Ryosuke had parked his car since a quarter hour ago, yet he did not budge from his seat. The surprise he intended to show to Mirai had been already before his eyes, right in front of the parking lot. But if he could choose, he would choose to just quietly sit in his car like what he was doing since a moment ago. Even he would not mind if time stopped at that point. He just could not contain his mix feeling: happy, but at the same time guilty. Happy was actually an understatement for it was like his heart swollen that breathing was rather difficult, and the adrenaline pumped his nervousness high. But, he also felt guilty because he was doing something that would consider as rude and unbecoming. Ruffling his hair in silent distress, he could not bring himself to stop what he was doing. Half-turning to his side, he, once again, admired the beautiful angel sleeping on the passenger seat.

Mirai was still sound asleep, leaning relaxly on her seat. Her head slightly angled toward him, making his hand felt itchy to pull her to him tenderly and make her head rested on his shoulder, but his hands as though freezing. He did not want to wake her up. Part of it was because she seemed so tired, but the rest was because he did not want to lose his chance to see her from that close.

As he gazed at her face, he noticed how the edges curved into a very slight frown. Her bangs was covering part of her face, especially her eyes. He smiled as he remembered how her eyes looked at him with various expressions, but his favorite was when she was surprised because her eyes would widen and round, making them looked more innocent and lovely.

Just like the heroine in shoujo manga. He concluded.

He also noticed that her face was bare. She wore no make up, not even a bit. Yet, her skin looked so smooth, a little chubby on the cheeks, and her lips was as pink as a plump. He realized that his judgment was probably bias, but he was sure she had her own charm. She might not as pretty as the models or actresses he often saw, yet her innocent and gentle face was her main appeal for him.

...and for Kanata, too, probably.

As the name of his rival popped out in his mind, he could not refrain from feeling jealous. He remembered the way Kanata held her in his embrace that night in the hospital, and the way Mirai and Kanata called each other by their first names. He was jealous of their closeness. He could not help it.

It was as if his hand had its own mind that he eventually reached out. With his heart pounding faster, he carefully swept some of her bangs away, trying with all his might to only touch her hair. However, as careful as he was, he accidently brushed the tips of his fingers on her temple, causing her to stirr. He quickly pulled his hand away from her and straightened his back on his seat.

When her eyes fluttered open, he rearranged himself, regaining his composure.

“Yamada-kun,” her voice was a bit hoarse when she talked first as she noticed his gaze at her. “Where are we?”

“We’ve arrived,” he answered shortly, smiling gently.

She clamped her hand on to stiffle a yawn, then said, “Sorry. I don’t know why I feel so sleepy.”

His smile still intact, “No problem. You seem so tired, though.”

She replied with her smile, “I’m just fine.” She then turned to look ahead of them and immediately gasped in awe.

As she was stunned, he unlocked the door and got off. “Come on,” he bellowed.

She followed him getting off the car, still at loss.

“Do you like this place?” he asked.

He did not get an immediate response. So for a while, there was only sounds of waves hitting the shore, and crackes of seagulls in a faraway sky. He had brought her to his favorite beach outside Tokyo, away from the crowd. It was still 8 a.m that the sun was still warm, a good match with the slow sea wind.

“I...,” she eventually spoke. He could see from the side curved up.

When she turned to look at him, her smile bloomed so brightly, lighting up her entire face. “I have never visited this place before. It’s so beautiful.”

“But not as beautiful as you,” he muttered lowly while craving her joyful expression in his mind.

“Huh?”

He was woken up, and diverted the talk, “Not many people know this place. That’s why I like to be here because it’s not so crowded.”

She turned her gaze ahead once again, and this time she took a few steps forward until she reached the fence. Instead of following her, he turned to walk toward another direction.

“Hey,” he called out to her when he had reached the top of the steps leading down to the beach. “Don’t you want to play on the sands?”

Her face brightened more as she was jogging immediately, approaching him. Soon, he was trotting behind the bouncing happily Mirai, heading to the beach.

**********

It was a couple hours later. Ryosuke sat down beside Mirai on the sands. Their shoes were left behind, a few distance fro