"Ah," the man moaned.
He had taken the external Kei with his back. Small tree branches hammered his entire body. In the end, the huge tree trunk had stopped his momentum.
"Wu.........."
Through the gap of the tree, he saw the clock tower that he had once seen. He put a hand to his temple.
"Is it here again? Why? Why do I always return here?" the red haired man, Dixerio........ Dixerio Maskane said. He moaned because of the pain.
The breeding lake reflected the sunlight beside him. It was too bright.
And the huge noise that was like the sun echoed in his ears.
"....... It's summer."
He said without much thinking, and then his consciousness faded.
Chapter 1
Summer
"Summer~~"
"I like swimsuits~~ the best~~"
Nina frowned at the shouts coming from the lake. "Who's saying those shameful things?"
People crowded the swimming area of the lake. It was hard to find the person who shouted out those words, even for a Military Artist.
"No no, I understand his feelings." Sharnid nodded. "The passion sealed within uniforms can now be released. That's the song of a man's soul. It's a joyful song."
"Shut up, you lowlife," Dalshena tossed her bag to him. "Can't you live seriously?"
"Of course, I'm always serious."
"Sorry, it's my fault. It's useless talking to you."
"So mean," he smiled.
Dalshena sighed.
Nina gradually lost interest in their interaction.
Felli was looking around, holding an umbrella with a "nothing to do with me" attitude. And Layfon was watching them with a funny smile.
"Ah, unexpected, but of course, but there're so many people here," Mifi said, shielding her eyes with her hand as she watched the crowd. "Wonder whether the changing room has any space?"
"It should be full," Meishen said uneasily.
And..........
"All lockers are full. We can still use the changing room, but we have to watch our luggage," Leerin said, reading from the notice.
"Ah, I'll look after the luggage," Harley raised his hand. Beside him, Kirik was glaring at the sun with an unhappy expression.
"Is it ok?"
"Of course. We aren't gonna swim."
"Then what did you come here for?"
"To sunbathe," he gave a quick reply to Nina and Leerin, who were still hesitating. Kirik seemed to be saying something, but it must be something that was displeasing.
Layfon deeply felt that they were used to her. Leerin. She had been here for three months now. Many things happened during that time. The number of roaming buses had decreased because it was still wartime, so she had decided to temporarily stay here and study. As a third year student, she lived with Nina because she heard the rent was cheap. That really was like her. And she had also found a part time job at the fast food place near the dormitory of the first year.
Three months had passed by in the blink of an eye. Leerin had completely merged into Zuellni's atmosphere.
(Is this good?)
It wasn't that he had to think like this. Grendan was there. But Leerin really couldn't return in this situation, and she didn't want to drag down her studies. Though she had been easily adaptable when she was young. Anyways, he couldn't help but worry.
(Is the Dojo ok?)
Leerin was the oldest in the orphanage now. The orphanage should be all right since people from nearby orphanages would come and help. Besides, Leerin had already left the place when she went to study.
She said she had applied for leave in the school at Grendan. Everything could be solved once she obtained proof from Zuellni and took her exams for the next grade. But something still felt.......
(Is this okay?)
"What?" It was Leerin.
"Uh, nothing," he shook his head vaguely.
(But........)
What was it? He wasn't sure. He just felt.......... Something...... He felt......... hard to concentrate.
"What happened?"
"Really, nothing," he cocked his head at her, shaking his head. His vague expression made her angry.
"Ok, then hurry up and get changed," Sharnid said. Everybody moved.
They didn't have school and training today. They just came here for a fun day.
"We should enjoy some fun," Sharnid said excitedly as he waved his hand. This was three days ago after training in the training room.
Nina made a face at the word "fun". For her, who enjoyed training, even if she acknowledged a holiday, she wouldn't acknowledge "fun". Felli's reaction was cold from a corner. Seemed like she was about to say "what a fool". Dalshena's expression was similar. Sharnid hadn't directed his question to Naruki at all. It appeared she might need to learn how to react to this senpai.
Layfon was thinking of how to react to him.
"Yes, yes," Harley agreed. "It's already summer. The lake will be opened."
"If we want to swim, we can always swim in the pool."
"Stupid!" Nina said.
Sharnid reproved her angrily. "We can't let this sealed space suppress our youth."
"Wh.......!"
"Blue sky, glaring sun, hot sand. We can only release the colors of our youth at that place."
"Oh!" Harley was the only person to agree. Everyone else was uninterested.
"...... Truth to say, I think sometimes we need rest. It's not bad to go once a while," Sharnid said solemnly, perhaps realizing the atmosphere around him.
Nina sighed. "True. We've just been training."
"Yes, holidays are important too, whether they are for the heart or the body."
"Your motivation doesn't seem pure, but, never mind. That suggestion is fine."
"Good~~"
....... As such, team 17 had gone on holiday. This might explain why Sharnid's emotions were stronger than usual.
"Layfon, what is this. This spiritless swimsuit?" Sharnid reproached him when he came out of the changing room.
"A swimsuit doesn't have a spirit........." he said, feeling troublesome as he looked at his swimsuit. It was a fairly normal piece.
Sharnid's swimsuit was the same style as Kirik's. It fitted him, but it was too tight.
"Oh, oh, my forest is ready for anything. Don't give me too passionate a gaze."
"Ah, just what's this situation? Besides, when did I get intimate with you? Be careful of what you say."
"Ho, beauty is honed by curves."
Not knowing what to say, Layfon moved his gaze away from him. Nina and the girls emerged from the changing room.
Females usually took longer to change, but since both the male and female changing rooms were full, it took them about the same amount of time to get changed.
Nina took the lead. Next came Naruki, Mifi, Meishen and Leerin, chatting as they walked. Felli was the last one, as if hiding behind the girls.
"Look, Layfon. The female team is so imposing."
"Ha........."
Urged by Sharnid, Layfon observed their swimsuits. True, they suited their owners' personalities.
"Don't you find them beautiful?" Sharnid said in a small voice.
"Ha........." Layfon's reply wasn't keen at all.
"The light hidden by the uniform is now in bloom. What do you think? It shines, doesn't it? Don't you think this is what the light of youth is like?"
"Ha........"
"..... Why are you so listless?"
"I don't quite know how to swim."
"Swim? You planned to swim?"
"Eh, isn't that what we're doing?"
"You..... How do you want me to explain to you what youth is? From the start? Or a folk tale first?"
"What folk tale can explain youth?"
Sharnid hugged his head.
"Really.... Listen up! The place of physical contact that guys and girls can't touch usually. That's the place! The interaction between adults. We're standing on the boundary that can get us beyond
the usual boy-girl relationship."
"So..... this is the limit?"
"Of course, or do you like seeing their underwear beneath their uniforms more?"
"Not, not at all!"
"Right. Then let's feel the beauty now? And look. Look," he turned Layfon's head around.
The girls were criticizing each other's swimsuit.
"Don't you think they made a serious choice in choosing their swimsuits?"
"Uh....... They're pretty."
"Since you've emotional perception, then look more troubled."
"Look more troubled........"
"In other words, desire for the flesh. What do you think?"
"It's not good to be so direct."
"Listen up, three desires exist between guys and girls. One of them is lust. That's because of the nervous system.........."
"Please don't suddenly discuss such a serious topic."
"I'm always serious....... Anyway, this is the end of boy girl relationship. Humans can treat it as happiness. All hail humans. Got it?"
"I don't get anything you just said."
"Really, just what do you want me to say?"
Layfon thought Sharnid's words were quite problematic, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
"Really, look. Nina's even worn that, though she's slow as you."
But Nina's sports style swimsuit was very common.
"That fool! I'm not saying you have to wear something unexpected. Listen up.........."
While Sharnid was speaking.........
"What're you doing? Everyone's waiting."
"Ah, sorry, Shena........." he cut himself off.
Because Layfon's head was lightly bent, he first saw her feet. Sharnid was probably the same. Above the delicate toes were her calves that had gone through training. Next came the thighs that looked to be pretty bouncy. The V shape swimsuit showed her curves.
Sharnid wanted to say something but...... He got cut off.
"What?" she frowned at his suspicious look.
"Ah, no. I want to ask what do you want to do?"
She seemed to get his original intention. Her frown deepened. "Nothing much about "what do I come to do"? I came to swim."
Goggles sat on her head. A white swim cap for the purpose of racing hid her golden hair. Of course, that cap failed to cover all of her hair, letting some hair loose down her back.
"I don't like to do nothing though we're here to have fun. I'm going ahead for a swim," she left him looking confused, and headed for the beach.
"Uh, Layfon, you get it now?" he asked, watching her leave.
"Um....... A bit."
"Yeah?" Sharnid said, feeling down.
Layfon headed for the beach too.
And their holiday began.
A large area of the lake was opened up for swimming. There was a beach, and the area for swimming wasn't particularly deep. The depth of the banned area was the height of two grown men put together. Canoes were provided along with other swimming gears. Target practices for water shooting could be seen on the opposite shore. There were also people who just relaxed on the beach to sunbathe. Men who chatted with others, girls who waited for guys to walk up to them....... All kinds of people were here today.
Layfon was waiting for everyone in the restaurant "Home of the Lake" near the beach. This building had no walls, so everything inside could be seen from the outside. Tables were put in rows, and deeper inside the shop was the kitchen. The shop owner had put in several life buoys. Some beach umbrellas were also there for rent.
Layfon sat on the edge of the raised floor, dangling his feet above the sand with nothing to do. Harley and Kirik were watching the luggage on the beach. Layfon saw them discussing something in their notes when he went to deliver some drinks to them. Nina and Dalshena seemed to be competing over swimming. He could see them clearly, though they were in the banned area. Sharnid had gone to do something else for a change of mood. Who knew where he had gone off to. Leerin, Meishen, Naruki and Mifi were playing in the water. Felli.......
"You found a nice place," Felli said, suddenly sitting beside him as she drank from the cool drink in her hand. She had her jacket spread on her back. "It's so hot. I don't get why they still want to play."
"It must be more comfortable in the water."
"Fon Fon?"
"I don't quite know how to swim," he said, moving his gaze away from her.
(Sharnid senpai......)
All because of the strange things that Sharnid had said, making Layfon think strange thoughts. He felt something looking at Felli's mouth as she drank. Many things had happened in the past three months. Many things had happened, but he couldn't quite remember them. He thought of them as accidents and that was why he forgot them. In fact, he did forget about them until this day came. What Sharnid said had made him recall the past.
Felli was wearing her swimsuit with her jacket covering her back and her breasts. A swimsuit with little flower pattern. As she hadn't done up the buttons of the jacket, Layfon could see her stomach. Very white skin. The second piece of her swimsuit was in the style of a skirt that covered her waist and more. Her sandal-covered feet swung back and forth.
Felli was so delicate. Thinking of that, he remembered that he had carried her a few times.
(Ahhh, no, no, wait, don't think......)
At the time during training for the intercity match, and at the time in the ruined city. Those scenes surfaced in his mind.
"What is it?"
".... No, nothing," he said, hugging his head and stopping himself from thinking more, yet it failed.... The feeling of Felli's light weight in his arms, the feeling of when he took hold of her legs, the feeling when she sat on his shoulders....
(Ahhhhhhh!)
"Are you all right?"
"I'm all...... all right."
"Do you feel unwell? You've been forcing yourself lately. What happened......"
"No. Really. Nothing!"
Stop my memory! He prayed with all of his concentration. But at that time....
"Ah, exercise really is great. Felli, you're not going to swim? This is a good chance for some practice."
"No way."
"Practice is great so that you don't drown."
Nina and Dalshena had returned.
"Uh? What's with Layfon?"
"Ah, no......." he lifted his head and his gaze met Nina's.
(Aa........)
More memories surfaced. The time when he was at Nina and Leerin's place. Nina fainted and........
(No, no. That was an accident. Accident. Accident. Accident!)
But.......
"You look strange."
"Layfon, if you feel unwell......" Nina put her hand on his forehead.
(Wu!)
Her action brought her breasts before him.
(Wuwu......)
Everything that happened on that day jumped out to him. He had wrapped her with the swimming bag that day for the race......
(As I said, it was an accident!)
"No fever, but your face is really red. Are you ok?"
"Ah, well, just a little....!"
When her hand left his forehead, he seized the chance to stand up and walk past her. But two more figures appeared in his path and made him halt.
"What? What's wrong?"
Leerin and Meishen were back.
"Layfon looks strange," Nina explained.
"Eh?"
Both girls looked worried.
"Layfon?"
"Are you all right?"
Both girls walked up to him to confirm his situation, bringing their faces close to him.
(Ahah, again.......)
That scene flashed past him. On that day at Grendan's bus station, a place filled with rumbling. Leerin's teary eyes....
"Ah......."
This moment when he made a voice without knowing.
"Eh?"
He seemed to hear someone's voice. Along with a feeling that rushed up to his brain, he fainted.
> In the end, he fainted with a reddened face.
"So what happened?"
They put him underneath an umbrella. Originally they intended to send him to the hospital, but Sharnid had stopped them.
"He's burnt."
Burnt? As in a heatstroke?
"Not sure."
Though he was flippant, Sharnid wasn't the type of guy who would leave someone in a life and death situation. Since he said Layfon was all right, he probably would be all right then.
"Even so...... I still don't get it," Nina said.
Leerin and Meishen stayed behind to look after Layfon. Dalshena went swimming again. And Sharnid had gone with her. Naruki and Mifi went to do something else. Felli stayed at "Home of the Lake" to read her book. Nina had nothing to do and nowhere to go.
"That's difficult......."
It felt strange that she had nowhere to go on a beach so full of people. She looked around. She wanted to look after Layfon with Leerin and Meishen, but she felt it was difficult to just sit there with them.
Wearing sand-covered sandals, she walked along the beach aimlessly, enjoying the sun and the sand. She saw groups of boys and girls on the beach. There were couples around too. Though they were all students at Zuellni, Nina didn't know all of them. She did, however, come across a few familiar faces. Some of them were with the same gender, some came with their lover.
"Um."
Nina's gaze suddenly stopped on the couple that had walked past her.
"Ah."
"Ah."
She didn't immediately recognize her because she looked different than usual. Leu looked at her with an "oh no" expression. Leu lived in the same dormitory as Nina, and they were once classmates in first year. Nina recognized the guy beside her. Someone from Military Arts who seemed to be also in the same class in first year.
"Come over a sec......" Leu took Nina's hand and pulled her away.
"Wh, what?" Nina said in a fluster.
"How should I put it......Well......"
Leu frowned, not knowing how to say what she wanted to say. Her hands seemed directionless. She seemed to want to push something up before her eyes and suddenly realized that the glasses weren't there. Glasses were inconvenient since she was here to swim.
"That's why you refused the invitation. I see. In that case, it'd have been better if you just said so before," Nina said.
Blue Mazurka Page 2
