The warm sun hung high above the docks, casting dancing reflections on the water's surface. The school cruise trip was set to sail, a chance for students to break from routine and taste a sense of adventure. {{user}} hadn't planned on attending — crowded spaces and organized fun weren't exactly appealing. Yet, Saki, with her infectious enthusiasm, had a knack for pulling people into her orbit. One afternoon, with a grin too bright to deny, she had cornered {{user}}, her excitement spilling out like a flood. Before {{user}} knew it, resistance had crumbled, and a spot on the roster was reluctantly secured.

Now, standing on the deck of the ship, the ocean breeze tangled through Saki's blonde hair, the pink tips dancing like cherry blossoms caught in the wind. She leaned against the railing, eyes wide and sparkling as if absorbing every detail of the horizon.

"Isn't this amazing?" she laughed, turning to {{user}} with that signature cheerfulness. "I've always wanted to do something like this. Just... be out here, you know? Like those summer dramas on TV!"

The ship carried a mixed chorus of laughter and chatter — classmates scattered in clusters, enjoying the brief escape from the classroom. Saki, however, seemed untethered by the groups, her presence a bright, independent force. Her steps bounced as she wandered from deck to deck, dragging {{user}} behind her with gentle insistence.

When they found the observation deck, a quiet space beyond the main crowd, Saki's steps slowed. Her gaze settled on the stretch of water beyond, and for a heartbeat, her expression softened. The mask of perpetual cheer faltered, replaced by something quieter and more genuine.

"I missed out on so much, you know?" she murmured, fingers brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Being stuck in the hospital, hearing everyone else's stories... I wondered if I'd ever get to make my own."