Right now, I’m in a pure white world.

Hugging my knees, feeling like I’m back in my mother’s womb.

I want to stay like this, not thinking, not worrying, like a baby…

“Cheer up already, Kamiya. This is getting annoying.”

As I bask in my desire for womb regression, the white world ends abruptly.

The oversized white bath towel I was wearing was ripped off by Suo-senpai, bringing me back to harsh reality.

“What are you doing, Suo-senpai… I still want to be in the womb.”

I bury my face in my knees, sitting with my arms wrapped around them, refusing to face reality.

They saw a full-frontal photo of me from when I was a kid.

I can’t go on living.

“Stop saying weird stuff. If you’re down, it kills the women’s mood. Well, except for Marin, who’s happily eating purple sweet potato mango gelato.”

The root cause of this mess, which provoked Mina, is leisurely eating gelato under a peach parasol.

Did her brother buy it for her?

“Why am I the one being blamed? This is about a man’s dignity! Suo-senpai, you’re a man, you understand, right?”

I seek agreement from Suo-senpai, the only other guy in our group, without lifting my face from my knees.

“Yes, yes. True, the fault lies entirely with Kohou, Hinoura, and Hayami-sensei who went along with it.”

Right? Yes, right.

I’m not to blame, am I?

“Then…”

“But does that mean you can just stop talking? Is that acceptable for someone in your position as an officer? Can you just ignore your subordinates’ mistakes and retreat into your shell?”

“Ugh…”

When he brings up rank and personnel management, it weakens my position.

“No, but what kind of mistake is it for subordinates to expose their superior’s full-frontal photo? I’ve never heard of such a near-miss incident report.”

I won’t get swayed!

Just because you’re a superior doesn’t mean you should forgive everything your subordinates do!

“…Just accept their apology already!”

Suo-senpai says, forcibly pulling me out of my fetal position from behind.

“Yuu-kun, I’m sorry…”

In front of me, Mina is on her knees on the sand, tears welling up, about to cry, apologizing.

But my eyes were working harder than my ears.

Mina’s silver hair, white skin, and white bikini.

The simple design with only the black logo of a famous lingerie brand highlighted her whiteness.

“Even though Yuu didn’t like it… forgive me…”

Unable to look at Mina directly, my gaze wandered and landed on Kotomi, who was also on her knees, pleading for forgiveness with upturned eyes.

Her pink one-piece swimsuit, with frills on the hem, seemed modest and suited her youthful appearance, but the back was boldly open, with a thin pink ribbon lace-up, exposing her supple back.

Since she was kneeling, the demure front and the exposed back created a strange harmonious coexistence.

“I’m sorry, Yuu-sama. I lost myself. I will accept any punishment.”

Hayami-san, sitting formally with her head bowed as if offering it, wore a high-leg one-piece swimsuit reminiscent of a backless dress a Hollywood actress might wear to an awards ceremony. The black and white bi-color design highlighted both sexiness and mature elegance.

All three of them have too much firepower.

Even with rash guards, they were getting hit on.

These three, with their high level of appeal, are each flaunting swimsuits that accentuate their individuality, drawing everyone’s attention to the beach.

No, people are staring not just because they’re beautiful in swimsuits, but because these beauties are on their knees in the sand, seemingly prostrating before one man.

“Uh… master type? Or confinement prince type?”

“Silver-haired half, loli type, and a beautiful older sister type? That’s too much.”

“Damn! Damn! Damn! Why does that guy get all the luck…”

I hear unsettling whispers from around us.

But if I were a bystander, I’d be staring intently too, thinking, “What the heck is going on?”

What is this public spectacle?

This is too embarrassing!

“Ah, fine! If you buy me dinner, I’ll forgive you!”

Not wanting to be suspected of some weird play, I hastily suggest a compromise.

“Agreed!”

The three respond immediately with tearful smiles.

Though their response seems to reinforce the master rumor, I decide to stop sulking.

“Seriously, men are so simple.”

I pretended not to hear Marin-chan’s teasing words as she sat on a beach chair eating gelato.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Alright, here we go. Ready!”

“Hup!”

“Yuu-kun!”

“Alright!”

“Not so fast!”

“Nice receive, Hayami-sensei!”

Under the blazing summer sun, Mina and I pair up against Kotomi and Hayami-san in a sweaty beach volleyball match.

Running and jumping on the sand is quite the workout.

“Hey, I brought sports drinks. Over a liter each, so drink up!”

“Thanks! We’ll take them!”

“It really feels like I’m an alum bringing supplies to a training camp…”

Since beach volleyball is two-on-two, Suo and his sister are taking a break and going shopping.

The tropical drinks at the beach house aren’t enough to keep us hydrated.

I sent the Suo siblings shopping because, without a guy, they’d get hit on again.

“Aren’t we supposed to be vacationing in Okinawa… Why are we doing such exhausting things here?”

Mina pants, voicing a legitimate complaint.

“Gulp, gulp… Phew! It’s not a vacation; it’s a training camp. And we have no choice. If we lie on the beach, we get hit on, and if we swim, we get hit on.”

Kotomi answers, wiping her mouth after downing her sports drink.

Even the stuffed Chuusuke is left under the beach parasol to avoid getting sandy.

He’s wearing a hat to protect against sunburn.

“It’s hard to approach busy people… But playing beach volleyball with high schoolers in this heat is tough. I’m almost thirty.”

Hayami-san, despite being a trained soldier, seems to be struggling.

“Ha… Ha… You’re not young, Hayami-sensei. Why not just hang out with the guys prowling around like hyenas?”

Mina teases Hayami-san, drenched in sweat.

“Don’t underestimate me, Toraho. A soldier can’t collapse from this heat.”

Despite panting, Hayami-san quickly retorts.

These two really get along.

“You’re on… Alright, Yuu-kun, round two!”

“Do we have to?”

Kotomi and I groan, exhausted.

“Hey, ladies, want to play with us?”

“Let’s do it! Right now!”

Jeez, let your guard down, and pick-up artists swarm.

Coming all the way to Okinawa and training in beach volleyball.

This really feels like a club training camp, but I reconsidered, thinking this is youth, something I can only do now. Then, I stood back on the court.