11/09/2025
Artist: bllus3
Here is your long-awaited sweet. I hope you love it.
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍Chapter III 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
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Eventually, the bike got some rest in the parking lot. We still need to take another couple of steps to greet the Southern Beach. Along two sides of this street are the windows with the summer-themed design.
Rio: I have always swum at the pool, but I haven’t bathed in the sea once. I have only heard that sea bathing brings a rejuvenating sensation, along with health benefits. It is until now that I can see what it feels like…
Me: Rio, it seems like you are excited to put some theories to the test. Unfortunately, we are just here for the day, and we did not bring any clothes with us. Moreover, swimming in here is kinda complicated. It involves changing clothes and taking a shower afterwards. If you don’t mind, please allow me to make up for this on another occasion.
Rio: I see… You’re right, Sensei… we did not bring any spare clothes, and we still need to take the train home… It is a missed opportunity, but it can not be helped. Let’s save it for another sunny day.
Me: The Garment Corner over there has good summer clothes and swimsuits. They have quality fabric at a reasonable price. Isn’t it handy for us to buy some summer wear for the upcoming occasion?
From one problem to another… Silly me suggested buying some summer clothes when we would not be likely to wear them. Fortunately enough, there is one store for men and another for women, which significantly reduces my awkwardness about something like this. An interval is still better than nothing, as it avoids any further unpleasantness.
Sunglasses, boat shoes, bucket hat, chino shorts, some comfy lightweight summer pants, together with striped T-shirts, along with linen shirts as outerwear. For swimwear, it is relatively simple: black swim trunks. Shops in here sell the same goods as in the main city, but at a better price. Just a pair a googles, and all is finished.
Having grabbed everything before summer trips, the perplexity continues to linger around me. From a sidewalk, the sea is so picturesque! Especially when we have a once-in-a-million chance, an exclusive landscape reserved just for us. It is a shame that Rio won’t have a chance to fully appreciate it … Isn’t it unfair for her? Those ruby eyes spoke everything. Aren’t my words contradicting themselves? Alike to how one needs to consider every aspect related to the issue, one could not understand the true beauty of the ocean if one did not admire it from afar, while on the move, walking on a shore, and other beach activities. I may guide one to carry a research fluently, yet when it comes to common sense, something endearing, close to us… I fail… I ended up hurting you, Rio… I end up forbidding a good-faith researcher to access materials, prohibiting the pursuit of curiosity. We are in a tourist city. Undeniably, this place does not lack a place for us to deposit our luggage before going to the seaside, or a place for us to take a shower after bathing.
I thought I knew you well, and showed you the beauty of the ocean, but in fact, I don’t. I have become that kind of person whom I hate the most. Ones, with some books read without any afterthoughts, assume as if they know everything; and those who abuse the great meaningful words, swap the definitions, nature of something, to deceive for validation. I have been abusing the terms “responsibility” and “love”. By doing that, I set out rules for us based on something obsolete, often referred to as “the precedent of my relationship”. I am afraid that spoiling Rio too much might end up making me be in an unhealthy relationship. It is not. I have become petty and possessive, putting her inside a cage with excuses.
Rio, you have been giving me all of your respect and trust. Although you are anxious about going out, you still nod your head, follow me wherever I lead you, without any doubt in mind. You let all of my clumsiness go away. How could I mistreat the one I love? Disregarding such common sense, I was rigid and gatekept you from appreciating the beauty of this place.
Rio: Thanks for waiting. Have you been here for long?
Me: No, I just got here. Let me carry those for you.
Rio: They are nothing much…
Me: What are you saying? Let me do it for you.
Rio: Is it heavy?
Me: No, it is all clothes. It is nothing to me.
Rio: Thank you, Sensei. If you did not tell me to buy some clothes in here, I would spend another day wandering around the malls with a heavy price tag.
Me: My pleasure… Anyway, have you got any plans for this summer yet?
Rio: No, I haven’t. It is a holiday, only I will stay at my hideout for the entire summer. How about you? Do you have any work in the summer?
Me: No, I don’t have any. Teacher is one of the few jobs that gives you the privilege to have a summer holiday.
From the intersection corner, a sign with “Locker service” and “public bath” emerges.
Me: How handy! It is so hot, and there is a place to change and to take a shower nearby. Please wait for me for a few minutes, I will be back.
Who could understand what I am trying to say? Instead of ambiguously depicting, I should have told her more straightforwardly. Something at least be like: “Since we bought swimsuits, let’s change our clothes and bathe at the sea.”
Me: May I book a spot for two at the beach?
Clerk: Understood. Here is your card.
Playing with a metallic card in hand, I may appear stylish this summer, only my insecure and airhead nature remains. I thought spending hours learning menswear might get me to act like a gentleman, speak in an appropriate manner. For all that, “manners maketh men.” I wish there were a chance for me to redeem my silliness.
Rio: I am back, Sensei…
Rio appears in a white linen dress. The translucent layer amplifies every step, hazily revealing the silhouette of her legs. All I can do is stare at every step.
Rio: Sensei…
Me: I have booked a spot for us. Let’s go, the Southern Beach is waiting for us.
Having taken our sandals off, we continue our walk to the shore. My precious hours with Rio are gradually passing by, just like that grain of sand lingering on my feet. In due course, it will leave my feet to go with the waves. There is no such thing as a picturesque scenery, nor a melancholy landscape. It is all our moods that dictate the beauty of the surroundings. We will just walk along the shore, then call it a day, part ways…
Rio: Sensei, it seems like there is something on your mind…
Me: Not really, Rio…
Rio places her hand on my forehead.
Rio: Has the heat taken you away? Let me…
Me: It looks like I bother you all over again…
Rio: No, what are you saying?
I can not say it to her. It is too late for everything. I might get old, but I am still childlike. I still let emotions inside dictate me, and I am running away from her…
Rio: I happen to have a lot on my mind as well, but thanks to you that I have had so much fun today. If you don’t mind, please share a piece of your mind with me… I may not help, but I am still happy to share the burden with you.
Me: I was thinking about time… It flies quickly, and little did I realize, a day had passed.
Rio: Ummm…. Ummm….
Me: Time is so precious, especially when it comes to…
All of a sudden, an enormous wave knocked Rio out of balance. As I am holding her hand, we both fall.
Me: Rio… are you… Let me get the towel… Let’s get back and have a change before you catch a cold.
Rio is soaking wet. It is all my fault, not being honest with myself and others, constantly running from problems, which caused Rio to be like this…
Rio: Don’t worry, Sensei. I’m totally okay.
Me: That is a relief. Rio, I am sorry… I am sorry, Rio…
Rio: Sensei, it seems like you have worried too much. It is nothing to be bothered about…
Rio and the ocean embrace me. The soothing oceanic sound, together with a tender hair stroke from Rio. Do I deserve this?
Me: I… I apologize… I should have been more direct and told you to bathe in the ocean with me. I was also looking forward to it, yet I got silly and indecisive. If only I had told you sooner, you would not have gone through this much trouble.
Rio: So that is what has been bothering you all along. I am glad that you don’t keep such thoughts to yourself and share them too me. Rest assured, I changed into a swimsuit when we were at the locker services.
Me: That is a relief.
Forgetting about herself, Rio hasn’t stood up since the fall. The wave runs back, gradually revealing the delicate white dress. The linen fabric cuddling with the sylphlike waist, playfully teasing my eyes with trails of her silhouette. Following the transparent wrinkles, a black, the elusive black, takes the centre of my attention. My breathing has come to a stop.
Me: Thank you for understanding what goofy me trying to say. It would be a waste when we were here, and none of us swam. Let’s bathe in the sea.
Rio: Yes, I am looking forward to it.
Having changed into a swimsuit beforehand, now is the time to leave the remaining anxiety in the pocket of my clothes. I can not see her taking off the dress while doing the same. I have to turn my back… It would be a lie if I said “I am not excited to see Rio in a swimsuit.” I, no matter what, can not run away forever. I am going to see Rio in a swimsuit at any time now.
Rio: Sensei…
She casts a gaze at the ground, tucks her hair behind her ear.
Rio: Sensei… How… how do I look?
Me: You look so captivating, Rio.
Rio: Thank… thank you… I’ll go first.
Colored in the dimming dusk light, her swimming form is like an illusion, while the ocean is a massive blue screen. I wonder if you notice my burning gaze. Rio takes a dive, rendering that clueless man whom she calls “Sensei” standstill. She, after a while, rose out of the surface, challenging me.
Rio: It is so refreshing… Sensei! Catch me if you can…
Can’t say no to a challenge. In an exclusive playground reserved for only two people, there is no quota for our skill usage. Joining the playing field, I charge up my speed towards Rio. Those slender arms, used to traverse the water surface gracefully, have accelerated, turning her into a javelin dashing through the waves. She swims across the wave. Bright-minded move. However, I have a longer arm length… You can run, but you can not hide.
I got you in my… What? She utilizes her height to dodge my grip. I am slightly taller than her, and she uses the relatively shallow water to quickly descend to the ground. Using it as a leverage, she swiftly bounced off.
That was a tight turn. We return to the chase. It is time to use my arm length advantage again. It won’t work for you twice... That was what I thought… I failed miserably.
Her patterns state that she is taking advantage of the water level, and the agility momentum regaining from the seabed. Time for the counter tactics. First, I catch her up with the front crawl. When I am slightly out of reach, I switch to the freestyle approach, the combination of butterfly stroke and breaststroke. I will trade contemporary speed for stealth and rebound. It requires me to force her to swim against the wave, and dolphin kicks will overcome the stop from the waves. A split-second action… A wave is in my line of sight, it is time to grab her. As a repetitive habit, she hops down and turns to the wave. She receives a speed debuff from the wave toward her. That second has come. I use the dolphin kick, jump off the wave, and grab her bicep.
A soft-jelly-like sensation… I catch her.
Me: Now you can’t run away, Rio.
Another enormous wave strikes Rio in the back. Similar to last time, she is struck out of balance. A subtle, squishy sensation pressed against my chest. It is now that my tough flesh reflects a funky sensation. My skin could be intact, yet the molecule underneath is shattered. Fragments of my muscle are flying all over the place and ricocheting. My body is dissolving. What chemistry is happening?
Me: Tehehehe… That was a huge wave out there.
Little did I know… I have been holding Rio under my arm. My hands are gently placing on her sylphlike waist.
Me: I promised that I would catch you… and I would never let you go.
The eventide approach with gingerly dazzles. Her silky smooth hair is a frame of silk knitted by different glares of color from the streetlight. Inch by inch, Rio raises her face. Those glares may be luminous, notwithstanding, none of them could even come close to that pair of carmine rubies.
Rio: A promise made is a promise kept.
In the snug embrace, droplets of water no longer linger around my neck with a tickling cold feeling. A warm, restful sensation embraces me. Observing my endearing rubies in front of me, promises are just words, they rarely carry value. Those captivating eyes close the curtains, demanding something more than that…
Slowly drifting along the wave, Rio slightly raises her heels. Her lips come to visit my long-closed heart with a mellow melody. With a passionate greeting, that once anxious heartbeat has come into harmony with the comforting hearts of Rio. The chilly sting from the late afternoon ocean is left aside to let the chanting heat take the spotlight.
Me: It is getting cold. Let’s get back to the shore before we catch a cold.
Rio: Yes.
I may have dozed off, but who knows, thanks to that, I have a precious time being alone with Rio. There is an old saying, “Garsp all, lose all.” I may want more of it, but it is time for us to get back to the shore. The illness might catch us at any time now. Wrapping her in a towel, I led Rio back to the locker service complex.
The ocean has put on an indigo dancing dress with a bright rose-colored layer on top. The music plays, serving as an invitation for everyone from afar to come and participate in the festival. I can hear the sound of trumpets, saxophone, piano, trombone, clarinet, double bass, drums, guitar, and a little bit of maracas in that mellow rhythm. Energetic female vocals, deep male voices, then a sweet duet from a couple. It feels like it is a gracious music album containing the best beach-themed jazz cover soundtrack. From her back, I sense a delighted sensation surrounding her.
Me: Rio, would you mind if I asked what is so eye-candy over there?
Rio: There are so many tents and string lights over there.
Me: Oh… they are holding a local festival.
Rio: Festival?
Me: Yes, they usually hold it before the tourist season. People will gather, sing, dance, and all sorts of activities.
Rio: It looks interesting…
Me: Yes... It is just so happen that the owner of the restaurant invited us to come this afternoon. Would you go to the festival with me?
Rio: Yes… I would love to.
Me: Let’s get ourselves ready. I will be waiting at the bar nearby.
After a shower, I once again reinforced my confidence with a cold splash to the face. We have all the time we needed before the last train arrives at 22:00. A modern love story, which shares several similarities with Cinderella, Peter Pan, and other sorts of tales. Once, there was a queen named Rio, spending day after day in her castle. She read a lot of books, built a lot of drones, and sometimes, she surrounded herself with melancholy. On a particular sunny day, a goofy person whom she called Sensei came to visit her castle with an invitation. “I have a surprise,” he said, “come with me and I will show you the world out there”. With no doubts in mind, she took the offer and they ran to a land far away. She followed him, then they wandered around a coastal city. Having all the fun as they may, the clock struck at midnight (according to somewhere that has the time zone ahead of us 02 hours). They must come home. They managed to catch the train, yet then, Sensei still had a final mission: to es**rt her home in avoidance of the public's eyes. In a hurry, they ran through the night, took corners, and hid in alleys.
An exotic mix of fairy tales with a little bit of thriller sensation at the end is written just for us. Dreamy, but who knows if it is real or not? So embarrassing… Let’s have a peek at my schedule... a week off? Summer has honestly come to greet me with a lot of gifts. I may have an afternoon with Rio, and plenty of idle days. What else could one ask? After taking Rio home, I will certainly grab my things and start my first vacation tomorrow. A coupon is used, a week at a five-star resort is en route. Please, SCHALE, please… don’t send a helicopter to pick me up when I am taking a vacation.
After all of this, I would like to express my gratitude to the miracles from the Southern Beach God, Goddess, Deities, and other higher spirits, guardians for creating us such a great afternoon, and guiding me through the darkness. In spite of acting foolishly, everyone welcomes me with open arms, forgives all of my acts, clears all of the roadblocks, grants us an exclusive trip for two, and clarifies my nervousness. And Rio… I am delighted to receive your love, care, and forgiveness. I may mess up, but you have always let it get away.
My head is clear. I shall give my 1000% for Rio to smile. Stepping out of the seat, raising the cup to the sky, I toast.
Me: For my 1000%, the smiles, and for a super-duper successful tourist season, Kanpai.
Barlady: For a super-duper successful tourist season, Kanpai.
It was awkward, I don’t know where that move came from. For all that, the barlady covers her mouth and giggles. It is the laugh when someone just witnesses a sincerely goofy act from a silly drunk man.
Barlady: It looks like you are quite enthusiastic, aren’t you?
Me: Yes, I have thought it through, and the jazz cover is so good that even from far away, my arms and legs have to dance around.
Barlady: That is the youthful spirit. By the way, we are holding a festival. Why don’t you join us?
Me: That sounds lovely-dovely. It would be my honour.
Barlady: Come closer, let me tell you a secret.
Me: Um… Ummm….
Barlady: We are going to dance around the fire. It is a rare sight to see tourists attending our festival. Do you know that there are myths about the tourist couple who dance around the fire would receive many blessings.
Me: Relationship blessings…
Barlady: Yes. If you have a girlfriend, bring her along.
Me and Rio … our recent blooming relationship… is going to receive the divine beautitude?
Barlady: Be sure not to miss this chance.
Me: I won’t… I won’t miss the only shot that I have. But there is one thing…
Barlady: Hmm Hmmm
Me: I am not sure that I am good at romantic dancing…
Barlady: I see. There is no need to stress yourself. Watch these short videos first, follow, and then I will fix your pose. You will get used to it in no time.
As a teacher, I can not cease to appreciate how valuable and accessible this crash course is for me to learn and practice dancing. It is relatively easy for me to dance when I first imagine a 3x3 square grid. After just a few minutes, I have gotten the flexibility. It is about how I freely combine the following moves slowly: one or two steps forward, turn 90 degrees, turn around, pause, take another one or two steps backward. There is no need to overcomplicate things. All that I need is to remain calm, then follow the music, the crowd, and most importantly, my dance partner. It is all in the flow.
The shape of Rio emerges from a distance. She is looking around to find me.
Barlady: It is time for me to go. Good luck.
Me: Thank you so much. This is the best lemon soda I've ever had.
In a pair of comfortable yet elegant strappy flat sandals with a delicate structured design, together with each flow from a vanilla white linen A-line skirt, she walks without any rush. Rio, then, tucks her hair behind her ear, turning her head around while carrying a white bag on her other elbow. She exposed her enthrall neck with an adoring gaze. A wind passes by without notice, giving a canvas for her sleeveless shirt to adorn her defined sylphlike waist. They have a saying, “Fine feathers make fine birds,” while in this case, Rio’s fashion and her body silhouette complement each other. She is not a princess who appears in a fairy tale, she is the queen. A dreamlike, yet sophisticated charm is approaching me closer and closer.
Rio: Simple, yet debonair, Sensei.
Me:…
Rio: Sensei, please don’t just stand there and say nothing…
Me: You look breathtaking. I was captured by your appearance. I apologize. Please allow me to make up for you.
Gradually lifting Rio’s hand under multicolored street lights,
Me: Shall I have the honour to take the lead, Rio?
Me: Yes, I am delighted to.
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Written at an unexpected hot, yet dreamy night 🤍
