### Chapter Sixty-One The Daily Life of Aspirations
The warm, soft lighting in the store illuminated the neatly arranged swimwear section.
Various types of swimwear were displayed according to style and color.
Kanade followed Nagi with a bit of unease.
On the display rack on the wall hung colorful bikinis, sexy one-piece swimsuits, and casual swimwear suitable for various body types.
This made Kanade’s heart race a little.
The store’s decoration had an ocean theme, with a blue and white background wall and soft carpet that made it feel as if one was at a seaside resort.
Not only did it offer various styles of swimwear, but it also provided a wide range of beach accessories such as sun hats, beach towels, sandals, and sunglasses, making it convenient for passengers to use by the pool on the cruise or when disembarking for excursions.
The store also had fitting rooms, equipped with large mirrors and soft lighting, allowing customers to try on clothing easily and find the most suitable style.
“W-What does little Nagi plan to buy?” Kanade asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Was it to make up for his earlier blunder?
Or was it to shift his attention away from the swimwear?
Kanade’s gaze remained fixed on Nagi.
“I want to see if I should buy another swimsuit…” Nagi answered shyly.
At her statement, a scene flashed through Kanade’s mind, recalling what he saw in Nagi’s room.
In the next moment, he shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel that image from his mind.
Otherwise, he would suddenly become lively in public.
The sight of Nagi in a bikini had such destructive power.
Indeed, if Nagi planned to wear that bikini during the seaside activities of the school trip…
The consequences would be unimaginable.
If permitted, maybe a new one would be better—
“Kanade, Kanade-kun… which style do you like me wearing?” Kanade saw Nagi suddenly turn her head to ask.
It was as if she had made some determination; she leaned in close to his ear and whispered.
The warm breath made Kanade instinctively pull away, and his true thoughts spilled out—
“Actually, the one little Nagi has is quite suitable—”
“—Then I’ll just wear that one,” Nagi replied immediately.
Her response seemed to flow out without thinking.
It seemed that after receiving Kanade’s approval, her inner thoughts burst out with joy.
—Wait!? Just getting praised by Kanade makes you that happy?
—The state of being love-struck is so frightening~~~
Nagi’s heart sank.
Now that the words were out.
It seemed that her plan to change swimsuits was now blocked.
She would have to find another way—
…..
“Onī-chan, that lecherous oppai star! It really likes Nagi-nee’s swimsuit!” Yuki, who had been observing in secret, couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Nagi’s swimsuit… seems to be the one you helped her pick out that day, right? What style did she end up buying?” Ryo asked curiously.
“No, the shy Nagi-nee picked that shameless bikini herself…”
“B-Bikini?!”
“Ah no, the one she bought was the one Senior Mana struggled to get her to accept; Nagi-nee originally wanted to buy a more daring one…”
“Ooh~ I have to go ask Kanade to find out,” Ryo detected something interesting.
…..
—Why do I feel that my image has already transformed into that of a shameless, shy pervert in everyone’s eyes?
Nagi, overhearing the whispers of Yuki and Ryo, couldn’t help but internally complain.
【School trip to-do list: Pick out clothes together (1/1)】
【School trip to-do list: Go to the arcade and play claw machines together (1/1)】
……
……
Each item on the list was being completed by Nagi and Kanade together.
One must say that the entertainment facilities on the luxury cruise were indeed comprehensive.
Not only were there various shopping stores, but there was also a modern cinema and a small theater.
The theater regularly showcased exciting musicals and magic performances.
Karaoke rooms, arcade centers, gyms, indoor swimming pools, and yoga rooms were also fully available.
Its scale far exceeded that of the large shopping malls in the remote city of Kawayano.
It was overwhelming, seemingly designed to ensure that every passenger could find their own enjoyment here and indulge in an unparalleled maritime journey.
However, it seemed that Kanade had not found his enjoyment in the arcade center.
In front of the claw machine, he still hadn’t redeemed himself.
It turned out that he had no talent for this kind of thing, did he?
……
As everyone enjoyed various entertainment facilities.
Nagi gradually concluded the direction and characteristics of her role in the “Star Pull” series.
Among these, the most representative thought was.
First, the idea “Kanade-kun, I like~” occasionally flashed through her mind.
Second, her body would unconsciously want to get close to Kanade.
Whenever there was a chance, she would hug him with no defense, completely unaware of the personal space between the opposite sexes.
If praised by Kanade, her head would become light-headed, willing to do anything he said.
In simple terms.
She was a love-struck status symptom patient heavily dependent on Kanade.
Fortunately, her “self” was recovering in time.
If it were any later.
She would have been… no wait.
Kanade would probably be completely consumed by her.
This grand adventure on the luxury cruise was unknowingly nearing its end.
One could say they were all just middle school students in their adolescent years.
During the adventure.
Yuki and Ryo quickly immersed themselves in the excited atmosphere of play, throwing the curse and the list out of their minds, fully enjoying the various entertainment facilities on the luxury cruise.
This was good news for Nagi.
She didn’t have to worry about her current “foolishness” being photographed and recorded… or maybe it was already too late?
Even Kanade, who always kept his guard up, showed joy fitting for his age at the end of this cruise adventure.
The final stop for everyone was the observation deck on the eighth floor of the luxury cruise.
The nighttime cruise observation area seemed to be embraced by an endless starry sky and sea.
The surrounding lights were dim, and the purposely subdued lighting made the place exceptionally serene.
A star-gazing event was being held on the cruise.
A professional astronomer led teachers and students to explore the mysteries of the night sky together.
In one corner of the deck, several high-power telescopes were set up for everyone to observe distant galaxies and planets.
Star-gazing.
This was one of the classic programs on the luxury cruise.
Out in the ocean, far away from the city, one could appreciate the vast sky full of stars much better.
The event host patiently explained the stories of constellations and the laws of celestial motion to the students.
It made people feel as if they were touching the boundless universe in this vast sea.
Not many students participated, and there were still many empty seats available.
Students were welcome to join midway.
Among them, Yuki and Kanade displayed considerable interest.
When people stood under a sky full of stars, naturally they would become curious about the twinkling stars above.
“Little Nagi, do you want to join?”
Faced with Kanade’s invitation, Nagi shook her head in refusal.
Stars held special significance in the world of the “Star Pull” series.
Each star represented a person’s soul.
It was proof of every living being’s existence in this world, the most fundamental existence.
When one dies in terms of biological signs, their life has not truly ended.
Only when a star falls does it truly exit the stage.
The starry sky felt too heavy for Nagi; she had no leisure to appreciate it.
And Mana, to be ready for sudden situations, also did not participate.
The two of them leaned quietly against the railing, gazing out at the dark, deep sea in the distance.
A cool sea breeze gently brushed past, bringing a touch of freshness, the air mixed with the salty scent of seawater and the stillness of night.
The sea breeze lifted Nagi and Mana’s hair.
The contrast between the darkness and the platinum-colored hair shone brightly under the starlight.
There was no noise, only the occasional murmurs and the sound of the waves gently lapping against the ship, as if the entire world had quieted down at that moment.
Nagi furtively stole glances at Mana beside her.
Her sparkling ruby-like eyes held a charm that was not inferior to the starry sky.
And the hint of gold in her pupils was like a rising sun, particularly striking.
Under this expanse of stars, Nagi couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop all of this from happening…” Nagi couldn’t help but silently apologize to Mana.
To be honest, it had been a long time since Nagi had enjoyed such a leisurely moment.
Being unable to use her powers had allowed her to shift her thoughts away from the plot of the “Star Pull” series.
She had experienced the daily life she longed for after so long.
The last time she felt this stable daily life was perhaps on Nanase Island?
At that time, she hadn’t awakened her powers and couldn’t touch the real world.
She was merely playing the role of an ordinary boy, living a peaceful daily life on that island.
Looking back now.
That time was the most relaxed moment after she came to this world.
Thus, the end would show her those beautiful memories in her dreams.
If she had succeeded in her past life—
No, that wouldn’t matter.
The world of “Star Pull” was a disaster.
There would never be an end to the battles against fantastical monsters.
Each era must have a true guardian.
Thinking of this, Nagi unconsciously touched her left wrist with her right hand.
Her gaze secretly glanced at Kanade on the other side of the deck.
He was, along with Yuki and Ryo, receiving guidance from professionals and teachers on how to use the astronomical telescope.
“Kanade-kun, the time for you to grow up is running out…”
Nagi silently thought, with a dim purple-black light flickering in her eyes.
At the same time, the time she had left for herself was also limited.
…..
…..
It was a calm and stable night, with the sea breeze gently blowing, and the luxury cruise steadily sailing on the gently undulating sea.
The night slowly retreated, and the eastern horizon gradually lit up with a faint golden hue.
As the sunrise slowly rose from the horizon, the soft sunlight spread across the deck, warm and bright.
The outline of Nanase Island gradually became clear, appearing as if emerging from the morning mist, close at hand.
And that crimson star still hung high above, radiating an ominous glow.
