Chapter 74

The Coming Summer (キタルナシ, Kitarunatsu) is the 74th chapter of the Yozakura Quartet manga.

Summary
Hime practices her spear skills with a mop prompting Midoriko telling her to stop as they and their friends clean their school pool. While cleaning Kotoha slides a curling stone while Rin and Ao try to sweep it path with their brooms. Hime chastises them for playing around to which Sawaki blames Hime for their current situation in the first place, having lost at janken. Sawaki points out some of the others helping are not even from their class or school. Zakuro explains her and Rin’s reason for helping as to wanting to help Zakuro get exercise. Ao and Kotoha state they were passing by and it seemed entertaining. Hime struggles to scrub of an area of mold and Sawaki attempts to help to no avail. Iruka tells everyone to jump simultaneously and swings her broom in a single strike beneath everyone. Hime finds the mold suddenly easier to clean off as Touka and Rin slip on the pool surface. Iruka explains she cut several micrometer from the pool floor to cut the mold of at it’s roots. Hime finds an area still difficult to clean to which Iruka attributes to using a weapon she is not familiar with.

Doujigiri explains the importance of familiarizing oneself with their weapon to Akina as he and Kyosuke work on repairs to the wall around Hime’s house. Akina unsheathes the blade, stating he should get sharpened while referring to him as Oni-go. Doujigiri is offended and begins to lecture Akina on the skill required to use him, to which Yae interrupts. Yae greets the blade as it trembles in fear at her. Akina inquires if they have met to which Yae states they did long ago. Yae asks to borrow the blade and leaves with it.

The group finished cleaning up the pool and put away their equipment. As they prepare to leave, Hime states she needs to wait for Midoriko to return the key in order to lock up. Midoriko arrives in a bikini, piggybacking on the back of Uzu and tells them they are allowed to the pools as a reward for helping. Touka states that pool would take a day to fill which Kotoha sovles by using her Kotodama to fill summon a large body of water, filling the pool and drenching all but Hime who dodges the splash. Kotoha creates chlorine for the pool. Hime asks about their swimsuits which Ao and Kotoha reveal to have been wearing under their clothes just in case. Touka states the rest of them do not have swimsuits either which Kotoha offers to solve.

In the past, Yae and Yuhi finish up exorcising a fallen blacksmith. Yae inquired what they should do with the blade. Despite not having any power, Yuhi sealed the blade from being sharpened just in case. Yae continues her story in the present, stating despite the precautions the took, the Doujigiri fell anyways to which it apologizes for. Yae notices the girls playing in the pool while Hime simply sits with her legs in the water. Yae decides to join them, transforming her clothes into a bikini. Iruka compliments Yae’s bikini colour to which Yae identify Iruka as the blades owner but is surprised at Iruka’s swimming attire consisting of a bunny suit with ears and a tie. Iruka explains that Kotoha made the swimsuit for her. Yae asks Iruka if she could sharpen Doujigiri, to which Iruka explains her grandfather asked many blacksmiths to no avail. Yae sharpens the blade by sliding it between her breasts. Yae demonstrates the blades new power by cutting the tip of a broom. The blade insists that it is not sharp enough to cut it to which Yae is aware of having blunted it but tells it to put a little power in. The blade is able to cut through the broom and Yae tells it help Akina gain control by deciding what to cut and what not to cut for him which it agrees.

Yae jumps into the pool as Lila, Juli, Noriko and Nadeshiko join the party. As they undress, Noriko questions Nadeshiko if she should not be working to which she responds stating she is off duty. Nadeshiko boasts about her skills from being part of the school swim team to which Noriko mocks her stating it being easier to swim with no curves. Lila comments on how carefree they are. Mina, Kana and Mariabell join the party with the twins in their grown forms. Kotoha asks Mariabell where Yuhi is since they are usually together but as she can responds Kotoha notices his hands groping her from behinds. The water turns bloody and the group continue their swim. Kotoha creates various inflatable pool toys for the group while Lila applies sunblock to Juli, fondling her breast. The group begins to notice that a large amount of the toys created are not water related. Yuhi and Maraibell rest in the shade while Yuhi suggest she go for a swim. Yuhi fondles her breast stating it would feel good to which Mariabell states they can do it at home. Kotoha continues to create pool toys until it full. Ao thanks Kotoha and invites her to swim with her. Kotoha notices that Ao is sitting on a real turtle. Touka gets scared by it and Ao rides the turtle outside to return it home. Kotoha follows Ao and the rest begin to leave as well, leaving Hime alone at the pool.

Alone, Hime takes of her clothes revealing a swimsuit underneath and enjoys a swim alone. Hime contemplates how embarrassing it would be if she was caught in her new swimsuit and is surprised by Kotoha and Ao’s sudden return with Akina. Kotoha compliments her swimsuit prompting Akina to agree. Hime wraps her face with her scarf to hide happiness and inquires about the turtle. They tell them that Shidou offered to drive the turtle back to the sea. Akina offers to make them a meal for cleaning the pool and they agree to meet at the office. Kotoha tells Hime to get changed and lockup the pool but Hime states she wants to wear her swimsuit for longer.