“Light on the Sea”

Hákun lives in a tiny, closely-knit village on the Faroe Islands. It is on a family barbecue during a cool summer that he finally meets the son of his mother’s new beau, Uncle Jógvan: Vilmar.

Even though the two aren’t big talkers, there’s undeniable chemistry between them, and soon, Hákun finds himself aching for something more, but the idea of hitting on his stepbrother terrifies him.

But love, like a flower, flourishes even on the most unsuitable grounds; and although he keeps silent about how he feels, Hákun still treasures every stolen moment with Vilmar. There aren’t many of those, as Vilmar works as a second officer on the ship and has commercial voyages that keep him away... Hákun would wait months to see him again, though, so deep his love for Vilmar is.

As his mother and Uncle Jógvan’s relationship starts going through a rough patch, a glimmer of hope emerges for Hákun. He wants to confess, but it may not be that easy, with Vilmar always acting as an elusive shadow...

Meanwhile, it is revealed that Hákun’s two best friends, Sunnvar and Jatmundur, are in love with each other, but it clear that they won’t take a step without a little push...

Will Hákun succeed at bringing them together, and confessing to his stepbrother without causing a family scandal?

*

In this highly atmospheric short story by Tina Isabel Leung, “Light on the Sea,” love becomes an intricate knot of secrecy, restraint and wait. It shows hot at times, love must be kept hidden and nurtured in silence before it can become strong enough to be revealed. With every stolen glance and unspoken word, the story revolving around silent mutual pining explores the gentle balance between desire and patience, highlighting the raw intensity of a forbidden love between two men.

“Light on the Sea”

Sometimes, loving another person was all about... keeping quiet about it.

Yeah. This may not have been Hollywood’s preferred narrative, but in my case, it was very true...

In life, there were moments when you found yourself caring for someone very deeply, longing for them each second of the day, yet the circumstances prevented you from expressing that love.

All that you could do, would be cherish them from a distance, quietly embracing the affection flickering within you...

In the midst of my twenties, I was trapped in this type of situation, hopelessly in love with a man, and waiting to no end, just to catch glimpses of him...

It wasn’t really him trying to put distances between us, but rather, the reality of his job.

Vilmar held the post of the second officer on a ship, and every voyage kept him away from home for three to four weeks. I was no expert regarding this profession, but from what I understood listening to him, he played a crucial role in navigating the vessel, monitoring weather conditions, and ensuring safety of everyone on board.

Vilmar and I met at the tender age of fifteen. Back then, my mother began dating some divorced man from our village, Uncle Jógvan – who had a seventeen year old son, Vilmar.

I often overheard them speaking about him, sharing tales of his hunger to see the world and somewhat wild ambitions – to become a chief officer on board a vessel…

I didn’t know many such people and as a result, I found myself yearning to meet him; but it wasn’t until the arrival of a rather cool summer that our paths finally crossed, like two ships in the distance.

It was a sweet-scented, yet treacherously cold summer evening, and the aroma of grilled meat wafting through the air as laughter and chatter filled my mother’s ordinary, boxed-in garden. At last, our annual barbecue was in full swing, and the first time that I laid my eyes on him, was amidst the lively crowd. His messy dark hair seemed to dance in the warm breeze, framing his striking blue eyes and a polite smile... He was wearing a sweater from the Faroese wool and charcoal grey chinos, paired with white leather shoes...

Our parents knew it wouldn’t be easy for us to initiate a conversation, and boy, were they right... There was an aura of effortless charm about him that drew me in, I found myself attracted by him in a way that I couldn’t explain, fascinated, I could say.

I felt awkward for other reasons, too. It wasn’t simply to acquire a stepbrother at age fifteen! All my life, I had been the only child. It was just my mother and I, and it was challenging to have someone like Vilmar, become a part of my life...

And so… as we kept eating local delicacies (such as ræst kjøt, fermented mutton) and drinking maltøl (a non-alcoholic malt drink), I couldn’t help but be captivated by everything that he spoke to me... It was refreshing to meet someone who embraced life with such fervor and I quickly realized that I had much to learn from him!

*

Approximately two weeks later, I was wandering through the bustling outdoor market when a commotion started. Someone’s Border Collie had ran away, and a group of teenagers was desperately trying to catch him. However, the dog didn’t want to be caught, and kept running away at a speed superseding theirs. Other people from our village tried to stop him, but the dog was smart, and kept running away. Ah, the call of wilderness... I couldn’t help but smile to myself.

I turned around then, and almost bumped into somebody.

It was no one else but Vilmar! Our eyes locked, and a spark ignited in me with the force of a lighthouse light being turned on. Once again, I couldn’t help but feel guided closer to him; it was so natural...

“Hey, Hákun,” Vilmar saluted to me. “It’s great to see you again, brother. Are enjoying the market?”

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. “Yeah, it’s quite lively today. I mean, especially with the fleeing Collie...” I nervously swallowed. “What brings you here, Vilmar?”