I was still pressed against his chest, my cheeks burning hotter than the sun overhead.
"Uh…" I mumbled, because clearly, coherent sentences were banned.
"You okay?" he asked, smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, eyebrows slightly raised like he knew exactly what he did to me.
"I… are we, like… official now?" My words stumbled out, all awkward and blushing and hopelessly me.
"Official," he said. And then, because of course he had to, he leaned in kissed me again, softer this time, like a punctuation mark on the madness that was my life.
Behind us, the beach erupted. Hana was waving her arms like she was conducting an orchestra of chaos. Asher was filming the entire thing, probably planning to upload it for future generations. Someone screamed, "WE SHIP IT!" Someone else yelled, "FIRST KISS ON THE BEACH!"
I wanted to crawl into the sand and hide, but I couldn't move. Not yet. Not when Jaeon's hands were warm on my back, and his hair smelled faintly like coconut shampoo and danger, and his eyes –God, his eyes– were still on me.
"You're so… messy," he murmured, lips brushing my temple, teasing.
"Me? I am… messy?" I sputtered, words failing me.
"Absolutely," he said. And somehow, that made me melt even more. "But I like it."
I felt my brain explode. And my heart. And possibly several nearby seagulls, who were now witnesses to my complete emotional destruction.
Hana came running, clapping like a maniac. "Finally! The prophecy is fulfilled! Rachel, you didn't die a loser! You kissed the chosen one!"
I shoved her lightly, blushing so hard I could probably power a small city.
Jaeon laughed. "Careful, or I'll start charging admission for people watching us."
I groaned. "Ugh, public humiliation is apparently mandatory."
He leaned closer, voice low, brushing against my ear. "Relax. I'm not letting anyone ruin this."
And in that chaotic, sun-scorched, sand-filled moment… for the first time all day, I felt like I could actually breathe peacefully.
Like maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something ridiculously, painfully, wonderfully mine.