Chapter 36:
Chapter 36 — Cooling at The Beach
My New Home
◽The Next Day◽ (Tuesday, 19 July 2050)
◽At The Beach◽
JJ was splayed out on a beach chair, his hair and pupils Brown, exhaling deeply. 「Just a few more days till summer's over.」Renji squinted at him. 「Summer just began, what’s wrong with you?」「Oh yeah, you've never been unemployed before, so you don't know my current struggle.」Hana was lying draped across his chest, the pregnant weight pressing lightly on him. 「He's right, J. You shouldn’t speak like that. You know, in life, the little things should be enjoyed.」JJ chuckled. 「Says the chick that treats 'it' like a visor when I’m brushin’ my teeth.」Hana blushed, pulling back slightly. 「Hey, don’t go speaking baseless stuff!」「Aight, darling, if you say so.」Minato (JJ’s underclassman) approached tentatively. 「JJ-senpai, I have a question.」「Sure, Minato, go ahead.」「Teach me how to swim in abundance like you.」JJ smiled slightly. 「Oh, so this brother is woke?」「Yes, senpai.」「I have a few books at home; I’ll borrow them to you. But remember, practice makes perfect. You can’t rely on theory all the time.」「I will do that, senpai.」JJ caught sight of a few girls passing by. 「Hmm... Minato.」「Yes, senpai.」「Here you go.」 JJ handed him a million yen. 「Here’s your first trial. Come back with 75% of that milli.」Minato stared at the money, utterly surprised. 「Don’t worry, senpai! I’ll make sure not to betray your trust.」 He immediately left for the seaside cafe.「So that will distract him for a while,」 JJ commented, leaning back.Riyuka looked at him suspiciously. 「But why would you give him a million yen? You’re not planning anything unsavory with Minato, right?」「Bitch, you’re making it sound like I’m that Hollywood executive that fucked Ryota—」 He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. 「Fuck! I said too much again.」 He sighed. 「Blanco, this is why we don’t lock each other out of the body.」【Blanco: Bruh, shut the hell up.】「Childish,」 JJ muttered. 「But anyway, this is a test for Minato.」Riyuka raised an eyebrow. 「So we’re going to ignore what he just said about Ryota?」Hana shook her head. 「Yes, we are. Last thing I need is knowing how he knew this happened.」 She giggled. 「But J, how is this a test for Minato?」「Well, even though man makes the money, money also makes the man.」Sai chimed in. 「Senpai, can I answer?」「Yep.」「You’re trying to see if Minato is the type who leads with his wallet or not, aren’t you?」「Yeah, you’re right. There's no point in teaching him how to get a girlfriend if he doesn’t recognize his problems.」Hana processed this, then sat up straight. She thought back to their relationship. 「I see... That diamond necklace is the only expensive thing you bought for me as a gift. Wait, that’s the only gift you bought me.」「Yeah. I mean, you’re pregnant now, so the only things I’m buying will be related to the baby and all the food you’re about to eat.」「What?」JJ chuckled, a hint of unease in the sound. 「Oh yeah. I’ll have to do the equivalent of fattening you up so the baby doesn’t kill you for nutrients, unfortunately.」Hana glared at him. 「And you’re telling me this now?」「In my defense, Grandmother only told me that information this morning, and that it’s hereditary. But on the plus side, you won’t actually get fat.」「Now I’m more confused.」「Well, the food will go to the baby. You’ll only get chubby, and you’ll lose the weight during childbirth. Now that I think about it, Mio went through the same thing, but I never put two and two together. Damn, my mother’s side of the family is weird...」「If I get this straight, I’m basically a fridge for our child?」「Yes, and to be more accurate, it’s a girl.」「Huh?」「Remember last week I told you I’m hearing the voice of a little girl in the house every now and then?」「I do... Ohhh!」 Hana chuckled. 「I think this is also one of the things you shouldn't be sharing.」「Fair point.」Just then, Shizuko and Sora ran up to him. They shouted his name in unison, like small, loud birds.「Papa!」「Papa!」「Papa!」「Papa!」JJ held up his hands. 「Okay, seagulls, calm down. Take a few breaths in... and what do you want?」Shizuko and Sora giggled. 「Sorry, but can we go for a swim, please Papa?」「Yeah, please Papa!」「Marshmallow, Gummy bear, I’m trying to relax! Please be understanding!」Shizuko squinted at him, a spark of suspicion in her eyes. 「Why is Mama on top of you?」Sora looked confused. 「Yeah, that’s suspicious...」JJ said instantly. 「So, yeah! The water looks really relaxing! A swim sounds really good right about now!」Shizuko grinned, malice hiding behind her innocent expression. 「Thanks for being understanding, Papa.」Sora smiled, filled with pure innocence. 「Yeah, you're the best Papa!」【JJ: Their duality hurts. It hurts so much.】【Psyc: We understand your pain, Bro.】
Hana got off him, and JJ left with the girls toward the water.Hana walked over to Haruka and Emiko, who were tanning nearby.
「The both of you are enjoying yourselves!」Haruka adjusted her bikini top. 「It’s not everyday you get to relax like this.」「You’re right. Um... Emiko-san?」Emiko adjusted her sunglasses slightly. 「I was fired from my last job.」Hana was shocked. 「Wait, why?」「My last boss was grabby, and JJ found out.」Hana chuckled. 「Oh, let me guess. JJ embarrassed him in front of his peers?」Emiko lowered her sunglasses to look directly at Hana. 「Close. He’s the reason my now ex-boss and his wife got divorced.」Hana sat down with them, laughing out loud. 「Oh, wow! Why would he do that?」Emiko raised her shades again. 「Equal exchange.」 She handed Hana a glass of juice. 「It’s apple. JJ said it’s your favorite.」Hana took it gracefully. 「Thanks, I appreciate it.」
Miyeon watched the two women. 「I want to age gracefully like them when I get older.」Jiyeon agreed. 「I understand what you mean.」 She looked toward the water where JJ had been. 「Um, JJ didn't take his hoodie off, did he?」 They all looked at the distant figure.Sakura confirmed it. 「Seems like he didn’t.」Renji sighed. 「Does he ever take those off?」Miyeon recoiled. 「Ew, creep! We’re not telling you those stories.」Jiyeon was flabbergasted. 「Who’s 'we'?!」「You know what I mean!」「No, I don’t!」Renji ignored them. 「That is not what I meant. I meant, like, in general?」Mei murmured thoughtfully. 「Hmm, now that you mention it, no. He always has a hoodie on.」Riyuka looked concerned. 「Then wouldn’t it get wet right now?」Mei nodded. 「Yeah, but it dries off real fast. He said it's a bit hydrophobic.」Miyeon demanded. 「Wait, how do you know that?」Mei blushed faintly. 「I mean, he did jump off a cliff to save me, and used one of his hoodies to make sure I wasn’t hurt.」Sai sighed, drawing the attention of his friends. 「He's wearing body armor.」Mikado considered this. 「Hmm, you do have a point.」Riyuka chuckled nervously. 「C'mon, Sai, you can't really believe that, right?」「Riyuka-senpai, he jumped off a cliff, intercepting Mei-senpai’s fall, and yet she came out of that crash landing with a small scratch! That fall should have killed them both!」「What are you trying to say?」「Besides JJ-senpai’s body being more durable than most items, maybe his hoodies act like body armor for the people he needs to save! I mean, he’s literally wearing the same one he wore when he jumped off that cliff, and it looks perfectly fine!」Jiyeon nodded slowly. 「Now that he mentions it, Sai has a point. Not to mention, considering there are a lot of people who want him dead, that idea isn't as far-fetched...」
A holographic projection of Iris suddenly shimmered into existence in front of them.
Iris: ⟦Sai is right.⟧Sai was slightly surprised. 「Yeah. So it’s true, the AI on Senpai’s phone is alive?」Iris: ⟦Of course I am. But Sai, you are correct about Dad’s clothes being body armor.⟧「I knew it!」Iris: ⟦Don’t go celebrating that fact. You know what they say about a peasant who knows too much?⟧
Their expressions turned grim as the weight of her words settled on them.
Sai quickly understood the warning. 「You don’t have to worry. I do.」
◽At The Beach◽
JJ was splayed out on a beach chair, his hair and pupils Brown, exhaling deeply. 「Just a few more days till summer's over.」Renji squinted at him. 「Summer just began, what’s wrong with you?」「Oh yeah, you've never been unemployed before, so you don't know my current struggle.」Hana was lying draped across his chest, the pregnant weight pressing lightly on him. 「He's right, J. You shouldn’t speak like that. You know, in life, the little things should be enjoyed.」JJ chuckled. 「Says the chick that treats 'it' like a visor when I’m brushin’ my teeth.」Hana blushed, pulling back slightly. 「Hey, don’t go speaking baseless stuff!」「Aight, darling, if you say so.」Minato (JJ’s underclassman) approached tentatively. 「JJ-senpai, I have a question.」「Sure, Minato, go ahead.」「Teach me how to swim in abundance like you.」JJ smiled slightly. 「Oh, so this brother is woke?」「Yes, senpai.」「I have a few books at home; I’ll borrow them to you. But remember, practice makes perfect. You can’t rely on theory all the time.」「I will do that, senpai.」JJ caught sight of a few girls passing by. 「Hmm... Minato.」「Yes, senpai.」「Here you go.」 JJ handed him a million yen. 「Here’s your first trial. Come back with 75% of that milli.」Minato stared at the money, utterly surprised. 「Don’t worry, senpai! I’ll make sure not to betray your trust.」 He immediately left for the seaside cafe.「So that will distract him for a while,」 JJ commented, leaning back.Riyuka looked at him suspiciously. 「But why would you give him a million yen? You’re not planning anything unsavory with Minato, right?」「Bitch, you’re making it sound like I’m that Hollywood executive that fucked Ryota—」 He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. 「Fuck! I said too much again.」 He sighed. 「Blanco, this is why we don’t lock each other out of the body.」【Blanco: Bruh, shut the hell up.】「Childish,」 JJ muttered. 「But anyway, this is a test for Minato.」Riyuka raised an eyebrow. 「So we’re going to ignore what he just said about Ryota?」Hana shook her head. 「Yes, we are. Last thing I need is knowing how he knew this happened.」 She giggled. 「But J, how is this a test for Minato?」「Well, even though man makes the money, money also makes the man.」Sai chimed in. 「Senpai, can I answer?」「Yep.」「You’re trying to see if Minato is the type who leads with his wallet or not, aren’t you?」「Yeah, you’re right. There's no point in teaching him how to get a girlfriend if he doesn’t recognize his problems.」Hana processed this, then sat up straight. She thought back to their relationship. 「I see... That diamond necklace is the only expensive thing you bought for me as a gift. Wait, that’s the only gift you bought me.」「Yeah. I mean, you’re pregnant now, so the only things I’m buying will be related to the baby and all the food you’re about to eat.」「What?」JJ chuckled, a hint of unease in the sound. 「Oh yeah. I’ll have to do the equivalent of fattening you up so the baby doesn’t kill you for nutrients, unfortunately.」Hana glared at him. 「And you’re telling me this now?」「In my defense, Grandmother only told me that information this morning, and that it’s hereditary. But on the plus side, you won’t actually get fat.」「Now I’m more confused.」「Well, the food will go to the baby. You’ll only get chubby, and you’ll lose the weight during childbirth. Now that I think about it, Mio went through the same thing, but I never put two and two together. Damn, my mother’s side of the family is weird...」「If I get this straight, I’m basically a fridge for our child?」「Yes, and to be more accurate, it’s a girl.」「Huh?」「Remember last week I told you I’m hearing the voice of a little girl in the house every now and then?」「I do... Ohhh!」 Hana chuckled. 「I think this is also one of the things you shouldn't be sharing.」「Fair point.」Just then, Shizuko and Sora ran up to him. They shouted his name in unison, like small, loud birds.「Papa!」「Papa!」「Papa!」「Papa!」JJ held up his hands. 「Okay, seagulls, calm down. Take a few breaths in... and what do you want?」Shizuko and Sora giggled. 「Sorry, but can we go for a swim, please Papa?」「Yeah, please Papa!」「Marshmallow, Gummy bear, I’m trying to relax! Please be understanding!」Shizuko squinted at him, a spark of suspicion in her eyes. 「Why is Mama on top of you?」Sora looked confused. 「Yeah, that’s suspicious...」JJ said instantly. 「So, yeah! The water looks really relaxing! A swim sounds really good right about now!」Shizuko grinned, malice hiding behind her innocent expression. 「Thanks for being understanding, Papa.」Sora smiled, filled with pure innocence. 「Yeah, you're the best Papa!」【JJ: Their duality hurts. It hurts so much.】【Psyc: We understand your pain, Bro.】
Hana got off him, and JJ left with the girls toward the water.Hana walked over to Haruka and Emiko, who were tanning nearby.
「The both of you are enjoying yourselves!」Haruka adjusted her bikini top. 「It’s not everyday you get to relax like this.」「You’re right. Um... Emiko-san?」Emiko adjusted her sunglasses slightly. 「I was fired from my last job.」Hana was shocked. 「Wait, why?」「My last boss was grabby, and JJ found out.」Hana chuckled. 「Oh, let me guess. JJ embarrassed him in front of his peers?」Emiko lowered her sunglasses to look directly at Hana. 「Close. He’s the reason my now ex-boss and his wife got divorced.」Hana sat down with them, laughing out loud. 「Oh, wow! Why would he do that?」Emiko raised her shades again. 「Equal exchange.」 She handed Hana a glass of juice. 「It’s apple. JJ said it’s your favorite.」Hana took it gracefully. 「Thanks, I appreciate it.」
Miyeon watched the two women. 「I want to age gracefully like them when I get older.」Jiyeon agreed. 「I understand what you mean.」 She looked toward the water where JJ had been. 「Um, JJ didn't take his hoodie off, did he?」 They all looked at the distant figure.Sakura confirmed it. 「Seems like he didn’t.」Renji sighed. 「Does he ever take those off?」Miyeon recoiled. 「Ew, creep! We’re not telling you those stories.」Jiyeon was flabbergasted. 「Who’s 'we'?!」「You know what I mean!」「No, I don’t!」Renji ignored them. 「That is not what I meant. I meant, like, in general?」Mei murmured thoughtfully. 「Hmm, now that you mention it, no. He always has a hoodie on.」Riyuka looked concerned. 「Then wouldn’t it get wet right now?」Mei nodded. 「Yeah, but it dries off real fast. He said it's a bit hydrophobic.」Miyeon demanded. 「Wait, how do you know that?」Mei blushed faintly. 「I mean, he did jump off a cliff to save me, and used one of his hoodies to make sure I wasn’t hurt.」Sai sighed, drawing the attention of his friends. 「He's wearing body armor.」Mikado considered this. 「Hmm, you do have a point.」Riyuka chuckled nervously. 「C'mon, Sai, you can't really believe that, right?」「Riyuka-senpai, he jumped off a cliff, intercepting Mei-senpai’s fall, and yet she came out of that crash landing with a small scratch! That fall should have killed them both!」「What are you trying to say?」「Besides JJ-senpai’s body being more durable than most items, maybe his hoodies act like body armor for the people he needs to save! I mean, he’s literally wearing the same one he wore when he jumped off that cliff, and it looks perfectly fine!」Jiyeon nodded slowly. 「Now that he mentions it, Sai has a point. Not to mention, considering there are a lot of people who want him dead, that idea isn't as far-fetched...」
A holographic projection of Iris suddenly shimmered into existence in front of them.
Iris: ⟦Sai is right.⟧Sai was slightly surprised. 「Yeah. So it’s true, the AI on Senpai’s phone is alive?」Iris: ⟦Of course I am. But Sai, you are correct about Dad’s clothes being body armor.⟧「I knew it!」Iris: ⟦Don’t go celebrating that fact. You know what they say about a peasant who knows too much?⟧
Their expressions turned grim as the weight of her words settled on them.
Sai quickly understood the warning. 「You don’t have to worry. I do.」
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