One morning, Jisoo noticed that Haein didn't show up for surf, or breakfast. As much as she wanted not to worry, or worst, overreact, she couldn't help but toe the line. Lisa, as usual, tried to be of help in easing her mind. "Look, maybe he just overslept. Or he went somewhere with Tito Hyunwoo, coz look, the old man's nowhere as well."
Shrugging off her worry, Jisoo carried on working on the restaurant, while keeping a steady eye on Haein's villa.
Soon, the lunch rush came and forced Jisoo's attention away from her worries. It was the tail end of the summer season that's why lunch hour usually extends until 3 PM and is always highly hectic. But she knew the restaurant like the back of her hand. No amount of crowd could ever faze her, and no customer is too irate for her charms.
Jisoo didn't always feel at home with her job. Before, the pressure was immeasurable, almost too strong that it threatened to consume her more than once. She grew up wanting nothing but to achieve that kind of prestige, but when you're a kid no one tells you how hard it is, how lonely it can be when you get to the top. In the end, she hated the thing she worked all her life for.
And that's how she ended up on the island. That is how she ended up working in Angkan. In Angkan, she found something she can be proud of.
"Hate to be a cliche but, a penny for your thoughts?"
She turned and found Haein settling in one of the bar stools in front of her. The lunch hour has finally died down and only a handful of diners are left so Jisoo was back behind the bar, manning the smoothie corner. "Hey there! Do you want anything? Have you eaten?"
Shaking his head, he took a piece of table napkin, folded it, and used it to wipe a sheen of sweat on his forehead. "I'm good. I was with Tito the whole morning."
"Oh, that's why."
"Why? Were you looking for me?" he teased. "Just kidding. We had a long talk about expanding Angkan. Seeing how people are just pouring in the island, I told him it's the right time to start capitalizing on our property in Pilar."
"I heard about that land. It's near Pungko, right?"
"The rock pools? Yes. It's beside it."
"I love the rock pools. Have you been there lately?"
"I think I could use a beer please." He smiled politely, catching Jisoo off guard. "And no, I haven't been there since I was a kid. But I guess I'll have to check it out now since Tito wants me to start building asap."
Try as he might, Haein couldn't keep the excited smile off of his face. The prospect of doing something he loves again after almost quitting on it feels like getting a steady grip back on his lifeline. Finally, he can build something again, and this time, it was all him. In a place he now calls his home.
"You do deserve a beer," Jisoo said, setting a bottle in front of him. For the first time in quite a long while, she's never seen him this elated. "You look excited! Do you have plans already?"
"Well," he started, getting the bottle and taking a long drink from it. Jisoo wasn't thirsty and all but, her throat suddenly seized up. "I do have a couple of ideas but, I have to see the land first." He paused, drinking from the bottle again, "Do you have time? Maybe later? Let's drive over there."
"Sure, and the sunset looks awesome in that area. You might want to see it, maybe it can play with your design or something."
"I'll take your word for it."
—
About half an hour later, Haein is walking out of the resort on the way to where he was supposed to meet Jisoo. Behind him, he could hear a motorcycle ambling its way through slowly. He stepped aside to let it pass, thinking it was one of the staff on their way home after their shift. Instead, it stopped next to him. "There you are. Here, take this."
It was Jisoo, and she was driving a bright yellow Vespa GTS. In her hand reaching out to him, was a black helmet. "Can't go anywhere without a helmet around here."
For a moment, Haein stared rather amused at the sight in front of him. She was wearing a helmet that matches the same bright yellow as her Vespa, and she was smiling at him, her hand still outstretched while holding the helmet. "What? Come on! It's a 20-minute drive from here. We might not catch the sunset!"
Chuckling, Haein grabbed the helmet and proceeded to wear it. Still, he hesitated. "Can this carry us both?"
Feigning hurt, Jisoo gently caressed the chrome headlights of her motorcycle. "Don't listen to him, baby. He doesn't know what he's saying." Turning to Haein who is now openly laughing, Jisoo pouted. "Are you going to ride or are you going to continue insulting my Bubba?"
"You have a name for your motorcycle?" He said, walking closer, trying to find a way to ride behind Jisoo. Finally, he approached her side and swung his leg over the seat. He felt Jisoo adjust to allow him to sit comfortably. "You good?" Jisoo called out. "Yes, I think."
"You think?" Jisoo asked, laughing. "Just hold on to me. I can't have you falling in the middle of the road."
Fuck it, he thought, slightly kicking himself in the head as he reached out to hold on to Jisoo's waist.
It was a good thing that Jisoo is focused on driving and she couldn't see how hard Haein was biting his lip. Being this close to Jisoo, and being able to hold Jisoo like this is making him feel all sorts of things. It wasn't butterflies in his stomach. It wasn't the gentle, tickly feel. No, it was more of puppies zooming around, playing catch in his guts. It was taking so much of him not to pull her close, or worst, hold her tighter.
They were driving for a good five minutes when Jisoo slightly turned her head to the side. "We're approaching the famous tree-lined road! If you want me to slow down so you can take a photo, just let me know!" She shouted, straining to be heard against the wind. Without meaning to, Haein squeezed her waist, "No! Just keep driving! We'll do the sightseeing next time!"
From the side mirrors, he could see Jisoo nodding. "If you say so! But heads up!"
On her cue, they turned to a road that opened up to a picturesque sight. It was a sight straight out of a postcard, with the palm trees neatly lined up along the road in almost perfect symmetry. The afternoon sun added to the otherworldly charm, as its golden rays seep through the trees and other foliage.
"This island never fails to amaze, right?" Jisoo called out. "It's better than I remembered." He replied, with a huge smile on his face.
"So, the property - it's near the rock pools, right? I heard from Tito that your beachfront has rock pools too, but he's not too keen on letting tourists in."
"Yeah. I remember going there as a kid. It was like my own swimming pool. Pungko is a little bigger, but the one on our property is deeper. So I hope you know how to swim!"
In less than 15 minutes, they finally went past the well-known tourist spot of Magpupungko Rock Pools. As usual, the spot looks crowded since the tide was low and perfect for swimming that afternoon.
"After that huge tree, you'll see a gated area. That's our spot." Haein directed. Soon, Jisoo slowed down and turned to another tree-lined vacant lot. Haein asked her to stop so he can open the gate. He pointed to a spot behind one huge acacia tree. "You can park there."
Jisoo parked her Vespa near the near as Haein approached her, handing her back the helmet. "I take back what I said earlier." Smiling, he patted the side mirrors, "And thank you, Bubba, for getting us here safely."
Together, they surveyed the area. While it was full of overgrown bushes and trees, Haein couldn't help but be excited by the obvious potential of the place. "You were right about the view here. But what's better is that" he paused, pointing to a ragged boulder on the east side of the shore. "That boulder right there acts as a natural wall that keeps the people from the public pool out, and it creates a cove, right here."
Jisoo watched as Haein surveyed almost all sides of their property like he was seeing it with brand-new eyes. After a while, they settled on a shaded part of the shore. Jisoo watched as Haein drew patterns on the sand. "One of my personal choices as an architect is to incorporate nature into my designs. I'm not going to destroy a natural territory just to execute my plans - no, I adjust to that -" he said, slightly turning around, gesturing to the land beyond the shore. "The lesser impact on land, the better." He affirmed.
It was like seeing a whole new side of Haein. While he looked at home working on his coffee machine and custom pours, watching him talk about his work with an unmistakable sense of pride made Jisoo smile. "You love being an architect?"
Smiling as he kept his eyes on the shore, Haein nodded. "Maybe too much. I am slowly working my way back to my firm. Nothing permanent for now, just more on consulting. Good thing my partners are understanding about my situation because I don't see myself going back to Manila until I finish this place."
"Oh and that reminds me," he paused, poking Jisoo's arm. "We need to think of a name."
"Huh?"
"A name for this new place we'll build. Partners, remember?"
"What, like now? We need a name now?" She asked, her forehead scrunched. "I suddenly feel pressured, wait."
Laughing, Haein shook his head. "No! Not now. I just laid it on the table but we can always circle back to it."
"Damn. You sound like a boss. Should I start calling you Architect Jung?" She teased, emphasizing Architect Jung.
"Coming from you," Haein tapped his lips thoughtfully, "that kinda sounds.. good." Again, he broke out laughing when he saw the incredulous look on Jisoo's face. "Okay that was a little cocky, but you started it! I haven't been called that way for so long."
"But anyway, enough about work! Wanna go for a swim?"
Without waiting for Jisoo, Haein stood up, quickly took off his shirt, and dropped it on the spot next to Jisoo before holding out her hand. "Let's go before it gets dark."
It all happened so quickly that Jisoo had barely any time to process the sight in front of her. The thing about Haein is that he surfs with his shirt on, so this is the first time that Jisoo is seeing him shirtless.
And because he surfs with his shirt on, there's a slightly obvious tan line with the outline of his sleeves on his arms. Against his exposed forearm, his torso looks paler in comparison, but he looks solid. His chest is well defined, his arms look so strong, and his shoulders so broad that she feels like if she stands in front of him, the person behind him wouldn't be able to see her.
Haein looks different with his clothes off.
Taking his outstretched hand, Jisoo hoisted herself up. She turned away from Haein before slowly taking off her shirt. Inside she was wearing a black bikini, and a teal mismatched bottom. Turning to face him, she swore she saw his ears turn pink before he ran to the shore without waiting for her. Tying her hair in a tight bun, she followed him, careful not to step on sharp rocks on the reef.
When the water finally reached her legs, she went underwater to swim right next to Haein. He wasn't joking around when he said the pool was deeper on their side. Luckily though, the sea was calm. Emerging from underwater, she wiped the water from her face before turning to Haein. "So, you used to swim here when you were a kid?"
Smiling, he nodded. "My dad used to take me here a lot. This is where he taught me how to swim. We never surfed though, which is weird because surfing's so huge here even before the tourists came in."
"But you were a natural. I remember Lisa was so surprised when you first went with us to surf."
"I stayed in La Union for a while. I had a project there." Haein stopped talking and reached out nonchalantly to get something from Jisoo's hair. "There was a leaf." He said, tossing a piece of debris away from them. "Stayed there for a month after groundbreaking, went back to Manila to do other work, then I went and stayed for another two months going to its opening."
"Which one was it, if you don't mind?"
"Curbside. I'm proud of that one."
"No fucking way, Jung. That's where I always stay! I love that place!" Jisoo beamed despite totally getting caught off-guard by this revelation. Did their paths cross before? Impossible, because she'll remember him.
"The bathrooms on the first floor villas, was that your idea?"
"What do you think?" Haein said, grinning broadly, making Jisoo roll her eyes severely. Shaking her head, she faked a deep, frustrated sigh, "Fine. You can gloat. The bathrooms were really pretty. Like.. thirst-trap pretty."
"What's a thirst trap pretty?" Haein asked, but before Jisoo could reply, he already initiated a war.
Retreating his arm for maximum effect, he splashed water toward Jisoo, leaving her stunned and dripping wet. The water hit her squarely in the face, "Jung! How dare — " she turned to retaliate but quickly, Haein dove underwater, leaving Jisoo to swim around just to look for him.
Her thirst for revenge quickly turned to panic when Haein suddenly disappeared. The pool's bottom is full of sharp rocks, and despite Haein saying that he's a good swimmer, he might have hit his head after diving. "Stupid dumbass, can he even swim?" She hissed under her breath. She started looking and swimming around, calling out his name, but there was no answer.
She was about to swim back to the shore to call for her when Haein suddenly jumped out from underwater, and he was grinning.
Whether it was accidental or intentional, they found themselves a little too close for comfort that he can already feel her chest brush against his. It took so much of Haein not to reach out, pull her closer and feel her entire body against him. But god his whole being wanted to.
"Stop it," Jisoo said, her voice barely a whisper. The seawater was already cool since the sun is already starting to set, but she can feel her body starting to heat up. She wanted to push him away, but she can't trust herself to touch him, because she might pull him closer, much closer, instead.
"Huh? Stop what?" He asked, scrunching his forehead slightly while running his tongue over his lower lip. Water dripped from his hair to his face, his lips, and down to his bare chest. "I'm not doing anything." He said, his voice low, and his breath suddenly heavy.
One more move, one less inch between them, and Haein knew stopping would cease to be an option.
Jisoo parted her lips and started to move closer. Throwing all cautions in the wind, Haein reached out to hold her face in his hand when cold water splashed across his face, shaking him violently out of his reverie. "Got you, Jung!" Jisoo laughed before swimming away.
Fuck that was close. Jung, get a grip.
Haein dove briefly underwater to cool himself off. He was this close to throwing all caution to the vast sea beyond them and just to kiss her. At that moment nothing mattered except tasting the seawater on her lips and clinging to it like it was his sole lifeline. But doing it just might ruin what it is that they have.
But what exactly is it that they have?
Making his way back to the shore, he watched as Jisoo squeeze water out of her long hair before letting it loose to air dry. She smiled at him when she saw him approach, leaning down to pick up his shirt. "Here you go," she said, giving him the discarded shirt before sitting down on the sand again. Haein followed suit and sat beside her. They stayed there, not talking and just watching the sun slowly turn golden as it sets.
"So.. Angkan, Curbside, and then this." Jisoo started, turning slightly towards him, "I think you're talented."
A huge smile slowly formed on Haein's lips, this time it wasn't cocky or vain, but self-conscious, almost even shy. "That's very kind of you to say, Jisoo."
They sat there staring at each other before Haein drew his sights toward the setting sun. "But, enough about me. Why were you so deep in your thoughts earlier?" Again, he shifted to look at her, "Care to let me in?"
Jisoo let out a humorless chuckle, "Oh you don't wanna go there."
"Yeah, I do. Bring it."
---------
And that's the first part of this update. Next, we'll be diving deep into Jisoo's backstory. Initially I planned on doing just a single chapter with everything crammed in it but I feel like her story deserves its own thing. That and I'll be adding more characters from Jisoo's side to the story.
Also, listen to Everybody Needs Someone by Noah Cyrus and Vance Joy . (This is the second time I'm using Vance Joy for my AUs. I just love his voice and his lyricism <3 And wow Noah Cyrus is a revelation!)
Let me know what you think about this chapter!
(PS: Sorry for the delay. Work is.. too much. :p)