After spending the whole day playing around, we sat under the beach umbrella, watching the sun slowly sink toward the horizon.
"Alright, it's time to pack up and head back to the inn. The sun's already setting," I said as I stood up.
"So, where are we going tomorrow?" Aoi asked while folding the mat.
"How about we visit a shrine first, then stop by the souvenir center to buy something to take home?" Kenta replied as he walked toward us.
"Sounds good. Let's meet in the inn lobby at 9 a.m. tomorrow," Aoi answered enthusiastically.
Reina stretched her arms. "Okay, time to go back and enjoy a hot bath."
Aoi's eyes lit up. "Great idea!"
When we arrived at the inn, I headed straight to the shower before tidying up the bed. From my window, the view of the sea and the nearby shops was perfectly clear.
I turned on my phone to check Aoi's message—just a reminder not to oversleep tomorrow.
As I scrolled through the news, I saw a report about a bus accident. It happened along the same route as the one I took earlier.
I tried not to think about it and lay down. After a full day at the beach, exhaustion pulled me straight into sleep…
Somehow, the night passed unusually fast. It felt like I had just closed my eyes, and suddenly it was already morning. Maybe it was just my imagination, or maybe not.
I got ready to go down to the lobby. The clock showed 08:29. I washed my face, changed clothes, and stepped outside the room.
To my surprise, Reina was already there waiting.
"Good morning, Reina. Have you been waiting long?" I greeted her.
"Good morning. No, I just got here a minute ago," she replied simply.
Her face looked fresh—like the morning sunlight itself.
"Good morning, Reina. Morning, Yuya. Wow, you two came early! Did you plan this—hmm?" Aoi teased with a mischievous grin.
"N-No!" I replied a bit louder than I intended.
"Ooh-hh." Aoi giggled, covering her mouth.
Five minutes later, Kenta finally showed up, rushing in while fixing his clearly-just-woken-up hair.
"Haah… sorry I'm late. I overslept," he said helplessly.
Aoi narrowed her eyes. "Told you not to play games until two in the morning."
"It was a limited-time event! I couldn't miss it," Kenta protested.
Reina giggled softly. "Well, at least we're all here now."
I nodded. "Alright then, let's go before it gets crowded."
We stepped out of the inn. The morning breeze still carried a faint scent of the ocean. The streets weren't too busy yet, making everything feel calm and peaceful.
Aoi stretched her arms. "Aaaah~ mornings like this are the best. Shrine first, then souvenir shopping, right?"
"Exactly," I replied. "After that, we can go anywhere you want."
Reina checked the schedule board. "The bus will be here soon."
We boarded once it arrived. Inside, the atmosphere was quiet—just a couple of elderly folks and two foreign tourists. The bus slowly climbed toward the hillside. From the window, the coastline gradually faded from view, replaced by dense greenery.
Aoi leaned closer to me. "When we get to the shrine, let's take a group photo, okay? It's been a while since all four of us went on a trip together."
"Sure thing," I said with a smile.
Reina added, "I want to buy a charm for my parents. They love traditional things."
"I'm getting a good-luck charm," Kenta chimed in. "Maybe my grades will improve next semester."
Aoi flicked his forehead. "What needs to go up isn't your luck—it's your sleep schedule."
We laughed together.
After about fifteen minutes, the bus dropped us near the shrine's entrance. The place was much more beautiful than I imagined. A tall red gate stood proudly between the trees, and the faint sound of shrine bells echoed through the air, accompanied by the scent of incense drifting with the breeze.
"This is amazing…" I murmured.
Reina nodded. "So peaceful…"
Aoi grabbed our hands. "Come on! Let's climb the stairs! The view from the top must be incredible."
We climbed the stone steps, joking around along the way. Sunlight slipped through the leaves, casting soft shifting shadows across the ground. It felt like a place you wouldn't want to leave anytime soon.
At the top, the small town below stretched out before us, touched by the gentle morning wind.
"No wonder so many people visit," I said, taking a deep breath.
Kenta began snapping pictures everywhere. "Bro, bro! Take a photo of me and Aoi!"
"Huh? Why me?" Aoi complained.
"Because your face looks better when I'm in the frame," he said proudly.
"Just admit you want a photo," Aoi replied, laughing.
I took their pictures. Then Aoi pulled Reina in for some photos too. After that, it was my turn—and Aoi kept telling me, "Don't be so stiff!"
Once we finished exploring, we headed to a small shop near the shrine to buy charms and drinks.
Just as I reached for a bottle of tea, my phone vibrated softly.
One message. No contact name—just a random number.
The content was short:
"Don't be late. Something will change today."
I frowned.
Aoi turned toward me. "Hm? What's wrong?"
I quickly turned off the screen. "Nothing. Just… some promotional text."
"Oh. For a second I thought it was from someone special," she teased.
I didn't respond. Not because I was embarrassed—
but because a cold shiver slowly ran down my spine.
There was something off about that message.
Kenta walked over with two charms in hand. "Alright! Ready to go to the souvenir center?"
Reina glanced at me briefly, as if sensing something was off.
But before she could ask, I forced a small smile.
"Yeah. Let's go."
We continued our trip.
But ever since reading that message,
my steps felt slightly heavier.
And for some reason I couldn't explain,
I felt like someone was watching us from afar.