At one point, he paused and asked her to close her eyes while he and Karasu led her the rest of the way. Though nervous, she did as he asked. The sound of the waves hitting the shore grew louder as they neared the coast. Soon she could feel the misty spray on her skin.
“Be careful here; there are some stairs.”
Feeling her way with her feet and following their lead, she went down. At the bottom, was a sandy surface. They were at the beach, but why? He took her forward a few stumbling steps.
“Okay, open your eyes.”
A blanket lay on the sand, with a covered basket and a paper bag. A small electric lantern glowed from the middle of the blanket, making a cozy scene.
With a flourished bow, Kazuki indicated she should sit down. “Come, let us have dinner.”
Once they were comfortable, he bega
