‘there she is …’

Suzy staring through the windscreen at the sleek white-painted yacht glistening in the sunshine. There were other yacht in the marina with very luxury looking; but Suzy only had eyes for her…

Escape.

Suzy had fallen in love with this yacht from the first day Seungri invited her on it. They had spent the best times of their summer together sailing across the straits.

‘She still looks pretty,’ she whispered softly. Not too big, not too small, just…..perfect.

It was like bumping into a long lost friend when you least expected it. Suzy laughed as she stops the car and take her steps towards the yacht just to admire her.

Seungri flashed a smile at Suzy’s reaction as he finished collected their things from the car boot and go to her. So she still had good memories, he thought ….and hoped he was not about to ruin them.

‘Here,’ he said, swinging their bags one by one towards her so she could catch them and place them on the deck before he joined her.

Seungri walk ahead with the bags, leaving Suzy to follow him down the narrow steps that led below. Nothing had changed down here, she thought. As Seungri go to the other side of the yacht Suzy lift the bag in her hand to stuff whatever Seungri had loaded in the bags into the fridge.

‘I’ll go and start the engine,’ Seungri said as he passed by her again. ‘Join me on deck when you’ve finished down here.’

He disappeared, leaving her staring into the small fridge, surprised to find it was already chill and well stock. He must have planned this trip before they even left the house this morning, she realised, frowning as she stuff more foods into the crowded fridge.

The engine fired and she rushed to finish what she was doing, then climb back on deck. Seungri was standing by the wheel while his head tilt to other side listening to the engine.

‘Someone has been in and stocked the fridge,’ she relayed. ‘How long have you been planning this trip?’

‘Come and take the wheel while I cast off.’

Once again he walked away without answering her question. Irritation snap at her, Suzy took hold of the aluminum wheel and watched him pull the ropes. She felt the yacht smooth gliding movement and tightened her grip on the wheel.

‘OK, ease out the throttle,’ Seungri instructed.

‘No,’ she refused. ‘You come back here and do it. It’s been a long time and I forgot what to do!’

‘No, you have not.’ Seungri come to stand right behind her. ‘Just look straight ahead and go easy on the throttle … Your “dos and don’ts” rulebook says I am not allowed to do it, Suzy,’ he say. 

Disappointed by the unwelcome reminder, she asked, ‘Does the same rule count on the sea?’

‘No idea.’ He didn’t sound as if he cared, either. ‘However, since you brought up the rule thing you now have to deal with it. So take us out of here so we can catch some breeze and put up the sail.’

There were not worth arguing with Seungri. She knows that. Chewing her bottom lip, Suzy clutched at the wheel and reached out to grasp the throttle stick. She feels a mix feeling inside her as the yacht powered forward.

Tossing back her hair over her shoulders, Suzy concentrated so hard on steering them towards the gap between the two breakwaters that her eyes begin to sting, but she didn’t care.

‘Don’t you dare move an inch from me,’ she warned tensely.

‘I’m right here.’ He rested his hand on her waist in reassurance. ‘Relax, Suzy. Enjoy yourself,’ Seungri encouraged softly.

Seungri was glad that Suzy was not looking at him. All his worries have taking toll on him. He had kept his silence long enough because he need all the extra time to made Suzy to the point where she will believe in him again. And as soon as he found a place they could safely anchor, where she couldn’t escape, he was going to spill her everything he had been holding back.

‘We’re coming up to the breakwaters,’ she whispered, as if this was the beginning of a fabulous adventure.

Feeling her worries, Seungri get close to her. ‘Steady as she goes, Suzy,’ he instruct softly. 

‘Which way when we get there?’

‘I don’t have a clue.’

He sounded as if he didn’t care. ‘So we’re just sailing off into the sunset? Running away like we ran away from Changsung’s funeral?’

‘Concentrate on what you are doing,’ he said.

‘Why are you constantly block me when I ask you something?’ Suzy snapped out in frustration. ‘You never used to be like this. You used to be a really open guy I could talk to!’

Suzy almost throw them into the solid mass of the break-water when she slightly lose her focus that forcing Seungri to place his hands over her on the wheel to steady and guide the yacht back onto it safe course. 

Seungri felt her hands shiver under his grip. The swell hit at the portside of the yacht. He take control of the throttle with Suzy’s body trapped between him and the wheel, while he guided them onto a smoother course. The wind caught her hair and blew across his shoulders. He glanced down and caught a glimpse of her face that has turned pale.

‘I'm sorry.’ Suzy burst out in trembling voice. ‘I could have killed us just then!’

‘I am good at killing people.’

That flat comment hit her like a punch to the stomach. Suzy groan and look up at him. ‘You didn’t kill Changsung,’ she told him painfully.

‘You think not?’ Still in control of his yacht, Seungri give her cynical glance. ‘You were not there. You don’t know what happened.’

‘It was an accident,’ Suzy insisted. ‘The boat hit turbulence and …’

‘Time to put up the sails.’

‘Stop doing that!’ Suzy hit him with her fist that already making contact with his rock solid chest. Seungri winced. Guilt overwhelmed her when she realized where she had hit him.

‘Sorry.’ Suzy smoothed her hand over the area she just punched. ‘But you have just got to stop shutting me out!’

‘I know,’ he sighed after a minute. ‘I just want you to know where I’m coming from before I stop shutting you out.’

Standing stiffly within the circle of Seungri’s arms, she asked, ‘What is it that you’re finding so hard to tell me, Seungri?’