Work Text:
Two weeks had passed since their return from the Digital World. Takuya stared at his phone, thumb hovering over the group chat they'd started. Things felt... different now. Good different, but still weird adjusting to normal life after everything.
Takuya: Hey guys... anyone up for hanging out? Like, actually hanging out?
J.P.: You mean without saving the world? 😅
Zoe: That sounds amazing actually
Tommy: Can we go somewhere fun?
Koji: I'm free.
Koichi: Me too. Where were you thinking?
Takuya grinned. After everything they'd been through, maybe it was time for something completely normal.
Takuya: Beach day? My mom's been on me to get some sun anyway
Zoe: YES! I need this so badly
J.P.: I'll bring snacks! Real ones this time, not whatever we were eating in the Digital World
Tommy: I've never been to the beach with friends before...
Koji: Neither have I, actually.
Koichi: Then it's settled.
The beach stretched out before them, sparkling under the afternoon sun. Takuya immediately stripped off his shirt and charged toward the water with his usual boundless energy.
"Last one in pays for ice cream!" he shouted over his shoulder.
Tommy hesitated for just a moment before his face lit up with determination. "Not me!" He ran after Takuya, clutching an inflatable ring.
J.P. jogged behind them, already breathing heavily. "Hey, wait up! Some of us aren't built for speed!"
The water was perfect—warm enough to be comfortable but cool enough to be refreshing. Takuya immediately started a splash fight, and Tommy, emboldened by their friendship, fought back with surprising enthusiasm.
"Take that!" Tommy laughed, sending a spray of water toward Takuya.
"Oh, you're gonna regret that!" Takuya grinned, but his retaliation was gentle, mindful of not being too rough with his youngest friend.
On the shore, Koji stood under an umbrella, watching his friends with arms crossed but a small smile on his face. He'd changed, too—still reserved, but the angry edge was gone.
Koichi approached quietly. "Not going in?"
"I'm fine here," Koji replied, but there was no irritation in his voice.
Koichi studied his twin brother for a moment, then gently bumped his shoulder. "Come on. When's the next time we'll get to just... be kids?"
Something in Koichi's tone made Koji look at him—really look. His brother was right. After everything they'd lost and found again, maybe it was okay to just enjoy this.
"Fine," Koji said, pulling off his shirt. "But if you splash me—"
"I make no promises," Koichi grinned, already heading for the water.
Zoe had been setting up their spot on the sand when a stray splash from the boys' water fight caught her square in the face.
"Are you serious right now?!" she sputtered, her carefully styled hair now dripping.
"Sorry, Zoe!" Koichi called out, looking genuinely apologetic.
J.P. immediately stepped forward, pulling a spare towel from their beach bag. "Here, let me help—"
"It's fine, J.P.," Zoe said, but she was smiling. "Though this means war."
She scooped up a handful of water and let J.P. have it right in the chest.
"Hey!" he laughed, stumbling backward dramatically. "I was trying to help!"
"And now you're trying to swim!" Zoe shot back, advancing with another handful of water.
"Volleyball!" Takuya announced later, producing a ball from their beach bag. "Teams of three!"
"Koji, J.P., and me," Koichi said quickly, gravitating toward his brother.
"That leaves us three," Zoe said, high-fiving Takuya and Tommy. "Team Fire!"
"We don't have a team name," J.P. pointed out.
"Team Cool," Koji said deadpan, earning surprised laughs from everyone.
The game was chaotic in the best way. Tommy's serves were careful and precise—he'd learned control from their adventures. Zoe played with the strategic mind that had helped them in the Digital World, setting up Takuya for impressive spikes.
On the other side, Koji and Koichi moved with an almost supernatural synchronization, while J.P. provided comic relief and surprising saves.
"Got it!" J.P. dove for a ball that was clearly going out of bounds, landing face-first in the sand.
"J.P., that was going to miss by like six feet," Koji said, but he was fighting back laughter.
"I don't believe in giving up!" J.P. declared from his sandy crater.
Nobody kept official score. Nobody cared who won. For the first time since they'd known each other, they were just six kids having fun in the sun.
Later, they sprawled on towels under the umbrella, sharing snacks and cold drinks. The afternoon sun was starting to mellow, painting everything in golden light.
J.P. was showing Tommy a simple card trick when Zoe suddenly spoke up.
"You know... a few months ago, I didn't even know you guys existed."
The statement hung in the air for a moment.
"I was so lonely," she continued quietly. "I thought I was good at making friends, but I never really... connected with anyone."
Tommy nodded seriously. "I was scared of everything. Especially other kids."
"I was angry all the time," Koji admitted, surprising them all with his openness.
"I felt like I didn't exist," Koichi added softly.
J.P. looked around at all of them. "I tried so hard to be funny that I forgot how to be real."
Takuya, uncharacteristically quiet, picked up a handful of sand and let it run through his fingers. "I thought I was already good at friendship. Turns out I didn't know what real friendship was until I met you guys."
The ocean whispered against the shore. A seagull called somewhere in the distance.
"We saved two worlds," Tommy said in wonder. "But I think... I think we saved each other too."
As the others dozed or chatted quietly, Koji and Koichi walked down to the water's edge. The waves lapped at their feet as they stood side by side.
"I keep thinking I'm going to wake up," Koichi said quietly. "That this is all too good to be true."
Koji glanced at his twin—really looked at him. Alive, breathing, here. "I thought I'd lost you forever."
"You did, for a while." Koichi's voice was thoughtful, not sad. "But you brought me back. All of you did."
"The doctors said it was a miracle."
"Maybe it was." Koichi smiled. "Or maybe some bonds are just too strong to break."
They didn't need to say anything else. Standing there together, watching the sunset paint the water gold and pink, both brothers felt something they'd never experienced before: complete peace.
Chapter Six: Promises in the Sand
As the sun began to set, they packed up their things slowly, reluctant for the day to end.
"We should do this again," Tommy said, clutching a small shell he'd found.
"Definitely," Zoe agreed. "Maybe next time we can try that amusement park near my place."
"Or camping," Koji suggested, surprising everyone.
"You? Camping?" J.P. grinned. "Mr. 'I-prefer-indoor-plumbing'?"
"I've slept on worse than dirt," Koji replied dryly, and they all laughed, remembering their nights in the Digital World.
Takuya looked around at his friends—his real friends—and felt that familiar fire in his chest. But this time it wasn't the fire of battle or determination. It was the warm glow of belonging.
"Promise me something," he said suddenly. "Promise me we won't let this go. That we won't drift apart or get too busy or forget."
"We fought Lucemon together," Zoe said firmly. "I think we can handle staying in touch."
"Besides," J.P. added with a grin, "who else would put up with us?"
Tommy threw his arms around the group. "Best friends forever!"
This time, when they all embraced, there were no spirits to call upon, no digital world to save. Just six kids who had found something precious in each other—and were determined never to let it go.
As they walked back toward the train station, Takuya's phone buzzed with message notifications. Plans for next weekend. Homework help requests. Random funny pictures.
He smiled, pocketing the phone without checking it. Whatever came next, they'd face it together.
After all, some bonds were legendary.