Classic fashion lover Bae "Giant Maknae" Suzy has spent months crushing on a witty fashion geek she only knows online as V. Two differnt countries separate them until Suzy moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing city as her o...
In the middle of July, Taehyung and I have another day off together. He tells me we can do whatever I want with it, that he's my genie and will grant me one wish. I tell him that I don't want to see another soul for an entire afternoon. I have something I'm ready to share.
He picks me up in the van at noon, two hours after my standing breakfast date with Anna.
"Where are we going?" I say, folding down the visor to block the sun as I hop into the passenger side. I'm wearing denim shorts with gold buttons and an off-the-shoulder blouse. The paired the outfit with the sunglasses Jacqueline and Appa brought me back from San Francisco.
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Taehyung glances at my sandals (they're the ones he likes), and then my shorts (which he continues to stare at while he talks to me). "You have two choices, beach or woods. The woods have a stream, which is cool, but the beach has an arch made of rock, which is likewise cool. Aish, those shorts are hot."
"Thank you. No people at either location?"
"If we see anyone, I will act crazy and chase them off with a stick. But no, both places are usually deserted."
After some thought, which including taking deep-woods insects into consideration, there's really no choice for the purpose I have in mind, so I gather my gumption and say, "Take me to the beach."
The drive is about 15 minutes. He has to squeeze through a narrow, rocky road through the woods to get to the beach, pine branches brushing against the top of the van. But when we emerge from the trees, it's glorious: sand, gray pebbles, tide pools, and rising up from the edge of the shore, an arch of mudstone rock. It's covered with birds and barnacles and the waves crash through it.
The beach is small.
The beach isn't sexy.
The beach is ours.
Taehyung parks the van near the woods. He slides open the side door, and we take off our shoes and toss them in the back. I see he's got his board and wet suit neatly stowed; he's been surfing almost everyday.
We splash around in the tide pools for a while. They're teeming with starfish, which I've only ever seen dried on a shelf in a souvenir store. He points out some other critters, but I have more than coastal California wonders on my mind. "Hey, where's the nude beach?"
"What?"
"there's supposed to be a nude beach in Moentery."
Taehyung laughs. "It's up by Beacon Resort. it's not even fifty feet wide. There's privacy fencing on the both sides. You can't see inside, nor would you want to, I promise."
"Why?"
"It's a club for retirees. Our parents are too young to get in."
"No way."
"Yes way. Ask Jacqueline. They get busted for violating after-hours noise ordinances with all their drinking parties. That's why they had to put up the fencing. People complain.
