~Suzuno's POV~

It was the second day of our camping... My legs were okay now from the jellyfish stings, but I rather stay in the tent and rest.

Chapter 3: Camping Day 2 - Fishing (Part 1)

It was early in the morning, it was 4:30 am, but everyone was awake for fishing. Suzuno was still asleep in the tent while everyone was out.

"...Suzuno." Hiroto called opening the tent's door/ zipper.

"Nggh..." Suzuno groaned on her bed, she didn't want to wake up yet.

"Suzuno, wake up." Hiroto went inside the tent and shook her shoulder.

"H-Hiroto...?" Suzuno looked at him, trying to open her eyes widely.

"Suzuno, time to wake up." Hiroto smiled as he sat down on Nagumo's sleeping bag.

"Huh? Why? It's so early! The sun's not even up yet." Suzuno rubbed her eyes.

"Because we're going fishing!" Hiroto laughed. "You don't want to be left behind, do you?"

"N-no!" Suzuno got up.

"Then, let's go!" Hiroto stood up and went with Suzuno outside seeing everyone lining up to get a bucket and a fishing rod from Hitomiko.

"Oh! Suzuno! How are you feeling now?" Hitomiko smiled at her giving buckets and fishing rods.

"I'm fine, I don't feel the pain anymore, thanks for asking/ worrying, though." Suzuno smiled back.

"Here, since you're fine, you could go fishing with us!" Hitomiko lent her a bucket and a fishing rod, she gave Hiroto the same thing too. Suzuno smiled and took them.

"Okay! Let's go!" Hitomiko lead them back to the path going to the beach.

"Wait, Hitomiko-san..." Suzuno looked around worriedly.

"Yes, Suzuno?" Hitomiko turned to her.

"Where's Nagumo?" Suzuno looked back at Hitomiko.

"Oh, Nagumo?" Hitomiko suddenly sighed. "He went ahead"

"Why?" Suzuno asked again.

"I guess he still feels bad about what happened yesterday." Hiroto replied, making Suzuno turn to him. Suzuno sighed.

"I hope he's okay..."

"Don't worry, he will." Hiroto smiled, but Suzuno looked down.

"Okay! Let's go!" Hitomiko continued, then they all walked to the path.

When they arrived there, they picked their own fishing spots, but they have to be close to the group. Then Suzuno saw Nagumo fishing from the dock, he seemed sad, staring on the water.

"Nagumo..." Suzuno whispered and ran to him.

Nagumo turned to her upon hearing footsteps on the wodden planks of the dock. He looked quite sad and bored in the same time.

"Nagumo!" Suzuno smiled, carrying her bucket and fishing rod.

"..." Nagumo turned away and sighed.

"Nagumo..." Suzuno whispered again.

"It was all my fault, I'm sorry." Nagumo replied, facing the sea. Suzuno turned away too.

"I know you didn't mean it." Suzuno sat beside him.

"..." Nagumo started to look sad. "But, I nearly killed you."

"N-no!" Suzuno turned to him. "I'm pretty sure it was just an accident!"

"..." Nagumo was quiet.

"Nagumo!" Suzuno hugged him tightly. "Please don't be sad anymore! I don't like to see you sad!" She shouted.

Nagumo was shocked and speechless, he blushed a little, sighed and patted Suzuno's head.

"Fine..." Nagumo smiled awkwardly. "There, happy?!" Nagumo puffed up his cheeks and continued fishing. Suzuno smiled back, still hugging him.

Suddenly, Hiroto came walking on the dock.

"Am I interrupting?" Hiroto grinned at Nagumo. Suzuno blushed and sat back beside Nagumo. Nagumo blushed too.

"No, not at all." Nagumo groaned. Hiroto chuckled.

"May I join you guys?" Hiroto asked.

"N-"

"Of coarse! The more the merrier!" Suzuno giggled. Nagumo groaned again while rolling his eyes.

"Thank you, Suzuno!" Hiroto smiled and sat along with them.

So they continued fishing, watching their floating bait from a far.

Later, Suzuno's fishing rod gets pulled.

"Ah?!" Suzuno shockly said, stood up and reeled in. Hiroto and Nagumo stood up and watched behind her.

"It's so light...! I could just pull it easily!" Suzuno pulled and the fish was reeled out of the water, but, it was just a small one. Suzuno stared at it and pouted.

"Uh... Nice catch, Suzuno." Nagumo tried not to laugh at Suzuno. "But it seems worth it!" Nagumo thought.

"I know, I know..." Suzuno sighed and took the tiny fish from the hook. Outstretched her hand to the water.

"H-hey! Where will you take it?" Nagumo turned to Suzuno.

"Back to the sea! Where else?" Suzuno smiled at Nagumo.

"But it's your catch! Keep it!" Nagumo insisted, but Suzuno shook her head chuckling.

"No, Nagumo, I'll set it free, besides, it's still young." Suzuno replied. "And maybe it's parents are looking for it, won't they be sad...?" She continued. Nagumo groaned and insisted her more.

"Suzuno! Just-"

"Nagumo, Suzuno's right, perhaps we could just let this fish live." Hiroto butted in.

"Ugh, fine, do what ever you want to do with it." Nagumo gave a "psh".

So Suzuno set the fish free, and saw it swim away freely.

"Bye-bye!" Suzuno giggled and waved. Nagumo sighed.

"Why did you even have to set it free, Suzuno?" Nagumo looked at her a bit annoyed. Suzuno closed her eyes and smiled.

"Because that tiny fish reminded of me in a dream." Suzuno replied opening her eyes again. Nagumo didn't understand, and didn't mind anyway.

"Let's just continue fishing, shallm we?" Hiroto sighed and sat by the dock again, holding his fishing rod in his hands. Nagumo and Suzuno nodded and did the same.

Leter on, Nagumo's fishing rod gets pulled.

"H-hey! I got one!" Nagumo stood up and reeled in.

"Oh!" Suzuno stood up and looked at the water to see the fish, Hiroto stood up and watched too.

"Almost!" Nagumo reeled and pulled, the fish was pulling too.

"I'll help!" Suzuno hugged Nagumo and pulled.

"Me too!" Hiroto pulled the fishing rod with Nagumo.

After so much pulling, the line snapped, making everyone fall backwards.

"N-no!" Nagumo stood up.

"It got away..." Suzuno stood up wobbling.

"Ah, it's okay Nagumo, we can get another one." Hiroto stood up and brushed his clothes to get dirt off.

Nagumo suddenly knelt in anger.

"DAMN IT!" Nagumo hardly punched the wodden floor of the dock.

"N-NAGUMO!" Suzuno knelt and held his hand. "STOP! Don't do that...!"

"Nagumo, Suzuno's right, stop hurting yourself." Hiroto tried to stop him too.

"LET GO!" Nagumo swung his hand making Suzuno fall backwards landing on her butt, she stared at Nagumo frightened.

"...D-does he hate me...? I-I..." Suzuno thought as she continued staring at him, by seeing his angry face... "...Stupid... He does hate me..." Suzuno started covering her face franticly with her arms. Suzuno tried hard not to cry.

"Suzuno!" Hiroto shouted.

Nagumo turned behind quickly and stood up. He stared at Suzuno shocked, his eyes, wide open. Suzuno tried to get up, and slowly outstretched her hand to Nagumo.

"...N-Nagum-"

"D-DON'T TOUCH ME! I-I'M DANGEROUS!" Nagumo shouted and took off.

"Nagumo!" Hiroto and Suzuno shouted as Nagumo disappeared from the bushes. Hiroto turned and helped Suzuno up.

"We better find Nagumo...!" Suzuno turned to Hiroto worriedly, holding both of her hands on her chest.

"Don't worry, we will." Hiroto replied and both of them took off to the camp site.

When they arrived, it seemed, no one was there. They looked everywhere, but when they checked in their tent, they saw him hug-kneeing on his sleeping bag, covering his head with his blacket.

"...Na-Nagumo..." Suzuno went in the tent and sat beside him on her sleeping bag. Nagumo had sad eyes, covering half of his face. Hiroto stayed outside, making sure that they won't fight.

"...Go away..." Nagumo muffled and turned away from her.

"B-but, Nagumo..." Suzuno whispered worriedly. Then it was silence for seconds.

"...Am I... Scary...?" Nagumo turned facing front, he didn't want Suzuno to see his face.

"N-Nagumo...! N-no! Of coarse not!" Suzuno replied.

"But, I saw your face, when I pushed you down... You looked... Frightened... Are you scared of me?"

"Na-Nagumo I-I..."

"I knew it." Nagumo said angrily.

"N-Nagumo, n-no! I'm not!" Suzuno shook her head franticly. Hiroto watched as they talked.

"So what were you feeling?! Scared?!" Nagumo shouted.

"...Nagumo... I..." Suzuno started to blush pink. "I like you... I just never wanted you hating me."

"W-what...?" Nagumo turned to her, blushing as well.

"You heared me... I like you." Suzuno turned away from him shyly.

"S-Suzuno..." Nagumo whispered.

"I WASN'T SCARED OF YOU! I WAS JUST SCARED OF YOU HATING ME!" Suzuno shouted at Nagumo with her teary eyes.

"Suzuno!" Nagumo shouted back to get her attention to calm down. Suzuno's lower lip shivered and hugged Nagumo tightly.

"...Please don't hate me..." Suzuno muffled on his chest. Nagumo hugged back.

"I will never hate you... You're my friend, and nothing can change that..." Nagumo whispered as he closed his eyes while stroking her hair.

"P-promise...?" Suzuno looked up at Nagumo with her light-blue teary eyes.

"I promise." Nagumo looked back at her with a calm smile. "I think I wouldn't hate you... Never."

Suzuno hugged him tighter, burying her face on Nagumo's chest again. Hiroto smiled from the window.

"Do both of you still want to go fishing?" Hiroto asked chuckling. Nagumo and Suzuno turned to him.

"W-well... I-I guess..." Suzuno sniffled and wiped her tear with her sleaves.

"HIROTO?!" Nagumo was shocked and broke up the hug. "H-HE WAS WATCHING?!" Nagumo thought.

"Yeah?" Hiroto gave a bored look. "So are you going or not?"

"O-of coarse! I'm going...!" Nagumo turned away blushing a bit.

"...But I rather just watch you guys, I don't really feel like fishing." Suzuno looked down.

"Okay, that's fine." Hiroto smiled. "C'mon, maybe Hitomiko-san might be wondering where we went."

"'Kay." Nagumo stood up and went outside the tent, Suzuno followed out too, wearing her hat and bringing Yuu-chan along.

"Okay, let's go." Hiroto went walking to the path. Nagumo and Suzuno followed behind him.

When they arrived by the dock, they met Hitomiko along.

"Suzuno! Hiroto! Nagumo! Where have you three gone to?" Hitomiko asked worriedly.

"S-sorry, Hitomiko-san..." Suzuno looked down.

"We just to-"

"We just had to get something in the camp site that's all!" Nagumo gave and awkward smile as he covered Hiroto's mouth.

"Oh, okay." Hitomiko nodded but had a strange feeling that it wasn't the real reason. "If you need me, I'll just be there at the shore, okay?"

"Okay." Nagumo and Suzuno nodded. Hitomiko smiled and left to the shore.

"Mph!" Hiroto glared and removed Nagumo's hand from his mouth. "What was that for?!"

"Don't tell anything to Hitomiko-san! She might scold or tease me!" Nagumo shouted, as if he was whispering.

"Hitomiko-san wouldn't do that! She's so kind!" Suzuno replied worriedly.

"Suzuno's right, Nagumo." Hiroto added.

"Only to you guys." Nagumo groaned. "She doesn't care about me, she's just like father."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Hiroto flew in rage and pushed Nagumo.

"Ah!" Suzuno gasped and looked worried, holding her hands on her chest, dropping Yuu-chan.

"BACK OFF!" Nagumo pushed back.

"FATHER LOVES US! DON'T JUDGE HIM LIKE THAT!" Hiroto shouted.

"St-stop!" Suzuno went in the middle and tried to stop them, while Hiroto and Nagumo were still glaring at each other. "Let's just forget it, aren't we here for fishing?"

"R-right..." Hiroto stopped. "Sorry..."

"Whatever." Nagumo rolled his eyes.

"Good." Suzuno sighed smiling and picked up Yuu-chan. "Sorry Yuu-chan... I'll be more careful." Suzuno whispered.

So they went back to fishing on the dock.

"My fishing rod is still broken... The string snapped." Nagumo pouted.

"You could use mine, I'm not going to use it anyway." Suzuno said as she looked at the water, hugging Yuu-chan, placing her feet on.

"T-thanks!" Nagumo smiled and got her fishing rod.

"What were those things that stung me yesterday? I forgot..." Suzuno asked as she swayed her legs in the water.

"They were jellyfishes, those dangerous things..." Hiroto replied while looking at the bait.

"Oh..." Suzuno looked at her legs, they were still scared, but fading in the color pink.

"Hey! Suzuno! make sure you won't fall, the water's really deep from the dock." Nagumo chuckled as he was fishing.

"O-okay..." Suzuno gulped.

"Hey! I could see a giant shell from here!" Hiroto pointed at a big-like-stone with glimering white, as big as an arm.

"W-where?!" Suzuno smiled and looked down.

"Over there!" Hiroto smiled too, still pointing at it.

"Where? I can't see i-" Suzuno went too close to the edge and lost balance, she was going to fall!

"SUZUNO!" Nagumo grabbed her jacket hood from behind. Making Suzuno drop Yuu-chan in the water.

"YUU-CHAN! NO!" Suzuno tried to jump to the water, but Nagumo held her arm. "LET GO! YUU-CHAN!" Suzuno kept struggling, then Nagumo suddenly turned her around, making Suzuno face him.

"Suzuno! We'll get Yuu-chan, don't worry." Nagumo tried to calm her down as he held her shoulders, she nodded. Suzuno eyes were wide open, she looked very worried.

"Hiroto, gove me your fishing rod." Nagumo told, Hiroto didn't say a word and gave it to Nagumo.

So Nagumo used the two fishing rods to get Yuu-chan, like chopsticks, but it only made it worse, Yuu-chan was drifting away.

"YUU-CHAN!" Suzuno started to cry.

"Nagumo! Go get it!" Hiroto shouted.

"Y-you do it!" Nagumo shouted back, he seemed that he was scared. He pushed Hiroto to the water.

"H-HIROTO!" Suzuno shouted worriedly. "NAGUMO! WHY WOULD YOU-!"

"..." Nagumo looked frightened, Suzuno never saw him that scared, he was staring at the deep part of the sea.

Hiroto didn't come back for minuites.

"W-where's Hiroto..." Suzuno became worried. "HIROTO!" She shouted. Nagumo was still silent.

Suddenly Hiroto came out from the water.

"Hiroto!" Suzuno helped him out of the water.

"*cough, cough* Suzuno..." Hiroto was couging and kneeling on the dock.

"You worried me! Don't stay in the water for too long!" Suzuno started looking around. "Where's Yuu-chan...?" Suzuno got teary-eyed, she ws also very worried about Yuu-chan.

"H-he's here... Don't worry. *cough*" Hiroto pulled Yuu-chan out from his other arm, Suzuno took and hugged Yuu-chan tightly, she cried, she was very worried.

"Y-Yuu-chan...!" Suzuno's tears soaked Yuu-chan's salty-soaked cloth. "Thank you Hiroto!" Suzuno hugged Hiroto tightly. "...Thank you." She whispered.

"Ah, it was nothing." Hiroto hugged back and smiled. Nagumo glared at them again.

"Ugh... This feeling again, the last time I felt it was when it was Suzuno's birthday last Winter..." Nagumo thought. Then they broke up the hug.

"Let's just go back, I don't feel like fishing anymore." Hiroto shivered, he was getting cold.

"Okay." Suzuno nodded, she was worried about Hiroto too. Suzuno helped Hiroto up. "Nagumo, are you coming?"

"No." Nagumo turned away. "You can both go without me." He sighed.

"Okay then... If you say so." Suzuno looked worried and glanced and went along with Hiroto to the campsite.

When they arrived, Hitomiko followed in with the others, then she was shocked Hiroto was soaking wet.

"HIROTO?! WHAT HAPPENED?! I TOLD YOU NO SWIMING TODAY!" Hitomiko was worried.

"Sorry Hitomiko-san..." Hiroto looked down.

"What happened? Did someone push you?" Hitomiko asked.

"..." Hiroto was still looking down.

"...Hitomiko-san... Yuu-chan fell in the water..." Suzuno replied.

"Then?" Hitomiko turned to Suzuno.

"Nagumo tried to use the fishing rods, but it just made Yuu-chan drift farther... Hiroto insisted Nagumo to get him and swim, but Nagumo forced Hiroto to do it and pushed him..." Suzuno replied looking down, hugging Yuu-chan. "It's my fault... I'm sorry."

Hitomiko stood up, she looked quite angry.

"Hiroto, get dressed." She told him.

"Y-yes, Hitomiko-san." Hiroto went to the tent to get his clothes.

"...Where's Nagumo?" Hitomiko angrily said softly.

"H-Hitomiko-san-"

"WHERE'S NAGUMO!?" Hitomiko shouted.

"H-he's at the dock..." Suzuno said worriedly and got frightened.

Hitomiko rushed back to the path, angrily.

"H-Hitomiko-san! W-wait!" Suzuno followed Hitomiko, with Yuu-chan still in her arms.

When Suzuno arrived at the sea, she already saw Hitomiko on the dock scolding Nagumo.

"N-Nagumo!" Suzuno whispered as she gasped, and ran to him.

"WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOU AND HIROTO?! WHY'D YOU PUSH HIM?!" Hitomiko shouted.

"..." Nagumo just kept quiet as he was looking down.

"TELL ME!" Hitomiko shouted.

"H-HITOMIKO-SAN! P-PLEASE STOP!" Suzuno came running to the dock.

"S-Suzuno...?" Nagumo whispered.

"S-Suzuno..." Hitomiko stopped by hearing Suzuno's voice.

Suzuno hugged Nagumo tightly, and never let go.

"Hitomiko-san! Please don't hurt Nagumo... It's my fault! I brought Yuu-chan in the first place..." Suzuno cried.

"Suzuno..." Hitomiko started to feel guilty, she sighed and turned to Nagumo. "Nagumo, you better be careful with your actions... This is the second and last time, this will happen again okay?" Hitomiko crossed her arms and left.

Suzuno was crying and hiccing as she was hugging Nagumo's waist. Nagumo saw Hitomiko fade away in the bushes.

"Suzuno." Nagumo helped her up. "Y-you defended me... Thank you."

Suzuno stared at him with her teary eyes.

"N-Nagumo!" Suzuno hugged his waist again. Nagumo hugged back and smiled.

...I thought I would be fishing for fish... But instead, I was fishing for Nagumo's heart.

-End of Part 1-