Chapter 1 - The Encounter by the Midnight Sea
658 Words
The night sea stretched endlessly, a dark abyss swallowing everything in its path. Only the moonlight, shimmering faintly on the water’s surface, created delicate silver ripples. The rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore echoed in the silence, a lullaby sung by the ocean.
Lin Xian stood at the water’s edge, the night breeze ruffling his soft hair. His amber eyes reflected the glimmering waves—calm yet carrying an unfathomable depth. In his hand, he held a seashell he had just picked up. The intricate ridges running along its surface felt oddly familiar, as if whispering forgotten stories from the past.
He wasn’t sure how long he had been standing there, only that the sea never stopped moving, just like the lingering emotions in his heart.
“What are you doing here?”
A deep voice suddenly broke the silence, pulling Lin Xian back from his thoughts. He turned, his gaze meeting the silhouette of a tall figure standing not far away.
The young man had jet-black hair tousled by the wind and a pair of dark eyes that seemed to hold the depth of the ocean at midnight. His skin was fair, his presence calm yet carrying an underlying sharpness.
Lin Xian tilted his head slightly, a faint smile appearing on his lips. “Shouldn’t I be asking you the same thing?”
The young man paused for a moment before smirking. “Maybe I just couldn’t sleep.”
“I see…” Lin Xian murmured, his fingers subconsciously brushing against the teardrop-shaped pendant around his neck.
The wind carried the scent of salt and the sound of waves, rustling the hems of their clothes. The space between them was filled only with the gentle melody of the ocean.
Lin Xian didn’t press further, nor did he attempt to break the silence. He merely lowered his gaze to the seashell in his hand, rolling it between his fingers.
The young man observed him quietly. After a while, he finally spoke:
“Do you like the sea?”
Lin Xian paused for a brief moment, then nodded. “Yeah. Ever since I was a child, I’ve always felt an inexplicable connection to it.”
The other boy didn’t respond immediately, instead shifting his gaze toward the distant horizon. A flicker of emotion passed through his dark eyes, fleeting yet unmistakable.
Lin Xian noticed. After a short pause, he asked, “What about you? Do you like the sea?”
The young man’s hand clenched slightly at his side, his knuckles turning pale. He didn’t answer right away. A strong gust of wind swept past them, carrying the scent of seawater.
“…I hate it.”
His voice was quiet, yet the weight behind those words was undeniable.
Lin Xian blinked, surprised by the unexpected response. His gaze drifted to the other’s wrist, where a simple silver bracelet gleamed faintly under the moonlight.
In that moment, Lin Xian had a strange feeling—like there was an unspoken story hidden within this person, a connection between him, the sea, and that bracelet.
But he didn’t ask.
After a long silence, he simply said, “Whether you love it or hate it, the sea will always be there.”
The young man remained silent. He didn’t refute Lin Xian’s words, nor did he affirm them. He merely stood still, allowing the wind to pass through him.
Lin Xian studied him for a few seconds before smiling faintly. He extended his hand, placing the seashell into the other’s palm.
“If you can’t hate it completely, maybe try making peace with it.”
The young man looked down at the seashell in his hand, his expression unreadable.
The waves continued crashing against the shore, the wind never ceasing. The melody of the ocean remained unchanged, as if time itself had stopped.
This was their first meeting.
But it was also the beginning of something that could never be undone.
- Writer
