Morning arrived on the island not with alarms or rushing footsteps, but with the soft hush of waves brushing against the shore and sunlight slipping gently through sheer curtains. The room Beru slept in smelled faintly of the ocean and flowers, and when she opened her eyes, for a few dazed seconds she forgot where she was. Then the distant cry of gulls reached her ears, and memory flooded back all at once.
The island.
The mansion.
The beach.
Her heart fluttered as she sat up, hair spilling over her shoulders. Outside her balcony, the sky was painted clear and blue, the sea glittering like endless glass.
Down the hall, chaos had already begun.
Souta was the first to explode into the morning.
"WAKE UP EVERYONE! VACATION DOESN'T WAIT FOR SLEEPYHEADS!"
Doors slammed. Aira nearly tripped out of her room, still half-asleep, Ren stumbled after her yawning, and Haruto opened his door with slow, confused blinks as if the world had loaded in late.
"You sound like a rooster," Luna said flatly, stepping out perfectly composed despite the early hour.
Tadao followed quietly, adjusting his sleeve, already fully awake.
Breakfast was as extravagant as the day before—fresh fruit piled high, warm pastries, island tea, and golden omelets. Yet this time, the anticipation of the day ahead made everything taste brighter. Plans tumbled over one another in excited voices: sightseeing, markets, old ruins, and the coastal shopping districts Luna had mentioned in passing.
Within an hour, they were on the road again, squeezed into two sleek cars that wound through seaside paths and shaded village roads. The town opened before them like a living painting—colorful wooden houses, flower stalls spilling over with blooms, boats rocking lazily at harbor, shop banners fluttering in the breeze.
Aira nearly vibrated in her seat. "THIS is my kind of place!"
They spilled into the streets like excited tourists the moment the cars parked.
Lanterns hung overhead in bright strings. Wind chimes sang softly. The smell of grilled seafood floated through the air. Every few steps brought something new—bracelet stalls, shell jewelry, handwoven bags, painted masks, carved trinkets shaped like sea creatures.
Aira dragged Ren toward the accessories first, trying on necklaces faster than Ren could comment. "Which is better? This one? Or this one?"
"They look exactly the same…" Ren murmured helplessly.
Souta had already disappeared in search of food.
Haruto and Beru walked beside the others, occasionally brushing shoulders as they wandered. Haruto picked up a small carved dolphin from one stall and turned it over in his palm.
"It reminds me of you," he said quietly.
Beru blinked. "Me?"
"Always smiling… always swimming forward."
Her cheeks warmed instantly.
Luna and Tadao paused at a stall selling antique compasses and star maps. Luna examined a weathered brass compass with careful reverence while Tadao studied the symbols engraved along its rim.
"These markings are old," he said. "Not decorative. They're navigation codes."
Luna's eyes softened. "You always notice the details others miss."
Elsewhere, Souta had achieved legendary status among the street vendors within minutes—sampling skewers, knocking over spice jars, accidentally starting a playful shouting match with a fish seller who pretended to chase him with a broom while laughing.
"Why am I not surprised?" Haruto muttered.
They regrouped near the harbor for lunch—fresh fish grilled over open flame, sweet coconut rice, cold fruit drinks that dripped with condensation. They ate sitting along the pier edge, feet dangling over water so clear they could see fish drifting beneath the surface.
After lunch came the markets.
This was Aira's battlefield.
Shopping bags multiplied rapidly. Hats, beachwear, bracelets, postcards, miniature ship models, shell anklets. Ren became her official bag-carrier without remembering when he agreed to the position.
Luna bought elegant souvenirs for her parents, antique bookmarks, delicate glass ornaments shaped like stars. Tadao selected practical items—a compass replica, notebooks made from island fiber, quiet gifts with hidden meaning.
Souta bought… chaos.
Fake swords. Toy boats. Masks. Glow sticks. He somehow owned three hats at once and wore all of them poorly stacked on his head.
Beru lingered at a small handmade stall where an elderly woman crafted woven bracelets with tiny star-shaped beads. One bracelet shimmered faintly silver-blue.
"It's for someone important," Beru said softly.
The woman smiled knowingly.
Later, as they walked past the sea cliffs where waves crashed far below, Beru slowed beside Haruto and gently slipped the bracelet onto his wrist.
"For you."
He stared at it, stunned for a moment… then smiled so softly it nearly melted her heart.
"I'll never take it off."
The afternoon drifted into golden light as they visited old lighthouse ruins perched above the cliffs. Wind howled through broken stone arches, the ocean crashing like thunder far beneath.
Everyone grew quiet there, the view humbling even Souta into rare silence.
Aira leaned on Ren's shoulder without realizing it. Luna stood beside Souta at the edge, hair whipping wildly, both gazing into the distance with shared quiet. Tadao stood slightly apart, eyes thoughtful.
And Haruto and Beru stood hand in hand.
"Sometimes," Beru whispered, "I feel like we're inside a dream that could disappear if I blink wrong."
Haruto squeezed her fingers. "Then don't blink alone."
The walk back through town at sunset was slow and tired and happy. Ice creams melted down their hands, laughter spilled into the streets, and even strangers smiled as they passed. The sky blazed orange and violet above the ocean like living fire.
When they returned to the mansion, exhaustion settled fully at last.
Dinner was lighter that night—soup, bread, fruit—but spirits were full. Everyone collapsed across sofas afterward, limbs tangled, stories overlapping in half-lucid exhaustion. Aira fell asleep mid-sentence. Ren leaned back beside her. Souta snored openly within minutes. Luna placed a blanket over him silently.
Later, as moonlight silvered the waves once more, Beru stood at her balcony looking down at the sleeping shoreline.
Haruto stepped beside her.
"Best day ever?" he asked.
She smiled into the night. "One of many."
Below them, the island slept peacefully. No rivals. No looming threat.
Just stars.
Just sea.
Just hearts learning how to rest.
And for once, tomorrow did not feel heavy at all.
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To be continued...