Cherry Blossom Palette: Summer by the Sea
Chapter 49: Juicy Journey, Cont.
Sunshine Arc
Written by EmtenDew
Edited by P. serrulata
Author's note :
ED: To anyone who ever wants to write a fanfic:
Never try to put two days' worth of beach story in one day of beach story. You wind up about 15 chapters above where expected.
I want to finish this arc as much as PS does. Then we can get on with the summer festival arc.
A smaller chapter today, featuring our juice/soda team.
…
The BBC has finished releasing the first season of Pokémon Horizons!
It seems silly that Netflix is waiting until Black Friday to finish releasing the dub, but that's what VPNs were invented for.
I forgot how many times poor little Hatenna was terrified in the last few episodes. She can pick up evil on her radar like a bloodhound can smell a rotten egg fart in an elevator, meaning that Coral had her soiling herself in Liko's hoodie.
Speaking of the best Pokémon anime series to date, a lot of spoilers came out in the last week regarding the next story arc that comes out on October 11 with Episode 68. There's a new poster with character reveals, and we even have a couple of episode descriptions.
Episode 65 was pretty good too. After dealing with the last episode's events, Liko, Roy, and Dot are about to finish their time training and get back to adventuring. And things among the Explorers are getting even more divided and convoluted. You KNOW that something's wrong when Coral the crazy loose cannon girl is the first to acknowledge it, wanting to learn the truth.
…
Ask us anything, and we'll add a Q section in the next chapter.
It's good to know that you keep reading, so I would be happy if you drop comments and ask questions.
Please enjoy what I wrote.
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Shy of Takata and his six compadres, Naoto had rejoined Hana and Nekoba.
Catching up with them, he'd been treated to their vocal-meanderings regarding the weather, but things had become more "interesting" in a hurry.
Whatever way, they were still heading to the far-flung Pepsi machine, and they weren't not enjoying the walk together.
"That was so funny, Hanacchi~," Nekoba chortled into her hands, pink with mirth. "Nobuo asked you if we were being held up, and you tell him, 'They have water.' Ha!"
She even served up Hana's line with the deadest of deadpan.
"I wasn't trying to be funny, Nekoba-senpai," Hana denied. "No one will miss us if we're an extra five or ten minutes."
"It was still funny," Nekoba guaranteed. "You ever think of doing comedy~?"
'Ack!' Naoto, abreast, flinched at her jibe.
It had been suggested by him to Sakura that she and Hana do JUST that, for the next culture fest at school, not that Nekoba knew…
Perhaps Hana didn't know either. "That sounds like something Sakura-senpai might say… not that she has."
'Phew…' Naoto wasn't sure he could handle mention of that, not without Sakura to put it in context.
Nekoba was already in a different vein. "But Hanacchi, how about that~? You got complemented by one of the most sought-after guys in school~."
"So?" Hana had her own soughting to do. "Is it such a big thing?"
"A lot of girls would make a deal with the Devil to hear that out of Nobuo."
"Foolishness."
"Yeah, it is, but still, he did. Your grades, art, and manicure."
"I'm sure he meant it, Nekoba-senpai."
"Oh, I know he did. He was really into it, even if he was just being friendly."
"…It's not lost on me, Nekoba-senpai, but I don't really care who he is."
"I know it's not lost on you, Hanacchi. I just think it's nice, that's all."
"…" Hana just kept being Hana, padding along in the sand. "Yes."
Naoto was pleased to keep his mouth shut, which he'd been doing, content to listen. "…"
"…" Hana wasn't opposed to the same action, though she'd been doing plenty of talking.
Nekoba had to know—
Alternating glances, she asked them both, "How did you two even meet Nobuo? I had no idea you guys knew him."
A bit surprising this hadn't been the very FIRST thing to come up…
"…" Naoto wasn't sure what to say, but… "…!"
Hana eyed him knowingly. "…"
"…!" He saw she was leaving it up to him.
Might as well try a little harder to find something to say…
So, he did, "Nekoba, I'd appreciate if this stayed quiet."
"Oh?" Her atypical eyes widened. "Well, okay. I gotcha. Not a word."
It was nice to know a girl like Nekoba~…
"…" Hana knew her senpai of senpai could deal.
Naoto explained, "The Monday after Sakura-san and Takata had their… falling-out—that Friday, Sakura-san wanted a safe place to meet with him. It was a surprise to see him come to the art room, but… Sunomiya and I cleared out and let them have the room for a little while… so they could figure things out… and properly break it off."
"Oh…!" Nekoba's peepers bugged slightly; she hadn't been ready for that. "Wow."
Naoto added, "And Takata and I spoke one or two times since."
No need for specifics…
"I was surprised when he greeted me," Hana chimed in. "We never actually spoke that day. I didn't know he knew my name. But I suppose Hachioji-senpai mentioned me at some point."
"…" He had.
And he hoped Hana wouldn't mention he—Naoto—had "helped" Sakura that Friday night, which he'd told her in the upmost vagueness.
"I see." Nekoba nodded. "Well, don't worry, that's safe with me. I'm just glad things went as smoothly as they seem to have."
"Me too," Naoto tagged.
"…~"
"…"
"…"
"I gotta say…" Nekoba resumed conversation, shifting to something new. "I didn't say earlier, but Hanacchi, I'm loving your beach ensemble today~."
It was a very quick shift…
Not that Naoto minded leaving the previous topic, for however long it would stay that way. "…"
Hana felt similarly, perhaps.
"Thank you," she gave Nekoba reply. "I asked Sakura-senpai to help me shop for one."
"You got that just yesterday, right?"
"Yes. We did other clothes-shopping too. We visited a few outlets and a thrift-shop she likes."
"Fun~."
"It was~…"
…
"…~" Naoto was pretty happy to be alive and in the moment.
It was always nice to hear Hana enjoying herself with the other girls…
However, Nekoba brought him from his semi-stupor in a hurry.
"I'm a little surprised you didn't go with them, Nao-kun~…" she said somewhat absently. "You three have been thick-as-thieves the last month…"
'Zort!' He felt like he'd just been popped in the throat, but his physical reaction was far weaker.
Nekoba obliviously meh'd, "But I don't suppose you would go… Girls' shopping can be bo-ring!"
He slumped his shoulders, shortly feeling very heavy.
Now, Nekoba noted his demeanor. "What's up?"
Naoto looked helplessly to Hana. "…?"
"…" Hana was playing it cool, pretending to not notice.
Naoto suspected if she could whistle nonchalantly, of which she was unable to do—whistling, she'd be doing just that. "…"
Whatever… it was Nekoba…
"I did go with them…" he exposed. "Sakura-san called me up before lunch yesterday and asked me to go."
"Really?" Nekoba wasn't as shocked as a person might be.
Hana was slightly shocked that Naoto would give that over, voluntarily and nearly unprovoked. "…!"
"It wasn't boring though…" Naoto wished to tack on. "It was fun… We all found a few things we liked."
"Huh…" Nekoba blinked. "I knew you three were pretty tight, but… wow. Huh~…"
Naoto was relieved. "Phew…"
Could've gone worse…
Maybe it still could, with Hana's contribution~. "I was terribly nervous about wearing a bikini in public… I was the one that wanted him to come along."
'Aw, fuck…' Naoto knew this was the big reason he'd been asked along, but he wasn't exactly up for anyone outside of study buddies knowing about it. 'Why…?!'
But Sakura had told him in confidence, so…
"Wh-what do you mean…?" he weakly put forth, absolutely failing in not doing the old "glasses-adjustment" motion.
"…" Hana's eyes turned down to the sand and whatever else lay before her.
She began to blush.
'Ack!' Naoto knew she'd wanted him to see her new swimsuit before any other person besides Sakura did, but he wouldn't be able to take hearing it aloud, not without undergoing biblical-level discomfiture.
Was he a douchebag for feeling this way…?
However, Nekoba came to the rescue.
And a rescue didn't hurt…
She smiled serenely. "You don't get it, Nao-kun~?"
"Get what?" he reacted, barely registering her material question.
Nekoba beamed. "Why she wanted you to come along~?"
Naoto's insides churned.
Sometimes, a rescue was still a traumatic experience…
"…" He looked ahead for a few seconds… and then to Hana for a few seconds.
She'd shrunk slightly, quite cerise and possibly regretting opening her mouth.
Knowing what to do could be a challenge…
But Naoto did know he wanted to spare Hana—and himself—from hearing the exact spoken by an "outsider".
"No… I get it, Nekoba," he settled on the truth.
She ruminated, "You do?"
"Y-yeah… I do. You don't have to say it."
Hana expelled relief, "Hoo…"
"…!" Naoto caught it.
Nekoba noticed as well, and she giggled, not unkindly, "Tee-hee-hee-hee~…"
"Nekoba…" Naoto was ready to admonish her for laughing.
"Oh, relax~..." she tittered. "Both of you, I mean. It's okay, Hanacchi~… I think we all understand. Don't worry about it~."
"R-right…" Hana gave affirmation, making a deliberate effort to straighten up and compose herself.
Her two senpai reeled at the adorability. "…!" "…!"
How cute she was… like a little soldier~! And funny~…
"Pfft!" Naoto couldn't stop himself, explosively snorting behind his hands, throwing off his entire gait.
Hana jumped. "Hachioji-senpai…?"
"Heh-heh-heh~!" Nekoba cackled. "Oh, you're the best, Hanacchi~."
"…" She wasn't averse to hearing this from a senpai; she wrung her hands. "…~"
Naoto's conviction wasn't far from Nekoba's, though saying it wasn't in the cards, at least that day. "…~"
"I'm sure the both of them were happy to have you, Nao-kun~," Nekoba took an educated guess; she alternated to Hana. "Isn't that right, Hanacchi?"
Naoto looked to Hana, less out of expectation, but more because that's where the focus had drawn. "…?"
"…" Hana considered it; she gave the very slightest smile. "Yes~."
"…!" It was a known to Naoto, but—yes~, clarity helped. "…~"
"I don't think it could've been anything else~," Nekoba trilled.
Hana wished to say something. "Hachioji-senpai?"
"Y-yes?" His heart skipped.
"…" She handpicked her language. "I might say I'm sorry for your trouble yesterday, but that would be improper."
He wasn't sure he understood. "Would it?"
It was certainly UNNECCESSARY, but it might not necessarily be improper…
"It would," Hana explained. "I'm just very thankful for you…"
And she turned all the redder.
"…!" Naoto lived a "holy shit moment", wondering just how red he was. "Uh…"
Nekoba even had a little color.
"Oh, I think that's sweet," she crooned.
Hana concluded, "That's what I wanted to say…"
Naoto was grateful to not be at a loss.
"Y-you're welcome, Sunomiya," he managed. "Yesterday was a good time."
"I'll let you know the next time my family grills out," Hana promised. "I wish you would've come along with us~…"
"What about the grill-out?" Nekoba had heard about the grill-out, from the other girls, and when Hana had brought it up to Takata.
Naoto beseeched, eyes to the sky, 'Oh, shit…!'
"Nao-kun, you passed on going to have steak and all the fixings with Hanacchi and Sakura?!" She found it difficult to comprehend.
He was more than willing to defend himself, and he did, "H-hey! When we finished up shopping and stuff, Sakura-san said—clearly and verbatim, 'We got some girly stuff doin'~!' I was invited, but that's what I was told!"
"Ha!" Nekoba crowed. "That actually wasn't too bad of a Sakura impression, Nao-kun~."
"It wasn't bad at all," Hana tendered. "You even got her '~' down."
"Don't you start ganging up on me too…" Naoto whined.
Conceivably, it wasn't "ganging up", but…
Hana, paying little heed, said, "You're invited too, Nekoba-senpai."
"Aww, I wasn't expecting it, but thanks, Hanacchi~."
"I would never bring it up in front of you and not ask you along."
"Oh, you're one swell kid~."
"Just don't tell anyone else," Hana required. "We would need to plan well-ahead for that much meat."
"How 'bout we do one of those pot-lucks sometime? Like you all had that Friday before finals~?"
"It was good to see all that barbecue not go to waste. I enjoyed that."
"Yeah, I heard it was a pretty great lunch… All that meat~…"
…
"…!" Naoto was exclaiming internally… but he was soon found wanting. "…?"
…
"I wouldn't mind trying Yoshi-senpai's grandmother's curry again," Hana said to Nekoba.
"Oh, I've had that once or twice~!" Nekoba retorted. "Yummy~!"
"I think Yoshi-senpai's grandparents are her paternal grandparents. She said her grandmother didn't give the recipe—if that's the case—to her daughter-in-law until after 10 years of marriage to her son."
"Meaning Yoshi will have to get married and start a family of her own to inherit the recipe herself?"
"…"
"Hanacchi…?"
"I don't know, Nekoba-senpai. Yoshi-senpai is her granddaughter—not her daughter-in-law."
"A question of family-dynamics, I suppose…"
"Yes, that was my conclusion. But that question did keep me awake for several hours, a few nights ago."
…
'Phew…' Naoto calmed himself.
The pot-luck talk was encouraging…
Still, he remained wary. "…"
…
There was a reason he'd suddenly been afraid.
"…" He'd half-expected Hana to add to "I enjoyed that," "Until a certain someone ruined it," and he was thankful she didn't.
That sort of negativity wouldn't help much of anything… especially his relative peace-of-mind…
Please look forward to the next chapter! Thanks for reading!
Questions and comments are welcome!
