It had been a few days, and the excitement of your engagement still hadn't died down with the elders. Infact, to celebrate, they had spontaneously decided to take a weekend trip to the south, dragging both you and Donghae.

You scowled at your brother. He had managed to avoid the trip, somehow. He grinned mischievously your way as he loaded some luggage into Donghae's car.

On a brighter side, your father seemed to have redeemed some health and had even helped pack some luggage and picnic this morning. His spirit had uplifted after your discussion in his room following the dinner with Donghae's parents. You're indirect 'yes' to the unexpected proposal was good enough for him, and you found it in your heart to not disappoint him... or Donghae.

'Alright, that's the last suitcase,' your brother announced.

At that, your mother ordered invited the elders to board the van. Donghae's father took the driver's seat as arranged, as your father sat in the front passenger seat with him. The women sat at the back chatting excitedly. And you?

You were to ride with Donghae in his car for the whole of the journey.

'Ready?' you heard Donghae ask from behind you.

He straightened up from leaning on the hood of his car and unfolded his arms. He opened your car door and waited for you.

After sliding in, Donghae started the car and followed after your parents. You waved at your brother morosely as you passed by.

It was nearing sunset when you finally saw the south coast. The sun was hanging close to the surface of the ocean in the west. The drive had been long and hot, even with the windows rolled down.

'I can't believe you slept out on me,' Donghae sulked, not looking at you.

'Hey, that's not fair! I woke up at five in the morning just so I could pack us lunch, I need some sleep too,' you defended.

'But I was talking to you!'

'Donghae, you were talking about girls. Talking about your bestfriend 'Jessica',' you said exageratedly.

'I was talking about work. I'm organising her comeback,' he explained, 'Would you rather I talk about boy groups?'

'Hmph, if you're gonna talk about girls, don't talk about it with me. It's not something I want to hear,' you said, turning your head away with your chin up.

He paused. 'Are you jealous?' he smirked.

You bit back a retort.

You heard him chuckle. 'I'm hungry again, can you feed me?' he asked.

You rolled your eyes and remained silent. If that was his way of getting you to talk to him... you made no move.

'Jagiyaaa,' he moaned. You fired him an icy glare. 'No? How about 'yeobo'?' You ignored him and continued looking out the window. Just then his stomach grumbled.

'Fine, I'll look for a sandwhich myself,' he said determinedly. You didn't think he was serious until someone began ruffling through the picnic basket at your feet.

'YAH!' you yelled, 'You're gonna get us killed!'

He straightened up. 'Feed me then or I'll be the only one who'll die.'

'Who wouldn't want that?' you said sardonically but reaching down to the hamper at your feet anyway to retrieve him a sandwhich.

'Ouch.'

You cast a glance at him from the corner of your eye as you straightened up and unwrapped the food. He genuinely looked hurt.

You turned away and bit your lip, guilt rising inside you like fire. You took a sharp intake of breath before turning to him, holding up a section of a sandwhich.

''Ah',' you said.

He looked at you for a little while from the corner of his eyes before looking back at the road again and opening his mouth slowly and biting the bread out of your fingers.

'Mashida,' he mumbled and turned to you with a smile. You said nothing but looked down, tearing another section of the sandwhich to feed to him. 'Yaah,' he called you, 'are you still angry?' he asked.

You looked away again, chin up. 'Why should I be?'

All the reasons came streaming in your mind for, infact, you were jealous. From what you deduced, 'Jessica' was that pretty blond girl you always catch a glimpse of in TV commercials or the billboards displaying fashion items. Donghae seemed really enthusiastic about her, and that didn't help the increasing worry that this girl sees your bestfriend - if you could still call him that - more than you do.

'Yah,' he laughed, 'Do you know you've always been so easy to read? Like an open book. I know that face... Why are you worried?' When you didn't reply he continued. 'Is this about Jessica?' No response. He chuckled. 'Yah, she can be somebody to a lot of people but she's nobody to me, and if you hadn't fallen asleep you would have heard me drone on about Eunhyuk's annoying requests and the time he tried pranking me.'

That reassured you a little but you swept the remaining worries aside. You fed him the sandwhich and he watched you as he took a bite. He chuckled again.

'You're so cute when you're pouting.'

You made a face at him and looked away. You were surprised to see that the sun had nearly sunk in the sea behind you.

'Are we nearly there yet?' you asked exhaustedly as you fed him the last of the sandwhich, 'and where are our parents?'

'Five more minutes. They went to the market place to buy some groceries and fish for supper tonight.'

'Ah,' was all you could say as you fiddled with your hair before a chill left you feeling cold. You rolled up the car windows and pulled on your jacket.

'You okay?' Donghae asked, seeing you pull your jacket on. He turned into an unpaved gravelly road. 'Here, have my jacket,' he said, pulling it from where it hang behind your chair and throwing it over your exposed legs that weren't covered by your shorts. A light accidental brush of his fingers on your legs sent a tingle through your body. You fixed the jacket in place as Donghae's hands went back to the wheel.

You nearly fell asleep again just as Donghae made another turn to a shorter drive. As the trees cleared, it exposed a beautifully design building, half modern with the grand features of a classic stone cottage.

'Uwaaah~' Donghae gasped in awe as he pulled up infront of the magnificent building, 'we haven't been here for a while.'

You thought hard, but couldn't remember the last time you had visited this place. You had spent a number of summers here with Donghae and your Aunt.

You looked up at the empty house. The memories of your Aunt left you feeling incomplete, as this time, your summer would be soent without her for the first time. You carried luggage and belongings with Donghae up to the front door on the first floor. You pulled out the keys that came with your inheritance and opened the great wooden oak door. The lights stwitched on automatically as you stepped inside, dragging your things with you. Donghae followed silently, paying respect to the aunt you loved and missed so much.

You dragged your luggage towards the lounge before the both of you made your way to her portrait hanging at the open dining room. Neither said a word, yet both knew the meaning of the silence. Donghae took hold of your hand as you stood infront of the portrait.

You put on a brave smile and drew a deep breath.

'Hello, Auntie. Sorry I haven't visited in a long while, and I'm sorry I wasn't here to look after you when you need me the most. I wish you were still here, because none of the things around me are mine, and I wish you could still play with us like we did when we were kids... but I hope you're happy wherever you are now. A lot of things are happening down here tht I wish you could be part of...'

Donghae cleared his throat. 'Auntie,' he began, catching you by surprise, 'I hope you don't mind us staying here for a little while... I miss you too. You probably already know but your niece and I are planning to get married, although, she hasn't answered me yet.' Donghae looked at you slyly.

'Psshh, he hasn't even proposed properly yet. What am I supposed to say to that? But I always imagined you to be present at my wedding, so I hope you can bless us with as much happiness than we could have, and look over Dad like you have for me.'

Together, you and Donghae lit a candle and placed it under ther portrait carefully.

You proceeded around the house room. All the furnitures were covered with white sheets preventing any settling dust and you busied yourselves with the task of uncovering them before you vaccumed around the first floor.

An hour later your parents and Donghae's came through the door. After dropping the grocery bags at the kitchen worktops the elders also went to pay  respects to your Aunt and light candles. You and Donghae were left to put the grocery away and begin preparing the supper ingredients.

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