~ Swans of Lover's Lagoon~

"I see, there are two kinds of boats, swan boats and regular row-boats," Rumi said reading the sign. She giggled. "I wonder which one is more romantic."

Kazunori hazarded a guess: "Most dramas and manga, even games portray rowboats as 'boat de jure' because you can see so much more from an open boat, and you can look the other in the eye without straining your neck."

"But Swan Boats are enclosed, so others can't see in," Rumiko pointed out."

"Well, there you go, then. Swan Boats are the more romantic. The Ambassador Rumiko has spoken."

"Oh stop it," Rumi said, blushing. The line moved, and they found themselves standing on the embarking platform. "I wonder which one we'll get then?" Rumiko said, watching an inexpert couple foundering not too far away from shore.

"We'll get the boat we need." Kazunori said with confidence. Privately, he hoped for a Swan Boat, but as there were more row-boats on the water, he didn't think their chances very high. "The Legend of the White Swan Boat" -Its even said that two people who follow the park swan will have good luck in love.! There sure are a lot of legends like that surrounding this park, for some reason." Kazunori commented.

"Don't be a spoil-sport, Nori-kun" Rumi admonished. "It must have happened at least once, so there's good reason to let other people know."

"Okay, okay. I wasn't criticizing, just commenting on the situation."

Rumi smiled again. "Well, this is a Strawberry Fields dreamland, after all, so they need something to bring visitors back. The next boat that came up to the dock to disgorge its two passengers, though, was a Swan Boat, white with a gold crown and an etched pink heart surmounting a graceful long neck. The park employee signaled for Kazunori and Rumi to come forward. Rumiko climbed in first, followed by Kazunori. He looked around at the interior: red plastic seating covering a white plastic wall with some stray graffiti as decoration. He began to wonder at their good fortune. The pair struggled to get the hang of steering the boat, but finally their confidence grew. Before they knew it, they had paddled themselves clear to the other side of the lake.

"Look over there" Rumi pointed out excitedly, "there's a real swan!" Kazunori gazed in the direction of her finger. Sure enough there was a white swan. As he watched, Something glinted from its neck.

"What's that?" he asked, also pointing.. "Shall we follow her and find out?" he asked.

Rumi's face lit up. "Do you think we can?"

"What's the worst that can happen, she'll fly off, right?"

That convinced her. "Ok."

And so they pointed their little boat in the same direction as the swan and began paddling after the swan. who led them on a merry chase, seemingly unafraid of the noise behind her. Their meandering course caused not a few near-misses with other boaters who let their feelings known by cheerfully, or not so cheerfully, splashing the offending boat in protest, even when apologies were offered up as they parted. Finally, they cornered the swan in a part of the lake where no else was. They found themselves in what looked like the entrance to a lagoon of sorts. Two poles on either side normal held a tarp that kept it from view, but it had been lowered, exposing this additional bit of shoreline.

"Lovers' Lagoon, please be responsible." Rumiko read from a wooden sign on her left. They stopped paddling as they crossed the threshold, continuing to glide. Able to observe the swan at a closer distance, Kazunori discovered that the strange glinting around the swan's neck came from a pink heart on a gold chain.. Without warning the swan took off, cackling as she began her ungainly launch, and leaving Kazunori and Rumiko in sole possession of the lagoon. The two half-turned to look at one another and shrugged in bemused wonder at their fortune.

"It looks like this place isn't used much," Kazunori commented aloud. He found himself wishing they had taken a rowboat after all, then he wouldn't have to keep turning his head to look at Rumiko. Finally, it dawned on him that they were alone. Wouldn't this be a great place make his confession. He gathered his courage about him like a cloak. The wind died down, It was as if the very waters were waiting for something to happen, nudging him to make his confession here in this pond. The very silence was pregnant with expectation. They drifted slowly, until even that slight motion faded. Yet, the silence also robbed him of any words. Their mutual silent appreciation of the scene before them was like a zen poem. Then a frog broke the stillness and the moment was gone. Kazunori shook his head to clear himself of the feeling of expectation and turned to his companion.

"Guess we should be getting back, huh? We've probably gone way over our limit." Kazunori said abashedly. Rumiko shook her head in agreement, but neither made a move to start paddling. Being together here was a special feeling he wanted to absorb to its fullest. They were startled out of their ponderings by a barking voice from behind.

"Oi, what are you doing here?" A park employee was waving at them from the shore, signaling them over. They shrugged and aimed the Swan Boat in his direction. "This area is off-limits to park guests you know. How did you get in here?" He asked when they were in hailing distance.

"Um, we just followed a swan. We didn't know this part of the lake was off-limits, sir."

"A swan?" he repeated with a tone that said he had expected a different explanation.

"Yes, there was a swan wearing a pink necklace in the middle of the lake and we chased it to get a better look, and wound up back here. What is this place anyway?" Rumiko asked.

"Umm." the employee said, scratching his head. "Ah, its really more of a non-public area the park rents out for private functions. So you followed Henrietta huh? I guess she must have wanted to show you something. But still, this is not exactly a place for you two to be. I'll have to ask you to leave now. I'll be replacing the tarp directly, so please return to the park."

"Yes sir, thank you, sir." Kazunori and Rumiko said. He waved them off. They back-paddled from the shore and followed the short channel out into the main lake. It wasn't until the employee was out of hearing range that the significance of his questions and prodding, and that of the purpose of the signs dawned on them. They burst out into embarrassed laughter. kazunori sighed inwardly, even as the laugh left his mouth: found out by a park employee, and sent packing from the one private place in the whole park. Another chance wasted. He truly was a coward, and Ozawa would never let him live it down, if he ever found out. But still, it was worth it, just to follow the swan, and experience the stillness together with Rumiko, a shared moment he would treasure forever, much as Rumiko would treasure the carnation.

"Strange to think that they would have that kind of place here, at an amusement park." Rumiko said after their laughter had died away.

"Not really. There is an attached hotel after all, and this is a business that caters to all age groups. Of course they're bound to offer a range of services." he replied without thinking. "Not that I'm in any hurry to try them all," he added hurriedly. They were very, very late in returning the Swan boat, yet strangely not a word of reproach was uttered by the employee, nor any mention of their transgression into off-limits areas. They stretched their limbs as they disembarked and left the dockside. Little though he knew it, Nori-kun had one last Strange Thing to undergo in his quest to confess to Rumiko, and it would prove the Strangest of them all.