— — — — — —
After putting down their luggage, Oikawa and the others followed Shizuka to an open square that looked a lot like a school field.
At the front stood a few staff members on a makeshift platform.
Below them, nearly a hundred elementary school kids.
Oikawa's first impression as he walked closer was... Chaos.
Dozens of fifth and sixth graders all talking at once. The noise piled up into an overwhelming wall of sound.
The last time he'd experienced something this loud was at Yui's birthday gathering.
...
…No, this wasn't like Yui's birthday at all. This was much worse.
That had just been noisy.
This?
This was a mix of shouting, chatter, and pure, unfiltered kid energy. Loud and messy.
Everyone else looked about the same as Oikawa.
Yukino Yukinoshita had gone a bit pale. Yui Yuigahama looked equally shaken.
Only Kawasaki Saki seemed unaffected.
Maybe that was the advantage of having younger siblings.
"Quiet down! Quiet down!"
The staff member on stage shouted into a megaphone several times before the noise finally died down.
What followed was the usual scripted speech.
With kids like these, a little intimidation went a long way.
After five or six minutes, they finally got to the point.
The first activity of the day was orienteering.
Something like those survival exercises you see in military dramas.
Of course, these kids weren't expected to survive in the wild. They just had to follow a set route.
And they even had a "camp activity handbook" to guide them.
"Looks like our job is to make sure none of these little gremlins get hurt," Oikawa muttered.
Yui looked a bit uneasy. "That sounds… really hard. I've never taken care of kids before."
"Just treat them like puppies."
Kawasaki suddenly chimed in, making all three of them glance her way.
"What? Don't you have a dog, Yui?"
"Taking care of kids isn't that different. Just play with them and keep an eye on them."
It was a weird comparison.
But when Oikawa thought about it, it kind of made sense.
…And then, the more he thought about it, the more questionable it sounded.
He suddenly felt a bit sorry for Taishi and Keika. What kind of childhood had they endured?
…
"Everyone, say hello to the big brothers and sisters who came to help!"
The staff member's speech seemed to be wrapping up.
"Please take care of us!" xN
Nearly a hundred kids shouting in unison was surprisingly impressive.
Before anyone else could step forward, Hayato Hayama naturally walked up, took the megaphone, and addressed the kids with a gentle smile.
"If you need anything, feel free to ask us."
"Let's make lots of great memories at this forest camp. We're counting on you too!"
He really did have that natural charm.
Honestly, Oikawa was kind of grateful he was here. Otherwise, he'd probably be the one stuck giving that speech.
"Alright, the orienteering begins!"
As soon as the staff member shouted, the kids burst into action, forming little groups and heading off toward their designated routes.
"Okay, your first task is to support the orienteering activity," Shizuka said, turning to Oikawa and the others.
"Move with them. Keep an eye on them. Make sure nothing goes wrong."
"Stick together, Kawasaki?"
Hayato casually invited her.
At some point, Kawasaki had changed into sportswear. Even with knee-length shorts, her long legs were impossible to ignore.
Oikawa took the opportunity to sneak a few glances.
"Pass."
Kawasaki declined without hesitation.
The whole exchange felt completely natural. No awkwardness at all.
Honestly, that was a skill in itself.
"Yui, want to come with us?"
This time it was Yumiko Miura asking.
"Uh… well… I'm part of the Service Club, so I'll stick with them. But we'll see each other later anyway. See you!"
It was obvious Yui wasn't nearly as good at turning people down as Kawasaki.
Still, something didn't quite sit right with Oikawa.
Why split into two groups at all?
Why not just go together?
While he was still thinking about it, Hayato's group had already left.
"Alright, let's get going too."
"The staff probably checked the route beforehand, but we're still in the mountains. There could be snakes or bugs, so stay alert."
Oikawa gave a quick reminder and took the lead.
No way he was letting the girls go first.
"Oh? Oikawa, you actually seem pretty reliable today."
Yui smiled, hands clasped behind her back as she teased him.
"What do you mean 'today'? I'm always reliable. I'm a real man, you know."
Completely self-proclaimed, of course.
"A 'real man' who collapses after running five kilometers?"
Kawasaki didn't miss the chance to shoot him down.
"Heh. I'm not the same person I used to be. I've been exercising lately."
"Oh? So now it's five kilometers and one meter?"
Everyone paused for a second, then burst out laughing.
Even Yukino, usually so composed, let out a quiet laugh.
When someone serious made a joke, it hit way harder.
.
.
.