The sea breeze sent shivers down his neck. With his hands in his pockets, Tao glanced at the girl. While he was walking along the shore, the girl was crouched down while collecting seashells. Her long brown hair was blown back, giving Tao a clear view of her face.

She seemed so into it, he thought. The way she picks up a shell, examines it and toss it into the pile of seashels beside her,,,it makes her seem cute. Tao saw the same girl for the last few weeks. Everytime he sees her, she only plays with shells, nothing else. He glanced again at her at the same time she looks up. Their eyes made contact.

It locked onto each other before she smiled and bowed her head in sign of respect. Following her, he bowed back too and she went back to what she did as if nothing happened. He continued walking and averted his eyes to the waves that was washing his feet. He looked back, hoping to see the girl's smile but to his dissapointment, there was only a pile of shells and a trail of footprints heading out of the beach.

********************

He saw her again the neaxt few days. She was doing the same thing; playing and collecting seashells. Tao gathered his courage and slowly walked towards her.

The girl was still oblivious when Tao reached her. He stood beside her pile if shells, not knowing what to do. He wasn't really good at making conversations. He was always taunted as the quiet one in his family, the 'silent one'.

As he was going to walk away, the girl's head jerked up, noticing him. "Hello" came out of .

Tao gave an awkward smile and flustered around, not knowing what to do. The girl is really nice, and the next thing he knew is that he was examining seashells beside her.

"Hey, look at this" She handed him a shell. It was spiral and blue in colour, which was really rare.Sky blue that is. Tao marveled over the beauty of it.

"It's beautiful" he said, handing it back to her. She smiled, "Isn't it?".

She held it in her palm and continued collecting shells and putting them in front of the both of them. Tao gave her a hesitant look.

"May..i know your name..?" He braved himself to ask. The girl smiled at him.

She has a beautiful smile

"Park Sunyoung" She says "Call me Luna"

"Luna?"

"Yeah, it's a nickname from when i was small" she blew some sand on a piece of shell, "What's yours?"

"I'm Huang Zitao"

Luna's eyes widened, "Are you foreign?"

"Yeah..." he scratched his nape ,"from China. Just call me Tao"

"Tao" she said, then smiled "Nice to meet you!"

"Nado" he replied. Luna averted her attention back to the shells. He just sat there staring at her.

"Why are you always playing with shells?" Tao finally asked the question that kept him confused all a while. A smile flickered along her lips.

"You know how you like to take walks on the beach? Well i like shells as well as how you like the walks. I don't even know the exact reason actually" She said, slapping her hand gently to get rid of some sand.

"Have you been observing me?" Tao raised an eyebrow, to which Luna just chuckled lightly.

"I come to the beach frequently. Everytime i come, i always see you here".

They both continued talking until it was sunset. Both had their legs stretched out front and Luna was leaning on Tao's shoulder.Tao could feel his cheeks warming up due to the sudden contact. He tried to keep a pokerface and stared at the ocean.

"Thanks Tao..." Luna suddenly said. Tao moved his head to the side, seeing an upper view of her face, "Huh?"

"I've never had a friend before...to be honest, you're my first. I was home schooled and people always shun me for no reason"

How sad, Tao though, but amidst all this she still manages to keep a smile on her face.

"Don't worry Luna, i'll always be your friend. Tell you what, "He said "Why don't we meet here starting tomorrow ?"

Luna's grin grew wider hearing his suggestion and she nodded rapidly, her eyes gleaming.

********************

Ever since that day, they meet up frequently at the beach and shared stories with each other while playing with shells or take long walks. Tao's siblings, Yifan and Yixing, noticed the sudden change in their dongsaeng and secretly cheered. The 'silent one' is gone, and now appears a more cheerful and bubbly Tao, much to their relief and curiosity. Usually Tao keeps his problems to himself. But now, his brothers are able to hear his problems that they never he had.

"Tao! Here!" Tao ran on the sands towards Luna, who was waiting at their usual waiting spot. She ed a necklace at him, smiling, "Look! I made this for you! And i have another one that belongs to me!"

It was a neclace with a blue spiral seashell as the pendant. Luna took hers out of her shirt, showing the twin necklaces, "I found another one like it. Let this be a sign of our friendship!!"

"Whoah, i never knew you could make this kind of stuffs!" Tao slide the necklace over his head and onto his neck. The shell rests on his chest, showing off it's blue colour, "Looks neat on me doesn't it?"He grinned at Luna, who just laughed.

"Aye, you're so full of yourself!" She pushed him., "Just don't lose it arasso? It's our friendship sign"

Tao saluted her, "Yes Ma'am!"

The two laughed together and did their usual routine together. Suddenly Luna's face turned sad and she looked at Tao.

"Tao..." She said. Tao lifted his head and saw her sad face. He immediately dropped the two shells he gave and jogged towards her, asking her what's wrong.

"It's..." she began. Then shook her head and smiled at him, "It's nothing. I just want to thank and apologise to you"

Tao frowned, "What for?"

"Just feel like it. Now," She kicked off her sandals and pushed him on the ground, "Last one to the sea is a rotten egg!!"

Tao grinned and sprinted after her. As he pushes Luna and both fell underwater, he couldn't help but feel like she's hiding something. He shook it off, thinking that it must be his crushing feels for Luna.

********************

Tao waited for Luna at the beach as usual. It's been two hours, but she hasn't even texted opr call him. She didn't come at all. As he fingers his shell necklace, he begins to worry about her. Did anything happen? She would have inform him if she cn't come. Thoughts of visiting her popped into his head, but problem is, he doesn't even know where she lives! A few hours passed until sunset and he had no choice but to go home. Perhaps she'd come tomorrow.

*******************

Luna didn't come for a few days. Everyday, Tao would come to the beach and waits for her, clutching his shell necklace. His bubbly self dissapeared and the silent one is back. Even his brothers didn't know what to do.

A week after Luna's dissapearence, Tao came to the beach again and sat down at their usual rendezvous spot. No matter what happens, he will be loyal and wait for Luna. He eyed the shell, whispering, "..friends for life, Luna...are you abandoning this already..?"

"Excuse me..." a deep voice behind him spoke. He turned around and saw a dashing tall young man. Tall, he noted. The guy's really tall. Tao stood up and bowed, "Can i help you with anything?"

"Are you Huang Zitao?" The guy asked, to which Tao nodded, weirded out that a stranger would just know his name. The mysterious stranger looked at him with sad eyes, "Come with me"

"Why?" Tao took a step back "I don't even know you"

'Sure, you don't" The guy said, "But you know Park Sunyoung, right?"

The name 'Park Sunyoung' pretty much ends the conversation and soon Tao found himself in the passenger seat of Luna's brother, Park Chanyeol. Tao felt a bit dissapointed that Luna never mention him when he himself had mention Yifan and Yixing.

Chanyeol parked tha car in front of a hospital and motioned for Tao to follow him. Tao trailed behind him slowly. He never liked hospitals. It was a place where people come with unbearable sickness and such. A lot of them, died in there. Death could happen anywhere, anytime. He gulped as he entered the elevator beside Chanyeol, who pressed the button '12'.

Why was he bought there? Why did Luna's brother pick him up? Why...why didn't she?

"Park Chanyeol-sshi.." Tao began, "Where's Sunyoung?". Chanyeol just kept a straight face and walked out once they reached the floor. Soon they arrived outside a ward room, where there are about 6-7 people standing restlessly outside. A girl was trying to comfort a woman who was cryingTao felt quesy. He saw Chanyeol walking up to a man and they strike a conversation.

Not taking this any longer, Tao went to them.

"I don't mean to be rude, but could someone please explain something to me? Is this related to Sunyoung?"

The two persons in front of him gave him a mournful look. Tha man turned around and went to his son. Chanyeol took Tao by the shoulder and guided him into the ward room.

As both latter entered the room, Chanyeol stood by the door and stared at his his shoes. Tao widened his eyes as he saw the patient lying on the hospital bed.

"Sunyoung-ah.." he muttered.

********************

"W-what happened to her? Tao rushed beside Luna's bed and held her hand. Chanyeol heaved a big sigh and sat down on the sofa. He buried his face in his hands. Tao ran to him and grabbed both his shoulders.

"Park Chanyol-sshi!!" He cried out "Tell me now!".

Chanyeol took both Tao's arms and lead him to sit down. Resting his elbows on his knees and biting his lips, he glanced at Luna, "She didn't tell you about her cancer did she?"

"Cancer?" Tao's heart skipped a beat "What cancer?"

"Sunyoung has level 4 heart cancer" Chanyeol informed him, "She suddenly fainted last week and was rushed here. The doctors said it has really gotten worse and..." His voice cracked a bit, "..and they said they can't really do anything about it."

Silence came next. Tao could not believe what he was hearing at the time. His mouth kept opening and closing, signaling that he wanted to say something but had nothing to say.

Suddenly, the shuffling of bed covers were heard. Chanyeol and Tao turned to the bed and saw Luna's eyes fluttering open. Both rushed to either side of the bed.

"Luna! Luna, can you hear me??" Tao said, waiting for her to gather her consciousness. Chanyeol raised his eyebrows when Tao sopke informally to Luna. Maybe they're closer than i thought. he told himself.

"Hi guys..." Luna gave a weak smile. Her voice was hoarse and Chanyeol immediately took a glass of water while Tao helped her sit. Chanyeol held her back and directed the glass to . She finished it in a few gulps.

"Thank you.." she leaned against the wall and looked at Tao, "Hey buddy..."

Tao didn't smile back. He just stared at her.. Chanyeol felt like a third wheel so he excused himself to give them time to talk.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tao asked. There was a mix of emotions displayed in his voice. Angry, that Luna didn't inform him about the cancer. Sd, that she had it. Happy, that he's finally met her. There were a lot. He looked at Luna, who was avoiding his gaze.

"I didn't want to..." Luna muttered, loud enough for him to hear, "My cancer is the reason of why people shun me. When i met you, i didn't want you to know...you might leave me.."

Tear were forming in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She started laughing a bit, "I-I'm sorry..i'm too emotional i guess..always taunted the crybaby of the family.."

She stopped talking when Tao embraced her in a hug. He tightened his grip on her and silently cried with his chin on her shoulder. Their twin necklaces had trouble untangling after that,

********************

After a few more days Tao was at home in his room. Usually he would be with Luna at the hospital but for tonight, she wanted to be alone.

After a short game of monopoly with his brothers, who only argues with each other most of the time, he went up to his room and change his shirt. He went shirtless and as he was about to take a new shirt, a phone call arrived. Tao locked the phone between his shoulder and ear as he took out a grey shirt, "Yoboseyo?"

"Tao!!" It was Chanyeol. He seems to be tired though, "Is Luna with you?"

Tao frowned 'No...isn't she at the hospital?"

"She's not at the hospital!! Her ward room...it's empty when i get here just now!"

********************

Tao and Chanyeol bumped into each other literally at the hospital entrance. Both fell on their butts, groaning.

"Hyung!" Tao scrambled up, helping Chanyeol get back on his feet. His face was full of worries and panic, " Hyung, where's Luna??"

"I don't know. I searched the whole hospital for her! Even the nurses weren't aware she dissapeared" The both of them scanned the surrounding, hoping to find at least a glance of brown hair belonging to Luna.

"Maybe she went out of the hospital. Let's split up!" With that, Chanyeol sprinted off towards his car and drove off, while Tao went to the only place he could think of.

********************

Tao's hunch was right.

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him and pulled Luna away from the shore into his embrace. Silently, his tears drop and he caressed Luna's hair, who only stood motionless.

"Thank god i found you.."Tao pulled Luna farther, "Now to the hospital"

'No"

Luna jerked her hand from Tao's grip. She stared into his eyes and Tao could see how bad she actually looked. With the dissapearence of the beautiful sincere smile, it wasn't Luna anymore.

"Luna yah..."

"I'm not going there again. Even if it is a hospital, but has there been any difference since the last few days?" Luna said. It's true, all they actually do to her is check-ups, sleep and medicine, which never really works. She doesn't like it there, cause people tend to shun and talk about her behind her back, about how she can be so young to get such a disease.

Without any warning, Luna suddenly coughed and fell to her knees.Tao ran to her side and held her shoulders from behind, "L-LUNA! Just hang on, i'll get you to the hospital!!"

"No!" Luna gripped onto his arm, making him sit on the sands, "Just.... stay with me.."

Tao had no choice but to listen. It was even more of a shock for him when Luna told how bad she was treated at the hospital, and how the doctors say that she'll most probably die an the very day.

"I have a favor Tao..."

"Anything..."

Luna chuckled a bit before saying, "Can you kiss me?"

Even the blush on Tao's cheeks can be seen during the dark. Kiss? Luna? His own crush?

"I've never had a first kiss before. At least, before i go i'd like to try" Luna confessed.

Tao began sniffing. He took hold of Luna's hands which was holding both the two twin necklaces and leaned in closer. He could feel his whole life flashing before his eyes. Slowly, his lips came in contact with Luna's. They broke apart after a few seconds and Luna's body became weak. She lied down on his lap and his cheek, wiping away his tear using her thumb.

"Thanks for making my last day...meaningful.." she said. Then she averted her gaze to the sky.

Her hand went limp and fell from Tao's face.

No..

The tears left his eyes like waterfall. He pulled Luna's lifeless body into his embrace and cried out her name numerously. There wasn't anything that can be done. It's over.

In just a few seconds, he lost the person he shared everything with.

I just a few seconds, he lost the only person that has ever made him feel confident.

What's worse, he didn't even get to tell her he loved her.

The shell necklaces will never be seen the same again...