The beach was peaceful.
For approximately twelve seconds.
Takeru and Takaba stood a short distance away from everyone else.
They looked at each other.
Takeru whispered something.
Takaba's eyes widened.
He whispered something back.
Takeru covered his mouth.
"Hehehe…"
Takaba started shaking.
"Don't."
"I can't."
"Don't laugh."
Takeru lost it.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Takaba immediately joined him.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Everyone turned toward them.
Yuji frowned.
"What are you two doing?"
Takeru wiped a tear from his eye.
"Nothing."
Takaba nodded.
"Absolutely nothing."
They both looked up.
Takeru grinned.
"…Three."
Takaba raised a finger.
"Two."
Takeru pointed toward the sky.
"One."
Everyone looked up.
Something enormous was falling from the sky.
Yuji's eyes widened.
"…Is that a nuke?!"
Maki stood up instantly.
"WHAT?!"
Hakari stared upward.
"WHY IS THERE A NUKE?!"
Even Kenjaku looked genuinely confused.
"…What?"
The enormous weapon descended toward the beach.
Everyone panicked.
"RUN!"
"GET DOWN!"
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"
Takeru and Takaba were already laughing so hard they could barely stand.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
The entire beach disappeared beneath a massive explosion.
FWOOSH!
A gigantic cloud erupted upward.
Everyone braced themselves.
Nothing happened.
Then—
POOF!
Glitter.
Absolutely billions of pieces of glitter.
It rained from the sky.
Gold.
Silver.
Blue.
Pink.
Green.
Every color imaginable.
Yuji slowly opened one eye.
"…We're alive?"
Megumi looked around.
"…Why are we covered in glitter?"
Takeru was on the ground.
Laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Takaba was rolling around in the sand.
"IT WORKED!"
Everyone stared at them.
"What did you DO?!"
Takeru finally managed to stand.
"Beach party."
A massive transformation had taken place.
The beach was completely decorated.
Huge umbrellas had appeared.
Tables stretched across the sand.
Lights hung between palm trees.
Music equipment stood ready.
And then everyone noticed the food.
Pizza.
A LOT OF pizza.
Boxes upon boxes upon boxes.
Chicken wings.
Buckets of fries.
Burgers.
Sandwiches.
Nachos.
Fruit.
Drinks.
Desserts.
More pizza.
Even more pizza.
Yuji stared.
"…How much food is this?"
Takeru grinned.
"Yes."
Hakari opened a box.
"There's enough chicken wings here to feed the entire school."
Takaba pointed.
"There's more behind those!"
Hakari's eyes widened.
"…There's MORE?!"
Takeru nodded proudly.
"Way too much."
Meanwhile, several people noticed something else.
The sports equipment.
The volleyball nets were repaired.
The soccer goals were back in place.
Basketballs were inflated.
Beach balls were everywhere.
Surfboards were lined up near the water.
Even the old equipment that had been broken for who-knows-how-long was completely fixed.
Maki picked up a volleyball.
"…Was this broken before?"
Takeru nodded.
"Yep."
She tossed it into the air.
"Now it's not."
Kenjaku slowly looked around.
Glitter was stuck to his hair.
There was a slice of pizza in one hand.
And somehow a party hat had appeared on his head.
He looked at Takeru.
"…You planned this?"
Takeru smiled.
"Maybe."
Takaba appeared beside him.
"We planned the idea."
Takeru nodded.
"The rest was improvisation."
Everyone stared at them.
Yuji pointed at the sky.
"You dropped a fake nuclear weapon on us!"
Takeru laughed.
"Harmless glitter nuke."
"That doesn't make it better!"
Takaba started laughing again.
"Look at Kenjaku!"
Everyone turned.
Kenjaku was still standing there with glitter all over him.
He looked completely bewildered.
Takeru collapsed into laughter again.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Kenjaku sighed.
"…I should have stayed underground."
Takeru wiped his eyes.
"Nope."
He handed Kenjaku another slice of pizza.
"Family beach party."
Kenjaku stared at the pizza.
Then at the ridiculous beach.
Then at Takeru.
"…Fine."
He took the pizza.
The music started.
Takaba grabbed a volleyball.
"WHO WANTS TO PLAY?!"
Half the beach immediately shouted.
"ME!"
Takeru grinned.
"Now this is what happens next."