Our Bonds

Suzuya leapt into air and smacked the ball over the net into her opponents court. Zuihou dived with her arm outstretched, stopping the ball from landing onto the sand and sending it back into the air, before coming down again.

"Murasame!" (Zuihou)

"I got it!" (Murasame)

Murasame did an overhead set, pushing the ball back into the air and closer to the net. She was buying time for Zuihou to get up.

"I won't let you, poi!" (Yuudachi)

Yuudachi, on the opposite side of the court, ran up to the net to block the incoming attack. Zuihou ran towards the net, jumped up and poked the ball with her knuckles. The ball flew over Yuudachi hand and landed on her side of the court.

"One point to MuraZui. MuraZui wins." (Agano)

What the heck is MuraZui?

"Yay!" (Murasame)

"Murasame... Can't... breathe..." (Zuihou)

The four girls are playing a rather short version of beach volleyball. The team that scores 8 points first wins. The other beach volleyball rules apply, such as being able to touch the ball thrice. It was Suzuya and Yuudachi vs Murasame and Zuihou, with Agano refereeing the match.

"Phew. Good thing we watched that beach volleyball anime. That pokey really is a good move for short girls like you." (Murasame)

"Are you making fun of me?" (Zuihou)

You are short. Anime? Oh. They were watching Haruk*na Re*eive not too long ago. So that's where they learned the moves from.

Agano wore a pink checkered bikini with frilled cups. A cute design on an already cute Light Cruiser. She just got out of the water before being dragged by Yuudachi to referee their volleyball game. Her shiny black hair covered with salt glimmers under the summer sun.

Suzuya was wearing a orange halter cross bikini which covers the top part of the c.h.e.s.t while showing the underside. Unsurprisingly, this one is even s.e.xier than her usual purple bikini with pareo. Her legs glisten in the sun as her melons bounce about.

Murasame's blue sailor uniform multi-strap bikini is cute on the fluffy Shiratsuyu Destroyer but seems suffocating. I envy those crisscross blue straps resting on her cleavage. Those melons of hers are just begging to be released. Her short skirt resembles the skirt of a school uniform, further emphasizing her cuteness. I know this swimsuit is meant to be cute, but with Murasame wearing it, it has become a deadly combination of cute and extremely s.e.xy. Those melons though...! Someone release them already!

Yuudachi has a black bikini covered with a layer of red semi-transparent cloth on each cup. Even her bottom is covered with a short, semi-transparent red skirt. These set of cloths are fitted loosely onto the bikini, fluttering as the playful Destroyer jumps and dance around. What a tease. Can we just take off the bikini and leave the cloth on? If Shigure can have that configuration, Yuudachi can have it too.

Ah. Not good. I got to stop having pervy thoughts. Not while Shigure is resting her head on my l.a.p. Don't stand up. Stay down. Stay.

I brushed my hand through Shigure's hair as she laid on my l.a.p.

"Want to go for a swim?"

"Not yet. I'm still charging my Admiral Battery." (Shigure)

"The heck is that?"

Zuihou-chan, Shigure-chan and Shioi ran off to play in the sand. They are with the Kagerou Destroyers, building sandcastles.

...

Why is there a extremely detailed titan attacking an extremely detailed castle? How did they build that? That's so cool!

"Alright." (Shigure)

Shigure got up from my l.a.p and pulled my hand,

"Charging completed. Let's go, Admiral~" (Shigure)

"Okay okay."

I grabbed a set of goggles for myself. As far as I know, I'm the only one whose eyes will burn like hell while swimming in the salty ocean.

Shigure ran and pranced about in the shallow water. The both of us splashed water playfully at each other before having a swim. As usual, the seas around my base are beautiful. The corals are brimming with life as fishes and other marine creatures navigate around their natural habitat. The machinery we have one standby for training purpose have become an attraction for curious fishes and crabs. I should have brought a net or a spear.

I surfaced, took off my goggles and wiped the saltwater off my face. Shigure surfaced a few moments after me and simply shook her head rapidly to get rid of the water. She is acting like a dog again. She is so cute.

I placed a hand on her cheek as she smiled. I moved closer to her, my face only a few centimeters from hers.

"Ah. Admiral, be careful!" (Shigure)

"Eh? Ah."

I felt something bumped the back of my head. It wasn't anything hard. Soft, rather. I turned around to see Minsk resting on a white tube. She is just floating around aimlessly. She too has also noticed that she bumped into me.

"Oh, Comrade Admiral. Sorry. I didn't see you there." (Minsk)

"No worries. You're alone?"

Just when things

"Nope. Comrade Stremitelny is with me... Comrade Stremitelny?! Where did you go?" (Minsk)

"Isn't she over there?" (Shigure)

Shigure pointed towards a floating white tube about 20 metres away from us. A small girl with white hairs tied into twin buns is just letting the waves carry her around. Is she straying too far away? She is floating away!

"Comrade Stremitelny!" (Minsk)

Minsk reached underwater and pulled out a rope. She begin to pull as she kicked backwards. The white tube in the distance got closer to us. That's a smart move. They actually connected their floats to each other.

"Phew. I will take it from here, Comrades. Oh. Why not join us for a drink?" (Minsk)

"Vodka in the middle of the day? I will have to pass."

"No no. Not vodka. We are drinking Oolong tea." (Minsk)

"You guys don't drink Oolong tea."

"We do. Come. Let me show you." (Minsk)

Minsk swam with us to shore while pulling the happy-go-lucky Stremitelny with her.

"Comrade Gangut." (Minsk)

"Ah. Comrade Minsk. Just in time for more drinks. Comrade Admiral and Comrade Shigure too. Please join us." (Gangut)

Just as I expected, all of the North Union girls are wearing the same swimsuits. A white, low back one piece swimsuit. Their lack of individuality when it comes to certain things worries me. I know they practice Communism and all, but don't they find it too stifling?

Gangut pour vodka and whiskey into a beer glass. The concoction was brown in color.

"Here you go, Comrade Admiral. One glass of North Union Oolong Tea." (Gangut)

"That's not Oolong Tea!"

"What are you talking about? It's the same color." (Sovetskaya Rossiya)

"Not just that. You can even light on fire." (Gangut)

Gangut took out a lighter and set the monstrosity of a drink on fire.

"If you can set it on fire, that means it's alcohol!"

"Don't sweat the small details. Hahahahaha!" (Sovetskaya Rossiya)

I should have known better. These girls chug vodka like it's water.

"Comrade Gangut. Please let me change back to the normal swimsuit. This one is too flashy. And it's different from the others." (Avrora)

Oh. Wow. Now that's a sight for sore eyes.

Avrora ran up to Gangut with pleading expression. Unlike the others, she is the only one wearing a different swimsuit. She is wearing an ice blue bikini with loose transparent fabric flowing from her top. A long cloth hung from the side of her bikini p.a.n.t.i.e.s. Her hair is tied into a ponytail with a blue scrunchie. She looks like a princess. Elegant and classy.

"Nonsense, Comrade Avrora. You are our beacon. So you should wear something befitting of your status as our beacon of light. Besides, you look stunning. Right, Comrade Admiral?" (Gangut)

"I just want to the same as everyone else. Wait, Comrade Admiral?!" (Avrora)

Avrora recoiled back once she finally noticed my presence.

"Hi there."

"H-hi, Comrade Admiral." (Avrora)

Avrora face turned bright red. She immediately tried to cover up her body.

"Come on. Don't be shy. Everyone here is baring their skin. So, Comrade Admiral. How does our beacon look?" (Gangut)

Even if you ask me that, I only have one response.

"You look like a princess, Avrora."

"Hahaha. You think so too? Of course, she is our princess." (Sovetskaya Belorussiya)

"You look beautiful, Avrora." (Shigure)

Her face is so red.

"Thank... you." (Avrora)

"Anyway, please drink." (Gangut)

"I will pass. I'm too young to die of alcohol poisoning."

Now may be a good time to return back to our umbrella. The others must be looking for us by now.

As Shigure and I walked back to our umbrella, greeting the girls we passed along the way, I spotted a rather lonely soul.

"Shigure, go back without me first. I will catch up later."

"Eh? Oh. Okay." (Shigure)

Shigure continued walking. I noticed that she glanced at Rei for a split second as she walked. I guess she knew what I was thinking about. I did spoke to her about this.

Rei hugged her legs as she sat under a bright red beach umbrella. She tapped on her phone, as if messaging somebody. She let out an exasperated sigh before putting the device down. She really looks tired. Not physically, mentally.

"You okay?"

I walked up to her.

"Hm? Oh. Admiral." (Rei)

"You don't look too good. Not gonna play with the rest?"

I invited myself to sit next to her.

"I'm... not in the mood... Sorry." (Rei)

"Are you tired?"

"I guess you can say that." (Rei)

"I'm not give you too much work, right?"

"No no. The workload is fine." (Rei)

"Oh good. I thought I was overworking you."

"Come on. I have seen your workload. Mine can't even compare." (Rei)

"It's not about comparing. You already know I prioritize everyone's welfare over anything else."

"That's true. You are a nice Admiral." (Rei)

"You are making me blush."

Rei stretched her legs and leaned back, revealing the swimsuit she is wearing. A bright red string bikini with a gold wire in between the cups. The gold wire between her cleavage is doing it's best to hold together the cups that cover her ridiculously large c.h.e.s.t. Her straight hair, which has finally grown back to it's initial length after she cut it last year, hanged loosely over the black jacket dr.a.p.ed around her shoulder. Are jackets and bikinis a fashion trend these days?

"That's a nice bikini. I didn't see this one at the shop."

"What's this? Staring at my body? Have I finally charmed you?" (Rei)

"You gotta try harder."

I ruffled her hair.

"Hehe. Since you were paying, I had this one is custom-made. Just joking. This one was the shop owner's latest addition." (Rei)

"Is it comfortable? You don't feel tight, right?"

"Yeah. It's quite comfortable. As if it was made for me. I didn't expect you to buy from that store which I passed by last week." (Rei)

"Right. About that... Can I say it?"

"Yeah?" (Rei)

"Truthfully speaking, we... No. I saw you last week while I was at the store. That guy you were walking with... Is he...?"

"Oh. Are you talking about Sawada-san?" (Rei)

So that guy is call Sawada...

"He is my temporary boyfriend. And the source of my problems." (Rei)

Eh? What is this? When I heard that, my c.h.e.s.t stings a little.

"So you finally got yourself a boyfriend."

"Only for now. Just to shut my father up for a bit." (Rei)

"What does Grand Admiral Akihito have to do with this?"

"Let's just say he won't stop nagging at me to get married. He has been like this since New Years." (Rei)

"So that guy... he is a candidate?"

"You can put it that way. Sawada-san is the the grandson of one of Father's drinking buddy. That stupid father of mine scheduled another blind date without consulting me again. So I was forced to entertain him. Honestly, he isn't that bad. He is my type. Physically at least. His personality leaves so much more d.e.s.i.r.ed." (Rei)

"So, you don't like him?"

"No. He is just a spoiled brat who leeches of his family. C.o.c.ky. Kept staring at my c.h.e.s.t. He even pestered me to go to an hotel with him. Who the hell does that on a blind date?!" (Rei)

"So, he is sc.u.m."

"Yeah. Worst part is, Papa made an arrangement with his friend without my consent again. I swear to God, he needs to stop doing that! Somehow, he thinks that guy is the perfect match for me. Now I have to go for another date with him again. I have been stalling for time so I don't have to entertain him. I gave so much reasons until I have run out of ideas." (Rei)

"Is that what you were doing on your phone earlier?"

"Yeah. It's so irritating." (Rei)

"If you hate it that much, won't it be simpler to just tell him no?"

"I wish. But like I said, Pa- Father already made arrangements with that guy's grandfather. If I 'reject', I would be embarrassing Father." (Rei)

"You should have told Grand Admiral Akihito about how he tried to get you to follow him to a hotel. He will definitely cancel the agreement."

"He will probably kill that boy first. I don't dislike him to that point. Not yet." (Rei)

"Ahaha. That's true. Grand Admiral Akihito will definitely tear his limbs apart."

"This is so irritating." (Rei)

Rei hugged her knees again. I wish I can help. But I don't know how to. Interfering with her relationship would be a good idea. But this involves her family. I can't force my way into this.

Seeing her like this make me want to just...

I pet her hand. Rei glanced at me hand before looking at me.

"I'm sorry. I don't really how to help you. But I can provide a listen ear if you need one. Or maybe comfort you with you want me to. Either way, I will be there if you need me."

Rei smiled gently. She leaned against my c.h.e.s.t.

"You really are a nice person." (Rei)

"Admiral~" (Zuihou)

Looks like kept my girlfriends waiting for too long. The three of them came running towards me.

"Geez. You took too long. And no fair. You want swimming without me." (Zuihou)

"You were so engrossed with your volleyball game and sandcastle building."

"Whatever. Now it's our turn to swim with you." (Zuihou-chan)

The twins pulled and pushed me.

"Alright alright. You don't have to drag me."

I turned around and stretched a hand to Rei.

"Want to join us?"

She stared at me for a few moments, before taking my hand and pulling herself up. She let her black jacket fall unceremoniously onto the mat

"It's a beach party after all. It will be a waste not to fun." (Rei)

We spent the whole day playing in the sand, in the water, dancing, eating Yakisoba and getting brain freeze after munching on shaved ice. All in all, we spent the whole day having fun in true summer fashion.