"Chanyeol!" Sehun called, waving his hand around frantically as he attempted to grab his best friend's attention. The taller boy continued walking, his head lowered towards the ground not even bothering to send a glance upwards in order to see where he was going. "Chanyeol!" his friend called again but like before the boy remained unbothered, focused on the ground below and not the people in front of him.

"I wonder what his problem is," Sehun's father wondered, his eyes narrowing as he attempted to focus into the distance without his glasses. "didn't you tell me that he left the party early last night after meeting someone?"

Sehun shrugged his shoulders, turning his attention back to the crate of apples that had just come in from the dock that morning. "That's what Heechul told Suho and I when we went looking for him, we thought he had just gone home but apparently the little rascal got himself a date, can you believe that?!" Sehun scoffed, shaking his head as he toppled the contents of the crate into their box on the stall. "He left without telling anyone, or his best friend!"

"Well whatever happened" his father sighed, his eyes barely focusing on the shadowy figure of his son's best friend as he continued his way on through the market. "that boy looks like he has a lot on his mind. Why don't you make it up to him and bring him out for some chicken tonight or something?"

"Make it up to him?" Sehun echoed his father's words, turning his gaze so that they now held contact. "What would I need to make up for? I didn't do anything wrong?"

"When was the last time that Park Chanyeol agreed to go out drinking with you idiots?" Sehun remained silent, shocked that his father had addressed Jongin and himself as idiots. Mr Oh let out a deep chuckle at the sight of his son's facial expression, he probed his tongue out in a teasing manner before toppling the crate of oranges into their box within the stall. "Anyway, I think he just wanted to go home last night, Chanyeol isn't someone who enjoys partying until the sun comes out like you and Jongin do. Unlike you both, Chanyeol actually has a head on his shoulders!"

"Alright, alright!" Sehun hissed tossing the cardboard crate into the rubbish bin behind their stall. "I understand that Jongin and I go out to drink quite a lot as of late but Suho is always there with us too! Why can't you include him to?"

"I feel truly sorry for that poor boy" Mr Oh explained with a teasing smile on the corner of his lips. "with having to deal with you for the past year it honestly surprises me that he hasn't attempted to leave the island yet."

"I'm going to forget that you just said to my face." Sehun decided with a curt nod in his father's direction, his gaze unmoving from the direction his best friend had been heading less than a minute ago. "Where do you think he was off to on a Saturday morning anyway?"

"If I were to guess" his father paused, straightening his back as his gaze lifted towards the sky. The white fluffy clouds greeted him back in clusters, they were moving west today which to many of the superstitious fishermen harboured on their island meant that a storm was brewing. "the village centre."

"He's probably on his way to the bakery, you know how much he loves those pastries" Sehun his teeth, rolling his eyes as he pulled on the strings of the apron around his waist. "if I didn't know any better I would expect that he would be living there with the amount of time he spends in the place!"

"And I expected you to pull a fold-out bed from underneath your stall but it appears that we were both wrong!" A new familiar voice joined the conversation, Suho stood in front of the fruit and vegetable stall with a wide grin on his face. He bowed politely in Mr Oh's direction before freezing up when Sehun's puckered lips pressed against his cheek in greeting. "G-good morning Mr Oh!"

"Good morning Suho, did you sleep well last night?" Sehun's father chuckled, his eyes sparkling as the young boy nodded his head in embarrassment. He was clearly uncomfortable with showing acts of affection with his son when in front of him and Mr Oh couldn't help but chuckle at the thought.

"What are you doing here?" Sehun whispered into his lover's ear holding him close by the waist as their eyes locked together. "I thought I was meeting you at the café later on this afternoon..?"

"We are," Suho deadpanned, hitting his boyfriend on his chest playfully. "I was actually on my way to the library because I needed to check out a book and then I started craving some strawberries so I thought why not come by to say hi and-"

"and get some strawberries?" Sehun wondered, his left brow raised in a teasing manner. Suho rolled his eyes at his boyfriend's action but nodded as his answer nonetheless. He gladly accepted the bag of strawberries Mr Oh handed him, for the past couple months Suho had been getting his fruit and veg for free from the old man but today Suho's sly smirk had made a comeback.

"Sehun will be more than happy to pay you for these Mr Oh, it's the least he could do after I had to carry his drunken home last night, again!" Suho smiled before turning on his heel and making his way uphill towards the library. Sehun stared after him in pure horror, that pound of strawberries was definitely going to effect his paycheck.

A soft ding alerted the boy to his phone, slipping the device out of his pocket Sehun stared down at the paycheck that had just been sent to him by his father. He groaned after seeing the reduction of the strawberries had already been done before he could even open his mouth, unwilling to listen to his son's nagging for the remainder of the day Mr Oh grabbed a crate of bananas and pointed his son in the direction of the delivery. The preschool. Of course, babies were exactly what the blonde haired boy needed after a night of partying!

~*~

Chanyeol found himself at the fountain that he promised to meet the strange new boy at, but it appears that the stranger had yet to arrive. Glancing down at the screen of his phone Chanyeol was relived to see that he had only been five minutes late, which meant that there was still a chance that the boy was as well. With that in mind the young college student succumbed to the heavy weight of his legs and allowed himself to sit peacefully down on the edge of the fountain, its limestone wall sending a shiver through his jeans and up his back.

Tossing his head back between his shoulders, Chanyeol allowed the air to circulate through his body. His head had become less fuzzy after drinking the water bottle that he had taken with him from home, yet he couldn't wrap his head around what happened. He didn't understand why he fainted the moment he got home, why didn't he faint on Mountain Peak? Or when he was walking down the mountain with him by his side? It was strange but Chanyeol figured best not to question it, deciding that his body must have been a lot more dehydrated then he thought.

"I didn't expect to actually see you here" a sweet voice whispered into his ear forcing the tall boy's head to snap back into reality. Chanyeol tilted his head down and was met with the stranger's deep brown eyes, his lips were pulled into a shy smile and his cheeks were a beautiful rosy colour. "I'm sorry that I'm late, I was actually counting on you not showing up.."

"Why on Earth would I do that?" Chanyeol wondered, his brows meeting in the centre of his forehead. Did he look like someone who would promise something, only to go back on that promise when it finally approached?

"No reason" The boy was quick to dismiss the fact, waving the topic of conversation away with the palm of his hand. "you said that you were going to help me right?"

Chanyeol nodded his head like an obedient puppy, the smaller's lips broadening into an even larger grin as he jumped up from the edge of the fountain, his hand stretched out as an offering. The taller took a moment to study the situation, his mind was starting to feel fuzzy again and it was like butterflies had been set loose in his stomach. With a deep breath he reached forward and allowed his fingers to entangle with the stranger's, he raised himself off the fountain ledge with the newbie's help and before he could even register what was happening they were off in the direction of the inn.

"Hang on a second," Chanyeol stated, halting his steps and thereby stopping the smaller as well. "I also told you that I would treat you to some pastries and macroons. Why don't we do that first and then we can go looking for your friend?"

"Are you perhaps asking me on a date Chanyeol?" The stranger wondered, gazing up at the taller through his surprisingly long eyelashes. The taller felt his breath hitch as his hands started to turn clammy, he wasn't ever in a relationship before (unless you count that one girl he dated in middle school for like a day) and asking someone out on a date was never really something he thought of himself doing. However, standing in front of probably the most beautiful boy he's ever met Chanyeol almost allowed himself to crumble. Almost.

"Well I mean-"

"I'm kidding Chanyeol" The boy's sly smirk had turned into an apologetic grin, his grip tightened around the taller's knuckles for a moment before letting go completely. "a guy like you wouldn't want someone like me, trust me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing bad!" The stranger was quick to explain, pulling the taller closer to him by his wrist. "It's just a handsome guy like you would never go out on a date with someone like me, willingly at least. I completely understand though, you more than likely don't even swing that way! I'm sorry I'm rambling..."

"Hey" Chanyeol called, shoving his wrist out of the stranger's hold in order to press his opened palms against the boy's cheeks. "I never said that I would never take you out on a date, let me get to know you a little bit more first hmm? If you find me handsome then I see you as quite the cutie, now come on let me treat you to some pastries like I promised you this morning-"

"I'm not staying in town" The boy blurted his eyes slamming closed as he breathed deeply, his hands forming fists by his sides. "I have to get back to my family after I find my friend, I won't have time to even consider an actual date."

"Will you be leaving straight after you've met your friend?"

"Most likely, after all I only came to this island to see him.. if I stayed any longer than I was supposed to I don't know what could happen," he threw his gaze towards the sky for a brief second before his gaze locked with Chanyeol's dark brown orbs. "I arrived here earlier than expected which wasn't a very good idea either."

"Jeez, your family sound quite protective over you." Chanyeol chuckled, allowing his fingers to slip down the smaller's cheeks before coming away from the skin completely. "Can't say I blame them, it's a dangerous world out there and a little cute guy like you could be swallowed up quite easily with all the monsters out there."

"Are you one?" The boy teased, rocking back and forward on the tip of his toes. When Chanyeol didn't say anything out of confusion the smaller took a step backwards, before asking again. "Are you one of the monsters that you referred to?"

"You're safe with me" Chanyeol smiled offering his hand once more for the pink haired boy. He released a giggle before allowing his hand to clasp against the latter's. His breath hitched as Chanyeol pulled him back down the path quickly, in the direction of the café. "you're going to love this place, believe me."

"Oh I do." The stranger sighed happily, although his gaze on the sky hadn't shifted. He believed that Chanyeol wouldn't lead him into danger so he was confident enough to look above rather than below, he knew he wouldn't trip. The once fluffy clouds were slowly turning grey, not many people would have noticed the change as it seemed as natural as it could be but it wasn't to him. The white fluffy clouds usually stood against the blue sky with a clear lining around them that made them appear to be painted onto the bright blue canvas, but right now that clear lining was no longer white, in its place the lining was a shy grey tone. And that could only mean one thing.

His time on land was running out.