𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒 - 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐆

01 | lemonade

The sun beamed down, usually, one would get tired or gain a headache from the hot weather of summer but not us.

We grew up in the heat, long summers were every day. Hardly did we get rain and even then it was humid.

Our town was by the beach and in town, past the long trees were creaks and lakes. We were surrounded by water. It wasn't unusual to go to the gas station or any store really and see teens in their bathing suits because, for us, that was our everyday casual fit.

If it wasn't swimsuits it was shorts and thin shirts, anything to keep us from overheating. The beach-the water in general was our home. You will always find us there.

It didn't matter if you were popular or a nobody, you were there. Laughing, having fun with your friends. You didn't have to get in the water to have fun, you could stay by the shore-in the sand and still have fun.

That's where I was, sitting on a beach alongside one of my best friends Hyunjin. The sun was still bright in the sky but soon it would be gone.

It was the last few days of summer, leading up to the new school year. Our last school year.

It was tradition for all the students to come to the beach on the last Friday of summer to start the new year on a positive and fun note.

That's what we were doing, tonight was bonfire night. The only thing that mattered was if you were having fun or wasting it by staying in.

"I hate him" I turn to Hyunjin who has a look of disgust on his face.

"Nice seeing y'all here" I look to the boy in front of us. Seungmin, standing tall and with a smug smile on his face.

I decided to sit this one out as I've watched these two banter back and forth for years now.

Hyunjin fake laughs and says "That's funny, we're here every year, while you and your douche friends go to the lake"

Hyunjin was right. We were here every year since freshman year, because this tradition. While on the other hand, Seungmin and his friends group never came. They always went down to the lake and got shit faced without a care.

How did I know? Well my brother was one of them and I always was the one covering for him.

Seungmin shrugs "What can I say, we wanted to find out what all the hype was about that surrounds this stupid tradition"

Hyunjin scoffs "It isn't stupid! What's stupid is-"

"And this is my cue to leave" I stand up and walk away from the two, hearing them go back and forth.

My eyes gaze around the beach to see different groups and some people playing beach volleyball. I pull at my white loose fitted button down, covering up my exposed chest.

Walking up to a lemonade truck and smiling at the little girl. This lemonade truck is here every year for this very tradition.

"Just one, please" I hand the little girl money and she takes it happily.

As I waited, strong arms wrap around my body and spun me around making me laugh. Putting me down, I turn to face him.

Him, being Dylan. My boyfriend of three years. It's one of those relationships when you didn't know the other before dating, just one day y'all meet and take a liking to one another-deciding to get to know each other and it somehow leads to a relationship that neither of you expects. Yeah, that was us.

We were the perfect match, some would even go as far as to say soulmates. He was the typical sweetheart that everyone loved, the boy everyone's parents would love.

And I, I was the same. Not that I tried to be perfect and loved by everyone. I think I only became the center of attention when Dylan and I started dating, before that I was practically invisible.

"Finally I found you" His arms were wrapped around my body and I held his biceps that were exposed for everyone to see as he was shirtless and only had on swim shorts.

"I was with Hyunjin out on the sand by the shore," I said, pushing him off and turning around. Grabbing the lemonade "Thank you" I whisper to the little girl and she shyly hides behind her mother.

I turn around and Dylan looks at me with a soft smile "Don't look like that" I said, sipping the cold drink and walking back to Hyunjin who I abandoned.

Dylan slings his arm around my shoulder as we walk slowly to the boy who now sat by himself, staring down at a book.

"I love how nice you are babe" I look up past my lashes and see Dylan smiling down at me.

I stop walking and turn to him, making him do the same. "You confuse me"

Dylan chuckled "How?"

I shrug "Because these three years we been together you-you always start an argument on how I'm too nice to everyone-"

"No, I start them because you are nice to the boys that are flirting with you"

I cross my arms "Not every boy that I talk to is flirting with me"

Dylan sighs loudly and looks out to the waters, "Let's not start this Jisung" He looks at me "We're here to have fun not fight"

"I'm not starting a fight, I'm simply asking you what you want from me. To be nice or to be a complete asshole like the rest of your friends?"

"I want you to stop being nice to guys that are into you that's all I ask!"

I scoff "Your so fucking insecure" I mumble, turning around and walking away.

"Me? Jisung you are the most insecure person I know!" I froze, swallowing harshly and feeling my eyes well up in tears.

I continue walking to Hyunjin, sitting down "Finally, I was starting to think you got kidna-" He turns to me and shuts up when he sees the tears on my cheeks. "What happened?" He scoots toward me and I look at him.

"Nothing," I said with a breathy chuckle, wiping my tears.

"It was Dylan wasn't it?" Hyunjin shook his head and wrapped an arm around me "Leave him already, he's such a dick to you"

I turn my head and look behind up to see Dylan long gone, probably with his friends somewhere drinking like he tends to do a lot now.

I look back ahead and sigh "It's a lot more complicated than that"

Hyunjin leans his head on my shoulder as we watch some of the other students play in the water or surf out in the distance.

"He's not worth it, not if you have to go through all this"

I bite my bottom lip and just stare out to the water, knowing tonight was gonna be a long night.