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Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Beneath the Surface, She Waits

The final day of the camping retreat dawned bright and windless, the early sun casting long rays across the dew-kissed clearing. Birds chirped lazily, and the smell of pine filled the crisp morning air.

Leo woke to the soft rustling of sleeping bags and whispered voices outside. His tentmates—Kai, predictably sprawled like a starfish, and two other classmates—were still snoring. He slipped out quietly.

The camp was waking up. Tents being folded, breakfast fires crackling to life, and soft laughter echoing between trees.

Leo wandered aimlessly until he spotted Hana by the lake's edge.

She was skipping stones, alone, her expression calm but distant. Her short hair fluttered in the breeze, and her jacket was half-zipped. Sunlight sparkled off the water behind her.

Leo approached slowly. "You're up early."

Hana looked over her shoulder. "Habit. I run in the mornings."

He stood beside her. "Do you always skip stones after?"

"No," she said. "Today just feels like a stone-skipping kind of morning."

She tossed another one. It bounced twice, then sank.

"Not bad," Leo said.

"I usually get at least four skips."

Leo chuckled. "I've never gotten past one."

She finally turned to face him. "Want me to show you?"

He nodded.

Hana took his hand gently and placed a flat stone into it. Her fingers lingered for a second longer than necessary.

"Hold it like this. Wrist angle matters more than strength. Gentle flick."

Leo tried.

It plopped unceremoniously.

She didn't laugh. "Better than I expected."

They stood there for a while. No words. Just soft ripples on water.

---

As the sun climbed higher, the group gathered for one last team exercise: building a raft.

Each team had to construct a floating structure out of logs, rope, and barrels, then race across a short stretch of the lake.

"Who knew school would one day turn into a survival show," Kai muttered, tying rope haphazardly.

Rin, taking lead on their team's design, barked orders while Yuki enthusiastically narrated like a sports commentator. Aira took notes.

Hana, however, was focused and quiet, her hands working steadily with Leo's as they lashed wood together.

"You're surprisingly good at this," he said.

"Built a treehouse with my cousin once," she replied.

Leo smiled. "Cool cousin."

"He moved away."

She didn't elaborate. He didn't press.

---

The raft race was chaos.

Water splashed. Screams echoed. Kai fell in twice. Rin maintained military focus. Yuki steered like a pirate captain, shouting nonsense terms. Aira tried to keep balance with wide eyes.

But Leo saw it—the way Hana quietly guided the rhythm, her paddling precise, her instructions gentle yet firm.

They didn't win.

But they didn't sink either.

---

After lunch, while most were packing up, Hana pulled Leo aside.

"Can I show you something?" she asked.

"Sure."

She led him into the woods, down a narrow path that curved behind the lake. They walked in silence until they reached a small rock outcrop overlooking the water.

"Beautiful," Leo said.

Hana nodded. "I come here when I want to think."

She turned to him. "Leo, I'm not like the others."

He tilted his head. "How do you mean?"

"I don't get flustered easily. I don't flirt. I don't write poems or sing karaoke or cook bento boxes."

Leo said nothing.

"But that doesn't mean I feel less."

She stepped closer.

"I just… don't always show it. But since we met, I've felt something. Something I don't want to ignore anymore."

Leo looked into her eyes—strong, honest, calm. Like a still lake beneath the surface.

"I don't expect you to answer now," Hana said. "I know you're figuring things out. Just... don't forget I'm here."

She gave him a small smile, turned, and began walking back.

Leo remained, watching the lake.

This time, the ripples in his chest didn't come from stones.

They came from her words.

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