Nightfall Curse

chapter 6

Hyunjin blinked rapidly several times to clear the dizzy haze before looking around. They were standing on a narrow, quiet street. One deep breath in, and Hyunjin thought that he could smell the ocean. He turned his head and saw a crystalline sea beyond a concrete sea wall at the end of the road. “Wow,” he said, for lack of anything better.

“I have stayed here in the past,” Felix said by way of explanation, pointing towards a traditional, nondescript building. It was paneled in large, wide planks the color of straw and deep blue tiles on the roof. Dark, lacquered wood signs hung just over the entrance with kanji that Hyunjin couldn’t read. “We’re at an onsen,” Felix answered before the other man had the chance to ask. “I believe you will find it very relaxing.”

Helpless to do anything else, Hyunjin followed Felix through the front doors to where a middle-aged woman waited behind the reception desk, dressed in a full kimono. She bowed respectfully and greeted them in English. Felix answered her greeting in Japanese. The woman straightened. She paused for a moment, her smile flickering. Then she was out from behind the counter in a flash and going straight to Felix. She bowed several more times, suddenly speaking in excited, rapid-fire Japanese. Felix answered her calmly, though with a large smile of his own, bowing every time she did. She gestured enthusiastically to bring them back to the desk while Hyunjin watched on, stunned. He watched them talking more as Felix filled out a ledger entry. A minute later, the woman handed him a room key and bowed again. So did Felix, then he turned to Hyunjin.

“We’re in luck. They had a room available for us.”

“Sure,” Hyunjin answered weakly. He trotted behind Felix as he led them past the reception area to the stairs. Wordlessly he guided them up to the top floor, turned the corner, and walked to the end of the hall. Hyunjin admired the place, freely looking around to get his fill while they walked. It had a lovely ambiance. Peaceful, ancient, traditional, with warm orange lighting encased in large rice paper lanterns suspended from the ceiling that glowed on all the highly polished wooden surfaces. The minimalistic decor appealed to him, as did the quiet of the place. Neat and orderly.

Felix opened the door to their room, and bent down to remove his shoes. He placed them carefully outside the door and instructed Hyunjin to do the same. He ignored the provided slippers, instead going into the room in his socks.

“This is amazing,” Hyunjin said as he shut the door quietly behind him. The room was as simply decorated as the rest of the common areas, but brighter. Tatami mats covered most of the floor, the walls were a comfortable slate color, and two futons were already unfolded and laying side by side in the corner. The middle of the room featured a low, black table with cushions around it and an electric kettle in the center. The back wall was made up of sliding rice paper panels that diffused the early evening light. Felix padded over to push the panels open.

“The view hasn’t changed,” Felix said happily, looking out past the balcony that housed a private bath lined in smooth, gray stones, onto the ocean beyond. “It’s still so beautiful.”

Hyunjin sauntered up beside him, stopping only when his arm was lightly pressed against Felix’s back. He gave a low whistle. “Seriously, it’s amazing here. How did you know about this place?”

“I came here for the first time a few centuries ago,” Felix said matter-of-factly. Hyunjin’s mouth fell open, but Felix ignored it. “Over time I’ve found myself drawn back sometimes. I enjoy it here. The veil feels... thin.”

“Veil? Like where all the ghosts go instead of Heaven or Hell?” Hyunjin asked, still unable to take his eyes off of the steadily setting sun over the ocean. It was remarkable now that they were out of the mountains where the sky had been white and pregnant with the promise of rain. Or snow. Here it lit up with brilliant reds and oranges which rapidly faded into purples behind them, the glassy water picking up the shine until it made Hyunjin’s eyes water to watch.