5

Yerin was bonding with her father since arriving at the guest house and for her, she couldn't wish for more. The day started with her father inviting them to go fishing in their yacht which was a favorite of Jessica. Both immediately went to pack their fishing tools and followed Hye Jun on the yacht. 

Hye Jun straightaway positioned their fishing rods at the end of the yacht while Jessica was busy in preparing their hooks. Yerin on the other hand tried to capture the moment with her instax thinking that she'll save the pictures for her diary. 

While waiting for a catch, the three found themselves immersed in a joyous consevsation. There were jokes thrown here and there and Hye Jun gamely participated with it. They never mentioned their situation before, how cold Hye Jun would be in his family, because whatever's happening now, Yerin thought, was for the better. 

Sinb was there to witness the happy family together and she was taking notes of them together. Especially the girl she was assigned with. 

Through her observation, she presumed that the family seldom gather together. She was hearing some events from both Jessica and Yerin that transpired years ago and how Hye Jun was not able to witness it all. 'Hye Jun must be a very busy man' Sinb said to herself.

With regards to Yerin on the other hand, Sinb thought that there's nothing unusual to the girl's demeanor that's worth reporting to her client. Yerin was jolly before and she could note that Yerin was more herself when she was with her family. 

Sinb also witnessed how Yerin would laugh and how her eyes twinkle just conversing with her family. There was a sudden warmth covering Sinb's body upon hearing and looking at her target that maybe, just maybe, tinted her cheeks pink. 

---

After that fishing stint with her family, Yerin decided to walk along the shore. She took Sinb along with her which the latter just complied since it was her job to guard Yerin. 

"I think that was the first time that happened," Yerin stated out of the blue that Sinb was caught off guard. "No. That was really the first time."

"What's that first time?" Sinb asked. Yerin was walking ahead of her so she couldn't see the girl's face.

 
Yerin turned around and faced Sinb and took a seat in the sand. She motioned Sinb to do the same which Sinb did leaving the girl some distance. Yerin frowned when Sinb took a seat one foot away from her but she didn't say any to Sinb. Instead,  she looked at the setting sun in front of them.

"Dad talking to us. Talking to me." 

Sinb didn't bother to look at the setting sun and just laid her eyes at the brunette from the start Yerin turned and faced her. She could see Yerin's eyes twinkle at the mention of her dad, but there was something added to it. Sinb could hint that while Yerin was happy to be with her father finally, she was lonely inside. 

"It seemed to me that you're really close to each other." Sinb said. She knew it wasn't but she thought that it was the only way Yerin would open up to her.

Yerin smiled a sad smile while her gaze is still fixed at the setting sun. "Looks can be deceiving."

"And why is that?"

"Because we're never that family you happen to witness," Yerin said bitterly, tears forming in her eyes. "We're on the other side of it."

Sinb now understood why Yerin was that eager to laugh at her father's jokes and she would keep him entertained while fishing. It was because it never happened. The conversation, the smiles, the jokes, the laughter, the image that they were a happy family, was something that could only live inside Yerin's head everyday and wouldn't happen in reality in a daily basis.

Sinb could only give her silence as Yerin wiped away the tears that slowly trinkled down her face. Though she wanted to wipe those herself, she knew that it was uneccessary with her being her body guard of the moment. 

"I'm happy that he gave us time. He gave me his time. But something tells me that these moments I have and will have of him will end one way or another," Yerin said now looking at the sand. "Because he only borrowed his time from work to be with us and he'll need to return it some time."

"Like a dream." Sinb stated. She was never foreign to what Yerin was feeling. Maybe the only difference they have was that she learnt to accept it long ago and Yerin was only beginning to understand her situation. 

"Yeah, like a dream." Yerin said. "And when you wake up, you know you wake up alone."

Sinb scooted near the brunette erasing the distance she created. She knew she must avoid this at all times but thought that she couldn't let someone feel lonely while on her watch. She reached for Yerin and hugged her which the latter didn't budged from. "Maybe your father realized that he needs to put his family first that he's doing these things to you only now. We could only hope for the best unnie."

Yerin looked at Sinb and smiled. Sinb then wiped Yerin's tears out of instinct and the latter was surprised at the sudden contact but didn't break it. She just let Sinb's hand wipe her tears for her while she locked her gaze at Sinb. 

Sinb on the other hand caught Yerin's orbs and locked hers with Yerin forgetting to remove her hand on her unnie's face. Suddenly, everything became slow motion for Sinb. Yerin tried to tighten the hug which bring her more closer to Sinb up until her nose booped with hers. Sinb knew she initiated something that was slowly bordering on the other line but found herself unable to let go of Yerin's gaze on her. 

There it was again, the feeling Yerin always give her whenever the latter drops her gaze to her. Like she was the only one the girl could only see.

She was liking it.

And she knew this shouldn't happen. 

Yerin was slowly closing the gap between them and Sinb knew she was running out of time to get out of this mess she created. 

"Let's hope for the best unnie." Sinb managed to say just when Yerin was about to do the deed. Yerin was caught aback and withdrew herself from Sinb. 

"Oh," was all Yerin managed to say and turned her gaze at the shore. "It's getting dark, I think we should head home." 

Yerin stood up and Sinb just looked at her. Yerin looked down to meet Sinb and and took a deep breath and stretched her hand for Sinb to grab which Sinb hesitantly did so. After that, Yerin let go of Sinb's hand and ran towards the rest house leaving Sinb behind. 

----

"When will I meet her?" The boy asked his father.

"Tomorrow at evening." Then his father went out of the room leaving the boy smiling widely.

'So the game would start tomorrow huh? Interesting.'