Chapter Text
The beach was quieter than usual.
Asuka stepped lightly onto the warm sand, the soft crunch beneath her shoes grounding her as she made her way toward the shaded tables, a stack of books tucked securely under one arm. The breeze smelled faintly of salt and sun, and the waves lapped lazily against the shore. It was one of those rare, peaceful afternoons when the academy felt less like a school and more like an island retreat. She scanned the scattered tables under the wide umbrellas, looking for one far enough from the dorms and the chattering underclassmen. A place where she could think. Breathe. And study.
They were in their third year—just a few weeks away from truly leaving Duel Academy behind. The graduation ceremony was already over, caps tossed into the sky, pictures taken. All that remained now were the final exams. A few sheets of paper, a handful of duels, and then… that was it. The end.
It should’ve felt exciting.
Instead, it felt heavy.
Those three years hadn’t exactly been easy. In fact, there were times when they’d been too much—more than what any normal teenager should’ve had to shoulder. Ancient evils. Lost dimensions. People disappearing, people changing. Danger lurking where there should’ve been duels and club activities. But even with all that, she knew she was going to miss this place.
Miss it deeply.
The little adventures between classes. The weird late-night ghost stories. The friendships that had formed in the middle of chaos. Even the craziness that once made her question why she ever enrolled here in the first place… she’d miss it all.
But most of all, the friends.
Sure, she had her childhood friends—Momoe and Junko had been by her side since elementary school, and they were still her dearest, her constants—but Duel Academy had given her something she never expected. A much larger circle. People she never imagined growing so close to. And now… they were starting to disappear, one by one.
She let out a soft sigh as she reached one of the umbrella-covered tables by the shore. It was perfect—shaded, quiet, just close enough to the water for the sound of the tide to settle the restless thoughts in her head. She sat down and spread her books across the table, though her mind was already drifting.
Some of her friends were already gone.
Judai had left earlier than anyone. Skipped the finals completely. Principal Samejima had let it slide—said Judai’s dueling skills were more than enough to warrant his graduation. Maybe that was true. But still, Asuka couldn’t help but worry. With grades like his, he had no chance of pursuing further studies, if he ever wanted to. And she couldn’t shake the feeling that Judai’s decision wasn’t made with a clear heart. The things he went through here… they had changed him.
Worn him down.
She hoped—really hoped—that wherever he was now, he was at peace. That he had found something worth chasing. He deserved at least that much. And one way or another, she was going to track down a way to contact him. Even if it was just to say hi. Even if he didn’t respond. That was the least she could do for someone who once called her a friend.
And it wasn’t just Judai.
Johan, Jim, and Austin had all left too—their foreign exchange program was over. She hadn’t gotten to say a proper goodbye to any of them. They’d all been here, part of the daily chaos. And now, like faded snapshots, they were gone.
Asuka shook her head gently, pulling herself from her thoughts. She looked up from her books, eyes scanning the sunlit beach around her—
And there, just beyond the unused ice cream parlor, stood her brother.
Fubuki was half-shadowed by the little structure, his body turned toward someone obscured behind it—probably sitting down, judging by the way he kept looking downward as he spoke. From this distance, Asuka couldn’t make out the words, but the wild energy in his hand gestures told her everything. He was clearly in the middle of an animated conversation.
She tilted her head, curiosity piqued. It wasn’t unusual to find her brother hanging around the beach. If anything, he practically lived here—between his obsession with sea skating and swimming, he might as well have been born with gills. Sometimes she wondered why a school this big didn’t have a swimming club. Fubuki would’ve been the star.
So no, it wasn’t his presence that made her pause. It was who he was talking to.
Because while Fubuki was well-liked—known for being friendly, charismatic, always the first to laugh— but really close friends? He didn’t have many. Not the kind you could tell secrets to. Not the kind you let see you when you’re tired or upset or scared. Sure, they had a circle of friends, and Fubuki could jump into any group and make them laugh, but… that special closeness? That had always been missing from his life.
At least, until recently.
She hadn’t really put much thought into it at first, but lately, whenever she caught up with him, instead of rambling about the usual—some girl, some prank, some weird idea—he kept bringing up Manjoume. Little things here and there. Funny things they did. Strange ideas they shared. Ridiculous schemes she never would’ve believed Manjoume would agree to—yet somehow, Fubuki had roped him in.
And honestly? She didn’t hate the idea. Manjoume had changed.
That boy from their first year? He’s long gone...
The one who had been just Insufferable. Arrogant to a fault. The one who belittled others openly, constantly talking down to people, acted like he was leagues above everyone—especially those not wearing Obelisk Blue. It used to get under her skin so badly.
He was always puffed up with pride, always chasing superiority, like being the best was the only thing that gave him value.
But now that she thinks about it... maybe he truly believed it did—that being the best was the only way to matter. That’s why he acted the way he did.
She understood that now.
She understood what he’d been carrying. The weight of his brothers’ expectations. The pressure to excel, to rise above, to never show weakness. He had been just a kid, and already cornered into becoming something sharp-edged and unbearable. It didn’t excuse everything, but it made her understand why.
She was glad he was finally free—at least to some extent—to be who he was always meant to be. The real Manjoume, the one who’d been hiding beneath all that armor for probably far too long.
He is still sharp-tongued and dramatic, sure—but there was more to him. A softness, almost. He had a strong sense of justice. He cared. He could be surprisingly kind, and brave when it counted.
And—Asuka suspected— deeply lonely. Even if he’d never admit it out loud.
Just like Fubuki.
That was probably why she’d supported her brother’s idea when he first mentioned inviting Manjoume over for summer break. They’d done it before—Junko, Momoe… though only Momoe could come, and it had been fun. It was always fun having a friend around. And maybe, just maybe, having Manjoume with them this time would give both boys something they hadn’t really had before.
She didn’t even realize she had started walking until her shoes crunched quietly on the sand near them, close enough now to start hearing her brother’s voice.
"—come on! They can't be that bad!"
Asuka raised an eyebrow, her steps slowing.
"I'll talk to them! Come on, let’s go call them—"
"Brother?"
She called out as she reached them, and as she got close enough, the figure hidden behind the ice cream parlor finally came into view.
Manjoume. Of course.
He was seated cross-legged on the ground, his poor, abused black jacket spread beneath him like a makeshift mat. Sheets of paper and textbooks were scattered around him in a chaotic circle, the telltale signs of a long and desperate study session.
Without the usual layer of dark fabric, he looked… startlingly young.
The plain white T-shirt he wore—unusual, but probably chosen to fight off the heat—brought out just how pale his skin was, how thin he looked. She remembered hearing that the school nurse had once found him passed out from heat exhaustion and practically ordered him to stop wearing that heavy jacket in this weather. Maybe he actually listened.
His hair was even messier than usual, strands sticking to his forehead with a faint sheen of sweat. He looked like he’d been there for a while. Like her, he’d probably come here seeking a quiet place to study, only to have that peace completely derailed by her brother’s energy.
"Oh, if it isn’t my lovely sister! And just in time!"
Fubuki turned to her with a dramatic flourish. Asuka smiled despite herself—he was buzzing with so much energy, she barely had time to react before he cut her off again.
"I was just talking to Jun about spending the summer at our place! I told him our parents would adore him, but he won’t listen! Help me out here!"
Asuka couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking her head. Of course that was what had him so worked up.
She turned to Manjoume, still sitting on the ground and looking like he'd rather bury himself in his notes than entertain what he likely considered a totally unrealistic idea. Typical.
But she had her own ways of getting him to fold.
She tilted her head and said casually, “Oh? I guess he’d rather graduate and forget all about us, then.”
That got him.
Manjoume snapped his head up, expression tight with frustration—half glare, half guilt. “I didn’t say that,” he muttered defensively, then looked away just as quickly, his voice softening. “My brothers wouldn’t just agree. I’m still underage.”
“But I told you I’d talk to them!” Fubuki protested, his tone flaring with that same excitement again. “Come on, dude!”
But then, just as suddenly, that spark dimmed. He sighed and added, “Well… I guess Asuka’s right. I shouldn’t have sprung this idea on you—”
“No!!”
The word burst out of Manjoume so abruptly that all three of them flinched. Even he seemed startled by the sound of his own voice. His lips parted, then clamped shut as he looked down, biting at his lower lip like the words were already trying to escape again.
“I want to…” he said at last. “I think…” He shook his head, frustration darkening his expression. “You just don’t know them, Fubuki. They just wouldn’t agree.”
The air grew heavier at that.
Fubuki didn’t seem to understand—but she did.
She had caught glimpses of what Manjoume’s brothers were like. She knew enough to fill in the rest.
But even with the weight in her chest, a small smile tugged at her lips when she heard what Manjoume had called her brother.
Fubuki.
First name basis already—no more ridiculous nicknames. They really were getting closer.
“Why…” Fubuki’s voice broke into her thoughts, softer this time, his whole posture shifting as he knelt in front of Manjoume, trying to catch his eyes. “If you really want this, then why won’t you just let yourself have it?”
Manjoume’s jaw tightened. His eyes didn’t meet his.
"I'm just..." he trailed off, fingers curling against the fabric of his jeans. "I’m just trying not to get my hopes up, okay?
There was something raw in his voice. Fragile in a way that Asuka wasn’t used to hearing from him. And maybe he knew it too—because the moment it slipped out, he looked away sharply, like he regretted saying it at all.
Fubuki didn’t push. He stayed kneeling, hands resting loosely on his thighs, expression softening. There was a long silence before Fubuki’s voice drifted back into the stillness, quieter now. “Hey. You can trust me, you know.”
Manjoume didn’t respond.
Instead, he drew his legs up to his chest, arms loosely wrapping around them as he curled in on himself, head lowered until his chin rested on his knees. The movement was strangely childlike.
He looked… small.
Fubuki was watching him with a pensive look on his face.
“I know that,” Manjoume finally said, barely above a whisper. “I’m just… I can’t. I have responsibilities at home.”
He shook his head and fell silent again.
It was one of the few moments Asuka had ever seen him like this—unguarded, vulnerable. One of those rare times when Manjoume dropped the proud, defensive mask and let himself be.
Small. Fragile.
And it did something strange to her heart.
It reminded her of things she already knew but rarely stopped to reflect on—how young he actually was. How all of them still were. But right now, especially Manjoume. Because for someone so young and talented, someone who had the potential to do something amazing with his life… he carried so much weight on his shoulders.
Even if he never said it out loud.
Because he didn’t have to.
The whole school had seen it—the extreme measures his brothers had pushed him to during their first year. That broadcasted duel, all that pressure like he had something to prove. Like he needed to earn his place. To be worthy of something.
But worthy of what, exactly?
This was a dueling school—winning and losing were constants. Part of the system. Expected of every student. So what exactly did they want from him?
At the time, he’d only been fifteen. Fifteen, for crying out loud.
Just fifteen.
And even now—seventeen was still too young.
Sure, at seventeen you had more to worry about than the average kid—grades, final exams, figuring out your future after graduation. It was stressful, yes—but still normal.
And that was exactly why everyone deserved peaceful days too. Deserved the chance to breathe. To rest. To just be.
Summer vacation was just around the corner. It was going to be fun—her family had plans, things were already shaping up. And now…
She was determined Manjoume would be part of that, too.
She was going to make sure of it.
“You’re coming with us.”
The words escaped before she even fully realized what she was saying—but she meant them. She couldn’t stop herself. This feeling, this urge—it was a need to help a friend. And Asuka had never been the type to stand by when someone she cared about needed her.
Fubuki's head jerked up. “What?”
He looked just as surprised by her sudden declaration as Manjoume did.
But while the black-haired boy’s expression flickered between stunned and confused, her brother’s was simply… hopeful. Desperate, even. Like this mattered more than anything else. And Asuka could see it—he’d already looked past Manjoume’s walls. Just like she had.
Fubuki’s eyes silently pleaded with her, but the truth was, her decision had already been made the moment Manjoume admitted he wanted to go.
She wasn’t backing down.
A thought clicked into place.
“Our father…” She turned toward Fubuki with a small, knowing smile. “He can talk to them.”
Silence stretched between them for a beat.
Both boys were still looking up at her—Manjoume’s brow furrowed, a flicker of disbelief in his dark eyes. Fubuki's head tilting slightly, confusion settling across his features. Neither spoke, but their expressions said enough.
And the look on both their faces told her neither one quite believed it. Manjoume, especially, looked like he didn’t even want to entertain the idea.
So Fubuki broke the silence, his voice rising with that familiar blend of blunt honesty and frustration. “Sis… he wouldn’t even let me talk to them, let alone Dad!”
“Who said anything about letting someone do anything?” Her smile widened. “Dad’s already big in the business world. I’m sure he and your brothers have crossed paths before. Right, Manjoume?”
The boy blinked at her, surprised. After a pause, he gave a small nod.
“Shoji is the one in the business world,” he murmured. “He… mentioned your family before.”
“There we go,” she said, voice light but firm. “We know they’ve met. That’s something to go on.”
Fubuki’s eyes lit up with new energy. His grin was almost blinding.
Asuka crouched down beside her brother, her gaze meeting Manjoume’s—steady, warm, reassuring.
“We won’t have anything to lose, Manjoume,” she said softly. “Dad’s pretty convincing. Believe me.”
Fubuki leaned in a little, resting his elbow on his knee as he added with a grin, “And stubborn, too. He doesn’t back down once he’s set on something. Sounds familiar, right?”
Asuka shot him a side glance, but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement.
“Point is,” Fubuki went on, voice gentler now, “if anyone can handle your brothers, it’s him. And with the two of us pushing? You don’t stand a chance.”
They both had their eyes on Manjoume. Quiet, expectant, hopeful.
He looked between them slowly, gaze flicking from Asuka to Fubuki and back again. There was skepticism in his eyes, guarded and familiar. Wariness, too. But something else shimmered beneath it all—something softer. Something like hope. And… tired fondness.
He let out a long breath.
“All right,” he muttered. “Nothing to lose. I guess…”
“Yes!” Fubuki whooped, throwing his hand up.
Asuka laughed, her palm meeting his in a loud, victorious high five.
The joy between them was infectious, resulting in a small crack in the ravenette's mask. A flicker of something close to anticipation, cautious though it was.
And then—just for a moment—he smiled. A real smile. Not one of his usual smirks, sharp-edged or smug, but something quiet. Genuine. The kind of smile that slipped out before he could stop it.
She had done it.
Pride and relief swelled in her chest, blooming like sunlight. Maybe, just maybe, they could give this to him. A normal memory. A good summer. The kind of thing he should’ve had all along.
She was so focused on Manjoume that she almost missed the gentle press of her brother’s hand on her shoulder. She turned slightly to find him smiling at her, bright and radiant. His fingers gave her shoulder a grateful squeeze.
“You’re a saint, Asuka,” he said, still chuckling.
Her own lips curved into a smile. Seeing her brother genuinely happy like this filled her chest with pride—warm and content.
“Well, some of us actually came here to study,” Manjoume interrupted the moment, tone dry as ever.
Asuka chuckled just as Fubuki twisted his face in mock disgust. “Ugh, buzzkill,” he grumbled. “Why are we having you over again?”
“Actually, I did originally come here to study too,” she reminded them both, glancing at her brother with a teasing smile before looking between them. “So what do you say? Group study? You too, Fubuki.”
Fubuki let out a dramatic groan, slumping like she’d just sentenced him to detention.
“Oh, come on. That is, if you’re planning to graduate with us,” she added with a sweet smile, “and not spend your summer repeating exams.”
“Hey—!”
“If your summer break invitation means staying here for makeup exams,” Manjoume cut in flatly, “then sorry. I refuse.”
That earned another laugh from Asuka, while Fubuki groaned even louder, flopping backward into the sand with a theatrical sigh.
And just like that, the air felt light again.
Three figures, bathed in the glow of the afternoon sun, their books and notes spread out around them, laughter still lingering between the pages. A quiet moment of peace, shared by the sea—studying, yes, but more than that.
A memory in the making.