Reluctant Hero | Amaki Ren

Chapter 32 | Ocean Waves

"I've been alone most of my life that I nearly forgot how to rely on anyone else other than myself."

After an entire day of training and leveling up, Sakura's party were finally relieved from their duties and are now allowed to enjoy their stay in Cal Mira. Nami and Ria were the first ones to run full speed to the beach after changing into their swimwear. The adults following behind could only watch helplessly as the two goofed around. Even if they try to scold them, they're sure that their words will just tunnel through one ear to another like it was nothing.

It isn't worth the energy to scold the two young ones of the party, and everyone knows that.

"Sakura-sama, would you like anything from the bar?" Freya asks, already wearing her beach wear. Unlike Ria who was equipped to swim and enjoy the water, Freya wore a rather more fashionable style of clothing that Sakura would deem instagramable in her world. She had a white off-shoulder top that hugged below her breasts and a flowy see-through skirt with a slit to show her legs.

And while Freya and Ria were dressed for the occasion, Sakura couldn't bother. She only wore a simple clean shirt and pants that cut down below her knees, white flip flops protecting her feet from the grainy sand.

"I'm alright." Sakura replied, folding her arms over her chest. Her eyes remained on the two playing by the water, attentively assessing their every move. "I'll stay here and watch over those two. They could drown for star's sake."

Freya giggled. Though rough with her words, she knew that Sakura only meant well by saying such a thing. Ria and Nami may be at the age to be responsible for themselves, but Sakura doesn't particularly care about age to worry about a comrade. It was one of her ways to show that she actually cares for others, even when she tried to deny it on multiple occasions.

"Well, then, Haru and I will go ahead and check the bar." She gestured to the male standing by her other side. He had his hands tucked in his beach shorts, his white polo unbuttoned and showing off a rather defined chest that had most girls in the beach gawking. The NPCs designed to fill the beach are had heart eyes for star's sake.

"Enjoy, but don't get drunk."

"We won't!"

And the two left to have their own little world together.

Sakura settled with sitting down on the sand under a coconut tree nearby, tucking her knees close to her chest with her arms circled around her limbs. Being a rather secluded child, she had only gone to the beach a few times before she was put into a traumatic experience that scarred her life forever. Because of it, she could never look at the sea the same way ever again.

Somehow, wherever she goes, a piece of those moments would linger in her mind and ruin her day.

"You alright?"

Before she could dive deeper into her memories, she was dragged out of her mind by the same voice that has been saving her from a lot of flashbacks for some time now. Sakura looks up, finding the raven looking down at her with a small smile on his face. His eyes were kind and gentle, as if he was worried that he might say something wrong that could scare her.

"How..." she paused, "...do you pop out at the best time?"

"Hmm?"

Ren sat himself beside the girl. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said. "I just saw you here and came by. That simple."

"That simple, huh."

She had been acting off for awhile now, and it was rather difficult for Ren not to notice when they're together most of the time. He knew that something is wrong, but he can't just force the girl into telling him. Even if he only meant to help, it may come off as forceful and negative in Sakura's eyes. He doesn't want her to feel like she can't trust anyone because he was pushy.