Maiku had one goal today: **finally** get Josh alone. For weeks now, Faye had been blocking her at every turn, swooping in with her endless interruptions and relentless sabotage. No matter how hard Maiku tried to even get a simple word with Josh, Faye would pop up, with that sweet smile of hers, and ruin everything. It was a war, and Maiku knew it.
The setting couldn’t have been more perfect—an island vacation, a day by the beach, and everyone in a good mood. But Maiku had been facing an unspoken enemy ever since she arrived. Faye. The adorable little sister with the *annoying* habit of never leaving her brother's side. It was like Faye had a sixth sense, always knowing exactly when Maiku was about to make her move.
“Hey, Josh! Have you tried these coconut smoothies?” Faye’s voice suddenly chimed in, causing Maiku to freeze mid-sentence. She had been *this* close to striking up a casual conversation with Josh, but of course, Faye appeared out of nowhere, practically shoving the drink into her brother’s hand.
Josh, oblivious as always, accepted the smoothie with a calm, “Thanks, Faye,” and Maiku gritted her teeth. *There she goes again.*
“Want to try some, Maiku?” Faye asked, offering her a straw, but Maiku knew the real game here. Every time she got within arm’s reach of Josh, Faye would swoop in with something. Snacks. Drinks. *Herself.*
“No, thanks,” Maiku forced out, her eye twitching slightly.
The day went on like that. Every time Maiku thought she had an opening, Faye would sabotage her efforts with alarming precision. When they were walking by the shore, Maiku thought it’d be nice to strike up a conversation with Josh about the waves. Before she could even say a word, Faye had already clung to his arm, dragging him toward a set of cute beachside shops.
"Josh, look at these seashells!" Faye squealed, and Maiku bit her lip. Seashells? Really? Maiku glanced around helplessly, watching Faye pull Josh away again and again.
Things didn’t improve by lunchtime. They gathered at a little restaurant near the pier, and Maiku *thought* she had a chance when Faye went off to order something. She scooted closer to Josh, who was quietly checking his phone, and casually said, “So, Josh, I—”
Suddenly, Faye was back, slipping into the seat between them like she’d teleported there. “Oh! I ordered you both burgers! You’ll love them, Maiku. Extra pickles, just how you like it!”
“I don’t even like pickles...” Maiku muttered, glaring at Faye.
“Uh-huh, sure!” Faye chirped, too sweetly. She *definitely* heard that.
Josh looked up, chewing on his straw. “Pickles are okay.”
Maiku sighed. *Pickles are NOT okay!*
---
After hours of enduring Faye’s sabotage, Maiku knew she had to take drastic measures. There was no way she’d get through this vacation without a plan—one that didn’t involve getting sabotaged every five minutes. She needed Faye **out of the way**.
It was almost comical how much thought she was putting into this. It wasn’t like Maiku had never faced obstacles before. She was ranked second in combat at the academy, an elite marksman, and a sniper with eyes sharper than a hawk’s. Yet here she was, mentally plotting against a 15-year-old girl who could sabotage her romantic hopes with a single grin.
Desperate times called for desperate measures.
She spotted Saye nearby, humming to herself as she played with a seashell. Maiku leaned in, whispering as if she were planning a secret mission. “Saye... I need your help.”
Saye blinked, then smiled innocently. “With what?”
Maiku hesitated. *How do I even explain this?* She took a deep breath and went for it. “I need you to distract Faye. Just... take her away for a while. I need to talk to Josh. Alone.”
Saye tilted her head, looking confused. “Why?”
“Because she’s been glued to him all day and I haven’t had a second to myself!” Maiku practically hissed, looking over her shoulder to make sure Faye wasn’t listening in.
Saye pondered this for a moment, then clapped her hands. “Oh! I know just the place! The candy store! Faye *loves* the candy store. They have the rarest sweets she’s obsessed with.”
Maiku nearly cried tears of joy. “Yes! That’s perfect. Just... make sure she stays there for a while, okay?”
Saye gave a thumbs-up. “You got it!”
---
With Saye’s help, the plan went into motion. Faye, lured away by promises of rare and imported candies, practically skipped to the store, happily leaving Josh behind for once. Maiku’s heart pounded with excitement. Finally, this was her chance!
Josh, completely unaware of the plot unfolding around him, was busy watching the waves when Maiku approached him. She was *so close* to confessing when—out of nowhere—the sky darkened, and a sudden downpour of rain sent them both scrambling for cover.
"Great, just great," Maiku muttered under her breath as they ducked into a small beach shelter, just big enough for the two of them.
Josh glanced around, looking unbothered by the rain, while Maiku tried to shake the water out of her hair. Of course, she was still wearing her swimsuit, and the rain had made the air feel much colder than before. Maiku shivered, trying not to let it show.
But Josh, ever the observant one (at least when it came to non-romantic matters), noticed. “You cold?” he asked.
Maiku tried to act tough. “N-no, I’m fine...”
Josh didn’t buy it. Without another word, he shrugged off his hoodie and handed it to her. “Here. Put this on.”
Maiku stared at the hoodie in disbelief. This was *Josh’s* hoodie, and he was just... giving it to her? She hesitated for only a second before pulling it on, feeling the warmth of the fabric surround her. It smelled like him—clean and simple—and her heart skipped a beat.
“T-thanks,” she stammered, pulling the hood over her head to hide her blush.
They sat in silence for a while, the sound of the rain pattering against the roof of the shelter. Maiku leaned against Josh’s shoulder, her heart pounding. This was it. She was *finally* alone with him. She was wearing his hoodie. It was the perfect moment to confess.
“I... I have something I need to tell you,” she began, her voice soft.
But before she could get the words out, exhaustion hit her like a tidal wave. She hadn’t realized just how tired she was after all the scheming and battling with Faye. Her eyelids grew heavy, and before she could stop herself, she drifted off to sleep, her head resting on Josh’s shoulder.
Josh, as always, remained blissfully unaware of the war raging within Maiku’s heart. He glanced down at her, confused for a moment, then pulled the hoodie tighter around her, protecting her from the cool evening breeze as the sun began to set.
---
Meanwhile, at the candy store, Faye was on cloud nine. She had her arms full of rare sweets, chattering away happily to Saye, completely oblivious to Maiku’s victory at the shelter.
The war was far from over, but for now, Maiku had won a small, sweet battle—one where she could rest, at peace, on Josh’s shoulder. For now.
YOU ARE READING
The Fallen War
حركة (أكشن)In a world torn apart by a devastating war that ripped the fabric of reality, rifts opened, unleashing monsters from another dimension. Magic, once abundant, was nearly drained from the world, leaving only a few individuals capable of wielding its p...
