The breakfast chaos had settled into something softer again.
Plates were empty. Conversations were lighter. The ocean outside the resort looked too inviting to ignore.
Yuji stretched as he stood up.
"…Okay, I'm alive again."
Takeru stood beside him, already looking more alert than he had any right to be.
"…Stalls."
Yuji blinked.
"…Huh?"
Takeru nodded toward the changing area.
"…We change. Then we proceed."
Yuji sighed.
"…Yeah, fine."
A few minutes later
The resort stalls were simple—clean, private, no chaos allowed.
A rare blessing.
Yuji stepped out first, adjusting his shirt.
"…Finally, normal clothes again."
Takeru stepped out right after him.
Already looking toward the beach.
Already moving.
He paused for half a second.
Looked at the group of boys nearby.
Yuji. Hakari. Panda. Yuta. Megumi. Gojo.
Then grinned.
"…LAST ONE IN THE WATER IS A ROTTEN CURSE!"
Silence.
Yuji's eyes widened.
"…WAIT—"
Hakari already cracked a grin.
"…OH IT'S ON."
Panda immediately shifted.
"…I will not lose this classification."
Yuta blinked.
"…That escalated fast—"
Megumi sighed.
"…Of course it did."
Gojo smiled.
"…Now that's motivation."
Takeru didn't wait for agreement.
He ran.
Straight toward the ocean.
Sand kicking up behind him.
Yuji shouted immediately:
"…HEY THAT'S NOT FAIR—YOU STARTED EARLY—"
Hakari sprinted after him.
"…MOVE!"
Panda followed at full speed.
"…I WILL NOT BE DEFINED AS ROTTEN!"
Yuta broke into a run too.
"…This is ridiculous—"
Megumi clicked his tongue but still ran.
"…Idiot…"
Gojo walked for exactly two seconds.
Then casually sped up.
"…Fine."
At the shoreline
Takeru reached the water first.
Stopped just long enough to turn back.
Grinning.
"…Too slow."
Yuji arrived seconds later.
"…YOU CHEATED!"
Hakari splashed in right after.
"…NO RULES!"
Panda charged in.
"…I AM STILL VALID!"
Yuta followed, laughing now.
"…This is not a mission anymore!"
Megumi entered last.
"…This is stupid."
Gojo stepped into the water last of all.
"…And yet, effective."
And just like that—
the ocean became chaos again.
No strategy.
No analysis.
No mystery.
Just movement.
Laughter.
Competition.
And for a little while—
nothing else mattered.