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ChronoBovinoCollab Post with itano123
Sadaomi Beach || Aug 1
Sadaomi Beach || Aug 1
Approaching the rest who had changed into their swim wear ahead of her, Shizuka arrived just in time to witness the unfortunate scene. From the distance, she swore the upperclassman's gaze wandered towards her direction before tripping and into the sand. Typically, the teen was well adjusted to the feeling of being looked at, due to her experience as a cosplayer, but... A slight blush tainted Shizuka's pale cheeks as she suddenly became conscious of the fact that her senpai stared at her in a bikini.
While the members of the group engaged on their own conversations, Rui and Kazuki suddenly came back with a bunch of different water guns. Impressed at how prepared for the beach they were, Shizuka applauded before being told that there was going to be an all out water gun war. Reminiscing a particular cosplay photoshoot involving a shooter game character, the maiden enthusiastically picked up a sniper type water gun. Dramatically whipping the tropical skirt (which covered her lower swim piece) away onto the ground, Shizuka struck a very in-character pose, "Let's get this started!"
After such an exciting event, it was no wonder most of the people who had participated realized their hunger as soon as the excitement died down. With a feeling of accomplishment at how she was able to shoot at people caught off guard from a long distance, Shizuka smiled to herself as she joined the rest of the group for lunch. Fetching the bag that had contained the sandwiches consumed from the train trip earlier in the day, the teen brought out another bunch of boxes containing a set of rice balls.
"Um, if anyone would like rice balls, I-I brought these for everyone to share! There's salmon, plum, bonito flakes, and gomoku rice flavors." Glancing over at Matt slightly, the underclassman noticed he didn't bring much of a luggage presumably due to the rush to catch the train this morning. "Wo-Would you... want some, Ha-Harvester-senpai?", Shizuka hesitantly asked.
“oh, u-uh yea sure i was uhh getting hungry thanks” after seemingly nervously taking a rice ball Matt took a bite and his eyes lit up “oh so good” with that comment the food in Matt's hand vanished. Afterwards it seemed as if a rice ball vanished from the basket every moment, with the only proof of their resistance stuck around Matt’s mouth.
“thanks for the food”.
As the group enjoyed their meal out on the sunny beach, Sato brought up an intriguing topic. What would happen after all this? If this were a game or some sort of fantasy anime, they would defeat the final boss, the town would be saved and a happy ending for everyone. But... what was beyond that? Shizuka was still on her first year of high school so there would still be enough time to decide her career but her skills on making clothes was definitely going to be of use.
Subtly eyeing with more than just mild curiosity, Shizuka wondered what Matt intended to do after his last year of high school in Japan. "W-What would you be doing, se-senpai...?"
Matt was sitting in the group oddly quiet for a moment until after the question about future plans was directed towards him.
“oh uhhh well” for another moment the boy went quiet in thought again.
“i guess after my year ends here I'll have to go back to Australia to get all my graduation and stuff sorted and enrol into a university to work for a bachelors in agricultural science, what i'm looking to get into has an international program so i can come back to japan and would help with furthering to a masters… and also japan's agriculture is so much more fascinating" After blurting out his answer Matt went quiet again, it seemed like there was more on his mind than just his future studies.
'I guess after my year ends here I'll have to go back to Australia ...' The words Matt spoke... they echoed through her head and faded into silence. It shouldn't have come as a surprise considering the older teen was just a foreign exchange student but... Shizuka was naive to think that the moment they could innocently stay together like this would last forever. Reality finally caught up to her and it shook her. Literally.
Trembling lips managed a melancholic smile before parting to reply, "T-That sounds wonderful. I hope you succeed in your future plans." While her words were sincere and she did mean every word of it, the subtle shaking of her hands were evident if one observed enough. "U-Um, I apologize but I feel a little u-unwell, so I'll have to excuse myself fo-for uh... a bit of fresh air." Without giving much of time for anyone to reply, Shizuka rose up and ran away from the crowded scene of the beach.
hm? did i say something wrong? as Shizuka ran off claiming to be sick Matt tilted his head in confusion with the feeling something that he said was wrong, after a few moments of staring off at where Shizuka left Matt decided to follow suit, "uhh I think someone should go make sure she's ok so I'll go off after her" trying to sound as casual as possible Matt walked off after Shizuka.
The sun had already set, enveloping the shore with a cool ocean breeze and spreading the night sky with little twinkling stars. It was quiet and serene, with nothing but the sound of the waves calmly splashing onto the sand. It was the kind of tranquil scene Shizuka needed for time to herself. Tears along her cheeks had started to dry but the moist in her hazel eyes still remained. Sitting at the edge of the shoreline, the teen stared into the ocean, deep in thought.
Should she let this time slip through her fingers and bid him goodbye when he leaves? Was that what she really wanted? She supposed she brought this onto herself back at the hospital when the maiden attempted to break off the bond between them. It was for his sake, she would reason out to herself, but the more she convinced herself did it sound like an excuse. An excuse to make up for the things her shadow blurted out. But didn't Matt reject the idea because regardless of what the shadow had said, he refused to let go?
A sigh escaped her lips.
Soon after a sigh was heard a hand lightly touched one of her shoulders, "finally I found you". Jumping at the sudden touch, Shizuka turned to her upperclassman, Matt.
Matt seemed to be slightly out of breath and tired, of course he had been looking around for Shizuka all afternoon but with the people around it ended up being difficult to find her. He just wanted to find her and talk, something they hadn't really done in a while. "are you ok, you didn't look too good so I wanted to make sure you were ok" Matt didn't really know what to say so he seemed kind of awkward and rushed, but the genuine worry was there.
After the initial shock, Shizuka turned her gaze away from the boy and back to the serene ocean. "Um... I-I'm alright, it's nothing alarming." There was an awkward silence between them afterwards, before Shizuka spoke up again. "We've only met this year but... A lot has happened, hasn't it?" She weakly smiled at this while her eyes were clouded with a melancholic aura. "Thank you for the time and memories we've shared... and I do hope you'll do well in Australia."
With Shizuka’s last words Matt’s face went blank for a few moments before any reaction came, but as soon as his mind processed what was happening his arms flung forward and around Shizuka from behind before they tightened embracing her.
“Why...why do you make it sound like everything just has to be a distant memory? Do you want it to end that badly?” As Matt spoke his grip tightened with tears welling up in his eyes, “I don’t want there to be any goodbyes… I only want there to be a see you later”.
Before anything else could be said Matt buried his head and started speaking more softly, “I…. I love you, I might have to leave for a while but it wont be forever….”
The cold touch of the boy's arms caught Shizuka off guard. She was about to break away from the embrace when the ever energetic upperclassman's tone changed. The embrace made her realize that not only was his voice shaken, she could feel him shake lightly. There was a burning sensation upon her cheeks when the soft voice spoke a certain phrase, one she had heard for the first time from her dear upperclassman. "Se-Senpai...!" She bit her lower lip, resisting the urge to break down into tears again, yet the freshman already felt a drop of tear rolling down her cheek.
"I-I... I've terribly hurt you once, I.. I just can't bear to hurt you again. I-If you leave for Australia, p-perhaps... you can forget about me and start anew wi-with... someone else." Shizuka's last words were but a whisper with an evident pained tone until she couldn't hold the tears back and started to sob softly.
Matt quietly continued his embrace while listening to the replies that shot through him, cutting him deep, it took a long moment for Matt to form any kind of speech from his mouth. “I-I don’t know what to say…..” Matt’s head seemed to droop lower with the tone of voice, “I…. I don’t want to leave you as a memory… I don’t want to find someone else, I don’t care what happened in the past, I get it… but…” as the words flowed out so did the tears that were stowed away in his eyes.
“I only want to be with you, for now and forever… I refuse to move on” As the tears flowed more his grip tightened.
The firm grip of the boy's arms showed how much he wanted her to stay, despite all that has happened. Was it right for her to keep denying him, even if she herself wanted to stay by his side? Her delicate hand held one of his gently, as Shizuka replied, "Harvester-senpai... If... If you persistently wish to be to-together despite the inevitable pain that may come along with it, ... I-I wish to be by your side as well. I... I just believed that it would be more painful for you to be with me."
Hearing Shizuka’s words, Matts spirit seemed to suddenly lift, “I want to be with you no matter what, and no matter what happens from now on if we stay together i'm sure we can overcome any hardships”. Matt loosened his grip only to turn Shizuka around and re-embrace her, “no matter what i’ll continue to love you”
Embarrassed from all the things Matt had said, Shizuka shyly buried her face onto the boy's chest as her hands slowly calm their shaking and return his embrace with her own. "Yo-You're truly dear to me, senpai, and I am willing to wait for the day of your return." Taking a pause to set aside her embarrassment, the girl stood on her toes to reach higher, closer to Matt's ear and whispered softly, "I-I... I love you as well se-senpai."
The two teens fell silent in embarrassment with blushing cheeks until their lips curved into bright smiles, as bright as the stars that shone above them. As the embrace loosened, the two eyes met and without a word, they mutually understood. Shizuka being timid as always, Matt chuckled a little before pressing his lips softly against the other's for an innocent kiss. Pulling back a short moment afterward, the boy embarrassedly scratched the back of his head while the girl fidgeted with her skirt.
"S-Shall we head back?"
By the time the two had returned to the group, each member had a stick or two of fireworks in their hands. "I-I apologize for my absence bu-but I do feel better now, thankfully. May we join in the festivities?"
