Chapter 23: The Prank Backfired. Now Two Girls Aren’t Speaking To Me.
Time: 1:40 AM
Location: Cabin 2-A
Status: Critical
I was sleeping next to Riko. Comfortably. For once.
Until Yuna snuck in.
Holding whipped cream.
And a permanent marker.
She grinned.
"This is revenge for being too cute together."
She crept forward.
Closer…
Until—
WHAM.
Riko rolled over.
Elbowed me in the ribs.
I yelped.
Yuna froze mid-prank.
Then Riko opened her eyes.
Saw her.
Saw the whipped cream.
Saw the marker.
And processed everything in 0.3 seconds.
"You were going to draw on me?!"
Yuna: "You were drooling on him!"
"I WAS NOT—!"
Yuna lunged. Riko dodged.
They crashed into the dresser.
Airi burst in, wielding a flashlight.
"What is happening—"
Then Akari walked in. Calm. Silent.
Saw everything.
Sighed.
"…You guys ruin every romantic moment I don't plan myself."
---
15 Minutes Later – Outside the Cabin
I was sitting alone on the bench.
Covered in whipped cream.
Heart racing for the wrong reasons.
Airi joined me, handing me a towel.
"You attract chaos like a magnet."
"I attract problems."
She sat beside me.
Didn't say anything for a while.
Then—
"…I tried to delete my feelings."
I blinked. "Delete?"
She pulled out her phone.
Showed me a draft email titled:
> "Reasons Not to Love Kaito Tenma (Final)."
"I couldn't finish it."
I laughed softly. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever seen."
"I know."
She leaned her head on my shoulder.
"Dumbest thing I've ever felt, too."
---
The Next Day – Akari's Last Move
Camp was ending.
The bus was loading.
Everyone was tired.
Except Akari.
She pulled me aside.
Eyes sharp. Voice soft.
"I'm not playing catch-up anymore."
I blinked.
She pulled out something.
A note.
Old. Folded. Crinkled.
"…You wrote this. When we were kids."
It was the love letter.
The glitter. The hearts.
The stupid handwriting.
"You remember this?"
"…Barely."
She smiled.
"I don't. I memorized it."
Then she stood on her tiptoes.
Kissed my cheek.
And walked onto the bus.
Leaving me standing there.
Speechless.
And completely lost.