Eun-Ae unfolded her sunglasses and placed them over her eyes as she walked across the asphalt landing strip, the blades of the helicopter still rotating with enough force above her head to make her hair whip in the generated wind. Out in the distance, the jungle was a thick green smudge on the horizon, and she could imagine it shimmering it with heat from the intense sun beating down from the sky. A Humvee was parked a few yards away, and their island tour guide waved jovially before hopping out of the driver’s seat of the car and running over.

“Welcome, welcome!” he cried happily as the boys piled out of the helicopter, dressed in tank tops and cargo shorts to abate the tropical heat. Eun-Ae herself was sporting a pair of short-shorts with a racerback tee, with a little sunhat and some flip flops. Her mother had coated her with sunscreen before she had left, fretting about her spending so much time in the sun recently; Eun-Ae had rather enjoyed the sun, however, having been cooped up in hospital rooms and her bedroom up until Key’s sudden arrival. She tuned back into the conversation as the tour guide took her hand and clasped it between both his own. “We are so delighted to be catering to you. You dream is admirable, my dear, and I hope you are able to make a miraculous recovery!” he chortled. Blushing lightly with embarrassment, Eun-Ae mustered a smile.

“Oh… Thank you very much,” she answered kindly, not having the heart to tell the jovial man that her chances of surviving the end of summer were slim to none. The guide continued to chatter endlessly about how grateful the island was for their patronage as he led them into the Humvee and began driving them away from the landing strip.

For her next trip, Eun-Ae had decided to visit a small resort island off the coast of the mainland, a simple ferry or helicopter ride away. It was renowned for its beautiful coral reef, expansive jungle, and friendly inhabitants far and wide. According to rumor, the water on the beaches was as clear as glass even from an aerial view, and you could see the fish swimming under the water from any vantage point. Though she placed no stock in rumors, Eun-Ae still hoped that such a gorgeous thing could exist.

“Ah! We are arriving in the village!” the man beamed as he turned a corner, smiling so much that his dark face was eclipsed by sunlines. Eun-Ae didn’t mind his enthusiasm, however, and she found herself sitting on the edge of her seat and craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the town. It was a remarkable blend of traditional and modern, with simple wood-and-straw constructs mixed in with concrete and glass houses and businesses. Women dressed in ornately patterned cloth skirts and dresses carried giant woven baskets of tropical fruits and jars of water above their heads, long black hair swishing around their waists and interwoven with stringed shells and colorful fabric strips. Many of them waved happily to them as they drove by, a few of them giggling to each other when they laid eyes on the beautiful bunch of boys. Children played in the streets, bouncing balls and chasing dogs and chickens about with raucous laughter. Old men sat in the shade, pondering over a game of chess while sipping patiently at bottles of alcohol. Venders selling their wares were clustered everywhere, fitting into every nook and cranny they could while shouting at passersby, trying to advertise their products. Several tourists lingered about snapping photos or arguing with the vendors, but despite all the chaos, Eun-Ae found it somehow peaceful.

“It’s a sight, isn’t it?” Key mused behind her, leaning against the back of the Humvee with his arm stretched out behind her head. She hadn’t even noticed he had performed the move, but now she could not ignore the feeling of his forearm resting above her shoulders. Blushing, she only nodded back and continued to gaze out of the vehicle as they found a gravel parking lot and came to a stop.

“You are quite early,” their driver remarked as he checked his watch. “Your appointment is not for another two hours. Would you like to explore the village?” he suggested amiably.

“Ooh! I wonder if they have some kind of exotic chicken?” Onew cried as he wrenched his door open and half-jumped, half-fell out of the car. He slid into the gravel, grabbing the side of the vehicle for support while Minho and Key laughed at him.

“Is chicken all you think about?” Jonghyun mused gruffly as he batted Onew on the back of the head, getting calmly out of the car. Taemin followed after him, practically bouncing up and down.

“I wanna look at the souvenirs. Eun-Ae, do you think they have anything cool? I want a cool shell. A reaaaaally big one! One that you can hear the ocean in!” he cried as he held his hands out for emphasis on the size of his desired prize. Eun-Ae giggled at his bubbly exclamation, climbing carefully down from the car.

“I’m sure they do, Taemin. I’ll help you look for one, okay?” she mused. The boyish individual squealed with delight, dragging her out into the throng of people lining the streets before she knew it. She looked back over her shoulder to see a slightly disappointed Key being dragged off by Jonghyun, Minho, and Onew. Oh… I wish Key could have come with us, she thought blankly as Taemin pulled her into the crowd. She soon became preoccupied with weaving through the chaos, trying her best not to bump into people.

“Young lady! Your hair looks like it could use some shine- would you like to try this organic coconut oil shampoo?” one old woman shouted at her from her stall, lined with simply made plastic bottles in muted whites, greens, and yellows.

“You there! Get your specialty roasted squid, the best for miles around!” shouted a young man, who was waving roasted squid impaled on sticks frantically in his grill booth. More squids were roasting on an open fire, pouring smoke into the air and filling the street with a peculiar aroma.

“Fortunes! Get your fortunes here- are you curious about love? Wealth? Success? Madame Mirona reveals all!” called a beautifully and exotically dressed woman across the street, sporting rich fabrics wound around her body and glittering jewelry on her fingers and in her hair. As they continued down the crowded street, Eun-Ae’s head swam with all the hagglers and advertisements, unable to make any sense of the sensory overload battering her brain. By the time they traversed the short distance to the shell shop that Taemin had spotted on the ride through the street, she was mentally and physically exhausted. Taemin, however, was boundless with energy.

“Look at this one, Eun-Ae! Isn’t it pretty?” Taemin gushed as he plucked a large conch off the wooden shelf, holding it out for her to see. Smiling weakly, she took it gently from his hands and admired the golden-brown shell. It was quite beautiful, with a smooth, shiny surface and hues of browns and golds swirling around it. She held it up to her ear, and was delighted that the wind-propelled waves seemed to be singing inside. Happily, she passed it to Taemin, who repeated the process. “Oh! This is the one! Lady! I wanna buy this!” he cried as he stumbled through the tent-like stall, nearly knocking over tables and shelves of painstakingly arranged shells.

“Taemin! Be careful!” she cried as she steadied a table, smiling weakly despite herself. As she watched Taemin haggle back and forth with the shell vendor, her eyes landed on a particularly bland-looking shell that stood out from the beautiful, glistening shells put on display. She gravitated to it, gently taking it into her hands and surveying it. It was circular and gray, with dark gray lines emanating from the hole in the center. Its entire surface was ridged and rough, but she found the texture oddly soothing as she gently ran her fingertips over its surface.

“That’s a limpet shell,” came a sudden voice from behind her, and she became so startled that she almost dropped the precious object. She turned around to find an old tribal woman standing a few feet off, rearranging a few of the shells. Ah, she so minds this shop as well, she realized, listening as the old woman continued. “They symbolize courage and endurance,” she explained. “They are used as protective charms, to remind us to have faith when times get hard.”

“I see,” Eun-Ae murmured as she glanced down at the unassuming shell. It was not nearly as beautiful as the other shells displayed around the store, but she felt the overwhelming desire to possess it, garnering strength from the dark little seashell. “Tell me, how much is it?” she asked the old woman.

“Take it, dear. You look like you need it,” the old woman answered with a small smile, walking over to pat her reassuringly on the hand. “The road only gets tougher from here,” she said cryptically before shuffling to the back of the store. Blinking in confusion, Eun-Ae tightened her hand around the shell, holding it tenderly as if to draw out all of its mystical power. Yes… It does get tougher from here, doesn’t it? She thought sadly, but was strangely reassuring by the feeling of the small shell enclosed in her hands. A breathless Taemin came bounding up, holding his successfully purchased conch above his head.

“Hey, Eun-Ae, what’d you get?” he cried, trying to peer into her hands. When she showed him the limpet, he frowned slightly in disappointment. “Well, whatever you like, I guess. Come on! Let’s go find the others!” he grinned as he plunged back into the crowd, shouting his friends’ names into the already deafening cacophony. Holding the limpet shell over her heart, she smiled lightly and followed the boy into the throng.

Little limpet, give me courage and strength to face the fight ahead of me. Maybe, if I fight hard enough… A miraculous recovery isn’t that impossible.