Chapter 28: The Beachside Promise

The moment we arrived at the beach, Mahiru's face lit up with excitement. She took off her sandals, letting the sand slip between her toes as she looked out at the vast ocean.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah. It really is."

She turned toward me, her eyes shining. "Thank you for bringing me here, Amane."

Before I could respond, she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the waves. We spent the afternoon playing in the water, building sandcastles, and collecting seashells. It was a perfect day.

As the sun set, we sat on the shore, watching the sky turn shades of orange and pink. Mahiru rested her head on my shoulder. "Amane… let's come back here every year."

I squeezed her hand. "It's a promise."