Archive of Our Own ^beta

An Shiraishi was practically in heaven by now.

They had done it. They had really, really done it. All of them together--her teammates, Kotaro, EVER, and even Arata (who'd joined at the last possible moment thanks to Soma)-- had managed to surpass RAD WEEKEND.

The four of them remained in a state of awe for the next few days, just blissfully wandering around with the knowledge that they'd done it revolving around their heads. It was during that time that An and Akito managed to surpass their own low bar for scores, too, prompting a heavy scolding from both their teacher and Toya (when he found out.) Not even that could make her euphoria disappear, though--they'd surpassed RAD WEEKEND! What was there to be sad about?!

Just when she thought the week couldn't get any better, her mother reminded her that her birthday was coming up and she needed to come up with some plans. An's excitement shot through the roof, and with her father's help she eagerly threw together a plan for a day filled to the brim with festivities.

"So we'll bring your grill and the cooler, which Mom promised to fill with everything we needed the morning before we leave since we'll be there all day. We can fit them both in the back of the van, but we'll all have to hold our bags on our laps during the ride to make everything fit 'cause the grill's pretty big. I'm worried EVER will have a hard time since they won't be able to ride with us, but maybe they can fit some of their stuff on their bikes? Does Arata have a car, maybe? Ooh, do you think Soma can get permission to leave the hospital because otherwise I don't think he'll wanna--"

"An, try to relax a little bit," Ken reminded her as she furiously wrote everything that came to mind down in the itinerary Haruka had bought her. "We've invited everyone else, and they can choose to attend if they want. Arata and Soma are old enough to work that out for themselves, so don't worry about it."

"Okay! But it'll still be hard to get everyone here, so maybe we can drive back and pick up Kotaro? Oh, wait, there's five seats plus the passenger seat so he can sit with us in the van! Unless he'll be late so he'll wanna take the train instead, in which case--"

"An, seriously, don't overthink it. We're celebrating your birthday together and it's gonna be fun. Let them worry about how to get there--it's your party. It's not your responsibility to worry about every little detail."

"Alright, alright!" she laughed, shutting the notebook with a snap. "I guess Akito's already made that his job already, so I really shouldn't worry about it."

Ken sighed slightly at the mention of Akito's name. "I'm glad you suggested this. Everyone needs a holiday, maybe him most of all."

"Yeah, he really does," An admitted ruefully. "I'm glad he's so eager to help, but...I guess he just doesn't know what to do with himself right now."

Ever since RAD BLAST Akito had been slightly listless, and while he was clearly just as happy as they were to have reached their goal at last he appeared to be somewhat lost. An was glad he wasn't feeling worse considering some of the days they'd spent with him up until that point, but it was still concerning to see (learning that her best friend had once been suicidal and was still pretty depressed even now had made her quite anxious from time to time.) As such, he'd thrown himself into helping prepare for the party with such vigor it was shocking. While it was nice to have so much help, she couldn't but hope he snapped out of it soon.

...Which was why her idea was the greatest ever!!

"Hey, can we start putting the grocery list together now? Since we're bringing the grill, we gotta buy all the essentials!"

"Sure. Can I see your notebook? Your handwriting still needs some work."

"Hey, I've been getting better!"

"I know, but it's still a mess to read. Mom won't be able to make this out at all."

"Fine. Just stop making fun of me already, Dad! I'm the birthday girl! It's illegal!"

"Sure, sure."

"Are you sure that's everything?" Akito asked for the 80 billionth time as An closed the back of the van at last. "Maybe we should check again just in case. It'd be annoying if we got there and had to come back or something like that."

"Akito. You're my dear friend, my gay bestie and I love you platonically, but you need to relax," An said, setting her hands on his shoulders and looking him dead in the eye. "We have now checked the back of the van for the grill, the cooler and everything else we're bringing three times. I'm pretty sure we're not forgetting anything."

He rolled his eyes and pushed her hands off. "I'm just being careful. You can't be counted on to remember things like this."

"You were right next to me when I checked it!" she retorted, flicking him in the forehead. "Three times, Akito. We're fine."

"Whatever," he grumbled. "Let's get in the van already."

"We made sure to go through all the bags twice just in case, Shinonome-kun," Kohane reassured, patting him on the shoulder as he sat down. "We haven't forgotten anything, I promise, especially An-chan's gifts. You can relax."

Akito folded his arms across his chest and scowled. "I know."

"Yeah! Even I haven't forgotten anything!" Kotaro chimed in emphatically, opening his bag and going through it prove his point. "I packed some water, some snacks, some sunblock and even my snorkel! We're A-okay!"

"A snorkel? What are you, a little kid?"

"Big words from someone who's not gonna get to breathe underwater!" Kotaro retorted, sounding somewhat pleased with himself. Akito rolled his eyes.

"It's okay, love, really," Toya promised, taking his boyfriend's hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. "We're here to celebrate Shiraishi's birthday, and Ken-san is working just as hard to ensure that nothing goes wrong. It's fine to take a break from all the event planning, you know. I want to enjoy the day as much as possible with you, Akito."

"...Alright."

Way to go, Toya! An cheered to herself as she sat down beside her dad. As usual, the boy remained the only one capable of calming Akito down even in the worst situations. Kohane smiled slightly to herself, likely thinking the same thing.

"Is everyone buckled?" An called, leaning around her chair.

"We're good to go!" Kotaro replied, giving her a big thumbs up. "Right, guys?"

"Yep!" Kohane agreed.

"We're ready, too," Toya said.

"Alrighty! Mom's gonna meet us later with the cake once she picks it up, Arata and Soma are getting there by train and EVER is taking their bikes, so let's get this show on the road! Hit the gas, Dad!"

Ken turned the car on and peeled out of the driveway, putting his sunglasses on with a snap. An did the same with the pair she'd brought along just for fun, reclining back against her chair as she hit play on the stereo. The cheery beats of YY began to play, Miku's voice filling the car as they began to sing along (because it'd be awkward to sing along to yourself.) An gazed dreamily out the window as she sang, taking in the wide blue sky and the bright sun illuminating it. It was a perfect day for a perfect birthday party, and she couldn't wait to spend it with her friends.

"We're here!" Ken announced as they pulled into the parking lot beside the trio of motorcycles that meant EVER was there already. "Look, there's the ocean down there."

"It's so wide," Toya remarked, his eyes practically sparkling as he stared at it. "We're really going down there?"

"Yep," Akito said, patting his shoulder with a smile. "We'll teach you to swim, so don't worry, alright? You're gonna enjoy yourself."

Toya nodded, his brow furrowing slightly in determination. "Alright. Thank you."

"It's nothing. Now let's go."

"Akito, can you give me a hand with the grill?" Ken called as the kids exited the van, Kotaro helping Kohane with her bag. "It's pretty heavy."

"Sure!" Akito quite literally raced to help him, carefully lifting it out of the back in such a way that it wouldn't hit anything else. "Thanks, kid," Ken said gratefully as they set it down on the ground, reaching out to ruffle his hair with a laugh. "It has wheels, so I can handle it from here. Can you and Kotaro handle the cooler?"

"Got it," he replied, taking one handle as the other boy took the second. Once it was out of the way An grabbed the volleyball net, leaving Kohane to carry the gifts and Toya to grab the beach towels. "That's everything, right?" Ken asked, fishing for his keys.

"Yep!" An answered, shutting the door.

"Alright, I'm locking it now. Tatsuya and his group said they'd save us a spot, so let's go find them."

"Okay~! Let's get this party started!" An whooped, pumping her fist in the air as they began to walk down the path.

It didn't take them long to find Tatsuya and his group, thankfully. The trio caught their attention pretty easily once they noticed them, waving and calling their names. "Ken-san, we're over here!" Tatsuya called. "You guys can put the gifts over here, by the way!"

"Alright!" Kohane said gratefully, hurrying to set them down with EVER's. "Thanks for saving us a spot, everyone."

"It's no problem!" Chiyo replied happily, moving to help her. "I was pretty surprised when An-chan suggested this, but I'm looking forward to it! It's a shame I had to leave my piercings at home, though, because I just bought a nice one for my nose."

"You would've just lost it in the sea," Hinata told her bluntly. "See, even Akito-kun left his at home."

"Oh, you're right. It's odd seeing you without all those piercings, Shinonome-kun," Chiyo laughed. "You look less street-like. I don't know how to say it."

Akito rolled his eyes slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"We all left our stuff behind, even An-chan," Tatsuya reminded them. "We all look a little less street-like."

"True! Hey, do you think we look respectable enough for Toya's dad?" An asked eagerly.

Chiyo burst out laughing. "With all this bleach? I sure as hell don't think so!"

"Is your dad that much of a prick, Aoyagi-kun?" Hinata asked, raising his eyebrows.

Toya smiled ruefully. "Yes, unfortunately. He still doesn't like Akito since he looks like a delinquent, so he likely wouldn't be pleased to the rest of you. I imagine he'd be almost scandalized to see Yoshida-san's haircut in particular."

Chiyo tossed her head, her expression smug. Half of her hair was shaved right down to her scalp, and while she'd left her roots black the rest of it was dyed bright red. "My mom thinks it's ridiculous, too. But who cares? It's cool, right?"

"Very cool," Hinata said with a nod.

"The coolest!" Kotaro agreed eagerly.

"Oh, but your hair is interesting, too, Ito-san," Kohane chimed in. "I don't often see boys with hair as long as yours, even if it's only a little longer than Aoyagi-kun's."

"True, you often don't," Hinata agreed. "It's only long enough for a small ponytail, but it still stands out a bit."

"Hey, have you guys finished setting up?" Ken shouted. He had finished wheeling the grill down the road (they'd all raced ahead of him to meet EVER) and now he stood a couple dozen feet away, crossing his arms. "An, the volleyball net hasn't even been put up."

"Ah, shoot!" An groaned. "Sorry, Dad! We'll get it set up right away!"

She and Chiyo raced to do so, the older girl easily setting the poles in the sand and stringing the net in between them. While she did that An reinflated the ball (they'd had no choice but to squish it since they'd barely had any room in the back) and set it down in front of the net. "Alright, that's done! What's next?"

"Sunblock, right?" Kotaro asked, pulling his proudly out of his bag. "I brought my own, so if anyone needs it, let me know!"

"Kohane, close your eyes and I'll spray you," An instructed, taking hers out of her bag and shaking it. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Kohane replied as she straightened upright and spread her arms out, shutting her eyes tightly.

An sprayed her girlfriend as carefully as possible. "There, that's done! Will you do me now?"

"Okay!" Kohane quickly did the same, stepping back once she was done. "I'm finished."

"Thanks, Kohane! By the way, are you gonna be okay underwater with your contacts?" An asked, stretching slightly. "They're not gonna like...float away, are they?"

"Um...my dad was worried too, but I brought some goggles for when I want to go into the water," Kohane reassured her. "They fit pretty well, so my contacts should be fine."

"Okay! Off topic, your swimsuit is so cute, Kohane!"

"Thank you, An-chan! You look so cool in yours!"

"You're even prettier, though!"

"No, you are."

"No, you!"

"No, y--"

"Alright, you're both pretty, dumbass lesbians!" Akito yelled from behind them, sounding annoyed. "Can you come set out your towels already?"

"Oops! We'll do that right away!" An yelped, running to do as he said. "Kohane's still way prettier and cuter than I am, though, right?"

"No, An-chan obviously is!" Kohane argued as she unfolded her towel and spread it across the sand.

"Toya, settle this for us! Tell her how much cuter she is!"

Toya shook his head with a smile as Akito rolled his eyes (he'd done that quite a bit today by now and it was only noon.) "I'm not going to do that, Shiraishi."

"You both look great," Kotaro offered. "Kohane is pretty cute, but you're cool enough to match her."

"Acceptable," An declared. "What should we do first? Oh, should we wait for Arata and Soma to get here before doing anything?"

"That shouldn't be a problem. I think that's them coming down the road," Tatsuya said, shading his eyes and peering up.

"Oh, you're right! Heeeeeeeeeey, we're over here!" Kotaro yelled, waving both of his arms to catch their attention.

Soma waved cheerfully back to them from the wheelchair he was sitting in as Arata carefully pushed it across the sand. "Hey, guys!" he greeted, a grin on his face. "Arata rented a beach wheelchair so we can move a little bit more easier here."

"Glad to hear it!" An replied eagerly. "I'm glad you could make it, guys!"

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Arata said with a grin.

"By the way, is there a gift pile yet, An-chan?" Soma asked her, holding up a small box wrapped in colorful paper. "I brought something since today's your birthday, so if there's a place to put it, we'll put it down."

"We made a gift pile over here," Hinata told him, gesturing to the towel covered with presents. "Here, can I have it?"

He set Soma's gift down with the rest, accepting the one Arata handed him as well. "I also bought something, although it's pretty small," Arata explained. "Happy birthday, An-chan."

"Thanks!" An said happily. "If you don't mind, would everyone just chill and wait for my mom to get here? She was really excited to celebrate with us, so I don't want to start having fun until she gets here."

"Of course. I'm happy to wait for Yuka-san if that's what you want," Toya said, Kohane and Akito nodding assent as he did.

"We're alright with it too," Tatsuya agreed.

"We don't mind either," Arata replied.

"Sounds fine to me!" Kotaro chimed in. "Your mom is bringing the cake, right? What did you pick out?"

"We just went with a chocolate cake because it was nice and simple," An answered. "It's big and nice, though, and it's covered in little icing flowers. It's really pretty."

"Before we eat it, can I take a picture of it?" Kohane asked. "It'll be a nice memory."

"Of course! Anything for my precious partner~"

"A-An-chan, I can't breathe!"

"Sorry, sorry! You're just too cute to ignore!"

"Are they like this all the time?" Soma asked Arata, looking interested. "I've only met them a couple of times, so..."

Arata laughed as he sat down beside the wheelchair. "Yes, they are. An-chan has the same energy you do, so it's a given."

"Oh, were you the cuddly kind of partner, Soma?" An asked eagerly, letting go of Kohane to focus on him.

"Yeah! Arata used to complain a lot in high school because of how often I liked to hug him out of the blue," Soma laughed. "He got used to it after we started dating, but it didn't stop him from feeling embarrassed."

"Anyone would feel embarrassed at being fawned over in public, as Kohane-chan has clearly demonstrated," Arata pointed out. "Even Shinonome-kun feels embarrassed when Aoyagi-kun hugs him."

"True. That shy side of him is endearing, right?" Soma asked Toya with a grin.

Toya nodded, eyes sparkling slightly. "It's adorable."

"Hey," Akito complained. "I'm not endearing or adorable."

"Even with that attitude he somehow is," Ken remarked as he opened the grill and began to wipe it down.

"Ken-san! What the hell?!"

Everyone burst out laughing as Akito glared at them, eyebrow twitching more aggressively than An had ever seen it. "You're all dead to me," he muttered, getting to his feet.

"Nooooooo, don't leave us!" An yelled, practically lunging at him and dragging his arm to keep him from standing up.

"What the--get off me!"

"You're my prisoner now! Toya, Kohane, grab his other arm!"

"What?! Don't you da--"

"Got it!" The other two leapt in action right away, seizing Akito's arm and pinning it to the ground. Kotaro cackled with helpless laughter as Akito desperately tried to free himself, cursing louder the longer they kept him on the ground. "Alright, this is a family-friendly beach, so let him go already," Ken ordered when another couple of minutes had passed and he still hadn't escaped. "We're making everyone uncomfortable."

"I haven't even heard some of those swears before, and I'm older than you," Arata remarked as they let go and Akito sat up, seething. "Where on earth did you hear those, Shinonome-kun?"

Akito gave no response except to flip him off, earning more laughter from the group. "Thanks for the help, asshole."

"Don't be like that. I'm not one to interfere with a group's conflict," Arata said cheerfully. "Besides, they meant no harm."

"Shut the f--"

"Look, it's Mom!" An interrupted, jumping to her feet. "Dad, I'm going to go help her cause that box looks big!"

"Alright, just don't trip her," Ken called as he closed the grill again, turning to Akito. "Akito, can you and Arata get the tables from the van?"

"Alright. Come on, Tono," Akito replied, getting to his feet and hurrying off with Arata right behind him. They returned with the first table, leaving it on the sand for someone else to set up. Toya was eager to do so, following Ken's instructions carefully in order to stand it up. By the time Akito and Arata came back with the second table it was standing straight on the sand and Toya was surveying it proudly. "Nice job, partner," Akito praised, patting his back. "Can you help with this one?"

"Of course!"

"You're all full of energy already, huh," Yuka remarked as she set the box down carefully on the table with An's help. "Sorry for making everyone wait. I would've ridden to the beach with you, but the line was so long..."

"Don't worry. We just got here about 10 minutes ago," Ken promised as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for picking it up and filling the cooler, Yuka."

"It was nothing! It's An birthday and I wanted to help make it special," she said happily. "On that note, An, what should we do first?"

"Well, we've been waiting for a little bit, so let's swim!" she replied excitedly. "Is everyone ready?"

"Yep!" Kotaro answered, eagerly pulling his snorkel out of his bag. "Is it time to get in?"

Ken let out a laugh, snorting slightly. "You're all teenagers! Why are you asking if it's time to get in? Just go jump in already!"

"Whoo-hoo!" An whooped as she led the charge towards the water, rushing past the shallows and submerging herself. "Ahh, it's so cold!" she complained as she came up for air a second later, laughing. "Guys, the temperature's just right! Come on in!"

"Coming through!" Kotaro yelled as he slid his snorkel over his face and jumped in alongside her and Kohane, who quickly swam over to An with a smile. Tatsuya, Chiyo and Hinata joined them fairly quickly, laughing and shoving each other. Akito led Toya into the shallows, holding his hands and reassuring him that they weren't heading into the deep areas just yet as his boyfriend carefully followed him, an expression of excitement on his face. Even Soma got to at least sit in the shallows as Arata stayed with him, ensuring he wasn't swept away or placed in any danger at all. The two looked content to relax together, and An felt slightly relieved. She'd been hesitant to invite Arata and Soma as she'd been worried the latter wouldn't be able to have any fun, but it seemed that wasn't the case. I'm glad.

"An-chan, watch this," Kohane said, getting her attention as she lowered her goggles. She vanished underwater, returning with a handful of little-bitty shells. "Aren't these cute?"

"Aww, they really are!" An squealed. "I'm gonna try too! Just wait right there!"

She slid her goggles over her face and let herself sink, scooping a handful of sand up. Once she'd resurfaced she quickly sifted them, proudly presenting her girlfriend with more tiny shells. "Ta-da!"

"They're so small," Kohane marveled as she opened her hand and let the shells drift away, An doing the same. "Want to see what else we can find?"

"Sure thing!"

Together the two dived underwater and began to swim, An enjoying the sight of the water drifting peacefully past her eyes without it stinging. After a couple of minutes they came up for air again, but were quick to dive once more. After a few minutes of just chilling, An decided that she wanted to see how Akito and Toya were doing. Just as she was thinking this a devious idea popped into her head, and she was forced to hold in a giggle underwater. She tapped Kohane's shoulder and pointed upwards. Kohane looked concerned but nodded, quickly resurfacing. "Is something wrong, An-chan?"

"No, no! I was just thinking..." An leaned forward and whispered in her ear. Kohane looked stunned, but she giggled slightly. "An-chan, that's mean."

"He'll be fine! Besides, if it surprises him that much, we can save him before he drowns or something," she reassured her. "So? Are you up for it?"

"As long as we don't do it to Aoyagi-kun," Kohane said firmly. "Shinonome-kun is one thing, but Aoyagi-kun doesn't know how to swim."

"Of course not! I'd never prank Toya like that," An retorted indignantly. "Come on, let's go!"

After looking around and finding their target, the two dived underwater again and swam quietly towards him. Akito was standing waist deep in the shallows, carefully explaining something to Toya, when they reached out and grabbed both his legs. He made a sound like a dog being strangled, nearly smacking An in the face as he frantically attempted to regain his balance. "What in the actual hell, An?!" he yelled once he was standing safely upright again. "You too, Kohane?!"

"I'm so sorry, Shinonome-kun!" Kohane apologized as An cackled loudly, her giggles breaking off into startled protests when Akito shoved her head underwater. "It was An-chan's idea, not mine!"

"You're betraying me this easily?" An gasped as she resurfaced, sputtering and spitting out water. "Also, hey! Rude!"

"Do that again and I'll drown you next time," Akito snapped, eyebrow twitching. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, asshole."

"I'd like to see you try," An laughed. "Bet you can't even--"

"Oh, you asked for it."

"N-No, no, no, wait! It's illegal to drown someone on their birthday! Hey, stop! Kohaneeeee, save me!"

"Is Shiraishi alright?" Toya asked, looking slightly concerned as they watched An swimming for her life with Akito hot on her heels.

"She's fine," Kohane reassured him with a giggle. "I'm sure Shinonome-kun's just mad. He won't really hurt her."

"...Alright," Toya replied after watching his partner drag An underwater, her feet kicking madly as she attempted to free herself. He had never looked more unsure in all the time she'd known him.

"More importantly, how far did the two of you get?" she asked. "Want my help trying to go over the basics again?"

"If you don't mind," he said gratefully. "We practiced floating for a couple minutes, and we were just about to start practicing the doggie paddle when you two grabbed Akito."

Kohane winced. "I'll apologize properly to him later once he's cooled down. But for now, just follow my lead, Aoyagi-kun!"

"Understood!"

"That was terrifying," An groaned as she lay on her back against her towel, Kohane gently fanning her. "Remind me not to prank you underwater again."

"They do say to let sleeping dogs lie," Arata quipped. "You just learned that the hard way, An-chan."

"I'm not a dog," Akito growled as he sat down beside Toya, who was enjoying the sunlight. Ken laughed from where he was sitting in a beach chair beside Yuka. He'd watched the entire fight in amusement, and now he simply sat and let the rest of the argument play out in front of them.

"No offense, Shinonome, but you really do act like one," Tatsuya said with a rueful laugh. "Right, guys?"

Chiyo and Hinata nodded, snickering slightly. "He does."

"I'm shoving you all in the ocean again."

"No, wait! Why don't we do something different?" Kotaro suggested eagerly. "Since we'll be swimming a lot today, we should space it out a bit, right?"

"Good point, Kotaro!" An agreed, sitting upright instantly. "What should we do, then?"

"I have an idea, if you don't mind," Tatsuya spoke up. "We brought a few watermelons with us...well, way more than a few. There's enough for most of us kids to split them. Does that sound alright?"

"Yeah, that sounds great! Can I go first?" An asked eagerly.

"Of course. Birthday girl gets priority," Haruki said, handing her a bat. "Chiyo, will you get the watermelons?"

"Sure!"

Chiyo raced off as Tatsuya spread a paper sheet out, setting the watermelon she handed him in the center (he hadn't been kidding when he said they brought a lot. The cooler was full of them!) "Let me blindfold you real quick," he said, coming up behind her with a piece of fabric in his hands. She vibrated in excitement as he carefully wrapping it around her eyes, everything turning black. "Alright, everyone stand back. Tono, you should probably pull Miyata back a bit. Maybe stand in front of him."

She could practically hear Arata frowning. "Alright."

An carefully took a few steps forward. "Where is it?"

"A few steps to the right, An-chan," Kohane called encouragingly from somewhere off to her left.

"Like this?" An asked, moving towards the right.

"Just a little to the left, Shiraishi."

"That's too far left, idiot!"

"Jeez, who asked you?! That's not helpful at all!" An yelled back, stepping right again. "Mom, Dad, how do I look?"

"You're almost there," Yuka answered.

"Just don't hit Chiyo, she's pretty close to you," Ken warned.

"Whoops! I'll move, hang on."

"Move forward a little bit and you'll be in front of it, An!" Kotaro shouted.

An did as instructed, reaching forward with the bat. She prodded at the space in front of her, feeling the bat hit something hard. "Is this it? This isn't someone's leg or a box, is it?"

"No, that's it! Be careful when you swing!" Kohane reminded her.

"Alrighty, here I go!"

An swung upwards and brought the bat down, hearing the satisfying crack of the watermelon splitting open. Her friends' cheers greeted her as she lifted up the blindfold, grinning at the sight of the watermelon pieces laying on the sheet. "I did it!"

"Alright!" Tatsuya said, giving her a round of applause. "Let's split a few more and take a half-hour break from swimming while we eat them. Who wants to go next?"

Toya put up his hand, looking slightly hopeful. "Could I have a turn?"

"Of course! Here's the bat, Toya!" An replied, handing it to him as she grabbed a piece of watermelon. "Everyone eat up!"

Akito helped tie the blindfold around Toya's face before stepping away. Toya stood with the bat held in his hands, looking awkward and a little nervous. "Just a few steps to the right, Toya!" Akito called as he sat back down.

"Yeah, just a little!" Soma agreed, taking a bite of the watermelon piece Arata had handed him. "You've got this, Aoyagi-kun!"

"Um...is this far enough?" Toya asked, taking a few steps in the indicated direction.

"Come back to the left just a bit, Toya," Ken instructed.

"You're almost there!" Arata shouted.

"You're directly in front of it now!" An cheered.

Toya carefully raised the bat upwards, bringing it down on the watermelon. "Keep hitting it!" Akito encouraged when it didn't split right away. "You can do it, Toya!"

"You've got this, Toya!" Kotaro yelled.

"Go, Aoyagi-kun, go!"

Toya hit the watermelon again, his expression determined. "Just a couple more times!" Tatsuya called. "You're almost there!"

Toya brought the bat down one last time, and finally the watermelon split in half. He raised the blindfold up, looking excited, as Akito slung an arm around his shoulders and ruffled his hair. "Good job, Toya. You did it, see?"

"I did!" Toya said eagerly, accepting a watermelon piece from An. "Akito, I split it!"

"Was it fun, Aoyagi-kun?" Kohane asked with a giggle.

"Yes, very fun. Thank you, Okazaki-san."

"No problem. Alright, I'd ask if anyone else wants to go next, but at this rate we'll eat so much watermelon we won't be able to swim again for hours," Tatsuya declared. "I say that since we until 7 pm to leave and that's a few hours away, we leave smashing the rest until later, then whoever feels like it should go for it. For now let's eat these and then jump back in!"

"Got it!" An cheered, biting in her watermelon again. "Ahh, it's so refreshing! Toya, you have to try it!"

"Alright."

Everyone's eyes were on Toya as he took a bite of his piece, eyes widening in surprise. "It's unusually watery."

"I know, right? Watermelon's great for hot summer days!" An chirped. "Thanks for bringing them, Okazaki-san!"

"It wasn't a big deal. As a matter of fact, a classmate of ours gave us a bunch because they bought too many," Tatsuya explained as he lay back on the sand, watermelon in hand. "But then we had too many, and we were trying to figure out what to do with them when you invited us to the beach. We were really relieved, since it gave us an opportunity to use them up. We got a few stares on the road earlier, though."

"We had to use ropes to keep the watermelons in because the lid wouldn't on the box," Hinata explained at Toya's questioning stare, grinning slightly. "I'm sure the sight of three 'gangsters' riding past with a crate full of watermelons looked really silly, especially since we were wearing our motorcycle clothes over our swimsuits so they didn't get dirty."

"When you put it like that, it really does sound weird," Akito said with a chuckle. "I can only imagine what people must've thought."

"Maybe you work for a mob boss who's favorite food is watermelon!" Kotaro suggested eagerly. "And you're in a hurry to deliver it to before you're executed for failing him."

"Or maybe you're making a peace offering," An guessed. "In return for bringing the rival gang's favorite fruit over, they'll make sure to stay off your turf for good."

"Or maybe..." Kohane thought hard for a minute. "Maybe you're gangsters who work for bad people, but in your spare time, you love helping the old man who works at the nearby farm out, so he gives you his fruit as thanks."

"Aww. What softies we are," Chiyo sighed.

"But then one day, the rival gang learns we're visiting him and mistakes his farm for a weapons depot," Hinata continued, an odd sparkle in his eye. "So they burn down the farm that night in hopes of slowing us down."

"Well, that escalated quickly," Arata remarked.

"Yeah! What the heck, Hinata?!" Chiyo snapped, punching Hinata on the shoulder. "I was having a moment there!"

"My bad, my bad."

"Um...maybe you three save the old man in the nick of time," Toya suggested. "Your boss lets you bring him to your base and agrees to keep him alive."

"And while he's there he manages to reform everyone in the gang with the power of love, family and fruit," Soma added. "Even the boss."

"Everyone leaves the gang and heads back home," Akito chimed in. "Meanwhile the police have been tracking the people who burned the farm down, and they raid their base. Since your base is empty and you've only ever fought them with masks, the bad guys can't identify you all."

"And everyone lives happily ever after," Arata finished. "Except for the villains who burned down the farm."

Ken laughed. "That's quite the story."

"I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!" Yuka said eagerly.

"How did we get on this subject again?" Akito asked with a frown.

"I don't actually know," An admitted. "It was fun, though!"

"...Yeah, it was."

The next few hours were almost a blur. After finishing their watermelon and relaxing for a few minutes, they went swimming again. Akito challenged An to a proper water fight with the water guns they'd brought, and she accepted without hesitation. After watching the two duel Arata suggested a full-scale battle, with teams and positions and everything. Everyone agreed right away, and once they'd decided their teams the battle began. Even Soma participated--he camped out near the shallows in his wheelchair with a gun, occasionally ducking his head to avoid the shots his self-designated bodyguard couldn't take. (Since he couldn't move fast enough to avoid getting hit entirely, Arata stood in front of him and attacked anyone who came near the two of them with a fierce barrage of water.) EVER moved together as a well-operated unit, often rushing anyone standing by themselves and gunning them down with water. Toya raced around with his gun, clearly excited to be participating in his first water fight even when An caught him full-on in the face with a blast by accident. Kohane proved to be a trickier enemy than one might expect, hiding behind others and leaping out to attack when no one saw her coming. Even Akito and Tatsuya were caught by surprise a few times, although they were always quick to retaliate in order to regain their pride. Ken and Yuka "objectively" cheered them on (An pretended not to notice the frequent cheering whenever she specifically got a hit) as the battle finally reached its end. There was no clear victor, but everyone felt like a winner and agreed to leave it as a tie.

Since everyone still had energy and it was only 3, they spent some time relaxing in the water rather than swimming around it before smashing more watermelons and hosting a game of volleyball. It was quite messy considering Toya had no idea how to play and Kohane was short enough to struggle with hitting the ball, but when all of the kinks were worked out (Akito ended up lowering the net so Kohane could reach and taught Toya all of the basics) it was hard to stop playing. They kept going for easily a couple of hours, taking turns and switching out teams whenever they got tired.

Eventually everyone began to peel off from the group, choosing to go sit down and rest before eating. After a few more heated games An did the same, wandering over to where she'd left her water bottle. As she was taking a well-deserved drink she spotted Akito sitting by himself, staring out at the sea. I wonder what he's up to.

She made her way towards him, plopping down on the towel beside him. "You tired?"

He started slightly, scooting aside so she had more room to sit. "Huh? Yeah, a little. Ken-san said we'll be grilling soon, though."

"Really? That's good. I'm really hungry after all that playing around," she giggled. "It'll time to leave soon, though. That's a little sad."

"It's already over, yeah."

Akito's gaze was slightly melancholic as it focused on the ocean. The sun was beginning to set, turning the water golden, and it was a beautiful sight to look at. An hated to think that something so pretty meant the end of the party.

...However, she got the feeling Akito wasn't really talking about the party at all.

"You know what we haven't done in a little bit?" An asked him. "A check-in. You know what I mean?"

"Oh, really? I guess we haven't."

Ever since Akito had told them about how he used to feel suicidal and they'd seen how depressed he could get on certain days, Ken had suggested doing regular "check-ins" to ensure he was feeling okay. She could tell it had bothered Akito for a little bit to have his personal problems discussed so openly, but he'd gradually gotten used to it. As such he answered as honestly as possibly, and if he was ever feeling bad they would sit and talk it out together. She liked this system because it meant that if he ever needed help, they would know and be able to handle it.

"So let's do one now," An said. "We just surpassed RAD WEEKEND. How does that make you feel?"

Akito was quiet for a few seconds, likely thinking carefully. "Honestly...I'm not sure," he answered at last. "It feels strange. I've spent the better part of my life singing in hopes of one day surpassing it. Even if I'd had a bad day, I sang. Even if I was sick or slightly under the weather, I sang. Even when I was convinced there was no point in trying after everyone told me there wasn't... even when I thought I was better off not existing and wished I could die no matter how badly I wanted to reach my goals...I still sang. No matter what happened, I wanted to make that one moment in my life something to strive for, even if it never happened.

"When I was alone...that is, when I wasn't partners with Toya yet, I had no idea what the end of that future would look like. Even if I surpassed it, I wasn't sure whether I'd want to keep living beyond that point since I put everything I had into singing. And before we knew we wanted to go beyond Nagi-san's dream, I still wasn't sure. It took me some time to know for sure that those feelings had started to vanish, but even now that we've surpassed it...it's true that I feel weird about it."

"...Really."

"But I don't want to stop singing," Akito said firmly. "I know for sure now that I don't want to give up on anything. So even if I feel like I don't know what I want to do with my life now that we've surpassed it...I know that we have a goal. And that I'm going to reach that goal and maybe even go beyond it one day. Whatever happens after all this, I don't ever wanna stop."

An smiled. "I'm really happy to hear that."

It was her turn to go quiet. "When I was younger...well, I was just about as afraid of death as anybody is," she admitted. "I didn't like the fact that me, my parents and all of my friends would someday just vanish off the face of the planet. So I just didn't think about it."

She took a deep breath. "But then I learned that Nagi-san was dead. When I wasn't looking, she'd been in so much pain...so much so she could barely hide it from me. I was so angry at her when I first learned she'd hid the truth from me on purpose...but when I think about how guilty she must've felt as she was dying, I felt less mad. As weird as it sounds, I felt like I was maybe coming to terms with it.

"And then I learned that you were suicidal up until about maybe a year ago, and it felt like a slap in the face. Even when we were fighting and hated each other, and even when we became friends, you were in a lot of pain. Maybe not physically like Nagi-san, but just living caused you pain, and I never noticed that either. If you'd..." She licked her lips, humming slightly nervously. They had gone so dry she feared they might crack. "If you'd actually killed yourself...I would never had known why. I would've never even noticed something was wrong until it happened. Had things been a little different...like if we hadn't gone into that live house to save your sorry butt that day, you might've died later on. And we'd barely even understand why.

"So...even if it made me hate myself just for a little bit for not noticing after being your friend for this long...I'm glad you told us. That way, even if it bothers you sometimes, I know to look for signs that you need help. Although it might sound kinda arrogant..." An considered how best to word it. "If you ever come close to dying, I feel like I'll be able to tell. And unlike Nagi-san, I might even be able to save you. Does that make sense?"

Akito thought about it, a small smile growing on his face. "I think so."

"Really? Thank God," An sighed, slumping dramatically against his shoulder. "I wasn't sure I had the patience to explain it twice."

"Yeah, that checks out."

He hesitated slightly. "Sorry for making you go through all that. And also for making you talk about it on your birthday. That feels....wrong, somehow."

"Nah, don't worry about it! I asked, after all. And we have been a little concerned about you this past week," she explained. "You've just acted kinda like a lost puppy since RAD BLAST. I'm just glad you're not feeling worse than I thought."

"Me too, trust me."

"It's kind of amazing," An said after a few moments of silence. "Like...we were there in person. We saw how awesome RAD WEEKEND was. And we managed to perform even better then they all did. Isn't that awesome?"

"It really is," Akito agreed. "I keep waking up and wondering if it was a dream, though. My brain kind of refuses to accept it happened."

"Your brain really is annoying, huh?" she remarked. "You complained a lot back then that it was like there was another voice in your head or something. Has that gotten any better?"

"...Not really. As long as I keep singing, I'll always be anxious...but I know not to listen now."

"Good to know!"

"Hey, An! Akito!" Kotaro called from slightly farther off. "We're gonna start grilling now!"

"Okay!"

An stood upright, Akito right behind her as they headed in the rest of the party's direction. Kohane and Toya fell in with them, the former reaching immediately for her girlfriend's hand. "What were you two talking about?"

"Just stuff," Akito replied with a noncommittal shrug. "Nothing important."

"'Nothing important,' like you didn't just bare your soul to me?" An snorted, lightly shoving him across the sand.

"Oi, cut that out." Despite the complaint in his tone he was smiling.

"Was something bothering you, Akito?" Toya asked, looking concerned. "I'm sorry I didn't notice..."

"You're fine, don't worry. You didn't do anything wrong."

"If you say so," Toya relented. "Come on, let's hurry. I'm excited to see the grill in action."

"My dad's grill is so cool," An agreed emphatically. "So yeah, let's go already!"

The four sprinted across the sand, Toya nearly outpacing Akito in his eagerness to reach the party. Ken was opening the lid of the grill when they got there, carefully turning the dial. The kids all crowded him slightly, everyone clearly curious to see how the famous Ken Shiraishi's grill worked. Akito in particular had edged as closely as possible towards him, eyes practically glowing with excitement. It was hard to tell who was more enamored by the grill--him or his partner.

"You guys are so dorky," An laughed as Akito leaned a little bit closer, Toya copying him almost unconsciously. "Just admit you think my dad is cool, Akito."

"Shut up, An."

"Akito, would you mind passing me the skewers?" Ken asked.

"Sure!"

Akito grabbed the plate from the table and offered it to Ken, who accepted it and began to lay the skewers out on the grill. Kohane eagerly hopped up and down alongside An and Kotaro as they began to sizzle, the sauce they'd been dipped in before then spitting and popping against the hot metal. Ken smiled as he set the last few out and sprinkled some seasonings onto them, carefully turning them over to allow them to cook evenly. A few minutes later he got Akito's help to pile them back on the plate again and set out the veggies. Meanwhile Tatsuya set the table with the paper plates Yuka had packed, Chiyo and Hinata racing around behind him with napkins and plastic utensils. Kotaro retrieved a stack of plastic cups and a bottle of juice from the cooler (Ken had decided not to bring any alcoholic beverages as in the end, only Yuka would be able to enjoy them) and placed one at each plate. Akito and Ken brought the skewers to the table as Arata and Yuka checked on the gifts one last time, Soma wheeling around behind them to ensure everything was accounted for. Once the table was ready and all the food had been set down, everyone eagerly dug in.

"These skewers taste so different from when we went camping," Toya marveled as he took another bite out of his. "Is it because Ken-san used a sauce?"

"Yep! We marinated them a bit before packing them," An answered proudly. "They're amazing, right?"

"They really are!" Kotaro agreed happily. "I know we always ate Ken-san's cooking at the cafe, but there's something about grilling it here that makes it feel so much more special."

"Shame we weren't able to bring any beers," Chiyo remarked as she finished her skewer. "They would have gone well with the meat."

"As everyone was driving back and there's only 7 seats in my van, it's safest if you don't risk it," Ken said sternly. "If you were taking the train it'd be one thing, but you're using motorcycles, so it's too dangerous."

Tatsuya rolled his eyes. "Okay, Dad."

Everyone fell over themselves laughing as Ken's eye twitched. Even Akito couldn't keep a smile from growing on his face as he filled his plate with the grilled veggies (An noticed that the carrots stayed on the tray.) "Still, your bikes are really cool," he said. "I'm a little jealous."

"They really are cool, aren't they?" Hinata replied with a smirk. "Ken-san's right in saying that they're dangerous, though. If you get into a car accident while riding one, it can be game over pretty quick depending on where you're hit."

"That's pretty scary," Kohane murmured, shuddering.

"We're pretty careful, though, so don't worry about us!" Chiyo comforted as she stuffed the rest of her skewer into her mouth. "Let's hurry and finish so we can open An-chan's gifts, though!"

"Alright, alright!" An laughed.

Everyone did as instructed and finished eating, and once the mess had been cleaned away they all ran to the gift pile with Ken and Yuka right behind him. An sat down and eagerly waited for everyone else to find a spot, slapping her hands against her knees. "Okay, how should we start?"

"Open with Arata's gift," Soma suggested. "He was ridiculously excited about it the entire ride here, and I'd hate to see him wait any longer. At this rate he's going to explode."

Arata swatted his partner on the side of his head, scowling. "I am not."

"Okay, I'm opening his then!" An announced loudly. "Let's see, you got me..."

She opened box after box, some of which weren't even from anyone at the party but had been handed to Ken by the people of the street to give to An. The gifts ranged from small and simple like a T-shirt with an interesting print Kotaro had seen on sale to large and expensive like the entire Bluetooth record player shaped like an antique radio Toya had brought her. She had been so shocked upon seeing it that she had been tempted to protest, but after seeing Akito subtly shaking his head at her she kept her concerns to herself (where he had even gotten the money, his dad???) Once everything had been opened and subsequently boxed again for travel everyone flocked to the table to finally get a look at the cake. There were several oohs and ahhs as Yuka grandly lifted the lid off of the box and revealed the cake underneath. It was a normal chocolate cake as An had stated, but blue and yellow frosting had scraped across the base in such a way that it looked like an abstract painting. Once they were done admiring it and Kohane had taken at least 80 billion photos Yuka inserted the candles and lit them, and as An stood behind it they all sang the birthday song. She blew out the candle to resounding cheers, hearing the furious click click click of her girlfriend's cellphone camera in the background as she did. Ken moved in with his knife and carefully cut the cake, setting each slice on a clean plate from an extra stack Yuka had packed exactly for this purpose. An took hers first, followed by the rest of her friends, and together they sat and ate together (even Toya took a slice despite the sweetness. She was pretty sure he handed it to Akito to finish, however.)

The sun sunk lower and lower into the sea as the party began to quiet down, Ken and Yuka moving around picking up any trash they'd dropped as An and her friends began to pack up their things. Kotaro looked like he was barely keeping his eyes open as Akito practically dragged him towards the van, and by the time An, Kohane and Toya joined them he was already snoring away in his seat. "We'll wake him up when we reach his home," Akito said dismissively when Toya expressed some concern. "Ken-san already knows where he lives since he picked him up, so it's fine."

"Alright," Toya replied. "We certainly had a lot of fun today, didn't we?"

"Yeah!" An agreed happily as she watched EVER mount their bikes and ride away, Chiyo waving to them before she turned into the road. "Even Arata and Soma made it. I almost wasn't expecting that."

"The cake was so pretty," Kohane marveled. She was swiping through the photos she'd taken, deleting the ones she didn't like (which still left easily 20 of the cake alone even before Yuka had put the candles in.) "It was so delicious, too. The store you bought it from must've been a good one."

"What she said. Would you mind telling me the name later? They might have some nice cheesecake."

"Sure thing!"

"Did you take any good photos today, Azusawa?" Toya asked, craning his neck to see her phone.

"Unfortunately, I only took a few when Yuka-san brought out the cake," she admitted. "I was too busy having fun with everyone. Oh, but isn't this shot of An-chan pretty?"

An leaned around her chair to see as Kohane offered her the phone. She'd taken it while everyone was singing, and An had been standing there with the biggest, dopiest grin on her face. It was dark enough by then that the candles lit her face almost perfectly. She hummed in appreciation as she passed the phone back to her girlfriend. "You're right, I am pretty."

Akito let loose a barely-concealed snort as Kohane giggled. "Very pretty."

"Not prettier than you, though!"

"We're not doing this again, An-chan."

"Seriously~! You're waaaaaay prettier than I am."

"Sun-drunk lesbian."

"Sun-drunk bisexual!"

"I haven't even done anything!"

"You're practically on Toya's lap!" An retorted. She was exaggerating a bit, but it was true that the two were sitting much closer together than they had been earlier. Toya looked happy enough, but Akito looked slightly embarrassed now that An had pointed it out. "That's 'cause all of your gifts are in the way!"

"Is is that hard to admit you love your boyfriend?"

"I swear to--"

Their conversation was cut short when Ken and Yuka opened the doors, sliding into their seats and buckling in. "Is Kotaro asleep already?" Ken asked ruefully as he peered at the boy through the rear view mirror.

"Yeah, he conked out as soon as he was comfortable," Akito replied, slumping back against his seat with a sigh of defeat. "You know where he lives, right?"

"I do. Just try not to fall asleep yourselves until you're at home," Ken warned, turning on the car at last as Yuka laughed.

"Thank you for taking us out today, Ken-san," Toya said gratefully. "It was a lot of fun."

"Thank An. She's the one with the crazy party plans," Ken pointed out. "Did you enjoy the day, An?"

"You bet!" An said eagerly. "Thanks for agreeing to everything, Dad! And thanks for helping with the groceries and the cake, Mom!"

"Anything for you, An," Yuka replied happily, beaming. "I'm glad to see the day was so fun. It looks like all our hard work paid off."

"It really did," Kohane commented softly. "Happy birthday, An-chan."

"Thanks, Kohane!"

The best day, the best gifts, and the best friends...

Yep, An Shiraishi was definitely in heaven by now.