"It makes me so happy that you invited me too. When you first mentioned buying a vacation home, I wasn't sure what to think."
Shinobu-san spoke to us as she drove the rental car. In the end, I guess I was caught up in the moment when I thought the property was nice and decided to buy it without much thought. After sleeping on it, I reconsidered and thought about canceling the purchase. However, when I tried to tell my sister, she casually informed me, "I've already bought it," leaving me no way out. Despite the various procedures and preparations, she managed to arrange everything in about a week, which is just like her.
"You're just here as the chauffeur."
"No, that's not true. It would be a bit dull with just the two of you."
"Haha, Kaya, you're so kind."
Indeed, part of the reason we asked Shinobu-san to join us was to have someone drive the car. We could have taken a taxi after getting off the bullet train, but renting a car and having her drive gave us more flexibility. Besides, my sister wanted the two of us to come alone, but I preferred to have someone else with us. I knew I'd be overwhelmed by the cost of the house, so I wanted someone who could share in the surprise.
"Oh, look to the right. You can see the ocean."
As she said that, I glanced out the window and saw the sea in the distance. Having just come out of the forest, the sense of openness was overwhelming. It was my first time actually seeing the ocean, and I couldn't help but get excited.
"Hey, hey, Sis, come over here. Look, it's the ocean!"
"Yes, I can see it."
The sunlight reflected off the water, making it look more silver than blue. As I gazed into the distance, I realized that what I was seeing was the horizon. It was a strange sight, where the line between the sky and the sea blurred. Just as I was marveling at the ocean for the first time, we reentered the forest, and the trees blocked my view. Noticing my visible disappointment, Shinobu-san reassured me with a smile, saying, "Don't worry, we'll be there soon." Looking back, I felt a bit embarrassed by how childishly I had acted.
Just as Shinobu-san had said, we arrived at our destination less than ten minutes later. My sister got out to open the gate, and we drove onto the property. As I stepped out of the car and took in the house that would now be our vacation home, I was stunned and stood there in disbelief.
"Wow, this is amazing. It really feels like a vacation home. I probably would never have had the chance to stay in a place like this if it weren't for you."
Shinobu-san was just as surprised by the size of the house as I was. My sister, on the other hand, showed no such reaction and walked ahead as if it were the most natural thing in the world, already reaching the entrance. "What are you doing? Aren't you coming in?" she called back to us.
Realizing there was no point in staying outside, I followed her inside and set down my luggage. Since it was still too early for dinner, we decided to check out the beach. The path from the house to the beach was steeper than I expected, and as we descended the stone steps, we could see the vast expanse of the ocean. The coastline was rugged, and the beach was much smaller than a typical sandy shore, completely isolated from the surrounding area. It was the perfect example of a private beach. The sound of the waves crashing and the scent of the sea breeze made it clear that we were at the ocean.
As we walked along the beach, the waves seemed even closer, and I felt a stronger connection to the sea. Although I don't live in a city, so I'm not used to crowds, this place felt entirely separate from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The rhythmic sound of the waves washing ashore was soothing, as if it were cleansing my soul.
"This is a great place, Sis."
"Yes, I'm glad we bought it."
"What a view. And the fact that there's no one else around makes it even better."
"Yes, it would have been perfect if you weren't here."
"Come on, that's harsh. Let me join in the fun too."
"You should be grateful I even brought you here."
"Actually, wasn't I the one who brought you here?"
Despite her words, Shinobu-san smiled. My sister was, well, a bit—or rather, quite harsh towards her. However, it didn't seem to create any real tension between them; they almost seemed to enjoy it. I couldn't help but feel a little envious of their easy camaraderie, something I didn't have with either of them.
"Kaya?"
"What is it, Sis?"
"Well… what should we do next? We can go swimming, or just relax for today."
"Yeah, let's take it easy today."
So, we walked down to the water's edge but didn't go into the ocean. Instead, we headed back to the house. We ordered dinner and spent the evening playing cards and chatting about trivial things.
The next morning, after a light breakfast, we headed straight for the beach. While I was the only one really excited, my sister humored me and joined in on all the activities. Since it had been a while since I last swam, I didn't venture too far out, but just being in the ocean was a lot of fun. We even played a bit of beach volleyball, though my sister was overwhelmingly strong, and even teaming up with Shinobu-san, we couldn't beat her.
That night, Shinobu-san brought out some fireworks she had secretly packed, and we all set them off together. At first, I was startled by the loud noise and smoke, but I quickly got used to it and was captivated by the vibrant colors. We ended with a round of sparklers, seeing who could keep theirs lit the longest. As I watched the sparkler flicker and pop, it suddenly went out, leaving me to look over and see that my sister and Shinobu-san's sparklers had both extinguished at the same time, resulting in a tie.
The next day, Shinobu-san had some business to attend to, so we left earlier than planned. Still, it was a fun and memorable 2-night, 3-day trip. As I watched the interactions between my sister and Shinobu-san, I felt a slight twinge of something, but I decided to brush it off as just my imagination.