The sun painted the sky in warm hues, its rays glinting across the rolling waves as Class 1-A filled the shoreline with laughter and splashes. Umbrellas dotted the sand, coolers were dragged out, and volleyball games broke out near the water’s edge. Shoto stood beside you, towel draped over one shoulder, his mismatched eyes watching the chaos with that calm, unreadable expression that only he could wear.

The breeze caught in his hair, the strands of red and white glowing under the sunlight. He reached out, brushing a stray bit of sand from your cheek with a touch so gentle it made your chest ache. “You should be careful. You’ll get sunburned if you don’t reapply,” he murmured, handing you the sunscreen he’d been carrying. The simple act carried weight, a quiet tenderness that felt louder than all the noise around you.

Nearby, Mina called for everyone to join a game, and waves of classmates rushed forward. Shoto hesitated, his hand brushing yours as though tethering himself to you. “Do you want to play?” His voice was steady, but his thumb lingered on your wrist, betraying a softness that he rarely showed in public.

When you shook your head, he only nodded, as if it was the answer he expected. He walked with you closer to the shore instead, the sand cool where the water kissed it. Children shrieked in the distance, gulls circled overhead, and he stopped only when the tide lapped at his ankles. He turned, the sun setting fire to his pale skin and contrasting hair. “I never used to care for things like this,” he admitted, eyes fixed on the horizon. “The beach, days like this, laughter. But now, I…” His words faded, as if they were caught by the sea breeze before he could finish them.

He stepped closer, water swirling around your feet now too, and his hand slipped into yours, cool from the waves. His gaze softened when it landed on you—quiet affection that could melt even the harshest storm. “It’s different now. You make it different.”

A volleyball suddenly flew past, crashing into the surf beside you both. Laughter echoed as Denki shouted an apology. Shoto sighed, clearly unimpressed, and stepped forward, shielding you from the spray of water that followed. He glanced over his shoulder, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. “Ignore them. Just stay here with me.”

The world around you seemed to blur—the laughter of classmates, the crash of waves, even the sun overhead paling compared to the boy who held your hand like it was the only anchor he needed. Shoto looked at you fondly, expression unreadable yet full of meaning. He watched you light up and laugh, his heart beating loudly in his chest.

With you, everything was lighter. His whole world.