Summer vacation

Summer vacation, synonym of no more school nor classes or practices, just suffocating heat and chilling at home with the AC running to not die out of a heatstroke, but especially... NatsuComi!

But, of course, before all that, Yoshiko has to bear the last Aqours's practice before she can rest and be completely free until summer vacation are over and they're obliged to go back to classes.

And that's exactly why Yoshiko is hunched over the practice room's table, enjoying the coldness of its surface not really paying attention to Dia's boring speech about who knows what, she isn't really paying attention to her.

- What is the meaning of summer vacation?

Dia asks aloud, making the girls furrow their brows upon her question.

- Going to the beach?

- Diving.

Chika and Kanan answer at the same time, laughing as they look at each other, before Hanamaru happily chimes in.

- I always go to my grandma's house, zura.

- NatsuComi!

Yoshiko exclaims, sitting up to pose with her signature gesture, causing the rest of the girls to look at her weirdly, before they turn to look back at Dia and pay attention to her.

The blue haired girl can only pout as she goes back to rest over the table, raising her head slightly to look at a giggling Riko. She gives her a soft smile, before Dia's groan interrupts them.

- Buu buu desu wa! And you all call yourself idols! You're pathetic!

She raises her voice reprimanding them all, causing them to flinch, before they observe her turning around the whiteboard beside her to show them a very detailed planning.

- Summer vacation means Love Live, and because of that, we're going to have a special training.

A collective groan can be heard in the practice room, before Chika, Hanamaru and Yoshiko are seen all hunched over the table sporting faces of weariness.

- Swimming 10 km.

- Running 15 km.

Chika and Yoshiko mumble as they take a look at the whiteboard.

- Does she want to kill us? – Yoshiko whines, hearing Riko's sweet giggle once again, before Hanamaru also whines.

- She does, zura.

It's now Ruby's turn to giggle at what Hanamaru said, before You chimes in.

- Uh, Dia-san, sorry but I've just remembered that Chika-chan and I have to help out at the beach snack bar.

And just when Yoshiko thinks she's saved from such tortuous training, Mari comes up with one of her shiny ideas, suggesting helping out at the beach snack bar while they practice in their free time.

Another loud groan can be heard, followed by resigned sighs, before they all gather their things agreeing to meet up the following day at the beach, beginning to leave the practice room one by to go to their respective homes.

- Cheer up, I'm sure it won't be so bad.

Riko comments optimistic while she and Yoshiko walk together behind the rest of the girls, earning herself a sigh from the fallen angel.

- I still prefer to go to the NatsuComi or stay at home chilling with the AC running than such a torture.

Riko can't help but giggle once again, before they have to part ways to go to their own homes.

Next morning, they're arriving all together to the beach, when Chika and You quickly run to the water, entering it and splashing water at one another while their laughs fill the early morning air.

- H-hey! Where do you think you're going!? We came to practice!

Dia begins to yell at them as her little sister passes by her, laughing while she drags with her a flustered Hanamaru inside the cold water, hearing the chestnut haired girl yelp at it.

- It's cold zura!

Hanamaru yells, making Ruby giggle and Kanan and Mari chuckle as they come to Dia's side.

- You really thought they were going to practice?

Kanan asks amusedly, and Dia can't help but bring a hand to her face as she sighs deeply and resigned.

- I did indeed, but fine, I guess they can have fun... But we're practicing later!

She ends up yelling aloud so the rest of the girls can hear of their plans for later while they continue to play in the water.

- Yay!

- You're the best, one-chan!

Chika and Ruby exclaim at the same time, bringing a fond smile to Dia's face that it's quickly replaced by a frown as Mari hits her with a beach ball.

- Shiny!

Mari exclaims playfully, sticking out her tongue at Dia who fumes and begins to run after her, chasing the running blonde while Kanan laughs and begins to also chase them to save her girlfriend from Dia's anger.

Riko can't help but watch everything from the top of the steps that lead to the beach smiling fondly at her friends and their antics, before she begins to go downstairs to walk towards a nearby beach umbrella where a certain fallen angel rests under trying to shelter herself from the scorching sun rays.

As soon as she sits beside her, Yoshiko turns around to face her, opening her eyes to trap her in their deep magenta color.

- Aren't you going to play with the rest of mortals? – Yoshiko asks her, causing Riko to giggle before she shakes her head.

- No, you? – she asks back, earning herself a snort from the younger girl.

- I don't want my precious and delicate skin to get burnt under such hellish sun rays.

Yoshiko answers, making Riko giggle more. Yoshiko smiles delighted to hear her sweet giggle, before she frowns slightly upon noticing the jacket Riko is wearing.

Riko can't help but notice this and blush.

- I-I'm cold – she stutters defensive, observing Yoshiko still frowning at her words, before she shrugs her shoulders and closes her eyes once again to keep resting.

Riko sighs relieved that Yoshiko didn't push the matter further, and decides to keep the self-proclaimed fallen angel some company before the afternoon falls and they head towards the beach snack bar to clean it and make it decent enough so they open it in the hope that clients go and taste their meals.

And even though they don't sell as many meals as they wish, they're content with the job done, closing the beach snack bar before they go to practice at the beach just like Dia had threaten them early on the day, until it's time to go back to the inn to rest and sleep.

The following day, Yoshiko can't help but notice Riko wearing the same jacket as the previous day while they practice early in the morning and later when they're simply resting and playing at the beach.

Yoshiko furrows her brow and goes to sit beside Riko under the beach umbrella.

- Are you still cold? – she asks worried about the burgundy haired girl, noticing her averting her gaze.

- Y-yeah.

Riko stutters worrying Yoshiko further, who can't help but place a hand on her forehead, causing the older girl to blush deeply.

- You don't seem to have fever though.

- I-i-it's okay! I'm okay! – Riko yelps, fidgeting on her seat out of embarrassment while Yoshiko simply frowns more.

- But you might be sick if you're cold, Riri – Yoshiko states, before she sighs – Or maybe it's because of something else... Am I right, my elite little demon?

Riko can only open her eyes widely to look at Yoshiko nervously.

- It's okay Riri, I'm sure you don't have anything to be afraid nor be ashamed of.

- H-how did you…

Riko trails off, surprised at how Yoshiko is so keen upon knowing what is really happening with her.

- I've noticed the way you look at the water, hesitantly yet with yearn of wanting to join the girls and play with them. Or how you're always wearing that jacket even if we're in hell itself, closing it tight around your body more out of fear than out of cold, and it's painful.

Riko can only lower her gaze unsure of how to react to Yoshiko's words, hearing her exhaling deeply as tears pricks her eyes.

- It's okay Riri. We're here, I'm here. There's nothing to be scared or ashamed of.

Yoshiko says in a reassuring way as she wipes away some of the tears that managed to escape from Riko's eyes.

- I… I'm just not confident…

Riko mumbles, leaning into Yoshiko's touch as she raises her eyes to look at her insecurely, seeing Yoshiko smiling at her fondly in return.

- You're beautiful Riko. A-and hot as hell!

Yoshiko squeals the last part while blushing, causing Riko to blush as hard as she does and giggle.

- Y-you think so? – Riko whispers coyly, feeling Yoshiko pinching her cheeks playfully.

- Of course I do! This fallen angel never lies, especially not to her beautiful and hot elite little demon!

Yoshiko says effusively, blushing as hard as Riko's hair color while she retreats her hand from the older girl's cheek to hold it out for her.

- Now, shall we go together and play in the water with the rest of the little demons?

Yoshiko offers Riko, who intakes a sharp breath of air, before she gladly accepts Yoshiko's extended hand, grasping it tightly to walk together towards the water.

Riko then takes another deep breath, gazing at Yoshiko to see her smiling at her encouragingly, before she fidgets with the zip of her jacket and pulls it down to toss it away.

Yoshiko smiles at her one last time, before she takes her shaking hand and drags her to the water where the rest of the girls are already awaiting for them.

They barely put a feet into the water, when Chika and You begin to splash water at them.

- Hey!

Yoshiko exclaims in vain as Mari and Kanan quickly join the other girls to splash more water at them.

- Stop! – Yoshiko demands as she does her best to splash water back at them, failing miserably while Riko giggles hidden behind her.

Soon enough, Hanamaru and Ruby also join to their playful water battle and splash more water at them, obliging Yoshiko to go back until her body hits Riko's, almost losing her balance if it wasn't because the burgundy haired girl quickly wraps her arms around her waist to pull her closer to her and hold her tight.

Yoshiko lets out a loud squeal, blushing hard as she feels Riko hugging her from behind, before she's almost drown in water.

- Zuramaru! – she yells, sputtering water out of her mouth as she squints her eyes at the innocent girl.

- S-sorry, zura! You looked so red that I thought you were having a sunstroke, zura!

Hanamaru quickly apologizes, while Mari clicks her tongue approaching the young girl to encircle her shoulders with her arm.

- My, my, sweet and innocent Hanamaru, Yoshiko-chan here is just blushing upon feeling her lover's boobies against her back.

Mari comments as she winks at Yoshiko who can only blush even harder, while Riko hides her face in between the younger girl's shoulder blades.

- M-M-Mari! T-that's not true!

- Mari-san!

Yoshiko squeals high-pitched, while Dia exclaims outraged at the blonde, covering Ruby's ears.

- Oops.

Mary says as innocently as she can, sticking out her tongue while Kanan sighs amused at her girlfriend's antics and Chika and You laugh, before they begin another water battle.

- Thank you, Yocchan.

Riko says softly as she keeps hugging Yoshiko from behind, feeling her hands resting on hers to squeeze them.

- You're welcome, Riri. Just remember you're perfect.

Yoshiko says sweetly and reassuringly, before she's splashed with more water, causing Riko to laugh, before she leaves the security of Yoshiko's back to protect her fallen angel from the girls splashing water at them, especially Mari.