Chapter 1 – The Whisper of the Silent Sea
第1章
The year was 2025. It was one of the first mornings of spring. The Mediterranean sun, coy and delicate, had only just begun to sip at the horizon of Dalaman. A gentle breeze rose from the sea, gliding softly against the shutters and curtains of the sleeping houses. Dalaman still slumbered, wrapped in its quiet. But in one of those quiet houses, someone was already awake. In a room with wooden shutters, a young woman sat quietly:
Meyra.
She was 24. Her dark hair was loosely tied back as she sat before an old writing desk. The notebook in front of her was not just filled with notes and sketches—it held her heartbreaks, joys, and rebirths. Scattered across the pages were scribbled Japanese phrases:
「静けさの中に,音楽が生まれる.」 "From silence, music is born."
She had graduated from the conservatory in Istanbul, stood on bright stages, tasted both praise and envy. But shortly after graduation, in a prestigious project, a piece she had composed herself was used without permission. The betrayal—especially by her closest friend—had carved a deep wound in her spirit. That incident had driven her not just away from her profession, but away from the city itself. Her return to Dalaman wasn't an escape. It was a search. A search to hear her inner voice again, to clean the rust from her heart.
Her mother, a graduate in Japanese Language and Literature, taught online courses from home. It was under her gentle guidance that Meyra's fascination with Japanese had blossomed since childhood. Her father was a retired Air Force Commander. Years ago, a conspiracy filled with lies had forced him out of service. The same tragedy had also taken her twin brother—lost, perhaps forever. Since that day, they had settled quietly in Dalaman. They built a life of silence and resilience. And now, Meyra was ready to listen to what the sea whispered back.
As Meyra sipped her coffee in the morning silence, a message in Japanese appeared on her phone:
「私たちは,明日,不思議な街で待っています.」 "Tomorrow, we will be in a city full of secrets waiting for you."
Sender: Asami Takahira.
They had met at the Japanese Cultural Center in Istanbul. Asami, a ceramic artist in her mid-30s, was passionate about Turkish culture. She had admired Meyra's voice, telling her that she found the peace she was looking for in her melodies. Over time, their relationship had blossomed into a sincere friendship. Asami had a young daughter, and they were taking Turkish lessons from Meyra's mother.
The message reminded Meyra of a forgotten sketch between the pages of her notebook. She flipped through the pages. It was there: a sea, light passing through its center, and a melody written in Japanese:
「海の底に移ろう.静けさの中で,未来の声を聞こう.」
"Let's dive to the bottom of the sea. In the silence, let's hear the voice of the future."
In that moment, she understood. A transformation had begun. That night, as she packed her suitcase, her father approached her. He held an old box in his hands and handed it to her. Inside the box was an elegant necklace with a delicate stone in the center. "When I was your age," her father said, "I got this necklace when I met your mother. She always kept it with her." Meyra looked at her father with a happy expression as her mother joined them. "Now, this necklace is yours. Many of your questions will be answered, but don't part with it," her mother said. At that moment, Meyra didn't understand the significance of the necklace. But when she touched it, she felt a gentle tremor in her heart. Perhaps that vibration would one day unlock the doors of the past.
The morning sun had not yet fully risen when Meyra's home became the scene of a small but meaningful farewell. At the door, her mother whispered a quiet prayer. Her father looked deep into her eyes and said, "Never forget, some paths are drawn for you—even if you can't see them." "And every darkness holds a spark within." When the family arrived at the airport, the air wasn't filled with just pride. There was also the ache of the past, a child lost, and a life trying to be reborn. Meyra's steps now carried more courage than fear. Just before boarding the plane, she received a voice message from Asami:
「私たちは,明日,不思議な街で待っています.」
"How about morning tea in Kyoto tomorrow?"
Tears welled up in Meyra's eyes. She took her seat by the window. The seat next to her was empty. In her ears, a melody played—soft and still, like the morning silence of Dalaman. She closed her eyes and thought, "This isn't an end. It's a beginning."
The sun touched the wing of the plane. It glimmered like the first spark of hope in the sky. No one knew it yet, but on that plane, not just a passenger was flying— A deeply layered story was taking flight with her...