“We can’t swim over.”
Utaha turned her head to look at him.
“Build a raft?”
With two knives available now, making a raft would not be difficult.
Aoyama shook his head and pointed toward the ocean around the shipwreck.
“Look there.
The currents beneath the surface are obvious.
A raft would easily be pushed off course.”
“Then what are you thinking, Aoyama-kun…?”
Aoyama turned around and met her eyes.
“Don’t forget about my ability.”
“I was thinking, if I eat enough fish, especially the kind that can survive freely in seawater, maybe I can gain the ability to survive underwater without breathing.”
Utaha blinked.
Then the corners of her lips curved into a subtle smile.
“So you want to…
catch fish and eat them on this beach?”
Aoyama nodded.
“We might need to stay here for another day or two.”
Utaha did not hesitate.
She took off her backpack and placed it on the sand, then bent down and removed her shoes and socks.
Her bare feet sank into the soft white sand beneath her.
When she stood back up, the sea breeze lifted her black hair and the hem of her school uniform skirt.
She raised a hand to tuck the loose strands behind her ear before turning to look at him.
“No matter how many days it takes, I’ll stay with you.”
Her voice carried a light smile as it blended with the sound of the ocean.
“I’ll help too.”
Aoyama looked at her standing barefoot on the beach.
Sunlight fell from the side, surrounding her figure with a soft glow.
Her uniform shirt fluttered in the sea breeze, outlining her slender waist.
The skirt moved gently against her legs, revealing her long, pale legs as her ankles sank slightly into the fine sand.
There was a natural liveliness to her that was difficult to ignore.
“…Okay.”
Aoyama looked away and walked toward the shallow water.
“Let’s start from here.”
“Remember, it’s best if we catch the same type of fish.”
“I understand.”
Utaha followed behind him into the ocean.
The cold waves washed over her ankles, causing her to inhale softly.
After quickly adjusting to the temperature, she continued forward until the water reached her calves.
Her skirt became soaked, the wet fabric clinging above her knees.
Aoyama was already crouching in the shallows, his sharp gaze sweeping across the clear water.
His movements were fast.
He suddenly brought both hands together and scooped downward.
When he lifted them again, a palm-sized silver fish was already struggling between his fingers, its tail violently beating.
“First one.”
He placed the fish into a small pool of water he had created by arranging stones.
Utaha stood nearby and copied his movements, bending down and staring carefully into the water.
Her posture was serious, but she clearly lacked experience.
Several attempts ended with nothing but empty splashes.
The silver fish slipped through her fingers each time, leaving her face covered in seawater.
“What kind of fish are these?
Why are they as slippery as loaches?”
She wiped the water from her face and muttered in frustration.
Aoyama glanced at her.
“I don’t recognize them, but they always try to escape toward deeper water.”
“Try scooping upward from below.
Move faster.”
“I’ll show you.”
Aoyama walked over and crouched beside her.
He stared at the water’s surface, leaned forward slightly, and moved both hands into the water at the same time.
His movements were as fast as a shadow.
When he lifted his hands again, another fish was already in his grasp.
“…”
Utaha watched his technique carefully.
After thinking for a moment, she nodded and adjusted her angle.
This time, she succeeded.
The moment her fingers closed, she felt the fish struggling violently in her palm.
A surprised cry escaped her lips as she quickly placed it into the shallow pool.
“Aoyama-kun!
I caught one!”
Her voice carried an unmistakable childish pride.
When she turned to him, her eyes were bright with excitement.
Aoyama nodded.
“You’re improving quickly.”
“Of course.”
Utaha bent down to search for another fish, her movements already much more skilled than before.
The two of them continued working in the shallow water for most of the day.
The sun climbed higher, and the seawater gradually warmed until it became comfortable.
Utaha’s shirt was soaked through at the back, the damp fabric clinging to her skin and faintly outlining her slender figure.
“Aoyama-kun, how many do you have over there?”
She straightened up and shook the water from her hands.
“Nine.”
“I have three.”
“Is that enough?”
“We need more.”
“Then let’s catch a few more.”
Utaha bent down again and continued searching.
Aoyama glanced away and focused on the water.
This is more difficult than I expected.
The next moment, he forced himself to ignore the distraction and continued looking for fish.
But the scene from the corner of his vision kept appearing again and again.
“Aoyama-kun.”
Utaha’s voice suddenly came from beside him, carrying a teasing tone.
“When you were staring at me just now, I noticed, you know?”
Aoyama kept a calm expression.
“I was looking at the water.”
“The water was on my thighs?”
“Cough!”
Aoyama cleared his throat.
Fortunately, his composure was strong enough.
The embarrassment of being caught disappeared almost immediately.
“Mm.”
Utaha let out a soft laugh and did not continue teasing him.
Instead, she bent down and kept catching fish, her movements becoming even more relaxed than before.
When the sea breeze passed by, the moisture on her body carried a faint salty scent mixed with the lingering fragrance from her hair.
About half an hour later, the stone pool was filled with more than a dozen silver fish.
Aoyama counted them before calling Utaha back to shore.
“Our mission is complete.”
“I understand, Aoyama-kun~!”
The two walked back to the beach and sat beneath a coconut tree near the edge of the bushes.
Utaha wrung out the soaked hem of her skirt, seawater dripping onto the sand with a soft patter.
She sat sideways with her legs stretched out.
Her wet uniform gathered into folds along her thighs, and droplets of water rolled down her calves before darkening patches of sand beneath her.
Beside her, Aoyama used his knife to prepare a fish with practiced movements.
He removed the scales, cut open the belly, and washed it clean.
Then he placed the fish into his mouth and slowly chewed, waiting for the virtual panel to respond.
[Food Record: Small silver fish ×1]
[Current Progress: 2/20]
[Ability Unlocked: Underwater Breathing (Fish)]
[Effect: After taking a deep breath, you can hold your breath underwater for 20 minutes.]
Aoyama thought to himself.
What kind of fish is this?
The ability is kind of disappointing…
Utaha leaned against the tree trunk, tilting her head as she watched him eat.
Her expression was thoughtful.
After a while, she suddenly spoke.
“Aoyama-kun, what does this fish taste like?”
“It’s fresh, with a slight sweetness.
The meat is firm.”
“You should try it too.”
Aoyama glanced at her.
Using his knife, he cut off a thin slice of fish meat and handed it to her.
Utaha accepted it and copied his actions, placing it into her mouth.
She chewed slowly for a few seconds before her eyebrows lifted slightly.
“…It’s surprisingly good.
Better than I expected.”
“Sea fish usually taste better than freshwater fish because they don’t have that muddy smell.”
Aoyama cut another piece and offered it to her.
When Utaha took it, her fingertips intentionally brushed against his.
The warm touch lasted only an instant.
She calmly placed the fish into her mouth, but her gaze quickly swept across his face.