A/N: Here comes more tropey goodness! Filling boxes like it's bingo! I had an insanely fun time writing this chapter. This one is nearly double the size of the last one! Happy reading :)
Ayako frowned in her sleep. She was dreaming of sunbathing on the beach, but the sun was too hot. She was sweating, but when she tried to get up and move to the shade, she couldn't. Something invisible was holding her down.
Ayako groaned, and her eyes fluttered open. There was a dizzying moment of confusion, the miko attempting to recall her surroundings, but then it all came back— the client, the case, the fake dating, the bed sharing...
Monk.
It was still dark, even to Ayako's adjusted eyes, definitely before dawn— way too early for her to be up— but she could see the shape of the man beside her. Even more than that— she could feel him. The invisible line they had drawn when they went to sleep had been crossed.
Sometime in the night, Bou-san had kicked off the sheet he was using and had gravitated towards Ayako, but he didn't steal her blanket— instead he rolled right over it, essentially pinning her under her blanket, and one heavy arm that rested across her waist. His head was nestled right up next to hers, sharing her pillow.
Ayako laid there staring at the ceiling as her tired brain caught up with these facts. Her first thought was one of relief.
Huh. He doesn't snore.
Then the miko was moving, unconcerned if she disturbed him, she began shoving the monk to his side. It took more force than she would have thought, eventually having to resort to using her legs— but he never woke.
Sweaty from the exertion of moving the monk's dead weight, Ayako threw off her blanket, turned over, and with one last kick at the man behind her, fell back to sleep.
The next time Ayako opened her eyes, it was bright outside. Early morning light was filtering through the slats in the blinds. The miko blinked, groggy— it was still way too early for her to be up— but something had caught her attention. A smell too divine to ignore.
Coffee?
Ayako sat up in bed and turned to find a small tray on the night stand next to her head. On the tray was a fresh cup of coffee— still hot— as well as all the add ins, and a small plate of fresh fruit. Ayako recalled the pension's receptionist telling them that all breakfast items were self-serve, which meant this tray had to have been brought there. With a spoiled grin, Ayako turned back to her left to pinch the monk in gratitude, but the bed was empty.
He's actually up?
With a generous swallow of coffee, groaning about ungodly hours, Ayako got out of bed, threw on the pension's robe, and wandered out of the bedroom to find her partner— coffee cup in tow.
It didn't take her long to find him. Staring across the sitting room, she could see the front porch door was propped open. Shirtless and barefoot, sat Bou-san, facing the beach. His hands were in a meditative pose, positioned on his knees, which were crossed underneath him.
Ayako sipped her coffee, wondering if she should intrude, surprised at her own tact— but then the decision was made for her.
"You should take a picture, it will last longer."
The miko scoffed and came to lean against the porch door frame.
"You really are a monk from Mount Kōya."
"Surprised?"
"I've had my doubts. The long hair wasn't enough to sell me. Is sunrise mediation usual for you?"
"I needed to clear my mind."
The miko rolled her eyes,
"From what? We're on beach in Jeju."
"From the way you threw yourself at me last night."
Ayako, mid sip, began coughing. Hot coffee sloshed from her cup, dripping on her robe.
What?
"Shit—"
"There's towels on the coffee table."
Ayako busied herself with grabbing a towel and wiping down her robe and hand, her brain buzzing.
She had briefly entertained herself with the best way to go about tormenting the monk with the news that he had come on to her the night before— to learn that she had done the same was a humbling blow.
A floor board creaked behind Ayako, and she inhaled sandalwood as the monk brushed past her. She couldn't miss his cheeky grin.
"I'm going to take a shower. You should get ready too, bus leaves at 9:00am sharp."
Wishing she could wipe that grin off his face, Ayako shouted after him,
"You should be meditating on your own deeds. I almost kicked you off the bed. Try it again tonight and see what happens!"
About an hour later, Ayako had dressed and eaten, and was just finishing up her makeup— meanwhile Bou-san was still in the bathroom.
Smug, she stuck out her tongue at the bathroom door.
Look who's ready?
"I know one thing for sure, I won't be the reason we're late," she called, closing her makeup bag. There was no retaliation, but she could hear the monk moving around, so she knew he hadn't slipped and hit his head.
Lame.
Ayako busied herself with making their bed. Then she laid across it, swinging her feet. The clock on the wall ticked away. Ayako glanced at it.
Still another forty-five minutes?
Sitting up, she decided she needed a change of scenery.
"I'm going out," she announced, as she slipped from the villa, the beach calling to her.
Ayako pulled off her sandals and dug her freshly painted toes into the sand. Looking down the shore she saw it was still early enough that none of the other guests were out. Eagerly, she approached the water, wanting to test the temperature.
It was perfect.
Pleased, the miko sat herself as close as she could without risking the tide catching her off guard. Shells littered the area around her feet, and absently she picked some up and inspected them. It was this distraction that caused her to miss the approach of another person.
"Hello."
Ayako blinked, a shape blocking the sun behind her. She turned, squinting.
"Hello."
Oh.
Standing there was Wetsuit Guy.
"Good morning. You're one of the new guests here, aren't you?"
"Uh- I am a guest, yes."
Ayako bit her lip, cursing the fact that she didn't bother to study the Korean language phrase book she brought to read on the plane harder.
The man smiled in a friendly way that reached his eyes,
"I just came back from a dive, do you mind if I sit here with you while I dry out?"
Ayako understood the question part well enough and nodded.
"Sit," she invited, smiling back.
There was a companionable silence for moment, just the roll of the waves, and then Wetsuit Guy— Hong Doo Shik, Ayako reminded herself— began speaking again.
"You're not Korean. Where are you from?"
In an attempt to make her more comfortable, he had switched to English.
Still doesn't help me much, but sweet.
"I am Japanese."
"Really? I would have said American."
At the ring of her mother tongue in her ears, Ayako brightened.
"You speak Japanese? Wait— American?"
"Your red hair," he murmured gesturing at the bun Ayako had worked so hard to make look effortless and beachy, "And yes, I speak Japanese. I spent every summer there, growing up. That... and two years of med school in Tokyo".
Ayako made surprised sound, drawing pictures in the sand with her finger.
"Ah, so you're from that world too?"
Hong Doo Shik tilted his head at her,
"You're not about to tell me you're some rich hospital director's daughter...?"
"Fine. I won't then."
He let out a laugh that Ayako found far too attractive.
"I don't know you well enough to know if you're messing with me, so I'll let that one go."
"Suit yourself."
There was another pause, this one just as comfortable. Wetsuit Guy had his eyes closed, soaking in the sun's rays. The water in his hair glistened and Ayako had to force herself to look away, least she get caught. She cleared her throat and took another stab at conversation,
"So, just the two years?"
"Hm. Yeah. Wasn't cut out to be a doctor after all."
"Though you'd make a better diver instead?"
"I've always felt more at home in the water."
Hong Doo Shik opened his eyes, gave a stretch, and patted down his wetsuit. Appearing satisfied, he fixed her with another smile, this one playful.
"Well, you know most of my life story, but I don't even know what to call you?"
"Babe—"
Ayako startled. Had she just said that out loud?
"Babe!"
Wetsuit Guy turned his head and Ayako did the same. Coming down the beach was none other than Bou-san.
"There you are, babe. I was looking everywhere for you."
"I said I was going out."
"With your new friend?"
Hong Doo Shik, stood up and extended his hand towards the monk,
"You can call me Doo Shik-san."
"Did you decide against seeing the mermaids then?"
"What? No—"
"Well, that's what I thought, when you didn't come back. It's already ten after."
Ayako was suddenly on her feet, snatching up her sandals, she checked the watch on her wrist.
"Your clock is five minutes fast. We're fine. Let's go."
The miko waved hurriedly at Wetsuit Guy as she starting dragging the monk back up the beach,
"It was really nice meeting you, Doo Shik-san."
"It was nice meeting you too...?"
"Babe— we're going to be late."
Bitterly cursing signing them up for this excursion, Ayako hopped on one foot as she pulled a sandal on the other.
"I can't believe we're going to miss the bus because you were flirting with some flower boy."
"I was not flirting. Anyway, look the bus is still there, ha."
A small woman wearing a blue tour guide's hat greeted them in English as they approached and they were told the bus had kindly waited on them.
The monk threw the miko a look which she promptly ignored and they were seated beside each other in two tiny seats at the back of the bus.
The bus lurched out of the pension's driveway and wound around small coastal roads on it's way to a destination that the small tour guide was telling them about over a speaker, but Ayako wasn't listening. She wasn't here to see mermaids, she was here to work.
In the rows ahead of her sat the rest of the pension's guests. There was the boyfriends right in front of her face, exclaiming over the ocean views outside their window. Across the aisle from them were the newlyweds, who seemed to only to be paying attention to each other. Next came the sisters, and the Australians— Ayako's eyes quickly passed over them— followed by the family unit and the old married couple. The family looked happy despite their early start, the mother feeding her young son a banana, and the father playing some kind of hand game with the daughter. Shifting her gaze, Ayako studied the old married couple. They sat with wrinkled smiles on their faces, hands tightly clasped together, the only two who appeared to be listening to the tour guide.
Warm fingers brushed Ayako's, before stretching along and intertwining with hers. Ayako looked back at her partner and he gave her a soft wink and a, hi babe.
Ayako squeezed his hand.
That's right. We're a couple too.
Nothing seeming out of the ordinary with the couples they discussed the night before, Ayako allowed herself a chance to sit back, picking up on the last bit of what the tour guide had to say.
"...this group of Haenyeo have been diving this section of Jeju-do's waters for over seventy years. The group's oldest member is called, grandmother— Halmoeni— by everyone, she turns ninety next Tuesday! The youngest member has only been diving a few years, she's twenty-one. Young or old, our Haenyeo have trained themselves to dive without air tanks to amazing depths and for long periods of time, bringing up the treasures our ocean provides for us, sustainably. Without our Haenyeo, our Island would not be what it is today..."
The bus stopped at a dock area, surrounded by craggy rock faces, and a small beach. It was like a notch had been made in the land there, just big enough to safely access the sea. The pension's guests gathered together in front of a truck out of which, eight women, of varying ages, climbed. They all had large smiles for their audience, but otherwise were too busy to stop, chatting loudly to each other, unloading large orange buoys with heavy nets attached to them. Each woman wore a wetsuit that came clear up over their head. The only skin these women revealed was on their hands and feet, and just a peep of their faces.
The tour guide helpfully began explaining the process of the Haenyeo and how they dive, but once again, Ayako wasn't really listening.
"The newlyweds won't stop stealing kisses in the back..." Bou-san muttered under his breath.
Pleased to know that the monk was on the same page as her—reconnaissance work— she dropped a quick peck to his cheek.
"Gotta keep up with the Joneses," she explained, with nonchalance. If her cheeks were pink, that was nobody's business.
"What about keeping up with the boyfriends?"
Ayako followed the monk's gaze towards the two. It was the usual, hand holding, adoring looks— no problem—but then she saw what they were wearing.
"Dammit. Couples t-shirts."
"Can't beat that one."
Ayako glanced between them. She was wearing cut off jean shorts and a coral crop top (to match her nails). Bou-san was wearing white linen pants and a tank top that said, beach bum.
"I guess not."
"You know, there's that gift shop. I could always pick us up matching shirts for tomorrow."
Ayako raised an eyebrow,
"You're offering to wear matching t-shirts?"
Bou-san shrugged,
"Gotta keep up with the boyfriends, right?"
Once the Haenyeo had unloaded their truck, the pension group was lead down the dock, where they watched the women finish getting suited up, affixing flippers to their feet and large face masks over their heads. They slipped into the ocean like fish, mermaids. The last to enter was Halmoeni— the second her body touched the water it was as if she transformed, suddenly moving with fluidity, grace, and ease.
It was a mesmerizing thing to watch, even Ayako got caught up in it. She stared as the bobbing orange buoys spread out over the surface of the ocean. There was one Haenyeo per buoy, each preforming a hypnotic dance of up and down as they submerged and reappeared, holding precious goods. Today's harvest would be native seaweed and sea urchin, which were in season.
The group was promised lunch, fresh out of the sea— and the Haenyeo delivered. A fire was lit under a portable grill on the dock, and a large pot was put to boil. The tour guide let them all know that the finest restaurants of Jeju proudly bought from the Haenyeo, and the meal they were having that day would have set them back one hundred-thousand won per plate.
"How much is that in yen?"
"Enough to savor every bite."
The food was served— a simple soup— to the pension guests, seated in a circle around the Haenyeo, who had finally deemed it time to talk. They cracked jokes that Ayako couldn't understand, but their laughter made her laugh too. They referenced Bou-san more than once between them, shooting him saucy smiles, and Ayako retaliated by playfully staking her claim, linking arms with her partner.
The tour guide struggled to keep up with the Haenyeo's rapid and rambunctious back and forth, but when the topic of mermaids came up— one of the sisters asked about it— the women finally slowed down, their answers more thoughtful. None pretended to be a mermaid— that was nonsense— but they all believed in mermaids.
The children of the family unit listened in wonder as the tour guide translated the stories the Haenyeo told of mermaid sightings in the waters off Jeju. When some of the adults seemed skeptical, the women began to get noisy again, insisting it was all true.
"You can see for yourself!" Halmoeni persisted, "Go take a look at the bones and tell me mermaids aren't real."
The tour guide was left to hurriedly explain that just off the shores of Sweet Salt Pension, a set of bones were found. Their local village took them seriously, and currently they were on display in the pension's lobby.
It was time for the Haenyeo to pack up shortly after their story telling, their haul needed to brought back to be weighed and sold while at it's freshest. Warm thanks were given in the universal language of smiling, bowing, and waving— and then Ayako and Bou-san boarded the bus that would take them back to the pension.
The drive was a blur for Ayako, as with the warm sunshine on her skin, and a full stomach, she had to fight to keep from dozing off on Bou-san's shoulder.
"Do you think mermaids are real?" she murmured, thinking of the Haenyeo they just left behind, and their passionate convictions.
The monk leaned his head back against his seat, thoughtful. After a moment, he looked over at her and answered,
"I believe in ghosts."
Grasping his meaning, Ayako nodded slowly.
Who can really say?
Arriving at the pension, the process of unloading the bus snapped Ayako of her dreamy state. One of the boyfriends had accidentally pinched his finger closing their bus window, and she had to listen to the other boyfriend make a fuss over it. The seaweed soup the Haenyeo prepared didn't sit well with one of the sisters, and she loudly declared she was going to be sick. Chaos reigned as people attempted to get out of her way. The family unit's youngest, a boy of about four, had passed out as soon as his mother buckled him into his seat, and was awoken in all the racket, adding to it as he started to cry.
It was with great relief that Ayako and Bou-san entered their villa. They enjoyed thirty seconds of peace— and then the pension's phone rang.
"You said you would check in."
Naru's disapproving tone carried through the phone line and over the speaker, making Ayako grimace.
"Review the cameras Naru-chan, we just got back to our room," the monk argued.
"If you have time to meditate, you have time to call."
"Oh, speaking of that— Lin has a message for you," Mai's voice chimed in. Ayako could practically hear the scheming in it. She shot a warning look at the monk, but the man had a weak spot for the girl, and played right into her hands.
"Lin?"
"He had camera duty this morning. He say's to meditate with some clothes on next time."
"Oy! Ask Ayako, I was wearing clothes."
Giving him up as a lost cause, the miko shrugged,
"He wasn't naked."
"That's it. I'm going to meditate in my boxers tomorrow morning."
Both Ayako and Mai groaned.
"Ugh, you better not Monk. I have camera duty tomorrow morning."
"If you have nothing to report, I'm ending this call," Naru cut in, unimpressed.
"Wait— we do actually. We've identified the potential targets."
There was an exhale— the sound of a man who's patience was being tested— and a shuffling sound, papers being moved on a desk.
"Yes, I've read the guest reservations. Potentially, there are six couples that could be targeted."
"Six?" Ayako spoke, having counted four in her head.
Bou-san was also blinking in confusion.
"Yourselves— " Mai reminded. Ayako could just see her smirk.
"— And the couple that checks in this afternoon."
Bou-san cleared his throat,
"Right. We know. Us, and them too...but, primarily we're looking at the boyfriends and the newlyweds."
"Based off of what evidence?"
The monk glanced over at Ayako, his eyes clearly saying, a little help?
Ayako faced the speaker and spoke with unashamed conviction,
"They're too cute."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the monk bury his face in his hands.
"You've learned nothing between last night and this morning other than they're cute?"
Ayako glared down at the phone, her boss' implications clear.
"Hey, don't get it twisted. This phenomenon is destroying relationships, right? Then being cute makes them prime targets. We've established friendly relationships with every couple, and have been watching their every move. On top of that, we're trying to stay competitive with the other couples. The monk even said he'd buy us couples t-shirts. We're trying. I'm so exhausted from working my ass off for the last twenty-four hours, I'm ready to say screw this case and become a mermaid."
Ayako was panting by the end of this tirade. From across the bed, she received a thumbs up in solidarity from her partner.
There was the creak of Naru's office chair. Presumably he was leaning forward. In classic fashion, he ignored the miko's complaints, focusing instead on what she considered to be the most irrelevant part.
"Mermaid?"
Ayako scoffed. Tactfully, Bou-san stepped in.
"Uh, yeah. It's all we heard about all day. They're crazy about mermaids here."
"In what way?"
The monk's brows furrowed, uncertain where this was going.
"They...believe in them. They tell stories, there's lore. Some bones were even found, I guess...?"
"Bones? They found real bones?" Mai's voice came through again, curious.
"Matsuzaki-san, given that you are not a mermaid, can I still count on you to complete this case?"
Ayako scoffed again, but answered,
"You might want to turn off your cameras, I'm about to put on my bikini and join the other guests at the beach to see what else I can find out about their relationships and anything else that might have happened to them in the last hour. You, know— my job."
"Very well. As you can guess, CCTV picked up no strange disturbances overnight. Yasuhara is looking into the history of the property, we'll see if we can turn up anything there. I'll call tomorrow afternoon to get your report."
"Rodger that."
"Get a look at those mermaid bones for me!"
Bou-san assured Mai that they would, and ended the long distance call.
There was a pause, and then—
"You serious about the bikini?"
"Dead serious. See you on the beach in ten."
Nine minutes later, Ayako left the villa in nothing but a lacy white bikini and a sarong, making sure to give her hips an extra wiggle in front of the porch camera.
Unlike that morning, looking down the shoreline, Ayako could see it was full of life. Pension guests dotted the area.
Recon time.
Looking and feeling fabulous, the miko strutted across the sand to where her partner had laid out two towels. Sitting down beside him, she nudged the bag he brought with her foot.
"What's this?"
"All the things my baby needs for an afternoon on the beach, water, snacks, sunscreen, and your Korean language book."
Ayako raised her eyebrows in surprise— actually caught off guard by how thoughtful the gesture was— before quickly remembering they were in public, and that she had a role to play.
With an over the top coo, she reached out and affectionately pinched the monk's cheek.
"Aw, thanks babe. And speaking of sunscreen, I could really use some. Would you do my back?"
Bou-san paused in the middle of rubbing down his own arms in sunscreen. Ayako batted her eyelashes. With their audience, the request wasn't really a request.
The monk summoned a smile, then proceeded to pour an outrageous amount of sunscreen out of the bottle.
"Babe, that's a little much— "
But it was too late, Ayako wincing as the cold lotion touched her back.
"Hm? What was that honey?"
"Nothing."
With that amount of sunscreen, the monk was stuck rubbing the miko's back for a long time. When his ministrations started to feel good, something she wanted to lean into, like a massage— she decided it was time to draw the line. Looking for a distraction, Ayako took stock of her surroundings.
The family unit was camped nearest to them on their left. The daughter was splashing in the water right in her parents line of sight, while the son was busy digging a hole in the sand. The mother and father sat on a sheet they had spread out, leaning against each other. It was the most affectionate Ayako had seen them yet, and it made her smile.
To their right, the rest of the pension guests had spread out. Directly beside them was the old married couple, who had brought down a couple of chairs, and were sitting watching the waves roll in in companionable silence. Just past them, were the newlyweds, who were playing in the water, which translated more to standing in the water...making out. Pulling a face, Ayako's gaze shifted to the figures just stepping into the ocean. There she paused, and a small smile came to her lips. It was Wetsuit Guy. He was busy at first, helping show one of the boyfriends how to put a face mask on, but— as if feeling her eyes on him— he stopped, and glanced up at her. The two nodded towards each other, a friendly exchange. Then he was back to helping his student, so Ayako moved on.
Back on the beach, the Australians were playing some kind of ball game were they frequently tackled each other. Ayako made a mental note to ask John about it. The sisters sat a few feet from the Australians, muttering to one another, seeming as if they feared getting hit with the ball— but they never bothered to move. The remaining boyfriend of the pair, sat under an umbrella, shouting words of encouragement to his other half. This drew Ayako's attention back to the water...and Wetsuit Guy. He was demonstrating proper snorkeling technique, looking more Sports Illustrated model, than dive instructor. Boyfriend number one made to imitate his teacher, but it only resulted in flipper flailing and his mask filling with water. As if he knew she was watching, Hong Doo Shik shot Ayako a secret grin, with laughter in his eyes. The miko laughed behind her hand as he gently and patiently corrected his student.
"Here."
The sunscreen bottle bumped against Ayako's thigh, and she felt the monk moving to stand up.
"What? Wait a minute— you're not done."
"You can handle the rest yourself."
"Where are you going?"
"To do some actual work."
Craning her neck to watch the monk walking away from her, she waved the sunscreen bottle in protest,
"What about you then?"
There was no response. Frowning, Ayako faced the ocean again.
Idiot monk.
Work. It was something Ayako recalled she was here to do too, so she tore her stare away from the diving lessons going on in front of her, and decided to do what she did best, get nosy.
Catching the newlyweds on their way back up the beach, she pointedly asked them why they would choose to honeymoon at place known for it's bad vibes? The bride hit the groom's arm, complaining that she had heard about it, and even seen some of the social media videos on it— but her Oppa had insisted that they keep their reservation. Ayako's understanding wasn't one-hundred percent, but his answer was something to the effect that no curse in the world could end his love for his bride. Ayako could barely stomach the passionate looks exchanged and was relieved when they slipped away to their villa.
Ayako could feel the steady gaze of the old married woman upon her. Politely she acknowledged her, and to the miko's surprise, the woman got up from her chair and came to clasp Ayako's hands in hers.
"Cute," she murmured in gravelly English.
The woman pressed a hand to Ayako's chest, and then herself,
"Same as me."
Charmed, despite herself, the miko spent the better part of a half hour learning what she could about the woman. She had been married forty years. Her relationship with her husband was strong. She had children. The old woman often gestured over at Bou-san—who had seemed to pick boyfriend number two as his target— smiling fondly, and giving Ayako approving pats on the shoulder. She clearly felt they were a good match.
She rubbed at Ayako's empty ring finger purposely,
"Marry, you marry."
Ayako smiled weakly,
"Maybe someday."
It ended up being that there was only so much sun the old couple could take, and so the two waved hearty goodbyes, packed up their chairs, and left. A beach ball landed in the sand at Ayako's feet, and that was all she needed to strike up a conversation with the mother of the family unit.
"He looks just like his father," Ayako remarked, as the woman's son shuffled up and plopped down right beside her. He carried two shovels and buckets, and as if she was an old friend, he handed the miko one each, and gestured for her to help him.
The boy's mother smiled adoringly,
"Yes, so handsome."
"How did you and your husband meet?"
"In school a long time ago."
Ayako looked up from the sand she was packing into her bucket,
"High school sweethearts?"
"Yes, that's us. We got married as soon as we were of age. Nobody could stop us."
"You have a beautiful family together."
"We do. Haru-chan is four now, and Masami will be seven in the fall."
"This might be rude, but can I ask...how do you manage to keep the love alive? You're such busy parents."
The woman gave a laugh, thankfully not offended.
"Couples without children always ask this. It's simple really, we make time for each other. Riki is a romantic, he's always surprising me with something. Like this trip for example, this was his doing."
"Oh, good job," Ayako praised, speaking to little Haru who was proudly showing her and his mother his work, "That looks just like a castle tower. Now we just need some decorations, let me pick up some shells."
"Well, what do we have here...?"
There was the smell of sandalwood and Bou-san was suddenly crouched next to the miko.
"We're building a sand castle," Ayako answered, focusing on the shells lying in the sand around her.
"I see that. Cute."
That cute somehow sounding genuine, Ayako looked up and was rewarded with a warm grin from the monk. Taken aback, she ducked her head again, but not before the monk got a hold of her cheek and gave it a pinch.
The mother made a knowing sound,
"Something tells me you'll have no problem keeping the love alive."
The sand castle complete, Ayako could tell from the gentle nudges of her partner, that he was ready to head back. They gathered their things—Bou-san mostly— and said their goodbyes to the family unit, with promises to see each other at dinner.
"So, what did you find out?"
"I don't think anything is going to happen this time."
"What do you mean?"
"These couples. Their relationships. They're too strong."
"Whatever is going on here might be supernatural. You still think they can resist?"
"Is that not the feeling you got from boyfriend number two?"
"Unbreakable, devoted love...yes, actually. After talking with him, I think my heart grew two sizes."
"See..."
"Where does that leave us then?"
"Hm?"
"You never know, we could still be a target."
"Talked to any home wrecking ghosts lately?"
"I don't know about ghosts, but those Haenyeo seemed to really want me. How about you?"
They reached the villa porch and Ayako threw a look back at her partner,
"I told you. I can't be seduced."
The monk made suspicious noise.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"That noise you made."
Bou-san passed her, getting his key out.
"Oh. You mean the sound of my disbelief?"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"Whatever", Ayako muttered, shoving her way into the villa first, "I'm going to change."
"Perfect, I'm going to take a nap."
When Ayako stepped out of the bathroom a little while later, having put on an entirely new outfit for dinner (a hot pink strapless dress, ruched at the sides) she expected to see the monk passed out on their bed— but it was empty.
A weird itch...a sneaking suspicion began to grow in Ayako. Deliberately, she began moving towards the front of the villa.
"Babe?" she called, but there was no answer.
She walked past the empty love seat, now almost certain...
He wouldn't dare—
But he did dare.
In the corner of the porch hung the hammock, and inside it was none other than the monk.
"Hey, I called dibs on that hammock."
No response.
"Hey—"
The miko bumped the hammock and it swayed, but still her partner slept on. Ayako stood there, arms crossed, contemplating...and then she was pushing her way into the small space left next to the monk. It wasn't elegant, they ended up a tangle of limbs— Bou-san finally opening his eyes with a grunt after Ayako's elbow jammed into his ribs— but they figured it out, as he turned on his side, cradling her against him, one arm cushioning his head, the other loosely hanging over her waist.
Ayako rationalized it all as just a nap— ignoring her jumping pulse, and the sturdy warmth of the man behind her— something she deserved after working so hard, and closed her eyes.
Ayako woke with a start. Disoriented, she blinked at the world around her until her understanding caught up. She was moving gently, to and fro— I'm in a hammock— and there was someone holding her tight— with Bou-san— their nose buried in the nape of her neck. The miko sat up with a lurch, nearly upsetting the hammock.
"Wha— ?"
Ayako began swatting at the monk, who had startled awake, attempting to extract himself from her.
"Get, up, get up—"
"What's the hurry?" he protested, as Ayako finally managed to right herself, standing before him, pulling at her dress.
Ayako looked at her watch with an agitated expression,
"Dinner. We've practically slept through it."
"Shit— I'm starving."
The two of them raced to the pension's main house, bickering all the way—
"Who's idea was it to take a nap?"
"Hey, I didn't invite you to sleep with me."
Ayako opened her mouth to fire back, but then— was suddenly struck speechless. The two of them had reached the sliding glass doors that opened onto the pension's outdoor seating area. The tables clustered there were full— the family unit, the old married couple, the boyfriends, the newlyweds, the sisters, the Australians...and two more. The couple who had checked in that afternoon.
"Oh my god," Ayako breathed.
The monk gripped her shoulder and spun her around to face him— concerned.
"What's going on? What is it?"
Ayako met his gaze with wide eyes,
"It's my parents."
"Your— what...?"
"Oh. Hello! Hey, there's plenty of food left, you should get some."
One of the Australians had opened the sliding glass door, on his way through. The murmur of the patio washed over them, as they were forced to step out, letting the Australian pass. The mother of the family unit noticed them immediately, and called to them in Japanese, assuring them that they had saved them a seat and some food.
At the novelty of Japanese being spoken, the pension's newest guests turned their heads, and Ayako found herself, locking eyes with her parents. Their shock matched hers.
"Ayako?"
Ayako's mother was up in a heartbeat, moving towards her daughter in surprise.
"Mom?" Ayako spoke, being hugged, "Aren't you...you're supposed to be in Okinawa this weekend."
"That's what we planned on, but then the typhoons came in," Ayako's father explained, standing up and joining them.
"Jeju-Do was our plan B," her mother continued to explain, holding her daughter at an arms length, to admire her, "that dress, where did you get it? I want one."
"I think the better question is what are you doing on Jeju-Do?"
Ayako met her father's question with panic. She had not prepared a cover story.
"She's vacationing with me," Bou-san spoke, an arm coming around Ayako.
Both parents shifted their gaze, seeing the monk for the first time.
"It's nice to meet you, I'm Ayako's boyfriend."
The miko stood there, the word boyfriend echoing in her head.
Boyfriend.
Boyfriend.
Boyfriend.
In the middle of an out of body experience, or an existential crisis— she hadn't decided which yet— Ayako was brought back to the present by pinch at her side.
Bou-san.
"Ayako," her mother scolded, "you hadn't said a thing to us."
"We must look rude. It's nice to meet you...?"
"Takigawa, Houshou," Bou-san spoke, answering Ayako's father.
"I am Matsuzaki, Genji— and this is my wife, Matsuzaki, Chiaki."
The monk bowed politely towards them, "It is nice to meet you."
Ayako, watching the whole exchange as if in slow motion, found herself ushered along to her parent's table. As she sat down, the full reality of her situation really began to sink in.
This can't be happening.
My parents were never meant to meet him.
Not like this.
Ayako allowed her gaze to run over the monk objectively— as a man she would bring home.
He was handsome— blonde, with broad shoulders. His eyes caught the light from the setting sun, giving them a soft glow, and his smile was ever charming.
But his hair was long— pulled back in a low ponytail—something her father wouldn't approve of, and because he hadn't had time to change, he was still wearing his beach bum tank top—something her mother wouldn't approve of.
When Ayako's focus returned to the table, she found her boyfriend was gallantly filling her plate for her. Famished, Ayako began inhaling her food— only to choke in the next moment when her mother asked:
"So, Takigawa-san— what is it you do for a living?"
The miko gasped out an answer at the same time the monk spoke,
"He's a banker."
"I'm in a rock band."
Ayako's parents gave them confused looks. Desperate, Ayako stepped meaningfully on her partner's foot, and quickly clarified,
"The rock band is a hobby of his."
Taking Ayako's meaning, the monk sat back in his seat, and held his tongue. With Ayako in control of the conversation, the narrative went something like this:
They had met about three months ago at a bookstore, and this vacation was to celebrate their 100th day anniversary. Ayako was going to tell her parents about him when they got back from this trip.
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"He loves golfing."
"Do you travel much?"
"This trip was his idea, right babe? And just last month he drove us up to an onsen in Aomori."
"Oh, you own a car?"
"Yes, he does. A Lexus."
"Where do you live?"
"Close to work, in Ginza. His views are amazing."
"Excuse me."
There was the scratch of the monk pushing out his chair.
"Babe?"
"I'm tired. I'm going to head back."
The monk shared a polite goodbye with her parents, waved at the family unit, and left through the stairs that exited on to the beach.
Sitting where the monk had left her, Ayako's pulse pounded in her ears.
"I have to use the restroom, I'll be just a minute."
Ayako was down the beach stairs in a heartbeat.
She caught up with the monk on the dimly lit path that lead to their villa. Reaching out, she pulled him to a stop,
"Hey— " she started, slightly out of breath, "you can't just leave like that."
The monk faced her,
"Why not?"
"It's rude."
"To who?"
"My parents."
Bou-san let out a short, humorless laugh,
"I have no need to stay and try to impress your parents, you have that more than—"
"Does it always have to be your way?"
"Me?"
"I've already been gone too long, just come back to dinner."
"There's no point. This is not a marriage."
Ayako's hand slipped from the monk's shoulder. She turned her head away, a bitter smile twisting her lips. She began nodding, running a hand through her bangs that fluttered in the sea breeze,
"You know what— you're right. This isn't a marriage. I don't know what I was thinking. Go, I've got this handled."
And with that she turned away from him.
Idiot monk.
The walk back wasn't enough to calm Ayako's jangled nerves, nor cool her cheeks. When she returned to their table, her parents asked her if anything was wrong, but she denied it.
The miko spent another half hour with her mother and father, discussing their plans— they wanted to go hiking around the area, would they like to go?—and what they thought of the pension, their villa, the dinner. Ayako filled them in on the other guests, and pointed out the family unit, who were also Japanese. The patio was nearly empty— lit by fairy lights, as the sun had now fully sunk beneath the horizon— by the time they all stood up, saying their goodbyes. Ayako's mother left, urging her to join them on their hike the next day.
"Thanks mom, I'll talk to Houshou about it."
Stepping down the beach stairs again, Ayako hesitated. Heat still simmered in her veins. She wanted both to give the monk a piece of her mind— and never have to see him again.
Stalling, Ayako looked out towards the shoreline. She could hear the waves rolling in, but could hardly see them in the inky darkness beyond the patio. Instead of disquieting, it was almost comforting— that calm dark. Wishing to be alone with her thoughts, she headed towards it.
Nearing the water though, she found she wasn't alone.
"Why am I not surprised?" she spoke, as she sat down on the sand, tucking her legs under her.
Hong Doo Shik smiled,
"Are you not?"
"I'm always meeting you here."
"I suppose that's true."
"What are you doing? You don't...night dive, do you?"
There was that attractive laugh.
"No, that would be too dangerous. I've cave dived once though."
"That sounds horrifying."
"I think it was. I don't remember much, must of blocked it out. Anyways, enough about me— what are you doing out here? "
Ayako's smile faltered, something sour on her tongue.
"Just finished dinner," she answered simply.
"Hm," was his response, as if he could read Ayako's noncommittal tone. A silence stretched between them, the waves the only sound, and then—
"Let me take you out."
Ayako's heart skipped.
Is he asking—
"Diving. Tomorrow. It'll be fun. I can show you a thing or two."
Ayako chewed at her lip, nursing a slightly bruised ego.
"I don't know. I'm not a great swimmer. You might laugh at me."
Hong Doo Shik was smiling again, obviously recalling their previous exchange on the beach.
"I promise not to laugh. I teach all levels, remember?"
Pretending to think it over, Ayako slowly got to her feet, brushing sand off her legs.
"Maybe," she finally said.
"Well, maybe I'll see you right about here at around...four o'clock tomorrow?"
"Maybe you will."
Ayako began walking back up the beach, a faint smile on her face. Over her shoulder she called,
"Have a good night, Doo Shik-san."
"You, too...?"
The miko's smile grew. He had tried in vain to get her name earlier that day.
"Matsuzaki, Ayako."
"Good night, Ayako-san."
Ayako snorted at his cheeky familiarity, and waved goodbye.
The miko's good mood lasted until she reached the villa door. With a sigh, she slipped inside. The lights were turned down, and staring across the sitting room, she could see the shape of the monk in bed.
"I'm back," Ayako announced, leaning against the door frame, defensive— but there was no answer. In surprise, Ayako glanced at her watch, which read just after nine thirty.
Is he asleep already?
Quietly, Ayako padded across the hardwood floor, tugging out her messy bun in the process. When she reached the bedroom, she could see that the monk, was in fact— sleeping.
Lucky, she thought, having rehearsed on her walk there, all the ways she was going to tear him limb from limb for being such an ass.
Fuming at just the sight of him, she shut herself in the bathroom. Emerging an hour later, sans makeup, and wearing a night gown to replace her hot pink dinner dress, she slunk over to the bed. The miko hesitated, going so far as to size up the love seat in the sitting room...before finally, pulling back the covers. She laid as close to the edge of the bed as she could without falling off, her back purposefully aimed towards the monk.
I'll be damned if I wake up in his arms.
Ayako shut her eyes, but it was still another thirty minutes before sleep took her— her mind an endless loop of the moment she spotted her parents on the patio.
Why did I take this case?