Heaving the packets of ice onto the bench and handing them one by one to Haruko, Ayako smiled at the younger girl in the blaze of the campfire. "He should be coming soon, don't worry," she said slyly.

Haruko jerked and nearly cut herself instead of the ice. She blushed, turning bright red as she fumbled with opening the plastic bag and tipping the ice into the large blue cooler. "Aya-chan!"

Ayako laughed and passed the last packet over. "This may be a singles party, but that doesn't mean you have to remain single, you know, Haruko!"

Akagi finished stoking the charcoal under the grill and joined them, flushed and looking visibly irritated. "It's half past seven, where are all those idiots?" he growled.

"Ay, Akagi sempai, I brought a few more bottled drinks with me which I left at the store's cooler earlier, could you please get them? Kogure-sempai has gone to return the rented bicycle." Ayako asked innocently. Akagi nodded and left. The older girl zeroed in on the pointedly quiet other and grinned devilishly at her again.

"Rukawa-kun will be here tonight, Haruko! Are you going to just sit there and watch him all day again?"

Haruko looked up, her cheeks staining crimson rapidly, and she shook her head vehemently. "I don't-!"

"You really should take this chance to tell him how you feel, you know!" Ayako twinkled at her. "No other girls around screaming and getting in the way, this is a great opportunity! Don't let it pass!"

"B-b-but-"

"No buts about it," Ayako gave the other girl a friendly tap on the shoulder. "You never know until you try, do you? Who knows what might happen after tonight?!"

Haruko opened her mouth to protest again, but the older girl leaned forward and whispered confidentially,

"You wouldn't want anyone else to get to him first, would you?"

Flushing in embarrassment, she nodded fiercely in acknowledgement. Ayako sat back with a satisfied smile, before a loud shout interrupted their separate reveries. "Aya-chan!"

"Miyagi!" she called, standing and waving. "Over here!"

In the light of the darkening sunset, the short, slim boy jogged across the grass with his arms loaded with a large tray. "Chicken wings, all done!" he grinned cheerfully, blushing as he saw the pretty manageress. Behind him, Mitsui strolled more leisurely, with the straw mats rolled up and slung about his shoulders with a string. Then…

"Haha! The Tensai is here!" The shout could be heard clearly for all the distance between the group and the lone self-declared genius who ran energetically down the beach towards them.

Miyagi rolled his eyes and turned, then started as two tall silhouettes loomed behind the tiny figure of obnoxious redhead. "Hanamichi, look out!"

End of part 1