The summer vacation. The sun. The sea. The beach.

And all of that was made even sweeter by the fact that they had both cleared their entrance exams and started in the same high school in the spring.

Natsuo wouldn't have really chosen based on club activities if not for Kousuke, but what wouldn't one do for love? It was a good school overall, and conveniently close by train. His parents hadn't been against his choice either. Admittedly they had been a little shocked when they had been told that their son was dating another guy, but they had gotten over it surprisingly quickly.

Speaking of Kousuke, just how long did it take to buy some drinks?

Natsuo sat up and pushed his shades to his forehead. No Kousuke in sight. Could he have gotten lost? The beach was packed with people.

He grabbed his shoulder bag with his wallet and their phones inside and headed towards the cafeteria selling drinks, snacks and ice cream. The rest of their things should be safe enough.

Soon enough he found Kousuke. He looked truly gorgeous in only his swimming shorts, his tanned and muscular chest covered in sweat. And he was talking with two girls in skimpy swimsuits. That definitely made storm clouds gather on Natsuo's sky of happiness.

Kousuke noticed him and waved to attract his attention. Well, he had certainly done that already.

"Sorry! I got a little delayed." He held out one of the canned drinks to Natsuo. "Here you go!"

"I noticed," Natsuo replied in very icy tone.

"Why the sour face? Don't you remember Rika-chan and Hanae-chan from our class? They're both really nice girls."

Kousuke's casual use of the girls' first names only made Natsuo angrier. He grabbed the offered drink with much more force than necessary. "Then why don't you spend the rest of the day with them?" he spat out and stomped off.

He felt so stupid for thinking this trip would have been solely for the two of them. Pretty girls flocked Kousuke also in school. Probably all of them dreamed of dating a handsome, athletic boy. And he couldn't really blame his boyfriend for liking the attention. He would have liked to be popular too instead of just an average guy.

He had just gotten back to their stuff and was hastily digging for his clothes in the large sports bag they shared when Kousuke caught up to him. He wouldn't be allowed to the bus in swimming shorts.

"Natsuo..." the other boy started.

"I don't want to hear it."

"But-"

"I don't. I'm going home. The day is ruined as it is."

Kousuke tried to make a grab for him, to capture him under his arm like he often did when fooling around. Natsuo dodged the attempt.

Kousuke sighed dramatically. "Please don't be like that. We're not little kids anymore."

Implying that he was just throwing a tantrum didn't improve Kousuke's standing in Natsuo's eyes at all. "Look, I'm really angry at you. So go away!"

Kousuke's shoulders slumped. "I'm...sorry." He suddenly bowed deeply and held out a small item with both hands. "I'm really sorry!"

Natsuo hesitantly picked up the item in question. It was a plastic toy boat, about the width of his palm in length. "What is this supposed to be?"

Kousuke straightened and smiled sheepishly. "Rika-chan and Hanae-chan said I should get you a gift to apologize for upsetting you. I figured they know all this relationship stuff better than I do."

Natsuo had a hard time keeping his face neutral. "And you picked this?"

"I thought it would at least make you smile. Would you have rather gotten a cap with 'I love summer' printed on it?"

Natsuo chuckled.

"Made you laugh!" Kousuke pointed a finger at him victoriously. Then he took Natsuo's hand. "Come, let's go play beach volley with the girls. It's just weird for two boys to be alone on a beach."

Natsuo almost dug his heels in at the mention of the girls again. "How are you in so friendly terms with them anyway?"

"Rika-chan and Hanae-chan? I was in the same team with them back in the elementary school. Our school club didn't have enough players to make two full teams, so the teachers decided to make a mixed one."

"Oh..."

Suddenly Kousuke stopped and pressed their foreheads together. "You're cute when you get jealous," he whispered, not wanting to attract too much attention.

"If saying that is another thing they told you to do, I am so going to hit you," Natsuo murmured back.

Kousuke smiled. "No, that was my original line."

Natsuo snorted. "As if. It's a cheesy movie line."

"Can't blame a guy for trying."

Right...Nonetheless they had a fun day at the beach in the end. And the toy boat found its spot in Natsuo's bookshelf behind the photograph of their middle school graduation.