At the end of dusk, the last orange-red light on the horizon finally burned out.
The sky slowly settled from golden red into a quiet, deep blue.
On the island, lights came on one by one in the darkening evening.
On the beach.
Rocks and Alice walked side by side at an unhurried pace.
Not far behind them, a figure had been following for quite a while.
Kaido pretended to look at the sea as he walked, but his gaze kept flicking toward the two figures side by side ahead.
"He seems to need you for something. Are you sure you don't want to take care of it first?" Alice tilted her head slightly, her voice quiet.
Rocks grinned without even looking back. "Ignore him. That idiot Kaido just likes sticking his nose into things."
Alice hesitated for a few seconds, worried that Kaido had something important to discuss. She had already kept Rocks to herself for almost an entire day. Then she thought of a little trick.
"But... having him follow us makes me a little uncomfortable. Why don't you... go take care of it first?"
Rocks stopped, turned, and shouted at the sneaking figure behind them, "You idiot, Kaido! Have you got a death wish?! Why have you been following us this whole time? I'm telling you, you'd better have a reason!"
"Screw you, Rocks," Kaido snapped back irritably. If Ron hadn't told him to avoid interrupting Rocks's date as much as possible and wait for a chance to discuss things, would he have had to trail behind them like a third wheel?
"Huh? What the hell are you saying, you bastard? You're asking for a beating, aren't you?" Rocks's temper flared at once.
"Tch." Kaido snorted, grumbling inwardly, *If Ron hadn't told me to, do you think