Kays Translations

Chapter 42: Southern Island ①

I was currently in a tight spot.

“Sakasegawa-kun…”

Her beautiful black hair reflected the intense sunlight, forming a halo like an angel’s.

Her sharply defined eyes sparkled with every blink, framed by long lashes.

She was taller than me, a boy, and her large chest, already noticeable through her clothes, stood out even more now that she was in a swimsuit.

Despite her calm and composed facial features, her figure was downright stunning—almost violent in how striking it was.

She was known at school as the Ice Queen, and she also had a secret side: the popular Vtuber “Hoshizuki Kaguya”—

Tsukiyo Himeji-san.

“Atsumu…”

Her skin was porcelain-perfect, completely free of blemishes.

Her large cat-like eyes captivated anyone who looked at her.

Her golden hair, smooth as silk and usually styled in twintails, was now arranged into half-up twintails, looking absolutely adorable.

Though of average height, her figure—with a slightly larger-than-average chest and a trim waist—was highlighted even more by her swimsuit.

It’s no surprise that weekly magazines sell out the moment her gravure shoots are featured.

The teaser PV for her new song had recently caused a stir.

She’s the proud center of the top idol group “Asterisk”—

Asuka Ashiya-san.

“Akkun..”

Her big, cute almond-shaped eyes and her short orange hair—like the color of the sunset—were styled into double buns, adding to her cuteness.

Despite her petite frame, her unexpectedly large chest was accentuated by her swimsuit. No guy could ignore that cleavage.

She worked at a café, and her friendly personality and lovely appearance made her popular with everyone—from middle and high schoolers to middle-aged men and even grandpas. She was, without a doubt, the shop’s poster girl.

She was also my childhood friend—

Akane Nishinomiya.

“Atsumu-kun…”

Her short silver hair shimmered, and her sapphire-like eyes were clearer than the ocean.

With her cool features that suited a sidelong glance, her tall, slender figure and androgynous face could easily be mistaken for a beautiful man.

But her long legs, visible through the slit in her skirt, formed an elegant silhouette, and her ample chest clearly showed she was all woman.

Her overwhelming presence and graceful manner made her inescapably captivating—

She’s the undisputed top male-role star of the revue troupe—

Rin Takarazuka-san.

“Tsumu-tsumu…”

Her light blue bob-cut hair, neatly trimmed with bangs, flowed and swayed beautifully with every breath of wind.

Her wide double-lidded eyes had a languid, dreamy quality, giving her a unique atmosphere.

Standing at a tall 180 cm, with a slightly larger-than-average chest and an avant-garde swimsuit using very little fabric, her sheer potential made it feel not lewd at all, but artistic.

She’s a supermodel in constant demand for overseas collections. Whenever she appears in a brand’s ad, sales are guaranteed to rise.

She’s none other than Keina Kobe.

I was surrounded by five of the most beautiful girls imaginable.

Jealous, aren’t you?

Yeah, normally anyone would be.

But let me say this again—

I was currently in a tight spot.

Because…

“””””WHO do you like the most out of all of us!?”””””

“W-Well… I mean… picking just one is kind of… you know?”

Back on that rooftop where we used to eat lunch together, I thought there was no one above and no one below among us, and that I’d never treat anyone specially—

But now…

The day had come when I had to pick a favorite.

Really, this is…

This isn’t what an ordinary youth is supposed to be like!!

○ ●

A little earlier…

“We’re here!!”

White sand beaches.

Clear, emerald-blue sea.

Green plants growing on the rocks giving the whole place an even more natural feel.

Yes, as the prize for winning GalColle, we were all on a 3-day, 2-night trip to Okinawa!

Apparently, this time of year—right after the rainy season ends—is surprisingly comfortable compared to August, when summer is at its peak and typhoons are a concern.

“Atsumu, you’re too excited.”

“But Asuka-san! It’s a trip! To Okinawa!”

It was my very first trip.

And going with friends made it even better!

“Brighter than the Okinawan sun!?”

“Mhm! Totally agree!”

Asuka-san and Himeji-san narrowed their eyes.

Was something shining, I wondered?

“Ugh, you two, stop being idiots. Well, even if it’s Okinawa, this is a private island, so it doesn’t feel like the real Okinawa anyway.”

With a slightly exasperated tone, Acchan addressed Asuka-san and Himeji-san.

As Acchan said, this was indeed a private island.

Apparently, it belonged to the sponsor of GalColle.

After flying to Okinawa’s main island, we took a cruiser to this island.

There weren’t any traditional Okinawan homes made of stone walls or red tiles, but a little ways ahead, there stood a luxurious, gleaming white mansion.

So, it doesn’t really feel like Okinawa.

Maybe it’s more accurate to call it a tropical island vacation.

Actually, what’s a private island anyway?

I’ve heard of private beaches, but I didn’t know individuals could own entire islands…

The villa we’re staying at, visible from here, is ridiculously luxurious.

Even the flight over was on a private jet, and we were picked up in a private cruiser too.

Every last detail has been perfectly arranged, like we’re celebrities on a secret getaway.

The organizers of GalColle are seriously incredible.

“Ugh, it’s so hot… I can’t take it…”

“Haha, Keina-chan, you’re not good with heat, huh?”

Keina shaded her face with her hand as she complained.

Takarazuka-san saw her and let out a cheerful laugh.

“Yeah, let’s go inside already…”

“Right. If you want, I can carry your bag for you, Keina-chan.”

“Yay, thanks, Rin-rin.”

Despite being the tallest among us, Keina had a strong little-sister vibe, and everyone seemed to instinctively want to take care of her.

Well, except for Asuka-san, who was a bit different.

If we spoiled Keina too much, she’d scold us with, “That’s not helping Keina grow.”

But those words come from a place of care too, so in truth, Asuka-san is just as kind to Keina as the rest of us.

And then there’s Takarazuka-san—such a reliable big-sister figure.

She looks perfectly at home under the tropical sun and surrounded by nature, radiating a powerful aura of light.

“Alright, let’s head to the villa before Keina melts!”

Just like that, we continued chatting as we made our way toward the villa.

○ ●

“Alright, we made it!”

“Ahhh, it’s so cool in here!”

“That’s great, Keina-chan.”

“This is amaaazing!!”

“Even Tsukiyo’s getting excited… Well, it’s not every day you get to see a mansion like this, after all.”

After arriving at the villa, we set down our luggage and looked around.

It was already clear from the outside how fancy it was, but the inside was just as incredible.

Like the exterior, the living room was based on a clean white theme, with a high open ceiling, and one entire wall was glass, offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the landscape.

There was even a proper veranda—it looked like it would feel amazing to sit out there at night and enjoy the breeze.

The kitchen was a huge marble island kitchen, so big you could film a cooking show in it.

The place had full infrastructure too—running water, gas, electricity, internet.

So even though it’s called a villa, it’s fully equipped for comfortable living.

“But still, is it really okay for me to be here even though I didn’t take part in GalColle…?”

“Geez, Acchan, you’re worrying too much. We already talked about this, remember? It’s totally fine.”

The Okinawa trip prize included accommodations for six people: five models and one designer.

By the way, the model originally scheduled to participate from Keina’s agency declined the prize and prize money, saying, “We didn’t actually compete, so we shouldn’t accept it.”

So that left us with Himeji-san, Asuka-san, Takarazuka-san, and Keina as models, and me as the designer-slash-model—five people total.

That meant one spot was still open.

When we asked the GalColle committee about it, they said we were free to invite whoever we wanted, as long as we didn’t exceed the six-person limit.

“That’s right, Acchan! We were told we could invite anyone we liked to fill the last spot. So of course we’d invite you! Who else would it be?”

“‘Anyone you liked’!?”

“Akane-chan, if you keep taking Sakasegawa-kun’s words to heart, your poor heart won’t last.”

“Y-you’re right… I-I need to calm down. Fuu, fuu…”

Acchan’s face turned red, and for some reason, she started taking deep breaths.

Maybe she just got overheated from the Okinawa sun?

“Alright, everyone! Once you’ve dropped your luggage off in your rooms, get changed into your swimsuits and meet back at that beach!”

Asuka-san took charge and gave instructions to the group.

“Change into swimsuits and meet at the beach?”

I asked, and Asuka-san responded with a wink.

“Of course! When you’re on a tropical island, the first thing to do is hit the ocean!

Come on, everyone, let’s go have some fun!”

So Asuka-san’s getting all excited too, huh?

She usually comes off as composed and a step removed from everything, but she has this unexpectedly cute side to her sometimes.

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