“Yoong! Yoong! Yoong!”

I grunted as I heard their voices yet again every time I wake up.

“What? What? What?” I answered as I buried my face deeper into my pillow.

“It’s the—“ They paused and I peeked up to find out what they’re doing.

“It’s the FIRST DAY OF THE BREAK!” The cousins chorused and began to jump around. I scoffed as I felt my bed shake; they must be doing it on my bed to annoy me.

I focused more on sleeping as the tolls of studies just burned me inside out. Sleeping in class is not a good thing though; that I learned the hard way. When I sleep in class, I have to study for it again when I get home and I do have a life outside school to attend to.

“Hey, don’t tell me you’re just going to sleep the entire time?” Hyo said.

I didn’t reply.

“Just let her be Hyo. It was a hard year for her after all.” I heard Tae-unnie said.

I felt them covering me with my blanket and heard the door close. When I was certain they were no longer around, I felt a tear fall down my cheek.

I never thought they knew.

*

“SURPRISE!”

I nearly fell back in shock as their loud cheery voices invaded my ears.

“You’re all here?” I asked, looking at the pile they made when they all rushed to hug me; well, except one.

“We’re here to pick you up!” Sunny said, snuggling closer to me, she never grew an inch.

I smiled. I missed them.

“Do you have something to eat here?” I shook my head. Sooyoung.

Really, they never changed one bit. But I did know of things that changed.

“Hello Sica.” I greeted first as she just stood there awkwardly outside my apartment.

She looked at me. I can feel her eyes and they were aching. I shrugged the feeling off, I’m still not ready.

“Hi Yul.” She gave me a small nervous smile. I can still read her. She’s still my cousin after all.

“I’m sorry.”

I sighed.

“Can we not talk about that now? The girls are here.” I said and opened the door wider for her to enter. I can feel her hurting with her every move. It may be harsh but I was a little happy when I saw her suffering. She should be. Because she made me suffer, and I still do.

I wonder if she still does.

*

I smiled as I felt the wind on my face. It has been a while since I’ve been to the ocean and I missed everything there. I can’t wait to swim.

“Yoong! Hurry up already!” Those ever impatient unnies, I huffed in annoyance.

“I could’ve been faster if you didn’t make me carry all your bags.” I mumbled as I made my way to the yacht.

“A new one?” I asked as I scanned the vehicle in front of me before I set a foot into the yacht.

They smiled eagerly and I just shook my head. I caught a glimpse of the name and I smiled.

The little Mermaid.

My unnies are idiots. This one’s not little at all.

“Nice name.” I commented as I placed the bags aside.

“Of course, we picked it out ourselves.” Taeyeon-unnie said as she leaned on the bars.

“Why little mermaid? This one’s bigger than the last one.”

“Because this one will represent our happiness at the sea.” Hyo answered.

“You do know that the real story is tragic, right?” I smirked.

“Of course. It’s just that, no matter how tragic and sacrificing it was, just like our lives, we’re still able to conquer it and found happiness again.” Tae said.

“Even if it means giving up our lives.” I looked at Hyoyeon and she gave me a smile.

I just nodded and looked into the ocean.

“Why did you make me carry all your bags?” I asked as I saw the crew getting aboard.

They dismissed me for they just snuggled closer to me.

“We missed you Yoongator.”

I don’t know why but I love their silly ways of showing their affection.

*

“You still cook terribly Fany.” Sunny said, unable to contain the disgusting taste she just placed inside .

“Hey! We’ve been apart for how long and that’s what you’re going to say?!” Tiffany still can’t believe her friends despised her cooking prowess.

“I’d say I missed it.” Sooyoung said.

All of us looked at her with shocked, horrified eyes, while Fany was rejoicing with her excessive smiling.

“What?” Sica was the only one brave enough to comment.

“Well, you can never order Fany’s cooking anywhere. I’d say, no one else can make something that yuc—“ Sooyoung’s face met Sica’s napkin.

“That what?” Fany said, her voice venomous.

“Well, uhhh, that—“ Soo was panicking.

“That yummy unnie.” Seo saved us all as she spoon-fed Sooyoung who nearly puked.

“Great!” Fany said as she flashed us those smiles.

“Yuri, are you done packing? We’re leaving tomorrow, okay?” Sunny asked.

“I’m not bringing much.” I answered as I played with the food on my plate until a thought struck me.

“Anyway guys, I need to go to school and get the summer assignment module they made for us.” I said and stood up.

“I’ll come with you unnie.” Seo offered, she obviously wanted to buy something else to eat. I was about to say yes when Sica stood up from her seat.

“No, I’ll go. Stay Seo and pacify Tiffany whenever these two say unnecessary comments.” She said. I have no choice but to let her come. I don’t’ want the others to know that we’ve drifted apart, because if they knew, I know they’ll ask for the reason too.

*

It’s a bit cold and it’s a little dark but I loved the feeling it brought me. It felt relaxing. For once my heart is not aching, my mind is finally at ease and I feel like I’m a whole different being. I felt like I belong here.

I smiled as I saw the fishes swimming past me, sometimes brushing through my body. I swam further away from my group and explored the reef. I’ve been here a couple of times before but the sea is always full of surprises, my guard is always up but at the same time, the calmness relaxes me.

I went farther and deeper until I was at the bottom. I smiled as my feet touched the sand at the ocean floor. I gestured like I was walking, having the time of my life. The diving site isn’t that deep and I can see everything clearly. I walked around for some time until my foot struck something. It was a wine bottle but it was held down by rocks where it was tied.

I picked up the object and examined it as I raised it to my eye level.

Strange.

*

No words were exchanged but the atmosphere was suffocating.

I sighed as I glanced at the walking girl beside me.

“I can manage on my own.”

She stopped but I moved on, eager to get away from her.

“Stop running away from your problems Kwon Yuri.” She was mad. I can hear and feel it in her voice.

I shrugged and continued walking until she grabbed my wrist and turned me around.

“I’m done suffering.”

I raised a brow at her.

“Live Yuri.” She said, her eyes tearing.

“I am.” I answered quickly, breaking from her grasp as I walked away.

I can hear her footsteps as she gained on me.

“You’re a walking corpse Yuri. Can’t you see?” I can sense the frustration in her voice.

“That’s because you killed me.” I whispered but I guess she heard because she yelled at me. It was a good thing we were at a park and no one will hear our emotional confrontations.

“Stop blaming it all on me!”

I turned to face her.

“You don’t have to scream it to my face Sica.” I clenched my fists.

“It was you! It was you all along!” She screamed again, as she pointed her finger at me, moving closer.

“Yes! It was me!” I shouted back. “It was me who fell in love! With someone whom I shouldn’t have! I know exactly what you’re trying to say Sica!”

I was reopening my wounds but it didn’t matter. Sometimes, you can learn to love even the pain.

She shook her head.

“If you were really in love, my words would be nothing against you. I learned that.”

Her voice was so soft it struck my heart like a melody piercing through the stillness of the night.

“You should’ve hold on Yuri. Seeing how sad and hurt you were throughout the year, there was not a day I never regretted what I did and I am still sorry for that. But I’m not the only one to blame.” She cried.

*

The sound of the waves crashing to the shore was relaxing and the faint giggles and laughter of my friends was highlighting the beautiful moment.

I leaned back to my seat and sipped my juice. I smiled looking at my goofy friends splashing water at each other. Being here in a private island all to ourselves allows you to shout all you want but no neighbour’s going to complain with your behaviour.

I removed my glasses and reached out for the item at the table. It was the bottle. I carefully undid the seal and looked inside. There was a glint and I tipped it over to see if it falls off.

I grinned as I saw a silver necklace with an infinity sign as a pendant.

It looked so beautiful and expensive too. Who would leave this in the bottom of the ocean?

I looked inside the bottle again but I saw nothing else.

I wore it around my neck. Someone ended their forever here. I hope this will continue mine.

*

“Are you okay?”

I hastily wiped my tears as I heard the voice calling out to me, making me finally realize the other’s presence.

“I guess not.” He said as he sat right next to me at the bench.

“What are you doing here Dan?” I asked, still looking down to hide my face.

“The fresh air until I saw you here.”

The silence was remarkable but I loved it that way.

“I heard your friends are here.” He spoke again.

“Yes. They went shopping.”

“You’re going somewhere for the break?”

“Home.”

“Aww, you’re going to leave me here?” I looked at him and he was trying to look pitiful.

I laughed at his poor attempt.

“No one to stalk anymore?” I teased.

“I wouldn’t say stalking, but pretty close to that.” He grinned.

Silence engulfed us again and the air was being cold again I can’t help but wrap my arms around myself.

“Here.” He said as he placed his scarf around my neck.

“No it’s o—“

“No it’s not.” He said seriously. “I want to take care of you for your special someone. I don’t want to be thought of as a bad friend if you’ll ever mention me.”

I laughed at what he said.

“There is no ‘special someone’.” I said and smiled at him for his warm gesture.

“I believe there is, you just don’t want to acknowledge it.”

I was left pondering with what he said until someone went out to the rooftop to get me.

“Yuri, let’s eat something.” I heard Tiffany call out to me. I looked up to see Dan leaving.

“You love someone, I can see that. And I can tell that that someone loves you too.” He flashed me a smile as he left.

I don’t want to acknowledge it?