Waves.

A surge of rushing water crashing in onto the white sand before slowly retreating to become one with the ocean again.

Majestically blue; just like the sky.

A little salty, that she remembered distinctly as her past played itself like a broken record off her mind.

The oceanic sound that brings about a sense of peace and tranquility, luring her into a limitless paradise.

It was as if she was there, enjoying the scenic view of what endless opportunities the ocean offered.

But at last, here she was, still stuck in a 3 dimensional reality.

Here she was; her eyes shut tightly as her mind swum deeper into whatever shameless paradise she desired with all her heart.

A paradise where she was free to do whatever she wanted.

A paradise with him.

“Oh no!” A distant voice suddenly cried out, snapping the girl back into reality. “No!”

“I honestly think you’re a little too over excited, Luna.” Amber muttered disinterestedly as she flipped through her magazine. “This is like the sixth time we’ve watched the Titanic together.”

“Leave her be.” This time it was Krystal who sounded peeved. “It’s a great movie.”

“The greatest movies are always the saddest ones too.” Sulli stretched over the unmoving Victoria as she passed the tissue box over to Luna. “Unnie, here. We should prepare ourselves.”

“Prepare yourselves for what?!” Amber finally looked up. “It’s just a movie guys.”

“It’s not just any movie!” All three fanatics huffed. “It’s Titanic.”

“Seriously?” Amber sighed loudly before turning to Victoria. “Unnie, please tell me you’re not like them. What’s so special about a depressing film like this in the first place?”

It took her a while to process what the girl just said, or rather, asked of her.

Her eyes glanced over to the television screen and Victoria then realised that she missed a large part of the movie thanks to her ability of being in a constant daydream. She strained her eyes slightly as she tried her hardest to decipher the scene that was ongoing just then.

“You jump, I jump?” Victoria mumbled, unknowingly repeating the male lead’s words. “You jump… I jump.”

“Don’t jump!” She heard a voice, unmistakably that of Luna’s, shouting right at the inanimate object.

“Please don’t jump!” Someone sobbed.

That was definitely Krystal.

“You jump, I jump? That’s Titanic’s appeal?” Amber who heard the oldest mumblings retorted. “What’s so appealing about that?”

“You jump, I jump…” Somehow it was difficult for Victoria to focus on her members.  “You jump, I jump…”

Naturally, the girl tuned out her surroundings as she caught herself in a daydream once more. The light from the television screen seemed to dim as her mind constantly raced to find the memory she can’t seem to remember.

Why did that line felt so familiar?

Sure, it appeared in one of the greatest movies ever but why did it felt personal?

But most importantly, why did it bother her so much?

The girl pursed her lips as she sat there unmoving like a log, squeezing her mind dry to possible reasons of the line feeling so intimate.

And then, almost like a bullet train, the thought passed her by and she froze; knowing that the answer was right with her all these time.

It was because of him.

--

Flashback: (episode 60)

“Victoria ssi!” His face appeared right before hers, smiling as he pat her on the back. “You have to go down, okay?”

“W-What about you?” Victoria paid no attention to him as she eyed her surroundings cautiously.

Right before her was the vast and beautiful, ocean, persuading her to join them for a wonderful time if she was brave enough.

Of course she was brave.

She had to be brave.

She didn’t travel all the way to Maldives for nothing now, did she?

“I have to pull the ropes of course.” She heard him speak but her eyes were on the camera crew to her right.

It amazed the girl at first when she found out that they were to stay in the water chalet where access to the ocean was right at the back door.

It also amazed her knowing that you can actually swim in the ocean in Maldives.

Wasn’t there sharks or something?

Is it even safe?

“I have to protect you because in the case that the waves come to sweep you away, you’re already holding tight to the rope.” Her attention snapped back to her on-screen husband. “That means I can pull you back up easily.”

“B-But I don’t want to go alone!” Victoria meant to whine but her words came out like a screech instead. “I’m scared!”

“But if I don’t hold on to the rope, we might both get swept away easily.” It was clear that Nichkhun was taken aback by her protest but really, he should be used to it by now.

After all, this was the very same Victoria that told him she couldn’t swim.

Not that he didn’t give her any swimming lessons.

Pretty sure I did.

“Awww.” She stayed in her spot as she assessed the ocean carefully.

Nichkhun noted that the girl was pouting, her fingers fiddling around the life vest that she was wearing and his heart softened immediately.

The man had no heart to let the girl go alone; knowing that it probably killed her to dive into the unfamiliar waters. He remembered she had an immense amount of trouble at the swimming pool the last time round so the ocean would of course pose a bigger threat to her.

Looking at her now, Nichkhun almost felt like he was an older figure who had to protect a young maiden in distress.

The man gave a small laugh as he made up his mind to take whatever risk that comes their way and just allow Victoria to lean on to him for now.

After all, if he was her real life boyfriend, he would have done just that.

But that was if he was the boyfriend, which he was most definitely not.

That title belonged to Changmin.

He wasn’t so sure if Changmin would do it but which boyfriend wouldn’t, right?

Especially if your girlfriend was beautiful both inside out, just like Victoria.

Wait, what?

Screw this.

“Fine.” Nichkhun chuckled as he secured the ropes tightly to a bar. “Let’s go down together then.”

“W-Wait. You go down first. Please?” The girl took a step back, her eyes never once leaving the ladder that led to the ocean.

“Hey. It’s okay.” He gave her an encouraging squeeze on her shoulders. “You’ll be fine. I’ll watch you from behind.”

“B-But…”

“Victoria ssi.” Her head immediately snapped up at his command. “Trust me.”

As he said his words, Victoria couldn’t help but feel comforted; her once perplexed heart steadying itself into a journey of empowerment as she took the first step down.

Maybe it had to do with the way his strong gaze rested on her tiny self, reassuring the girl that no harm could befall her if he was by her side.

“You jump, I jump, remember?” She heard him teasing from above when she paused again in uncertainty.

“But I’m already in the waters.” Victoria felt at ease again upon hearing his joke. “Why aren’t you jumping, Jack?”

“Because I’m admiring your beauty from above, Rose.” Nichkhun chuckled and he saw for himself the blush that appeared on her cheeks.

But she really is beautiful. And I wish…

“Nichkhun ssi! Stop being so immersed in playing Titanic and get down here!” She screamed but he knew she was in fact dying from embarrassment. Talk about being cute. “Unless you want to die like him as well?”

Well, maybe not that cute.

“Okay...I ’m coming…”

--

Her mind soon stumbled back into reality, her eyes readjusting itself into sight at the familiar television screen to her front.

As she regained her consciousness, her mind seemed to have grasped the fact that her lips were curved into a smile and Victoria knew then that her daydreams of him were making her somewhat flustered.

And maybe it had to do with the way their bodies nestled against each other for support in the ocean, that Victoria recalled it was the very first time she looked at Nichkhun in an entirely different light.

Sure, she felt that he was attractive many times during filming.

Sure, she knew she liked him from way before, but this particular memory simply stood out.

How could she forget?

The way his eyes furiously encouraged her to not concede defeat with the waves and just have fun.

The way his strong arms held her when he felt she was straying away as the waves came close.

The way she felt his warm breaths behind her ear, giving her a sense of security, even though the waters were cold under the hot sun.

Victoria could not, in any aspect at all, leave behind such a minute yet important memory just like that.

And although they have turned awkward off screen again afterwards, there was just something in that particular memory that she loved.

Yes, maybe it had to do with the fact that it was the first time she realised she loved him; not liked, not admired, but loved.

But at last, it was too late for her.

“You jump, I jump.” She murmured instinctively again, not noticing that her members have been watching her the entire time.

As if on cue, they turned their heads towards the screen but the movie made no sense for their minds were far away; each thinking that the worse has come.

Victoria had finally lost it.

Their leader was a little step closer to insanity and they knew because a smile like that could only be for him.

There was only one choice left; to reinstate that whatever she had with him were only for variety. Sure, it might break her, but it was for the best.

But how can one bear to do that when she looked so happy?

How can you break someone, knowing that her pain is her joy?

How?