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"You're late."

"I am aware, Mr Obvious."

It's ten minutes past five in the morning, and they were expected at the beachfront by five for the 'Miracle Jindo Sea Road Parting festival'— the itinerary for their second day here.

It wasn't her fault though, she slept late at night after a shower wishing that the warm water running down her skin would help her calm down, emptying her mind of the fog.

Except that it didn't happen.

In fact, the running water touching her skin reminded her more of the way Jeongguk had looked at her, deep and intense as if he's seen through every wall Minhee's put up. She was desperate to shrug off the feeling of holding Jeongguk's hand, face only a few inches away, his undivided attention on her lips and that stupid game that almost made them kiss.

Sure, it didn't help that Ha-min didn't wake her up as well, and neither is he picking up her calls now.

Jeongguk notices it, the lack of precision in Minhee's eyeliner, the flakey skin on the outer sides of her mouth and the wet hair. He concludes she didn't get more than fifteen minutes to get ready and without saying anything further, starts walking towards the beachfront.

Secretary Kim gestures to Minhee to walk as well and Minhee jogs a little to keep up with Jeongguk. "Have you been here before?" she asks.

Jeongguk raises an eyebrow and then shakes his head. "No, I never got the chance to explore Korea in general." he shrugs and looks at Minhee.

Minhee expects him to speak further, tell her why and if he plans to explore now. But he doesn't say anything, just walks while observing people around him. Is it because of last night? Is it bothering him?

When they reach the beachfront, Minhee stares slack-jawed. The whole shore was filled with people, as far as she could see and each of them had a flame torch in their hand. Some woman was speaking on the speaker, telling them about the fireworks that were going to happen in a few.

"Today is the main event," Jeongguk says, out of blue, eyes fixed on the shore as well. "Thousands of people come here to witness this."

"The tide will remain low for about an hour." Secretary Kim says, "Since there will be a lot of people, be careful with the crossing. If you reach too far and the tide returns, then you will face a problem."

Minhee then turns towards Jeongguk, looking at him quizzically. "We are going to walk down the road."

It was not a question.

"Why, was it not obvious already?" Jeongguk raises an eyebrow. Secretary Kim excuses himself and walks towards a stall. Jeongguk glances once at his secretary before looking back at Minhee, "Mr Obvious, I am. I state things that you already know about."

The almond-eyed grimaces. "Jeongguk." she breathes out. "I am wearing Jimmy Choo from the pre-fall collection, you can't expect me to walk on that slushy mud with this, right?"

Jeongguk gives her a lopsided smile, a hand-winding around her waist to pull her slightly closer, just enough to not have their bodies flushed. Minhee's breath hitches, neck stretched back to create some distance.

"Oh wifey," he teases and Minhee rolls her eyes, squirming in his hold. " I am afraid you'll have to. We need to pick abalones on our way, click some pictures with starfishes and also release the lanterns in good hopes of the campaign."

"I am not doing it."

"Are you going back on your word, Ms Yoon? After you threatened me to burn me down if I don't hold my end of the bargain." Jeongguk's gaze keeps flickering from Minhee's eyes and down to her lips.

Minhee lifts her leg, threatening Jeongguk to hit on his crotch. He smirks, letting her go before stepping back.

"I already held my end of the bargain yesterday. This is unnecessary."

Jeongguk scoffs. "The only thing unnecessary are those shoes." He points, looking down at the said item. He looks up, eyes glinting with playfulness. "It's spring, ya Minhee. You can't wear pre-fall collection, you need to wear the pre-summer collection from Michael Kors now."

Minhee only manages to fake gag at the tone before Secretary Kim holding something. "Are you trying to show you are part of the meme community?" the older man asks, setting down the items he had in his hands. Jeongguk's eyes follow his movements.

Jeongguk sniffs, looking away. "Secretary Kim, are those plastic boots?"

"Yeah."

Minhee looks confused.

"I am not wearing neon orange boots with my summer tee." the younger declares. Minhee widens her eyes, looking at Secretary Kim, "We are going to wear these?"

The man nods. "You don't plan on going in that area with your heels on now, do you? These boots will help. I got them at 40% off, the shopkeeper liked my face."

Jeongguk rolls his eyes, pointing at his feet. "I can go with these. I will be fine."

Secretary Kim stills. He stares before gritting out each word. "Are those my sandals?"

"Yeah."

"Get them off."

"No," Jeongguk says, stuffing his hands in the pocket of his Bermuda. Secretary Kim looks at Minhee who is staring at the boots, with blank eyes. "I can't wear them. It will be a fashion disaster."

"More than your shoes getting ruined?"

That gets Minhee standing in the slushy mud at quarter to six in the morning with a fire torch in her hand. Jeongguk is standing beside her, in boots as well because Secretary Kim threatened to let Minhee know about having a dart game with her face instead of '10' on its board.

Jeongguk sighs, opening the packet of firecrackers in his hands. When he gets the one that shoots flaming balls in the air, he says. "Lighter."

He extends his hand towards Minhee but looks at her when he hears no response.

Beautiful.

That's the first thing that comes to Jeongguk's mind when he looks over at her. She's staring at the sky, lips parted and cheeks pushed up showing the slight tilt at the corner of her mouth. Behind her, loads of firecrackers burst in the air, making it seem like last night all over again.

Golden.

Jeongguk wonders if Minhee knows how many times he's just seen her shining like the colour gold. He wishes that she knows because he can't tell her.

"Here." Secretary Kim says, snapping him out of thoughts and placing a lighter in his hand. Jeongguk gulps, thanking the older man before getting back to lighting the crackers in his hand.

The sun rises.

Jeongguk finds himself looking at Minhee again, who's still looking around her like a mesmerised child. At one point, he notices her excited jump on her feet when some traditional dances were being performed at the shore.

The crowd moves forward as the tide starts getting lower, prompting Jeongguk to move forward. He tugs Minhee by her sleeve as well, who on autopilot walks, still in awe.

"The sea is...literally parting..." she whispers, making Jeongguk laugh, and shake his head in disbelief while Kim looks at her fondly.

They reach the midway when Jeongguk bends down to pick some abalone, Minhee makes a face of disgust when he digs in the slushy mud. A few people are playing with powdered colours, some dancing to the traditional songs and drums at the shore. It seems like this big celebration and overwhelms Minhee.

"Minhee, look!" it's Jeongguk who calls her and she turns to him. He's holding two starfish in his hand while she can hear the electronic shutter of Secretary Kim's camera. "You wanna hold?"

Minhee looks at the fish, uncertain. "They won't bite," Jeongguk reassures. "Honestly, even if they do, it would sting less than your punches."

Minhee glares at Jeongguk and brings her finger close to poke the starfish and instantly flinches. "Oh my god, it's so scaly." Jeongguk rolls his eyes, letting out a 'duh it's a fish'.

"Who wants to touch a starfish—" and before that Jeongguk shoves one of it in her hands. Minhee gasps, feet stomping slightly to show her disgust. Jeongguk seems to be enjoying it because he has his nose scrunched and mouth stretched in a grin.

"Help— it feels weird— I am putting it back, I am putting it back— oh my god, it's eating."

Secretary Kim takes the starfish from her hand, putting it back in the water gently. Minhee visibly deflates, her shoulders bent and hands seem to be hanging from them. "It was gross."

Jeongguk gives the fish he had to his secretary as well. "Well, smell your hands then."

Minhee does as he said and immediately whines about how bad it smells. Jeongguk laughs, turning back to walk back to the Jindo shore when he hears the siren signalling the return.

"I am never doing it again!"

Jeongguk just laughs it off, feeling heavy on his feet due to the increasing tide. "I hope we can make it back before it levels up more," he says. By the time they reached the end of the shore, the tide had returned and the water was freezing.

Minhee doesn't say anything, too focused on the wet sounds of her boots squelching against her skin. She hates it, and verbally can't explain her disgust at the moment.

That's when her phone rings and she realises it's half-past nine.

"Dahyun?" She answers the call.

"I am assuming you are done with your itinerary for the day—" Minhee notes that she sounds breathless. "Even if you aren't, Minhee, there's a problem and you need to take the flight to Daegu now."

Minhee looks around, Jeongguk and his secretary are busy playing the traditional drums at some distance. She pokes her finger in the other ear and says. "What's the problem?"

"Remember you told me to sort out the issue of workers in the store? Somehow the news spread and it reached BU. They have sent their people to check the working conditions of employees everywhere. Also...."

"Also...what?" Minhee exclaims.

Dahyun sighs. "Routine tax audit...Minhee the excess profit we had seen on the documents the other day are...signed under your name."

Minhee doesn't realise but she's already walking out of the beachfront, towards the hotel. "What? How is that possible?"

"I have absolutely no idea. They are going to bring in everyone related to financing and planning for interrogation...even to the Daegu factory because records show some unknown money wiring as well...Mrs Lee confirmed that it was being sent to you, it's hell. They'll call you too."

"What the hell. Why did no one in headquarters know about any of this? It's a fucking scheme!"

"(sigh) Mrs Yoon is in charge, Minhee. She has her own team to handle everything related to that store."

Minhee's knuckles turn white as she tightens her fist. "Why was I not told about this before? What are the branch managers doing? Why are there no such reports to me?"

Dahyun sighs again on the line and Minhee hangs up. She calls Ha-min but hears no response from the other line and hangs up, anger rising in her veins. She calls Ha-min again who picks up the call, voice sleepy and half-drunk. "Can't you see I am trying to fucking sleep? Stop calling me, motherfucker."

And the line cuts off. Minhee stares at her phone, dumbfounded before rushing to the hotel and calling Dahyun again to inform Jeongguk and his secretary about the emergency.

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