"The ocean is everything I want to be; beautiful, mysterious, wild and free"

Good Morning. Wait, What? Have I became blind or what? Why is it so dark? Oh....wait. I've covered myself fully with the blanket. Ah~ such a stupid creature I am. It's a blue morning, like really blue. Everything was blue, I love blue.  The sky is blue, the ocean is blue...... Such a beautiful morning it is. Everyone is still sleeping, I think I am the only one awake now. It's not even sunrise now, why am I up so early?

I thought of having a walk on the shore. The musical sound of the waves were as calming as always. The horizon had little patches of white cloud thrown here and there. It was a magnificent view. I love the oceans, I belong to the oceans rather than lands and hills. Not that I hated them, but I have this special feeling when I connect to the ocean. I sat down on the shore looking at the clouds changing color in the horizon. They were going from white to a vermilion shade. It was fascinating even to observe them. The ocean was so blue, I've never seen so many shades of blue together. 

"Good Morning Noor. Enjoying the view?" Tae came from behind and sat beside me. He was smiling brightly at me. 

"Yeah. It is really beautiful. It looks better in the morning than at night" I said smiling back at him. He had his camera in his hands. I knew he loved photography. So, this is what he is up to.......

"Capturing it in your camera?" I asked him pointing at his camera.

"Hmm.... I got up early so that I can capture this beautiful view. You know what? What the camera captures is not even 5% of the beauty of the real view. This... this beauty can never be captured by any camera. I am just capturing the time we spent here. It is worth capturing. We can't let it fly away" Wow....he spoke like a professional orator.... He is so good at appreciating things. 

I looked at him in awe. He was staring at the ocean, still thinking about this unbelievable beauty.

"Would you like to see the pictures?" Tae asked me.

"I would love to, please show me" I requested him. He gave me a smile and searched for the pictures he took. They were amazing. I can't explain.... he is so good at this. He can just be a professional photographer, no one would doubt his abilities. His pictures were so lively, not like the other photographs which looked lifeless. I am in love with these photographs.

"They are so good Tae. You should do an exhibition. I bet these won't even take an hour to be sold. I have never seen such photographs" I told him still awestruck with his talent.

He smiled shyly at me. How cute, he looks really cute when he gets shy. He is always cute though. 

There was a pause. It was not awkward at all. We were just admiring the view together. After a beat he asked me.....

"You love Kookie a lot, don't you?" He caught me off guard. Was my love for Jungkook so obvious? I am not ashamed of it.... I am just having a feeling like I've been caught stealing a cookie from the jar.....

"Umm....yeah. That's true. Don't tell Jiminie, he'll make fun of me until I die" I shyly told him. Why was I feeling shy all of a sudden. Kookie is such a great weakness of mine. 

"You look cute when you are shy. But don't be shy, I won't tell Jimin..... he already knows it" What? Jimin knows? I am gone. Now I won't have peace until the day of my funeral. 

"Hey guys~ talking about me?" Take the name of the devil and the devil's here.

"Yeah, we were admiring your beauty" I told him. 

"I see, someone was complaining about me.... Well, yes I know. I think everyone knows. Isn't that a good thing?" Jiminie said happily.

"In a way it is a good thing" At least I am not loving him like a criminal, I don't have to hide the fact that I love him like it's a crime.

"You  know what? I love this fact about you, that you love Kookie although you don't expect anything back from him" Tae said. 

"Thank you" My cheeks were heated up because of this big compliment. There's nothing really to expect back when you love someone, except some love to be reflected towards you, and Kookie is doing that. He is reflecting some of the love back to me and I am sincerely accepting it. I don't need anything else. I am happy with this way.

We spent some more time on the shore chit-chatting to each other. The sun was starting to rise. They shouldn't miss this. The sunrise on the beach is a thing you don't always get to see. We went to the car to wake them all. 

"What's the matter? Why are you waking me up so early?" I think you know who said this, of course it was our sugar.

"Suga hyung, come on. You can't miss the sunrise" I kept pulling his hand.

"Let me sleep" He is impossible.

I had an idea to wake him up. I think this will work. Let's try....

"Sugar~ wake up" He jolted up hearing this... He extremely hated to be called sugar. I got to know this when we were returning back from Auckland. I had his weakness. With an irritated face he dragged himself down. He looked at me with I-am-soon-going-to-kill-you eyes. I just smiled at him in response. He can't scare me like that.

"Nishi. Simmi. Wake up" I woke them up with my usual style, i.e. shouting in their ear.

"When will you stop doing this?" Nishi asked me getting down from the car.

"Never" I laughed at that. She already knew the answer. Simmi got up after Nishi with similar eyes like Suga hyung. I did the same thing; smiled at her.

All of us went to the place, me, Taehyung and Jimin were sitting before. The sky was beautiful and so was the ocean.... when these two beauties met... the beauty is incomparable... the moment was breathtaking. The sun was rising from the horizon taking various shades.... the shades of colors I never knew existed with itself. 

"This is beautiful" Simmi said mesmerized by the scene.

"Amazing" Jin hyung said.

We just stared at the beautiful scene. Soon it was time to leave. Hyungs can't miss another day's schedule for me. So, we headed back to home. They wanted us to go back to the dorm, have breakfast and come back to our home, but we insisted them to go ahead and we won't be able to join because I had my shifts today. I was thinking what should I do with Kookie's shirt? I should probably return  it to him some other time.....

"Thank you hyungs for making my birthday so special. I'll never forget my 21st birthday"

"We enjoyed as much as you did, we should thank you for giving us an escape from our schedules" Hopie hyung said.

We already reached our home and me, Nishi and Simmi were saying our good byes to the hyungs. We invited them in for breakfast but they refused, we understood that they were busy so, we didn't force them. We waved to them until they became a point in the distance. We went inside and locked the door. Since, I had my shift I went in for a shower, while the other two just lied down on the bed.... these two.... what am I going to do with them?  

I showered quickly and prepared breakfast for me as well as for my friends. They took a shower one by one and hopped in for the breakfast. When it is time for breakfast where do they get so much energy from? 

"Ah~ it is so good. Noor, you are indeed a secret chef" Nishi was too happy to have breakfast, I think she was starving.

"Hmm... this is really tasty" Simmi too appreciated my cooking. I was happy they liked it.

"Noor, when do you shifts start?" Simmi asked.

"From 9 in the morning" 

"What shall we do the whole day here? It'll be so boring without you" Nishi said with tons of disappointment in her voice. She's so cute... when she talks like that.

"I know... but what can I do? I already missed a day. I'll try to return as early as possible" I convinced them.

I got ready for going to library in my uniform and gave both of them a hug before heading towards the library. I knew they'll get bored, so, I gave them some CDs of the movies they liked. I hope that'll keep them busy.... only a bit though.

I took a cab and planned what I can do with them so that they don't get bored. I should ask Jungkook about this since, he is living here for a long time. I can't ask Augustin because he is even newer than me here. I'll ask Kookie, not now... after I finish my shift. Yeah, that's a good idea. 

I reached library. As soon as I entered Augustin approached me and wished me belated Happy Birthday... how sweet. He handed me a bouquet of white orchids. 

"You already wished me yesterday. These flowers are beautiful. Thank you" I smiled at him. White flowers are my favorite. They smell really good, better than other colored flowers. That's what I think....

We headed to our work. Today my work was at the desk. This was boring for me. I hated this desk job. You just have to return and issue the books or sometimes re-issue them. I wanted to arrange the shelves again. But you can't arrange a shelf until and unless it is unorganized. 

A boring day for me.... when will this end. I am missing my crazy family. I wish I could be with them 24/7.... it would be heaven. 

After working for 3-4 hours at the desk... smiling at people for nothing, Augustin asked me if I am free. Then, we went for grabbing a light lunch. 

"Thanks Augustin for getting me out of the desk. I hate the desk job" 

"Why do you hate it so much? It is not that bad" He asked me chuckling at my words.

"I just hate it. I joined this job because I wanted to spend time with books and not with the people" 

"So, that's why you hate it" Finally he understood.

"Yup" I remembered something "Hey, Augustin are you free anytime this week? My friends are in the town, would you mind meeting them?" I asked him, my plan is on the go.....

"Umm...yeah, but you know I am not very good with strangers...." He was nervous.... from now only....

"Stop it, you were amazing with me on your first day. My friends won't eat you. So, don't be so nervous" I encouraged him.... he can't just spoil my plan like this...

"Okay... where are we meeting?" he asked still nervous... ugh, this boy!!! Why is he so nervous always? Even I am not so nervous....

"Great. I'll tell you when I get to know myself. So, when should we meet? After two days?" 

"Sure. Well, how many friends do you have?" 

"I have... umm... wait... let me count... I think 8 of them" I teased him...

"What????" he was literally in shock

"I am joking Augustin. Calm down. I have 2 best-friends" I said laughing out loudly.

"Then it's fine" He heaved a sigh of relief.

We went back to our job after we finished our lunch. I finished my work early and left for home. I have to save my friends or else they'll die of boredom. I took a cab and on my way to home called Jungkook....

"Good evening Kookie" I greeted him.

"Cherry, good evening. You missing me?" he teased me... this boy... 

"No, I just called to check how is Jimin doing" two can play the game....

"Oh~" his voice became a soft whisper. I instantly regretted what I did...

"Hey.... I was missing you...really. If I would miss Jiminie then I would've just called him and not you, pabo" I told him in a soft voice. I didn't wanted to make him sad and I was actually missing him. All the time in the library I wanted to call him but I resisted myself.

"You're a bad girl, how can you joke like that with me?" Kookie said in a cute baby like voice. I was smiling at his fake anger. 

"Stop it Kookie, I know you are not angry. But you sound very cute in that voice" I laughed and told him.

"I know I am cute...." Kookie said, boasting about his cuteness. 

"Okay, Mr. Cute, now tell me where should can we go for saving my friends from dying of boredom? Do you have a good place in mind?" I asked him, finally coming to the point. Mr. Cute is a good name for Kookie... isn't it? But Kookie is the best....

"Umm... you can go skiing... it'll be fun" Skiing is good....but....

"Yeah, that's a good idea. But, I don't know how to ski..." 

"That's not a problem. I can teach you... if you don't mind me coming with you..." He would come? That'll be great. Skiing with Jungkook is a heavenly idea....

"Of course I don't mind, nor do my friends. Thank you, but are you free? Day after tomorrow?" Please say yes....please...don't say no...

"Yes, I am free and so is Jimin hyung. He can teach Nieva" Thank god, he said yes... Jimin is also coming? Great....!!!!!

"Okay, that's a great idea. Thanks Kookie. You are the best" I said happily to him.

"It was my pleasure. Looking forward to skiing with you. What about Sophiah? Does she know how to ski?" 

"Don't worry about her, Augustin will be coming with us. He can teach her, this is how Simmi and Augustin will meet. I can't wait for them to meet" I chattered excitedly.

"Amazing" 

I was already home and I didn't even realize that. I paid the cab-driver and headed home. Jungkook and me said good byes and hung up. I didn't wanted to..but...if those two get to know they won't let me talk...they'll start making weird noises. I don't want that to happen... I am already blushing.....It's cold here...

I got inside. When I turned around I was pulled into a warm hug, all my coldness is gone. Nishi and Simmi missed me a lot. They parted finally breaking the hug....

"Where were you? You told us that you'll be early... Is this called coming home early?" Nishi scolded me.

"I am sorry" I apologized, sheepishly smiling at them.

Author's Note: 

Hello readers! Here is the 23rd chapter, I keep on forgetting the count and have to begin from the starting. Leave that. How was this long chapter? A quite lot of activities took place in this chapter. All of them enjoyed their morning at the beach. Ah~ how much I love beaches. Beaches make me alive...

Okay, enough of beaches. So the starting of this chapter was with the conversation of Taehyung and Noor. I included this part for my Otaku (can I call you mine? Well, I don't know... but it sounds cute) !!! I hope you liked the chapter Anime_OtakuSrijita . I added Tae's pictures specially for you. 

Kookie and Noor along with her friends are going for Skiing. It will be fun. What do you think will happen there? Nishi and Jiminie, the love-birds will also be joining them... so cool. What do you think the chemistry will be like, between Simmi and Augustin? I am so excited to write the chapters.

The winter season is so special. I love winters. Winter just boosts romance and love, and it will boost our love-birds's love too. You just have to wait for it. Winter reminds me, it's cold nowadays.... so, take good care of yourself and keep warm either with love or with warmers.... #WinterLove

I hope you enjoyed reading this long chapter. Happy winters. I am waiting for your comments and reviews. 

Happy Reading.