The Fallen War

Episode 19: Island Vibes and Swimsuit Dilemmas

LThe first-year students had finally earned a much-needed break after the grueling battle royale. As a reward, the academy arranged a relaxing trip to a tropical island. Palm trees, white sand beaches, crystal clear waters—it was the perfect paradise.

Of course, no trip to an island would be complete without the most important item of the day: swimsuits.

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**Maiku’s Mission: Find the Perfect Swimsuit**

Inside the island's bustling shopping mall, Maiku, Faye, and Saye found themselves standing in front of racks of bikinis, one-pieces, and every kind of swimwear imaginable. The three girls, who had all survived the brutal final test, were now facing a far greater challenge—picking the perfect swimsuit.

“I don’t know what to choose,” Maiku muttered, eyeing a particularly flashy bikini. “How am I supposed to know what looks good on me?”

Faye, ever the cheerful sister, bounced over with a playful grin. “Maiku, you’re the cutest girl in the whole school! You’ll look good in *anything*!”

Saye nodded in agreement, her usual calm demeanor not hiding the fact that she was totally invested in this shopping trip. “Faye’s right. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Maiku, however, wasn’t convinced. She glanced over at Faye, her expression serious. “But what does *Josh* like? What’s his type?”

Faye blinked, taken off guard by the question. She tilted her head thoughtfully, tapping her chin. “Josh’s type? Hmm, I don’t really know. He’s never talked about it.”

Maiku sighed in frustration, feeling no closer to cracking the code of Josh’s heart.

“But!” Faye chimed in, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “If I had to guess, he might like a girl who’s strong but also… well, confident! And you’re definitely strong. Plus, if you wear something that shows a little more of your lovely skin, you might have a chance. Who knows, maybe he’ll notice you!”

Maiku’s face flushed a deep red at the thought, but Faye’s words sparked an idea. She scanned the racks again until her eyes landed on a sleek, deep-blue bikini that matched the color of her hair perfectly. It wasn’t too revealing, but it definitely showed off her athletic figure. She held it up for the others to see.

“What about this?” Maiku asked, half-expecting them to burst into laughter.

Faye gasped. “That’s perfect! You’re totally going to catch his eye in that!”

Saye raised an approving eyebrow. “I have to admit, that’s a good choice.”

Maiku smiled, feeling a flicker of hope. Maybe this was her chance. If Josh didn’t notice her in the heat of battle, maybe he’d finally see her on this relaxing trip. After all, they were in paradise—what could go wrong?

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**The Josh and Don Side Quest**

Meanwhile, across the mall, Josh and Don were doing what all boys on a tropical vacation do—absolutely nothing productive. The two wandered from store to store, mostly bored, with Don trying on a ridiculous assortment of sunglasses and hats. Josh, on the other hand, seemed indifferent, his mind clearly elsewhere.

“Yo, check this out,” Don said, slipping on a pair of oversized, neon-pink sunglasses. He posed dramatically in front of a mirror, striking a model-like stance. “Think I’ll impress the ladies?”

Josh glanced at him and shrugged. “Sure.”

Don shook his head. “Man, you are the most unenthusiastic person I know. We’re on an island vacation! Loosen up a little!”

Josh sighed. “I’m relaxed.”

“Yeah, sure. You’re about as relaxed as a sniper on a high-stakes mission.” Don slid on another pair of aviators, smirking at his reflection. “Come on, Josh. You’ve got to have some fun while we’re here. Maybe catch some rays, talk to the girls. I’m pretty sure Maiku’s been throwing heart-shaped grenades at you lately.”

Josh frowned, clearly not understanding what Don was hinting at. “Heart-shaped grenades?”

Don facepalmed. “Dude, I’m talking about how Maiku likes you! You know… likes you *likes* you.”

Josh blinked. “Huh?”

Don let out a groan of disbelief. “Man, you’re so dense, it’s painful to watch.”

Josh stared blankly at Don, clearly not following. “We’re here to relax, not talk about grenades.”

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**The Swimsuit Reveal**

Back in the swimsuit section, Maiku, Faye, and Saye had finally settled on their selections. Faye chose a cute, frilly swimsuit in a soft pink that matched her bubbly personality, while Saye opted for a sleek black one-piece that made her look effortlessly cool.

Maiku, of course, had chosen the blue bikini, and now it was time for the grand reveal.

As the girls stepped out of the changing room, Faye couldn’t contain her excitement. “Oh my gosh, Maiku, you look amazing!”

Saye nodded in approval. “If Josh doesn’t notice you in that, he’s blind.”

Maiku blushed, feeling both flattered and nervous. “You think so?”

Faye beamed. “Definitely! He’ll be falling over himself when he sees you!”

The three girls giggled as they admired each other’s swimsuits, but the laughter was cut short when they spotted Josh and Don wandering into the store.

“Oh, speak of the devil,” Faye whispered, nudging Maiku.

Maiku’s heart skipped a beat as Josh came closer, completely unaware of her presence. She was about to walk over and “accidentally” bump into him when—

*Crash!*

Don, in his usual clumsy fashion, had knocked over a rack of sunglasses, sending them tumbling all over the floor.

“Oh, come on!” Don exclaimed, trying to catch the falling glasses and failing miserably. “Who puts a sunglasses rack *right* in the middle of the store?!”

Josh didn’t even blink, already used to Don’s antics. He leaned down, picking up a pair of sunglasses from the mess and handing them to Don without a word.

Maiku, still standing in her swimsuit, couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here she was, trying to impress Josh, and the only thing that caught his attention was Don’s clumsiness.

“Hey, uh, Maiku,” Don said, glancing up and finally noticing her. His eyes widened as he took in her swimsuit. “Wow, look at you! You’re going all out, huh?”

Josh looked up, finally registering Maiku’s presence. He stared at her for a moment, his expression as unreadable as ever.

“You… look different,” Josh said, in what could only be described as the most anticlimactic compliment of all time.

Maiku’s heart sank. “Different” wasn’t exactly what she had been going for.

“Thanks,” she muttered, forcing a smile.

Faye burst out laughing, unable to hold it in anymore. “Oh, Maiku, don’t worry! That’s just Josh’s way of saying you look great!”

Josh glanced at Faye, then back at Maiku. “Yeah, I guess you look… good.”

Maiku couldn’t help but laugh at the awkwardness of the moment. Despite all her efforts, Josh was still as dense as ever. But somehow, his cluelessness was almost… charming?

As the group left the mall, Maiku couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this trip wasn’t about winning Josh’s heart right away. Maybe it was about having fun, making memories, and dealing with the chaos that came with hanging out with people like Josh and Don.

And who knows? There was always the beach tomorrow.