Chiaki swung her legs back and forthfrom her seat on the large, bent over palm tree. The salty tropicalbreeze hitting her face, blowing a bit of her pink hair into herface. She absently tucks the strand behind her ear, her eyes stillglued to the DS in her hands. The sound of waves and seagulls wereall she could hear and despite her eyes not being on the view, shecould see her hands and legs were coated in a beautiful golden hue asthe sun was just beginning to set over the island. She hit the pausebutton on her game. Something about this whole situation caused anodd feeling to bubble up in her heart. She couldn't quite place herfinger on it. Like nostalgia. Or melancholy. Or deja vu. She justcouldn't tell. She looked out over the water to see the ocean coatedin that same beautiful gold. It really was amazing.
Then she heard something. Laughter.Slowly getting louder and louder. "Nanami-san!" She turned herhead, her lips parted a little in surprise at the two approachingboys, getting closer as they ran across the sand. A tiny smile spreadacross her lips. She looked down at them as they stood beneath her,smiling right back up at her. The golden light bathed their forms ina way she'd never seen them before. Two sets of eyes, two differentshades of green, shining with a golden glow as the warmth andkindness in their eyes were clear to her. It felt like a well madecutscene in a game. But like, way better.
Hinata walked over and hoisted himselfup onto the bent tree to sit beside her as Komaeda leaned against iton her other side. The brunette sighed exasperatedly, "We've beenlooking everywhere for you!" The pale boy nodded in agreement.
Chiaki couldn't help but smile again,looking down to close her pink DS, leaving it in her lap, "Sorryguys. I've been here the whole time though." Hinata groans a littlein frustration, causing the girl to laugh a little bit.
The white haired male crosses his armsand smiles up at her, "We're glad we found you. We can't havesomeone as great as you going off and dying on us now can we?"
Her smile falters as she looks back athim, blinking in confusion. That odd feeling swelling in her chestseemed to grow stronger in that moment, an ache of uncertainfamiliarity flooding her senses. She unconsciously reaches up,pressing her hand to her chest as though it will allieviate thepainful sensation. What... is this...?
She jolts back to reality as she feelsa hand on her shoulder. Her eyes refocus to see a concerned lookingKomaeda placing a hand on her knee, running his thumb soothingly overthe one spot in careful circles, she looks back to Hinata, whosebrows are knit together with worry, "Are you okay?"
She pauses. Am I okay? She takes a deepbreath, the feeling still lingering in her ribcage, before smilingback at him reassuringly, "Yeah. I'm good." The breeze kicks upslightly and she instictively places her one hand in her lap to keepher skirt in place as her other hand reaches up to keep her hairbehind her ear. She turns her eyes to the rolling waves of shimmeringgold before her. "It's just... This moment, here with you guys...reminded me of something." She swallows a little choosing herwords, "It's just like this one video game I love. There's a scene,just like where we are now, when the three friends had a moment ofjust... knowing that they'd be together forever. By fate and all thatstuff." She laughs a little bit, "That's a bit silly huh."
Komaeda speaks up after a moment, hiseyes focusing on the water, "That... is so full of hope,Nanami-san." He tilts his head, a smile crossing his lips, "Itsbeautiful." She stares at her friend for a moment, her heartstarting to swell with a new emotion.
Hinata hums, drawing Chiaki's attentionback to him as he leans back a little on the trunk, "Normally, Ithink he's crazy when he starts talking about hope, but..." Heturns his head to her, a smile just barely tugging at the corners ofhis mouth, "He's right."
All three turn their attention back tothe water, the golden light now fading into a deep orange, then redas the sun's colors seem to bleed into the sea. "I hope we'll betogether forever." She says softly. She assumes neither of themhear her, but they both do, choosing instead to relish in this momentof happiness. The feeling of hope and love between friends fillingthe silence and the space between them like a soft lulling vibration.
A strong hope, like a strong bond between friends.
