Closing his eyes he hugged her even tighter unable to imagine the emotions flowing through her at the moment. She most definitely was not a killer. Namjoo had done nothing wrong.

He didn’t want to see her down and depressed. If he could have, he would have flown back to Seoul to be by her side. If only he could show her the things he could see and think, then Namjoo would know it was all right.

“It was just his time, it’s not your fault,” he soothed, “he’s not struggling anymore, I’m sure you know that. You only did what was best, so don’t think that way. To me; you’d never hurt anyone. I know you like that.

“Cry all you want now,” he patted her back, “and don’t cry anymore. Your dad would be sad seeing you like this. I’m going to be sad too.”

There was a short laugh from her which caused him to smile in return.

“Ah…I’m getting comfortable like this,” he leaned his head back. “Hey, you wanted to go to the beach, right?”

Namjoo pulled back to look at him with her tear streaked face, “I thought we already went.”

“That’s too casual. There’s a better place,” he told.

“Like what?”

“Yalong Bay,” he answered. “I’ll take you the day after tomorrow, so wait on it.”

“Where’s that?”

“You’ll see,” he smiled, “wipe your tears, dummy. You’re not a kid.”

Namjoo snorted at him before wiping her tears away and he slowly let go of her.

“I’ll call you tomorrow. Go in and get some rest.”

|||||

Namjoo had a quiet breakfast the next morning while watching some cartoon she couldn’t understand on TV before heading out for a walk.

“Yalong Bay,” she repeated to herself then smiled.

As Namjoo walked into the tourist area, she stopped and turned to look behind her. That was strange. It felt like her sixth senses were telling her there was someone behind her, but she couldn’t spot anyone who looked like they were behind her. She spotted a Japanese family and a tourist guide leading a crowd of visitors from the Philippines, but no one else.

There was a short stubby traditional Chinese building in the middle of the district painted in green and red, but there was no one by it. Deciding that her mind was playing games on her she never minded her feelings and turned to walk into the tourist building.

There was an empty desk up ahead where a receptionist should have been sitting. Maps and pamphlets sat inside cubbies nailed to the walls. Walking over to it Namjoo browsed around pulling out random maps before she discovered a pamphlet on Hainan Island.

It was a tropical island. Namjoo saw pictures of luscious green grass and deep blue waters. There was information about Yalong Bay and a golf course there. It was a good spot for a honeymoon, she thought. The white sand by the beach made it look all prettier and she couldn’t help but wonder if Xiumin had been there before.

The sudden thought that maybe Xiumin had gone there before with someone made her feel uneasy. Chewing her tongue she stuck the pamphlet into her bag and stepped out of the building. The sun was out and high in the sky making the heat almost unbearable for her. Suddenly craving for something cold she started down the street to grab some refreshments.

While walking she wondered if Xiumin was going to take her out to eat again that evening. Out of all the persons in her life she felt like he was the one who seemed most willing to stay by her side. Thinking about how they teased each other in high school made her feel all warm and fluffy inside.

Lost in thought she didn’t see the two youngsters standing by the side of the alley waiting for her. She only awoke when one of them pulled at her arm. Namjoo let out a surprised shout before turning to look at their mocking faces.

“Wh…what’s this?”

One of them spat on the ground before turning to look at her with  a threatening expression, “Give me your money, lady.”

Namjoo felt her bottom lip quiver before the other one shoved her head. Intimidated by their vicious presence she backed up into the wall as they stepped closer.

“I said I want your money, lady!” He raised his voice.

When he made a grab for her bag she clutched onto it with all her might. She couldn’t lose anything at this point. She wasn’t rich or came from a well off family. There was nothing she could offer them.

“Give it! Give it!” the young boy tugged on her bag.

Namjoo let out a shriek before she felt a hand on her shoulder pushing her back. All she heard at first was her heart pounding crazily in her chest as she hugged her bag to her chest. When she realized the boys weren’t coming at her she turned to see a broad back in front of her.

“Do it again and you’ll regret it,” a voice threatened before shoving the youngster away.

Namjoo watched the boy fall back onto his with surrender written on his face and almost felt sorry for him.

“Scram!”

The two kids made weak crying noises as they turned to run away. Namjoo gulped wondering what kind of situation she was in. When the man turned around she felt a flush of relief soar through her.

“Ah…it’s you,” she greeted.

Kris shyly nodded at her before looking around. Namjoo followed his gaze and also glanced around.

“Where did you come from?” she wondered. After a second she slight laughed and smiled, “Were you following me?”

He quickly shot her a glance then looked away.

“Are you hungry? Want to eat with me?”

A few minutes later she found herself sitting in a tented street stall. She thanked the waitress after their bowl of noodles arrived and broke her chopsticks apart. After stirring her noodles up she glanced up at him to see that he hadn’t touched his food.

“Here,” she said offering him a fresh pair of chopsticks. “You’re not hungry?”

Kris quickly shook his head before taking them from her. When he began eating Namjoo glanced at his clothes to see that he was wearing what she’d first seen him in. There were light blood marks on his shirt and she wondered if that didn’t bother him at all.

“Are you busy after this?” Namjoo asked.

He glanced at her with those eyes of his then slowly shook his head.

“Then…come out with me, ok?”

|||||

A few minutes later he followed Namjoo down the street toward the clothing stores. She repeatedly turned around from up ahead to make sure he was still behind her and would smile every time. Kris thought foolishly that his heart might catch flame if she smiled at him the entire day.

Nervousness and anxiety fluctuated through him whenever Namjoo grabbed his arm to pull him after her. A few people in the shops turned to stare at them and he worried if Namjoo would feel embarrassed with him. Each time, though, she didn’t seem to mind the stares and continued pulling him along as if only he mattered and no one else. And he felt honestly grateful toward her for that. 

“Stand here,” she would say then pull out a shirt from the rack and measure it against him, “do you like the color of the shirt?” Then watching his expression would shake her head before she put the shirt back and pulled another one out.

He liked that concentrated expression on her face. The way her eyes focused on him and how her lips curved into smiles made his heart race. Kris almost wanted to touch that angel to see if she was real or if he was just dreaming.

When Namjoo started walking toward the counter to check out he pulled her back and shook his head. He liked that she wanted to do things for him, but this wasn’t it. Kris didn’t want to ask for anything from her.

That soft smile overcame her face before she reached for his hand. The warmth emanating from her made his blood rush and his heart skip a beat.

“It’s ok. I want to thank you for earlier,” she smiled. “Wait here, ok?”

And lost in her touch watched her walk toward the counter to pay for his new clothes.

When they walked out she handed him the bags with that same bright smile, “Make use of them, ok? And thanks for saving me earlier.”

Captivated by her, he didn’t know what to say.

“Talk more the next time we meet, ok? It’d be nice hearing your voice.”

Kris turned when a cab drove up to the side of the road and watched her walk toward it.

When she opened the door he hesitantly called out, “N…Namjoo…bye.”

A thrilled smile encased her lips, “Bye Kris.”  

And his heart raced once more as he watched the cab disappear down the street.

|||||

“Whoaa!!” Xiumin listened to Namjoo scream when she ran out to the roadside with her arms outstretched.

Slinging his backpack over his shoulder he smiled and walked toward her, “Nice, huh?”

“What do you mean nice?” she turned to look at him. “It’s beautiful!”

Patting her shoulder he pulled her along, “We’ll have time for that later. Lets go check in and make something to eat first.”

Namjoo shot him an excited smile before skipping ahead toward the lodge up ahead lit with golden lights. After checking in they walked into their large white suite with two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. He listened to Namjoo walk around loudly before stopping by the large window overlooking the beach.

“How’d you get this place!?” Namjoo questioned pressing her hands against the screen clean window like a child.

“Connections,” Xiumin answered. “Hey, come over here. Aren’t you hungry?”

Namjoo spun around from where she was standing behind the curtain before poking her head out. “What are you doing?”

“Prepping so we can cook, you dumb person.”

“Cook?” Namjoo repeated walking out. “You cook?”

“F.Y.I. I’ve lived alone for quite some time; how do you think I survived?”

“You up to your neighbors for food.”

Xiumin snorted at her before handing some vegetables and the cutting board to her.

“How do you want me to cut them up?” Namjoo questioned picking up the knife. “Like this? Or like that?” She sampled by cutting up little small pieces for Xiumin to see.

He rolled his eyes at her, “Just cut them however.”

Namjoo snickered at him before chopping away. They later panicked when the soup didn’t turn out as expected and bickered before finally fixing the taste.

|||||

“There you go,” the store owner said handing Kris a small bouquet of roses.

He nodded and handed her some dollar bills before strutting out of the shop. He was wearing the fresh top Namjoo had bought him yesterday and was ecstatic about seeing her again. She’d be happy knowing he’d worn it, he thought.

Tightly gripping the roses in hand he walked down the empty roads toward her house glancing around at the empty neighborhood. He wanted to hear her talk again and watch her smile at him.

Kris hadn’t expected to see himself doing things like this, but he thought after paying her back for the clothes she got him; he’d leave her alone. The bigger half of him knew he wasn’t going to keep that promise to himself. Namjoo was like his savior, his dream come true.

When he arrived in front of her house he waited in front of the gates. He rang the bell and peered toward the door, but no one came out of the house. Assuming that she was probably out he decided to stay and wait in front of the gates. Almost an hour went by before he started pacing back and forth.

His legs hurt from standing so long, but he didn’t want to leave yet. What if she appeared after he left? He wasn’t about to lose the chance, so he waited for a few hours more. And when nighttime arrived she still didn’t return.

Sighing he leaned against the gates, stared at the house, and finally walked off after setting the flowers down.

|||||

“Hurry!” Namjoo called stopping up ahead and turned around to wave toward Xiumin. “Why are you so slow!?”

When he approached she pulled his hand dragging him toward one of the beach chairs.

“Take that off. Why are you wearing your shirt when we came out to swim?”

“It’s embarrassing, you know,” Xiumin muttered.

“Then flaunt what you’ve got!”

Xiumin stared at her as if she didn’t know how to be embarrassed.

“Hurry!” Namjoo complained jumping in spot and watched him pull his shirt off.

“There, happy!?”

“Yea!” she nodded her head and laughed him as she checked his torso out. Slapping his tummy she asked, “That’s all?”

“Were you hoping for a washing board?”

“Whatever, come on!” Namjoo darted up ahead and splashed into the cool water.

She felt the gentle cool waves splash up against her and let out a sigh of satisfaction. There were young children, couples, and adults nearby; each doing their own thing. Namjoo listened to them laugh and talk and thought this was the kind of melody she wanted in life.

Happiness and laughter.

Two kids shrieking with laughter ran by in front of her splashing water into her face as they went by. Namjoo spat out the water that had gotten into before she heard Xiumin shout.

“Watch out!” he called before running toward him and jumped against her pushing her into the water.

Opening to shout at him only caused her to gulp in more water before she pushed her way up to the surface.

“You trying to kill me!?” she screamed at him and splashed water at him. She listened to him shout and splash water back at her before she grabbed his head pushing him into the water, “I got you this time!”

Xiumin grabbed her hands to pull them off him and she laughed before getting up to run away. She could hear the water splashing as he got up to run after her. Joy encapsulated her when she felt him throw his arms around her before playfully throwing her into the water. For minutes on end they laughed and giggled like children.

When the heat of the sun died down and the white sandy beach became abandoned she pulled a shirt over herself before sitting down on sand. The slow stars were starting to sparkle dimly in the blue-green sky. Namjoo wondered which one belonged to her deceased father.

“Here,” Xiumin handed her a bottle of cool water before sitting down next to him.

He’d thrown on a shirt too, but his hair was still wet like hers.

“You sure you don’t want to get inside?”

“Mmm…it’s not that cold here,” Namjoo replied setting the bottle down by her crossed legs. “It’s so pretty here. Weird how the skies look different when you’re looking at it from different places. We never really see them the same way.”

“Thinking that hurts my brain,” he shook his head.

Namjoo turned to look at him with a snort then turned away to draw in the sand. “Strange how I never really felt at home in Seoul. Even with my father and my sister, things never really felt right.” Then she turned to look at him, “But it feels warm here with you around.”

“Maybe it’s just a play of your mind.”

She let out a short sarcastic laugh, “A play of the mind.”

“My mind plays like that too.”

She turned to look at him caught off guard. Her breath got cut off when he leaned forward to kiss her. Namjoo’s heart started racing when he slowly pulled away and reopened his eyes, but before he could fully sit away she grabbed his shirt to tug him forward to kiss him. Xiumin slowly replied back placing his hands around her to bring her closer.

Her mind spun at the intimacy and felt a smile curb her lips when they pulled away. She could still feel his lips lightly touching hers as he rubbed his nose back and forth against hers. The small, yet heavy amount of happiness spinning in the air made her feel like she was flying.   

A moment of silence captivated the romantic air as she stared at his eyes locked on her lips.

“Should we…do it again?” he asked.

Her smile grew broad and she slipped her arms around his neck, “Yea.”

And for a long time they kissed under the star lights.