My Turn To Cry - EXO

Reciprocated

Squeaks resonated from the old timber floor. Flocks of seagulls flew through the lukewarm, late, summer winds. Vermillion rays shone from the long and unending horizon. Aerin's afternoon on top of the Haeundae lighthouse couldn't have been more picturesque.

Never had she been to the place before as she had always thought that it was off-limits. Yet it had always been her wish to be able to reach the top of the structure. It was a place which Aerin deemed serene and peaceful, a place where she could go to on the occasion where she wanted to run away from reality. It was a place where she could process her thoughts.

The place excceded her expectations. Once she stepped foot on the top floor, all of Aerin's worries suddenly vanished and she was engulfed in bliss. She was free from all of her internal anxieties and struggles. It didn't matter that they had decided to go the day after her birthday, marking the end of the season she once hated. Aerin was slowly starting to appreciate what summer had to offer.

“Your birthday’s only in a few days,” Sehun said, breaking Aerin’s train of thought. “When’s your big, summer blowout?” he asked.

Aerin shrugged playfully. “I may not even have one,” she said, smiling. “I’ll probably just treat you to ddeokbokki.”

Sehun made a gagging gesture in return. “That’s so cheap! Aren’t you tired of it?” Aerin shook her head, making Sehun shake his head in disbelief. He immediately gave up and shrugged. “Oh well, it’s still food so make sure to buy me lots.”

“Seriously, Sehun, you’re going to be the reason why I'll turn dirt poor!”

At the sight of a laughing Sehun, Aerin found herself laughing as well. She liked moments like this. The lighthouse with its warm glow made her really contented, but having Sehun there with her made it perfect. After being together with him for so long, she finally had a "first" with him, and that fact alone gave her a sense of delight. Having firsts wasn’t a big deal to them anymore, but even so, just the thought of having actually achieved it made Aerin very happy.

Maybe it was because, for once, she was able to do something for him. Whatever it was, she was sure of one thing. She loved Sehun.

Aerin bit her lower lip before speaking. “Actually, my dad said we’ll throw a small birthday party. Invite your family for me,” she said, looking away from the paper in her hands to look at Sehun. “I’ll introduce you to my mom and dad by then…though you’ll only be able to see my mom through Skype.”

Donning an incomprehensible look, Sehun replied, “Really?”

Aerin gave him a stern look in return, as if annoyed by his reaction. “If you don’t want to then you could just say so.”

“Aerin, that’s not—“

“I guess you’re ashamed of me, huh?”

Sehun was surprised to see Aerin act this way, even more so upon seeing the girl pouting adorably like a little child—in his eyes, at least—that he ended up raising his voice higher than usual. “Are you stupid?” he asked, his eyes widening at Aerin who also looked surprised. “You think I’d put up with my family’s teasing and foolishness if I were ashamed of you?” Still receiving no response from the girl, Sehun sighed. “It’s just—okay, think of me as greasy or whatnot, but I…I just thought that finally, I’ll be able to thank the two individuals who brought such a wonderful girl like you into this world.”

Aerin’s face flushed instantly and she quickly berated herself for becoming so weak around Sehun. She wasn’t really angry at his initial response. Aerin was just actually playing with him, but it turned out that her intended joke backfired on her. Nevertheless, she didn’t hate it. She might have looked stupid getting all embarrassed, acting like a middle school girl who just had her first kiss, but she couldn’t care less. The way Sehun looked so sincere while saying those words making her feel all jittery inside. She couldn’t have hated any single bit of it.

Sehun didn't miss the how the girl had suddenly turned quiet. He was tempted into fondly pinch the girl’s cheeks despite the frown on her face. “Anyhow, what does my cute, weird girlfriend want for her birthday?”

Aerin huffed and rubbed her sore cheeks, her eyes squinted into a glare. “It’s fine, I just—“ Only when Sehun’s words sunk in did her eyebrows crease, making her overall expression sour. “Did you just call me weird?” Sehun wasn’t fazed by her response though and even shrugged playfully as if to provoke the girl more.

Aerin was now quite vexed, but she made no fuss, being the calm and reserved person that she was. She knew that like what she had tried before, Sehun was only messing with her, so she quickly let go of her unpleasant expression and sighed, pressing her lips into a thin line. “I think…I have everyth