It was finished. The worried phone calls stopped pouring in. Her new daily routine didn’t feel so new anymore. Hell, she was already considered a regular at the corner coffee shop that she started going to, whenever she had an attack and desperately needed to be in public. Since the incident, the world continued spinning, without skipping a single beat. And the normalcy of everything made it seem like everything would be okay. She could move on. It was alright. Just wait and see. Everything will be fine.

But she couldn’t move on. A heavy emptiness sat in her heart that wouldn’t dare let her forget. That even the wretchedly normal world could not erase.

It was a windy day when Yerin stood at the crags that overlooked the deep blue sea. Hundreds of feet below her, the waves crashed into the solid rock, pushed by a whipping wind that carried the sea salt all the way up to where she stood. But it wasn’t the salt, nor the fierce wind that made her eyes water up. Nothing could bother her, because really, nothing could compare to the ache in her heart.

Her simple white dress billowed around her as she gazed into the ocean. She could feel the sun on the back of her neck, watching to see what she dared to do. In her hand, she held a small glass vial, corked and stuffed with a small letter.

As the tears rolled down her cheeks, she squeezed the glass vial tightly in her hand. Then, she took a deep breath, wiped her face roughly with her hands, and set her gaze on the horizon.

For you, Wonbin, she thought. Always. Then, she flung the glass vial with all her might, watching as it hovered in air before disappearing into the deep blue sea.

She took one last look at the foaming waters below her. Then, she her heel, backing away from the cliff.

***

20 miles down the coast lay a lonely stretch of sand, huddled between two steep cliffs. There was only one way to reach it, and that was by way of a tough trail, part of which involved climbing up a pretty intimidating pile of rocks. Locals called it the Forgotten Beach, and successfully kept it a secret from most everyone else.

For that, Myungsoo was grateful. If he ever wanted to visit, to escape his ho-hum, normal life as a hard-working student, respectful son, and protective older brother in their quaint and quiet neighborhood, then he would strap on his shoes, grab his DSLR camera, and make for that lonely beach. Nothing relaxed him more than to spend the day there, taking a few pictures, lying under the sun, and listening to the soft crash of waves on the sand.

It had been a trying week for him, and he was aching for some quiet alone time. He tried not to rush as he climbed the rocky mountainside, followed the trail up and down a steep hill, and finally arrived at the Forgotten Beach. He sighed contentedly as he took his usual spot, close to the water’s edge.

As he settled in, though, he was struck with a weird feeling that something was different. Something was off. Is it the air?, he wondered. It was noticeably windier than normal. He sniffed cautiously. The sea salt smells… sweeter? Weird. Maybe because of all the wind? After a moment, he shook off the strangevibe, pulled his camera from his satchel, and positioned it towards the horizon. He had come here to relax, and there wasn’t a moment to lose.

He smiled to himself as he readied for his shot, gazing at where the sea met the sky. With its inherent beauty, nature never failed to amaze him. He played with the lens, focusing on a slow-moving cruise ship far off in the distance. It gleamed in the sunlight as it sailed lazily past. He made some final adjustments, and then held his breath.

Click.

He checked the photo, and then lay down the camera and stretched out, leaning back on his elbows so that he could gaze into the sea and let his mind wander. He sighed again, feeling completely relaxed and totally, totally happy.

Suddenly, a gleam in the water caught his eye. He wondered if it was a fish, or trash that some idiot had thrown into the sea. He watched, only half-interested, as it washed onto the beach and lodged into the sand. He was about to dismiss it, as he usually did. But there was something different about the air. About this day. A strange curiosity beckoned him.

Against his better judgment, he stood up, shook the sand from his jeans, and walked towards it, scooping down to pick it up.

It was a small glass vial. Corked, and stuffed with a folded piece of paper. He clutched it tightly in his hand, examining it.

Wonbin, he read through the glass. He hesitated for a moment. This was clearly intended for someone else. It was none of his business. Would it be stealing if he kept it? Would it be snooping if he opened it? For a moment, he considered throwing it back into the sea.

But then, to his own surprise, he plopped down on the moist sand, pulled the cork from the vial, and shook out the paper. He needed to know what else it had to say.