Despite the summer break, Ito Toru, the captain of the rugby club, proposed that Muscle Wednesdays should remain available for those keen on gaining extra muscle during this leisure period. As the gym membership fee had already been covered, it would have been a waste of money, time, and effort to halt this special Wednesday activity.

Although attendance was not mandatory, some students might still have been recovering mentally and physically from the recent tragedy, more than 90% of the club members joined in. The once-empty gym was now bustling with energy, filled with eager club members ready to train.

Himemiya Kazumi, a dazzling gyaru with the physique of a supermodel, took on the role of an impromptu fitness instructor, tirelessly assisting the club members. Her wavy blonde hair, with dark roots, was tied into a high ponytail, exposing her alluring nape and tan lines. Her thick, muscular thighs were a sight to behold as she moved gracefully across the gym floor. On this particular day, she wore a white sports bra and leggings that highlighted her toned abs, further accentuating her already captivating appearance.

"So hot..." "Eh?" "Cap' Toru's girlfriend, man. She's super hot." "I wish I had a girlfriend like that." "Bruh, you're ugly AF."

The whispers of club members echoed throughout the gym. Shouichi was among those who unintentionally found himself glancing at Kazumi's striking figure. The air was thick with envy towards Ito Toru, the sole partner of the admired gyaru.

“Shouichi-kun, I heard you became single!” Kazumi appeared out of nowhere just as the black-haired boy was in the middle of a bench press. He pulled the safety pin into place before sitting up to face the gyaru.

Sigh "Is it you again, Shinji?" Shouichi turned to his friend, who was idly standing nearby. "Shinji knows, the world knows," he mused internally. His friend feigned disinterest and walked away.

"So?" Kazumi’s blue eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together.

"You heard right, Himemiya-san..."

"Was it the girl I met at your house when I was doing firefighting?" Kazumi asked, pausing momentarily. "Misaki-chan, right?"

"Damn, you've got a good memory. That's her," Shouichi forced a smile.

"Owww, she's a solid ten. What happened? Did you fumble this somehow?!" Kazumi’s curiosity about his love life was almost too intense.

"We had our differences, you know." Shouichi tried to be as considerate as possible; it didn’t sit right with him to badmouth his ex, even if he had reason to.

"Like what?" Kazumi tapped her index finger against her lips in thought. "Like, you're a virgin, and she isn't? Fufufu." She flashed a mischievous smile.

"Huh?! What are you saying, Himemiya-san?" Shouichi was mildly shocked.

"Well, I'm just speaking from experience. I can smell virgins."

"Eh?" Shouichi’s eyes darted across the room, searching for her boyfriend. "Cap' Toru, your girlfriend is bugging me — come take her away, please," he pleaded internally.

"See? That look on your face. You really are a virgin," Kazumi teased, her delight growing. "Come on! I won’t tell anyone if you tell me about your breakup."

"...Okay..." Shouichi cupped his hand around his mouth and mumbled, "I got cheated on..."

"Really?! Ow, you poor puppy." Kazumi frowned, genuinely empathetic, and extended a hand to ruffle his hair.

"Himemiya-san! Please don’t do that, your boyfriend is here," Shouichi scolded her softly, but she persisted.

"Don’t worry, Toru is open-minded." She beamed sweetly.

"What does that even mean?!" Shouichi internally recoiled.

"Now you know… May I get back to my workout, please?" Shouichi asked politely and lay back down on the bench.

"Hey, you should add five kilos more on each side." Kazumi suddenly shifted into serious mode and adjusted the weights.

"Eh? I can’t lift that much yet, Himemiya-san," Shouichi objected.

"Hehehe, imagine this." She leaned in closer. "If you can't push this up, someone else will be the one to push her onto the bed. How does that feel?" Her voice dipped into a seductive whisper.

"What an awful way to motivate people?!" Shouichi protested, but somehow, the sheer irritation and frustration spurred him on. He channelled his emotions into the lift.

"Yippee! Shouichi just hit a new PR!" Kazumi clapped excitedly. It was only then that he realised her trick — she had riled him up on purpose to push him past his limits.

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***

According to the forecast, the rain was expected to subside for the entire week. As it was Shouichi’s first summer in Kurohashi, he found himself mildly excited. His thoughts wandered to the idea of doing something different, perhaps fishing, hiking, or anything that would break the monotony of his routine between home and the shop.

His elegant best friend, Morimura Ayane, had no such concerns. Staying at Yoko Sweet Café all day was not an issue for her in the slightest. With an endless supply of black coffee, she could lose herself in novels and podcasts indefinitely.

"Shouichi, grab me a napkin, please?" She asked nicely, her violet-purple eyes were so adorable.

"Right away." Shouichi reached over to grab a box of tissues from the next table.

"Thank you!" She smiled, adjusting her frameless glasses before returning to her book.

"Hehehe, nerd," he thought as he gazed at her cute face.

"Say… Ayane-chan." Shouichi spoke, getting her attention.

"Huh?" She glanced up briefly.

"I'm bored!" He finally confessed.

"And?"

"Let's do something outdoors! I heard the weather is great. It's summer, you know!" He added more reasons to convince her.

"Like what?" Ayane put down her book completely, giving him her full attention.

"Fishing!?"

"Do you have fishing gear?" She asked promptly.

"No…"

"Then how are we going to do it?" The jet-black-haired girl reasoned. "I've got an idea. How about my dojo?" She suggested with a playful smile.

"Oh, hell no! I don't wanna get beaten again. My wounds just healed, for Christ's sake."

"Mentally or physically?"

"Both!" Shouichi blurted without thinking.

"Ho? Then I've got another idea." She grinned widely.

"I'm all ears."

"Let's go to your place, then we'll make love till sunrise," She leaned in and whispered playfully.

"HAAAA?!" Shouichi felt his heart drop heavily to the ground. His face burned bright red.

"Fufufu. How does that sound?" The enchanting girl teased.

"Tempting offer, but I'm not mentally prepared for a relationship yet," Shouichi replied after a brief pause. "It doesn't feel right to date someone else less than a month after my breakup," He thought.

"Who said you need to go out with me? We're just two bored and lonely people." Ayane continued to tease, hugging herself.

"Enough of that, Ayane. I want to do this right. Would you wait for me?" His expression softened, composed yet sincere.

"That's what I admire about you, Shouichi-kun. You're always so kind, principled, and considerate…"

"Huh? I'm not that kind of guy," He objected humbly.

"Fine! If that's what you want. But my offer still stands. After all, you were my first love, so I'll wait for you and you alone." Ayane held his gaze, her words sincere and unwavering.

"Wow…" Shouichi was mesmerised, rendered speechless.

"Fufufu…" She giggled at his dorky face.

"I'm really grateful for you, Ayane-chan," He muttered, averting his eyes as his heart pounded.

"I know you're not ready yet, which is why I've never tried to pressure you. The last thing I want is to make you uncomfortable." She reached out, her delicate hand firmly grasping his. It was a gesture filled with warmth and commitment.

Shouichi almost forgot that he originally wanted to plan an outdoor activity with his friends. As they returned to the topic, Ayane and he couldn't settle on anything.

"Kurohashi Town is so boring!" Shouichi groaned in frustration.

"Hehehe, you guys seem frustrated. Why the long faces?" Yoko chimed in after most of the customers had left the store.

"We're trying to figure out what to do for summer," Shouichi replied, sulking.

"Say… Yoko-san, since you've been here the longest, do you have any recommendations?" Ayane turned to the cheerful shop owner.

"Hmmm… What kind of place do you like? Maybe the lucky-lover pond? Fufufu." The lady teased.

"Mum! That's embarrassing," Shouichi exclaimed.

"Eh? What happened?" Yoko looked puzzled. She didn't know about that time when Ayane and he almost…

"Owww…" Ayane kicked his leg under the table, shooting him a look that screamed, "Don't tell Yoko that."

"Say… How about the Takaki Reservoir? I heard that when it's full to the brim, it looks absolutely stunning," Yoko suggested.

The two high schoolers exchanged glances, realising they had never heard of it before.

"Wow! It exists! Just an hour away from town," Ayane said, pulling out her phone. She showed Shouichi a picture of a large concrete dam nestled between two mountain ridges, its reservoir filled with pristine water. Another photo captured the sunset over the reservoir, casting a mystical glow over the mountains.

"That's the one!" Yoko beamed.

"That's so cool. You should come with us, Yoko-san," Shouichi suggested.

"I think you two should go together…" Yoko declined outright, her gaze distant. "It's where your dad took me on a date once. I'd rather not relive that." Her voice carried a tinge of sadness.

"Oh…" Shouichi was speechless. He never knew that.

"See? There are a few resorts with onsen nearby and… a water corporation facility," Ayane continued researching the location on Google Maps.

"What's that?" Shouichi asked curiously.

"Probably the water filtration plant that supplies all of Kurohashi Town," Yoko chimed in.

"Wow, I didn't know that, Yoko-san." Ayane was impressed.

"Well, I remember because Wakanabe used to work there as a biochemical engineer," Yoko added, tapping her cheek.

"Dad's lore?" Shouichi thought. It was rare for Yoko to talk about his father. She always seemed uncomfortable whenever the subject came up.

"Then let's get started! We should invite Shinji. He can drive," Ayane said excitedly, clasping her hands together.

"Yeah! I agree," Shouichi said, looking at Yoko with gratitude.

"Thanks, Yoko-san!" They both chimed in unison.