Chapter 9: — "Confessions by the Sea" — [END]

The evening air was warm, carrying the faint scent of salt and the distant laughter of festival-goers dispersing. Miyu and Ren walked side by side, each carrying an ice cream cone that had already begun to melt in the summer warmth.

The streets were quiet now, the excitement of the festival fading behind them. But their hearts still thumped in rhythm, fast and insistent, as though the day’s music had embedded itself into their very pulse.

“You did amazing today,” Ren said softly, glancing at her. “Seriously… you were perfect.”

Miyu felt her cheeks heat up. “W-we did amazing,” she corrected, her voice a little breathless. “You were perfect too.”

He smiled at her, the easy warmth she had come to trust wrapping around her like a blanket. Without another word, they continued walking until they reached the familiar wooden platform overlooking the ocean, the same place where they had first practiced together, where their music had become something shared, something alive.

They sat down side by side, legs dangling over the edge. The waves lapped against the shore, reflecting the last traces of sunset in shades of gold and rose. Miyu took a careful lick of her melting ice cream, trying not to make a mess, while stealing glances at Ren.

He was doing the same, though she could see him struggling to keep his attention on his cone instead of on her. Every so often, their fingers brushed, accidental or not, sending small jolts of warmth through both of them.

For a long while, neither spoke. Just the ocean, the soft hum of the waves, and the faint crunch of waffle cones. But there was a tension in the quiet, a shared anticipation neither could ignore.

Finally, Miyu took a deep breath. “Ren…” she began, her voice hesitant. “I… I want to tell you something.”

Ren’s eyes met hers, wide and expectant, and he nodded slowly. “…Me too.”

A small, nervous laugh escaped her. “Really?”

“Really.” He shifted slightly, his heart hammering. “So… what if we say it at the same time? On three?”

Miyu’s eyes widened. “On three?”

Ren grinned, though his nerves betrayed him in the slight tremble of his hands. “Yeah. That way, it’s fair. No one goes first. We just… tell each other how we feel, together.”

Miyu nodded, her heart pounding. “O-okay. I’ll do it.”

He held up one finger, then two, then three, their eyes locking with an intensity that made her blush uncontrollably.

“Three… two… one… zero!”

“I like you, Miyu!” Ren said, his voice trembling slightly, full of sincerity.

“I have a crush on you, Ren!” Miyu shouted at the same time, her cheeks burning, her eyes wide in shock.

For a long moment, they simply stared at each other, their words hanging in the air like a melody neither expected but had been waiting for. The world around them seemed to blur—waves, wind, and sky fading into the background of this perfect, suspended moment.

Both of them were blushing so deeply that neither could look away. Then, after a beat, Ren let out a soft, relieved laugh. “You… you really do like me?”

Miyu nodded furiously, her hands gripping her violin case for support. “I… I’ve liked you for a while. I was just… scared.”

Ren reached out and gently took her hand, squeezing it. “Me too. I was scared too. But… we don’t have to hide it anymore.”

Her heart was fluttering so fast she thought it might burst. “I… I want to be with you.”

“I want that too,” he admitted, his smile soft and earnest. Then, after a slight pause, he leaned closer. “And… I think we should celebrate this… properly.”

Before Miyu could ask what he meant, Ren closed the small distance between them and pressed his lips gently to hers.

Miyu’s eyes went wide, and a scream that existed only inside her head erupted as warmth and shock collided. She froze for a second, heart leaping wildly, but when she realized it was safe, gentle, and him… she leaned in slightly, the corners of her mouth curling into a small, shy smile against his lips.

They pulled back slightly, foreheads resting together, breathing the same air.

“I… I like you so much,” Ren whispered, a soft laugh in his voice. “Not just your music… but you. All of you.”

Miyu’s chest swelled, tears threatening but happy this time. “…I like you too. So much. You… you make me brave. You make music… feel alive.”

He squeezed her hand again, resting his head briefly against hers. “Then… we’ll keep doing this together. Music, life… everything.”

She smiled, pressing her head to his shoulder. “Together.”

The waves continued their gentle rhythm beneath them, the night sky deepening to a soft navy sprinkled with stars. In that quiet, shared moment, nothing else existed but the two of them, their hearts beating fast in unison, the music that had brought them together now echoing in every fiber of their being.

Eventually, they leaned back slightly, ice cream cones half-melted and forgotten, but happiness warm and steady in their chests.

“We make a good team,” Ren said softly, eyes sparkling as he glanced at her.

“The best team,” Miyu corrected with a small laugh, her hand still intertwined with his.

And with the ocean at their feet, the stars above, and the memory of music between them, Miyu and Ren knew, this was only the beginning. Together, as a band, as a pair, and as something more, they were unstoppable.