Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 133

Still, Always

The picnic was peaceful, set up on a secluded stretch of sand Yoongi had scouted earlier while Aen was still asleep.

He had packed everything himself-bland, gentle foods like rice crackers, sandwiches, fresh fruit, and light herbal tea-keeping a close watch on her to make sure she was truly recovered.

​He had his camera out, busy setting up the frame to capture a few shots of them together against the backdrop of the quiet beach.

He was fiddling with the settings when a sudden movement near the shoreline caught their eyes.

​They watched in silent awe as tiny, dark shapes began to emerge from the sand, little hawksbill hatchlings clumsily but determinedly making their way toward the rhythmic pull of the tide.

​Aen couldn't resist the draw.

She stood up slowly, stepping off the blanket and moving closer to the water's edge.

This was her first time seeing them in real life, and the reality of it-the tiny, frantic movements and the sheer scale of the beach compared to them-was staggering.

As she moved to crouch down, she inadvertently stepped into a position where her silhouette loomed over the path of a hatchling.

Yoongi followed her, moving with his usual quiet, attentive grace.

Before she could even process it, Yoongi moved, stepping behind her.

He shifted her position so that his shadow and hers, fell away from the tiny creature, effectively shielding the turtle from the disruption of their presence.

He stayed close, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder to steady her, his focus sharp and observant.

​"Look, Yoon," she whispered, her eyes wide and luminous.

"Look how tiny they are."

She held her breath, mesmerized by the sheer scale of their journey.

Up close, she could see the grit of the sand on their tiny shells and the way they instinctively navigated toward the reflection of the light on the water.

​Aen felt her chest tighten.

Her eyes blurred, and before she could stop them, hot tears were tracking down her cheeks.

She watched the tiny creatures, no bigger than the palm of her hand, struggling against the weight of the sand and the vastness of the beach.

Yoongi, who had been watching the hatchlings, noticed the shift in her breathing and the way her shoulders trembled under his hands.

His own focus leaving the hatchlings entirely to center on her profile.

That was when he saw the tears.

​He crouched down beside her, his expression shifting immediately into that familiar protective concern.

He reached out, cupping her face, his thumbs gently wiping away the tears.

​"Aen-ah? Hey, what is it?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.

"Are you hurt? Did you eat something wrong again? Tell me."

​Aen let out a wet, shaky laugh, shaking her head.

She pointed toward the water, where the hatchlings were just reaching the surf.

​"No, Yoon," she sobbed softly, gesturing to their small forms.

"I just... Look at them. They're so tiny. The very first thing they have to do in this world... is fight to survive. They're so small, and they're so brave."