The sky was blue, clear, and bright, and the sea’s gentle tides lapped at the shore. The sand, with its hidden treasures, glistened beneath the sun. James strolled along the beach, his Beachwalk slippers sinking into the grains that shifted beneath his feet. With both hands in his pockets, he occasionally kicked up some sand as he gazed toward the distant horizon.

As he walked, he noticed a card partially buried in the sand. Intrigued, he bent down, brushed off the sand, and picked it up.

“The Hanged Man,” he muttered, examining the card that depicted an upside-down man hanging by one foot, tied to a tree, his other leg crossed and arms tucked behind him. “Surrender, sacrifice, letting go,” James recited, his somber knowledge of tarot cards giving way to a faint grin.

He tucked the Major Arcana card into his pocket and continued his walk. Soon, he encountered a young boy building a sandcastle.

“Need a hand?” James offered.

“Yes, please, Kuya (Big Bro, transl.),” the boy replied bluntly, almost naively. “It’s hard to make a sandcastle alone.”

“Good answer,” James said with a smile, crouching down to help.

“How old are you?” James asked as they worked side by side.

“Eleven,” the boy replied.

“My cousin, Topher, is just a year older than you. He’s twelve,” James shared.

“Where is Topher? Didn’t he come with you?” the boy asked curiously.

“We were together, but we parted ways. He had to go home,” James answered, his tone tinged with sadness.

“That’s a bummer,” the boy said, disappointed. “I wanted to meet him so we could play together.”

“What’s your name?” James asked.

“Anton. And you?”

“Jameson, but you can call me James,” he replied.

“I’ll call you James. It’s shorter,” Anton said with a grin.

James chuckled. “Good choice, little man.”

“Why are you here? What are you doing?” Anton asked, his curiosity piqued.

“I’m here to think things over. I wanted some peace, but I’m not sure if I’ll find it here,” James admitted.

“Why are you alone? Didn’t you bring any friends?” Anton questioned.

“You’re alone too,” James pointed out.

“Yeah, but that’s because my playmates are busy. Is it the same for you?” Anton asked, sulking.

“I left my friends in the middle of a big, epic mission. I just got tired of fighting,” James confessed.

“That’s selfish. You left them when they needed you the most,” Anton said bluntly.

“You think so?” James asked, taken aback.

“Definitely. In friendship, there are no excuses. You stick together, no matter what. You fight side by side until the very end,” Anton declared firmly.

James fell silent, unable to respond. He simply watched Anton continue building the sandcastle before turning his gaze back to the sea.

At the lodging house.

“Aling Sita, let me help set the table,” James offered kindly.

“What a thoughtful young man. Thank you,” Aling Sita replied, clearly impressed.

James began placing the table mats, followed by the plates, forks, and spoons.

When lunch was ready, James joined Aling Sita and her husband, Mang Noel, at the dining table.

“Iho, where did you say you were from again?” Aling Sita asked, her curiosity evident.

“Quezon City, po,” James answered politely.

“A city boy! You’ve come quite a long way to be here in Laiya,” Aling Sita noted.

“Yes, both my Nanay and Tatay were born and raised in Batangas, but they eventually moved to Quezon City for work and started a family there,” James explained.

“So, we’re fellow Batangueños! But you’ve lost the local accent,” Aling Sita observed. “You speak like a Manileño now.”

James chuckled. “I can’t help it, po. I grew up in Manila.”

“Do you drink kapeng barako?” Aling Sita inquired.

“It’s too bitter for my taste,” James admitted with a slight grimace. “I prefer milk tea with tapioca pearls.”

“Enjoy your sweet drinks while you’re young. But when you hit 40, you’ll have to start cutting back,” Aling Sita advised with a hint of concern. “Noel and I have our share of maintenance meds—for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, you name it.”

“I understand,” James nodded thoughtfully.

“So, what brings you all the way out here?” Aling Sita pressed gently.

“Uhm… to think, I guess,” James hesitated before admitting. “I just needed some space. Peace of mind.”

“Ah, peace of mind. You’ll find plenty of that here,” Aling Sita assured him warmly. “Just look at the serene sea outside. It’s quiet, no traffic—far from the chaos of the city.”

Mang Noel glanced meaningfully at James, who subconsciously avoided his gaze.

“You know, Iho, you’re a blessing. Tourists and visitors have become rare, and it’s been tough for our business,” Aling Sita confided.

“Sita, watch your words,” Mang Noel scolded gently. “You might be overwhelming James with all your chatter.”

“It’s alright, Mang Noel,” James reassured him with a smile. “I enjoy listening to Aling Sita’s stories. She’s a gracious host.”

“There, you see, Noel?” Aling Sita said triumphantly. “Take your time, James. Go for a swim, relax. It’s good to indulge yourself every now and then.”

In front of a small, humble house, Mang Noel sat quietly. James approached and found him lost in thought.

“May I join you?” James asked politely.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” Mang Noel replied, gesturing to an empty spot beside him.

Before them, the sky was painted with hues of orange and indigo as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.

“Many artists find sunsets fascinating,” James remarked, trying to make small talk. “They say it evokes nostalgia.”

Mang Noel glanced at the young man, noticing the uncertainty in his eyes. “You’re running away, aren’t you?”

“What?! Am I that obvious?” James was startled, but he eventually surrendered to the old man’s sharp intuition.

“I once courted Sita a long time ago,” Mang Noel began, a nostalgic smile forming on his lips. “I used to serenade her under her window. Back then, she was the prettiest girl in town to me.”

“I was overjoyed when she said yes, and we became a couple. Eventually, we got married and started a family,” he continued, his voice softening. “But I soon learned that family life wasn’t as easy as I’d imagined. Sita and I faced many trials to raise our children.”

“There were times when I wanted to give up—to just leave it all behind,” Mang Noel admitted. “It felt so hard at times. But then I thought, ‘What would become of Sita and our children if I just left?’”

He paused, then chuckled to himself. “In a way, I realized it was good that it hurt. It meant I was still alive.”

James listened somberly, absorbing the old man’s words.

“I managed to get all my children through college, and I was the proudest dad when they graduated. They found work, started families, and I even got to spend time with my grandchildren,” Mang Noel said, a sense of fulfillment in his voice.

“Look at the sea, James,” he continued, motioning toward the waves. “The tides come and go, the winds change direction, the sun rises and sets. Nothing stops—not time, not challenges. Even if we want time to pause, it keeps moving forward.”

“We can’t control whether we get hurt,” Mang Noel reflected. “But we can choose who and what we’re hurt for. Our loved ones, our causes. Maybe we are masochists for enduring it all. But it’s because we love. We fight to protect the people we care about. The hardships we face are the price we pay to be with them.”

He looked at James intently. “Sure, we can choose to retreat from it all and live quietly. But without joys and pains, wins and losses, love and heartbreak—can we really call that living?”

With a warm smile, Mang Noel added, “Looking back, I don’t regret my choices. I hope you’ll feel the same when the time comes.” He patted James on the shoulder, then stood up to leave.

Left alone, James gazed at the sunset, tears finally breaking free. As he quietly wept, the world around him remained serene—the sunset fading into twilight, the tides shifting gently, the wind rustling softly through the air.

James slung his bag over his shoulder, dressed in an open polo over a shirt, paired with pants and sneakers. He peeked inside Aling Sita and Mang Noel’s room, noticing there was no door. The elderly couple lay on the bed—Aling Sita curled sideways, her arm draped over Mang Noel, who lay on his back. Both were still asleep. A soft smile touched James’s lips. Silently, he slipped out of the lodging house. The morning was still young, with the sun beginning to rise, promising a bright day ahead. James paused for one last look at the sea, then turned and walked away from the shore.