Daiki took his hand. "I have feelings for you. As more than a friend. I have for a while now."
"I feel the same way," Arata said softly. "I was afraid I might lose you if I said so."
"Never." Daiki squeezed his hand gently. "I'll always be here for you. I couldn't hide how I felt anymore."
Arata blinked back tears. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that!" He laughed. "Some adventure this turned out to be! But I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Hand in hand, they wandered to the shore. The sea stretched endlessly before them, washed in starlight. Secrets free at last, only adventure remained.
The waves lulled them to sleep curled close. By dawn, doubts had melted away.
Takashi spotted them first. "There they are!" He pointed them out to Kenji with a smile.
Kenji shook his head. "Took them long enough! Should we wake them?"
"Let them be." Takashi pulled Kenji into his arms. "They've earned a peaceful morning together."
Kenji tilted his head up for a kiss. "You're sweet. Let's make breakfast before they wake. Something tells me they'll appreciate the food after a night confessing under the stars!"
Takashi laughed following Kenji up the beach. "As long as there is food left for us!" He winked.
Kenji smirked. "Don't worry, we have an adventure of our own to continue from last night..."
Their laughter carried on the breeze. The familiar beach stretched endlessly before them, washed in morning's glow. For two souls no longer held apart, that was adventure enough to last all summer.
Arata awoke to sunlight filtering through his eyelids and the steady beat of Daiki's heart beneath his ear. He sighed contently, nestling closer to Daiki's warmth.
Daiki stirred, blinking awake with a sleepy smile. "Good morning," he murmured, giving Arata's hand a gentle squeeze.
"Morning." Arata tilted his head up for a kiss, soft and sweet. Any lingering doubts from the night before melted away in the golden glow of dawn. "Last night really happened, didn't it?"
"It did." Daiki brushed stray locks of hair from Arata's eyes, pulse racing at his touch. "And it was only the beginning."
"Ooh, mysterious!" Arata laughed. "What other surprises are in store for me today?"
"You'll see." Daiki stood, pulling Arata up beside him and brushing sand from their clothes. Hand in hand, they wandered up the beach toward the house. The familiar sea stretched endlessly at their backs, holding the secret dreams of night close within its depths.
Laughter and the scent of cooking food drifted from the open windows as they approached. Takashi waved eagerly from the kitchen, gesturing them over.
"There you two are! Come grab some breakfast before it gets cold."
Kenji glanced up from setting the table with a grin. "Took you long enough. We were about to come drag you back ourselves!" His eyes flicked to their joined hands knowingly. "Sleep well?"
Arata blushed, but his smile held no hint of shame. "More than you know. What's for breakfast? I'm starving!"
"Pancakes, eggs and fresh fruit to start." Takashi winked, pulling out chairs for them. "Figured you could use the fuel after your own late night 'adventure'."
Kenji snorted, squeezing Takashi's hand. "Leave them be, you. Eat up!" He passed Daiki and Arata heaping plates of food. "We have our own adventures to get back to today, and you'll need your energy if you plan to keep up!"
Arata eagerly dug in, appetite renewed by the promise of adventures yet to come and the memory of secrets shared beneath an endless sea of stars. A new day dawned bright before them, ripe with possibility for two souls no longer drifting apart.