It seemed that everyone had started to notice that Iori and I were resting under the same parasol, but perhaps out of consideration, no one came to visit Iori. There was a persistent ticklish feeling in my heart, and since I didn’t know what to say to Iori, who had become my girlfriend, we ended up just quietly watching the sea and everyone playing there.

“Hey, Natsuki, could you put some sunscreen on me?”

Iori suddenly said that out of the blue.

“Sunscreen? Didn’t you put some on already?”

“Of course I did. But I went into the sea earlier, so it’s better to reapply it frequently.”

“Oh, I see.”

I always thought sunscreen lasted the whole day once applied, but now that I think about it, if it doesn’t wash off in water, it would still be on even after taking a bath.

Iori took something out of the waterproof pouch hanging from her neck, handed it to me, and lay face-down on the sheet. The mysterious item was labeled “UV Stick.” Opening the lid revealed something resembling three glue sticks stuck together horizontally.

“I can’t really reach my back on my own, so I’m glad you’re here, Natsuki. Only a boyfriend could be asked to do something like this, right?”

Iori lay before me with her bare back exposed. Her faintly outlined shoulder blades and spine, the muscles flowing beneath her skin — everything drew my eyes in. Lowering my gaze further, I saw her firm, toned backside, and I quickly averted my eyes. I wasn’t mentally prepared for that yet.

Honestly, I wanted to refuse. Even just holding hands still made my heart race, and this felt like skipping a few steps ahead.

But I also knew that I had to overcome things like this. After all, Iori was my girlfriend.

“…If it’s for my girlfriend, I can’t say no.”

I extended the stick and pressed it against Iori’s back.

“Oh, if the swimsuit string is in the way, you can undo it.”

“…I’ll pass on that one.”

I wanted to punch myself for even imagining it for a second.

Maybe someday in the distant future, I might see Iori like that. But that’s not something to think about now. I didn’t start dating Iori because I wanted those kinds of things — I was drawn to her as a person.

“You know, backs are surprisingly bumpy.”

I had always imagined backs to be flat, but sliding the stick across revealed quite a few contours. As I traced the stick along the dip of her spine, Iori shivered slightly.

“…The stick was just cold and ticklish. Don’t worry, I’ll do the same for you later, Natsuki.”

“I didn’t even say anything.”

She probably felt embarrassed about reacting to it, as Iori hid her face in her arms. But her ears, which she couldn’t hide, were bright red, and I couldn’t help but smile quietly. My girlfriend was just too cute.

◆

Once I finished applying the stick, we headed out to the sea. By then, I wasn’t worried at all about what might happen if our relationship got exposed. More than anything, I cared about Iori. Compared to just a little while ago, I felt like a completely different person, and I didn’t care what Suzakura students thought anymore. Maybe this was what they called the power of being in love. If you live each day with this kind of energy, it’s no wonder people feel happy.

After that, Iori helped me apply sunscreen too. Her touch was clearly intended to tickle me, and I got mad about it. Then Souta and the others teased us, and we spent a fun time together. I also finally got to see Shirataki for the first time. She was petite and adorable, and I couldn’t help but think she and Souta looked good together. Although Iori and I ended up being the first Aotaka couple, I hoped Souta and Shirataki would become one too.

Before we knew it, the sky had turned red, and most of the students had already gone home. We were so happy just being together that we remained sitting on the beach long after we’d grown tired from playing. By then, we’d reapplied sunscreen three times.

“…I don’t want to go home yet.”

Iori murmured while watching the sun sink below the horizon.