CH 36

After that, we saw the cave and shrine on the other side of the island and returned to the car.

By that time, my shoes, which had gotten wet from the sea, were dry enough that I didn’t leave any footprints on them.

“Next, we’ll go to Nojimazaki Lighthouse.”

I said, and started the car.

Nojimazaki Lighthouse is the southernmost point of the Boso Peninsula.

We took Route 410 and headed for Nojimazaki.

As we passed through the mountains, we were suddenly confronted by a vast ocean.

It was the Pacific Ocean.

Thanks to the fine weather, the blue sea was shining brightly even though it was November.

We continued along the road with the ocean on our right and the mountains on our left.

There were only a few buildings scattered about.

Eventually, we came across a shining white building.

It was the Nojimazaki Lighthouse.

This lighthouse juts out into the sea like a small peninsula, and the area around the lighthouse can be circled like a park.

The lighthouse juts out into the sea like a small peninsula. That’s the southernmost point of the Boso Peninsula.

“Sounds good, let’s go there!”

I cheerfully agreed.

The area around the Nojimazaki Lighthouse had been neatly cleared of grass and other debris.

Just beyond the promenade was another rocky beach.

“It’s nice to be able to see the horizon with nothing in the way.”

Touko-senpai said and took a deep breath.

I snapped another picture, aiming for that moment.

“Oh, there it is again.

She glared at me sideways.

“Please let me off for today. This is the answer to your homework.”

I replied with a wry smile.

“But you know, I’d really like you to take a picture of me in a well-prepared state.”

Touko-senpai still looks unhappy.

The two of us stood side by side and looked out at the ocean.

Right in front of us is truly an ocean.

The Pacific Ocean.

“This is the end of America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica, right?”

Touko senpai words flowed out as if lured by the wind.

“I’d like to sail around the world one day on my own yacht.”

Sailing around the world?

I was a little surprised, because I had an image of Touko senpai as an indoor person.

“When I was little, I was in the hospital for over a month. When I read it, I thought, ‘That’s wonderful. I want to go around the world freely like that. I guess that’s when I started to like books. At first it was just travelogues and books about countries around the world.”

“That’s a wonderful dream.”

“Yes, it is. Yes, it would be a wonderful dream. In reality, though, it would be hard to find a partner who could stay with me all the time in a small yacht.”

I looked at Touko-senpai for a moment.

I think she can be with me all the time and not lose her shine.

No, the longer you stay with her, the more attractive she becomes.

“I think my dad had a thing for sailing, too.”

She looked at the other side, towards the lighthouse.

“A lighthouse is a beacon in the dark of night. Nowadays we have GPS, but I think it was the only landmark and hope for sailors in the old days. And they would follow where the lighthouse was to get where they were going.”

She looked up at the lighthouse, her eyes shining chalk white in the sunlight.

“That’s why he named me ‘Touko’. so that I could be a hope for everyone and give them light.”

I thought as I looked at her.

…… Touko-senpai. At least for me right now, you are hope, a beacon, and a light. ……

……The only thing that illuminates me, gives me a goal, and gives me hope in the dark stormy sea called “girlfriend Karen’s affair” ……

“Hey, can’t you hear voices somewhere?”

Touko-senpai said unexpectedly.

“A voice?”

“Yes, like a squeal. ……”

When she said that, I also listened carefully.

It’s true that between the sounds of the waves, I can hear what sounds like a child crying.

“It sounds like a child’s voice.

“You don’t think …… might have fallen into the ocean, like ……?”

The color of Touko senpai face changed.

“If that’s the case, we’re in trouble! Isshiki-kun, you search the surroundings too!”

“Okay. I’m going to look for the ocean side, so please look for the lighthouse side, Touko-senpai!

I said, and started walking along the rocky beach.

Touko-senpai ran from the promenade to the inner park side.

Eventually, I found a boy crying near the gently sloping rocky beach.

It wasn’t at the edge of the waves.

Apparently, he had just fallen on the rocks.

I was relieved that he hadn’t fallen into the sea.

“Touko-senpai, I found him over here!”

I shouted loudly towards the lighthouse side.

“Are you okay?”

I walked up to the boy and called out to him.

I looked at him and saw that he was about six years old.

I guessed he was in the first grade.

But the boy was just crying.

“It’s not safe here. Let’s go to that flat place over there.”

But the boy shook his head from side to side as if he didn’t want to.

When I looked at him, I saw that his knees were bleeding from his short pants.

He must have fallen on the rocks.

There was nothing I could do, so I picked up the boy and went back to the promenade.

Just then, Touko-senpai came running towards me.

“Where were you? Are you okay?”

“There, on the rocks. But it was far enough away from the ocean that I don’t think it was dangerous.”

Touko’s eyes also turned to the boy’s knees.

“This boy is injured.”

She quickly wiped off the blood with a tissue and put an adhesive bandage on the boy’s knee, which she had taken out of her bag.

“It’s not that deep. It should be fine now. Does it still hurt?”

“It still hurts a little.”

The boy answered.

Where did your mother and father go?

“Over there.”

The boy pointed toward the lighthouse.

“Where is that place?”

I asked again, but the boy said

“Over there.

That’s all he said.

“It’s no use. Let’s just go to the lighthouse or the museum. If he’s lost, his parents should be there.”

I said, and Touko senpai nodded.

“Are you okay? Can you walk?

I asked the boy.

But the boy replied

“I can’t walk,” he replies.

I had no choice.

“Come on, I’ll carry you”

I turned my back to the boy and he immediately jumped on my back.

Are you sure you can’t walk?

That’s what I thought, but there’s no point in saying that here.

I stood up, carrying the boy on my back.

“Let’s go then.”

I said, and walked alongside Touko-senpai.