"Good morning, sleepyhead."

"They decided to let me skip school because of you. How lucky I am, right? Well, I have to observe you, and I refuse to leave your side after all. What? You're telling me to go to school? Hah! I'm a genius, I'll be fine. I'll wait until you wake up"

"Just kidding. I'd really want to stay by your side more. But they said that I still have to go to school because they won't let me visit you if I won't. I have to trust the heroes this time. So please hurry up because I might've graduated from UA already and you would still be sleeping."

"What do you say? You might take longer to wake up? I don't care. I'll wait. I don't care if it takes an entire year or a decade for you to wake up. I'll wait."

"I'm not being cheesy, it's the truth~ Hahahah...."

"Damn, I'm talking to myself..."

My eyes fluttered open, and I saw a white ceiling with dark brown borders at each corner. It's already bright. I sat up and looked outside the window. The ocean was sapphire blue with diamond waves sparkling beautifully. It shone brightly that I rubbed my eyes. After stretching my arms, I went out of bed and changed into a yellow tank top with black linings and denim short, then went downstairs.

"Do we really need to do that?"

"Of course! It'll be fun."

"Well, if we're gonna stay here there's no problem with having a bit of fun."

"See? I knew you would agree."

"What are you talking about?" I asked the two guys at the kitchen. Shouto was sitting on the kitchen stool while Shin was taking something out of the fridge.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Shin greeted. "We're planning to go swim at the ocean today."

"Really?!" I couldn't hide the excitement from my voice. He took out a container and placed it on the counter.

"Yep, and we're gonna have some barbeque too." He smiled.

"You already planned this ahead, didn't you?" Shouto-kun narrowed his eyes. "Why else would the barbeque already been marinated and ready to grill?"

"You guys are too predictable so I've already made preparations beforehand." Shin replied, as he took something from the lower cabinet of the counter. It was an outdoor grill and grill stand.

"Is that the skill you get if you read too many minds?" I asked Shin mentally, when he looked at me. He only gave a smile.

"Okay, better change into your swimming attire. Aoi, there is already a black two-piece bikini in your wardrobe--"

"Aoi, won't wear that." Shouto-kun stated in his icy voice. I didn't even realize that there was such clothing in my wardrobe.

"Okay, Aoi, Shou-kun seems to prefer you naked--" Shin dodged the ice ball thrown at him. "That was mean Shou-kun!"

"She'll be wearing shirt and shorts." Shouto strictly stated.

"Would you prefer to let her wear undergarments too or not?"

"SHIN!"

I yelled at the perverted creep holding a plastic bag of charcoal for grilling. I can feel my face burning with embarrassment. "I w-won't wear those clothes."

He grinned. "So you prefer to be naked?"

"NO!"

"But you said you won't wear anything."

"I didn't say I won't wear anything. I said I don't want to wear those clothes that you want me to wear!"

"You don't want to wear the undergarments, or the bikini?"

"The bikini, goddamnit!"

"Okay, please be specific, there are different types of clothes." He stated with a sly smile.

"Kuroiwa, will you shut up?" Shouto-kun glared at him.

I scratched my head annoyingly.

"Okay. I'll wear shirt and shorts, WITH underclothes is that understandable for you, SHIN-SAMA?" I stated with gritted teeth.

"Yep,"

"UGGGH!" He's so annoying! I stomped upstairs and changed clothes. I can still hear him laughing his lungs out. I wish he'd choke his own spit and die.

After changing into a large-sized shirt and cycling shorts, I wondered if what he said was true. I shuffled through the clothes and saw it at the very bottom of the pile. And there it was, the small black bikini tucked quietly, waiting for to be worn. How on earth can I cover myself with this?!

"If you can't then you can go naked." Shin would say that.

My face heated up again and I shove it back to my pile of clothes and closed my wardrobe.

When I reached downstairs, Shin already went outside to assemble the grill. Shouto-kun was holding a white beach umbrella and foldable table. I volunteered in taking the container with barbecue in it to the beach.

We crossed the road and walk to the steps before reaching the sandy shore. Shin had already assembled the grill beside the steps. Shouto handed the umbrella to Shin while he opened the foldable table. I placed the container on top of the table. Shin unfolded the umbrella as well while Shouto heated up the charcoals. It didn't take long for us to start grilling. It was a sunny day but we couldn't feel the heat because of the umbrella. It feels a bit chilly since it was still spring but it made the swimming more exciting.

While Shin was cooking and Shouto going back to the house to get bottles of soda, I ran to the ocean. I heard Shin calling me out but I didn't listen. I jumped to the water, splashing it happily. I looked at Shin.

"Don't go too deep!"

"Why not?"

"I can't watch over you if you go too far! Wait for Shouto."

I pouted and sat down at the shallow waters, while waiting for Shouto-kun. I wanted to rebel against Shin but I remembered what Shouto-kun told me. It's their duty to protect me and I don't want to cause disasters. When Shouto-kun arrived, he placed the drinks on the table. Shin told something to him that I couldn't hear. After their short conversation, Shouto-kun took off his shirt. He placed it on the table and walked towards me.

My heart started beating so fast. He has a toned body with scars probably from his job as a hero. He looked so fair and handsome, that I couldn't take my eyes off of him even when I wanted to. It was as if everything slowed down and he's the only one in this world.

"Aoi, are you okay?"

But my mind went back to reality when he spoke, and heat rushed up to my face when I realized that I've been staring at him this whole time.

I splashed sea water at him. He protected his face from the sea water with his arm.

"W-what took you so long?!" I yelled and acted angry to cover this embarrassing feeling.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think I took so long--"

"Ughh! Nevermind!" I turned my back at him as I moved farther and deeper to the ocean.

"Aoi, why are you mad?" Shouto-kun asked, following me behind.

"I'm not mad!"

"Then why are you raising your voice?"

"I'm not!" Then I realized that I just did, and immediately felt like an idiot. I stopped when the water's already leveled at my chest. I turned around to splash water at him,

Only to find myself being splashed instead. I heard him chuckle as I wipe the sea water off my face and blinked several times to see clearly. I was about to splash him again but he once again went ahead of me.

"Arrgh!" I splashed water at him as fast as I could and didn't stop.

"Wait, Aoi time out!"I didn't listen to his plea. In fact, it made me splash the sea water more and more. This time, I was the one who was laughing.

But my laughter turned to a grumble as soon as he froze the sea water I splashed at him.

"Unfair!" I yelled at him. He chuckled.

"I told you to wait."

Irritated by the fact that he cheated, I dived underwater and pulled him down. When his shoulders went underwater, I held it both and pushed him down as I moved up to the surface. I shook the water off my face and pushed him deeper to the water, with all my strength. He struggled and tried to reach my arm but I pushed him deeper and deeper.

Then I gasped when he caught my waist and pulled me down as well. He was too strong that I couldn't move up to the surface. I tried pulling his hands away but he was too strong. I opened my eyes to the stinging sea water and saw him facing at me, watching me struggle. He's too close that I can see him smiling at me. My heart lost its rhythm again, making me struggle more.

He held my waist tightly and carried me up to the surface. I immediately gasped for air, before realizing that he was lifting me up by the waist. The sea level was supposedly at chest level but now it was on my hips. And when I realized that, he pulled me down underwater before I could breathe.

When I struggled, he lifted me up again. After a gasp, he pulled me down. Carried me up; then pulled me down. Carried me up; then pulled him down. And then he carried me up again.

"Stop! Stop!" I yelled at him slapping his shoulders.

And then I saw him laugh. It made me stop. It wasn't a usual chuckle, or a gentle smile. It was a hearty laugh. He had been taking care of me for months but this was the first time seeing him laugh. My heart pounded like a double-drum in high tempo. But at the same time his laugh made my chest tightened as if someone anchored it down to the sand.

Tears fell down from my eyes. And I didn't know why. Was it because of the sea water? I don't know.

"That's what you get for trying to drown me." He stated. He must have not noticed because of my messy face. My pale blue hair had tangled behind me and a part of it reached my face.

"I surrender" I stated, trying not to sob. Why am I crying? When he finally put me down, I wiped my hair and my tears off my face. He really didn't notice it. I was glad he didn't. I took a deep breath to stop my tears.

"Good, do you want to swim more or do you want to go--" I splashed sea water again at his face, and giggled.

"Back" I stated and swam as fast as I could to the shore and ran towards Shin.

"Just in time, food's ready--and you're hiding behind me." Shin stated as I hid behind his back as Shouto-kun sauntered towards us. "Okay, you can play tag all you like just don't hit the grill."

Shouto moved to the right, and I moved to the left, holding Shin's white shirt. He moved to the left, and I moved to the right. He finally sighed. "Aoi's energetic today."

"The ocean did it." Shin replied to Shouto-kun while giving me a stick of chicken barbecue with mushrooms and onions.

"Itadakimaaasu" I took a bite and immediately fell in love with it. I continued eating my breakfast behind Shin.

"Food is the cure for her hyperactivity though." Shouto-kun observed. "She's acting like a child, right now."

"What?!" I glared at Shouto-kun's comment.

"She's not acting." Shin added. "She's indeed a child."

"We're the same age!" I yelled at Shin.

"Fun fact, you're ten months older than me." He stated.

"Then you're the child."

He shook his head.

"Nope, I'm mentally mature." He stated with a sly grin. "And you're mentally idiotic."

"I'm gonna kill you!"

"Then no one's giving you barbecue anymore." He shrugged.

"Why are you two bullying me?!" I blurted out.

"Because bullying children is fun," Shin stated, and Shouto-kun gave a nod.

I grumbled and continue eating my barbecue.

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6-22-2018