the end of the horizon // b.c

I

For as long as you could remember, you have loved the ocean.

The crisp bite of the seaside breeze and the rush of the silky waves over your feet brought you a peculiar type of euphoria. There was no way to describe it other than utter completion.

Now, as the chatter of seagulls reached your ears and bubbly sea foam stuck between your toes, you couldn't be happier. Your eyes drifted closed as you breathed in deeply. The tang of the salty air stung your nose pleasantly, sending satisfying shivers down your spine.

Lying in the hot sand, you lavished in the gritty feel of the soft orange grains against your bare back. The sun beat down your body with borderline unbearable heat, tanning your darkened skin with rough kisses. The ocean wind danced and teased at your hair, the locks thickened with salt and hopelessly tangled. You picked out a trace of tropical fruit on the breeze, and the sweet scent flooded your mouth with a craving for passion fruit. You stretched lazily, the supple fabric of your bikini slipping across your hips and breasts with the motion.

Cool water raced up your calves with the rising tide. It isn't long before the water is up to my thighs, you thought idly, your lips parting with a wide yawn.

Drowsiness shrouded your mind in a blissful haze as the sun sank into your skin. You sucked in a sharp breath, air hissing through your teeth, when a sunburned spot on your stomach heated just enough to hurt. Rolling onto your belly, you sighed in lethargic contentment.

But, of course, he had to ruin it.

A groan sounded to your left and barely audible footsteps squished and dragged in the sand. You wanted to bury your head in the waves lapping at your feet to drown the small noises out. A twinge of annoyance settled in your chest.

"Of course this is where you are. Why didn't I look here before? Oh, that's right." The footsteps stopped at your side, and you squeezed your eyes shut. "Because I literally had to hike thirty minutes past the public beach and across, like, twenty rock formations." Sandy toes nudged your arm. "You're going to get a wicked sunburn, you know."

You moaned in irritation, swatting at the air blindly. "Leave me alone, will you?" you snapped, lifting your head to glare at him before plopping right back down onto your pillow of sand.

"No can do, dearest sister." Your eyes flew open when fluffy hair brushed your cheek. A pair of dark eyes stared back.

You screamed in surprise, bolting upright. "Hwang Hyunjin!" you scolded, pinching his arm lightly.

"Ouch, Y/N! Your nails are sharp!" Hyunjin cried, his eyes shining with exaggerated hurt.

"You shouldn't have put your face where mine was. dimwit." You dusted yourself off as you sprang to your feet, spraying a light shower of sand over Hyunjin's fully clothed body. "Why must you come all the way out here to bother me?"

"Hey!" Hyunjin protested, springing to his feet. "Do you know how hard it is to get sand out of this kind of material?"

You rubbed your temples in exasperation. "You just laid in sand, Jin. It's all over the back of your shirt."

Hyunjin gasped, wrenching his neck around to steal a glimpse of the back of his shirt. He ran a hand through his dark hair in frustration, sand that stuck in his long locks raining down.

You watched ruefully. "You really need a haircut," you commented, eyeing his mass of hair.

"No, I don't," he argued, looking offended. "This is a good look for me."

You raised your eyebrows skeptically, arms crossed. "What look are you going for? Shaggy dog?" you scoffed. "In case you didn't get the memo, mullets went out of style forty years ago."