I call him a luxury because he feels like an extravagance—something I’m treating myself to, above and beyond what I would usually allow myself to have. And that’s not wrong, but, fuck, he is so much more than that.
At this point, I almost can’t remember what I was doing before we got together. What was I like before him?
My life changed when Sun showed up.
By the most general definition, the day starts when the sun rises. Arrives.
I’d never considered my life dark, but I didn’t know what I was waiting for until he came along.
He’s the Sun for me; my daylight.
Now that I have experienced what it’s like to have him around—have him with me—I can’t imagine being without him. Not here, not in Seoul.
“Hyung!”
Like magic, Sun appears, strolling out the back door of my parents house, trying to juggle a couple of tangerines like my father showed him how to do. He fails almost instantly and pouts so spectacularly that I have to get up and pull him to me for a kiss that tastes like the honey pear tea he’d been drinking with my mom earlier.
Giggling as he pulls away, he scoops up the fruits and tosses one to me. “Thought I’d grab some to keep you out of trouble.”
“Thanks,” I grumble, giving his ass a quick smack before Itake his hand and walk to the car. I kiss him again as I open the door, waiting for him to slide inside. Once he’s settled, I jog around to the driver’s side and get in, and he asks where we’re going. “I didn’t tell you earlier, and I’m not going to tell you now,” I tease.
Sun’s lower lip juts out again, because he knows I’m so weak for it. “It’s our last day here, and you’re not being nice to me. Don’t make me tell eomma.”
“Wow. You really just said that.” I may pretend to be offended, but I couldn’t be happier with the way they’ve become close so quickly.
He nods, smug. “I did. She said I should report back to her.”
“On what??” I ask, in what might be considered a yelp.
Sun smiles. “You, of course. You know we’re going to text all the time now.”
“Betrayed by my own mother,” I mutter, trying my best to fight a grin.
I have always known my parents are good people—the best people—but they have proven themselves over and over again with Sun. From not giving a moment of hesitation or unease when I told them about him to naturally including him like he’s already family, I realize I am so much luckier than many others.
It’s a short drive to our destination, with Sun gazing contentedly out the window at the landscape as it passes by. As soon as I turn down the short, dusty road, he sits up quickly, excited.
“Are we at the beach?” His eyes are wide as he grabs at my arm. “You brought me to the beach?”
Nodding, I park the car. “For sunset. Or what we can see of it here.”
He jumps out of the car instantly, running along the well-worn footpath toward the sand before I can even grab the blanket I stashed in the backseat. I had intended for this to be a simple, romantic moment, just the two of us, before we haveto go back to Seoul in the morning, but it feels like more than that now.
I can see him at the edge of the water, phone out, likely filming, and he spins around to point his phone at me as I approach. I blow him a kiss with my free hand, and he laughs, delighted, the wind carrying the sound out to get caught up in the waves.
Spreading the blanket out and sinking down into it, I lean back on my hands and just watch him as he dances around. It’s not quite warm enough to go barefoot, but he does it anyway, tossing his shoes toward me, then sticking his toes into the water and shrieking. Then he does it again and again, kicking at the water like he’s mad that it’s still cold.
It might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
Sun pokes around for a bit, picking up some shells and what he swears is sea glass, before he joins me, situating himself in my lap. It’s easy, the way we come together now, arranging ourselves in the ways that fit each other best. There’s a very specific sort of comfort and familiarity in it that I enjoy more than I would have ever expected.
He snuggles back against me, head resting on my shoulder. “Was this one of your favorite spots as a kid?”
“Not as a kid. We went to a different beach as a family or when I was with friends. I found this little one as a teenager. I’d come here when I wanted a few minutes to myself,” I tell him. “It’s probably the place I think about the most. I always visit whenever I’m on the island.”
Sun hums in acknowledgement, then comments, “But you wanted to bring me here, even though you usually come alone.”
“Yeah, I did,” I reply, pressing a kiss wherever my lips land when I tilt my head toward him. “I want to share a lot of things with you.”
