Chapter Twelve – First Day on Camp
The two piece bothered her a little. Her mother however had insisted and went so far as to hide all of Miyako's one piece suits. She eyed the bikini she'd found in her bag and grumbled. It was cute, for sure – it was light blue with pink lining the halter neck and under the bust and around the belt of the bottoms that had an attached skirt with rippled fabric. But her main problem was the skimpy nature of the top.
She dug into her bag desperately, certain that there was something else in there that she could use.
"Your Mum did that too, huh?" Sakuno asked.
Miyako looked over. "But…you're in a one piece?"
Sakuno looked down at the dark blue one piece and smiled. "I snuck the school swimsuit into my bag this morning when she wasn't looking. She didn't know I owned this."
Miyako laughed. "Lucky. My Mum's a bit more cunning then that." She explained and then finally found it. "Aha~! Perfect!" She rejoiced, holding up the white tank top. "Victory~!" She exclaimed, mimicking Taka-san perfectly.
Sakuno giggled. "I'll meet you on the beach then." She said and left, closing the door behind her.
Changing quickly, Miyako slipped her feet into a pair of pink flip-flops and then made her way to the beach, her hair still hanging back in a long plait.
To her surprise Momo and Eiji were already in the water – and a surge of nerves hit her when she realised that she would be seeing all of them shirtless before sundown. She pushed back the thought – they thought nothing of it so she would have to just do the same. Sakuno had already stopped short of the water herself, standing at the point where the waves lapped at her feet.
"Sakuno-chan?" Miyako asked, walking up beside her. "Are you going in or what?" she asked.
Sakuno was flushing as a black and skin toned blur flew by them and Echizen joined his Senpai's in the surf.
"Oh." Miyako giggled. "Don't worry about it." She said, slipping her flip-flops off and throwing them up on the sand where the water wouldn't reach and made her way into the water. She squealed a little and recoiled as the contrast of the cold water met her sun warmed skin. "Come on in Sakuno-chan~!" She called. "It's really nice!" Then she spotted another familiar person jogging down to the surf, his brown hair falling onto his forehead as always. "Ahh~ Fuji-senpai~!" Miyako waved.
"Hi girls." Fuji greeted, coming to a stop beside Sakuno. "Are you going in, Sakuno-chan?"
Sakuno flushed and looked away. "Uun."
Fuji smiled. "Whenever you're ready." He said and then walked into the waves. "Miyako-chan, Tezuka won't be long~."
Miyako blushed. "What makes you think I'm waiting for him?"
"Then perhaps you'll come and swim with me then?" Fuji asked, and before she could refuse he lifted her from her feet and over his shoulder.
With a squeal she pathetically fought against him, slamming her fists into his back as he carried her further into the water. "Fuji~!" She screamed, unable to fight back the laughter that bubbled up her throat. "Let me go, Fuji-senpai~!"
Fuji paused in his steps and shifted her until he was holding her under the knees and behind the back. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I am." She replied, crossing her arms.
Fuji shrugged. "Momo-chan~! Catch~!"
Before Miyako could latch onto Fuji to prevent the inevitable, Fuji flung her over the water's surface and into Momo's arms. She grumbled angrily. "Just you wait until Tezuka finds out about this." She hissed.
"Hoi hoi, he already knows." Eiji said to her, pointing back to the shore.
Tezuka stood with his arms crossed, looking towards them but obviously talking quietly with Sakuno.
"Eiji-senpai~!" Momo called. "Catch~!"
Eiji however didn't have the immediate strength, and though he caught Miyako with his reflexes they both disappeared under the surf. Resurfacing, Miyako splattered and coughed up the salt water, the foreign substance lining her lungs and throat.
"Gomen nasai~, Miyako-chan." Eiji coughed, having also taken water into his lungs.
"It's not your fault, Eiji-senpai." Miyako replied as Eiji let her go and she placed her feet on the sand floor. "It's those two that we have to blame." She said, turning to Fuji and Momo who were still shaking from laughter. "I propose a challenge."
"Oh yeah?" Fuji asked, instantly perking up.
"Yeah. Eiji-senpai, do you think you can get me onto your shoulders?" Miyako asked.
"Ahh~. It's like that is it?" Momo asked. "Fuji-senpai, on my shoulders." He stated.
Once Eiji and Momo had gained their extra weight they walked towards one another and Miyako and Fuji's hands clashed together.
"Ryoma-kun!" Miyako called. "Give us a starting sound."
Echizen obligingly raised a hand into the air and shouted loud and clear. "Hoi~!"
. : . : . : .
Tezuka watched carefully as Miyako was passed between the three of his fellow Tennis Club members and flinched a little when Eiji dropped her and they disappeared for a long moment. And then was unable to mask the smile that rose when Eiji let Miyako climb onto his shoulders and Momo the same for Fuji and a battle began.
"Who do you think will win?" Oishi asked, appearing beside Tezuka with Kiba at his side, lead in hand.
"Miyako-chan has the motivation from her clear embarrassment and harassment – though Fuji may be stronger than her as a male and a strong tennis player, it might just give her an edge." Sakuno replied. "Though, I think we may need to look out for the bottom half as well."
Both of the third year's looked at the girl, astonished of her sudden input, but looked back to the battle at hand and noticed that Momo was finding inventive ways to distract Eiji.
Echizen made his way out of the surf and stood beside Sakuno and sneakily took her hand in his. "It was getting dangerous out there." He explained simply. "All four of them are crazy. But there is one thing that all seem to have in common: they don't like to lose."
"You have the exact same quality, Ryoma-kun~." Sakuno informed him.
"But they go crazy over it." Echizen replied. "I have a civilised way of getting my revenge."
"That's not at all true." Tezuka said smoothly.
A scream met their ears and they all looked up and Kiba yelped desperately at the sound of her owner's cry. Miyako was falling backwards, barely hanging on with her legs held tightly around the knees by Eiji, but her torso was about to overweigh them both as Eiji tried his best to balance them.
"Uh oh, they're going to go down." Oishi commented, holding the Retriever back with all his might.
Tezuka held a hand out. "Here, give Kiba to me."
Oishi passed the lead over and Tezuka pulled the dog to heel by his side and pet her head. "Easy girl. Miyako's fine." The puppy instantly calmed down and sat down against his leg, panting heavily from the excitement.
"You have the magic touch." Oishi noted.
"Miyako said that she thinks it's because I'm around her a lot – Miyako I mean. She thinks that Kiba knows this and will do as I say because I'd likely tell Miyako if she did mess up." Tezuka explained. "It's the whole hierarchy of connections, I suppose."
As all four of them looked back at the four fighting people a wave swept up and knocked both pairs over and into the water.
"A tie?" Sakuno asked as the wave reached them on the shore by washing up around their ankles.
Miyako was the first to emerge and then Eiji from under her. Miraculously they had managed to stay connected and they both raised their hands in the air triumphantly at Fuji and Momo who appeared separately. Eiji and Miyako shared a victory hi-five.
"Hokay, Eiji-senpai, you can put me down now."
Eiji ignored her and began to walk back to the shore, still carrying Miyako steadily on his shoulders.
"Eiji-senpai?" Miyako asked. "Are you deaf?"
"I may as well be with all the water that's in my ears. I can't hear you." Eiji teased as he kept walking, straight towards the group on the shore.
Miyako frowned, resting her elbows on the top of his head and her chin in her palms, fingers curled under her jaw. "You're all so annoying." She grumbled. As the water depth lessened, Miyako would feel Eiji shaking as her weight increased on his shoulders. "Eiji-senpai, maybe you should put me down now."
Suddenly a pair of hands took her waist and slipped her easily off Eiji's shoulders and into the knee deep waters. "That could have ended badly." Tezuka said.
Miyako smiled up at him. "Thanks."
"Everyone!" The eight teenagers looked towards the campsite as Taka-san approached. "Lunch is ready to be served. We have to meet in the hall."
"Hai~."
. : . : . : .
The afternoon passed quickly, Miyako and Sakuno deciding to take a relaxing nap on the veranda outside of their cabin in the cool air while the tennis clubs were having their practice and nearly slept through afternoon tea – cake and rich green cordial which was bought to them by Suzuki. Who quickly fled for fear of being caught anywhere near the girl's cabins.
"Ahh~. This cordial is good quality, isn't it?" Miyako asked.
"What do you mean?" Sakuno asked.
"Oh, you mean you've never experienced the horror of watered down cordial?" Miyako asked. "It's horrible. But I suppose that our group is small enough that they don't have to water it down so much. But I guess it also depends on the campsite as well and their policies and such."
Sakuno smiled. "Even Seigaku used this camp, but at Seigaku the boy and girl squad took turns to go on the camps so we were never mingled together before."
"This set up is infinitely better." Miyako decided. "All girls can be such a backstabbing and grudge holding set up. Having a little mix up with guys can be good for a school group – especially one like ours."
Sakuno didn't reply, she just looked down at her cake while she picked at it.
"So, hey Sakuno-chan? How long have you loved Ryoma-kun?"
Sakuno froze and then blushed a dark pink. "Well…uum….I guess it was since I met him in seventh grade…" She admitted.
Miyako's eyes widened disbelievingly. "That long?" She gasped. "That's an awfully long time to hide your feelings."
Sakuno nodded minutely. "I was just so shy and Ryoma-kun…well…"
"He's dense." Miyako finished.
"Yeah. The second time I met him he'd completely forgotten that we'd even met before."
Miyako laughed. "That's just so Ryoma-kun. But he's a little more aware now, isn't he?"
"Aware enough to ask me on a date." Sakuno replied. "He was kind of blunt about it, but he told me later that it was because he was so nervous that he decided that if he asked me with a flat expression and voice that there would be a better chance of him finishing the question in the first place." She giggled. "He was so sweet when he let that barrier down."
"I can imagine."
"But…what about you and Tezuka-buchou?"
Miyako blushed a little and looked out to the beach. "There's nothing there yet…well…ugh. It's hard to explain." She replied, frustrated. "We know what each of us wants – but Tezuka asked me to wait. And I'll wait for him as long as he needs."
"It's about Harris-senpai, isn't it?" Sakuno asked.
Miyako sighed and nodded. "I wish that she would just go away…I've waited so long with my feelings hidden – I can barely take it any longer." She admitted, bringing her knees to her chest and hugged them while leaning her chin on her knees. "He told me that he hated the idea of being without me…of being alone – and yet he's willing to delay like this? A relationship can't be decided on what outsiders believe."
"Maybe you should tell him that." Sakuno suggested.
"I can't do that…I promised that I would wait. I can't back down…besides…he looks at me sometimes with his eyes and I can't refuse him. I'm sure that you know how that feels."
"Kind of." Sakuno replied.
"I'm sure you will in time." Miyako replied.
An ecstatic barking began to approach and Kiba bounded onto the veranda, amazingly avoiding the food and drinks on the floor. The puppy-dog was wet around the legs and her lead was dragging behind her, also wet.
Miyako laughed. "And what have you been doing?" She asked, making a motion that made the dog sit and then lie down.
Footsteps than began to approach and familiar voice called out the name of the dog. "Kiba~! KIBA~! Kib – oh…Miyako-chan." Fuji greeted. He was shirtless and wet, his legs covered in sand. "Sakuno-chan. Hello."
"Hi, Fuji-senpai." The girls greeted.
"Did something happen?" Miyako asked.
Fuji formed a face of pure embarrassment. "Kiba was so excited to get into the water that she caused me to let go. I'm sorry, Miyako-chan."
Miyako shook her head. "Not a problem. She's usually better without the lead anyway when it comes to running in the water."
Fuji nodded and called the dog again, to which the puppy gladly leapt off the veranda, allowed him to remove the lead and then followed the brunette back to the beach.
"It was a really good idea to bring Kiba with you." Sakuno acknowledged. "All I've seen are smiles on the guy's faces. I even saw Kaidou-senpai smile. I never expected that."
"He's an animal lover. I'm sure that he'll like to take Kiba for a morning run."
"Why do you assume that?"
"Tezuka told me that Kaidou-san takes morning runs every morning. I'll have to have Kiba tied up out here on the veranda so he's very free to come and take her if he wishes." Miyako explained. "I'll just have to inform him of the fact."
"Uum…Sakuno-chan…"
Both girls looked up when they realised that another boy had wandered into their midst. Echizen was holding the tip of his cap between his thumb and forefinger nervously.
"Ryoma-kun~!" Sakuno greeted, leaving the veranda to walk up to him.
"Uum…do you wanna go and take a walk?" Echizen asked quietly – to the point that Miyako only just heard him.
Sakuno looked back at Miyako – who nodded and simply began to pick up after the both of them. "Go on, Sakuno-chan. I'm heading off to the hall anyway."
Sakuno nodded. "Bye then, Miyako-chan."
"Bye, Miyako-san." Echizen farewelled uncertainly as he and Sakuno walked off towards the beach.
Miyako shook her head, happy for the pair as she slipped on her flip-flops and jumped off the veranda with the rubbish from afternoon tea. Once the rubbish was placed where it belonged she yawned a little, still a little groggy from her unnecessary nap. She stretched her arms above her head and walked towards the beach where the Regular members were still doing some training – running up and down on the sand in a tag system.
She smiled a little at the girl Regulars who were clearly struggling and the fact that the boys were perfectly fine in their task. It only proved to her which group took their tennis seriously.
"Why isn't Ryoma-kun still with them?..." Miyako wondered, not faltering her step as she didn't want to distract either group, and continued to walk the line that separated the grass from the sand. It seemed like forever that she walked the lagoon shaped beach that curved like a crescent moon.
"Sakuno-chan…Umm…."
Miyako froze when she heard the familiar voice and took a step back as she looked in the direction it came in. Sakuno and Echizen were sitting on a log that had been purposely placed on the same line that Miyako was walking. From what she could see they were angled towards one another, hands clasped together in front of them. Sakuno had at one point taken the cap off his head and it sat on the log beside her.
The sun had begun to set and the sky was beginning to glow, in Miyako's mind it had become the perfect atmosphere. She didn't want to disturb them, especially when Echizen looked so nervous already. She left the line and walked into the trees to pass them without them noticing her. She took each step carefully and slowly, unconsciously watching the pair.
She was unable to help herself. The curious and sisterly side to herself refused her the ability to look away. All she wanted for them was to be happy and that part of her also wanted to witness the events as well – even if the fully conscious side of her brain told her it was rude.
"Sakuno-chan." Echizen said.
"Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno asked.
"I…I know that I'm not exactly everything that a guy should be for you…" Echizen began. "Sometimes I forget about meeting with you and I'm stupid about anything other than holding your hand…But, Sakuno-chan, I want to become better for you."
"Ryoma-kun – "
"Please, Sakuno-chan, can I finish?" He asked softly.
Sakuno nodded.
"We've been together since Winter Break and I've realised…I haven't done more than take you out to parks and hold your hand." Echizen said. He flushed, but managed to stare straight into her eyes. "Sakuno-chan, there was something that I wanted to try." He admitted.
Miyako hid behind the trunk of a tree as she watched Echizen shift a little closer to Sakuno, trailing a hand from hers and up her arm until he placed his palm around the side of her head. Her heart began to race with excitement as their eyes closed and their lips met in a sweet first kiss.
Miyako covered her mouth to contain the excited squeak before she turned to return to the campsite at a quietened pace.
. : . : . : .
"So, how was your walk with Ryoma-kun?" Miyako asked, lying on her recently rolled out futon.
It was lights out, but the girls still had their small lamps on as they were finishing the task of plaiting their hair again for the night.
Sakuno flushed and tied off the second of her plaits. "It was good."
Miyako smiled knowingly and decided not to mention it again.
"He…he kissed me." Sakuno admitted.
Miyako flipped over, elbows on her pillow and chin in her hands. "Really?"
Sakuno flushed darker and looked away as she lay down.
Miyako smiled. "It's nothing to be ashamed of – or embarrassed for that matter. You're in a relationship and kissing is kind of trivial if you think about it."
"Trivial?"
"Normal. And if what I've been told about guys is true – he'll always want that extra little kiss before saying goodbye. Even if he has to trick it out of you."
Sakuno flushed. "He did…."
Miyako's eyes widened. "He did?"
Sakuno's face turned a bright red.
"Girls!" Oshiro's voice called, knuckles rapping on the door outside. "Lights out."
"Hai~!" They replied and quickly turned the torches off.