“I’m going to win!” Yoochun yells as he gains on me.

“Not if I can help it!” I yell back. I shrug my purse off my shoulder and fling it behind me in an attempt to gain more speed. With a final burst, I reach the wet sand. “I win!”

“Watch out!” Yoochun tries to slow down, but doesn’t quite manage. He trips and in an attempt to steady himself, accidentally knocks me over.

I open my mouth to comment on his clumsiness, but a yelp comes out instead as a cold wave splashes against my back. As the water recedes, I scramble up and throw my jacket off. My shirt managed to stay dry, but my shoes and jeans are completely soaked.

“You did that on purpose,” I accuse, standing stiffly in an attempt to have the least amount of contact with my wet pants.

“I swear, I didn’t,” Yoochun replies. “I’m really sorry, _______, really sorry.”

I glare at him. “I’d believe you if you weren’t trying not to laugh right now.”

He gives up and lets loose a loud laugh. “I really am sorry. It’s just that you look so funny right now.”

“I am cold and wet. Forgive me if I find it hard to find this funny,” I say sarcastically.

With a final chuckle, Yoochun says, “All right, how about we head back into town and get you some dry pants and lunch? My treat.”

“I want ice cream later too.”

“I thought the bet was only for lunch.”

“It was, but the ice cream is for dunking me.”

Yoochun laughs again and slings an arm over my shoulder. “Fair enough.”

As he tries to pull me closer, I stop him. “Don’t get too close. You’ll end up wet too.”

“So? You’re shivering. And actually,...” He pulls off his jacket and puts it around my shoulders before replacing his arm and hugging me to his side. “Now I won’t get wet and you won’t get cold. Better?”

“Yes, thank you.” I tug the jacket closer. As we walk back the way we came, I lean into Yoochun, savoring the feeling of him beside me.

“Enjoying yourself?” he chuckles.

“Yes,” I answer honestly. “I’m a snuggle bug, completely addicted to it. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to do a lot of it since I came here.”

“Well, let me know any time you feel the need,” Yoochun winks.

“I will,” I giggle. Noticing something glinting on his other arm, I ask, “What’s that?”

He lifts his wrist, allowing a simple silver bracelet to slide forward. “This?”

“Yes.”

“My brother gave it to me a few years ago. I never take it off, even when we have concerts. If I need to, I just tape it farther up my arm. It helps when I start missing him.”

“Are you two close?”

“Very. I wish I could see him more, but since he’s still in school and I’m so busy we don’t get to spend as much time together as I’d like.”

“I understand. I miss my brothers a lot too. I don’t think I’ve been able to speak to them for a few months now.”

“It’s hard, isn’t it? Not being able to see them. Not being there when they need you.”

I nod. “I wish I was back home to help them, but at the same time, what I’m doing here will help them achieve their dreams, so I’m happy. Also, at least I have you now, right?”

Yoochun smiles. “We have each other.”

“Always.” I offer up my pinkie.

Yoochun links it with his. “Always. You really are a kid, you know.”

“I know, but just wait till later. Then you’ll see how much of a kid I can be.”

 
    A new pair of pants and shoes later sees us back at the beach, enjoying our lunch of fresh bentos. 

“Do you think we could stop by there on our way back?” Yoochun asks as he finishes off his fish. “This would be perfect for our midnight snack tonight.”

I tear my gaze away from the ocean. “Our midnight snack?”

“At first it was just me, since I sometimes can’t sleep well. Then Changmin found out and started getting up too. Sometimes Jaejoong hyung joins us as well. Usually it’s just a quick ramen, but this would do the trick well too.”

“Are you guys ever not hungry?”

“About once every blue moon.”

“I’ll have to have you all over to my place one day then,” I say, already contemplating a menu as I study my rice. “I’ll make you guys a proper meal.”

“Really?”

“Sure. When I was in college, none of my flat mates could cook so I wound making most of the meals. I got pretty good at it too, if I do say so myself.”

“So what can you make?”


“Pretty much anything.”

“Don’t let Changmin find that out or he’ll be asking for you to make him something every day,” Yoochun chuckles.

“I wouldn’t mind. I miss cooking for other people. There’s not really much to do when you’re cooking for yourself.”

“Hold on.” Yoochun leans over to gently wipe at the corner of my mouth. “You had a bit of rice there.”

I quickly brush my hand over my lips in case anything else remains. “Thanks.”

“I really think I will get another one or two of those before we go back. So good.” Tucking his hands behind his head, Yoochun leans back on the sand with closed eyes.

“It’s not nap time yet,” I tell him, poking him in the side.


“My tummy’s full and happy and telling me it is nap time.”

“You can sleep on the train back. Come on, oppa. Pretty please.”

He opens one eye. “What is it that you want to do?”

“Build a sandcastle.”

“Seriously?”

I eagerly nod my head. “I’ll let you finish off my bento,” I bribe.

The other eye opens as well. “I think you’ve got yourself a deal.”

“But you still have to buy me ice cream later. I like green tea flavor.”

“All right, green tea it’ll be. Do you still have any of the fish left?”

“I do, but you’ll get it after you help me with the castle.”


“But I need the energy to do this.”

“You have plenty of energy. Come on.” I stand and offer my hand.

Taking it, he dusts the sand off himself. “So how exactly are we going to go about this?”

“Well, first we need to find some pretty shells and rocks to decorate the walls later. Then we can start on the actual construction.”

    Together, we set off down the beach on our quest. I scurry back and forth, often chasing the receding waves to scoop up a treasure before they reclaim it. Yoochun catches my enthusiasm, following after me and adding to my stockpile. When my hands become too full, I use my shirt as a basket. As we make our way back to our starting point, Yoochun finds a dead fish and decides it would be hilarious to chase me with it. I run away, squealing and laughing as I try to simultaneously avoid the fish and not spill any of the decorations from my shirt. I’m rescued from my plight by Yoochun’s phone ringing.

“Yubseyo? So you found my note, huh? Yeah, she’s still with me. We ended up going to..._______, what’s this place again?”

I don’t look up from the beginnings of the outer walls.“Araihama.”

“Araihama, this little beach town. We’ve just been hanging out, enjoying the ocean, that kind of thing. You all? Sounds fun. We’ll probably be back in about three hours, give or take since it took two hours to get here and we haven’t even started on our sandcastle. Yes, we’re building a sandcastle. ________’s idea. Jaejoong says he wants a picture when we’re finished.”

“Will do,” I say as I give a jaunty salute. “It’s going to look awesome.”

Yoochun smiles. “Definitely. Oh, and we’ll be bringing a surprise back with us too. Nope, you’ll see when we get there. See you.”

“What do you think?” I gesture to the thigh high front wall I’ve already managed to finish.

“Looking very good. Is this how high it’s all going to be?”

“I guess so, except for the towers of course. That when we can get inside too.”

“No gate then?”

I shake my head. “My walls always end up collapsing if I try to make one.”

“Mine too. So, I’ll get this side, you get that side and we’ll meet for the back?”

“Then we can do the towers and add the shells and stones,” I say, laughing in anticipatory delight.

    Yoochun laughs too as he begins working on his wall. We quickly become caught up in our tasks, adding and smoothing as we go. When we start on our joint wall, we fall into a rhythm without speaking, working together until the wall is complete.

“All right,” Yoochun says, dusting off his hands. “You want the towers or the extras?”

“Extras,” I reply, already moving towards the pile.

    I spread out the collection of worn smooth stones of varying sizes and colors as well as the shells to try to determine a pattern. Finding it, I begin gently pressing alternating shells and stones into the still moist sand. When I look up, Yoochun’s already  on his second tower.

“Those look really good, oppa. How’d you get the tops to look like that?” I use my hands to mimic the tower’s dome shape.

“Just like this.” Lightly putting the tips of his fingers together, he rotates his hand around the top of the tower, smoothing and shaping it.

“Can I try?”

“Sure.”

Brushing the sand off my knees, I go over to stand beside him. I try imitating him, but I accidentally press down too hard, causing the dome to crumble. “Darn it. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.” He scoops up another two handfuls of sand and places it on top. “Try again. Put your hands like this.”

He covers my hands with his, helping them to the correct position. Applying the slightest bit of pressure, he guides them to help form a perfect dome.

“Wow! Thanks, oppa. Hang on. I need to do something.”

    I run back to the front of the castle where I’d seen some sticks and bits of seaweed. Quickly choosing a stick, I impale a piece of seaweed on it before racing back to Yoochun.

Carefully sticking the flag in the top of the tower, I spread my hands and sing, “Tada!”

“Brilliant!” He laughs, clapping. “We should do one for each. I’ll finish the last two quick.”

I smile back and search for more decent sticks and seaweed. As I pick up a piece of seaweed to finish my last flag, a small red, white veined stone is revealed. I pick it up, running my fingers along the edges.

“Yoochun, did you pick this one up?” I ask, turning around to show it to him.

He takes a quick glance before returning his attention to the tower. “Yeah. I thought you'd like it. It looks like a heart. Seems special, don’t you think?”

    I take a second look. The stone is indeed shaped like a heart, albeit a lopsided one. I wonder how I didn’t notice before. Shaking my head at myself, I quickly realize the perfect place for it. Sketching a gate into the front wall with my finger, I push the stone just above the top of the arch. Content with my choice, I go back to the pile to begin my work again. As a second thought, I add a narrow moat around the front and sides as well. I finish a little bit before Yoochun.

Scooping up the last flag, I hand it to him. “Will you do the honors?”


He takes the flag, but hangs onto my hand. Gently kissing it as he gives a courtly bow, he says, “I’d be delighted.”
With a flourish, he puts the flag in place.

“I think this is the best castle I’ve ever built,” I sigh, looking happily at our creation.

“I think I’d have to agree,” Yoochun agrees, his face showing equal satisfaction. “Just one thing missing.”

I turn to look at him with confusion. “What? We have towers, flags, a gate, a moat. What else could we need?”

“The princess,” he grins. Sweeping me off my feet, he carefully lifts me over the wall to deposit me in the castle’s courtyard. Taking his phone out, he says, “Hyung wanted a picture remember? Do something cute.”

“I thought I was cute already,” I say, pretending to pout.


“You are, but be especially cute.”

I giggle, trying to think of something. At a loss for ideas, I quickly make a heart with my arms above my head. “This okay?”


“Perfect.”

“What’s a castle without its prince?” I ask, cautiously stepping over the wall. “Your turn.”

Yoochun smiles and easily jumps to take my place. After he hands me his phone, he begins striking poses. “How’s this one? Or this one? Do I look majestic?”

“You look more like a Power Ranger,” I giggle, taking the picture when he lifts the stick he found and brandishes it like a sword.

“Power Rangers are cool,” he says, climbing out to look at the picture. “Very nice. I guess since we’re done we should head back.”

“I guess so. I think I’ll be in the mood for my ice cream by then.”

Yoochun just laughs and leans down to scoop up my bundle of still damp clothes and purse and hand them to me. Together, we start walking away from the castle. I cast another glance back, watching the waves beginning to the walls.

“Be right back. I forgot something.” I run back to the castle, then back to Yoochun’s side.

“What’d you forget?” he asks.

I unfold my palm to show him the heart stone I’d saved. “A memento.”

“Of a very good time,” Yoochun finishes with a smile.
 

==================

Annyoung lovely readers! Sorry for the long lack of updates. I'm back home and without internet for the most part. I hope you enjoy this one. Saranghae!

Caribbeanpop17: I am so far behind! I really want to know the answer to the riddle. I'm kind of torn between a butterfly and a lotus for the answer. Se Na is really pissing me off though.

yellow14: my pleasure, dongsaeng. ^^

ChinkyKayla: Hope you really like this one too.

nar12345: I don't think it is. As I see it, you/her are completely gone, but not yet willing to admit it.

MewNikkiChan: That he is.

PurpleangelSJ: Hopefully he'll treat her as more as it goes on.