And The Winner Is...

"So you're fine?" Yogi asked Arata.

"Yeah, I'm fine." After that painful experience, Arata decided to move to a more peaceful activity. Sand castles. Specifically with Yuriko and Yogi. "My head doesn't hurt anymore, so that's good."

"Just to let you two know, I'm only allowing this because you got hit." She was doing her usual business of acting like she didn't care for this. In reality, she was enjoying this on the inside.

"That's good with me." Arata said. This was something that he actually liked doing compared to the other things he had done thus far. This reminded him of the last time he was at a beach. He was much, much younger then.

"Wow, I can't believe how good you are at this." Yogi complimented his building skills.

"Oh, it's nothing." Arata responded modestly. His castle was already much bigger than the other two combined. Combined with the details he sculpted, it would easily win any contest. "The kids just like doing this sometimes, so I've got some practice in."

"Sometimes? I swear every time they ask, you play with them in that silly sandbox." While Yuriko just sat watching them from the bench, she really wished she could join them. Except her pride made it too embarrassing to ask.

"Oh, it's just all part of the job." He lied. Arata would never admit to enjoying doing those things with the children. She laughed, knowing the truth behind his false statement. He may not have noticed, but she did pay attention to him.

"Looks like you're almost done." Yogi was impressed with what he saw. He knew there was no way he'd ever make something like that.

"Yeah, just one more little thing." He had to make one final finishing touch. One that wasn't going to happen, as a volleyball blasted its way through. Destroying all of his hard work. The three of them looked at the ruins, jaws dropped.

"Oh, sorry." Akaki ran up to them. "We were just practicing and Akiba ended up hitting the ball over here." The girl was standing back by the net, looking meek.

"It's… No problem." Arata was disappointed he wasn't able to enjoy his finished product. "The water was going to get it anyway."

"Yogi! Yogi!" Another voice came running up to them. It was Erina, rushing to them excitedly. She was carrying with her a surfboard and water ring. "You wanna go surfing with me?"

"Surfing? That's sounds like a lot of fun." His eyes lit up.

"If you're going surfing, then what's that ring for?" Arata noticed the other item she had with her.

"Oh well I was wondering if you wanted to float around in the ocean while we're catching some waves." She hinted to him that she wanted him there with them. Understanding that, he had no choice, but to accept.

"Hey, Kashimura." Yuriko stopped him before he left. "If we have time when you get back, maybe we could redo your castle?" She asked, not turning to face him as she talked.

"Well if you think I'm feeling bad about it, it's really not a big deal."

"I'm not doing it for you, you idiot." She corrected him. "It looked nice, that's all, I think other people might like it to."

"I guess if that's what you think." He agreed with her, assuming that there would even be time for it. "I'll ask Yogi if-"

"It's fine. I mean, if it's just you." He was shocked to hear that. For once, he was giving this to her on a silver platter. Why would she reject that?

"Sure, we'll see then." He left her to go join Yogi and Erina. At this point, she was pushing him to get on the surfboard. Despite just learning about it today, she already was confident that she could teach him.

Arata, on the other hand, decided this was a good time to relax a little. Sure, she expected him to keep watch, just in case something went wrong. At least so she had a shot at winning this bet.

Floating on the ring, moving along with the ocean waves. It was a serene experience. While making sure not to lose attention to them, he could have some thoughts to himself.

When he really thought about it, this whole vacation was strange. Not just with what's happened, but also everything surrounding why he was here in the first place. This whole blackmail situation had become normal for him. Scarily so, in fact.

Thinking about it now, made him feel a little angry. Just that he was here against his will, when this wasn't the life he wanted. That just left a bad taste in his mouth.

What also left a bad taste was something falling onto his face while he was lying in the ring. He pulled it off of him to see what it was. Swimming trunks?

"Oh Yogi, you've lost your shorts?! Let me help you!" Erina was invading this now naked boy's personal space. Arata was going to have to stop her before she upset Yogi too much.

"N-no, I'm fine… Really." Yogi tried to get her off of him. Embarrassed about his nudity, while so close to a girl. Something that Arata unfortunately could relate to.

"Get back." Arata placed himself between the two. "Careful Yogi, she's got those lewd eyes." He was fooling around here, The two probably wouldn't get what he was saying.

"What?" Yogi looked at him confused.

"Oh please, I'm just helping him out." Erina replied. The look on her eyes being an indicator for her lies.

"Your nose is bleeding." He scolded her, probably not the thing he should've said though.

"B-bleeding…" She put her finger down to her nose. When she saw the blood on her fingertips. "B-blood…" She immediately fainted.

"Ah! Erina!" Yogi was about to spring into action, until Arata stopped him.

"You might want to put these back on first." He held up the boy's swimming trunks in front of his face. "Don't worry, I'll get her…" He recovered her back to the beach, begrudgingly.

With all the fun at the beach, things were going to come to an end. It was tiring, but Arata couldn't deny that things were interesting. He could even say that it was fun, just not out loud. With such a nice occasion, an idea sprung up into his mind.

"Say, Erina." He stopped as they were packing up to go back to the hotel. "Does your camera still have some power?"

"Oh, yeah." She pulled it out of her bag. The device was still capable of taking photos. "It does. Why do you ask?"

"Here…" He took it from her. "Everyone, get together. We should take a picture for this." He commanded the group. They piled together, making sure to capture the nice view of the sunset. However, before he could snap a picture, Misao stopped him.

"Wait, but what about you?" She asked.

"Oh, don't worry about me." He assured her. "Someone's got to take the picture."

"That's true…" She replied dejectedly, then she spied a couple of passerby's. "Hey, you over there. Can I ask for a favor." She talked to them for a bit. Asking if they could be so kind to take a picture of the group together. The two girls she was talking to agreed.

"Wait a second." Arata tried to protest as the camera was taken from his hands.

"Just shut up and come here." Misao pulled him by the arm. Making him stand with the others, right next to her.

"Why are you doing this?" He whispered, so the others couldn't hear.

"Don't think that you can just leave us so easily." She answered. "You're a part of this group, no matter what you say."

"Ay, so troublesome." He sighed, he just had to accept this for now. He stilled planned on carrying out what he said he was going to do when this was all over. "Oh well. All right everyone, time to smile now."

The camera snapped, immortalizing this moment of them in a picture. The girl taking the photo checked to make sure it was good. She gave the okay, and he returned to grab it back.

"Aw, I can't believe you didn't stand next to your girlfriend." The other girl said to him, as he took back the camera.

"Girlfriend?" Misao asked. "What makes you say that?"

"Well we just snuck a peek at one of the older pictures." They admitted. "You two looked so adorable."

"Oh, you mean that picture..." So they saw the one he took earlier with Erina. "You misunderstand, we're just friends."

He returned the camera back to Erina. Not really worried about the pictures, but he was certain she had taken some of Yogi that she was going to print out. The fate of the picture they had just taken, along with the one back on the mountain were a mystery. She wouldn't just delete those, right?

"Okay everyone, we should get back to the hotel now." Yogi told them, but Arata stopped everyone again. There was only one thing left to do now.

"Don't you think we're forgetting something?" He said. The others instantly knew he was talking about the bet they made when they arrived.

"Gee, I was hoping you all forgot." Yogi nervously laughed. "So I guess I'm supposed to pick a winner, right?"

"Of course, and the winner gets to do whatever they want with you." Erina continued the statement with her singsong voice.

"Yes, so who did you think gave you the best time?" Misao asked. Yogi felt the spotlight on him. The wait for his answer was unbearable for everyone else.

"The person I choose is… You!" He pointed his finger at Arata.

"What?!" Everyone yelled in unison. This was the last person they expected him to choose.

"I mean, of everyone at the beach. I definitely had the most fun with you." He explained. "You gave me sunscreen, you were my partner in volleyball, we built sand castles. Plus you got me out of a pretty sticky situation." Arata did none of those thing, in the hopes of winning for himself. He realized that he should really pay attention to what he was doing.

"I was the secret Yaoi option?" He spoke under his breath. Not sure what to do next. Now it was his turn to feel the eyes of the others on him. The glares carried much more darkness along with them. If he was the winner, then he figured that he might as well accept it.

"So then, what are we doing?" Yogi asked.

"I've heard of a pretty cool ice cream shop nearby, we should go get sundaes."

"Yeah!" That got Yogi going. In excitement, the boys ran off to the place he was talking about.

"Don't worry everyone, we'll meet you back at the hotel later." Yogi yelled back as he was running.

Everyone else stood there speechless. This was one moment they couldn't even comprehend.