It was already 3:30 in the afternoon. The gentle sunshine that had warmed the Tokiwadai Middle School campus in the School Garden that morning—the bright, sunny rays that had made everyone feel cozy—was long gone. With the sun high in the sky, the day had reached its hottest point, when its rays were at their fiercest and most scorching...
The girls of Tokiwadai Private Middle School had already been dismissed by 3:25. Some had gone to their various clubs, while others had headed home or returned to their dormitories. Hardly anyone lingered on the school grounds or in other sweltering places without shade.
Of course, there were exceptions.
For instance, there were certain "delinquent students" who, for one reason or another, had no choice but to come to the school swimming pool after everyone else had gone home. They had violated school regulations, and a certain iron-willed dorm supervisor had punished them with hard labor to build their bodies and cleanse their spirits.
"..."
( ?ω? )
"Slurp!"
"Ha!!"
ε=(′ο｀*)))
"Slurp~!!"
"So refreshing! This drink is delicious!!"
o(╯▽╰)o So tasty~~
Annie had originally planned to get just one cup of iced cola...
But in the end, she'd gone for this freshly squeezed kumquat lemonade with ice. It was sweet and sour, without the fizzy burps you got from carbonated drinks. It was both healthy and delicious—especially on a scorching afternoon like this. There was nothing better for beating the heat than a simple, tasty drink.
"Slurp~!!"
"Mmm..."
(′⊙?⊙`)
"Everyone, make sure you work hard! I'll stay right here and cheer you on!"
???(ˊ?ˋ*)???
Just like this, she could lounge in a comfortable chair beside the pool, sheltered by an umbrella, while sipping a chilled, sweet-and-sour drink under the blazing afternoon sun and watching everyone else sweat buckets as they worked