We lean against the railing. Lights from the high-rises swirl in the river like an oil painting. Jasmine and I usedto come here all the time, watching boats pass by. “I’ve always wanted to go on one of those boat tours. Just once, you know? I heard it’s a lot of fun, seeing everything from the water. My mom would never let us do it. My sister said she’d go with me someday. We never did, though.”
“How come?”
“She’s really busy,” I tell him. “And she doesn’t live in the city anymore. But it’s not a big deal.”
I turn away from the railing and continue walking. But Haru lingers behind a little. “Well, look at that,” he says. “Someone left a boat for us.”
I turn around. A small wooden boat is tied along the dock. Was that there a moment ago?
“Where did that come from?” I ask.
“You walked right past it,” Haru says. He looks up and down the path, as if to see if the coast is clear. “Do you think we could take it for a ride?”
“Of course not.”
“I’m sure they won’t mind us borrowing it.”
Before I have a chance to object, Haru steps inside the boat. Then he turns around, holding out his hand to me. “Plenty of room for two.”
“We can’t just take someone’s boat!”
Haru smirks. “You’re not making me go alone, are you?”
“We could get in so much trouble!”
“We’ll be back before anyone notices. I promise.”
I press my lips together, glancing around the dock. There’s no one else around but us. I stare at Haru for a long moment.The way he looks at me makes it hard to say no. I breathe out a sigh of defeat. “Alright, but not too long, okay?”
Haru takes my hand, helping me into the boat. Then he unties the rope, letting the currents slowly pull us away. I take a seat, trying not to be nervous. I mean, what if someone catches us? For some reason, Haru seems completely unfazed. He picks up a paddle, dipping it into the water.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” I say.
“You said you’ve never been on a boat before.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to steal one!”
“We’re onlyborrowingit,” he reminds me, giving me a look. “And you’re ruining the moment.”
“Sorry.” I sit up straight, folding my hands in my lap. The streetlamps look like floating orbs in the distance, casting ghostly lights along the river.
“I told you no one would notice,” Haru says, keeping the paddle moving. “Bet you wish you had your camera.”
“And document our crime? I don’t think so.” I lean to the side of the boat, dipping a finger in the water. “I have enough shots of Chicago already. More than I even know what to do with.”
“You could make a documentary,” Haru suggests.
“About what?”
“Your life here in the city.”
“My life isn’t interesting enough to be a documentary,” I say. “A film about me would more likely be a tragedy.”
“Some of the best love stories are tragedies, remember?”
I can’t help smiling. As we continue down the river, I takein the view of the high-rises, the squares of light from their windows. It really is a beautiful night for a boat ride. I’m glad I get to experience this with Haru. I’ve lived in Chicago my entire life. But it sort of feels like I’m seeing it for the first time. Maybe the view changes when you’re looking at it with someone else. I start to think about the film I need to work on. “Maybe a documentary isn’t the worst idea. Something like a love letter to the city. I’m sure I’ll appreciate it when I’m gone.”
“Where are you going?”
