Brush Strokes ✓

38.

Waves crashing against the black jagged rocks were unceasing. The rhythmic sounds of water cutting those rocks, smoothening them ever so slowly becomes a soothing lullaby the more one listens to it. There's a calm, gentle feel to those violent waves, like a mothers soothing embrace as the sound of her steady heartbeat puts a child at ease. Even with the dark sky above and the murky water before, there's nothing threatening about it.

It was all home to Aera.

The smell of drying fish in the last of the summer heat as the monsoon announces its arrival; the salty heaviness in the air was all a part of her short lived childhood. Yet, she didn't mourn the loss of it. She was grateful to grow up and not get swallowed by the unforgiving world unlike the little hometown of her mother. Tourism had done it's damage to the place but it still fed her nostalgia. It still reminded her of the happy times with her parents.

"Do you have any idea how sexy you are?" A flabbergasted smile graced Aera's pink lips as she walked up to her boyfriend who ideally lounged in the sun. "What exactly is sexy? This outfit is supposed to be cute," she said, looking down at her coral coloured swim shorts and the top covered by Taehyung's shirt.

It was the day before leaving the island. With the previous day spent reminiscing emotional memories, the couple decided to spend the day by the seashore. The summer season was almost to an end and that meant a little less tourists. Still, Aera chose a relatively less crowded area to hang out. She didn't want Taehyung to be uncomfortable when he came here only for her.

"You look sexy everytime you wear my clothes and those legs in those shorts...you are playing with my heart, woman," he said, biting his lip as his eyes promptly roved over her legs. Giggling, the said woman plopped down between his splayed legs, resting her back against his chest. He was quick to hold her tighter against him with his arm around her waist. The other hand caught hers and entwined their fingers together.

Aera sighed contently, watching the waves crash against the shore, making patterns on the sand. "I wore a swimsuit for nothing," she said a moment later, her lower lip jutting out. "I can't get in the water."

Taehyung straightened then as he looked down at her. "We can try. I'll hold you tightly. I'm a great swimmer, you know?" She knew that already but the fear was etched so deep inside her... she shook her head. "Not here, not now," she replied, snuggling back in his embrace.

"It's okay. We don't have to do anything that you don't want to," he said just as softly, his thumb drawing soothing circles on her skin as he let his lips linger over the sensitive shell of her ear. She couldn't help but shiver a little, a small smile on her lips.

"For someone who was so rude to me just a few months ago, you are pretty thoughtful, Taehyung." That was it.

Aera suddenly felt air rushing to her back. Thrown off guard, she fell back a little as the man behind her abruptly moves away. Amused, she turned around to look at the man who was clearly furious. His eyebrows were drawn together, his lips set in a thin line as he glared at her. He had put a considerable distance between them while staying on the sheet beneath them.

"What?"

"You are really asking me?" he scoffed in disbelief, making her smile fall. "Tae, I don't understand..."

"No, don't 'Tae' me. I'm sick of this, Aera." Her eyes widened suddenly in fear at his words but she still had no idea what he was referring to. She just felt her stomach drop seeing him so serious and angry.

"You do this all the time," he continued when she just stared at him with wide eyes, her face pale. "You always throw backhanded comments from our first time meeting each other properly. I get it! I was rude and I was out of my mind to treat you like that but I've been compensating for it and I think I've done enough. I don't like it when you bring that up, Aera. Especially when we were having a moment there. Why don't you understand?"