Why Were People So Passionate About This Emotion?

Mika slowly opened his eyes. The left door of the car was open and his father was standing there with a water bottle in his hand. Right next to him was Saya looking at him. His hand touched something warm. He felt a cool sensation on his face. Then he realized that the cool sensation was water.

"Did I oversleep?"

"No, we gave you a low dose of sleeping pills on the way..." his mother said as she unpacked the bags from the trunk.

"Are you okay? Were you able to wake up, Mika?" his father asked.

"Yeah, I think I'm okay..."

Mika's doctor had prescribed him a low dose of sleeping pill for situations like this, so he could handle long car rides.

He got out of the car, and in front of him was Niigata Harbor.

"Wow, look at the sea!" Saya exclaimed excitedly.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"About three hours," Saya replied as she opened the handle of her suitcase, which had already been taken out.

Together they gathered their belongings and headed for the yacht. The yacht was of average size, with a total of three rooms. It had a simple design, with a kitchen and a sitting area at the top.

Mika and Saya, your rooms are opposite each other. You can choose which room you want, it doesn't make much difference," Hana said as she put bags on the bed.

"It's quite warm today..." Mika's father said, looking out at the sea through his sunglasses.

Mika and Saya went downstairs together.

"I'll take this room," Saya said, pointing to the room on the right.

"Okay, then this one's mine," Mika accepted the room on the left.

They both started arranging their things in their respective rooms. It didn't take Mika long to finish. He needed to talk to Saya about what had happened in the car. He went to her door and knocked.

"Saya, are you available? Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Mika opened the door. Saya had changed and was wearing a black bikini with red patterns. She greeted Mika at the door.

"What's up?" Mika hadn't expected to see Saya like this, so he was a bit surprised. Then he was surprised by his own surprise.

"M-Mika?" Saya asked straightforwardly, without any hint of emotion.

"W-Well, I wanted to...thank you for what happened in the car today."

Saya turned around abruptly, blushing and slightly flustered. "I-It's not a big deal," she stammered.

"Did you manage to hold on for the whole ride?" Mika asked.

Saya seemed taken aback. "W-Well, I couldn't let go in case you woke up," she said, her face still turned away from Mika.

"I understand. Thanks again. I came to ask. See you outside," Mika said, turning and heading for the door.

"Wait a minute," Saya said.

"What is it?"

"C-Can you not mention anything about my swimsuit?" Saya asked, embarrassed.

"Um...it really suits you. It suits you a lot, actually," Mika replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Saya remained silent for a moment, still looking away. 

"T-Thank you," 

Mika went back upstairs. His parents were busy unpacking and doing other things while sipping on their newly opened alcoholic beverages.

"Are we leaving the harbor?" Mika asked.

"Yes, we're raising the anchor," his father said.

"Is Saya settled in?" Hana asked curiously.

"Yeah, she changed and everything," Mika replied, and after the anchor was hoisted, the yacht set a course for Sado Island.

"Wow, Saya, you look stunning," Hana said excitedly.

"T-T-Thank you," Saya replied, blushing.

They all sat on the yacht's deck with their cold drinks in hand, placing an umbrella for shade.

"We'll probably arrive at Sado Harbor early in the morning," his father said as he sipped his drink.

"What will we do on Sado Island?" Mika asked.

"You can go to the beach or explore the small town. You don't have to stay together all the time. You two can explore on your own," Hana explained.

Mika and Saya exchanged glances. Neither of them saw a problem with it.

There was a short silence. Everyone enjoyed the surroundings. When their drinks were almost finished, Hana stood up excitedly.

"All right, now it's time for me and the lovely Saya to sunbathe. You two can prepare dinner," Hana said cheerfully.

"Dinner?" Mika asked.

"That's fine with me," Ren replied.

"What do you think, Saya? Shall we relax here while the boys cook?" Hana asked cheerfully.

"W-Well..." Saya began.

"Don't push Saya too hard, Mom. Maybe she doesn't want to sunbathe," Mika suggested.

"I-I'd be very happy to," Saya said, accepting Hana's offer.

Hana smiled and looked at Mika. "All right then, my dear, we'll be over here on these deck chairs," she said.

"I can never understand what these girls want..."

"Welcome to the boys' club, son," Ren said, giving Mika a friendly pat on the shoulder.

***

Mika and Ren started to prepare the meal. Ren went to a corner of the kitchen to set the table while Mika stood at the counter. But Mika's attention seemed to be scattered. Still thinking about what had happened in Saya's room, Ren approached Mika and tapped him lightly on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Where are you? You seem to be lost in your thoughts while working in the kitchen."

"Sorry, something was on my mind..." Mika said while chopping vegetables.

"Is it about Saya?" his father asked, leaning against the kitchen counter while sipping his drink.

"Well, something like that," Mika replied.

There was a brief silence between them. The distant voices of Hana and Saya chatting downstairs could be heard faintly.

"Look, son, I don't know what happened between you two or what might happen. I'm not too hopeful considering your situation. The girl is really kind-hearted, and both your mother and I really like her. So you're both lucky and unlucky. I don't need to remind you why you're unlucky."

"Yes..."

"Here's the thing. If this girl has feelings for you, whether she's confessed them or not, the situation is quite complicated. But let me tell you something, a father's advice, as harsh as it may sound. If she has feelings for you, she should move on. It's almost an impossible love, and she'll be the one who suffers."

"You're right."

"So it's probably best to remain friends. We think of her as our own daughter anyway. But if I have to give you advice as a father, as cruel as it may sound, if she has feelings for you, it would be best to let her go. Because she'll be in constant pain."

Mika listened to his father, realizing how accurate his observations were, even though his father didn't know the full situation. First, the complexities of romantic involvement, then the reality of causing pain, and finally the fact that Saya would eventually leave. Thinking about these things brought a heavy feeling to his chest.

 He really didn't understand what was going on, and he was causing pain to those around him; love and relationships were such complicated things that they could cause the end of a strong friendship between two people.

 Why were people so passionate about this emotion?

"You're right, Dad. Anyway, I'll think about it later. Right now, I need to focus on the task at hand."

"As you wish. All right then, let's get the real cooking started!" Ren exclaimed with a grin as Mika and Ren began preparing the meal in silence. Ren's quick and efficient movements distracted Mika, but working alongside him provided a sense of comfort.