Warning!: Mentions of drowning

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Your homeroom teacher and overall teacher in charge for the trip Mr Kim felt like he was going to cough out blood just simply trying to get your cohort in order. You are all high school seniors ready to graduate in a few weeks’ time, but here all of you were, acting like a bunch of elementary school students that didn’t know how to keep their excitement in and their volume down.

“Alright! Listen up! Boys off to the left, females off to the right. I sent the room arrangements to the various class presidents whom should have sent it to you. Check again if you forgot, else hound them for it. Have fun, stay safe and most importantly, don’t break anything. Else you’re footing the entire bill yourself.”

Mr Kim isn’t dignified with a response when everyone scurried off to their rooms, the volume of their chatters became deafening as the second passed. You and Younghyun chuckled sympathetically at your teacher, whose face looked ashen as he retired to his own room – presumably to get away from you little devils.

“Rachel, meet me here in 30 minutes? I planned a little something for us.”

“A date?” You quirked an eyebrow up, pleasantly surprised that he planned ahead without you catching even a waft of news.

“You can say so…”

“Attire?”

“Comfortable… light… where we’re going to go can potentially be very hot.”

“Oh~ interesting! Alright, I heard you lover boy. I’ll see you here in 30.”

With one last squeeze of your hand, both of you parted to get settled in your rooms. As promised, both of you met again at the lobby at almost the same timing, Younghyun carrying a large black duffel bag in one hand.

“So secretive? You won’t even let me see the contents of the bag?”

“It’s to maintain the suspense, and really make it a surprise! I promise you that I don’t have anything illegal or dangerous in there.”

“I trust you. Want to lead the way?”

“Of course, sweetheart, but after you.”

With a flourish of his hands, he directs you towards the glass entrance of the resorts. As you trailed behind him, you soaked in the sights and smells along the way. It’s been so long since you lasted travelled anywhere outside of your town, so all of this was new and fresh to you. Too entranced by the activities happening around you, you merely followed Younghyun, not really focusing on where he was taking you. It wasn’t until you felt the heat of the sand, heard the sounds of the waves lapping languidly at the shore, and smelt the salt in the air – that you realised that you were by the beach – the single, most hated place on Earth for you.

Against your wishes, you halted in your tracks as you felt the blood drain from your face, shivering despite the hot sunlight that nearly blinded your eyes. Younghyun notices the lack of footsteps behind him, and turns around to find you pale – almost like you had seen…a ghost. That expression on your face looked familiar as well – when did he see that expression on your face before?

“Rachel? Love, are you alright? You look really pale, are you unwell? Maybe we should head back to the resort, you must be tired from the travelling and late nights.”

Younghyun turned to walk back where you two came from, but you immediately spun around and caught his wrist to stop him from leaving.

It’s been years, Rachel. Get a damn grip.

You didn’t want your fear of the ocean to stop the date from happening, especially not when Younghyun put in effort to make it happen. The look of disappointment on his face would be unbearable.

“Rachel, it’s fine, really. We’ve got a few more days here, we can come back when you’re feeling better.”

“I’m better! I mean- I was not even sick to begin with. Let’s just stay ok? We can try to catch the sunset too.”

You muster up a smile, hoping it didn’t look too weak in his eyes and you internally breathed a sigh of relief when he walked back onto the beach. You helped him carefully lay out a mat under a shady palm tree – the last thing you need is some skin ailment from the harmful UV rays. The two of you chatted like you always did, and the conversation flowed smoothly from one topic to the other. Younghyun got tired after some time, and you let him rest his head against your lap as you threaded your fingers through his short black hair. You silently observed as he slowly fell asleep, noticing the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest as well. It brought back memories of that afternoon in the café – but that awful reality felt like a universe away and once again, you thanked the heavens that you no longer had to experience that sort of uncertainty again.

Just as you were staring out at the horizon, you felt Younghyun shift around on your lap. He – too – was now watching the horizon like you did but he turned to you swiftly to ask a question.

“Do you want to swim? It’ll be fun, bet the water isn’t too cold.”

. Why did he have to ask this question…

your dry lips, you racked your brain for the least suspicious excuse and you mentally steeled yourself before answering, praying fervently that Younghyun wouldn’t press the issue further.

“Erm… I don’t actually feel like swimming today… you can swim on your own! I’ll get us some snacks from the convenience store?”

You jabbed a thumb behind you, hoping that Younghyun would let you off the hook.

“Awww. You really don’t want to swim?”

Younghyun pouts and gives you his best puppy eyes, even going so far as to rise his voice a pitch higher to play up his cute appeal. Usually that would have done the trick, but not today. Not in this situation.

“It’s fine, really. I’ll swim another time! I’ll go get the snacks now ok? What do you want?”

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