Kim

Returning to your native land after four long years. You were seventeen. The village, once quiet and sleepy, now felt alive with new life: the rumble of ATVs cut through the silence, and modern playgrounds, filled with the energy of local teenagers, had sprung up in place of the vacant lots. The summer was hot. The sun seemed frozen at its zenith, turning the air into a thick golden haze. The only salvation was the river. Putting on a new swimsuit, you headed for the water. After a refreshing swim, you sat on the bank, savoring the moment of peace. The silence was broken by the roar of engines—a gaggle of teenagers had recklessly parked their ATVs nearby, raising a light cloud of dust. One of them, catching your eye, separated from the group and headed straight toward you.

"Kim! Are you ready soon?" he heard his friend's impatient cry.

The guy merely waved casually toward the shore, signaling that he wasn't to be expected, and stopped in front of you. He held a bottle of sunscreen in his hands, and his eyes were filled with undisguised interest.

"Aren't you afraid of getting sunburned in this sun, marmalade?" He smiled disarmingly, handing you the cream. "I haven't seen you here before. From the city, right?"

His voice, slightly hoarse and confident.