The sea of faith (pt 3)

Just before sunset, Haru invited Mia to come along with him. This was the part of the trip he had planned for them to be alone, without their friends. He pointed at a little dock looming on the horizon. A lantern faintly glowed in the distance.

Mia let out a small cheer. “You can’t believe how excited I am! We’re definitely going to see another ghost, aren’t we?”

Haru smiled, saying nothing. He led her down a small dirt path that lined the lake. They passed under a cord of fairy lights, gently guiding their way.

They stepped onto the creaky wooden planks of the dock. Daichi’s cousin was waiting for them, pointing at a rowboat drifting in the water.

Mia turned to Haru, a big smile on her face, “You arranged this? This is so romantic!”

The couple put on their life jackets and stepped into the wobbly boat. Once they were settled, the cousin handed them a set of paddles and pointed toward a faint light in the distance. “Please head that way,” he said calmly. With a quiet tug, he unhooked the line from the dock, and the boat began to drift.

Haru settled onto a small wooden bench in the center of the boat, facing Mia at the back. Gripping the paddles, he began to row, slowly guiding them away from the dock. Behind them, the cousin waved them goodbye as the distance between them grew.

With the dock far behind them, Mia opened the bag she had brought along and took out a telescopic selfie stick, attaching her phone to it. With the stick firmly in her hand, she hovered the phone above the lake, capturing their boat from above.

“Hi spooky squad! Look at my strong boy Haru, sailing me to our next ghostly adventure!”

Haru glanced at the camera, trying his best to hide his exhaustion, even as drops of sweat began forming on his forehead.

I should have joined Renji more often when he exercised…

Haru continued to peddle, while Mia helped him navigate to the island. “You need to steer a bit to the right.”

The boy adjusted his speed. “Perfect!” Mia cheerfully responded.

Not long after, Haru docked the boat next to another dock. He tied the rope to a rusty anchor and stepped out of the boat, reaching out his hand. The blond girl firmly grasped his hand, helping her get out.

The couple reoriented themselves. This dock wasn’t as well-maintained as the one close to the campground. Long blades of grass grew through the gaps between the planks. The dock was surrounded by overgrown foliage with only a small path leading away from it.

“I think that is where we should go,” Haru said while pointing at the little path. Daichi’s cousin had given him some general directions on where to take Mia, aside from that, he had no idea either.

Haru turned on a flashlight and took the lead. Mia followed closely after him, her phone in her hand, ready to film. The boy pushed away some branches, letting the girl pass through.

After about two minutes of following the dark path, the pair entered a clearing in the middle of the island. Under the faint light of the last beams of daylight, the two explore the site. Passed by a red swing set, the paint half chipped off. Next to it were some mossy picnic tables, planks half rotten. A little further, they found a campfire ring, now completely overgrown. In the distance, there stood some wooden cabins in a dilapidated state.

“This place reminds me of something…” Mia said, frowning, “I’ve been to a place similar to this before…”

She turned around, pulling away a branch that covered a sign. “Ohh! I remember. This used to be some campground for children!”

Harus’ eyes gleamed. “You’re right… that must be it.” Mia walked toward one of the cabins, which was not unlike the one they were staying at on the other side of the lake.

Mia reached out her hand and held the cabin door. Just before opening it, she turned to Haru, “So this is where the ghosts are at… aren’t they?”

Haru laughed, “Just hurry, before you scare them away...”

The door creaked open, and Haru shone his flashlight inside. A bunk bed had fallen over, now leaning at a 45-degree angle against another frame. Aside from some moldy mattresses, there wasn’t much else to see. Mia pinched her nose shut against the awful stench.

“Sorry… I somehow imagined this to be more romantic…” Haru apologized with a quiet voice.

Mia petted Haru on his back, “Oh, poor boy… don’t be sad,” she whispered, “I think it’s perfect.”

Haru looked at her, puzzled.

“I mean… I’d much rather go on dates where we explore cool, untamed places like this than those standard, safe mall dates. Even if we don’t see a real ghost... just the possibility of it is enough to keep me excited.”

Haru stayed quiet, a small frown forming on his face.

“Not that I’d mind you taking me to those other places too,” Mia added quickly. “I mean, who goes to Japan and doesn’t try karaoke?”

Haru let out a sigh. “I’m afraid there’s no karaoke bar in Hanabusa…”

Mia laughed. “I know - and honestly, I don’t really mind. If I’d been that desperate for city life, I would’ve signed up for an exchange in Tokyo or something.”

I should have known… that is who Mia is… always chasing adventure, even in the most obscure places.

“We might have an opportunity to go to the big city… would you be interested?” Haru asked.

Mia chuckled, “Of course you silly, I bet there would be a ton of cool places to explore!”

Haru smiled to himself, unsure whether he was relieved or just falling for her all over again.

X

The couple explored a bit more of the abandoned campsite before returning to the dock. By now, the darkness had settled in, the lake only illuminated by faint moonlight. Mia froze for a second, her eyes hovering over the water. Haru stopped and stood next to her. Instinctively, he grabbed her hand.

Mia turned to him, smiling. Instantly, Haru let go of her hand, his cheeks turning red.

The girl grinned as she grabbed hold of his hand again. “Please, hold me for a second,” she whispered. The couple stared at the romantically looking lake, the lights from the campground visible in the distance. The warmth of Mia’s hand radiated through Haru’s body.

Our kiss.. will this be the moment?

Just as Haru was about to lean in, Mia let go of his hand and crouched next to the boat.

She laid her hand on the edge, “Can I try to pedal a bit? It looked so fun!”

The slightly surprised Haru rubbed the back of his head, “S…sure,” he mumbled.

I guess the kiss has to wait…

The couple sat down in the boat, Mia now in the center by the pedals. She brushed over the wooden handles with her hand and then clenched them tightly. With a small swoop, she started pulling them, the boat moving a little.

She swept some sweat from her forehead, “Pff… this is thought. It makes me really appreciate how strong you are, Haru.”

After a couple of minutes of rowing, Mia let go of the pedals. “I am totally exhausted,” she said while pawning, “can you take over Haru?”

The couple changed places, briefly bumping into each other as they settled in their new position. Haru grabbed hold of the pedals and started to move the boat.

Suddenly, Mia reached out, grabbing the boy's bicep. “Not bad…”

The flustered Haru continued pedaling, staring into the eyes of the beautiful girl in front of him, her blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight. And her lips looked soft as ever. Mia’s expression softened as she leaned in. Haru’s heart started pounding, his eyes still locked on the girl’s approaching lips. The girl closed her eyes, and Haru felt warm inside… not just from the exercise.

But then suddenly, the moon disappeared, and a gust of cold wind blew over them. Mia rested back, reopening her eyes. A blush appeared on her face as she nervously looked around. The couple turned away from each other for a moment, unable to speak. A soft fog drifted above the lake.

Then Mia softly spoke. “I’m getting a terrible vibe all of a sudden.” She looked at Haru, who froze. “It’s not you… Don’t worry. It’s this place… I feel like something’s watching us.” She wrapped her arms around herself.

Haru looked at her, trying to calm her down. “Do you know a poem called Dover Beach?”

She furrowed her brow, thinking. “They might’ve taught it in school… but honestly, I don’t remember much.”

“It starts off peaceful. Listening to the waves. But then it talks about this... sadness. The Sea of Faith is retreating.”

Her eyes scanned the white haze floating above the lake.

Mia whispered, “I kinda get what you’re saying… It feels like something’s pulling away… and something else is stepping in.”

Suddenly, they heard a sound - a splash in the water from behind the mist.

Silence fell over them. The boat rocked slowly on the ghostly lake. Haru turned around and scanned the horizon, trying to spot the campsite’s lights through the fog. On his left side, he could just about make out a faint light in the distance. He pedalled in a steady rhythm, determined to get the scared Mia back to camp safely.

The lake remained unnaturally still, the fog swallowing the sound of the paddles. The warmth they felt earlier had disappeared, the distance seemed to be growing. Haru had his sight set on the campground, he meditated his mind on the poem, trying to remember its ending.

“The eternal note of sadness…” he mumbled to himself, Mia not responding. Every now and then, one of them looked over their shoulder, trying to see if something was following them. But they weren’t able to find anything but silence.

The glow of the campfire finally came back into view, its soft golden light thinning the fog.

We made it! Haru thought, seeing Mia softly smiling.

The boat gently bumped into the dock, Mia reached out while trying to steady herself, her hand gently brushing against Haru’s. He took it without saying a word and helped her out of the boat. As they stepped onto solid ground, they were met with the familiar scents of pine and smoke. The chill in the air began disappearing… the strange weight from the lake disappearing.

Haru glanced at Mia, who returned a faint, tired smile. “Thank you for getting me back, Haru,” she whispered. He smiled back, one line of the poem stuck in his mind, “Ah, love, let us be true...”

The couple rejoined the others by the campfire. Greeted by the fire’s radiant warmth and a cup of hot chocolate, Mia slowly cheered up. Daichi’s cousin dropped by, making sure the couple got back safely.

He chuckled, “Fog tends to roll in this time of year - I should’ve warned you,” he said with a chuckle. “But hey, you made it back in one piece. I’d call that a success!”

Renji bumped into Haru’s side and whispered, “Speaking of success, did you manage to land the kiss?”

Haru remained silent, staring at the fire, thinking about Mia’s lips, reflecting on how he almost… almost kissed her.

His friend sighed, “I knew you would flake… you’re hopeless, Haru.”

But Haru shook his head, “The day isn’t over yet…”

X

Later in the night, just before heading to bed, Haru took Mia to a quiet part of the beach. The fog had settled, and the moon reappeared. The couple stared into the distance, the water slowly gushing before their feet.

“How serene,” Mia slowly whispered, after which she grabbed Haru’s hand again. She turned to the boy. “There was something you wanted to ask me?”

Haru nervously chuckled, “Well… not exactly..”

How in the world am I going to do this… should I ask if I can kiss her?

Mia tilted her head, smiling softly. “You’re bad at hiding things, you know.”

Haru rubbed the back of his neck, his heart pounding, “I just… didn’t want to ruin the moment.”

“You won’t,” she said, moving a step closer. The moonlight shimmered in her blue eyes. “Just ask.”

He looked at her, then at the water. I can’t believe this is really happening!

Haru turned back to Mia and gave a small, nervous bow. “Can I... kiss you?”

She didn’t answer-not with words. Instead, she leaned in, her hand still in his, and closed the distance herself. The boy closed his eyes and felt the girl's soft lips touch his.

The waves whispered at their feet, in a moment that seemed to linger forever. On a beach of shifting tides, they found something that stayed.