Why Not Make Both Twins 'Girlfriends'?-Chapter 4Volume 3 .2 - Playing at the BeaChapter ?

Playing at the Beach…? 2

“Ready… Go!”

At Sakuto’s signal, Hikari and Chikage started running along the water’s edge.

It was a simple race to see who was faster, with no stakes attached to winning or losing.

Sakuto had always thought Chikage was the faster one, but Hikari was surprisingly quick too.

She didn’t seem like the type to exercise regularly, but her running form was like that of a track sprinter.

(Hikari seems more suited for the track team than the Newspaper Club. Chikage should join a club too.)

While he watched the two sisters competing, Yuzuki spoke up softly beside him.

“They’re not just smart, those two are good at sports too…”

“I don’t know about Hikari, but Chikage said she gets a ‘5’ in PE.”

“Hmm…”

In fact, Chikage scored ‘5’ in all subjects, not just PE. (TN: 5 here is probably the highest possible score.)

Her diligence was something even Sakuto, who had been rather slack lately, admired and aspired to emulate.

“By the way, Yuzuki, why did you come to Futagoko Town?”

“Do you remember the cafe ‘Ange’ where I work?”

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

“Yeah, I do.”

“The owner introduced me to it. She said there was a week-long live-in job available. It seems the owners know each other.”

“The owner of ‘Karen,’ you mean the manager?”

“No, it seems there’s someone else.”

Yuzuki let out a small sigh.

“…But I was surprised to find out that Matori-senpai and you guys knew each other. And Matori-senpai was in the Newspaper Club you mentioned before?”

“Ahahaha… yeah, that’s right.”

“…Why the wry smile?”

“Well, there’s been a lot going on…”

Remembering the commotion in the Newspaper Club before the summer vacation, Sakuto felt a bit exasperated.

By the time they finished talking, the twin sisters had reached the goal, with Chikage as the winner.

They waved their hands as they came back towards them.

“…So, which one is it, Sakuto?”

“Again with that story…”

“But I’m curious…”

“Why?”

“You said you had a girlfriend, right? I can’t imagine you would come to the beach with those two and leave yopur girlfriend behind…”

Sakuto couldn’t help but let out a silent chuckle.

“…What?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing.”

“I’m curious now. Do you really have a girlfriend? Tell me?”

“Nope, I won’t tell. Didn’t I say it was a secret before?”

“…Meanie.”

Yuzuki snorted disinterestedly with a “Hmph.”

However, Sakuto wondered what kind of reaction Yuzuki would have if he told her about his girlfriend(s).

She might be surprised, or she might be disappointed, or she might even be put off.

As he amused himself with imagining Yuzuki’s reaction if she found out, the twin sisters returned and immediately grabbed Sakuto’s arms.

“What were you talking about?”

“Mmm… Suspicious.”

“It’s nothing.”

Sakuto said with a wry smile.

Yuzuki looked on with a suspicious gaze, but it seemed she still couldn’t figure out which one was his girlfriend.

***

After playing together for a little while, they returned to “Karen.”

“Matori-senpai, we’re back.”

Matori was facing a middle-aged man dressed like a fisherman with a troubled expression.

“Ah, welcome back.”

“Did something happen?”

Sakuto asked, and Matori replied with a similarly troubled look, “Well, you see…”

“Actually, this is my uncle’s acquaintance. He was about to go out to sea in his boat, but the engine won’t start…”

“Is it broken?”

“Probably… He came here thinking my uncle could fix it, but…”

Unfortunately, his uncle was in the hospital and not around.

He wondered if there was anyone else nearby who could fix it—

“Maybe I should take a look?”

“Eh?”

Both Matori and the middle-aged man looked surprised at Hikari.

“Hikari, you can fix it?”

“If it’s an electrical issue, I’m good at that. If I can find the cause, I might be able to fix it.”

The middle-aged man looked impressed and said, “Well then, could you at least take a look? I’ll pay for the repairs.”

“Yes! —Ah, Matori-senpai, do you have a toolbox?”

“It should be in the storage shed out back.”

“Got it. I’ll just borrow it for a bit—”

Hikari said and left the shop heading towards the storage shed.

“Well then, let’s leave the boat to Hikari and start preparing for the evening. I want to learn cooking from Chikage, can you teach me?”

“Okay. I’ll be waiting in the kitchen—”

Chikage said and went to the back of the shop… diligently wearing cat ears, whether out of duty or because she liked them.

“Takayashiki, can you help Yuzuki-chan with the counter service?”

“Um, can I go with Hikari instead?”

“Ooh—”

Matori suddenly smirked.

“…What?”

“Nothinggg~… Well then, Takayashiki, take good care of Hikari, okay?”

Matori seemed to be under some kind of misunderstanding (though not really), but for now, Sakuto decided to ignore it.

***

The pier was on the opposite side of the breakwater.

Among various types of boats, the middle-aged man led Sakuto and Hikari to the broken one. It was a small motorboat for sea fishing that didn’t look too old.

“Hikari, you said you’re good with electrical systems, but can you inspect a boat?”

“I can do the basics. Actually, I just got my small boat license the other day.”

“Really? That’s amazing…”

“Hehehe, peace♪ I also learned how to repair and inspect boats along with piloting them, so leave it to me.”

Hikari checked the gears and the kill switch (a safety device that stops the engine if the operator falls off the boat) to make sure they weren’t disengaged.

“Hmm… everything seems fine up to here, but maybe—”

Hikari took out a multimeter from the toolbox and connected it to the battery.

“—Just as I thought. When was the last time you changed the battery?”

“Um… it was when I first bought the boat, so about three years ago…”

“Then it might be the battery’s lifespan.”

The middle-aged man seemed to understand but then looked troubled again.

“But I don’t have a spare battery…”

“A battery for boats──”

Sakuto recalled his memories since arriving in Futagoko Town.

“—Wasn’t there a fishing gear shop on the outskirts of the shopping district?”

“Yeah, I stopped by there earlier.”

“They might have one, why not give them a call?”

“If they have a battery, we can replace it.”

The middle-aged man seemed convinced again and quickly made a call to the fishing gear shop. It turned out that there was a battery for the boat.

Saying he would go buy it immediately, he left, and Sakuto and Hikari were alone together.

“You’re really amazing, Hikari.”

“…? What do you mean?”

“No, I mean, being able to repair and inspect boats. And even getting a small boat license, that’s not something just anyone can do.”

“Hmm… I think it’s more important to act first rather than overthink things. You know, if there’s something you like or want to try, you have to move on it right away or you’ll lose your enthusiasm.”

Hikari definitely has a point.

Thinking “I want to do this” or “I want to try that” can be exciting in the moment, but as time passes, most of those feelings fade into indifference.

“So that’s why──”

Suddenly, Hikari hugged him.

“Act on your impulses.”

“Uh… sometimes it’s important to stop and think a bit too…”

“Don’t you want to kiss me?”

“I do, but… right now?”

To Sakuto’s question, Hikari just chuckled softly and quietly closed her eyes.

After a slightly long kiss, Hikari smiled with her cheeks still flushed.

“The timing is always okay whenever you want to, Sakuto.”

“I see…”

“Make sure you do the same for Chii-chan later, okay? She worked really hard today.”

“Got it…”

“Then, just one more time──”

──And they kissed.

At the moment of their second kiss, a white cat was watching them from atop the breakwater.

It was the time of day when the twilight sky reflected off the sea.

The water’s surface shimmered as if it were aglow with gold.

Perhaps bored with the endless long kiss, the white cat yawned, stretched its legs out in front, straightened its back, and with a little leap, hopped down and went off somewhere.