There was something wrong with my eyes; probably a glare from the sun. I used my hand as a shade and looked forward, and not too far away I could make out a bike and its rider.

Okay, not a trick of a glare, then. Hallucination?

“Rika!” Sehun called my name when I didn’t respond, and he made his way over on his bike with that large happy grin on his face. It made me cringe. Made me flinch. And somehow made me freeze on the spot. He stopped his bike with his foot just as he came near.

I hadn’t stopped blinking for two minutes now. And my mouth wasn’t working, either. Not a tiny greeting was given or even a normal “What’s up, Sehunnie!”

But since when do I call him ‘Sehunnie?’

“I— You—” I stopped myself to rephrase my words carefully.

“I thought it was you,” he beamed.

After another brief second, I stupidly blurt out, “Are you stalking me?” 

“What?” It made him laugh.

I clamped my mouth shut and stared at the ground. “Nothing,” I murmured. I looked back up and tossed a strand of hair away from my hair. “What— What’re you doing here?”

“Stalking you.”

“What?” My mouth dropped open completely.

He laughed louder this time. “Nah, I’m actually—”

“Yo, Sehun!”

Somebody interrupted from down the street, and a figure was running over to us. I could make out dark hair, with little hints of gold within the strands.

Sehun turned around, and he brought a hand up. “Over here!”

In split seconds the figure was right in front of me. He didn’t bother, nor did he even take notice of my presence.

“Seriously,” he said. “Next time, tell me when you’re going to run off like that.”

“Err, sorry.” Sehun laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. I watched dubiously at the two, and finally Sehun turned to me and looked as if he’d finally remembered that I was even there. “You haven’t met Erika, right?” He looked at his friend, then shifted back to me.

I found the guy casting a smile.  

“Luhan. Nice to meet you.” He saluted with a tiny half-grin.

I nodded. “Erika,” I introduced myself, then added, “Um, Rika.”

I noticed he had shifty eyes, and they were going back and forth from me and Sehun. Sehun noticed that, too, and suddenly he cut in.

“By the way, we’re not stalking or anything,” he said quickly.

Luhan laughed at that. “Stalking?”

Sehun looked nervously at him, then faced me next, his eyes wild and always turning away.

“Right,” Luhan said at last. He looked at me. “Nice to meet you, by the way, but sorry, I gotta get my boy here back.” He squeezed Sehun’s shoulders. “Come on, he’s waiting already at the beach,” he said to him.

Sehun was hesitant. “But—”

After noticing the undecided look in his friend’s eyes, Luhan swiftly posted his gaze to me. “We’re just going to catch some waves,” he said. “You can come if you’d like.”

The offer was simple, but the invitation seemed real, I froze for a second.

“Thanks, uh, but I don’t surf,” I simply said. “Maybe next time.”

“Funny, that’s my line,” a voice from behind the boys piped in.

Both Sehun and Luhan spun around, and I took a peek to distinguish the person that was coming up to us. When the clouds moved away, the sun blinded me again, and I squeezed my eyes to make out the figure. Then clouds rolled back in, and I could finally see.

Oh, it’s just the giant.

He had his arms crossed and was tapping his foot. “Sheesh, how long do you guys plan to make me wait? I’ve been standing under the sun for almost twenty minutes.”

Luhan shrugged. “Sorry.”

“We’re coming, we’re coming,” Sehun whined as he secretly rolled his eyes, and Kris raised one of his brows as if could see it. Sehun shifted, feeling a bit uncomfortable from the glare, and he somehow moved closer to me, as if I could shield him.

Very quickly Kris took notice of me and I didn’t feel as awkward as I was with Luhan the first moment. His eyes widened a bit, then softened.

“Oh, hey.” He gave me an ordinary smile and greeting and I simply greeted back.

“Hey.” I tried to pull my gaze from the hard ground.

His brows stiffened. “You don’t remember me?”

Right, I thought. Like I’d forget.

Truth be told I had the rising desire to box his pretty little face. Some advice that he gave me. I wondered if he was curious on how it’d turned out. I’d love to tell him, then box him in the face.

In a fleeting second I’d realized I had a firm gaze set on him, one that showed like I was going to choke him or claw him up. He pulled the ends of his collar. It was like he knew of my silent plans.

I pulled a very tight grin. “Of course. Kris, right?”

He nodded, suddenly feeling nervous with the dark vibe I was giving off.

Luhan gave me the same question again before they started on their track.

“So, do you want to join us?” he asked.

Before I could answer, Sehun pleaded.

“Come on,” he said.

“I really can’t surf,” I told him, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“No biggie.” He shrugged. “It’s just the three of us, anyway. The other guys canceled at the last minute. They were supposed to be here—” He checked his watch to make sure. “—an hour ago.”

I was about to open my mouth to decline again, when I stopped myself quickly. I suddenly clasped my hands together, finding myself grinning now. “You know what, sure. I’d love to.”

He was beaming brightly as he led me and the rest to the beach, and along the way I had an obvious stare posted at Kris with a gaze that literally made me seem as if I wanted to eat him.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I knew that Kris knew I wasn’t enjoying myself. I don’t surf. I had nothing else to do but watch the others as they moved about the crashing waves. He knew that. He’d expected another reason for me to tag along.

Occasionally I cheered for Sehun, but I realized I was paying much more attention to Luhan’s skills later on. He’d beaten Sehun for the last three rounds. But then I didn’t see Kris anymore.

“Okay.”

A voice startled me. I looked up, and there he was, towering over me with his gigantic height of a skyscraper.

He drew in a long breath and puffed after a second, surfboard in hand, his hair practically soaked with salt water.

“I don’t see why you’d even tag along,” he said, getting straight to the point.

“Why do you say that?”

He rolled his dark eyes. “Don’t play with me.”

“I’m not.”

He wasn’t buying the act, and he placed his board at the side and took a seat beside me on the white wooden bench. The seconds pas