Our Summer

EPILOGUE - Part 4

The day after, Eri finally arrives at the village, making her way straight to Yoona's room as promised. As she enters the room, she finds Yoona waiting on the bed, scrolling on her phone. Yoona immediately throws her phone, jumping off the bed to run to the door, hugging Eri as if they have not seen each other for months.

"You missed the party last night!", Yoona drags her into the room. "The food was so good"

"Really?"

Yoona nods excitedly, sitting at the edge of the bed, watching as Eri removes the overshirt she has on.

"Also, I need to tell you something", Yoona pats the empty space beside her.

"Please don't tell me you murdered someone here", Eri gives her a look, earning a playful glare from her friend. "What is it?"

"Namjoon asked about you last night. I wonder why"

Eri's heart stops for a fleeting second, staring at Yoona as if she has spoken in a language she barely understands. "He...asked about me?"

Yoona nods with a confused expression in her eyes. "Is there anything going on with you two?"

Eri stares at her lap, brows furrowing as she racks her brain to recall their previous encounter. "Well, aside from what happened at the bar that night...that was the last time I ever saw him"

Yoona watches her friend's face closely, trying to read her face. She remembers Eri saying she do like Namjoon but after that, she never talked about him anymore.

"You still like him?"

Eri shrugs her shoulders, sighing wearily as she stares at the empty wall in front of her. "I do, I think. But there's nothing much I can do if he does not feel the same"

Later that night, unable to fall asleep, Eri sneaks out of her room at the inn, wanting to take a walk around the inn but changes her mind and heads to the beach instead. Although she is slightly scared of walking alone in the middle of the night, but her disturbed thoughts and uneasy heart overruled her fears.

She stands under the dim street lamp, watching as the slow waves hit the shore, the sound of birds in the distance and above all, the pleasant quietness of the night. Back at her apartment in Seoul, she loves sitting on the balcony at night, overlooking the busy buzzing city that never sleeps.

Lost in her thoughts, she does not hear the approaching slow steps from behind her.

"Eri?"

She shrieks in surprise, almost tripping on her own feet at the sudden sound of a deep voice. She turns to the person, heart beating fast and she swears she was ready to throw hands.

"Namjoon?"

"Why are you...out here...at this time?", Namjoon looks around, as if checking the surrounding. "It's dangerous to be alone here"

She needs a few seconds to fully register his presence, feeling her skin prickling with shock. She blinks at him as she searches for words to say.

"I am not alone. You are here"

He smiles as he looks down, making Eri almost want to smile just by looking at him.

"This is awkward", she says, sighing heavily. "I am not prepared to see you after everything that happened at the bar"

Worry spreads all over his face and he quickly shakes his head. "No, don't be."

Eri's lips curve into a faint smile, appreciating his understanding. "Thank you"

His eyes soften at her answer, a glimmer of concern dancing with them. "I hope you have been taking good care of yourself?"

"Well, not so well", she turns her gaze back to the beach, her voice tinges with a hint of exhaustion. "I was sick for a few days after that, it took a toll on me so I have been resting a lot"