A/N: This story takes place in the same post-anime continuity as stories like "If You Search Your Heart" and "Date Night Resolve."

~X X X~

"I…I'm still not sure that this is a good idea," Kurusugawa Himeko said. It was not the first time that she'd expressed such sentiments, something that any onlooker would have been able to deduce from the pained groan her companion let out.

"I thought that absurd romantic nerves were supposed to be Himemiya-san's big flaw," Saotome Makoto said. "You can't take that away from her, Himeko; she needs all the flaws she can get. She's already perilously close to having fan clubs spontaneously spring up and glomp onto her wherever she goes. Do you want to turn her into a rolling ball of adoring onlookers? I think that's how they made that one boss in Castlevania, come to think of it."

Himeko giggled, unable to help herself.

"You're being silly, Mako-chan."

"Not as silly as you. I'm not the one protesting that my girlfriend might not want me to surprise her. Not that I could, because I don't have a girlfriend, but you see my point."

"I just don't want her to feel like I'm trying to force myself on her company. I mean, this was a trip for the music department students, to relax from and celebrate their summer recital performance. I'm not even in the music program, and I don't want to intrude on Chikane-chan."

Makoto's hand flinched as if she was about to facepalm but had managed to suppress the urge.

"Himeko…"

"Yes?"

"Look at it this way. You photography majors have your big summer exhibition in two weeks, right? So what if all of you decided to go on a weekend trip. Would you resent it if Himemiya-san showed up as a surprise for you?"

"Of course not! I'd love to have Chikane-chan along wherever—oh."

"See?"

"But that's not quite the same, Mako-chan. Chikane-chan has so many plans and activities that her schedule will be very full, and—"

Makoto snorted, indicating her opinion of that argument.

"And just when in the eleven months since you've known her has Himemiya-san ever suggested she'd rather do any of her fancy-pants stuff than spend time with you?" she said, fists planted on her hips.

"Um…never?"

"Then quit being such a ninny and get down to that beach and see your girlfriend!" Makoto snapped, punctuating the sentence by pointing dramatically. Though that might just have been her being helpful, given that Himeko's sense of direction was not always the best.

"All right," Himeko gave in.

"Good. You backsliding into 'she's out of my league and I don't want to be a bother' territory is just boring."

"But…if Chikane-chan and I spend our time together, what will you do?"

Makoto grinned.

"I'm going to buy the raciest swimsuit I can find, take a bunch of pictures, and send them to Souma with the advice that he'd better finish his research paper soon and get his butt down here."

"Mako-chan!"

"Oh, like you haven't been imagining Himemiya-san in a bikini from the day she mentioned this trip."

"Um…maybe a little?"

"Good, then move it, girl!"

She gave Himeko a little shove in the direction of the steps, and Himeko obediently headed that way, her long hair whipping out behind her in the ocean breeze. It was a beautiful June day, the sun warm but without the leaden heaviness of the late summer. The salt of the sea joined with the aroma of yakitori and grilled fish rising from the beach huts. Families laughed and played, couples strolled or sunbathed hand-in-hand, and children ran by, recklessly putting their ice cream cones at risk.

Her gaze swept over the throng of beachgoers, searching out the mixed group of college students that ought to stand out among the adults and children. Most of all, she tried to catch sight of Chikane, looking for that long sweep of midnight-black hair, the pale skin and curvaceous figure. It wasn't easy, not without any idea of where the music students were or even what their plans at the beach were.

It would be just my luck if I worked up my courage to come out here, only to show up while they're all off parasailing or something like that.

She walked down the stairs, the hem of her sundress fluttering in the breeze. Himeko was looking around to see into the various beach-hut restaurants and concessions to see if Chikane was in any of them when another gust flared up and whisked her broad-brimmed hat right off her head.

Himeko yelped in surprise, then spun and chased after the runaway hat. With devilish luck, it hit on its edge and went spinning across the sand like a crazed wheel. Himeko's cheeks flamed as she realized how ridiculous she must have looked, racing after a rolling hat past couples stretched out on beach towels and children building sand castles, every step sending sand spraying up in her wake. Finally, though, friction and gravity had their way and after forty yards or so the hat toppled to a halt. Himeko ran up just as a hand reached down to pick it up.

"Thank…you…" she panted out between wheezing gasps for breath (she really wasn't what you'd call athletic). Bent over, she didn't see who her helpful Samaritan was.

"I didn't really do anything, you know. It stopped on its own."

That voice wasn't one she'd mistake, though.

"Chikane-chan!" she yelped, snapping upright like an uncoiling spring.

"Hello, Himeko," her girlfriend said, giving her a warm smile.

No wonder I didn't notice her at first, Himeko realized. Rather than wearing a swimsuit, Chikane seemed to be covering up as much as a movie star trying not to be recognized. She wore a lightweight beach jacket with full sleeves and a sarong tied around her waist, sandals peeking from beneath the hem. Her striking eyes were hidden as well, behind expensive-looking sunglasses, and instead of her usual headband she wore a sun hat not too different from the one she handed back to Himeko.

"I…I hope you don't mind. I had some free time this weekend, so I came down here to see if we could hang out together?" She fumbled with her hat. "Well, um, it's more that I was moping around the apartment making Mako-chan's life miserable with all my complaining about how much I missed you, so she said I should just go after you and give her a break."

Chikane giggled.

"Now, that sounds like something Saotome-san would say."

"Is it all right, though? I know you're with the rest of your group and—"

"Silly Himeko. Of course I'm glad you came! It's not like we're back in high school on some kind of organized tour. This trip is just a way for us to enjoy ourselves and let off some stress after our performances. And there's no one that I'd rather celebrate with than you, Himeko."

Himeko let out a sigh.

"I'm so glad to hear it. I feel the same way, and I just hated being apart from you. I almost felt kind of creepy, like I was stalking you or something.

"Himeko," Chikane chided, "you're the last thing from creepy."

"Chikane-chan…"

Then, love, happiness, and relief couldn't be held back any longer, and Himeko reached out to embrace her girlfriend—only for Chikane to pull back away from her.

"Chikane-chan?" Himeko's insecurity pounced without mercy. "There is something, isn't there? You're too nice to just say so, but I'm butting in on your plans."

"No! It's just that you can't hug me, at least not one of those big, squeezing glomps you usually like to do."

"But why? What did I do?"

"It's not what you did; it's me. Yesterday, I…" She glanced aside, not meeting Himeko's curious gaze.

Is she…embarrassed? That was not an emotion easily associated with Himemiya Chikane!

"I was up late the night before from our party, and that was in addition to already being tired from the trip down. I was so worn out that I fell asleep on my beach blanket and didn't wake up until my senpai Kitamura-san fetched me for lunch. I…hadn't even put on my sunblock before I fell asleep, either."

"Oh, no! So you're…"

"All sunburnt and peeling, yes. That's why I'm keeping covered up today."

"That's not good, Chikane-chan. You should have made sure to put the lotion on before you even left the hotel if you were sleepy."

"It's not that bad. I should be well on the way to healing up in a couple of days."

"It's important," Himeko insisted. "I don't know why, but I have a strong feeling that you, especially, really need to be particularly respectful of the sun!"