Aoyama said, “We can’t swim across.” Kasumigaoka Utaha turned her head to look at him.
“Build a raft?” After all, with two knives on hand, building a raft wouldn’t be difficult.
Aoyama shook his head and pointed to the sea around the shipwreck.
“Look over there.
The undercurrents are obvious.
A raft would easily be swept off course.” “So, Aoyama-kun, you mean…” Aoyama turned to face her, looking into her eyes.
“Don’t forget my talent.” “I’m wondering…
if I eat enough fish, especially the kind that can live freely in seawater, would I gain the ability to survive underwater without breathing?” Kasumigaoka Utaha blinked, her lips curving into a subtle smile.
“So you want to…
catch and eat fish on this beach?” Aoyama nodded.
“I might need to stay here for another day or two.” Without hesitation, Kasumigaoka Utaha took off her backpack and set it on the sand.
She bent down to remove her shoes and socks, her fair toes sinking into the soft white sand.
Then she straightened up.
The sea breeze lifted her black hair and the hem of her school skirt.
She reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, then turned her head to look at him.
“No matter how many days it takes, I’ll stay with you,” she said, her voice carrying a light, amused tone in the sea breeze.
“I’ll help too.” Aoyama looked at her, standing barefoot on the beach.
The sunlight hit her from the side, bathing her in a soft glow.
The sea breeze pressed her school shirt against her body, tracing the slender curve of her waist and the rise and fall of her chest.
Her skirt fluttered against her legs, revealing her long, pale limbs.
Her ankles sank slightly into the fine sand, giving her an indescribable sense of liveliness.
“…Alright.” Aoyama averted his gaze and turned toward the shallow water.
“We’ll start here.” “Remember, it’s best to catch the same kind of fish.” “I understand.” Kasumigaoka Utaha followed him into the sea.
The cool waves washed over her ankles.
She took a sharp breath, then, acclimated to the temperature, continued forward until the water reached her calves.
The hem of her school skirt soaked up the water, the fabric clinging to her thighs just above her knees and accentuating their full contours.
Aoyama was already crouching in the shallows, his sharp gaze scanning the clear surface of the water.
He moved swiftly, his hands cupping together in a sudden scoop.
When he lifted them, a silvery-white fish the size of his palm was thrashing violently between his fingers.
“The first one.” He placed the fish into a pool he had formed earlier with a ring of stones.
Kasumigaoka Utaha stood nearby, watching him closely and then leaning down to peer at the water’s surface, mimicking his posture.
She was earnest, but her lack of experience showed.
She lunged several times, but the silvery-white fish always slipped through her fingers, splashing seawater all over her face.
“What kind of fish are these?
Why are they as slippery as loaches?” she grumbled, wiping the droplets from her face in frustration.
Aoyama glanced at her, a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth.
“I don’t know, but they hide in the deeper water.” “Try scooping from underneath.
You have to be fast.” “Let me show you.” Aoyama walked over and bent down beside her.
He stared intently at the water, leaning his body forward slightly.
Then his hands plunged into the water simultaneously, his movement as swift as a shadow.
When he rose again, he held another fish.
“…” Kasumigaoka Utaha watched his hand gestures, nodded thoughtfully, and then adjusted her angle.
This time, she succeeded.
The moment her fingertips closed, she felt a fish thrashing violently in her palm.
She let out a delighted cry and quickly placed it into the stone-ringed pool in the shallows.
“Aoyama-kun!
I caught one!!” Her voice held an irrepressible, childlike triumph.
When she turned to look at Aoyama, her eyes were moist and shining.
Aoyama nodded.
“You’re learning fast.” “Of course I am.” She bent down again to search for the next fish, her movements much more practiced than before.
The two of them spent the better part of the day busy in the shallow waters.
The sun climbed higher, and the seawater warmed, becoming pleasantly tepid.
The back of Utaha’s shirt was now completely soaked, the fabric clinging to her skin and faintly revealing the slender lines of her back.
As she bent over, her collar loosened slightly, offering Aoyama a glimpse of the fair, curving peaks of her breasts rising and falling gently with her breath.
“Aoyama-kun, how many do you have over there?” she asked, straightening up and shaking the water from her hands.
“Nine.” “I have three over here.” “Is that enough?” Aoyama replied, “Still a few short.” “Then I’ll catch a few more.” As Kasumigaoka Utaha said this, she bent down again.
The hem of her skirt rode up slightly with her movement, revealing a large section of the fabric on her thigh, soaked by the seawater and clinging tightly to her skin.
Her rounded hips and the curves of her body were exceptionally distinct beneath the drenched school uniform.
Her waist was slender, yet her hips were full and shapely.
Seawater trickled down the inside of her thighs, glistening in the sunlight.
“…” Aoyama’s brow furrowed.
He realized this was more complicated than he’d thought.
The next second, he averted his gaze, staring back at the water to continue searching for fish.
But the image from his peripheral vision kept drifting back into his mind.
“Aoyama-kun.” Utaha’s voice suddenly came from beside him, tinged with a hint of mischief.
“I saw you staring at me just now, didn’t I?” Aoyama’s expression remained unchanged.
“I was looking at the water.” “The water is on my thigh?” “Ahem!” Aoyama cleared his throat.
Fortunately, he was thick-skinned enough for the embarrassed look he’d worn when caught to vanish quickly.
“Hmm.” Utaha chuckled softly, deciding not to press the attack further.
She bent down to continue catching fish, her movements more relaxed than before.
As the sea breeze blew, the moisture on her body carried a faint saltiness, mingled with the lingering fragrance of her hair.
About half an hour later, the bucket was filled with over a dozen silvery-white fish.
Aoyama counted them, then called to Kasumigaoka Utaha to come back to shore.
“Our mission is complete.” “I know, Aoyama-kun~!” The two walked back to the beach and sat down in the shade of a coconut tree near the edge of the bushes.
Kasumigaoka Utaha wrung out the soaked hem of her skirt, seawater splashing onto the sandy ground.
She sat sideways, her legs stretched out.
The drenched school uniform bunched up in several deep and light creases along her legs.
Sunlight shone on her calves, and water droplets trickled down the lines of her legs, creating a small, dark patch on the sand.
Beside her, Aoyama skillfully prepared a fish with a knife—scaling it, gutting it, and washing it clean.
He put a piece in his mouth, chewing slowly, waiting for the virtual panel’s reaction.
Consumption Record: Small Silver Fish ×1 Current Progress: 2/20 Ability Unlocked: Underwater Breathing (Fish) [ Effect: Take a deep breath to hold it underwater for 20 minutes.
] What kind of fish is this?
Aoyama thought.
This is a bit weak…
Kasumigaoka Utaha leaned against the tree trunk, her head tilted as she watched him eat, a thoughtful expression on her face.
After a moment, she suddenly spoke.
“Aoyama-kun, what does this fish taste like?” “It’s very fresh, with a hint of sweetness.
The meat is firm.” “You should try some too.” Aoyama glanced at her, sliced a thin piece of fish with his knife, and handed it over.
Kasumigaoka Utaha took it, mimicking his actions by putting it in her mouth.
She chewed slowly a few times, then her eyebrows rose slightly.
“…Surprisingly good.
It tastes better than I expected.” “Saltwater fish are fresher than freshwater fish because they don’t have that muddy taste.” Aoyama offered her another slice.
As she took it, her fingertips deliberately brushed against his.
The warm contact was fleeting.
She casually put the fish in her mouth, her gaze swiftly sweeping across his face.