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Episode 12 – Flash Flood

"Come now, ladies. It's not much further." Despite how tired she still was since awakening at the campsite less than an hour ago, Yui's heart pounded anxiously.

Last night, she and her former boyfriend had made it back to the beach without rousing Ikuyo, but she still felt guilty about keeping their midnight meeting a secret. True, Ikuyo would consider it a serious breach of honor, never mind how unintentional and innocent it actually was. But Yui also knew she'd have the same reaction were she to learn Yui was hiding it – which felt more and more inevitable the closer they got to the rocky shore where she and Cye had spoken.

He'd suggested they go around the island to try and find a thing or two they could use to help them escape. Of course, Yui knew he was secretly reminding her of the art supplies she'd left there. And while she did hope to once more claim her luggage, she also hoped Ikuyo would buy her display of excitement – which was somewhat genuine when she spotted the bags right where she'd placed them. "Hey!" Yui pointed eagerly forward. "Could those be…?"

Without looking to gauge Ikuyo's reaction, she hurried past her and then Cye, and a flood of sincere relief rushed through her at the sight of her most precious possessions safe and sound. "My art bags!" she exclaimed breathlessly.

"What?" Ikuyo called from a little ways away. Yui waved her sister over, and the older girl was soon at her side.

"Look! See!" She pointed again at the two bags still floating in the seawater next to the rocky incline. "I lost them in the earthquake, remember?"

Ikuyo raised a skeptical eyebrow – which was thankfully not directed at Yui. "But are you sure it's them?"

"Wouldn't you recognize a lost treasure if you found it again?" Yui asked. When Ikuyo only shrugged, she ignored the temptation to roll her eyes and added, "Well, in any case, there's only one way to find out." Yui knelt down to retrieve the bags and then open them. Inside, she found all her paints and brushes intact, just as they'd been last night. As for her painting, it wasn't until Yui pulled that out too that she realized Ikuyo had never seen it.

"Oh, wow, Yui!" Both her eyebrows lifted, this time in admiration. "Did you really paint this?" Yui earnestly nodded as she soaked in her sister's praise, which she never gave anyone lightly. "Man, I always knew you were good but…this is just incredible!"

"You're right to be proud," Cye's voice then sounded from behind, causing both girls to turn their heads to see his smiling face. "She's very talented. I should know!"

Instead of immediately agreeing, Ikuyo's eyes narrowed slightly at him, and her tone turned moderately suspicious. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Cye's grin fell. Yui didn't need to read his mind to know he was fearing he'd said too much. She felt it too, and dared to hope Ikuyo wouldn't see her own reawakened nerves on her face. Fortunately, Cye seemed to recover himself first. "I mean, that's how we met – in our high school art class. That's where I got to see her talent firsthand." He then focused on the younger girl and asked, "Remember, Yui?"

Though she wished he hadn't called her out, Yui cleared her throat and tried to lift the corners of her mouth. "Of course I do! Yes." Chuckling nervously, she added, "Who'd have thought we'd be dating a few weeks later?"

"I know." Cye chuckled back, understanding she'd come up with those words on the fly to save face. And it seemed to work, if barely. He then relieved his former girlfriend further by turning his gaze back to the path ahead winding through a cluster of trees, and declaring, "I think we ought to move on, though. If the island is as big as I recall, we might spend most of the day trekking it."

"Oh that's not a problem at all," Yui reassured him as she put the painting back in its bag. "And I didn't mean to get us sidetracked." Cye opened his mouth as if to return the favor, but Ikuyo cleared her throat, silencing them both.

"Hate to sidetrack us even more," she said unapologetically, "but I'd like to speak to Yui alone for a little bit, if you don't mind."

Though he initially seemed hesitant, Cye soon shook his head. "Oh no, not at all," he replied, before pointing with his thumb behind him. "I'll just go on ahead." He then showed them his back and went on his way, calling, "I won't be too far off!"

Yui smiled at her former boyfriend's faithfulness – so unlike another man she'd known. With that thought, her apprehension flared again when she realized she might now be subject to the older girl's scrutiny. But then she reasoned this could be her chance to learn what'd happened between Ikuyo and Cye. Reluctant though she was to admit it, she'd instinctively known ever since yesterday that whatever they'd discussed, it wasn't good. Then again, she too was hiding something that'd happened between her and Cye…

Wanting to lead the impending conversation as much as possible, Yui spoke first after she and Ikuyo sat next to each other on a protruding boulder. "Good timing. I wanna talk to you too."

Ikuyo didn't look at her as she sat up straight, crossed her arms, and said, "Alright then. I'm listening."

With the ball now in her court, Yui chose her words carefully. "You once told me I have this tendency to just know things, right?" Ikuyo nodded. "Well, intuition or no, don't think I haven't noticed the tension between you and Cye since your chat yesterday." That was what earned her Ikuyo's slightly alarmed gaze. Suddenly aware of her confrontational tone, Yui dialed it back, but remained firm. "Ikuyo…what did you say to him?"

For a moment, neither blinked as they stared at each other. Eventually, Ikuyo pressed her lips together and sighed heavily. "I told him I trust him to help us get us back to the mainland… But that's as far as it goes."

It didn't take long for Yui to figure out what she meant. Even as she acknowledged where Ikuyo was coming from, she couldn't stop her indignation from spilling out in the words that followed. "In other words, you told him to stay away from me?"

Ikuyo didn't hesitate to meet her challenge. "It's not like I threatened him or anything," she insisted. "Besides, you're my sister, Yui. I'm just trying to look out for you."

Yui felt the heat of further frustration seep into her cheeks, and once more, she failed to stop herself. "Really, Ikuyo? Don't get me wrong – I appreciate your concern. But I'm nineteen years old!"

Ikuyo's eyebrows furrowed as she pointed at herself. "And I'm twenty-four, Yui!" she retorted more hotly. "Like it or not, I have more experience than you in this sort of thing. It was bad enough five years ago when you came home crying after he dumped you for no reason!" Yui opened her mouth to defend Cye, when Ikuyo added more somberly, "I don't want you go through something like that again." She looked away again, but not before Yui caught a glimpse of fresh tears in her eyes. She certainly heard them in her next words. "Especially not what I went through…"

Yui didn't need to hear anymore. She was already vividly remembering that day, when Ikuyo faced a loss so great, it was as if someone she loved and cherished had died – and, in a way, they had. Her heart now softening toward her sister, she rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I know, Ikuyo," she spoke gently. "I suffered with you. Me, Mom, and Dad." Not keen on reliving that grief, Yui hoped she and Ikuyo were on the same page. "That said…it's been over a year, and you got a fresh start in Yamaguchi City." Ikuyo rubbed her face dry, then gave Yui a look that asked where she was going with this. As nicely as possible, Yui said, "Don't you think it's time you moved on? I mean…" She trailed off, then added absentmindedly, "I did."

Ikuyo's near-defiant state from before returned in both her likeness and voice. "Except your situation wasn't nearly as bad. I've at least learned from mine!"

In spite of her previous empathy, Yui's own agitation reemerged as well. "Really?" She crossed her arms, mirroring Ikuyo's stance. "And what did you learn?"

Looking Yui straight in the eye once more, Ikuyo replied coolly, "That when it comes to relationships – romantic or otherwise – trust shouldn't be freely given. It has to be earned."

Regardless of her sister's intentions, Yui felt the ominous warning in her words. She wanted to retort that Cye had already proven himself more than trustworthy, but Ikuyo had already sown seeds of doubt in her mind. Come to think of it, he still hadn't told her why he'd broken up with her all those years ago. But…that doesn't mean he never will…right? Before she could dwell on it any longer, both her head and Ikuyo's lifted at the sound of Cye's footprints racing their way. When he halted not far from them, he was practically panting like a dog, but his face glowed with excitement.

"Come with me, quick!" he urged, one hand pointing behind him. "You won't believe what I–" Cye stiffened and frowned, probably because of the tension still hanging in the air like foreboding fog. "Sorry, was I interrupting?"

Grateful for his timely appearance, Yui shook her head and replied in a friendly tone, "Oh no, you're fine. We were wrapping up anyway." She looked at Ikuyo one more time with eyes that silently and sternly asked, "Weren't we?"

Fortunately, the older girl sensibly dipped her chin, and her relaxed yet authoritative tone returned as she jumped up from the boulder. "Well, if we are through here, let's get a move on."

Despite their intense discussion mere moments ago, Yui followed Ikuyo's lead. Recalling Cye's previous exhilaration, she smiled sincerely at him. "What was it you said you found, Cye?"

A measure of his elation returned. "I found it not too far up ahead," he explained, nodding in that direction past Ikuyo. "It may seem too good to be true, but we might as well take advantage of our good luck while we can!"

Yui's eyes lit up as his giddiness proved contagious. At the same time, she hadn't realized until now how much she missed it from days long past. "Well then, show us!" Suddenly feeling impulsive, she added, "Race ya!"

Without waiting for his answer, she shot forward in a head-start up the path, leaving Cye in the dust. "Yui, wait! You don't even know where it is!" she heard him laughing through his serious reminder.

Wanting to enjoy this moment as she never would again, she called over her shoulder, "So? Ladies first!"

"Oh, I don't think so!" Cye teased back. Yui laughed herself, but she floored it when she heard his feet on the half-sandy ground behind. It was true she didn't know where she was going, but she couldn't resist scratching a long-forgotten itch. When they dated, they had races like this all the time. It didn't matter if they looked kiddish to anyone who saw them – they'd been having too much fun running after each other back and forth on beaches and boardwalks, just laughing and enjoying the thrill of the chase…

Realizing then that she was slowing down, Yui rapidly picked up the pace, while also looking out for whatever might've caught Cye's interest. Eventually, her feet carried her to a beach similar to the one where she, Cye, and Ikuyo had washed upon, though it didn't stretch nearly as long. Just like the rocky shore where she'd left her bags, there was a stone formation in the center, but it more resembled the boulder she and Ikuyo had sat on than the cliff face. And when she saw what was resting next to it, Yui had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"…It's a boat…!" she breathed. More specifically, it was a runabout boat like those she always saw whenever she went to the beach. This one appeared big enough to hold at least five people, and while it did look a little worse for wear – probably from being battered around by the earthquake – with some fine-tuning… Yui's thoughts halted as fast as her feet had when she once more picked up the sound of Cye's footprints, and she turned to see him slow to a stop at her side.

Remembering how she'd challenged him to a race, she put her hands behind her back and gave him a look of exaggerated innocence. "Did I win?" she asked in an overly-sweet tone.

Once he managed to catch his breath after running from here and back again, Cye glanced at the boat, then back at Yui, and smiled at her. "Well, since you found it, I suppose you have." More teasingly, he added, "But only this once!"

She laughed at his sense of humor, when she heard a second set of footprints. This time, Ikuyo was hurrying to join them, and Yui could hear her muttering resentment under her breath. "Oh sure, let's just leave the old lady. She's a third-wheel, anyway."

Despite how childish she thought she sounded, Yui only now realized she'd left her sister behind – and once again felt the weight of guilt pressing on her. "Sorry, Ikuyo," she apologized as she walked over to meet her. "I didn't mean to, really."

Ikuyo started to roll her eyes, until they went wide once she spotted the boat Cye had found. "No way!" she exclaimed in amazement, her frustration appearing to have been forgotten.

"I know! Cye found it! Isn't it great?!" Yui said, grateful for a chance to lighten things up between them. "Come on!" The two girls then rushed to join Cye where he'd stopped in front of the vessel, just out of reach of the rolling tide. "What do you think?" she asked him. "Can we use it?"

Cye didn't look at her, but there was a contemplative expression on his face as he assessed the boat's state. "It's a pretty recent model, perhaps a couple years old," he eventually declared. "Whoever the original owner was, they obviously kept it in good condition. Otherwise, the damage done by the earthquake would've been way worse. I'll have to look at the motor both inside and out, but from here, it looks like it might still run. In any case though, considering the damage it has sustained, we should probably take it slow."

After a moment's silence, Ikuyo cautiously put the question on everyone's minds in words. "So…does that mean we've found a way outta here?"

Cye finally turned to face both ladies. "Like I said, we'd have to fix some things – and wait until the tide is high enough." The corners of his mouth then lifted in affirmation. "But once we do, I'd say we do have a ride back home!"

His verdict sent ripples of more relief between the three of them than there'd ever been before, but Yui felt it most of all. "Thanks a lot, Cye!" she grinned at him with gratitude. "I knew we could count on you!"

To her satisfaction, while Ikuyo was more reserved – as she'd always been in the nearly twenty years Yui had known her – she dipped her chin in solidarity. "Yes, thank you, Cye. Looks like you've rescued us again." Suddenly, Ikuyo's expression changed again, this time appearing more thoughtful. "What about our encampment back at the main beach?" she asked with a nod over her shoulder. "Should we transfer it here? It'll mean less hiking for us."

Cye's eyebrows lifted at the unforeseen suggestion. "That's a great idea, Ikuyo," he sincerely complimented her. "Do you need any help?"

"No," Ikuyo shook her head. "Yui and I can handle it." Facing her sister, she asked, "You coming?" While Yui also agreed with the idea of changing camps, she suspected there was another reason behind Ikuyo's invitation. Considering their recent conversation, it was all but obvious – Ikuyo didn't want to leave Yui alone with Cye. At least, not if she could help it. The realization made Yui frown, but all the work that lay ahead of them didn't leave much room for arguing.

Yet before she could speak, a potential excuse to stay behind a bit longer quickly made itself known – and made her blush. Even so, she replied, "You go on. I'll catch up in a minute. I need to…take care of something."

Though Ikuyo's slightly narrowed eyes told Yui she wasn't entirely buying it, she sighed, "Alright. But hurry up, will ya?"

"Sure," Yui assured her. She then headed away from Cye and toward the trees to placate Ikuyo, who then started for the opposite direction, back the way they'd come. Deciding she might as well go all the way, Yui went further into the forest, and then reemerged a few minutes later. Wanting to take advantage of the time she had – in spite of Ikuyo's warning – she walked back over to Cye.

He'd lifted the cowling off the motor at the back of the boat and was now examining it. When he turned around, he didn't look surprised to see her. "So you hadn't lied to her – not that I think you would."

Yui took no offense, only shrugged. "Well, I did, and I didn't," she admitted. Though she knew she probably shouldn't, she added, "She told me about how she warned you to stay away from me."

Cye raised his eyebrows once more – but again, he didn't appear surprised. "Is that what you were talking about back there?" He glanced warily at the trees Ikuyo had vanished among. "Can't say I entirely blame her." Just then, his face turned serious as though he were recalling something important. "Actually, Yui, I don't want to come between you and Ikuyo, but…" He held her with a gaze that locked her eyes to his. "I need to tell you why I broke up with you."

Yui felt the slightest jolt to her spine as she recalled the words they exchanged last night. She'd felt he'd been about to tell her then – and that was partly why she cut their conversation short. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized she did want to know. "You can't tell me now?" she asked.

Cye shook his head. "I don't want to risk Ikuyo overhearing. I can't risk anyone overhearing what I have to say to you." With a look of utmost sincerity, he added, "I know it sounds crazy but, please…trust me."

Trust me… Those last two words immediately brought her sister's to mind. "Trust shouldn't be freely given. It has to be earned." But Cye had already gone to extraordinary lengths to prove himself. Yui had been so sure of it before; so why was she doubting him now…? "Then at least say when you're gonna tell me," she requested, in an attempt to ignore her discomforting dilemma.

Cye granted it with a nod. "I'll tell you when we get back to the mainland. I promise." Yui could hear how genuine he was. She'd only ever known him to be honest. Still…

"I'd better go," she spoke abruptly when she realized how much time had passed. "I've kept Ikuyo waiting too long." Cye remained silent, allowing Yui to turn and head back toward the forest.

The shadows cast by the trees had lengthened somewhat since she last traveled this way – and strongly resembled the haunting stroke of black paint that'd formed from her own shadow in her dream. Seeing so many of them made Yui's heart race as fast as her feet. And yet she didn't know exactly why – only that Cye's secret might have something to do with it. But what do I have to be so anxious about? We used to date! Whatever was plaguing her heart and mind, Yui ran faster – and it was only when she reunited with Ikuyo that she felt any relief.

~*~

"Is that everything?" Cye asked as he stared at the eastern horizon. After finding the boat yesterday, he'd spent most of the following afternoon looking for any damage he might've missed initially and repairing what he could as best he could, while Yui and Ikuyo worked at moving their campsite. Not wanting to get on Ikuyo's bad side more than he already had, he hadn't said much to either of the girls until the day was done – and even then only to help formulate a plan.

While Cye wanted to be prepared for any contingency, things seemed to be sailing smoothly so far. The boat had passed the buoyancy test, the tide was high, and though several rows of clouds stretched across the mid-morning sky, none of them portended a storm. In fact, they'd probably provide some much-needed shade, considering none of them had any sunscreen. Otherwise, they would've had to travel by night – and Cye was pretty sure no one was up for that.

"Yeah, that's everything." He turned at the sound of Ikuyo's voice, and saw her standing next to the boat, looking over their belongings – which, besides Yui's luggage, were fortunately few – packed in the back of it. "At least, I think it is." Turning around, she asked, "Yui? What do you think?" Yui stood up from where she'd been sitting in the shade of the giant rock and walked over to her sister's side, where she leaned forward to look for herself. It took her less than a minute to rummage through everything.

"Even if we do forget something," she said, "we at least have food and drinking water." More awkwardly, she added, "Unless anyone has…personal needs to attend to." When both Ikuyo and Cye shook their heads, Yui half-smiled. "Then I'd say we're good to go."

"Great!" Cye returned it more fully. "Now we just need to get the motor running. Hop in, ladies." After both girls took the seats in the middle, Cye pushed the boat into the water until his feet left the ground. Ignoring his drenched clothes, he climbed into the front, set the throttle to neutral, and switched on the ignition.

At first, nothing happened. Luckily, Cye had been expecting that. Despite their questioning gazes, he motioned for Yui and Ikuyo to lean out of the way, then moved to the middle so that he stood between them. "Are you sure you need to pull-start it?" Yui asked as he dug through their things in the back.

"With the battery dead, I don't have much choice," Cye replied before he found the rope he needed. After removing the cowling, he tied a knot at the end of the rope, and wrapped the length of it around the flywheel. He then wedged the knot into the notch, set the choke valve, and gritted his teeth before he pulled.

To his and Yui's ecstatic relief, the engine roared with life – even Ikuyo looked impressed. "Alright! You got it running!"

Happy that he'd pleased her for once, Cye put the cowling back on, then cautiously moved back to the front. Once he gripped the wheel, he called over his shoulder, "Hold on!"

"But I thought we weren't going very fast," Yui called back. "You said eight-and-a-half knots at the most."

Cye chuckled. "You don't have seatbelts, remember?" Apparently she did, because he was met with silence. With no more objections and everything in place, Cye took a deep breath and inched the throttle forward at eight-and-a-half knots. The vessel obeyed, and he thought he heard Yui gasp happily when they started toward the open sea. Once he was assured that everything was going as planned, Cye breathed in the salty scent of the ocean waters and closed his eyes as the cool breeze blew through his hair.

"Good riddance!" Ikuyo later exclaimed. He had only just enough time to look and watch as the beach where they'd all first arrived passed by at a leisurely pace. Once it left his view entirely, Cye forced himself to look forward again, wanting to focus on the trip ahead. Yet even then, it was as if he were hearing an inaudible voice unbound by time bidding him farewell – and he could only answer with a sigh. Recalling Ikuyo's remark, he knew she likely didn't mean anything by it, but it stung ever so subtly.

Would he ever return to Mouri Island? And even if he did, he'd almost certainly be alone. His mother's health was too fragile, and Sayoko was occupied with married life. Maybe when he himself married, and had a new family to call his own… Cye shook his head. What mattered right now was getting Yui, Ikuyo, and himself back to civilization. Unless they were found by a search-and-rescue ship, he could only hope his travel plan had enough foresight.

Due to the boat's originally battered condition, he and the girls had debated the night before until a top speed of eight-and-a-half knots was agreed on. Normally, that speed would get them to the mainland in four hours – if his memory of the distance served him. But because he wanted to conserve power, they would stop every hour to let the engine rest for at least twenty minutes before moving on again. Cye wasn't looking forward to pull-starting the motor every time, but he was more than grateful for the deal they'd all landed.

~*~

The first hour passed mostly in silence – not that Cye minded much, alert as he was for any sign of rescue…or trouble – either from the vessel, changes in the weather, or threats from the ocean. As much as he loved the watery world beneath them, he wasn't ignorant of the deadly things that lurked in its depths. Eventually though, they'd covered ten miles, meaning it was time for the first pit stop.

When he switched the ignition off, Cye thought he heard low groans from Yui and Ikuyo. He was happy not to have heard either of them complain so far, but he understood where they were coming from. While they weren't exactly stranded, they'd halted in the middle of nowhere, surrounded only by the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean – which, from here, appeared to stretch to infinity in all directions – with no other signs of human life in sight.

"I wonder what we'll find there," Ikuyo suddenly spoke up. "When we get back to the mainland, I mean."

"Probably a relief shelter, hopefully," Yui replied as she hugged her legs to her chest – and tucked her long, flowing, beautiful hair behind her ears. "They usually set those up when a disaster happens."

"I know that," Ikuyo replied without the usual edge to her tone. "I guess I'm just talking about…" She exhaled wearily. "…Mom and Dad." For the first time since she'd warned him to stay away from Yui, Cye felt a tug of sympathy toward her sister. But he wasn't sure she'd welcome his assurance.

Fortunately, Yui offered hers instead. "I hope they made it out okay, too." Her gaze and voice were warm and gentle, with an underlying hint of sadness. "If they…hadn't…I'd know it."

"Wish I could be as sure," Ikuyo sighed again. As if wanting to change the subject, she moved on to something more pleasant. "I wonder how long it'll be till I have to go back to work." With a slight chuckle, she answered her own question. "Probably not long at all."

Curious, Cye hoped she wouldn't take his words the wrong way. "Yui told me you found a job in Yamaguchi City," he stated in a friendly tone, "but not where."

Ikuyo explained in an unexpectedly even manner. "Not so much at but for the Marine Research Institute in Hagi. At the time, they'd just established a firm in the capital 'cause they were getting overcrowded with employees. Plenty were from Yamaguchi City anyway. Now, the hands-on stuff is usually done in Hagi, while we who live in the big city get stuck with the paperwork – not that it's a bad gig by any means."

Cye had found himself listening intently once she brought up the Marine Research Institute in Hagi. "If you don't mind me asking, who's your boss?"

Ikuyo didn't seem to mind at all, though her tone remained detached. "Ryuusuke Shizuka. Why?"

Upon hearing that name, she had him hookline and sinker. "He's my brother-in-law," he tried to smile. Now Ikuyo looked surprised – indeed, he didn't think he'd ever seen her caught so off-guard. She even blushed slightly.

"You don't say?" she then said before clearing her throat. "Well then, it's too bad I didn't know earlier." The hidden meaning in her words wasn't lost to Cye. Had she known earlier, she probably would've behaved differently toward him – at least, not as harshly. Not that he held it against her. But it did confuse him. While he had broken her sister's heart – unintentional though it was – that was five years ago, when he and Ikuyo didn't know each other as much as they did now.

"Sorry to interrupt," Yui broke into his thoughts, "but it's been awhile since we had any water. We should probably have some more." At her suggestion, Cye swallowed, and wondered how he hadn't noticed his parched throat before.

Yet although he did sincerely appreciate her concern, if Yui had also been hoping to distract them all, she didn't entirely succeed. If anything, it gave him more to think about. Just as he hadn't realized until now how thirsty he was, he was only now becoming aware of how distant Yui had been ever since he found the boat. True, they'd all been busy making preparations for their journey, and he knew it wasn't his place to ask what was up. Nevertheless, Cye couldn't help but dwell on it. First Ikuyo, now Yui. But…why? What have I done to make them dislike me so much?

~*~

As the day went on, the hours ticked by in somewhat of a haze for Yui. When they first embarked, she'd felt bizarrely thrilled, having never been so far out in a boat before. But in spite of her lifelong love for the ocean, the longer they remained at sea, the more she longed to see land and feel solid ground beneath her feet. After their first stop and the awkward conversation that'd followed, they continued to cruise on at their usual pace – and before Yui knew it, the smooth rocking of the boat eventually lulled her to sleep.

The next thing she knew, a hand was gently shaking her shoulder. "Yui, wake up!" Though a tired groan of protest escaped her lips, Yui obeyed her sister and sat up, rubbing her eyes until she opened them.

The scenery around her hadn't changed much, but the new shadows on the water and the sun's rays seeping through the clouds gathered in the West told her it was between mid-afternoon and early evening. Either way, she yawned and stared sleepily at Ikuyo. "What is it?" Her gaze then drifted until her eyes went wide at what she saw in the distance. Though it was still a long way off, she could see a shadowy shoreline stretching for miles in either direction. Further beyond that, she could just barely make out a series of tall, manmade formations.

She almost wanted to sob with relief, and Ikuyo enthusiastically shared in her euphoria. "The last pit stop is almost over," she declared. "Another hour and we'll be back on land!"

"If this last pull-start works," Cye pointed out. "I noticed we were going a bit slower the last quarter mile. Hope the motor hasn't given out." Just as they had that morning, Yui and Ikuyo leaned away to allow Cye some standing room in the middle of the boat. After wrapping the rope around the flywheel twice, he pulled…and pulled…and pulled again until the rope threatened to break. Cye then stepped back, and Yui didn't know if the redness on his face was from the heat or his own embarrassment. "Well…that's not good."

"You think?!" Ikuyo exclaimed impatiently. "And we're still ten miles from land! How are we gonna get there now?!" Whether it was because she'd just woken up or was simply feeling extra tired regardless, Yui couldn't help but find the older girl's tone a bit grating.

"No worries," Cye reassured everyone. "I think something may have just gotten stuck in it. I'll have to go under and look at it that way."

Yui's eyes widened once more, this time in concerned curiosity. "You mean, you're getting in the water?"

"Why not?" If Cye shared her concern, he didn't show it. "It's just water." He then went to remove his shirt, but suddenly stopped, his face reddening even more and his gaze moving back and forth between Yui and Ikuyo. "You don't mind, do you?" he asked softly.

Yui felt her own face turn ruddy. She knew he was recalling their absurdly awkward way in which they'd met the other night. But she couldn't allow Ikuyo a foothold. "No, no," she shook her head stiffly. "You go ahead." Even with her permission, Cye showed both girls his back before baring his skin, and dove into the water immediately after. Yui exhaled – having realized only then that she'd been holding her breath – and watched as Cye swam around and then disappeared underneath the boat.

"What was that all about?" Yui turned to see Ikuyo's suspicious gaze, one eyebrow raised as if to ask, "Well?"

Yui sighed in defeat. She should've known how futile it was to keep Ikuyo in the dark about something this serious. And however much she may have wanted to, she couldn't lie to her. Go on, Yui; it was bound to come out sooner or later. Swallowing hard, she summoned the steadiest voice she could, and began her explanation. "The night after we washed up on the island, I saw Cye heading away from camp and through the trees by himself…" She bit her lip. "…and I followed him."

"You what?!" Ikuyo demanded in outraged disbelief, her nostrils flaring and her eyes close to blazing. "Look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong, Yui!"

Her younger sister complied, her tone ironically stronger now. "You are, Ikuyo! Cye is the last guy to even think about doing anything like that!"

As if the mention of his name had summoned him, a splash sounded behind the motor, and Yui and Ikuyo looked to see Cye resurface. "Ow!" he hissed, his face contorted as if he were in pain.

He proved Yui right when he held his left hand to his chest. "What?! What happened?! What'd you do?!" she asked in worried haste.

Cye started slightly at the sound of her voice. "Oh, no big deal; it's just a scratch," he attempted to reassure her, even as he kept holding his hand.

If he'd wanted her to buy it, he should've tried better. "Are you sure you don't want me to look at it?" she pressed.

Cye only shook his head. "Everything's fine, Yui, really," he insisted. "I almost have it fixed!" Before she could persist further, he once again went under to work on the motor. Yui didn't like it, but she couldn't fault him for his dedication. As for Ikuyo…

"You were saying?" she urged when Yui turned back around to face her. Yui was tempted to ask if this could wait for a better time, but the cat was out of the bag, and Ikuyo had pounced on it.

"I mean it," she replied when she remembered where they'd left off. "He is not that kind of guy." More imploringly, she added, "Ikuyo, please, just hear me out for at least a couple minutes."

Ikuyo appeared to pause for a moment, as if to think over her request, then leaned back in her seat, her arms crossed and eyes staring her down. "Alright then. But don't you dare lie to me."

It hurt to hear her even think she would, but Yui shoved it down, and proceeded to tell Ikuyo about how she and Cye had run into each other. Most of her effort was spent on convincing her they'd removed their clothes only to swim, that she'd only wanted to check on Cye, and they got dressed again immediately afterward. Once that was out of the way, Yui had relaxed a bit more by the time she reached the end of her tale. "That was when I found my bags floating next to the cliff."

Her newfound ease backfired when Ikuyo's anger fired up once more. "You mean, you did lie to me, when I saw you reclaim them yesterday?" Instead of hearing Yui plead her case any further, Ikuyo's voice trembled with the slightest yet immense displeasure. "Yui, I thought you were better than that," she shook her head in profound disappointment. "I never thought you'd stoop so low. Guess I was wrong."

Recalling how frustrated she'd felt when they'd discussed Ikuyo's warning to Cye, Yui found some new backbone. "I'm sorry you see it that way; but what choice did I have? You're the one who's been giving Cye a hard time ever since we washed up on the island!"

"Yui, I–" Ikuyo broke off abruptly, and her eyes went the widest Yui had ever seen them. Terror swept across Ikuyo's face as she pointed forward and cried out, "SHARK!"

"What?!" Yui gasped. "Where?!" Ikuyo roughly placed her hand on top of her head and all but forced her to turn around in her seat.

"Over there!" she shouted. "Look!" Almost immediately, Yui spotted the trademark fin only a few dozen yards away. Her blood ran so cold, she thought she might very well have a heart attack – until she remembered Cye was still working on the motor. Fearing for his life – and paying no heed to whether or not Ikuyo noticed how long he'd been underwater – she frantically banged hard on the side of the boat, desperate to get his attention.

He shoved his head above the surface soon after, and any words that may have been on his mind vanished when he saw how frightened she was. "Yui? What's wrong?"

Yui pointed in the direction of the aquatic predator. "There's a shark in the water!" She almost tumbled over her words. "It's coming this way!"

All of a sudden, Ikuyo screamed, causing the boat to lurch – which in turn nearly sent Yui overboard. "It's getting closer!"

Cye pinpointed the threat in milliseconds. But rather than climb into the vessel, he donned a look of intense determination identical to the one he wore when he tried to help Yui and Ikuyo during the earthquake. Returning his gaze to the girls, he promptly ordered, "Both of you, stay in the boat!" Looking back at the approaching shark, he added in a no-nonsense tone, "I'll take care of this!"

"No, wait! Cye!" Yui shrieked. But he'd already plunged back in, leaving the ladies to watch in petrified silence as his watery form swam straight toward the carnivorous fish. Yui all but forgot how to breathe or even blink, and clamped her hands over her mouth when she thought she saw them collide with each other. Beyond that, she couldn't fully make out what was going on – which only made it ten times worse.

From what she could see, the man and beast appeared to be struggling – and the sight sent terrifying images racing uncontrollably through her mind. Yui imagined the shark's teeth – sharper than razors – tearing into her former boyfriend and then sundering his half-dead body limb by limb. She almost waited for the spot to be dyed scarlet red with his blood. Never before had she felt so frozen and sick with fear.

And yet, for the two longest minutes in her life, nothing happened except a series of explosive splashes at the surface. But Yui continued to watch…until the shark began swimming away, and Cye reemerged soon after. Aside from a sizable bruise already forming below his left temple, he looked utterly unscathed…and Yui just about fainted – it was as if the hope she'd been unable to grasp suddenly crashed into her. Daring to test the proverbial waters, she breathed, "Cye…? You're alright…?"

"What did you do?!" Ikuyo startled her when she yelled. At least it proved to her she hadn't been seeing things.

Cye grinned, and Yui didn't think he'd ever looked more handsome. "Taught the creature a lesson it won't soon forget! He'll think twice before he attacks another human!" He then started to paddle toward the boat…but he only went two strokes before he halted. He tried again and again, but it was clear from his increasingly worried expression that something was very wrong. "Oh no! I'm stuck!"

And it was about to get even worse. "The shark!" Ikuyo half-gasped, half-shouted. "It's coming back!" Yui looked up and saw her sister wasn't kidding. Once more, fear struck her to her core. But this time, rather than paralyzing her, it sent a wave of determination through her – the same she'd seen in Cye's eyes just now. She hadn't watched her former boyfriend escape the jaws of death only to see them snatch him from her!

Taking her turn to teach the shark a lesson, Yui thought up a solution surprisingly quickly. She zipped open and dug through one of her supply bags, then pulled out and opened two small containers of paint. If she wanted to buy Cye some time, she'd have to purchase it by disorienting the shark – confusing its senses. As soon as the monster lifted its head above the surface not too far from him, she lifted the containers, and took aim. "Eat paint, shark!" she shouted before hurling them at it.

Both shots found their mark. Once the paint landed, the shark began to writhe in place, splashing the water wildly as it was overpowered by the strange substance. But Yui couldn't revel in her victory until Cye was safe. Her heart sank when she saw he was still stuck, still desperately trying to pull free – until she realized there was only one way to get to him in time.

With not even a second to lose, she fished out and opened two more paint containers, then flung them at the shark as well. Without looking to see if they'd landed, Yui followed Cye's lead and removed her shirt – not caring if her undergarments showed this time. "Yui! Wait!" Ikuyo cried out to her. "What are you–?!" But that was all she heard before she herself dived in.

As the shark continued to twist and thrash, the moment her eyes locked onto Cye, Yui swam hard and in haste, pausing only when she saw what'd trapped him. An unusually long tendril of kelp – and a haphazardly discarded fishing line already encircling it – had wrapped around his left leg. While the animal was still distracted, Yui worked as quickly as she possibly could – and her heart lifted again once she managed to free him. But they still had to evade the shark.

After heading for and then breaking past the surface, Cye and Yui paddled like dogs to the boat as fast as their arms and legs allowed. Ikuyo was still there waiting for them. "Come on, come on, come on!" she urged as she waved them toward her. As soon as her younger sister was within reach, Ikuyo hauled her into the vessel. Without pausing, Yui leaned out to grip Cye's arm with both hands. But he was a great deal heavier, and the boat threatened to tip over.

"Ikuyo help me!" she shouted. Ikuyo immediately took hold of his other arm, and with a collective grunt of effort, they all finally dragged him into his usual spot at the front.

"Hurry, start it up!" Ikuyo demanded without giving either a chance to catch their breath. "We gotta get outta here!"

"No, wait!" Cye lifted a silencing hand once he sat up, then pointed forward. "Look!" At first, Yui didn't believe it. Past the spot where she'd stained the seawaters with her paints, the shark – having decided it wasn't worth it – was at last swimming away, allowing her to breathe a long-awaited sigh of relief. "He's finally leaving us alone," Cye declared, then added more disdainfully, "The sea-vulture." After the horrors they'd just experienced, Yui couldn't help but laugh heartily, even when his concern returned and he asked, "Is everyone alright?"

"Oh yeah," Ikuyo bobbed her head up and down rather than nodded, panting as though she'd just run a marathon. "Sure…that was a little traumatizing but…other than that…I think we're good."

Meanwhile, Yui had found Cye's shirt, which she promptly handed to him. With a look of genuine – if awkward – gratitude, he pulled it back on, and returned the favor by handing Yui hers. Though grateful he didn't regard her chest – or at least tried not to – she donned her shirt just as hastily. Her gaze then fell on his left hand – specifically, on the streak of red between his thumb and wrist. "Cye, your hand!" His eyes followed hers, and even he seemed slightly alarmed at the state of his previous injury. "Let me handle it."

Yui rummaged through one of her bags, and this time she pulled out a long piece of cloth. She kept several to dry her brushes with, and this one appeared the least used. Just a few seconds later, she'd wrapped it around Cye's hand and over his wound. Luckily, the most he'd done was wince. "Thank you very much, Yui," he said as he raised his hand and began examining it. "I didn't think it was this serious."

"Don't you dare start playing dumb!" Ikuyo suddenly half-snarled out of nowhere, surprising both Cye and Yui.

"W-what?" he asked shakily, sharing Yui's bewilderment at the older girl's abrupt and extreme change of mood.

"I knew we couldn't trust you!" Ikuyo fixed Cye with a cold yet burning look as she stood over him. "You should've come out as soon as you got hurt! But no – you just had to leave a blood trail for the shark to follow right to us!"

As astounded as Yui was by Ikuyo's arbitrary accusation, she was even more baffled at Cye's lack of indignation – which was becoming more and more abundant within her. "Wha–? I–"

Ikuyo cut him off, her tone even more incensed. "And then my sister – the one I told you to leave alone – had to jump in after you! That shark could've eaten her alive!" What she failed to notice was that Yui wasn't only frustrated that Ikuyo was acting like she wasn't there – she was utterly shocked at how ungrateful she was. Rather than thanking the man who'd risked his life to save theirs, Ikuyo was all but spewing venom at him – and it was making her blood boil. "I don't know who you think you are! But I do know you're a selfish, deceitful, and despicable low-li–!"

She didn't get to finish. The second Ikuyo started berating Cye, Yui had snapped. Before she could control herself, her hand flew and landed on her sister's cheek with a loud SMACK! The force of it sent Ikuyo back to sitting, literally rocking the boat. But Yui's newfound fury didn't stop there. "Shut up Ikuyo!" she demanded. "None of that was Cye's fault, and you know it!"

Ikuyo slowly lifted her hand to her stinging cheek – which now sported a welt mark shaped like Yui's handprint – her mouth hanging open and her eyes as wide as they'd been when she spotted the shark. "Yui–"

"I said shut up!" Yui repeated more sharply. "I've had it with your attitude! I may be five years younger than you, but I at least behave like a grown woman! If you're so fond of learning, when are you gonna learn that not all guys are jerks?!" Ikuyo gasped in shock, then glanced to her left, causing Yui to do likewise – and pause when she remembered Cye was still in the boat with them.

For the longest moment, he gazed at her in total astonishment, as though she'd suddenly turned into an onryō. But Ikuyo's sudden reappearance at the corner of her eye reminded Yui that she wasn't done with her. Facing her again, she continued in a more restrained yet still angry tone. "My point is, we may still have issues, but Cye is still the sweetest and most selfless guy I've ever met! He didn't have to help us! He didn't have to put his life on the line! But he did! And you can't even so much as thank him!"

Ikuyo hung her head in shame, but Yui ordered herself not to give an inch. She continued staring her down until Ikuyo lifted her now sorrowful eyes back up. "Yui, are you–?"

"Yes, I'm done!" Yui interrupted her a second time. "But you aren't getting one more word out of me until you get your act together!" Denying her sister yet another chance to speak, Yui sat down as far from her as she could, her arms crossed as she purposefully looked away from both Ikuyo and Cye. But she could still feel Cye's eyes almost boring into her, and it made her shiver in discomfort. Even so, she stayed true to her word and remained silent, even when he started the boat again.

No one spoke for the rest of the journey – not that Yui would've heard it. Before too long, she'd mesmerized herself as she stared ahead toward the shoreline that slowly but surely drifted closer to them. Whether it was because of her own darkened mood or that more time had passed than she'd thought, it appeared even more shrouded in shadow than before. True, she'd already begun to regret lashing out at Ikuyo. But more than that, the image of Cye's disturbed reaction wouldn't leave her memory. It was as if she'd become a stranger to him in those few moments.

And no wonder, a silent voice Yui didn't recognize suddenly whispered to her. You haven't seen each other in five years. What does he really know about you…and what do you really know about him…? Yui shook her head. She'd meant every word when she spelled out Cye's character to Ikuyo. But doubt continued nagging at her, until she finally escaped it by dozing off once more.

Description

Episode 12 – Flash Flood

"Come now, ladies. It's not much further." Despite how tired she still was since awakening at the campsite less than an hour ago, Yui's heart pounded anxiously.

Last night, she and her former boyfriend had made it back to the beach without rousing Ikuyo, but she still felt guilty about keeping their midnight meeting a secret. True, Ikuyo would consider it a serious breach of honor, never mind how unintentional and innocent it actually was. But Yui also knew she'd have the same reaction were she to learn Yui was hiding it – which felt more and more inevitable the closer they got to the rocky shore where she and Cye had spoken.

He'd suggested they go around the island to try and find a thing or two they could use to help them escape. Of course, Yui knew he was secretly reminding her of the art supplies she'd left there. And while she did hope to once more claim her luggage, she also hoped Ikuyo would buy her display of excitement – which was somewhat genuine when she spotted the bags right where she'd placed them. "Hey!" Yui pointed eagerly forward. "Could those be…?"

Without looking to gauge Ikuyo's reaction, she hurried past her and then Cye, and a flood of sincere relief rushed through her at the sight of her most precious possessions safe and sound. "My art bags!" she exclaimed breathlessly.

"What?" Ikuyo called from a little ways away. Yui waved her sister over, and the older girl was soon at her side.

"Look! See!" She pointed again at the two bags still floating in the seawater next to the rocky incline. "I lost them in the earthquake, remember?"

Ikuyo raised a skeptical eyebrow – which was thankfully not directed at Yui. "But are you sure it's them?"

"Wouldn't you recognize a lost treasure if you found it again?" Yui asked. When Ikuyo only shrugged, she ignored the temptation to roll her eyes and added, "Well, in any case, there's only one way to find out." Yui knelt down to retrieve the bags and then open them. Inside, she found all her paints and brushes intact, just as they'd been last night. As for her painting, it wasn't until Yui pulled that out too that she realized Ikuyo had never seen it.

"Oh, wow, Yui!" Both her eyebrows lifted, this time in admiration. "Did you really paint this?" Yui earnestly nodded as she soaked in her sister's praise, which she never gave anyone lightly. "Man, I always knew you were good but…this is just incredible!"

"You're right to be proud," Cye's voice then sounded from behind, causing both girls to turn their heads to see his smiling face. "She's very talented. I should know!"

Instead of immediately agreeing, Ikuyo's eyes narrowed slightly at him, and her tone turned moderately suspicious. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Cye's grin fell. Yui didn't need to read his mind to know he was fearing he'd said too much. She felt it too, and dared to hope Ikuyo wouldn't see her own reawakened nerves on her face. Fortunately, Cye seemed to recover himself first. "I mean, that's how we met – in our high school art class. That's where I got to see her talent firsthand." He then focused on the younger girl and asked, "Remember, Yui?"

Though she wished he hadn't called her out, Yui cleared her throat and tried to lift the corners of her mouth. "Of course I do! Yes." Chuckling nervously, she added, "Who'd have thought we'd be dating a few weeks later?"

"I know." Cye chuckled back, understanding she'd come up with those words on the fly to save face. And it seemed to work, if barely. He then relieved his former girlfriend further by turning his gaze back to the path ahead winding through a cluster of trees, and declaring, "I think we ought to move on, though. If the island is as big as I recall, we might spend most of the day trekking it."

"Oh that's not a problem at all," Yui reassured him as she put the painting back in its bag. "And I didn't mean to get us sidetracked." Cye opened his mouth as if to return the favor, but Ikuyo cleared her throat, silencing them both.

"Hate to sidetrack us even more," she said unapologetically, "but I'd like to speak to Yui alone for a little bit, if you don't mind."

Though he initially seemed hesitant, Cye soon shook his head. "Oh no, not at all," he replied, before pointing with his thumb behind him. "I'll just go on ahead." He then showed them his back and went on his way, calling, "I won't be too far off!"

Yui smiled at her former boyfriend's faithfulness – so unlike another man she'd known. With that thought, her apprehension flared again when she realized she might now be subject to the older girl's scrutiny. But then she reasoned this could be her chance to learn what'd happened between Ikuyo and Cye. Reluctant though she was to admit it, she'd instinctively known ever since yesterday that whatever they'd discussed, it wasn't good. Then again, she too was hiding something that'd happened between her and Cye…

Wanting to lead the impending conversation as much as possible, Yui spoke first after she and Ikuyo sat next to each other on a protruding boulder. "Good timing. I wanna talk to you too."

Ikuyo didn't look at her as she sat up straight, crossed her arms, and said, "Alright then. I'm listening."

With the ball now in her court, Yui chose her words carefully. "You once told me I have this tendency to just know things, right?" Ikuyo nodded. "Well, intuition or no, don't think I haven't noticed the tension between you and Cye since your chat yesterday." That was what earned her Ikuyo's slightly alarmed gaze. Suddenly aware of her confrontational tone, Yui dialed it back, but remained firm. "Ikuyo…what did you say to him?"

For a moment, neither blinked as they stared at each other. Eventually, Ikuyo pressed her lips together and sighed heavily. "I told him I trust him to help us get us back to the mainland… But that's as far as it goes."

It didn't take long for Yui to figure out what she meant. Even as she acknowledged where Ikuyo was coming from, she couldn't stop her indignation from spilling out in the words that followed. "In other words, you told him to stay away from me?"

Ikuyo didn't hesitate to meet her challenge. "It's not like I threatened him or anything," she insisted. "Besides, you're my sister, Yui. I'm just trying to look out for you."

Yui felt the heat of further frustration seep into her cheeks, and once more, she failed to stop herself. "Really, Ikuyo? Don't get me wrong – I appreciate your concern. But I'm nineteen years old!"

Ikuyo's eyebrows furrowed as she pointed at herself. "And I'm twenty-four, Yui!" she retorted more hotly. "Like it or not, I have more experience than you in this sort of thing. It was bad enough five years ago when you came home crying after he dumped you for no reason!" Yui opened her mouth to defend Cye, when Ikuyo added more somberly, "I don't want you go through something like that again." She looked away again, but not before Yui caught a glimpse of fresh tears in her eyes. She certainly heard them in her next words. "Especially not what I went through…"

Yui didn't need to hear anymore. She was already vividly remembering that day, when Ikuyo faced a loss so great, it was as if someone she loved and cherished had died – and, in a way, they had. Her heart now softening toward her sister, she rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I know, Ikuyo," she spoke gently. "I suffered with you. Me, Mom, and Dad." Not keen on reliving that grief, Yui hoped she and Ikuyo were on the same page. "That said…it's been over a year, and you got a fresh start in Yamaguchi City." Ikuyo rubbed her face dry, then gave Yui a look that asked where she was going with this. As nicely as possible, Yui said, "Don't you think it's time you moved on? I mean…" She trailed off, then added absentmindedly, "I did."

Ikuyo's near-defiant state from before returned in both her likeness and voice. "Except your situation wasn't nearly as bad. I've at least learned from mine!"

In spite of her previous empathy, Yui's own agitation reemerged as well. "Really?" She crossed her arms, mirroring Ikuyo's stance. "And what did you learn?"

Looking Yui straight in the eye once more, Ikuyo replied coolly, "That when it comes to relationships – romantic or otherwise – trust shouldn't be freely given. It has to be earned."

Regardless of her sister's intentions, Yui felt the ominous warning in her words. She wanted to retort that Cye had already proven himself more than trustworthy, but Ikuyo had already sown seeds of doubt in her mind. Come to think of it, he still hadn't told her why he'd broken up with her all those years ago. But…that doesn't mean he never will…right? Before she could dwell on it any longer, both her head and Ikuyo's lifted at the sound of Cye's footprints racing their way. When he halted not far from them, he was practically panting like a dog, but his face glowed with excitement.

"Come with me, quick!" he urged, one hand pointing behind him. "You won't believe what I–" Cye stiffened and frowned, probably because of the tension still hanging in the air like foreboding fog. "Sorry, was I interrupting?"

Grateful for his timely appearance, Yui shook her head and replied in a friendly tone, "Oh no, you're fine. We were wrapping up anyway." She looked at Ikuyo one more time with eyes that silently and sternly asked, "Weren't we?"

Fortunately, the older girl sensibly dipped her chin, and her relaxed yet authoritative tone returned as she jumped up from the boulder. "Well, if we are through here, let's get a move on."

Despite their intense discussion mere moments ago, Yui followed Ikuyo's lead. Recalling Cye's previous exhilaration, she smiled sincerely at him. "What was it you said you found, Cye?"

A measure of his elation returned. "I found it not too far up ahead," he explained, nodding in that direction past Ikuyo. "It may seem too good to be true, but we might as well take advantage of our good luck while we can!"

Yui's eyes lit up as his giddiness proved contagious. At the same time, she hadn't realized until now how much she missed it from days long past. "Well then, show us!" Suddenly feeling impulsive, she added, "Race ya!"

Without waiting for his answer, she shot forward in a head-start up the path, leaving Cye in the dust. "Yui, wait! You don't even know where it is!" she heard him laughing through his serious reminder.

Wanting to enjoy this moment as she never would again, she called over her shoulder, "So? Ladies first!"

"Oh, I don't think so!" Cye teased back. Yui laughed herself, but she floored it when she heard his feet on the half-sandy ground behind. It was true she didn't know where she was going, but she couldn't resist scratching a long-forgotten itch. When they dated, they had races like this all the time. It didn't matter if they looked kiddish to anyone who saw them – they'd been having too much fun running after each other back and forth on beaches and boardwalks, just laughing and enjoying the thrill of the chase…

Realizing then that she was slowing down, Yui rapidly picked up the pace, while also looking out for whatever might've caught Cye's interest. Eventually, her feet carried her to a beach similar to the one where she, Cye, and Ikuyo had washed upon, though it didn't stretch nearly as long. Just like the rocky shore where she'd left her bags, there was a stone formation in the center, but it more resembled the boulder she and Ikuyo had sat on than the cliff face. And when she saw what was resting next to it, Yui had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"…It's a boat…!" she breathed. More specifically, it was a runabout boat like those she always saw whenever she went to the beach. This one appeared big enough to hold at least five people, and while it did look a little worse for wear – probably from being battered around by the earthquake – with some fine-tuning… Yui's thoughts halted as fast as her feet had when she once more picked up the sound of Cye's footprints, and she turned to see him slow to a stop at her side.

Remembering how she'd challenged him to a race, she put her hands behind her back and gave him a look of exaggerated innocence. "Did I win?" she asked in an overly-sweet tone.

Once he managed to catch his breath after running from here and back again, Cye glanced at the boat, then back at Yui, and smiled at her. "Well, since you found it, I suppose you have." More teasingly, he added, "But only this once!"

She laughed at his sense of humor, when she heard a second set of footprints. This time, Ikuyo was hurrying to join them, and Yui could hear her muttering resentment under her breath. "Oh sure, let's just leave the old lady. She's a third-wheel, anyway."

Despite how childish she thought she sounded, Yui only now realized she'd left her sister behind – and once again felt the weight of guilt pressing on her. "Sorry, Ikuyo," she apologized as she walked over to meet her. "I didn't mean to, really."

Ikuyo started to roll her eyes, until they went wide once she spotted the boat Cye had found. "No way!" she exclaimed in amazement, her frustration appearing to have been forgotten.

"I know! Cye found it! Isn't it great?!" Yui said, grateful for a chance to lighten things up between them. "Come on!" The two girls then rushed to join Cye where he'd stopped in front of the vessel, just out of reach of the rolling tide. "What do you think?" she asked him. "Can we use it?"

Cye didn't look at her, but there was a contemplative expression on his face as he assessed the boat's state. "It's a pretty recent model, perhaps a couple years old," he eventually declared. "Whoever the original owner was, they obviously kept it in good condition. Otherwise, the damage done by the earthquake would've been way worse. I'll have to look at the motor both inside and out, but from here, it looks like it might still run. In any case though, considering the damage it has sustained, we should probably take it slow."

After a moment's silence, Ikuyo cautiously put the question on everyone's minds in words. "So…does that mean we've found a way outta here?"

Cye finally turned to face both ladies. "Like I said, we'd have to fix some things – and wait until the tide is high enough." The corners of his mouth then lifted in affirmation. "But once we do, I'd say we do have a ride back home!"

His verdict sent ripples of more relief between the three of them than there'd ever been before, but Yui felt it most of all. "Thanks a lot, Cye!" she grinned at him with gratitude. "I knew we could count on you!"

To her satisfaction, while Ikuyo was more reserved – as she'd always been in the nearly twenty years Yui had known her – she dipped her chin in solidarity. "Yes, thank you, Cye. Looks like you've rescued us again." Suddenly, Ikuyo's expression changed again, this time appearing more thoughtful. "What about our encampment back at the main beach?" she asked with a nod over her shoulder. "Should we transfer it here? It'll mean less hiking for us."

Cye's eyebrows lifted at the unforeseen suggestion. "That's a great idea, Ikuyo," he sincerely complimented her. "Do you need any help?"

"No," Ikuyo shook her head. "Yui and I can handle it." Facing her sister, she asked, "You coming?" While Yui also agreed with the idea of changing camps, she suspected there was another reason behind Ikuyo's invitation. Considering their recent conversation, it was all but obvious – Ikuyo didn't want to leave Yui alone with Cye. At least, not if she could help it. The realization made Yui frown, but all the work that lay ahead of them didn't leave much room for arguing.

Yet before she could speak, a potential excuse to stay behind a bit longer quickly made itself known – and made her blush. Even so, she replied, "You go on. I'll catch up in a minute. I need to…take care of something."

Though Ikuyo's slightly narrowed eyes told Yui she wasn't entirely buying it, she sighed, "Alright. But hurry up, will ya?"

"Sure," Yui assured her. She then headed away from Cye and toward the trees to placate Ikuyo, who then started for the opposite direction, back the way they'd come. Deciding she might as well go all the way, Yui went further into the forest, and then reemerged a few minutes later. Wanting to take advantage of the time she had – in spite of Ikuyo's warning – she walked back over to Cye.

He'd lifted the cowling off the motor at the back of the boat and was now examining it. When he turned around, he didn't look surprised to see her. "So you hadn't lied to her – not that I think you would."

Yui took no offense, only shrugged. "Well, I did, and I didn't," she admitted. Though she knew she probably shouldn't, she added, "She told me about how she warned you to stay away from me."

Cye raised his eyebrows once more – but again, he didn't appear surprised. "Is that what you were talking about back there?" He glanced warily at the trees Ikuyo had vanished among. "Can't say I entirely blame her." Just then, his face turned serious as though he were recalling something important. "Actually, Yui, I don't want to come between you and Ikuyo, but…" He held her with a gaze that locked her eyes to his. "I need to tell you why I broke up with you."

Yui felt the slightest jolt to her spine as she recalled the words they exchanged last night. She'd felt he'd been about to tell her then – and that was partly why she cut their conversation short. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized she did want to know. "You can't tell me now?" she asked.

Cye shook his head. "I don't want to risk Ikuyo overhearing. I can't risk anyone overhearing what I have to say to you." With a look of utmost sincerity, he added, "I know it sounds crazy but, please…trust me."

Trust me… Those last two words immediately brought her sister's to mind. "Trust shouldn't be freely given. It has to be earned." But Cye had already gone to extraordinary lengths to prove himself. Yui had been so sure of it before; so why was she doubting him now…? "Then at least say when you're gonna tell me," she requested, in an attempt to ignore her discomforting dilemma.

Cye granted it with a nod. "I'll tell you when we get back to the mainland. I promise." Yui could hear how genuine he was. She'd only ever known him to be honest. Still…

"I'd better go," she spoke abruptly when she realized how much time had passed. "I've kept Ikuyo waiting too long." Cye remained silent, allowing Yui to turn and head back toward the forest.

The shadows cast by the trees had lengthened somewhat since she last traveled this way – and strongly resembled the haunting stroke of black paint that'd formed from her own shadow in her dream. Seeing so many of them made Yui's heart race as fast as her feet. And yet she didn't know exactly why – only that Cye's secret might have something to do with it. But what do I have to be so anxious about? We used to date! Whatever was plaguing her heart and mind, Yui ran faster – and it was only when she reunited with Ikuyo that she felt any relief.

~*~

"Is that everything?" Cye asked as he stared at the eastern horizon. After finding the boat yesterday, he'd spent most of the following afternoon looking for any damage he might've missed initially and repairing what he could as best he could, while Yui and Ikuyo worked at moving their campsite. Not wanting to get on Ikuyo's bad side more than he already had, he hadn't said much to either of the girls until the day was done – and even then only to help formulate a plan.

While Cye wanted to be prepared for any contingency, things seemed to be sailing smoothly so far. The boat had passed the buoyancy test, the tide was high, and though several rows of clouds stretched across the mid-morning sky, none of them portended a storm. In fact, they'd probably provide some much-needed shade, considering none of them had any sunscreen. Otherwise, they would've had to travel by night – and Cye was pretty sure no one was up for that.

"Yeah, that's everything." He turned at the sound of Ikuyo's voice, and saw her standing next to the boat, looking over their belongings – which, besides Yui's luggage, were fortunately few – packed in the back of it. "At least, I think it is." Turning around, she asked, "Yui? What do you think?" Yui stood up from where she'd been sitting in the shade of the giant rock and walked over to her sister's side, where she leaned forward to look for herself. It took her less than a minute to rummage through everything.

"Even if we do forget something," she said, "we at least have food and drinking water." More awkwardly, she added, "Unless anyone has…personal needs to attend to." When both Ikuyo and Cye shook their heads, Yui half-smiled. "Then I'd say we're good to go."

"Great!" Cye returned it more fully. "Now we just need to get the motor running. Hop in, ladies." After both girls took the seats in the middle, Cye pushed the boat into the water until his feet left the ground. Ignoring his drenched clothes, he climbed into the front, set the throttle to neutral, and switched on the ignition.

At first, nothing happened. Luckily, Cye had been expecting that. Despite their questioning gazes, he motioned for Yui and Ikuyo to lean out of the way, then moved to the middle so that he stood between them. "Are you sure you need to pull-start it?" Yui asked as he dug through their things in the back.

"With the battery dead, I don't have much choice," Cye replied before he found the rope he needed. After removing the cowling, he tied a knot at the end of the rope, and wrapped the length of it around the flywheel. He then wedged the knot into the notch, set the choke valve, and gritted his teeth before he pulled.

To his and Yui's ecstatic relief, the engine roared with life – even Ikuyo looked impressed. "Alright! You got it running!"

Happy that he'd pleased her for once, Cye put the cowling back on, then cautiously moved back to the front. Once he gripped the wheel, he called over his shoulder, "Hold on!"

"But I thought we weren't going very fast," Yui called back. "You said eight-and-a-half knots at the most."

Cye chuckled. "You don't have seatbelts, remember?" Apparently she did, because he was met with silence. With no more objections and everything in place, Cye took a deep breath and inched the throttle forward at eight-and-a-half knots. The vessel obeyed, and he thought he heard Yui gasp happily when they started toward the open sea. Once he was assured that everything was going as planned, Cye breathed in the salty scent of the ocean waters and closed his eyes as the cool breeze blew through his hair.

"Good riddance!" Ikuyo later exclaimed. He had only just enough time to look and watch as the beach where they'd all first arrived passed by at a leisurely pace. Once it left his view entirely, Cye forced himself to look forward again, wanting to focus on the trip ahead. Yet even then, it was as if he were hearing an inaudible voice unbound by time bidding him farewell – and he could only answer with a sigh. Recalling Ikuyo's remark, he knew she likely didn't mean anything by it, but it stung ever so subtly.

Would he ever return to Mouri Island? And even if he did, he'd almost certainly be alone. His mother's health was too fragile, and Sayoko was occupied with married life. Maybe when he himself married, and had a new family to call his own… Cye shook his head. What mattered right now was getting Yui, Ikuyo, and himself back to civilization. Unless they were found by a search-and-rescue ship, he could only hope his travel plan had enough foresight.

Due to the boat's originally battered condition, he and the girls had debated the night before until a top speed of eight-and-a-half knots was agreed on. Normally, that speed would get them to the mainland in four hours – if his memory of the distance served him. But because he wanted to conserve power, they would stop every hour to let the engine rest for at least twenty minutes before moving on again. Cye wasn't looking forward to pull-starting the motor every time, but he was more than grateful for the deal they'd all landed.

~*~

The first hour passed mostly in silence – not that Cye minded much, alert as he was for any sign of rescue…or trouble – either from the vessel, changes in the weather, or threats from the ocean. As much as he loved the watery world beneath them, he wasn't ignorant of the deadly things that lurked in its depths. Eventually though, they'd covered ten miles, meaning it was time for the first pit stop.

When he switched the ignition off, Cye thought he heard low groans from Yui and Ikuyo. He was happy not to have heard either of them complain so far, but he understood where they were coming from. While they weren't exactly stranded, they'd halted in the middle of nowhere, surrounded only by the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean – which, from here, appeared to stretch to infinity in all directions – with no other signs of human life in sight.

"I wonder what we'll find there," Ikuyo suddenly spoke up. "When we get back to the mainland, I mean."

"Probably a relief shelter, hopefully," Yui replied as she hugged her legs to her chest – and tucked her long, flowing, beautiful hair behind her ears. "They usually set those up when a disaster happens."

"I know that," Ikuyo replied without the usual edge to her tone. "I guess I'm just talking about…" She exhaled wearily. "…Mom and Dad." For the first time since she'd warned him to stay away from Yui, Cye felt a tug of sympathy toward her sister. But he wasn't sure she'd welcome his assurance.

Fortunately, Yui offered hers instead. "I hope they made it out okay, too." Her gaze and voice were warm and gentle, with an underlying hint of sadness. "If they…hadn't…I'd know it."

"Wish I could be as sure," Ikuyo sighed again. As if wanting to change the subject, she moved on to something more pleasant. "I wonder how long it'll be till I have to go back to work." With a slight chuckle, she answered her own question. "Probably not long at all."

Curious, Cye hoped she wouldn't take his words the wrong way. "Yui told me you found a job in Yamaguchi City," he stated in a friendly tone, "but not where."

Ikuyo explained in an unexpectedly even manner. "Not so much at but for the Marine Research Institute in Hagi. At the time, they'd just established a firm in the capital 'cause they were getting overcrowded with employees. Plenty were from Yamaguchi City anyway. Now, the hands-on stuff is usually done in Hagi, while we who live in the big city get stuck with the paperwork – not that it's a bad gig by any means."

Cye had found himself listening intently once she brought up the Marine Research Institute in Hagi. "If you don't mind me asking, who's your boss?"

Ikuyo didn't seem to mind at all, though her tone remained detached. "Ryuusuke Shizuka. Why?"

Upon hearing that name, she had him hookline and sinker. "He's my brother-in-law," he tried to smile. Now Ikuyo looked surprised – indeed, he didn't think he'd ever seen her caught so off-guard. She even blushed slightly.

"You don't say?" she then said before clearing her throat. "Well then, it's too bad I didn't know earlier." The hidden meaning in her words wasn't lost to Cye. Had she known earlier, she probably would've behaved differently toward him – at least, not as harshly. Not that he held it against her. But it did confuse him. While he had broken her sister's heart – unintentional though it was – that was five years ago, when he and Ikuyo didn't know each other as much as they did now.

"Sorry to interrupt," Yui broke into his thoughts, "but it's been awhile since we had any water. We should probably have some more." At her suggestion, Cye swallowed, and wondered how he hadn't noticed his parched throat before.

Yet although he did sincerely appreciate her concern, if Yui had also been hoping to distract them all, she didn't entirely succeed. If anything, it gave him more to think about. Just as he hadn't realized until now how thirsty he was, he was only now becoming aware of how distant Yui had been ever since he found the boat. True, they'd all been busy making preparations for their journey, and he knew it wasn't his place to ask what was up. Nevertheless, Cye couldn't help but dwell on it. First Ikuyo, now Yui. But…why? What have I done to make them dislike me so much?

~*~

As the day went on, the hours ticked by in somewhat of a haze for Yui. When they first embarked, she'd felt bizarrely thrilled, having never been so far out in a boat before. But in spite of her lifelong love for the ocean, the longer they remained at sea, the more she longed to see land and feel solid ground beneath her feet. After their first stop and the awkward conversation that'd followed, they continued to cruise on at their usual pace – and before Yui knew it, the smooth rocking of the boat eventually lulled her to sleep.

The next thing she knew, a hand was gently shaking her shoulder. "Yui, wake up!" Though a tired groan of protest escaped her lips, Yui obeyed her sister and sat up, rubbing her eyes until she opened them.

The scenery around her hadn't changed much, but the new shadows on the water and the sun's rays seeping through the clouds gathered in the West told her it was between mid-afternoon and early evening. Either way, she yawned and stared sleepily at Ikuyo. "What is it?" Her gaze then drifted until her eyes went wide at what she saw in the distance. Though it was still a long way off, she could see a shadowy shoreline stretching for miles in either direction. Further beyond that, she could just barely make out a series of tall, manmade formations.

She almost wanted to sob with relief, and Ikuyo enthusiastically shared in her euphoria. "The last pit stop is almost over," she declared. "Another hour and we'll be back on land!"

"If this last pull-start works," Cye pointed out. "I noticed we were going a bit slower the last quarter mile. Hope the motor hasn't given out." Just as they had that morning, Yui and Ikuyo leaned away to allow Cye some standing room in the middle of the boat. After wrapping the rope around the flywheel twice, he pulled…and pulled…and pulled again until the rope threatened to break. Cye then stepped back, and Yui didn't know if the redness on his face was from the heat or his own embarrassment. "Well…that's not good."

"You think?!" Ikuyo exclaimed impatiently. "And we're still ten miles from land! How are we gonna get there now?!" Whether it was because she'd just woken up or was simply feeling extra tired regardless, Yui couldn't help but find the older girl's tone a bit grating.

"No worries," Cye reassured everyone. "I think something may have just gotten stuck in it. I'll have to go under and look at it that way."

Yui's eyes widened once more, this time in concerned curiosity. "You mean, you're getting in the water?"

"Why not?" If Cye shared her concern, he didn't show it. "It's just water." He then went to remove his shirt, but suddenly stopped, his face reddening even more and his gaze moving back and forth between Yui and Ikuyo. "You don't mind, do you?" he asked softly.

Yui felt her own face turn ruddy. She knew he was recalling their absurdly awkward way in which they'd met the other night. But she couldn't allow Ikuyo a foothold. "No, no," she shook her head stiffly. "You go ahead." Even with her permission, Cye showed both girls his back before baring his skin, and dove into the water immediately after. Yui exhaled – having realized only then that she'd been holding her breath – and watched as Cye swam around and then disappeared underneath the boat.

"What was that all about?" Yui turned to see Ikuyo's suspicious gaze, one eyebrow raised as if to ask, "Well?"

Yui sighed in defeat. She should've known how futile it was to keep Ikuyo in the dark about something this serious. And however much she may have wanted to, she couldn't lie to her. Go on, Yui; it was bound to come out sooner or later. Swallowing hard, she summoned the steadiest voice she could, and began her explanation. "The night after we washed up on the island, I saw Cye heading away from camp and through the trees by himself…" She bit her lip. "…and I followed him."

"You what?!" Ikuyo demanded in outraged disbelief, her nostrils flaring and her eyes close to blazing. "Look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong, Yui!"

Her younger sister complied, her tone ironically stronger now. "You are, Ikuyo! Cye is the last guy to even think about doing anything like that!"

As if the mention of his name had summoned him, a splash sounded behind the motor, and Yui and Ikuyo looked to see Cye resurface. "Ow!" he hissed, his face contorted as if he were in pain.

He proved Yui right when he held his left hand to his chest. "What?! What happened?! What'd you do?!" she asked in worried haste.

Cye started slightly at the sound of her voice. "Oh, no big deal; it's just a scratch," he attempted to reassure her, even as he kept holding his hand.

If he'd wanted her to buy it, he should've tried better. "Are you sure you don't want me to look at it?" she pressed.

Cye only shook his head. "Everything's fine, Yui, really," he insisted. "I almost have it fixed!" Before she could persist further, he once again went under to work on the motor. Yui didn't like it, but she couldn't fault him for his dedication. As for Ikuyo…

"You were saying?" she urged when Yui turned back around to face her. Yui was tempted to ask if this could wait for a better time, but the cat was out of the bag, and Ikuyo had pounced on it.

"I mean it," she replied when she remembered where they'd left off. "He is not that kind of guy." More imploringly, she added, "Ikuyo, please, just hear me out for at least a couple minutes."

Ikuyo appeared to pause for a moment, as if to think over her request, then leaned back in her seat, her arms crossed and eyes staring her down. "Alright then. But don't you dare lie to me."

It hurt to hear her even think she would, but Yui shoved it down, and proceeded to tell Ikuyo about how she and Cye had run into each other. Most of her effort was spent on convincing her they'd removed their clothes only to swim, that she'd only wanted to check on Cye, and they got dressed again immediately afterward. Once that was out of the way, Yui had relaxed a bit more by the time she reached the end of her tale. "That was when I found my bags floating next to the cliff."

Her newfound ease backfired when Ikuyo's anger fired up once more. "You mean, you did lie to me, when I saw you reclaim them yesterday?" Instead of hearing Yui plead her case any further, Ikuyo's voice trembled with the slightest yet immense displeasure. "Yui, I thought you were better than that," she shook her head in profound disappointment. "I never thought you'd stoop so low. Guess I was wrong."

Recalling how frustrated she'd felt when they'd discussed Ikuyo's warning to Cye, Yui found some new backbone. "I'm sorry you see it that way; but what choice did I have? You're the one who's been giving Cye a hard time ever since we washed up on the island!"

"Yui, I–" Ikuyo broke off abruptly, and her eyes went the widest Yui had ever seen them. Terror swept across Ikuyo's face as she pointed forward and cried out, "SHARK!"

"What?!" Yui gasped. "Where?!" Ikuyo roughly placed her hand on top of her head and all but forced her to turn around in her seat.

"Over there!" she shouted. "Look!" Almost immediately, Yui spotted the trademark fin only a few dozen yards away. Her blood ran so cold, she thought she might very well have a heart attack – until she remembered Cye was still working on the motor. Fearing for his life – and paying no heed to whether or not Ikuyo noticed how long he'd been underwater – she frantically banged hard on the side of the boat, desperate to get his attention.

He shoved his head above the surface soon after, and any words that may have been on his mind vanished when he saw how frightened she was. "Yui? What's wrong?"

Yui pointed in the direction of the aquatic predator. "There's a shark in the water!" She almost tumbled over her words. "It's coming this way!"

All of a sudden, Ikuyo screamed, causing the boat to lurch – which in turn nearly sent Yui overboard. "It's getting closer!"

Cye pinpointed the threat in milliseconds. But rather than climb into the vessel, he donned a look of intense determination identical to the one he wore when he tried to help Yui and Ikuyo during the earthquake. Returning his gaze to the girls, he promptly ordered, "Both of you, stay in the boat!" Looking back at the approaching shark, he added in a no-nonsense tone, "I'll take care of this!"

"No, wait! Cye!" Yui shrieked. But he'd already plunged back in, leaving the ladies to watch in petrified silence as his watery form swam straight toward the carnivorous fish. Yui all but forgot how to breathe or even blink, and clamped her hands over her mouth when she thought she saw them collide with each other. Beyond that, she couldn't fully make out what was going on – which only made it ten times worse.

From what she could see, the man and beast appeared to be struggling – and the sight sent terrifying images racing uncontrollably through her mind. Yui imagined the shark's teeth – sharper than razors – tearing into her former boyfriend and then sundering his half-dead body limb by limb. She almost waited for the spot to be dyed scarlet red with his blood. Never before had she felt so frozen and sick with fear.

And yet, for the two longest minutes in her life, nothing happened except a series of explosive splashes at the surface. But Yui continued to watch…until the shark began swimming away, and Cye reemerged soon after. Aside from a sizable bruise already forming below his left temple, he looked utterly unscathed…and Yui just about fainted – it was as if the hope she'd been unable to grasp suddenly crashed into her. Daring to test the proverbial waters, she breathed, "Cye…? You're alright…?"

"What did you do?!" Ikuyo startled her when she yelled. At least it proved to her she hadn't been seeing things.

Cye grinned, and Yui didn't think he'd ever looked more handsome. "Taught the creature a lesson it won't soon forget! He'll think twice before he attacks another human!" He then started to paddle toward the boat…but he only went two strokes before he halted. He tried again and again, but it was clear from his increasingly worried expression that something was very wrong. "Oh no! I'm stuck!"

And it was about to get even worse. "The shark!" Ikuyo half-gasped, half-shouted. "It's coming back!" Yui looked up and saw her sister wasn't kidding. Once more, fear struck her to her core. But this time, rather than paralyzing her, it sent a wave of determination through her – the same she'd seen in Cye's eyes just now. She hadn't watched her former boyfriend escape the jaws of death only to see them snatch him from her!

Taking her turn to teach the shark a lesson, Yui thought up a solution surprisingly quickly. She zipped open and dug through one of her supply bags, then pulled out and opened two small containers of paint. If she wanted to buy Cye some time, she'd have to purchase it by disorienting the shark – confusing its senses. As soon as the monster lifted its head above the surface not too far from him, she lifted the containers, and took aim. "Eat paint, shark!" she shouted before hurling them at it.

Both shots found their mark. Once the paint landed, the shark began to writhe in place, splashing the water wildly as it was overpowered by the strange substance. But Yui couldn't revel in her victory until Cye was safe. Her heart sank when she saw he was still stuck, still desperately trying to pull free – until she realized there was only one way to get to him in time.

With not even a second to lose, she fished out and opened two more paint containers, then flung them at the shark as well. Without looking to see if they'd landed, Yui followed Cye's lead and removed her shirt – not caring if her undergarments showed this time. "Yui! Wait!" Ikuyo cried out to her. "What are you–?!" But that was all she heard before she herself dived in.

As the shark continued to twist and thrash, the moment her eyes locked onto Cye, Yui swam hard and in haste, pausing only when she saw what'd trapped him. An unusually long tendril of kelp – and a haphazardly discarded fishing line already encircling it – had wrapped around his left leg. While the animal was still distracted, Yui worked as quickly as she possibly could – and her heart lifted again once she managed to free him. But they still had to evade the shark.

After heading for and then breaking past the surface, Cye and Yui paddled like dogs to the boat as fast as their arms and legs allowed. Ikuyo was still there waiting for them. "Come on, come on, come on!" she urged as she waved them toward her. As soon as her younger sister was within reach, Ikuyo hauled her into the vessel. Without pausing, Yui leaned out to grip Cye's arm with both hands. But he was a great deal heavier, and the boat threatened to tip over.

"Ikuyo help me!" she shouted. Ikuyo immediately took hold of his other arm, and with a collective grunt of effort, they all finally dragged him into his usual spot at the front.

"Hurry, start it up!" Ikuyo demanded without giving either a chance to catch their breath. "We gotta get outta here!"

"No, wait!" Cye lifted a silencing hand once he sat up, then pointed forward. "Look!" At first, Yui didn't believe it. Past the spot where she'd stained the seawaters with her paints, the shark – having decided it wasn't worth it – was at last swimming away, allowing her to breathe a long-awaited sigh of relief. "He's finally leaving us alone," Cye declared, then added more disdainfully, "The sea-vulture." After the horrors they'd just experienced, Yui couldn't help but laugh heartily, even when his concern returned and he asked, "Is everyone alright?"

"Oh yeah," Ikuyo bobbed her head up and down rather than nodded, panting as though she'd just run a marathon. "Sure…that was a little traumatizing but…other than that…I think we're good."

Meanwhile, Yui had found Cye's shirt, which she promptly handed to him. With a look of genuine – if awkward – gratitude, he pulled it back on, and returned the favor by handing Yui hers. Though grateful he didn't regard her chest – or at least tried not to – she donned her shirt just as hastily. Her gaze then fell on his left hand – specifically, on the streak of red between his thumb and wrist. "Cye, your hand!" His eyes followed hers, and even he seemed slightly alarmed at the state of his previous injury. "Let me handle it."

Yui rummaged through one of her bags, and this time she pulled out a long piece of cloth. She kept several to dry her brushes with, and this one appeared the least used. Just a few seconds later, she'd wrapped it around Cye's hand and over his wound. Luckily, the most he'd done was wince. "Thank you very much, Yui," he said as he raised his hand and began examining it. "I didn't think it was this serious."

"Don't you dare start playing dumb!" Ikuyo suddenly half-snarled out of nowhere, surprising both Cye and Yui.

"W-what?" he asked shakily, sharing Yui's bewilderment at the older girl's abrupt and extreme change of mood.

"I knew we couldn't trust you!" Ikuyo fixed Cye with a cold yet burning look as she stood over him. "You should've come out as soon as you got hurt! But no – you just had to leave a blood trail for the shark to follow right to us!"

As astounded as Yui was by Ikuyo's arbitrary accusation, she was even more baffled at Cye's lack of indignation – which was becoming more and more abundant within her. "Wha–? I–"

Ikuyo cut him off, her tone even more incensed. "And then my sister – the one I told you to leave alone – had to jump in after you! That shark could've eaten her alive!" What she failed to notice was that Yui wasn't only frustrated that Ikuyo was acting like she wasn't there – she was utterly shocked at how ungrateful she was. Rather than thanking the man who'd risked his life to save theirs, Ikuyo was all but spewing venom at him – and it was making her blood boil. "I don't know who you think you are! But I do know you're a selfish, deceitful, and despicable low-li–!"

She didn't get to finish. The second Ikuyo started berating Cye, Yui had snapped. Before she could control herself, her hand flew and landed on her sister's cheek with a loud SMACK! The force of it sent Ikuyo back to sitting, literally rocking the boat. But Yui's newfound fury didn't stop there. "Shut up Ikuyo!" she demanded. "None of that was Cye's fault, and you know it!"

Ikuyo slowly lifted her hand to her stinging cheek – which now sported a welt mark shaped like Yui's handprint – her mouth hanging open and her eyes as wide as they'd been when she spotted the shark. "Yui–"

"I said shut up!" Yui repeated more sharply. "I've had it with your attitude! I may be five years younger than you, but I at least behave like a grown woman! If you're so fond of learning, when are you gonna learn that not all guys are jerks?!" Ikuyo gasped in shock, then glanced to her left, causing Yui to do likewise – and pause when she remembered Cye was still in the boat with them.

For the longest moment, he gazed at her in total astonishment, as though she'd suddenly turned into an onryō. But Ikuyo's sudden reappearance at the corner of her eye reminded Yui that she wasn't done with her. Facing her again, she continued in a more restrained yet still angry tone. "My point is, we may still have issues, but Cye is still the sweetest and most selfless guy I've ever met! He didn't have to help us! He didn't have to put his life on the line! But he did! And you can't even so much as thank him!"

Ikuyo hung her head in shame, but Yui ordered herself not to give an inch. She continued staring her down until Ikuyo lifted her now sorrowful eyes back up. "Yui, are you–?"

"Yes, I'm done!" Yui interrupted her a second time. "But you aren't getting one more word out of me until you get your act together!" Denying her sister yet another chance to speak, Yui sat down as far from her as she could, her arms crossed as she purposefully looked away from both Ikuyo and Cye. But she could still feel Cye's eyes almost boring into her, and it made her shiver in discomfort. Even so, she stayed true to her word and remained silent, even when he started the boat again.

No one spoke for the rest of the journey – not that Yui would've heard it. Before too long, she'd mesmerized herself as she stared ahead toward the shoreline that slowly but surely drifted closer to them. Whether it was because of her own darkened mood or that more time had passed than she'd thought, it appeared even more shrouded in shadow than before. True, she'd already begun to regret lashing out at Ikuyo. But more than that, the image of Cye's disturbed reaction wouldn't leave her memory. It was as if she'd become a stranger to him in those few moments.

And no wonder, a silent voice Yui didn't recognize suddenly whispered to her. You haven't seen each other in five years. What does he really know about you…and what do you really know about him…? Yui shook her head. She'd meant every word when she spelled out Cye's character to Ikuyo. But doubt continued nagging at her, until she finally escaped it by dozing off once more.