Blue Memory

An old man, with a worn and old kimono, stood at the top of the terrace, having just climbed the small steps leading to the establishment.

“Natsuno? Where are ya?” He casually addressed his sister.

“Shinpei? What are ya here for?” The old woman, who was just descending the stairs to the café’s main area, replied.

“It’s been a while, Natsuno. Pour some tea for your brother...”

The woman sighed in response, ultimately unable to go against her brother’s proposal.

It had quite some time since they had seen each other, indeed

“If you’re here to see the boy, he already left…” She spat bitterly, as she handed a cup of tea to the old man.

“Stop sulking, sister. The boy will soon be back.” The old man said in an oddly reassured manner, as he took a sip from his tea.

“Soon? The last time he and his father left the island, he didn’t come back for 12 years. So s-“

“It’s different.” Old man Shinpei interrupted her.

“This time, it’s different.” He repeated, one last time, as his old sister looked at him.

Then, a faint hope rose up in her chest.

Maybe, just maybe, this serene old man’s premonitions would come true this time.

He always liked to act as if he knew everything happening on the island, or at least in their family. But this time around, Natsuno couldn’t help but wish for his words to be more than the baseless confidence of an old man.

…

I waited and waited at the port, but there was no sign of Hana.

Soon, the ferry pulled up, and a good number of people disembarked. The people already on the port, called out to the tourists through loudspeakers and signs, eager to guide them to their hotels.

“You’re really leaving, huh? Sniff…” Daichi sniffled, as he looked between me and the ferry.

“Seems like it…” I replied, looking over at Emi, who shrugged.

“Onii-sama, when will you be coming back?” Chinatsu asked with upturned eyes. I had to say, during the course of the last month, she has clearly learned a thing or two on how to be cute.

“We’ll see.” I patted her on the head in response.

“Hana isn’t showing up, huh?” I voiced, looking over the road I came here from.

“All passengers are requested to board the vessel.” An announcement came, and realizing it’s my cue to leave, I turned to the three gathered at the port to see me off.

I don’t know what’s going through Hana’s head, and I can’t wait any longer. It’s already been quite some time.

Maybe, just maybe, she would be willing to talk to me if and when I come back.

I didn’t have the time to think about that now…

It was time for me to go home.

“See ya, guys.” I smiled softly.

“You’re really going?!” Daichi exclaimed, holding back what I hope are exaggerated tears.

“Take care over there, doofus.” Emi sighed, before waving with a smile.

“Bye, Onii-sama…” Chinatsu voiced dejectedly, and I patted her head yet again.

“See ya, Chinatsu-chan.”

And then, I turned and boarded the ferry, after showing my ticket to the sailor up front.

Our time was finally up…

“Hana really isn’t coming?” Daichi turned to Emi, when Yukio was out of earshot.

“Oh trust me, she is…”

I ran down the steps to the living room, and came face to face with my mom’s bewildered face.

“Hana! What were you doing we wer-“

“Mom! Dad!” I interrupted her and stepped forward, full of determination.

“I don’t want to leave Ryusejima!” I declared passionately. “Even if our finances are bad, I just… can’t! I’ll get a job, or work more regularly at the shop! So, please! Please, let’s talk about it!” I bowed my head down to both my parents.

“Hana-chan…” My father spoke up, folding his newspaper.

“I want to stay here! I can’t leave this island! I can’t live if I’m not near the sea! It’s all I’ve ever known… and I can’t be myself otherwise!”

“Look, sweetie…” My mom tried to explain, but my father cut her off.

“We were actually discussing a change in plans.”

“What… change in plans?” I perked up.

“See, those photos of yours with that dolphin, are a big hit on our website, and we’ve got many customer reservations over the course of these two days…”

Hit on the website? Reservations?

“Wait, you mean…?” I turned to my mom, who shrugged, clearly as surprised as me.

“Yes, we might not have to move. But you’ll have to work on the shop more frequently from-“

“Yes, yes, yes! Oh, thank you dad!” I jumped in his arms, elated by his words.

“Thank you both!” I bowed deeply, before dashing out the house.

“Hey, where-“

“Haah… You know, where she’s going…” Yuriko’s husband sighed wistfully, before smiling.

“…She’s got a ferry to catch.”

“Exactly.”

The two parents nodded.

“You made that whole thing, about the website, up, didn’t you?” The woman turned to her husband with a knowing smile, as he shrugged.

“Who knows?”

I dashed down the road, passing by tourists and locals alike.

It was barely a minute past the ferry’s arrival, but I knew I had to hurry if I wanted to be there in time to tell Yukio how I felt.

After barely another minute, I reached the port, where Emi, Daichi and Chinatsu stood.

“See, told ya.” Emi voiced with a smirk as I approached.

As I walked towards them, I noticed the ferry had just left the dock.

Damn it, is it too late…?

No! Of course it’s not!

I looked up to the deck and noticed Yukio look down at me.

Now that I wouldn’t be moving to the US, I knew that it would be possible for us to see each other often.

And even postpone our talk for another day…

But I just didn’t want to wait. I couldn’t.

I had to tell him, right here and now.

But what would reach him… all the way up there…?

In a split second, a ridiculous idea came to me.

Searching around me, I quickly spotted what I was looking for.

…

The ferry had just began to move, and I was overlooking the port, where Emi and the others stood.

Will I ever get to see her again…?

Just then, I noticed a familiar figure dash down the road in the distance.

Is that Hana?!

The figure ran down the road, and headed straight for the port.

It definitely was Hana.

Completely dumbfounded, I stared down at her.

Her timing couldn’t have been better, but it may also be too late to talk it out.

When she reached the group I was with, not too long ago, she turned to look up at the ferry.

Then she scanned the area around her, before her gaze landed on a man, with a loudspeaker in his hands.

She walked towards him and after they argued for a second Hana teared the device off his hands and turned it on.

“SORAJI YUKIO!” Her voice came through, loud and clear, as she looked up at me, aboard the ferry.

“I know this is not the time nor the place for this, but you give me no other choice!” She shouted, and I could already see her face turning redder with every word.

“I love you!” She shouted, her face reaching peak redness.

“…In fact, I have loved you since we were kids! I’ve loved you for so long, I don’t even remember when it started! I love you, you big idiot! When you left, nothing was the same ever again! Even the ocean felt so dull without you! The ocean was only interesting because it reminded me of you!. When I’m with you, I feel like… I can be myself!”

The ocean she loved so much… she loved it… because of me?

“I talked to my parents, and I’m not going anywhere! I’m staying here! I’m going to be myself, just like you told me…”

Hana is going to stay…? That means…

Soon, a smile found its way to my face.

If was is staying, that means I can come back and see her… If we waited, then we could be together again.

“So… I’ve told you before, and you I know you ignored me, but I’ll say it again…” She braced herself, as she took a sharp breath.

“Don’t go! You said you’d tell me face to face right?! Then where are you going! Come back here and tell me! I want to hear you say it again! So… Yukio! Don’t leave!”

Her words echoed through my mind, as if time itself has stopped.

Then a single memory found itself at the front of it. It was Hana. She was telling me that exact same thing, as I boarded the ferry to Tokyo.

“Don’t go…” She pleaded.

And suddenly, I was back in the moment. Back in the present.

This time… I had heard her, loud and clear.

I felt like lighting had struck me. I gripped the railing tightly, as if to stop my rapidly beating heart from hammering against my chest.

Waiting?!

There was no way I could wait!

I wanted to go to her, right this instant!

I was done waiting even another second…

But what was I supposed to do?

I was aboard a moving ferry for crying out loud!

Wait…

Then, it came to me.

A crazy, crazy idea, only someone who had met Hana could think of.

I quickly took a few steps back, and assessed the distance. The ferry had left the port, but I could still hear Hana. That meant the distance wasn’t all that great.

”Can you hold this for me?” I asked a passing tourist to hold my luggage, and naturally he turned to me like I had grown a second head.

“A man will come pick those up at Tokyo, so yeah, don’t worry.” I smiled at him and turned back towards the port.

After a few long steps back, I drew a sharp breath and started up my run.

My plan? Jump off the ferry and swim back to the port, of course!

After 3 to 4 long steps, I stepped on the railing, and lunged myself over the ferry.

Soon, I cut through the water like a razor, head first and starting swimming towards the shore.

I had decided to live with this girl, here in this island, and nobody could stop me!

To hell with Tokyo!!

“Is he nuts?!” Daichi shouted, while Emi and Chinatsu cheered at Yukio’s magnificent dive.

“Haha! Yeah he is nuts! That’s my Yukio!” I shouted back in delight, as I tossed away the loudspeaker, stripped down to my swimsuit, and dove in the ocean, eager to meet him in the water.

“Hanaaaa!’ He called out to me with a smile on his face, as he swam with all he had. Not even the waves created by the ferry could stop him.

“Yukiooo! Over here! Hahaha!” I waved my arm at him, and closed the distance between us, not able to hold back the joy, that escaped from me in the form of a laugh.

...

“Yukiooo! Over here! Hahaha!” Hana giggled and waved, as the distance between us shrunk even more.

I could hear her laugh again.

I already knew that my choice was the right one…

“Bear hug!!!” She shouted the name of her special move as she threw her arms over my shoulders, and I caught her in the water.

“Pfft! Hahaha!” My head was momentarily submerged, but I just shrugged it off with a laugh.

“Damn you’re heavy!” I joked with a smile.

“Hey!! Take that back!!” Her laugh was so clear and natural, it felt like music to my ears.

“Hana.”

“I’m waiting.”

We smiled at each other, as I prepared myself to say what I wanted to, all this time.

“I love you. From the bottom of my heart.” My lips naturally curved into a smile.

I voiced my feelings for her so sincerely, that it made everything I had said so far in my life, feel like a lie.

I could finally tell her, face to face. Without stuttering or wavering.

“I know. I love you too. Even more than the sea.”

She replied, with that same smile on her face. A smile that reached her eyes, and made her look more beautiful than I’ve ever seen.

Those jewel-like eyes, I wanted to get lost in them, like a ship in the night.

With our faces, in such close proximity, we couldn’t control ourselves.

We finally brought our lips together, and what felt like the first time in forever, I felt whole again.

Our heads slowly submerged below the surface, but we didn’t mind.

We were in our playground.

That same playground we used to play in, when we were little.

At that moment, Hana’s words came to mind.

“Come with me, and I’ll take you the endless blue.”

That day, she had vowed to bring me back… and she did.

She brought me back, to that same ocean we loved so much.

In that same ocean, we were now sharing a kiss in.

https://www.honeyfeed.fm/novel_images/7698

…

After we shared our kiss, deep in the ocean, we swam over to the shore and onto the port.

“Hey, guys!” I greeted our friends with a smile.

“Jeez! Don’t scare us like that!” Emi punched my arm with more force than it was strictly necessary.

“Ouch! Hey!”

“Yeah she’s right!” Daichi prepared a punch of his own, and that was when I threw my hands up.

A punch from THOSE arms?! Yeah no way I’m gonna survive that!

“Hahah!” Hana giggled beside me, holding fast at my arm. After what felt like years, those silly magnetic bracelets found their way to each other once again.

“I knew Onii-sama wouldn’t leave!” Chinatsu declared proudly.

“But what are you gonna do with your luggage?” Emi asked, as we all turned to look at the ferry heading off into the horizon.

I’m surprised it didn’t stop.

Normally when people find themselves overboard, the crew is informed and the person is rescued immediately. But I guess, they figured I didn’t need any rescuing.

“Well, I’ll tell my dad to go pick it up when the ship reaches Tokyo and send them back. I mean, he’s gonna be sending many more luggage other than that anyway!” I smirked as I looked at everyone.

“Harsh!” Daichi exclaimed.

“Well, he should have thought twice before pranking me with this stupid flip-phone!” I said, taking it off my back pocket. My clothes were completely drenched, but somehow that peculiar device worked perfectly fine.

“Wait... more luggage? Meaning…” Hana looked at me, a smile slowly creeping up on her face.

“As of today, I’m moving here!” I declared passionately.

“For real?!” Daichi exclaimed, clearly surprised.

“Hah, way to go, pal!”

“Yayy!”

Emi and Chinatsu voiced respectively.

“Yeesss!” Hana started jumping up and down like an excited bunny, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

“I mean, my grandma STILL needs help with her shop…” I shrugged, remembering how lonely she looked that one time.

“How about we go grab something to eat?” Daichi proposed.

“Yess! I’m starving…”

“Agreed.”

Emi and Chinatsu chimed.

Me and Hana gave a nod, as we started walking off back to the road.

Words couldn’t express the joy I was feeling at the moment.

Just as I had started walking though, I felt… odd.

Instinctively, I turned to look back at the ocean.

And then…

There she was.

My mother.

She was looking over at us… at me. Smiling.

A beautiful, natural smile that reached to her eyes.

Her long brown hair swayed behind her back, as if the wind was caressing them. Her big brown eyes, soft and gentle.

So that’s what she looked like…

I could finally remember her face. I could finally think back and remember her visage. My memories were finally whole.

And not only my memories, but now my heart was too.

I felt a light squeeze in my chest.

I looked over at my mom, smiling at me over the sea.

I smiled back, and instantly, tears welled up in my eyes.

“Thank you, mom…” I muttered looking over at her, and the ocean spreading behind her.

And then, with a nod, she turned around, and walked away towards the endless blue ocean.

She walked... until she became one with it.

One, with the ocean she adored so much.

“You okay?” Hana grabbed my hand, looking over at my tear stricken face, concerned.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m fine. Better than ever!” I wiped away my tears and gave her a smile.

“Hey, come on you two!” Daichi waved his hand over at us, a little ways ahead.

“Coming!” We voiced simultaneously, and skipped towards our friends, who were waiting for us.

I couldn’t help but smile, knowing that this would be my life from now on.

…

I had fallen in love.

I had fallen in love with this girl, this island…. And this beautiful blue ocean.

I finally feel whole again.

And not just because I regained the memories I’ve lost. But also, because I made new, even more special ones.

New memories. Unforgettable ones.

Memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

And I can’t wait to make a million more of them, along with my friends.

I came in as an empty husk, and now I feel like the most fulfilled person in the whole wide world.

Because, I found a purpose. And that is, to keep looking at this beautiful ocean, for the rest of my life.

A life I will lead, with this girl beside me.

The girl, that I love more than anything.

I’m sorry dad, but I found my purpose in this island.

I hope you can forgive me.

Thinking back on it, I think he knew exactly what he was doing when he sent me here…

Or I’d like to believe so at least.

…

This wasn’t just one simple summer. It was the first summer, of my new life.

A summer that I retrieved my lost memories, and made some new ones along the way. Memories that will last me a lifetime.

And if that memory, that I had lost, and now regained, had a color, I wonder what it would be…

BLUE.

It had to be blue.

Just like the ocean.

Just like the sky.

And just like our love.

This was… my Blue Memory.