Chirihama Nagisa Driveway Grilled seafood in hand, off to watch the sunset

The moment I reached Chirihama, the feel of the road beneath my tires changed. I kept my eyes ahead and adjusted my grip on the wheel. I wasn’t on a road beside the sea; I was driving along the beach itself, on sand that ran right down to the water. When I parked and stepped out, I felt oddly happy to find the same sand under my feet.

Before sunset, I picked out a plate of grilled seafood, drawn in by the smoky smell. Then I looked up at the sea and kept wanting to look back at it. I walked across the sand with the plate held in both hands, looking for somewhere to eat. The waves I’d been watching from inside the car were now washing in and out just a few steps away.

Just as I was about to take a bite, a wave reached all the way to my feet. A little “Whoa!” slipped out, and I hopped back. I was scrambling, but my hands were doing their best to keep the plate level. I’d come to see the sea, but the thing I watched most closely was the grilled seafood on my plate.

Once the wave pulled back, I got my feet under me on the sand and finally took a bite. The way I’d scrambled to dodge it just a moment ago seemed so funny now. I could picture my friend laughing: “At least you saved the food.” I wanted to say, “Of course I did. I made sure to keep it safe.”

This time I moved a little farther from the water and watched the sea. The sun sank lower, its light flickering over the waves as they rolled in. Every time I took a bite of grilled seafood, my eyes went straight back to the sea. I’d planned to head back to the car once I’d finished eating, but I wanted to stay until the sun slipped below the horizon.

I lingered there as the light in the sky slowly shifted. Even on the way back to the car, I could hear the waves behind me. I kept thinking about what to tell my friend first: the drive along the beach, or the little jump I made with a plate of grilled seafood in my hands. I had a feeling it’d be the second one, and laughed to myself.