Walking along this quiet road where cars rarely passed and people strolled leisurely from time to time, Jeong Tae-ui suddenly felt at ease. After some distance, they turned into a narrow alley beside a modest mosque.

Though not a road for cars, the alley was wide enough for a single car to pass through, winding somewhat haphazardly between houses built like a maze. On either side, houses coated with white plaster stood neatly in a row. Occasionally, a child would run out through a wooden door, or an old man would sit in a sunny spot by the gate smoking a pipe. Beyond the walls, trees with thick branches stretched out, shading with their leaves. Each time the wind brushed through, the leaves rustled with a crisp, refreshing sound.

“I like this place.”

Tae-ui suddenly murmured without intending to say it aloud. It just slipped naturally from his lips.

Gable glanced back briefly. For the first time, Tae-ui saw a faint smile flicker across his face. The smile soon vanished.

“It’s a nice place to live. Quiet and peaceful.”

Ah. Tae-ui realized without anyone telling him that this man liked the place as well. Feeling good for no reason, he smiled.

At that moment, Ilay, who had been walking silently beside him, muttered.

“It’s perfect for wandering freely and spending a few months resting. Though if you’re away from water, getting what you want right away can be a bit difficult.”

“But it might take some time, but there’s nothing you can’t get. Also, once a week at Bahep—it's a village adjacent to the southern coast of the island, known for good waves where most surfers go—a night market opens. Most things you can find in Dar es Salaam are also available there.”

“Night market?”

“It opens from around seven or eight in the evening until past midnight at Bahep’s central square. Besides the commercial market, there’s a flea market-like area where anyone can buy and sell goods. Sometimes there are interesting things, so it’s always bustling.”

Tae-ui nodded with a sigh. “That sounds fun.” After a moment of silence, he asked again,

“Are there many tourists in Seringe?”

Gable shook his head.

“Regular tourists don’t come this far. Usually, they go to Zanzibar, which is closer to Dar es Salaam. This place is mainly where Middle Eastern royals or wealthy merchants keep vacation homes or secondary residences. Around this time, transitioning from summer to autumn, the tides bring good waves so some young surfers come, but that’s temporary. After this season, you won’t see many outsiders.”

Tae-ui pondered briefly and then quietly asked,

“So outsiders would stand out quickly.”

Gable didn’t answer. Slowing his pace somewhat, ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) he glanced at Tae-ui and walked on without a word.

He said he couldn’t be certain whether Jeong Jae-ui was here or not. Not being certain meant there were no rumors of such a person. But if someone like Jeong Jae-ui—neither African nor Arab—wandered the streets here, they’d inevitably be noticed.

“It’s useless to gather rumors around here.”

After walking silently for a while, Gable suddenly spoke. Tae-ui didn’t answer but listened.

“The villas of Arab millionaires are located further inside Bahep. That area is almost separated from the rest of the island. Rumors from here might reach there, but not the other way around.”

“Then why did you say he was there…?”

“Because if not there, then there’s nowhere else on this land for Jeong Jae-ui to be.”

Gable finished speaking and strode ahead, quickly putting some distance between them—about twenty steps. Tae-ui licked his lips and awkwardly watched Gable’s back, muttering quietly,

“Did I maybe anger him?”

“Hm? Ah. That’s just how he is. A bit indifferent.”

“……”

For someone to call him indifferent like that… that man’s life must be a dead end too.

He didn’t seem like a bad person, but how had he ended up like this? Muttering to himself, Tae-ui followed Gable. Suddenly he felt a gaze upon him and turned his head. Ilay was silently watching him.

“…Hmm?”

“You’re right.”

“…? About what?”

Frowning slightly, Tae-ui tilted his head and asked again. Trying to recall what he had said, he couldn’t quite tell which remark Ilay was referring to.

“You said that outsiders here stand out too much. Especially since Asians are rare, even more so. Unless they’re locked away somewhere, it’s really—very easy—to find out.”

“Ah? Yeah, that’s true. If he’s really holed up somewhere in a villa and not coming out, then there’s no way to meet him.”

Tae-ui frowned and muttered. If only he knew which villa, he could sneak in at night, but even that was impossible. It wasn’t like they could search all the villas in the southeastern region. He sighed, but no good ideas came. He’d have to go to the accommodation, wash up, rest, and think.

As Tae-ui muttered “It’ll work out somehow” scratching his head, Ilay clicked his tongue shortly.

“You’re just as conspicuous as anyone else…”

“Hm? Ah, yeah. If the rumor reached my brother’s ears that an Asian was wandering about, he might get curious and come out to see… but no way. He’s not one to listen to rumors or be curious that way.”

What if the rumor was not just “an Asian wandering,” but “an Asian named Jeong Tae-ui wandering”? Then maybe, just maybe, they’d meet soon. Tae-ui muttered this to himself while Ilay raised his eyebrows as if puzzled but said nothing.

After walking about two hours—actually just under two hours by ten minutes, as Gable said—they reached the accommodation. The sun had already set, and it was getting dark.

In the dim alley, Gable opened the wooden gate of a house surrounded by a wide stone wall and waited about twenty steps behind as they approached.

The leisurely and cool walk of about two hours had been pleasant and not tiring.

Tae-ui would spend roughly a month here. Maybe his brother was somewhere on this island too. Was his brother also resting now in this calm and peaceful air?

Tae-ui smiled and stepped inside through the wooden gate Gable had opened.

“Feels like suddenly landing in a holiday resort in a Muslim country.”

Tae-ui muttered unknowingly.

The accommodation was a modest two-story backpacker’s lodge. Though modest, it had all the essentials. On the first floor, a hall used like a living room sat centrally, with a spacious kitchen beside it, then a laundry room and an office. Though not inspected closely, there seemed to be several rooms down the corridor. On the second floor, three or so rooms were lined up on either side of a hallway.

Looking down from the second-floor window, one could see a broad garden with fruit trees and a small attached pool. Fruit dotted the lawn from the trees, and hammocks hung between the trees.

“A typical backpacker’s place… I wonder if running lodging business here is viable with so few tourists. Are there no other guests besides us?”

“Probably rented the whole place. If you’re not planning to advertise and search for people here and there.”

Tae-ui, sitting on the window frame with both windows wide open and looking down at the garden, turned his head at a voice a few steps away. Ilay was entering.

The person who greeted them at the accommodation was a young woman named Anna. She looked younger than Tae-ui, maybe even younger, and led them upstairs. She said these were the best, sunniest rooms, giving each one a room next to each other.

Realizing Tae-ui had been staring at the youthful hostess somewhat bewildered, she smiled and said playfully, “I am the owner here.” Then she winked and left. Gable added that he’d be staying in a room on the first floor inside.

“A peaceful street. Would be nice to buy a house here and run a guesthouse, occasionally hosting guests leisurely.”

“That’s the wish of an old man.”

Ilay chuckled at Tae-ui’s murmuring. Turning his head, he went into the bathroom attached to the room to undress. He had a bathroom in his own room too, so why here?

Tae-ui tilted his head but, thinking it a good thing, returned his gaze to the window. Soon, water sounds came from the bathroom.

Tae-ui sighed contentedly. From Hong Kong to here took nearly a day. Saying “a day,” but constantly switching planes and cars was very tiring and exhausting. The only good thing was arriving at night, so he would immediately fall asleep, making it easier to adjust to jet lag.

He liked this island where he’d stay for about a month.

Even arriving at Dar es Salaam, Tae-ui had been quite exhausted. The noise of the bustling crowds had piled on the fatigue.

But walking the peaceful and calm streets on this island, his relaxed and leisurely spirit revived. The warm goodwill mixed in the curious gazes of passersby. He liked the strict yet generous atmosphere typical of Islam here.

Suddenly he felt a gaze. Lowering his head, he saw a young Black girl standing in the yard picking up fallen fruit with a basket. She seemed to be employed here helping with household chores. Though her African features were prominent, she looked like a mixed Arab-African. But she didn’t wear a hijab, so she probably wasn’t Muslim.

Since she wasn’t a Muslim woman, it wouldn’t be dangerous to speak to her. Besides, she was too young to be considered a woman—maybe fourteen or so.

Tae-ui smiled lightly at the girl’s bright eyes and waved gently. Startled, she shrank back, hurriedly gathered the fruit, and rushed inside. Yet she glanced back at Tae-ui with soft eyes. She seemed just shy.

Tae-ui smiled. Was it surprising to have guests in this place where almost no one stayed? Or maybe it was just because he was a rare Asian.

He turned his gaze. Beyond the fence, low and modest houses quietly lined up. Lights lit one by one in the dim evening darkness. From somewhere far away came the unfamiliar sound of a mother calling her child. Thinking such things were the same everywhere in the world, Tae-ui smiled again.

He liked this feeling—both strange and nostalgic.

At that moment, the water sound from the bathroom stopped. Turning his head, Ilay came out of the shower stall drying his hair with a towel.

Tae-ui got down from the windowsill. Some flying insects buzzed around the room. Thinking to close the screen, he leaned out and pulled the screen door. Then suddenly he noticed a presence outside beyond the stone wall.

It was dark, so he couldn’t see well. A boy was looking at Tae-ui from beside a corner of the alley. The boy stared fixedly as if seeing a strange animal. When their eyes met, the boy was startled and ran off down the alley.

“...?”

Tae-ui scratched the back of his neck. Asians must be fascinating. Or maybe people here were just shy.

But it didn’t feel like a casual glance as they passed by…

Tae-ui pondered for a moment, but before he could fully think it through, Ilay came up behind him.

“It’s already late and dark; can you see anything?”

Just as he finished speaking, several small garden lights turned on. Though not very bright, it was enough to walk comfortably in the garden even at night.

“Hm. I can see quite well. I could pick fruit or swim in the grass.”

Tae-ui nodded seriously and looked back. Then he frowned slightly. He hadn’t properly dried off, and water droplets trailed down his body onto the floor. Shamelessly, he wore no towel at all. Tae-ui glanced down.

At least he wasn’t fully erect. Well, if he got excited in the shower, that’d be a serious problem.

Turning, Tae-ui leaned on the window frame. Ilay came up beside him and looked outside. The window wasn’t high, so Tae-ui thought that anyone outside could clearly see him naked, but he said nothing. After all, it was Ilay who should be shy (though not really).

“Did you hear something running just now?”

Ilay murmured. Tae-ui pressed his lips tight. A chill ran down his spine. This guy was like a ghost—his senses were terrifyingly sharp, not just his ears.

He thought about mentioning the Black boy who had been peeking around the alley corner but decided not to. If telling wouldn’t help, better to stay silent.

“Hm. I thought I heard something too, but it was too dark to see clearly.”

“Hmm...?”

Feeling that saying “I didn’t hear anything” would just get him scolded, Tae-ui feigned ignorance. Ilay glanced briefly but said nothing.

“Oh, there she is again. Hello――――.”

Tae-ui saw the young Black girl quietly walking back through the dimly lit garden and waved. Having finished her day’s work and changed clothes, she walked toward the door. She glanced shyly up at the second floor. When Tae-ui waved with a smile, she didn’t get startled this time but hesitated and waved back shyly. Then she quickly ran out the door.