This wasn't what Haruka Yuzan and the others wanted to see.
Reiko Onodera and Mariko Akiyama went to the beach to sell souvenirs, while Rika Onodera led the remaining few toward the riverside.
The two little girls, hand in hand, occasionally let out cheerful laughter, crisp and melodious, as if the most beautiful tune of the morning.
Their faces brimmed with innocent smiles, pointing at the roadside flowers and plants from time to time, sharing their discoveries, especially Misaki Saki, who seemed to act as if she really was only of primary school age, chattering all the way, curious about everything.
In contrast, Rika Onodera was like a little adult, occasionally explaining something to the blonde Little She-Devil.
On this peaceful and beautiful country path, their figures were like a touching painting, innocent, joyful.
"Being a child is so much better...."
Arisugawa Hoshina mused.
"You only see the happy side of them, but you don't know, little Rika even envies us so-called adults!"
Haruka Yuzan said with a laugh.
"You don't need to speak if nobody considers you mute!"
Arisugawa glared at him, snorted, and then hugged the arm of the pretty girl next to her, "Hmph! Shimizu, we won't play with him!!"
Pulling the girl to one side, she occasionally looked back and glared at him.
Haruka Yuzan was somewhat baffled, feeling that the little miss's temper had been unusually explosive these past two days.
"By the way, Shimizu, why does your skin seem so much better today?"
Arisugawa Hoshina asked the girl in a low voice, pulling her aside.
It wasn't until now that Chiba Shimizu snapped out of it; the usually rational and composed lady seemed to be lost in thought today....
"Hoshina, what are you talking about?"
Seeing the puzzled expression on the girl's face, Arisugawa Hoshina was also full of questions, "Shimizu, do you have something on your mind?"
Chiba Shimizu waved her hand, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her inner turmoil.
Because... such a thing seemed too fantastical to believe.
Just because she had consumed Haruka Yuzan's vitality for two meals in a row, her skin quality could improve by two levels??!
Such an effect, though not suited for high society, would surely be frantically sought after if it went to market....
Those international brand cosmetics would be no match for Haruka Yuzan; they wouldn't even be fit to carry his shoes....
It was no wonder that the sensible lady had spent the whole morning in a state of daydreaming and shock.
"Well, alright then, but why has your skin suddenly become so good?"
Arisugawa Hoshina continued to inquire in a low voice.
Love for beauty is a girl's nature, especially at a stage where one needs to compete to get ahead; the little miss was even more determined to arm herself to the teeth.
"It, perhaps, has to do with the local climate... Away from the city, the environment is better, the mood improves, and with a good mood, skin conditions can reach the ideal stage...."
As her voice grew quieter and less confident, Chiba Shimizu bowed her head, a hint of indiscernible dodging and panic flickering through her beautiful eyes.
The lady, who had never deceived anyone, spoke her second lie in life today.
After all, she couldn't possibly tell the little miss that her skin had improved because of eating Haruka Yuzan's... It was that bastard Haruka Yuzan's fault she lied for the first time!!
Walking on the rural path, Haruka Yuzan couldn't help but rub his nose, suspecting someone was talking about him behind his back.
Glancing around, the countryside road with its homespun beauty, the fragrant rice fields alongside, and the joyful frolic of two carefree children in the sun's warm embrace hardly seemed like a backdrop for slander.
That left only one possibility... With that thought, Haruka Yuzan shifted his gaze to the two girls nearby.
Could it really be Arisugawa Hoshina, that Little She-Devil gossiping about him?
With the breeze, they arrived by the crystal-clear stream, where Rika Onodera straightaway hopped to the water's edge, and Misaki Saki, seeing this, followed suit.
Shrimp swam in the stream like breezes skimming the surface, leaving behind a trail of ripples.
Rika Onodera looked like a pro, her two delicate hands quick and decisive, and with a bit of effort, she scooped up a shrimp. Newest update provıded by novel fire.net
Droplets splashed into the air, and the little one's face, brimming with glee, seemed especially serene.
In contrast to the little beginner's stroke of luck, Misaki Saki seemed less fortunate.
The city girl, never having caught shrimp before, tried heave-hoing time after time to no avail.
It left Misaki Saki breathless from the effort.
"Phew, this is killing me!"
Wiping the sweat from her forehead with her arm, she then marched her short legs over to a plastic tube on the bank and pulled out her gear!!
A wide and big fishing net!!
"Hee-hee, with the new equipment, I'll definitely make it this time!!"
After psyching herself up, Misaki Saki dashed back into the stream.
Watching, Haruka Yuzan shook his head in resignation.
"Shimizu, Hoshina, aren't you going to play too?"
Such unbridled, innocent activities had a great allure for the two beauties.
Blue skies, fluffy clouds, and catching shrimp by the stream—something they had only seen in books and anime before.
Hearing Haruka Yuzan's invitation, Arisugawa Hoshina didn't hesitate and strode with her long legs toward the water, everyone was in flip-flops for easy water access today.
Chiba Shimizu hesitated only for a moment but still walked to the water's edge with her elegant long legs.
Unlike the previous time on the beach, beachside heiresses were common, but shrimp-catching in stream water was a first for them.
The weather was hot, and Haruka Yuzan, rather cheekily, shrugged off his T-shirt, revealing his fit, muscular body, and joined the girls' team.
The surface of the water glittered, and cicadas sang ceaselessly from the trees.
The clear current struck the ankles, splashing water droplets, bringing a refreshing cool that pierced the heart, and the laughter nearby seemed to transport them back to the idyllic summers of childhood.
At the sound of a tender yell, Haruka Yuzan, who had been bending over, suddenly felt a coolness drench his body, as water struck his skin, sending waves of refreshing sensation through him.
Turning his head, he immediately spotted the culprit who had splashed him.
Because... Misaki Saki, the fool, was still in the act of throwing water.
"You're asking for it!!"
Saying this, Haruka Yuzan bent down, lifting a wave of water, and promptly gave the little one a chilly shower.