Fracture Bloom

The moment Kentaro heard the words "Serica and Kira… in the same room," he knew his sanity was on life support. 

He had no choice but to leave them be. 

And just pray. 

Back at the girls' room… 

"It seems we've let a rat slip into our nest," Kira said from her perch on the top bunk, voice calm, eyes narrowed. 

"Shut up, Kira! If anything, you're the rat! A pest who crawled in through the pipes!" Serica snapped back, flinging a pillow across the room. It missed by inches and hit the light switch. 

They were both perched on opposite bunk beds, like dueling snipers, firing sarcasm and death glares instead of bullets. 

Meanwhile, in the boys' room, Kentaro finally dragged himself through the door only to find Tengen practically bouncing off the walls and Kestrel sitting silently on the windowsill, eyes fixed on the ocean like he was waiting for a prophecy. 

"Yo, Ken!" Tengen clapped. "You unpacked yet? No? Good. We're going spelunking!" 

"…What?" 

"Underground cave, baby! Hidden caverns. Echoes. Bat droppings. This island's got everything!" Tengen's eyes were practically glowing. 

Kentaro groaned. "I haven't even opened my suitcase." 

"That's okay, caves don't care what you wear." 

"I'm gonna pass." 

Tengen pouted. "You're killing my inner Indiana Jones, Ken…" 

Kestrel spoke for the first time, barely above a whisper. "It's best not to explore the depths of an unfamiliar place without a proper tether." 

Tengen blinked. "Dude, why do you always sound like a haunted audiobook?" 

Before Kentaro could respond, the hallway shook with the thunder of rapid footsteps and a battle cry. 

"KIRA! Come back here! I will beat you in the pillow fight and claim Kentaro's loyalty!" 

Kentaro turned just in time to see Serica charging down the corridor with a pillow raised like a holy relic, hair frizzed from combat. Just ahead, Kira darted around the corner, not running gracefully, but doing a perfectly robotic ninja run, arms straight back, face blank. 

"Kentaro!" Kira called, diving behind him and clinging to his back like a backpack. "Protect your wife." 

Kentaro stiffened. 

Serica skidded to a stop, eyes wild. "Ken! Where did she go?!" 

He opened his mouth, then winced as Kira pinched his ribs. She kept smiling, perfectly composed. 

"I-uh-I think she went… down that hall?" Kentaro squeaked, eyes watering. 

Serica gasped. "You're the best!" And with that, she darted away again, screaming, "YOU WILL BE DEFEATED, PILLOW THIEF!" 

Kentaro let out a long, tired exhale. 

"This new version of Serica… is unhinged," he muttered. "But… cute." 

Kira, still glued to his back, gently traced a finger down his spine. 

"Thank you, husband," she said. "Saving your wife was the correct choice." 

Kentaro sighed. "Not like I had a choice." 

Tengen, who had been watching the whole thing slack-jawed, finally spoke. 

"Bro… you're living the dream and the nightmare at the same time." 

Kestrel didn't say a word. 

But Kentaro could've sworn he was smirking. 

The moment Kira vanished around the corner, Kentaro exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for hours. 

He glanced back down the hallway once more, no more shouting, no more pillows flying. Just silence. Tense, lingering silence. 

He turned. 

In the lobby, the rest of the students stood loosely clustered, waiting by the whiteboard Mr. Tachibana had dragged into the center of the room. A map of the island hung from it with pins stuck in odd places and a bunch of red tape marking boundaries. 

"Kentaro, any idea when Serica and Kira will arrive?" Mr. Tachibana asked, glancing nervously at his watch. 

Kentaro let out a soft, tired laugh. "Honestly, sir? I think it's best we just let them, uh… work things out on their own. I'll relay all the info to them once I see them." 

Mr. Tachibana blinked. "Ah… Right as long as they know," He said while scratching his head, clearly unsure whether to press or pretend he hadn't asked. 

He cleared his throat and gestured toward the island map. "Alright, everyone! Just a few ground rules." 

The students perked up, most of them still distracted by the tropical breeze outside the wide glass doors. 

"The island's radius is about 4.8 kilometers. You're free to explore, but do not, and I repeat, do not, enter the cliffside cave near the southwest beach. It's structurally unstable. One wrong step and we might not be able to recover you." 

A collective murmur ran through the group. 

"Other than that," Mr. Tachibana smiled, "enjoy your time here. Relax, learn, grow… and make some wonderful memories." 

The students dispersed instantly. No one liked lectures. Everyone liked the word "relax." 

Kentaro was about to head back toward the hallway, maybe find Serica— 

A hand landed gently but firmly on his shoulder. 

He turned. 

Tengen. 

"Brother," he said with a grin so bright it nearly blinded him. "You know what this calls for?" 

Kentaro blinked. "A nap?" 

"A vending machine drink. Just like the first time we met." He gestured toward the far end of the resort. "Come on. It'll hit different on a tropical island." 

Kentaro hesitated. He wanted to find Serica, to make sure she and Kira weren't reenacting a yandere-themed gladiator match. But… he'd already said no to Tengen twice that day. Saying no again felt wrong. 

"…Alright. Let's go." He offered a half-smile. "But where's Kestrel? Thought he was tagging along?" 

Tengen waved it off. "He's off doing his photo stuff. We'll run into him later." 

That made sense. 

They stepped outside again. The wind had picked up just slightly. Seagulls cried in the distance. A few students were already playing Frisbee near the water. 

Kentaro spotted the vending machine by the poolside cabana, sleek, modern, and glowing faint blue. 

But Tengen walked right past it. 

"…Hey," Kentaro said, pointing. "Uh, Tengen? That one's right there." 

Tengen didn't even slow. "Nah, nah, that one doesn't have the brand I want. There's a better one down by the tennis courts." 

He said it with his usual enthusiasm. His voice was the same. But something about it… tugged at Kentaro's nerves. Just for a second. 

"…Sure," Kentaro mumbled, following. 

They walked further. 

And further. 

The path curved away from the building. 

Meanwhile… 

Serica walked alone. 

What began as a chase had become something quieter. The air was warmer now. Her sandals clicked against the stone path as she turned a corner and paused. 

No sign of Kira. 

No signs of anything. 

That's when she realized she had no idea where she was. 

Tall hedges surrounded her on both sides. The hotel was nowhere in sight. Her phone had no signal. 

She turned. 

And froze. 

"You alright there?" a man's voice asked gently behind her. 

Serica stiffened. 

She turned slowly. 

A man stood just a few meters away. Older than the others. Maybe late twenties. Tall. Wire-frame tinted glasses sat low on his nose. His shirt was half-unbuttoned like he didn't care much for dress codes. A camera hung from his neck, its lens reflecting the sun. 

"I, um… I might be lost," Serica whispered. 

His smile came easily. Too easily. It was soft. Approachable. Friendly, even. 

But it wasn't the kind of thing Kentaro gave her. 

No, his smile was warm. 

This one was just… practiced. 

"That's okay," he said. "You're Serica, right?" 

She nodded. 

He extended a hand slightly, motioning toward the path behind him. 

"I'm Kestrel. Freelance photographer. I'm helping out with the school's travel documentation." 

He chuckled, eyes hidden by the tint of his lenses. 

"I can walk you back. You're not far. Just follow me." 

Serica didn't move at first. 

She remembered Kentaro's words before entering her room that morning: 

"If you want a normal life, you'll have to trust people sometimes." 

Her fingers curled slightly. 

This was what normal girls did, right? 

They asked for help. They followed directions. 

"Thank you," she said quietly. 

And followed. 

They'd been walking for longer than Serica expected. 

Too long. 

She glanced over her shoulder again. Nothing but trees now. No more distant sounds of students, or the faint music from someone's Bluetooth speaker. The wind here didn't carry warmth; it carried stillness. 

And the building that rose ahead of them? 

Definitely not the main hall. 

It was squat. Concrete. Covered in long trails of moss. The paint peeled in skin-like flakes. It looked less like a hotel utility building and more like something that should've been demolished two summers ago. 

But Kestrel kept walking like nothing was wrong. 

Serica swallowed. Her instincts screamed. But her legs. Her logic. Tried to push the feeling down. 

This is fine. Maybe this is how normal trips go. Maybe she just didn't know the whole layout yet. Maybe Kentaro would laugh if she came running back, afraid of a photographer. 

But still. 

"Um…" she tried. "Isn't this… kind of far from the main building?" 

Kestrel stopped. His back was to her. 

Then he turned. 

Still smiling. 

"I figured you were wondering that," he said casually. "But don't worry. I just wanted to snap a few shots of you. For work." 

He gestured to the camera around his neck. 

"You've got a perfect look for the front page. That face? That hair? You'd shine." 

His tone was light. Playful. But something behind the words rubbed her wrong, like a script read a few beats too slow. 

Serica took a step back. 

"Oh, um, thank you, but… I promised Kentaro we'd meet soon. We were going to walk the beach…" 

Her voice trembled. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't fully the truth either. 

Kestrel's smile faltered. Just slightly. Then it returned. 

"I'll get you to him. Five minutes, tops. Come on, it'll be fun. This'll help my portfolio a ton." 

He stepped forward. 

Serica stepped back. 

Another step. Her heel brushed against something. A root. Or maybe a stone. 

Or maybe a warning. 

"No, I—I really think I should go," she said, firmer now. Her hands curled into fists. 

Kestrel stopped. His eyes glinted behind his tinted lenses. 

Then, he chuckled. "You're making this feel a lot weirder than it is, y'know." 

He reached into his jacket pocket. 

Serica's breath caught. 

Her back hit a tree trunk. 

No more room. 

No path behind. 

He was still smiling. But the smile was a mask now. Too wide. Too bright. 

He took one more step. 

And then— 

Rustle. 

Something moved behind the tree line. 

Not a breeze. 

Not a bird. 

It was deliberate. 

Both Kestrel and Serica snapped their heads toward the bushes. 

A flicker of color. 

Something moved again. 

A low snap, not of a twig, but like metal clicking into place. 

Kestrel's eyes narrowed. He muttered, barely audible: 

"…Already?" 

Serica's chest rose. Froze. 

Whatever it was… 

They weren't alone. 

And something was watching them.