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“So cute!” a small 7-year-old Min squealed as she pinched 5-year-old Jackson’s cheeks. Jackson frowned and glared up at the older girl. Both their parents chuckled at their childrens actions. “The only thing that makes her this happy is Halloween. Look at that smile!” Min’s mother said, looking at her daughter’s eyes light up. “Looks like Jackson got himself a big sister” Jackson broke free of Min’s grip and pushed her back. “I don’t want a big sister!” he complained, but Min simply grinned and wrapped her arms around the smaller boy. Jackson nodded his head to the beat of the song he was listening to. His best friend Mark rolled his eyes when Jackson began to bump into him. “Cut it out” Mark shoved him back making Jackson chuckle. “Lighten up, dude. Finals are over! Summer is here!” Jackson yelled, removing his headphones and putting them around his neck. “Before we head out and take on the world, do you think we can take a nap or maybe get some caffeine first?” Mark said, stifling a yawn. “Fine, we can go back to the dorm so you can take your nap, but then we’re going out. We just finished our first year of college so we need to go out and celebrate and I need you to have all your energy” Mark nodded, “Sounds good. Let’s go back to the dorm before I crash on the floor” “Good idea, because no matter how much I love you I am not carrying you” “You my dear Jackson, are such an amazing friend" "I am aren't I?"  The two roommates walked back to their dorm and while Mark took his nap, Jackson decided to go for a run on the beach to pass the time. He ran a mile, then stopped to get a water bottle from one of the huts where one of his friends worked. “Hey, Jackson are you going to Peniel’s party tonight?” Jackson shrugged and walked over to the counter where JB was tapping his fingers on the counter and flipping through a magazine. “Depends if I can wake Mark before it starts” JB sighed, “Well, if you do go have fun for the both of us. I have to work late again”, Jackson laughed at his disappointed tone. “You get to see attractive women every day in their swimsuits come in here. How can you complain?” “It’d be nice if they actually talked to me” JB mumbled. “Well, maybe if you spoke to them first they would find your confidence y. You’re a good-looking guy. Make the first move” JB waved him off, “What do you want?” “Water bottle, please” JB opened the refrigerator and took out a water bottle. Jackson handed him the money and waved, “See you later JB and lighten up” “Whatever. Bye” JB mumbled.  Jackson continued his run and waved at a couple of classmates that were already enjoying their summer break. He ran all the way to the pier and stopped when he was underneath it. He wiped his sweat and took a big gulp of his water. After catching his breath he decided to go up to the pier to kill more time. “Hi Jackson!” Jackson smiled as he entered the air-conditioned arcade. “Hey” He greeted two girls behind the counter and then headed to his favorite machine. When he got there though he couldn’t help feel disappointed that there was already someone standing in front of The House of the Dead game. He was about to turn around, but a familiar keychain sticking out of the girl’s pocket made him do a double take. The girl was petite and had short light brown hair. She had on a plain white t-shirt and black jean shorts along with colorful Jordan’s. When she puffed up her cheeks, Jackson was definitely sure his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. It had been around 4 years since he last saw her. It was back when he entered his sophomore year of High School and she left to another country. He had lived next door to her for as long as he could remember and she was someone the young Jackson had developed a huge crush on, but he knew Min only saw him as the neighbor's cute kid. Mainly because he had always been shorter than her growing up.  Jackson took a deep breath and walked over to her slowly, thinking about what to say to her. Just say hi. Ask her how's she's been. Easy.  “Are you almost done?” He blinked in surprise at the words that came out of his mouth. “Nope” Min simply said and continued to play the game, not bothering to look up at him. Jackson cleared his throat, “Then do you mind if I join you?” Min didn’t look away from the screen, “I rather play alone” Jackson could see she was starting to get annoyed, which for some reason made him smile. Although Jackson was known for teasing people, Min had always been one step ahead. He always disliked being teased by her because he hated that she treated him like a little kid. “Don’t be like that, Min” Upon hearing her name, Min looked away from the screen. She furrowed her eyebrows at the handsome young man standing next to her. He had a full smile on his face and was wearing a casual muscle shirt and basketball shorts. He was also wearing a snapback over his dark hair. Min stared at his face for a bit, making Jackson uncomfortable.  Does she not recognize me?  Her eyes caught something sticking out of his pocket. She blinked at the small, cute and slightly dirty string doll and looked up at him with wide eyes. “Jackson?” Jackson smiled wide, making Min recognize his features. “The one and only” Min chuckled, “You sure? I’ve met a couple of other Jackson’s out there” Jackson couldn’t help smile wider; there was the girl that drove him nuts when they were young. “Yeah, well, they can’t be as awesome as me” “Oh, arrogant are we? Maybe I’ve met a more awesome Jackson” Jackson gasped and placed a hand over his heart making Min laugh. “I’m joking. You’ll always be my favorite Jackson” Min said, suddenly wrapping her arms around his neck. She was a bit taken back that she had to get on her tippy toes.  This kid has grown.  “How are you?” She asked softly. Jackson lightly placed his hands on her hips and swallowed. “Sweaty” Min pulled away and made a face, he was regretting saying that now, but Jackson simply shrugged, “I’ve been good. You?” Min leaned back on the arcade machine, “I’ve been all right” “What are you doing back in LA?” Min tilted her head and looked at him curiously with a small smile on her face. “Why do you think I’m here?” Jackson was taken back by the question. His first thought was "To see me?"  But then thought about it and realized the truth. “You’re here to see your mother?” Min winked at him, “Bingo” She crossed her arms around her chest. “It was mostly my father’s idea. He said I should be there when my baby sister was born. After all, my little feud with my mother isn’t her fault” Jackson watched as Min’s eyes shifted to another location. Anyone else wouldn’t have noticed the change of emotions, but he knew her very well. Jackson believed he was the only one who had seen Min at her most vulnerable state. He still remembers the first time he saw her cry. She was about 8 and he was 6 and it had been around a year since they first met. Jackson remembers waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and then as he was heading back to his bed, he looked out the window and saw Min curled up on the window sill sofa, her small hands covering her ears and tears rolling down her cheeks. Upon seeing the tears 6 year old Jackson felt the sudden urge to protect her. He opened his window and slowly crept out, knowing fully well that his parents would scold him for going outside at night. When he reached Min’s window, he tapped on the glass and Min’s eyes went wide. When she saw him standing there, she quickly opened the window and right when Jackson climbed in, she wrapped her arms around him and started to cry. Jackson hugged her back tightly and after a few seconds he heard her parents arguing.  That happened a couple more times as they grew up. Min’s mother and father pretended to be the perfect couple with friends, but according to Min, they both fought a lot at night when they believed she was fast asleep listening to her music. Jackson was able to conclude that the main reason for the fights was because of money trouble. After her father’s company went bankrupt, her mother began working full time as a nurse. Her father managed to also get another job, but by then Min hardly saw them together and even when they were together at home, they argued. Min’s mother apparently had been tired of working so much and then losing all her money to pay off her father’s debt. Min’s father had been hurt that she wasn’t taking their wedding vows seriously. “What happened to for better of for worse?” Jackson heard him yell once when he was 10. They didn’t get a divorce until Min was 16, but it wasn’t because of the arguing. It was because Min’s mother had an affair. Min in the midst of being angry and disappointed with her mother chose to move with her father to South Korea. Jackson and Min communicated with each other for a couple of months after she moved away and Min had told him that she was planning on moving back in with her mother because she missed her friends and school. She said she wasn’t so angry anymore, but her plans changed when Min’s mother got remarried a few months after the divorce. Upon hearing the news, Min only became angrier and made the choice to not come back at all. As the years passed, they lost contact with each other. Jackson only heard news about her mother from his own mother, who was close to her, but they rarely talked about Min. He had always wondered if he would see her again.  “You okay?” He asked. Min sighed and looked up at him with a smile on her face. “I’m fantastic” He could easily tell she was lying, but he also knew she wasn’t going to tell him anything. Min pushed off from the game and extended her hand towards him. Jackson looked at her confused. “I got distracted and heard my guy die a few minutes ago. Quarters please” Jackson felt around his pocket and only took out his phone. “Sorry, I wasted my last dollars on a water” Min shot him a glare and took out her phone wallet. Jackson smiled when he saw the Batman string doll dangling on her phone. She took out a dollar and then placed the phone back in her pocket. “I can’t believe you still have it” Jackson said, nodding to the doll. “I could say the same to you” Min said, glancing down at his. Min and Jackson had taken an arts and craft workshop at a school supplies store and made each other the small dolls. Jackson expertly made her the Batman one, but Min had struggled with hers. In the end she made it into a ninja and added a small red heart in the middle. She was a little embarrassed about it, which was a rare sight and Jackson took great pleasure in teasing her about it, until of course she found something else to about.  “If it’s so bad, why do you still have it, huh? You like me that much?”  Only Min could turn the tides. “It’s a good luck charm” Truthfully it was just the only thing Min had left him with. “What about you?” Min smiled, “Same. You still want to join?” Min asked, nodding at the arcade machine. Jackson nodded and Min handed him the dollar. “Go get change then” Jackson rolled his eyes, but took the dollar. “Maybe I’ll buy myself a soda instead”, Jackson said, turning around and waving the dollar around. “Don’t you dare. I have to get revenge!” Jackson chuckled and went straight to the change machine. After the zombies killed them both, Jackson and Min went to get something to eat. Jackson’s checked his phone and saw a message from Mark. Peniel's party starts in an hour. We going? Jackson responded and put his phone back in his pocket. “There’s a beach party I’m going to tonight. You want to come?” Jackson asked Min, who was staring out to the sea. She shifted her gaze to him and shook her head. “I need to go check in at my mother’s house. I was supposed to be there a few hours ago” Jackson furrowed his eyebrows, “You haven’t seen her yet?” Min placed a fry in . “I didn’t want to face her just yet so I came here. I sent her a text to tell her I was going to visit some friends first, but I think I should go see her now” Jackson nodded. “I agree. Um, if you want to hang out while you’re here…” He trailed off as he took out his phone. Min took out hers as well and they exchanged numbers. “Thank you for the company” Min said stopping in front of her car rental. Jackson saw the suitcases in the backseat. “No problem. I’ll see you around then” Min nodded and stepped forward to wrap her arms around his torso. This time Jackson wrapped his arms around her small frame and was glad she didn’t pull away so quick like last time. Min stepped back and waved before getting into her car. Jackson stepped aside and waved as she drove out of the parking lot. “See you around” He said out loud, but the car was long gone. He turned around and began to run back to his dorm, where his impatient roommate was waiting. ☀ “I’m not late” Min said appearing behind Jackson. Jackson checked his watch and turned around. “You sure about that? Because I remember saying 5pm sharp, not 5:13pm.” Min stuck out her tongue and crossed her arms around her chest. “Don’t think just because you’re taller than me you can start picking on me. I’m still older” Jackson cupped his ear “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you from up here” Min scoffed and kicked him in the shin. Jackson laughed, “Ow!” Min flipped her short hair and walked away from him. “I’m kidding! Hold on” Jackson caught up to her and put an arm around her shoulders. “So sensitive. C’mon since we’re still early we can still find some good seats” Jackson glanced down at Min. He was used to seeing her in boyish clothes, but today she was wearing a floral romper. It made her look a lot different than the girl he played video games with, definitely a lot more attractive, but when he glanced down at her shoes he couldn’t help smile at her worn out converse. As Jackson got food from the food truck, Min sat on the picnic blanket and shot glances at Jackson. She couldn’t believe the cute, hot-tempered, quiet boy had become this confident, a bit dorky, jokester. She was usually the one teasing him, but now she was finding it hard to think of comebacks. It wasn’t her lack of thinking that kept her from saying anything, but the fact that the boy made her nervous and it took her a while to remember that this was the same little boy she grew up with. Min sighed and looked up at the giant screen where they would be showing the classic movie, Psycho. It had been a while since she had come to these outdoor movie events and when Jackson mentioned that there was a park nearby where the movie would be showing, she immediately agreed to go. “All right, 6 tacos, 2 burritos, 2 supreme nachos and extra large drinks” Jackson sat down with the tray of food, he then looked at her. “Do you want to go get your food now?” Min shoved his shoulder and placed a chip on . “You should’ve asked me to help” “Then we would’ve lost our spot right up front” Jackson took a sip from his drink. While he was busy stuffing his face, Min studied him. Jackson wasn’t a kid anymore. He was hot, charming and Min’s heart was pounding rapidly in her chest as she remembered him holding her when she would cry about her parents. Back then she didn’t think much of it, but now it made her face flush. “Drink something. Your face is red and it is pretty hot out. I don’t want you passing out on me”, Jackson said, picking up her drink and handing it to her. Min took it and immediately took a sip from her soda. “So the movie doesn’t start for a few minutes. What should we do?” “Stuff out faces, duh” Min said taking a bite from one of the tacos. She closed her eyes and smiled, “So good!” Jackson watched her in amusement as she began laughing. “I love food” Min hummed happily as sh