"Operation Mermaid Man" (1/1)

Jinki came to the ocean by his house that Sunday afternoon, giving his dad the impression that he was going to go meet Luna for another coffee round they usually did before Luna had to go work. Luna was in on his plan that she called Operation Mermaid Man (she seemed content with this code name), and told him to call her if he happened to catch the man he spoke about. He told her he would, and he brought along a bag full of things (sandwiches for lunch, his phone, wallet, all that). He traveled to the shoreline, where the waters lazily danced against the sand, coming in a rhythm that was gentle to the eye. There was no one nearby, just an older couple a ways away from him, enjoying the emptiness to themselves.  Jinki set his bag down, laying a blanket on the sand, and sitting a fair distance away from the waters, but enough so if he stretched out, the waves would reach the tip of his toes. He scanned the horizon line, seeing no sign of any swimmers or boats. The chances of running into the man were high if he did indeed live in this little town, or maybe he was a tourist. Tourists rarely came and stayed for more than a weekend, their expectations usually trampled by the grim reality of unfriendly people and overpriced coffee shops.  He got out his freshly prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which had the crust cut off. He took one of the four triangles and took a bit, settling it down and looking again, as if the man would appear that time. To his dismay, he didn't, and Jinki had no other choice than to resort to desperate measures.  That day seemed to be particularly favorable, the weatherman bragging of the heat wave that would pass through the town. It was mid-afternoon, and the sun's heat was at it's prime. Jinki got to his feet, slipping into his swimming shoes and getting some goggles over his face. He walked over to where the waves greeted him, and started to enter the water. The current wasn't too bad, and it didn't seem hard to swim in. When he was at a level where the water was above his waistline, he dove in. His eyes adjusted to the view of the ocean, not hesitating to look around. He decided to cover more ground, swimming farther. He didn't see anything yet but seaweed entangling with his shoes on the ground. He went farther, now at a distance where he had to use his arms and legs to keep him afloat. Mystery man might not have even been out today, but why would he not be? It was the nicest day to go out and swim. The waters were a mix of warm and cool, the current not harsh to go against. He even found it nice, not being much of a swimmer. Finally, his muscles started to ache from the swimming, and after about ten or fifteen minutes, he swam back. He got his feet on the ground, and his head above water, taking in a good breath. He shook his head and got his goggles from over his face. His stomach was gurgling for another sandwich triangle. He found his way back to his space on the sand."What?" he couldn't stop himself from questioning the scene when he got back. Two of his three triangle squares left were disappeared. They weren't anywhere to be found, and he had a hunch that he knew who took them.--"You think he took your food?" Luna's voice came in over the speaker, and he paced around his spot. He didn't know what to do, and if the man was gone by now. He knew that the couple didn't take his food (why would they?), and no one was in sight (he checked for himself). "Yes, and I think he's still here," Jinki said a little more quieter."He took your sandwiches and now he's watching your reaction," Luna said in disbelief, a little comically. "It's really starting to turn into a game, Luna," he hissed over the phone, hearing her belated giggling over the phone, bemusedly deciding to entertain him for now."I've got an idea. Why don't you leave again and come back, see if you can catch him in the act?" "That's not a bad idea," he said, looking around like some sort of mad man on the hunt. He gently put his box of one measly triangle sandwich on the blanket, seeing the couple in the distance getting up to leave. He went over to the bathrooms located above the sandy shore, and slid behind the wall, making it seem as if he left. Carefully, he adjusted his eyes to see if anything was going to occur. He waited, impatience starting to make him antsy and eager. "Well?" Luna asked him, making him remember she was waiting over the phone for his discovery."Nothing yet," he told her, seemingly suspicious and still hopeful that the culprit would appear. Five or so minutes went by and nothing. He was getting restless in this ridiculous cat and mouse game. If the man took his sandwiches, he at least hoped he enjoyed it."So you didn't have any luck today," Luna said when he finally told her he gave up."I'm going to go crazy," he told her, heading back to the spot he claimed, which was untouched from the man and he was left with the pang of defeat. His feet approached the sand and he danced his way back because of the burning surface. When he got to the comfort of his blanket, he looked inside the sandwich box, deciding he wouldn't let the last piece go to waste.But it seemed he didn't need to.The last piece was gone. In it's place was a"Starfish!" he exclaimed, stumbling back and causing his butt to land in the sand. He was at this point, bewildered."Starfish?" Luna asked, completely lost on her end. "There's a starfish in my lunch box!" his voice nearly high pitched in the situation's strange turn of events. "I'm pretty sure you're hallucinating," Luna diagnosed for him, but his eyes were not failing him. A cautious finger tried to poke the thing that stuck to his lunch box, but it's exterior seemed alive and well. He looked around once more, maybe hoping that this was a stupid prank and that there would be a group of people laughing at him in the distance, offering him a lighthearted "got 'cha!" No such thing happened, and he had to put the starfish back in it's home, not without sending a picture of the sight to Luna."That's a starfish alright," she wrote him in a text message reply, adding a goofy face with a tongue out. "Someone is seriously messing with you, dude," Luna added in another chat bubble. "It would seem so," he added in dismay. "Try again tomorrow?" she asked him."Maybe I'll make him another sandwich," he added playfully, finally gathering his stuff from the beach and trudging home with more questions than when he came. Luna was going to tease him tremendously about this whole experience with the sandwich thief and the misplaced starfish that somehow got into his lunch box (not coincidentally, you can concur). He mentally prepared himself for that, but for now, he would have to go home, hoping that the man got his fill for the day of messing with him. It wouldn't be long now until Jinki caught the man red-handed, and his confusion could be put to rest.