The girl that loves the beach and the boy that loves the ocean part 5

"Reina, what are you doing? Pulling me in-"

Reina was on the ground, knees practically hugging her chest. Her tears flowed down her petite frame before eventually landing in a water puddle that had soaked up all her emotions. 

"Fu-Futoshi..." 

Her voice hitched, like she was holding back all the world's emotions within herself. She had positioned herself facing the mirror that stood ahead of them; no matter how hard one tried, she wouldn't let them get a glimpse of her dejected gaze.  

What could she possibly be crying about now? 

"What's going on...?" Futoshi calmed his racing thoughts before slipping through the curtain that had been slightly ajar. From an outsider's perspective, it must have seemed quite out of place, but seeing, dejected as she was...

filled him with an undescribable guilt. 

As much as they claimed to 'hate each other' when the other is in a time of need, they put their differences aside.

Futoshi placed a hand atop Reina's head...

"Cmon, what's got you down now?" He sighed as he slumped back to back with Reina. 
"..."

She said nothing. Her gaze rested firmly in her arms.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine, it's just I don't want to  have to deal with it later."

"...You really don't have any tact, do you?"

"Nope. Not a bit." 

Futoshi pushed back in a rather gentle tone. Trying to gauge the situation by asking her outright would've proved difficult, so he chose the gentle, more comforting approach:
'sit there and wait to see what happens.' That's what Futoshi would've called it anyway. 

The noise in the room had come to an abrupt stop, as if the other was waiting for the other to make up the next conversation.

"..." 

"..."

Still sat back to back, Futoshi tapped his hands against his knees, a way for him to cope with the silence that had formed.

"So, I can probably guess what happened by seeing the state of this place, but what happened?"

On the floor, various swimsuits had been wrinkled up and tossed as far as Futoshi could see, which wasn't very far, but it was noticeable enough to make conclusions about what had occurred. 
Pinks, reds, yellows. A one-piece there, a bikini here; all left scattered. 

All in various sizes.

At the sight of it all, Futoshi gazed at Reina, who had now slumped in the corner.

"Reina, are you-" 

"Y-you don't have to spell it out!"

Reina's fists banged against Futoshi's shoulders. 

"I'm not that t-t-"

"tiny? Is that what you're worried about?"

Reina lowered her head in disappointment, clearly also embarrassed by the situation she had found herself in. Just then, Futoshi stood before patting  Reina on the head. 

"You made such a mess over that?..."

"...Seriously, you're such a pain." 

 Futoshi sighed, but he didn't move away. He let her have a moment to herself, slumping back down, back to back once more. 

"You are seriously stupid, you know that?" 

"Y-yeah, well... you're not a girl, so you wouldn't get it! I have to watch Rin and Hajime-san with their hot bods, and then I look at mine...ugh"

A wry smile tugged at his lips, although words wouldn't spill out. 

Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't. But I even know what it feels like to be insecure about something.

 He wasn't ready to be that vulnerable, not yet anyway. Plus, it would've been quite a selfish thing to talk about his own problems when she was clearly upset, even if he thought it was a stupid reason to cry, he at least understood the incentive. 

"Yeah, I guess I wouldn't... would I?"

"You got that right-"

"You done crying yet?" 

Futoshi smirked. 

"You seriously look ridiculous."

Reina turned, her tears swung in the wind. Her gaze was dejected, like one that had been so desperate, but had that hope stripped away from them a second later. 

Seeing her like that, Futoshi pulled the hood that covered her head over her face.

"If you're gonna keep crying, at least do it somewhere I can't see you...idiot."

"...Thanks."

"So, is there anything you liked anyway?"

"Yeah, a few."

"So why not get them?"

"..."

"because I'm-"

"tiny? They fit, though, didn't they?"

Reina nodded slightly, her face still facing the mirror.

Futoshi shrugged his shoulders. To be honest, he was never one to pay attention to such trivial things.

"Then buy it then."

"Why should I? I'd just be a laughing stock."

"And when are you not?"  

Reina's fists clenched as they harboured all the hatred in the world.

"Forget it! You're just smug like always, that face really... pisses me off!" 

Her tears, that had welled a moment prior, dried up. Leaving in its wake the Reina, all of them loved.

"Someone feeling better?" 

"Yeah, thanks for absolutely nothing!"

Reina set herself upright, picking up a blue one- piece on her way out. She barged past the guy who was " all muscle for brains' in front of her, and left. 

She couldn't stand being in a room with him any longer than she had to be. 

She swung the curtain open and left it trailing behind her. In that moment...

...She smiled.

"Idiot." She muttered under her breath as she left.

                                                                                        ***

Typical. When I show her a hint of kindness, she throws it in my face... At least she isn't mopey anymore, though.

 By this point, Reina had long left, leaving Futoshi to reunite with the rest of them on his own. 

"Akutami-kun over here!" There stood Rin, Haruto, and Aoi.

 He had left the changing rooms behind him, returning to the shop floor. Rin stood there with a puzzled look on her face.

"How come you came from the women's section? Weren't you going to buy some trunks?" 

By all accounts, it was odd. But, luckily, he had a way of getting out of this unscathed-an alibi. As for his alibi, he had originally gone with Reina to buy their swimsuits together. This situation had been forged by Rin, so with her as the one asking, she couldn't exactly push back.

"Ugh y'know what, Reina's like. She dragged me everywhere, trying on stuff as she went."

He scratched the back of his neck, hoping she'd take the bait. What else was I supposed to say? I couldn't exactly tell her Reina dragged me into her changing room, could I? Then I'd really be 'pervoshi.'

"Yeah, he was waiting for me while I tried some, that's all." 

Just then, Reina appeared behind a stack of clothes, some wearn't even related to swimwear. From the looks of it, she had a few hoodies, shirts, sandals, and other wear Futoshi couldn't quite make out.

"So, that's where you ran off to, huh?

 Futoshi sighed at witnessing the pile of clothes she had.  

"Oh...ok then. Anyway, we just finished up our shopping, so if you're ready, we can get ready to head to the beach house?"

Luckily, with Reina's intuitive thinking, Futoshi had a strong enough alibi to avoid any further questioning. 

"Fine by me."

"Finally! I'll have to watch you, Futoshi. You'd better keep your leering to a minimum!"

"Shuchin-kun..."

"R-right."

"Oh, before I forget. Hajime-san. Make sure you tell Yamada-kun to meet us at the beach house tomorrow."

"o-ok."

The group responded one by one to Rin's proposal. Finally, they set forth to the long awaited beac house.