It was already 10.15 pm, and the party had started to slow down. The men were gathered together, chatting lively, away from the gossiping and recipes exchanging group of women. Most of the kids had turned in or went somewhere else. Jihye had already fallen asleep, and she was brought to her room by her mother. It was just Joon and I at the poolside, we just sat there in silence, watching what was left at the party, while nibbling some peanuts.

“Let’s walk by the beach.”

He said, without even looking at me.

“Beach? Isn’t the tide is high now?”

“Yeah, but we can still walk there.”

He had already stood up, holding out his hand for me. I reached for it and he, effortlessly, pulled me up. I loosen my grip, I thought he’d let go of my hand as I was already standing, but he didn’t. He kept my hand in his. He smiled at me, and hand in hand, we walked towards the beach.

If it wasn’t for the spotlight and the small help from the faint moonlight, the beach would have been terribly dark. The subtle breeze and the rhythmic sound of the waves definitely brought out romantic atmosphere, and it was so peaceful and calm, it felt like it was just the two of us, Joon and I, were living in this world. His hold on my hands was firm, my hand fitted perfectly in his, and his hand was warm, warming even my heart. On his other hand, he was holding our slippers.

I looked at him, he looked so serene under the faint light. His face was somewhat glowing, the light hit his face at the right angle, and he looked so handsome to me. I knew he knew I was watching him, but he just let me be. He smiled, and he pulled me close, thus there was no space left between us. I didn’t know why, but by instinct I guess, I let go of his hand, and I wrapped my hand around his arm instead. I noticed his smile got bigger, and so did mine.

“Jihye said the darnest things, huh?”

His voice was soft and stable.

“What do you mean?”

We stopped walking, he took my hand in his again, and he motioned us to sit on a laid tree trunk there.

“I mean, you probably get shocked by the things she told you.”

He said, as he put our slippers on the sand.

What did Jihye told me, so far?

Jihye told me that Joon talked about me with her. That Joon was excited for this trip to see me, and that Joon wanted me to be his queen one day, if I was not mistaken. And that was about it.

And that was a lot to digest.

“I wonder...” I looked at him, calculating of what to say.

“I wonder, Joon, if what she said is true.”

Joon just looked at me, and from his eyes, I could sense that he was calculating of what to say, too.