Chapter Text
“Megan, we are leaving in five!”
She peeled herself off of her bed, the heat unbearable even after a cold shower. She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, waltzing down the villa hallway to join her Mom and Brother.
“You ready?” Sylvia asked, cheeks rosy from the afternoon sun, which was only enhanced by her vibrant, floral dress that dropped below her knees.
Megan nodded joyfully as she skipped out the door, leading the way down to the beach village plaza. Her sandals slapped against her heel with every step, and her patterned shorts fluttered around her thighs, paired perfectly with a tie-up top that left her back bare.
It was their third day in Portugal, and my god did Megan love it here. She loved the beaming sun, she loved the wide array of food; from fish to delectable red meats but what she loved the most was how she forgot about all her troubles from back home.
The air was salty from the breeze coming off the ocean–it was refreshing, but also made her feel a little bit sleepy. It was the kind of air that you would associate with having no regrets, the idea that as soon as you were hit with the breeze, all your outside troubles and overwhelming thoughts would evanesce.
The beach front was idyllic, the sea effortlessly blue with calm waves brushing against the soft yellow sand. It was like a picture, a picture that Megan couldn’t help but want to stare at for decades.
The three of them walked down the boardwalk, passing a couple restaurants that were pleasantly filled, some of which they had already visited. Each one had glass fronts and freshly sanded floors, all giving a classy look to it.
Sylvia turned into one of the restaurants that just screamed ‘high-end’. Megan glanced over the menu that was on the counter as they waited for a waiter, the food definitely not for the fussier crowd.
“Olá,” a waiter, maybe mid 30s, greeted, “Do you have a reservation?”
“Table for three under Sylvia, please.” She replied and the waiter nodded politely, taking a few menus from the table beside him and led them into the restaurant.
Their table was placed against a wall that had a design of rustic stones placed in an asymmetrical pattern. There was a small lamp placed in the centre of the table, emitting a soft, warm glow.
The waiter untucked one of the chairs and placed down the menus in their respective seats before giving them a quick smile.
Megan scanned the room, it was relatively full and the soft sound of conversation created a pleasant atmosphere. Her gaze fell to a wooden column in the middle that acted as a wine rack filled with different bottles ranging from expensive reds to whites with a bit of fizz.
She looked back down to the leatherback menu, her finger grazed over the different dishes, some of which she had never heard of before. A few caught her eye but one in particular really had her certain.
“Bitoque.” She mumbled under her breath, testing the word.
She read the description below;
A Portuguese-style steak fried in a wine and garlic marinade topped with a fried egg. Served with vegetables and french fries/ rice.
She hummed in satisfaction, looking up to see what her family was deciding.
Syliva met her gaze and gave her a small smile, “Meiyok, are you decided on yours?”
“Mhm,” She nodded with confidence, “I’m going to have the… Bitoque.” She replied slowly, still unsure on the pronunciation.
Tyler licked his lips slightly, “You know what?” He started, pausing for a moment to decide on the meal, “I might have to do the same.”
Sylvia laughed and muttered something about choosing a sort of shellfish or having the peri-peri pork chops. Megan sighed, her posture relaxing as she sank into the comforting environment.
She looked back to the other tables, some filled with families with small children and others that had various couples on dates, each table holding their own different stories. Her gaze landed on a table of four, a middle-aged couple, from what she could see, and two girls that were in their late teens, although she couldn’t tell as they were facing away from her.
Megan tilted her head, her eyes focusing on the girl with blonde hair that perfectly fell past her shoulders. She watched as the girl ran her fingers through her roots, flicking strands past her shoulder. She placed her chin on her hand, her elbow resting on the table allowing her to turn her head towards the back of the restaurant.
The slight movement gave Megan a full view of the girl's face, her heart dropped immediately. She was beautiful.
Megan’s throat suddenly went as dry as the Sahara Desert, fortunately, the waiter had come back with a bottle of crisp still water and filled up their glasses eloquently. Megan didn’t hesitate to pick up her glass and gulp down every drop, her gaze unwavering from the girl that could only be described as a goddess.
Her lips quivered as she studied the girl’s face. She was in awe of how perfect her face was, the way her lips were glossed, how perfectly curled her lashes were and the way her eyes were so inviting that Megan couldn’t help but want to dive into them.
The girl had Megan distracted throughout the whole meal, even during the main course her eyes couldn’t stop flickering away from the Portuguese steak to the angelic girl that sat a few tables over.
Once the waiter had collected the plates, Megan excused herself to the bathroom. Her eyes passed the table to see the girl looking directly at her–her heart skipped a beat. Her breath caught and her eyes quickly flickered away to the floor as she kept walking to the bathroom.
She sat down, her head in her hands as her mind raced to find a way to speak to her. It was quite tragic really, how quickly Megan had fallen for this mystery girl. She was so in her own head that she didn’t even hear the stall next to her click shut. She exited her own and began to wash her hands.
She looked at herself through the mirror, her jet black hair curling around her face intricately. She exhaled deeply, the running faucet creating a mini pool in the bottom of the sink. The cubicle beside her creaked open, the person who was just using it moving to stand beside Megan to use the sink.
Megan looked up, her eyes widening as she made eye contact with the blonde that she was just daydreaming about. The girl gave her a timid smile to which Megan bashfully returned, her eyes flicking back down to her hands that began to wrinkle in the water.
She tilted her gaze upwards slightly, a faint blush covering her cheeks. She thought to herself Okay, just talk to her. It doesn’t have to be a conversation, just a simple–
“Hi.” Megan blurted. The greeting startled both girls but the blonde’s lips curved up softly while Megan was on the verge of turning into a tomato.
“Hey.” She replied–voice like velvet, effortlessly soft and silken, a sound that Megan couldn’t help but want to listen to for time on end.
The girl broke eye contact as she reached for a paper towel to dry her hands. Megan was stuck in the same position, hands still submerged in the warm stream of water. She swiftly pulled them out and turned off the faucet, rapidly shaking her hands, droplets flicking left and right.
Megan looked up to see the mirror covered in water and the girl looking at her curiously, to which she went, of course, a deeper shade of red. She muttered an apology before quickly turning on her heel to walk out the door.
Which, just to Megan’s luck, was the exact same time the girl went to leave. They bumped into each other, both took a step back and mumbled yet another apology to each other. Megan held out her arm, a silent invitation for her to go first. She smiled at her and walked out of the bathroom. Megan watched as she left, in awe of how angelic she was. She wore a light white dress that had faint details of some sort of flower, a cream cardigan covering her shoulders chicly and a small clutch to top off the outfit.
Megan sighed dreamily as the door to the restaurant shut. Despite only seeing the girl an hour ago, she was absolutely fucked.
The walk back from the bathroom was humbling to say the least, her face was flushed red with a small smile on her face from the tiny encounter. She practically speed walked back to the table, her arms swaying by her side carelessly.
“God, you were in there a while.” Tyler pointed out, “We paid and everything.”
Megan paused, fiddling with the draw string in her shorts, “The toilet wouldn’t… flush.”
“Mhm, sure.” Her brother teased. He held Sylvia’s bag as she got up from her seat before linking arms with the woman as they walked out.
Megan quickly looked once more at the girl to see she had already left. Megan’s smile faltered a bit, a little disappointed that she didn’t get to see her again but she continued to follow the pair.
“Mei, your brother and I are planning to have a drink at the beachside bar, are you coming along?” Her mother asked sweetly.
Megan hummed in thought, “I think I’m going to sit on the beach for a bit.”
Sylvia nodded. She moved over and kissed Megan on her temple, “Okay, Mei. Just message if you are going to come over.”
She watched the two walk down a lit alley, the sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the silence. She walked over to where the beach started and she took off her sandals before setting foot in the champagne coloured sand.
She wiggled her toes around and took in the beginning of what would be a picturesque sunset. There weren't many on the beach, just a couple of people paddling in the shallow water, a local busker near the edge of the water playing a soft melody on a slightly beat-up guitar, and a man walking a golden retriever. She walked over to the loungers that had been set up on the sand and laid back on one, placing her sandals and bag on the ground beside her.
She let herself drift away with the sound of the waves mixed with the melody of the nearby guitar, a cool breeze brushing against her body and her eyes fluttering shut as she let herself submit to her surroundings.
She didn’t know how long she was laying for and she didn’t really seem to care, for once, she felt weightless. Her daze unbroken until the lounger beside her creaked beneath an unfamiliar weight she knew wasn’t there before. Megan’s eyebrows furrowed as she slowly opened her eyes to see who decided to interrupt her daydreaming.
As she struggled to regain focus, the newfound company spoke.
“Hi.” The voice was sweet, low, and almost shy, but most of all it was… familiar.
Megan’s eyes widened once they adjusted enough to recognise the beautiful smile that she had seen just moments ago in the restaurant.
She rubbed her eyes with too much force as she sat up just to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. Sure enough, it wasn’t. The blonde she had been fascinating about sat there, on the lounger, right beside her.
“I hope you don’t mind that I sit here.” The girl said. She swiped the remaining sand off her legs and folded her hands neatly on her lap, “I’m Yoonchae.”
Megan stared at her, completely mesmerised by Yoonchae beside her. She cleared her throat nervously and sat up a little more, “I uh… My name is Megan.”
Yoonchae smiled at her and held out her hand, “Nice to meet you, Megan.”
Megan met her halfway and took her hand, shaking it gently, “Wow, your hands are so soft.”
Oh.
She hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Megan’s eyes shot open in embarrassment and pure regret as she pulled her hand away, placing them under her thigh and sitting on them like it was going to stop her from causing any more emotional trauma to herself.
“Thank you,” Yoonchae giggled, “it’s a Korean hand cream.”
Megan’s ears perked up, "You're Korean?”
“Mhm.” Yoonchae hummed. Her gaze fell to the sun that was slowly beginning its descent behind the horizon. The sky was painted in a stunning gradient of pinks and oranges, her mouth curling upwards at the sight.
Megan just stared at her in awe–encaptured by her quiet yet loud presence rather than the breathtaking sunset in front of her.
“It’s so pretty.” Yoonchae muttered.
“Mhm.” Megan nodded her head even though Yoonchae could see, her eyes not leaving Yoonchae’s face. Yoonchae turned to her and flashed her a soft smile before looking back into the ocean.
“I really hope you don’t mind that I’ve sat here.” Yoonchae said quietly.
Megan shook her head, “I don’t mind at all.”
Yoonchae sighed softly as her eyes returned to the horizon ahead, “I’m moving countries soon,” she paused for a moment, “I know it’s not a good conversation starter, but I thought it would be good to step out of my comfort zone and start conversations with new people.”
Megan tilted her head curiously, “Where are you moving to?”
Yoonchae turned back around to face Megan, her expression neutral as she spoke, “The States.”
“Really?” Megan questioned, a smile grew on her face, “Is there a particular reason?”
Yoonchae grinned at the question, “I’m going to a performing arts college.”
Megan raised her eyebrows in surprise, “What’s your specialty? Theatre, singing, maybe stand-up?” She joked, but the genuine interest showed in her voice.
“I’d say dancing but I’m pretty good at singing,” Yoonchae said, clearly shy about having to compliment herself.
Megan practically jumped up in her seat, pivoting so she was fully facing Yoonchae with a wide grin, “I dance!”
Yoonchae stared at her with wide eyes filled with a mix of amusement and curiosity.
Megan cleared her throat, forcing her voice to go back down an octave, trying to save any bit of dignity she had left. “I mean… I dance too,” she continued, her hand scratching her neck just to do something with it as she gestured with the other, “mainly hip-hop, freestyle to be specific, but I love any kind of choreography.”
Yoonchae opened her mouth to reply but was abruptly cut off by an 8-bit version of ‘As if it’s your last’ coming from Megan’s phone.
“Sorry, it’s my mom,” Megan explained as she reached for her clutch and fished out the device. Her cheeks went a faint shade of red, clearly embarrassed of her ringtone.
She picked up the phone, quickly putting it to her ear. Yoonchae watched her with a smile, visually amused with the song choice.
“Hi mom… yeah, yeah I’m okay… no, I haven’t been kidnapped.” Megan jokingly rolled her eyes at Yoonchae who was trying to suppress her own giggles. She could faintly hear Megan’s mom; her over-worrying tone made the interaction so much more entertaining.
“Yeah, yeah, just give me like… 15 minutes.” Megan mumbled, “Okay, I’ll see you in a bit. Bye.”
The line went quiet. Megan placed her phone on her lap and looked back up at Yoonchae. She gave her a soft smile, trying to search for something to say, which Yoonchae gladly beat her to.
“I like your ringtone.” She said gleefully.
Megan laughed loudly at the comment, “Leave my ringtone alone.”
“No, no! I’m not joking!” Yoonchae exclaimed defensively. She sat upright on her lounger, “I love Blackpink!”
“Really?” Megan replied, her eyes brightened at the confession under the dim light of the sunset.
“Megan, I’m Korean.” Yoonchae deadpanned, “Blackpink is my ult group.”
Megan smiled, “Well, you have good taste.”
Yoonchae returned the smile but a softer one. She rolled her eyes as she spoke, “Who’s your bias?”
“Guess.” Megan countered with a smirk.
Yoonchae looked up to the sky in thought, she pursed her lips slightly, “Jennie?”
“Nope,” Megan replied, popping the p, “mine’s the better one.”
“What do you mean ‘the better one’?” Yoonchae squinted, leaning forward towards Megan.
“Jennie didn’t write ‘Alter Ego’, undoubtedly the best album from last year,” Megan sassed back.
“Oh…so you’re a Lisa bias.” Yoonchae said lowly. She paused for a moment before meeting Megan’s eyes with a smirk, “‘Ruby’ is still a better album.”
Megan scoffed dramatically, “Nuh-uh! Lisa has like five hits on hers.”
Yoonchae cocked her head to the side, “Jennie had songs with Dua Lipa, Doechii, Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis on her album.”
“I think you’re forgetting Lisa has Rosalía, Raye, Doja and Tyla.” Megan countered.
“Jennie has a song with The Weeknd,” Yoonchae finished with a satisfied smile, Megan’s own faltering. She sat still for a moment, not willing to give Yoonchae the taste of victory.
“Well…Uh..” Megan stammered, trying to find something to clap back with and failing miserably, “…well Lisa’s hot so…” She forced out, her cheeks turning a shade of pink yet again.
“Is that the best you could come up with?” Yoonchae immediately burst out laughing, causing Megan to crack out a giggle too. They soon fell back into a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's presence.
The pair leaned back in their respective seats, looking ahead at the now navy horizon, the sun just peaking out over the ocean line, illuminating the peak of the waves as they flowed and crashed into each other with the remaining light it could provide.
The moon sat above them, high and mighty with no clouds in its path, surrounded by a constellation of stars dotted around the dark sky like they were the moon’s guardians. Its reflection was visible in the water as it highlighted the girls’ features in the evening light, softening their faces as they sat in each other's company. The silence, the presence, and the comfortable summer air they shared; it was perfect, and even though only a couple minutes passed, Megan felt like they were there for hours. She wished she could spend the rest of her time like this.
Yoonchae nodded before looking down at her fingers, she began to pick at her nails before mumbling, “I guess you have to go.”
“Mhm.” Megan hummed sadly. She exhaled and grabbed her clutch from behind her, pausing for a moment, to savour the company she was in.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” Yoonchae asked, her eyes filled with hope.
Megan smiled softly at the question before nodding enthusiastically. She stood from the lounger, brushing off the sand from her shorts, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Yoonchae.”
Yoonchae gave her a small wave, to which Megan reciprocated. She wore a huge grin as she walked back to the boardwalk.
She saw Tyler and her mother stood by a lamppost and she quickened her pace to reach them.
“What are you smiling at?” Tyler teased.
“Nothing.” Megan countered. She punched him lightly on the arm and skipped in front of them.
“Someone’s in a good mood.” Tyler mumbled to Sylvia as they watched the younger girl waltz down the boardwalk.
Megan threw a glance over her shoulder, a final look at the blonde who was still sitting watching the sunset. She smiled bashfully to herself and continued the walk back to the villa, the thought of seeing her again the next day circling her head, and that soon came around.