poems by the shore

o2

the train comes to a steady halt at their stop, jisung and his dad gathering his bag and making their way to the city. it felt like an hour had gone when they pass by a quaint cafe a few minutes away from his dad's complex.

jisung sets his bag under the table and checks his phone to find it filled with messages from felix. he'd asked where the boy was, how the ride was going, if he'd seen any pretty girls or boys along the way.

jisung smiles and replies to each message as thoroughly as possible before felix could send another.

his father comes back to their table holding an iced tea and americano. he takes the iced tea and drinks a large sip before asking how far they had left to walk.

"we're not too far. maybe a couple more minutes," his dad answers.

he nods and looks out the window beside their table, catching a glimpse of the ocean. it shines almost a pale baby blue but the very far edges flicker a deep navy blue. his dad clears his throat. "we can go to the beach after we drop off your bag at home," he offers.

jisung shakes his head. "it's okay. i'm kinda tired. i was thinking of just staying in today." his dad nods slowly. the boy notices a hint of guilt, having taken him from his mother's place and friend's side.

he smiles softly and says they can take a quick trip to the beach before lunch. his dad nods happily and they finish their drinks, dropping jisung's bag in his dad's apartment, and walking along the beach shore.

the sun beams lightly on him as he glides along, his father following beside him. "it's pretty, right?" his dad asks. jisung nods, commenting that the water looks clearer than most. his father agrees.

they only spend about an hour together at the shore before his dad tells him he has to get ready for work. jisung waves at him as he goes. "see you at home tonight," his dad smiles.

the boy replies similarly and turns back to the waves that crash carefully by his feet. he pushes at sand that gets pulled in by the ocean's foam nipping at the ground. jisung continues along the shoreline, letting time pass him by.

when he decides to go back to his dad's complex, a soft voice catches his attention. he glances around until his eyes rest on a raven haired boy playing a guitar at the edge of the boardwalk.

he goes closer to hear the boy's voice better, stopping several steps away. it's almost like honey drips from the raven haired boy, jisung sipping each milligram from the pink and ample lips.

the boy holds the last note, strumming the last string, and sets his guitar in its case beside him in the sand. the select few that had stopped to listen applaud him and depart the edge he sits at.

jisung thinks for a moment before approaching. "hey, i just wanted to say that," he stutters. "you have a really nice voice." he smiles.

the raven haired boy smiles and thanks him. jisung doesn't seem to want to leave him, so he continues. "do you usually play your guitar here?" the boy replies that he doesn't, but today he wanted to see the sea.

"if i did, would that have been a problem?"

jisung shakes his head a bit too aggressively and the boy smiles. "i was just curious."

the boy hums and looks down at his phone, glancing back up at jisung, and says he has to run. "i'll try coming back soon. maybe, i'll get you to regret saying it wasn't a problem." 

he chuckles nervously.

when the boy smiles and walks off, jisung hurriedly messages felix. he has to tell his friend the thoughts that now run rampant at the mad hour of sunrise. anticipation grows in him, hoping the boy plays his guitar at the beach again soon as he said earlier that day.

jisung sighs loudly in bed, hoping.