A/N: I'm finally back after my longest break yet! I really missed writing and I hope you missed me too, lol. I won't leave for good unless I properly tell you guys, so don't worry :) Summer ended way too soon, so I wanted to write a story that was completely dedicated to this year's summer (which was AMAZING btw, despite not getting into the writing school ;_;). This will probably be shorter than my other ones, but I'm very proud of this idea. Without further talk, PLZ ENJOY ;3

July, 2011

I didn't expect anything new.

Different, yes. But not new. Azusa, for instance. She wasn't new. She was different. And her dad. They were new too. Other than that, everything matched my memories of the entire cottage, weather, mood and temperature. The fucking temperature. The aircondition was installed and my leg sweat too. Then again, it was not anything new. Or different. Just Azusa and her dad.

«Phew …» Takai-san stretched his arms after slamming his bag on the wooden floor. I felt a drop of leg sweat run down my inner thigh when he turned his face towards me while I was laying down on the moist and beige-colored leather couch. He grinned at me, forcing me to do the same.

«I hope you don't mind us joining this year. We're basically ruining you and your family's summer tradition, aren't we?» he said in his natural hoarse voice. That was like the first time he talked to me since he greeted me that morning. «Of course not,» it naturally came out. «It's weird how fast people become friends.» He nodded and chuckled. «Well, I've known Isao since grade school, but … Y'know, he's a pretty decent dart player too. That you and Azusa were the same was a complete coincidence, though,» he said.

Azusa was in another class in high school, but it didn't take me too long to let alone, learn her name. With her sort-of-but-not-quite barbie doll appearence, she was often talked about in the girl and boy squads. Yeah, she was really pretty… Super pretty. I thought she was going to give me a heart attack when I heard her clicking footsteps coming towards the living room.

I heard strands of her whip the back of her neck as she appeared right by her dad. They didn't look very similar, to be my blunt self. She had deeper eyes than him and her hair was lighter. Other than that … No, they look very different.

«Kishinuma-san said that we can use the bath now. Who wants to go first?» she asked and showed me a gleaming smile. I smiled back at her. Someone who got a lot of attention was automatically labelled as stuck-up in my head. Azusa was really nice, though. She gave me respect in every aspect, so I returned it for the most part.

«Please, you guys can go ahead,» I offered. «Really? Aren't you hot?» she asked. I shrugged and reassured her: «I planned to go for a swim anyways.» She snarled at me. «In the ocean? You'll still need to take a shower if you have salt all over you and wet sand on your feet.» I was about to shrug again when dad made his way into the living room too with his heavy footsteps.

«It's no use, Azusa. That boy has some kind of emotional attachment to that beach. I'll try to convince him later so you can relax in the shower in the meantime,» he said and smirked, making his wrinkles highlight his sharp chin and outstanding cheekbones. «Thanks a lot, old man,» I groaned. He and Azusa laughed. «Please go ahead, dad,» Azusa said, raising her hand before he could protest. «Well … Alright, then,» he mumbled with a slight laugh and left the room, along with dad. No, he wasn't going to join him in the shower. He was going to clean up the dusty kitchen, so shut your dirty mind up.

Azusa linked her hands together behind her back as she silently looked at me. She chewed on her bottom lip and fidgetly moved her shoulders up and down. I had no reason to be quiet, but I didn't have a reason to start a conversation either. Once I started thinking about the beach I couldn't stop. Feeling the sand between my toes and get the shivers from the cold and salty water. I came to this cottage with my dad almost every year since I turned 13. In short, I've been here every summer for 10 years, leaving my mother and younger sister at home. This year was different though, like I mentioned. Dad decided to bring his short-time dart partner Takai-san and his oldest daughter. I guess … I didn't mind that much.

I guess.

«You're not … mad at me, are you?» Azusa asked. I jerked my head up, surprised at her question. «Why would I? That's the real question,» I said. She sensed my attitude and frowned for a second. «I didn't mean to act so rudely,» she said. I raised my eyebrow. Rude, huh … She must be really sensitive to think of what she said as «rude». «I forgive you, I guess. They were pretty tolerable jokes to me,» I said. She sighed and swayed her arms back and forth.

«… You can go to the beach whenever you want, I mean,» she said. I smirked and nodded. «Even if you were serious, I would still go,» I explained and hoisted myself up from the couch, slightly shivering at the feeling of my leg sweat still running down. «O-Oh well …» Azusa giggled and kept her gaze fixed on the floor as I walked past her. I could almost hear the ocean calling for me. And the fact that Azusa kinda smelled like sea salt didn't help much.

«Tell dad that I'll be out for a bit … or, a while,» I said, but Azusa put her hand on my shoulder before I could leave. «Meet us at that diner this evening, then. What was it called again?» she mumbled. I was jumping up and down repeatedly like a little kid and yelled out: «Rising star! It's Rising Star!» Azusa laughed and finally released me. I ran outside and shut the door behind me.

I didn't expect anything new.

The center of the sky was blue and bleeding orange towards the horizon where the sun was almost setting. The beach breeze tickled my ears and freshened up my pores. The cream colored sand was just as I remembered it; velvety as I ran my bare feet through it. Just the sound of the sea made me want to fall head first into a fire in joy. For long, yet short minutes I only witnessed the remains of my memories and didn't notice that I wasn't alone until I heard a voice that wasn't a part of them.

«Aaaaah … That's how you sang it …»

It felt like a fiery lightning searing my nerves and fingertips, even though the voice sounded meltingly sweet. I mentally built a shell around me when I realized that my privacy was gone. Just about 10 feet to the right, I saw a very low-built girl with her slim back turned to me. Her hair was midnight-blue, long and light as air as it floated along the breeze as well as her long, pastel blue dress. She stood elegantly on her thin and pale legs with a black notebook in her hand and a pen in the other. She scribbled away while humming very loudly, as if she thought she was alone like I did. Okay, so she was a cute girl.

Why couldn't I get back to whatever business I was in?

My legs and arms felt like jelly, yet I could still stand completely stiff, staring at a girl who just stood there as she wrote swiftly over a page. The whole image of her as the water splashed over her tiny feet looked like a master's painting. So simple, yet … I wanted to stop staring. I wasn't hypnothized or anything … That would've been too cheesy. I simply didn't want to look away. That sight was worth more than gold. It was just that. Just that …

Another lightning burned the sides of my stomach and toes when she suddenly turned towards me with another breeze that suddenly hit me.

«Ah …!»

I gulped just after my choked gasp and I wobbled a little behind. The sight of her face made me a little dizzy as I stood there. She looked like she was in shock too and held the notebook very tightly against her chest. Her narrow, alluring and deep-blue eyes were widened and her thick eyelashed cast shadows down her round cheeks. She looked suprisingly … mature in a very weird way. Not weirs, actually. I just didn't dare to say the word «hot» or «sexy». Fuck, why couldn't I just speak?!

«I'm sorry! I didn't mean to listen!» The words came out too fast for me to hesitate. Her shoulders sank, so I guess she started to relax. «No … I was just suprised,» she said in a low and shockingly raspy voice. High-pitched, yes. But raspy, too? Like … wow. «Me too, to be honest. I usually don't see many people here,» I said. She cocked her head to the side. «Usually?» she repeated. I scratched my chin.

«Um … I mean, last year there weren't many people here.»

«Ah, okay. I moved here last year too.»

«Really …? I thought this area was pretty isolated.»

«It is. There are only a few cottages here. That's all.»

«Uh-huh.»

With the conversation-potion all chugged down, I naturally stared at her notebook that was pressed against her breasts. What else could I ask about? It really was the only thing I wanted to ask about. «That …» I pointed at the black notebook. She stared down at it and broke into a heart-stopping grin.

«What are you writing?» I asked after mustering up the courage. I felt my chest tighten when she looked me in the eyes while grinning so sickeningly sweetly. She puckered up her supple lips and put her finger in the center of them.

«It's a secret.»

Fast and swiftly like the wind, she suddenly ran past me. The girl didn't give me a full answer, leaving me completely dazed by the remains in my mind and the sweet scent of perfume. I was afraid that looking behind me would leave an even harsher pain in my chest. I kept my gaze fixed on the sand for God knows how long.

How did I end up in Rising Star again?

«Geez, you're really no good … We were starving up here!» Azusa complained after a large sip of lemonade. The muted lights lit up the country club-like diner, packed with young people chugging beer. Two of them were my and Azusa's dad, only they were old men. With red cheeks and a rowdy voice, Takai-san said: «Well, well Yoshiki is here! Isn't that all that matters. Huh? Huh?!» «Damn right, my man!» dad jovially blurted out and rested his arm over Takai-san's shoulder. Azusa shook her head shamefully and turned to me. «Can you believe that they always act like this?» I nodded and chuckled. «They're getting worse as the years go,» I commented, but shut my mouth when a man with a mic suddenly stepped on the stage right ahead of our table.

«Now, for our ultimate treat tonight we have quite the candy for you all. Both for your eyes, ears and hearts. She sings songs from a genre she herself refers to as «hollywood sadcore» but will light up the entire place with the strings on her guitar and drops of seductiveness in her voice. Please welcome, Midnight Sun!»

Midnight Sun … That sounds like a cheap stage name, I thought at first. Later on, I would definitely feel like an offender and feel offended that I would act like that. The red stilettos made a way for her existence as the woman with the curled, midnight-blue locks appeared on the stage with a black acoustic guitar in her hand. Her lips, dress and nails were red as well as the decorative rose in her hair. I didn't expect that it was going to be the same girl I met earlier … and I surely didn't expect my body to react so powerfully to her seductive precense.

My entire body throbbed along with my heart as my blood rushed to my head and unknown corners in my body. The way she stared out to me and the other people in the audience … I still felt like she only looked at me. Like the whole act was for me.

I had never in a million years thought that it was possible to feel that way with both my mind and soul.

«Midnight Sun, everybody!»

A/N: I really hope you guys like this one. I always try to not write cheesily and rather very deeply and maturely, so that you don't cringe at the descriptions but rather feel touched. I think I did an okay job … I think XD Plz review and tell me your thoughts! UNTIL NEXT TIME ;3