"Although I don't know what happened, it must be something about feelings, right?"
Rinko pushed her glasses up her nose and whispered, "Let me guess... Is it because Kitahara-kun said he wanted a harem on the horror train last time, and Nijika doesn't know what to do?"
Sorry, cousin, you guessed wrong.
What's bothering her isn't that he wants a harem, but that she asked him to take care of the sick Ryo, and he ended up taking advantage of Ryo!
What's even worse is that when she privately asked Ryo last night, he didn't even use protection!
Hang him!
He must be hung on the mast!
Ijichi Nijika couldn't tell the truth, so she could only vaguely reply, "That's right... I just think he's too much."
"As expected." Rinko crossed her arms, her tone light, "For ordinary people, accepting a harem is indeed difficult, but Nijika has misunderstood one thing."
"Huh, what thing?"
Ijichi Nijika looked over curiously.
Rinko whispered, "After entering the Otherworld, we are no longer ordinary people."
"Cousin, don't just exclude us from humanity, okay?"
Ijichi Nijika said disapprovingly, muttering softly.
Rinko sighed lightly at her words:
"Kitahara-kun has protected you too well, so you don't understand the horror and danger of the Otherworld... In the face of death and despair, ordinary human ethics are meaningless."
"If other unlucky people who accidentally entered the Otherworld knew that Kitahara-kun had the ability to protect them and help them survive, let alone joining his harem, many people would even fight tooth and nail just to have the chance."
Ijichi Nijika's pretty face quickly flushed, and she couldn't help but retort, "Cousin, you're exaggerating too much!"
The golden-haired girl tilted her head and looked over, and one sentence made Nijika dumbfounded:
"It's not an exaggeration, because... I'm willing."
"Eh, eh, eh?!"
Rinko pushed her glasses up her nose and said lightly, "Kitahara-kun is handsome, he respects people, and most importantly, he has the ability to lead everyone to survive in the Otherworld. It's normal for me to be tempted, right?"
Ijichi Nijika: "..."
Oh no!
She only knew that cousin was full of gratitude towards Kitahara-kun, but her favorability was too high!
"It's a pity Kitahara-kun doesn't seem to be interested in me." Rinko sighed lightly, "Otherwise, I could become a true family with Nijika."
"We are already family, okay!"
Ijichi Nijika almost choked, and quickly interrupted, "Cousin, stop talking, let's go change into our swimsuits quickly!"
"..."
The landing point of the Otherworld was in the sea. To avoid getting clothes wet and to conserve energy while swimming in the sea, everyone was to change into swimsuits before departing, as suggested by Kitahara Makoto.
Seeing that it was getting late, the girls quickly went upstairs together to change clothes in the rooms.
Kitahara Makoto didn't need to worry so much. Men's swimsuits were quite simple, just a pair of swimming trunks, which could be easily changed in the living room.
After changing into his swimming trunks and putting his clothes into a waterproof backpack, Kitahara Makoto sat in the living room, quietly waiting.
After more than ten minutes, the girls finally came down from upstairs.
First was Yamada Ryo, who was wearing a common two-piece swimsuit for summer beaches. The color was black, making her already fair and delicate skin appear even whiter and smoother.
Especially the clearly visible abs on her abdomen made Kitahara Makoto's heart pound and his mouth dry.
If everyone else wasn't there, Ryo-senpai would have suffered greatly today just because of this swimsuit.
Behind Yamada Ryo were Nijika, Kita, and Rinko, in order.
It must be said that all the girls had very fair skin, but as Kitahara Makoto's gaze swept over them, he had only one thought.
So flat.
They were all flat-chested people!
Nijika at least had some curves, but Kita had a truly washboard figure; people would believe she was an elementary school student!
"Where's Hitori?"
Kitahara Makoto looked up the stairs expectantly, wanting to see the last chest representative of Kessoku Band.
However, when Bocchi-chan finally came down from the corner of the hallway, Kitahara Makoto instantly fell silent.
Gotō Hitori was actually wearing a dark blue school swimsuit.
As everyone knows, school swimsuits are mainly conservative and have an 'invisible' effect; no matter how big, wearing a school swimsuit will make one appear unremarkable.
Very good.
Kessoku Band was completely wiped out.
Today was a special swimsuit show for flat-chested people.
"Hitori, where's your swimsuit?"
Kitahara Makoto couldn't help but ask.
She's not an elementary school student anymore, why would she wear a school swimsuit!
"I'm sorry..." Gotō Hitori's face was flushed, her hands covering her body, she stammered softly, "I, I didn't dare to go to a swimsuit store, and the swimsuit my mom bought before doesn't fit anymore, so I could only wear a school swimsuit..."
Miscalculated.
He should have taken Hitori to buy a swimsuit earlier. Now there was no chance to feast his eyes.
"Didn't Kita take you to buy a swimsuit?"
Kitahara Makoto turned his head and asked.
"Of course she did." Kita Ikuyo put her hands on her hips, looking over with a hint of annoyance, "Right when summer vacation started, I called Bocchi-chan to go buy swimsuits together, but Bocchi-chan said she had something today, then tomorrow she said she wasn't feeling well, and later she said her dog was stung by a bee at home, dragging it on until today without any time."
"I, I'm sorry..."
Gotō Hitori apologized shamefully.
A swimsuit store, even with someone accompanying her, still felt so scary; she absolutely didn't want to go.
"Forget it." Kitahara Makoto sighed softly and comforted her gently, "School swimsuits are also very cute."
"Humph~"
A soft hum came from the side.
Kitahara Makoto turned his head and looked at Kita, saying seriously, "Kita's swimsuit is even cuter."
A voice floated lightly from the side:
"Kitahara-sama, whose swimsuit is cuter among everyone?"
Seeing Yamada Ryo walk over, Kitahara Makoto simply made a choice:
"Ryo-senpai is the best in the world."
For both emotional and logical reasons, Yamada Ryo was the best in the world; no one could shake that.
Yamada Ryo's pink lips curved slightly upward, and she tilted her head to look over:
"Then what about Nijika's swimsuit?"
Kitahara Makoto looked at the Blonde Side Ponytail girl next to him. Her blue swimsuit looked full of vitality:
"Nijika-senpai's swimsuit is also very cute, but it's a fingernail's width less cute than Yamada Ryo's."
Ijichi Nijika bit her silver teeth lightly:
"I'm so sorry it's that much worse."
"..."
Kita blinked, then suddenly rested her right hand on her chin and whispered, "Something's wrong."
Gotō Hitori looked over curiously:
"Eh, what is Kita saying?"
"Kitahara-kun, Ryo-senpai, and Nijika-senpai, there must be something going on between those three."
Kita Ikuyo's tone was certain.
Bocchi-chan's expression was confused, she raised her face and looked around carefully, hesitating, "Everyone seems normal, right?"
"A hunch." Kita pressed her finger to her brow, saying seriously, "Although there's no evidence, my hunch tells me there's definitely something going on between them."
"..."
As a max-level social butterfly, Kita had many friends at school and was very popular, not just because she was cute, but because she was meticulous and cared for everyone around her.
Now that she discovered a 'conflict' between Kitahara Makoto and the two girls, Kita naturally intended to observe secretly and find out the truth.
It's a pity Kita didn't realize that this decision would cost her dearly...
"It's about time." Kitahara Makoto checked the time on his phone, then called Hana over, "Everyone hold hands, get ready to depart for the Otherworld."
Facing the serious matter, the girls all became serious, quickly holding hands and standing in a row.
"We're going to stay in the Otherworld for at least a day this time. Have you all talked to your parents?"
Kitahara Makoto asked for confirmation.
"We said we're going to a friend's house to play, and I've already reported it to my mom."
"Kitahara-kun, please rest assured."
"No problem."
The girls all responded.
As someone with experience, Kitahara Makoto reminded them again, "The landing point is in the sea. Remember to hold your breath, keep your mouths tightly closed, and don't panic, or you'll choke on the seawater."
After all the girls nodded, Kitahara Makoto took a deep breath and looked down at Hana:
"Hana, let's depart for the Otherworld."
Hana extended her small hand, and circles of transparent ripples immediately spread through the air.
The next second.
Kitahara Makoto and the five girls' figures suddenly disappeared.
Thump.
Thump, thump, thump.
Sounds of falling into the sea rang out one after another, with water splashing everywhere.
Suddenly falling into the sea from the real world would inevitably make people nervous. Fortunately, with Kitahara Makoto's repeated reminders, the girls, though flustered, were not in chaos.
Splash!
Kitahara Makoto surfaced, wiped the seawater from his face, and looked up at the sky. The familiar painting-like sky immediately came into view.
Letting out a sigh, Kitahara Makoto looked around. The girls were scattered nearby, not too far away.
"Roll call now. Respond when you hear your name."
Kitahara Makoto shouted loudly:
"Ryo!"
Yamada Ryo: "Received."
"Nijika."
"I'm here, I'm here."
"Rinko."
"I'm next to Nijika."
"Kita?"
"Here, here."
"Hitori?"
"Gurgle gurgle~"
"Ah, this is bad!" Kita's voice was anxious, "Bocchi-chan is choking on water!"
"…"
Kitahara Makoto, like an arrow shot from a bow, quickly swam to Bocchi-chan's side and hugged Hitori from behind.
"Cough cough…"
Gotō Hitori coughed twice:
"I…I'm just choking on water…I'm not drowning…"
"Even choking on water requires attention to safety."
"Ouch…"
Gotō Hitori looked over pitifully, her small face red.
In his haste to save her just now, Kitahara Makoto accidentally grabbed Bocchi-chan's chest from behind.
Although the school swimsuit was very conservative, it couldn't alter the truth.
It proved that Bocchi-chan's chest was so large that one hand couldn't grasp it.
"Sorry, I used too much force." Kitahara Makoto lowered his voice, "Do you want me to help Hitori massage it?"
"...!!!"
Bocchi-chan's small head immediately shook like a rattle.
(No! No, no, no!)
(Everyone else is still nearby, how could I let you massage it!)
Kitahara Makoto had only been speaking casually. Seeing everyone gather around, he quietly released Bocchi-chan, looked around, and quickly determined the direction of the island:
"Everyone, follow me and swim forward. Prepare to land on the island."
"…"