Forget-me-not

Cynthia

A/N: Happy surprise double update. I'm crying so hard that I might dry heave because we've finally reached the good stuff. It is difficult to live a life being as sensitive as Felix. Anyway here you go. Enjoy!! <3

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"Mommy, I'm scared!" Cynthia's shrill voice cried out. Her tiny arms splashed the ocean's deep blue. With big green eyes, she looked over at her mother with fear. 

Her mother was nearly the splitting image of her. With the soft jawline and the pixie nose, there was a small gap between her two front teeth. Her brunette waves were weighed down with salt water. She smiled at Cynthia and kept her arms out towards her. 

"Don't worry, honey. I'm right here and I won't let you drown. Do you feel this?" She reached out and gently tapped two fingers on the neon green life vest. Cynthia glanced down at it and nodded. "As long as you have this," her mother continued, "you won't drown." 

"I won't?" 

Her mom shook her head with a reassuring smile. "Nope! We don't want you to slip beneath the water and turn into a mermaid, do we?" 

"Like Ariel?" Cynthia's face lit up and a grin appeared. Her mother laughed at the response. The grin was full of pink gums and a missing front tooth. A few months shy of six, she had lost her first baby tooth while chewing a piece of sweet and sticky Bubblicious gum. 

"Sweetheart, don't fill her head full of that stuff. I can't have my little princess turn into a mermaid!" Her father dipped beneath the water under her. Under the water, his fingers wrapped around his daughter's waist. 

He picked her up and pushed her small body into the air. With a cry of victory, he resurfaced and spun the two of them around in a circle. Cynthia squealed with delight and kicked her feet. Her mother watched fondly as the two circled in the water. 

The tops of Cynthia's cheeks were covered in darkened freckles. A few days prior, her mother forgot to put sunscreen on both of them and Cynthia's cheeks had turned scarlet as a result. Water dripped down onto her father from her one piece bathing suit, but he didn't seem to mind. 

Without a moment of hesitation, he gently threw her a few feet away. Her body hit the water feet first and she sank beneath the surface. Her mother's eyes widened at once. "Hey! Not so rough, she's still lea-" 

Cynthia's head bobbled back up thanks to the life vest. She blinked a few times and coughed. Her mom paddled towards her as she spit out a mouthful of salt water. "Cynthia, sweetie, are you alright?" 

She rubbed her hands over her face to wipe off the excess water. Her nose itched from the salt. She sniffled before letting out a soft huff. "It's salty!" 

Her father burst into laughter and her mom's face relaxed once more. "It is a bit salty, huh? Make sure you don't swallow any of it. We'll have fresh water when we get back to the beach." 

"Again!" Cynthia cried out. She splashed her arms in the water and kicked her feet. Both her parents watched in shock as she made her way over to her father. "Again! Again! Toss me again, daddy!" 

"Honey, she's..." Her mom trailed off. 

"She's swimming. She's swimming! Cynthia, you're swimming! We didn't even have to teach you, you're swimming!" 

"I am?" 

"You are! Oh my goodness, I'm so proud of you! You're like our very own little mermaid!" Her father grinned and picked her up. "You can swim!" 

"She can swim!" Her mother cheered. 

"I can swim!" Cynthia echoed. 

It happened again and again and again. Cynthia swam over to her father and he lightly tossed her back into the water. She'd sink before she'd reappear a few seconds later. On the coast of Hawaii, water was in their whole family's blood. Both of her parents had been raised there.

Up above the deep ocean blue, soft cotton clouds danced. When Cynthia asked if they were made of cotton candy, her parents went along with it. The clouds were cotton candy and all the fish were friendly. The overhead calling seagulls were just a bit hungry. 

The crabs were curious, the tourists were friendly, and the fresh island air was purified. On a big island and surrounded by nothing, but water, potential volcanic eruptions were the furthest thing from Cynthia's mind. She was so small standing along the edge of the beach at the ripe age of five. 

Monsters might have been real, but with the help of her parents, she could face anything. Her father's bare face and narrowed brow was grit with determination. No matter what he faced, he'd be able to conquer it because he believed in himself. 

Her mother was made of sweet nectar and optimism. Any difficulty could be overcome based upon your mindset. The world was their oyster and Cynthia was the best gift they could have asked for. With sparkling eyes and childlike curiosity, she was the perfect amount of both. 

When Cynthia opened her eyes, all she could see was darkness. Muscle memory kicked in almost immediately. Her feet kicked and her arms tore towards the surface. Despite the soggy pajamas covering her body, she ignored their added weight and kept going. 

The grassy river bank was the first thing she saw. When she inhaled, oxygen mixed with droplets of river water. She choked and pawed at her bloodshot eyes. She huffed through her nose to expel extra water and coughed a few times. 

Her body naturally went towards the riverbank. The overgrown grass made it difficult to find her grip. She managed to grab a handful, but the moment she tried to pull herself up, there was a rip. The handful of grass ripped from the roots and she was left with tendrils of bright green blades. 

Cursing beneath her breath, she let her hand fall back into the water. She shook it beneath the surface, hoping to wash away the dirt and grass bits. Sucking in another breath of air, she tried again. Her grip wavered and she almost lost her grip again until the warmth of a hand fell over hers.  

Startled, she let go of the grass immediately and her body went into fight or flight mode. The saliva in her mouth went dry and she began to panic. Looking up, she expected to see the displeasure in Flora's blue eyes. Instead, she was met with the warmth of brown. 

He looked just like he did in her dreams. The warm brown eyes and the strong nose. He seemed rather serious at the moment, but she wanted him to make a joke. She almost asked if he could make a cocky remark. It would have made her feel a lot better about the current situation. 

"Take my hand and let me help you up." Seungmin stretched out a hand towards her. Cynthia continued to stare at him bewildered. She couldn't believe who she was seeing. "Please," Seungmin tried again, "before you get sick." 

She lifted her sopping wet hand and slid it into Seungmin's. He braced his feet against the bank and reached out for her other arm. She gave it to him without hesitation. It didn't take long before she was being pulled from the river and back onto the bank.

Seungmin's eyes took in her soaked figure and a frown fell over his face. He took off the gray hoodie he had on and stretched it towards Cynthia. "You should take this, you must be freezing." 

Cynthia didn't realize her teeth were chattering until that moment. Sure, it was spring, but it wasn't that warm yet. She took the hoodie and pulled it towards her. 

"I know this must be confusing for you, but I'm S-" 

"Kim Seungmin." 

"You remember me?" The shock was obvious on his face.

"I don't know everything, but I know you're my boyfriend."