The gravel crunched under tires as the van pulled into a clearing surrounded by towering trees, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze.
A few birds chirped somewhere high above, the faint scent of pine and fresh earth grounding everyone in the reality that they were no longer in the city.
"This is it!" Takeshi announced, throwing open the van door before the engine had fully stopped. "Camp Nirvana!"
Kazumi groaned, stretching stiffly. "More like Camp I-Can't-Feel-My-Legs."
Ayaka smiled as she stepped down from the van, eyes scanning the tranquil space ahead.
The campsite was larger than expected—open enough for multiple tents, with a small fire pit in the center and logs arranged like a makeshift lounge.
In the distance, the shimmering glint of a lake peeked through the trees.
Makoto exhaled with a grin, tossing his jacket over his shoulder. "Perfect weather, great location—this is going to be fun."
Everyone began unloading.
Duffle bags hit the ground with soft thuds, coolers were carried to the shade, and the sound of unzipping canvas filled the air as tents were unpacked.
"Teams of two." Takeshi called out, holding up a bundle of stakes and poles like a soldier about to assign ranks.
"Let's make this quick so we can relax."
Kazumi paired off with Yuki, already arguing about tent orientation.
Haruto and Kaito worked silently, moving in perfect unison like they'd done this a hundred times.
Makoto started to head toward Ayaka and stepped in beside her.
"I'll team up with Ayaka." Makoto said, his tone easy, but his eyes just briefly flicking to Akihiko.
"Actually..." Takeshi interjected with theatrical timing, "Ayaka's on snack duty with Keiko. Sorry, bro. You're with him."
Makoto blinked. "Him?"
Akihiko appeared beside him like a shadow, calm and unreadable. "Problem?"
Makoto gave a tight-lipped smile. "None at all."
The two of them grabbed their tent kit in silence, walking to the edge of the clearing.
For a while, only the sounds of poles clinking, tarp unfolding, and zippers being tested filled the space.
But the tension—quiet, thick, simmering—grew more palpable with each second.
Makoto pushed a stake into the ground, voice cool. "You're awfully quiet for someone who's been glaring at me all morning."
Akihiko didn't look up. "Didn't realize I owed you a conversation."
"That's not what you owe." Makoto said quietly, hands steady as he tightened a cord.
Akihiko paused.
Makoto straightened, brushing off his palms. "She's still figuring things out. You had your chance."
Akihiko raised his head slowly. "And now you think it's your turn?"
"I don't need a turn." Makoto met his gaze, voice sharper. "She's already here... With me."
A beat of silence.
Akihiko's eyes flicked down to the tent pole in his hand.
He planted it with calculated calm before finally speaking.
"She was never yours to begin with."
Makoto's expression flickered—only for a moment.
Before he could respond, Akihiko turned and walked away, the matter already closed in his mind.
Ayaka stood by a fold-out table, sorting snacks with Keiko, a puzzled look on her face as she squinted toward the tent area.
"Is it supposed to lean like that?" she asked, pointing to the slightly crooked tent behind Akihiko.
He stepped up beside her, gaze never shifting from the canvas. "It's stable."
"You sure?" She cocked her head, teasing.
"Looks like a stiff breeze might turn it into a kite."
He finally turned to her.
His expression was unreadable—but his eyes softened just enough that she felt her pulse skip.
"I'm sure."
Ayaka smiled and raised her hand. "High five if you didn't totally mess up."
Without missing a beat, Akihiko met her palm with a crisp *clap*—and for a brief moment, their hands lingered just a second too long before pulling apart.
She grinned. "Okay, that was actually satisfying."
Akihiko gave the faintest of smirks before stepping aside to help carry more gear.
From a few feet away, Makoto watched it all.
Watched her smile at him like that.
Watched her forget the world around her the moment Akihiko stood close.
The high five shouldn't have meant anything.
It was small.
Innocent.
A meaningless gesture between friends.
But it wasn't.
Not to Makoto.
He saw the difference.
Felt it, like a subtle shift in gravity.
Ayaka didn't lean toward Akihiko the way she leaned toward him.
She didn't second-guess herself.
But she noticed him.
And trusted him.
Makoto could see it in the way her eyes sought Akihiko's without even realizing it.
In the way she relaxed when he nodded.
In the way the air around them bent inward, like the whole world got quieter for just a moment.
Makoto exhaled slowly.
He turned back to the tent, anchoring the last corner without a word.
From the far side of the clearing, Keiko raised an eyebrow as she watched the interaction unfold. "Okay, either Ayaka is about to get fought over, or someone's tent is gonna get mysteriously set on fire."
Yuki sipped her drink. "My bet's on emotional implosion. Much quieter."
Meanwhile, Ayaka stole a glance toward the tent where Makoto worked alone, her smile fading slightly.
Then her gaze shifted to Akihiko, who was now adjusting a rope on a nearby tarp.
His focus was meticulous.
Controlled.
But she noticed the way his jaw tightened when he thought no one was watching.
She pressed her hand lightly to her chest, where her heart had started to beat a little faster—and not from the mountain air.
------
The golden hour painted the forest in hues of amber and honey, casting soft, dappled shadows over the campsite as the group settled into a lazy late afternoon lull.
The smell of grilling skewers filled the air, with Kazumi loudly arguing with Takeshi over charcoal arrangements while Makoto pretended to help but was clearly just poking at the fire with a stick.
Ayaka had just finished arranging the snack table when Kaito approached her, Keiko trailing behind with a suspiciously amused expression.
"Yamamoto." Kaito said, voice low but urgent, "I need you. And you, Ito."
Ayaka blinked. "Uh… should I be flattered or worried?"
"Definitely worried." Keiko muttered, already smirking. "He's got the secret-mission face."
Kaito led them a few paces away from the others toward the parked cars, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one—especially Yuki—was paying attention.
Then he turned to them with a gleam in his eye and said simply, "It's happening...Tonight."
Ayaka and Keiko looked at each other, mouths slowly falling open.
"You mean—?" Keiko whispered, grabbing his arm.
Kaito nodded, grinning. "The ring was just finished this morning. It's in town, along with the confetti poppers. I've got the fairy lights already packed under the backseat. We'll wait until after dinner, when everyone's in a good mood. Then we'll say we're going to play some dumb campfire game to get her in the right spot."
Ayaka gasped. "No turning back right? You're serious?"
"As serious as a heart attack!" he said proudly, pulling a small, folded diagram from his pocket. "Look. I even planned out the angle of the trees for the lights."
Keiko leaned over it. "You really are crazy romantic."
"And potentially insane." Ayaka added. "So, what do you need us to do?"
Kaito looked around, then leaned in. "I need you two to keep Yuki distracted after dinner. Tell her you need help with something—photos, marshmallows, a girl talk circle, I don't care. Just don't let her wander near the setup area. Also, we need to discreetly tell the others so they're ready with their phones and don't ruin it by acting clueless."
Keiko cracked her knuckles. "Leave the distraction to me and Haruto. I'll rope her into a mini fashion shoot under the lanterns."
"I'll get Makoto, Takeshi, and Kazumi in the loop." Ayaka nodded. "Maybe stagger the timing so it's not too obvious."
"Perfect." Kaito beamed.
Just then, Akihiko strolled by, his hands in his pockets and his gaze idly sweeping the perimeter like a man keeping tabs without trying to.
Kaito's eyes lit up and he waved him over.
"Nakamura! You, me. You're on ring duty."
Akihiko slowed. "Ring duty?"
Kaito clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I need someone reliable to come with me into town to pick up the ring and the confetti. If too many of us leave, Yuki will get suspicious. But if it's just you and me, it looks like a simple supply run."
Akihiko raised an eyebrow. "Why not say it's a supply run then?"
"Because it is a supply run..." Kaito said smoothly, then added, "for drinks."
Keiko snorted. "Wait… didn't you bring drinks?"
"I did." Kaito admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, "but I stashed them in the trunk of the van, under the tarp with the old tent."
Ayaka gave him a deadpan look. "You intentionally hid the drinks so it'd look real?"
"Exactly!" Kaito said, triumphant. "Now when I say, 'Oh no, I forgot the drinks!' no one will question why we're heading into town."
Akihiko was silent for a moment, then said dryly, "You've clearly thought this through. Scarily well."
"I did my best." Kaito said with mock modesty. "So... You in?"
Akihiko gave a small nod. "Let's go before anyone realizes you're lying."
"Man of few words. I love it." Kaito grinned and headed to the van. "We'll be back in an hour. You guys handle the rest."
Keiko saluted. "Distraction squad ready."
Ayaka smiled, feeling her heart flutter with excitement. "I can't believe she has no idea."
As Kaito and Akihiko disappeared down the dirt path toward the van, Ayaka and Keiko exchanged a glance.
Keiko nudged her. "You realize this is going to be the most romantic thing we've ever witnessed?"
Ayaka laughed, already thinking ahead. "We better not mess this up."
From across the campfire, Yuki waved at them cheerfully, completely unaware of the whirlwind of plans swirling around her.
Ayaka smiled and waved back, heart thumping with anticipation.
Tonight was going to be unforgettable.