A Mock Date With Toko-senpai!

After leaving Mount Nokogiri, we headed south along Route 127.

“Where are we going next?”

“We’re heading to Okinoshima in Tateyama.”

We drove along the coastal road. Houses were dotted along the hills facing the ocean. Coming this far, it felt like a different country compared to Chiba City where we live. It felt like we had arrived at a southern island. It certainly didn’t feel like the “Metropolitan Area”—though even Tokyo has remote areas like Okutama where bears wander.

Passing Tateyama Station, we headed toward the JMSDF Tateyama Air Base. On its west side lies Okinoshima, a deserted island connected to the mainland. The area just before the sandbar leading to the island serves as a parking lot.

“Wow, looking from here, the island is perfectly connected by the beach,” Toko-senpai said as she stepped out of the car, holding her hair against the sea breeze. Click. I snapped a photo of her. She didn’t notice this time.

“We walk across here to get to the island.”

The two of us walked side-by-side along the sandbar.

“Okinoshima used to be an independent island, but apparently it became connected to the land during the Great Kanto Earthquake.”

“Is that so? Then it’s just like Enoshima.”

“Though Enoshima is far more famous.”

“But I like this better because there are fewer people. It feels a bit like a beach in Southeast Asia.”

“Isn’t that an exaggeration?”

“Maybe? But if there were a castle on top of the island, it would look a bit like Mont Saint-Michel in France, don’t you think?”

Ah, I see. Okinoshima is just a park covered in trees, but if a castle stood there, it might just look like that.

“This spot is on the west side of the Boso Peninsula, right? I bet it would be wonderful at sunset.”

She was probably right. And from here, you can see Mount Fuji surprisingly clearly. The sea lies right in front of it. There probably aren’t many other places where you can see the sunset, Mount Fuji, and the sea all at once.

“Maybe we should have come in the evening,” I muttered to myself. The interior of the island seemed to be a natural park.

“Oh! It even has a natural pool and a cave!”

Toko-senpai’s eyes sparkled like a child’s as she looked at the information board. Click. I snapped her photo with my smartphone again. She noticed this time and turned toward me.

“You just took one, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t.”

I said it with a laugh.

“Liar! You totally did!”

“I didn’t.”

“Honestly…”

While saying that, she pointed toward the path leading deeper in.

“This is the path into the island. Let’s go.”

The two of us followed the path through the forest. After a short walk, the view opened up. We had reached the sea. It was a small sandy beach sandwiched between rocky areas.

“Beautiful! There’s such a cute little beach here!”

Toko-senpai ran down to the shore with a slight hop, looking like a different person compared to her usual composed self. I followed immediately behind her.

“Wow, the water is so clear. You can see right to the bottom.”

“This place always gets the ‘AA rank’—the highest level—in the Ministry of the Environment’s water quality surveys for beaches.”

Toko-senpai looked back at me.

“Have you ever been here before, Isshiki-kun?”

“No, it’s my first time too.”

“It’s a first for me, too. I didn’t know there were such nice places so close by.”

“Yeah. This is apparently the northern limit for coral; you can see it while snorkeling. There are lots of fish, so it’s a popular diving spot, too.”

“There are tiny fish here too! Look!”

Toko-senpai pointed. I stepped over the rocks to get closer to her. Sure enough, many small fish were swimming in a small tide pool.

“Oh, there’s a school of small fish over here. And over there, there’s something that looks like a slightly larger tropical fish.”

“Where?”

“Look, over here.”

Just as Toko-senpai tried to climb onto a tiered rock…

“Ah!”

Her foot slipped, and she let out a small cry. I instinctively reached out to support her, catching her from the front. But as I did, one of my feet went splash into the water along with her. Simultaneously, my smartphone made a soft beep.

“Th-thank you,” Toko-senpai said, looking startled.

“No, I’m just glad you didn’t fall. Since it’s rocky, you could have gotten hurt.”

“But it wasn’t just me—you got your foot wet too.”

“It’s fine, it’s just one foot.”

As I said that, I realized Toko-senpai’s face was very close. Less than thirty centimeters away. Furthermore, I was gripping her upper arms as if embracing her. Toko-senpai seemed to notice our position as well. She looked away from me and spoke.

“You were taking a photo just now, weren’t you?”

“Eh? Ah, come to think of it…”

I had indeed heard the shutter sound of the smartphone.

“You didn’t have to take one at a time like this.”

She looked somewhat embarrassed.

“T-that wasn’t on purpose.”

Toko-senpai looked back at me. I was reflected in her deep green eyes. I’m sure she was reflected in mine, too. She gave a bashful smile.

“Let’s get out of here. Otherwise, the waves will get us even wetter.”

I nodded silently, took her hand, and led her back to the sandy beach.