also # jungri

four

i leaned back on the same beach chair i'd met salt and vinegar girl, sipping a pouch of fruit juice as the ocean waves crashed on the shoreline. it was another early day and i'd escaped the house without suspicion. 

don't tell anyone, but i was hoping to see her, again.

and by her, i meant...

well.

eunha, obviously.

i scratched the back of my head, wondering if she was still single. i figured that i probably couldn't snatch her back up or anything, but it'd be a higher probability that i could if she didn't have a significant other. but knowing eunha... it was highly likely she had a ton of guys waiting in line for their own shot at her.

sometimes, i'd wished i hadn't let her go.

but what can you do about it, right?

i chewed on the thin straw, thoughtfully, bathing in the sun's rays. i could use a cup of ice, i told myself. but unfortunately, your boy was too lazy to get up and ask for one. not that there were any ice cup suppliers in a nearby radius, anyways. 

a crunch startled me and i turned towards the sound. 

salt and vinegar girl.

"it's... you." i said as a greeting. i leaned back on the chair, casually. she gave a curt nod, but didn't register any acknowledgment for me besides that. "so... do you live near here?" i looked back and forth across the other beach houses.

"are you a stalker?" 

huh?

"what? no, i was just... curious, that's all. i live right over there!" i pointed to the direction of where i'd been staying, hoping that'd stop any other accusations. 

she barely lifted her face to where my finger lay. "hmm." 

and out of nowhere, that same astonishingly big plastic bag was pulled out and she was eating those salt and vinegar chips once again. 

"do you have a name?" i asked. "or do i have to continue calling you 'salt and vinegar girl' in my head?" 

at that, she smiled. it was a nice smile, one that happened too fast so that it ended up toothy rather than lippy. i smiled back, happy that i'd gotten one emotion out of her. i probably looked stupid, having that dopey grin on my face and that relieved look in my eyes. "well," she started. "salt and vinegar girl has a nice ring to it. so, yeah."

"do you even have a name?" my smile grew. 

"depends who's asking." she replied, a small smile plastered on her face. 

before i could say something back, she stood up just like she had the other day, and walked away, the bag of chips swaying and the aroma of salt and vinegar in the air. 

i blinked.

was she flirting with me? 

i shook my head, unable to wipe off that stupid smile off my face as i found myself comfortable on the chair again. 

for a second, i'd forgotten all about eunha and her potential lover. 

"salt and vinegar girl." i said aloud, letting it roll off my tongue. it did have a nice ring to it. but i was determined to find out her real name. "salt and vinegar girl. just you wait." 

and then i fell asleep under the sun, thinking. thinking of one-fourth of the beach, one-fourth of my parents, one-fourth of eunha, and one-fourth of salt and vinegar girl. 

can you guess which part i enjoyed the most? 

i think that exact moment was when i realized how much i really enjoyed the smell of pure vinegar mixed with salt. 

...

it's the beach, huh? 

there was salt in more things than the ocean, i realized. 

good and bad.

more good.

when i'd woken up, i bought myself a bag of chips.

you can assume what flavor.