Chapter Thirteen: Second Confession

The week passed and their second week went by without any extraordinary excitement. On their second to the last day in Jeju Island, Mr. Jung organized a bonfire by the beach. He gathered the boys with him at sundown to prepare the wood and the oil. Mrs. Jung took Ilsoon and Madeleine into town to buy marshmallows and other bonfire needs.

At 6 PM, the girls returned just in time for them to watch the lighting of the bonfire. Ilsoon and Madeleine deposited their plastic bags in the house before sitting down together on a log and watched and cheered as Minhyuk ran along the beach with a burning torch aloft and his ed polo shirt flapped behind him. He reached the stack of wood right in front of the girls and with one touch from his torch, an enormous flame erupted, earning cheers and hoots from everyone.

Mrs. Jung emerged from the cottages bringing plates and plates of s’mores, marshmallows on sticks, and hotdogs on sticks. The kids enjoyed eating the treats roasted over fire and watching as the stars appeared along the sky one by one. When it got late, Mr. and Mrs. Jung turned in for the night, leaving the kids to themselves. It was quiet for a while, until Sungjae came up with an idea.

“Let’s play truth or dare! I’ll stand and turn like a bottle, and I’ll stop when I feel like it, and the one I’m pointing to has to answer truth, or dare. Okay?”

Everyone agreed that it was a good idea they arranged themselves in a circle beside the fire. Madeleine stood up, closed her eyes, and ce, twice, thrice, stopping abruptly. When she opened her eyes, the first victim was Peniel.

They played like this for a while until the fifth round. By now Madeleine was getting dizzy. As she spun and spun, she accidentally tripped on her feet and fell forward, towards the next ‘it’. When she opened her eyes, they were staring right into Eunkwang’s.

“You okay?” he whispered. Madeleine could feel his warm breath on her lips. She gulped and scrambled off him.

“Uhh, yeah,” she mumbled. “It’s your turn, by the way.” Madeleine bit her lip unconsciously and hurriedly went and sat beside Ilsoon. “And you take a turn in the middle,” she muttered to her bestfriend.

Eunkwang, who seemed unfazed by what just happened, stood up and dusted his pants.

“What’ll it be, hyung?” asked Ilhoon.

Eunkwang paused for a second to think, then grinned widely. “I pick truth, then.”

A hand shot into the air. “Ooh lemme lemme!” said Sungjae loudly.

“Alright, maknae, give me your best shot.”

“Do you have anyone you like, hyung?”

A series of ‘ooh’s and ‘aah’s erupted for a few seconds, and then died down. Everyone turned to look at Eunkwang, who seemed pretty calm about this. He smiled.

“Yes, there is.”

Sungjae’s eyes glinted mischievously. “Who is it?”

Eunkwang returned his look with a wink. “Can’t answer that. The policy is one question per turn.” He raised his palms in a “oh well” expression and sat back down. Sungjae scowled and sulked, then he turned to Madeleine.

“You feel well enough to spin like a top again, Maddy-ssi?”

Madeleine made a face. “Ilsoon’s filling in for me.”

The black haired beauty stood up and dusted her behind, then went to the middle of the circled and covered her eyes. Then she began turning. After a few turns, she stopped and was pointing at Madeleine.

“Oh come on,” the French girl groaned in English. “So what? What do you have for me?”

Eunkwang grinned her way, in a way that she thought suspicious. Then in horror she remembered what she told him a few nights ago, while staying up because of his insomnia. She shot him an urgent look, but Eunkwang wasn’t looking. He was raising his hand.

“Let me,” he said, then looked back at Madeleine with a smile. “Do you have a confession to make?”

Madeleine groaned inwardly and avoided eye-contact with anyone. Then she said in a tiny voice, “I do.”

They waited, but Madeleine didn’t say anything. Peniel prodded her side, saying, “Well?”

Madeleine raised her head and they noticed how red she had become. “What, you think I’m going to say it right now? Isn’t a confession supposed to be private or something?”

“Well, it can also be a public declaration,” suggested Ilhoon.

Madeleine pouted. “I want it to be special, so I’m not just going to blurt it out now. I’m done.”

Just then, Hyunsik noticed Ilsoon stifling a yawn. He pulled Minhyuk close and whispered something in the older boy’s ear. Minhyuk nodded.

“Well, I guess she’s decided. We better head inside and prepare for bed. It’s getting rather late anyway,” said Minhyuk.

A few protests rose, but they did nothing. Minhyuk, Changsub, Hyunsik, and Eunkwang teamed together to quench the flame, while everyone else trooped back inside the cottage. Ilsoon and Madeleine bid each other a good night and each went into her own bed. Ilsoon was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, but Madeleine lay awake silently. When she heard the voices of the boys left on the beach come close to the house, she grabbed a hoodie and hid behind the door. Eunkwang, Minhyuk, and Changsub each went past her, but when Hyunsik was about to get in, she jumped out of her hiding place.

“Oh gods—! Maddy, you’re gonna give someone a heart attack!” he exclaimed as he regained his composure. Madeleine quickly put a finger to her lips and gestured him to follow her outside. Once outside, Madeleine fiddled with her fingers and looked at everything except for the person standing in front of her. The moon was full and glowing, and it made Hyunsik’s facial features seem like marble statue, one so beautifully crafted. Madeleine bit her tongue.

“Is there something wrong, Maddy? Can’t you sleep?” asked Hyunsik in a low tone.

Madeleine shook her head. “Th-there’s just something I… I need to tell you.”

Hyunsik leaned forward in interest. “What is it? Can it wait? I’m kind tired—”

“I like you, Lim Hyunsik!”

It seemed like the world stopped. Hyunsik stood frozen, unable to react. Madeleine bowed her head in embarrassment. Hyunsik unfroze and seemed uneasy. He rubbed the back of his nape awkwardly, cleared his throat, and looked away. Then he sighed and placed his hands on Madeleine’s shoulders.

“I… Well, I really appreciate your feelings, Madeleine,” he said. “But am I allowed to think about it first? I’ll let you know my decision before we leave Jeju. Is that okay?”

Madeleine nodded rapidly, still unable to meet his eyes. He smiled gently and slowly lifted her face to look at him. Her cheeks were faintly pink, and her wide eyes were pleading.

Hyunsik chuckled softly. “May I know… Why did you like me?”

Madeleine gulped and looked away again. She took a few steps away from him and crossed her arms across her chest, trying to block the chilly wind blowing at her. She took a deep breath before replying. Without looking back, she said,

“I guess I like you because I think I can trust and rely on you. I think that’s the most important trait a man could have, and your looks are a big bonus. You look like my ideal fairytale prince, Hyunsik-ssi.”

Hyunsik found himself blushing at her description on him. He slowly walked and stood beside her.

“I’ll think about it and take your feelings and thought into consideration, okay? But let’s go in for now, neh?” he said.

Madeleine looked and smiled at him gratefully before heading inside the cottage. Hyunsik hung back a while and stared up at the starry sky with a sigh.

This is indeed very interesting.

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