Even the most energetic children couldn't play too long in the waves that rushed in and out of the shore.

Playing in water already takes a lot of energy, and with the constant waves crashing, it was only natural to get tired.

Of course, that's not to say the adults were having more fun than we were.

Fukuda-san and Yamashita-san were both led into the water by their daughters and soon started looking tired. Kagami also came into the water to pull my tube around and play with me, but before long, she plopped down on the beach.

Looking around, the other adults were all in similar states. The children who came together were playing enthusiastically, while most adults sat under beach umbrellas watching them.

Kagami getting tired quickly wasn't just because she was playing with me.

While Kagami and I were playing, Yuu suddenly joined in, splashing water with us, and when the two of us were playing, Harumi naturally joined in too.

Kagami, who somehow ended up playing in the water with the children, had quite an enjoyable expression, but before long, she looked completely exhausted.

I gave a slightly bitter smile seeing Kagami sitting absentmindedly on the beach with her feet in the water.

Fukuda-san, seeing Harumi drift toward us, also slipped away and sat resting on the beach. Among the adults playing in the water... oh, somehow only Yamashita-san remained.

Though Yamashita-san's skin always looked tanned from the sun, now wearing only a swimsuit, he looked a bit younger than usual.

He still appeared almost ten years older than Kagami, but that meant he looked like he was just entering his early thirties.

Miho-san was splashing water at Yamashita-san. He had a confused expression, as if unsure how to react to her attack.

If he pushed too hard, she might get hurt, but playing water games with a much younger girl also seemed a bit strange.

Thinking about it again, Yamashita-san and Mori-san have different surnames. Does that mean they're not relatives? I hadn't heard that story either...

How should I put it.

Hmm.

Yamashita-san and a young girl—the thought keeps making me feel strange.

But to revisit my earlier suspicion would be difficult, given how awkward Yamashita-san's expressions and gestures were. If he were really that kind of person, the way he was playing with Miho-san and the atmosphere would be quite different.

And that suspicion changed when Yuu blatantly jumped between them and joined in the water splashing.

Right, no matter what, someone who would do such things in front of his own daughter... well, it could happen, but somehow I don't think Yamashita-san would do that.

Seeing Harumi naturally join Yuu's side, I also ran over there with my tube around my waist.

When one middle schooler and three elementary schoolers started splashing water, Yamashita-san was truly flustered, caught in the concentrated fire—

"Hey, look, that's not how you attack."

Suddenly, Fukuda-san, who had been watching from a distance, joined the fight.

Fukuda-san grabbed his daughter Harumi's waist with both hands and lifted her up.

"Waaah!"

Harumi screamed but waved her arms and legs as if enjoying it.

Then Fukuda-san shook her up and down before gently tossing her near the water's surface. She was wearing a tube so there was no danger, and above all, there was water below and he didn't throw her from a particularly high place—no, still, the fact that he lifted her higher than his own head already loses points. As someone who worked in safety in my previous life.

What was that called again? Ah, right. The reason why dads shouldn't be left alone with their kids. It reminded me of those photo series.

"Ahahahaha!"

Harumi happily fell into the water, then ran back to Fukuda-san shouting.

"Dad, one more time! One more time! Higher!"

"Sure thing!"

Seeing this, Miho-san, Yuu, and I all looked up at Yamashita-san simultaneously.

"...Don't worry. I'm not that reckless."

"Who are you calling reckless, punk!"

Fukuda-san shouted in disbelief, but honestly, I was a bit scared of being caught in his hands.

As I backed away hesitantly, Fukuda-san seemed to have set his next target on me.

"Hehehehe."

As Fukuda-san approached making what sounded intentionally like a cartoon villain's laugh, just as he was about to put his hands on my waist—

"...Fukuda-san?"

A voice colder than ice was heard.

For a moment, I felt like even the completely unrelated people playing around us went quiet. As if she could create a glacier in the sea despite this hot summer.

Hearing Kagami's voice, Fukuda-san quickly removed his hands that were about to grab my waist and laughed.

"Oh, I was just joking, of course joking. How could I do that to Princess Kotone?"

To anyone watching, it was obvious he was really going to do it and was now making excuses out of embarrassment.

Having regained her strength after resting a bit, Kagami put her hands under my armpits and lifted me up into her arms. A first-grade elementary schooler was a bit big to be carried, but since Kagami was quite tall, the balance didn't look completely off.

"Haha, well..."

Fukuda-san scratched the back of his head, seeming a bit embarrassed.

"Dad, Dad."

But Harumi, apparently unconcerned with the atmosphere, grabbed the edge of Fukuda-san's swimsuit and pulled.

"One more time, one more time."

Seeing Harumi raise both hands high and speak, Fukuda-san glanced at Kagami before lifting Harumi.

"Whoosh—"

And instead of lifting her high, he moved his hands near the water's surface as if she were a jet plane flying.

"Hahaha!"

Fortunately, Harumi didn't seem to care much about the height.

"...Phew."

Kagami shook her head and looked at my face.

We both caught each other's eyes and smiled at the same time.

As I turned my gaze absentmindedly, I met Yuu's eyes.

Yuu was looking up at me with one finger to her lips, as if envious.

"..."

Even though I hadn't done anything wrong, I felt strangely guilty and buried my face in Kagami's shoulder.

Kagami also saw Yuu looking up at her and silently stroked my head without saying anything.

*

For lunch, we cut open a large watermelon and ate it enthusiastically and deliciously. For dinner, we grilled meat. It wasn't the common Japanese yakiniku, but Western-style barbecue. This was possible because the pension had a yard.

There was some bickering between Yamashita-san and Fukuda-san about how much salt to sprinkle on the meat, but even that was enjoyable and delicious enough to make me think it was a bit funny.

Even after the sun set and midnight came, the weather wasn't that cold.

The children who had played hard were nodding off, so Yamashita-san and Fukuda-san each took them to their rooms. Miho-san went to the shower to wash up once more—

And somehow only Kagami and I were left.

The two of us sat in the yard, looking up at the sky together. The weather was so clear that we could see stars far out over the ocean.

"...Kotone."

After looking up at the sky for a while, Kagami slowly opened her mouth.

Unlike before, her calm, settled voice hinted that she had something to tell me.

"I hope you don't hate Yuu too much."

Hearing those words, I felt my heart sink.

Did it seem that way? No, I wasn't like that.

Yuu is still a child after all.

Kagami paused in thought for a moment, then as if having made up her mind, spoke in a composed voice.

"Yuu's mother was... my older sister."

"...Ah."

I couldn't help but sigh at those words.

I see.

When I think about it that way, the story makes a bit more sense.

Why Yamashita-san shows such a respectful attitude toward Kagami. Why he helps Kagami and me.

And why Yuu... thinks of her mother when she sees Kagami.

Somehow I felt that Kagami hadn't told me everything, but a corner of my heart felt a little more at ease.

I trust Kagami.

I thought it would be a sin not to trust her after all the devotion she had shown me.

"...Mm."

I answered Kagami like that, then sat close to her and leaned against her waist.

Kagami's arm wrapped around my shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

What did that apology mean?

Because there were things she hadn't told me yet? Or was it an apology for being in this situation?

I don't know yet. Because Kagami hasn't told me.

But still.

We have plenty of time. We have many days left to be together.

Someday, I'll hear everything from Kagami.

That's all I decided to think.