Notes From The Sea ✓

P R O L O G U E

He certainly was in no possession of money to afford even the cheapest form of a hotel and he had no other place to go to. So instead of declining the warm offer, he thanked his newly made friend a thousand times -he hasn't stopped doing so up until today- telling him how much he appreciated it and that he was his hero. An absolute lifesaver.

He got to know the man more and more as time passed by and the two soon shared a very close, unbreakable bond. To Jeongguk, Seokjin was the stranger he never knew he needed but now couldn't possibly live without.

Knowing he couldn't stay at Seokjin's place forever no matter how much the guy insisted that it really wasn't a problem at all, he started looking around for other available options that were in his range.

Eventually, the tiny apartment he currently resides in, caught his eye. His saviour helped him move in and together they tried to make it as liveable as possible.

It wasn't much, but it was the best Jeongguk could muster. It was decent for one person. After all, he had a roof above his head and it was his own. He no longer had to feel guilty. It was an independent move that in his opinion, had to be made.

But that independent move soon appeared to be lonelier than he expected it would be. Missing the warmth of chattering, laughing and joking away with his friend, he now sat in a quiet room instead, with a clock that kept on ticking.

Even though he pretty much just turned into a legal adult, he already went through a lot, already having experienced quite the journey.

In one way it has put him tougher on his feet, knowing that whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

But on the contrary, every now and then he secretly wishes he was still at his parents' place, missing the way it used to be before he decided to open his mouth to let the truth come out. He regrets what he had done with his entire being, knowing that if he just kept his mouth shut, he'd still have a loving family.

The unconditional love Seokjin gives him made him shake his head. He is his family now. His actual family could never compare.

Another wave washed up shore and soaked Jeongguk's feet cold. He shuddered, taking a few steps back.

He shook off his depressing memories, pushing them deep down. Now he stood staring at the depths of the sea, the moonlight mesmerisingly reflecting on top of the dark water.

He slowly strolled along the shore, wanting to go stand on something a little higher up to have a better view.

The wet sand that swallowed around his feet made a satisfying sound whenever he took a step, the suction letting go with a plop only to repeat it.

He carefully climbed on top of a slightly slippery, giant rock, staring ahead of him. A now colder gush of wind went past him, indicating that the time had ticked by quicker than he realised.

The boy closed his eyes once more, enjoying the silence to the fullest. Even inside his own head, it had gone quiet.

He couldn't let that go unappreciated.

A faint splashing sound from the distance made him re-open his eyes. Squinting, he tried to see what it is, but the darkness made that an impossible job.

He swore he saw a tail that was way too big to belong to a fish, disappear back under the surface. Theoretically, it could've been anything. But for some reason, the myth he wanted to believe in was the first thing that came to his mind.

He waited, not sure what for─ perhaps there was a part of him that silently hoped to see it again, whatever it was.

Coming to the conclusion that it was already gone, Jeongguk looked down with a sigh. He wanted his believe-in to be confirmed by his own pair of brown orbs actually witnessing it. Otherwise, he was afraid he would start to feel foolish to believe his own fantasy-rich imagination.

As he stood there, an idea slowly creeped up in his mind. Not bothering to put his shoes back on -his feet were wet and dirty anyway- he ran all the way to his apartment, only to get a small plasticised piece of paper and a waterproof marker.

Since he was a photographer, he often had to come up with new, sometimes slightly challenging ideas. His most recent project had been making underwater photos, hence why he had those papers scattered around.

They were small, but he was in a hurry, so he granted himself not enough time to think about that. Making his way back to the rock, he sat down, thinking of what to write.

After a minute or two, he shrugged, a small smile dancing on his lips. He already let his imagination take over and wander to what he could possibly get out of this. He wasn't a fan of contributing to the plastic trash in the sea, but he figured that this one-time-thing tiny piece wouldn't really hurt, compared to what was already out there.

"Hi! I'm Jeongguk."

He wanted to put down more, but since the paper was so small he couldn't. It wouldn't fit, even if he flipped it over.

He nodded at himself in approval, squatting down and reaching his arm out.

He let go of it. 

He stood back up, straightening his back and watched as the waves brought it farther and farther into the unknown, until he couldn't see it anymore.

Jeongguk knew it was useless. There was absolutely no point in doing this.

But, there was a part of him, that secretly believed. And so, he could only smile at the thought of something, or rather, someone, getting to read it.

He doubted his language was understandable to any other thing that wasn't entirely human.

But maybe, just maybe.
Life is full of surprises, no?

And even if it simply got lost somewhere without him gaining anything out of it, the night had been very satisfactory for him. After all, his previously tensed muscles have completely softened, along with the ray of troublesome thoughts.