"Let's go, Sehun!"

I smiled at the pretty, giggling girl in front of me.

"Alright, Jiwon."

Today was the sixth day. The sixth day I hadn't seen Yoosol. The sixth day I had avoided the beach itself.

And the sixth day I missed her.

I told myself I shouldn't even count the days. Because sooner or later, I would eventually lose count, and the thought gave me big downpour of anguish.

Yoosol was only a dream, now. Just a girl I had spent time with for one month, and accidentally fell in love with during the one month.

But that one month was over, and now, everything was back to where it had been before. Me and Jiwon being the most perfect couple on campus, and my life being the most perfect life I could have.

There wasn't a mistake in my life. Nothing that caused me to actually think or worry over. Nothing that caused any kind of emotion inside of me.

Maybe that's why I always felt so... stiff. Lifeless. Like some kind of stick that happened to have a face and legs and arms to carry out a forced life.

And Yoosol.... she was the one who would bring life to that stick. She would free the stiffness out of me, and help me move smoothly. And we would be genuinely happy, her and I.

But that would cause the other sticks in the world to be angry at me. One may even cry. And if that happened... I would feel bad. I would be a free stick that felt bad.

Which didn't make sense at all.

Just like the thoughts I am thinking right now.

"Earth to Sehun!"

"Huh?! Yeah! Uh... Wait, what?" I blinked in confusion.

Jiwon held out a lollipop with a laugh.

"Here. Someone was passing these out earlier. You like cherry, don't you?"

I smiled.

"I do. Thanks."

Was this going to go on forever? This world of sticks and I? Was nothing going to change it?

Was I never going to be happy?

I bit my lip to keep from sighing in despair. Because then I remembered..

Yoosol wouldn't even return the same feelings anyway. That's why I'm here as well..

.... But.... Maybe I should atleast say bye. Besides, you couldn't just leave someone you had befriended for a month without saying a goodbye.

I decided that I would. Tomorrow, even. Right after class. Just like how I had done for the past month.

I would say bye to her. And then that would be it.

I would never see her again.

------------------------------------------------------

The car ride was nerve-wracking.

My palms were sweaty. Everything I passed, to the tiniest rocks to the huge, tall buildings, they seemed traumatizing. Because each landmark I saw was familiar, which meant I was getting closer to the beach.

Which meant I was getting closer to going to see Yoosol.

It was when I got out of the car when it clicked -- Yoosol probably wasn't even there. I had not showed up for almost a week, so why would she be waiting for me outside of the water?

With a sigh, I kept on walking to the cove nevertheless. Even if she wasn't there... I wanted to atleast take a second to enjoy my last moments on that special rock in that special cove.

As I walked down the steps, the strangely strong wind blew against my face. The weather was getting colder these days for some weird reason. The long summer seemed to be finally dying down.

I reached the bottom of the stairs after a few moments, feeling the familiar soft, white sand and the familiar features of the beach.

I sighed and looked towards the usual rock.

"SEHUN!"

I broke into a huge grin.

Because right in front of me was a very happy Yoosol running over to me. She was smiling, looking glad to see me.

Just from that, I felt a spark of hope inside of my heart.

"Sehun! Where WERE you for the past fifty days?! I even thought of going up there and actually looking for where you were, but..."

She sheepishly grinned.

"I chickened out. But anyways, seriously, where were you?!"

I smiled.

"Sorry.. I just couldn't come..."

"But you can now, right? Because, I mean, you're here right now." Her eyes were doing the 'doe' thing again.

I melted, and struggled to rise back up.

"Uh.... actually... I...."

I bit my lower lip.

"...... Yoosol, to tell the truth--"

"OH MY GOD SEHUN! LOOK! A BALLOON!"

And just like that, the entire conversation was dropped, much to my relief.

We both ended up sitting side by side on the rock as usual. I smiled to myself, glad that I could spend my last day like this, listening to Yoosol's voice.

Minutes passed by with our usual, comforting chatter. They builded up to an hour, and soon, I was wishing time would go even slower.

And that made me sad all over again, knowing that only I felt this and Yoosol didn't. It was always the thing with one-sided love: Whatever you felt, you knew the other didn't feel the same.

"Sehun?" Yoosol suddenly broke a moment of silence.

"Yeah?" I asked softly.

It was quiet for a moment. When I looked at Yoosol, she was looking down at her feet, playing with her fingers. I slightly frowned, confused.

"... Remember what I said that other day?"

"... What other day?"

"You know... The last time you came here. What I said about mermaids and humans not being able to fall in love with each other."

I froze. Why bring that up now?

"... Yeah.... I remember." My voice was even lower and even softer.

Yoosol took a deep breath, still looking down at her feet. I couldn't see her face.

"Well... I thought about it. I really thought about what I said... and.... Um..."

She finally lifted her head up, looking up at me with her doe-like eyes. It was then when I saw that she was blushing, hard.

My heart beat faster.

"I was wrong. I take that back, Sehun. Mermaids and humans can fall in love with each other, no matter how different they are." She said.

I stared at her with wide eyes, feeling nothing but the rapid, excited beatings of my heart. Yoosol gulped, forcing herself to not look away from me.

"I like you. I like you a lot, Sehun. But..... I..... I didn't know about it before... And I'm sorry I said that last time..."

She bit her lower lip, cheeks burning.

"I'm sorry, but I hope you don't actually see me as a fish--"

"Yoosol." I cut her off sternly.

"You are not. A fish."

Nothing was strong enough to stop me from leaning in that moment, and all the common sense just seemed to be tiny compared to what I felt during that moment.

It was pure bliss. Pure happiness. Pure love.

Her lips softened against mine, and I gently wrapped my arms around her cheeks, carresing them lovingly. I pulled away for a breath, only to lean in again, starting a round of numerous soft, short kisses.

I smiled against her lips before completely pulling away, eyes twinkling with happiness.

Yoosol was still red in the cheeks, looking a bit dazed and shocked. But then she broke into a sheepish smile and burried her face into my chest, both of us wrapping our arms around each other while softly chuckling.

We both stayed in that soothing position for a long time, cuddling and in each other's warmth. I ran my fingers gently through her long, dark brown hair, for the first time relishing the fact that Yoosol was now mine and only mine.

"Sehun?" She suddenly said softly.

"Mmhmm?"

"What were you about to say earlier before I interrupted you about the balloon?"

"..... I was about to say.... That I will always come here everyday for you without missing a single day. Always."