Chapter 5
Currently listening to the Hairspray soundtrack! If it's not already painfully obvious, musicals are one of my many obsessions.
Disclaimer: I still no own DN Angel.
They weren't allowed off of the bus until they got their instructions from their teacher. Risa waited impatiently while he went through the rules. They would only be on the beach for ten minutes, he explained. There was a much bigger beach down the street from the hotel, and the could visit it in their spare time later. They were here because it would make a great photo opportunity - this was a man made beach, after all, whereas the one near the hotel was natural. Risa quickly pulled her digital camera out of her bag and took a quick picture of Riku.
"Hey! I wasn't ready!" Her sister complained. Risa looked at the picture and laughed.
"No, you weren't!"
"Delete that right now!" Riku fumed. "Risa, if you keep that picture, I'll-"
"No!" Risa said, holding the camera out of her reach.
"Give it here!" She reached over the seat.
"Watch it." Hiwatari said in his usual monotonous voice..
"What is going on back there?!" All eyes turned to them. Riku was practically half way over the bus seat reaching for the camera. Risa was holding it up and away, and Hiwatari had moved to the very edge of the seat. They froze, then the two girls sat back down quickly. The teacher gave them a disapproving glance before continuing.
"Anyway, as I was saying . . . we won't be going back to the hotel until five, so unless you want to spend the rest of the day in wet clothing, I suggest you stay out of the water." He paused and looked at the bus driver. "Um . . . is there anything you want to say?"
"Yes, actually." The driver stood up. "Hawaii is a unique and beautiful place." He began. The students sighed and settled back in their seats in preparation for what was certain to be a long and very boring speech. "So we ask only one thing. Please do not uproot any of the plants on our island. Not only is it taking away the beauty of our island, but it is also illegal to bring any living thing back with you to the mainland." Everyone looked at each other, and he continued.
"Hawaii is full of one of a kind plants and animals, and while we enjoy having tourists visit our islands, we are always worried that someone is going to one day sneak a rare Hawaiian plant home with them, plant it, and cultivate. Should that happen, Hawaii would lose it's appeal. The rare plants and animals are what makes our island so great. So I ask you, please, don't pick any of the plants, and don't try to sneak a rare tropical fish on the plane with you." The last part was a joke, but few people laughed. Mostly, everyone was waiting to get out on the beach. Their guide cleared his throat. "Um . . . that's all I guess."
"Alright everyone. . . . I'm just going to move out of the way, and -"Their teacher didn't get time to finish his sentence. Every student was out of their seat instantly and stampeding toward the front of the bus. "Ah!" He cried as he was pushed aside.
"Wow!" Daisuke cried. "It's amazing!" He grinned as Risa took a picture of him.
"Okay! Let's get one of the two lovebirds!" She said, indicating for Daisuke to move closer to Riku.
"Alright!" Riku said. "Hey Hiwatari-kun, come over here and take a picture with my sister!" She shouted. Shouted. In front of everyone. Risa felt herself turning red.
"R-Riku! That's not funny!"
"What was that?" Hiwatari asked, approaching them.
"Oh! Nothing. Nothing at all, Hiwatari-kun!" Risa said nervously. "We were just - hey! Riku! Give it back!"
"Smile you two!" Riku held up the camera she stole from Risa's hands. The camera flashed, and Riku bust out laughing.
"Let me see!" Risa cried, and Riku turned the camera around. Risa bit back a grin. She looked absolutely horrified, and Hiwatari was scowling at the camera.
"Do you want to see, Hiwatari-kun?" She asked, smiling.
"No thank you." he muttered. Diasuke looked at the picture and smiled.
"Hiwatari-kun! You look angry."
" . . . I'm not." He murmured. "That's just the way I photograph.."
"Riku, give me my camera back! I want to take a picture of the ocean!" Risa snatched the camera away from her sister and snapped several pictures of the blue waters. The beautiful blue waters. The very very . . . tempting blue waters. It was awfully hot out. "Hey! Do you guys want to wade in the water?"
"Um . . . as long as we don't get our clothes wet . . . sure." Riku said. She rolled up her jeans to her knees. "Diasuke?"
"Sure, I'll come along." He said. He was already wearing shorts, as was Risa, though hers were a lot shorter than his. "What about you, Hiwatari-kun?"
"I'd . . . rather not." Hiwatari muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Oh come on! It'll be fun!" Risa pushed.
"I'm content to stay right here, thank you."
"Hmm . . . suit yourself then." She said and ran off toward the water. Let Hiwatari waste his vacation on the sand. She was going to enjoy her time in Hawaii.
She took her sandals off and stepped out onto the wet sand. Almost immediately her feet were covered by a gentle wave, and she giggled. When the wave receded, her feet slipped a little deeper into the sand. She giggled again and walked out farther. Another wave came, a little stronger than before. The water went up to her shins this time, and she laughed out loud as her feet were buried even deeper than before.
She glanced over her shoulder at Riku and Daisuke. They were holding hands, smiling. He reached down and picked something up. . . . A small shell. Risa watched as he checked to make sure there was nothing living in the tiny conch, then smiled gently as he gave the shell to her sister. Such a small gesture, yet it was so sweet in every-
"Risa! Look out!" Riku called. She barely had time to turn and brace herself before a much larger wave hit her. It was so strong it nearly knocked her off of her feet, but fortunately she stood her ground. The water only came up a little past her knees, so her shorts were saved, too. She laughed aloud.
"Wow! That was - ah! My shoe!" she watched in horror as one of her sandals went floating off, dragged back with the strong wave. "No! Give that back!" She commanded, as if the ocean would listen.
"You had better get it Risa!" Riku called.
"But I'll get wet!" She cried, but with every second she was wasting, the shoe was getting farther and farther away. Obviously no one was going in to get it for her. She tied her shirt in a knot so it wouldn't get wet and gave one last distressed look at her sister before chasing after the lime green sandal. The water was warm, at least, but by the time she caught up with her shoe the ocean had risen to her waist, completely soaking her bottom half. She made a quick grab for her shoe and then hastily retreated back to the shore. Riku was having a grand time - she was doubled over, laughing. Daisuke simply gave Risa a sympathetic smile.
"Shut up, Riku!" She shouted, furious. She put her sandals back on and glowered at her sister.
"I'm sorry, Risa. But you have to admit, it is kind of funny!"
"No it's not!" She cried as she untied her shirt. "What am I going to do now?"
"Well, it looks like you're going to walk around in wet shorts for the rest of the day. It's your own fault, you know. You shouldn't have taken your shoes off so close to the water."
"Riku! Be serious! I can't go around like this all day!"
"Well it looks like you have to!" Oh, she was enjoying this.
"Hmph!" Risa said and turned around, only to run into Hiwatari. He caught hold of her arm before she could fall back in the water. "Ack! Sorry Hiwatari-kun!"
"Here." He said, handing her a fluffy white towel.
"Where did you get this? You didn't bring a towel with you, did you?" She asked, trying to remember if he'd had a towel with him when he boarded the bus . He shook his head.
"No. There are a few spares on the bus, along with a first-aid kit. They're supposed to be used in emergencies."
"Th-thank you, Hiwatari-kun." She murmured.
"It's nothing." He said stiffly. "The bus driver didn't really want us to use them, but - Is there something I can help you with, Saehara-kun?"
"Hmm." Saehara stood up straight and peered straight into Hiwatari's eyes. "The reporter in me smells a story!"
"Does it now?" Hiwatari said in disinterest.
"Yeah. Your fan girls would love to know . . ." Here he whipped a pen and a small pad of paper from his back pocket. "are you and Harada-san . . . the younger Harada-san . . .as in . . . you. He pointed at Risa with the pen. " are you two . . . a couple?"
"What?!" Risa gasped, appalled. "Where would you get an idiotic idea like that?! Like I would ever date him . . . er . . . no offense, Hiwatari-kun."
"None taken. Does that answer your question, Saehara-kun?" He asked calmly. Saehara shook his head.
"No, I think you're lying, Hiwatari." He didn't bother to add an honorific. Hiwatari's eyes narrowed.
"If we say that there's nothing going on, then there's nothing going on."
"Yeah! We're just friends!" Risa added. Hiwatari gave her a peculiar look then, and she wondered what she had said wrong.
"Grr . . . deny it all you like . . . but my reporter's instinct is never wrong!" He muttered, turning away from them. "You two will end up together before the week's over! Just wait!"
Risa felt a blush creeping up on her. What was it with everyone?! Didn't they realize she only had eyes for Phantom Dark?!
"They're calling us back to the bus." Hiwatari muttered. Risa looked up and sighed. She'd hardly got to spend any time on the beach - and she most certainly didn't enjoy it.
"We're going to the beach after the tour . . . right, Riku?" She asked softly. "I really really really want to go swimming."
"Sure Risa. I'm looking forward to it too."
With that, the group climbed back on the bus, Risa giving one last wistful glance over her shoulder. Maybe Phantom Dark would meet her on the beach tonight . . .
Author's note 1: Gasp! Could Saehara be a prophet? Probably not - he may just be a nosy brat. But then again . . .
Author's not 2: Wow! I should complain more often! Thank you all for your reviews! They brightened up my day considerably!!! Please remember to review for this chapter as well. Also, the shoe thing . . . totally happened to me. Sucked. Unfortunately, there was no bespectacled blue haired Adonis there to give me a towel, just a very angry band teacher . . .