"Is there a possibility that your legs are shorter, so you run slower?"
Looking at Yui Yuigahama, who was much shorter than him, Hoshino Sora tentatively suggested this possibility. As soon as he finished speaking, he saw her body stiffen, and then his body was attacked by small fists.
"Ugh~! Shop owner is bullying me!"
Her cheeks puffed out slightly, and she dragged out her voice in dissatisfaction. Yui Yuigahama stomped her foot angrily. She had gone through so much trouble to catch up, only to be mocked for her short legs.
Although she was indeed not tall, only about 157 cm at her second year of middle school, which was more than a head shorter than the 180 cm Hoshino Sora, the reason she couldn't catch up might indeed be as he said.
But it's really impolite to directly tell a girl she has short legs!
"Sorry, don't worry, you'll definitely still grow, both in figure and height. Since we're beachcombing, let's do it together, even though I don't have much experience either."
Hoshino Sora said meaningfully, awkwardly scratching the side of his face. As he spoke, he turned his back and began searching the beach.
There were also other tourists like him around, carrying a small bucket in one hand and a shovel in the other, aimlessly wandering and searching on the beach.
An hour later, Hoshino Sora finally caught his first razor clam. He poured a pile of salt into its spout, and the razor clam slowly emerged from the sand under their watchful eyes.
Of course, this wasn't the first razor clam they encountered; it was just that due to lack of experience, many razor clams escaped during the catching process. Therefore, they asked nearby beachcombers for a lot of useful experience.
For example, bumps on the sand mean crabs, and some shells contain octopuses. In the next few hours, Hoshino Sora became more and more proficient, catching many clams, razor clams, and some small crabs, enough to make a whole pot.
"Why are you only collecting these empty shells?"
Feeling that it was about time, Hoshino Sora walked over to Yuigahama and found her holding a small bucket, squatting on the ground, carefully picking out shells.
"Because they're pretty! Don't you think these shells look especially beautiful in the sunlight? Whether worn as a necklace or a bracelet when we go back, they'll make nice souvenirs."
Picking and choosing, Yui Yuigahama also found her own fun. Looking at the colorful shells shimmering in the sunlight, her eyes were filled with delight.
"They are indeed beautiful. Here, take this. I found it on that beach over there earlier. I thought you might like it."
He handed a delicately shaped scallop from his bucket to Yui Yuigahama. He had seen her collecting shells earlier, so he specifically kept an eye out for her. Just then, among the shells in front of him, there was this perfectly shaped, streamlined, light pink shell.
"Is it for me? Thank you, I'll cherish it!"
Seeing the shell in her hand, Yui Yuigahama showed a joyful expression, then played with it admiringly. It was clear from her eyes that she truly liked it.
"It's getting late. Let's head back to the gathering spot. My stomach is starting to rumble."
"Mm."
Nodding, Yuigahama put the shell into the bucket and stood up from her squatting position. However, because she had been squatting for too long, the blood circulation in her thighs was poor, and she almost fell over. Fortunately, Hoshino Sora quickly caught her.
However...
Unfortunately, just as Yuigahama stood steady, she felt movement under her feet, which startled her body, and her foot twisted outward, giving Hoshino Sora a live demonstration of a sprained ankle on flat ground.
"Hiss…"
The sudden pain made Yuigahama gasp, and she fell into Hoshino Sora's arms, making intimate physical contact with him.
"Are you alright?"
"I don't know, my foot seems to be twisted. Don't touch it there, it hurts, hurts, hurts."
Sitting on the sand, Yuigahama looked at her rapidly swelling foot, on the verge of tears. Then she saw a crab crawl out from the spot where she had just stepped.
"Shop owner, let's make golden crab gratin tonight." Grabbing the crab in her hand, Yui Yuigahama said indignantly. It was this guy who scared her, otherwise she wouldn't have fallen!
"It's too small to make crab gratin. Can you stand up now?"
"I don't think so. It feels very painful even with a slight movement…"
A troubled expression on her face, walking was definitely impossible in this state.
"Do you want a princess carry or should I carry you on my back?"
"Are there no other options?"
Looking at the handsome, sunny face in front of her, Yui Yuigahama's expression was a bit hesitant. Since she was wearing a swimsuit, whether it was a princess carry or a regular piggyback, it felt quite embarrassing…
"Yes, there is. I'll go find someone, and you stay here by yourself, but there's a high chance of accidents happening in between. For example, a pervert might drag you away and you end up harmed behind that reef, or the tide might come in, and you get swallowed by the sea because you couldn't get away in time, finally struggling in the waves until you lose your life."
Hoshino Sora deliberately spoke in a threatening tone, and at the end, he even showed a look of lingering fear, mainly because he couldn't leave Yuigahama alone.
After all, she was currently restricted in movement. If an accident happened while he was away looking for someone, how would he explain it to her parents? He might even be suspected of being the murderer and have to spend the rest of his life in prison.
"Then please carry me back on your back, I'm counting on you."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, she looked around. There were relatively few people here. If someone really came and dragged her away, she would definitely be unable to resist in her current state.
Even if she screamed loudly, there might be no response. At that point, she would truly be calling out to heaven and earth with no one to answer.
So, looking at Hoshino Sora squatting in front of her, and at his broad back, Yuigahama placed her hands on him, closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and pressed herself against him.
Woohoo!
As their bodies made contact, her light peach-colored hair brushed his cheek. Hoshino Sora's expression subtly changed. His hands touched the girl's soft, plump, pale legs, and his heart instantly surged.
"You take these two buckets."
"Mm."
Although his heart was very pleased, Hoshino Sora still maintained a calm expression on his face, then slowly walked towards the base. At this time, her ankle was already slightly swollen.
Fortunately, he had prepared pain relief spray and liniment when they came, otherwise, he wouldn't know what to do in such a situation.
The scene of Asaka-nee stuffing all sorts of things into the suitcase before they left flashed through his mind. At the time, he thought it was unnecessary, but now it seemed like a truly wise choice!
"Shop owner, am I heavy? I've been eating quite a lot recently, and I've gained three or four catties on the scale."
Walking on the beach, surrounded by people, Yuigahama kept her head down out of shyness. The atmosphere between them became somewhat quiet. Finally, the girl spoke first.
"No, you're not. Yui is very slim, at least that's how you look to me. Being a little plump isn't a flaw. Isn't there a saying, 'slightly plump is the best'?"
"Plump…?"
"No derogatory meaning. You know, Yui, what girls need is a healthy body, not a figure as thin as lightning. So don't have body anxiety. Of course, if you're excessively obese, you still need to lose weight, but you're far from that standard."
"I suddenly feel like your tone of voice has become so gentle."
"Illusion."
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