The Sunset

The fun of swimming and splashing around lasted no more than two hours. By then, exhaustion from the water began to set in, and the gang slowly retreated to shore. Around that time, the sun started its descent. The sky was painted in a stunning amber glow, perfectly mirrored by the rippling waves of the lake, creating the illusion of two suns — one in the sky and one beneath. As the minutes passed, the balls of soothing light edged closer, until they seemed to collide and merge into one, as if the world itself were holding its breath for that fleeting moment of beauty and tranquillity.

"Let's get food, guys!" Captain Toru shouted cheerfully to the rest of the group. It wouldn't take long for them to huddle cozily inside the inn, enjoying the skewers and sausages carefully cooked by the head chef, Hinoda.

"Thank you for the food!" Everyone chanted collectively as they dug in.

"Wow! Hinoda-kun, this is super delish!" Momo said after taking her first bite. Her amber eyes sparkled with joy as the taste of the smoked sausage hit her taste buds. Hinoda nodded humbly, rubbing the back of his black buzzcut.

"Please enjoy it even more!" Hinoda replied with a nice-guy smile.

"Momo-chan, try my chicken skewers!" Naggi chimed in while handing them to her, slightly blushing. Momo received them gently with her other hand and thanked him.

"It's good too! You both should open an izakaya together!" Momo praised the pair, and the others chuckled in response.

"Well, Naggi's parents actually own an izakaya on 7th Street…" Captain Toru answered between bites.

"Really?! I didn't know that!" Kazumi exclaimed in surprise, clinging to her muscular boyfriend. Shouichi was just as bewildered by the fact.

"Wow, that's awesome. I never realised that before, even though we've practised together four times a week," he recollected.

"What do you mean you never knew? I literally took you there two times!" Toru reminded him, making Kazumi smile dryly.

"That's right! Naggi's going to take over the izakaya after his parents!" Hinoda praised his friend with a firm smack on his bulky shoulder.

"I never knew that before. What do your parents do?" Toru, as the senior of the group, began to question the others about their personal lives, staring at Hinoda.

"My old man is opening a convenience shop close to Kagehiro-jinja temple, and my mum is a lawyer," Hinoda answered with a smile.

"Yoko-san… I mean, my mum owns a sweet shop, but most of you might already know that," Shouichi replied promptly.

"Wait, wait, wait! Naggi! That hot lady is Shouichi's mum! Yoko's Sweet Shop!" Hinoda unintentionally raised his voice with excitement.

"Don't make it weird, bruh! Pipe down a little, you idiot!" Naggi's face turned tomato red as he tried to stand his ground.

"Hey, Shouichi, Naggi used to have a crush on your mum in middle school!" Hinoda slipped up in a monotone voice, causing the group to burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, I'd be too if I were a guy," Ayane giggled uncontrollably while wiping a tear with the back of her hand. Shouichi was actually surprised to see her laughing and engaging with the group like a normal person, a stark contrast to her usual character.

"Um… My parents aren't with me anymore…" Momo spoke up, and the group froze.

"Oh… My condolences," Toru said sympathetically, his expression tinged with regret.

"Hey, hey, but I have a boba shop! Please visit 'Maid & Tea Bliss' when you're craving bubble tea, alright?" Momo quickly reversed the sombre mood with a bright smile.

"Yes, I'll definitely visit you… I mean, your shop, Tomako-chan!" Naggi tried to interject coolly but stumbled. His best friend, Hinoda, burst into laughter.

"Kazumi is a firefighter," Toru spoke up, and the group turned to stare blankly at each other in disbelief, except Shouichi, who already knew the truth.

"Judging by the look on your faces, you don't believe I'm actually a working woman, right?" Kazumi pouted cutely. In fact, she could easily pass for a high schooler if she wanted to.

"Also because you don't act your age!" Shouichi jabbed in his mind.

"Lady Ayane?" Toru glared at the black-haired girl with the tall, slender figure.

"Ahem… My family runs a property development company and an asset management company. You may have heard of Morimura Capital," she paused, watching the baffled reactions of the group.

"In short, my family owns a lot of properties inside and outside of Kurohashi town," Ayane explained, gracefully detailing her family background. The group had suspected that Ayane came from a wealthy family, but the extent of it was a revelation.

"That's hella awesome!" Naggi exclaimed.

"Damn, you never told me that before," Shouichi whispered softly to his female friend. It's true he could've pieced things together, but never with such clarity.

"You never bothered to ask," Ayane pouted as she swiftly turned her cute face away.

"C'mon, Ayane-chan, it's not like I don't care, I just didn't want to pry," Shouichi apologetically tapped her upper arm with a weak smile.

Captain Toru crossed his arms and stared expectantly at Aoyama Shinji, the last guy. "What about your parents? Spill it!"

The sudden request almost made Shinji choke on his sausage.

The silver-haired boy coughed a few times, preparing his speech. As a caring girlfriend, Emi handed him a water bottle she had already opened. He gulped it down eagerly. Then, after a few more coughs, he cleared his throat.

"Well, I don't really know what to call them, honestly," Shinji replied bluntly, causing everyone to fall into silence. As they stared at him questioningly, he defended himself, "I mean, they do a lot of things. I'd say they're investors and business owners?" In panic, he turned to Ayane for help.

"Aoyama's family owns Bokusho Hospital, Water Corporation, and Aoyama Holdings, to name a few," Ayane explained without hesitation. Everyone turned to her with looks of how-did-she-know, prompting her to continue, "Well, his family is the rival company of mine… So, of course, I have to know my rivals, right?"

"That's true! Hehehe, couldn't have said it better. Thanks, Ayane-chan," Shinji bowed vigorously.

"Guys, look at the water plants! They light up like a Christmas tree!" Shinji suddenly pointed to the left, and the gang obediently turned to look.

The spectacle of the evening unfolded before them, with glittering lights shimmering in the distance. Amber and azure hues from the water plants swayed rhythmically with the breeze, their reflections dancing on the ripples of the lake beneath the now purple sky. The scene exuded an eerie yet captivating beauty, leaving the onlookers in awed silence. It was so breathtaking that the group could do nothing but quietly absorb the mesmerising sight.

"It's definitely an image that will stay in my mind for the rest of my life," Shouichi mused, silently captivated by the flickering backdrop. It was as if the memory of the nightmarish slaughter at the school had been washed from his mind, replaced by the amazing and blissful experiences of the evening.

***

"Well, I'm pooped!" Shinji stretched his arms into the air after stepping out of his minivan. It had been a smooth ride from the secluded spot to the hotel. It was already past 7:00 PM, and the sunlight had completely disappeared.

"Thanks for the spot, it's such a wonderful place. I enjoyed every moment with you," Emi spoke gently to her boyfriend. The trio of Shouichi, Ayane, and Momo overheard her unintentionally.

"Hehehe, I'm glad you liked it, Emi," Shinji beamed widely.

The gang decided to split up into their rooms to rest and enjoy the rest of their day with their roommates. Shouichi, however, would be spending his time alone in his deluxe suite.

"Phew... Finally, some alone time. I'm completely drained for the day, but man, it's been such a wholesome experience. I've never had such a large group of friends before. This has been the most fun trip of my life," Shouichi solemnly contemplated the day's events, committing them to memory.

Knock knock A soft knocking sound at his door caused Shouichi to spring up from his oversized bed.

"Who is it this time?" Shouichi lazily dragged his feet toward the door.

"How may I help~?" The graphite-black-haired boy froze in shock, his words trailing off as the girl standing before him was the last person he expected to see today.

"Misaki-chan?!"