Chapter 7: Sparks Fly

Ayano sighed.

Yukari had way too much fun playing dress up with her. Frankly she found it ironic that her hair was even staying in place now after everything it had gone through in the last few hours. She followed her out of the room and met Nanase in the living area who was in her own teal colored dress teaming with a smile.

"Did it work?" Yukari asked without hesitation, in her own yellow dress.

"Of course! Kazuma left with him, but I think he knows to buzz off when he meets up with Trista! I can't wait to see her with those pearls on!"

"So are you meeting Kenji for the celebration as Beach King and Queen?" Yukari put Nanase on the spot.

"Oh give it up, you're meeting Nori too aren't you? It's no different!"

"I bet Kazuma's going to be waiting for you! Especially if Kenta and Trista go off on their own!" Yukari said to Ayano. "I mean, you look super good tonight! All thanks to me!"

Ayano stood there with her hair in a high ponytail, her shorter strands hitting her shoulders, with a white flower in her hair, that matched the pale white summer haulter dress which had a band under the breasts which gathered and went out into a few pleats before it ended just about at her knees.

"I don't normally wear this kind of thing…"

"Oh come on, just because it's not a kimono?" Nanase said. "It actually suits you!"

Ayano caught a glimpse of her reflection in the windows overlooking the beach. Even if she did look good, she knew it wasn't really for anyone, but herself. Kazuma had clearly backed off. Hopefully Nanase and Yukari wouldn't abandon her too soon.

They left out to the beach where tiki torches lit a path where a huge bonfire was lit, and further down some stages for some of the events. It was higher up on the beach away from the water.

They gazed at its splendor as they walked closer to the crowds.

"Yukari?"

Yukari turned to see Nori. She smiled. "Ayano, do you mind if I go? I'll meet you later for the fireworks okay?"

"No problem. I'll hang out with Nanase for a bit then." She smiled.

"Thanks!" Yukari gave her a quick hug and left with Nori.

"We really shouldn't be ditching you on your birthday Ayano. Maybe tomorrow I can get my brother to make another dinner to celebrate it?"

"Don't worry about it! I bet your kind of happy you got to partner with Kenji by default?" Ayano got smart, giving her suspicious eyes. "You know he did tell me that he wanted to partner with you first…"

"What? No way." Nanase blew her off.

"Oh come on, you two bug me all the time it's about time I-"

"Nanase? Ayano?"

They saw Kenji running up to them.

"How are you feeling Ayano?"

"Better now. Sorry about messing up the game!"

"Oh it's no problem! I'm glad your okay! So Nanase, want to go check out some other stuff before we get called out as the winners?" Ayano noticed his bold nature became a bit more prohibited around Nanase.

"Sure! As long as your okay by yourself Ayano? I'm sure Kazuma is around here somewhere!" Nanase said.

"Oh yea, I'll be fine. Maybe I'll go hang out by the bonfire. It'll give me something to look at." Ayano looked back to it. "Don't worry about me! I'll meet you guys later!"

Nanase and Kenji nodded and they walked off.

She wasn't particularly mad or anything that she was alone. She didn't mind some time to herself again. But, it just hadn't felt like her birthday since this morning. It was good that Nanase and Yukari had someone else to be with, and as much as she had hoped to spend more time with them tonight, she knew she couldn't stop them.

However, she also knew she wasn't about to disclose the fact that Kazuma probably had something else to do tonight.

She looked to the sky. It was a full moon on her birthday.

She found herself feeling rather strange, amongst all the people who were conversing, groups and couples. It felt lonely. She wondered if that was how Kazuma felt back in the day- awkwardly left over. She happened to spot Trista and Kenta from a distance. They looked happy. She was wearing the necklace.

She found herself walking towards them but then stopped. It would be awkward to interrupt. Instead she took it upon herself to go down to the beach. There she'd just blend into the darkness, and look at the sky. The stars were so clear here.

For some reason, she felt a bit of peace in it. Normally she liked the eventful and the busy nature of these kinds of things, but today, she didn't mind a bit of time on her own.

Even from a good five feet from the water, she could feel the dew of the tides, like mist in the air. She felt herself shiver in the slightest.

"What are you doing here alone?"

She turned and saw Kazuma to her surprise.

"How did you find me?"

"Well, you happen to kind of stand out from the darkness, between your stark white dress and the stark white moon."

"Right." She said and she turned back to the moon. "So where were you this morning?" Her words were blunt and aggravated.

"Honestly, I forgot something kind of important. Kenta reminded me about it last night."

"Oh. How was breakfast?"

"…you really care about my breakfast Ayano?" Kazuma rose a brow.

"Well it was my birthday breakfast, but you know who cares it's only my birthday?" She said and turned to leave, her voice tinged with sarcasm. She wasn't holding back this time. It was going to end here.

"Wait, wait." He said grabbing her wrist. She saw his wrapped hand again. She still hadn't had the chance to properly say thank you to him, but it was hard now that he had acted like such an idiot. She felt the anger flare in her veins that she was sick of trying to control.

"Can you just take a breather for a minute? I can explain myself you know." He said.

"You had no obligation to stay for it. You don't need to."

"Look, I needed to get something for today. So I had to get it this morning."

"And what about that stunt with patting my head? I'm not Ren you know? Do I look like a child who needs some stupid reassurance?"

Kazuma's brows raised. He hadn't realized it had gotten under her skin. "Well honestly I did that to try to see if I could get any reaction from you. I didn't know it would have such a delayed effect but- I mean, I guess I wasn't about to kiss you again, considering what happened last time." He shrugged.

"Oh." She felt her mouth clench shut.

"And it wasn't meant like Ren. I know you're not a kid Ayano. We had that discussion. Which, if you don't mind staying a little longer, I can give you your birthday gift."

"What? A gift? I don't need a gift-"

"Yea right. Normally you'd have me bringing you to some dinner because I missed breakfast this morning or some kind of thing like that. Actually this gift is what was out getting this morning. " He pulled out a small rectangular box from his pocket.

"What is that Kazuma?"

"Just opened it Ayano."

She opened it and saw a tear drop ruby on a chain, with two small pearls next to it, one on each side.

"I was going to give it to you earlier, but Kenta wanted me to go with him to meet Trista. I think women make him kind of anxious. Never would have pegged him for that. I saw you come out with Nanase and Yukari. I just didn't go over because I thought you wanted to spend time with them. Figured now was a good time to give it to you."

"Why would you give me this if you were mad about how I acted the other day…"

"Mad? Good God you're naive Ayano! As far as I'm concerned, just because you don't want me to kiss you don't mean I'm not going to get you something? I got the money for it anyway. Think of it from the family if you want, Ren and Jugo included. Normally you get angry when I kiss you or flirt so believe me if it bugs you that much, I can stop. It's no fun for me, but I will. I'm not going to push you to do that…" He put his hands in his pockets and looked upwards to the left towards the moon. His chin cocked upwards. Always so confident, and prideful in what he did. He never got angry or walked away when things got upfront, but she realized she never put him in that position – it was always him reaching out to push the flirting moves first.

"So do you like it?" His eyes shifted down to her.

"I do. But I don't need it Kazuma." She pushed it towards him. She kept her words concise.

"It's your birthday. You're keeping it." He said rather bluntly, taking it and pointing it at her. "Who spends their birthday by themselves on a beach when there's literally festivities going on less than 20 feet away?" He bent to down to her level, his face closer to hers. "I mean you are 18 now right, just two more years until you become a real ad-"

Kazuma's eyes widened.

Ayano pushed her face forward and was now kissing him this time. It was meeker then his…but-

Suddenly, in a flash, he was watching her run off back towards the bonfire; her red hair mixing in with the flames, until he couldn't see her anymore.

And she forgot her necklace.