While wiping the water on his body, Eugene approached me, "Oh Dani, I didn't know that you were such a pervert."
I was daydreaming while hugging my knees near to my chest when a blonde-haired man obstructed my view and stood 3 meters away from me. He is shirtless and showing off his body. I ignored him, but Eugene appears to have misunderstood. Suddenly, he grabbed my chin.
I was startled by the sudden contact. His fingers are cold. When he took off his hand, it left a damp feeling on my skin. Seeing that I was finally facing him, Eugene shamelessly asked me, "Why don't you quit gawking at him? His appearance is only average. Is he even more handsome than me?"
I am wondering why every time we are stuck together, he becomes more and more ridiculous.
"No." But I answered him like that. Because I knew that he would not take the other answer.
"Hmm, I knew that." He said and patted my head, looking pleased. There's really no cure for narcissism...
Then he turned ahead, giving a dark look. The blonde guy hurried off because of him. I wonder why he came here.
"You..! Why do you look like that?"
"Like what?" I asked back.
"…Never mind." I saw how he hesitated before answering. As if he knew that I noticed it, he changed the topic.
"Oh! Don't tell me you didn't know how to swim? Is that it?" His tone was a little bit excited, as if he has discovered my weakness.
"You're wrong. I know how to swim very well. I'm very good at it."
I once even reached the shore of the next city. When I thought of that, countless fragments of memories involuntarily flashed through my head. I cast my eyes at the sun-swept sea. The one that is drawing my attention.
It's deep, wide and bottomless. To me, this is a dangerous place. While looking at the dark ocean, I thought it would not be so shocking to see a monster coming out from it. The only thing that I like is the soft golden sand that provides a comforting warmth against my feet.
•••
"It looks lonely," Belle said.
The rest gave a sigh. Looking at Dani's back, it really is. She's just standing there on the shore with her hands on her pockets. The setting of the sun is blindingly bright yet this only adds a sense of isolation. They saw the way she looks down at the small waves near her feet. Then she would take a step back, as if avoiding it. Although she keeps joking around them as usual, they can still tell that something is bothering her.
"Maybe she's thinking about something. Her mind is totally out today." Jun commented.
"Hey, Eugene! Did she wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"
"Isn't she always like that?" Eugene said in a sarcastic voice.
David yawned and then spoke, "But it's worse today."
"Just let her be." Kenneth advised.
As if sensing that they were talking behind her back, Dani turned around. They become tense when she cast her prying gaze.
"Holy shit, that's startling!"
"Shut your mouth! You're being obvious."
Now, Dani was walking forward in their direction, "What's the problem?"
Belle hooked their arms and dejectedly said, "Dani, I didn't catch a crab today."
"Crab?" She narrowed her eyes.
"You know the small crabs on the seaside. I saw children catching them but they're so agile and I couldn't even catch one."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, Dani. Do something. She's been making a fuss about it."
Dani stared at them. Ambiguity weaved through the atmosphere, squeezing and spreading through the air. She opened her mouth but closed it again, stopping her words from leaving her lips. That's why they are left imagining what it could possibly be. What would she say now?
The lips that had been closed tightly opened right then, "There are market stalls here, so maybe we will see something like that. If there is, we can just buy it."
"Oh, I guess you're right."
The lights in the market stalls lit up one by one. The night market increasingly became lively. They went around the line up stalls and Jun exclaimed, "What is that smell? It's delicious. It smells like something is being roasted with ginger and lime."
Dani paid attention because of him. All she can smell is salt and raw fish in the air. But knowing Jun's enthusiasm for food, she dared to believe him. And the boys too because they followed him as well. Belle shook her head at their actions. "How can he smell that? Geez... he's really something. And they really left us for food?"
"Well, they are growing up."
"This is good as well. Recently, the two of us have barely hang out and I'm tired of seeing their face." Belle snickered.
They spent their time exploring the market together. They saw a variety of fish, seaweeds, and shells, as well as crabs of various colors. But the crabs are large and have cords tied around their legs. It indicates that they are still alive. They went through every seafood store until they found the last one.
"Ah, it looks like they didn't have the small ones that you like." Dani uttered.
Belle lowered her eyes and grimaced. It's because she just made up that story. And she had a hunch that Dani already knew about it. But why did she still go along with me? While those bastards escaped and left me in the air.
Dani gazed down at her. The warm orange glow from a florescent lamp lighted half of her face.
"Dani, I--" Belle was interrupted when she was about to speak.
"Don't think too much. This is fun. With the two of us being like this."
Funnily enough, Belle saw that one coming.