Is This Love? 「この愛はある?」

Chapter 9 - Beach Day

Already, spring ended and it was now summer. Finally a break from school, yet I still have to work at the cafe. It's been weeks already and I've earned enough money to pay for the house for now. I'm having a week off today for summer but for the rest of the days I have to work. I got off my laptop and headed downstairs to grab a popsicle. What I can't deal with is the heat, I'm dying.

I received a call from Chi and picked up my phone.

"Hey! Asako and I were thinking of heading to the beach today to beat the heat. Want to come along? We're bringing some peoplefrom our class too." Chi said over the phone. Going to the beach is a good idea. And this week is the only week I have off.

"Alright. I'll go." Then I looked over to Haru's house, "I'm going to invite Haru too okay?"

"Sure. So meet up at the train station at two okay?" Then she hanged up.

I called Haru while looking at the balcony. He seemed to be sleeping so calling him would wake him up.

"Hello..?" Said his tired voice.

"Hey, want to go to the beach? Asako, Chi and some guys from our class are coming. You should go too." I told him.

"No thanks. I'm too tired."

"What?! Please Haruuu. Come. I'll treat you to ice cream. Hehe." And he agreed. I screamed with joy inside while telling him the details. After that I saw him get out of bed to get ready and so did I. Happily.

Haru and I walked to the station together and met up with the others. There was Asako, Chi, Makoto, two guys, one other girl, and Natsume!

"Natsume!"

She turned and smiled, "Hey Rin."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Makoto invited me, and I heard you were coming, plus I was really dying in the heat so I came." She came closer to me and whispered, "I'm going to take your advice, I won't give up. I will continue trying." Then she winked.

"Woah, you're very pretty! You know her Rin?" Chi asked.

"Oh, This is Natsume Kashitaro, Makoto's childhood friend and someone I recently known." I introduced. I shot a quick glance at the two boys from our class and the other girl also from our class. The first guy was Shiki Inoue. He had a cool appearance, with his straight black brown hair and sharp eyes. The other guy was Daichi Hirogawa a cheerful boy with blond hair and a happy face. He also had a few piercings on his right ear. The girl was Rena Kumiryo having golden long pigtails and wearing a pastel pink flowing dress she looked really sweet and innocent.

"Wow, she is pretty!" Daichi exclaimed to Natsume.

"Shut up Daichi. I bet you're trying to hit on girls on this trip." Chi teased.

"Blehh. Why would you care?" He teased back. They seemed rather close so I asked,

"Could it be you guys are dating?"

They both laughed but both were really red. Were they embarrassed?

"Who would go out with this idiot?" Daichi said through his laughter.

"I know right!" Chi agreed.

"They're childhood friends, they don't think if each other that way." Asako told me.

"That's kinda true." Rena agreed. Childhood friends huh? I really don't know how I actually feel about my childhood friend Haru though. But as for this Haru as of now, I really liked him.

"Hey, the train's here." Shiki informed and we got on. It was quite crowded on the train just like always. I ended up by Makoto. It was quite awkward between us due to the incident before. We didn't talk much. I stood by the door while he was in front of me holding the pole.

"Ma-Makoto." I blushed and so did he.

I soon began again, "Um..Let's talk normally now alright?"

"Uh, yeah. Haha." He laughed. "Sorry, even though I said I'll get over you, I still can't." He lowered his head.

"I-It's not your fault. Some people take time. Let's just talk as we usually do okay? No more awkward silences." I smiled.

"I guess so!" Makoto smiled. "Let's just talk as we normally do." He said kind of lonely sounding. He must still have mixed feelings. But I need to help Natsume out.

We got to the beach and us girls changed in outer swimsuits. Asako had a pale orange bikini with red strings. Chi had a lime green bikini with blue stripes. Rena had a golden tankini on. She had a really small chest was what I noticed. As expected from someone innocent haha. Natsume on the other hand had a really big chest with her purple bikini on. She grabbed a lot of attention which made her blush. I'm just an average b-cup. Asako were too but their size in b is bigger.

"Ohh? Koshitaro-san. I see you have nice curves, I'm jealous." Asako teased.

"Huh?! No no. I don't really..." She blushed.

"Hmm?" We stared at her making her blush more.

The guys soon met up with us and they were quite surprised.

"Woah! You're all cute! Except for Chi. Haha." He laughed.

"Look at yourself Daichi! You got too many flabs" Chi teased.

"Really?! I thought you were the one with flabs." He said sarcasticly. Everyone laughed as they argued it was quite fun.

The guys sat a shore while us girls played in the ocean.

"I wonder what the guys are talking about?" Chi asked.

"Probably something perverted." Rena said casually.

"Eh?! That's horrible. This is why guys are weird. But I think I kinda like someone even though they're considered weird." Asako blushed.

"Really? Who?! With your good looks, you'll get anyone." Chi asked. I was also curious about it too.

"Shiki...Inoue-kun..." Asako covered her face.

"Woah even Kirigawa-san has someone she likes..." Natsume said.

"Don't tell me you like someone also?" Chi asked.

"Yeah...Makoto."

Asako and Chi looked at me with surprised faces. "Eh?!" They said to me.

I mouth the words "I'll tell you later" and turned away. "Um, let's all help Asako and Natsume shall we?" I said. Asako and Natsume blushed. "Oh. Don't you have someone you like Kumio-san?"

"Hmm. I already have a boyfriend. The student council president, hehe."

"Ryousuke-san?!"

"Yeah. He's really smart and nice to me. We met in middle school and he asked me out on Valentine's Day. I was really happy." Rena smiled.

So getting a boyfriend can make you this happy. Rena looks so cheerful when she talks about him. I still wondered about Chi so I asked her who she liked. Yet she kept on denying there's no one. I'm pretty sure there's someone...

After an hour in the ocean I came up to shore. My wet feet clung to the sand as I walked over to our place under the umbrella. I spotted Haru there sitting.

"Where'd the others go?" I asked while sitting down to dry myself with a white towel.

"They just left just now to get drinks." He told me while looking at my body. I followed his gaze and covered my body up with the towel. Just as Asako said, guys are weird.

"Why don't you swim?" I randomly asked. He was silent so I asked again he studdered out, "I can't swim..." He said depressed.

I bursted out laughing. It really reminds me of the Haru I knew in the past. "Come on! I'll teach you."

"No thanks. I'll just sit." He said.

"Okay. I'm going to go back into the water. Bye bye, Mr. Can't Swim." I teased.

"Shut up..." He said looking away embarrassed. So even this Haru can't swim huh?