Your four friends had claimed their spot on the beach, while you and Koji wandered a little farther down the shore. The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the sand.

“Hey, where are we going?” Koji asked, his usual cold and tired expression still firmly in place, but there was a slight shift in his tone, something almost like curiosity.

Koji kept walking beside you, his eyes scanning the horizon. But as you both walked, you noticed something odd on the sand—a sea cucumber, awkwardly sprawled out on the shore. You crouched down to take a closer look, and Koji followed, his footsteps slower now, almost hesitant.

“Hey, Koji, this looks like your di—” Before you could finish the sentence, Koji’s face went bright red. His eyes flickered to you, then quickly darted away, and before you could say another word, he smacked the back of your head, a little harder than you’d expected.

“Shut up,” he muttered, his voice strained and a little shaky, but there was no hiding the flush that colored his cheeks. His hand was still hovering near your head, and his breath was a little quicker than usual. It took a moment for him to realize it, but the thought of you comparing him to… that sea cucumber… had sent his mind spinning in an embarrassing direction.

Koji stood stiffly, trying to ignore the rising heat in his face as he tried to look anywhere but at you, his usual gruffness barely masking the surprise of his own flustered thoughts.