Shuichi exhaled his breath after confessing his new found affection towards the sleeping Imani. He wanted to stay and annoy Haru more, but this romantic feeling he has for Imani will only bring back the rivalry he once had with Haru. Shuichi enjoyed the odd friendship he had shared with Haru. It was a lot better than them competing against each other all the time, less exhausting. The best option was for him to disappear from their life. His parents were thinking of sending him overseas for college. It would probably be best. Time and time again, fate has proven that Imani was meant to be with Haru and nobody else. It was quite annoying actually. Seriously, we get it. They were designed for each other.

Shuichi frowned and scoffed to himself.

"It seems like Haru is the final winner. "

Imani let out a huge sneeze, cough and then started wheezing. That snapped Shuichi from his thoughts as his attention quickly focused on her.

"I got to get you out of here, princess. I'm sure everyone, especially Haru is worried sick about you".

Shuichi stood up and dusted off his shirt and swim trunks. He took off his shirt and dressed Imani in it and gave her his jacket. Her body was shivering. He gently lifted her up and onto his back. He held her tightly underneath her rear after placing her arms around his neck.

" Look, I swear I'm not trying to cop a feel, alright Imani? I don't want you kicking my ass later, thinking that was what I was trying to do".

After that, Shuichi started heading towards the only opening out of the area the two of them were in.

Shuichi walked around the dark and freezing cave for hours, before he decided to take a break, trying to catch his breath. His lungs felt like they were on fire. His feet felt like he walked on knives. He looked down to see that his bare feet was bleeding. Must have been cut up by walking on those sharp rocks on the ground. However, he didn't worry about it. Getting Imani back safe and soundly was of utmost priority. Nothing else mattered. He was going to take a few breaths before looking for an exit again. Now, he wished he paid attention in geology class.

"The teacher could have warned me of the possibility of me jumping into the water to save a girl that I love on our school field trip and happened to get stuck and lost in a fucking maze of a godforsaken cave". Shuichi groaned to himself.

He felt Imani 's hands grip his bare shoulder tightly, which snapped him from his thoughts. He heard sniffling and felt a couple of teardrops on his shoulders.

" Imani? " he asked.

"I'm sorry", she mumbled.

" What? " Shuichi asked puzzled.

"I'm sorry". She said again.

"For what?" He asked her , but all Imani kept doing was apologizing.

"She must still be asleep. She talks in her sleep too?"

Repeatedly, Imani kept apologizing to Shuichi. He then came to realization of why she was doing that in her sleep.

"You heard my whole confession, huh?"

Imani started crying again and she kept apologizing.

"Look, I didn't tell you that to make you feel bad, alright? I only confessed because I thought you weren't listening and I wanted to put my feelings out there without actually doing it". He tried to calm her down.

" Besides, you're an amazing young woman. How could I not fall for you? I would be a fool if I didn't. It's not your fault. No one is to blame. I'm not blaming you for anything. This is actually a good thing. You're the first woman I ever fell in love with. I guess you can say that you opened my heart up to future relationships. I know what this feeling is. I can recognize it now. Also, this provided me with enough motive to finally take up my parent's offer of sending me overseas, to start my life anew, ya know? Nothing bad came out of this experience, other than the fact that I can't have you for myself, but I can get over that. You're only my first love, not my last".

"Please don't beat yourself up to something like this, to something that can't be helped".

Shuichi reached  behind him and combed through her thick, curly, damped hair, trying to soothe her. Eventually, Imani calmed down, sleeping again. Shuichi felt her forehead to see if she had a fever and then got worried. Her forehead was on fire and he could hear her staggered breathing from behind him. She had been in this cave for far too long. He had to find an exit immediately, before her health deteriorates more. Shuichi pushed her up on his back more, before continuing his search for an exit.

It must have been a few more hours, before Shuichi finally found an exit. He could hear the crashing of the waves as they hit the shore; the birds, seagulls, flying in the sky, chirping. He could smell the salty air of the beach.

" Yes, we finally found it! " he cheered, relieved as he ran out of the cave, cheerfully.

He had missed that warm sun on his skin.

Then he heard echoes calling out his and Imani's name. Sounded like Haru and the others. He looked up and saw them standing over a cliff. He waved his arms around, screaming "over here!" They noticed and quickly got rescue to come for the two of them.

Imani woke up in an infirmary with her head feeling like a bunch of miniature drummers were banging away in her head. She rubbed her temples,  before holding her head as she tried to remember everything that happened to her. Then all of it came rushing back to her memory.

"Where's Shuichi?" Was the first thing that came out of her mouth.

Haru and the others looked at her with confused expressions on their faces.

"He checked to make sure that you were okay, before getting himself checked out, before leaving this island. His parents came to pick him up and took him home".

" Oh, okay. That's good". She sighed.

"Did something happen between the two of you?"

Imani shook her head, deciding not to tell them about Shuichi 's confession. They didn't need to know anyways. Besides, it would probably make Haru suspicious of his actions.

"Are you okay?" Asked Haru as he squeezed her hand tightly.

Imani smiled warmly to herself and nodded her head

"I do feel light headed though" .

"Then lie back down and get some rest" . Haru gently pushed her back down on the bed.

"I'm sorry I ruined you guy's field trip" .

Everyone shook their heads.

"My best friend is a superhero. What you did for Yuki was wonderful. I'm proud of you". Ayaka said.

" Thanks you guys".

Soon everyone, except Haru left Imani's infirmary bed. Even though the doctors recommended that he leave, but Haru refused. He wanted to stay by Imani's side, until she gets better.

Out of curiosity, Imani asked, "what would you do if Shuichi confessed his feelings for me?"

" I would sock him in his face".

Imani laughed quietly.

"Then it's best if you don't know". She thought.