Yuuto walked down through the spectator stands and reached the edge of the pool.
The three sisters were currently drying their hair and bodies with towels.
Yuuto stopped and spoke politely.
"Hello, sisters."
Ayame and Peony turned their heads at the same time.
The moment Peony saw Yuuto, her eyes lit up. She cupped her cheeks with both hands and let out a delighted squeal. "Oh~ Look, sisters! I told you choosing dance performances was the right choice, didn't I?"
"We already have such a handsome, loyal fan!"
She sized Yuuto up without any restraint, her gaze traveling boldly from his face down to his physique.
Ayame also grew interested and walked forward with a sway of her hips. Her soaked swimsuit clung to her body, revealing every curve. Water droplets slid down her thighs with each step.
"Hey, handsome~" Her voice carried a lazy, charming drawl as she casually wiped water from her collarbone with a towel. "Since you're so handsome and loyal, I'll make an exception and give you an autograph today."
"In the future, you can join our fan club~"
As she spoke, she began searching for a signature pen.
Only the eldest sister, Sakura, noticed the small figure trying to hide behind Yuuto.
She stopped drying her hair. Her long, wet blonde hair draped over her shoulders, water droplets sliding from the tips, tracing down her fair neck and disappearing into the deep cleavage of her chest.
Still dripping wet, Sakura walked straight toward Yuuto.
As the distance closed, Yuuto could see every detail of her body more clearly. Her soaked swimsuit top clung tightly to her skin, outlining her full curves. The edges of the fabric pressed into her soft flesh, squeezing out enticing, pillowy shapes.
Water droplets rolled down her flat abdomen and vanished into the edge of her swimsuit bottoms.
She stopped in front of Yuuto and twisted her body slightly, trying to see the person hiding behind him.
The movement made the view at her chest even more prominent.
"Um…" Sakura spoke gently, though her voice carried a hint of doubt. "Could the person hiding back there come out for a moment?"
Misty's body stiffened.
Yuuto calmly stepped aside, revealing Misty curled into a ball behind him.
Their eyes met.
The air went silent for a few seconds.
Sakura blinked, then covered her mouth in surprise. "It really is you! Misty!"
It was over.
The last shred of hope in Misty's heart shattered.
She awkwardly rubbed the back of her head and shuffled out from behind Yuuto, forcing a smile that looked more painful than happy. "Sis… sisters… long time no see… I'm back…"
"Eek!"
Peony reacted first, letting out an exaggerated cry of surprise as she jogged over.
Completely ignoring that she was still soaking wet, she lunged in front of Misty and bent down to stare at her face. "Isn't this our stubborn little girl who swore she 'wouldn't come back until she became a great Water-type Pokémon Trainer'~"
Ayame also walked over with a sway of her hips, her seductive gait making her body's curves ripple like waves.
She crossed her arms over her chest, an action that made her fullness even more prominent.
"Let me count~ How many times has she run away from home now?" She feigned deep thought, tapping her chin with a finger. "The third time? Or the fourth? But this time she certainly came back the fastest~"
Misty slapped her forehead, her face burning with embarrassment. "I told you I didn't want to come here…"
"What are you saying~" Peony leaned in closer, almost nose-to-nose with Misty. "It's clearly because you felt pressured by our looks and figures that you ran away from home~"
Peony and Misty were the closest in age, so they bickered constantly.
The sharp tongue Misty had used to scold the Samurai Youth earlier had been honed from years of arguing with Peony.
Misty's face flushed red as she gritted her teeth. "Who… who's pressured! I'm training seriously!"
"Training?" Peony blinked, then showed a mischievous grin. "Really?"
She looked toward Yuuto meaningfully, her gaze dripping with suggestion.
"Alright, you two."
In the end, it was the eldest sister, Sakura, who stepped in to mediate.
Although she usually teased Misty too, that was just sisterly banter.
In front of outsiders, she still cared about her little sister's dignity.
Sakura walked to Misty's side, gently patted her shoulder, then turned to Yuuto with a polite, gentle smile. "Sorry for the scene. These two sisters just love to joke around."
As she spoke, her gaze swept over Yuuto with open scrutiny and curiosity.
Her soaked body trembled slightly, and water droplets continued sliding down her hair and skin, forming a small puddle at her feet.
"But seriously, Misty." Sakura looked back at her sister, her tone becoming a bit more serious. "Jokes aside, you coming back… so soon this time is the fastest out of all the times you've left home."
She had almost said "fled back," but changed her wording out of consideration for Misty's feelings.
Misty lowered her head, fingers twisting the hem of her clothes as her voice grew quiet. "Sister Sakura, I didn't flee… I'm still working hard on my training. I came back this time because…"
She paused, then suddenly remembered Yuuto was standing right there. Like grabbing a lifeline, she pointed at him. "It's because of him!"
The three sisters' gazes instantly locked onto Yuuto again.
This time, the meaning in their eyes had completely changed.
From "handsome fan" to "the boy Misty brought home" to "the reason Misty came home early."
Three pairs of eyes scanned him up and down with open curiosity, scrutiny, amusement, and an unmistakable spark of interest.
The air fell silent for a few seconds.
Sakura, Ayame, and Peony exchanged quick glances.
Then the three of them moved at the same time.
With bare, fair feet padding softly on the wet floor, they surrounded Yuuto from three directions.
Water droplets slid down their skin, leaving glistening trails at their feet.
Their soaked swimsuits clung tightly to their bodies, trembling slightly with each step and revealing the warm tones and enticing contours of the skin beneath.
The three sisters closed in until Yuuto was at the center, close enough that he could smell the faint mix of pool water and feminine fragrance.
Six eyes carefully examined his face and body with zero attempt to hide their interest.