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If it were up to Hajime, he would stay at Hope’s Peak Island. He doesn’t want to leave this calm, serene place where everything feels carefree and effortless. He’ll miss seeing the warm, tropical weather and the colorful sunsets every night. He’ll miss being able to hear the ocean’s waves just a mere block away from his family’s summer vacation cabin. Most importantly, he doesn’t want to leave his lovely boyfriend Nagito.
But, as they say, all good things must come to an end. As much as he wants to stay here, he can’t. He has other obligations back home keeping him from staying here, and from staying with Nagito.
He’s sat on the beach, staring out at the waves of the ocean. He knows Nagito is working that day but doesn’t see him and assumes he’s on break - that is until he feels a pair of lips planting a kiss on his cheek. Nagito sits next to him and he turns his head and sees a soft smile on his face.
“Hi,” Nagito says, putting his head on Hajime’s shoulder.
“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” Hajime asks, raising his eyebrows. He knows Nagito does this every time he’s at the beach, though he has to remind him that he’s still on a shift before he gets in trouble.
“Yes, but why can’t I talk to my boyfriend for a few minutes?” Nagito lifts his head and smirks.
“You’ll get in trouble with your boss,” Hajime says with a frown. He turns and tiptoes to kiss Nagito on the cheek. “Now, go, I love you, I’ll see you later.”
Nagito laughs. “Fine, fine. Hey, before I go, we should meet up again tonight.”
Hajime scoffs. “We always meet at night.”
“I know,” Nagito says softly. “But, it’s different tonight, you know?”
Hajime sighs, becoming a bit sad. “Yeah, it is. I’m going to miss you.”
Nagito frowns, returning his head to Hajime’s shoulder. “I’m going to miss you too, I already miss you a bit.”
Hajime chuckles a little. “I haven’t left yet.”
Nagito sighs. “Yeah, but, knowing you’re leaving soon makes it feel like we’re already separated a bit.”
Hajime kisses the top of his head. “I understand. Everything will work out, I promise.”
Nagito smiles a bit even though Hajime can’t see it. “I hope so.”
Hajime smiles as well. “How about you go back to work before you get yelled at?”
Nagito whines. “I don’t want to, I just want to stay with you.”
“I know you want to stay with me and believe me, I want to stay with you too. But, my family is going to look for me soon, and your boss won’t be happy that I’m distracting you again,” Hajime says dejectedly.
Nagito laughs. “How could I not be distracted?”
Hajime blushes, but he stands his ground. He shoves Nagito a little. “Get back to work, dumbass.”
Nagito gives him a wink before he runs across the beach. Not too long after, he feels small arms wrapping around one of his legs.
“Nii-chan!” his little sister Misaki says, laughing loudly.
“Hey, Misaki,” Hajime replies, smiling at her.
“Nii-chan, who was that?” she asks, looking up at him curiously. “Is that one of your friends?”
“Oh- uh, yeah, he is,” Hajime answers, rubbing the back of his neck. “Something like that.” He’s pretty sure what he and Nagito do are not things that normal friends would do with each other, but she doesn’t need to know about that, of course.
“Oh, I thought I saw you kiss him,” Misaki comments, tilting her head. “Remember that cooties are a thing and you do not want to get them.”
Hajime laughs slightly. “Cooties aren’t a thing, silly.”
Misaki narrows her eyes. “That’s not what I’ve heard at pre-school.”
“Who would you rather believe, pre-schoolers or your big brother?”
Misaki rolls her eyes. “You, I guess.” She tries to tickle Hajime, but he tickles her first, causing her to erupt in laughter.
“I told you I wasn’t ticklish,” Hajime says fondly. Just then, their parents walk toward them.
“Hajime, Misaki! Let’s take some pictures!”
Hajime stops tickling Misaki and helps her stand up, and the two go off with their parents. They walked to the other side of the beach where there weren’t many people there.
Misaki and Hajime sit down on the sand. Misaki wields her bucket around before yelling, “I’m gonna build a sandcastle!”
“Do you want me to help you build it?” Hajime asks her, watching as she fills the bucket with sand.
Misaki nods, and Hajime starts helping her scoop up sand into the bucket. Just then, a pair of arms wrap around his neck. Hajime doesn’t have to look up to see that it’s Nagito.
“I thought you were going to work?”
“I’m on break.”
Hajime narrows his eyes even though Nagito can’t see it. “Should I, or should I not believe you?”
Nagito sits next to Hajime in the sand, Misaki looking at him curiously. “You should believe me. Ooh, are you guys building a sandcastle?!”
“Yeah!” Misaki says excitedly. “D’you wanna help?” she asks, looking up at him expectantly.
Nagito watches Misaki pour the sand out of the bucket, creating a basic shape of the castle. “Are you sure you want someone like me to help you build this sandcastle? I would just mess it up.”
Hajime glares at him as if to say, Really? It’s Misaki, you know she won’t mind.
“Of course I want you to help build my sandcastle! You’re Nii-chan’s friend!” Misaki giggles. “Nii-chan’s friends are good people.”
Hajime hasn’t introduced her to many of his friends, only Chiaki and Kazuichi, but he’s glad that Misaki is friendly with them.
Nagito laughs. “Okay, then.” He sits down next to Misaki and grabs the bucket from her, filling it with sand.
The three worked together to build a sandcastle before Nagito’s fifteen-minute break was over. Misaki seemed a little sad that he had to go, but Hajime said there’s a chance he’ll hang out with them again before they leave which seemed to build her spirit up again.
The day continued on as the sky grew darker, and Hajime’s mother said it was about time to leave. As Hajime was gathering his things together, Nagito ran over to him again and put an arm around his waist.
“Hey, later tonight can you meet me behind the coffee shop?” Nagito asks him, leaning his head on Hajime’s shoulder.
“Yeah, of course! At nine like usual?” Hajime replies, holding Nagito to his side.
“Yep!” Nagito smiles and leaves Hajime’s side. “I’ve got to finish my shift, I only have about fifteen minutes left before work is over. I’ll see you tonight, Hajime!”
Hajime grabs Nagito’s hand. “Okay, goodbye Nagito! I love you.”
Nagito kisses Hajime on the cheek. “I love you more.”
Hajime frowns. “I love you most.”
Nagito scowls at him. “I still love you more.”
Hajime lets go of Nagito’s hand when he sees Misaki running over to him, and she hugs Nagito’s legs.
“Hi, Nagito!” Misaki greets him with a huge grin on her face.
“Hey,” Nagito says, looking down at her. He pats her on the shoulder.
Hajime laughs. He’s happy Misaki took a liking to him, though he doesn’t know how she’ll feel once she realizes they won’t see him for at least a year.
“I have to go back to work now, but be good for your Nii-chan, okay?” Nagito pats Misaki’s head gently.
“I will!” Misaki hugs Nagito’s legs again before standing by Hajime’s side again.
Nagito waves, rushing off to finish his shift, while Misaki takes Hajime’s hand and they head back to their cabin.
When they returned, Misaki was a bit hyper about having met someone new.
“You guys look like you had fun today!” Hajime’s mother says.
“Yeah! I met Nii-chan’s friend,” Misaki sings.
Hajime tries not to facepalm but knows his parents won’t think much of it. “Yeah, she was pretty much attached to him.” Hajime laughs.
“He’s the one you’ve been meeting at night, huh?” his mother asks.
Hajime’s eyes widen. “U-um, well-”
“Yeah! Nii-chan’s friend Nagito was super-duper cuddly with him! They hugged a lot,” Misaki giggles.
Hajime begins to blush. “Uh, Misaki, I think that’s enough now.”
“Nagito, huh?” his mother says with a wink.
“And this is why I never say anything to my family about the people I meet,” Hajime deadpans.
His mother laughs and ruffles Hajime’s hair. “You know we’re just teasing. I’m sure Nagito is a lovely boy, and you’re old enough to make your own decisions anyway.”
Hajime smiles at her. “Thanks, Mom.”
After Hajime and his family eat dinner, he heads out of the cabin to meet Nagito. The sand brushes against Hajime’s feet as he’s walking. The sun begins to set and the moonlight glows on the water, which is something he’ll miss once he returns home.
Hajime sees Nagito standing in the alley they usually meet at. His white hair looks brighter in the moonlight and Hajime adores it.
(It’s yet another thing he’s going to miss when he gets back home.)
“Nagito!” Hajime calls out, causing Nagito to turn around.
“Hajime!” Nagito runs over to him and pulls him into a gentle hug, resting his forehead on his shoulder.
After they end the hug, Nagito grabs Hajime’s hand and starts pulling him somewhere. “Come on, let’s go swimming!”
“Hey!” Hajime yelps as he almost trips on his feet, but tries to follow Nagito anyway. “Slow down a bit!”
Nagito slows down but continues pulling Hajime along with him. “Sorry!”
“You don’t sound very sorry to me.”
Nagito huffs. “I just wanted us to have fun on our last night together.”
There’s a pang in Hajime’s chest when he hears Nagito say that. Of course, he knows that this is the last time they’ll see each other in a while, but it still stings.
“Yeah…” Hajime mumbles. “Anyway, the beach is closed! You should know this, you work there, ya know!”
Nagito smirks, though Hajime can’t see it. “Did I say we were going to the beach?”
Hajime looks at him, confused. “Well, no, but where else could we go swimming this late at night?”
Nagito slows down as he’s getting tired. “We’re swimming at the lake down the street.”
Not too long after, they reach the lake. Nagito slides his shoes and socks off before running over and dipping his toes in the water. “Come on, Hajime, swim with me!”
Hajime gives him a look. “You know I can’t go skinny dipping. I can’t swim with my binder on either.”
It’s not as if Hajime is ashamed of his body, it’s just that he’s not very comfortable being naked, even if he’s swimming with his boyfriend.
“Swim with your clothes on! That’s what I’m going to do,” Nagito replies, dipping his leg further into the water.
Hajime takes a deep breath. “Okay. Turn around.”
Nagito does as he’s told, and Hajime quickly pulls his binder off before putting his shirt back on. “Alright. Now we can swim.”
Hajime walks over to the water, where Nagito jumps into the lake and Hajime carefully gets into the water with him.
“Hey, at least jump in the water,” Nagito pouts.
“No. I want my hair to stay dry.” Hajime crosses his arms.
“Babe, come on,” Nagito whines.
“No,” Hajime says.
Nagito splashes Hajime, which causes him to gasp and glare at Nagito.
“Okay, looks like you’re getting splashed too!” Hajime exclaims, laughing.
They start splashing each other, causing Hajime’s hair to fall over his eyes and Nagito’s hair reaches past his shoulders.
Nagito leans in closer to Hajime, brushing the hair out of his eyes and kissing him slightly. Hajime kisses back for a split second before splashing Nagito.
“Hey!” Hajime shouted, splashing him back. “I thought we were done with the splashing.”
Nagito sticks his tongue out. “I guess not.”
Hajime laughs until he’s quickly reminded that this is his last night with Nagito until next summer. As much as he wants to enjoy tonight, the reminder continues to linger in the back of his mind.
“Are you alright, Hajime?” Nagito asks with a concerned tone, and he rests a hand on Hajime’s shoulder.
Hajime laughs drily. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be fine?”
Nagito looks at him sternly. “I can tell you aren’t fine, please don’t lie to me. What’s wrong?”
“It’s just that… I’m going to miss you. A lot,” Hajime admits.
Nagito bites his lip and his eyes begin to water. “I’m going to miss you too.”
Hajime brushes his hand against Nagito’s cheek. “I love you,” he says softly.
Nagito puts his hand up to his mouth in a failed attempt to hold back a sob. “I love you too.”
“Don’t cry, you big baby,” Hajime says teasingly. “We’ll see each other again next year.”
Nagito laughs. “Shut it, I know that. I’m just going to miss seeing you in person is all. I wish you didn’t have to leave tomorrow.”
Hajime sighs. “I wish I didn’t have to leave either, Nagito. If I could, I would stay here.”
“Do you really think we’ll see each other again next year?” Nagito asks.
Hajime gently smiles. “Yes, I do. I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t sure.”
“Well, until then, we can always call on the phone?”
“International calls are expensive, dumbass.”
“Well, if it’s meant to be, we’ll find a way to talk to each other again, right?”
“Of course.”
Nagito is starting to shiver and Hajime frowns. “Come on, let’s get out of the water.”
The two walk back to the spot where they set their shoes and socks and Nagito turns around as Hajime slips his binder on. Hajime doesn’t bother putting on his soaking wet t-shirt again.
They walk back to Hajime’s cabin while holding hands in comfortable silence.
Hajime can get used to this. He has gotten used to this. He doesn’t want to imagine what his life would be like without Nagito now that he’s met him.
When they approach the cabin’s porch, having to think about a year without seeing Nagito in person saddens him.
“Well, we’re here,” Nagito says with a smile on his face, though Hajime knows there isn’t any happiness behind it.
“Yeah…” Hajime mumbles, fidgeting with the drenched shirt in his hand. He can feel a tear slide down his cheek, even though he promised himself he wouldn’t cry.
“Hey, look who’s the baby now,” Nagito teases him, though a tear is rolling down his cheek as well.
Hajime laughs slightly. “Still you, you’re younger than I am.”
“Whatever, Hajime.” Nagito rolls his eyes. “You love me.”
Hajime smiles slightly. “Yeah, I do.”
Nagito gently laughs before leaning forward and kissing Hajime one last time before he returns home.
Nagito pulls Hajime into a hug, burying his face into his shoulder. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Nagito.”
They let each other go before Hajime has his hand on the doorknob. “Well, goodbye.”
“Farewell.”
Hajime watches as Nagito walks away, even long after he’s left his line of sight. He sighs wistfully and heads inside the cabin, already impatiently waiting for next year to come.