Chapter 11: School Trip Chaos

The school trip came faster than Ryo would have liked. The entire class was headed to a beach resort for a three-day stay—an event everyone had been looking forward to for weeks. And now, thanks to Kazuki's little challenge, Ryo was dreading it.

"Relax, Ryo," Hana said cheerfully as the bus pulled up to the resort. "The beach is going to be amazing! Sun, sand, and swimming—what could go wrong?"

"Everything," Ryo muttered, glancing over his shoulder at Kazuki, who was chatting with some girls near the front of the bus, flashing that perfect smile of his.

As soon as they arrived at the resort, the class broke into groups to explore. Naturally, Hana, Saki, and Mei stuck close to Ryo, making him feel like he had his own personal entourage. It wasn't long before Kazuki noticed and sauntered over, flashing a knowing grin.

"Well, Ryo, looks like you've got a head start," Kazuki said, his voice smooth as silk. "But don't get too comfortable. The trip's just started."

Ryo groaned internally. Why couldn't he just have a normal vacation?

The beach was stunning, with crystal-clear waters and soft golden sand. The students quickly scattered, some heading to the water, while others set up beach volleyball nets or relaxed under umbrellas. Ryo, however, was finding it hard to enjoy himself with Kazuki constantly hovering nearby, waiting for an opportunity to one-up him.

It didn't take long for things to escalate.

As the day wore on, the class decided to have a beach volleyball match, and of course, both Ryo and Kazuki ended up on opposite teams. The tension between them was palpable, and it didn't take a genius to realize they were both trying to show off.

Hana, who was on Ryo's team, bounced excitedly next to him. "Come on, Ryo! Let's show Kazuki we're unbeatable!"

Saki, who was on Kazuki's team, smirked. "You better not lose, Ryo. I've got high expectations."

Ryo sighed, positioning himself on the court. "No pressure, right?"

The match was intense. Kazuki was, unsurprisingly, incredible at volleyball, spiking the ball with such force that Ryo could barely keep up. But Ryo wasn't about to back down. With Hana cheering him on and Saki throwing taunts from across the net, Ryo found himself getting more into the game than he'd expected.

In the final moments of the match, the score was tied. The ball soared over the net, and Ryo leaped into the air, determined to make the winning play. His hand connected with the ball, sending it hurtling toward the sand on Kazuki's side.

Kazuki dove to intercept, but the ball grazed the tip of his fingers and landed just out of reach.

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Ryo found himself grinning as his team swarmed him in celebration.

"We did it!" Hana exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.

Even Mei gave him a rare smile, nodding in approval. "Not bad."

Kazuki stood up, dusting off the sand with a smirk. "Looks like you won this round, Ryo. But don't think this is over."

Ryo shook his head, smiling despite himself. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."