Early Morning
Sunlight shone through the transparent glass, illuminating the three figures.
Shiro, like a large plush toy, was tightly hugged by the two older girls. Though he had woken up long ago, he didn't dare move a muscle.
(◎_◎;)
While his spirit was utterly exhausted, his body was in the complete opposite state.
Yesterday…
He wasn't sure if the two older girls got too into their first cosplay roleplay, but they pulled him along all the way until dawn, putting both his body and soul through a double beating!
And now this morning, their indecent sleeping positions had made him wake up early.
But it was pointless! He had already become a human-sized plush toy. Even though he was awake, he couldn't just move around carelessly.
(*꒪⌓꒪)
He'd already counted the fine little hairs on the girls' ears several times under the morning sunlight. He didn't want to count anymore!
Unable to endure it any longer, he slowly slid out from between the two older sisters' arms. If he stayed any longer, he felt like he'd quite literally die from morning excitement.
After enduring peaks and valleys of struggle, Shiro finally broke free through sheer willpower. In that moment, his whole body felt a wave of relief~
The two big sisters were certainly amazing, but their sleeping postures were way too wild.
He had always known about Azusa-nee's habits, but who would've thought that Nanaka-nee, who usually seemed like a graceful traditional lady, would also sleep so messily?
After giving the two older sisters one last reluctant look, Shiro decisively stepped out of the room!
A man's true goal should be the stars and the sea—how could he linger in the embrace of beauties?
Shiro took a deep breath as he stepped out the door!
Ah~ this is the smell of freedom!
(￣︶￣)
With a blissful expression, he floated toward the kitchen. He was starving—he had already smelled the food while in the room.
A real man still needs to eat breakfast, right?
"Yo, you're up early, Shiro."
"Come on, breakfast's ready!"
In the kitchen, two beasts in nothing but aprons greeted Shiro with big smiles. Judging by how refreshed they looked, they must've had a great night's sleep.
"Ha~ morning, senpai."
Shiro yawned. Seeing this absurd outfit again didn't shock him as much as the first time. In fact, it was starting to feel… kind of normal.
More than the apron thing, he was curious how Tokita ever managed to get a girlfriend—was it purely from muscle appeal?!
(′｀;)?
"Is the food not to your taste?"
Tokita looked confused. Why was his junior eyeing him so strangely this early in the morning? Was there something off about him today?
He looked down at himself—it was the same as usual, right?
"No, it's fine."
After circling his thoughts and still not figuring it out, Shiro gave up. Nothing in the world was more important than eating right now.
Just as he sat down and was about to take a bite of his fried egg—suddenly!
Bang!
The guy sitting across from him, Kohei, faceplanted straight into his plate!
{{(°△°; "}}!
Any trace of sleepiness left in Shiro was instantly gone. Did he just witness a murder?!
He stared at the egg in his hand, conflicted. Should he eat and risk dying too? Or go hungry to live a little longer…
Ah, screw it!
(￣～￣)
He instantly made a decision. No way he was going to starve to death!
Besides, if the senpai really wanted to off him, he wouldn't even have the strength to fight back…
"So, what's up with him?"
He was really curious—Kohei looked like he hadn't slept a wink.
Logically, Kohei should've slept fine. Though the senpai snored, they'd all bunked together before, so he should be used to it.
"Looks like he had a nightmare. He's been like that since he woke up."
"Maybe it's stress from today's diving license training? Kohei really needs to work on his mental fortitude."
The two senpai weren't too sure either. They'd woken up to find Kohei sitting on the bed like a zombie, hair all spiked up like he'd been struck by lightning.
"I see..."
Shiro became even more puzzled. They really shouldn't underestimate this guy's mental strength. If you told him he could meet Kaya Mizuki tomorrow, then he might lose sleep.
But staying awake from study stress? No way. They were all veterans of makeup exams. Their mental toughness was built different.
"Chiha and the others haven't come down yet?"
Ignoring Kohei, who was now eating through his nostrils, Shiro glanced at the still-closed door. Did they run into trouble too?
Creak—
Just as he was wondering, the door opened—and a spring roll-like thing was immediately tossed out.
Chiha and Aina staggered out of the room, looking completely exhausted.
"Shiro Kamishiro, you squinty-eyed bastard!"
The spring roll rolled down the stairs and, upon seeing Shiro, turned bloodshot like he was facing a sworn enemy!
"You heartless, trashy scumbag! You... sob sob sob!"
Annoyed by the noise, Shiro casually stuffed a piece of toast into his mouth. Why was this spring roll so noisy?
"So... what happened with you guys?"
"Ask that idiot!"
"So infuriating!"
Chiha and Aina glared daggers at Iori. Especially Chiha—her look made it seem like she was staring at hazardous waste!
Last night, after Chiha's butt was mysteriously groped, the commotion woke Aina up too.
To avoid a repeat, they barely slept at all—keeping the taser dialed to the lowest setting. The moment Iori woke up, they used it, draining half its battery.
Iori earned himself a brand-new hairstyle: an afro!
"Absolutely disgusting."
"That's straight-up harassment."
"Kitahara, can I just call the cops?"
"Ughhh... sob"
Everyone relentlessly condemned Iori. If this had happened anywhere else, he'd be getting sued for real.
"You jerks! You're the ones who put me in that room! I didn't do anything!"
Iori twisted in frustration—he was the real victim here!
He got tased repeatedly without even knowing what was going on! What was this, some kind of new thunder god training program?
"...Did you try explaining yourself? Didn't you wake up halfway?"
Shiro shrugged. Situations like this could be cleared up with a quick explanation, right?
(*꒪⌓꒪)
"Explain?! They didn't even give me a chance! I woke up and got zapped again! You bastards, next time I'm sleeping on the floor!"
Iori had given up. If he'd known it'd turn out like this, he would've picked the floor in a heartbeat.
…
=========================
"Ha~ Shiro, why didn't you wake us up?"
Azusa was lazily munching on toast while lounging on the sofa. Since they stayed up late last night, she and Nanaka were the last to wake up.
"Yeah, Shiro! Next time you have to wake us up!"
Nanaka looked genuinely guilty. She had originally planned to make breakfast for everyone, but in the end, she was the one who got up the latest.
"…Next time, for sure."
What could Shiro even say? In that situation, would it really have been okay to wake up Nanaka?
"So, how's everyone feeling? We've got the written exam coming up soon."
Chisa looked at the four of them with concern. The test wasn't difficult, but with the way they all looked… was this really going to be okay?
"Heh, what a joke. I'm a genius!"
Shiro shrugged it off. It was just the written portion of a diving license test. He could pass that with his eyes closed!
"If that guy Shiro can pass, there's no way I'll fail."
"Do idiots have the right to say things like that?"
"Hah? You got 17 on the German test—how do you have the nerve to talk?"
"You just happened to get 20, and now your tail's wagging like crazy!"
"Heh, mortals, I got 60. I'm not even in the same tier as you anymore!"
"You had to take the retake with us!!!"
"You only passed because you copied the answers off someone's cheat sheet!"
As expected, the trio started bickering again. But the content of their argument was alarming. When did scores below 80 become something to brag about?!
Aina was dumbfounded. If not for Shiro's 60 points, she would've assumed the test was out of 20.
And to think they got those scores with cheat sheets? What kind of brains did these guys have?
Rock brains?!
"This really does make you worried, huh…"
"Let's test them a little."
The two seniors pulled the trio apart and had them sit down properly. It was time for an impromptu quiz!
"Question! During which kind of surface movement do you feel the least fatigued over long periods?"
BackstrokeB. Head above water
"B!"
All three answered immediately and in unison. Even people who never studied diving could probably answer that—common sense!
"Well then, I'll throw in some common-sense questions too."
Seeing this wholesome moment, Aina couldn't help but want to join in. This kind of atmosphere was something her previous club never had.
"Changing clothes in the locker room…"
"No need for that kind of thing!" ×5
Again, a perfectly synchronized answer—this time from all five of them!
(*?????)
Aina dove into Azusa's arms in a storm of tears.
She was wrong. So wrong. Why did she join these beasts' club?! Were these guys always wondering why the men's locker room even existed?!
"Alright, let's keep going!"
Once the chaos was resolved, the seniors continued quizzing the trio. Most of the questions were just basic knowledge, which the three answered with ease.
Until the difficulty got bumped up!
"If there's no insulation, at what water temperature would your hands become immobile?"
"Uhhh…"
"I think it's…"
Iori and Kouhei fell silent, clearly unfamiliar with the question.
"18°C!"
Shiro said it with a smug face, mocking the two as he proudly gave the correct answer. Don't underestimate the genius who crammed all night!!!
"No way?!"
"What did you do?!"
The two shook Shiro like crazy. They refused to accept it.
"Hmph! I already told you—geniuses are different from you mere mortals!"
Shiro raised his chin like a proud little puppy after winning a fight.
"Ahaha, Shiro, I told you, didn't I? That question would show up! Looks like all that last-minute cramming we did last night paid off. You didn't even know the answer yesterday~"
Azusa happily patted Shiro on the shoulder.
Guessing the right questions really was like winning the lottery—it didn't matter how many, hitting even one was cause for celebration!
But according to the law of conservation of happiness—if Azusa was happy, someone had to be miserable~
Bang!!!
"You bastard! You even cheated for something like this?!"
"Have some shame! And what's with getting two older girls to tutor you late at night?!"
"Hah? What did I do? I just used the time you guys spent sleeping to study! That's not cheating—it's called reviewing!"
Turns out, internal competition is bad. Having big sisters help with that competition is even worse—it's terrible for group harmony!
Like now, Shiro was being crushed under the butts of two angry guys…
"You jerks! If you're that mad, why didn't you review? You two didn't even sleep properly anyway!"
Shiro shouted at them. Letting those two sleep was a complete waste!
"You scumbag, do you even remember why I look like this?!"
Iori couldn't take it anymore. He headbutted Shiro like a rocket!
Why did he have to end up with an afro?! Even a spiky hedgehog look would be better than this! Going out with that hair made people think he was collecting rent!
X﹏X
"I gave you a free hairstyle and you're complaining? Do you know how much it costs to perm an afro like this?"
"And Kouhei, why are you hitting me too? I cleared the way for you!"
"Even if that's true, I have this strong feeling my nightmares are all your fault—sorry, Shiro!"
Kouhei joined in with his own rocket headbutt. His hair was also a fluffy mess—can someone really wake up like that?!
"…"
Chisa silently covered her face. Were these three seriously going to pass the diving license's written exam…?
…
After breakfast, the seniors brought the newbies to a small classroom.
The exam location was actually a space borrowed from a nearby shop.
It was extremely casual—just a table and a few chairs, and boom, exam setup complete.
And the proctor was… Nanaka?!
"Wait, the diving license test is this chill?"
Shiro looked around in disbelief.
If he'd known it would be like this, why did he bother cramming all night? This place looked like an open-book exam zone!
"Yeah, the written test is always this easygoing."
"And it's all multiple choice. You guys have a high chance of passing."
The two seniors explained. The difficult part of getting a diving license was the practical side—no one really worried about the written exam.
!!!
"Then what was the point of us studying so hard?!"
Aina didn't get it. She had studied the textbook seriously, and now she hears this?
But when she said that, the seniors' smiles faded, and their expressions turned serious.
"What are you saying? Listen up—this stuff is about your life and safety. You have to take it seriously!"
"There's no such thing as too much knowledge!"
{{(°△°; "}}!
Aina looked like she'd seen a ghost. She glanced helplessly at Shiro and the others.
"Yeah, I get how you feel."
"They don't seem serious most of the time…"
"But when it comes to diving, they don't mess around. You'll get used to it!"
The trio were already used to this side of the seniors. They'd seen how seriously they took safety before.
"Alright, exam begins~"
With Nanaka's voice, the diving license written exam officially began!
Shiro glanced at the multiple-choice sheet and gave a smug grin. This stuff couldn't possibly trip up a guy whose skills were already perfected!
Time to break the speedrun record!
His pen moved like it had a will of its own, answering questions without pause. In no time, he'd finished the first page.
Shiro lifted his head with a smug smile. He could already feel himself above the rest of them!
But the moment he looked around, he felt like a total clown fighting thin air…
Next to him, the three others looked like students in the front row trying desperately not to fall asleep in class, constantly nodding off…
The sight made Shiro genuinely worried for them—especially after accidentally seeing their names on the answer sheets…
Yoshihara Watermelon…
Imamura Lalako…
Kitahara Butt…
(???)
There's no hope. Just retake the exam.
...…..
"Well, you all passed~"
Nanaka collected everyone's test papers with a bright smile. Despite a few hiccups during the exam, it seemed like everyone managed to pull through just fine~
"...Are you three really okay? I think I have some hemorrhoid cream in my bag, do you want to try it?"
Looking at his three pig-headed friends, Shiro pulled out his long-treasured hemorrhoid ointment. He had just witnessed firsthand what the wrath of a Yamato Nadeshiko looked like…
Utterly brutal—you could tell just by looking at the three's faces.
But it was also super effective. After all… they passed the test.
(???)
Iori stared silently at the hemorrhoid ointment. What kind of person so openly offers something like that to others?
"You bastard, Kamishiro! This is my face, damn it!"
"All made of cells—what's the big deal? And besides, your face currently looks exactly like your ass, okay!"
"!!! That still doesn't mean you should use hemorrhoid cream! And why do you even carry that around? Are you hiding something?!"
"...I'm a writer. You get it."
After all, he's a novelist. Getting hemorrhoids is basically part of the job, right?
"Wait, did Shiro really get hemorrhoids? How come I didn't notice last time? Hm?"
Azusa suddenly snatched the ointment from Iori's hands. That one sentence dealt a massive blow to the trio.
In their minds, disturbing scenes began to play out—
Shiro, wearing a collar, Azusa-senpai in tight leather, whip in hand, slowly approaching him with a… vibrating device…
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU INTO?!" Aina shouted, her face crimson. This was way beyond her comprehension!
Sorry, Kiyoko… it seems she couldn't keep Shiro safe. His virginity might be…
ψ(*｀ー′)ψ
"What the hell are you all imagining?! I said I'm an S, an S, got it?! When you're imagining things, please picture me as the one holding the whip!!"
Shiro had had enough—when did he ever become the M in this scenario?! That role obviously belongs to Azusa-nee!
"Who knows what the hell you two are doing late at night anyway?!"
"Can't you just go die already?!"
Iori and Kohei still didn't buy it. Honestly, a collar didn't sound too bad—this was Azusa-senpai, after all. Even at Oumi Women's University, she's one of the top-tier beauties!
Watching the four bicker again, Chisa looked on helplessly. Am I seriously the only normal one among this year's freshmen?
Also… why the hell can Aina see what those perverts are imagining? What even is this ability?!
Unable to make sense of it, Chisa turned back to a previous question.
"So, Azusa-senpai, how did you know that Shiro didn't have hemorrhoids?"
Azusa, who had been enjoying the chaos, was startled by the sudden question and quickly answered,
"Because before we came here, we had the Devil's Spicy Ramen together! And after eating it, Shiro could still sit down! How could someone with hemorrhoids do that?!"
"..."
Chisa suddenly understood why Shiro did get hemorrhoids. That stuff isn't meant for human consumption.
But still…
Why was Azusa fine?
She glanced toward Azusa's rear…
Big.
So big.
Grope!
"Nee~ What were you looking at, little Chisa~?"
A sultry voice whispered in Chisa's ear. Her face turned bright red—she'd been caught red-handed peeking!
"Azusa… Azusa-senpai, I-I wasn't looking at anything…"
Chisa trembled slightly. A bit of skinship was fine, but could senpai please move her hand from there? This position is not normal!
Azusa gave a devilish grin at the flustered Chisa and gave a firm squeeze. "Little Chisa, yours feels great too~"
{{(°△°; "}}!
Whoosh!
Chisa bolted, hiding behind her older sister.
Why did that feel like I was being cornered by a middle-aged pervert?! Was that just her imagination?!
And over on the other side, the four idiots had gone quiet. Why? Because why bother arguing…
When you can watch a delinquent seduce an innocent maiden?
Shiro was snapping pictures at lightning speed, capturing the moment with maximum efficiency. He was confident Chisa would pay handsomely to buy these precious memories of her and Azusa-nee!
Meanwhile, poor "decoy" Nanaka clenched her right fist, feeling deeply wronged. Her mind filled with complaints against Azusa.
How could that girl be like this?! I've never even touched Chisa's butt before…
She really wanted to try it, but would Chisa think she was a pervert if she did it now?
( ?? ﹏ ?? )
Nanaka fell into inner turmoil.
"Wait, so you do have hemorrhoids?"
Iori looked at Shiro. He seemed totally fine though.
"I do… And why the hell are we even discussing this?! We're about to go snorkeling in the shallows!"
Shiro was covered in mental scars. If he'd known it would come to this, he never would've taken out that ointment.
Damn his kindness!
"No, we're just curious about one thing."
"How can you still sit so calmly while having hemorrhoids?"
Iori and Kohei glanced at the chair that had already been packed away. Neither had experienced it personally, but they knew it shouldn't be this easy to sit down.
"...Don't ask. Just—kung fu."
Shiro didn't elaborate. He staggered off into the distance, his back full of melancholy and sympathy-inducing loneliness.
How could he tell them?
That he'd finished the test in a martial arts horse stance?
That he had to sit down a few times because of exhaustion, and only didn't scream because those two idiots were there and he wanted to save face?
Damn it, why was the toilet so far away? Don't they have any compassion for the hemorrhoid-affected?!
All Shiro hoped now was that he hadn't made it worse…
Because he forgot to bring a second pair of pants!
Why the hell were there no clothes in his suitcase?! What kind of cursed packing was that?!
...
While Shiro was off at the bathroom, the others continued tidying the house. They were about to head out for the shallow water diving practice.
If all went well, that would mean they were halfway to getting their scuba diving licenses!
At that moment, Aina suddenly noticed something she hadn't realized before.
She looked a little dazed, staring at the upperclassmen cleaning the room, and finally asked, "You guys… have been waiting here for us this whole time?"
Her eyes were filled with doubt—clearly confused why the senpai would stay and wait for them.
(′｀;)?
"What's wrong?"
"Well…"
"Is something bothering you?"
Azusa and the others were confused too. This didn't seem like a big deal.
"It's just… I feel kind of guilty that you've been waiting so long…"
Aina's expression was uneasy.
Her thoughts were still stuck in her last club. In TB, the upperclassmen would never wait for the newbies—especially not for her.
To them, she was just the "comic relief" clown.
"Ahahaha, it's fine~"
"No need to think so much about it."
"If we don't move together, we'd only trouble the store."
The senpai laughed, trying to reassure the cute underclassman in front of them. In PaB, there were no arrogant senpai throwing their weight around.
"Don't worry about others. Just focus on the real training ahead!"
"We're doing this because we want to!"
"U-understood…"
Though still a little anxious, Aina felt the warmth in their kindness. In her world, she had never experienced such gentle senpai…
"Looks like TB really did a number on her," Shiro muttered, suddenly appearing beside Iori. The idiot had been staring the whole time.
"She'll get used to it eventually."
Iori turned his gaze back. He had gotten used to it too, thanks to the seniors' care.
Maybe… he should start being more honest.
...…..
"So, what's everyone's starting residual pressure?"
"200." ×4
On the beach, everyone was wearing wetsuits and checking their scuba gear. Nanaka was explaining about residual pressure — if it drops to 60, they had to notify her.
Once the remaining pressure hits 60, that's the safe point to ascend.
Lying about your remaining pressure while diving is one of the biggest taboos — it's extremely irresponsible and endangers your own safety!
Splash~
After the explanation, everyone dived into the water in an orderly manner. They were about to begin practical training for the diving license test.
"Alright, let's start with the BCD~"
Step 1: BCD
Divers have a Buoyancy Control Device (BCD). Pressing one button fills it with air to help you float. Holding your arm up and pressing another button releases air, letting you sink.
(The detailed explanation would take too long if I write it, so let's just skip to the action — otherwise I'll have to fill in a ton here~??·??·???? ??*)
The four looked at each other and pressed their BCD buttons simultaneously, each fired up and unwilling to lose.
It had become a silent competition!
However… the match was over in an instant!
Aina, unable to keep her balance due to the weight of the oxygen tank, sank straight down.
Iori, on the other hand, couldn't fully release the air and just floated on the surface.
Only Shiro and Kohei completed the task smoothly.
Round 1 Winners: Shiro Kamishiro and Kohei!
Step 2: Clearing the Regulator
Shiro, who calls himself the Sea God, easily completed the task. He's unbeatable underwater!
Looking back, his foolish companions were still struggling.
Kitahara, that idiot, couldn't even hold onto his regulator. Pathetic!
Kohei, on the other hand, looked thirsty — he was guzzling seawater.
As for the zombie girl? Why was her face full of bubbles just from clearing a regulator?
Shiro shook his head. These shrimp soldiers and crab generals weren't even worth his time.
No! If he were a Dragon King, these people wouldn't even qualify to be his minions!
Round 2 Winner: Shiro Kamishiro!
Step 3: Clearing the Dive Mask
Surprisingly, all four did pretty well on this one.
Shiro slowly opened his eyes. Under the sunlight, the ocean floor shimmered with a fantastical blue hue. They played and splashed, as if in another world.
It was vibrant and unbelievably beautiful.
Blub blub blub…
Nanaha made a small noise to get everyone's attention and pointed to her residual pressure gauge.
The four replied using diving hand signals.
Shiro: 100
Kohei: 80
Iori: 60
Aina: 60
The winner is clear! Shiro Kamishiro triumphs again — effortlessly.
What a shame they didn't bet on it. Next time, they must make a wager first!
Seeing the hand signals, Nanaka gave the ascent gesture. Since someone was at 60, it was time to head up.
Splash~
"Hmph, only 60 left, you weaklings."
"You bastard, I only had 180 before we went down!"
"Come on, Kitahara, I remember you had 200. But still, why are you two comparing 60 to 80? Losers, all of you."
Shiro scoffed. How could these guys possibly compare to the Sea God?
"Hah? You had 300 before diving."
"What the hell? No tank holds 300! Just admit your loss already!"
"No! It was definitely 300!!"
"..."
Watching the three argue again, the upperclassmen shook their heads. Those three could start a fight over anything. Youth really is full of energy.
"Hey, senpai, what's your residual pressure?"
Aina, staying out of the trio's nonsense, asked the upperclassmen.
"Huh? Us?"
They checked their gauges:
"110."
"Same here."
"120~"
"130."
(;'A`)
The four were shocked — they weren't even on the same level. Except for the two muscleheads who consumed more due to their size, everyone else still had at least 120! That's double Iori's!
"Completely different league…"
"So strong…"
"Damn it! You're at 110? I'm catching up — just 10 more to go!"
Shiro set his new goal. Iori and the rest no longer satisfied him. He had to surpass the upperclassmen!
"Wait, doesn't that mean we could've stayed in the water longer? You guys could've continued while we went up."
Aina asked in confusion. They still had plenty of air, so why not play a bit more?
"Haha, maybe. But…"
"Diving is a group activity."
"If one person ascends, everyone ascends."
"Unless there are multiple instructors present, that's just how it is."
The senpais cleared things up. Looks like they were just too weak.
"You hear that? Don't drag us down!"
"Underachievers!"
"...Why do you two always look down on others?!"
Iori glared at the two smug idiots. It wasn't just him with 60!
Just wait!
He would definitely beat them next time!
"Because you suck, of course."
"Underachievers need to know their place, Kitahara."
"You two can't even play tennis — how dare you talk down to me!!"
The War God of Land was not backing down! ψ(*｀ー′)ψ
Chisa looked away.
She didn't need to see what was coming next. Right after talking about teamwork, they were already at it again...
Suddenly, she noticed Aina spacing out.
"Aina?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
Startled out of her thoughts, Aina looked up like she just woke from a dream.
"You seemed dazed. Tired already?"
"So soon? Want me to check your pulse? I just started learning medicine!"
Shiro's eyes lit up at this. He'd recently taken an interest in traditional medicine and was desperate for a test subject.
"No, I was just thinking about something. And you just started studying! No way I'm letting you examine me!"
Aina rejected him immediately. The cool guy image of Shiro had long since shattered in her eyes. He was a total clown now — and who would let a clown treat them?!
"Ugh… what a waste."
Shiro pouted. Maybe he'd try it on Kitahara later. He even learned acupuncture!
After a short break, they began the final exercise.
Step 4: Sharing the Octopus Regulator
They paired into groups. Shiro stared at the yellow-haired guy across from him, twitching. He had hoped to pair with Aina…
Now Kohei just reminded him of the golden retriever back home. So dumb.
The two learned quickly, though. Other than wanting to shove the regulator down each other's throats, they performed without mistakes.
Unlike Iori's team — the zombie girl seemed to have choked on water. Poor thing. (??ω??)
After all the tasks were completed, Shiro was just about to go have fun with Azusa when the signal to ascend came.
Back on shore, they learned that the zombie girl had hit 60.
What a pity — if it had been Kitahara, they could've mocked him!
"So you weren't lying to win the residual pressure game?"
Iori looked shocked. He had noticed Aina's gauge earlier, and she had tried to lie about it. He thought she wanted to win.
"Why would I lie for that reason? I was just… scared…"
Aina looked guilty. She knew everyone else still had air. If not for her, they could still be playing.
And she was afraid they wouldn't want to include her anymore — just like what happened in TB…
Smack!
"Ow~"
A hand chop landed on her head.
She looked up to see Shiro and Azusa behind her.
"You really have bad judgment, zombie girl. Do you really think our senpai are like that?"
Shiro stepped aside a bit. All the upperclassmen were looking at Aina with gentle eyes.
Azusa crouched and pinched her cheeks.
"Why does little Aina speak formally with us?"
"Well… because you're senpai."
"Mmm, showing respect to senpai is only natural, right?"
"In that case, isn't it natural for respected senpai to also be kind to their kouhai?"
Aina froze, staring at Azusa's warm smile.
No one had ever told her that before — only that she should respect her seniors, never that they would care for her too.
Pinch~
Azusa kept pinching her cheeks.
"Beginners using up oxygen quickly is completely normal."
"She's right. Totally normal."
"If you want tips, we'll share everything we know."
"Just do better next time. That's all."
"Yep yep~"
Seeing everyone's kindness, Aina couldn't help but recall the cruel faces from TB.
'You can't join us this time.'
'Ah, sorry, we're full.'
'Hey, freshman, go buy drinks!'
'Clown!'
'We've laughed enough — you can leave now.'
Each word stabbed her heart like a knife. Her sensitive, fragile heart was nearly broken.
But…
Somehow, everything had changed.
She no longer saw those faces clearly. She couldn't even remember them anymore.
Now, it was the faces of PaB members that were vivid — even if most memories were blurry mosaics.
Drinking, diving, gaming together… Newbies could mess with senpai, and senpai truly looked out for them (except during drinking games).
All of this felt like a dream she didn't want to wake from.
Her fragile heart was finally starting to accept everyone.
Suddenly, she sensed people behind her.
She turned and saw the other newbies — Shiro, Kohei, Iori — all smiling behind her.
"That's how it is!"
"Senpai here are different."
"Not like the others, but really good."
"Let's go diving again later."
Seeing their faces, Aina smiled brightly. "Yeah!"
The upperclassmen watching the five also smiled.
"Hey, maybe Aina's hesitation comes from…"
"She hasn't fully opened her heart and body to us yet?"
{{(°△°; "}}!
Aina, who had just been smiling, suddenly turned pale. The atmosphere behind her felt wrong!
"You're right!"
"Absolutely!"
The two muscleheads started showing off their shredded bodies — they could pass for bodybuilding instructors!
"No way! I can't do that!!"
"A swimsuit's fine!"
"Here, I'll show you — this is what senpai should do!"
"How is that senpai-like?! That only happens in adult manga!"
"Wait — you read those too?! Let's exchange titles!"
"Me too! I love Thunderfire Sword!"
"Dumbass! That's an anime!"
"Enough, you two! Why did the topic suddenly shift like this?! When did we start discussing this?!"
( ?? ﹏ ?? )
…
"Sure enough, this is still the best."
Iori nodded in satisfaction as he watched the noisy group. That scumbag Shiro was occasionally useful—at least with him around, there was no need to worry about any awkwardness.
With this, that weirdo Aina should be able to blend in quickly. It's just a shame she hasn't opened up her body to them yet—otherwise, she'd integrate even faster. Not even a swimsuit would work?
"Emmm, Iori-kun, it might not necessarily be all good like this, you know~"
"Eh? Is there a problem?"
Iori looked at Nanaka beside him in confusion. He thought this was a perfect happy ending—at least way better than the stuff Shiro wrote in his novels.
"They're not the problem. But you, Iori-kun, might have a bit of a big problem~"
"Me? What's wrong with me? The main thing is, I'm really not that interested in anime, so I just can't blend in."
"That's not it. It's just that, based on how things are going now...
There's a chance you might be the only one who fails, Iori-kun."
(′?`)
"...Seriously?"
"Yup, seriously!"
...…..
"Then I'll go meet tomorrow's examiner first, okay~"
"No problem!"
"Leave dinner to us!"
Tomorrow, Shiro and the others would be taking the diving license exam. Unlike the written test, Nanaka and the others wouldn't be invigilating. A designated examiner would be in charge of supervising the practical part.
Since the examiner was reportedly a newcomer, Nanaka decided to go meet them in advance and explain the details of tomorrow's test.
Shiro wasn't particularly concerned. After all, there was no way he'd run into one of his former py (probably meaning "partners" or "flings").
His high school wasn't even near the ocean—otherwise, there's no way he wouldn't already know how to dive.
There was even a time when Shiro had learned how to dig tunnels. That school was absolutely absurd. At one point, he even suspected he had wandered into the world of Class 3-E…
Back to the present—bored, Shiro decided to go tease that idiot Kitahara. That guy had been mumbling something to himself for a while now.
As he got closer, Shiro clearly heard words like "dinner" and "fainting." Was this a new movie?
He quickened his pace, getting curious about what this idiot was watching. Judging from the plot, it must be one of those new works from a teacher or director.
"Then let's just poison them outright!"
"…"
Shiro, who had just gotten close, froze in place after hearing something shocking.
Did he… just overhear Kitahara's assassination plan?
And as for the target of that assassination—there's no need to even think about it!
(???)
"You idiot! What kind of evil stuff are you plotting now?"
"Kamishiro?! You bastard! Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop on people?!"
Iori looked flustered.
What's more awkward than having your intended target overhear your plan to silence them?! No wait, he had definitely said it in a low voice just now. Maybe that guy didn't catch it clearly.
"Well, it's still better than you trying to poison us!"
{{(°△°; "}}!
So the scumbag did hear it!
"Poison?! Ahaha… no way, you're overthinking it. I was talking about… a story! Yeah, a really interesting plot I came up with. I was going to tell it to you later. Who knows, maybe it'll work as inspiration for your novel! Weren't you worried about writer's block?"
Iori tried to bluff his way out.
What else could he do? His whole plan to poison Shiro and the others was simply to stop them from finding out that he was likely going to fail the diving license exam!
Now that his only ally, Nanaka-nee, had left, this was the perfect time to act!
If those three found out…
He already had a mental image: they would absolutely laugh at him!
"Aww, well, it's you. Nothing you can do about it."
"Yeah, I only barely passed, but Iori… well, you know."
"Looks like they really should design a special difficulty setting just for idiots. Otherwise, Kitahara, you might never be able to dive into the deep sea in your whole life~"
He absolutely didn't want to be laughed at over this!
Iori's eyes were bloodshot—he seriously had the urge to silence them for real!
This was like someone reading aloud his cringe-filled middle school "chuunibyou" history back in high school. A death sentence!
"Well, I was thinking about a story, but…"
Shiro tilted his head.
His hot editor only gave him one month, and he couldn't remember much of any isekai storylines anymore. Maybe he should risk it and try writing a slice-of-life series instead?
He glanced at Iori with disdain. "But are you sure you've got a good story?"
"Of course! I was thinking of a monster story. Like, based on gourds, and then—"
"And then going to rescue Grandpa, right?"
"How did you know?!"
Iori stared at Shiro in shock.
That was from a pirated DVD he had just bought a few days ago! That shop owner even told him it was by Master Mikami!
Turns out it was an anime all along! But it was pretty cool—he really wanted invisibility powers too!
(???)
Shiro didn't even know how to respond. Huluwa (Calabash Brothers) was something he'd never forget in several lifetimes, okay?
"Alright, enough nonsense. Just tell me honestly what you're really planning. I'm not trying to die just from eating dinner."
(;?＿?)
"There's… there's really nothing! I'm just brainstorming plots! I've been thinking of picking up a side gig. After all, I still owe you money."
"Then why are you so nervous?"
"I'm nervous?"
Iori looked surprised.
He always thought his acting skills were Oscar-worthy. As a kid, someone even invited him to be a child star once!
Granted, it was for a comparison chart promoting brain-enhancing supplements… and he was the before image… but still, that counts as a child star!
If only his dad hadn't cruelly refused back then, maybe he'd be living a different life now!
"Uh… how should I put this—if all the suspects in Detective Conan acted like you, the show wouldn't exist."
(′｀;)?
"Who's Conan?"
"..."
Now it was Shiro's turn to fall silent. Is this guy even Japanese?
This world does have Conan! And it's insanely popular! Even a death god elementary school kid like him is a household name, and this guy doesn't know?!
"Let's just get back to the previous topic…"
He gave up. He forgot that this guy was basically anime-immune. If he watched anything, it was probably just that Thunderfire Sword show or something.
Looking at Iori, whose expression was panicked and clearly unnatural, Shiro decided to go in for the kill!
"Hey!"
"We need to get ready for dinner!"
"Shiro! Iori! Hurry up! We're going grocery shopping!"
Their senpai's voices called from the distance. It was already four in the afternoon—if they didn't get ingredients soon, they'd be going hungry tonight.
"Ahaha… Kamishiro! Did you hear that? They're calling us. Let's go!"
Without waiting for a reply, he dashed off toward the seniors like a beast was chasing him.
"Hey… wait up!"
Shiro's hand froze mid-air. That idiot definitely had something to hide—there's no way he'd run like that otherwise!
No way!
I have to follow him!
Even if shopping with an idiot at the market is borderline torture… for the sake of my survival today, it's absolutely necessary!
Should I tell Kouhei and the others?
Tch, I just need to make sure I'm safe. Maybe even prepare a bit of antidote. That way, once Kouhei and the others get poisoned, I can sell it to them for a nice profit!
Wait!
If I get poisoned too, then take the antidote… not only do I make a quick buck, but I also get to teach Iori a lesson while I'm at it!
As these thoughts ran through his head, Shiro's lips curled into a sinister grin.
Jie jie jie!