Sand dug into her cheek. Rin groaned, her head pounding like a drum. Ugh, what happened? She blinked, the sky a blinding blue, a total contrast to the black she'd been in. Wait, where am I? She pushed herself up, wincing. Every muscle screamed. The beach stretched out, empty. Just sand, waves, and a whole lot of nothing. Seriously? A beach? She scanned the horizon, expecting to see… something. A resort, a town, anything. But there was just more sea, more sand, and a line of thick, green trees. Okay, this is officially weird.
"Where...where am I?" she whispered, her voice rough and cracked. "The yacht...it was...the storm..." Her gaze darted back to the sea, a desperate search for any sign of wreckage. Surely, it couldn't have just vanished. Had it broken apart? Was anyone else...? She scrambled to her feet, the sudden movement sending a wave of dizziness crashing over her. She stumbled, catching herself on a gnarled piece of driftwood.
"The boat," she said, her voice rising, a tremor of panic creeping in. "Where is it?" She scanned the shoreline, her eyes straining against the glare of the sun. Nothing. Just the relentless, mocking expanse of sand and sea. "No, no, no..."
Her breath hitched, a tight, painful squeeze in her chest. "I'm...I'm lost." The words echoed in her ears, a cold, stark reality. She was alone, stranded, with no idea where she was or what had happened. The carefully constructed walls of her composure crumbled. Tears, hot and unwelcome, streamed down her cheeks, leaving trails in the sand-dusted skin. "This can't be happening," she choked out, her voice barely a whisper. "This can't be real." Her hands clenched into fists, the sand biting into her palms. "I need to find the others. I need to get off this beach." But the vast, indifferent ocean offered no answers, only the endless, crashing rhythm of the waves. She stumbled to her feet, her legs shaky. The sun beat down, hot and heavy. She started walking, following the curve of the beach. Maybe there's a town? Or a… anything? After what felt like forever, she saw it. A house. But not just any house. This thing was insane. Modern, white, all glass and sharp angles, like a steel and glass showing its middle finger to the wild, green jungle. What the actual hell? she thought, her eyes wide. Who in their right mind lives here?
She walked closer, her steps getting faster. The house was huge, like something out of a design magazine. No way someone lived here. Not on this… this island? Is this even an island? She had no clue.
Suddenly, the door slid open, and a figure emerged. Tall, dark hair, and… wow, she thought, a flicker of surprise. He was seriously good-looking. Like, unfairly so. Hayate Miyazaki, she'd learn later. He looked surprised, like he hadn't expected to see anyone, then his eyes narrowed as he took in her appearance. He rushed to her, his expression a mix of concern and… something else.
Rin, who'd just woken up looking like she'd gone ten rounds with a washing machine, felt a sudden wave of… something. Embarrassment? She was a mess. Sand stuck to her dress, her hair was a disaster, her dress was torn, and she probably looked like she'd crawled out of the sea – which she had. She was also hesitant, not trusting this stranger.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice low and kind of rough, but kind.
Rin hesitated, not sure if she trusted this guy. But he was the first person she'd seen. "I… I don't know," she said, her voice hoarse. "I was on a yacht, and then… a storm. And then… this."
He frowned, then walked towards her, his eyes assessing. He reached out, and before she knew it, he'd scooped her up, carrying her like she weighed nothing. Huh… what is happening? she thought, her brain a scrambled mess. I don't even know this guy! At the sudden contact, a tiny internal poof happened, like a kettle at full boil, but instead of steam, a small explosion of blushes blossomed across her face.
He carried her into the house, which was even more insane on the inside. All white, clean lines and huge windows.
He set her down on a couch, his eyes still on her. "You're lucky I found you," he said. "Another hour, and you'd be toast."
"Lucky?" she said, her voice rising. "I'm stranded on some random island, thanks to a storm, and you're telling me I'm lucky?"
He just looked at her, his expression unreadable. This guy is weird, she thought. Really weird.
"Look," he said, his voice patient, "you washed up on my shore. This island isn't exactly a tourist hotspot. It's… secluded. And you look like you've been through a hurricane, literally. You're lucky you didn't drown."
"I... I can take care of myself," Rin said, though her shaky voice betrayed her bravado. "I just need to find the others. We were on the yacht together."
"The others?" he asked, his brow furrowing. "I haven't seen anyone else. Just you."
Rin's heart sank. "No… that can't be."
"I'm… I'm Rin," she said, finally. "Rin Nishina."
He nodded slowly. "Okay, Rin. How did you end up here?"
She sighed, running a hand through her sandy hair. "I told you. I was on a yacht. A big yacht. We were heading back to Japan. And then… the storm hit. It was crazy. The waves, the wind… everything went black. And then I woke up on the beach, your beach, she sighed."
"Okay, before you continue," Hayate said, interrupting her, "you need to fix yourself up. You look like a drowned… well, never mind," drowned what…Rin replied, with a grumpy, confused face. Forget it, Hayate said."
Then he led Rin to the bathroom, handing her a towel and a set of clean clothes. "Take a shower," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I'll be waiting."
Rin hesitated, a flicker of suspicion crossing her face. "I don't… know you," she said, her voice cautious.
"I know," he replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "But I found you on my island, and I'm not letting you wander around half-dead. Now go clean up."
She nodded, a reluctant acceptance in her eyes. She took the towel and the clothes and headed towards the bathroom. As she closed the door behind her, she heard Hayate sigh, a sound that was both exhaustion and resignation.
She stripped out of her wet, sandy clothes and stepped into the shower. The hot water felt like a balm to her aching muscles. She scrubbed herself clean, the dirt and salt washing away along with the remnants of her ordeal. As she rinsed her hair, she let her thoughts drift, her mind still reeling from the events of the past few hours.
When she stepped out of the shower, she was feeling refreshed, if not entirely clean. She changed into the clothes given to her by Hayate and headed back to the living room, where Hayate was waiting.
Hayate looked up as she entered, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "That was quick," he commented, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"I don't like being dirty," she replied, her voice a bit sharper than she intended.
He chuckled. "Fair enough. Now, come here."She hesitated but then walked over to him. He gently took her hand, examining the scratches and bruises on her fingers.
"You're a mess," he said, his voice soft but firm. "But you're alive, and that's what matters."
She pulled her hand away, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. "I don't need you to coddle me," she said, her voice a bit too sharp.
He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not coddling you," he said. "I'm just making sure you're okay."
She looked away, a blush creeping up her cheeks. She was used to being in control, and this vulnerable feeling was unfamiliar.
"I'm fine," she said, her voice a bit too stiff.
He sighed, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Look, I know you're probably scared and confused, but I'm not going to hurt you. I found you on my island, and I'm... just trying to help."
She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. He was sincere, she could tell. And for some reason, that made her feel a little less scared.
"Thank you," she said, her voice softening.
He smiled a small, genuine smile. "You're welcome. Now, let's get you some food. You must be starving."
She followed him to the kitchen, a sense of relief washing over her. This stranger, this Hayate, wasn't the danger she had initially feared. He was… strangely, weirdly kind. And that, in this strange, unfamiliar world, was a welcome surprise.