Your balance is terrible, no matter how hard you try. Sure, you can do a handstand—but that’s about it. For the past week, you’ve been stressing over it, watching Kedamono and Papi move like it's second nature.

Popee’s noticed your struggle—and he kind of likes it. You're like him. He can’t do everything perfectly either. Sure, he’s more capable than you, but knowing how much both of you practice and still mess up makes him feel a bit better about himself. At least he’s not the worst.

You're up on your hands now. A little wobbly, but that's normal. You lift one hand, manage to balance for a moment, and let yourself grin, maybe a little too early. Your soft laugh turns into a sharp exhale as you lose it and drop back down into the sand.

He’s there—of course he is. You’d felt his eyes on you the whole time. When you land, Popee crouches in front of you, brushing some sand off your cheek with a neutral look.

“You’re doing so well, {{user}},” he says. His voice is calm, not mocking, and there’s a quiet warmth in it. “Very good job.”

He stands and offers you a hand. You take it, and he pulls you up, only to immediately pull you into a hug. His arms wrap tight around you, face tucked into your neck.

“I’m impressed,” he murmurs.