So here's a new chapter once again, I wounder how you'll all like it
About an hour had passed, and Nishikata and friends were making their way over to the rest area to get lunch. "I'm glad it's not raining again." Takao stated. "Last two years were horrible."
"Did it really rain the first day of summer last year?" Nishikata asked. "I can't seem to remember for some reason."
"It was the worst, we couldn't go to the pool or beach for a week afterwards."
"I think that's a bit of a stretch." Hamaguchi replied.
"If you guys are going to argue, then I'm going first." Kimura said as he strolled up to the counter.
The rest of them watched until Hamaguchi elbowed Nishikata. "Huh?"
"Table at the far end, don't stare for too long." Hamaguchi whispered.
Nishikata scanned the area, until he saw the table that Hamaguchi was talking about; sitting there, at one of the tables at the other end of the rest area, was Takagi-san, Takagawa, Houjou, and Mano, eating lunch and laughing together. "Oh." Nishikata turned away and back towords Hamaguchi. "I didn't know Mano-san was here as well."
"Yeah, if we had known that, I would have suggested inviting Nakai."
"We should have invited him anyway."
"Yeah, well, I don't want to get … accused of staring at them."
"Me neither." Nishikata glanced over them once more and pulled his eyes away again. "I'll find us a table far away from them, just get me the normal bento."
"Sure thing."
Elsewhere, Takagi-san and her friends were sitting at a table laughing. "Yeah, some people are just so disrespectful." Houjou said as she had a towel wrapped around her shoulders. "Seriously, though, it's like half our class is here, it's almost creepy."
"There are probably more here enjoying the first day of summer than you think." Takagi-san replied. "Just got dragged along because someone didn't want to be seen at the pool alone."
"Still." She brought the towel up to her mouth. "I wish most of them would just buzz off, this is the most annoying thing ever."
"I know how you feel." Takagi-san began. "I heard that some believe that people will lose interest if you're already in a relationship."
"I don't think that would work that well, I don't want to get into a relationship for no reason."
"I can understand that." Takagi-san said before eating some of her lunch. "By the way, what do you and Hamaguchi-kun plan to do over the summer?"
Houjou almost choked at Takagi-san's question. "Wha- we're not … together."
"I know, but you two are friends, right?"
Houjou blushed before taking a deep breath. "Well, he likes hanging around me, and I don't hate him, but we haven't made any plans for … just the two of us."
"Well you should probably get on that." She paused and glanced at her. "Before some other girl comes along and scoops him up."
"I … I don't know what you're talking about." She said as she looked away. "Anyway, what about you and Nishikata-kun?"
"Huh? What about us?"
"Everyone knows that you like him."
"Oh, that, well … things are … difficult right now."
"Difficult?"
"He's got a few self-confidence issues that he's working through."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but I'm more than willing to wait. It might actually be partially my fault. Though he is more interested in hanging out, so that's a plus."
"Well, that's good for you I guess." Houjou said as she covered her mouth with the towel again.
"Yeah." She stood up and took a few steps away. "I'm going to grab a few napkins." She walked off as the others continued their conversation.
"Okay then." Takagi-san began as she glanced over in Nishikata's direction. "Maybe just a little poke."
He was sitting by the stand, close enough to the napkins and straws so that she would have to have passed him one way or another to get to them. 'Not the best choice, unless you wanted to talk to me.' She walked over, acting natural until she reached him. "Hey Nishikata." She said, causing him to almost fall out of his seat. "So, are you enjoying the pool so far?"
"I can't complain." He replied as he turned to look at her.
"You know, we should probably come back here over the summer." Nishikata looked slightly surprised until Takagi-san continued. "Just the two of us I mean."
Nishikata's blush intensified, causing him to quickly look away. "Yeah well … maybe."
"But then again, I would have to get a new bathing suit, this one feels a little tight, and I think it's starting to show."
"Wha- no, it's not." Nishikata replied as he turned towards her. "You look-" He stopped in his tracks as Takagi-san smiled. "It doesn't … I disagree, that's not explicitly a compliment, right?"
"No, it's not, but honestly, it does feel like it's gotten smaller." She said as she looked down at her bathing suit.
"I-if that's what you think."
She smiled again. "Yeah, so we should probably go out and pick out a new one some time soon."
"Now hold on! I helped you last time because I lost a contest."
"So then you won't help me?" She asked as she gave him a sad look.
Nishikata began to blush again as he felt backed into a corner. 'Damn it, there she goes again, what am I supposed to do?' An idea popped into his head. 'Change the subject' "Wait, so the punishment isn't going to be making me help you pick out a bathing suit then?"
"Oh? Are you trying to get me to waste the win on something like that?"
"I … yeah?" He said not sounding to sure of himself.
"Well, it's not going to work, because I've already thought up what I'm going to make you do."
"Yeah, about that … what is it exactly?"
"I already told you, it's a secret." She gave him a slight smile. "But …I might give you a hint ... if you get me a juice."
"That's it?" Nishikata asked as he eased up a little.
"I said I might give you a hint." She walked over to the napkin dispenser and grabbed a few napkins. "You know what type I like."
"Yeah, okay." He said as he turned away. "I have to save this spot for my friends though, so I'll get it to you later."
"We'll still be here for some time, so don't worry about rushing."
"Great, thanks."
She began walking away, trying to prevent herself from having a spring in her step. 'He almost fell for it, I just need to try a little harder.'
As she returned to her table, she sat down and placed the napkins by her bento box. "So how'd your conversation with Nishikata-kun go?" Mano asked.
"Huh?"
"I saw you talking to him."
"Oh, well, we just talked a little and I tried to convince him to buy me some juice."
"Did it work?"
She glanced back at the table and smiled. "We'll see."
Houjou turned in the direction of Nishikata's table and began to blush. "H-Hamaguchi's here as well." She began to cover her face with her towel. "D-Do you think he came because he heard I was going to be here … I mean like everyone else."
"Unlikely." Takagi-san explained. I was actually there when one of Nishikata's friends asked him to come here yesterday; he said that he had no idea as to why so many guys were coming, but wanted to jump on the bandwagon … for lack of a better word. My guess is that Hamaguchi-kun came along for the ride."
"But not Nakai." Mano said as she stared at the ground.
"Probably because they thought he was going to be with you today." Sumire explained. "Seriously, you shouldn't assume that he doesn't like you just because he doesn't spend every waking moment with you."
"I know, it's just … it sometimes feels like Takagi-chan and Nishikata-kun are closer than Nakai and I." She let out a sigh. "Heck, it sometimes feels like Houjou-san and Hamaguchi-kun are closer than Nakai and I."
"Now hold on a minute!" Houjou interjected. "I told you, Hamaguchi and I aren't-"
"I know." Mano interrupted. "And I still stand by my statement."
"Well that's just not true then." Houjou replied.
"Hey, which of you two are Houjou-san and Takagi-san?" Came a female voice. They all looked over to see two girls, older than them, standing there, one with short black hair and a one piece bathing suit, the other with long red hair wearing a T-shirt.
Takagi-san raised her hand and Houjou reluctantly followed. "Wait, you two? You're the two that we keep hearing about?" The black haired girl asked.
"Who are they?" Mano whispered to Sumire.
"I think their highschoolers." Sumire whispered back.
"Can you two please buzz off?" Houjou asked.
"So, an annoying girl with a bad attitude, and another girl who's as flat as a board and a forehead that's as big as Madagascar?" The red haired girl asked.
"HEY!" Houjou snapped. "Neither of us asked to be hounded!"
"No one ever does." The girl with the black hair replied.
"But I wouldn't get too used to it, they'll open their eyes eventually." The girl with the red hair walked off laughing as the girl with the black hair followed.
The four of them sat there staring at the pair as they left. "You know what, I take back what I said earlier, those two are the most annoying thing ever." Houjou turned to Takagi-san, who looked like she was at her reflection on her phone with a concerned look on her face. "Takagi-san … are you okay?"
"My forehead isn't that big, is it?"
The entire table was silent as they stared at Takagi-san. "Well …" Houjou began nervously.
"I'll be right back." She got up and walked off as the other continued to stare at her.
Back with Nishikata, he had just picked up a can of grape juice from the counter and was nervously headed back to where Takagi-san was. "What am I doing?" He asked himself. "Getting her juice, just to hear what she has in mind? There has to be a better way of doing this." He sighed and looked down. 'Why do I care what she plans to do that much? It shouldn't matter for such an easy match … unless … she thinks I'll throw the match.' He began to rack his brain, trying to figure out what she had planned. 'For her to win, I need to compliment her, and it's hard enough for me to compliment her in the first place, why does she think I'll want to mess up?' He continued thinking until an image of her smiling popped into his head. 'Takagi-san … only a few days ago … she told me that she loved me.' He began to feel empty. 'And I called her a lier … Maybe I should just get on my knees and tell her I'm sorry for not believing her.' He shook his head. 'NO! That's probably her plan! … but … so what if it is? Telling her I'm sorry means more than some stupid contest, even if that is her entire plan.' He let out a sigh and began walking with more conviction. 'Screw it, even if she was lying, I'm going to tell her I'm sorry for not believing her. I don't care if that means I somehow lose, I'm getting this resolved today!'
He calmed himself a little before making his way over to where the girls were sitting, only to notice that Takagi-san was surprisingly absent. 'Okay, that's a little strange.' He got closer and soon enough, Sumire noticed him.
"Nishikata-kun?" She asked, causing the others to look in his direction. "Can we help you with something?"
"Uh … yeah, do you guys … know where Takagi-san is?"
They shared a look before Mano answered his question. "Yeah, she took a walk after a few high schoolers insulted her."
"What?" Nishikata asked as he grew visibly concerned.
"Yeah, they said some stuff about her having a massive forehead and stroled off like they did something impressive." Houjou added.
Nishikata felt a pit form in his stomach. "Where did she go exactly?"
Houjou pointed in a direction and Nishikata quickly nearly ran off.
Elsewhere, Takagi-san was sitting on a bench next to the tool shed, out of view of everyone and looking at her face in her phone. "It's not that bad … right?"
"Takagi-san!" She heard Nishikata call.
She looked out from the side of the pool shed to see Nishikata looking for her. "Great, I wonder who told him." She let out a sigh and shook her head. "I need to call off our contest, I don't want to win like this."
She walked out from behind the pool shed and soon enough, Nishikata noticed her and began walking up to her. "Takagi-sani." He began. "Hey … I uh … I heard about … what happened."
"Well, don't worry about it." She said as she walked back to the bench and sat down. "You know I'm not self-conscious about my chest."
"Huh?" Nishikata said as he walked up to her. "Houjou-san told me they said your forehead was big."
"Oh." Takagi-san said, feeling a little uneasy. "Did she now."
"Hey, knowing you, I'm willing to bet, it probibly isn't bothering you much, but you shouldn't let what they say get to you, even a little. They have no idea what they're talking about."
She smiled and taped the seat next to her, signaling for Nishikata to sit next to her. "Say, Nishikata?" She began as he sat down. "Be honest, is my forehead … weird?"
"Of course not! It doesn't matter what size it is, your face looks perfect the way it is." There was an awkward silence as Takagi-san and Nishikata stared at each other. "Oh … looks like I lo-"
"No." Takagi-san interrupted as she put her hand up. "You're trying to make me feel better after I was insulted, there is no way I'm going to count that against you."
"Okay …" Nishikata began to blush as he took a deep breath. "Well then, your eyes are also nice."
"Huh?"
"I said your eyes look nice."
She stared at him astonished before bursting into laughter. "Nishikata … I'm going to let that one slide as well but don't push your luck."
"Okay then." He began to blush even more as he took her hand in his. "Your skin is so soft, and delicate that can't help but be happy every time I hold your hand."
"I said, don't push your luck Nishikata."
"You look …" His blush deepened even more, and he forced himself to close his eyes. "N-nice in that … bathing ... suit."
"STOP!" She exclaimed as she held her free hand in front of her. "This is the last straw, one more, and you lose."
"Okay." He took her hands in his and held both of them between the two of them. "Takagi-san …" He took a deep breath and opened his eyes to look directly into hers. "You're beautiful."
They both sat there for a few moments as they stared at each other, Nishikata's face easily redder than it had ever been. "You know … if you had simply waited a few more seconds … I would have called off our contest."
He quickly let go of her hands and turned away. "What do you mean?"
"I didn't want you to give up just to be nice to me."
"Well I … I …" Nishikata began to get even more nervous, as all of the courage he had drummed up became completely exhausted. "A loss is a loss, even if you didn't intend for it to be."
"Really? You want to go through with this?"
"Yup." Nishikata stated, feeling ashamed of himself for chickening out. "So what's my punishment?"
"Are you sure? I did say it would be severe."
"Like I said, a loss is a loss, give me my penalty."
She let out a sigh. "If you insist." She took a deep breath. "And it's only a punishment if you look at it that way."
"Well, what is it?"
"Well." She smiled and closed her eyes. "For the next week … you have to be my boyfriend."