Yixing was backing him, there, in the hot water, rubbing his nape slowly. It was the first time Minseok saw Yixing’s . And he was shocked by the fact the soft man’s back was filled by so many tattoos. The tattoos were expending from his nape, to his shoulders, to the back and finally disappearing under the surface of the hot water that reached Yixing’s lower back. One of the tattoos was clearly a dragon, expanding from Yixing’s left shoulder to right lower back. The others were like artistic patterns with yellow, red and black colors that were so contrast compared to Yixing’s milky skin.

“If you’ve been satisfied watching my back, why don’t you get here?” Suddenly Yixing’s soft voice snapped Minseok’s thoughts. The younger turned his body to face Minseok and once again Minseok was shocked that Yixing had a small glistening piercing on his navel.

“Come on, Xiumin.” Yixing chuckled, “The hot water feels nice. Come here.”

Minseok dipped himself silently into the comforting hot water, eyes never leaving the younger of the two. He opened his mouth, was about to ask, when Yixing raised his hand to stop him.

“Don’t ask because I can’t tell you anything.” Yixing spoke. The tone was soft and there was a hint of chuckle in it, but Minseok sensed the final tone too. So he closed his mouth again.

Yixing finally let out a chuckle. After splashing his tattooed back with the hot water he smiled to Minseok, “Your reaction was similar with Tao’s when he saw my back and my piercing.”

“Ah…” Minseok bit his lower lip, “So he knows?”

“About the tattoos and the piercing?” Yixing shook his head, “No one knows about the story of them other than me, Kris, Chanyeol, Joonmyeon and Joonmyeon’s right hand man, Baekhyun.”

“Even Tao…?”

Yixing nodded, “Even Tao doesn’t know.”

Minseok slowly moved toward Yixing’s back and traced the long dragon tattoo with his eyes, “I’m curious about why Chanyeol, Joonmyeon and Baekhyun know about the story but I won’t ask. But, this is dragon, right?”

Yixing hummed his yes.

“Ah…” Minseok nodded blankly but his eyes never left Yixing’s back.

Yixing let out a chuckle, “Okay, maybe I can tell you a tiny bite of the story.”

Minseok’s eyes lit up by hearing it and he moved to Yixing’s front again to hear it properly.

Yixing’s soft smile faded. He wrapped his own body with his arms crossed his chest and squeezed his tattooed shoulders.

“These tattoos are a damned curse, a ing sin, a pain history, a haunting memory.” Yixing whispered. His eyes hardened and he looked at Minseok, “I hate these tattoos. They were a proof that my life was destroyed once.” Looking that Minseok’s eager face turned slowly into shocked and grim once again, Yixing let the corner of his lips curl up into a small smile, “But, Kris saved me. He gave me a second life. And that’s why I love him so much more than my own soul.”

Minseok bit lower lip. The story was so short and hardly understood for him. But, he didn’t ask more because he knew Yixing hate the tattoos. He was so nervous under Yixing’s soft eyes so he tried to break the silence up

“The tattoos and the piercing look hot on you.” Minseok blurted without thinking. He blinked for a while and covered his mouth embarrassedly after realizing what he had just said.

Yixing laughed hard until his stomach hurt, “Oh my God, Xiumin. You’re so funny.” He smiled after the laughter had died, “Thank you. You’re the only one who said that to me other than Kris.”

“Uh…you’re welcome…maybe…?” Minseok scratched his cheek embarrassedly.

“And you know what,” Yixing said with a mischievous one-sided smirk. He swirled the piercing on his navel between his thumb and index finger, playing with it, and looked directly at Minseok’s curious eyes, “Kris loves to play this piercing in his mouth when we’re doing before you-know-what, biting it, pulling it between his teeth, -”

“Aaaaaaaaaaargh!” Minseok cut Yixing’s further information by his scream. He covered his ears and shook his head frantically, “Don’t say that! Don’t say thaaaaaaaaaaat! You’re ruining my innocent mind, you bunny! Too much information, Yixing, too ing muuuuuuuuuuuuch!”

Yixing supported his body by resting his hand on the rock beside him because he was laughing so hard until the tears flowing on his cheeks, “Xiumin! It’s been a long time since the last time I laughed hard like this!”

“You, bunny!” Minseok pouted and splashed the water to Yixing’s face, “Stop laughing! I’m too innocent to hear that kind of information!”

“Okay, okay!” Yixing chuckled, “Let’s drop the topic and enjoy the water, yes?”

The older nodded and copied Yixing’s movement, leaning on the smooth rock behind them, and watched the stars above them.

-

Minseok and Yixing headed straightly to the small bar in the bungalow to have drinks after the hot bath. Minseok was waiting on the counter while Yixing was pouring the cold water into their glasses when suddenly Kris entered the kitchen and back-hugged his beloved boyfriend.

“How was the bath?” The blonde commander asked.

Yixing smiled but didn’t stop pouring the water into the glasses, “Nice. You should’ve come, Baby.”

“I wanted to. But, Tao was injured. I can’t leave him alone.” Kris said when kissing the pulse on Yixing’s neck, “Let’s take it together later, hmm?”

Yixing chuckled. He put one of the glasses on the counter across him, where Minseok was sitting, and turned his body so he could hug Kris properly. He wrapped his arms around Kris’ neck when Kris kissing him passionately, hand groping the dimpled man’s .

Knowing that the love birds needed sometime alone, Minseok hurriedly grabbed a glass and ran out from there into his room with red face.

God, I can’t see Kris with the same way again after Yixing told me a tiny bite of their life, Minseok palmed his face.

“Oh, you came back.” A voice interrupted his dirty mind.

Minseok turned his face and found Tao standing at the doorway with towel hanging on his neck. Tao had just got showered, Minseok guessed.

Minseok nodded as his answer and sat on the edge of his bed, sipping his cold water silently.

“How was the hot spring?” Tao asked, sitting on the edge of his bed oppositely than Minseok.

“Nice.” Minseok nodded, “Hmm, Tao…”

“Hmm?”

Minseok put his glass and lowered his gaze, “You have seen Yixing’s tattoos and piercing, right?”

“Ah.” Tao clasped his hands together, “You might be shocked seeing those, right?”

“Well…I’m kind of surprised…” Minseok admitted, “He said you didn’t know the story. I’m curious.”

Tao leaned his back to the bed, staring at the ceiling, “All I got to know was Yixing had been kidnapped once. Kris came along and then the love bloomed between them. That’s all.”

“Oh…” Minseok nodded. And then he broke the silence with a yawn, “I’m sleepy. I thing I’m going to sleep.”

“You won’t change the kimono first?”

“Naaaah~” Minseok waved his hand lazily, “The kimono is comfortable.”

Minseok turned his body so his back was facing Tao. Suddenly, he felt the space behind him dipped under a weight. And then a muscular arm suddenly sneaked around his waist. Knowing the scent he smelled behind him was Tao’s, Minseok’s face heated up.

“Good night, Minseok.” Tao whispered behind his ear.

“Goo-good night, Tao…”

-

Minseok was awakened in cold. He tapped the space behind him, although it was still warm, it was clearly no Tao there. Turning his head slight, he sighed and got up from the bed. His nostrils were greeted by a delicious smell from outside the room. He dragged his feet out and saw that Yixing was putting the dishes on the table.

“Morning.” Yixing smiled.

“Morning.” Minseok said back.

“The breakfast is here. Could you please call Tao to get here?” Kris asked.

Minseok raised his eyebrows, “Huh? He’s not here? Where’s he?”

“He’s at the back of the bungalow, probably stretching.” Yixing answered.

Minseok nodded, “I’ll clean myself first.”

He washed his face and brushed his teeth before stepping out to the back of the bungalow. Yixing was right. Tao was there. He was doing hand-stand and bent his waist backward. Minseok leaned on the doorway, watching how Tao moved his body lightly from one position to another. The sweat was dripping from his chin. After Tao had stood on his feet again, he noticed that Minseok was watching him. He wiped his sweat and smiled to the older. Minseok could feel his lips curling up into a smile as well. Tao hung the towel around his neck and approached Minseok.

“How long have you been watching me?” Tao asked.

Minseok shrugged, “Five minutes maybe. Kris told me to call you for breakfast.”

“Ah. Okay.” Tao said. He was about to step into the bungalow when suddenly something popped up in his brain.

“Minseok.” He called. The older looked up and was greeted by a simple kiss on his lips. “Good morning.”

“A-ah…” The older blushed, “Go-good morning…”

Tao ruffled Minseok’s hair and pulled Minseok’s hand, “Come on. Don’t miss the breakfast.”

Minseok nodded and followed the youngest of them into the bungalow.

After the nice breakfast, Kris and Yixing decided that they needed some time alone at the hot spring. Tao just rolled his eyes at that.

“Eeeey, you bastards. It’s just nine in the morning.” Tao snickered.

Kris threw a cushion with a smirk before pulling Yixing with him out of the door. After the door had been shut, Minseok threw his body on the couch and eyed the blank TV screen.

“I think we can use this time to teach you how to use gun.” Tao announced in sudden.

“Eh?!” Minseok widened his eyes, “Bu-But…”

“No buts Minseok, come on.” Tao pulled Minseok up, “I’ve done some research and there’s a small forest behind our bungalow. I’m sure it’s out of hearing range so it’s safe to make it your practice field.”

It wasn’t taking too long for them to reach the small forest Tao had said. It was so peaceful and fresh. Tao immediately opened Minseok’s briefcase.

“Now you have to try it.” Tao pointed at the small gun in the briefcase.

Minseok hesitantly picked the colt .25 from the briefcase and settled it carefully on his small hand. He was amazed by how fit the gun between his fingers. He curled his lips up while adoring the gun.

“I thought you would get scared. Probably I was just to paranoid.” Tao chuckled. “Now why don’t you try to shoot something with that?”

“Uh…shoot what…?” Minseok asked back and looked around.

“That tree.” Tao pointed a tree not far from them, “Try it.”

Minseok bit his lower lip nervously. He pointed his gun and shot the tree. A loud laugh from Tao was a sign that he missed the tree.

“It wasn’t even near.” Tao laughed.

“Sorry…” Minseok pouted, “This the first attempt for me to shoot…”

“You’ll learn more.” Tao wiped his tears and approached Minseok.

The older man stiffened when he felt Tao’s chest was touching whole of his back from behind. Tao’s bigger hand trailed from Minseok’s forearm until where his smaller hand holding the gun. A muscular arm held Minseok’s by the waist securely from behind. Minseok swore his face was burning as hell.

“Why are you so stiff?” Tao’s breath tickled the back of his ear, “Relax.”

Minseok took a deep breath and relaxed his body a bit in Tao’s embrace.

“Yeah, like that.” Tao said again, “Now aim your hand toward your target.” Tao’s hand led Minseok’s hand to aim the tree properly, “Take a deep breath.” Minseok inhaled. “Hold it.” He held his breath. “Now, shoot.”

The bullet hit the middle of the tree right then. Minseok’s face broke into a wide smile.

“I shot it!” Minseok exclaimed.

“Don’t be so full of yourself, Minseok.” Tao flicked Minseok’s forehead, earning a pouty ‘ouch’ from the older, “Try again without my lead.”

Minseok nodded eagerly. Tao moved away from Minseok’s warm body half-heartedly and let the older man to practice for a few times.

By the end of the evening, Minseok had learned properly how to shoot the unmoving target. He was so sure that he could shoot the target, if it was staying still.

“You’re such a fast learner.” Tao smiled, ruffling Minseok’s hair.

“Yah! I’m older than you!” Minseok pried Tao’s hand off his head.

Tao chuckled and took back the gun on Minseok’s hand, “Still the cuter one.”

“I’m not-”

“Yes, you are cute. So stop denying it and let’s get back to the bungalow.”

Minseok pouted and followed the younger.

Tao was about to open the door knob to their bungalow when suddenly he saw a suspicious shadow from the slit under the door. Although it was the glass door, the curtains were closed. And he was sure he didn’t close it before.

“Tao?”

“Sssh.” Tao stuck his finger on his lips and looked at Minseok, “I think something’s wrong.”

Minseok felt the fear creeping up his spine.

*gasps* uh...another cliff hanger...*runs away*