Rin had dominated the race, her breathing steady despite the water dripping from her bangs. The others were still recovering when she turned toward Eadlyn with a strangely calm expression.
"Hey, Eadlyn…" she began, her voice softer than usual. "Back when you were living in the UK… did you ever know any girl in your neighborhood? Someone you used to play with?"
The question came out of nowhere. Eadlyn blinked, caught between confusion and mild embarrassment. "Uh… well, yeah. There was Lily. We used to play sometimes. But honestly, it's been so long I barely remember."
Ken, who was squeezing water out of his hair, burst into laughter. "Man, Rin, what kind of interrogation is that?"
Manami teased with a grin. "Rin, you sound like you're checking his dating history."
Rin shot them both a glare, her cheeks faintly red. "I was just asking. Don't assume anything weird."
But Eadlyn could tell she didn't ask out of curiosity alone. Her usual sternness had softened in that moment—almost nostalgic.
As they walked back toward the waterfall's edge, Eadlyn glanced at her again. "Why'd you ask, though? Something on your mind?"
Rin hesitated, then looked ahead. "Nothing big… I just visited the UK once when I was a kid. I remembered a boy around my age there. For a second, I wondered if it might've been you."
Her tone was deliberately casual, but the vulnerability beneath it lingered. It wasn't about identity—it was about connection. About wondering whether paths could cross more than once in unexpected ways.
Eadlyn didn't press further. Some thoughts deserve space rather than interrogation.
Evening Preparations
With the sun lowering, they decided it was time to head back to the campsite. The waterfall's cool mist clung to their skin as they gathered their belongings. Back at the clearing, the air had grown pleasantly crisp.
They started preparing dinner.
Eadlyn, having barbecued with his parents before, took the lead.
"Manami, can you prep the veggies? Rin, help with the table. Ken, firewood?"
Ken saluted dramatically. "Yes, chef!"
Rin rolled her eyes but followed instructions. Manami hummed softly while cutting ingredients, her calm presence balancing the dynamic tension between Ken's antics and Rin's seriousness.
Eadlyn directed Ken on how to stack the wood for proper airflow. Together, they ignited the grill, the fire crackling to life.
Soon, the rich aroma of sizzling meat filled the air.
Rin added soy sauce at the perfect moment.
"That's Eadlyn's favorite, right?" she said casually.
He froze. "Wait—you remembered?"
Rin looked away. "You mentioned it once. I'm not careless."
Ken and Manami exchanged mischievous glances but wisely kept quiet.
The meal turned out perfect. They talked, complained, teased, and laughed as the sun melted into the horizon. Beneath the clear sky, the tension of earlier washed away like ripples in a quiet lake.
Ken's Moment to Shine
After dinner, Ken stepped forward, eyes bright.
"Now it's my time! Stargazing!"
He set up his telescope with surprising expertise. The others watched, impressed by how natural he looked adjusting the lenses and aligning the tripod.
Ken rarely talked about himself, but here—beneath the sky—he relaxed.
"Stars remind me that the world's bigger than whatever stress we've got. They just… exist. Distant, patient."
It was the most philosophical anyone had heard him sound.
One by one, they took turns looking through the telescope.
The moon glowed in a pale blue tint. Constellations glittered in patterns invisible from the city. Ken also snapped photos, and when he showed them the results, they gasped.
Manami admired quietly. Rin leaned closer with genuine curiosity.
Eadlyn watched his friends—their silhouettes framed by starlight—and felt something warm settle in his chest.
This was the kind of memory he'd always wanted. Something simple. Something real.
Nightfall
When the stars brightened fully, they finally set up their two tents. Girls in one, boys in the other. The forest hummed with distant insects, the night cool enough to make them snuggle into their blankets.
Under that endless sky, they drifted into sleep—hearts full from the day's adventures, unaware that tomorrow would test them in ways none expected.