Yukito turned back proudly, chest puffed out.
"Look at this, Kaito. I did it!"
No response.
"…Kaito?"
Yukito and Jack turned together.
A few steps away, Kaito stood with his back to them—lightly kicking the grass, shoulders slumped. He let out a dramatic sigh.
"So this is how legends fall…" he muttered.
"Without even throwing the stone…"
Jack and Yukito froze for a second—then both burst out laughing.
Jack scratched the back of his head, smiling.
"…Didn't see that coming."
Yukito laughed so hard he bent forward, also scratching his head.
"Bro," he said between laughs, "what just happened to you? Why are you talking like a love-failure guy?"
Kaito glanced back over his shoulder, eyes half-lidded, voice heavy with fake tragedy.
"Because," he replied playfully, "I was replaced before I could even try."
The river flowed on, sunlight dancing over the water, carrying their laughter far beyond the trees.
Jack shooks his head with a playful smile.
"This guy is just weird… in a good way."
Yukito nodded instantly, grinning.
"Yeah—professionally dramatic."
Kaito shot them a look.
"…I heard that."
Still smiling, Yukito bent down, picked up another flat stone, and held it out.
"Alright, alright," he said. "Here. Now you can show the perfection, dude."
Kaito slowly turned.
For a split second, silence fell—
Then his eyes blazed dramatically, almost glowing with renewed spirit.
"…My moment has returned."
He snatched the stone from Yukito's hand and jumped once in excitement, landing firmly.
"This time," he declared, "history will remember."
Jack watched him, arms crossed, smiling knowingly—as if already sensing what would happen next.
The river shimmered.
The wind stilled.
Kaito took a deep breath.
He stepped forward, feet planted, posture straight—a true hero's stance. The sunlight caught his silhouette as he pulled his arm back with absolute confidence.
"For glory," he muttered.
He threw.
The stone soared forward, spinning beautifully in the air.
Jack's eyes widened.
Yukito leaned in, stunned.
For a brief, glorious second… it looked promising.
Then—
Plop.
The stone disappeared into the river without a single skip.
A beat.
Yukito slowly raised his hand to his forehead, squinting dramatically into the distance.
"…Amazing," he said.
"That throw was perfect. The stone went so far I can't even see where it landed."
Kaito's face twitched—then collapsed into a playful, silly expression.
"Tch," he said, crossing his arms. "The water was afraid of me. It surrendered immediately."
Jack laughed, nodding in agreement.
"Yeah," he said. "Total victory."
Their laughter echoed along the riverside as the water flowed on, calm and innocent—
completely unimpressed.
The river murmured softly, sunlight dancing across its surface.
Kaito clenched his fist, eyes sharp with resolve.
"I'll win," he said firmly. "For sure."
Yukito and Jack exchanged a glance—then nodded together, trust and belief settling between them.
Kaito turned back to the river and tossed another stone.
Plop.
It vanished into the water without ceremony.
Yukito inhaled, mouth opening—ready to unleash another dramatic mockery—
Thunk.
A small stone flew straight in and lightly bonked into his open mouth.
"Shut your mouth," Kaito said calmly, not even looking back.
Yukito staggered sideways, groaning exaggeratedly, clutching his jaw.
"Mmmph—betrayal…!"
Jack watched the scene, then laughed, shaking his head.
"Yeah," he said with a smile. "Now he's really determined."
Yukito rubbed his jaw dramatically and raised both hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay… I won't mock you," he said, pouting like a scolded kid.
Kaito didn't reply.
He simply kept throwing stones.
One after another—
plop… plop… plop…
Each stone vanished into the flowing river, stubbornly refusing to skip.
Kaito's shoulders slumped. He clenched his fists, eyes watering as he looked at the river.
"This… this is really beyond magic," he said, voice cracking. "Why is this so hard…?"
He turned away, wiping his eyes exaggeratedly, while crying playfully.
Jack stepped closer, his voice calm and steady.
"It's fine. Some things aren't about power. You'll get it when you stop forcing it."
Kaito froze.
Slowly, he turned back toward them—eyes glassy, emotions spilling through his usual bravado.
"You know…" he said softly, swallowing his pride,
"you both are my best friends."
Jack nodded without hesitation.
Yukito nodded too, smiling with quiet certainty.
The river fell quiet.
Kaito straightened his posture, the playful grin fading into something sharper. His breathing slowed. The stone rested in his palm as if it belonged there.
No jokes. No drama. Just focus.
He drew his arm back—
and released.
Tap.
Tap.
Plop.
For half a second, silence.
Then—
"I DID IT!!" Kaito shouted, jumping like lightning had struck him. His voice echoed across the riverside as he raised both fists in triumph.
Jack watched him with a small, knowing smile—eyes calm, proud, as if he'd expected this moment all along.
Yukito's eyes widened.
"Wait—wait—IT TAPPED TWICE?!"
Kaito didn't even look back. He was already picking up another stone, eyes blazing with determination, stance even steadier than before.
Yukito blinked.
"…Still?" he asked, half-amazed, half-concerned.
Without taking his eyes off the water, Kaito replied firmly,
"I want it to tap more."
Yukito gasped dramatically.
"MORE?! The river's already suffering!"
He rushed forward, grabbing Kaito's arm with both hands, pulling with all his strength—face scrunched, feet digging into the grass.
"Come back to realityyy!"
But Kaito didn't budge.
Not even an inch.
He stood there—rooted, focused, unshaken—eyes locked on the flowing water, as if nothing else in the world existed.
"Let Him, Yukito" Jack said
Yukito scooped up a handful of stones and puffed his chest.
"Fine then! I'll throw every single stone into this river if I have to!"
Jack stepped closer, leaned in, and whispered something into Yukito's ear.
Yukito's eyes lit up instantly. A slow, mischievous grin spread across his face.
"…Okay," he replied, nodding with dangerous enthusiasm.
Kaito, unaware, squared his stance again. The river reflected the sky, calm—almost mocking him.
Kaito repeated with lot of stones till sunset with determination and resolve in throwing the stone longer and distant perfectly.
Just as he took aim—
Yukito spoke casually, far too casually.
"If you throw this one perfectly… then you'll win tomorrow's tournament, Kaito."
Silence.
The air changed.
Kaito's eyes ignited—flames of pure determination blazing within them. His grip tightened. His breathing turned sharp and steady.
"WHAAAAAT?!"
With a thunderous shout, he hurled the stone.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Finally,
The stone skipped—fast, sharp, slicing the river's surface with crisp clicking sounds, racing far into the distance before finally vanishing beneath the water.
The ripples spread wide.
Yukito's jaw dropped so hard it looked like gravity betrayed him.
"…No way."
Jack's eyes widened, surprise breaking through his usual calm as he watched the ripples fade.
The river returned to silence.
Kaito stood frozen, arm still extended—
For a heartbeat, the river stayed silent.
Then—
Kaito exploded.
"I WONNNN!!"
He threw both fists into the air, spinning around in pure, unfiltered excitement.
"And I'm winning the tournament tomorrow too! No doubt about it!"
His voice echoed across the riverside, startling a few birds into the sky.
Jack let out a soft laugh, shaking his head as a warm smile formed on his face.
"That confidence suits you, Kaito," he said calmly. "Keep it. You earned it."
Yukito folded his arms dramatically, a proud grin stretching across his face.
"Hah! That's the spirit! If you fight like that, the tournament better start preparing excuses already."
Kaito turned to them, eyes shining, breath still heavy—then pointed at both of them.
"Just watch. Tomorrow, I'll prove it."
The sky slowly melted into shades of amber and violet as the sun dipped behind the treeline.
The river's shimmer softened, and a cool breeze brushed past them.
Yukito suddenly clutched his stomach dramatically.
"It's already evening…" he said with a groan, then looked at them with pleading eyes.
"Let's get back to the shrine. I'm so hungry."
Jack chuckled softly and gave a small nod.
"Yeah. That sounds good."
Kaito stretched his arms over his head, letting out a relaxed sigh before nodding too.
"After all that… I won't say no to food."
They turned away from the riverside together, their footsteps crunching gently on the grass.
As they walked toward the shrine, the lanterns in the distance began to glow one by one, welcoming them back.
Three silhouettes moved under the fading light—
laughing, tired, and unknowingly standing on the edge of something much bigger.
- To Be Continued