Tides and Longing: 잊혀진 파도의 속삭임

***BEST ON TRUE LIFE STORY OF THE AUTHOR*** "Tides and Longing" was born—a tale of whispered confessions, salt-kissed kisses, and the ache of love that defied time. In its pages, I sought solace, rewriting destiny with ink and hope. And maybe, just maybe, our seashells would find each other again, washed ashore by forgotten waves. In the quiet alleys of a coastal city, where the scent of salt and memories linger, two hearts once danced to the rhythm of childhood laughter. But life, relentless and unpredictable, wove their fates into a bittersweet tapestry. **Noh Da-Hyun**, with her sun-kissed cheeks and dreams as vast as the ocean, cherished her childhood friend, **Yoo Jeong**, with an innocence only youth could hold. Their days were a symphony of shared secrets, scraped knees, and stolen glances. Yet, when Da-Hyun's family whisked her away, the waves swallowed their laughter, leaving behind echoes of what could have been. Years flowed like tides, and Da-Hyun found herself entangled in a different love—a love that consumed her, body and soul. The boy from her high school, whose eyes held galaxies, became her universe. But love, capricious and cruel, betrayed her. He whispered goodbye, and the stars shattered. Six years later, Da-Hyun returned to Seoul, her heart a fragile seashell. The city had changed, yet the sea remained constant, its waves a lullaby of forgotten promises. And there, amidst the whispers of salt and longing, she discovered that Jeong move abroad, leaving behinda trail of memories. But fate, ever the weaver of intricate patterns, played its hand once more. Jeong returned, not as the boy who shared her secrets, but as a stranger with memories etched into his eyes. His laughter no longer echoed through the narrow streets; instead, it lingered in the gaps between their unspoken words. Da-Hyun's heart, like a compass drawn to true north, still pointed toward Jeong. Her secret crush bloomed anew, petals fragile as morning dew. Yet, he stood on a different shore, holding hands with another—a girl whose laughter painted sunsets. Their encounters were fleeting, like seagulls skimming the water's surface. Jeong's eyes held a thousand apologies, and Da-Hyun's heart whispered a thousand what-ifs. They were strangers with memories, two souls adrift in the same sea, yet unable to bridge the distance. As the moon waxed and waned, Da-Hyun clung to hope. Perhaps love was not a single tide but an eternal ebb and flow. Perhaps, just perhaps, their story could find a different ending—one where the waves carried them back to each other. "Tides and longing" is a tale of love lost and found, of salt-kissed kisses and the ache of unspoken confessions. Can Da-Hyun and Jeong rewrite their destiny, or will they remain like seashells—beautiful, but forever apart? May the tides of longing guide them toward a shore where memories intertwine with hope, and where love, against all odds, finds its way home.