✓LOVER BOY | hwang hyunjin

10. Hold Me

The sun glimmered in a pool of yellow, swallowing the sea as a whole in an embrace that kissed away the sore from Yeseul's body.

Sunday would usually come with the curtains being draped mercilessly against the day, holding inside the darkness that would bring a head full of empty spaces, and a body of tiredness, no passion in it, although some claim that we are made of stardust. Others would stay still on the ground, waiting for the time to pass quickly until it dissolves in the night. But Yeseul felt happy the moment she opened her eyes that day. Her tiredness soon left when she recalled that her online friend had for the first time sent her a voicemail. Although his voice sounded distant because he was busy cleaning his room, she still took all of it in like a desperately needed hug. He would bead together his words so delicately for Yeseul, as if she was the beginning of spring. He had also talked about a picnic at the beach, so Yeseul had decided in heart that she would do the same.

She wore a peach coloured dress which was a birthday gift from her mother that she received when she still lived with her family, before moving out for school. Her hat was a necessity, and so was her basket filled with lunch that she had prepared for herself.

The walk down towards the beach was serene. Cars zoomed past her, and the air tangled her hair softly, until her stubborn eyes were forced to tear themselves away from the sea by a call from behind. She turned her head, eyes meeting a familiar smile. She took in the face of the boy, along with the company beside him, both riding a cycle. Yeseul felt her heart drop off in a pit. Not out of bleak feelings, but because she despised the idea of meeting her school mates outside the campus. Embarrassing.

"Hey Yeseul." Hyunjin smiled his lips in a further honesty. "Heading towards the beach?"

The girl barely said anything, when Jeongin joined the conversation. He shyly looked at her, then towards the basket that she held. "Noona. Will you join us? We both didn't get our lunch with us, and cycling down here has made me hungry... " He ended the sentence in a whisper, as if it was meant for himself.

"Guys... " Yeseul sighed, "This is supposed to be a solo beach picnic for me."

Hyunjin drew closer, his eyes refusing to move away from the girl's eyes. "Well, too bad." Before she could make sense of what he meant by that, the boy pushed down the pedal, grabbing her hat off from her head. "I bet you need this to enjoy the sea." He held his hand up, mirthful air drowning the static of Yeseul's ears.

Without a second thought passing through her mind, Yeseul ran, chasing the boy who rushed down the slope, turning towards the bike stand, laughter escaping his mouth like a summer song.

The sky that kissed down the sea was brilliantly blue, but as time moved ahead, and as Yeseul couldn't find the pause to her chase, it turned towards hues of yellow and orange. Until she finally got the hold of the hat.

"I won! " Yeseul hugged the hat close, her smile so much elevated, and eyes pools of glittering joy. Hyunjin couldn't help but mirror the happiness on her face.

"But you took too long."

The simple sentence made her annoyance to surface on her face. She kicked at the froth that crashed against their feet, making Hyunjin's shirt wet. He looked up, a glint of mischief running across his eyes. Yeseul backed up, but before he could move towards her, she grabbed a handful of sand, throwing it at the boy, his hair now ruined.

"Oh no. It's time to pray for your life."

Hyunjin ran, and so did the girl, the dipping sun witness of their elation. The waves crashed behind them, and they felt at heart as if they were home.

Hyunjin grabbed at Yeseul's hand, pulling her close, but she fought back, her eyes watching the expression on Hyunjin's face. She noticed the mole sitting under his eye, which hid under the crease of his smile. Hyunjin mouthed the words 'got you' but the ecstasy of the moment was so high, that he drew her in further against her urging pull, until she tripped on the soft sand, their bodies close when the fall came.

Yeseul closed her eyes, the fall so sudden that as soon as she was on the ground she couldn't hold back her laughter. When she opened her eyes, her gaze was filled with Hyunjin who was on top of her, hair in disarray, and a boyish smile teasing her. She held back her breath, the grin falling loose and apart. Time felt so, so slow, as if the whole of evening had them looking into each other's eyes.

"Could've been closer." Hyunjin spoke, clearing his throat. And at that split second Yeseul remembered the voicemail she listened to last night.

She just watched, as she was pulled up on her feet by the boy who had entered her life like an unknown harbinger. A harbinger of hopefully something beautiful.

And Hyunjin couldn't stop thinking of Yeseul that night. He felt a flutter of something new in his soul whenever he would reminisce about her smile in that drenching evening.