Chapter 5: Shiny Seashells

She threw the pink bunny like creature into the air. She then held her hands together in front of her, looking at the boy who was walking in front of her, hopefully.

"I knew it! Yaaaa! So, I guess that means that I don't need to clean the bathroom anymore!" She exclaimed, excitedly.

"Yeah, nice try." He smiles. She groans.

"Do you hate it that much?" He asks, as he walks towards the door to the roof top. She follows him. "Come on, there aren't many girls who are dreaming about scrubbing public toilets!" She explained, as he continued walking, he then opens the door. He walks to the railing, leaning against it.

"Huh, that's unfortunate." He replies, as he looks down from the railing. She looks at him from beside the pillar. He speaks again. "Personally, I look forward to it." She looks at him surprised a little.

"It's been nice to be doing something after school and having someone to talk to. Kinda like, having a friend again. Just like I remember...I miss that..." He says, quietly.

She walks to him and tugs lightly on his uniform from behind, gaining his attention.

"Hanako-kun."

She moves to stand beside him and leans against the railing with him. She looks at him and smiles. "That's what I'll call you. That way...it's more like we're friends, right?" She said, smiling, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

He looked at her, eyes wide as he took in her appearance. She looked mesmerizing. He looked into her eyes as she looked into his. His eyes were soft amber and looked moon-like. They looked familiar.

She giggled and then he also broke into a grin. They both laughed together.

That boy was definitely in love-

The sound of a phone's ring tone interrupted her sleep.

Nene groaned and got up, sitting straight on her bed. Who in the heck was phoning her early in the morning?

She took a quick glance at her alarm clock. It was literally 5 am in the morning! Couldn't she have some peace on a normal Saturday? She groaned once more and then grabbed her phone which was on the small stand near the bed.

She then frowned. Why was Aoi calling her early in the morning? She sighed and picked up the call.

"Nene-chan! I called you three times and you didn't pick up! I got worried for a second! Are you ready?" Aoi asked, her voice sweet as always, sounding frantic at the moment.

"Ready for what?" She mumbled, as she rubbed her eyes, still exhausted as hell. Gosh, she really wanted to go back into her furry blanket and sleep.

"Ready to go to the beach, silly! You said you'd come yesterday!" Aoi sighed and then chuckled. "You're very funny, Nene-chan."

"What?!!" She shrieked. She was definitely wide awake now. "I didn't say I'd come!" She didn't want to go! No way! Everyone was going to be there. That means Yumi was going to be there!

Nene would normally not go with them for personal reason's. And that is ever since she had known Yumi. She did not want to see Yumi being lovey-dovey and all over Amane. Her heart can't stand that!

"When did I say that?!" She asked, panicking.

"Yesterday, at lunch." Aoi responded, immediately. "You said OKAY when I asked you."

"Nooooo! This is a disaster!!!!"

"It's not. Just come down already. We managed to convince your parents." Aoi said, sternly, and then spoke in deep wonder. "I was surprised how we managed to do it so easily though!"

Nene frowned. "You keep saying we...." She sighed, as she got out of bed. She headed towards the bathroom.

"Oh! Minamoto-kouhai is here with me! Both of us managed to convince your parents together!" Aoi said, happiness heard in her voice.

Shit. But she didn't want to come though...

She opened the door and then put the phone beside the sink, pressing the speaker button. She reached for her toothbrush. "Aoi. You know I don't want to come-"

"Yumi-chan's not invited, Nene-chan."

What?

Nene froze. After a second, she heard Aoi sighing from the other end of the phone. "Did you think I like having her around? She's annoying as hell!" Aoi said, disgust coating her words.

She paused and took in her best friend's words. Annoying? Since when was the Yumi Akari, the most popular girl at Kamome University annoying?

"Annoying?" She asked, repeating her thoughts out loud, confused.

"Didn't you see how Yugi-kun was clearly uncomfortable yesterday?" Aoi exclaimed, it sounded like she was being accused. Nene sputtered.

"Of course, I did!" She retorted, and then took her tooth brush at last, and applied her favorite strawberry flavored paste. "They looked like they were made for each other!"

Aoi facepalmed, and she heard the sound clear as ever. "Nene-chan! He clearly doesn't like her at all!" She exclaimed.

"And how do you know that?!" Nene shot back. She was pissed off at this point. She did not want to talk about Amane right now. She must have hit a nerve or something cause Aoi started to hesitate.

Aoi finally started speaking again. "Because I see the way he looks at you-" But Nene interrupts her, not even bothering to listen to her sentence. "Listen Aoi. I don't want to talk about him! Please?" She pleads, she certainly did not want to think about him either.

"Fine. But you're coming anyway!" Aoi replies sternly, in a mother-like way, and it made Nene let out a small laugh, in defeat. "I guess I have no other choice. Meet you outside Aoi." She says, not liking the idea to go.

But to be honest she did not want her best friend to get upset. And certainly, didn't want to face Akane's wrath. It would be horrifying.

"Good! Meet you outside Nene-chan! ~" Aoi said, beaming, her voice was cheerful once again, then she cut the call.

Nene sighed. Then she quickly brushed her teeth and took a quick bath. She then wore simple casual clothing's over her swimsuit. She got out and glanced at her bag that she had packed. Well, looks like she was ready to go.

Aoi and Kou were waiting outside. And Nene smiled once she was in front of them. Kou looked happy to see her while Aoi gave her a reassuring smile.

And her parents, well, looked like they wanted to get ride of her right away, so she was literally pushed out of the door so fast. Ouch.

Kou looked angry almost immediately but tried to keep calm for Nene's sake. He came towards her and took her bag from her hands to help her. He held her hand with his other free hand.

"Let's go, Nene-senpai." He said, gently, trying to soothe her, and she smiled at that. Kou was just sweet.

Aoi, Nene and Kou took a cab and travelled to the destination of the beach. It was a very long journey indeed. A one-hour trip that is.

It was just a normal local beach. But Nene had always felt that there was something wrong with that beach. She's been there before and she really didn't like it that much.

Once they arrived, it was quick for them to spot the rest of the group. They were all laughing and talking, and probably waiting for their arrival. Akane was the first to notice their arrival, or you could say Aoi's arrival.

Akane shouted gaining everyone's attention. "Aoi-chan!" Some people nearby also looked at him. They probably were thinking about how he was being crazy right now, screaming in public.

Aoi looked embarrassed. "Stop that, Akane-kun!" She scolded him. Akane started apologizing to her, instantly, saying that he should be punished for doing such a disgraceful thing she didn't like.

"Aoi, can I help you with your punishment?" Teru asked, looking innocent as ever. Akane turned and glared at him. "Go to hell!"

Nene smiled at them as Akane started cursing Teru with his words. She could feel Amane's gaze on her but ignored it and pretended that she didn't notice him. Yet.

"Nene-chan! You came!" Tsukasa grinned, and he threw an arm around her shoulder making her blush. Identical twins really are a piece of work. She giggled. He looked like a child who got his candy.

Kou scoffed. "Get off of her!" He shouted as he pointer his umbrella at the younger twin. Tsukasa released his hold on her, holding his hands up in the air.

"Okay, okay!" He laughed. "He's so protective of you, isn't he Nene-chan?" Nene hummed and nodded her head. She then shot Kou a funny look. "Geez Kou-kun, relax! I'm fine!" She said, placing her hands on her hip.

Kou looked flustered. "O-ok, Senpai!" He stuttered taking a step back, and almost bumped into Akane who was standing behind him. Mitsuba rolled his eyes.

"Yo Yashiro, I thought you weren't going to come." Lemon murmured, as he scrolled through his phone.

"Shut up, Yamabuki-kun!" Haruka exclaimed, glaring at him but Lemon didn't seem to notice. Typical Lemon.

"Yashiro-san."

Nene almost stopped breathing. Almost. She turned around to face Amane. He looked a little bit down, sadness lingering deep within his eyes. But Nene decided to not let that bother her that much. But deep inside it did bother her.

But why do his eyes look so...familiar? It's as if I've seen them from a different time.

Yup. Sure, was a crazy thought.

He looked at her. There was something else in that look he was giving her. The same look like last time. She did not want to go deeper into it and figure it out. She already had a broken heart to heal.

"How's you're head, Yashiro-san?" He asked, softly, perhaps she was imagining it. Nene blinked at him. Well, she thought he was going to be mad at her since she didn't bother to listen to what he was going to say the other day. He's surprisingly gentle. Ugh, she's probably imagining it.

"It's better now." She responded, curtly. It was actually a fast recovery and was healed properly, surprisingly. Maybe her injury wasn't that bad after all.

Amane was taken back by her tone. He looked hurt. She winced at his reaction. She didn't mean to hurt him. But didn't feel like talking to him anymore either so she turned her back at him.

"Guys! I set up the blanket here!" Sumire shouted and waved her hands, motioning them to come and join her. Mei was already at her side smiling.

Everyone walked towards the big blanket. That included Nene too. She was about to take a step forward but a steady strong hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her back, stopping her from moving forward. Her eyes widened in surprise. The only person who was behind her was...

Nene turned her head to look at him. "Amane-kun?!" She yelped, and shook her hand from his hold forcefully. He looked at her only with pain and sadness at her reaction. And for a second, Nene felt bad for him.

But for what?

"Now a days, you don't talk to me properly..." He says, looking down at the sand below. He then made straight eye contact with her, and Nene didn't have the strength to look away. Those eyes....

Amane then sighs. "I just wish you'd talk to me like you used to. I..." He says, quietly. He holds her hand and it feels so warm. "...miss those days where we used to be close."

Huh?

Nene gaped at him. Did he just say that...?

She shook her head not wanting even think about what was going to come next on her mind. But she couldn't do that. Cause who can even stop a thought from coming? She too missed those days where they used to be close!

But she didn't want to say it out loud. She only kept looking at him, dully.

Amane smiled, a bit sadly when she didn't say anything. And then he took her with him to the big blanket where everyone was chilling in. Nene followed his lead in silence. Not knowing what else to say, she sat down beside him.

She hummed a quiet tune as she noticed something sparkly in the sand beside her. Curiously, she took a closer look. It was a seashell. A shiny seashell.

She took it in her hands and examined it. It looked so pretty.

Everyone around her were talking as usual. She noticed Amane looking at her, his eyes looking softly at her. And only her. She raised an eyebrow. He snapped out his daze and turned flustered. His ears were red too.

Nene frowned and ignored him, not noticing how he deflated when she did so. But never the less he continued looking at her, fondly now. She continued collecting more seashells which were splattered beside her.

Lemon started joking about how this beach was an 'Yumi free zone' making everyone laugh including Amane and Nene. But it was Tsukasa and Aoi who laughed the hardest.

After that, Nene was clouded with her own thoughts. She couldn't believe that Amane also misses how it used to be between them. This had to be real? Right?

But at the party Amane and Yumi seemed to be happy together. They had laughed together over something on the phone. Maybe that something was for their assignment.

They were in the same class, same course, studying the same thing, to become an Astronomer, so it wouldn't be a surprise. That's how Amane met Yumi. The two were always partners for every group project. Literally.

Not that she cared.

She tried hard not to think about how Yumi had kissed his cheek at the party.

"Yashiro-san, want a drink before we hit the waves?" Teru asked, as he handed her a cool drink. She took it immediately, grateful for something cold.

"Sure!" She exclaimed, then popped the drink open and took a sip out of it. Ah, so refreshing. It tasted good for this heat climate.

"You mean, my lady and me, right? ~" Natsuhiko said, grinning at the beauty who sat beside him reading a book. That earned him a hit on the head. "Shut up, Natsuhiko." Sakura said, not amused, and continued reading her book.

"Teru-nii! I want to come too!" Kou said, as he raised a fist in the air.

"Show off!" Mitsuba murmured, annoyed. Kou heard it though.

"Hey! I heard that!!"

Nene sighed as she placed her drink at the side. She stretched her limbs. She still wanted to sleep so badly. She grabbed the drink and took a sip again.

Akane scoffed. "It's not his younger brother who's showing off, it's the devil himself!" He said, accusingly pointing his finger at Teru.

Teru smiled. "What did you say, Aoi?" He said, his voice sounded sweet, too sweet, it was scary. Akane turned pale and quickly hide behind Lemon. "I was saying how your such an angel!" He said, disgusted by the choice of words he had to use.

"Aw, Aoi! That's so sweet of you!"

"Shut up, damn!"

They all laughed some more and eventually they all got ready to swim. The girls and boys went separately to remove their clothes and change. Some had to only remove their clothes as they already had their swimming suits worn under them.

When they came back, they were really ready to hit the waves as Teru had phrased it earlier. Nene smiled. Maybe coming to the beach with her friends wasn't such a bad idea after all. Or she thought so.

"Guys? Is that you? Oh my gosh, what a coincidence! I wasn't expecting to see you guys here!"

Nene smile dropped instantly when she heard that sickeningly familiar voice. Yumi was looking at them, standing a meter away, surprise visible on her face. Aoi's face turned to disgust and Akane noticed that, frowning himself. Tsukasa narrowed his eyes.

Nene watched as Yumi's eyes lit up, eyes sparkling.

"Amane-kun! You're here too!" She squealed as she flung herself onto him. He squirmed in her hold. "H-hey! Cut it out, Akari-san!" He stuttered, not happy at all. Yumi smiled and moved, latching onto his naked arm. If Nene thought she could heal her heart, it seemed like it wasn't going to heal anytime sooner.

Every boy was half naked here.

Nene's eye twitched as she watched them. It was a nightmare.

As she continued watching them, she started to regret coming here in the first place. Apparently, Lemon was wrong. This beach wasn't a 'Yumi free zone' after all.

It turned out to be a zone where she was going to suffer.

<<<<< Dreams and Bonds >>>>>


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