Blue Summer

Chapter 19: Dark Summer

"I will give you all that you need: money and security. But you will have to leave this island before morning tomorrow. I will arrange a ferry for you, and you will board it before dawn. Is that clear?" Chang held out some cash to Ibuki. Ibuki looked at the money and hesitated.

"Take it."

Ibuki slowly proceeded to take the cash and said, "Is it necessary?"

"Yes, yes, it is."

"Chang-shi, I want to stay a little longer. I want to spend time with my friends," Ibuki pleaded.

"Friends? You think they are your friends. You are unwanted to them. They can move along without you. You don't have to stay here for them."

"Misao is different."

"Misao!" Chang smirked. "She is no different. Move on from her."

"Why?" Ibuki asked.

"Poor you. I know you like her, but you will not have a chance with her."

"I just want to be friends with her. She knows me and understands me."

"Does she, Ibuki? Does she, really?"

Ibuki fell silent and was reminded of all the times he had accused Misao of not understanding him well. He said no more and left as per Chang's instructions.

He boarded the ferry an hour before dawn. He had left his things back at the hotel. Chang had insisted that he would get them back. For Ibuki, the journey was long. His thoughts had left him, and now he had no one to talk to.

Just about two days after his journey began, the police stumbled upon the body of a young boy offshore.

Misao walked near the body and anxiously turned over the body to see the face. She let loose her body and sighed, "It's not Ibuki. It is not him!"

Youra came running and hugged her friend, who was sobbing.

The forensic team came and collected the body of the unfortunate boy. Later, Joon-Woo told Youra that the boy was a drug addict who had ended his life after running out of drugs and money to buy them.

Misao sat on the shore hours into the sunset. She did not leave the beach and kept looking at the sunset.

"Ibuki, wherever you are, please come back. I miss you!" she murmured.

Finally, realising that sitting there would add up to nothing, Misao got up to head back to the hotel. As she was about to leave, she saw a figure running towards her and waving. The sun's light had dimmed, and it was hard to figure out who the person was. Misao stopped and walked towards the figure. The closer she got, the more she wanted to know who it was. She took speed and ran towards the person.

The person closed in on her and hugged her tightly. She sobbed, "Ibuki! Where were you?! Ibuki!!"

Ibuki tried to console her but knew he felt the same. He could not hold in his tears and cried. They both cried because they were happy to see each other. They were tired. They said nothing but knew precisely what the tears wanted to convey. A numbing pain they shared and healed together.

Sungmin had spotted the two and now headed back to his guest house. He called the police and told them to stop the search as he had contacted Ibuki. He told them that Ibuki's mother had fallen ill, and he had rushed urgently back to Incheon, unable to let anyone know where he had gone. Chang overheard him speaking in his study and entered once he was done.

"Mr Choi, is that the police?" Chang asked.

Sungmin nodded.

"Why did you tell them this? Did you find where Ibuki is?"