*39*

Areum pov

The morning air carried the salty tang of the ocean, crisp and cool against my skin as I stepped into the kitchen. The house was quiet, save for the distant crash of waves outside and the faint hum of the coffee maker. Minji sat at the counter, her phone in one hand, the other wrapped around a steaming mug.

She glanced up as I entered, smirking. "Well, look who's alive."

I yawned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Barely."

"You missed Jungkook declaring himself the king of drinking games last night," she said, sipping her coffee. "I'm pretty sure Taehyung was close to throwing him off the balcony."

I snorted, grabbing a mug from the cabinet. "And you let him live?"

She shrugged. "I was too tired to commit to murder."

The scent of coffee filled the room as I poured myself a cup, the warmth seeping into my fingers as I wrapped them around the ceramic. Minji was still watching me, too carefully, like she was debating saying something.

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

She smirked. "Nothing."

Before I could press her, footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Jimin entered the kitchen, his hair slightly tousled, dressed in an old hoodie and sweatpants. His gaze flickered to me briefly before he grabbed a mug, moving around the kitchen with the kind of ease that made my chest tighten.

"Morning," he murmured.

I nodded, avoiding Minji's pointed look. "Morning."

The air felt different. Not uncomfortable, but thick with something unspoken.

Jimin leaned against the counter, rolling his mug between his fingers. "You guys are up early."

Minji scoffed. "You say that like it's a choice."

He smirked. "Jungkook?"

"Jungkook," we both answered at the same time.

A chuckle rumbled from his chest, and for a moment, the tension loosened.

Minji exhaled, setting her mug down. "Well, I'm going to check if our beloved idiot has drowned in his own ego."

I rolled my eyes as she sauntered off, leaving Jimin and me alone.

The silence stretched.

Jimin took a sip of his coffee, his gaze drifting toward the window where the ocean stretched endlessly beyond the deck. "Want to go for a walk?"

I hesitated, fingers tightening around my cup.

A walk. Just a simple walk.

But nothing about this felt simple.

Still, I found myself nodding. "Yeah."

The sand was cool beneath my feet as we walked along the shore, the tide rolling in just enough to brush against our ankles. The sun had started its slow rise, casting a golden glow over the water, making the waves shimmer like liquid gold.

We walked in silence for a while, side by side, the only sounds between us were the distant cries of seagulls and the rhythmic crash of waves.

It wasn't awkward, but it was weighted.

Jimin was the first to speak. "I forgot how nice this is."

I glanced at him. "What?"

He kept his gaze on the horizon. "Being here. With you."

Something in my chest tightened.

I looked ahead, focusing on the water, the steady rhythm of it. "It's different now."

Jimin let out a breath, nodding. "Yeah. But different isn't bad, right?"

I bit my lip, choosing my words carefully. "No. It's not."

He stopped walking, turning to face me.

"Areum."

My name on his lips made me freeze.

Slowly, I turned to look at him.

His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held something-something that made my stomach twist.

"I'm not asking for anything," he said softly, voice steady. "I just... I wanted to say I'm glad we can be like this again."

I studied him for a moment, searching for something in his face, something that would tell me if this was a mistake, if we were treading too close to a line we couldn't cross.

But all I found was sincerity.

A quiet truth.

I swallowed past the tightness in my throat. "Me too."

His lips parted slightly, like he wanted to say more, but instead, he exhaled through his nose and glanced toward the water. "Race you to the waves?"

I snorted. "You'll lose."

His smirk returned, lighter this time. "We'll see about that."

And just like that, the weight between us lifted.

We both took off running toward the waves, the cool sand shifting beneath our feet as we raced toward the water's edge. The sound of the waves crashing grew louder in my ears, but I didn't dare look back at Jimin. I could feel him right behind me, and that was enough to push me faster.

Just before the waves hit, I threw myself into the water, laughing as the cold rush of the ocean soaked me. The splash of water hit my face, and for a moment, everything else disappeared.

Jimin was right behind me, grinning like a maniac. "I told you I'd win!" he shouted, a playful challenge in his voice as he splashed more water in my direction.

"You're a cheat!" I yelled, retaliating by kicking a big wave his way.

"Is this how we're playing now?" he asked, eyes gleaming with mischief.

I laughed, shaking my head. "You started it!"

He lunged forward, tackling me lightly in the water, sending a wave crashing into both of us. We both collapsed into the shallow water, laughing uncontrollably as the sea embraced us.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd laughed like this-genuinely, freely, without a care. Maybe it was the ocean, maybe it was Jimin's grin, or maybe it was the fact that we were just two people in the moment, having fun.

Jimin sat up, his wet hair sticking to his forehead, eyes still sparkling. "You're way too competitive for your own good."

I smirked, flicking water at him. "Says the guy who tackled me."

"Well, maybe I needed to teach you a lesson," he teased.

"Oh? What lesson is that?" I raised an eyebrow.

"That you can't beat me." He laughed, his voice carefree.

I playfully pushed him, splashing water at his chest. "We'll see about that."

We both stood up, the waves still crashing around us, and for a while, we just kept splashing and chasing each other, as though we were kids again. There was no weight, no awkwardness, just the freedom of being in the moment.

I felt like I could stay there forever.

But, of course, we couldn't.

Jimin finally stopped, leaning against a rock with a sigh. "Okay, okay, I'll admit defeat. You win this time."

I grinned, hands on my hips. "That's right. I always win."

He rolled his eyes, laughing. "You're insufferable."

"Admit it, you love it."

"I might," he said, his voice softening. "But only because you're impossible to deal with."

I shot him a playful look, then turned back to the ocean. The golden light from the rising sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, casting a warm glow over everything.

For the first time in a while, everything felt right.

Jimin stood beside me, his shoulder brushing mine as we watched the waves roll in. Neither of us spoke for a few moments, but the silence didn't feel heavy anymore. It felt comfortable, like we'd found some kind of peace.

"This," he said after a while, "this is why I missed it. Us."

I nodded slowly. "Yeah. Me too."

He smiled at me, a genuine smile, the kind that reached his eyes. "Good."

The waves had calmed now, the tide retreating little by little, leaving behind glistening trails of foam on the damp sand. The golden hues of the sunrise softened into a quiet blue, the sky stretching endlessly above us.

Jimin sat down first, patting the space beside him. "Let's sit for a bit."

I hesitated for just a moment before lowering myself onto the sand, hugging my knees to my chest. The ocean breeze was cool against my damp skin, but I didn't mind. The quiet between us felt... good. Not empty, not heavy-just easy.

He let out a deep breath, eyes fixed on the horizon. "I forgot how much I liked mornings by the ocean."

I nodded, glancing out at the endless stretch of water. "It's peaceful."

Silence settled over us again, the sound of distant seagulls mingling with the rhythmic crash of waves. I could feel his presence beside me-solid, steady. I stole a glance at him from the corner of my eye, his profile softened by the morning light.

"Did you always want to be this... calm?" I asked before I could stop myself.

He turned to me, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "What do you mean?"

I bit my lip, searching for the right words. "You've changed. It's not a bad thing-I just didn't expect it. You're... different now."

Jimin's gaze drifted back to the waves as he considered my words. "I guess I had to be." His voice was quiet, reflective. "After everything... I realized the person I was wasn't someone I wanted to be anymore. I hurt people I cared about, and that's not something I can take back. But I can try to be better."

The sincerity in his voice struck me hard, making my chest tighten. There was no trace of ego, no attempt to impress-just honesty.

He turned to me, his eyes searching mine. "You've changed too, you know. You're stronger now. It's... inspiring."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. Instead, I nodded, focusing on the feel of the sand beneath my fingers. I didn't trust myself to speak, worried that my voice would betray the jumble of emotions swirling inside me.

Jimin broke the silence with a soft chuckle. "You know, I used to think I had to have it all figured out by now."

I looked at him, the corner of my mouth lifting into a small smirk. "And now?"

His grin was lazy, disarming. "Now I think maybe we don't need to be perfect. Maybe we just need to be present."

The simplicity of his words hit me in a way I hadn't expected. How many nights had I lain awake, picking apart every decision, every moment? Maybe we didn't need to have all the answers. Maybe it was enough to just be-here, in this moment, not worrying about what was ahead or what was behind.

I let out a slow breath, feeling some of the weight I'd been carrying ease. "Yeah. I think you're right."

His smile was warm, genuine. The kind of smile that made me believe, even just for a moment, that maybe things didn't have to be so complicated.

We fell into silence again, but it felt different this time-like we were unraveling, slowly peeling back layers we'd built up over the years.

I turned to him, curiosity bubbling up. "So... what else is new with you? What's different now?"

He stretched his legs out, digging his heels into the sand. "I've learned to slow down," he admitted, his tone almost surprised. "I used to think everything had to be fast-rushed. But now... I appreciate taking my time. Enjoying little things."

I smiled softly, tracing invisible patterns in the sand. "I noticed that. You don't feel so... restless."

He laughed lightly. "Yeah, guess I finally learned patience." He tilted his head, eyes narrowing playfully. "What about you? What's new?"

I paused, considering. "I think... I've learned to trust myself more. To not need validation from everyone around me."

His gaze softened. "That's good. You always deserved to see yourself the way we do."

Heat crept up my cheeks, and I ducked my head, letting my hair fall forward to hide the blush. "It took a while, but I'm getting there."

We shared a gentle smile, both of us understanding that this-us, here-wasn't about reopening old wounds. It was about recognizing how far we'd come, even if separately.

We talked more, slipping into memories from before, but also sharing the small, quiet details of our lives now-favorite books, songs that made us cry, dreams that had changed over the years. I told him about the job I'd taken after graduation, the way I'd found solace in early morning runs. He told me about his new hobby of painting, how he'd discovered a love for capturing the world in shades of blue and gray.

I found myself laughing, genuinely laughing, at his stories of botched dinners and disastrous first attempts at landscapes. "I still can't draw a straight line," he admitted, chuckling, his cheeks pink from the cold or embarrassment-or maybe both.

It was in those moments-the easy banter, the shared laughter-that I felt a sense of warmth spread through me. We weren't just two people rehashing old wounds; we were two people getting to know each other again, building something new on the foundation of what we had once been.

At some point, he reached over and gently brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering a moment too long. "I'm glad we're here," he said softly, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Me too," I whispered, feeling the words settle in the space between us, solid and real.

He sat up, brushing the sand off his hands, then looked at me with a small grin. "We don't need to be perfect, Areum. We just need to be present."

The truth in his words was like a balm, soothing the raw edges of my heart. I smiled back at him, a real smile that felt light and unburdened.

Jimin and I sat there for a while longer, the waves rolling in and out like a steady heartbeat. Neither of us needed to fill the silence. It was nice-being here, feeling the warmth of the sun finally creeping over the horizon, letting the past settle behind us without forcing it away.

But eventually, reality called us back.

Jimin stretched his arms over his head with a groan. "We should probably head back before Minji sends a search party."

I huffed out a quiet laugh. "You mean before she sends Jungkook to find us, and he gets lost instead."

Jimin grinned as he stood, brushing the sand from his damp clothes. "That's a fair point."

I hesitated a moment before following suit, stretching my stiff legs. The warmth of the morning sun had dried most of my clothes, but my hair still clung to my skin, damp with saltwater.

As we made our way back toward the beach house, the air between us felt lighter, like something had settled between us in a way that didn't need words.

The deck of the house came into view, and my stomach twisted slightly when I spotted Taehyung leaning against the railing.

He was facing the ocean, his dark hair slightly tousled by the breeze, a cigarette dangling loosely between his fingers. He didn't look surprised to see us-if anything, he looked like he had been expecting this.

I slowed my steps instinctively. Jimin, noticing, glanced between me and Taehyung before murmuring, "I'll head inside first."

I nodded, watching as he disappeared through the sliding doors, leaving just the two of us.

Taehyung finally turned to face me fully, his eyes unreadable. "Morning."

"Morning," I said, stepping up onto the deck.

He took a slow drag of his cigarette, then exhaled, the smoke curling into the cool morning air. "Didn't think you were a morning walk kind of person."

I shrugged, leaning against the railing next to him. "Neither did I, but... I guess I am now."

Taehyung hummed, flicking the cigarette ash off the railing. "Guess people change."

His voice was even, but there was something about the way he said it that made my stomach twist. I wasn't sure if he was just making an observation-or if he was talking about me specifically.

I glanced at him, trying to read his expression, but he was staring straight ahead at the ocean, his fingers loosely curled around the cigarette like he had all the time in the world.

"You were gone for a while," he said after a moment. His tone wasn't accusing, but I could hear the weight beneath his words.

I shifted against the railing, the wood cool against my skin. "Didn't realize there was a time limit."

Taehyung turned his head slightly, exhaling a slow stream of smoke. "There isn't." He let the words settle before adding, "Just noticing things."

I let out a quiet breath, unsure of where this conversation was going-but knowing it wasn't going to stay surface level. Taehyung was like that. He didn't pry, but he always saw too much, always knew how to push just enough to make me confront things I wasn't ready to.

"You want to ask something," I said, not quite looking at him.

Taehyung smirked, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I don't have to."

That made me look at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He tapped the cigarette against the railing, watching the embers scatter. "It means I already know."

A chill crawled up my spine, and it had nothing to do with the morning breeze.

Taehyung wasn't someone who spoke carelessly. If he was saying this, it was because he had already figured something out-and he was waiting to see if I'd admit it to myself.

I swallowed. "Know what?"

He turned to me then, fully this time, his dark eyes sharp and steady. "That something shifted out there." He tilted his head toward the shore, where Jimin and I had just been. "That maybe it wasn't just a walk."

I hated how easily he could see through me.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

His lips twitched, but it wasn't amusement-it was something else. Something unreadable.

"Areum," he said, and the way my name rolled off his tongue sent a shiver down my spine.

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. "Why do you care?"

Taehyung didn't answer right away. Instead, he took another drag of his cigarette, his gaze holding mine in a way that made my pulse quicken.

Then, he leaned in slightly, just enough for me to catch the scent of smoke and something distinctly him. "You know why."

My breath hitched.

His eyes flickered to my lips, just for a second, before he pulled back like nothing had happened.

The air between us crackled with something unspoken. Something neither of us were addressing, but both of us felt.

And the worst part?

He was right.

I did know why.

But before I could respond-before I could figure out what the hell I was supposed to say-the sliding door opened again.

Jimin stepped out, now changed into dry clothes, his gaze immediately landing on me, then flickering to Taehyung.

His jaw tightened-so slightly that if I hadn't known him for years, I might not have caught it.

But I did.

And Taehyung did too.

He smirked, tapping out his cigarette against the railing before tossing the butt into an ashtray. "Well," he drawled, standing to his full height, "looks like the party's starting early."

Jimin didn't take the bait. Instead, he looked at me. "Minji said breakfast is ready."

His voice was casual, but there was something else underneath it. Something restrained.

Taehyung stretched, letting out a low hum. "Guess we should eat, then." He shot me a glance, eyes gleaming with something I couldn't quite place. "Don't take too long."

And with that, he stepped past Jimin, slipping inside like he hadn't just shifted the entire atmosphere of the morning.

Jimin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You okay?"

I forced a smile. "Yeah."

I wasn't sure if it was a lie.

But one thing was clear.

This wasn't over.

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