A Dreamwalk Through Paradise · Part Two

Yuki Tsukumo listened quietly, her gaze growing distant as he spoke, as though she could truly see that hopeful story unfolding beneath the waves.

"That's wonderful. The way you describe it, I feel like the little fish has a beautiful future, too. It'll keep living happily somewhere I can't see."

She closed her eyes, seemingly tracing those imagined scenes, or perhaps sinking entirely into the story.

A long, long time passed. Only when the faint noise of another crowd drifted over from afar did she open her eyes again, her gaze peaceful and serene, carrying a gentle smile and a hint of reluctance to let go.

"I saw it~ After going through so many, many hardships, everyone really did come together again. They became companions once more and swam onward.

The sea ahead stretched endlessly, while the waves behind them rippled gently. Sunlight shone through the clear surface into the water, bathing every scale in warmth.

The calls of its companions rang in its ears, one after another, urging the little fish onward.

Because-someone was still waiting there, waiting to start a new journey with it, to begin the next adventure.

The road ahead is sure to be even more wonderful. Don't you think, Dio?"

For some reason, the indistinct noise of another group of visitors in the distance quietly faded, as though even the aquarium had stilled in that moment, waiting silently for Dio's answer.

In the tunnel, so quiet that only the flowing water could be heard, Dio could clearly make out Yuki Tsukumo's soft breathing and the almost inaudible rustle of her clothes as she made tiny movements.

"Yes. If I'm like that sea turtle, used to moving at my own pace...

Then you're like the brave, radiant little blue fish in this story, clothed in curiosity and courage, always swimming toward wider seas.

No disaster, natural or man-made, could stop you from pursuing a happy, ideal life."

Just then, an enormous fish of some unknown species swished its powerful tail fin and slowly swam over the glass above their heads.

Its vast shadow fell over them, instantly enveloping them both in gloom. The world seemed to fall silent in that instant, and even the sound of flowing water grew distant.

They stood in that fleeting shadow, looking at each other as rippling light flickered across their faces.

They were close now, close enough to see their own reflections in each other's pupils.

In the end, Yuki was the first to lose her composure.

She gave a light cough and raised her hand in a slight fluster, instinctively brushing aside a stray lock of hair by her ear.

The golden strands wound around her fingertips, then slipped free. She took the first step forward, breaking the charged stillness.

But she did not immediately go far. A few steps away, she turned sideways, leaving an elegant profile and words that sounded half like an explanation, half like a reminder to herself. With a faint tremor, they drifted softly through the deep-blue tunnel:

"It's j-just... a story. Don't read too much into it~"

Only after speaking did she truly turn away and head toward the curtain of light spilling through the skylight farther down the tunnel. Her steps were a little quicker than before, like a white bird fluttering away.

The penguin exhibit had the largest crowd, packed far more densely than normal.

A group of children in clothes of every color, their faces indistinct, leaned forward and crowded tightly against the enormous viewing window, forming a short "human wall" full of longing.

The adults stood in the back like silent guards, holding their phones high to film, the reflections from their screens gleaming like scattered stars in the dim exhibit hall.

Strangely, both the children and the adults were unusually quiet. There was none of the usual laughter or cries of wonder; instead, they maintained a uniform, utterly focused stare.

They were like toy soldiers controlled by commands, even the rise and fall of their breathing barely perceptible.

If not for the occasional, exceedingly slow shifts among the silhouettes of the crowd, one might have wondered whether this was a wax museum.

Unwilling to disturb this "tranquility," Yuki Tsukumo did not try to squeeze her way in.

She merely stood quietly at the outer edge of the "human wall," rising slightly onto her toes and stretching her slender neck, trying to find a sliver of a view through the gaps between the shoulders and heads ahead.

Dio glanced at the packed, shifting crowd, then at her intent profile, before turning and walking a few steps to the side.

"Miss Tsukumo, come over here."

Yuki looked toward his voice and found him standing in a corner slightly away from the main viewing area.

There were fewer people in front of the glass there, and the floor was a little higher, giving them a perfect view of the penguins' entire sequence of movements as they leaped from the rocks into the water.

Her eyes lit up. She hurried over and came to a natural stop beside Dio.

The penguins were plunging from the rocks into the water with one splash after another, their movements deft despite their endearing clumsiness.

One swam swiftly underwater, leaving a clear trail of white foam behind it. Suddenly, it made a nimble turn and charged straight toward the glass.

Yuki instinctively shrank back a little, her shoulder lightly bumping Dio's arm.

The penguin stopped precisely in front of the glass and tilted its round head, its shiny black eyes "staring" at them through the glass without blinking.

"Is it... looking at you?" Yuki asked in a lowered voice, though she remained lightly nestled against his arm without moving away.

"Why would it look at me?" Dio's gaze slowly shifted from the curious penguin to the softly gleaming crown of her head, so close beside him.

"Because you're like a sea turtle~" Her confidence more than made up for her lack of logic, a tiny hint of smugness tucked into her voice.

"Or maybe..." Dio lowered his head, his voice just as soft, with a teasing edge. "It's craving a certain sparkling little fish."

Yuki did not look up, still pretending to focus on the equally "focused" penguin beyond the glass. But a faint pink quietly bloomed at the base of her ears, like the petals of newly opened cherry blossoms.

When they left the penguin exhibit, the adults and children remained motionless where they stood.

Their backs were hunched, their bodies leaning slightly forward like puppets drawn by invisible strings, their eyes fixed unblinkingly on that tiny world.

And in the inward-facing shadows where no one could see, a fine, soft layer of black-and-white down resembling a penguin's was quietly growing over their cheeks and necks.

At half past twelve, they left the aquarium and sat down to rest in a nearby café with an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.

Outside, the fierce sunlight made everything dazzlingly bright.

Every so often, visitors hurried past, dragging along tired but excited children.

Yuki ordered an iced latte topped with a tiny heart of milk foam, while Dio asked for a plain iced Americano.

Their drinks arrived quickly, cool beads of condensation forming on the cups.

Yuki slipped a straw into her cup, lowered her head, and took a small sip.

The icy liquid slid down her throat, making her narrow her eyes slightly in satisfaction.

Then she openly nudged her cup toward Dio, the clink of ice crisp and pleasing.

"Let's swap drinks~" Yuki suggested, her eyes sparkling. "Try this one, too."

Dio glanced at her, his gaze passing over the straw she had just used, with the faint impression of her lips still on it. Without hesitating, he lowered his head and took a sip through that same straw.

The cool, silky liquid entered his mouth. The coffee's rich bitterness was gently enveloped and balanced by the milk's fragrant sweetness, with a faint hint of caramel lingering in the finish.

"Mm, it's good," he said honestly.