Ui and Hairu go to the beach

Part one: https://soutasnotebook.tumblr.com/post/165407829169/uihai-date-at-the-beach

Part two: see below.

Ui falls asleep under the warm sun, and Hairu opens Sen Takatsuki’s latest novel. They’re a bit dark for her taste, but Arima loves them, so she insists on reading them.

She’ll just make Ui cuddle her when she gets scared at night.

Ui stirs a few hours later. “Hairu – have you ever built a sandcastle?”

She gasps, throwing the book to the sand. “No!”

“I used to be really good at them. I won a contest when I was ten.” Ui leads Hairu down by the sea. The tide had receded to leave plenty of moist, clumpy sand for perfect castles.

“We’ll call it Castle Uihai,” Hairu declares. “Teach me, Koori.”

When they finish, the castle turrets stretch as high as Hairu, and the battlements as wide as their arms. 

“Ui, you’re amazing.” Hairu giggles. She never would have imagined he was so creative. “We have to take pictures and show Arima.”

“Uh…sure.” He’s afraid Arima will laugh at such childish skills.

But Hairu admires them, and that’s enough for Ui.

She races back with her phone to snap a few pictures, but stops short. She places her hand on his back with a frown. “Ui, did you reapply sunscreen?

Ui gags with pain.

When Ui appears at CCG the next day, his skin is the color of Hairu’s hair.