It was late June when Jaehyun finally had a break from his hectic school schedule, having had to take summer term courses whereas you’d opted out. You both decided to celebrate your newfound freedom (at least until the inevitable bite of reality once again come autumn) by going to one of your favorite escapes, the beach.

Jaehyun set up the umbrella while you prepared the chairs and secured all your supplies. It was rather quiet, with not too many people out, likely due to it being rather early on a weekday, only adding to the sense of much-needed serenity. Taking in the breeze, you feel two toned arms wrap around your center, feeling a fluffy mass of pink hair tickle your neck as Jaehyun rests his chin against your shoulder. You two stand in silence for a moment, simply enjoying the therapeutic aroma that is the beauty of nature, before he breaks the silence.

“Thank you for today, angel,” he murmurs, pulling you in closer against him, eyes closing at the touch of your hand running through his hair.

“Any time, baby, I know how much you needed to de-stress after your finals,” you smile brightly at him, simply content with being able to provide him some sunshine after a multitude of rainy days. Reluctantly peeling yourself away from Jaehyun, you strip down into your swim wear, with him then following suit. “Last one to the water has to pay for dinner!” you tease, dashing off with a head start to the waves, leaving behind any and all of Jaehyun’s complaints of unfair play. The warm sand crunches beneath your feet as you flock to the cool water much like the way a child might. It isn’t until you’re already in the water that you realize he’d never run after you, walking slowly as he took in his favorite views: the ocean, and you. He swims over to where you had been waiting for him, ticking your side with a dimpled grin. “How come you didn’t even try to beat me?” you pout, feeling unsatisfactory with your silly victory.

“You bring me all the way out to the beach and think you’re paying for dinner too? Letting you win meant that you had no way of trying to get out of letting me treat you this time,” his grin turns mischievous as the wheels in your head turn to process the revelation.

“You!” you start, unable to finish your sentence due to befuddlement. You’re only able to laugh it off though, knowing all too well how cunning your boyfriend was. “Bold of you to assume I’m not more interested in the snack in front of me,” you jest flirtatiously, causing Jaehyun’s ears to turn red as he laughs along with you, the sound so melodious it drowns out the crashing waves around your bodies.

It was then, in that moment, swimming with your boyfriend as the light illuminated and caressed every inch of his being that you wondered how you ever got so truly blessed to have someone like him in your life. And it was then, as the shadows he cast upon your form allowed him to truly take in your beautiful smile once more, that he lost his breath to the wonder that was you. He never stopped making you feel loved, he made sure of that, but sometimes he wondered if there was any way words could convey the way his heart skipped a beat at your laughter. Or the way he wished he could keep the feeling of your kisses in a bottle around his neck for the bad days. Or even the way he knows he can’t possibly love you any more and yet… on days like today, where with bare minimum effort he falls in love with your radiance all over again. It’s what brings him to understand why so many people write songs, make movies, and write novels about love.

Jaehyun would give up anything in this world to make you happy, because that’s just the kind of person he is. And you would go to the depths of the earth to keep Jaehyun happy, and perhaps that’s why you two fit so well together after all.