Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 7,381

Note: 2/12 of my first summer one shot series.

The second member of my summer series is none other than Tao! I decided to go with the typical tomance story featuring a spoiled, rich girl who's never worked in her life. This turned out quite long, but I hope you all like it, nevertheless.

~~

Summer had always been particularly enjoyable.

The familiar sweet, salty scent of the ocean and the melodic crashing of the waves greets you as you step out of your father's car. A light breeze murmurs through the resort, causing you to clamp down a hand over the wide-brimmed, floppy sun hat resting over your head and run your hands over your sundress before it can lift up any higher. Brilliant rays of sunlight shower over the bodies running through the mounds of fine sand, but the resort looms over you, leaving you in a pool of cool shade.

It simply feels like summer, and you can already feel the sand wedged between your toes and the cool waves lapping at your feet.

Soft footsteps and the appearance of a bright blue catches your eye, and a smile crawls up the contours of your face when your eyes run over familiar caramel locks and a nameplate with a name that’s all too familiar.

“Hey, Luhan,” you call.

Luhan smiles, taking in his hands the bags that your driver is unloading. “It’s been a while,” he teases.

“Here to take the bags?”

“As always.”

It’s quite difficult to define your relationship with Luhan.

He’s only a year older than you, yet he’s been an employee at your father’s resort for years. He’s always been the one to carry your bags and bring you smoothies and answer your calls when you need something. But he’s more of an assistant and a brotherly figure than a friend, and there’s been more moments where he listens to you vent your fury about school and gossip about that cute guy in your chemistry class while he’s sweeping the floors than moments where you’ve actually had a heart-to-heart conversation with the guy.

“Your dorm is all ready, and they’ve prepared your uniform,” he says, and you raise an eyebrow in confusion.

“My dorm?” you ask. “What are you talking about?”

"Your father hasn't told you yet?"

"Told me what?"

"You're going to be living in the dorms with the other employees."

"What?"

"No joke."

Thus, you find yourself not even moments later rapidly smashing the buttons in the elevator and storming into your father's office.

Seated behind a table covered in a blanket of important documents, your father tilts his head up and beams at you. "Hey," he calls.

"Did you tell Luhan to take my bags to the employee dorms?" you ask.

"Luhan?" your father mutters, wincing as he tries to recall the lanky male. "The skinny one with the curly hair, right?"

You nod.

"Yes, I told them to prepare your room in the employee dorms," your father announces, in a proud manner. "They've even got a uniform for you."

"What? Why?"

"Starting tomorrow, you're going to work around the resort," your father hums. "Your mother and I decided it's time for you to take on some responsibilities and work. One day, you might even be the one running the resort."

"Dad, it's summer," you defend. "I work hard all year in school, and summer is when I get to sit back and unwind!"

"It'll be fun," your father insists. "Besides, all of your high school friends are probably working right now."

"Dad, I made plans with my friends to hang out, and I was really looking forward to relaxing in the penthouse. What about those days where we would go parasailing together?"

"I'm too busy this summer," your father says. "And don't worry, you'll have free time to hang out with your friends. During your breaks, you can ask that kid to hang out with you. What's his name? Luhan?"

"Dad."

"It's going to be fun, I promise. You'll start tomorrow, so you can hang out today."

You know it's useless to try to persuade your father, knowing his unyielding personality. Instead, you run a hand through your hair and let out a heaved sigh, before leaving his office.

"How'd it go?" Luhan asks, leaning against the wall outside your father’s office.

"I have to work here the entire summer," you grumble. Your shoulders are slumped and your lips are pulled up into a pout, yet Luhan still offers an assuring smile.

"You still have today."

The resort pool is a bright blue, filled with wading people and splashing children. Relaxation and happiness are woven into the contours of their faces, and it absolutely irks you.

“I hate summer,” you grumble.

Luhan trails behind you, hauling your bags in his two arms, and he suggests hanging out at the pool and ordering mango smoothies to make you feel better. You appreciate his efforts to cheer you up, but all you can do is glance sullenly at all the people with smiles plastered across their faces. You suddenly stop in your tracks before you reach the gate to the hotel, and Luhan wonders why you’ve stopped when your bags are so heavy and he feels that his arms are going to give way to their heavy weight soon.

Your eyes travel from the people to a particularly tall figure wearing one of those ridiculous bright blue shirts that all the employees wear. You’ve seen new employees every year, and it’s not unusual for you to encounter them.

But this one is quite an exception.

You're immediately mesmerized by raven locks hanging over cinnamon eyes and prominent features sculpted to perfection. The new employee carefully strides beside an empty pool and holds a long net in his strong hands, as he diligently ladles out fallen leaves from the blue water. A deep shade of red splotches your cheeks when he rolls up his sleeves to reveal toned arms and s the top button of his blue polo from the heat to reveal defined collarbones.

Luhan follows your intent gaze to the new employee and he teases, “Are you drooling over the newbie?”

You nudge him in the ribs with your elbow, and he lets out a low grunt, almost dropping your bags. “Never,” you tell him. “I was just looking because I haven't seen him around,” you lie.

“He just recently became an employee at the resort,” Luhan says. “His name is Tao.”

“Tao,” you murmur, and you like how his name has a slight ring to it.

“Yo, Tao,” Luhan calls, and the handsome male tilts his head toward you.

Tao sets down the metal rod in his hands and takes long strides toward the two of you until he’s towering over you with a dashing smile on his face.

“This is Tao,” Luhan introduces.

“Hey,” Tao greets, and you swear you feel butterflies in your stomach.

“This is the boss’s daughter,” Luhan says. “She’s going to be working at the resort this summer.”

“It’s very nice to meet you,” he says, and his voice is just as charming as his smile. “I have to go clean the pool, but I’ll see you guys around.”

With a final wave and another charming side smile, he leaves, and you find yourself gazing at his broad shoulders.

“Can we keep moving?” Luhan rasps. “I think my arms are going to fall off because of these bags.”

You snap back to reality and murmur, “Sure.”

Luhan leads you to the employee dorms, and a baffled wince mars your features because the room is ridiculously small and smells like cheap laundry detergent. Once Luhan has left, you collapse onto the bed and led out a loud groan because the mattress is uncomfortable and your back will probably suffer for the next few months.

You feel the need to vent to someone, so you quickly reach into your bag and fish out your phone, dialling a familiar number and pressing it to your ear in hopes that they will pick up.

“Hello?” a voice chirps.

You’re relieved when you hear the voice of your best friend and you shout her name, startling her.

“What’s going on?”

“My dad is making me work at the resort this summer as an employee!”

You hear her let out a gasp. “What about the penthouse?” she asks.

“I have to stay in the employee dorms,” you groan. You gaze up at the ceiling and comment, “It smells terrible in here and the paint is chipping off the walls.”

“I’m so sorry,” she says. “Does that mean we can’t hang out?”

“Probably not,” you grumble.

“There’s gotta be something good about this, right?”

“Well,” you drawl. “There is a handsome new employee, and working means we’ll probably be together a lot.”

“Oh my gosh, what’s his name?” your best friend squeals.

“Tao,” you tell her. “He’s ridiculously tall, he has nice arms, and he’s handsome.”

“Do you have a picture?”

“No, but I’ll try to get one and send it to you.”

“Your official mission is to talk to this Tao guy and take a picture with him,” she says. “I expect to hear some good news in the future and maybe even news about a kiss.”

“Shut up!” You shriek into the phone, but your heart is already racing at the thought of Tao’s lips on yours. “I just met him today.”

“Good luck, girl,” your best friend says. “You’re going to need it.”

“Thanks,” you mumble. “I’ll text you later.”

You toss your phone onto the stand beside your bed. You run a hand through your silky locks as a million thoughts race through your mind. You find reassurance when you tell yourself that working as an employee won’t be so bad when you have another employee who’s as handsome and charming as Tao.

~~

"No," you state firmly. "My father can make me work all he wants, but never in a million years will I wear that," you stay, stabbing a finger at the crumpled cerulean shirt resting on the counter.

The woman standing before you with what seems to be pity woven into the contours of your face is a familiar one. Previously, you've known her as a motherly figure with a wry sense of humor and Luhan's stringent supervisor, but now, she's your supervisor.

"As much I don't want to make you wear the uniform, orders are orders," she sighs. "I could lose my job."

She's a strict woman and several times you've witnessed her glaring at employees with her icy stare. You are, perhaps, the only one who brings out her soft side and stirs the love in her cold heart.

"I'll put in a nice word about you to my father," you plead. She's watched over you like a daughter, and you know she can't resist your puppy-eyes pouts. "I'll work but please don't make me wear those hideous blue polos."

“Every employee has to wear one, so just bear with it for the next couple of months,” your supervisor says. “You and I both know how your father is, and I don’t think ‘a nice word’ will be enough to get you out of wearing these uniforms.”

She grabs the crumpled shirt off of the front desk and tosses it into yours arms. You hold your head down, glancing sullenly at the cloth.

“People are pouring in already,” she says, as the once empty hotel lobby begins bustling with customers. “Once you get changed into the outfit, go to the gift shop. I think they need a worker over there.” She places a hand consolingly on your shoulder when you groan. “Don’t worry, the job is an easy one.”

You heave a sigh as you carry your body to the restroom, shoulders slumped and a childish pout marring your lips. You’re reluctant to pull your t-shirt over your head and peel off your shorts, replacing them with the bright blue polo and khaki shorts that all employee are provided with.

When you step out of the bathroom, you glance down at your outfit, tracing the ungraceful curves of the blue polo. The khaki shorts are uncomfortably tight and you grimace because it looks like the sky just puked all over your shirt a disgusting blue. Your fingers flit over the collar and fiddle with it because it doesn't feel right, until you hear a deep voice call, "Hey!"

You tilt your head slightly, and your eyes widen when you recognize the tall figure that fades into your view. Tao looms over you with a bright blue polo resembling yours and a brilliant smile that makes your heart melt.

His long strides begin to match yours, and you find the stroll through the hotel lobby suddenly quite enjoyable. "We met yesterday, am I right?" he says.

“Yeah,” you respond.

“I never caught your name,” he says, and the smile that crawls up his cheeks when you tell him causes your heart to race. “You know, I thought it was really cool when Luhan told me that you’re going to be working at the resort.”

“Really?” you ask.

“Yeah,” he answers. "Your dad owns this place and you literally have everything, but you still decided to help out by working at the resort. A lot of wealthy kids wouldn't do that, you know? They feel they can have anything they want without working."

And you realize, you’re going to have to somehow convince Tao that you aren’t one of those wealthy kids when in reality, you are.

"Of course I have to work," you lie. You force a confident smile and gleaming eyes at Tao, who gazes at you with such warmth that can easily be mistaken for affection. "I've been given so much in my life, and it's only right that I should give back by working for everything I have. Not to mention, if I'm possibly going to be running this resort in the future, then I should learn how things work around here."

Tao gazes at you with admiration, and you come to realize that he's a man with strict morals and diligence in his work. A stream of nervousness pools in your stomach and makes your palms sweat because you're going to have to work so hard as for him to not realize that you actually are one those rich, spoiled kids that sicken him.

"Where are you working today?" you ask, your heart fluttering and fingers crossed that he will say he's going to be at or near the gift shop.

Your heart plummets to your feet and the sparks in your eyes diminish to a low flame, when he says, "I have cleaning duty again. I'm probably going to be working around the pools the entire day. You?"

"Gift shop," you sigh.

Tao brings his left wrist in front his eyes, his piercing eyes traveling from the bulky watch he's wearing to your eyes. "I have to go now," he says, "but we should definitely hang out sometime in the future."

His piercing gaze delves beneath your skin and easily tracks its way into your heart. Brilliant images of his smile cascade into your mind and cause eager sparks to flicker in your eyes. Even the long, swooping movements of his limbs as he takes slow strides mesmerizes you and root your feet to the ground.

"By the way," Tao says, lightly tapping your shoulder and descending over you. You can smell the scent of the fresh, salty sea in his raven locks. "Your shirt is on backwards," he whispers.

He chuckles lightly, before giving you a warm smile and a brief wave of his hand and leaving. Embarrassment churns your stomach, flushes your cheeks a dark red, and spumes bubbles of fluster within you. You pull at your hair and quickly scurry to the bathroom, incessantly muttering, "I'm an idiot!"

The scene rewinds in your mind, playing over countless times and causing a sense of dread to overwhelm and wash away the thought of ever being with Tao. Even after you've fixed your shirt and pulled your ruffled locks into a messy ponytail before arriving at the gift shop, the memory of Tao whispering in your ear dawdles in your mind and flickers before your eyes.

The cool air that submerges you when you step into the gift shop provides a stark contrast to the scorching heat outside. You're greeted by the store manager, a paunch man with a red face and a nervous smile.  You flinch when you hear the shrill screaming of a young child pierce through the silence and crawl under your skin. You press your palms against your ears, squeezing your eyes shut and silently praying that the sound will go away.

Your vision heaves over to the source of the terrible noise, and you see a crying child gripping tightly to her mother's shirt and stabbing a finger in the direction of one of the knick-knacks in the store. You feel your stomach coiling into a knot and a pulse battering in the back of your head.

It's going to be a long day.

Your sneakers slapping against the wet ground and the drone of people's joyous cheering is interrupted when someone shouts your name.

Your head jerks in the direction of Luhan, who waves at you with a beaming smile plastered across his face from the towel booth. You watch as he calls over Minseok to take over for him, before he runs to you with two cans of soda in his hands. Despite the invisible steam fuming from your ears and the knives coming from your piercing glare, Luhan places a hand on your shoulder and suggests, "Maybe you should sit down?"

A tall umbrella hovers over your two bodies as Luhan sits across from you, attempting to stir a conversation.

"How was your first day as an employee?" he teases.

"Terrible," you grumble.

You follow Luhan's gaze to your flushed cheeks and the plumes of unkempt hair sticking out from your once neat ponytail. "I can tell," he comments.

"The moment I step inside, the bulky manager dude makes me deal with this obnoxious, crying child," you sigh. "I absolutely hate children."

"Hey, you survived," Luhan chuckles. "Don't worry, things will only get better."

"As if," you huffed, crossing your arms over your chest and letting your gaze glide over to the people in the pool. "I'm just not meant to do this kind of work," you say, letting your hair fall from the messy ponytail.

"Have this," Luhan insists, sliding a can across the table. Your fingers reach for the can with a sense of uncertainty, the same uncertainty that raises your eyebrow and conjures the hesitant gaze in your eyes. "It's just soda. This is what they hand out in the employee lounge. It's pretty good, actually," Luhan says. "I got mango, your favorite."

"Why does it feel like you know me better than my own dad?" you sigh, flicking open the tab and bringing the can to your lips.

A familiar tall figure catches your eye, and your vision follows the bright blue of the pool water to the male in the employee uniform with glossy raven locks. Your eyes remain fixated on him, observing as he raises his arm to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

However, your lips purse when you hear the low giggling of girls. You tilt your head to the source of the noise, to see two girls in the pool dreamily gazing at Tao. They nudge each other with their elbows, twirling their hair between their fingers and smiling in a sultry manner when Tao glances in their direction. Jealousy clenches your teeth and urges your fingers to press tightly against the tin can in your hands.

"Looks like someone's crushing hard," Luhan says, a smirk playing on his lips.

"No way," you shout. "Never!"

A knowing gaze is swimming in his eyes, and he says, "It's really obvious. The way you look at him says everything."

You avert your gaze to the pool, as your heart begins racing and your mind begins conjuring a million excuses.

"Tell me, you like him, don't you?" Luhan asks.

"Maybe," you huff. A dark red splotches your cheeks and you shoot a murderous glare at Luhan when he suggestively wiggles his eyebrows and glances between you and Tao.

He lets out a laugh. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell him," Luhan assures. "Our work hours never overlap, anyways."

"He's so popular with the girls, though," you say, and Luhan's gaze travels to the two girls waving at Tao from the pool.

"He's not really interested in girls who flirt with him," Luhan says. "But I think you have a chance."

Invisible ropes pull your gaze back towards Tao, who turns away from the girls without sparing another glance. You feel the corner of your lip crawling into a smile, and there's a sense of possession that tells you Tao is yours.

"It'll work out," Luhan says. "Trust me."

~~

You can't help but stare questioningly at your hands when you're handed an ugly blue dress and a length of black fabric. The bright blue of the dress matches your uniform shirt, and your face pulls into a scowl.

"What's this?" you ask, eyeing the dress with a frown and wondering if your uniform isn't ugly enough.

"It's your dress and apron," your supervisor says. "You're positioned in the restaurant today."

"The restaurant?" you ask.

At least it's not the gift shop, you assure yourself.

"Yes," she answers, her stern voice softening when she reads the dread in your furrowed brows. "It's not going to be difficult," she consoles. "They're probably just going to have you serve some drinks and take a few orders."

"I'm just not cut out for this," you mutter.

"You worked alone yesterday, right?" your supervisor queries. You bob your head up and down slowly, to which she says, "Well, you'll be positioned there along with someone else. Probably another new employee."

"Another new employee?" The thought that you could be working with Tao pulls you out of your slump and ignites a light in your eyes.

"We usually position new employees in different places to train them and find the job that suits them best."

You cross your fingers.

To your dismay, however, when you arrive at the restaurant, you find that the fellow employee that you're going to be working with is not Tao.

"Hey," Baekhyun purrs. Seduction in the form of a sly wink and a low voice is typical from the blonde male. The thought that you're going to absolutely loathe dealing with Baekhyun's flirting and cheesy pick-up lines for the rest of the day is conveyed in the heavy sigh that falls past your lips. "Don't worry, you're going to learn a lot from me," exclaims, chuckling and pointing his thumbs at himself.

"I thought I was supposed to be positioned with another newbie," you groan.

"You were," Baekhyun says. "Tao was supposed to be here, but they needed someone to help unload heavy boxes from the trucks to restock the pantry in the hotel lobby. So they sent me here instead!"

Baekhyun's also been working at the resort for a few years, and it's always the same mundane routine each time you happen to encounter him- nonchalantly pumping up the music in your earphones when Baekhyun approaches, rolling your eyes at him as the pick-up lines begin spilling from his lips, and smacking him in the back of the head when he makes a comment about how charming of a guy he is.

"Don't you think we look like a couple wearing these matching uniforms and aprons?" he asks, scanning his arm over his ugly, bright blue shirt and dark pants, tucked beneath a black apron.

"In your dreams," you grumble.

Baekhyun wraps an arm around you and shouts, "You're going to have so much fun spending the entire day with me!"

You dig your teeth into the pink flesh of your lips. Someone save me, you think to yourself.

You're actually quite glad when you're called for work because you would much rather serve glasses of water to the rowdy men arguing over sports than listen to Baekhyun's incessant chatter.

"Can we get refills?" the shrill voice of a middle-aged woman shouts over the clamor of the restaurant at midday.

"Coming," you shout in response. A sheen layer of sweat begins to form on your forehead. You thread your fingers through the loose tendrils of hair that have escaped the messy bun on the back of your head.

The restaurant is a constant rumble of busy feet shuffling across wooden floors, ice cubes clinking in glass cups, and the stream of low chatter from the families and couples seated at low wooden tables. Your mind throbs with the weight of orders from ten different tables, and you wonder how Baekhyun is able to recall the orders of each table with such ease.

You balance the round tray of drinks almost perfectly on your right hand, carefully slipping between tables to reach the people seated outside the restaurant. You’re not entirely bothered by Baekhyun’s whistling and the light tapping of his feet against the ground as he dances while serving customers, until he twirls on his toes with two trays of empty dishes in his hands while you’re stepping outside the restaurant.

There’s a loud crash as Baekhyun collides with you.

Glass cups and dishes shatter as jagged shards are strewn across the floor. You feel the breath being knocked out of your lungs and a shock of pain jolting through your leg when your knees scrape against the wooden planks lining the floor. As you attempt to push yourself off the ground, you feel a dull throbbing in your right palm and the feeling of sharp pricks against your skin.

A low grunt is heard from Baekhyun as he lands on the floor across from you. He brushes the water off from his pants as he slowly stands up. However, the color drains from his face when his vision settles upon your aching figure.

“Oh ,” Baekhyun stammers, “I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

Baekhyun’s eyes travel to the floor, where his jaw drops and his eyes widen like saucers.

“You’re bleeding,” he splutters. You follow his eyes to the dark red that seeps into the ridges of the wood from your palm. You raise your hand, only to grimace at the shard of glass that rests in a deep gash. “I’m going to bring a first-aid kit and some napkins to help you clean up,” Baekhyun bumbles, before scrambling onto his feet and scurrying away.

“Frickin’ Baekhyun,” you grumble, wincing at the constant pricks of pain in your palm.

You’re gathering the scattered shards onto the tray, keeping your head low and avoiding the interested stares from the people that you’ve managed to collect.

“Need some help?” you hear a low voice ask.

A deep blush settles upon your cheeks when you tilt your head up. Sunlight slashing between the palm leaves reflects off of Tao’s glossy locks in such a mesmerizing way, and the dull light in his eyes stirs something in your heart.

“I’ll clean this up for you,” he says, swiftly gathering the shards onto the tray. “You’re going to get yourself cut picking up all this broken glass.”

"It's alright," you mutter.

Both your heads turn toward the booming voice that shouts your name and the pattering of heavy footsteps.

"I'm back," Baekhyun pants, gripping the first aid kit between his slender fingers.

"You're hurt?" Tao asks. Fluster flushes your face a bright pink when Tao takes your hand into his and examines the gash. "You should get back to work," Tao tells the panting male. "I'll clean this up and get her bandaged."

"That's a good idea," Baekhyun pants, eyes glancing nervously and face contorted with befuddlement.

"Ow," you hiss, biting back the string of curses that threatens to spill from your lips when Tao presses a cotton ball swathed in rubbing alcohol to the gash.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" Tao asks, peeling the bandage from its wrapper and gently pressing it over your frayed skin.

"No," you answer. "Don't you have to get back to work?"

"I'm on my break right now, so I still have some time."

"Sorry for putting you through all this trouble,” you murmur.

“Don’t apologize. You’re injured, and it’s not your fault.”

“I’m never working with Baekhyun again,” you grumble.

Tao chuckles.

“You should be off,” you tell him. “I have to go back to work as well.”

“You sure?” he asks.

You nod, to which he flashes you one of his charming smiles and says, “Alright. See you around.”

You watch his figure diminish and let out a sigh.

“I heard what happened today,” Luhan announces, interrupting you from your brooding trance.

You sit on the beach with your knees curled tightly to your chest and your head hanging low. You absolutely have no intention of recalling the embarrassing incident from hours before.

“Baekhyun’s usually like that,” Luhan says, plopping down in the sand beside you. “He’s too busy singing to notice how clumsy he really is. Is your hand alright?”

“Yeah,” you sigh.

Your eyes travel from the sand wedging between your toes to the billowing waves. A familiar flurry of emotions is stirred in your heart when you see supple limbs and dark locks gliding against glimmering blue scrolls of water on a surfboard.

You can't help but admire the way the hazy sunlight reflects off his hair and how picturesque he is, standing against the glowing orange of the sunset.

"This is for you," Luhan says, urging a can of soda into your hands.

“Thanks,” you mumble, turning the can in your hands and fixating your gaze on Tao.

Would you ever be with the beach boy you so intently dreamed of?

~~

Some might describe you as desperate.

Yet you liked to describe yourself as tenacious.

It’s after a few days that you realize you aren’t going to go anywhere if you don’t take matters into your own hands.

You spend the next two weeks lingering around the handsome male and having Luhan as your source of intelligence, observing his actions and work hours. And it’s two weeks weeks later when you finally decide to take action.

“Pool-cleaning duty?” your supervisor queries, narrowing her eyes at you. “You’re asking me to give you pool-cleaning duty?”

“Yes,” you beg, putting your hands together and sticking out your bottom lip in a pout. You’ve come to realize after careful observation that it’s every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday that Tao has pool-cleaning duty. “I’ll take pool-cleaning duty today and Friday,” you say.

“Fine,” your supervisor sighs. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you or what you’ve got up your sleeves, but if you really insist.”

The corners of your lips curl up into a smile as you skip to the pool. Your thoughts are clouded with Tao’s smile, and the expectation of hours of conversation with Tao replaces all sense of reason. Expecting to see the dashing male, you’re rather surprised when you see Kyungsoo at the pool instead.

The petite male flinches at the sound of sudden footsteps and turns to you with cautious eyes. A dark red dances across his cheeks, and he begins stammering incomprehensibly.

Kyungsoo has always been awkward around girls.

Even after seeing him on the resort for the past two years, his palms sweat at the sight of you and his face turns a deep shade of red. It’s no wonder they never have Kyungsoo deal with the female customers.

“W-what are you doing here?” Kyungsoo asks, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

“What are you doing here?” you ask. “Doesn’t Tao have pool cleaning duty today?”

“Luhan’s not feeling w-well so t-they needed Tao to h-help carry bags,” Kyungsoo mumbles. “They gave me pool cleaning d-duty instead.”

You clench your teeth and let out a sigh.

Nothing was going right.

“If you’re n-not comfortable working w-with me, I can ask to be positioned s-somewhere else.”

“No, it’s alright,” you say. “I’d rather work with you than be with Baekhyun.”

“Really?” Kyungsoo asks, his voice swathed in disbelief. His plush lips pull up into a crooked smile.

“Don’t get any ideas,” you tell the male. “It’s just work.”

“Sorry,” Kyungsoo mutters.

It’s several times you catch Kyungsoo staring at you rather than gathering all the rubbish left in the pools, and you have to remember to call out Luhan for becoming ill on the day you decide to launch your plans.

“The gift shop?” your supervisor questions. “First, you ask me to give you pool-cleaning duty last week, and now wou want me to send you to the gift shop?”

“I think I’ve got the hang of it,” you lie. “I’m getting used to working there.”

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you,” your supervisor sighs. “But if you say so.”

This time, you know you aren’t going to fail.

It’s with Luhan’s help that you learned Tao is positioned in the gift shop every Sunday, and you even had your faithful companion confirm that he’s working there.

But you’re absolutely irked and flabbergasted when you’re greeted by Jongdae rather than Tao.

“Hey,” Jongdae calls, as you step inside.

“What are you doing here?” you shout, startling the male.

“I heard you asked the supervisor to position you here,” Jongdae says, leaning archetypally against the counter with his chin propped against his arm. “Is it because you wanted to spend time with me?”

“If you want to leave this gift shop in one piece, I suggest you shut your mouth,” you grumble. “What is it with all of you guys wanting to flirt with me?”

“Well, what kind of employee wouldn’t want to flirt with the boss’s daughter?” Jongdae teases. He hovers behind you as you stand behind the counter, and you elbow him in the stomach.

“I thought Tao was supposed to be working here today,” you sigh.

“He was,” Jongdae says. “But he said he wanted to talk to you, so he asked to be positioned at the hotel lobby. He found out that you work there every Tuesday and Thursday and thought he could speak to you then.”

You slap a hand against your forehead.

“You can spend the day with me,” Jongdae suggests.

“You have three seconds to bring boxes from the back and begin shelving items before I hurt you,” you snap.

“Yes,” Jongdae mutters, before shuffling away from you.

You press two fingers to the bridge of your nose.

Why is nothing going your way?

~~

“I’ll take it from here,” Minseok says, grabbing the broom from between your hands.

“You sure?” you ask, wiping the sweat from your forehead. “I haven’t swept the outside deck yet.”

“I’ll do it,” Minseok insists. “You look tired. You should rest.”

“Thanks, Minseok,” you sigh.

“No problem.”

The wooden floorboards of the restaurant creak beneath your feet and you step over the swept floors and outside into the glowing screen of light from the setting sun. You’re walking back to the employee dorms, until you hear the sound of footsteps nearing and a warm presence hovering over you.

“Hey,” Tao smiles. “Are you done with work?”

“Yeah,” you sigh.

It’s been almost weeks since you’ve been able to have an actual conversation with Tao.

“Wanna hang out?” Tao asks.

You’re absolutely taken back. “Sure,” you stammer.

“Cool,” Tao chuckles. “Meet me at the shore in fifteen minutes?” he asks, glancing at the watch around his left wrist. “I’m going to change into my swim trucks.”

You’re not quite sure what to expect when you appear at the beach wearing your swimsuit and swim shorts with your hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.

But a feeling of dread pools in your stomach when Tao appears, carrying two surfboards at his side.

"Here," Tao says, holding one of the boards out to you.

"What's this?" you ask.

"You said you've been at the resort all your life, right?" Tao asks. "So you must be good at surfing!"

You want to tell Tao that you can't surf and that you haven't done anything at the resort all your life except lounge around, but the expectant gleam in Tao's eyes and his smile has you exclaiming, "Of course!"

"Can you show me some of your moves?" Tao asks.

“Why not?” you stammer.

As you lug your feet through the sand, a million worries and thoughts whiz through your mind. Your toes step into icy water, and the waves begin lapping at your feet, almost as if the water is pulling you down and telling you to give up.

How hard can it be?

You feel Tao’s eyes boring into you as you push yourself into the water with the board under you. Your arms push through the waves as you yourself forward. Your legs tremble as you hear the waves roaring and feel the tumult of the water beside you. You attempt to bring your feet forward and plant them firmly on the board, until a screen of ocean blue towers over you and you’re suddenly submerged into cold water.

The board slips from beneath you, and waves pound above you. You kick your feet to reach the surface, until you feel a pair of strong arms hold you and carry you out of the water. Tao gently sets you on the sand, watching as you retch salty water.

“You can’t actually surf, can you?” he asks. The dejection in his voice causes your heart to sink.

“You know what,” you sigh, “I’m not actually the amazing person you think I am. In reality, I’m just another spoiled, rich kid who’s clumsy and can’t do anything for herself. You seemed like such a hardworking and admirable person, and I just didn’t want to seem like a bratty little kid to you.”

Tao lets out a low grunt as he settles beside you in the sand. “Actually, I kind of figured,” he shrugs.

“You did?” you ask, wiping the water that trickles from your nose. “And you still wanted to befriend me?”

“When you wore the uniform shirt backwards, I was somewhat suspicious. And when you had the incident with Baekhyun, I realized you had never worked before,” Tao says. “But I don’t think you’re spoiled at all. You are a bit clumsy, I have to admit, but you’re hardworking. If you really were some spoiled brat, you wouldn’t have ever agreed to work for your father.”

A smile begins to play on your lips.

“And you know what? I actually thought it was really cute when you wore your shirt backwards. I think you look really pretty when you get flustered,” Tao teases. “Your cheeks turn red and you look adorable.”

Perhaps the water has gotten into your ears because you’ve just heard Tao confess to you.

He stands up from the ground and holds his hand out to you. He hoists you back onto your feet and says, “I’m going to teach you how to surf.”

“I don’t have good coordination,” you tell him. “Or balance.”

“That’s alright,” Tao assures. “I’ll be by your side to help.”

The dashing male exchanges a warm smile with you, and you feel his hands gliding over your wrist. His fingers thread with yours, as he leads you back to the two surfboards laying on the sand.

~~

Silence hangs in the air as you gaze at the bags in your father’s car and your driver, awaiting you to step inside.

How did three months pass by in such a blur?

“These are the last two,” Luhan announces, emerging from the employee dorms with two of your bags in his hands. You watch as he places them gently in the car, before shutting the trunk and facing you with a smile. “You’re finally out of the uniform,” he says.

You look down at the flowery sundress that wraps around your body and hangs loosely from your shoulders.

“Why the sad face?” Luhan asks. “You’re free from working, you don’t have to deal with the uniform anymore, and you’re going home.”

“It’s just that,” you mumble, digging your teeth into your bottom lip to prevent the tears burning your eyes from spilling. “It’s just that I’ve made a lot of memories working here. And I’m going to miss you.”

You throw your arms around Luhan and embrace him tightly, burying your face into his chest. You feel his hand ruffle your hair playfully.

“I’m going to miss you, too,” Luhan says. “But, hey, we’re going to see each other next summer, alright?”

“For real?” you ask.

“Someone’s going to have to carry all these bags for you,” Luhan jokes. You burst out into chuckles, and it seems as if the tears are gone. “What happened to the tenacious girl I used to know? The girl who would always pout at me when I and the girl who left me each summer by simply shouting ‘See you next year’ and driving away?”

“You’re like the older brother I never had,” you tell the male.

“You’re like the younger sister I never had,” Luhan smiles.

“Are you leaving today also?” you ask.

“I’m leaving next week,” Luhan answers. “Classes don’t start for me yet.” Luhan smiles at you, before saying, “The employee van is on the other side of the hotel. He’s waiting for you.”

You run as fast as your feet will carry you in sandals, until you see the large van fading into view against the red and orange hues of the sunset. The silhouette of a tall figure has your heart racing, and you run even faster to meet Tao when you hear the revving of the van’s engine.

“You’re here,” Tao says, a sullen smile playing on his lips as his hands reach for yours.

“I came to say goodbye,” you tell him.

“That dress looks good on you,” he says. “Much better than the uniform, anyway.”

“I have to attend a dinner with my dad as soon as I get back home,” you sigh. “It’s back to my boring life.”

Tao reads the sadness in your gaze and the loneliness that already pulls your face into a glum wince. “We’re going to see each other next year, alright?” he says. “We’ll keep in touch.”

His arms encircle your waist, and you envelop him into a tight embrace.

“I had so much fun working with you and the others, and I’m going to miss it all,” you tell him.

“Me too.”

When he pulls away, you watch glumly as he bounds up the steps of the van. Yet you feel a voice in the back of your mind telling you to call him back to you.

“Tao!”

He turns to you, a questioning look on his face. You fish your phone out of your bag, and you ask him, “Can we take a picture together?”

“Sure,” he chuckles.

He places a gentle hand on your shoulder, your cheek pressed lightly against his as both of you smile into your phone. You hear the click of the camera, and Tao pulls your phone from your grasp and says, “One more.”

You smile into the camera once more, but your face flushes a bright red when you feel Tao’s lips against your cheek. There’s another click, and Tao chuckles, “Send that picture to me when you have a chance.”

You feel him peel away from you, and you can’t help but feel tears prick your eyes as he steps onto the van. With slumped shoulders, you return to your father’s car.

You glance out the window, watching as the resort blurs past you and diminishes into the distance. Yet your attention is quickly diverted to your phone when you notice that you’ve received a text from your best friend.

“Did you get the picture with that beach boy?”

You open your photos to admire the picture with Tao that you’ve taken, the one where your face is bright red and his lips are against your cheek.

You respond to your friend:

“And a kiss, too.”