𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫? - 𝐓𝐌𝐑 𝐀𝐔, 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐨

029 - second walk

I'm so glad to be out of that filthy cabin.

The sun hangs low in the sky, casting warm golden rays over the beach as I walk along the shoreline. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore feels soothing. After everything that happened earlier, I need this moment of relaxation. A moment to myself. I can still feel the tension in my muscles, the lingering anger from our fight, and the harsh words she said to me echoing in my mind.

I pause for a moment, staring out at the endless view of blue. The ocean stretches before me, and I'm finally able to breathe after the atmosphere of that cabin. I kick at the sand with my toes, watching the grains scatter and settle. Why can't I just shake off the anger and hurt? It's not like I wanted to fight with Astrid. I didn't want to feel this weight in my chest, this constant reminder of how everything is out of control. How everything is going wrong.

Well, I kind of like fighting with her, but... you know what I mean.

As I stroll further down the beach, I let the cool water hit my feet. It's refreshing, relaxing. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, inhaling the salty air, hoping I can find some peace. But the memories of the cabin seep back in. The way Astrid looked at me, her mockery cutting deep, the way I reacted. How could I let her get under my skin like that?

I should be stronger. I shouldn't let her words affect me so much. But I can't...

The sound of footsteps behind me breaks me from my train of thought, pulling me out of my overthinking state. I turn to see Minho approaching, his gelled hair flowing with the ocean breeze, a concerned expression planted on his face. My heart skips a beat. It's still strange how easily he can shift my mood, how just his presence can bring me comfort.

"Hey," he says softly. "You okay? I was looking for you the whole day."

I let out a deep breath. "Trapped in the 'consequence cabin,'" I explain. "With Astrid."

"Oh, what happened? Did she do something to you?"

"No, it was my fault."

"You?"

"Me. We were cooking the chocolate cake together, she said some shit about how I got stabbed, I punched her."

His eyes widen. "You... punched her?"

I nod in response.

"I'm proud of you, Ley." The wide smile on his face must be contagious; the same one appears on my own face.

"Well, thank you."

"You're very welcome." He holds his arm out for me. "Shall we walk."

I chuckle slightly. "We shall."

I take his arm and we begin to walk together down the beach, our feet digging into the soft sand.

"How're you doing?" I ask.

"Good," he replies. "Haven't cut again. How about you?"

"I'm exhausted." A humourless laugh escapes me.

"Aren't we all?"

I nod. "Life is exhausting."

"Yeah, it really is."

I glance over at the waves. The moonlight casts a silvery glow on them as Minho and I continue to walk. I focus on the soothing sound of the waves hitting the sand, almost reaching our feet. It's relaxing.

"I've been thinking," Minho states abruptly.

"About what?"

"Everything—Brenda, our friends, my family, you."

Me, me, me, me, me, me, me—

I need to calm down.

"It feels like everything is piling up," I say. "Everything is getting too much. I was hoping to have a relaxing camp. Not this."

Not getting my nudes spread, getting stalked, getting stabbed, getting into fights, falling in love—

Falling in love?

"Yeah, and it's gotten way too much," he admits.

I nod, completely understanding what he's talking about. "Honestly, I'm really enjoying these late–night walks."

"They're peaceful," Minho agrees, glancing at the stars twinkling above us. "It feels good to escape everything for a bit. Escaping all the drama that's been going on around us."

"Right? Just us and the calming feeling of the beach," I say, letting the moment sink in. "It's like the world fades away."

All thoughts of Tyler fade away.

He smiles softly, and I can't help but return it. "I've missed moments like this," he admits. "We really need to go back to the treehouse sometime."

I don't want to walk outside alone.

"Yeah, I agree. It's nice to just talk without all the chaos around." I pause, taking a deep breath, the salty air filling my lungs. "Sometimes I feel like I can breathe easier at night."

I feel like I'm not being watched, although I probably am.

"Same here," he says, his eyes searching mine. "Everything feels a little less overwhelming when the sun goes down."

As we walk, I feel the weight of my worries lighten just a bit. There's something about sharing these moments with Minho that makes me feel more safe, like maybe I'm not as alone as I often think.

I'm never alone, I'm always being watched... Okay, not a funny joke.

"What do you think the future holds for us?" I ask, suddenly curious.

He shrugs, a thoughtful expression crossing over his face. "I don't know, but I hope it's filled with more nights like this. Just being ourselves."

I'm not being myself. I'm hiding things.

I nod, a warmth spreading through me. "Yeah, me too."

"What are we doing tomorrow?" I ask.

"More art," Minho replies, though his tone seems slightly annoyed.

"Oh. I'll probably not go," I say, shrugging. "I hate art."

I also hate being stalked, but there's no way to stop Tyler.