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Spewing the water bottle open, Deiji took a hefty gulp to cool down under the beaming sun.
Not too long ago, both her and Sungchan got off the train. The boy wasn't sure what Deiji had planned but obediently he followed her footsteps. And now they were facing a public beach crowded with people.
Never had she seen a beach so crowded before. The bustling scene unfolded perhaps due to school finishing not long ago. It was so packed that Deiji began to ponder whether they should even trek through the sand to find any empty spot. "Over there!"
Sungchan pointed to a distance. Raising her hand above her eyes, she shaded them from the burning sun to get a better look.
Upon finding the small empty slot between a bundle of people, Deiji gasped softly and grasped Sungchan's hand in hers. "Let's go before someone takes it!" she dragged him, weaving between everyone.
He didn't mind the fact that sand got in between his toes or how some flew into his mouth. The grim taste lingering on the tip of his tongue even after he spat it out. He just cared more about the fact that she was holding his hand tightly so that he doesn't get lost. She kept him right beside her.
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Pulling her knees closer into her chest, Joo ri took in the beauty of nature. The rhythmic waves pulled in and out; a gentle motion.
It was getting late and Chenle advised that they should rest for the day before starting their journey once again tomorrow morning. So there she was, sat alone at the beach watching the sunset as it spread out a subtle transition of orange hue into purple clouds.
Reaching her hand to her neck once again, Joo ri scratched at it as she scrunched up her features in discomfort. It was as if her nerves were tugging underneath as they carried the poison throughout her body.
Shutting her eyes, Joo ri rested her chin on top of her knees. Then suddenly a bunch of sand hit her side. Fluttering her eyes open she peeked beside her to find a pair of feet. Racking her eyes up their legs, she saw Chenle staring down. Wordlessly, he gracefully descended to settle beside her before presenting her a take-away box.
With a curious gaze, she slowly took hold of the box he was handing over to her before taking in the scent of the rich seasoning that infiltrated the air. Not wasting a second, Joo ri opened it to find 2 servings of cold noodles, jogae gui and tteok. It's been a long time since I've had this. She thought to herself as a genuine smile lifted off her lips which did not go unnoticed by Chenle. It somehow made him relax his usual stoic features into an unnoticeable smile.
Apart from Jeju, Joo ri had never visited anywhere else. She wished to travel abroad. But seeing that she hasn't even travelled around Korea, travelling abroad wasn't even an option to begin with. Therefore, when she saw the food that Chenle bought, she couldn't help but feel a little joyful despite the position she was currently in.
