My angle is perfect! I start by aiming high toward their back court, then suddenly flip my wrist to hit a clean, straight shot to their undefended front court.
Natsuki lunges desperately toward the ball, but he's just a split second too slow.
When the volleyball hits the sand, the match ends with our victory.
[Natsuki Shinomiya] Argh, I just couldn't get there in time!
[Hinata Takanashi] That was so cool... I had no idea you were faking...
Seeing the disappointed looks on my opponents' faces gives me a little rush of pride.
As I turn to celebrate with my teammates, I suddenly notice something's not right.
[Yui Yagi] Senpai...
[-] ... (staring)
[-] Oh, I see...
[-] Sorry, were you waiting for me to set the ball for you?
[Yui Yagi] Could you stay and talk with me for a bit?
[Hideki Akechi] Now that I think about it, Yui's position was ideal for a spike.
[Mirai] PLAYER, seriously. As the team leader, you should be more considerate of Yui's feelings.
Hold on a second?! Since when am I the team leader?!
[Yui Yagi] Senpai.
Yui gives my shoulder a little poke with her finger.
[Yui Yagi] Buy me coffee and I'll forgive you.
[player] Eh? Coffee?
Despite what she's saying, Yui doesn't appear angry at all. If anything, she seems almost... happy?
Is she just playing a joke on me...?
[player] Alright. What kind of coffee would you like?
[Yui Yagi] Just a regular iced coffee, thanks.
This is a good opportunity to get some drinks to refresh ourselves after playing. Luckily, there's a vending machine in the nearby parking lot where I easily buy a can of iced coffee.
[player] I might as well buy drinks for everyone else too.
With this in mind, I load all the drinks into a bag. But when I get back to the beach, I'm met with an unexpected situation.
Yui is gone.
[player] Has anyone seen Yui?
[Hinata Takanashi] Eh? Yui?
[Mirai] You're right. Where did Yui go?
Weird... I can see from one end of this beach to the other, so she shouldn't be hard to find.
At that moment, I suddenly remember what Yui and I talked about earlier.
Did she go into the ocean alone to prove she can swim because I doubted her earlier?!
[player] I'll search along the shoreline!
[Hinata Takanashi] Good idea! We'll all spread out and search!
If I'm right about this... this could be serious.
We decide to split up and comb the beach, but none of us can find Yui.
There's no way she was pulled out to sea by the waves, right...?
Yui... please be okay!
Growing increasingly worried, I follow the shoreline until I reach a rocky area.
The beach gives way to an unbroken stretch of large, jagged rocks that march right out into the ocean.
Climbing onto one of the rocks, I spot a reassuring figure below. It's Yui, crouching on the sand, hidden from everyone's view by the tall rocks.
[player] Phew. Finally, there you are.
[Yui Yagi] Senpai? What's wrong?
Yui doesn't seem to realize what's happened, her eyes clear and curious despite her typical lack of expression.
[player] Thank goodness you're alright... everyone's been worried sick. I need to let them know you're safe.
[Yui Yagi] Wait.
[Yui Yagi] Don't tell them where we are just yet.
[player] Hm?
While I don't know why Yui wants this, I respect her wish and simply message the group: "Found Yui, everything's fine."
I put my phone away, and Yui climbs up onto the rocks to join me.
As she gets closer, I see she's holding several small shimmering white fragments in her palm.
[player] You came all the way out here... for shells.
She must have been so focused on finding seashells that she wandered to this hidden spot without realizing.
[Yui Yagi] Yes, but they're not particularly rare...
[Yui Yagi] Still, I'd like you to have them.
[player] Thank you, Yui. I appreciate it.
[Yui Yagi] There's no need for thanks between us.
[player] Eh...?
[Yui Yagi] Senpai...
[player] Hmm?
[Yui Yagi] Could you stay and talk with me for a bit?
[player] Of course.
She nods, looking satisfied.
The waves crash against the rocks with a soothing sound that's both relaxing and pleasant to the ear.
We sit side by side on the rocks, enjoying the peaceful sea and looking out toward the horizon.
[Yui Yagi] Back in ancient times, I doubt anyone believed the earth beneath them was a sphere.
[Yui Yagi] But there was an ancient civilization that believed the earth was a hemisphere supported on an elephant's back.
[Yui Yagi] And beneath that elephant lurked a turtle even larger than the elephant.
[Yui Yagi] That's quite fascinating, don't you think?
[player] Yes, fascinating indeed.
[Yui Yagi] I wonder what it was like for people to first discover they were living on a gigantic sphere.
[Yui Yagi] With how far technology has come, will we ever be truly surprised by a discovery again?
As the sun sinks, its brilliant light traces the outline of Yui's face.
There's something in her expression that I can't quite grasp yet.
[player] You know so much. Is that from your scientist parents' influence?
[Yui Yagi] Yes. They taught me a lot of things when they were still alive.
[player] Wait...?
Yui combs her fingers through her long hair and nods.
[Yui Yagi] They were in a plane crash before I started middle school.
[Yui Yagi] Don't give me that look...
[Yui Yagi] It's all in the past now. I've learned to let it go.
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