Archive of Our Own ^beta

I feel so miserable,
That’s it’s all the same to me:
Floating without a buoy on Naniwa’s waves,
Even if it costs my name and my life,
I must see you again!- Prince Motoyoshi, from the Hyakunin Isshu

He could feel his small body falling, but he couldn’t do anything. His eyesight and hearing were gradually fading, and numbness was creeping up his limbs. He couldn’t understand what was happening—his mind was going blank with confusion and panic.

He felt his weight fall on a pair of arms as someone caught him. Amidst his slowly dying senses, he could slightly see a child clinging onto his arm while crying. He could hear a few words before his senses completely shut down.

“No…!! No, Ike…!”

Suddenly, the blue sky he could barely see was overcome by darkness.

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Ike woke up with a sudden jerk. He sat back up straight on his seat. It was early afternoon, and the bus he’s sitting in was still speeding towards its destination. With a relieved sigh, he adjusted his glasses and studied the scenery outside.

He’d been having that dream for a few days now ever since he’d decided to return to Japan. In the dream, he was a child, but he couldn’t remember anything like that happening to him when he was young. Was he dreaming about a certain book he read or an anime he watched? Was it a plot of a novel that he was actually subconsciously writing? Or was it merely a random scenario created in his head to give him a hypnic jerk when he’s about to fall asleep in weird places?

An announcement informing everyone that they were about to reach Namegata shook Ike off his thoughts. Soon enough, the bus pulled into a terminal, where a few passengers including he got off.

As he walked out of the terminal, Ike looked around in awe. His family said they’d lived here before for a while, but he couldn’t remember it at all. It was a pity he didn’t have memories of this town, because it was breathtaking.

It was not as rural as he thought. There were highways snaking all over the city and modern buildings, albeit smaller than those in the city, were scattered about. Yet as he walked in the direction of the location his aunt gave him, the roads gradually became less paved and grassier.

“This is Namegata,” he murmured.

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“You need a break,” Fulgur, his editor, said one day.

Ike rubbed his face with his hands and looked up at him. He knew he needed one. He’d crunched two deadlines in a row and hadn’t slept properly for weeks. He didn’t know if it was because of his extreme schedule, but in the past few days after he was done with submissions, he started feeling uneasy and lethargic. It was as if his body was telling him that staying in his house the entire time was a very bad idea and that he needed to leave for somewhere.

“I should,” he admitted. “I also need to get some inspiration for a new novel or something.”

“Forget thinking about a new novel,” Fulgur insisted as he looked over Ike’s last manuscript. “You need to wholeheartedly rest. Why not travel abroad? Visit a place you’ve always wanted to go to.”

Ike did not answer but instead thought deeply. He wanted to travel, but he couldn’t think of any place that held his interest. However, one place kept coming to mind…

It was a lake.

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Ike could see part of a large lake from where he stood on a kind of a hilltop. It looked like the photo he saw in his old photo album. It was a picture of him and his aunt posing at a viewing platform overlooking a large, blue lake. He looked like he was about 8 years old and was smiling happily while tugging at his aunt’s hand.

He couldn’t even remember seeing the lake in person even though his aunt said he had visited with them in the past. He tried looking for other photos, but there was nothing else. He jogged his memory by looking through his album. Surprisingly, he could remember most of them except that trip to this lake. It seemed he had not retained anything about his experience here.

Yet somehow, seeing the lake now gave him an exhilarating feeling—like he was finding a long-lost home.

He thought it was weird. The moment he stepped out of the bus, it was as if the heavy feeling he had been experiencing for a couple of weeks miraculously disappeared. His steps were lighter, and he felt like he could breathe better. Taking in the crisp afternoon wind, he slowly made way towards his would-be lodging.

That was until he realized that he was a bit lost.

His lodging was supposed to be a bit nearer to the lake, and there should be a path leading to it, but he’d been walking for some time with no sign of reaching his destination. The sun was already slowly sinking into the horizon. He regretted not asking a couple of locals he met along the way, but there was no use scolding himself now. Right now, he just needed to find an open shop or house and ask for directions as soon as possible.

He decided to avoid the wooded areas and follow larger paths instead. If worse comes to worst, he’d just go back to the terminal and ask for assistance there.

Ike walked for a bit, keeping his eyes peeled for buildings or people. Despite feeling anxious, he felt a bit calmer looking at the trees and fields he passed by. The chirping of cicadas mixed with the rare roaring of vehicles created a cacophony that calmed him down. Just as the sun preparing to set, he found himself walking towards a small shrine. Even though it’s in the afternoon, there should be people in there, right? Excited, he rushed towards the shrine and peered into the area. He was relieved to find a young man leisurely sitting on one of the benches provided in the shrine area.

“Hello? Excuse me…” he called out. 

The man dropped the riceball he was eating in surprise. Slowly, he looked up at Ike, eyes wide.

Ike bowed. “Oh no, I’m sorry for surprising you. I’m just lost and I needed directions to my lodging…” He pressed his hands together in apology as he met the man’s shocked stare.

“P-please wait a moment.” The young man scrambled to his feet, picked up the half-eaten riceball and placed it on the shrine where other food products were placed. Ike wondered if the man was actually eating the shrine offerings.

Dusting himself as well as his hands, the man turned back to Ike and nodded. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

Ike took out a small paper with his information on it. “I’m supposed to give this to the person-in-charge when I reach my lodging, but I couldn’t find the address.” He pointed to the address written at the bottom of the paper. “If you could tell me which way to go, I’d appreciate it.”

The man ran his thumb over the paper, passing by Ike’s name written at the top. “Ike…” he read softly.

“Oh, that’s my name. I’m Ike Eveland.” Ike bowed. “May I know your name, too?”

The young man stared in his eyes, as if he’s trying to read beyond his pupils. “My name is S…s…sh…Shu…”

“Shu! I see. It’s nice to meet you, Shu!” Ike grinned, ignoring how the man did not smile at him and instead eyed him curiously.

The man named Shu handed the paper back to him. “I’ll take you to the house,” he simply said before starting to walk out of the shrine.

“Thank you!” Ike said as he hurriedly matched the other man’s pace. “You didn’t have to, but I appreciate it.”

Shu stayed quiet and walked slightly ahead of him, looking back every now and then to make sure he’s following.

Ike watched Shu’s back as they walked. The young man was wearing a dark-colored yukata and his long hair was tied up in a ponytail. He wondered if the people here still dressed like this or it’s just that Shu was a temple resident. The people he met along the way earlier certainly did not dress like this. Shu was also oddly quiet. He didn’t ask any questions nor made any small talk, which was what locals usually do when guiding tourists. Only the sounds of the soil and cement under their feet and the chirp of the cicadas occasionally broke the silence.

Eventually, they reached a small path leading to a small house. “It’s here,” Shu said, motioning towards the house. “You can show your paper to the caretaker. They usually live near the house if you cannot find them inside the lodging.”

Ike heaved a sigh of relief as he saw the cottage. “Thank you so much, Shu,” he said with a smile. “Please let me treat you to a meal or something for helping me.” He held out his hand.

Shu shook his head. “It’s alright.”  He stared at Ike’s hand for a moment, then slowly grasped it in his. “Take care, Ike. Good day.”

The young man turned around without further ado and walked away. Meanwhile, Ike watched him until his figure disappeared up the path. There was nothing remarkable about the man nor did he seem familiar to Ike.

So why did he feel a certain rush within him when Shu held his hand?

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The caretaker of the house, an old woman, was very pleased to see Ike. She was informed beforehand of his arrival, so the house was already pleasantly cool and clean when they entered it. A meal was already also prepared for him.

“Grandma,” Ike said as he sat down for dinner. “I heard from my aunt that I’ve been here before.”

The old woman smiled and handed Ike a bowl of soup. “Ah, yes. But you were still very young, Mr. Ike. Do you not remember?”

Ike shook his head. “I can’t remember anything from that trip. I was wondering if something happened back then, that’s why I don’t have memories…”

An empty bowl rolled to the floor, dropped from the old woman’s hands. As Ike handed her the bowl, the old woman shakily thanked him. “I…am not sure,” she said, trying to act nonchalant about his inquiry. “It was so long ago and my memory is not the best as it is.”

“I see…” Ike said. He did not pry anymore, though he noticed how fidgety the old woman became until she left for the night. She hardly spoke again except to let Ike know that she would not be staying in the house with him, but in another one nearby, and that Ike can call her whenever he wished if he wanted her to cook a meal.

After a bath, Ike laid down on his futon and stared at the ceiling. This house was apparently the same one they stayed in back then, but he couldn’t feel any familiarity from it. He couldn’t recognize any of the furnishings or part of the house. It was frustrating, having a part of his memory locked like this for some reason. But he decided to put off thinking and just try to rest as much as he could so he’d be able to explore the town the next day.

Eventually, he fell asleep while in the middle of worrying about the heat and the probability of insects biting him throughout the night.

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Ike felt a burning sensation in his chest. He gasped and grasped at his shirt, pulling at it in an effort to alleviate the feeling. He felt like he was drowning and struggling to breathe. He tried moving his limbs, but he couldn’t. He felt paralyzed and helpless. He was slowly sinking and the oxygen in his lungs were getting depleted…

“Breathe…” someone whispered in his ear. “Breathe, Ike.”

Ike was in pain, but he followed the voice and took a deep breath. Miraculously, he was able to breathe and he welcomed the air entering his lungs. He gulped and gasped as he forced himself to take in more air. Then, he felt a hand slowly patting his chest, comforting him.

“Slowly…” the thick, calming voice went. “You’re fine, Ike. You’re fine…”

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Ike’s eyes fluttered open. It was already morning. He placed a hand over his chest. The heavy sensation from last night had completely disappeared. Was it just a dream?

He sat up and blearily opened his windows. Even if it was a dream, it really felt like he was dying. If not for the voice that called out to him and comforted him, he would’ve really died from a nightmare. Still, there was no remnants of that heavy feeling when he woke up. In fact, he felt really refreshed as if he had the best sleep ever. Maybe the voice helped in that aspect, too?

Speaking of that voice… Ike tilted his head. The voice in his dream sounded familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint where he heard it before. It was like a mixture of a child and adult voice, syrupy and slippery, and it sounded very friendly to him. It should be scary, hearing a disembodied voice in one’s dream, but Ike felt very reassured.

Shrugging, Ike blamed the dream on him being anxious about sleeping in a new place. Hopefully it won’t happen again as he got used to the house. After doing some stretches, he decided to prepare a quick breakfast then walk around the town.

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The town where his lodging stood was a quiet one. According to his neighbors, barely any tourists come to the place and some locals left to work in Tokyo and other bigger cities. Most of the families living in the town kept to themselves, but were amiable to each other. The ones managing shops, though, were more welcoming and had a lot of stories for visitors.

Ike found himself chatting with the greengrocer. Apparently, his son Ryoma worked at the Tourist Office near the terminal when he wasn’t away for his work, so he knew a lot about the town’s tourism state.

“This is a beautiful town. People should visit it more, to be honest,” Ike sincerely said as he looked out of the shop. The summer sun made the foliage glow in bright green against the blue sky.

The greengrocer chuckled. “That’s what Ryoma’s been sayin’! But foreign tourists don’t come because we’re too remote. And the local tourists don’t come because they’re scared of the Yato no Kami.”

Ike looked back at the old man. “Yato no Kami?”

“You don’t know? This town is said to be ruled by the snake gods from ancient times. These gods are territorial and a bit vindictive, so most people are scared of incurring their wrath. Did you know? We have a shrine honoring the Yato no Kami. We do regular offerings there so they will continue to keep our fields flourishing.”

“I have seen the shrine,” Ike affirmed. “So it is a special shrine for the snake gods…” He thought for a bit then asked the old man. “By the way, do you know where I can find Shu?”

The greengrocer paused. “Shu?”

Ike nodded. “Yes, he helped me find my lodging yesterday. I saw him in the shrine, so I thought he must be working there or something. I just wanted to thank him for yesterday.”

The old man rubbed his chin. “Mr. Ike, I have lived in this town for decades and I know everyone and their parents and grandparents. But I have never heard of someone here named Shu.”

Ike froze as he stared at the man. In the silence, the chime by the door tinkled prettily.

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Ike trudged home, thinking about the conversation he had with the shopkeepers about Shu. He had asked quite a few people, and none of them knew Shu. Did Ike mishear his name? How was it possible that he knew his way around but he’s not a local? Sighing as another question added to the mounting number of curiosities filling his mind, Ike walked around the house to explore the wooded area behind it.

His lost memories. The people being dodgy about it. Shu. The Yato no Kami… There were so many things about this town that confused Ike. He shouldn’t be so concerned about them and just relax as he intended to do so. But he couldn’t help but feel reeled in by the oddities.

Well, maybe the mysteries will unravel later on, Ike though, optimistic. That aside, he was here to unwind from the stress of his work and also find inspiration for his new novel. So far, the view alone was enough to refresh him, and he was hopeful to explore other interesting corners of the town in the next few days. He smiled as he walked, remembering all the photos he took of the townspeople he spoke with and some of his own against the scenery. It's just one day but he had already experienced so much.

He realized he should’ve come here sooner. After all, looking at his childhood photo always made him feel that he wanted to visit. Now that he had come, he somewhat understood where his desire came from. He must’ve missed this place from his youth.

Ike stopped walking at the entrance of the woods behind the house he’s staying in. There was a small shrine standing in a small clearing surrounded by rocks. It must be true that the people in this town still believed in the Yato no Kami. If not, there wouldn’t be a shrine as well-preserved as this in the residential area.

As he approached the shrine, he found that a small seal with the character for “snake” was placed on the shrine. Curious, he leaned in to take a closer look. Somehow, he felt compelled to touch the seal…

A rustling sound behind him shook Ike out of his stupor. He swiftly turned around and saw Shu standing behind him, slightly panting as if he had just finished running.

“Shu…?”

Shu approached him and took his hand which was about to reach for the shrine. “You shouldn’t touch these things carelessly. They might be dangerous.”

Ike looked back at the shrine. It didn’t look dangerous at all, but he would rather believe the words of a local than take a risk because of his curiosity.

Speaking of a local…

“Shu, where have you been?” Ike asked as he let himself be pulled away by man. “I’ve been looking for you but you weren’t at the shrine.”

Shu let his hand go as they reached the entrance of his house. “I…don’t go to the shrine that often. Don’t look for me there anymore.”

Ike nodded. “But how am I going to see you again?” He didn’t mention the fact that the townspeople didn’t seem to know him. He didn’t know how Shu would react if he did.

“I’ll…go to you.”

“Eh?” Ike tilted his head in surprise.

Shu looked at his shoes for a bit, as if he was thinking, then looked up and met Ike’s eyes with a smile. “If you want to see me, I’ll go to you.”

Ike placed a hand on his hip as he laughed. What kind of logic was that? How will he know if Ike wanted to see him? Then again, this was an opportunity…

“Then,” Ike said as he smiled back. “Will you come and meet me tomorrow? I want to visit the woods and the lake, but I don’t want to do it alone in case I get lost. Will you be my guide?”

“Tomorrow…” Shu pondered for a while, then nodded. “I will.”

“Okay,” Ike confirmed. It’s a date, he told himself. “Then, do you want to come over for dinner?”

Shu looked at the sky then froze. “Oh, no. I just…I was just passing by.” He took a few steps back and bowed a little. “Then I’ll be going. See you tomorrow.”

Before Ike could even respond, Shu had disappeared down the path. Ike looked up to the sky. There was nothing there except for slowly gathering clouds and the purplish hue of the end of sunset.

“He is so weird…” Ike muttered with a chuckle. It certainly didn’t seem like Shu was just passing by. With the way he arrived and how he was panting, it was as if he raced down here to prevent Ike from touching the shrine.

Ike took another look at the shrine behind him. It still looked harmless to him, but he’d rather not disturb the spirits or something that might be residing in that small structure. Instead, he hurriedly got off the path and briskly walked towards the house, not noticing the pair of eyes watching his movements from behind the trees in the woods.

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His chest hurt. He opened his mouth, and water rushed into his mouth. He struggled to move his arms and legs in an attempt to swim to the surface, but he couldn’t reach the surface. He felt himself slowly sinking into the depths, his consciousness fading…

Until someone held his hand. Gradually, Ike felt himself getting lulled as if in a trance. A cold hand patted the hand he had tightly curled up against his chest, and fingers gently pried them open.

“It’s alright, Ike…” came the whisper against his ear. “You are safe.”

Ike gasped, a moan of pain and sadness escaping his mouth. He did not know why, but he felt such profound loneliness that he couldn’t help but cry.

Suddenly, he felt a strong limb-like thing prod at his waist, then very gently slide under his body. As he wept, he felt himself wrapped by coils of something, its cool surface sliding against his feverish skin to provide comfort.

“Don’t be scared,” the voice in his ear muttered. “I’m here.”

Gradually, the tears stopped and Ike felt at ease. He touched the fingers patting him as thanks, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Ike woke up with a sniff. As he opened his eyes, he was surprised to feel tears streaming down his cheeks. Groggily, he sat up and touched his face. Why was he crying in his sleep? He pressed a hand to his chest. He felt really light today, but somehow he could feel a sting of loneliness in his heart, like something was missing.

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Ike stared at the newcomer sitting in the garden of his house. He just finished tidying himself up and decided to open the windows to let the air in. But even though it’s barely 7 a.m., a lady was sitting by the fence in front of his house.

“Hello!” the blue-haired girl greeted. “Are you a tourist here?”

Ike thought she must be a local or someone the caretaker knew. Cautiously, he went up to the front of the house and bowed at the woman. “Hello. I am just temporarily living here.”

The woman nodded and smiled. “Welcome then! My name is Elira.” Instead of bowing, Elira offered her hand to the novelist.

“Hi…I’m Ike.” He gingerly shook Elira’s hand. She was also dressed in a kimono, but hers was bit more elaborate. Small dragons embroidered with golden thread decorated the lower part of her robe, and her obi was decorated with clouds and the sun. Her blue hair, which covered one of her eyes, cascaded in layers over her shoulder.

“The villagers were talking about a handsome boy visiting the town, so I had to take a look, too.” Elira said as she laughed. “I hope you’re having a good time in Namegata.”

Ike nodded. “I definitely am. Everyone is so kind and the scenery is magnificent. It’s a place that needs to be visited by a lot of people.”

Elira laughed again. “The land is blessed by the gods,” she cryptically said. “But the people are still wary of the curse.”

“Curse?” Ike asked. “And by god, did you mean the Yato no Kami?”

“Oh, you know about them?” Elira asked, eyeing him curiously. “Did you…”

“What are you doing here?”

Both Ike and Elira looked to the side to see Shu walking up to them. He was still dressed in his yukata, and he was carrying a small basket with him.

“Shu!” Elira exclaimed as she stood up from the fence. “We were just talking about you!”

Ike frowned. “We were?”

Elira slowly blinked her one visible eye. To Ike, it seemed like she was winking at him. “Yeah! We weren’t talking about anything weird at all!”

“Elira, you…” Shu sighed and went up to Ike. He held up a basket. “Good morning. Here are some fruits. You can eat them for snacks or dessert. I’ll put them in your kitchen first before we go.”

“Go?” Ike asked. Just then he remembered. He had asked Shu to come to him so they can explore the woods and lake together. “Oh, I forgot. Thank you, Shu.”

Shu gave him a small smile before eyeing Elira warily. Elira shrugged, and Shu turned around to deposit the basket of fruits in Ike’s house.

“You know each other?” Ike asked as soon as Shu disappeared.

Elira nodded. “Yeah! We are kind of…childhood friends?” she offered a little unconvincingly.

Ike was a bit suspicious with Elira’s amused tone, but he decided to let it slide. “I see. I’m just surprised. I was asking the villagers yesterday if they know Shu, but none of them know who he is.”

The woman gave a sheepish grin. “Um…I think it’s because he lives in…well, near the lake. Hardly anyone lives there, so not a lot of people are familiar with him.”

“I see…”

Elira playfully kicked her feet against the soil and stared at Ike, who was awkwardly standing while waiting for Shu. “So, Ike. Did you sleep well last night?”

Ike was surprised at the sudden question. Even Shu didn’t ask him if he slept well. “I think…I had a nightmare in the middle, but I think I was able to have a good sleep despite that.”

“I see!” Elira grinned. “That’s very good to know.”

“Okay…”

Shu promptly returned and asked Ike about his plans for the day. Suddenly motivated, Ike said he wanted to go to the lake today, then rushed inside to grab his phone and sling bag. When he returned, he found Elira chuckling while Shu was quietly speaking.

“Let’s go?” Ike asked. Shu immediately stopped talking and turned to him with a small smile. They gave Elira one last nod and the woman waved at them.

“Oh, Ike!” she suddenly called out. When Ike turned around, Elira clasped her hands together and slightly tilted her head to the sky. “May you enjoy a long life of happiness in your destined path.”

“Thank…you…” Ike said, unsure of her cryptic well-wishes. “I’ll see you around, Elira!” The woman only gave him a warm smile.

“That was quite a greeting,” Ike said with a laugh as he followed Shu down a cemented road. “Is it weird that it kind of felt calming when she said it? It’s my shoulders felt lighter.”

Shu smiled he slowed down his walking to match Ike’s pace. “She gave you a blessing.”

“Really?” Ike asked in surprise, his hazel eyes wide. When Shu affirmed it, he let out a sound of awe. “Wow. I hope her blessing comes true.”

They continued strolling down a road partially covered by trees and vegetation. Ike looked up every now and then to marvel at the sunbeams peeking through the leaves. Sometimes, he’d point at a small flower or bird or insect along the way, and Shu would casually talk about it.

“Shu, do you know about the Yato no Kami?” Ike asked as they took a short break on a stone bench conveniently placed at the side of the road. It had been around 20 minutes since they started walking. “The greengrocer mentioned it when I visited them yesterday.”

Shu was fiddling with a blade of grass as he nonchalantly answered. “They’re snake gods. A long time ago, people worshipped them as they protected the town from typhoons and blessed the fields with abundance.” He tossed the grass aside and dusted his hands before offering Ike a hand to help him up. “The people believed that anyone who harms the fields or bodies of water in this town will be punished by those gods.”

“Whoa. They must be powerful and scary.” Ike gingerly took Shu’s hand as he stood up from the bench.

Shu walked quietly for a while before answering. “Not anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

As they walked, Shu pointed towards a rundown shrine partly hidden by trees. “The power of the gods are largely dependent on their believers,” he explained. “If there are only a few believers, their power will become weaker. A god who has no believers will eventually fade away.”

Ike’s face grew solemn upon hearing those words. “That…sounds sad. No god would want to be forgotten.”

“There are…” Shu faltered before continuing. “There are some who do…for various reasons.”

Ike looked at him curiously. “What?”

But instead of answering, Shu gestured towards the front. “We’re here.”

As Ike turned his head, the mountain of questions swimming in his mind were all immediately swept away by the vast blue surface slowly coming into their view. He exclaimed in awe as they escaped the confines of the trees into an incline leading to the lake.

“Oh my god,” Ike gushed as he ran towards the lake. The blue surface seemed to shimmer in the summer sun, with very few ripples disturbing its mirror-like glory. “It’s beautiful,” Ike said as he stared in marvel, the back of his eyes burning. He had seen this very lake from afar when he first came to Namegata, but seeing it up close somehow made him emotional to the point of being teary-eyed.

He felt Shu come up to stand beside him, quietly and gently as if afraid to break his moment with the lake view. In his excitement, he turned to Shu and unconsciously grabbed his hand. “Thank you for guiding me here. I can’t believe the lake is this wonderful up close.”

“No…no problem.” Ike did not notice the shaky answer. He was still too busy admiring the majestic body of water. He noticed every detail—from the small number of boats traversing the surface, to the flock of birds dipping every now and then into the water as they flew about, to the way the rolling clouds were reflected so clearly on the lake—but he did not notice how Shu’s hand was still clasped in his.

When he finally realized it, quite some time had already passed. “Oh my god, I’m sorry,” Ike said as he quickly let go of Shu’s hand. “I didn’t realize…I was so immersed…”

Shu laughed and shook his head, as if to say he didn’t mind. It was the first time Ike heard him laugh, and he was pleasantly surprised. For someone with a slightly deep, flowy voice, Shu laughed like a young boy. It was kind of cute, and made Ike chuckle a bit despite his embarrassment.

Ike suddenly remembered something and rummaged his back to pull out a polaroid camera. “Shu, can you take a photo of me with the lake as a background?” Seemingly unsurprised, Shu dutifully took the camera in his hands. With an awkward pose and a peace sign, Ike smiled to the camera. After the shot, Shu gave the camera back and Ike waited for the photo to print out. After shaking it a bit and looking at the result, he grinned in satisfaction and showed Shu the photo, who nodded in affirmation.

Then, Ike grabbed Shu’s arm and dragged him towards himself, earning a sound of surprise from Shu. Ike laughed and pointed the camera towards themselves. “Let’s take a photo together.” He snapped a quick pic, then looked at the resulting photo.

In the photo, he was smiling widely to the camera, his glasses a bit lopsided without him noticing. Shu stood awkwardly beside him with a small smile on his face. It was a good, normal photo of two friends, but somehow, Ike felt a pang in his chest when he looked at it. It seemed so familiar, yet so strange. Swallowing his weird emotions, Ike showed the photo to Shu, who said the photo looked good.

“I know right? We looked good together,” Ike unconsciously replied before realizing what he said. “Oh, I mean that we posed nicely in the pic.”

Shu stifled a laugh and nodded, making Ike even more flustered.

They walked closer to the bank until Ike could see the minute waves lapping the edges of the land. He squatted down and tried to dip his fingers in the water, but he found himself being held back by Shu.

“Don’t…” Shu started, but somehow became at a loss for words.

Ike wondered why he was stopped. He was just going to play a bit with the water. “Why? Is the water dangerous?”

Shu swallowed and slowly released Ike’s elbow after helping the other man stand. “Um…there’s a superstition here that tourists might be swallowed by the lake if they are not careful.”

“Oh…” Ike looked back to the pristine-looking lake. It didn’t seem creepy at all. In fact, it was so peaceful and calm. It was as if it was welcoming people to enjoy its beauty and explore its mysteries. It was as if it’s calling him…

“Ike,” Shu called out.

Ike blinked. “Oh, well, maybe I should try again when there are a lot of people around, right?” he said, laughing off the eerie feeling he just had. “That way, the villagers can teach me how to be careful and you can tell me more about the lake.”

Shu gave an approving smile and held out his hand. “Let’s go back.”

“Wait,” Ike said as he remembered something. “Elira said you lived near the lake! Is your house around here somewhere?” He looked around, but all he could see is the lake, the trees, and the intertwined paths from everywhere. There were no conspicuous buildings around save for a hut that looked more like a shed a few meters from them.

Shu shook his head. “We can do that later. We should go back and have a meal.” He gently urged Ike with his outstretched hand.

Shyly, Ike took his hand. Somehow, they were holding hands again. He didn’t want to leave the lake yet, but Shu’s firm grip pulled him away and he had no choice but to leave.

“I’ll see you again,” Ike murmured at the lake. Somehow, it felt like it answered back, its waves resounding deep inside his head.

“You will…”

“Your hand,” Shu suddenly said, interrupting Ike’s thoughts. Shu was looking where their hands were joined. “It’s so warm.”

Ike frowned, then struggled a bit to release his hand but Shu had it tightly in his. “I didn’t mean to complain. It’s just an observation,” Shu said, a bit apologetic. “It’s not bad…your hand’s warmth, I mean.”

“Your hand is just cool,” Ike quietly said. And it was true. Shu’s hand just felt cooler against his skin for some reason. “I can’t believe you’re complaining about how clammy my hand is when I was enjoying holding your hand because it felt cool…”

Now, it was Shu’s turn to get flustered. “No, I wasn’t complaining. I was just…” He stopped when Ike started to laugh. “Don’t tease me…” Shu softly said with a sheepish smile before pulling onto Ike’s hand to urge him to walk again.

“I was just joking around,” Ike said mid-laugh. “I like holding your hand, Shu.” He laughed again and looked towards the trees, ignoring the way Shu’s face turned red. He had completely forgotten that eerie echo in his mind a while ago. 

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There was a singing voice in his head.

No, it wasn’t singing. It was more like music embedding itself into his being. It played over and over in his mind, a lullaby-sounding melody that seemed to call out to him…inviting him…

Ike could feel his feet dragging over gravel and sand as he walked. He could feel sweat all over his back soaking through his shirt. He could hear his heavy breathing underneath the music reverberating in his skull. He could taste tears running down in rivulets down his cheeks. Yet he couldn’t see anything, as if his eyes refused to open. He tried to stop himself and check what was going on, but his body continued walking. It was as if he was dreaming and had no control of his own.

His feet stopped, and Ike was able to open his eyes. Before him was profound darkness. He couldn’t perceive anything save for the moonless sky. A slight breeze blew through him, and around his feet, he could feel coldness. It seemed he was stepping in water.

It didn’t take long for him to realize where he was. He was ankle-deep into the lake.

The melody in his head stopped and was gradually conquered by dread creeping through his veins. He could feel himself shiver as the water lapped at his legs. Somewhere, at the back of his mind, he could feel a coldness he recognized as fear.

Fear of water? Had he ever been afraid of getting into water?

As he struggled to get a hold of his consciousness, he felt the water rising to his knees, then to his thighs. He wasn’t moving—he couldn’t if he wanted to. The water moved around him on its own, and he knew for some reason that it meant to drown him. He stood frozen in fear as the water continue to rise to his waist. His breathing hastened, and his teeth chattered. He felt burning in his throat as his vision blurred. He could only close his eyes. 

“Please…” Ike managed to murmur. “Please…s..save…”

It was then that something plunged into the water and somewhat broke it up. Then, a warmth enveloped Ike and he could feel his body weight fall onto something—or someone. He realized he had fallen into someone’s embrace. Arms tightly wrapped around his shoulders, holding him against someone’s chest, while his legs and waist were enclosed in a soft but tight grip of something that slithered protectively around him.

“I’m here,” a voice whispered in his ear.

The fear Ike had felt was washed away with the threatening water, and soon Ike found himself weeping against that someone’s chest. His tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt heavy and tired.

“I’m sorry, Ike,” the voice, oh-so-familiar yet unrecognizable, sorrowfully said. “I’m sorry…”

It was the last thing Ike heard before he fell into deep sleep.

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Ike was stirred awake by movement underneath him. He felt coils around him loosening and then slithering away from his body, carefully cradling him before laying him on a soft surface. He slowly opened his eyes, but he couldn’t see anything save for a sight of a tail skirting around a corner.

Curious, Ike tried to get up to follow it. However, his body was so heavy. His limbs felt like rocks were tied to them. His eyes felt swollen and head was pounding. But unlike what he felt before, he was sure that he was awake and had full control of all his body parts and senses.

The lake…

Ike shuddered as he remembered what happened. He thought it was a dream, but it felt too real. He could still feel remnants of the biting coldness of the water around his feet. It was as if he was really about to die. Fortunately, someone came to save him.

Speaking of saving…

Ike looked around and realized he wasn’t in his home. Despite his protesting muscles, he sat up and surveyed his surroundings. He was laying in a round bed that looked like a large cushion, with pillows and blankets strewn comfortably over it. The bed was inside what looked like a proper home except that it was actually more like a cavern. There were furniture like bookcases and a large table and a few chairs, but the entire room was like part of a large cave. Still, the ‘room’ had electricity and even had a few appliances.

But Ike had no idea where he was.

His only clue was that moving thing from earlier. Dragging his heavy body off the bed, he slowly walked towards where he saw a tail disappear into.

He slowly trudged along a long stone hallway, illuminated merely by small lamps that littered the walls. It was a winding walk, and Ike would’ve almost given up and went back had he not seen the teasing light at the end. He reached what looked like a cave opening. Hesitantly, he put a hand on the edge of the opening and peered out.

Outside, it was still dark. He could see a bit of the lake from where he stood and he immediately shivered as a reaction. But what surprised him the most wasn’t what he saw, but what he heard.

“How long as you going to keep this up?” came a voice that sounded so much like Elira’s. “And it’s always during the full moon, too. You know that you’re…”

“I know…” came another voice that Ike quickly recognized to be Shu. Unlike Elira’s lively voice, Shu sounded a bit tired.

Elira sighed. “You will die if you keep this up. Shu, your life force not infinite. You can’t keep giving your life force to him every time this happens.”

“But it’s my fault, Elira,” Shu softly replied. “I’m the reason why he’s like this…”

Shu will die? Ike’s fingers felt cold. Concerned, he crept out of the cave to sneak a glance at the two people. As he saw them a few meters away, his eyes widened.

Elira stood with her hands to her hips, as if she was lecturing Shu. But instead of her usual hat, two horns seemed to grow out of her long hair. Behind her, a huge tail waved side to side menacingly. Both of her eyes were exposed this time, and though Ike couldn’t see clearly because of the distance, her eyes didn’t look congruent with each other.

Shu, on the other hand, looked almost exactly the same as Ike knew him. His hair was loosened from his ponytail and instead fell all over his back. He wore the same yukata he always did, but instead of his feet graced with his usual black slippers, a long bluish snake-like tail appeared from under his clothes and curled around the ground beside him. It was not a tail, since it seemed he was standing with the help of that tail.

Ike stared at them in shock. Who were these people? Creatures? Were they the same people he knew or were they someone else? Was he still dreaming? He pinched himself and learned that he was, in fact, awake.

He watched as Elira scolded Shu again, his breath shaky as he couldn’t believe what he was witnessing. Were Elira and Shu bad…creatures? Had they been tricking him all along?

“What will you do when he wakes up?” Elira asked. “You’re too weak to turn into a human and you can’t see him in that form.”

Shu’s tail flicked and disturbed the sand, its bluish-purple scales shimmering in the moonlight. “I don’t think he’ll wake up in a few hours. I’ll bring him to his house and let grandma take care of him. He’s scheduled to leave in a half a week, so I just have to erase his memories before he leaves.”

Elira shook her head as if resigned with whatever Shu had in mind. “He will forget this. Again.” When Shu nodded, she continued. “And then the same thing will happen after three years. Shu…you…can’t you just ask for his help? It’s for his own good anyway.”

Shu did not speak, but slithered towards a rock where he rested his torso before rubbing his face with his hands. As he did, Ike noticed that even his arms were slightly covered with the shiny scales. “I can’t do that to him, Elira. If I do…he’ll have to see me like this. I can’t let Ike be scared of me or hate me…”

Ike froze, realizing that all this time they had been talking about him. What was it that Shu refused to tell him? And it’s for his own good? His mind whirled, going back to those memories of his childhood that he had forgotten and those dreams he’d been having. Were those connected? His head hurt and his heart ached, as if there was something his heart wanted him to know but his head wouldn’t open up. As his confusion turned into physical pain, he staggered back into the cave, then walked back to the room where he first found himself in. He clung to the walls and almost crept back—to the point that he had almost exhausted his energy before he could climb back to the bed.

Things flashed in his mind like a montage, most of them he couldn’t even understand. What on earth happened to him? What was happening to him?

He didn’t know if he fell back to sleep or if he was just trapped in a vortex made by his own thoughts, but soon, he felt the soft bed dip a bit as someone slid their way onto it. Still with his eyes furrowed closed, Ike felt a cool, comforting hand touch his forehead to check for a fever. He almost leaned into the welcome touch, which the owner of the hand must’ve felt for he reached out with another hand to cup Ike’s cheek.

“Your fever is so high,” a voice murmured. Ike knew it was Shu. He tossed and turned and tried to open his eyes to look at Shu—just to confirm that what he saw outside was real—but Shu shushed him and placed a hand over his eyes. “Not now, Ike. You need to rest.” His other hand then patted his chest gently, as if lulling him to sleep. “I’m sorry…” Shu murmured. “It won’t be long…”

Ike’s eyelids fluttered as he felt a pair of lips touch his forehead. But before he could even react in his mind, he immediately lost his consciousness, as if a spell had overtaken him.

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Ike tapped his fingers on his low table, while his other hand cupped his chin. He stared out of the window, but only the chime tinkling in the wind and the occasional bird flitting about can be seen from where he sat.

It had been two days and Shu had not come back to see him.

When he woke up that time, he thought he must’ve dreamed of everything. That was why he wanted to meet Shu and find out. But the man hadn’t appeared in front of him the entire day yesterday and even today. Ike couldn’t get information, much less a confirmation that he hadn’t imagined the whole thing.

He recalled the conversation between Elira and Shu. Shu said he was suffering because of him, but he didn’t say the reason. He also said he planned to erase Ike’s memories before he left for home, which was in three days. Was Shu planning to just ignore him the entire time then come to erase his memories when he’s asleep or something?

Ignoring the fact that Shu, and Elira for that matter, seemed to be some otherworldly creature Ike must’ve summoned from somewhere when he arrived, why was he so adamant on not revealing anything to Ike to the point he’s willing to erase his memories? It wasn’t as if Ike was staying here permanently. He was just a visitor. It wasn’t like his existence to this place had that much of an impact, right?

Ike slammed his hand on the table, his patience gone. If Shu didn’t want to come to him, then Ike would be the one to go around and ask about him and other questions he had in mind. Standing up, Ike prepared to leave and visit the other villagers.

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He had visited the shrine despite Shu telling him not to, but Shu wasn’t there. As the other people in the village didn’t know of Shu, Ike had no way of asking them about him. Instead, he asked them about the Yato no Kami and if there were other creatures that lived in the region, and he only got quite a few answers.

Talking with the villagers, he learned that the Yato no Kami lived on an island in the middle of the lake that was not visible to humans. They were a bit of a recluse and hated it whenever humans see their true form. It is said that those who see their true form will be cursed for all eternity. What the curse entailed was unclear, but one of the old men told Ike that he had heard the curse was eventual drowning in the lake. That was why no one went to the lake when it was dark—even if they weren’t cursed, they didn’t want to accidentally offend the gods of the lake that could lead to their drowning.

Ike shivered as he listened to the story. Somehow, he had a clue on what Shu was hiding from him.

Even though most of the talk were anecdotal or hearsay, Ike thought he managed to gain a lot of information from the villagers. Still, there was still no clue about Shu or about Ike’s issues—his lost memory and the probable curse inflicted upon him. All he had were more questions. Did Shu erase his memory from when he was a kid, that’s why he couldn’t remember anything? Was Shu the Yato no Kami? And if so, was he the one who cursed him?

As he walked around aimlessly, he ended up in front of the greengrocers again. He entered the shop to greet the old man again, but was met with an unfamiliar face. The man, much younger than the greengrocer’s, was dressed like an office worker but was stacking boxes in the corner of the room.

“Excuse me…”

The man turned around and nodded, “Oh, it’s you, Ike!” he said in a friendly manner as he brushed up his dark hair.

Ike was surprised. “Do we know each other?”

The man seemed taken aback and wasn’t able to speak. Just in time, the greengrocer grandpa emerged from the back of the store. “Oh, Ike, it’s you! Come meet my grandson, Ryoma! He just came back from the city.”

“Grandpa, we know each other,” Ryoma insisted.

“May I ask how?” Ike asked. “I just arrived here a few days ago.”

The greengrocer nodded. “That’s right, he’s new here.”

Ryoma looked at him incredulously and shook his head. “No? Weren’t you here visiting a few years ago? I remember I met you for two days right before I left for my work in Tokyo. You were with another guy with his hair tied up like this.” Ryoma gestured a ponytail over his head.

“Shu?” Ike asked.

“Yes, I think that’s his name,” Ryoma said with a nod. “We even took photos…Grandpa! Where was our polaroid with Ike a few years ago? We put it up on one of the fridges, right?”

The old man smacked Ryoma’s arm. “What on earth are you saying? We couldn’t have had photos with him because he’s new here!”

Ryoma looked at his grandpa, then to Ike, then back to his grandpa. “What? What happened to you while I was gone?”

His grandpa smacked him again with a towel. “Stop joking, you mean kid! And stop scaring Ike. Look, he has gone so pale!”

Ike laughed a bit and shook his hand. “Oh no, I was just surprised as well.” With a serious face, he turned to Ryoma. “Ryoma-san…would you mind accompanying me home? It’s getting a bit dark and I’m afraid I’ll lose my way…” He looked at the other man earnestly in the hopes of him realizing Ike’s real intention.

Ryoma studied his face before agreeing. He turned to wave at his grandpa, who still insisted that he shouldn’t play pranks on people, then left with Ike.

“I swear to you, Ike, I’m not crazy,” Ryoma said in a low voice as they left the shop. “Grandpa never mentioned you are here when I came home. I wouldn’t have known your name if we hadn’t met in the past.”

Ike nodded. “It sounds a bit fantastic, but I don’t know…I kind of believe you.” He fiddled with his fingers before asking. “Ryoma-san, have you lived here for a long time?”

“Just call me Ryoma. I told you we’re friendly with each other.” Ryoma matched his walking pace and replied. “I’ve lived here since I was a kid, but because of my studies and work, I only manage to go back for a few weeks of vacation before leaving for Tokyo again. When I’m here, I help with the tourist office and my grandpa’s shop.”

Ike nodded. “So you’ve met me before, is what you were saying.” The sound of his heartbeat seemed so loud, it drowned out their steps and all the other noise around them.

“I think it was…three years ago? I was home for a quick break and was about to leave in a few days. You went to the tourist office to ask for a map. I introduced myself and told you some stuff about the town while touring you around. And then the next day we met again in my grandpa’s shop. You were with…that dude, what’s his name? You were carrying a polaroid camera and asked us to take a photo with you. The dude took our photo and you gave one copy to us.”

“And now that photo is lost…” Ike said, thinking loudly. “Is there any chance I could’ve thrown the photos away? I don’t seem to have them in my possession.”

Ryoma slowed his steps a bit as he tried to recall. “Hmm…I can’t be sure. But I remember you told your friend that you were glad you were able to take wonderful photos because you want to preserve memories of your trip in an album when you go back home. So I don’t think you threw them away?”

Ike hummed, deep in thought. He could see they were approaching his house, though, so he had to think of other questions before Ryoma left him for the day. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how to explain but I don’t remember anything that happened if I really went here three years ago…”

Ryoma shrugged. “I also apologize because I cannot offer other explanations. I just say what I remembered.”

“I’m thankful.” Ike stopped as they neared his lodging. “Um, one last question. Did I ever say anything remarkable or weird when you met me last time?”

“Nothing really. You were just excited about your trip. That day, I think you were about to go to the lake so you and your friend were buying food and stuff to bring there… oh yeah!” Ryoma smacked his own hand with a fist, “…you were complaining of a headache because of a nightmare you had.”

“A nightmare…” Ike repeated. “Thank you. I’ll try to find out more about my last trip.”

Ryoma nodded. “You can ask me anytime. I’ll be here for another week. But I can only tell you what I remembered from back then. There isn’t a lot, but since you were one of the very few tourists who came here while I was home, you sort of made an impression. It’s just weird that even Grandpa doesn’t remember you, you know?”

Ike laughed. He kind of had a clue as to why that was so.

“Also, this house was also your lodging back then,” Ryoma said, gesturing towards the house. “Maybe you left some stuff in there from your last trip?”

Ike’s eyes widened.

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Ike sat in the middle of his lodging. He had spent the last hour going through the cabinets, shelves, and drawers in search for any clues that could explain things…anything. But he was still empty-handed. Did he really destroy everything…or did Shu? What happened during that last trip? Did Shu erase his memories as well as the villagers’…that’s why no one could remember anything? Why was Ryoma able to remember him, though?

Everything was becoming frustrating. Ike sighed and stood up. As he did so, he lost his balance and accidentally knocked down a painting from the wall. He exclaimed as he rubbed the top of his head that met with the corner of the frame. He bent down to pick up the painting and hang it again, but he stopped when he saw a piece of paper peeking out from the back of the painting.

Resting the painting upside down on the table, Ike deftly pulled out the paper that was sticking out of the frame. His eyes widened as he saw what it was. In a frenzy, he pried the back of the painting open, staring at what he uncovered. Quickly, he stood up and took the rest of the paintings hanging from the same wall and pried them all apart.

Within a few minutes, the floor was littered with a lot of polaroids. All of which had Ike in them.

There were about 40 or so photos stuck to the back of the paintings. Ike studied each and every one of them, his mouth opening in shock at what he was seeing. Not only were the photos actual pictures of him visiting Namegata, they were also pictures of him from different ages.

He didn’t travel here just two or three times. It seemed he’d been visiting every few years. And neither he nor the villagers had any memory of those visits.

Ike cradled his face in his hands, his heart racing. He had grouped the polaroids into what he thought were the same years. All in all, he visited this exact same place four times excluding the present visit. He had been coming here since he was 18 years old. In all of those visits, he looked so happy as what he could see from the photos, but he couldn’t remember any of them.

His fingers lingered over a specific photo from a small pile. It showed him, Ryoma, and Ryoma’s grandpa smiling at the camera and making peace signs. Ryoma was telling the truth—they had taken a photo together. But no one else remembered but he.

“What the hell is happening?” Ike mumbled as he fell backwards to the floor, face still in his hands. The polaroids scattered about him like a halo, but he couldn’t care less. His felt like he was going insane.

He knew that Shu or someone else must’ve erased his memories, based on what he heard before. But what about the entire village? Just what did Ike do that warranted his memories being torn away from him? What was Shu’s purpose?

He knew it was Shu who would get him to the bottom of everything. After all, in at least one of the polaroids in each of his visit, Shu was photographed. He was there with Ike every single time.

Ike felt angry at being deceived, as well as confused at what was happening. But most of all, he felt sad. He had all these memories that seemed so precious but they were all gone… He knew Shu from before and didn’t even know… what must’ve Shu felt, seeing him visit this place for the fifth time and knowing he wouldn’t recognize him? It probably wasn’t a big deal to him as he was the one who seemed to have orchestrated everything. Yet it didn’t stop Ike from feeling an ache in his heart. They had known each other for a long time, yet only Shu knew…

Ike opened his eyes and glanced at the clock. It was 8 p.m. He slowly sat up and took out his phone to send his editor a quick message.

Ike:     Hey, man. I wanna ask you something.

Fulgur:  I just woke up, Ikey. But what is it?

Ike:     Do you know that I’ve been making a trip out of the country every few years?

Fulgur: Of course. I was the one who kept suggesting you do. You go on a trip every time you finish a book.

Ike:     I was just wondering, what was I like after my trip? Did I tell you about my travels?

Fulgur: Nope. I asked a couple of times and you just said it was okay and you’d like to get back to work soon. Then you worked like a horse for about 3 days, then crashed in a burnout. Then you’d be back up again like normal. You never mention your trips. I don’t even know where you go.

Ike:     I see. Thanks.

Fulgur: What’s going on?

Ike:     Nothing. But I might need to extend my stay for a bit. Do you mind?

Fulgur: Not at all. Take all the time you need. Just contact me and your family every now and then so we’ll know you’re safe.

Ike took a deep breath. His editor remembered his trips. They just didn’t talk much about it and knowing Fulgur, he didn’t want to pry when Ike didn’t share upfront about his travels. That means only the villagers here were affected by memory loss. And Ryoma probably remembered him because he left a few days after Ike arrived. Shu was not able to erase his memories.

Everything started with this town. Ike realized he should end his confusion while he’s still in town, too. And the only person who could help him was right here, yet not within his reach.

He checked the clock again. He decided that he should force Shu to come to him if he didn’t want to reveal himself. Shu wasn’t always with him when he went around town, but he usually appeared whenever Ike needed a guide or was about to do something dangerous. Also, it counted that Shu saved him from his nightmares, like the one with the lake.

The lake.

Ike looked out of the window. The lake looked dark and scary from afar. It looked dangerous enough to threaten Ike’s life…

From what he gathered, Shu was not after Ike’s life. In fact, it seemed like he was trying his best to preserve it. So if Ike got into danger, he would definitely appear, right?

Ike sighed then steeled his nerves. This might be the stupidest thing he’d ever do in his life. But he also knew he would never allow himself to be deprived of answers again. And he’d do what it takes to get them from Shu’s mouth, even if he had to bet with his own life.

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The summer night was humid and hot even by the lake, but Ike was slightly shivering. He could still remember his dream from a few days ago. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t want to take a single step towards the lake, yet here he was.

Swallowing to subside his fear, Ike stepped into the lake. He felt his feet sink into the water that covered up to his ankles. Releasing a breath, Ike stepped a little further in. He anticipated the same creepy feeling he had in the dream—the sensation of the water slowly rising as if to engulf him, and the terrorizing coldness that seemed to grab his senses.

Yet none of those sensations came. The lake was calm and unassuming, serenely reflecting the moon half-hidden in the clouds. Ike was relieved but also puzzled. From his previous experience, all his dreams were that of drowning, and after the last one, the lake felt ominous to him despite its beauty. But now, it’s just like a normal lake.

Maybe, he mused, the lake was just hostile towards him when he’s in a dream?

Ike bent down and touched the water with his hand. The cold liquid passed through his fingers and fell back to its source as little drops. There was no eerie feeling at all. Feeling brave, Ike stepped further and further into the water, letting it reach up to his chest. If he could dip his head a bit into the water, maybe he can confirm properly that the lake was only a threat to him when he’s asleep.

But before he could take another step, there was a big splash near him that almost caught him out of balance. As he flailed, he felt a strong tail wrap around his waist protectively, then drag him to the surface. Ike unconsciously struggled in surprise, but he stopped when arms surrounded his shoulders and pressed his head against someone’s chest.

“Ike, it’s okay. I’m here…”

Shu had come.

Ike closed his eyes and let himself be carried back to the surface. Shu released his body from his tail and rested him on the bank of the lake. Ike felt the other man checking his body for injuries before embracing him.

“You’re…you’re supposed to be safe until tomorrow. What’s going on…” Shu was muttering. “Was it unsealed? I thought…”

Ike slowly grabbed the hand that was brushing his hair from his face, then opened his eyes. “Shu…”

Shu released his hand from Ike’s grip and quickly covered his eyes. “You’re dreaming, Ike. It’s okay. It’ll be over soon. I promise. You just need to sleep…”

Ike shook his head. “No, I’m not dreaming.”

He felt Shu freeze. This time, Ike was able to remove the hand covering his eyes and opened them freely. Against the moonlight, Shu was staring at him in disbelief. His handsome face was still the same, with a few azure scales at the side of his face and his usual purple irises turned to gold.

“Ike…” Shu moved away, as if preparing to run from him. But Ike was still holding his hand and refused to let him go. “No, don’t look at me,” Shu said in desperation. “You’ll be scared…”

But Ike pulled Shu towards him, then cupped the man’s face in both of his hands. “I’m not scared, okay? I’ve seen you before…when you brought me to a cave.” Shu’s eyes widened, his pupils thinning into slits. “I don’t know what you are, but I want to trust you. You’re the only one who can help me, it seems.”

A look of resignation crossed Shu’s face. “You knew…”

“No. I don’t know anything at all, to be honest.” Ike patted Shu’s face before letting him go. “But I want to know everything now. Will you let me know what’s happening to me?”

Shu hesitated. “We can talk in the morning…”

“No. We need to talk now. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? What if you hide from me again?” Ike looked down to confirm that Shu was still part-snake despite the other man trying his best to hide his tail from him. “Are you…not able to change into a full human at the moment?”

Shu shook his head. “My…abilities are affected by the rising tides and the full moon. It would take me a few days to recover my body.”

Ike wanted to press on, but he suddenly sneezed. Shu placed a hand on his forehead to check for fever before he realized what he did. He quickly removed his hand. “S-sorry, I just…” Ike could tell that he was probably used to taking care of him when he’s unconscious.

Ike laughed in amusement, then reached out a hand towards Shu. “Can you help me to your cave or my house so I can dry myself first? I’m afraid I’ll catch a cold for real.”

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Back in his house, Ike stared at the man…creature… awkwardly sitting in front of him. Shu looked like he was kneeling in front of the low table, but he was actually trying his best to keep his lower body and tail out of sight behind him. He clasped and unclasped his fingers around a cup of water Ike had given him.

Ike was amazed at his own level-headedness. There’s this otherworldly creature in front of him who allegedly had enough power to remove an entire village’s memories, yet he still found him a little cute and endearing with the way he looked so worried and embarrassed.

“Shu,” he called out, and Shu visibly flinched. Ike hid his laugh. Why was this man so worried about scaring him, when he looked like he’s the one who’s scared? “First, tell me what you are. Are you…a god?”

Slowly, Shu nodded. “You’ve talked about the Yato no Kami before…”

“Yes, the snake gods. Are you one of them?” Ike asked as he opened a can of soda and took a gulp.

“I am the only one left.”

Ike almost choked in his drink. “You’re the last one? What about Elira?”

“Oh, Elira isn’t a snake god,” Shu replied. “She’s one of the sky gods.” Shu pointed to a scroll hanging on the wall. “She usually stays out of people’s businesses, but she visits the land every now and then.”

Ike opened his mouth in surprise as he looked at the scroll that depicted a large dragon. He had thought Elira didn’t look like a snake god…but a dragon?! Suddenly, he realized just how much shit he seemed to be in.

Shu looked around and saw the pile of polaroids on the floor. Sighing, he hung his head. “So, you found the photos…”

“Yeah. I had figured out through them that you must’ve wiped my memories every time I came here.” He left out the part where he had learned the hint from Ryoma. “I also know you’re planning to do the same thing before I leave tomorrow, so I extended my stay while I try to find out why you are doing this.”

Shu wrung his hands, unaware that Ike could see his tail anxiously swishing back and forth. “It’s for your own good, I swear. I didn’t do it out of malice or anything.”

“Is it to save my life?”

Shu looked up in surprise.

Ike shrugged. “You seemed nice and sincere when I met you for the first time…no, definitely not the first time, I guess. You saved me every time I had a bad dream, and you were planning on just letting me leave safely without any knowledge of what’s happening. So I assumed you were just looking out for my safety.” He stared at the man in front of him. “Also, you spent so much energy erasing every one’s memory of me. It must be that I needed to not exist in this town. But I don’t know why.”

Shu opened his mouth, as if to rebut what Ike said, but he could only close his lips again. Ike must have guessed that correctly. Shu instead looked down, his eyes fixed on his cup.

“Before I came here,” Ike continued, “I always felt a gnawing urge to visit this place.” He took out a photo from his pocket. “Back home, I saw this photo of me when I was young. Every time I looked at it, I felt so compelled to go to Namegata. I thought it was just because it looked like a pretty place. But the more I think about it, the more I am confused that I couldn’t even remember visiting the place as a child. If it felt like a wonderful memory, why couldn’t I recall it? That’s why I came here—to figure out why. I didn’t expect to uncover even more mysteries.”

Shu was quiet, still looking down and refusing to look at Ike.

“Did I offend the gods in any way? Did I hurt you in the past?” Ike asked.

“No!” Shu exclaimed, suddenly looking up and meeting Ike’s eyes. “You would never…you were really kind, even back then.”

“Then, something must have happened that put me in danger,” Ike said, adjusting his glasses as he studied Shu’s face. He reached out and tapped the god’s hand. “Please…I just want to know the truth. I believe it’s my right to deal with my own issues, too.”

Shu took a deep breath, then told a story so fantastic yet so believable.

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Shu met Ike when he was just a little boy. Shu, back then, had not developed any godly powers and just existed as a small snake. At that time, he was being prodded at and played with by some children when Ike ran up to them and threatened to beat them up if they didn’t leave the snake alone. He ended up getting beaten up himself, but Ike protected Shu the entire time, cupping him in his hands as he ran away to a cave at the edge of the lakeside.

In the cave, Ike let Shu go and told him to hide under the grass and stones before leaving. Hiding deep in the cave, Shu was able to recuperate from his injuries. He was so thankful to the boy and wanted to thank him, but he didn’t know his name. The next day, he borrowed some powers from his family to change into a human form, then looked around the town for Ike. He learned that Ike was grounded from going out because he got into a fight with the neighborhood kids. Feeling even more sorry, Shu decided to give him a really nice gift in return for his kindness.

The next time, Shu met Ike in his human form. Ike seemed surprised to see a kid he hadn’t met before and immediately became friendly with him. They played a lot and spent most of the days exploring the area. Shu enjoyed being with Ike, and thought Ike felt the same.

After a few days though, Ike said he would be leaving soon. Shu was shocked. He thought Ike would be there forever, and that they could continue being friends like this. Ike said he had to go back to his home country, but promised he would come back. However, Shu was worried. His family had always told him that humans were forgetful. They forgot to pray and thank the gods or even acknowledge their existence, then only remember them when they were in peril. What if Ike forgot about him, too?

Shu, in his naivety and immaturity, thought of an idea then. He had heard the villagers talking about the island in the middle of the lake. He knew of it because that was where he was born and where he lived with his family when he wasn’t staying with the locals in town. The villagers always said that anyone who set foot on the island won’t be able to leave, that’s why no one dared to go there. His family never talked about it, but if the elders in the town talked about it, it must be true.

He wondered if he could make Ike stay with him forever if he asked him to go to the island with him. If he explained properly, maybe Ike would understand how he felt.

On the day before Ike left, Shu invited him to go to an island and pointed to the center of the lake. Ike said he couldn’t see it at all, but he trusted Shu. The young snake god didn’t tell him at all what would happen if he set foot on the island.

They borrowed (stole) a small boat from one of the fishers and set off for the island in broad daylight. Ike was a bit afraid and regretted not telling his aunt about the trip, but Shu assured him that they wouldn’t take long. It was a fun little trip, with Ike enjoying the view while telling stories of his country and Shu just listening and making a few jokes here and there. However, once they neared the island, trouble started.

The gods must’ve known that a human was about to enter their territory. A storm started brewing and the waves became bigger and stronger. Ike was terrified and clung on to the side of the boat. Shu tried to yell for help, but the other snake gods just watched him from the shore without moving an inch. Ike turned to see who Shu was yelling at and was shocked to see half-human, half-snake creatures waiting at the shore where they were supposed to disembark.

In his fear and panic, Ike lost his grip and fell over the side of the boat. Shu screamed and immediately went into the water after him in an attempt to save him. But Shu was so weak and small, he couldn’t save Ike immediately by himself.

In the end, he was able to carry Ike to the shore but it was too late. Ike didn’t seem to be breathing. Shu begged his family to save his friend, but as gods, they had a law to follow. From the moment Ike laid his eyes on their snake god forms, he had already been cursed. Even if he was saved now, he would still die later. The curse would poison his dreams and lure him into the lake to drown.

Shu was at his wits’ end. He regretted taking Ike to the island. He shouldn’t even have been friends with him. He should’ve just let Ike leave and forget about him.   

As a last plea, Shu asked if there was any way for Ike to live again and survive the curse. His family told him that they couldn’t bring anyone back from the dead or undo the curse unless they’re part of the snake god clan. Only those who had become one with the gods could accept the power they possess after all.

From there, Shu had made the decision without Ike’s consent. He announced to the sky that Ike was to be his bride once he reached a certain age, thus giving him powers to save Ike and help him subdue the curse.

Ike was brought back to life and to safety. Shu brought him back to the village and let the people thought that Ike just fainted from the heat. He was free to leave the place and live his life. However, Shu didn’t want Ike to live with the scary memory of seeing the snake gods as well as the experience of almost drowning to death. So he decided to willingly remove Ike’s memories of the place, of the entire trip, and of him.

He thought Ike would be safe for as long as he lived, but Shu was wrong. Once Ike reached 18 years of age, he came back to Namegata. By that time, only Shu was watching over the town as its guardian as the other snake gods had moved on to seclusion or to other parts of the country. He was both shocked and happy to see the human he treasured again.

But because of Ike’s return, Shu realized that he screwed up. The curse was active but it wouldn’t work if Ike was far away from the lake where the origin of the curse was. But because he had declared Ike to be his bride, their fates were bound by the gods. As long as they haven’t consummated their marriage, they’d continue yearning to meet each other. Ike went to Namegata because he was urged by his desire to meet and reunite with his husband.

Shu was at a loss. He could leave Namegata so that Ike wouldn’t associate the place with the yearning he’s feeling, but he couldn’t leave his duty to guard the people of the town. And yet if Ike continued to stay here, he would be in danger. Consummation was definitely out of the question, too, because it involved him showing his godly form to his bride.

In the end, Shu took the most difficult route: He sealed the shrines all over the town in order to lessen the effect of the curse. That inevitably meant that his power was partially sealed as well, but he didn’t care. Then, when Ike came to the town, he would just help him avoid the curse by watching him every night when the curse was strongest. Then, he would wipe Ike’s memories of going to the village so he wouldn’t be tormented by it again.

He didn’t think that their bond was strong enough that Ike kept coming back to see the town and meet him, but it was. Ike kept visiting and Shu kept doing the exact same thing without a change. Their bond would’ve been weaker if he didn’t go out of his way to meet Ike, as their non-interaction would’ve helped Ike move on little by little, albeit unconsciously. But Shu couldn’t. The more he met Ike over the years, the more he realized how much he wanted to be with this person. There was nothing else he could do except continue doing the same process over and over until the time came when the people of the village stopped needing him and he, too, would be forced to vanish.

His non-existence would be Ike’s freedom.

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Shu finished his story. Ike stared at him in silence, his fingers laced together. It sounded too amazing to be true, but he had the feeling that Shu wouldn’t lie to him now that things had gotten this far.

“So…you’re saying,” Ike slowly started, “that you intended to do the same thing every single time without informing me of anything.”

Shu nodded quietly.

Ike sighed. “Elira mentioned something…when you were talking. She said you were giving me your life force. What does that mean?”

“Whenever the curse activates, you experience a nightmare. It might seem like a dream of you drowning, but it’s actually the curse slowly draining your life force and breaking your spirit until you drown from the inside. I’m just replacing your life force.”

“Just,” Ike repeated with a stern look towards Shu. “This is your life we are talking about, Shu. Elira said your life force is finite and will run out. What will happen then?”

Shu swallowed before answering. “When that time comes, I’ll cease to exist. As the last snake god living in this lake, that also means the lake loses its power to curse or enchant anyone.” He looked up and stared into Ike’s eyes. “When that time comes, you will finally be free.”

Ike’s brows furrowed. “And you did not even consult me regarding this…this method,” he remarked. He rubbed his forehead in annoyance. “All these years, I wasn’t even aware that you are sacrificing so much like this for me?”

“But…” Shu was flustered at Ike’s unexpected reaction. “But it’s my fault you ended up like this.” When Ike only glared at him, Shu scrambled for explanation. “Um…besides, it won’t be long before the villagers here forget about the snake gods. A lot has changed in the past years. Soon, the people will stop revering the us as guardians of this town and…”

“And you’ll fade away because there are no more believers, like what you told me when we saw a shrine during our walk.” Ike bit his lower lip as he went through everything in his mind.

“I’m sorry…” Shu softly said, his face full of regret.

Ike took a deep breath and a gulp of his cola. “Shu, back then we were just children. Even if you are a god, you were also just a child. You acted on your feelings, and you couldn’t help but adhere to the laws of nature. You did what you thought was best and you ended up reviving me anyway thanks to your decisions. Even now, you continue to think of what’s best for me and exert a lot of effort in keeping me alive, even at the expense of your own life. I am thankful for that but…”

He reached out and took one of Shu’s hands into his own ones. He ran his fingers over the shimmering scales at the back of the hand, and studied the very long purple nails that almost looked like talons. He truly was a god, huh.

Ike patted that hand and continued. “But do you know why I am frustrated and angry?”

Shu did not reply. Instead, he looked at Ike and waited with bated breath.

“I am angry because you’re dealing with this all by yourself,” Ike said. “You care about my life, about my survival. But what about my feelings?”

“Ike…”

Ike tightly held Shu’s hand. “Aren’t we supposed to be friends? Heck, we’re even married. That means our souls are connected one way or another. That was why I kept coming back here, right?” He sniffed as he tried to stop the tears of frustration escaping from his eyes. “When I met you a few days ago, I felt really happy. Even though I didn’t have my memories of my previous visits, I enjoyed your company and thought of you as someone precious. And honestly, I don’t think it’s just because of the bond we inevitably had when you decided to marry us. I think it’s simply because we grew to like each other over the years. You see, my mind couldn’t remember all those moments we spent together, but my heart probably did. At least, that’s how I explain how comfortable I am with you.”

Shu was still, yet his eyes were full of emotion. Whatever emotion it was, Ike couldn’t tell. But he had to say everything in his mind for Shu to understand.

“So when I learned that you were sacrificing part of your life, little by little, to save me without letting me know what you and I were going through, I felt…I felt really heartbroken. Not only because of the disregard you have of your own existence, but because of the fact that it was me who’s forcing you to do this.”

“No, that’s not true, Ike!” Shu said, grabbing Ike’s hand when Ike let him go. “I wanted to do it.”

“I know…” Ike removed his glasses to rub his teary eyes. “I know that you probably had it all thought out. You will probably remove memories of your existence so I can live as if I’ve never even met you.”  

Shu flinched. So that was really what he had planned. Ike removed his hand from Shu’s grip and covered his face with both of his hands.

“But…isn’t that lonely? Being forgotten by everyone including me?” he shakily asked. “It’s very sad to think that you, who had been closest to me ever since we were children, are slowly dying because of me. But it’s even worse to think of the possibility that I will live on without even remembering you as the very reason why I’m still here.”   

Shu clenched his fist on the table as he watched Ike fail at stopping his tears. “I’m sorry…”

“Even if I die from this curse, I don’t think I’ll ever want to live without remembering you, Shu,” Ike said amid his tears. “I should revere you forever just for saving my life when we were young. And I feel that I should be allowed to carry that burden of knowing you and reminiscing about you for the rest of my remaining life.”

With that, Ike burst out crying. The confusion, frustration, sadness, and all other emotions spilled out in the form of tears. He thought he was level-headed, but he was probably just waiting for the right moment to bare his heart in front of the person he trusted the most at the moment.

Shu let out a long breath and closed his eyes firmly before sliding to where Ike sat. “I’m sorry, Ike.” He held out a hand to wipe Ike’s tears, but Ike reached out and embraced him, taking him by surprise.

“Granted,” Ike said, his voice muffled by Shu’s clothes, “I don’t know if I am this emotional because of the bond we share, but I know that I honestly, truly feel what I just said. Please, there must be some other way we can get through this other than you losing your life so meaninglessly like this.”

“It’s not meaningless,” Shu firmly said as he patted Ike’s back gently. “And there is one way, but it’s impossible…”

Ike moved away a bit to look at Shu, his face all red and moist with tears. “What is that way?”

Shu tried to control his expression upon seeing Ike’s puffy face. “I can’t let you…”

Ike shook Shu’s shoulders. “What is that way?” He was willing to try anything if it meant that he could save Shu’s remaining lifespan. If that meant they could spend more time together without the laws of the gods threatening them.

Shu made a face before answering. “The curse will automatically be voided once we have consummated our marriage...”

Sniffing, Ike slid away from Shu’s arms to put his glasses back on. “What does that mean?” he asked as he eased his sitting position.

“Well, basically…we have to get married and…”

“And…?” Ike finished his soda while waiting for Shu to finish explaining. 

Shu looked up to the ceiling, wondering why it felt so painful to say the words. “We have to spend the night together.”

The can of soda dropped to the floor, rolling until it reached a corner. Ike stared at Shu. “You mean…like having sex?”

Shu cleared his throat as he nodded.

Ike pondered for a while. He was undoubtedly attracted to Shu, and while he couldn’t really tell if his feelings can be described as love that’s enough to maintain a marriage, he thought he didn’t really mind a night of sleeping together if it meant releasing him and Shu from the curse.

“Well, Shu, do you want to marry me?”

Ike blinked in amusement as he watched Shu’s face turn into various shades of red. “You don’t want to?”

Shu cleared his throat for probably the fifth time in a span of three minutes. “Of course I will gladly marry you. I was the one who suggested it after all.”

Ike sniffed, his tears forgotten, then tilted his head to one side as he continued asking, “Is there any drawbacks to marrying you? Like, will I be confined to the island or do I have to leave my mortal life?”

Shu raised his hand in negation. “Not at all. Marriage is just a strengthening of the bond we share, and you can live your life just like any other person. The marriage is not the problem, the problem lies in…” he trailed off, unable to continue.

“If it’s about spending the night, I agree to that, too. It’s part of the ceremony, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but…you’ll have to spend the night with my godly form.”

Ike was a bit taken aback. Despite Shu’s form right in front of him, he did not think of that way. “Um…you mean like how you are now? I’m not sure how that will work but I trust you, Shu.” He smiled confidently as if to reassure the god that he was willing to do it.

Shu looked uncomfortable. “Well, this isn’t my godly form, Ike. It’s similar but it’s a larger form.” Shu gave him a sheepish grin. “Much…larger.”

Ike’s smile faltered.

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Ike stood at the entrance of the shrine where he had first met Shu a few days ago.  It was exactly one in the morning, so the place was completely silent and empty.

Despite the quiet ambiance, the temple was decorated in what Ike would describe as phantom decors. Wisps of smokey lights were draped all over the temple pillars, acting like hanging lanterns that gave the place a solemn glow. Flower petals also floated gracefully like eternal confetti, giving the place a soft and subtle summer scent. The sides of the path he had to traverse were bursting with blooming hydrangeas.

Ike looked down at his clothes. He wore a simple kimono as ceremonial garments. It may seem really simple and unadorned but when Ike raised the sleeves, he could see the wave patterns on the cloth moving as if they’re real water. Slim shapes imitating snakes swam underneath the waves, creating a constantly busy pattern that moved all over the kimono.

He didn’t have a headdress to wear, and Shu said it didn’t matter either way. Instead of something on the head, Ike wore a corsage of hydrangeas on his obi, the purple and blue hues of the flowers matching the color of his geta.

A small tinkling bell marked the end of the purification rites and the start of the ceremony. Ike walked stiffly through the path to reach the shrine at the end. There, his groom was nervously waiting along with Elira, offered to act as the priestess who will officiate the ceremony.

Ike shyly looked up at Shu, who was dressed in a similar but darker kimono. His purple garment was woven with gold threads, the patterns subtly forming scales of a snake. On his obi, a charm was tied. Shu explained that it was the emblem of the Yato no Kami, and just a physical manifestation of his lineage.

Elira smiled as the couple gathered at the front of the shrine. “I know I should recite some prayers, but this literally a god marrying a god, so I should just proceed with the sacred vows.”

Shu and Ike knelt before the shrine then took turns sipping from three sake cups. Then, Elira guided Ike to face the altar as Shu recited some ancient text which they explained were the gods’ marriage vows. After that, Elira handed them a branch from a tree and they were instructed to place them on the alter. Then, they both bowed and clapped twice.

“You may now exchange rings,” Elira said, looking like she was very pleased with herself.

Shu gave Elira warning glance while Ike stifled his chuckle. It was clear the Shu was still very nervous, but Elira’s antics made him forget even just a bit.

Shu picked up a ring from the altar. It was made of a material that seemed to glitter in the moonlight. Shu said the pair of rings were made by a descendant of a god and was made to mimic the way the scales of a snake caught light.

Shu gently took Ike’s hand and slid the ring onto his finger. Ike was surprised that the ring was a little big yet the moment he wore it, it suddenly shrank in size to fit his finger. He picked up the other ring and placed it onto Shu’s finger, and it also shrank in size to fit him.

Elira clapped her hands. “In this ceremony, we do not do the kissing,” she slyly explained. “Instead, we start drinking. Or rather, I will start drinking as the only witness to your union.” She cheered and grabbed herself a sake bottle.

Ike laughed and held Shu’s hand. “Is the ceremony over?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Shu said with a smile. “Thank you for marrying me, my…br…my… I mean…”

Ike shrugged. “I don’t mind whatever you call me. All of them just means you’re my husband.”

Shu laughed and pulled Ike into his embrace and lightly kissed his temple. “Thank you, my wife.”

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Ike fidgeted as he nervously sat on the large circular bed. He was back in the same bedroom he ended up in several days ago. But this time, everything seemed to have leveled up greatly.

Instead of a cavernous space, the room looked more like a palace room from period dramas. It was extravagantly furnished with several couches and tables and book cases. The bed was also around three times larger than before. It was so big that Ike thought he would be swallowed by the cushions. There were some sort of lanterns floating from the very high ceiling, and they’re probably powered by well, definitely not electricity.

Shu explained that this cave, the very cave where Ike saved Shu back when they were children, looked like a normal cliff without an opening to other people. And unlike how Ike saw the cave before, the cave this time looked like a stone castle. There was even a double door that led to the interior. There was also a receiving area, a large bath, and a couple of other rooms Ike wasn’t able to explore. The rooms were real and livable, but Shu said he thought Ike would be more comfortable in a normal house. This place was just for the night of the wedding.

Ike watched as several servants, harmless youkai under Shu’s protection, shuffled about carrying food and items in and out of the room. He had been served his dinner earlier by small girls called zashiki-warashi, and had also been helped with bathing by long-haired women in kimono that were too warm-hearted to be yuki onna, but Ike was too nervous to ask for their names. All that’s left really was that…for them to do the deed.

Ike bit his lip as he hugged his knees. He had been optimistic and enthusiastic about this entire thing. He thought that being bound to the god who gave him back his life and protected him all this time was a cheap price to pay. He only had two goals—to stop Shu from wasting his life force and to preserve his own memories.

But now that the ceremony was over and they’re officially married under the sky of the gods, Ike realized how drastic his decision had been. He was now married to a god. And now he would be sharing his bed with a god. In all of his fantasies and dreams, he had never ever thought about dating someone of the supernatural kind. And now he’s about to share the rest of his life with a powerful being.

Well, Ike thought. There was no use thinking about what-could-have-beens. Plus, he had decided back then that any other method was better than Shu offering up his existence for Ike’s. He would just take things one step at a time and thinking about what the future would hold after he successfully got through this challenge.

After a while, there was some rustling outside the bedroom and all the servants hurried out. A few seconds later, Shu entered the room. He had also bathed and was dressed in a robe similar to Ike’s.

“Hey,” Ike greeted before realizing how dumb he sounded.

Shu smiled and sat at the edge of the bed. “How do you feel?” he carefully asked.

Ike shrugged. “I was pampered enough. But I’m also nervous.” Then, he noticed that Shu was in his purely human form. “I thought you needed to be in your godly form.”

Shu moved so that he was kneeling on the large bed. “I thought I should assume this form first so I don’t scare or hurt you.” He held one of Ike’s hands, fiddling with his fingers before lightly running his own fingers up his arm. “I’ve never done this before and I don’t know how to control my strength, so I thought we should take it a bit slowly.”

Ike nodded, shuddering as Shu’s fingers reached his neck. “Can you dim the lights?”

The snake god looked up to the lights above, and they all instantly dimmed.

 “Whoa…” Ike said in awe before looking at Shu. “You’re so cool.”

Shu laughed even though he blushed deeply. “You just noticed?” He then sidled towards Ike and gently tilted his chin upwards. “May I please kiss you?”

Ike gave him a small smile and nodded. Shu gently took off his glasses and set them on a table near the bed.

The first touch of their lips was very light, as both of them were still in the process of getting to know each other’s bodies. First were a few presses, then a couple of kittenish licks, then a gradual slotting of lips as if to check if they fit perfectly against each other (they did). Then, Ike didn’t quite know whose dam of control broke first but they ended up opening and invading each other’s mouths, hungrily and desperately, as if they’ve been wanting to do this for so long.

After so many minutes, Shu had to force himself to let go, pushing Ike at arms’ length. “Ike,” he rasped, “breathe.”

Ike took a lungful of air and opened his eyes. He had almost forgotten how breathing works in the heat of the moment. His mind was a bit hazy, the passion slowly getting to him even though they had barely started. He didn’t think he’d get so heated over a kiss. What was his problem?

He heard Shu laugh in amusement as he hovered above Ike. Pouting, Ike looked up. And there, he realized what the problem was.

That half smile that lifted one corner of his mouth so cutely. Those mesmerizing purple eyes that warmly gazed at him. That boyish laugh that made his toes curl. He was so weak against everything about Shu right now. Who made this god so…godly?

“Listen,” Ike said, still a little breathless. “Did you cast some enchantment on me? Was there something in the food or drink to help us…you know?”

Shu blinked, puzzled. “What? No, I’d never do that.”

Ike nodded. “Okay. Then I guess I’m just really attracted to you right now.” He watched with interest as Shu’s pupils shrank into slits, his purple irises slightly turning golden. And before he could speak again, he found himself being kissed deeply again.

“Please…” Shu muttered against his ear before giving it a lick. “Are all humans like this?”

Ike let out a gasp as Shu nuzzled his neck. “Like what?”

“Flirty? And teasing…” Shu gently slid the robe off Ike’s shoulder so he could kiss it, too.

“What do you mean…” Ike said, his mouth partly open as he tightened his grip on Shu’s shoulders. “I was just telling the truth.”

Shu sighed against his neck before looking down and meeting his hazel gaze. “Thank you for your honesty. But your words have an effect on me that makes me afraid that I won’t be able to keep up my gentleness.”

Ike let his hands travel up Shu’s neck so he can clasp the god’s cheeks. “Shu, I admit that I can’t tell if I love you as in like I love you as my husband. At least not right now since everything is going so fast.” Ike slightly smiled. “But I want you to know that I will never do anything I dislike. And right now, I’m liking everything so far. So don’t be afraid of offending or hurting me. We’re both very responsible adults here who had signed up voluntarily, you know?”

Shu leaned down to give him another kiss, a teary smile decorating his face. “Thank you, Ike. I won’t do anything that you don’t like, I promise.”

“Alright.” Ike then busied his hands with tugging off Shu’s robe. “Now then, why don’t we take this off…?

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The rest of the night was a frenzied blur.

Ike couldn’t remember every detail. He just remembered being touched and kissed and licked all over several times. He was gently moved into every possible position he could put himself onto, even some he never thought was possible. At several points, he was sitting down, was on his knees, was standing up, and even in mid-air with his weight supported completely by Shu. Despite the bed being so large, it felt like they had completely occupied every part of it and even moved on to some of the furniture. Ike vaguely remember being sat on one of the desks while Shu was holding him close, muttering about how Ike was doing so well.

At one point, Ike felt Shu wiping his tears, the god gently supporting him with his long tail as he rocked while sliding his hands over the smooth scales. “Are you alright?” Shu kept asking him, probably worried because he was crying.

“I’ll be okay if you don’t stop,” Ike blurted out, his words blurring into a gasp as the snake part of Shu’s body undulated to help him with his movement. “Please…” Ike cried. “It’s feels really good, Shu.”

It was then that Shu lost it and Ike couldn’t remember much about what happened afterwards.

The next time he came to, he must’ve been waking up from fainting. He could hear Shu saying sorry over and over, but he sounded a little bit different.

Oh yeah, he realized. Shu’s voice changed when he turned into his true godly form. His deep voice became even more syrupy and sounded more like a hiss. His eyes were also fully golden and scales covered the side of his head and ears.

“Shu…” he faintly whispered. “Kiss me…”

Shu, who was unbelievably larger than usual, bent down to let his forked tongue gently plunder Ike’s mouth. Ike had a faint memory of that tongue doing all sorts of wonderful things. He should ask later if Shu could keep i—

He suddenly realized the discomfort he was feeling, as his mind had grown a bit clearer after waking up. He was currently lying on coils and coils of snake tail, as Shu’s godly body was several times larger than that of a human. When he tried to move, he could feel pain like his body was being torn apart from the inside. He let out a groan.

“Don’t move yet,” Shu warned. The end of his tail flicked over Ike’s body, as if checking if he’s fine. “You’re still healing. Let the medicine do its work for a while.”

Ike remembered Shu pouring some sort of liquid in his mouth a while back. He never thought anything of it as he was just in a haze. That must be the medicine.

He looked up blankly at Shu’s worried face. He must’ve looked like a mess at the moment. He could feel his hair plastered all over his face, wet with sweat, and his skin was sticky. He ran a hand over his stomach, slightly remember that it felt like it took a different shape a while ago, when he was in the midst of ecstasy.

“I’m sorry,” Shu said again. He couldn’t touch him with his long nails, so he let the tip of his tail gently pat Ike’s chest. “If I knew it would be like this…”

“No,” Ike shook his head, his mind just full of reminiscing what had happened. “That was amazing.” He laughed as he saw the shock on Shu’s face. But it was true. Shu was never rough with him, and always asked what he liked or if he felt alright.

Ike splayed his hands over the huge coil beside him. “It felt really good. It took everything out of me, but it was really good. We should do it again.” He laughed again but winced when he felt his insides burn. Shu looked at him worriedly, but put up a hand and shook his head to tell him he’s fine. “But maybe not too often. Maybe like once every few months?”

Shu did not speak. Instead, he closed his eyes and let himself gradually go back to his semi-godly form. Once his snake form was a bit smaller, he pressed a kiss on Ike’s forehead. “Aren’t you hurting?”

“I am, but it was a good kind of hurt, I think.”

Sighing, Shu pressed Ike’s eyelids closed. “Go to sleep and heal. I can’t believe you’re still unsatiable after all that.”

Ike giggled. “Aren’t you glad?” Feeling playful, he ran his fingers along Shu’s snake tail, letting them march slowly towards the place where his snake and human parts met.

With a groan, Shu caged Ike in his arms to stop his hands from roaming. “Please, just sleep.”

After a couple of rounds (or probably more) Ike finally did.

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“Are you awake?”

Ike blearily opened his eyes, squinting at the bright lanterns.

“Good morning!” came a voice that was not Shu’s.

Ike tried to sit up, but realized that his body was screaming and aching all over. “Good morning, Elira,” he weakly said as he settled back into bed. He looked around and saw no one else in the room. “Shu…?

“He went out for a bit and asked me to check on your health.” Elira rested her cheek on a hand as she sat before a table and drank tea. “I gave you extra healing so you can recuperate faster, but Shu had already planned everything properly so you just need to rest and eat well for a while.”

Ike nodded, then realized that Elira was inside the room were they just did all sorts of nasty things. He forced himself to sit up and check on himself.

“Don’t worry,” Elira laughed good-naturedly. “Shu had cleaned everything up, including you, before letting me in. You think he would allow me to see you in a disheveled state? I’m just here to make sure you don’t panic when you wake up and he’s not here.”

“Thank you…” Ike softly said. He was so embarrassed, remembering how much they did last night. He was glad Elira wasn’t there to witness even the aftermath. “What time is it, by the way?”

“A little over noon, I’d say?” Elira replied. “By the way, I brought your things from the lodging.” She pointed to a few bags and boxes at the corner of the room. You might want to plan on what you want to do in the future, since your flight is tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Ike asked. “What do you mean? My flight is in three days…”

Elira clapped a hand over her forehead. Ike thought it was the worst acting he’d seen of someone getting surprised. “Oh…well. Let’s just say your honeymoon lasted for three days.”

“Three days?!”

There was some commotion outside. Elira, ignoring Ike’s stupor, stood up. “Oh, looks like your prince charming is here! I’ll be going. You still have time to think about your future.”

Ike weakly bade her farewell, but Elira turned around again to study Ike’s face. “To congratulate your marriage, I’d let you in a secret.”

“What is it?” Ike asked, curious.

Elira leaned forward and smiled. “Don’t tell Shu I told you. But apparently, you gave him his name. Did you know?” After dropping another bomb, Elira skipped out of the room, leaving Ike in confusion.

He gave Shu his name?

“Ike,” Shu said as soon as he entered the room. He made a beeline for the bed and clasped the other man’s hands. “Sorry for leaving. I went out to check and confirm some things.”

“Oh…what’s up?” Ike said. His mind was currently a whirl with all the info Elira just gave him.

Shu smiled widely then hugged him tightly. “The curse is lifted, Ike. It’s gone.”

Oh. Ike had completely forgotten about the curse. The most important reason why they were together. Somehow, in the dizzying events of being married then spending the night—for three freaking days, for that matter—Ike had pushed his concern about the curse to the back of his mind. He was completely preoccupied with understanding his relationship with Shu at the moment.

Still, not having a curse that endangered his life was still a big relief. And the most important thing was Shu didn’t have to sacrifice himself for him. “Thank god…” Ike muttered. “I mean…literally thank the gods, I guess.”

Shu laughed against his shoulder, then let him go. “You’re free to do whatever you want.”

Ike looked at him curiously, then realized what Shu was hinting at. He still had a flight tomorrow. And he also had a career back there. Despite solving the mysteries here, Ike still had a lot of things to settle back home.

Ike held both of Shu’s hands. Unlike when they shared the night, his hands were now in human form, smooth but firm. “Shu, thank you. For doing everything you could to preserve my life and for breaking the curse with me.”

Shu opened his mouth to speak, but Ike shushed him. “But I have to go back home.”

Ike studied Shu’s reaction. Shu’s face fell, but he kept a smile on his face. “I know,” he softly replied.

“What do you want me to do?” Ike asked, his hands not letting Shu go. He peered into Shu’s eyes, even though he was not sure what he was anticipating.

Shu nodded. “The curse is gone and you are free to live your life. That was what I wanted for you in the first place.”

Ike pressed his lips together. “I’m not asking about what you want for me. I want to ask what you feel now,” he insisted. “What do you want me to do now.”

“I want…” Shu looked at him with a pained face. “I want you to stay.”

Ike let out a breath, then moved forward to hug Shu.

“I want you to stay here with me forever, if it’s possible,” Shu whispered against Ike’s neck. “If it’s allowed, I don’t want to be separated from you anymore.”

“Thank you,” Ike whispered as he pressed a kiss on Shu’s lips. “Thank you, Shu.”

The following day, Ike took his flight back home.

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Ike pushed up his glasses before continuing to type on his laptop. His work wasn’t due for another month, but Ike decided to finish it as fast as possible. Outside the window, snow was falling steadily. It wasn’t the heavy winter Ike was used to, but it felt cold just the same.

He tried to work on things as quickly and efficiently as he could, but there were so many arrangements to settle that winter had already come before he noticed it. He couldn’t spend another week away. He needed to go back.

After all, his husband’s pretty sensitive to cold to the point that he should be hibernating in some cave by now. He would need all the comfort he could get from his warm-blooded wife.

Despite the cold weather, that husband was patiently waiting for him outside the bus terminal. He stood quietly outside, wearing a thick scarf, gloves, and socks with his kimono. Ike thought it was cute seeing him bundled up.

“Shu!” he called out. Shu’s face instantly lit up as they saw each other. Truthfully, though, he had missed Shu dearly, too. Those six months took forever.

Back then, he didn’t want to go home at all. But he had a life back in his country. So he toiled hard in those six months to settle everything before moving to Namegata. He had told his relatives, told his editor, and processed every legal documentation he needed so he wouldn’t have any problems later on. It was a long, almost unendurable, length of time being apart, but it was a necessary one.

Now, he just had to live his new life in this new place with Shu.

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Ike woke up in the middle of the night and checked his phone for the time. It seemed snow was still falling outside. Shu was cuddled up against him, using his body heat for comfort. Ike, who was used to the cold, relished the way Shu’s cool body was pressed up against him. Guess they fit each other so well in this regard.

They spent the day greeting the villagers, with Ike saying he decided to settle in town then introducing his partner, Shu. The people were surprisingly welcoming towards them and their relationship, even praising how pretty their house by the lake was. They got invited to eat and drink wherever they went that it was already late when they actually got back to their home.

Ike had shipped his stuff gradually over the months, so the house was already partly filled with his belongings. Shu didn’t have much, but Ike insisted and bought him things a usual person would have.

Contrary to what he expected, Ike didn’t even feel the smallest discomfort and settled in nicely in their new house. Maybe it was because he spent three weeks here already. Maybe it was because of his history with this town.

But more importantly, it was because he wasn’t dealing with things alone. 

Ike spared a glance out of the window, where it was snowy and dark. It’s officially the start of a new year. In a couple of hours, he and Shu would visit the shrine—the very one dedicated to Shu’s existence. Ike insisted on doing it, despite being married to the god himself, not only to pay his respects to the divine power that led him to Shu but also to celebrate the start of the year and his life here in Namegata.

He turned so he was facing Shu, then hugged the man’s waist. Shu, in response, held him tightly. As he closed his eyes again, Ike remembered the dream he had before he woke up. It reminded him of something Elira told him months ago.

“Don’t tell Shu I told you. But apparently, you gave him his name. Did you know?”

The dream he had seemed to be a memory from childhood. He might never remember the entirety of his memories, but he was at least thankful to have known this small part of it.

Ike sighed and snuggled into Shu, his lips muttering a word of thanks to the gods, especially to the one special god who loved him with all of his heart and life.

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“Hello, are you lost?”

Ike smiled at the child who stared at him with wide purple eyes. The poor child looked lost and wrung his hands anxiously. He was wearing an ill-fitted kimono and his hair was long and messy.

Ike rummaged though his small rucksack and took out a handkerchief, then gave it to the boy. “Here, wipe your face.” When the child obeyed, Ike smiled then handed him a snack his aunt bought for him from the store up the hill. “Reward.”

They sat at the side of the road while the child quietly chewed on the snack. Ike patted his head, despite the fact that the child looked like he’s the same age as him. “Where are your parents?”

The child shook his head.

Ike scratched his cheek, wondering is the boy is a local. It didn’t seem like the child was worried so he probably wasn’t lost.  He decided to keep the child company for a bit until he can find an adult to help them. “My name is Ike, by the way.”

The child enthusiastically nodded. It seemed he knew Ike? Maybe the other kids talked about him.

Ike smiled. “What is your name?”

The child stopped chewing, as if surprised by the question. He looked at Ike and stuttered. “S…ss…sh…”

Ike waited, but all the child could make were S noises. “Sh..?” Ike repeated, motivating the child to speak.

“S…Sh…” the child looked frantic. His hands were making big gestures as if trying to make Ike understand something.

Ike tilted his head. “Sh…Shu? Is your name Shu?” he was merely guessing, but it was the closest name he could think of based on the sounds the child was making.

“Shu!! Shu!!” the child gleefully said, clapping his hands.

“Alright, Shu-kun. So that’s your name!?” Ike said as he patted the boy’s head. “Shall we go explore the village, Shu?” Ike asked. He intended to accompany the child around until they reach his home or someone who knew him.

The child nodded then excitedly got up and grabbed Ike’s hand.

“Okay, stop pulling!” Ike said as he laughed and let himself be dragged by the child. They ran down the road, hand-in-hand, with the beautiful crystal lake glittering behind them.

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