of attention. All eyes were on them—or on the targets which may as well have been painted on their backs.
“Ugh, this sucks!”
“Out of my way!”
No matter how many opponents they pulled back down, they just kept coming. It seemed like there was an arrangement between the leaders and the scrappers, who were more concerned with climbing back into their way than making progress themselves.
“Ugh, we’re gonna get left behind!”
Watching the leaders reach the second island, Ling and Cecilia began to feel the pressure, and they looked over at each other.
“It’s a bit early, but it’s time to show what we have up our sleeves.”
“Sigh... I’m not sure this is a good idea...”
“You want to win, right?”
“You’re right! We have to win this!”
As they spoke over their private channel, Ling and Cecilia faced the pair blocking their way. With a roar, their foes linked arms for a lariat. Sighing, Ling and Cecilia slipped past them like a breeze. With a loud splash, the other team fell back to the pool.
“It doesn’t matter how many times you pull us down, we’ll keep coming back!”
The enemy team floated back to the surface. But they were missing one vital thing.
“They say, ‘Woman cannot live without swimsuits...’”
“As Marie Antoinette may have said, let them swim nude.”
“EEEEEEEK!”
After a quick glance at their foes, Ling and Cecilia wadded up the tops they’d stolen and threw them backward into the crowd. As could be expected—no, even more so—the men went into a frenzy.
“That’s one obstacle out of the way.”
“Let’s catch up.”
The first island was set up to require one teammate to hold a float steady while the other clambered over a wall, but—
“We need to make up for lost time.”
“Yeah. We can’t let them get any further ahead.”
Ling and Cecilia both leapt for the float at once. It was tiny, not even enough to hold a single woman above water alone, but each cleared it with the agility of an acrobat. A cartwheeling handspring carried Ling over clearly. Shortly after, Cecilia followed. The crowd’s attention was pulled away from the lost tops by their performance, and a cheer echoed.
“That was amazing! They may only be high school students, but they must have some sort of special training!”
Next up was the second island, where they were simply able to ignore the obstacle. One was supposed to block a water jet as the other passed through, but they just raced by at once.
“Hahaha! That was easy!”
“Nothing compared to a minefield.”
The third and fourth islands were equally easy, and soon they made it to the fifth and final one.
“Let’s finish this!”
Realizing that just rushing forward would lose them the race, the leaders turned to face Ling and Cecilia.
“Ahahaha. As if mere civilians could handle us national—”
“That’s Kizaki and Kishimoto! They’re going to hit us with their martial arts!”
“...Wait, what? What do you mean, their martial arts?”
“One of them’s got an Olympic gold in wrestling, and the other’s got a silver in judo! I’d heard they were friends, and it looks like they’ve figured out how to combine their disciplines too!”
“What? A gold medalist? Hey, wait, don’t they look different from everyone else?”
‘Macho women’ was the perfect phrase for the duo who were bearing down on Ling and Cecilia with an angry roar.
Oh no! We’re already worn out from racing here! If we try to mix it up with these muscleheads—
They’ll simply plow over us...
Realizing the danger of their exhaustion, the two unconsciously came to a stop. But this just made it worse.
“Got you!”
“Ugh!”
Ling and Cecilia wanted to leap backward and open some distance, but they were on a floating island... There was nowhere to run.
“We’ve got to... Cecilia!”
“What is it?!”
“I have a plan! Go in!”
“You want me to frontline?!”
“Yeah! There’s no time to explain!”
“Ugh, whatever!”
As the medalists closed in, Cecilia rushed forward in a suicidal attack.
If I can just distract them! I believe in you, Ling!
“Cecilia! Turn around!”
“Eh?”
Cecilia spun around as she heard her name yelled. Filling her vision was the sole of Ling’s foot.
“Whaa— BWUH!”
Right in the face. Right in the face, hard.
“Got it!”
Rin hopped off Cecilia, flung her light body toward the goal... and came up with with the flag.
“We won!”
Behind her, the island, destabilized by her leap, tipped, as the medalists’ tackle carried them and Cecilia off into the water meters below.
Splaaaash!
Ling squinted while gazing into the waterspout.
“Thank you, Cecilia. I couldn’t have done it without your sacrifice.”
Cecilia’s smiling face floated in the sky. As if she were dead.
“Fufufu.” A laugh, as chill as absolute zero, welled up from the depths, followed by an even more intense waterspout. “I absolutely will not forgive this! You stepped on my face! With your foot! Ling!”
Cecilia, with Blue Tears formed around her swimsuit, glared at Ling with rage.
“Oh, you want some— Shenlong!”
Ling materialized Shenlong and quickly moved to counter.
“Wait, are you two IS Academy students? I never imagined we’d be seeing two IS today! But wait, wait! Is that allowed?”
The MC’s voice was filled with a blend of enthusiasm and bewilderment. As she waved her hands, her bust jiggled along.
“Got you!”
“Rahhh!”
Clang! Sparks flew as their blades clashed.
“Tears!”
“Too slow!”
As Cecilia launched her bits, Ling skillfully weaved in and out with bursts of her thrusters.
“Ugh! Inertial braking... You’re as sharp as ever!”
The barrel of Cecilia’s rifle wavered as it traced over targets. Ling seized on the opportunity.
“My impact cannon’s faster than yours! Eat this!”
She squeezed off a triple shot while still upside down, before closing in for the kill. Cecilia was ready, though, and parried with her rifle.
“Once you stop, I’ve got the advantage!”
Her bits shot twice at Ling’s back.
“I’m still faster at this range!”
Close enough to reach out and touch each other, the two fired their weapons at full power. Neither backed down, and—
“Ah...”
“Eh?”
“Uh?”
FSHOOOOM! The explosion shook Water World.
◆
“Anyway! This sort of thing is absolutely, ab-so-lutely! Unacceptable!”
“Yes, ma’am...”
Ling and Cecilia, back in their street clothes, shrunk back from the likewise clothed MC in her office. Fortunately, no one had been injured, but the pool had been partially destroyed, and even the skylight overhead was cracked.
“I can’t believe you two!”
“Er, ah...”
“What?!”
“Well, um, about the competition...”
“So, uh. We still get the prize, right?”
The MC glared at them with a killer’s gaze.
“Sorry... Never mind...”
With the damage Ling and Cecilia’s IS had done, the race was of course canceled. And there were no winners in a canceled race. They felt the last flickers of hope wink out, leaving their spirits shrouded in gloom.
“Someone from the Academy will be along shortly to collect you... Try not to do any more damage before then.”
“Yeah...”
It was already five o’ clock, and the setting sun gave an orange cast to the world. The faraway buzzing of cicadas sounded almost mocking. Ring, ring. The phone in the office rang, and the MC picked it up.
“Front office. Yes, of course. Understood.” With a clatter, she hung the phone up and waved at Ling and Cecilia as if to shoo them away. “They’ve arrived. Get out of here.”
“Understood...”
As the door clicked shut behind them, they shuffled out, staring at the carpet.
“You two look really down. Was she that hard on you?”
“What?!”
They both looked up at once.
“Yo.”
Waiting for them was the man each had planned on spending the day together with in the first place: Ichika.
“Ms. Yamada was supposed to come, but something came up. I was done with the testing, so I—”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Ling and Cecilia both took a step forward and grabbed him by his collar.
“Seriously...!”
“It’s all your fault! If it wasn’t for you...”
Even Ichika knew to wilt and make a quick excuse under those withering glares.
“W-Wait! I’m sorry! I don’t know what for, but I’m sorry! Uh— Why don’t we stop for something on the way back? Anyone in the mood for an early dessert? Huh?”
“........”
Ling and Cecilia each thought for a few seconds, then leaned forward and whispered.
“@Cruise...”
“The most expensive of the limited-edition parfaits.”
“Ugh.”
That was 2,500 yen each. Ichika slumped, realizing how much more it was than he’d planned on.
“Problem?”
“Oh, you think you have the option to refuse?”
“Fine... Sigh...”
For the girls, Ichika’s decision was like flicking a switch. As glum as they’d been before, now, they clutched his arms joyously.
“All right, let’s go!”
“Ah! Cecilia, why are you grabbing his arm?! Ichika! Me too!”
“W-What’s going on? Why are you—”
“We can barely walk.”
Ling and Cecilia’s voices overlapped.
“Can’t we?”
“Indeed.”
“.........”
Ichika sighed at their coordination, and together, slowly, they set off for @Cruise, a diner by the station.
“I suppose this will suffice as an apology.”
“But we won’t be so easily pleased next time, understand?”
“Sure, sure...”
The trio cast a long, long shadow in the setting sun. Such were the events of a dog day of August.