Morin stood on the deck, his eyes fixed on the horizon where the sea met the sky. The waves rolled softly, their rhythm steady and calming, and the fading sun cast an amber glow across the water, making the scene both serene and hauntingly beautiful. He stood still, captivated, as the last light of day slowly gave way to dusk.
Rim approached quietly, his footsteps barely audible over the sound of the waves. He took a seat beside Morin, glancing up at him, studying the quiet focus on his friend's face. After a moment, Rim broke the silence.
"Why do you stand here and watch the sea?"
Morin looked down, a bit surprised, a gentle smirk forming on his lips. "What kind of question is that?"
"A direct one," Rim replied, his gaze unwavering.
Morin chuckled softly, then turned back toward the horizon. "Well... because it's breathtaking," he said, a faint warmth in his voice. "It's beautiful."
Rim looked from Morin to the sea, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he was trying to understand. "Beautiful... What makes it beautiful?"
Morin paused, thinking for a moment, and then said, "The way it looks. It just… it makes you calm down and think. It feels like all the answers you're looking for might just be hidden somewhere out there." He gestured with his hand to the vast stretch of water.
"Really…" Rim murmured, his voice soft as he let the thought linger.
They stood in silence, shoulder to shoulder, their gazes fixed on the sun as it dipped lower, casting hues of pink, orange, and purple across the sky. The world seemed to slow, the chaos of their journey fading away for a moment in the calm of the setting sun.
And as they watched, lost in the scene
END OF CHAPTER 74