The dream was strange—not vivid, not chaotic, but oddly still.
Saito stood at the edge of a shoreline, the tide brushing against his feet, endless waves rolling in and out. In the dream, Riko stood beside him, holding a lit sparkler. She turned to him, the crackling light outlining her expression—soft, radiant, warm.
"I'm always happiest when I'm with you," she said again.
The waves grew louder, but her voice echoed louder still. It was calm. Sincere.
And then the sparkler faded into darkness.
Saito awoke in the dim morning light of the shared room, the sound of Shun snoring lightly nearby. He blinked at the ceiling, processing the dream, his brows drawing slightly together.
Why… that line again?
His pulse, as he noticed, was slightly elevated.
He sat up quietly, careful not to disturb the others. After dressing and brushing his teeth, he stepped out onto the inn's narrow wooden balcony. The beach was visible from the hill, early joggers dotting the sand below. The air smelled like salt and citrus from the nearby trees.
He thought of her expression. Her voice. Her warmth.
Something stirred in him—uneven, uncertain.
After everyone was up and packed, they checked out of the inn and made their way into the small seaside town for lunch before heading to the station.
The restaurant was a cozy ramen place with an outdoor terrace. It overlooked the ocean, wind chimes dancing from the eaves.
"Table for six!" Mari chimed cheerfully.
They squeezed around a wooden table, menus laid out in front of them. Everyone chatted about the beach, the fireworks, and Ryouta's failed attempt at volleyball redemption.
"Still can't believe how jacked you are, Kagami," Shun muttered. "You look like you train with monks in the mountains."
"I've never trained with monks," Saito said matter-of-factly. "I simply follow a regimen."
Riko chuckled. "It was unexpected, I'll give you that."
Saito nodded, unsure how to interpret her tone. He glanced down at the condensation dripping from his iced tea.
Why does her comment linger?
Throughout lunch, he tried to join in. He laughed once when Kana made a joke about Ryouta's lobster-red sunburn. He answered when spoken to. But something remained—off-kilter.
That sparkler moment. That sentence. It replayed like a loop.
As they boarded the train and began the ride back to the city, Saito found himself sitting next to Riko. She leaned back in her seat, headphones in, quietly bobbing her head to music. He watched her from the corner of his eye.
She seemed content. Relaxed.
He was not.
Not because she was doing anything unusual, but because…
No, don't jump to conclusions. Correlation is not causation.
His hand drifted to his chest. The beat was steady—but not indifferent.
Back at their home station, the group dispersed with tired goodbyes and promises to share photos later.
Riko lingered behind with Saito. They exited the station together, walking the familiar street that connected their neighborhoods.
"I had fun," Riko said after a few minutes. "Thanks for coming."
"You thanked me already yesterday."
She smirked. "Well, now I'm thanking you post-trip."
He glanced at her. "Then… you're welcome. Again."
Up ahead, a silver van slowed to a stop.
"That's my mom," Riko said. "She said she'd pick me up since we had luggage."
She walked over, opened the passenger side, and turned back.
"You want a ride, Kagami? We're heading your direction."
He shook his head. "Thank you, but I need to stop by the store. I was asked to pick something up."
Riko tilted her head. "Oh. Okay. See you Monday?"
He nodded. "See you."
She climbed in and the van pulled away.
Saito stood alone at the intersection. The air was thick with the golden hues of late afternoon. Cicadas buzzed in the distance. A dog barked faintly from somewhere nearby.
He began to walk.
There was no rush. The breeze carried the remnants of the sea with it. Leaves rustled. His footsteps echoed faintly on the concrete.
He passed a vending machine humming softly, a shrine entrance with a flickering lantern, and a narrow alley where wind chimes danced like memories.
There was no dialogue.
Just the sound of life around him.
His thoughts were not loud, but persistent.
Riko laughing. Riko reaching for his arm. Riko handing him a sparkler.
His heart, still uneven.
When he reached the top of the final hill before his apartment, the sun began to dip, painting the sky in watercolor streaks.
He paused, exhaled, and looked ahead.
Hypothesis: I've fallen for Riko Kumijo.