Jessica turned the open sign around so that it read closed from the outside. When she turned back around, she saw Donghae sitting at the furthest table away, staring intently out the window. Jessica smiled at the sight of him and immediately approached him.

“Ya, we're closed, you should probably leave,” Jessica said sternly, putting her hands on her hips.

Donghae gave her a weak smile and then turned back to staring out the window. Jessica was confused. His gaze had a tinge of worry. She couldn't read his mind.

“Hey, what's up?” she said as she sat down in front of him. “What's the matter?”

He looks at her and opens his mouth as if he's ready to say something “J-Jessica,” his mouth sort of tripped.

She was anxious. But once he looked into her scared eyes he just let out a sigh. “It's nothing,” he finished.

“No, really. What's wrong? You don't look so good,” she said, looking him up and down.

“Anniyo,” his voice was lower, almost quiet. “I'm fine.”

“Is it about your parents' decision?” she asked.

Donghae closed his eyes. After a few seconds he nodded his head.

“I understand. I'm scared too,” she said, placing her hand on his.

Donghae was caressed by the warmth of her hand. When he looked in her eyes he felt his heart beginning to break.

“Will you go somewhere with me tomorrow?” he suddenly asked.

“Where?”

“It's a surprise,” he said with a smile.

“Lee Donghae,” she hissed. “Where are we going?”

“Meet me at the bus stop tomorrow around 4,” he said, getting up from his seat.

“But--”

“Trust me,” he said, instantly cutting her off. “It will be fun.” He began to walk toward the door.

“Donghae,” she called out to him and he quickly turned around.

“What is it?”

“Are you sure you're okay?” she asked.

There was a short moment of silence but Donghae quickly nodded his head. “Yeah, definitely. No problem, I'll see you tomorrow.” And he vanished.

Jessica couldn't help but feel like he was holding back. Like there was something he wasn't telling her.

–

After a few of hours of shopping, Yoona was already exhausted. She couldn't wait to go home and put away all the new clothes she got. She stopped at a crosswalk and when she looked across the street, she thought she saw someone familiar.

Jessica? She thought to herself.

She saw Jessica waiting at the bus stop across the street, by herself.

I wonder where she's going, Yoona asked. Once the sign lit up and read WALK, Yoona tried to quickly cross the street past the group of people who were also crossing.

But as she was crossing, the bus had reached the bus stop and once she reached the other side of the street, Jessica was getting on the bus.

All she could do was watch the bus drive away with her unni on it.

She approached the bus stop and saw an older lady sitting on the nearby bench.

“Excuse me, ajumma,” Yoona said politely. The old lady with sweet, moon-shaped eyes looked up at her.

“Neh?” she said in her crinkly voice.

“That bus that just left, do you happen to know where it was headed?”

“Incheon,” she said.

“Kamsahamnida,” Yoona replied, bowing.

She continued walking home but couldn't stop thinking about where Jessica was headed.

Why is she going to Incheon? She kept asking. Yoona was extremely curious.

–

“Why are we going to Sido Island, oppa?” Jessica asked as she sat down on the ferry. Sido Island was an island right off the coast of Incheon.

“I love going to Sido Island!” he said happily. “Don't you love the beach?”

“Yeah, of course. But why are we going there? What's there?”

Donghae gave her a weird look. “The beach, silly!” he said, nudging against her shoulder.

“But shouldn't we try to find out more about your condition?” Jessica asked.

“We've been working at it for so long,” he said, with a smile. His hair blowing in the gentle, summer breeze. “We need a break, don't you think?”

“Oppa,” she said seriously, her voice worried. “You're not in very good condition. Important decisions are going to be made...”

“I guess you don't want to have fun,” Donghae scoffed.

“Oppa--”

“So are you going to have fun with me at the beach or not?” he asked, looking at her directly in the eyes. Jessica gulped. “Hmm??” Donghae said, childishly pushing his face even closer to hers.

“All work and no play makes Sooyeon a dull, dull girl,” he chimed, pulling his face away.

Jessica growled at him, but he smiled like nothing was wrong.

–

They walked along the boardwalk for a while. They tried delicious foods that vendors were selling and walked into various shops to look at pretty hand-made jewelry made by Sido Islanders. Jessica would often forget that nobody else could see Donghae and had to deal with people's dirty looks. But Jessica didn't care. They were having a good time, enjoying the nice weather and scenery of the beautiful island.

The afternoon was beginning to turn into evening, so Donghae suggested sitting on the beach to watch the sun set along the ocean. They found a spot that was as far away from other people as possible. They sat closer to the water, taking their shoes off, letting the tip of the shoreline reach their toes.

The sky was slowly fading into a gradient of oranges and pinks.

“Look at how lovely the sky is,” Donghae sighed.

“So many pretty colors,” Jessica added. “You know, Siwon's coming home really soon,” Jessica said, her eyes closed.

“Mmm,” Donghae hummed.

“There's just so much I want to talk to him about. I mean I'm really excited to hear about being in the military since he hasn't written me much. But I really want to tell him what's been going on at home! Although...I'm not so sure I should tell him about you...” she said as she pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.

Donghae laughed. “I understand if you don't want to tell your boyfriend about the ghost boy you've been trying to save. I'm pretty sure if I were him I'd think you were crazy.”

Jessica laughed and Donghae was mesmerized by her smile. “Yeah, that would be really strange,” she agreed. “But I've always been very honest with Siwon. It was always so easy to talk about things. We're very open with each other.”

Donghae couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of jealousy, but he looked at her with happy eyes.

“But I really want you to meet him,” she admitted.

“Jeongmal (really)?” he asked, leaning his head on his knees.

She gladly nodded her head up and down. “I want you to be okay, Donghae. I want you to survive. When Siwon left, I was really lonely.”

Donghae pulled himself a little closer to her, listening to her with open ears.

“I had a really hard time sleeping and it was difficult just getting by without waking up and crying, realizing that Siwon still wasn't home yet. But then there was you,” she said, turning to him.

Donghae's eyes lit up at her gaze.

“You know it was extremely weird at first. But after a while all the loneliness, just sort of disappeared. It's like...” she paused.

He leaned in a little closer.

“It's like I wasn't even lonely in the first place.” Donghae was smiling from ear to ear.

“Ughhh,” she groaned.

“What?”

“I'm sorry for my babbling about Siwon and such. I should be more worried about you right now.”

Donghae shook his head. “Don't be sorry. I'm really glad I can make you feel that way. I hope you know that you really made me feel that way too.”

“Really?” she said, almost surprised.

“Of course.”

They smiled at each other and turned their eyes back to the bright, golden sun. It looked like it was descending into the ocean.

“You know I came up with an English name for you,” she said, breaking the quietness.

“Finally!” he exclaimed. “Tell me.”

“Ok, are you ready?...Aiden!”

Donghae laughed. “Aiden?”

“You don't like it?!” Jessica, replied, almost offended.

“I didn't say that!” he answered. “I'm just wondering: why Aiden?”

“Well, if you spell it out in English, it's really simple.” Taking her right, pointer finger, she began dragging it across the sand. Donghae looked closely at her actions and noticed that she was spelling it out

A...I...D...E...N... he read in his mind.

“You see, 'Aiden Is Donghae's English Name,'” she said as she pointed to each letter.

“Oh! It's an acronym!”

Jessica nodded her head affirmatively. “Really clever, eh?”

“Definitely. Seems like my geniues-ness is rubbing off on you,” he bragged, leaning back on his hands.

“Aishhh,” she said muttered, raising a fist. “Don't be cute.”

“You think I'm cute?” Donghae teased with a smirk.

Jessica got up from the sand and started walking away.

“Ya~ where are you going?” he yelled. “Come back here!”

“Come after me!” she challenged.

Challenge accepted, Donghae smiled to himself and got up and started running after her. At the sight of him chasing her, she smiled and began to run away.

–

Jessica was extremely tired after the long day on the island. On the bus ride home, she was already falling asleep. At one point, her head fell over onto Donghae's shoulder and she adjusted herself so that she could comfortably lay against him. Donghae smiled at her.

When they finally reached her home, he led her up to her apartment and guided her to her bed.

Kamsahaeyo, she said to him, her voice exhausted, as he tucked her in. He pulled the blanket over her and patted it down to make sure she was warm.

She finally gave in and drifted off to sleep, her eyelids finally closing.

After a few minutes, Donghae got up to leave.

As he was walking away, he could have sworn he heard her whisper his name.

She was fast asleep.

---

My lovely readers,

It's really nice to be writing again. I'm still at school! Second semester. I seem to have more free time this semester, so I thought I'd use up the time I'm not doing homework or practicing to do some more fanfiction writing.

I'm currently working on my new stories that should premiere hopefully soon!

As for your questions, please calm down haha! Everything will be revealed throughout. Everything's planned out and your questions will surely be answered with time! 

I feel like my writing isn't as good as it was before haha. But thank you so much for your faithfulness :)

You won't be disappointed! (I HOPE!)

love,

jasmineleir