our delicate string | 최범규

16: snow on the beach.

[ ❄️ ]

"WHERE ARE YOU taking me?" Aera asked as Beomgyu stood behind her, covering her eyes. he was walking the sidewalk with her as he waved goodbye to his taxi driver.

"you'll see." he laughed from behind her, making sure she didn't stumble as they entered the sand.

"i'm so scared, plus the snow is getting all over my hair." a chuckle left her lips as they entered the sea front. Beomgyu wiped away the snow off of her hair with one of his hands, his other one occupied with covering her eyes.

"okay, we're here." he gently lifted his hands from her face as she slowly opened her eyes. to her surprise, they watched the waves colliding with each other, missing her shoes by an inch. she watched the snow fall ever so lightly and soon become melted water. she looked at the boy behind her, stars full in her eyes.

"you remembered." she uttered under her breath as she continued to look all around her. her pink dress flowing with the wind as she twirled around in excitement. she couldn't help but smile at the thought that he remembered her dream and he made it all possible. she didn't know how or when, but he did.

"Beomgyu, you're—" she looked behind her, only to see nothing but sand and a home. "Beomgyu?" she questioned, looking all around her, placing a winded strand of hair behind her ear.

"happy birthday to you..." Beomgyu slowly walked out of the beach house with a cake and a lighter in his hands. Aera's hands clasped around her mouth as she made eye contact with the boy who came closer until he was only feet away from her, the cake creating the distance between them. he turned the lighter on and ignited the candle on the cake, the wind attempting to blow it out and beating Aera to it.

"but it isn't even my birthday yet." she smiled, a tear escaping her eye. she furrowed her eyebrows once she saw Beomgyu's consistent smiling, pulling out her phone from her coat to see the time

midnight.

"Beomgyu.." she sobbed happily.

"make a wish!" he exclaimed. the raven haired girl clasped her hands as if she were making a prayer, a long one, as she took a deep breath in and blew out the candle. she opened her eyes to see the boy looking at her fondly. he hadn't stopped, but somehow he had an even brighter smile. as if starlight itself had immersed its being into a boy who Aera could now call "mine."

i wish you and i could last a lifetime.

Aera smiled once she made her wish as they walked back to the deck of the beach house, placing the cake on top of the table.

"oh my gosh, even the cushions are pink." she exclaimed.

"that was all Taehyun's doing." Beomgyu held his hands up as if he were surrendering. "i hope everything is like you dreamed."

"you made it perfect, Beomgyu." she smiled, staring into his eyes deeply. they stayed there for a while.

how did she get so lucky? how did she find somebody as loving, caring, and impeccable as Choi Beomgyu? he articulated her every thought and created them into something even more magical. this was everything she could have ever asked for, even more. she wanted to kiss him again, let him know just how much she loved him, let him see that the stars aligned to set the two of them together.

her thoughts were interrupted as she watched the brown haired boy walk down the steps and back on the sand, taking off his shoes.

"what are you doing?" she questioned, laughing at his behavior.