At the end of August, the hottest period of the year was finally coming to an end, and there were noticeably fewer tourists at the beach.
For a cute girl who wasn't comfortable with the attention of strangers and only wanted to enjoy the sea with one particular person, this was actually the perfect time to visit.
Even so, she still seemed somewhat uncomfortable in an unfamiliar environment, acting a little awkwardly. Then again, perhaps it was because she was finally alone with me again, the object of her secr... no, long-since-open crush...
"Sensei!"
The white-haired girl beside me, who had been vigilantly scanning her surroundings, suddenly shouted.
"Get down!"
Before I could react, she threw herself at me. Despite her soft and petite frame, she knocked me straight to the ground. Even though the sand beneath us was soft, the sudden impact still hurt a little.
Ignoring that, I quickly asked,
"Azusa, what happened?"
"...Phew. Just some tourists. You can get up now."
Brushing the sand off myself, I looked at the figures walking away in the distance, people who still had their guns slung over their shoulders without a care in the world, then glanced at Azusa beside me, wanting to say something but holding back.
She wasn't using this as an excuse to take advantage of me, was she?
The Azusa I first met had been an innocent, good kid, but as the saying goes, those who stay near vermilion become red, those near ink become black.
After spending so much time with Hanako, Koharu, and especially Hifumi, it was hard to say whether Azusa had picked up any bad habits.
"Azusa, didn't we come to the beach before? You don't need to be this nervous."
As soon as I said that, memories of our previous trip to the beach surfaced in my mind, and suddenly I felt that even if Azusa was overreacting, it was somewhat understandable.
"But..." Azusa hesitated. "In reality, those people who approached us just now might have been hiding hostile intentions."
I felt that even if they did, it probably wasn't directed at me.
After all, being fortunate enough to be walking with a handsome member of the opposite sex like me while displaying a possessive attitude and acting wary of everyone around her, even cute little Azusa would probably attract jealous looks from girls who wanted to come talk to me.
Meanwhile, Azusa had already completed her own logical conclusion.
"No matter when, we have to consider the worst-case scenario. Danger can be hidden in every corner of daily life. One moment of carelessness could lead to consequences that can't be undone."
"It doesn't have to be that extreme. Besides, nobody knows we're here on a date today, right?"
"That's true. But the beach still isn't as safe as I imagined."
With an unreadable look in her eyes, Azusa said seriously,
"I want to protect sensei."
Her adorable expression put me in an excellent mood, and I reached out to pat her head.
"Come on, relax a little. We don't come to the beach every day, so let's enjoy it, okay? I heard sugar helps relieve stress. Want to get something to eat?"
"Ah, okay. Then I'd like to have..."
Azusa instinctively agreed happily before her expression sharpened as she caught herself.
"Ah, uh... no! That's not it! I told you, I'm not nervous! Sensei, I've already told you this area is dangerous..."
Even so, clearly persuaded by my words, after I coaxed her a little more, she ended up saying she really couldn't do anything about me and happily accompanied me to a nearby shop, where we ordered two ice creams.
As I watched the naturally happy smile appear on the girl's face while she took small bites of the cold dessert, my own ice cream somehow tasted even better.
Seia was absolutely right. I really should spend more time caring about my Nagisa-chan and Azusa-chan!
"Well?" I asked with a smile. "Eating ice cream at the beach feels different from eating it in a café, doesn't it?"
Azusa thought for a moment before nodding.
"Maybe it's because of the location, but it does feel subtly different. Still, both are very delicious."
Because I'm beside you in both cases?
However, after saying that, the white-haired girl suddenly looked melancholic.
"Back in Arius, I never got to eat food this delicious. And being able to spend time like this with someone I like... that was something I never even dared imagine. Of course, stimulation of the taste buds is ultimately meaningless. Harsh environments and difficult living conditions are what strengthen one's will..."
"That's not true."
I interrupted her and repeated myself.
"That's not true. If everything is meaningless, then what meaning does suffering have? And if that's not the case, why accept unnecessary suffering? This world isn't nearly that cruel. Besides, I think..."
Remembering Hiyori's and Saori's expressions, I said,
"Even the other members of Squad probably smile when they eat something delicious."
After a brief moment of consideration, Azusa replied,
"Hiyori probably would. But Saori, Misaki, and Princess... honestly, I can't imagine them smiling because of good food at all."
No, even though Saori wasn't very expressive, her eyes really did sparkle when she ate something good, and she'd ask whether she could have another bowl.
"So..." Azusa murmured, "If I ever get the chance, I'd like to share ice cream with everyone in Squad."
"Yeah. That day will definitely come."
The signing of the Eden Treaty was already close at hand.
Based on my chance encounter with Hiyori that day, the Sisterhood's investigation had essentially reached its conclusions.
Seia's prophecy had also shown me a bright future.
Everything seemed to be getting back on track and moving in a better direction.
One day, the time when Azusa could laugh together with her former companions beneath the sunlight would surely arrive as well.
I took hold of the girl's cool hand, and we smiled at each other.
Afterward, since we'd intentionally ordered different flavors, we shared bites of each other's ice cream.
Once you've eaten something sweet and cold, it's only natural to start craving something else. It happened to be lunchtime as well, so following the map, I found a well-reviewed beachside restaurant nearby.
However, from quite a distance away, I spotted a certain gray figure that inspired nothing but dread.
Izumi Doesn't Eat, She Inhales.
Without explaining the situation to Azusa, who hadn't realized what was happening and was probably better off not remembering any traumatic memories, I quickly led her to another stretch of beach and a different restaurant that was just as highly rated.
There, we enjoyed a hearty meal together.
The restaurant's specialty oysters, in particular, left an especially deep impression.
After lunch, Azusa and I took a walk along the shoreline.
Then, because the sun was too intense, we hid from the heat in a trench the girl quickly dug into the sand, leaning against each other as we rested.
Unexpectedly, it was very comfortable.
The sand untouched by sunlight was remarkably soft and somehow gave a sense of security, as though we were hiding inside a secret base.
Before we knew it, the afternoon passed peacefully and uneventfully, and evening arrived.