1.

People who eulogize youth always think their youth is as hot as the morning sun, yet they completely ignore that that light can burn everything into ashes and Apollo would laugh at these mortals on the sun. Even if I'm not Apollo, I already experience the reality that the destructive light could almost kill somebody and a mere circular fan is not likely to save me. So the youth comedy god really is an evil god right? Even I who never send tribute and thus engraved lonely curse can't be left off by it.

"Hiki, what are you doing there?"

One of youth god's faithful believers waves at me in the distance. She is wearing the same blue bikini as last time along the river and frowns at me. The posture can be called lovely I'd say. Behind her is a stronger field of friends, which even I, far away under the umbrella shade, can sense the AT field sending out radiation to the surrounding.

I try to wag my melting hand and expand my lonely advocate field to defend more damages from the enemy. This is a rule of thumb. Once it's launched no one will notice-

"Hey, the seat should be mine right?"

This is called provocative opening. It is something I cannot receive when I'm already transparent. However, after I look around the man is obviously impatient and shouts out "what are you looking at? Are you listening?"

I finally turn and look directly to the person in front of my eyes, a young man with tattoo on his chest. The surrounding temperature seems to quickly drop an octave when our sight meets. To thank the coolness he brings, it seems that I should be up the seat immediately.

"Sorry sir, if you can talk easily."

A sunning voice flows into the cold air. My field now has been completely crushed, because the one who comes is the combination of light and heat. No words can describe how eye-catching he is.

Hayama Hayato, with his symbolic bright smile, now appears.

The feeling is like a spotlight on the stage suddenly hits you. I can assure that those youth god believers now all focus on here. Yet the tattooed young man is still unmoved, with a facial expression saying 'who are you' to Hayama. The temperature dropped just now again climb up at the moment. Even the air catches the smell of gunpowder.

Then my existence should be disappearing by now. Just as I feeling lucky, the tattooed man near Hayama knocks him down mercilessly into the water.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean it."

He says apologetically from tone but not from heart. I secretly sign and look at the people running at Hayama in the water. Apology to Hayama, but this time probably only my despicability can handle the tattoo man.

I pick the sunscreen oil under the seat without knowing who it belongs to. Then evenly coat it on the smooth tiles. After it finishes I give secret instructions to zaimoku next to me and greet aloud over the tattoo man. After several steps he slips without surprise. Then zaimoku's weight catches him. I'm wiping the nosebleed which was caused by the tattoo man before he fell out, while Hayama supported by arms come over. He seems to have no big issue, just with wet cloth. Soft yet unpleasant sight moves from the tattoo man lying on the ground to me.

"Don't worry. Hikigaya and I are going to the dressing room and clean it up."

Why me? Though I want to ask the question, it looks like I'm the only injured person here and if I sing a different tone with Hayama now, definitely I'm going to suffer crueller eye light than the sun light. So I can only choose to be silent.

He's not likely to be angry is he?

On the way to the dressing room I follow Hayama quietly in a distance about two steps. The atmosphere becomes subtly awkward when there are only two of us. Hayama rarely put on his popular mask when he stays with me, and only recently I have noticed this.

Hayama silently walks in a slow pace in front of me. It seems that he doesn't care about the wet shirt and trousers attached to his body causing discomfort. His blond hair is swayed by the sea wind and dance disorderly in the air. Drips occasionally fly to me, making the burning heat miraculously disappeared.

Although the sun is scorching overhead, isn't he afraid catching cold by walking so slowly? Thinking of Ebina's expecting look when we leave, I decide to keep silence anyway.

I know clearly that Hayama don't like my way of dealing with the problem. Although I too have noticed that this way can't solve the fundamental problem, I'm not going to change it to satisfy others. Even if I intend to change, most of the feedback will be 'disgusting' or 'stay away from me' that kind of thing right? After all I'm completely different with Hayama and we both are so clear of this point.

That case, I have no idea of what Hayama is angry about. Or maybe I'm actually aware of it, but intentionally deny it.

"Hikigaya kun, how are you going to handle him?"

Hayama finally seems to calm down, tuning back and ask.

"How to…hand him to the caretaker here and that should be fine."

I reply dismissively. The light blue eye pupils in front of my sight reflect sun light, but reveal icy coldness.

"Indeed."

Like nothing has happened, Hayama turns and continue walking toward the dressing room.

-TBC-

Note: As someone has requested for the Chinese version link, please go pixiv novel id=6747135