In The Air

The scorching sun resting above the surface of the ocean signaled the end of day number one for the Shishigami High School manga club's summer camp. Emerging from the cold building behind the pretty redhead and tall messy haired stud, Sakai Akinari leaned against Tan-Tan for support.

"Tan-Tan-chan! Are you okay?!"
Yamaguchi Minami rushed to her side, kneeling down to examine the pale faced girl.

"Minami-chan... Not so loud, please."
Tan-Tan shifted her weight from Akinari to Minami, loosely wrapping her arms around the redhead's neck. Breathing softly against her athletic shoulder, she moaned and groaned with disgust.

"Looks like she's down for the count. Tetsunori-sensei's driving really messed her up."
Akinari's own body weight shifted to Nishi, gripping his friend's shoulder to stay upright.

"I guess that includes me too."

Chuckling politely, Nishi hoisted his friend's arm around his shoulder.
"Curry can wait. We should all take a bath and get some shut eye."

"Aw, what?! But Tan-Tan-chan was looking forward to dinner!"
Minami roughly mimicked Nishi's gesture, causing Tan-Tan to hold back another dry heave.

"Actually, Minami-chan, a bath sounds heavenly."
Tan-Tan offered a weak smile against the girl's arm.
"Just please be gentle with me."

The sounds of wash tubs splashing natural warm spring water onto the teenagers below soothed their souls. Nishi and Akinari helped wash each other's backs as they enjoyed the feeling of steam filling their lungs.
"Thanks, man. I don't think I would have been able to make any sudden movements. Tetsunori-sensei is a menace to the road."
Akinari closed his eyes in bliss as his friend scratched his itches.

"Don't mention it. Thanks for watching Tan-Tan for me."
Nishi dumped a bucket of warm water onto his friend's backside.

"Regarding Tanaka-san, how do you feel about her?"
Akinari tried his best to peek over his shoulder at his best friend behind him, judging his facial features.

"Tan-Tan? She's... interesting. I think she's a good fit for our club."
A faint blush could be seen beneath the suds on Nishi's face. He didn't have the thick, black frames of his glasses to properly protect his true feelings anymore.

"You know that's not what I meant, Nishi. I've already told you how I feel about Minami, I would appreciate if you did the same."
He stepped into the boiling water beneath his feet, a groan of satisfaction escaping his lips.

Following suit, Nishi joined him and involuntarily imitated his exaggerated groan. Resting his arms on the edge of the tub behind him, his gaze lingered on the fluorescent light bulbs above them.
"Tan-Tan is..."

Akinari raised an eyebrow.
"Finish your sentence."

"Tan-Tan is a total distraction to my work. Her constant whining over shoujo manga with Minami in the club room drives me crazy when I'm trying to concentrate. She overreacts to every little inconvenience and relies on others to keep her happy and satisfied."

Bursting into a fit of laughter, Akinari nodded his head in agreement.
"She's definitely a piece of work."

"Then tell me why every time I hear her sweet voice, my face gets so hot I can't breathe. The way her hair flutters around her petite shoulders makes my lungs feel tight, her animated gestures make me want to hug her and protect her. Aki, is this what love feels like?"

Slapping his friend across the back of his arm, Akinari smirked.
"That's exactly what love feels like, man. We're both a bunch of hopeless romantics, spilling our guts in the bath." He stood up and confidently jabbed his thumb toward his chest, declaring his confidence for the entire bathhouse to hear.
"Minami will be mine by the end of summer camp, mark my words, Nishi!"

With wide eyes, Nishi stood beside him.
"You got this, Aki. I'm right beside you, always."
The two boys shared a moment of camaraderie, their handshake clapping together with a deafening pop.

The girls bath was equally as chaotic as the boys. Jabbing her thumb toward her chest, Minami shouted loud enough for the entire bathhouse to hear.
"Mark my words, Tan-Tan-chan! Aki will be mine by the end of summer camp!"

"Minami-chan, keep your voice down!"
Dragging her friend back down into the water, Tan-Tan exhaled an embarrassed grunt, her cheeks heating up as she clenched her eyes shut.

"Relax, Tan-Tan-chan! If I don't shout my feelings, how can I ever find the confidence to face Aki?"

"I suppose you have a point."
Tan-Tan adjusted her towel around her chest.
"We should probably head out, I'll bet the boys are waiting for us in the lobby."

Gowning themselves in the complimentary bathrobes provided by the beach resort staff, the two girls found themselves face to face with the handsome men waiting for them in the lobby, each chugging a cold glass of coffee milk to soothe their overheated muscles.

"Got room for two more?"
Minami tastefully slid her way to Akinari's side, the scent of fresh shampoo leaving him flustered beyond comfort. Aside from the thin layer of fabric between them, the two were completely naked beneath.

"Y-yeah. Here, Minami."
He handed her an unopened glass of coffee milk.

"Oh! Such a gentleman!"
Without manners, she guzzled the frigid liquid, her throat bobbing as she chugged.

"Here, Tan-Tan. Is your stomach feeling better?"
Handing her a glass, Kuromoto Nishi offered a handsome, crooked smile toward her. His muscles rippled beneath the fabric as he shifted closer to her.

"Yes! Um, th-thank you, Nishi-senpai!"

"You kids ready for some ghost stories?"
None other than Tetsunori Shinpachi appeared in all his unshaven glory, a bathrobe hanging lazily around his exposed shoulders. Spitting out her coffee milk, Tan-Tan covered her innocent eyes from the hairy chest before her.

"Sensei! That's highly inappropriate!"

"Cool your jets, newbie. I'm not doing this for you. I heard the ladies at this resort really like a man with some hair on his chest. Maybe I'll score a nice-..."

"Sensei, please refrain from using such vulgar language in front of your students!"
Nishi smacked the bachelor across his thick skull, his eyes filled with an uncomfortable warning.

Sitting across from each other, the students and lone teacher gathered in a dimly lit circle, candles placed around the tatami mat beneath them. Tan-Tan was the first to speak, her hands nervously gripping the robe of Yamaguchi Minami beside her.
"Sakai-senpai... Are you sure that girl from your story wasn't a ghost?"

"Who can truly say, Tanaka-san?"
His wicked smirk illuminated by the candlelight put Tan-Tan in a state of unease.

"Alright, that's enough for tonight, kids. I know it's summer break, but I'm still your teacher. Lights out."
Tetsunori stretched his long limbs as he stood up.

"Sensei... You just want to womanize in the lobby, don't you?"
Akinari offered a glare of disapproval.

"Wouldn't dream of it. Girls, get back to your room. I don't want any funny business on my watch."

Making their way back to their room, Tan-Tan clung to Minami's hip, her eyes darting between every single corner of the hallway.
"Minami-chan, was Sakai-senpai's story true?"

"Of c-course not... It's just some s-s-silly tale. Ahaha..." Laughing nervously, the poor girls headed for the door. Once inside, the shivering Minami tucked herself into her futon.

"Ok Minami-chan, I'm turning off the lights..."
Tan-Tan stood nervously by the switch.

"R-right..."

"I'm really going to do it, now!"

Flipping the switch, she squealed. Throwing herself into the same futon as Yamaguchi Minami, Tan-Tan clenched her eyes shut. Sleepless night number one, commence.