After applying the sunscreen, Natsuki and Shoko went swimming in the sea together.
During this time, Natsuki used his [Quantum Entanglement] ability to successfully transform the side effects on Shoko into a beneficial buff.
As expected, the buff Shoko received was the same as Haruno's, [You Reap What You Sow], but unfortunately, this was the sea, and Shoko was wearing a swimsuit, so it wasn't a place for training or exercise.
Of course, even in a room with only the two of them, with Shoko's shy personality, she would absolutely not be able to do sit-ups like Haruno for training.
"How do you feel?"
Natsuki asked.
Shoko's eyes sparkled brightly:
"My body... doesn't feel uncomfortable anymore."
Natsuki said, "In the future, when the physique side effects erupt, you don't need to silently endure them anymore. Just tell me directly, and I'll help you reverse the side effects."
"Mm-hmm."
Shoko nodded happily.
To be honest, even in a dating relationship, Shoko was unwilling to accept magic replenishment, for no other reason than that the process of magic replenishment was simply too embarrassing.
Natsuki continued, "I won't be able to replenish Shoko's magic anymore, so... shouldn't I get a reward?"
"Eh?"
Shoko looked over in confusion.
Natsuki said, "Kiss me, consider it my hard-earned reward for this period."
"That..."
Shoko hesitated for a while, indeed feeling that Natsuki had worked hard, so with a flushed pretty face, she looked around, confirmed that no one else was nearby, and cautiously leaned forward.
Her lips were like a dragonfly touching water, briefly touching Natsuki's cheek and then pulling away.
"Is that all?"
Shoko was about to retreat when a hand suddenly reached out and directly wrapped around her waist.
Natsuki used a little force with his right hand, directly pulling Shoko into his embrace, and said in a low voice, "I haven't said it's over yet."
Shoko quickly looked up with a flushed face and said shyly, "I've, I've already kissed you."
"That didn't count, at most it was just interest," Natsuki said shamelessly, "As expected, I have to take the reward myself."
Shoko's pretty face flushed crimson, and she pushed against Natsuki's chest with both hands, saying shyly, "Someone, someone is swimming over..."
Natsuki instructed, "Take a deep breath."
Shoko blinked her bright eyes, not understanding.
Natsuki said, "We'll go directly into the water."
...
As players, their lung capacity was naturally far beyond that of ordinary people, and even holding their breath underwater for more than ten minutes was no problem at all.
After Shoko took a deep breath, Natsuki decisively embraced Shoko and submerged into the water.
Ten minutes later.
Natsuki, holding the Shoko whose eyes were hazy and whose body was already soft and weak, surfaced with a 'splash'.
Although he could continue, Shuuko was still on the beach, and if Shoko didn't return, Shuuko would inevitably worry.
Natsuki could only hold Shoko and swim back to the shore, still wanting more.
"Go find your aunt," Natsuki waved, turned, and left, "I'll go prepare a small gift first, so I'm leaving now. See you later."
Shoko's pretty face was flushed, her eyes moist, and she watched Natsuki's back disappear on the sea before retracting her gaze and reluctantly walking back.
What happened next goes without saying.
Only the last ray of twilight remained in the sky, the sky gradually darkened, and the vast dusk enveloped the surroundings, as tourists began to return in twos and threes.
After the mother and daughter reunited, they packed their things, left the sea together, returned the rented parasol, beach chairs, and other items, and then went to a restaurant for dinner together.
During dinner, whenever a figure passed by the window, Shoko would secretly look over, but unfortunately, Natsuki's figure never appeared until after dinner.
"What is Shoko looking at?" Shuuko's voice floated softly.
Shoko came back to her senses and quickly looked away, saying, "I wasn't looking at anything."
"Well, Shoko has learned to lie now, too," Shuuko said with a smile, resting her chin on her hands. "I had the same expression as Shoko a long time ago."
Shoko looked up curiously at her mother sitting across from her.
"That was during high school, right?" Shoko said softly, a reminiscent look on her face. "Your father finally mustered the courage to ask me out on a date. I was so happy then. On the morning of the date, I had already finished my makeup and dressed in beautiful clothes, waiting at the intersection."
"There was a car stopped at the intersection, and I unintentionally saw my reflection in the car window. It was exactly the same expression as Shoko's now."
Shuuko paused for two seconds. Seeing her daughter gazing at her curiously, the corners of her lips curved slightly upward into a joyful arc, and she said softly, "That was… an expression of anticipating your beloved to arrive quickly."
Upon hearing this, Shoko's beautiful eyes widened, and then her pretty face rapidly flushed red at a visible speed. She nervously lowered her head to look at her toes, her lips opening and closing as if she wanted to retort.
Unfortunately, the words of rebuttal reached her lips but couldn't be spoken.
Mom was right.
She was indeed looking forward to Natsuki arriving quickly.
"Is Natsuki-kun here to see you?"
Shuuko asked with a smile.
Shoko lowered her head, her chin almost touching her chest, and said in a faint voice, "Th-that..."
"It must be," Shuuko said firmly, without any hesitation. "My daughter would never be fickle or promiscuous."
Shoko: "..."
"And I saw it very clearly before..." Shuuko continued, "Natsuki-kun appeared when you went to the convenience store to buy something."
Shoko looked up speechlessly at her mother sitting opposite her.
So she had already been discovered?
Why did she only say it now?
"Well, I wouldn't be completely at ease letting you go buy a cold drink by yourself," Shuuko's smile grew more joyful, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "I thought Shoko would bring Natsuki-kun along, but neither of you came to say hello to me."
Shoko quickly explained, "I didn't let him come... Natsuki-kun still has things to do."
"How sad," Shuuko said, clutching her chest with a wronged expression. "Shoko hasn't even married yet, and she's already siding with an outsider. When she does marry, she'll definitely forget her mother completely, won't she?"
Shoko couldn't help but puff out her pink cheeks and softly called out, "...Mom!"
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore," Shuuko waved her hand. "So, tonight, are you going to the fireworks festival with Mom, or with your boyfriend?"
Shoko said softly, "Of course, I'm going with Mom."
Shuuko rested her right hand on her chin and smiled, "Then when your boyfriend comes looking for you, will Shoko abandon Mom and go alone?"
"N-never..."
Shoko answered softly.
However, this time she clearly lacked some confidence.
The casual chat ended.
The mother and daughter left the restaurant, rented a yukata at a yukata shop, and then headed to the sea.
Because it was the last fireworks festival before the end of summer, and it was also on a weekend, there were a lot of tourists who came to participate in the fireworks festival. It was shoulder to shoulder, a dense crowd of people.
Shoko held the corner of her yukata, walking forward with the crowd while looking for Natsuki.
"The fireworks festival is about to begin," Shuuko reminded her. "Has Natsuki-kun not sent you a message yet?"
Shoko shook her head slightly, holding her embroidered purse in both hands, her bright eyes wide, still eagerly waiting.
"It's so late, and he still hasn't come to find you," Shuuko closed one eye and tilted her head, saying, "Could he have forgotten Shoko?"
Shoko softly retorted, "He would never forget me."
"That's not necessarily true," Shuuko said with a smile. "Natsuki-kun is so handsome, he's bound to be approached by many girls. Maybe he's on a date with other girls right now, completely engrossed and having too much fun to think of returning."
Upon hearing this, Shoko gently bit her rosy lips, pondered for a few seconds, and then bravely said in a low voice, "Natsuki-kun would never do something like that."
"Eh?" Shuuko smiled. "Why is Shoko so sure?"
Shoko clenched her right hand into a fist, pressed it against her chest, and said with determined eyes, "Because... because Natsuki-kun always keeps his promises."
Just then, the phone in Shoko's hand suddenly vibrated.
Looking down at the new message that popped up, Shoko's eyes suddenly brightened, and then she looked up at Shuuko beside her, saying expectantly, "Mom, I just received a message..."
"I understand," Shuuko waved her hand. "Go, go, have fun."
"Mhm, mhm."
Shoko nodded quickly, then impatiently lifted the hem of her yukata, clattering her geta, and scurried away.
Watching Shoko's disappearing back in the crowd, Shuuko couldn't help but sigh, "A girl in love... how wonderful."
She retracted her gaze.
Shuuko followed the crowd, about to head to the fireworks viewing spot, when she suddenly felt her phone vibrate gently.
She took it out and saw it was a message from Shoko:
"Mom, be careful alone. I'll bring you a gift when I get back."
Seeing the message, Shuuko's face broke into a smile:
"Mom wants a super-sized ice cream."
At the same time.
Shoko scurried along and soon saw Natsuki, also dressed in a yukata, at a nearby intersection.
"Natsuki..."
Shoko exhaled softly and slowly approached Natsuki.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Natsuki naturally took Shoko's right hand and explained, "I took a bath, changed clothes, then ate, bought gifts, and looked for the best fireworks viewing spot... You weren't too anxious, were you?"
Shoko gently shook her head and said, "No."
Natsuki turned and said, "Then let's go. There are too many people at the sea. We'll go somewhere else to watch the fireworks festival."
"Okay."
Shoko softly responded, allowing Natsuki to hold her hand as they walked through the crowd towards a deserted street.
If it were anyone else, she would definitely be worried and scared, but with Natsuki by her side, even if it were a Haunted House ahead, she wouldn't panic at all.
As they left the main group at the sea, the sounds around them suddenly quieted.
"The fireworks festival won't start for another ten-odd minutes," Natsuki said softly, holding Shoko's hand. "There's enough time. Let's walk slowly."
"Mhm, mhm."
Shoko nodded gently.
Strolling down the quiet street under the moonlight, with the cool sea breeze in the distance, Shoko looked down slightly at their elongated shadows cast by the streetlights, feeling exceptionally peaceful.
A moment later.
Natsuki stopped and said, "We've arrived at our destination."
"Eh?" Shoko looked up, blinked, and said softly, "This is... the school?"
"That's right," Natsuki said. "This is Kamakura High School, the filming location for 'Slam Dunk.' School hasn't started yet, so there's no one inside. The rooftop is an excellent spot to watch the fireworks festival."
Shoko pursed her lips, looked at the locked gate, and hesitated, "The school isn't open yet..."
"Don't worry, we're just going in to watch the fireworks festival," Natsuki reassured her. "We're not stealing anything or damaging public property, so there's no problem."
"But..."
Shoko was about to speak, but the next second, Natsuki had already picked her up in a princess carry, causing her to let out a soft gasp.
"There's no time, the fireworks festival is about to begin."
Natsuki leaned forward slightly, then his legs suddenly pushed off, carrying Shoko directly over the wall and into the school.
"Since we're already in..." Natsuki set Shoko down. "Shall we go a little deeper?"
Knowing that refusal was useless, Shoko could only purse her lips and agree.
The two went to the teaching building, climbed the stairs, and soon reached the top floor.
The iron gate leading to the rooftop was locked with an iron lock, but for a player, this level of lock was like tofu dregs; there were dozens of ways to open it.
Natsuki took out a master key, easily opened the lock, and then led Shoko onto the school rooftop.
Shoko felt her vision suddenly widen. Kamakura High School was located by the sea, right next to the ocean. Looking out, she could even see the bustling crowds of tourists by the sea.
"Come sit."
Natsuki led Shoko to the edge of the railing, where a two-seater sofa appeared before their eyes.
"Eh?" Shoko's eyes widened, and she asked curiously in a low voice, "Why is there a sofa on the rooftop?"
"Naturally, I prepared it in advance," Natsuki said casually. "I originally planned to get a table, two chairs, and buy two bottles of red wine..."
Shoko softly reminded him, "High school students can't drink alcohol."
Natsuki shrugged and said, "So I only prepared the sofa, not the red wine."
As he spoke, a spark of fire rose from the sea in the distance, then suddenly bloomed.
Bang!
A firework brilliantly opened in the night sky.
"Perfect timing," Natsuki pulled Shoko to sit on the sofa. "The fireworks festival has begun."
"Here."
Natsuki's gifts were not just the sofa and the viewing spot. He reached out and pulled out several tulips from a black shopping bag behind the sofa, offering them to Shoko.
Looking at the flowers in front of her, Shoko's eyes widened slightly, and she instinctively reached out, taking them and holding them in her hands.
Natsuki softly said, "I asked Shuuko, this is your favorite flower, right?"
Shoko turned her head, her face flushed, and asked, "Did you ask today?"
Natsuki looked at the blooming fireworks in the sky and casually said, "Let me think... it should have been when I first added Shuuko's contact information."
Shoko: "..."
"Don't just look at me," Natsuki reminded her, "Look at the fireworks."
"Mm-hm."
Shoko's pretty face flushed, and she quickly turned her head to look at the blooming fireworks, silently gripping the tulips in her hand.
"And then, the second gift..."
Natsuki raised his right hand and gently snapped his fingers.
Domain Expansion!
After the expansion, one could set their own rules, so in the next second, the fireworks in the air slowly transformed into a cat pattern.
"A cat?!"
Shoko's eyes widened in astonishment.
The fireworks in the air suddenly forming a pattern was definitely quite astonishing, and amazed cheers also erupted from the sea, clearly audible even from the school rooftop.
Even the staff responsible for setting off the fireworks were stunned.
Were these truly the fireworks they had set off?
They could actually form a cat?
Could it be a one-in-a-million coincidence?
However, the fireworks committee staff quickly realized that the cat appearing in the air was not a coincidence—that cat did not disappear; instead, as the fireworks continued to burn, it constantly changed its appearance, licking its paws, rolling around, stretching, in no way could it be described as a coincidence.
Listening to the thunderous cheers from all around, several staff members looked bewildered and dumbfounded.
"What's going on with that cat in the sky?"
"A coincidence, right?"
"Bullshit coincidence."
"If it's not a coincidence... could it be a divine skill?"
"..."
Silent people often have very delicate hearts, for example, Shoko liked all kinds of small animals. Seeing the cat made of fireworks in the sky, she happily took out her phone and started recording a video.
Natsuki snapped his fingers again, and the cat slowly disappeared, immediately turning into a lively running dog.
The appearance of the second animal firework caused the cheers from the sea to erupt once more.
Natsuki turned to look at Shoko and asked, "What other animal do you want to see?"
Shoko blurted out, "Panda."
"Then it's a panda."
Natsuki raised his right hand and snapped his fingers again.
The fireworks in the air converged and quietly transformed again, becoming an endearingly clumsy panda.
Cats and dogs are actually very common, and many people like them, but some are indifferent. In comparison, pandas are the true national darlings, loved by men, women, and children alike.
As the panda firework appeared in the sky, a fierce cheer suddenly erupted from the sea, the sound waves like a tide, clearly audible even from the school rooftop.
"It's a panda!"
Shoko also let out a soft exclamation, her eyes sparkling, holding up her phone and happily recording a video.
The hour-long fireworks festival quietly came to an end, followed by the grand finale, the Yonshakudama firework.
The Yonshakudama is one of the largest fireworks in the world, having previously held a Guinness World Record. One shaku is thirty-three centimeters, so four shaku means a diameter of over one meter, and the firework weighs nearly a thousand pounds. After exploding in the air, the blooming firework can reach a diameter of seven hundred meters.
Just looking at the numbers doesn't really convey the feeling; only by being there can one truly experience the brilliance of the giant firework.
Between the ordinary fireworks and the final Yonshakudama, there was a short two-minute charging time.
However, no tourists left; everyone held their breath, eagerly looking up at the night sky.
Shoko also held her phone, staring unblinkingly at the sky, ready to welcome the final fireworks.
In contrast, Natsuki's attention was on Shoko.
At first, Shoko was sitting in the corner of the sofa, shy and unwilling to get close, but as the fireworks slowly went off, she unknowingly moved closer and was already right next to Natsuki.
Soon after, a bright ball of fire rose from a boat on the sea, it was the final Yonshakudama. Its flight height was much higher than ordinary fireworks, but it was still within the range of the Domain Expansion.
"It's, it's starting!"
Shoko nervously reminded him.
Natsuki looked up at the sky and softly said, "Don't blink."
A few seconds later.
An incredibly brilliant and dazzling giant firework suddenly bloomed in the night sky, and the entire world seemed to light up.
Snap.
Natsuki raised his right hand and gently snapped his fingers again.
This time, the fireworks in the air did not turn into small animals, but instead transformed into two overlapping giant hearts, lingering in the night sky for a long time.
Shoko's beautiful eyes widened, her hands clasped in front of her chest, staring blankly at the hearts in the night sky, even her breathing was held.
"Here."
Natsuki took out the last gift and handed it to Shoko.
Shoko looked down and saw a ring, sparkling in the night.
Natsuki held Shoko's right hand and placed the ring on her finger, softly saying, "Next time you encounter someone trying to flirt, you don't need to bravely speak; just show them the ring on your hand."
"..."
Thunderous cheers came from the sea.
In the night sky, there was the sound of fireworks blooming.
But at this moment, Shoko only felt all sounds become hazy, with only her own rapid heartbeat being the clearest.
Looking at the side profile of the boy beside her, a sudden impulse arose in Shoko's heart.
The impulse grew stronger and stronger, quickly occupying her entire being.
"Do you like today's gifts?"
Natsuki asked softly.
"..."
Shoko only felt her head hazy, and finally, gathering all her courage, she turned her body and kissed him.
Silently feeling the soft, moist, and sweet touch on his lips, Natsuki already had his answer in his heart.
Clearly.
Shoko really liked today's gifts.
The fireworks festival successfully concluded.
The various animals that appeared at the festival were talked about with great relish for a while, sparking countless discussions, but unfortunately, the truth forever remained a mystery.
Natsuki, the instigator, was wantonly teasing Shoko on the rooftop.
It wasn't until more than ten minutes later, as most of the tourists by the sea had dispersed, that Natsuki reluctantly stopped, and took Shoko down from the rooftop and left the school.
After seeing Shoko reunite with Shuuko, Natsuki waved from a distance, then turned and left.