THE PERFECT TWIN

Chapter 9: Soft sand on my feet

"Don't mind my silly brother! Lets have a good time ourselves!" Wangji declared as he slid open the folding doors of the porch. Attached to the porch were a series of steps leading to the white sandy goodness below.

Wangji opened his luggage and changed into shorts and a colorful beach shirt. He also took out his camera. Xiaozhan had brought his digital camera as well. He looked at the black bulky dslr on Wangji's hand and saw a different image of Yibo. It was refreshing and intriguing at the same time.

"Lets go catch the sunset" he said

Xiaozhan had changed into shorts as well and hurriedly followed him out with his small digital camera.

They wore the matching rubber slippers provided in the hotel rooms for their guests and plunged their feet onto the soft sand. It was summer and evening the air was warm and smelled salty. The damp breeze blew on their faces carrying traces of soft sand and a refreshing scent of the sea.

The sun sank slowly in the horizon. The sky was a beautiful layers of salmon, peach, crimson and violet.

"Xiaozhan! Look over here!"

Xiaozhan quickly turned to face Wangji who took pictures of him right away.

"Hey tell me if you're gonna take pictures of me. I'll need to pose to look good!"

"Naah.. You're naturally good looking and I prefer to take pictures naturally. You don't have to pose. That way you will not be conscious of the camera and your expressions would be more natural as well."

"Ohh? Okay."

They continued to take pictures with their respective cameras. Xiaozhan took some pictures of the grains of sand on their feet, the colorful sunset, the foamy waves and the sligtly puffed up sand as the waves rolled on to it then fell back into the sea.

Soon, the sky turned dark and it was too dark to take pictures. Xiaozhan realized that both Wangji and him had walked further from eachother as they were both engrossed in their respective phototaking.

In the distance, he saw Wangji approaching him carrying a bucket he had found. He looked like a much younger version of Yibo relaxed in his beach shirt carrying a bucket full of excitement. Xiaozhan could not help but smile, touched at the adorable scene.

"Hey look what I got us"

Xiaozhan looked inside the bucket and it was filled with various sea shells of different shapes and colors. They looked freshly picked since sand and seawater were still stuck around them.

"Woww!! They're lovely! Thank you!"

"No worries! We could take more pictures later inside the room. or tomorrow as well."

Sea shells.. They were lovely! What a great item to add to his paintings. Why didn't he think of that before.

Soon, the hotel staff in uniform approached them.

This way to your dinner reservation sirs.

"Dinner? Did I order dinner?"

"It was pre ordered before you arrived sir."

The waiter politely answered.

The waiter led them across the soft sand into the colorfully lit tent. Lanterns were placed on the sandy patches around the tent that was lit by porcelain candles and strings of christmas lights draped from the top. The table was short, like dining tables in tatami clad japanese restaurant. It was about thirty centimeters above the sand and the space below was just enough to stretch his long legs across. White table cloth fluttered with the sea breeze and they sat on cushions with sand brushing on their feet.