“JI YEON WAKE UP WE’RE LEAVING IN FIVE!”

I gasped and jumped out of bed. Oh I overslept! Grabbing the clothes I wore yesterday, I threw on my crumpled uniform as I rushed into the bathroom. “Just give me a second!” I screamed, running the toothbrush over my teeth and brushing my hair. Sprinting down the hallway, I clumsily knocked my shin into the couch, bracing myself on my elbows as I crashed to the ground. “ that hurt.”

“Ji are you okay?”

“Yeah I am!” I winced and scrambled to my feet. I stumbled down the stairs and almost collided with a body. Realizing who it was, I skidded to a halt before head-butting Jongin. Boram applauded me while I stood with my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath. “Sorry!...I’m…here!” I managed in between gasps. “Let’s…go!”

“You didn’t have to rush that much, Ji!” Boram commented, watching as I wiped the fine line of sweat that had formed along my hairline.

“Of course I did!” I retorted, slightly annoyed by the huge grin plastered on her face. “We’re late let’s go!” Jongin shrugged and headed outside, patiently waiting for Boram and me before he locked the door. He eyed the two of us while we bickered. Boram giggled and pointed at my uniform. “Ji, you missed a belt loop! Fix it before we leave.” I sighed in annoyance and redid the red bandana tied around my waist while she fussed with my ripped denim vest. The coarse material brushed against my shoulder, causing a jarring pain. I instinctively jerked away from Boram’s grasp and she looked at me with shock.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

Boram’s brows furrowed. “Ji, are you okay? You’re eyes are red and puffy. You weren’t crying were you?”

 “What? No!” I immediately denied. Damn, did it look that obvious? “Anyways, I’m all set, let’s go! We don’t have all day!” Grabbing her wrist, I pulled her through the door and waited for Jongin to close the door. As he placed the key into the lock and twisted it, our eyes met. For a moment, I swore his eyes darkened, filled with a flash of emotion I couldn’t recognize before they cleared up and he watched me cautiously. I slightly bowed and murmured a greeting, which he returned with a nod and walked ahead. I caught Boram standing there out of the corner of my eye grinning at him like an idiot. “Shouldn’t we go catch up to him and actually open the store before the sun goes down today?” I teased, nudging her in the ribs.

“Oh relax, Ji, we aren’t late!”
“Of course we are! That’s why I was freaking out this morning!” The two of us proceeded down the porch steps and picked up where we left off in our mini squabble.
“That’s the thing!” she sang, laughing mischievously. “We’re on time! I just wanted to trick you this morning!”

“Wha—“ I managed to get out. Boram jumped off the stairs and linked her arm around Jongin’s waist as I distractedly took another step – and completely missed the step in front of me. I pitched forward; waving my arms frantically to grab something to stabilize myself, but it was no use. I tumbled to the ground, earning myself a mouthful of lovely Busan sand. Boram gasped and rushed back towards me.

“Oh my god, Ji are you okay?” she asked squatting down next to me. I chose to remain motionless, slowly counting to ten and praying for the patience not to take someone out. Yep. It didn’t work. I flipped my head back and spat out all of the nasty sand that coated the inside of my mouth.

“Lee Boram, you have three seconds to run away before I drag you by the neck and drown you in the sea.” Boram shrieked as I reached out to grab her arm. Sprinting towards Jongin, she linked her arms with his and the two dashed towards the World. I scrambled to my feet and raced after them. Jongin loosened her grip on his arm for a second so that he could lower his hand and hold her hand. The two laughed triumphantly when they burst through the shack, me hot on their heels, and slammed the door shut with a satisfying click before I could come in. “Yah! Let me in!” I yelled, banging on the locked door.

“No, you’re scary!!” Boram sang out. They peeked through the blinds next to the door to see me glaring back at them. Boram giggled as Jongin shared her smile and looped his arms around her neck. They really were cute together; especially when Jongin smiled. The blinds snapped closed and I could hear the footsteps shuffling away.
“Come on, Jonginnie, let’s set up shop.” I growled in annoyance and tried the door again. Stupid Boram. She left the door locked. There was no way in hell I was going to sit out here like a bum until they opened. I pulled out my key to the house; just in case it was the same key at the World. It wasn’t of course, but I was able to slide it between the door and the post and jimmy it open. The door swung open with a crash; knocking the wind chime that hung over the doorway so hard the tubes clattered noisily and became an entangled mass that could no longer ring. Boram gasped; neither she nor Jongin moved; almost like they were stuck in a painting. I held up my house key in victory and flashed them a malicious smile. “Who’s scary now?”

Boram dropped the cardboard box she was carrying and ran outside the back door. I trailed after her, finally gaining speed. Before she could run away any further, I jumped, latching onto her back. She must have expected me because she didn’t collapse on the ground. That, or she was a lot stronger than I thought. I wrapped my arm around her neck and rubbed my knuckles into her head. “Ahh!” she yelled, buckling to her knees. I smirked and increased the pressure I used in my noogie. “Stop Ji please!” Boram whined. I finally let go and got off her back. She massaged the top pf her head and scowled. “You’re so mean Ji!”
“Says you!” I countered. “You’re the one who made me rush this morning for no reason!” Boram shot me a puppy eyes look and I groaned. “Aish, let’s just go set up. Don’t you have any lessons today?”
Boram grinned and shook her head. “Not today. We can actually close up shop later and go surfing for the rest of the day.”

I raised an eyebrow, finally understood her intentions. Feeling the corners of my mouth curl up, I playfully punched her in the arm. “You’re horrible,” I teased.

She smiled back and slung her arm around my neck. “I know. And you love me because of it!” The two of us made our way back to the shop to find Jongin. He stood on a stepladder, gently untangling the wind chime I had messed up when I initially barged into the World. He got down when he saw us, and I smiled apologetically to him. He nodded back and proceeded over to Boram’s side. She reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks for opening shop for me bae,” she murmured.

Jongin smiled and hugged her, burying his nose in her hair. “You’re welcome. Let’s get to work so we can finish early and then you can finally teach me how to surf!”

I peeked at him curiously. “You want to know how to surf?”

Jongin smiled. “I want to be as good as Boram is by the end of the summer,” he teased.

“This is going to be so fun then!” I squealed. “Let’s hurry up then!”

I felt antsy all day. Several customers came and went. I talked to a lot of familiar faces, but I kept feeling myself zoning out. Jongin and Boram relaxed around each other, holding hands, cracking jokes, there was even one time Boram snuck up behind him and jumped on his back! I didn’t realize it until now, but the only girl Jongin would allow himself to be touched by was Boram. It wasn’t just me, right? Like I wasn’t smelly or gross or anything, right? I sighed. Maybe getting Jongin to like me was a lost cause. A sudden blur flashed before me and I finally noticed a large pair of doe eyes watching me curiously.

“Whatchya doing?” Boram playfully asked. I physically jumped back a few feet in shock. I was so zoned out I didn’t realize that she had stood in front of me for a good five minutes waiting for me to say something.

“Oh my god Boram!” I nearly shrieked, placing a hand over my racing heart. “You scared the out of me!”

Boram giggled and cocked her head to the side. “Well Ji, if you paid a little attention, you would have realized that the shop is now closed for lunch.” I looked around and to my surprise; the blinds on the windows of the World were now lowered, only allowing a dim light to be emitted through the cracks. Jongin stood in the center of the floor, dutifully sweeping bits of sand brought in by barefooted customers. As he pushed the last of the grains through the back door, I felt myself follow in suit as Boram shoved me out into the blinding sunlight. She shut the door and promptly locked it, clapping her hands in glee. “I’m so excited! We can finally teach Jongin how to surf!” Looping her arms between my arm and Jongin’s, she skipped towards the rack where we kept the surfboards. Giving a sweeping gesture to the colorful boards stacked neatly along the back, she gave a devilish grin. “Pick any board you want Jonginnie! It’ll be yours to keep.”

“Any board? Are you sure I can just keep one?” Jongin asked uncertainly, eyes furrowed.

Boram giggled and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Yep! Pick whichever!”
“But don’t I need to pay for it?”

“You will,” I finally chimed in as I sardonically watched the two of them. It was the first time I had spoken up in a while, but I couldn’t help but . “My first paycheck was nonexistent.” Jongin’s face paled slightly and I smiled at him reassuringly. “It’s worth it though.” I motioned towards the boards. “Go ahead. Pick whatever board you want.” Jongin’s eyes drifted through the boards, examining each shape and color until he reached out and pulled out a board. My hand instinctively stuck out to playfully hit him, but then I froze just millimeters from his hand. My eyes widened and I pulled my hand back. Jongin’s expression clouded again and he watched me cautiously. I looked away from him and apologized, but clearing my throat, I looked at him defiantly and pulled the white and blue surfboard out of his hands, making sure I avoided touching his hands. “You can have any board you want except this one.”

Jongin’s eyes flashed with annoyance and he placed his hands on his hips. “Why not?”

Boram sighed and poked my cheek. “You still don’t want to change boards, Ji? You’ve had that board for three years!”

I puffed out my cheeks and pouted. “No,” I mumbled, my board affectionately. “This is my baby.”

Boram rolled her eyes and faced Jongin again. “This is ‘Ji’s baby,’” she announced mockingly. “You can have any other board but her’s: she’s a bit possessive over her board.”

Jongin waved his hand. “No I understand, it’s something really dear to her.” Turning towards me, he smiled softly. “It’s a really beautiful board though.” I blushed and avoided eye contact with him.

“Thanks,” I murmured.

“So!” Boram piped up again. “Which board do you want, Jonginnie? Since Ji won’t let you have her board you can always have mine,” she said with a wink. A burst of laughter escaped my lips and I covered my mouth suddenly. Jongin looked over at me curiously and asked, “What does your board look like?”

Boram’s eyes glittered excitedly and playfully flipped her hair. “Blue and white is so out of style. I have the coolest board in the world.” She strode over to the rack and pulled out her monster of a board. “This, is my baby,” she exclaimed proudly. Big, glittering purple butterflies decorated the electric hot pink surface. It was so glittery the sun reflected of its surface and shone brilliant sparkles. “Ahhhh, the monster has returned!” I cried out, shielding my eyes. Boram smiled wickedly. “That’s right Ji, cower before it. Fear the board that will make you eat it!” Cackling maniacally, she started to chase me around the beach, waving her board above her head. “Diee!!!” She screamed. I laughed and continued running down the length of the beach. I could feel her gaining on me. Stopping suddenly, I whirled around and grabbed at her. Boram froze in surprise, but by then, it was too late. I hooked my arm around her neck and spun around her; creating a viselike headlock. “Who’s going to die now?” Boram screamed in defeat as I attacked her with another noogie. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground. Just then, Jongin jogged up to us. “Did you pick a board?” I called to him.

Jongin nodded happily until he noticed how Boram was trapped. “Jongin! Save me!” Boram cried, relieved her savior was here. Jongin padded over to us and bent down to meet her eyes.

“Ji Yeon.”

My heart skipped a beat when I heard him say my name for the first time, even if it was to scold me about hurting his girlfriend. “That’s not how you do it.”
“What?” I asked confused, not completely understanding. He glanced up at me and grinned. Gently picking up her foot, he chuckled. “THIS is how you make her suffer!” Jongin began to rapidly tickle her foot. Boram shrieked and I grinned in return. I tickled under her arms as she squirmed and begged for mercy. The three of us laughed like crazy as we played around.
“Stop please!” Boram managed in between laughs. She jerked her arm out of my grasp and began to flail violently. I pulled my hand out of the way to avoid being hit by her, but then a sharp pain sliced through my arm. I gasped and let go of Boram. She and Jongin quit laughing and stared at me in shock. “Ji are you okay?” Boram asked worriedly.

“Yeah! I’m fine!” I rolled my arm, ignoring the biting feeling in my shoulder. “I think I just slept on it wrong!” Boram hesitated for a moment, but then looked at Jongin. She opened to say something when a cold voice interrupted her.

“Well, look who we have here.”
I whirled around to see four figures approach us. Gyuri pulled down her giant tortoiseshell sunglasses and eyed us wickedly. “How are you guys doing today?”

“Oh, we’re fine,” I replied coldly. One of the girls hissed at me, waiting for me to start a fight. Gyuri paid no attention to me and stared at Boram, who stood a little too close to Jongin than she would have preferred. “Who are you?” she cooed. “I haven’t met you before.”
 

“Oh, I’m Boram! It’s nice to meet you!” Boram piped up, shaking Gyuri’s hand.

“I’m Gyuri,” she replied. “I see since you guys aren’t working right now, would it be okay if he would come hang out with us?” She gestured over to Jongin and smirked. “We’ve been hoping that he would show us around.”

“You can’t,” I replied flatly. Gyuri raised a delicate eyebrow.

“Oh really? And why not?” she sneered.

Raising my chin up, I looked down at her. “He has stuff that he’s doing with us today.”

The other girls snorted and rolled their eyes like I was a little five year old throwing a temper tantrum. Gyuri chuckled and looked at me pitifully. “Aw, well I’m sorry about that. But why don’t we see what Kai has to say about that.”

Boram furrowed her brows together and looked at Jongin. “Kai? Why did they call you that?”

Gyuri laughed at Boram like she was a little toy who didn’t know anything. “Well, little girl, we gave him that nickname because he’s like Kaili, a H—“
“Hawaiian god, very hot, untouchable yeah yeah we know,” I snapped. My eyes narrowed as I glared at the girls. “Sorry, but today he’s busy. Go find someone else to give you a tour.”

Gyuri scoffed. “You’re a little possessive aren’t you? If I didn’t know better, you don’t trust your boyfriend at all.” She smiled was she watched me. I felt my face pale, finally realizing she was getting close to the lie I had made up.

“Come on guys, let’s go,” I muttered turning around and heading back to the shack. “We don’t have time to deal with irrelevant people right now.”

The four girls gasped in outrage, their eyes sparkling in anger. “Why you,” Gyuri began. I turned around and glared at her, making her stop midsentence. “Let’s go,” I repeated.

I picked up my board that I had carelessly dropped on the floor and stormed back to the shack. Boram barely had enough time to say a quick apology before picking up her board and following me. “Ji Yeon! Ji!” She called to me. “Wait up!”

I finally slowed my pace down and waited for them to catch up. “What was that all about?” She asked.

I realized she meant the “boyfriend” comment and looked away. “It’s nothing,” I mumbled.

Boram grabbed my arm and forced me to look at her. “The hell it is!” she snarled. “Why do you know what Kai meant? Why did those girls know you? Why are you keeping secrets from me?” Her eyes clouded with tears as she looked at me desperately. “I thought we were best friends. I thought we told each other everything! Why won’t you tell me!” My eyes trailed to Jongin, who leaned against the wall of the shack and watched as the drama unfolded.

Gently prying her hand off my arm, I looked at her with confidence. “It’s nothing,” I repeated. Boram sighed and suddenly changed her demeanor. “Fine. I’ll stop talking about it. Besides, we have to teach Jonginnie how to surf!” She skipped over to Jongin and laced her fingers through his. “Let’s go!” she cried, grinning excitedly. Jongin smiled let himself be pulled back towards the boards. 

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A/N:

I'm finally back! Sorry y'all had to wait for so long! I had so much going on with school, SAT, and volleyball! But now I'm back with a [somewhat] long chapter! So I hope you all enjoy!

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Oh and by the way: typos + awkward sentences = I'M REALLY SORRY! I was trying to finish as quickly as I could, so if you find a typo or something, please PM me and let me know! I am such a grammar Nazi, but I'm known for making some careless mistakes when I'm in a hurry x3

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- Li Niao <3