by Mina
NOTE: Hwang's "commander" is mentioned, but I'm not sure if i got the name right.
Seung Mina sat on a doc that stretched far out over the ocean. She was alone on the deserted strip of beach. The evening was beautiful. A fresh breeze blew back her hair and she shivered for a moment. The sun was about to set, and the sky was darkening quickly. The water crashed upon the shore, in waves with white crests then retreated backwards into the depths. Sea oats waved in the breeze and the sand was soft and white.
Although the evening was calm, Mina felt anything but. Her emotions were in a whirl, like the water churning just below her. She drew her knees up to her chest as she sat and thought. She closed her eyes and thought about the day.
Only hours ago, Mina had watched Hwang leave with the Coastal Defense Force. Tears coursed down her face at the memory. She had seen him pack, and she had pretended to be happy for him as he gathered his belongings and wished him luck. But she knew that just as sad as her heart was, she wished he would stay. She could also see it when Hwang looked at her that he had known she didn't want him to go. Her smile never reached her eyes, it was all she could do to force her mouth to turn upwards in something that resembled a smile. She knew he could see her sorrow, but she didn't know that although she tried to hide it, he could see the love she felt for him.
Mina began trying to wipe away tears as she continued in her thought. She knew Hwang could see her grief, but he could not see what was inside her heart. He didn't know how much she loved him. She loved him with all of her heart and she did not know how to tell him so, and she suffered in silence. Her heart broke as she watched him board the ship to leave. They had parted as friends, but now the possibility existed that she would never see him again. It was too late now. He had waved to her from the ship, his face expressionless except for a small grin. Then she watched the ship pull out and he walked to the other side of the ship. He did not look back. Mina saw the ship sail off, until it was nothing more than a tiny speck on the horizon.
Now, she felt completely empty, her soul hollow. Her heart broken, the world devoid of meaning to her. Now he was gone, and he would never know how she felt.
Tears began again and she did not bother to try and wipe them away. It was as if the floodgate to her soul was opened and she could not seem to stop crying. Her pain ran deep like the sea. Her mind spinning like the waves as she cried. Her hair blew in front of her face and she didn't care to push it back. How desperately she wanted to find peace in her heart.... Mina stood up suddenly, her tears shining in her eyes and wetting her face. Filled with peace at a knew thought, she stood at the end of the doc. She thrust the blade of her zanbatoh in between the slats of the wooden doc so it stood straight up. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting shadows.
Thinking of Hwang, she jumped into the ocean. The water was cool and relaxing, and she closed her eyes to the world. The waves didn't even allow a ripple, and the water continued to flow in over the place she had disappeared.
*********
Hwang stood on the deck of the Korean ship, impatient. Hwang thought about his earlier parting with Mina. He remembered boarding the ship and waving to her. He could still see the sadness in her eyes as he looked at her. Although she didn't know it, he did love her. He watched her stand on the shore, his own heart heavy, but then her recognized something else on her face. Love. He had loved the the day he saw her, and to know she felt the same brought him joy. He had turned away from her, and not looked back. He knew that if he did, he would want to jump from the ship and swim to her. Now, he had just talked to Admiral Sun Lee and had permission to be on the first ship sailing back to Chili-San once they reached their destination.
Humming to himself, Hwang looked at the approaching coast. He could see a ship ready to make the run back. He was eager to get on that ship and back to Mina. Smiling joyously, he got off the ship and boarded the next one to take him back. Happily he faced the horizon, and the sea that would take him back to his love. It was not a long journey. He would be back in Chili-San early tomorrow. He would be with Mina soon.....
