She forgets the last time this place feels so beautiful and pretty. She forgets the last time she let her soul to freedom and touches the sky. It hasn’t changed yet, not the slightest bit. Instead of getting boring and lame, it has gotten prettier instead. She sighed, letting herself to face her fear as her eyes are wide open to embrace the beauty of Jeju.

She looks to the right, a lighthouse. She’s sure it has gotten very old, over 50 years and has been long abandoned. The paint has slowly faded away, revealing its white-based color. Despite the fact, the lighthouse has radiates such a charm. It gives off an artistic and antique feeling to her that captivates her even more.

With her trembling steps, she puts on a pair of sandal and walk toward it. It is scary, especially remembering how she was pushed off to the ocean from that point. She remembers how she drowns and sinks deep, almost sink to the depth of the ocean. She remembers how her head almost crashed the stones, beneath the ocean and how she survives that.

She sat, in front of the lighthouse. It was about 2 meters taller, so the waves won’t cause flood. It scary, imaginating how she was pushed from a 2 meters high land, and drowns deep. There was a bridge at the lighthouse yard that connected the ocean and the ships, she was pushed from there.

She put on a smile, a fake smile as the boy took a sit next to her. She looks at the blue sky and sighed, another heavy sighed throughout the day. She holds her knee and hugs her leg like a terrified little girl, but calmly. A white colored fabric wrapped her petite body.

“Hoya, 10 years ago. Was it this way?” She asked hesitantly, scared if she ever leaves mark inside the boy.

“There used to be ships here, down the bridge. It will be gone by night and will come back two or three days later.” Hoya said, recalling his memories.

“And the lighthouse used to be pretty, not this much old.” Jieun giggled at the thought, as her index fingers point the huge lighthouse.

“Sure, and the waves was bigger.”

“And the sky was darker, it was a rainy season. Oh, how much I hate getting wet.” Jieun smiled, putting the puzzle pieces of her memories back together.

“It used to be crowded, with all of your family, me and him.”

“It used to be noisy, how we keep on running around, splashing each other with water. Especially you, naughty boy, I was drenched in cold water because of you.” Jieun slapped his arm playfully.

“Woah, I thought it would be fun having you drenched in water. Thank God you didn’t catch a cold.”

“If he’s not there to warm me up, I may end up catching a cold!” Jieun pouted another unusual act of her.

Then, the silence fell. Jieun let herself being merged into the ocean, the blue ocean of Jeju. The sound of waves crashing the land was simply mesmerizing, and how the sun shine was good enough to feel the warmth. The sky was blue, as Jieun let all her thoughts fly away, deepen in the blue sky. Hoya followed her, looking up to see the clear sky.

“I wonder how life has been.” Jieun heave a sighed, thinking hard again before sealing .

“I do too.” Hoya said, leaning closer to the lady. Their skin brushes each other, causing her to flinch in shock and surprise as she tried hard to suppress the fear building inside her.

“So how life has been?” Jieun asked.

“Why don’t you ask him, Jieun?”

“It’s not him whom I’m worried about. I’m asking you, Hoya.” She shook her head in disagreement and look up to see his eyes.

“You know how life has been for me, Jieun. You would be lying to say that you no longer care about him.”

“Don’t run away from my questions, Hoya. I have no idea how life has been to you. Not after that incident and the distance that has been keeping us apart. It’s been a long time since we talked or even properly see each other.”

“Life has been great for me, Jieun. You shouldn’t worry about me; take care of yourself a little more.”

“You are lying, Hoya.” Jieun shook her head once again, and look him in the eye. He was badly avoiding her questions, and sometimes his hand travelled up to his hair just to mess it up.

“How about you, Jieun? How life has been?”

“You have been keeping an eye on me, Hoya. Even when I am not aware of you, you keep on glancing at me. I notice it, lately. Yet I was too stupid to ignore you.”

“So you do notice it, Jieun. I’m sorry if I ever scare you.”

“So, how life has been?”

“Not bad, although there are things I would like to forget.” He said, fidgeting with his fingers.

“Hoya-ssi, I have questions for you. Why would you push me that day?” Jieun lip turn shaky, she bit it hard until it bleed.

“I know this is coming. I’m sorry I had done such a terrible job that left you in pain. I’m sorry I push you that day. I’m sorry I traumatized you. I just want to pull a trick and drenched you in cold water, but I was wrong.” He said, his voice was slowly cracking because of his regrets.

Her trembling hand reaches up to him, caressing his back like how she used to be. A caring and gentle child, she used to be one. She has such a gentle smile, a gentle touch. And she has never changed, Hoya could feel how her warm travel up to his body and her touch roaming all over him, giving comforts.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to forgive you. I’m sorry I have brought you such a pain. Yet I can’t say I’m fine today, not even after tomorrow, after the next months or years.”

He looked away; her trembling fingers reach his shoulder. She taps it slowly, then back to his back, giving him comforts. He won’t look her in the eye because of the guilt. He’s aware of his mistake; it has been torturing his soul for almost an eternity. He forgets the last time he shows a genuine smile.

“Hoya-ssi, why would you join INFINITE? What was it that urges you to do something like that?”

She knows it’s not a great timing to bombarding him with questions, but she doubt she would ever find any more time with him. She’s cracking inside, just by reaching to him has caused her body to shiver in fear. When was it? The time she grows to be so scared of him, to the extent of treating him like a monster.

It was a silence, he didn’t answer and he keeps avoiding her eyes. He wasn’t brave enough to look at her, he wasn’t brave enough to answer her question. It was a long silence that fills the air, as the sound of waves crashing becomes crystal clear. The breezes blows, touching her milky white skin and smell her shampoo scent.

“Was it… because of me?” Her lip tremble, as her heart started to acknowledge the reality.

“Was it because of your guilt to me? Because you are unable to forgets the incident and the guilt, because you feel you have taken my happiness away, was it because of it?” She continued, burying herself inside.

“I heard you have turns into a happiness reaper, why would you do something like that? I’m sorry I had brought you so much pain. I’m sorry I hurt you so much. I’m sorry I leave so many scars inside you. I’m sorry, Howon, so please don’t do something like that anymore.”

It surprises him and even startled him. The way she called his name, just like old times. It feels so great, hearing her voice calling his name. He likes it the most- even better that how his mother says it. It rings a bell, just like a melody. But the situation they are in, left him wait and stay calm for the time to come.

“Jiyeon, have you find her?” Woohyun asked, opening his mouth widely, reaching for air.

“No, I search all over the place.” Jiyeon sit on the sand, her legs has turn weak from too much running.

“Has that guy come back yet?”

Jiyeon shook her head, and heave a sighed. Woohyun ruffled his hair in anger and disappointment. He tried to call Jieun, not only once or twice but maybe even 50 times. He has been calling her nonstop yet she never picks up. Where is she?

“She will have to pay when she gets back.” Woohyun pouted, thinking about what to do once they found her.

“Just search for her, you can do whatever you want after that.”

“Yeah, I would steal a kiss from her.”

“Like she would give it to you.”

“Well, she has to pay for the prize.”

“Woohyun-ah, I think I have found her.”

“Where?”

Jiyeon stood up, followed by the boy sitting next to her. She points her index finger somewhere, far far away when two figures started to appear slowly. A short black hair and sunglasses, it’s his mark. Hoya is back, however there was no sign of her, that one stupid lady.

Hoya chooses to carry her as they go back. He buried his feet deep in the sand as he let her laid back and left aside all her worries. She has been sleeping on their way back, while Hoya is busy carrying her and dragging her luggage. She insisted before, forcing him to let her walk. Instead of fulfilling it, he grabs her and carries her on his back right away.

“Where have you been?” Jiyeon asked the boy, and Jieun open her eyes right away.

“Searching for her, of course. You like the present I bring?” He looks at Jieun.

“Bring her to the shop there and let her sit down. I will interrogate her.” Jiyeon eyed her best friend in anger, for making her anxious and worried so much.

“Yah! Don’t ever disappear like that!” Jiyeon yelled as Jieun rub her eyes open and took a sip of her drinks.

“Jiyeon, calm down. I have come back.” Jieun said, she was too sleepy to handle the furious little dinosaur.

“What if something bad happen to you?”

“I was just going back home.”

“Home? Did you find her at the airport?” Jiyeon looked up, as Hoya took a seat beside her.

“No, I found her at home.”

“You two, stop annoying me.”

“She does have a home, Jiyeon. 20 minutes away from here.” Hoya nodded.

“Home? You never tell me before.” Jiyeon asked her.

“Because it’s been a long time since I get back to Jeju. I don’t want to recall some of my memories.”

“At least tell me you’re going to be fine, you’re leaving for a while, and answers my call! Woohyun has been calling you all the time, but you have been ignoring it.”

“I’m sorry, okay?”

“No, Jieun. I’m not forgiving you at all, I want a present.” Woohyun pouted, sitting beside the petite woman.

“Don’t be childish, Woohyun. I don’t have any present for you.”

“It’s not that complicated. I just want a simple thing.” Woohyun smirked, leaning closer to the lady and stares at her figures.

“I’m tired, Woohyun.” She closes her eyes and heaves a sigh.

Bad choice, Jieun. Woohyun suddenly lean closer to her and peck her cheek right away. Jieun blush in surprise. Jiyeon close her eyes, as she shut it tightly, not ready to see such a mushy scene. Hoya turns around and stood up right away, ready to leave anytime soon.

“Yah! You two get a room!”

“That’s my present, Jieun.”

“Hoya, stay with us.” Jieun wasn’t concentrating at her two friends but rather at the cheeky boy.

“Maybe next time, Jieun. It’s fun hanging around you.”

“Goodbye then, Howon.”

“Goodbye, IU.”

Just when his figures truly disappear, Jieun turn to face the boy sitting beside him. Jiyeon almost gasp and scream at the moment. But she was fast enough to cover with her palm. Woohyun was surprised as his heart almost stops for a moment. He never thinks she would do something like that, especially to him.

Slap!

Oh, he forgets how much she hates skin ship. He got a present from her, a slap. He rubs his cheek slowly as her figures slowly disappear from his sight. She ran inside the cottage, searching for her room and enters it without any words.

“I told you.” Jiyeon teases him.

“Oh, shut up.”