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Minhyun always loved looking at beautiful things.
As a boy, he grew up around the ocean as his parents’ beach resort started gaining popularity. He woke up to vividly orangey pink sunrises and equally vibrant sunsets. He spent his mornings watching the riptides and digging his feet into the sand. He spent his afternoons taking pictures with his little polaroid camera and sketching customers with a stub of charcoal. He'd sell them for about 10k won a piece. Some would pay more, telling him that the way he captured them was always so beautiful.
Beautiful.
Even the resort's tagline was: Beautiful, Breathtaking, Busan. But as their resort became one of the hottest tourist accommodations in the city, it got harder and harder for them to send him to school. Eventually, Minhyun started homeschooling by the 5th grade. His friends never visited him as the resort is too far from the city. He couldn't visit his friends without having to walk miles to the nearest bus stop. The beach was beautiful but the city… He can't even properly describe it as it's been so long.
But he remembers the city being beautiful.
He knows that even the people who come from the city are beautiful too. Especially when it's the far away cities. Minhyun takes special care to know where all the customers come from. He asks them all about the far away places he's never been to. He's had people describe Seoul, Gangwon, Jeju, and cities beyond the ocean like Paris and London. He sketches these cities out for them sometimes too and they buy his sketches for much higher than his portraits.
"Minhyun, the tide is rising. You better be careful there." Minhyun is taken out of his musings when he feels the tickle of the ocean at his toes. He moves a bit closer up shore just as his father sits next to him with two glass bottles of grapefruitade. "What's on your mind, kiddo?"
"Just the usual, pops." He takes one of the bottles from his dad's hand and takes a small sip. Ice cold. Just how he likes it. "City lights, traffic jams, croissants."
"You want one of the resort chefs to make you a croissant? She trained in Paris, you know." His father wiggles his eyebrows and Minhyun just stares at him blankly.
"Dad, your son is gay."
His father laughs and wraps an arm around his shoulders. "Just messin' with you, kid. Look up, high tide."
They both stand up automatically, narrowly missing the large wave that crashes onto the shore. A group of college-aged boys laugh as one of them gets soaking wet from the wave. The boys run around as their friend chases them across the sands. Minhyun watches them wistfully. His father doesn't miss the look and subtly directs Minhyun back in the direction of the resort.
"One of our regulars just checked into a room this morning," His dad says to lighten up the mood. "The one who goes to college in Seoul. You remember him?"
Of course he does. His name is Aron Kwak. He's been going to this resort since he started college a few years ago. Usually he comes by on his semestral breaks. He stays for three days at most, most of the time it's just overnight. He doesn't take off his shirt when he goes to the beach. Minhyun has never seen him with long hair. The longest its gone is just a bit past his ears. But how would he know? He doesn't actually know him.
In fact, he's the only regular he hasn't bothered to introduce himself to. It's for a silly reason that he'd rather not let his dad know. So, he shrugs as nonchalantly as he could, fighting the blush rising up his skin. Though, if his dad saw anything, he never mentioned it.
"Yeah. Aron, right?"
"Off to that resort again?"
Aron pauses while packing, turning to glare at the knowing smirk of his roommate. He places his hands on his hips. His roommate snorts. "And what about it?"
"Nothing, hyung. It's your life! Who am I to dictate your leisurely endeavors?" Aron throws a pillow at his head but it does little in muffling his boisterous laughter. "It's kind of cute actually."
"Might I ask what makes me spending my breaks at a resort… Cute?"
"I don't think I have to spell that out for you, sweetie. I'd rather not insult your intelligence." Aron throws another pillow but his aim was off, missing the bed entirely and causing another bout of laughter from his younger roommate. Sometimes he misses the days when Minki respected him. Now, he takes every opportunity to bully him. Aron is so close to starting an online petition to make him stop. Although, he doubts it would even get a single signature.
Although, he can’t help the giddiness he feels when he’s about to go to the resort. In his hectic university life, it’s the greatest thing in the world to get a break. Aron takes his breaks very seriously. He was burnt out that one semester and he doesn’t want it to ever happen again. So, when he found the website for this resort in Busan, he booked a room immediately for the next three day weekend.
Having grown up in LA, he always loved going to the beach. Ever since he came to Korea for University, the one thing he yearned was to go to the beach again. But there were no beaches near his school. It's a miracle he found the resort. The first time he went to Busan, watching the sunset with the ocean kissing his feet and the sand sticking to his skin, it felt like he was back home.
So he booked a room every time there was at least a three day break in his schedule. He's basically scheduled to come back frequently until he graduates. Was it excessive? Probably. Does he give a shit? Absolutely fucking not. He loves the resort. He loves the salty ocean breeze, the friendly locals, the delicious food, and the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets he gets to see for three days. He's also basically best friends with the owner too. Mr. Hwang always greets him with a wide grin whenever he arrives. Every time without fail.
But, if he's being honest, there is this little secret reason why he goes to the resort a lot. After his first visit, he encountered a tall, quiet, and… very handsome boy on the beach. He was sketching something in his sketchpad with a nub of charcoal, his hands coated with soot. He had his mouth open slightly in concentration and every now and then he would run his fingers through his hair, leaving small streaks of charcoal across his forehead.
Aron never saw someone as beautiful as that boy before.
He saw him every time he came by the beach. Sometimes he's sitting on the sand and sometimes he's restocking the shelves in the souvenir shop next to the lifeguard house. Yet every single time Aron has encountered him, he never mustered up the courage to talk to him. He always figured that there was no point as he's really only here for three days every two months.
But there was always this insistent prodding in the back of his mind telling him to just go for it.
"Earth to Kwak? Kwak are you there?" Came Minki's voice from right behind him and Aron tried, but utterly failed, to not look shocked. "Damn, old man, you're starting to lose your hearing. Do you need me to apply you for a senior citizen's card?"
"Fuck right off, Minki." His younger roommate laughs heartily and slings an arm around his shoulders. He pouts as Minki looks down at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He curses the fact that Minki is taller than him. He shrugs Minki's arm off of him, bending down to finish packing. "If you wanted to go to the resort with me, you should have just asked. Instead of trying to make me feel guilty for going to the resort by myself."
"Oh I wasn't making you feel guilty, silly. I know it's some sort of tradition for you at this point." Minki shakes his head and plops down next to his duffle bag. "I'm just wondering when you're going to tell me about whoever has been on your mind lately." Aron freezes while packing for a split second and Minki grins triumphantly.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Cut the bullshit. You always have this dopey smile on your face every time you come back—"
"Because I'm relaxed —"
"Sure. Relaxed." Aron ignores the shit eating grin on Minki's face and continues to pack for his trip. "So… Who is it?"
Aron nearly cuts his finger on the duffle bag zipper. "What?"
"You heard me. Who is it?"
"Minki—"
"Fine!" Minki dramatically falls on to his own bed. "Don't tell me. I'll just be doomed to wonder whoever it is for eternity ."
Aron shakes his head with a sigh. He knows who Minki is talking about. How could he not think of him right when Minki even mentioned an inkling of him? He couldn't help the small smile that he promptly hid away from his roommate at the thought of him again. It's not that he doesn't want to tell Minki his name.
It's that he doesn't actually know his name.
It's kind of tragic, really. Stupid if one were to be a little less verbose with it. For almost four years he's been visiting the resort and he still never learned his handsome stranger's name. But he always knows where he hangs out. He likes to sit on the beach, just a hair's breadth away from the tide touching his toes. He always has a sketchbook with him and a tiny pile of charcoal and pencils to his right side. Never his left. His left side has a polaroid camera peeking out from a little brown satchel.
Sometimes he'd see him at the beach gift shop just below the lifeguard house. He's usually rearranging the shirts and knick-knacks that the little kids messed around with. Other times he's behind the counter, a flower tucked behind his ear and a pencil in his hand. When a customer isn't buying anything, he'd be sketching again. Aron wonders why he never walked up to him to ask what he draws.
It's tragic and stupid that he knows all these little details about him. It's tragic and stupid especially since he doesn't know his name. Maybe he should change that.
He looks up from his now completely packed suitcase, a glint of determination in his eyes. He has three days at the resort again and in those three days he'll be on a mission:
To learn his handsome stranger's name.
"Minhyun, do you mind taking the afternoon shift today? I'm bringing my little girl to her first recital tonight and I don't want to be late."
Minhyun was already donning his apron when Raina, one of their souvenir shop employees, approached him. He smiles at her reassuringly, telling her to go say hi to Didi for him. Raina giggles and places a motherly kiss on Minhyun's forehead. "You're so sweet, dear. I'll make sure to let Didi know you're rooting for her."
With that, he waves goodbye as Raina exits the shop. He looks around, making sure that there's currently nothing out of place before he takes out his sketchbook and pencil case. It's rare that the shop is empty and quiet like this. Even if Minhyun genuinely enjoys tending to customers, it's nice to be alone once in a while. He opens to a blank page in his sketchbook and lets his mind wonder as his pencil touches the paper. Since he doesn't have a subject right now, he usually lets his hand do its thing. He sketches from memory sometimes and it always surprises him when the image comes into fruition.
It comes as an even bigger surprise when he looks closely at the details of his sketch and realizes that it's… A man. He squints at it for a few more seconds before his eyes widen in recognition. Oh. Oh dear. He started to sketch Aron from memory. He blushed in embarrassment even if nobody can see him. How many times has he stared at Aron for him to sketch him completely from memory?
"I see you're sketching again."
He snaps out of his thoughts immediately to tend to the customer. But he makes the mistake of not closing his sketchbook because Minhyun nearly drops his pencil when he looks up.
Right in front of him, was the subject of his sketch, the man on the page, Aron Kwak.
"G-Good afternoon, sir! Welcome to the Hwang Family gift shop." He tries to save face by reciting the scripted greeting but the amused smile on Aron's lips tells him he's still blushing red as a tomato. "I-It's nice to see you, Aron."
Aron raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at the exact moment Minhyun realized that he fucked up. "It's nice to see you too. I guess I didn't have to introduce myself, huh?"
Just stab yourself in the eye with your pencil, Minhyun. Maybe he'll forget how much of a dumbass you are if you're writhing in pain. For a split second, Minhyun seriously considers this idea but quickly snaps out of it. Aron is still waiting for a response from him and he's just spent the last few seconds staring at him.
"Uh… Sorry. The name's Minhyun. Hwang Minhyun."
It was Aron's turn to look shocked and Minhyun's heart completely stops beating when he lets out a little breathy laugh. "Holy shit. I do know your name. You're Mr. Hwang's son?"
"The one and only," Minhyun says with a little smile. Aron smiles back at him. This isn't good for his heart. "D-Does dad mention me a lot?"
"Does he ever ," Aron leans forward on the counter right beside Minhyun's sketchbook. "Doesn't stop talking about you. And yet this is the first time I ever really met you."
"I hope he talks about good things then," Minhyun mumbles shyly.
Aron gives him a reassuring smile. "Only the best things."
Minhyun was just about to respond when Aron's eyes wander to the still open sketchbook beside him. Minhyun almost lets out an ungodly scream as he lunges for the sketchbook the same time Aron lays a hand on it. For what feels like a million seconds, their hands are touching and neither of them seem to want to pull away. Minhyun wonders if this is how female protagonists feel in dramas when the cool handsome guy accidentally touches their hands.
Minhyun refuses to look up. Refuses to show Aron how red his face is and the trembling of his lips. But Aron does it for him, tilts his chin up with his finger, and Minhyun has to clutch on to the counter for support.
"You don't have to show me." Just add another thing to the list of surprises Aron has done today. He watches Aron close the sketchbook without looking at the cursed page and slides it closer to Minhyun. "If you don't want me to."
And here comes another surprise. The way Aron's eyes are filled with a reassuring warmth that makes Minhyun want to swim in those chocolate brown irises. The way Aron's lips are curled up at one side and parted slightly. The way Aron just wordlessly assures him that whatever he wants to show him, he will show him in due time.
"I do." Came the startled but quiet response from Minhyun's lips. "S-Show you, I mean."
He doesn't know what compels him to shakily open up his sketchbook for him but maybe the way Aron's eyes are sparkling as he looks at Minhyun's sketches will be the image burned into his memory forever. Maybe the way Aron is still holding his hand is what keeps him anchored to this moment.
Maybe it's the promise of a new start that's helping him turn the pages.
The next day, Minhyun doesn't have work so he's up bright and early to watch the sunrise in his usual spot on the beach.
Only, this time, someone else is sitting there. Yet, this time, Minhyun knows exactly who it is.
"Good morning," he whispers, sitting right next to Aron. The man smiles at him, warm as the sun's rays that will soon rise above the ocean. Minhyun hopes his blush isn't as prominent this time. "You're sitting on my spot."
Aron jumps a little, standing up as if the sand scorched his skin. "Oh! I'm so sorry—"
"It's okay!" Minhyun reassures him, maybe a little panicked. He was trying to be… flirty . Clearly, Minhyun needs a little more practice. "I-I just usually sit there for the sunrise but… I don't mind… If you're there."
Aron stares at him for a bit, almost as if he still needed a clearer permit to sit down at Minhyun's sacred spot. So, Minhyun followed his instincts and quietly grabbed Aron's hand. He gently tugged down until Aron got the message and slowly sat back down next to him. They stay quiet for a few more minutes, drinking in the sounds of the waves and occasional seagull. Minhyun's fingers twitch and that's when he realizes that he's still holding Aron's hand.
He looks at the older boy and sees how serene his expression is. It's as if Minhyun is staring at a statue or a painted portrait. At some point, the sun starts rising over the horizon but for the first time in Minhyun's life, he's staring at something much brighter, much warmer. He watches the sun's rays embrace Aron's face in a beautiful orange-yellow glow. Minhyun can't help himself in the moment. He can't help his hands automatically go to the trusty gadget in his bag and…
Click!
Aron turns to him abruptly and Minhyun tries to hide the camera behind his back to no avail. Aron wordlessly holds his hand out and Minhyun places the still developing polaroid onto his palm. They both watch the picture come into focus until the still frame of Aron smiling while watching the sunrise is clear. Minhyun admires it for a bit, not ever noticing that Aron has stopped looking at the polaroid.
"It turned out better than I expected. You look great." Minhyun says with a happy little sigh. Aron smiles at him.
"Yeah. You're a great photographer."
"Oh gosh no. I just have this old thing," Minhyun holds out the little old camera between his hands. Even as his tone seems dismissive, he still holds the camera with such delicate care. "Pretty sure they won't sell film for this soon."
"I don't know. People are starting to like the vintage look again. You better hold on to that," Aron nudges Minhyun's shoulder softly. "You might end up still needing it."
"For what?"
Aron shrugs. "I don't know. Isn't that what makes it fun?"
For some reason, Minhyun understands him completely. "Yeah. Maybe I could take more pictures of you."
Aron giggles at that, running a hand through his hair with a laugh. Minhyun isn't even ashamed anymore with how much he's staring. "Take as many pictures as you want. As long as I get to take pictures of you in return."
"Afraid you'll forget about me?" Minhyun asks, half-teasing. Aron stares back at him this time and Minhyun catches his breath hitch. Minhyun's might be caught in his throat too. He isn't stupid. Aron isn't going to stay here forever. Even if he begs him, he still has to check out and go back to university. He won't be back until who knows how long. It hurts a little to know that he finally got to talk to Aron, learn more about him and now watch the sunrise with him and not have it happen everyday from now on.
And he isn't completely sure if Aron feels the same way.
Just as he's about to speak again, Aron leans closer. Minhyun is frozen in his spot, unable to figure out Aron's next move. His heart races faster and faster until Aron is only a breath away from him, their foreheads touching, and their lips only centimeters apart. Aron stays there for a few seconds, savoring this moment and Minhyun feels his heart grow three times bigger when Aron brushes his fingers against Minhyun's cheek.
"I could never forget you."
And it's in that exact second, where Minhyun takes a breath, that Aron closes the gap between their lips with all the tenderness he could muster. Minhyun feels his head spin as he attempts to kiss back. He's never really done this before and, judging by Aron's chuckle, he knows. Before he could pull away in embarrassment, Aron simply guides his chin again with two fingers, and tilts his head a certain angle that makes Minhyun's heart explode.
Minhyun always loved to look at beautiful things. But this is the very first time that Minhyun feels beautiful.
Aron soon pulls away a little too early for Minhyun's liking and he smiles while watching the younger boy chase his lips with a little whimper. He allows Minhyun to give him even smaller kisses, kisses that still mean the world to him. Between each little kiss, Aron's smile grows wider and Minhyun's cheeks flush redder.
They stay like that for a split second, the world stopping in its tracks as they get lost in each other's eyes. Until Minhyun asks the question that has been plaguing his mind all morning. "You'll be back soon, right?"
Aron rubs their noses together, earning a surprised giggle from Minhyun. "I'll come back for you. Always."
Then he seals that promise with one more kiss.
When Aron comes back to the dorm, he isn't even trying to hide his dopey smile. Minki comments on it until he finally gets tired and falls asleep. The drive was long and gruelling but with every passing thought of Minhyun, his smile, his laugh, his charcoal covered hands on his little sketchbook or even the silent click of his polaroid camera, got him through even the heaviest traffic jams. He's content to finally start to get to know the boy he's been pining after for years yet he's… unsatisfied that their time together was cut short.
After throwing a blanket over Minki's sleeping form, Aron climbs into his own bed, checking his phone calendar for the next time he's going to the resort. After a few seconds of scrolling, he sees that he's booked for another trip in a month. He frowns a bit at that. A month . That's a bit long. But he can't book anytime soon. He's packed for the next few weeks with school work.
Just as he's about to turn in for the night, he notices that he still kept his luggage open. He wouldn't want Minki to go digging through that. He's got… A lot of pictures of Minhyun in there and he's personally not ready to share him with anyone else yet. He moves to fix the stuff inside to set aside for the next day when he feels something inside his jacket pocket, the jacket he was wearing the night before he left. He fishes it out and discovers a little yellow envelope with careful handwriting on the front that says To Aron. Without hesitation, Aron opens it and reads;
Dear Aron,
There are a lot of things I still want to tell you. A lot of things I want you to tell me, too. And it's kind of old school isn't it? Me writing you a letter. Sorry, I don't exactly have a cellphone. I'll make sure to ask for one on my next birthday or Christmas so that I don't have to write you letters. Do you want that? I'd like to keep in contact with you in between your visits. I want to know what university is like. I want to know who your annoying roommate is. Your orgs, your subjects in school, everything.
I want to know the city you live in. I want to know Seoul through your eyes. I'm sure it's just as beautiful as others have described it to me. But I bet it's even more beautiful if you tell me yourself.
I just want to know everything about you. And I want you to know everything about me.
But I'll wait. I've done so before. I think it's just more different now that I finally know you. You can write back if you want to. Help me fulfill my ancient long-distance lovers k-drama fantasy.
The wait will feel a little more excruciating but hey… You're waiting for me too, right?
I'll be right here when you come back. Same time and place on the beach. This time, I'll bring drinks. Bring stories with you.
Yours,
Minhyun
Aron holds the letter to his chest, feeling his heartbeat against the swirling ink of Minhyun's handwriting. He reads the letter, over and over again until his eyelids can't stay open and his brain has completely memorized it word for word. He makes a mental note to send a letter tomorrow afternoon as he snuggles into bed with a content sigh.
Aron looks out at the window and he smiles beneath the moonlight, wondering if Minhyun is doing the same.