Haneul’s POV

“JI EUN!!!! YAHHHHHHH!!!!! COME BACK!!!!!!!!!” Junhyung shouted.

Ji Eun couldn’t seem to hear him. She squatted down, picking up something from the sand. Jace and the other Beast boys saw what was happening and rushed towards their direction as well.

I stared blankly as Junhyung ran into the water towards Ji Eun. Junhyung swiftly picked Ji Eun up in his arms, shielding her from the strong waves coming from behind. They did not have enough time to run back to shore. I lost my breath when I watch the waves engulfed the two of them. It was only then I found the strength in me to actually run to them.

“Ji Eun ah! Ji Eun! Are you okay!?” Junhyung yelled, his entire body dripping wet.

Ji Eun stared at him, visibly shaken up, but she nodded slightly in respond.

“Thank God.” Junhyung hugged her tight.

“Umma!!!” Ji Eun yelled, pushing herself out of Junhyung’s embrace and running towards me.

Junhyung smiled weakly at me before collapsing onto the sand, coughing and panting. I almost ran to him, but Ji Eun was grabbing onto me.

“Sweetheart, you scared the hell out of all of us.” I said, hugging her.

“Scared!!!” She sobbed.

“Shhh, it’s okay.” I hushed her.

“I’ll take her.” Jace said, carrying Ji Eun.

“Appa!” She cried, burying her face into his shoulder.

“It’s alright. Shhh, don’t cry.” Jace hushed her as he took her into the house.

I watch them walk away, then I remembered Junhyung. Doojoon was patting his back as he coughed while the other boys crowded around him, repeatedly asking if he was okay.

“Idiot!” I yelled, pushing my way through and throwing myself onto him, punching his arm.

“Oww~” He whined as he pushed himself to sit up.

“Why do you always behave like as if you’re in some drama!?” I yelled.

“What did I do wrong?” He asked, smiling at me.

“There is a freaking life buoy! Why did you have to throw yourself over her!? What if something happen!? Like… Like the waves were too strong or you suddenly forgot how to swim! What if you just …” I looked down.

“What if I just drowned?” He said.

“IDIOT!!!” I punched his shoulder, but he just smiled.

“Maybe we should leave~” Yoseob said, but obviously not to us.

“Yea. It’s bright enough here. Junhyung, Haneul, you guys can see well right? I bet the both of you don’t need extra lights. We’ll be leaving first.” Hyunseung smiled.

“IDIOTS!!!!” I yelled at them.

“Junnie, we’re brothers but you got to deal with this yourself!” Doojoon yelled as he led the other boys to run away.

“Look, I am fine, aren’t I?” Junhyung said, cupping my cheeks.

I looked away, not answering him.

“Come on, don’t be like this. You saw it, I didn’t have any chance to go get the damn life buoy. If I went for it, Ji Eun would be… Gone.” He mumbled.

He was right. He did not have the time to go for that stupid life buoy. If it were me, or anyone else, we would not have thought about using the life buoy and just raced into sea whether we can swim or not.

“What is most important is now, she is okay. A little bit shaken up, but she’s okay. She’s alive.” He said.

“Alright. Go shower before you catch the cold.” I said, getting off him and helping him up.

“I’m not cold.” He said, but his sneeze contradicted him.

“Right. Not cold.” I mumbled.

“Awww~ I’m cold!” He jumped in front of me.

“Then hurry in.” I said.

“But.. but.. I’M COLD!” He said, in a really unnatural voice.

“Very cute, but I’m really not in the mood for this.” I said, holding his hand.

“Alright…” He looked down.

“BUT I’M COLD!” He yelled, pouting and sniffing.

“Better?” I asked, pulling him closer to me.

“WARM AND NICE NOW!” He yelled, grinning at me.

Junhyung’s POV

“Junhyung!” Someone yelled my name as I walked out of the bathroom.

I turned around and saw Jace heading towards me.

“Are you feeling okay?” He asked.

“I’m fine. How is Ji Eun? Is she still shaken up?” I asked.

“You know kids, one moment they almost died, the next moment they’ll forget and play as thou nothing happened, leaving the adults to feel guilty and worried.” He said.

“Well at least she’s over it.” I smiled.

“Thank you.” He said.

“For what?” I asked.

“Saving her. I mean, you were the only one who reacted fast enough. If not because of you, I don’t know..” He mumbled.

“Don’t thank me for something I did willingly. I would have done it still even if the situation repeated itself another ten times.” I said.

He smiled and nodded.

“Oh by the way, Ji Eun doesn’t hate you.” He said.

“Eh?” I looked at him, confused.

“She doesn’t hate you. She’s just.. insecure, I guess. I know that she’s only four and it may not make sense, but she is insecure. Like how Haneul is your life, Haneul is her life too. Would you share your life with someone else?” He asked.

“I…” I mumbled.

“But I know you’ll succeed in making her share her life with you.” He smiled, patting my back before leaving.

What is this fellow saying?

I headed back to Haneul’s room. I pushed open the door and saw her curled up on her bed.

“Darling, I’m back.” I said, rubbing my hair dry with the towel.

“Are you asleep?” I asked when she did not respond to me.

I had a weird feeling, like something inside me telling me things weren’t right. I sat down beside her and shook her slightly.

“Darling?” I called out, leaning in closer to her.

She buried her face deeper into the pillow.

“Go away.” Her voice was muffled.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to pull her up but she pushed me away.

I could hear her sniffing. Why is she crying?

“Darling, why are you crying?” I asked, pulling her so I could hug her.

“I don’t know.” She sobbed into my shoulder.

 “It’s okay. I’m here.” I caressed her back, letting her cry.

I felt like someone punched me in my chest. Haneul wasn’t one who cries often, or maybe she just doesn’t let me see her tears. But whenever I see it, my heart ache so much I can’t breathe. She sobbed for about twenty minutes before pulling away and looking down.

“Feeling better?” I asked, wiping away the tears on her cheeks.

She did not say anything.

“I love you.” I said, kissing her cheeks.

She looked up at me with pouted lips.

“Omo omo~ Don’t start crying again. Please, I’m begging you. Please.” I quickly hugged her in hope it would stop her tears, but I failed. She ended up sobbing again.

“Give me a smile, Don’t be sad. It’s going to be alright. Don’t shed a tear. The song that I am singing now. I hope that it can bring you a bit of comfort.”I sang softly into her ear.

“Give me a smile, Don’t get hurt. It’s going to be alright, although you are going through a hard time now. Time will pass. Everything will look up again.” I continued as I pat her back lightly.

“Give me a smile. I am right here by your side. I love you, can you hear my heart? Close your eyes. No matter what, I believe you. I am always here for you.”I sang.

She rubbed her face against my shoulder. She stopped crying but was still sniffing.

“Give me a smile, look into my eyes. I love you, I have always been looking at your heart. It has never changed. You can lean on my shoulders.”I continued.

“Take a rest, Give me a smile. I am here for you, me who believes in you, always and forever.”I cupped her cheeks and kissed her on her forehead.

“Why am I so embarrassing?” She pouted, looking down.

“Hahaha! No! You’re not! Silly!” I hugged her.

“Don’t frown.” I poked her forehead lightly.

“Care to tell me why did I come back from the shower to find my darling sobbing alone?” I asked, letting her lean against my chest.

“I was just thinking.” She mumbled.

“Thinking about what?” I asked.

“Thinking… What if I lost Ji Eun just now.. Or you.. Or… Both..” She said softly.

“I told you, what’s most important now is that we’re both fine. Isn’t it?” I said.

“But I still couldn’t help but feel scared.” She tugged onto my shirt.

“I wouldn’t let anything happen to Ji Eun, or to Tae Hyun, or to you.” I said.

“So you mean you’ll let bad things happen to yourself?” She looked up at me with teary eyes.

“No no no no no!” I said hurriedly, in case she burst into tears again.

“Silly girl. You’re really silly. I thought you were a tough lion, hmm?” I kissed her hair.

“There are times lions get scared too.” She mumbled.

“That’s when the lamb will come and comfort the lion.” I said, caressing her arm.

“Are you calling yourself a lamb?” She asked, looking at me with raised brow.

“Am I not?” I asked.

She shook her head.

“I’m mehhh~ I’m a mehhhh lamb.. mehhh~” I said.

She laughed and slapped my chest lightly.

“Oww… Mehhhh~~ Oww....” I continued to humor her.

“I thought you’re a mermaid!?” She asked.

“I evolved… into a.. Mehhhhh~~” I said.

“What sort of mermaid evolves into a lamb!?” She asked.

“Mer.. mehhh.. lamb~” I said.

“Merlamb!? What’s that?” She giggled.

“Meeeeeeeeeeeeee~” I said.

“I feel like eating lamb chop.” She said, smiling at me evilly.

“I don’t taste good!” I tried to run off but she grabbed onto my hand.

“It’s alright!” She smiled.

“Ank~!” She sank her teeth into my arm.

“MEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~~~~~” I yelled, causing her to laugh so much.

I started laughing myself as I watch her laugh.

“Yah~” I poked her arm.

“Hmmm?” She looked at me, still giggling, cheeks slightly flushed.

“Don’t ever cry alone again, got it?” I said.

“Then what?” She asked.

“Cry when I am around, so I can hug you.” I said.

“But it’s not like I can control those tears.” She said.

“Find a way to control it then.” I said.

She nodded and sat up.

"Dongwoon once told me that 40% of the things you worry about wouldn't actually happen." I said.

She looked at me as thou I just told her the sky is actually green.

"How is that comforting? 60% of it already happened." She said.

"I KNOW! THAT'S WHAT I TOLD HIM TOO!" I laughed.

"But he meant well." I said.

"I know." She nodded.

"How can I comfort my Darling then? Apart from using that crappy phrase that don't actually make sense." I said.

She thought for awhile then smiled evilly, again.

“Let me bite you!” She yanked me forward.

She bit me before I could give her my response.

“OWWWWWW~” I whined.

“You’re a lamb.” She reminded.

“Oh okay. MEHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” I yelled.

Haneul ah, you can bite me all you want if it makes you feel better~

***
When Ji Eun responded that she was okay

Junhyung: Awww~ I’m cold!

Haneul: Then hurry in
Junhyung: But.. but.. I’M COLD!

Junhyung: BUT I’M COLD!

When Haneul cried

Junhyung: I am a lamb~

Haneul: LET ME BITE YOU!