Fracture Bloom

Kentaro stepped off the bus, one foot sinking slightly into the warm sand as the tropical breeze kissed his face. 

It smelled like sea salt and sunscreen and just a hint of money, because there was no way a place this nice wasn't expensive. 

He tilted his head back, the sun hitting his forehead. The waves crashed in the distance. Palm trees swayed. Students laughed. It was everything a travel brochure promised. 

"This isn't so bad," he muttered, dragging his suitcase across the stone path toward the resort. "If I can get five minutes of peace, no explosions, and no one trying to kill each other, maybe this really is a dream island." 

"Kentaro," Shogo's voice crackled through his comm like a fly in his ear. 

"Friendly reminder, this is still a training op. Don't get too comfy." 

Kentaro's mood dropped like a rock. "Right. Training. Of course." 

"Cheer up, playboy," Shogo snickered. "For someone surrounded by girls, you complain a lot." 

Kentaro sighed, rubbing his temple. "Please let this be over quickly…" 

"KEN~!" 

"Kentaro!" 

Two voices. One sparkly, one deadpan. Both terrifying. 

He turned. 

Serica stood at the resort entrance, waving enthusiastically, her suitcase bouncing behind her. She looked like she was auditioning for a beach romance drama. 

Kira was beside her, not waving, but already holding his suitcase in one hand and his wrist in the other. 

"Husband," she said flatly. "Let's go." 

Kentaro's soul left his body. "I'M SORRY, WHAT?!" 

"You heard me," Kira replied, dragging him forward like a kidnapped groom. 

Serica gasped, then sprinted to intercept. "Kira! Let go of him! You're always touching him! He's not yours!" 

"Yes, he is. He's mine, and as his legal future spouse, I am entitled to" 

"STOP SAYING LEGAL!" 

Students nearby turned to stare. Someone took out their phone. Kentaro considered diving into the sea. 

The building ahead loomed like salvation. The island's central resort is massive, bright, painted in soft coral tones, with balconies overlooking the sea. Wide glass doors opened into a marbled lobby with tall ceilings and golden trim. It looked like a place rich kids took over for graduation trips. And for the next week… it was theirs. 

Kentaro barely made it inside before collapsing against the front desk. 

Behind him, Serica and Kira were still arguing. 

"Kira, you can't just declare marriage. That's not how it works!" 

"Is that because you're jealous I beat you to the ceremony?" 

"What ceremony?!" 

Mr. Tachibana cleared his throat. The class hushed. 

"Alright, everyone. Room assignments. Four students per room. When I call your name, come get your key." 

Names rolled past until, 

"Room 14: Kentaro, Tengen, Kestrel, and… Ichika." 

Kentaro blinked. "Wait. Ichika?" 

A hand slapped his shoulder. "YO! Ken, looks like we're roomies!" Tengen grinned. 

"Yeah," Kentaro muttered, eyes narrowing. "But didn't you say Kestrel had me up two hours early for no reason? Why aren't you mad anymore?" 

Tengen blinked, then immediately turned to the photographer who had silently appeared behind them like a well-trained assassin. 

"Ummm, okay, that's one way to dodge a question?" Kentaro thought to himself, but he didn't want to seem rude. 

Kestrel wore mirrored sunglasses indoors and carried a camera like it was part of his arm. 

"Greetings," he said, voice dry. "Please don't mind me. I shall sleep standing if necessary." 

Kentaro leaned toward Tengen. "He's weird." Trying to keep the conversation from going. Becoming awkward. 

"Yeah," Tengen whispered. "But weird in a cool way." 

As they walked toward the elevator, the lobby doors slammed open behind them. 

Kira and Serica burst in, mid-argument. 

"I said, go back to wherever you came from!" 

"That would be Kentaro's apartment! Should I return without him, or...?" 

"...." 

ZOOM. 

Kira dashed forward. 

Kentaro barely had time to blink before she was in his face, too close, too fast. Her breath smelled like vanilla and something sharper, like ozone before lightning. 

"Kentaro," she whispered. 

"Y-yes?" he whimpered. 

"Is it true you're living with her?" 

He gulped. "I-I mean technically yes, but she sleeps on the couch, I swear!" 

"On the couch?!" Tengen gasped behind him. "Bro, what are you, a caveman?" 

"She insisted!" Kentaro cried. 

"I did!" Serica chimed in, stepping beside him. "It's not his fault!" 

Kira narrowed her eyes. "You still invaded his home." 

"I just needed a place to stay…!" 

"And now you're staying in his heart." 

"I am not!" 

Kira ignored her. "Kentaro." 

He flinched. "Yes…?" 

"When we return home… I'm staying over." 

"W-Wait--" 

"And I will be sleeping in the same bed. I've decided." 

She turned and walked to the front desk like she hadn't just nuked a man's nervous system. 

"You lucky bastard," Tengen whispered. 

"Over my dead body," Serica muttered. 

Kentaro collapsed against the nearest wall. "I JUST WANTED A VACATION…" 

Kentaro's scream tore through the hotel lobby like someone had just announced midterms were rescheduled for tomorrow. 

Dozens of students froze mid-step. A few turned. One girl dropped her phone. The clerk at the check-in desk ducked. 

Kentaro, red-faced and breathless, clutched his knees like he'd just survived an assassination attempt. 

Serica flinched. Then blinked twice and bowed her head. 

"Kentaro… I'm sorry for troubling you." 

Her voice had changed, barely above a whisper now. Soft. Sincere. The heat in Kentaro's blood fizzled out like steam against her tone. 

He looked at her. The way the sun hit her hair made the dark strands glow faintly, like shadows dipped in gold. 

…It's fine, Serica. Just—let's get you checked in, alright?" 

Before they could take a step, Kentaro felt a tug on his sleeve. 

Mechanical. Awkward. Hesitant. 

He turned. Kira stood behind him, eyes blank as always, but… There was something new. Something almost like guilt. 

Or at least her best robotic approximation of it. 

"I'm sorry too, Kentaro," she said flatly. "I will attempt to behave… as per your preference." 

Kentaro blinked. Twice. 

That was… progress? 

"Sure, just try," he muttered, offering a strained smile. 

Kira nodded like an android completing a command, then turned and silently walked off toward Mr. Tachibana to find out her room. Kentaro watched her go with the weary expression of someone who knew this wasn't the end of anything, just an intermission. 

"Let's get you sorted out," Kentaro said, turning back to Serica. 

Together, they walked up to the front desk where Mr. Tachibana stood, still unfazed by the chaos. 

"Ah, Serica," he said with a warm smile. "Room twenty-six. Your roommates already took the key earlier, but they should be inside now. Head on up." 

Serica nodded politely, but Kentaro could feel the tension in her fingers as she clutched the strap of her duffel bag. Her steps were slower now, hesitating at every turn. 

"You nervous?" Kentaro asked gently. 

She nodded. 

"—I don't know many people in class. Besides you and Tenka's group… I might not even recognize them…" 

He placed a hand on her shoulder. 

"You'll be fine. Just knock, smile, and be yourself." 

She took a deep breath and stepped up to the door. 

Knock knock. 

There was silence for a second, and then the door creaked open. 

A stream of golden sunlight spilled into the hallway. 

Kentaro leaned in to see who had opened it, then immediately stiffened. 

"…You're shitting me," he muttered. 

Serica's eyes widened. 

"KIRA?!" 

Standing in the doorway, in full monotone glory, was Kira. 

She blinked once. Then slowly tilted her head to the side. 

"…You." 

Her gaze fixed on Serica like a sniper locking onto a distant target. 

The air in the corridor thinned. Kentaro took a half-step forward, raising his hand like he might physically block whatever chaos was about to erupt. 

But Kira didn't speak. 

She just turned… and walked back inside. 

She left the door open behind her. 

As if to say: enter… if you dare. 

Kentaro looked at Serica. She looked at him. 

"…Do I really have to?" she whispered. 

Kentaro sighed. 

"You want a normal life, right?" 

"…Right." 

"Then yeah." 

Serica nodded slowly and stepped into the room like someone entering a battlefield. 

And Kentaro? He stayed in the hall for a second longer, rubbed his temples, and whispered to himself: 

"…Tenka better give me a bonus for emotional damage by the end of this trip."