The late afternoon breeze drifted gently across the beach, carrying the salty scent of the sea and the lingering warmth of a day slowly coming to an end.
Little by little, the sky turned shades of gold and orange, like a living painting dissolving into the horizon.
Mio sat on the sand with her legs slightly bent, idly spinning a juice bottle between her fingers. She tilted her head toward Souma, watching him with that calm gaze — almost too casual.
"So, Yamamoto-kun…"
A small smile formed at the corner of her lips.
"Do you like Aoi?"
Time stopped.
Souma froze completely.
His face flushed instantly, as if all the blood had rushed to it at once. He looked away, clenching his fists over his knees.
"W-why are you asking that?!"
Mio shrugged, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"I don't know…"
She rested her chin on her hand.
"It just felt like it."
Hina, sitting beside them, blinked in confusion.
"Felt like what?"
Mio continued, still in that light tone:
"But if no one confesses soon…"
She lazily pointed into the distance.
"Haru-chan is going to win her over."
"WHAT?!" Hina's eyes widened. "Haru?!"
"What does my brother have to do with this?!"
Mio sighed, as if she had expected that reaction.
"Ah…"
"You're the only one who hasn't noticed, Hina."
"NOTICED WHAT?!"
As the two started arguing, their voices blending with the distant sound of the waves…
Souma remained silent.
His gaze drifted.
Further ahead, near the water, Aoi was with Yukiko.
She tossed a towel over her mother's shoulders, her expression slightly annoyed.
"Mom! You're going to catch a cold like that!"
Yukiko laughed lightly, carefree.
"I just got out of the ocean!"
"Still!"
Aoi crossed her arms, as if giving a serious scolding — though her eyes betrayed her affection.
Souma let out a small laugh.
"Haha…"
Mio and Hina stopped arguing.
They both looked at him.
Souma was still smiling, staring into the distance.
"She's… fun."
The two exchanged glances.
And then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
The rest of the afternoon passed too quickly.
Running through the water.
Shouting.
Sand flying everywhere.
Small, meaningless arguments.
And laughter — lots of laughter.
Until the sun began to set.
The sky turned orange.
Then… pink.
At the edge of the beach, Takeo and Shinohara walked side by side.
Holding hands.
Without saying a word.
Without looking at each other.
And yet… completely together.
In the sea, Yukiko stepped out of the water. Droplets ran down her hair and along her skin, glowing under the light of the setting sun.
Once again, a few male gazes followed her.
"It's getting dark," she said calmly.
Her eyes turned to Aoi.
"What do you think about heading back?"
Aoi stretched, exhausted.
"Yeah…"
"I'm tired."
Mio stood up, brushing sand off her legs.
"Thanks for today."
Yukiko smiled.
"Let's head back to the hotel."
"We leave tomorrow."
"Yeah!" Aoi replied.
Hina raised her hand excitedly.
"We're setting off mini fireworks later!"
"Do you guys want to come?"
Yukiko tilted her head slightly.
"I haven't really talked to your parents, Hina-chan."
"Ah… they were busy."
"But they'll be here tonight."
Yukiko nodded.
"Then that's fine."
"I'll grab something to eat first."
Aoi and Mio raised their hands together.
"Us too!"
Hina smiled.
"I'll wait here."
A few minutes later…
Hina walked alone along the beach.
The sand beneath her feet was already starting to cool.
"It's getting chilly…"
She wrapped her arms around herself.
"But walking like this… feels nice."
Further ahead, a group of boys jumped around in the sand, doing flips and laughing loudly.
Hina sighed.
"Boys…"
She smiled faintly.
"That's why I prefer my Prince John."
"He listens to me… he knows how to respond…"
Then she narrowed her eyes.
"Wait…"
She adjusted her glasses.
"There are… six boys over there…"
Her heart skipped.
"Is that Matsuda?"
"And the other one…"
"Yamada?!"
They were laughing, carefree.
And then the memory came back.
"The one who confessed was Yamada."
Hina froze.
"Maybe… I should go back."
"Hina-neechan!"
She jumped in shock.
"HARU! Keep your voice down!"
But it was too late.
The boys looked over.
Hina froze.
Oh no… they saw me.
"Hey… isn't that Hina?"
"No way."
"That nerd doesn't have a body like that."
Hina's face turned red with anger.
"YES! IT'S ME!"
Silence.
She covered her mouth.
AAAAH WHAT DID I JUST DO?!
Yamada exchanged a glance with Matsuda.
He took a breath.
And walked toward her.
Hina closed her eyes.
He's going to take a picture…
"Hey, Hina."
She opened her eyes.
Yamada was smiling.
Scratching the back of his neck.
"Out for a walk too?"
She blinked, surprised.
"Ah…"
Haru pointed.
"Who's that?"
"My classmate, Yamada-kun!"
"Nice to meet you," he said.
"It's Takase-san to you!"
"HARU!!"
Yamada laughed awkwardly.
"Your brother's got energy."
Hina sighed.
"Haru, tell Dad I'm heading back soon."
"Okay!"
He ran off.
Silence returned.
The ocean in the background.
"Sorry…" Yamada said. "From far away, it didn't look like you."
Hina crossed her arms.
"I know how you guys were looking."
Yamada raised his hands.
"It wasn't like that!"
"You look like a completely different person without your uniform…"
Silence.
"I know what happened between you and Mio."
He looked away.
"I'd rather not remember."
"You don't like her?"
He laughed, without humor.
"She made it pretty clear she likes tall guys."
He sighed.
"I was stupid."
"I should've never confessed."
Hina swallowed.
"So… you gave up?"
"Yeah."
He looked at the sky.
"After liking someone for a year…"
"And never saying anything…"
"I was pretty dumb."
Hina watched him.
"You seem to be handling it well."
"Either I handle it…"
"Or I keep suffering."
He gave a faint smile.
Hina spoke softly:
"You're strong…"
She stopped.
"Never mind."
"Hm?"
"Forget it."
Silence.
"So what now? Going after another girl?"
"I'm not a dog."
He sighed.
"I'll just focus on waifus."
Hina's eyes widened.
"You can say that without shame?!"
"With you, yeah."
"You have Prince John."
She crossed her arms.
"He's different."
"He listens to me."
Yamada replied:
"Why would it be weird for me then?"
"I've already given up on everything."
Hina became serious.
"You gave up on love?"
"You can't."
"Look who's talking."
"You have a pillow of him almost naked."
"WHAT?!"
"Y-YOU—"
"Sorry!"
"You say that in class!"
"Whatever!"
Yamada turned.
"Well… I'll get going—"
"DATE!"
He stopped.
"What?"
Hina was red.
"L-let's go out…"
"On a date."
Silence.
"WHAT?!"
"I'll show you…"
She took a breath.
"That there are different kinds of love."
"I have mine."
"But you shouldn't give up on yours."
He frowned.
"Why?"
Hina answered, almost in a whisper:
"Because…"
She grabbed his arm.
"I don't want anyone to feel what I felt."
Yamada went silent.
Then he smiled.
"That's the kindest thing anyone's ever done for me."
Hina turned even redder.
"We could go to Akihabara…"
"There's a doujinshi sale…"
"Arcades too—"
"Ah I said too much!"
Yamada laughed.
"So you want male company?"
"Yes!"
She swallowed.
"We could… hold hands too."
Silence.
Yamada blushed.
"Okay."
"I accept."
"THAT FAST?!"
They both laughed.
Later that night…
Darkness fell.
Small fireworks streaked across the beach sky, bursting into tiny colors that quickly dissolved into the night air. The soft sound of waves followed, as if cradling the moment.
A woman approached Yukiko, who seemed distracted.
"Nice to meet you," she said with a gentle smile. "I'm Souma's mother. Yamamoto Jun."
Yukiko inclined her head slightly.
"Sakamoto Yukiko."
Jun repeated the surname softly, thoughtfully.
"Sakamoto…"
She frowned, as if searching her memory.
"I know that name… from somewhere."
Yukiko blinked in surprise.
"You do? But it's quite common, isn't it?"
"I think… it appeared in a newspaper, years ago…"
"A newspaper…?"
Before the conversation could continue, a bright spark caught their attention.
Mio raised two fireworks at once, her eyes shining.
"WOW, THIS IS SO NOSTALGIC!"
"MIO! PUT THAT DOWN!" Aoi shouted, half laughing, half panicking.
Everyone burst into laughter.
The light atmosphere returned.
Not long after, they were all lying on the sand, side by side, staring at the star-filled sky.
Aoi smiled, her gaze lost above.
"This was… the best day."
She took a deep breath, feeling the wind on her face.
"After so long."
Yukiko glanced at her, smiling softly.
"I needed this too."
A brief silence followed.
A good silence.
A full one.
Later, at the hotel.
The hallway was quiet, lit by warm yellow lights.
Aoi walked absentmindedly… when Souma called out.
"Aoi…"
She stopped and turned.
"I wanted… to finish what I was saying."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Why the urgency?"
Souma took a deep breath, as if gathering courage.
"Because…"
He placed a hand on his chest, nervous.
"I've seen you before."
Aoi blinked.
"Before? What do you mean?"
"A year before we entered school."
He looked away for a moment, remembering.
"I saw you in a line… buying sweets."
Aoi's eyes widened.
"Ah!"
She stepped forward slightly.
"And you still remember that?!"
Souma gave a faint smile.
"Back then… it was easy."
He looked at her again.
"I didn't know you."
A small pause.
"Now…"
He swallowed.
"I can barely speak."
Aoi felt her heart race.
"That sounds… important."
Souma nodded.
Took a deep breath again.
"Aoi… I—"
The door behind her suddenly opened.
"Aoi!"
Yukiko's voice echoed through the hallway.
"We're waking up early tomorrow!"
Aoi turned, a bit embarrassed.
"Just a little longer, Mom!"
Souma exhaled slowly, the moment slipping away.
"Another time, then…"
Yukiko appeared at the door with a playful smile.
"Are you shy about confessing with me here?"
She made a gesture as if to close the door.
"I can leave, you know?"
"MOM!!"
"THAT'S NOT IT!!"
Yukiko laughed, satisfied.
"Good night, you two."
And went inside.
Soon after, another door opened further down the hall.
Shinohara appeared, clearly annoyed.
"What's all that noise…?"
She looked at them.
"Oh… you two! I didn't even see you today."
She sighed.
"Well, I'm trying to sleep."
Souma scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry…"
He looked back at Aoi.
"We'll… talk another time."
A small smile.
"Good night, Aoi."
"I'm going to my parents' place tomorrow."
"See you at school."
Aoi nodded, still a bit dazed.
"See you…"
Shinohara tilted her head, watching them curiously.
"Were you about to confess?"
"SENPAI!!"
"Sorry," she shrugged. "It looked like it."
"Good night."
And went back inside.
The hallway fell silent again.
Aoi slowly entered her room.
Closed the door.
Leaned her back against it.
Placed her hand on her chest.
Her heart was racing.
Too fast.
What was that…?
She closed her eyes for a moment.
Why do I feel like this…?
The image of him, hesitating, came back.
What was Souma going to say…?
And this time…
The question wouldn't leave her mind.