“Hey, senpai~ Stop slacking over there and get over here to help...”

I’d just been about to lie back down when Wen Xiaojing’s voice rang out again. So annoying.

“Yeah, yeah...” I answered, sounding totally unmotivated.

I jogged over and saw a deck chair on the sand, a sun umbrella, and a blue plastic box. No idea what was inside.

“Senpai... I’m counting on you. Pick these up and follow me.”

“You’re kidding, right? All this... in one trip?” I asked, not quite believing it.

“Mm-hmm... For someone like senpai, this much should be a piece of cake, right?”

Hands behind her back, Wen Xiaojing smiled at me, eyes curved.

“Piece of cake? You think I’m the Hulk, just casually hoisting cars and punching craters in the ground?”

“Senpai’s really that strong?” She actually looked like she believed it.

“If I was that strong, I’d have gone to save the world already... Why would I still be stuck in this boring, stupid world...”

“Senpai... you’re still mad at me...?”

She was standing really close. If I moved even a little, I’d probably brush against her bare skin.

“I think you’ve got the wrong target. I wasn’t mad at you, exactly... but you do piss me off a lot...”

Just thinking about it made my blood pressure spike.

“Will this help you calm down?” Before I could react, she grabbed my hand and pressed it onto her chest, acting all careless and defenseless on purpose.

“Y-you— what are you doing?”

I stared, dumbfounded, and yanked my hand back in a panic.

“Senpai... I like you.”

“Wh-what? What are you even talking about...”

My whole body suddenly felt wrong, like there was something crawling under my skin.

“The whole reason I invited senpai here this time... was to make some sweet memories, just the two of us.”

“...Wen Xiaojing, you know I... and I...”

Her slim index finger pressed lightly against my lips, cutting off the rest of my sentence.

“Senpai... what do you think?”

She asked it with that same squinting smile.

“How else... am I supposed to think... I already told you—” I started trotting out the same tired excuse again, but the next second Wen Xiaojing suddenly burst out laughing.

I just stared at her like an idiot.

“Senpai, your face is so red...”

She watched me, looking a little tipsy herself.

“N-no it’s not...” I tried desperately to play it off.

“Senpai, you’re super nervous...”

“N-no I’m not...” Why was I stuttering like crazy when I hadn’t done anything wrong?

“Hahaha... senpai...” Wen Xiaojing laughed like she’d taken the wrong meds.

“I can’t... I can’t... I’m dying over here...”

She hugged her stomach and squatted down on the sand.

“Hey... hey...”

She laughed for a full minute or two before I finally spoke up, completely speechless.

“Senpai, you were so funny just now... I was obviously messing with you, but you really fell for it.”

“What? Messing with me...” My eyebrow shot up.

“Senpai... you’re not allowed to glare at a girl like that, you know.”

You think I want to?

“All right, I’m leaving the rest to you... If senpai completes the mission, I’ll give you a little reward. How about it?”

“If you just stop teasing me, I’ll already be grateful.”

Muttering as I spoke, I picked up the stuff on the ground as comfortably as I could.

The plastic box had a strap, so I slung it across my body. It felt pretty heavy the moment I lifted it. I grabbed the deck chair and the umbrella, one in each hand.

“Senpai... let’s head out, then...”

Wen Xiaojing took the lead in front while I staggered after her. After a few minutes of walking, I could practically hear my body creaking. I was about to hit my limit.

“Where... exactly are you going?”

“Senpai doesn’t know?”

“Know what?”

“Isn’t it necessary to find a good spot to enjoy the sea breeze?”

“Yeah, but could you hurry up and find it? I’m not a machine, I get tired too.”

“You really are a handful, senpai... Ah— got it. Over there.”

She broke into an excited jog toward a spot. Finally feeling like I could ditch my burden, I gathered my strength and followed.

“The sea breeze feels so nice here...” Wen Xiaojing stretched her arms wide to feel it, while I dumped everything on the ground in one go and flopped down, my body going on strike.

“Senpai... can you set everything up?”

“Hey, I already carried it all over for you. At least move your own hands a little...”

“Does senpai not want the reward anymore?”

“I never wanted any reward to begin with...”

“Really don’t want a reward?”

“Don’t need it.”

“Really, really don’t want a reward?”

I suddenly realized Wen Xiaojing had gone into infinite loop mode with me.

“I seriously regret coming here.” Grumbling under my breath, I forced my aching limbs to set up the umbrella and the deck chair for her.

I wiped the sweat off my forehead, completely worn out. I’d been so busy bickering with her, I hadn’t even noticed how brutal the sun had gotten.

“This feels so cozy and relaxing...” Wen Xiaojing lay on the chair like a lazy cat.

I turned to leave, planning to let her enjoy herself alone.

“Senpai... where are you going?”

“Back to the house. I need some shade...”

“Senpai, you’re no fun at all...”

“Say whatever you want...” I couldn’t be bothered to argue.

“Senpai... you still haven’t gotten your reward yet...”

“I told you, I don’t need any reward...” I turned back to say it, and something suddenly flew at me. I caught it on reflex.

Bold letters on the bottle read: “Sunscreen!!!?”