“Kyuiiii!”
“Kyui, you... did you come back again?”
It wasn’t washed up on the beach, but as expected, that dolphin was there.
This glossy skin and the eyes that looked happy to see me. No doubt about it.
“I told you not to come here because you might get stranded on the beach again.”
“Kyui?”
Even if you look at me with those round eyes...
...Well, I guess you don’t understand words.
A sigh escaped along with a bitter smile. As I tried to step toward the dolphin, my foot hit something.
“Hmm? ...This is...”
“Hey, Akitooo?”
Ah, Riran-san's voice.
When I poked my head out from the rocky area, everyone was looking up at me.
“Akito, what’s wrong?”
“Ah... well, come over here. You can see something good.”
“Something good?”
While everyone tilted their heads, they scrambled up the rocks. When they peeked out from the rocky area, their eyes widened.
“A-A dolphin!?”
“Hey, hey, hey, this is a surprise.”
“Ah, I do see dolphins around here once in a while... but why is it so attached to Akki?”
Neika’s question was reasonable.
“To put it simply, I helped it when it was washed up on the beach yesterday.”
“ “ “ “ “ ...Huh? “ “ “ “ “
Stop making those “What is this guy talking about?” faces. That’s the only way to say it.
“Kyui...?”
“Yeah, don’t worry. They’re my friends.”
“Kyui? Kyuitt.”
Hmm, I don’t know if it understands or not, but it seems energetic, so it’s fine.
“Is it my imagination, or does it feel like Akito-kun is communicating with the dolphin?”
“I don’t think it’s your imagination. The boy is like a wild child sometimes.”
Hey, don’t diss me.
As everyone climbed down the rocks, the dolphin also approached right up to the edge of the beach.
“Ah, wait, wait. You won’t be able to go back to the sea again.”
“Kyuiii...”
Don’t cry so sadly... I guess I have no choice.
I took off my jacket, stayed in my pants, and entered the sea. Then, the dolphin happily snuggled up to me. Yeah. Were you lonely, you rascal?
“Akito-kun is like a beastmaster...”
“You’re wrong, Ryuguuin. You call that a Tamer.”
“Akki looks like he’d be strong if he reincarnated in another world. His physical strength is high too.”
Don’t just say whatever you want. ...I’ll keep it a secret that I thought about it for a bit.
“N-No! Reincarnation means you die, right!? That’s no good! Akito is staying with me!”
“Riran-chan, are you aware that you’re saying something very embarrassing?”
She probably isn’t. This girl has a habit of saying strange things when she panics.
Riran walked into the sea in her clothes, splashing around, and clung to my arm while glaring at the dolphin.
“I’m not giving Akito to anyone. Hmph!”
“Kyui?”
“W-What’s with those cute eyes...! I’m telling you, we’re connected by the Red Thread of Fate...!”
“Kyuiii!”
“Ah, wait, don’t nuzzle me! That’s too cute!”
Are you angry? Happy? Embarrassed? Also, it’s rich coming from me, but no matter what you say to an animal, it won’t understand.
“Ugh, it’s... not cute. Anyone who tries to take Akito, whether human or animal, is an enemy...!”
“Is it okay to say that?”
“...Eh?”
“Look.”
I took out the item I had just picked up from my pants pocket. A golden fitting with red anemone glasswork. Yes, it was the other half of the earring Riran had lost.
“T-This... eh, why...!?”
“It seems the dolphin found it. It’s probably a thank-you for me helping it yesterday.”
Other beautiful shells, coral, pearls, and different glasswork were washed up on the beach. One of them happened to be this earring. When I handed the earring to Riran, tears welled up in her eyes as if she were overwhelmed with emotion.
“Ugh, uuuu...! Waaah! I’m sorry for calling you an enemy! I love you! Thank you!”
“Kyuitt.”
Riran hugged the dolphin tightly. Well, all’s well that ends well.
...Hey, dolphin. What’s with that look of satisfaction? You really are a dolphin, right? You’re not actually someone in a costume, are you?
“Fidget fidget...! Ugh! Akki and Rira are so unfair! I want to play with the dolphin too!”
“Oh? If Nei is going, I'm going too!”
“It looks fun. Rion-san, let's go.”
“W-Won't it bite me...?”
Despite saying that, everyone jumped into the sea in their clothes.
“Whoa! This is my first time interacting with a wild dolphin this closely!”
“This one looks like a female! Alright, from today on, this one is Iruko!”
“What kind of nickname is that? It doesn’t have a shred of sense.”
“Kyuiii!”
“You’re happy about it!?”
Doesn’t this dolphin have the same sense as Ryuya and Neika?
“Wow...! It’s my first time seeing a dolphin this close...!”
“Fufu. Liza-san, you’re like a child.”
“D-Don’t tease me, Rion.”
No, Liza-san really was like a child just now.
“Hey, Nei. We still have time before we go home, so let's play with Iruko for a bit!”
“That sounds good. We don't get many chances to play with dolphins.”
“I agree too.”
“Nice idea, Ryuya! Since Rira's earring was safely found, let's play!”
“Kyuiiiii!!”
Ah, hey. ...They're gone. Leaving me and Riran behind, everyone jumped into the sea with the dolphin. ...Well, they look like they're having fun, so whatever.
“Hey, Akito.”
“Hmm? What is—”
Chu.
Riran’s beautiful face spread out before my eyes. At the same time, a citrus scent tickled my nose, mixed with the scent of the tide. And the soft sensation touching my lips.
By the time I realized it, Riran had already moved away from me. On both her ears, the red anemone earrings shone, reflecting the sunlight.
“Thank you, Akito. Everything, all of it, is thanks to you.”
“Eh... ah, well... you're, welcome.”
“Why are you so flustered?”
No, this surprise attack is unfair. Even though she said no lovey-dovey stuff, if she does something like this...
“Ah, just so you know, this isn’t lovey-dovey. It’s a thank-you.”
“That’s a bit of a stretch.”
“I said so, so it's fine.”
What an outrageous argument.
Without caring about her clothes getting wet, Riran waded into the sea up to her waist and looked back with a brilliant smile.
“Akito. I love you too.”
“...Yeah, me too.”
The flower language of the red anemone: “I love you.” In this moment, I felt like our bond had deepened.
...Or so I felt.