The sun had begun its descent, casting a golden-orange glow across the vast
ocean. Waves lapped gently at the shore, their rhythmic melody blending
with the distant chatter of beachgoers packing up for the day. Tadashi and
his friends, however, weren't ready to leave just yet.
"Alright, everyone! Final beach event before we wrap this up!"
Kei announced, holding up a volleyball.
"We can't leave without a proper showdown!"
Rin cracked her knuckles.
"Hope you all prepared your wills."
Hikaru sighed.
"Why do you sound like we're about to enter a war?"
Kei grinned.
"Because we are."
Nao, sitting on a beach towel beside Tadashi, shook her head with a small
smile.
"You don't have to play if you don't want to," she said.
Tadashi stretched his arms.
"I'll play. It's the last event, after all."
Her eyes lingered on him for a moment.
"You sure you're feeling okay? You've been looking kind of pale."
Tadashi waved it off.
"It's just the sea breeze. I'm fine."
The volleyball match was utter chaos.
Kei and Rin were on opposite teams, which meant an unspoken rivalry had
been declared. Daiki kept tripping over his own feet, and Haruto had
absolutely no clue how to hit a volleyball properly. Hikaru, ever the
strategist, tried to calculate angles and optimal hit points, but that didn't
save him from getting smacked in the face by one of Rin's terrifyingly
powerful spikes.
Meanwhile, Tadashi found himself paired with Nao. They weren't exactly
the strongest duo, but they managed to keep up, laughing whenever one of
them fumbled. As the game went on, Tadashi caught himself staring at Nao
a little too often, especially when she smiled. It was rare to see her laugh
so freely, and for some reason, he didn't want this moment to end.
"You're staring again," Nao murmured.
Tadashi blinked.
"I-uh-what?"
Nao smirked.
"Your reaction says it all."
Before he could retort, the game resumed, and Rin's latest spike sent the
ball flying straight at him. His attempt to block it failed spectacularly,
sending him tumbling into the sand while the others roared with laughter.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the group gathered around a small
bonfire Kei had put together. They roasted marshmallows, told ridiculous
stories, and basked in the warmth of each other's company.
Rin, as expected, took this moment to mercilessly tease Tadashi.
"So, Tadashi, do you normally collapse when girls talk to you, or is that just a
special skill you bring out for Nao?"
Nao chuckled.
"Good question. Should I be flattered?"
Tadashi groaned.
"I'm never living that down, am I?"
Kei grinned.
"Not a chance."
The laughter continued well into the night. For a while, it felt like nothing
else mattered. Just them, the fire, and the endless ocean stretching before
them.
But as the night breeze picked up, Tadashi shivered. It wasn't just the wind, he felt a slight chill creep up his spine, a sign of exhaustion settling in.
He brushed it off. He'd be fine.
Probably.