Chapter 10

The atmosphere had lightened slightly since Hikaru’s confession the night before. The morning sun stretched across the beach, casting a golden hue over the waves. Though the tension from the previous night lingered, there was an unspoken understanding among them now. Hikaru had opened up, and in doing so, strengthened his bond with the group—especially Tadashi. But, of course, peace never lasted too long with this group.

“Alright, listen up, you simpletons!” Haruto declared, standing on a rock like a commander addressing his troops.

“Today, we face an ultimate challenge—who is the supreme mind among us? And by ‘us,’ I obviously mean myself and this unfortunate fool over here.” He gestured at Hikaru, who raised an eyebrow.

“Huh? When did I sign up for this?” Hikaru asked, adjusting his glasses.

“The moment you thought you could compete with my intellect, obviously,” Haruto smirked.

Hikaru’s expression changed, “For once you start being confident and THIS is the first thing you say?” He begins to smile in a sarcastic manner, radianting rage.

Nao sighed, brushing sand off her dress.

“Here we go…”

Tadashi chuckled, watching as Haruto and Hikaru stared each other down. It had started with an innocent conversation about technology, but somehow, the two had gone from discussing theories to challenging each other’s intelligence in a matter of minutes.

“Alright, alright,” Kei interrupted, throwing an arm over both their shoulders. “Let’s make this fun. A proper contest of brains, but with a little beach twist.”

“What’s a ‘beach twist’?” Daiki asked suspiciously.

Rin grinned. “It means we get to mess with them while they compete.”

Hikaru adjusted his glasses. “Fine. Let’s settle this. What’s the challenge?”

Kei rubbed his chin. “Since you both love science and tech, you’ll have to build something using whatever you can find around here. Whoever makes the best invention wins.”

Nao crossed her arms.

“Define ‘best.’”

Kei grinned. “We’ll be the judges.”

Haruto and Hikaru exchanged glances, then smirked.

“You’re on,” they said in unison.

The contest was absolute chaos.

Haruto worked with the intensity of a mad scientist, mumbling equations under his breath as he constructed something using driftwood, seaweed, and some wires from a broken radio he had somehow found. Hikaru, on the other hand, remained calm and methodical, crafting his project with precision. Occasionally, Rin would ‘accidentally’ knock over something near them, much to their frustration.

“Oops,” Rin said, not looking sorry at all as she nearly stepped on Haruto’s blueprint.

“Can you NOT?!” Haruto groaned, snatching it away.

Meanwhile, Tadashi and Nao watched from the sidelines, Tadashi occasionally sneaking glances at her. She looked different today—not in a dramatic way, but softer, more relaxed. Maybe it was because she felt more at ease with the group now. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because she was getting used to being around him.

Nao caught him staring. “What?”

Tadashi coughed. “Nothing.”

She raised an eyebrow but let it slide, a small smile playing on her lips.

After an hour, both contestants were ready.

Haruto presented a makeshift pulley system, claiming it could help lift heavy objects using minimal effort. “It’s efficient, practical, and revolutionary!”

Hikaru unveiled a solar-powered water filtration device, which he had managed to construct using materials from the beach. “It provides clean drinking water in emergencies.”

The group stared.

Kei scratched his head. “Okay, not gonna lie, I expected something way less impressive.”

Daiki nodded. “Yeah, I was betting they’d just make sand castles with extra steps.”

Rin shrugged. “I was hoping for explosions.”

Nao sighed. “That was genuinely impressive. I hate to admit it.”

Tadashi chuckled. “Alright, judges. Who wins?”

They huddled for a moment, whispering back and forth. Finally, Kei turned back to them. “It’s a tie.”

Haruto and Hikaru blinked.

“A tie?!”

“Yep,” Rin confirmed. “Because now we know for sure—you’re both nerds.”

The group burst into laughter as Haruto and Hikaru groaned in frustration. But even as they complained, a small smirk tugged at Hikaru’s lips.

Maybe, just maybe, this new rivalry wasn’t so bad after all.

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 telltale sign of exhaustion settling in.

He brushed it off. He’d be fine.

Probably.