before jeongguk saw summer again. the sun was already dipping behind soft pale clouds, bathing the sky in a palette of yellows, golds, reds and pinks. it was the sort of sunset that made jeongguk think the world was really just a huge canvas.

the beach was still somewhat crowded with summer tourists who had come to have a little fun in the water. compared to the night he'd first met summer, the beach was a cacophony of noises. yells, shrieks, laughter, cries. seemingly every sound humans made could be heard.

jeongguk ran long fingers through wet hair, one arm wrapped around his surfboard as he trudged out of the water. he liked the sea and the calm it brought. he despised the noise that came with the visitors. he always felt as though it caused some sort of imbalance. he just wasn't sure if it was within him or against nature.

next to him, jimin suddenly smiled, cheeks rounding like two flushed peaches. "race you to the house?" he asked, ruffling his wet locks. a slow grin found its way to jeongguk's lips. "you bet." he replied and took off. "cheater!" jimin yelled, running after him. "slow poke!" jeongguk laughed, only glancing back for a second.

when he was around his friends, jeongguk always reverted to his age. he stopped thinking beyond his years, stopped acting like he was twelve years older than he really was. he talked more like a boy who just hit his twenties, his mannerisms could be likened to a ten-year-old's and he definitely did play around like one.

jimin suddenly picked up speed. jeongguk almost forgot how fast the boy could be when he wanted to. he was quickly gaining on him and jeongguk had to move faster if he didn't want to lose. his competitiveness rared its head and he picked up his pace.

he was running so fast, everything whizzed past his sight in a blur of muted colours. so it was only when he had gone past them that it registered in his brain. summer. he slowed, twisting around to catch another glimpse.

her mane of soft dyed creamy blonde curls danced in the wind as she leaned into the boy walking next to her. he had an arm around her, keeping her to his side like she was the missing rib he needed to survive.

jeongguk nearly tripped on his own two feet as he continued to stare, not noticing jimin running past him. he vaguely registered the older boy smacking him lightly as he did. he couldn't even say he felt it when all his senses were focused on the pair as they walked.

suddenly, the strange boy leaned down and swept summer off her feet in a bridal carry. jeongguk completely stopped then. he watched the boy begin to run farther away from him like he was being chased. he found the sudden action curious. a frown marred his beautiful features, a strange and indescribable feeling twisting tightly at his chest.

his mind began to swirl with the possible relationship summer had with the boy. it was clear that they were incredibly close. but jeongguk had no idea who he was. and curse his natural curiosity for causing him to itch with the need to know.

the time he spent with summer had been full of talks about the universe, the night, the stars and the sea. there had been barely any discussions on their personal lives. something he deeply regretted, especially now. he didn't regret the things they had talked about, just the things they hadn't.

he lifted a hand over his eyes as the rays of the setting sun got into his irises, showing off the vibrant glow of his brown eyes. he continued to stare until they disappeared, leaving the beach.

"jeon jeongguk!" the cool sea breeze carried jimin's yell to his ears. his mind zoned out of focus on the two to recollect where he was and what he had been doing before he saw them. only staring a moment longer, he turned to find his friend waving over at him from the patio of their beach house, that bright smile on his face. "you owe me a beer!"

jeongguk could not help but chuckle. "fucking alcoholic." he mumbled before jogging the rest of the way to meet his friend, glancing back once as though summer would suddenly reappear behind him.