Day 2 - Picnic
It was a beautiful summer day at the Samegawa riverbank. Birds were chirping in the distant trees, butterflies fluttered among the dandelions, and the thin clouds above ensured that the sun wasn't scorching. It was the perfect scenario for a romantic picnic.
Or it would've been, of Souji hadn't decided all of a sudden that fishing was more interesting than making eyes at his partner.
Yosuke pouted on the blanket they'd eaten on. He supposed they shouldn't be kissing or anything in front of Nanako-chan, but he still couldn't help but be disappointed. Souji came all the way back to Inaba to enjoy the summer break and this is how he was going to spend it?
"What do you think, Nanako-chan?" Yosuke asked. "Does it annoy you too?"
"W-well," she said, "if big bro wants to go fishing, it's okay..."
Yosuke observed Souji as he fished at the rocky pier. He'd caught the guardian last year, Yosuke remembered it clearly, so what else could there be? He guessed that there could be something relaxing about fishing, but...
"You're too nice, Nanako-chan," Yosuke said. He lowered his voice, in case it carried on the wind and Souji heard. "I think it's time to bring out my secret weapon."
"Secret... weapon?"
Yosuke grinned at her and abruptly stood up, moving to the big cooler he'd brought to the picnic. It didn't have food in it, and he hadn't opened it until now.
He waited for Nanako to follow him and flung it open dramatically to reveal: water balloons.
He'd been intending to slug it out with Souji later, but hadn't managed to bring up the subject. With Souji preoccupied by fishing, there wouldn't be an opportunity. Yosuke decided then he'd just have to make one instead!
Yosuke grabbed a yellow balloon and pressed it into Nanako's hands. She looked at it uncertainly before glancing up at him. He nodded at her encouragingly but when she looked towards her big bro at the pier she just turned the balloon over in her hands and didn't do anything.
Fine, Yosuke thought. I'll handle this. He grabbed a balloon, stomped towards Souji, yelled a "Look out!" and let it fly.
It soared in a beautiful arc. Souji turned at the last second and it hit him square in the chest. In his surprise he stepped backwards and slipped right into the river. He fell in with a ridiculously big splash.
Yosuke ran to edge of the pier to have a look. Souji was standing there in the river, soaking wet with the most sour expression on his face.
Yosuke howled in laughter. It was just too funny. Souji was still holding the fishing rod, and he swung it now as if he was going to continue to fish while still standing in the river. Yosuke wiped his eyes, they were watering because it was so funny.
Out of nowhere something heavy hit his back. Startled, Yosuke jumped forward—and he too fell right into the river.
"What the!" he spluttered, splashing water everywhere until he realized how shallow it was.
Now Souji was laughing hard. Yosuke turned towards the riverbank and discovered the culprit right there: Nanako-chan.
"D-don't be mean to big bro!" she cried.
He couldn't help but smile, because that was funny too. "Yeah I guess I deserved that," he admitted.
Souji sighed heavily. "You scared away all the fish."
"H-how sad," Yosuke said without any trace of sadness. "Guess you'll have to go fishing another day, huh?"
Souji stared at him for an uncomfortably long moment. Finally, he shrugged and shouldered his fishing pole just like he used to do with his katana. "I guess we can do something else."
"There are a lot more water balloons where that came from," Yosuke suggested.
Souji was smiling as he walked out of the river. There was a glint in his eye, too, one that Yosuke recognized. It meant he was totally going to regret throwing that first balloon, but right now, all he could think of was how happy he was to fight with his partner once again.