"I see. Creating a punchline through a mismatch of identities—what a strong choice!"
"Not really. I think Yuu is just using the situation as an excuse to mess around..."
The "troublesome guest" operation was a grand success. As the winners, the hardcore otaku and the makeup-monster both delivered their post-battle summaries on the "loving couple" combo, while Kitahara Iori kicked his "husband" away in disgust.
Honestly, he had wanted to do that the moment this guy wrapped an arm around his waist, but once Auntie Sayaka's eyes were locked on him, it was too late to back out!
"You bastard! The plan you came up with was way too disgusting! It gave me goosebumps all over..."
"My, my~ don't praise me like that. I'm actually quite thin-skinned."
Spreading his hands and shaking his head slightly, Yuu spoke with humility, but the smugness on his face was blooming like a flower that couldn't be suppressed.
He had only made a slight move, and it was already at the limit of his mother-in-law's tolerance. Hearing her personally wish them a "happy marriage" made him feel high!
"..."
Walking silently behind Yuu, Kotegawa Chisa looked conflicted. Technically she should be on her mother's side, but Yuu was so impressive to be able to force a "reaction face" out of her!
After thinking it over, it was a classic case of choosing between filial piety and loyalty. She eventually decided not to get involved in the battle between Yuu and her mother; she'd just be an "observer" on the sidelines to soak up some experience.
As for Iori...
She walked over and patted his shoulder with a look of pity. Chisa chuckled and, in her gentlest tone, offered a solemn condolence: "Iori, make sure you survive, okay?"
"Wait! Why have you already decided I'm going to die! Chisa, what do you mean?"
"Nothing, you big idiot~"
His body shivered uncontrollably. Disgusted by Chisa's "gentle" insult, Kitahara Iori retreated two steps, trembling. This time, he truly felt his life was nearing its end!
"Um, guests, please take a look at this liability waiver first."
The Manager had run off, but the test had to continue. The lead girl turned her head away, trying her best not to look at the "affectionate" Yuu and Iori, and placed the waiver on the table.
This was a mandatory step before every dive. After all, underwater conditions are complex; if a customer has congenital diseases or suffers an accident, it could be life-threatening!
"Hmm~ let me see... ah! This! If I get motion sickness easily, is diving recommended?"
"Is that so? Well, it's fine, we have certain measures in place..."
It must be said, as a professionally trained leader who could hold her own, the lead girl remained absolutely calm when facing the less-lethal makeup-beast, Aina!
Exchanging a look, and since his mother-in-law had fled, Miyazawa Yuu spread his hands to signal he was skipping this round. Iori and Kouhei nodded in understanding and launched their respective "attacks" on Chisa and Maki.
"Yuu, are you happy you got Mom's blessing?"
"If it weren't a blessing given through gritted teeth and a desire to kill me, I'd definitely be happy~!"
Leaning against the doorframe, the two of them almost completely occupied the corridor. Looking at the "victorious" Yuu, Kotegawa Nanaka couldn't help but laugh at his childishness.
Just for a fake blessing, he had deliberately driven his mother-in-law to a breakdown. How young is this guy's mental age?
But this was exactly why she liked him—a young boyfriend who required no pressure at all, where she could feel free to just switch her brain off...
"Be a bit nicer to my mom, or I'll get angry~"
"As you command, Nanaka-姉. I'm sure Mother-in-law will greatly enjoy the daily meticulous care of a good son-in-law."
Nodding slightly, Yuu would have done this even without Nanaka's reminder. Despite his mischievousness, he still held great respect for his mother-in-law!
For example, he noticed she often had a lollipop in her mouth. This was likely because of long-term irregular eating habits; the need for energy plus a compensatory desire for sweets could trigger such ritualistic behavior.
Furthermore, sweetness can greatly relieve anxiety, which might be directly related to the loneliness of being a stranger in a foreign land.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side, after several twists and turns, the troublesome guests finally earned the right to put on wetsuits. In the changing room, Yoshiwara Aina took a deep breath as she stared at the well-fitting wetsuit.
"Snap!"
Reaching her fair arms behind her back, she deftly unfastened her bra straps. This way, the breast pads would easily shift out of place under special circumstances.
Like looking down... or putting on a tight garment like a wetsuit. External pressure is one of the major triggers for displacement!
"Will Kouhei... really notice?"
Pressing one hand against the mirror, looking at herself with her chest shifting up and down, Yoshiwara Aina felt both amused and a bit dejected.
Forget Kouhei—even Iori and Chisa hadn't noticed the change in her chest size yet. Even though she chose a modest C-cup, it should be a big improvement!
Could it be that no one actually cares about her, so...
"Slap! Slap!"
She slapped her cheeks hard, shaking her head wildly to cast out the self-deprecating thoughts. Everyone in the PAB club treats each other equally!
"Aina, you have to remember, not all guys are as proactive as I am, and not only am I handsome, but I can also take on two at once... cough cough! I'm getting off track."
Memory returned to the plane. Miyazawa Yuu had said this to her through the bathroom door: "Kouhei is very shy and a total closet pervert. If he likes a girl who likes someone else, he'd probably step aside even if he was coughing up blood."
"Instead of waiting for him to confess, taking the initiative might be a good choice. For example, show him the breast pads being out of place to remind him you need help?"
"But..."
Hiding in the bathroom, the Aina in her memory had cringed so hard at this scheme her face wrinkled up. "Isn't that too calculated! It's not romantic at all!"
"Regrettably, you can only choose one: romance or Kouhei. As for which one you choose, that depends on Aina's own choice."
Memory ends! Taking another deep breath, Yoshiwara Aina clearly chose the latter between romance and Kouhei. She wanted Kouhei!!!
Whoosh! Carrying a heavy sense of shame, the girl tried her best not to think about her chest as she pulled back the changing curtain.
Unsurprisingly, Iori and Kouhei, who possessed the skill of undressing in one second, were already in their wetsuits waiting outside. Hearing Aina's movement, Imamura Kouhei turned back almost instinctively.
"..."
"What is it, Kouhei? See a ghost?"
They were chatting just fine when Kouhei suddenly froze and went silent. Realizing it a second late, Kitahara Iori was about to turn and check when he was instantly punched in the face.
"Pffft-ugh!"
He went spinning through the air. By the time he hit the ground and looked for his attacker, Kouhei had already disappeared with Aina, leaving only the changing room curtain slowly fluttering.
Clutching his cheek and wondering what the hell was going on, he walked unhappily to Chisa's side and asked, "What happened? Is Kouhei looking for a death wish?"
"I didn't see clearly either..."
A look of confusion appeared on Chisa's face. She had only seen Aina being abducted by Kouhei. As for what exactly happened, it could be summarized in three words: "Don't know~"
"???"
The fluttering of the curtain slowly stopped. With two adults squeezed into the small changing room, there was basically no room to move.
Slowly forming a row of question marks, Yoshiwara Aina never expected that the moment she summoned the courage to take a step out of the stall, she would be dragged back entirely by Kouhei the next second.
With her wrist held in his hand, the girl stared at the blonde in front of her, turning her head away guiltily with a red face...
"Kou... Kouhei, what is it? Is something wrong?"
"There's something very wrong!"
His gaze was locked dead on Aina's shifting chest. In the shadow of the curtain, Imamura Kouhei's breathing quickened, and his rusty brain finally began to function—
Why did he impulsively push Aina back into the changing room? No! The key question was: Why did he follow her in!
For a private issue like chest pads, it would have been more logical to tell Chisa and have her relay it to Aina!
It was as if the moment his eyes saw Aina about to be embarrassed, his body moved on its own to help cover it up. For that, he even went so far as to "critically hit" his teammate!
"Um... it's just, Aina, your chest..."
"What about my chest?"
Though her sparkling eyes looked silly, they simultaneously emitted a sense of innocence that Kouhei couldn't refuse. Faced with the question, he could only cover one eye with his hand and accept his fate.
"When did you put in breast pads? They seem to be lopsided..."
"I see~"
Bringing a finger to her lips, her small face bloomed with a brilliant smirk. This was exactly what Yoshiwara Aina wanted to hear from Kouhei's own mouth. The feeling of being noticed by the person she liked was the best.
"Ehh~ Kouhei~ could it be that you guys care about this? Arigato, I understand now~"
"Guh..."
Angered by Aina's smug little expression, Kouhei's chin wrinkled up. He bit his lower lip as anger shot up to his forehead; he had to say his piece!
"I just accidentally saw it, that's all! Forget it, I'm not bothering with you!"
"Mhm..."
Watching Kouhei stomp away and pull open the curtain, Yoshiwara Aina satisfiedly reached her hand into her collar and tossed the two breast pads onto the floor.
"I'm sorry~ Kouhei, you're the best!"