Shun Cup Relay Novel [Development] ~Summer Memories~

*This story is a continuation of the Beginning Story [B] below.

↓ Development story starts here ↓

"It's so hot."
"Yeah, it is."
"Wanna go to the pool?"
"I'm kind of sick of that already."
"Summer means the beach, right?"
"The beach!"
"Aren't entrance exams a problem?"
"It's fine, we'll start tomorrow."
"Let's go, to the beach!"
"Yeah, let's go!"

There is a beach just a few minutes' walk from our town. In the end, no matter what, it's always the beach. When we arrived, we jumped in one after another, as if lured by the sea breeze. The small beach, where only locals go, is quiet like our secret base and very comfortable.

The summer vacation of our third year of junior high, with entrance exams looming. The time spent gathering with my close friends—how wasteful, yet how meaningful a moment it was. Because when I'm home alone, I only end up thinking about useless things.

Talking about nothing with them and sharing the ordinary present was incredibly fun. Looking back, the time that has passed always looked sparkling.

When we left the beach in the evening, we walked slowly down the slope. The sunlight had softened as the sun began to set, but it was still scorching the ground, and sweat began to ooze out.

We all stopped by the usual convenience store to buy ice cream. Seeing you pick up a soda popsicle, I chose the same one. I don't know what love is yet. But I wonder why I find myself following you with my eyes.

As I walked behind everyone while eating my ice cream, I suddenly noticed a huge cloud in front of me. A cumulonimbus cloud with beautiful curves, like a soft-serve ice cream. I feel like this is the first time I've seen a cumulonimbus cloud this year. Or was it always there, and I just didn't notice because I was always looking down?

Making sure no one was looking, I closed one eye and reached out my hand that wasn't holding the ice cream toward the cloud. As if to grab that giant soft-serve ice cream.

Of course, my hand grabbed nothing and cut through the air. There's no such thing as a free lunch where you can just reach out and grab what you want, is there?

When I suddenly looked to the side, I made eye contact with you, and my heart skipped a beat. You were supposed to be walking ahead with everyone else, so when did you come up next to me?

Could it be that you saw everything just now?
I can feel my cheeks turning slightly red.
She laughed softly.

"What were you doing?"
"Oh, nothing..."
"That cloud looks like soft-serve ice cream. It makes you want to grab it, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, it does."

She reached out her hand just like I did, trying to grab the cloud. Her slightly tanned profile, and the way I look reflected in those eyes that seem to have absorbed the summer sun—what kind of face am I making right now?

“Oh, what a shame!”

Saying that, she ran off toward the group walking ahead.

I watched her back without saying a word. The soda popsicle I was holding began to melt, dripping onto the asphalt and leaving dark stains.

Suddenly, I noticed a contrail cutting straight through that cumulonimbus cloud. As she walked ahead, she looked up at the sky, turned back, and gave me a grin.

A narrow path where the scent of summer grass drifts by.
The sound of cicadas incessantly asserting their existence.
Where on earth are we heading, walking endlessly past the lush, overgrown green trees? I popped the completely melted popsicle into my mouth in one go.

The colors of summer fill the gaps left by our lack of words.

Was the sky always this blue?

Perhaps I will forget it once I become an adult. But I want to cherish this unfixable moment and you in my memories. I can still vividly recall the light blue scrunchie you wore on your left wrist.

Approximately 1500 characters

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