The first bad decision of the day was:— Let's walk.
Everyone nodded.Everyone regretted it seven minutes later.
The sun wasn't hot.It was personally offended by their existence.
The bags got heavier.The ground felt like it was rising on its own.And the air… just DISAPPEARED.
The boys were in front.The girls behind.And absolutely NO ONE was okay.
— Has this hill always been here? — Aiko asked, struggling to adjust her straw hat.
— NO. — Mei replied, drenched in sweat, her diving goggles crooked on her face. — It was born today. Just to annoy us.
And she was still carrying a nearly empty cooler bag…
But with the importance of a national treasure.
Because clearly:"There are still drinks in here." — they hadn't even started climbing and the water was already gone.
Hina came behind, her twin buns already falling apart, holding a bag of towels and a first aid kit…
Filled with empty ointments.
— If anyone gets hurt… I have the intention to help — she declared.
They responded with a thumbs-up.
Because no one had the energy for more than that.
The group stopped halfway up.
Silence.Heavy collective breathing.
Kenta licking an ice cream… while SWEATING.
— I'm melting faster than this thing…
— STOP TALKING ABOUT MELTING — Yuu snapped, getting pulled BACKWARD by a giant flamingo float.
He tried to walk.The float said: "no."
That's when—
— HEY! A BUS STOP!!
Sora.Of course it was Sora.
Everyone turned at the same time.
— …a bus. — Takeru repeated, like he had just found meaning in life.
— The bus goes straight! — Sora continued, balancing two chairs, two boards AND a net. — We can get off near the lake!
— GENIUS. — Ren said, dryly.
— I LOVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT — Hina declared, already heading down.
The bus arrived a few minutes later.Empty.Quiet.With a driver who looked way too kind for that heat.
He looked at the group.Looked at the chairs.Looked at the cooler.
— …you're going out for fun.
— YES. — they answered in unison, way too fast.
— Of course you are. — the driver laughed. — Get in before the sun carries you away.
They got on.
The bus turned into a storage unit for children's chaos:chairs tied down with questionable logic, bags on laps, towels hanging, bottles rolling around.
No one noticed when the bus turned.
Because no one was paying attention to anything.
They were too busy laughing, switching seats, complaining about the heat, opening windows, closing windows, complaining again.
— It's EVEN hotter in here. — Mei complained.
— Buses trap heat. — someone replied, far too wise.
— I'm going to melt.
— Melt later. Sit now.
The driver asked:
— Where are you getting off?
— At the lake! — they said.
— Which one?
— …ours.
He nodded.
Like someone thinking: I'm not getting involved in this.
Time passed.
Too much time.
— Isn't this taking too long? — one of the girls asked.
— Yeah. — Takeru replied. — We should've seen the fence already.
— Maybe the lake moved. — Yuu suggested.
That's when they decided:
— Let's get off here and take a shortcut.
A historic mistake.
They got off the bus, excited.All lined up, silently staring at the scenery.
And then, like a movie, the imaginary "camera" started panning across each of them.
OFFICIAL CHAOS INTRODUCTION (with extra load)
Mei (9 years old)Diving goggles on her face.Bikini + Harumi's old shorts.A giant float worn like a belt.Perfect braids in the middle of chaos.Carrying the cooler like she's saving lives.With the vibe of:"Everything's gonna work out, trust me."
Aiko Momohara (10 years old)Bikini + shorts + open shirt.Sunglasses.Stylish straw hat.TWO umbrellas — meant to be a parasol.Bedsheets as a beach mat.Always excited.First to say "it'll work out." Also possibly the most argumentative.
Hina Uminari (9 years old)Long stylish tank top + denim shorts.Two low buns.Tambourine in hand.Towel bag + useless medical kit.Laughs at everything.Even when she doesn't understand.
Takeru (13 years old)Volleyball tank top.Shorts.Sports goggles.Barefoot.Carrying:cooler;a bucket of worms;fishing gear;and A WATER GUN.With the expression of:"I hate everything, yet here I am."
Sora Aokaze (13 years old)Shirtless.Chaotic shorts.COWBOY HAT.Two chairs.Two boards.One net.Takeru's best friend (he just doesn't agree).Zero fear.One hundred percent chaos.
Ren Shiragane (14 years old)Black compression shirt.Cap backwards.Carrying:a heavy backpack;ANOTHER backpack;ANOTHER bag;and… three water guns — one his, one Kenta swore he lost, and one Yuu didn't even know he had.
Kenta Goromaru (13 years old)Shirtless.Colorful shorts.Life vest — his mom made him.Swim goggles on his head.Carrying:food bag;sports balls bag;WATERMELONS IN THE MIDDLE.
— Wanna play something?
Yuu Hanabira (12 years old)Way too fancy outfit.Flamingo float.Carrying:buckets;bags;dignity? no.Small, skinny, way too energetic.Runs for no reason. Falls for no reason. Gets up laughing.
Only then, staring at literal wilderness, they realized.
— …— …
— Huh…?
— There's only grass. — Takeru and Ren said at the same time, breaking the moment.
— I CAN SMELL THE SEA!!! — Aiko said, suddenly excited.
— It's a lake. — Hina replied, way too tired.
Silence.
Mei felt obligated to lift everyone's spirits.
— RELAX!!
— THAT'S RIGHT, MEI!! Let's go down this slope!!
— With wh—
Kenta was interrupted by Sora's genius:
The boards and cardboard lying nearby.
Now everyone was excited again.Because clearly, a new journey was about to begin.
Where was the lake?
Still unidentified.Only guided by the "smell of the sea" Aiko claimed to sense.
And will they survive this slope?
OH, THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE A STORY TO TELL.