Chapter Text
Salacia would never forget that summer. That one glorious summer. Her family had rented a beach house. Something they had never done before. A beach house on a private beach! No fighting for lounging or tanning space...no dingy motel rooms...no fighting for the public volleyball net...none of that. It would be two months free of drama in a quiet house on a secluded beach. It would be heaven.
She had just finished unpacking and hurried outside with her younger sister, Ere, begging her to play a quick game of her favorite summer sport...and well any sport with her. But Ere declined, preferring to get a head start on her tan rather than face her on the other side of the net which was behind the house. (Salacia was stoked her parents had gotten a place with a volleyball net)
That was the first time she saw him.
Sitting on the low, stone dividing wall between the beach houses. A Japanese boy about her age with two-toned chin length hair, playing a handheld game, but peeking over every now and then, eyes on the net and her...or rather the ball in her hands she was sure. Salacia decided to be friendly. And bolder than she typically would with such a cute guy. She waved and walked nearer.
“Hi! I’m Salacia. Do you wanna play? My sister’s being a grouch and won’t play a game with me.” She said.
The boy looked at her surprised as she was at her boldness. He looked like he was deep in thought for a moment.
“Come on, I promise to go easy on you.” She teased.
He chuckled softly and nodded, “Sure.” He said, accent thicker than she expected, English must be his second language, “My name is Kenma, by the way.” He said.
“Nice to meet you.” Salacia said in a sweet tone.
He hopped over the wall and followed her to the net. Salacia pulled her long, auburn hair into a ponytail and served the ball. Kenma was quick to hit it back. And she quickly returned it. And so their game began. It was friendly at first. But soon enough...they were both playing for keeps. Salacia had rolled the sleeves of her T-shirt to make it into a tank top and the pair of them locked eyes. They knew that this was not exactly the friendly game either of them had intended.
About an hour later they were at a stalemate, they were about on the same level. So they called a draw, they were both panting hard in the summer sun. Salacia offered him a bottle of water and hurried inside to get it. She returned and handed it to him.
“You’re good, you matched me hit for hit.” She said.
“To be honest I’m on my school team back in Japan.” He said.
“They have boys volleyball teams in Japan?” Salacia asked surprised.
He nodded confused.
“Wow, here in the states, well at least where I’m from Volleyball is like a girl’s only sport. Never understood that...but that’s just how it is here.” She said.
“That’s weird.” Kenma said.
“So are you just on vacation here in the states?” Salacia asked him.
“Yeah, my parents thought this would be a nice change of pace.” He said.
“You’re English is really good by the way.” Salacia complimented.
“Thanks, do you know any Japanese?” He asked.
Salacia chuckled and responded she did in a near perfect way. Her dad was a businessman and had clients overseas in Japan, the family had vacationed there a few times. And he always talked about moving the family there permanently. All of which she explained to Kenma who nodded.
“You speak it very well.” He complimented.
“Thank you.” She smiled.
They sat there and talked for a couple hours before he went back to his side of the wall. They made a deal they would play another game sometime soon.
—
Over the next couple of weeks they played game after game. And chatted afterward. Bonding over video games and music. Him being more into games and her being more into music. She said she’d love to show him her vinyl collection sometime and he actually seemed interested in it. Most guys thought it was boring or too old school to be cool.
Salacia would never say anything but she was developing a slight to huge crush on the rather quiet boy. He was so sweet and so cute.
But she wasn’t going to say anything.
Until one night. Their parents were both off at dinner and Ere was hanging out with a few friends of hers as well and he was over and she was indeed showing him her vinyl collection. Just playing record after record. They were just lounging in her room at the beach house together. He was playing a game and she was reading while the music played sometimes.
But now they were just vibing together. They locked eyes and she bit her lip. His eyes were entrancing. She smiled at him shyly, her face heating up. His cheeks were pink as well. The pair of them began to lean in and suddenly their lips connected. It was a quick kiss, a chaste kiss. They pulled away as soon as it began. They stared at each other, wondering if that really should have happened at all. But found neither of them regretted it.
Salacia smiled shyly at Kenma who was staring shyly at her.
She ran a hand over through her hair and said, “Ummm...wow...I don’t know what you're supposed to say after that…” she admitted, “It...it was kind of my...first kiss…”
“Mine too.” Kenma breathed.
She looked at him surprised.
“I typically keep to myself.” He said, “I don’t date...so...I don’t exactly go around kissing people.”
Salacia laughed and scooted closer to him, “I’m chubby and tall...so guys don’t usually go for me…and I don’t exactly go around kissing people either.”
He looked at her and scooted closer as well. Their lips were inches apart again in a matter of moments. And in seconds they were connected again. This time the kiss held more emotion, saying things their words could not. Their mouths moving together perfectly. When they broke apart they both were breathing heavily.
Salacia smiled at him blueing and he blushed and smiled shyly at her, “Wow.” Was all Kenma said.
“I really like you Kenma.” She said and grasped his hand.
He gave her hand a squeeze, “I really like you too.” He breathed.
They looked at each other for a moment.
“So...what...what are we?” He asked.
“I don’t know.” She said, “But I know I wanna see where this goes.”
“Me too.” He agreed.
—
After that the pair snuck kisses every chance they got. They spent more and more time together. Their summer was revolving around each other. It was wonderful. They knew they were in love, though they never said it. They knew summer was coming to a close...and he was going to go back to Japan and she would be staying in the states. Could their love truly withstand such a distance?
It was their last night together, his family was leaving the next day. They were walking along the beach hand in hand. What a pair they made, she had five inches on him, it was no wonder she was on her school’s volleyball team, but he didn’t care, he liked her just the way she was. She got him and he got her. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek as they sat in the sand watching the sunset side by side in their favorite secluded spot.
She looked over at him, he was struggling with something.
“Are you okay, Kenma?” She asked.
“There’s something I want to do...but...I’m almost scared…it would change everything...” he admitted.
“What is it?” She asked.
Kenma shook his head before he leaned over and kissed her, but this kiss was different, full of desperation and desire. And she knew...she knew what he wanted. And she wanted it too. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself closer. And as the sun went down they discovered each other anew.
—
Laying side by side in the sand, staring up at the stars, breathing heavily, redressed, fingers laced. They had shared their first kiss at the start of the summer now they had just shared another first.
“I love you.” He said suddenly, “I wanted to say that for the longest time...and I just had to say something before I left…”
“I love you too.” She said, turning to lock eyes with him, “Even though you’re going back to Japan and I have to stay here...I will love you wherever we are.”
“At least we can email and call each other.” He said.
She nodded and smiled. Neither of them said anything, but it was breaking their hearts to know they would be separated. They hadn’t meant to grow so close, but they had. They were in love and about to be torn apart by over 6’000 miles.
At least they had the summer though.
At least they had the summer.