{Our Make-Up School Trip (3)}

We rode along the concrete riverbank for a while.

The surface of the shallow stream was speckled with sunlight and green shadows, shimmering with a pattern like fish scales. There were patches of algae floating around, and it wasn’t a particularly clean river, but it looked refreshingly bright as we pedaled along, even though we weren’t paying much attention.

It might be because this is a river we don’t know. To the locals, it might just be a murky stream on the verge of being a ditch. But it looks oddly radiant, and there’s no doubt that it’s because we’re on a trip right now.

Sato-san was pedaling next to me.

On flat paths, she rode leisurely, but as soon as we hit an incline, she wobbled dangerously. Still, the most nerve-wracking part for me was watching her stretch out both legs and cheer as she slid down the hill with triumphant excitement.

Even while riding a bike, Sato-san seems childlike. It’s relentless, especially considering she’s an adult.

Soon, the cycling path came to an abrupt end, and we were faced with a wall of quay and breakwater blocks, a horizon splitting the scenery in two.

After waiting for a few seconds at an unlit crosswalk on the coastal road with one lane in each direction, we finally got to look at the sparkling sea. At that point, any feeling of “We’ve reached the sea!” had evaporated, replaced by the sweat pouring down.

How annoying!

“Wow, the sea!”

Still, Sato-san shouted out, as if it were an obligatory reaction.

I didn’t push it because the sea breeze felt pleasant, and the sound of the waves was finally audible. It was starting to feel like a proper summer trip.

We stopped the bikes near the quay, and I asked Sato-san, who was eager to dive into the coastal scenery, which direction she wanted to go.

“So, which way should we go?”

“What do you mean, which way?”

I pointed out the quays leading in both directions.

To the right, there was a sandy beach. The gently spreading sand would soon lead to a crowded beach area. I could already spot some brightly colored parasols and a few beachside stalls. A day like today would probably be a perfect beach day.

To the left appeared to be a fishing port. If you followed the quay with your eyes, you could see small fishing boats docked side by side. There were hardly any boats out at sea, as it was lunchtime, and all the boats were bobbing in the water, giving off a quintessential port town vibe.

I wondered which way Sato-san would prefer.

“I’d rather avoid the crowded places.”

Surprisingly, she showed reluctance towards the beach.

I thought she might like it. With beachside stalls selling shaved ice, soda, and yakisoba, I figured she’d enjoy it. But considering how she probably wasn’t confident about swimming, maybe she didn’t want to be anywhere near a beach, even just to see it.

While thinking about it, I noticed her unexpected reaction.

In an almost apologetic tone, she said, “Because today’s a date. I’d prefer somewhere quieter.”

The one who dragged me into this “revised school trip” said that.

“But you were the one who first mentioned the school trip, Sato-san. I thought you didn’t have any intention of it being a date.”

When I pointed this out with a hint of teasing, Sato-san laughed a little.

But then, she put on a pouty expression.

“Yes, I said that, but I still did not think of it as a regular school trip. I meant for it to be different.”

“I thought you were planning to do some studying while we’re here.”

“No way! …And besides, everyone’s in swimsuits over there, but I didn’t bring one.”

She then added,

“Do you still want to go to the beach, Yamaguchi-kun?”

I thought about it.

A sulking Sato-san is rare. And cute.

Maybe Sato-san was worried that if we went to the beach, I’d be distracted by other girls in swimsuits. There would be plenty of them there, but since she didn’t bring a swimsuit, maybe she was unusually sulking about it. Or maybe this was just a self-serving fantasy on my part.

It would be nice if that were the case, but if I said that, she’d probably sulk even more. Anyway, it’s unlikely that Sato-san would be jealous. She’s always so kind, oblivious, and childlike. It’s probably just that she’d stand out at the beach without a swimsuit, and that’s the extent of her concern.

Anyway, I couldn’t keep her sulking for too long.

I pointed to the fishing port again.

“Then let’s skip the beach. How about we check out that way?”

“Yeah.”

Finally, Sato-san nodded, and we decided on our destination.

Although neither of us was exhausted, the constant biking and the strong midday sun meant that sweat wasn’t drying up quickly.

So, we pushed our bikes and walked slowly around the fishing port area.

In contrast to the bustling beach, this area was quiet. However, there were a lot of cars passing through the coastal road. It was a Saturday in late August, so there were probably quite a few people heading out somewhere.

“Was it strange to redo the school trip?”

It seemed like Sato-san was only now worrying about it. She looked a bit down, her hair swaying in the sea breeze.

I wished she’d thought about it before bringing it up.

“When you first mentioned it, I was surprised. I thought school trips were something you leave behind after high school.”

Honestly, she looked flustered.

“But, but you see. I wanted to do the school trip again with you, Yamaguchi-kun. Oh, of course, it’s a date. That’s the main point!”

Her nervousness made me grin.

I didn’t want to show that grin in front of Sato-san, so I forced myself to keep a straight face. But her earlier pouty face and her current flustered reaction were quite something.

Seeing a different side of her from usual might be one of the joys of the trip.

It wouldn’t bother me if she was like this all the time.

“Didn’t you care about what happened back then, Yamaguchi-kun?”

Since she was pushing the bike, Sato-san’s words were somewhat lacking.

It took me a while to realize what she was referring to as I struggled to suppress my grin.

“Oh, that.”

I didn’t expect her to bring it up directly, but I guess that’s part of the trip’s charm. I decided to answer honestly.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t care, but more that I didn’t want to remember it.”

Sato-san looked at me with surprise.

At that moment, several cars carrying surfboards passed by on my left. Not wanting to be disturbed by the engine noise, I waited until the road quieted down to just the sound of the waves and wind before speaking again.

“Because, Sato-san, you weren’t like this, but back then I—”

I recalled what I didn’t want to remember.

“I liked you, Sato-san.”

Now, I could say it.

Not casually, but if needed, I could say it as many times as necessary in such situations.

But back then, it wasn’t like that. Even though I was constantly thinking about her, I couldn’t say it, let alone admit it. I didn’t even want to think about it, and as a result, I hurt Sato-san. We had conflicts, made up, and when I realized that her heart wasn’t turned towards me, that’s when I first noticed.

That I had liked Sato-san for a long time.

“Unrequited love memories are pretty lousy, really. There’s nothing good about them, and I went through a lot of painful experiences. It’s better if I can forget them.”

When I said that, Sato-san lowered her chin.

“Yeah. I understand.”

“Well if you understand then that’s makes things even more complicated though…”

That made me wonder. When did Sato-san experience the pain of unrequited love? Who was the other person involved? Such frustrating thoughts, comparable to the painful memories, crossed my mind.

“Oh, no! It’s not like that! I mean—”

She panicked and quickly corrected herself.

“I just mean that I understand how you felt now!”

“Really? Sometimes I feel like you don’t understand, though.”

“It’s true. And also… I like you, Yamaguchi-kun.”

The ending was mumbled, as if she were chanting a spell.

I, being a bit of a softie, felt that her words and her suddenly downcast expression made it seem like everything would be okay now.

We could leave old memories behind here and only take back new ones. What we need isn’t a redo of high school; with our feelings aligned, there’s no need to think about unnecessary things.

“Then let’s make more enjoyable memories.”

I gathered my spirits and cheerfully suggested. I also added,

“Besides, it’s almost lunchtime. Let’s eat something delicious.”

I said something Sato-san would likely be pleased to hear.

Sato-san immediately brightened up and looked up, and I eagerly pulled out the guidebook—quite tattered—and began searching for a place to eat around here.

In the end, we found a place reputed for its delicious seafood bowls.

It seemed fitting for a port town trip, so we decided to head there.