Then, she glanced at Suou Yuki.
And quietly closed her eyes.
Now that she thought about it, both Suou Yuki and Shinomiya Kaguya were carrying zip-up jackets.
As they reached the door, both of them put them on and zipped them up all the way to their necks.
Thus, even the slightest trace of their swimsuits was nowhere to be seen.
Upon arriving at the communal dining area, the group immediately spotted Shijo Maki.
Yukima Azuma's gaze swept over her eyes.
The dark circles had disappeared, and the brilliant purple in her eyes was no longer laced with red veins.
It seemed that she had rested well last night.
In fact, even Shijo Maki hadn't expected this.
Last night, she had actually slept soundly.
At first, she thought she would suffer from insomnia again.
But unexpectedly, after lying down and thinking about Yukima Azuma, she quickly drifted into slumber this time
Like Kaguya and Yuki, Shijo Maki was also wearing a long jacket.
As everyone approached, her gaze landed on Shinomiya Kaguya.
"Good morning, Oba-sama."
()
Shijo Maki greeted with a smile.
Shinomiya Kaguya merely nodded indifferently, showing no particular reaction.
"Good morning, Maki-san."
Such a calm response made Shijo Maki a little suspicious.
Did Oba-sama eat something strange today? Why is she being so easygoing?
How odd.
...
After Breakfast
The group of Shuchiin students headed out to the beach together.
It was a private beach.
Every day, there were designated staff members responsible for cleaning and maintaining its pristine condition.
One could say that aside from the sand itself, there were hardly any impurities.
The sunlight reflected off the shimmering ocean surface.
Fujiwara Chika was the first to let out a joyful cheer before dashing straight into the water.
( )*
Waves rolled up in layers, gently embracing her bare feet.
Although it was December, the weather here still felt like summer, with the bright sun high in the sky.
Suou Yuki picked out a sun umbrella.
Under its shade, she unfolded a lounge chair.
Then, she winked at Yukima Azuma.
Just from her eyes alone, he could tell this girl was up to something again.
"Azuma-kun, come help Onee-san apply sunscreen~"
( — )
Suou Yuki grinned mischievously, still fully immersed in her Onee-san act, even throwing in a suggestive wink.
"This is an essential activity when going to the beach!"
As she spoke, she lay face-down on the lounge chair.
Her posture was utterly relaxed, as if she was leaving everything up to him.
Yukima Azuma poked Suou Yuki on the forehead.
"Is that otaku brain of yours constantly filled with hentai thoughts?"
"Ehhh?" Suou Yuki turned her head. "You're not coming? This is a special privilege, you know!"
At that moment, Shinomiya Kaguya took out a bottle of premium sunscreen from her bag.
"Suou-san, let me help you instead."
Hearing this, the corners of Suou Yuki's mouth stiffened.
Yukima Azuma almost couldn't hold back his laughter.
In reality, Suou Yuki had already applied sunscreen before leaving the room.
At most, she only needed a slight touch-up on the back of her neck.
Now that Shinomiya Kaguya had interrupted and completely ruined her plan, she could only accept the outcome and go through the motions.
However, there was one girl who actually hadn't applied sunscreen.
Yukima Azuma's gaze shifted toward Shijo Maki, who was huddled under a sun umbrella, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
He couldn't help but think:
Aren't you supposed to be a genius?
Why are you making such a foolish mistake?
You're in Hawaii, and you didn't apply sunscreen?
At this rate, by the time we head back, Shijo Maki's skin tone will have shifted by at least four to five shades.
But for her to ask Shinomiya Kaguya for help...
She'd probably rather suffer a sunburn.
Yukima Azuma took a bottle of sunscreen from Suou Yuki's bag and handed it to Shijo Maki.
"Apply it yourself first. If there are any spots you can't reach, let me know."
Shijo Maki let out a soft "Mm."
It sounded no different from the faint squeak of a small animal.
Seeing this scene, Suou Yuki raised her hand and rubbed her forehead.
"So this is what they mean by 'too smart for their own good'..."
()
Chapter 241: Has the Ice Princess Kaguya Melted?
"Yukima-san, do you want some shaved ice?"
Fujiwara Chika cheerfully held up a colorful serving of shaved ice in front of Yukima Azuma.
Seeing him shake his head, she promptly scooped a large spoonful into her mouth.
"You'll get 'brain freeze' if you eat it like that."
Yukima Azuma cautioned.
Hearing that, Fujiwara Chika blinked in confusion.
"'Brain freeze'? What's that?"
Before Yukima Azuma could explain, she quickly took another big bite of the shaved ice.
The next moment, she clutched her head, groaning as a sharp chill shot through her brain.
Watching this scene, Yukima Azuma could only smile helplessly.
In Another Corner
"Oba-sama, do you want to play beach volleyball?"
( _ )
Shijo Maki issued a solo kill challenge to Shinomiya Kaguya.
"Sure, I'm free anyway."
( _)
Shinomiya Kaguya accepted the challenge with a terrifying smile.
And so, the two grabbed a volleyball and headed to the court.
Shijo Maki lightly tossed the ball into the air before launching a powerful spike.
The ball turned into a blur, shooting past the net to the other side.
Shinomiya Kaguya moved in a flash, positioning herself at the perfect spot and using both hands to set the ball.
Then, she counterattacked with an equally forceful spike.
Their fierce battle quickly drew the attention of the Shuchiin students.
Shijo Maki and Shinomiya Kaguya gradually became more serious.
Even though they were both girls
They were by no means fragile Ojou-sama types.
In fact, quite the opposite.
Since childhood, they had undergone rigorous training and frequently participated in sports competitions.
Shinomiya Kaguya could draw a 22.5kg bow with ease.
As the captain of Shuchiin's Kyudo Club
She held a fourth-dan ranking in Karate, a first-dan in Aikido, a second-dan in Judo, and was also proficient in naginata along with many other martial arts.
At this moment, her movements resembled those of a panther.
A perfect blend of strength and graceful agility was on full display.
And Shijo Makiwho shared many similarities with Shinomiya Kaguyawas by no means inferior in terms of physical ability.
Their match played out at an astonishing pace.
( д)(д )
The ball was almost invisible, with only its shadow flickering across the court.
And each powerful hit sliced through the air with a sharp whooshing sound.
Shinomiya Kaguya executed another full-power spike, aiming for the farthest corner of the opposing side.
Shijo Maki reacted immediately, dashing toward it.
But with her stamina drained, she was just a fraction of a second too slow.
In the end, the ball landed in the sand.
Shinomiya Kaguya won, and a smile unconsciously formed on her lips.
Truthfully, she wasn't the type to feel ashamed of losing.
On the contrary, most of the time, she only used about 60% of her true strength
To avoid standing out too much and alienating others.
But today, she felt like she couldn't afford to lose.
As for Shijo Maki, she clenched her teeth in frustration over her defeat.
She should have been able to return that ball.
Two days of inadequate rest had drained her stamina faster than usual.
She picked up the ball and turned around.
At that moment, she caught sight of the faint smile at the corner of Shinomiya Kaguya's lips.
()
Her unwillingness to accept defeat only deepened.
"Come over and eat some grilled meat!"
Yukima Azuma's voice pulled her back to reality.
Shijo Maki turned around.
And saw
At some point, Yukima Azuma had set up a barbecue grill on the beach.
Thin wisps of smoke had already begun rising into the air.
Half of her frustration and disappointment instantly faded.
She quickly walked over to Yukima Azuma.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, though she still put on a haughty front:
"Are you sure it's cooked properly? Don't give me food poisoning."
( )
Right beside them
Fujiwara Chika clutched her plate, eyes brimming with anticipation as she stared at Yukima Azuma's cooking skills. She quickly spoke up:
"Don't worry! Yukima-san's cooking skills are top-tier!"
)
Shinomiya Kaguya also turned to look.
The smile on her lips faded.
A strange feeling crept over her
As if she had won the match, yet lost something far greater.
She even began questioning herself
Why had she suddenly become so competitive just now?
"Shinomiya President, what are you thinking about?"
Suou Yuki appeared beside her, asking softly.
"It's just... I feel like I was acting a little strange."
Shinomiya Kaguya waved a hand dismissively.
"Could it be... you're in love?"
"Suou-san, don't joke around."
"I'm serious~ When you fall in love, no matter how rational you are, your mind will start acting up sometimes."
Suou Yuki winked at her with a knowing look.
Hearing this, Shinomiya Kaguya instinctively furrowed her brows.
Love...?
Just then
"Kaguya, Yuki, stop spacing out and come eat some meat."
Yukima Azuma's voice called out.
The frown on Shinomiya Kaguya's face eased.
And the corners of her lips curved into a smile once more.
Yukima Azuma sliced the grilled steak into five equal portions.
He distributed them fairly, placing a piece on each girl's plate.
Without hesitation, Suou Yuki and Fujiwara Chika took a bite.
"This is amazing! As expected, Azuma-kun's cooking is unbeatable!"
( )
"Spot on! This is seriously too good!"
()
They exclaimed in unison, their praises utterly sincere.
"Is it really that good?"
Shijo Maki looked doubtful.
Sure, it looked delicious...
But she had eaten countless gourmet dishes before.
Could a steak grilled on the beach really be worthy of such praise?
Or was it just because he was the one who made it?
She shot a glance at Yukima Azuma, still skeptical.
Picking up her fork, Shijo Maki speared a piece of meat and took a bite.
The rich aroma of grilled steak immediately exploded on her taste buds.
Juicy flavors burst across her tongue with every chew.
She swallowed the first bite hurriedlythen stuffed the rest into her small mouth without hesitation.
"It really is this good..."
()
She mumbled between bites.
Shinomiya Kaguya also started eating.
Ever since she had first tasted Yukima Azuma's cooking
She had never quite gotten over it.
She wasn't the type to chase after indulgences,
But if she could keep Yukima Azuma by her side...
If only once in a while, just once in a while, she could eat his cooking
Just thinking about it made life feel so much more enjoyable.
"Hey, are you interested in working for the Shijo family? I can give you a share in the companyjust make me a bento every day."
Shinomiya Kaguya: ( ®® ) ??
She stiffly turned her head.
She looked at Shijo Maki, who had just made the offer.
This idiot!
Who recruits talent like this!?
At the same time, a deep sense of unease welled up inside her.
Would Yukima Azuma actually agree to this?
What if... such a direct offer was exactly what he wanted?
Carrying an overwhelming sense of anxiety, Shinomiya Kaguya turned to look at Yukima Azuma.
Fortunately, the worst-case scenario did not happen.
"Don't go treating your classmates like chefs for hire!"
Yukima Azuma said as he casually flicked Shijo Maki on the forehead.
Shijo Maki clutched her forehead, pouting in frustration.
What the heck!
She had been completely serious about her offer!
If it weren't for the fact that the person she invited was him
No matter how skilled they were, she would never have made such a proposal!
And so, the sulking tsundere grew even sulkier.
><
Meanwhile, the beach barbecue continued in full swing.
Many students had set up their own grills, eager to try their hand at barbecuing.
But forget about presentation
Even the aroma alone couldn't compare to Yukima Azuma's grill.
Most gave up after a few bites.
More than a few pieces of meat ended up burnt to a crisp.
As a result, Yukima Azuma's grilling station became completely surroundedthree layers deep inside and out.
Countless students stood by with plates in hand, hoping for a blessing from the "Vice President-sama."
Luckily, before the crowd swarmed in
Yukima Azuma and the girls had already eaten their fill.
It wasn't until past 2 PM that he finally, reluctantly, closed shop.
Shaking his slightly sore wrist, Yukima Azuma let out a helpless sigh.
So this was the price of talentmore work.
Maybe he shouldn't have tried to ease the tension between Kaguya and Maki with food.
Now sprawled under a sunshade, Yukima Azuma looked like a dried, salted fish.
"Onii-sama, you worked hard."
( )
Suou Yuki giggled as she spoke.
By this time, the beach was nearly empty.
Most people had either gone into the water or returned to the hotel to rest.
Seeing that no one was around, Suou Yuki sat down beside Yukima Azuma.
She reached out and began massaging his shoulders.
Her soft hands pressed gently against his tense muscles.
Yukima Azuma sighed in contentment, eyes narrowing in pleasure.
Yuki really was the best.
Truly, the legendary warm-hearted Imouto-chan!
"Hmm... looks like President Shinomiya is seriously falling for you."
But just as he was starting to enjoy himself
Suou Yuki's words made Yukima Azuma open his eyes.
"...Falling for what?"
He blinked in confusion.
"Obviously falling for Onii-sama," Suou Yuki said, looking at him as if he were an idiot.
"Don't tell me you haven't noticed?"
Considering Yukima Azuma's EQ
It was hard to believe he hadn't picked up on Shinomiya Kaguya's recent changes.
But the truth was
He really hadn't.
Perhaps it was due to his initial biases.
He understood Shinomiya Kaguya well.
He knew full well the cold and calculating nature of the "Ice Princess Kaguya."
So, he had always assumed she was merely trying to recruit him for practical reasons.
