Thirty-One Days

Day 7 - Name

When Capt. Ri Jeong Hyeok heard Yoon Seri's name for the first time, he knew something's terribly wrong with him. Here are my untold scenes and musings of RJH that night at the fishing boat until the next morning for CLOYtober. Please enjoy. 💑 💕

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NAME

"Since I won't see you again, let me tell you this. My name is Yoon Se-ri."

The moment she told me her name that quiet night at sea, I knew something inside me stirred. To keep a close eye on her was a tall order I gave myself even when I knew I may never see her again.

Se-ri...

Her name sounds as beautiful as her face. It suits her well. Inside the boat, I repeated her name in my mind until it became like a soothing meditation. My calm.

And from that night on, I knew with certitude that my life was about to change.

Especially when I gave my name in return.

She excitedly thought we could belong to the same clan. It was the first time that I could not resist from smiling back genuinely and directly at Se-ri.

Se-ri...

When she missed the vessel that was supposed to send her home, I felt sad knowing how desperate she was. But with all honesty, I knew I was not being truthful to myself.  Part of me wanted to see her more. Get to know her more. Take good care of her more. Protect her more.

For what were the odds for a man from the North to find out a woman's name from the South, and kiss her twice in one night?

Was fate playing a trick on us?

We got home very late with a failed pursuit, and with me being forced into a promise to get her the best espresso in Gangnam next week. What an impossible lady this Se-ri is!

Se-ri...

I'm beginning to love the sound of her name in my mind -- more so from my lips. And I cannot wait for sunrise to come so that I could greet her good morning.

I was like a smitten teenager rehearsing the line "Good morning, Yoon Se-ri" in different tones on whisper mode just to get the sound right until I dozed off with my uniform still on. Both of which were totally out of my character.

But the sound of the closing gate before daybreak woke me up to find her gone.

No, it can't be. I have to find her whatever it takes. It should be another 15 days until the next boat transfer, right? That's 15 days worth of chances to hear my voice calling her name, and be heard. I'll take them all.

I found her. Just when she's about to jump off the cliff wearing her salvaged paragliding gear, I joined her. 

"Hold tight."

"I have to."

God knows how far this growing feeling will take me. But one thing I am sure of. That Yoon Se-ri is a name I want to hold close to my heart for a long, long time...

-Ends-