Chapter LXV.

Checking the cards in my possession, Tsunan picked out two of them and three of the five ones in his own possession to present them to the other players, stating, 'Shun and I win again!' 

I smiled at the doctor happily.

We were in the bus, en route for the beach. And for distraction, some of us have decided to play cards and to spice things up, duos have been formed, these being: Master Kagami and Yama-san, Hatsu and Heihachi, and finally, Tsunan and I.

So long, the doctor and I had won all the rounds. Of course, I didn't have any merit; I didn't even know how to play properly and was grateful to Tsunan for giving me the joy of winning by partnering himself up with me.

'It's not possible!' moaned Yama-san, sniffling. 

'Don't cry, my Yama!' exclaimed the master, flamboyantly, putting up his fists. 'I'm going to defeat them to save our honor!'

I chuckled.

The rest of the voyage went by in the same fashion and it was by noon that we reached Hanaori Beach. 

It was exactly like I had imagined it; the beautiful ocean, the blue sky, the white sand, the resort with direct view on the beach… What I hadn't expected though was the heat.

'It's hot for an autumn month!' I said, as I came out of the hotel with Hatsu and Heihachi to meet up with the others on the beach. 

'That's global warming, my dear!' the blond male commented.

I looked down at my skimpy clothes then. I was wearing a very short, sleeveless, white dress, and I had tied my hair up with the Kanzashi Master Kagami and Yama-san had offered me for my birthday.

'I don't feel very comfortable in this dress...'

Taking a glance at me, Hatsu reassured me, 'Don't worry! You'll be the most covered one of all of us!'

And indeed, Hatsu was right!

Cho, Agasa and Yanagi were in bikini, while Yama-san and Gakkuri were wearing a one-piece swimming suit. 

I flushed up.

All the boys were in shorts, including Tsunan, but he didn't leave his chest bare, unlike the others. He was wearing a loose half-unbuttoned white shirt with his sleeves hitched up to his elbows. 

I couldn't help but notice that he was of striking beauty.

I flushed deeper.

'It's a new dress?' Tsunan said, as he edged his way up to me.

'Yes,' I whispered, looking away shyly.

'You're not wearing a bikini, Shun?' Yama-san asked me. 'You don't want to go into water?'

Another blush gained over my cheeks as I tried to imagine myself wearing a bikini.

'No. I can't swim. And can you imagine if I fall asleep while I'm in the ocean?' I said with humor, but my joke fell flat. Their expressions turned awkward as they tried to imagine the scene. 

'And you, Tsunan, are you going to have a swim?' I asked.

'Maybe, later,' he replied, then proposed, 'I could teach you how to swim. I'll hold your hands. I won't let you drown.'

I held my face in-between my hands, averting my eyes, flushing up even deeper- if that was even possible. 'I'd feel way too embarrassed!'

Master Kagami caught our attention at that moment. 

Gakkuri and he were in water, the kid in a life ring. 

'You hold on tight, Gakkuri! Daddy's going to push you!' he exclaimed, ecstatically, and began pushing the life ring with his hands alongside Gakkuri, swimming at full speed.

The kid cried and giggled in excitement. 

Yama-san and I chuckled at the view. 

'Ne, Yama-san, how did Master Kagami and you came to know each other?' I asked the latter, then, out of curiosity.

A large smile appeared on her lips at my question, as she seemed to remember their first meeting. 

'Oh, we studied in the same university. We hated the very sight of each other. For me, Kagami was someone bizarre who believed in non-existent things like monsters and I never hesitated to point this out to him. I even called him mad once.' She giggled. 'The day he saved me from one of these creatures, was the day I started believing in them, and also, the day I fell in love with him.'

I was extremely surprised to learn that they disliked each other in the beginning.

'Really?' I chuckled, and we moved away to chat with each other, taking seat under one of the large beach umbrella the master and her had brought. 

After a long conversation, she left to join her spouse and Gakkuri. 

Apart from Tsunan, Hatsu, Heihachi, Shuda Yagari and I, everyone was swimming. 

Unfortunately, Shuko hadn't been able to accompany us. She had to stay at home to revise for the school tests awaiting her in the upcoming week. 

Shuda was resting under one of the umbrellas, with his headphones on, his eyes closed and an open magazine resting on his chest, his arms akimbo behind his head. 

On their sides, Hatsu, Heihachi and Tsunan decided to play volleyball.

'We're going to play volleyball,' Hatsu exclaimed at me. 'Join us, Shun! I'll explain you the rules!'

Standing up to join them, I felt dizzy all suddenly. This caused me to sit back down, holding my forehead. I was feeling uncomfortably hot and light-headed. My muscled felt weak and my heart was beating really, really fast, my breathing rapid and shallow, not to forget that I had a throbbing headache and nausea.

'Hey, are you alright?' Tsunan inquired, crouching down in front of me. 

'I think I'm having a sunstroke!' I replied, weakly. He touched my cheek to check my temperature and he gasped, 'You're burning!'

'I'm sorry,' I told Heihachi, Hatsu and him. 'I think I'll go back to the hotel to rest a bit.'

I staggered to my feet and Tsunan grabbed my shoulder in support, saying, 'I'll take you back to the hotel.'

'No, it's okay. It's very close.'

'It's out of the question that I let you go back on your own! What if you faint?'

'Alright, thanks. And sorry again.'

Tsunan accompanied me back to the hotel and I sat down at one of the set of sofas in the lobby. I felt a lot better already once I was indoors; certainly because of the air conditioner. 

The doctor left me for a minute and came back with three ice-packs. I put one onto my head, the other two on the sides of my neck.

Taking seat beside me, he inquired, 'How are you feeling now?'

'A lot better already.'

I was breathing more normally now and my heart rate wasn't as rapid as before anymore. The nausea had passed but I still had a headache.

'I've brought you something else!' 

He showed me the ice-creams he had bought.

'Eat! Cold food is a good treatment for sunstrokes.'

'Let's eat them together!' I proposed, as there were two. One was of strawberry, with chocolate coating, the second, entirely made of chocolate.

I chose the strawberry-chocolate one.

'How's your ice-cream?' he asked, while we ate. 

'Excellent!' Looking at my ice-cream, then, I offered, 'Do you want to taste?'

He agreed and I brought the ice-cream to his mouth for him to bite into it.

'Do you want to taste mine?'

I smiled, giving him a nod and he made me taste his. 

Both flavors were a real delicacy!

'You don't have to stay with me, you know?' I murmured when we were done eating, feeling guilty for monopolizing his time. 'Go join the others!'

'I don't want to leave you all alone.'

'I'm feeling well now. And there are cameras everywhere; I don't risk anything.'

He stared at me for a minute, contemplating, before he finally gave in. 'Okay. I'll come check on you later.' 

I nodded, giving him a smile.

He left and I remained where I was for a whole while, closing my eyes. I fell asleep for a few minutes and when I woke up, I decided to move upstairs into one of the rooms Master Kagami had reserved.

I got the key to one of them at the reception. 

Just as I was turning around to make for the lift, abruptly, I bumped into someone.

The latter was a very tall young man of around my age, with long unruly blond hair. His ice-cream got squashed when we bumped into each other. 

'Oh my god! I'm really sorry!' I told him, very quickly. 'I'll buy you another one immediately!'

'No, it's okay. There's no need!' he assured me. 'It's me who should apologize to you. I have ruined your beautiful dress.'

I looked down at my dress which was covered in ice-cream. 'Oh, it's nothing.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes,' I assured him, before I headed for the lift.

***

After a few minutes…

'Oh no! How did I do to get lost?'

I checked the number of the room on the magnetic card again- Room 307- then the number of the rooms in the corridor; these ranged from 312 and above.

'I should have probably turned right earlier.'

Out of the blue, I had the impression that there was someone standing behind me but when I turned around, I saw no one in the corridor. I had the very strange sensation of being observed and that feeling was so empowering that it sent me alarmed.

I began to back away fearfully and bumped into someone from behind. A pair of hands grabbed my shoulders, steadying me.

Instantaneously, I looked around and saw Tsunan.

'Are you alright? I came to see how you're doing.'

There was no one in the corridor apart from us. 

I'm only imagining things.

'Yes,' I replied, swallowing the lump in my throat, before I admitted, sheepishly, 'I'm lost.'

'Come. I'll take you.'

He took my luggage bag from me and I tagged along with him.

'What happened to your dress?'

'Oh, I bumped into a young man downstairs in the lobby and squashed his ice-cream.'

We arrived in front of the room 307. 

The door opened onto a room covered in mocket, with two large beds facing each other and a sliding door which opened onto a small balcony. There were two large pots with a green plant in the right corners of the room and the door to the bathroom was found on the left.

'I'll go take a shower,' I murmured, taking a glance down at my clothes. 'It'll also help cool myself down.'

My head was still throbbing.

Tsunan nodded and moved to open the sliding door to allow some fresh air in.

Grabbing some clothes from my luggage bag, I hurried into the bathroom.

After a cool shower, I came back into the bedroom and was surprised to see that Tsunan was waiting for me.

'You were about to lie down a bit, isn't it? Do you mind if I stay with you for a moment?'

I smiled. 'No.'

Putting my luggage bag away from onto the bed, I lied down onto the side closest to the sliding door, allowing Tsunan some place on the bed too.

'Tsunan...' I whispered, as I began to feel sleepy. He was sitting beside me where I was rested. 'Thank you... for watching... over me…'

I sank into a slumber.

When I woke up, the sun was about to go down the horizon. Tsunan was gone. He had locked the door from outside for safety measure, before he had slipped the magnetic card under the door for me.

I smiled, pleased by his consideration. 

My headache had vanished after I had taken some rest.

Getting out of bed, I washed my face a little before I headed downstairs to meet up with Tsunan and the others at the beach where we had a barbecue.

I had bought all the necessary things for that during my shopping at the supermarket with Heihachi. 

It was Tsunan and I who took care of the barbecue.

'I think that the sausages are ready,' I said and he picked one up with his chopsticks, bringing it to my mouth.

'Can you taste it to see if I've put enough barbecue sauce?'

I bit into it, tasting it. 

'No. It's perfect.'

***

Later…

Master Kagami had reserved seven rooms, each having two beds. 

This meant that we were going to share the room at two and the pairings was to be decided through lucky draw.

'So, let's see,' declared the master, as he viewed the results. 

We were in the hotel corridor.

'Hatsu with Heihachi. Cho with Shirane. Agasa with Shuda. Yanagi with Tsurayuki. Ayame with Katsuya. Tsunan with Shun. And finally, Yama and I are together. Gakkuri will sleep with us.'

Hatsu sent his arm around Heihachi's neck, grinning triumphantly, while Ayame flushed up at Katsuya. Cho, Agasa and Yanagi casted a glare at me, causing me to giggle nervously, before they turned their glares onto their fellow roommates.

Shirane, Shuda and Tsurayuki averted their eyes, making as if they didn't catch the three girl's dark looks.

***

'Why do I have the impression that the lucky draw was tricked?' said Heihachi, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

'Because the lucky draw WAS tricked,' Hatsu whispered in his ear from behind.

The dark-haired male's head snapped around at the blond.

'Do you mean-' His eyes widened at his boyfriend and he scolded, 'Hatsu!'

'What? The master isn't completely innocent either.'

Heihachi held his face, shaking his head in indignation.

'Look at the positive side of things! You and I get to be together in this hotel room for three nights! It changes from the apartment!' 

Hatsu threw the younger male onto the bed behind him with an arm and landing on top of the latter, he began tickling Heihachi until the dark-haired male had tears in his eyes.

***

Meanwhile…

'Shun?'

I turned my head around to look at Tsunan. 

We were both emptying our luggages on our respective beds.

'Yes?'

'I was thinking that we could go to the neighboring town of Akiba tomorrow and spend the day over there. It's not as hot as it is here; it'll freshen you up. There's a large amusement park in Akiba that is known all over the country; we could stop there for a moment.'

His proposition made me utterly glad. 

'Yes. Okay. It'll please me a lot,' I whispered, smiling cheerfully.

***

On the other side…

'Tell me, Cho,' declared Shirane Nakagiri, in all of a sudden, shattering the intense quietness between the ginger-haired girl and him.

The latter jumped, her face scrunching up. 

'You haven't forgotten our small arrangement, did you?'

Her blood made a rapid turn in her body and flinging around to face him, she shouted, 'Arrangement?! Is it how you call your infamous blackmail?!'

The red-haired boy hadn't made mention about their "date" even once during the last few days. 

His silence had been a real mind torture for her.

He ignored her comment and carried on, announcing, 'Tomorrow we're going to the town of Akiba for our date!'

'You're going on your date all alone!' she snapped at him, with rage.

He cupped his chin, looking up thoughtfully. 'Tsunan is in the room 307, yes?' He started for the door.

'Nah! Stop!' she exclaimed, panicked. 

He paused.

'At what time are we leaving?' she asked, in a murmur.

'At eleven in the morning,' he replied with a large grin, turning to face her.

'At eleven?! Why this early?'

'Tsunan must not be sleeping yet…'

She broke into a panic again. 'Alright! Alright! It's okay for eleven!'

'That's better!'

He gave her a crooked smile.

'Demon!' she shouted, frustrated.

She would never have believed Shirane capable of such an action as to blackmail a girl to go out on a date with him. She found it even harder to believe that he was behaving in such a way especially with her. 

She found this kind of blackmail so vile. 

She found him inhuman for blackmailing her like he's doing.

And not only that, she felt degraded.

***

Meanwhile…

Shuda Yagari was searching for some clothes in his bag for him to go take a shower when, his eyes fell onto a certain book he had brought along with him on this trip.

Grabbing the said-book, he made towards Agasa Tsudzuri who had her back turned onto him.

'Agasa! Here's the manga that we talked about!' 

The latter turned to face him, quite reluctantly. 

He held out the book to her.

'Oh, it's okay! Leave it!' she told him, putting her hands up, her expression uncomfortable.

'Are you sure?' he asked, surprised. 'I thought that you really wanted to read the final volume to know how the story ends.'

'It's alright!' she told him again and turned away before he could say another word.

He was quite puzzled by the girl's behavior. 

Putting the manga back into his bag, he grabbed some fresh clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

Agasa turned back around to face the closed door only when she heard water running inside the bathroom.

*Flashback*

A week ago…

'Say, Agasa, I've noticed that Shuda and you have been seeing each other very often lately,' declared Yanagi, and the dark-haired girl glanced at the Gothic-Lolita.

Yanagi, Cho and her were sitting by the swimming pool of the organization together. 

'Yes, I've noticed this too,' pointed out Cho, and the two girls gave Agasa an intrigued look.

They were right. 

After the incident with her brother, Shuda and she have been seeing each other very often, without her even taking realization of their growing closer to each other until, Cho and Yanagi had mentioned it.

Feeling disturbed by this realization, Agasa decided to take her distance from Shuda. 

Thank you for reading!