The first thing Hyukjae does everyday when he wakes in the morning is to look out the window at his bedside. He always expects to hear the engines, the whirring of propellers, and then he’d run to the docks half-dressed in hopes of seeing a glistening red plane land on the water. Sometimes he dreams of it, his heart racing in his sleep at the sight of an old friend. But more often than not, when Hyukjae opens his curtains and lets the sun in, he only meets the endless, sparkling ocean, and no familiar specks of red in the sky.

--

The silver islands are clustered miles away from the mainland where the sea is blue and calm.

Summer days are always lively, boats in the water, sea birds hovering over the fishery markets, and the island shops blooming with business. With no island being larger than half an acre of land, it makes them just about big enough for a saloon or marina or a few shops of decent size. It’s no venice, but it’s still a little village on water and to those who love the sea, it’s a dream.

Lee Hyukjae runs the A Casa Inn on the island farthest from the coast. It’s become famously known over the years as a sanctuary and resting place for sailors and seaplane pilots, folks who spend their lives at sea and need a place to sleep for the night when their passion for freedom allows them. It’s rumored that even the most notorious seaplane pirates and navy officers drop by once in awhile to share a few drinks like old pals, find peace in Hyukjae’s hospitality as if they were stripped of all their burdensome titles. The docks on his little island are always open to travelers and regulars alike, and when anyone mentions home out there, they think of A Casa and the good company of the young innkeeper.

--

Hyukjae meets Ji-Eun in the end of spring.

She arrives on his island in a taxi-boat first thing in the morning. Hyukjae is used to guests at the inn, but with Ji-Eun, it’s different. She’s a student of his sister’s, sent over to the silver islands for a job placement, meaning she’ll be staying with him for the whole summer. And this, to Hyukjae, is new.

She proves herself to be a hardworking girl though, not letting Hyukjae help her with her suitcases and making herself at home soon as she arrives. She’s a bright, beautiful girl with braided hair and a small frame. Hyukjae gets the uncomfortable idea that she has probably heard too many stories about his business from his sister, her teacher, because she follows him around constantly, thoroughly interested in everything he does. Ji-Eun’s just about enthusiastic about everything: from making breakfast for the guests, to counting money at the counter, to cleaning the yard and docks and bathrooms. She even cooks for Hyukjae on the days where he’s too busy to make his own dinner.

It’s nice to have a helping hand, Hyukjae decides. Except he gets calls from his sister in the city from time to time, jokingly reminding him that Ji-Eun is only seventeen and much too young for him, to which he hangs up swiftly.

“Why here, of all places?” Hyukjae asks her one day, not out of annoyance but merely curiosity.

She smiles widely. “Ms.Sora always talked about you, Mr.Hyukjae,” she says while she sweeps the floors in the little lobby, a dreamy look in her face, “She told me you’ve met all sorts of famous people by running this place.”

Hyukjae nods, expecting as much. Sora loved boasting to her students about her brother’s inn in the silver islands, and when it comes to famous pilots, the women can’t seem to ever get enough.

“Is it true that Curtiss sat in these seats? And that Hoover and Yeager first met each other in this very room?”

Her eyes are bright and hopeful, it reminds Hyukjae of the time that he was seventeen and flipped through pages and pages of aeroplane magazines and collected posters of movie actors.

“That’s all true alright,” Hyukjae laughs, pointing to a framed photo on the wall of two men sitting at a table together; Robert Hoover and Chuck Yeager, handsome and talented pilots who flew for the airforce. They were, and remain today, best of friends.

“Of course, they weren’t quite so famous then,” Hyukjae says.

Hyukjae remembers meeting Bob and Chuck, they used to visit often back when they didn’t have such high obligations in the army. Nice men, and high tippers too. Who knew that they’d get so big, that Bob Hoover’s stunts and loop de loops in the sky would make him a celebrity, and that Chuck would turn out to be the first man ever to fly faster than goddamn sound.

Ji-Eun beams at his wall of black and white photos, naming some of the faces she’s seen on television and the front page of newspapers. Hyukjae follows her gaze, takes this chance to reminisce the early days of his business. On the far left of the wall, one photograph is hung slightly isolated from the rest of the collection. The wood on the frame is a lighter colour--an indication of its age--but the glass is still reflective and polished, as if it’s been wiped and cleaned everyday. It doesn’t take long for Ji-Eun to recognize the pilot in the photo.

“Is that... Lee Donghae?” Ji-Eun gawks.

She turns to Hyukjae when he doesn’t reply, and then she falls silent upon seeing his face. Hyukjae is smiling slightly and for a second he looks so handsome she doesn’t know how to react. It looks like he’s deep in thought until he snaps out of his daze and realizes that Ji-Eun is still awaiting an answer.

“Yeah,” Hyukjae says, “That’s him on the left.”

--

The mailman of the silver islands has a very important job, every morning before nine Ryeowook must travel by boat to every island, and on the end of the docks there is a mailbox where he can drop off any envelopes or deliveries. It’s not easy, but Ryeowook knows everyone around these parts and he’s grown used to the water routes.

One thing he loves about his job is how you can tell what kind of person someone is just by looking at the type of mail they get. Ryeowook knows that when Tiffany isn’t running her diner, she’s ordering designer shoes from Milan, and that Jungsoo is the type of man who likes to read large books, and how happy Lee Hyukjae can be when he receives letters  from a particular sender who doesn’t like to put their name or return address on the envelopes. Ryeowook knows who it is, of course, everyone in the islands know about him.

It’s a curious thing sometimes, to see Hyukjae already at his dock when Ryeowook arrives. He’s dressed in a white, buttoned up shirt with suspenders that held up his trousers. As Ryeowook pulls up close to the dock, Hyukjae flashes him a genuine smile, a trait that’s common among folks in this town.

“Letter for mister Hyukjae,” Ryeowook says as he turns to take out a small sealed envelope from his boat.

“Thanks my friend,” Hyukjae begins to say just as a gust of breeze comes by and lifts the letter right out of Ryeowook’s boat and into the air. Ryeowook curses as they watch the envelope flutter away, stolen by the wind, and fall into the seawater.

The next thing he knows, Hyukjae is kicking off his shoes and diving off the dock.

“Wait!” Ryeowook calls to him but it’s too late, he’s already swimming out into the water, the red of his hair against the blue of the sea.

When Hyukjae comes back to shore, he’s ecstatic even though the letter in his hand is soaking wet and his shirt is sticking to his body. Ryeowook stares blankly at him as he wrings the bottom hem of his clothes dry with the biggest smile on his face.

“That was my fault, I’m sorry,” Ryeowook apologizes, “but I have a boat sir, I could’ve gotten it for you, must be unpleasant getting all your clothes wet.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Hyukjae laughs, “It’s just that it’s a very important letter to me.”

Ryeowook nods. He already knew this, of course.

chapter will be edited. just posting it so i can finally rest my mind