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I loved going to the pier every evening, watching the sun dip into the ocean as colours burst across the sky. It was my escape, my little corner of peace. No one was ever there, which was perfect—I could snap my photos and enjoy the quiet.
But one day, just as I set up my camera, I noticed I wasn't alone. Sungho was leaning against the railing, his gaze on the horizon. I knew him, of course. Everyone knew Sungho, captain of the soccer team and the guy who always had a crowd around him. But he seemed different here—quiet like he was searching for something.
I figured he'd leave soon, but he was there again the next day. And the next. Neither of us said anything to the other; we just stood there, both lost in our thoughts. A part of me found it comforting to see him there. I wasn't alone anymore.
One evening, just as I was adjusting the focus on my camera, it slipped from my hands, hitting the wooden pier with a loud clatter. My heart dropped when I saw the cracked lens. My camera was old, and I couldn't afford to replace it anytime soon.
"Camera trouble?" a voice asked.
I looked up to see Sungho watching me, a slight smile on his face.
"Yeah... it's broken," I replied, holding up the cracked lens with a sigh.
Without saying anything, he pulled out his phone and held it out to me. "Want to use mine? The camera's pretty good."
For a second, I hesitated. But I took it, snapping a few shots of the sunset before handing it back. "Thanks."
He shrugged. "No problem. You're here a lot, aren't you?"
"Yeah, it helps me think."
"Same," he said, surprising me. I'd always thought of him as the guy with everything together. But here he was, saying he needed to escape, just like I did.
...
A few days later, I got a text from an unknown number.
Unknown
Guess who got your number?
Sungho?
Ding Dong! Hope it's okay. I may have bribed Riwoo to get it.
Bribed him with what?
My mom's doughnut. He was pretty desperate.
I guess I can't blame him. Donut and him are inseparable.
So...sunsets pier tonight?
Wouldn't miss it.
...
After that, our evening visits felt different. We'd text throughout the day, talking about everything and nothing. When we met up at the pier, our conversations picked up where we'd left off. It felt like we'd known each other forever.
One night, just as we reached the pier, it started raining. I turned to leave, but Sungho grabbed my hand, pulling me under a big tree by the beach to stay dry.
"Can't let a little rain ruin our sunset," he grinned.
The sunset was muted that day, hidden by clouds, but I didn't mind. We shared stories from our childhood, laughing until my cheeks hurt. Sungho told me about the time he tried to impress everyone by jumping off the school stage and ended up spraining his ankle. I couldn't stop laughing, picturing it.
As the rain let up, he looked at me, a soft smile on his face. "Jiyeon... I never thought I'd meet someone who gets it."
I felt my cheeks warm. "Gets what?"
"This," he said, gesturing around us. "The quiet moments, not having to pretend."
I smiled back. "Me too."
...
A few days later, Sungho sent me a text out of the blue.
pretty yeppi
free tomorrow?
for what?
thought we would go somewhere besides the pier for once.
...
The next day, he took me to an art museum. I couldn't believe it—no one had ever thought to go with me, and art was one of my favourite things. We wandered the halls, pointing out our favourite pieces, sometimes disagreeing about what we liked.
We stopped in front of a painting of a sunset over water, with soft waves and clouds in shades of pink and orange. Sungho nudged me. "Kind of looks like our spot at the pier, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," I said, touched that he thought of it as our spot. I took a picture of him by the painting, and he snapped one of me pretending to be deep in thought.
That evening, we walked back to the pier. I handed him a small photo I'd printed of him by the painting.
"To remember our first official day out," I said, feeling a little shy.
Sungho grinned as he looked at it. "I'll keep it forever."
...
Our texts became a daily thing. Sometimes we'd talk about serious stuff, like school and family, and other times we'd just joke around. It was like having a new best friend, someone who saw me in a way I'd never expected.
One evening, I had a rough day. My school project didn't go well, and I felt down. I texted him:
pretty yeppi
not feeling great today... maybe I'll skip the pier tonight.
Can I come over then? We can watch the sunset from your roof.
Sure.
...
When Sungho arrived, we climbed up to my rooftop with some blankets. The sunset was hidden by clouds, but his presence made everything feel a little brighter. We sat in silence, and eventually, I leaned my head on his shoulder.
"You know, Jiyeon," he murmured, "you're like my favourite part of the day now."
My heart pounded as I looked up at him. "Same here," I whispered, feeling a warm happiness fill me up.
We sat there, watching the sky grow darker, both of us knowing that sometimes, words aren't needed. In those quiet moments, I realized just how much I'd found in Sungho—a friendship, a comfort, and maybe even the beginning of something more, as gentle and steady as the setting sun.
