The morning air was calm and gentle, brushed with the warmth of early sunlight.
The cloud was clear. It doesn't seem like it'd rain today.
Everyone was already outside, moving about with different levels of energy. Bags thudded against the pavement, doors opened and closed, and Shayne's voice cut through the air louder than anyone else's.
The Chevrolet Tahoe stood by the curb, a little too big for its driver.
Shayne leaned against it proudly while pretending to check the mirrors.
Mari stood beside him, looking like she was reconsidering her life choices.
Lyna adjusted her scarf, tucking strands of hair behind her ear as she helped load the bags.
Clara had her arms full of snacks, which she called "emergency rations."
Alejandro and Sera looked half-awake.
Shimotsuki, meanwhile, stood with quiet composure near the car door. She looked like she had everything ready.
When all of our luggage had been organized, everyone took a seat. Shayne sits on the driver seat, Mari and Alejandro to his left.
Second row, Clara is pitted between Shimotsuki and I, who was on her right and left each.
Third row, from right to left, seated Lyna, Nayuta and Sera.
It was silence at first, so I started the conversation by voicing my surprises.
"I didn't know you had a license." I said.
Shayne flashed a grin. "I don't."
There was a pause.
Then, two synchronized reactions. Shimotsuki's hand met his left shoulder, Mari's his right.
"You know that's illegal, right..." Shimotsuki asked.
"It's only illegal if we get caught," he said, smirking.
Mari continued. "Then don't get caught and don't get us killed." she warned, smiling sweetly, but it was the kind of smile that were used for threats.
"I can try," Shayne said, clearly not taking any of this seriously.
"Try harder," she shot back.
Clara was sitting in the back, legs crossed, munching chips like we were on a sightseeing bus instead of a rolling death trap.
"Now, now. If we crash, atleast we crash together."
Shayne looked offended. "We won't crash."
Nayuta leaned forward from behind me, grinning. "You've definitely crashed this car once, didn't you?"
"Fine," Shayne said. "Maybe I did crash with this car once or twice."
"Once or twice?" Nayuta replied, laughing.
"Wait— what?" Mari blinked. "You crashed this car before!?"
Shayne coughed. "Anyway— uh, seatbelts, ladies and gentlemen!"
Alejandro exhaled through his nose. "I should've known this trip would start like this."
"You worry too much," Shayne said, starting the engine.
"You aren't worried at all..."
The Tahoe rolled out of the dormitory gate, sunlight flashing through the trees as we hit the open road.
The atmosphere was alive. Sometimes noisy, sometimes half-serious, and it's already teetering between chaos and comedy.
"Shayne, you're way too close to the car in front," Mari warned, gripping her seatbelt tight.
"I got it, I got it," Shayne said, one hand lazily on the wheel.
"Got it? You nearly kissed their bumper back there."
"Relax, I'm just drafting. Saves our fuel."
"That's not drafting, that's a shortcut to getting arrested!" Mari snapped.
From beside me, Clara crunched on her chips without a care. "If we crash, can I have your dessert first, Mari?"
"Clara—!"
Alejandro sighed. "I should've driven."
"You can't drive either." Shayne said.
"Yes, but at least I know that's a stop sign," Alejandro replied dryly.
The car slowed abruptly, jerking slightly forward as Shayne braked a little too late.
Mari's eyes shot wide. "Shayne!"
"I stopped, didn't I?" he said, clearly proud.
"You stopped halfway into the intersection!"
Alejandro groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How far is this beach again?"
"About an hour," I said, checking the navigation. "Assuming we don't die before then."
Sera didn't even open her eyes. "Wake me up if we crash," she murmured.
"Where's the music?" Nayuta asked, leaning forward again. "Road trips need music."
Shayne turned the volume knob, and a random pop song blasted so loud that Clara almost dropped her snack.
"Not that loud!" Mari yelled.
"My bad, ma'am" Shayne apologized.
Lyna, who had been staring quietly out the window, spoke softly. "We should've taken the bus."
"Aw, don't be like that," Shayne said. "This is all about the experience."
"Near-death experience," Mari muttered.
Shimotsuki crossed her legs neatly and gazed out the opposite window, her tone flat.
"If this is your definition of experience, I'd hate to see your definition of safety."
"I'm a great driver!" Shayne said, right before missing a turn and swerving slightly.
Mari shrieked, grabbing the handle. "Shayne!"
"Relax, relax! Just a little correction."
Nayuta was laughing so hard he was practically choking. "You're going to get us pulled over!"
"Let him try explaining himself to a cop," Alejandro muttered.
"Oh, I'll charm my way out," Shayne said confidently.
"Charm?" Shimotsuki repeated. "You?"
That got a laugh out of everyone, even Lyna. There was a small, stifled giggle she tried to hide behind her hand.
Then, out of nowhere, Shayne swerved the car slightly to the right.
Mari screamed. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Shayne burst out laughing. "Just wanted to see your reactions."
The drive settled a bit after that.
The sun was high, the road long, and the sound of waves was faint in the distance.
Clara started humming between bites, Nayuta leaned backwards against the seat, humming along, and Mari finally let out a sigh of relief when Shayne stayed in his lane for more than ten seconds.
Shayne tapped the steering wheel, humming along to some upbeat song. "See? Smooth ride. Told you all I could handle it."
Mari narrowed her eyes. "One more sudden brake and swerve, and I'll handle you."
"Yes, ma'am." He grinned, eyes back on the road.
By the time we reached the beach house, the sun was already high enough to turn the sea into a golden experience.
The place wasn't too fancy, but it is definitely better than the image I had.
Two floors, a wide wooden deck facing the ocean, and a row of rooms that opened straight into the salty air. It felt old, but comfortably so, as if this place was meant for laughter and lazy days.
And it is.
Inside, everyone scattered almost immediately.
The girls rushed to claim the upper rooms, and Shayne started arguing with Nayuta about who got the bed closer to the window.
After the small bickering, they both left to get some ingredients for lunch and dinner.
Alejandro took the couch downstairs, saying he didn't mind as long as there was a roof.
Once the noise settled, I stepped out onto the deck.
The wind was strong, I could smell the ocean and its saltiness.
On the left side, someone had stacked a few supplies.
There was a sack of charcoal, a box of matches, a can of lighter fluid, and a small freezer packed with meat and drinks. Two grills sat on the right, one gas and one charcoal.
I went ahead and started the gas grill first.
I turned the knob, press the ignition, and wait for the heat to build.
The familiar click and whoosh of flame followed, as simple as an indoor kitchen. Satisfied, I turned to the charcoal grill and frowned.
It looked like it hadn't been used in months. I poked the grate with a tong, unsure if I should just pour the charcoal and light it up.
"Need help?" a voice asked from behind.
I turned.
Shimotsuki stood by the door.
Her ashen-gray hair's brushing slightly in the sea breeze. She wore a loose white blouse, black shorts, and a straw hat perfect for beach occasion.
"I was just wondering if I should light these up or—"
"Leave it to me," she said, stepping closer.
She crouched by the grill, her movements careful and efficient.
First, she took about a dozen pieces of charcoal from the sack, arranged them in a small pyramid, then sprayed a thin layer of lighter fluid.
The smell was sharp and chemical, mixing strangely with the salty air.
"Step back a little," she said.
I did as asked.
She struck a match and, with a soft flick, touched it to the base. The fire caught quickly, orange flames licking up between the gaps as smoke curled into the breeze.
"There," she said, dusting her hands lightly. "You let them burn until they turn gray around the edges. Then you can start grilling."
I stared at her for a moment.
She was calm, efficient, and perfectly composed, as if she had done this a hundred times before.
"You've done this before?"
"No," she said, straightening up. "I've only read about this in book."
Before I could reply, the door slid open behind us.
Clara stepped out, holding a bag of chips. "I smelled charcoal burning," she said, eyes lighting up. "Where's the food?"
I gestured toward the still-empty grill. "You'll have to wait. Shayne and the others went to buy it."
Clara frowned. "So no food yet?"
"Not yet," I said, smirking. "We're just preheating the grills."
"Unacceptable," she muttered, taking another chip from her bag. "You don't light a grill without food. That's false hope."
Shimotsuki gave a small, genuine laugh.
Clara looked between us. "Hey, you're laughing. That's new. Faulk, what did you do?"
"Nothing," I said, shaking my head. "She just finds your hunger dramatic."
Clara shrugged, unbothered. "A justified drama, I might add."
Then she looked back at the door. "Anyway, tell Shayne to hurry. If I starve, it's on him. You could also say that, if he doesn't come back with beef, I have beef with him."
She disappeared back inside, leaving the faint crunch of chips in her wake.
I exhaled, watching the smoke drift upward. Shimotsuki stood beside me again, quiet as ever.
"She really loves food, huh?" she said.
"Yeah," I replied with a smile. "She also knows what she loves."
It wasn't long before the sound of an engine broke through the waves. Shayne's voice came first, loud as ever.
"Delivery for the starving masses!"
I stood up just as Shayne and Nayuta jumped out of the car, each carrying several bags that looked way too heavy for just two people.
"We got meat, seafood, veggies... basically everything that looked edible," Shayne announced, dropping the bags onto the deck table with a dramatic groan.
"Don't forget the drinks," Nayuta added, holding up a pack of soda cans like it was a trophy.
"Oh, and Clara's precious snacks. She made me promise."
Clara was already halfway out the door before he finished. "Finally!" she said, reaching for the bags like a predator spotting prey.
Mari followed behind her, exhaling softly. "We told you not to buy too much junk food."
"She bribed me good," Nayuta said, deadpan.
"That's not even a good excuse," Lyna remarked, shaking her head as she helped unload the ingredients.
Sera stretched her arms lazily, yawning. "Well, at least he's honest about it."
Shimotsuki reappeared, notebook still in hand.
"Should we separate the food by type?" she asked, already opening one of the bags to take stock.
"Good idea," I said, moving beside her. "Gas grill for meat, charcoal for seafood?"
"That works," she replied, nodding.
The deck quickly came alive with movement.
I was still by the charcoal grill with Shimotsuki, who crouched to check the embers. The coals had turned ashen-gray, the same colour as her hair.
"Looks stable now," she said, before throwing in another dozen of charcoal.
"Seems the author did his research," I replied, handing her a pair of tongs.
She took them carefully, a hint of pride in her expression. "Told you."
Before I could respond, Clara nearly collided into me, balancing a plate piled high with marinated chicken.
"Move, Faulk! Grill space is a sacred domain!"
"Careful, Clara—"
Too late. A bit of marinade sloshed onto my hand. She didn't even notice.
Lyna laughed from the table where she was arranging vegetables on skewers. "She's been waiting since noon. I don't think she hears anyone anymore."
Alejandro, standing nearby, was checking the drinks in the cooler. "By the time you finished grilling," he said, "the drinks should be cold."
"Al, say peace." Sera added, snapping a photo of Alejandro's face. "Hm... Not bad, now that I got a close look..."
Shayne waved his spatula dramatically.
"Alright, grill hierarchy. Faulk and I handle the fire. Nayuta, keep the seasoning good. Lyna, the supervisor who criticizes our life choices, and everyone else, well... Do what you wanna do."
The group laughed, but the sound was swallowed by a sudden whoosh as the gas grill flared up.
"Shayne!" Mari yelped, stepping back.
"It's fine!" he said quickly, though his eyebrows looked a little too singed for comfort.
"I know what I'm doing! This will bring flavor!"
"Burnt food is not good flavor," Clara muttered, waving a hand in front of her face.
While Shayne wrestled with the flames, I helped Shimotsuki set up the charcoal grill.
The coals glowed perfectly now, and she passed me a plate of shrimp and skewers to start cooking.
"Not bad for our first time," I said, placing them carefully.
She nodded, eyes following the flickering firelight.
"It's… nice. The smell, the warmth."
"Yeah," I said, glancing at her. "A lot better than reading about it, right?"
She smiled faintly. "Yeah, some things are better experienced."
The laughter behind us grew louder. Nayuta cheering as the first batch of ribs sizzled, Sera teasing Shayne about nearly blowing his eyebrows off, and Clara already stealing a piece of grilled squid before it was ready.