The smell of salt drifted into my nose.

My throat was parched as if it were burning. With every breath, the salt from the seawater scraped against my trachea.

Only then did Guest open their eyes.

Grains of sand stuck to the eyelids were irritating. The wet school uniform clung to the skin, cold and heavy.

The light was too strong. The sky looked like a photograph where everything had been burnt white.

As Guest lifted their head a little more, three familiar faces came into view.

One sat motionless, hugging her wet knees,

Another was staring blankly at the edge of the sea with her arms crossed,

And the last one was slowly rummaging through the shallow water as if looking for something.

Under the scorching sun. Both the wind and the waves were calm. On that beach, no one spoke.

Guest just quietly watched them.