I’m picking a swimsuit for Yori-Chan

I can only stare blankly at Koyori as she reveals not having any swimming clothes in her arsenal.

Seriously? She’s got that baggage full of stuff and not a single swimsuit in it?

"Wanna help me pick a cute one?" the girl interrogates me.

What?!

“Wouldn’t it be better if you picked something you like?” I ask in an attempt to talk myself out of this but if there’s one thing I’ve learned recently it’s that Koyori can’t be persuaded otherwise once she’s really set her mind onto something.

“Yori-Chan likes whatever Kei-kun is going to pick for her,” Koyori reinstates which helps me to deduce that I’ve already lost.

I kind of feel like I should commit myself to the task but we’re talking about swimsuits here. Going shopping for swimsuits with my childhood friend is about as embarrassing as asking her out on a date. I’d be dead meat if anyone I know saw us together. Besides, I have an inkling that Koyori greatly overestimates my abilities.

“Well, if I really must,” I give in grudgingly but not before confronting her with facts. “Don’t expect much from me, I’m not nearly as knowledgeable as I look…”

Not to mention that I have a lewd mind to suppress.

“I’m sure you’ll pick a good one, Kei-kun. I’ll pick colorful shorts for you too if you need some.”

Actually, I need some so that works.

“Sounds good to me, my old ones probably don’t fit me anymore,” I agree.

*

After making a few preparations with the help of my mom - I’m definitely not leaving the house without sunscreen this time, we leave and aim for the bus station, arriving just in time to catch the hourly bus to the city.

The street leading there is rather curvy and Koyori absolutely abuses this, allowing herself to lean against me whenever g-force is working in her favor. Her sheepish and playful attempts to get close to me make me a little nervous but I’ve begun to get used to the clingy nature of my friend, especially after our sweet togetherness the other night. I merely send her a few warning stares and endure it much to Koyori’s entertainment.

While waiting for the hellish ride to be over, I reflect on her behavior the previous night which reminds me of her current antics quite a bit. Right now, I fail to see any direct romantic intent behind her affection but, of course, I also can’t rule it out. Yori's just a very expressive girl by nature quite unlike me who struggles to show his feelings on the surface. Maybe I’m reading too much into it?

Either way, picking her swimsuit will be very painful and embarrassing for me, that much is a given. I’ll try to do my best to endure it for Koyori’s sake for her happiness is just that precious.

The bus eventually drops us off near a mall that's close to the swimming pool we’re planning to visit. At the mall, we’re entering a clothing store and quickly steer toward the swimwear area. I’m starting to feel really uncomfortable to the point of being outright anxious as I’m met with more bikinis than I’ve ever seen in my life. Which, arguably, aren’t that many.

"Are you sure you want me to pick your swimsuit?" I insist in the odd event that Koyori had a change of mind. Koyori is still determined to see her plan to the end, revealing another unexpected reason why she wants me to pick it out for her.

"Actually, I haven't worn one in a long while so I don't really know what to look for,” she explains. her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty. “You're an expert though, aren't you?"

Did she even listen to me?

"Liking and being an expert on swimsuits are two entirely different matters,” I enlighten her with a blush creeping across my face. “H-honestly, just pick whatever you like…"

"But Kei-kun, isn't it kind of meaningless if you don't like what's on my skin?" Koyori prompts me as we come to a standstill in the kids and teenager department.

Isn’t it kind of meaningless if I choose a swimsuit that doesn’t suit you?

Awkward silence develops between us as we warily eye each other like a pair of predators trying to decide who gets to eat the prey.

"Pwease?"

She's acting adorable on purpose, absolutely landing a critical hit on me.

"Oh alright then," I mutter in defeat though, at least, I’d like to set the conditions. "But I'm not going to pick them out for you, I'll just decide which one you'll wear."

Koyori is fine with that, starting to forage for cute swimsuits to try on.

First, she picks up a pink bikini. Koyori wasn’t lying when she talked about not being an expert. As it turns out, she’s not even a novice at it. When she emerges from the changing cubicle, she has to censor herself because the bikini clearly wasn’t made for a flat-chested middle schooler whose hips still haven’t grown wide. It’s simply too large by any standards.

“Do you even know your size?” I deadpan as she hastily tiptoes back to the shelves to pick the next one. This time, she’s chosen a one-piece with a colorful and cute motif, however…

“Kei-kun, something about this one doesn’t feel right, don’t you think?”

… however, it’s clearly designed for a grade-schooler. It’s still manageable around her chest area but I don’t even dare to peek any lower than her navel, given how tight it is sitting on her skin. Koyori doesn’t need any verbal input, realizing by herself that it’s not Yori-Chan sized either.

Gradually, after borderline making me question my sanity a few more times, she's refining her ability to choose swimsuits that actually match her proportions until she eventually finds a bikini that compliments her orange hair ribbon so nicely that my eyes can finally linger on it for a little longer. A frilly orange chest piece and matching pants are on showcase, pronouncing the tiny bit of breast volume she has nicely and making me blush like crazy.

Perfection!

“Let’s go with this one, I like it,” I manage to say somehow without getting another nosebleed.

Koyori is super happy about my decision, picking colorful shorts for me just like she promised. I naturally accept her choice after making sure it fits me, although I seriously suspect that she chose orange-colored shorts on purpose just for the sake of us having that partner look thing.

After paying using the money that Koyori's mother gave her, we finally escape the swimsuit hell and head back into the early afternoon heat, towards the swimming pool where lots of fun and laughter await us.

Well, at least in theory.