Hikaru's eyes widened at Daichi's sudden question.
Did he really just ask that out of nowhere?
He glanced at Daichi, who was still gazing out at the horizon, arms crossed. The crashing waves filled the silence, but it was clear he was waiting for an answer.
I... seriously didn't expect that.
Hikaru cleared his throat and finally spoke.
"Yeah... Her na is i Tomita. She's my sister Hikari's best friend."
Daichi stayed quiet, still watching the distant sea as waves slamd rhythmically against the golden sands of Tottori.
"How did you two et," he asked, "if you don't mind asking?"
Hikaru smiled, lost in the mory.
"It was after their volleyball training, about four years ago when I was 16 years old. I was at their training centre – just watching. I guess I got curious about Hikari's teammates."
Daichi turned slightly, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
"So... you were just casually watching because you were interested in dating one of them, huh? Are you seriously that desperate for a girlfriend at that ti?"
Hikaru imdiately blushed.
"W-Wha?! No! Well... maybe?"
Daichi chuckled.
"Knew it."
Hikaru groaned softly but kept smiling as he recalled more.
"Then... I saw her. i. She's the team's setter. The mont I laid eyes on her, I just thought – wow, she's beautiful. I beca interested in her from that mont."
"What happened after that?" Daichi asked, genuinely intrigued.
"After their training, I went to greet Hikari like a good brother should be. And... she happened to be with i."
Hikaru's cheeks turned red just thinking about it.
"Hikari introduced us. I got nervous... could barely say anything."
Daichi raised an eyebrow.
"And how did i react?"
"When I looked at her," Hikaru chuckled, "she was blushing too. Neither of us could really speak. It was... awkward, but cute."
Daichi laughed.
"Sounds like a match made in heaven."
Hikaru smiled, feeling the warmth of the mory.
"You know... we've been talking more lately. Things really changed when she asked to go with her to the festival."
Daichi nodded. "Didn't that turn into a double date?"
"Yeah. With that idiot Teshii and my sister, Hikari," Hikaru said, rolling his eyes.
Daichi chuckled and turned back toward the horizon, the Sea of Japan shimring under the fading sun.
"From what you've told ... I'm assuming you and i are officially dating now?"
Hikaru shook his head.
"No. Not yet."
Daichi glanced at him, surprised.
"How co?"
"I... I'm not really sure." Hikaru admitted, eyes low. "Maybe I'm just too shy to ask her to be my girlfriend. But I know one thing for sure..."
He took a deep breath.
"I love her. I really do."
CRAASSHHH!
Another wave slamd into the sand.
Daichi watched Hikaru for a mont, then spoke.
"Here's a good piece of advice from , Hikaru..."
Hikaru glanced at him.
"Huh?"
"I think you should go for it," Daichi said plainly. "From everything you've told ... it sounds like this i girl loves you too."
Hikaru's eyes widened.
"Daichi..." he muttered softly.
anwhile...
A lone hooded figure trudged through the golden sands of Tottori, each step sinking into the dunes. But the figure didn't seem to care – his pace was steady, deliberate.
As the wind kicked up a trail behind him, he reached up and pulled down his hood.
Navy hair. Could turquoise eyes.
It was Molecule.
He glanced up toward the sky. The sun had begun its descent, bathing the dunes in a warm, orange glow.
"Tch... it's getting late," he muttered.
Reaching into the folds of his cloak, Molecule pulled out a sleek black phone. His thumb scrolled through a short contact list until he reached a specific na:
Sinister X.
He tapped it and began to type.
Molecule: Leader
Molecule: The Elent of Earth seems to have joined the others.
Molecule: What should I do?
He waited.
The wind blew softly. Ti stretched.
Buzz!
The screen lit up with a reply.
Sinister X:Ignore the others.
Sinister X: Take the Elent of Light
Molecule's lips curled into a sinister smirk.
So... that's the target.
He quickly typed his reply.
Molecule: Roget that.
With a flick of his wrist, he slipped the phone back into his cloak and turned his gaze toward the nearest dune.
The Elent of Light, huh...?"
His mory flashed.
That mont–
When Hikaru had blasted him with Illuminate Blitz, defending Reito.
The light. The power.
It had been blinding. Impressive.
I can see why the leader wants him.
He climbed steadily up the dune, the soft grains of sand shifting underfoot. When he reached the top–
His eyes widened.
Down below, standing at the edge of the golden horizon – Hikaru and Daichi.
Talking.
Unaware.
Vulnerable.
Molecule smirked.
Found you, Elent of Light.
Then–
FWOOOSH!
In a blink, Molecule shrunk, reducing himself to the size of an ant, his form blending seamlessly with the sands beneath him.
They'd take out in a heartbeat if I attacked head-on...
So instead...
I'll sneak up on them.
He vanished beneath the surface, hidden by grains of sand and malice.
Back to Hikaru and Daichi...
After Hikaru had opened up about his feelings for i, he grew curious about Daichi's own love life.
"So... how about you, Daichi?" Hikaru asked gently.
Daichi exhaled, his eyes fixed on the golden horizon, where the sun continued its descent behind the dunes.
"There... was soone I loved."
Hikaru glanced at him, brows raised.
"Was?"
"Before I tell you what happened..." Daichi said, his voice steady but distant, "let tell you everything about first."
Hikaru nodded. "Sure."
"I've lived here in Tottori ever since I was born," Daichi began. "After graduating from university, I worked a basic office job. Nothing exciting."
"Really?" Hikaru said, surprised. "You seem more like the outdoors type."
Daichi chuckled faintly. "I get that a lot. But believe it or not, I was mischievous kid growing up – always causing trouble, giving my parents headaches."
He paused, then his smile faded.
"Until..."
"Until?" Hikaru leaned in slightly.
Daichi's expression darkened.
"Until my mother collapsed... out of nowhere."
Hikaru's eyes widened.
"The mont I saw her lying in that hospital bed..." Daichi's voice dropped. "It broke . I realized how much pain I'd caused her growing up. And seeing her like that... I knew I had to change."
CRASSHHH!
A wave slamd against the golden shore behind them, as if echoing the weight of his words.
"After that," Daichi continued, "I straightened out. Improved my grades, beca more responsible. No more childish behaviour."
He took a deep breath.
"I graduated high school. Got into university. And that's where I t her."
Hikaru blinked. "Her?"
"Yasuka Kakyuu. That was her na."
Daichi's tone grew softer "She was three years older than . We t at the university cafeteria."
Hikaru couldn't help but ask, "Was she your girlfriend?"
But Daichi didn't answer imdiately. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon.
"After a few monts of getting to know each other, I asked her out. She said yes. We made it official."
A small smile ford on his lips – but it was fleeting.
"I even t her parents."
Hikaru's eyes widened. "You t her parents already?"
"Yeah. They were both businesspeople. Big-na types." Daichi's voice darkened again. "They didn't like ."
"Why?"
"Probably because I wasn't rich. My family didn't have status. I was just so regular guy, not soone they'd want for their daughter."
Hikaru stared at Daichi – now silent, staring at the sand, shoulders a little heavier than before.
"So... what happened between you and Yasuka?" Hikaru finally asked.
Daichi's gaze fell.
"She..." His voice broke slightly.
"...She cheated on ."
Hikaru's eyes widened at Daichi's words.
"...What?"
Daichi let out a low chuckle, scratching the back of his head as if trying to laugh off a wound too deep to heal.
"Yeah... it sucks. I thought she was the one I'd spend the rest of my life with. Turns out, she didn't feel the sa."
Hikaru frowned.
"Damn... I'm sorry, Daichi."
"I loved her. I really did."
Daichi's voice softened, the pain still lingering beneath the calm exterior. "Of course, after finding out, I didn't take it well. I didn't move on. I quit my job... left everything behind. I ca out here to be alone."
"D-Did it help?" Hikaru asked.
Daichi exhaled slowly, gaze drifting out to the endless sea.
"Don't really know. But I do know one thing – running doesn't fix anything."
The waves crashed again, spraying salt into the air. Hikaru looked up at the sky, letting Daichi's words sink in. Then, after a pause, he spoke.
"Um... Daichi? If you don't mind asking... how did you find out Yasuka was cheating on you?"
Daichi turned his head slightly toward him.
"...Her parents told ."
Hikaru's brows furrowed.
Wait. Her parents?
"You're saying... Yasuka's parents were the ones who told you?"
Daichi nodded.
"Yeah."
"...Did you actually see her with so other man?"
Daichi narrowed his eyes.
"No."
A beat passed. Hikaru's expression grew more serious.
"Then... how do you that Yasuka's parents were saying the truth?" Hikaru said carefully. "You said her parents didn't like you, right? What if they made it up... just to break the two of you apart?"
Daichi stared at him, silent.
"They could've used that lie to make you walk away," Hikaru continued. "And you never got a chance to hear her side of the story."
Daichi turned his gaze back toward the horizon.
"You know, Hikaru... there's a reason why I believed them."
Hikaru tilted his head. "What do you an?"
Daichi's voice dropped lower.
"Yasuka always cared too much about appearances. She always wanted to make a good impression in public. And ?" He let out a soft, bitter chuckle. "I wasn't anything special. Just so broke guy from Tottori. I always thought... maybe, deep down, she was embarrassed to be seen with soone like ."
Hikaru stepped forward and placed a hand on Daichi's shoulder.
"But you don't know that for sure," Hikaru said firmly. "That's just your fear talking. Even if she cared about impressions... she wouldn't have dated you in the first place if she was embarrassed by you. She must've loved you. Really loved you."
Daichi stared at him, the wind tugging gently at his brown hair.
"Hikaru..."
"You should've talked to her, Daichi. You should've confird it yourself. Not just taken their word for it."
Then–
"Yeah. You two should have talked about it.
Both Hikaru and Daichi froze.
Slowly, they turned.
Standing before them at the edge of the dune with them, arms crossed and smirking like a devil reborn...
...was Molecule.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
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