A Day by the Sea

Rei stepped into his room and saw me sitting up in bed, stretching lazily.

"Morning, Rei!" I said with a bright smile.

He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Morning? You do realize it's already evening, right?" His voice held amusement, and a soft chuckle escaped his lips.

I pouted. "Hehehe… well, it still feels like morning to me."

Rei shook his head, smirking. Then, after a pause, he looked at me with a glint in his golden eyes. "Do you want to go out?"

I blinked. "Where?"

He leaned in slightly, his smirk deepening. "You'll find out soon enough."

Before I could ask more, he raised his hand, and in an instant, a glowing portal appeared before us. A warm breeze rushed through, carrying the scent of salt and the sound of crashing waves. Without hesitation, he took my hand, guiding me through.

The moment we stepped out, I gasped in awe.

The beach stretched endlessly before us, untouched and bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun. The waves lapped gently at the shore, shimmering like liquid gold. There was no human in here—only us and a group of fox spirits playing in the water, their fluffy tails soaked from the waves.

I smile and whisper. "Their tails look so funny when they're wet!"

Rei, standing beside me, simply watched as I laughed, his expression unreadable.

"Come on, let's play too!" I said, turning to him with excitement.

Before he could reply, I grabbed his hand and ran toward the sea, pulling him along. The cool water rushed over our feet as I splashed him—especially his tail.

Rei narrowed his eyes playfully. "Oh, you're going to regret that."

Before I could react, he splashed me back, completely soaking me.

"Rei!" I gasped, but my laughter wouldn't stop.

For a while, we ran through the waves, chasing each other, splashing, and laughing like children. The world felt small, as if it was just the two of us in this moment, lost in the sound of the ocean and our shared joy.

As the sun dipped lower, we finally settled on the shore. I let my feet sink into the cool water, sighing in contentment. Rei sat beside me, his gaze drifting toward the horizon.

The moment felt peaceful… too peaceful for me to resist one last prank.

Gathering a handful of water, I flung it straight at his face.

His stunned expression made me laugh, and before he could react, I jumped up and ran down the beach.

But Rei was faster.

In an instant, I felt his arms wrap around me as he lifted me off the ground.

"Got you."

I gasped as he spun me in the air, my laughter mixing with the crashing waves. The world blurred, but all I could focus on was him—his warmth, his blue eyes watching me with something softer than amusement.

Still smiling, I touched his cheek as he spun us around, laughter mixing with the ocean breeze. His laughter faded, and for a moment, we just looked at each other. A quiet understanding passed between us, something deeper than words.

The sky had darkened, the first stars twinkling above.

"I'll cook for you tonight," I whispered.

Rei's lips curved into a gentle smile. "I'd like that."

I waded into the shallow water, catching a fish with careful hands. Turning to Rei, I grinned. "Can you start a fire?"

With a flick of his wrist, flames sparked to life. I roasted the fish, the rich aroma filling the air. We sat close, sharing the meal in comfortable silence, the only sound the gentle whisper of waves.

By the time we finished, the night had fully embraced the sky. The ocean stretched endlessly before us, a sea of stars reflecting on the water's surface.

Rei opened another teleportation portal, but this time, as we stepped through, his hand lingered in my hand for just a second longer before we finally let go.

Back at the palace, we exchanged one last glance before heading to our rooms.

But even as I lay in bed, the warmth of his touch and the echo of his laughter stayed with me, making me wonder—was I starting to fall for him?