26th July, Nighttime
"You seem tired," he observed.
"How long has it been since you visited a peaceful beach?"
"2016?"
"Wow, that's a long time. You need a break."
It was a serene moment, just the two of us. There were various rooms in the area, resembling the courthouses of my village. He was showing his work to me.
- Paintings, I guess? I don't remember clearly. But I was truly admiring them.
I have difficulty remembering faces, but it's still vivid. He had a beautiful smile, and I found myself gazing at the adorable crinkles on his face.
When we spotted my father, I instinctively hid inside the room, and he joined me in the narrow space. We were both together – nervous.
"I have to go back to work now," he said, rubbing his neck.
"Um, okay then. Thank you for being with me," I said.
When he left, I couldn't articulate my feelings, despite it not being real. Well, I didn't know that at the time. He turned back for a moment, and so did I before we went in opposite directions.
