The train ride was longer than any of our previous trips. It rattled through rice fields, quiet villages, and mountainsides draped in green. Hikari sat by the window, her face pressed against the glass, her reflection overlapping with the scenery rushing past.

“Look, Haruki!” She pointed at every little thing: a scarecrow dressed in a bright red shirt, a cluster of sunflowers taller than the fence, a little shrine on a lonely hill.

Her energy was infectious. Even though my body ached from the ride, I couldn’t help but smile.

Finally, after hours, the scent of salt filled the air, faint at first, then overwhelming.

“The sea,” Hikari whispered, almost reverently.

Scene 2: First Sight

When we stepped off the train, the horizon unfolded before us.

The ocean stretched endlessly, shimmering silver under the afternoon sun. Waves crashed against the rocks, each one louder than the last, as if the sea itself wanted to announce its presence.

Hikari ran ahead, her shoes crunching on the gravel path. She stopped at the edge of the sand, arms wide, hair whipping in the wind.

“Haruki! It’s huge! It’s alive!”

Her voice carried on the wind, bright and unrestrained.

I walked up behind her, slower, but my chest tightened at the sight. The ocean looked both infinite and unreachable, like the sky had spilled onto the earth.

Scene 3: Shaved Ice and Seagulls

We bought shaved ice from a little beach stall — hers was blue, mine was red. She stuck out her tongue after the first bite, proudly showing it off.

“See? Mission accomplished,” she said, pointing at her tongue.

I laughed. “That was one of the easier things on your list.”

She grinned, scribbling a quick checkmark in her notebook before going back to eating.

As we sat in the sand, seagulls circled above, one swooping down to snatch a piece of her ice. She yelped, then burst into laughter, chasing it a few steps before giving up.

It was a perfect moment — simple, fleeting, and already etched in my memory.

Scene 4: The Collapse

But later, as we walked along the waterline, something changed.

Hikari suddenly slowed, her steps faltering. She pressed her hand to her chest, her breathing shallow. The playful glow in her eyes dimmed.

“Hikari—!” I caught her arm as her knees buckled.

She forced a smile, whispering, “I’m okay. Really. Just… too much excitement, I guess.”

Her body trembled in my arms.

I wanted to call for help, but she shook her head firmly, gripping my sleeve. “Please, Haruki. Not here. Not now.”

There was a quiet desperation in her voice.

I helped her sit on the sand, the waves brushing close to our feet. Slowly, her breathing steadied, though her face remained pale.

Scene 5: The Promise by the Sea

We sat there in silence, the roar of the waves filling the space between us.

Finally, she spoke softly, her eyes fixed on the endless horizon.

“I always wanted to see the ocean,” she said. “I thought… if I could make it here, maybe I could go anywhere. Maybe I could be anyone.”

Her words trembled.

I clenched my fists, wishing I understood what she was holding back. But instead of pressing, I only said, “Then let’s keep going. Let’s see everything. Not just the ocean.”

She turned to me, her expression unreadable at first — then she smiled, fragile but luminous.

“Okay. Together.”

Her small hand slipped into mine, and we sat like that until the sun dipped low, painting the sea in molten gold.

The waves kept rolling in, endless and unstoppable, like time itself.

[To Be Continued in Chapter 11]