It's Beautiful in My Eyes -2-
The cool stream water flowed gently along the bank.
"Eek...! It's cold!"
The Young Lady, her feet dipped in the stream, looked up at me with a bright, innocent smile.
"Hee hee...! Ricardo, it's super cold!"
She seemed thrilled about our rare outing, scooping up water in her hands with a mischievous grin as she beamed at me.
Personally, I preferred the sea, packed with prettier people than any stream, but this wasn't bad either.
Shame about missing her bikini, though.
"Enjoying yourself?"
"Yeah! Come on, Ricardo, stick your feet in too. It's so refreshing."
"I'll unpack first."
"Okay."
The Young Lady waited with a sunny smile.
There wasn't much luggage: her clothes, a table, booze, and meat. That was it.
'Ah... forgot my change of clothes.'
Rummaging through the bags, I gave a wry smile at the absence of spare attire. I'd rushed packing and overlooked it.
The walk back would be soggy, but a Sword Master's sturdy body didn't catch colds. No big deal.
'Should be fine.'
I set up the table on the gravel, then carefully lifted a small box from the handcart and unpacked its contents.
Essential for proper water play.
"Hoo...!"
A faint breeze rustled by. The Young Lady turned, curious, then her eyes widened at the expanding yellow object billowing in the wind.
"Eeeeeek!!!"
She shrieked at the massive duck floatie.
"A huge frog!"
"It's a duck, not a frog."
"Hmph, same difference. Be too picky, and girls won't like you."
"They seem to."
"Eek?"
"Kidding."
She pouted and reached out to me.
"Give me the duck."
"Hold on. Needs more air."
"Eeeeeek... Hoo... Hoo..."
"Blowing there won't inflate it."
"...It won't?"
"No."
"Eeeee..."
Even her impatient waiting was adorable.
With the sturdy duck floatie ready, I rolled up my pants and waded toward her.
A splash as I tossed the yellow duck sent ripples across the stream, soaking the Young Lady and bobbing the floatie to the surface.
Water dripping from her face, she shot me a sulky glare—but lit up with a radiant smile as the duck floated right up to her, reaching out eagerly.
"Hurry! Hurry!"
"One sec."
This rare peace felt wonderful.
Leaning back on the duck floatie, lost in lazy bliss, the Young Lady murmured bobble-bobble sounds between yawns.
"Eek... I'm drifting away."
"Wanna ride it all the way north?"
"Can we?"
"Nope."
"..."
I glanced at her bored expression, then leaned on the back of the floatie and kicked off.
"Young Lady."
"Yeah."
"Bored?"
"Yeah."
"Then how about 100 km/h?"
"Huh?"
-Whoosh.
"Eeeeeeeeeek!!!!"
She soared far ahead, then turned back with a gleeful grin, begging for more.
"Again!"
"Young Lady, your eyes are glazing over."
"Hee hee! No they're not! One more!"
Playtime was her absolute favorite.
After ages on the floatie, toys exhausted, she stared blankly at the sky and spoke up.
"Ricardo."
"Yes."
"Sky's so clear."
"It is. Clear as my heart."
"Doubt that."
"...Want me to dunk you?"
"I'd die."
"Then what color's the sky?"
She sighed dramatically, as if reluctant.
"The color of Ricardo's heart!"
"Exactly."
"Eek... Thorns growing on my tongue."
Classic Young Lady—stingy with compliments.
As we drifted with the current, chatting nonsense, a mighty roar echoed from the waterfall.
-Gooooom!
"Eek?! You scared me!"
-Goooooom!!
"Huh?"
She tilted her head at Gomtang, mouth full of something.
"Ricardo."
"Yes."
"Dinner brought dinner."
"Gomtang doesn't eat."
"Didn't bring him to eat today?"
"No."
"Eek...?"
Her gluttonous suspicion drew a hollow chuckle from me as I eyed Gomtang.
-Gom-gom.
"He is a bear, though."
I nodded at his wild salmon-hunting pose—undeniably bear-like now.
-Rumble.
"Hm?"
Sudden thunder. I glanced skyward.
Dark clouds had gathered unnoticed, stirring unease.
I muttered at the gloom.
"No way..."
-Drip.
"..."
-Drip-drip.
Damn. Rain poured from the heavens.
Sprinkles dotted the Young Lady's forehead on the floatie, Gomtang's head mid-hunt, and my nose as I watched. Water play over.
Rubbing her brow, she grumbled dully.
"Ricardo, no splashing. I'll burst if I drink more water—ruin dinner."
"Wasn't me."
"Huh?"
Clear skies moments ago—why rain now?
"What a shame."
Unwelcome timing for our outing rain.
A bit longer, and we'd have... well, more fun. Not her underwear, mind.
I smiled ruefully, nudging the duck to shallower water.
She whined ungh... at the early end—unavoidable to dodge colds.
"Nooo. Can't go yet. Haven't caught crayfish."
"Planning to?"
"Yeah. Catch a huge one, make you cook it."
"Lobster?"
"Yeah."
"No lobsters here."
"Then...?"
"Deeper waters."
"...Eek."
Dream crushed.
Up on the gravel, I scanned around cautiously. Had to move gear before the downpour worsened.
Regretting no parasol—should've packed one.
-Gooooooom!
Gomtang's bellow from his spot. His face poked from a small cave, beckoning us cheerily—as if saying shelter here.
I smiled faintly and nodded.
"Young Lady."
"Yeah."
"Bonfire in the cave?"
"Bonfire?"
"Yes."
"Can't do magic."
"I can."
"...Ooh!"
She nodded eagerly, beaming.
"Yeah! Grill meat!"
"Gomtang's fish too."
"Hee hee, yay!"
Before the rain intensified, I hustled her to the cave, then hauled gear: clothes, meat, branches.
Duck floatie could weather it by the bank.
She watched from inside, admiring with an ooh... and applause.
"Ricardo's so fast..."
"Butler power."
"Amazing...!"
A pleased smile escaped me.
-Shwaaaaa...
"Oh dear."
Safe inside, I eyed the torrent with a bitter smile.
"Won't let up easy."
No mere shower.
-Crackle.
The campfire flickered warmly before us.
Blanket-wrapped Young Lady peeked out, warding off chill; Gomtang sprawled behind, sharing his heat.
They grumbled at each other but cozied backs amiably—I chuckled softly.
"Ricardo."
Basking blankly, she eyed me adding logs, then asked timidly.
"Tell a scary story."
"Pardon?"
"That's what you do in weather like this."
"Says who?"
"'I Bought a Slave, But She Stole My Virginity'."
"That book's real?"
"Yeah. Gomtang fetched it."
"You read it all...?"
"Nah, fell asleep. Finish at home."
"I'll toss it."
"Eeeeeek! No! Key part coming! Heroine and hero kiss in a rainy cave...!"
-Gom. (lol.)
First time I resented Gomtang.
Muffling her, I pondered scary tales.
She truly feared ghosts—not people—so I racked my brain carefully. Too scary wouldn't do.
"Hmm... Think you can handle it?"
-Nod. Nod.
"No sleeping together if you get scared."
"Don't wanna."
"...?"
"If scared, I'll ask to sleep together."
"Got it."
Fussy in every way.
To falling rain, I offered choices.
"Which? Academy ghost or bathroom ghost."
"Hm... Nothing scarier?"
"Guts hanging out today."
"Hee hee... Full belly, can't help it."
She patted her stuffed stomach, grinning.
"Want something tragic and scary."
"Tall order. Ghosts aren't tragic."
"You can do it."
"..."
Deep sigh. Brainstorm.
Stroking her sunny smile, I began softly.
A tale lodged in my mind—source forgotten. Scary? Maybe. Fitting for rainy days.
"Alright... Here goes."
"Okay."
"Ahem!"
"Once upon a time..."
There lived a boy hated by all.