"Mondo, while I appreciate the gesture, don't you think it's a little cold today for the beach?" Ishimaru asked as the couple pulled into the empty parking lot.

"Why? It's only 50 degrees out." Mondo had that smirk on his face that meant he was up to something.

"That's what I mean. Look, there is no one else here." He rolled the car window down to feel the exact temperature of the chilly fall air outside.

"'S why we're here. I didn't wanna share you with anyone else." He turned the car off, waiting for Ishimaru's response before doing anything else.

"Oh," the former hall monitor said. "But are we really going to walk around in the sand? Our shoes will get dirty."

The former gang leader laughed. "If you're really worried about it, I'll buy you a new pair of boots." He opened the car door. "C'mon, let's go walk around.'

The college student reluctantly agreed, but started to unlace his boots. Mondo removed his shoes as well, and once the boys had their shoes off and their pants rolled up they proceeded to the sandy shore. Ishimaru decided that he would try to have a good time, at least for Mondo's sake. The former gang leader drove them an hour and a half to get here, so he must have put a lot of thought into it.

The couple decided to walk along the beach picking a landmark in the distance to turn around once they reached it. Ishimaru tried to think of something to say to steer the conversation away from the weather and the beach, but Mondo beat him to it. "So how've your classes been going, babe?"

"Oh, they have been fine. I am getting top marks in all of them, but honestly I feel as if my economics class is too easy. We have been learning the same material that they taught us at Hope's Peak." He looked up at the larger boy to see if he was actually listening. "Do you think so?"

The former gang leader looked at the college student with confusion. "Huh? Do I think what? About your class?"

The reply didn't really give Ishimaru a definite answer. "I was trying to see if you were listening to me."

Mondo took Ishimaru's hand and held it in his. "Of course I was listening. I asked, didn't I?"

Ishimaru curled his fingers around Mondo's hand. "Yes, you did. Sorry. Anyway, tell me about you. How is your apprenticeship going? Don't you have a test soon?"

Mondo sighed. "Yeah, unfortunately. There's just so much more math than I thought there'd be."

"How much mathematics were you expecting?"

"None." He was being completely serious, but Ishimaru still found his answer kind of funny.

The college student stifled a laugh. "Well I told you, didn't I? If you want me to help you study, I can."

The former gang leader brought Ishimaru's hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Thanks, babe, but I told ya. You're too distracting to study with."

"Alright, but if you start doing poorly I'm going to have to intervene. I cannot have my boyfriend failing and giving up on his dream because of me." Ishimaru copied Mondo, kissing the back of his hand.

After finishing their walk and returning to the spot where they started, Mondo made a suggestion that caught Ishimaru by surprise. "Wanna go out in the water a little bit?"

He couldn't possibly be serious, could he? "You mean go swimming? We don't have any of the necessary items needed for such an activity, plus it's just too cold."

"We don't gotta go swimming, I just mean walk in the water a little bit."

The former hall monitor protested. "I would like to advise against it. The water will make the sand stick to our feet upon leaving the water. Are you even listening to me?" It was no use. By the time Ishimaru had finished trying to deter him, Mondo was already calf deep in the ocean.

"C'mon babe, it's not that cold," he yelled out to the college student.

"Very well," Ishimaru said as he reluctantly walked into the water to stand next to his irrational lover. The water was cold, and the shock caused the college student to gasp. Mondo met him halfway, placing his arms around the smaller boy and giving him a kiss.

Every now and again the waves from the ocean would be taller and stronger, and the two young men would have to scurry backward in order to avoid getting their pants wet. They played like this in the waves for a while, when they noticed the sun was starting to set. Just as Ishimaru suggested they head back to the car, a giant wave caught them off guard. They tried to escape it, but to no avail. The larger boy managed to hold his footing, only getting soaked from the waist down. The smaller boy, however, was knocked off his feet into the water.

"Woah, Kiyo, you okay!?" Mondo ran over to the former hall monitor, grabbing his hand to help him up.

"Y-Yeah, just really cold." He was soaked from head to toe.

"Aw, man, I'm sorry, Kiyo, this is all my fault..." Mondo held him close, almost smothering him.

"No, it's fine! I promise!" Ishimaru pushed his boyfriend away. "I don't want you getting wet, too. Let's just head back." He held his head down, embarrassed at being knocked over by the wave.

"Hey Kiyo, watch this." Mondo took a step back and smiled at Ishimaru, allowing himself to fall backward into the water. "Mondo, no!" Ishimaru tried to catch him, but missed the other boy's hand and lost his footing again, tumbling back into the water on top of his boyfriend. They sat up, and Ishimaru scolded the former delinquent. "Mondo, what were you thinking!? Now we're both wet and MMF-" He was cut off by Mondo placing his hands on his face and kissing him intensely. The college student returned the kiss, placing his hands on the back of his boyfriend's head. All of the anger and stress he had from the situation melted away, the two embracing each other while the cold waves of the ocean washed over them.

When they finally made their way back to the car, the sun had nearly set. They decided to remove their wet clothes and drive back wearing just their underwear, though thankfully Mondo had a blanket in the back of his car for Ishimaru to wrap himself in. Just as Mondo was about to turn the car on, Ishimaru stopped him.

"Wait, Mondo. Let's watch the sun set before we go back."

Mondo removed his hands from the steering wheel, leaving the keys in the ignition. "Sure thing babe."

A lone lamp-posted dimly illuminated the parking lot with a soft light. As they watched the sun lower beneath the horizon, they turned their gazes to meet each other. They reached their hands out, lacing their fingers together and leaning in to kiss one another. They looked each other in the eyes once more, and decided it was still much too early to end their trip to the beach.