“YAH SHIM! Stop flailing like a stupid turtle and grab the end of the rake.”

Once Seohyun descended from her panicky high, she watched disbelievingly on how Sooyoung waded in the water towards Changmin as if she’s just strolling in the park. Changmin seriously looked as if he’s drowning but the girl moved rather slowly towards him and stopped short when the water reached the hem of her shorts. The way Sooyoung walked slowly and talked calmly to him made the maknae wonder whether her unnie is actually a good person.

“Yah, grab the end of the rake!” Sooyoung said louder than the first time and Seohyun can’t help but pout in disappointment when Changmin stopped moving his arms and whined at the tall girl.

“You’re no fun. You’re supposed to swim and save me.”

The boy moved just in time before the tip of the rake hit the part where he was just standing seconds ago.

“You stupid dweeb! This part isn’t deep. I’ve been swimming here since I was a child so you can’t fool me.” She stuck the rake to the sand and leaned on it, her gaze fixed on the grinning boy in front of her. “You doofus, you got makdoongie all nervous.”

“Oh did I?” He then looked past Sooyoung and shouted at Seohyun who was standing under the tree. “Mianhae Seohyunnie!”

"You’re such a douche. Don’t do it again.”
“Were you worried?” the boy grinned and moved his eyebrows up and down.
“No.”

“You can tell me the truth honey, come on.”
“Doofus. I told you I know this part so you can never fool me.” She then stuck her tongue at him.

“No fair, we went here to swim! How can your name be Sooyoung when you can’t even swim?”

“I know how to swim. I just don’t want to! This is the first time I wore this shirt and I don’t want it to get ---- AAAAAAAAGH!” the rake fell down as Sooyoung’s hand automatically flew up, trying in vain to block her face from the rain of water Changmin was splashing on her.

Eventually, the ‘shower’ ended. She put down her arms and looked at her torso; the front of her shirt soaking wet from all the splashing. Her jaw hanging open in surprise for a few seconds before she shot a glare at the boy.

“Oh no, you didn’t.” she spoke through gritted teeth.
“Oh yes, I did.” Changmin smirked before spraying another jet of water at her.

“YAAAAH! MY SHIRT!” She put down her arms and screamed at the boy only to receive a full blast of water straight at her face.
“Yes, your shirt is already wet honey, so you have no excuses now.”
“I hate you!” Sooyoung, having received enough water blasts for the day, stepped up and started splashing water back at him.

“They’re like kids.”

Seohyun heard herself whisper as she looked at the scene in front of her. There, right before her very eyes is the town’s top rule breaker having a water fight with the respected city mayor’s renowned son. Mild surprise written all over her features as the thought of seeing the two doing something listed on the list of ridiculously-corny-things-couple-usually-do sank slowly on her brain.

“Ogeul.” Her features scrunched up in a cute way as she tried to shift her attention away from the dueling couple.

“YAH! What are you doing?”
The maknae turned her head just in time to see Sooyoung moving backwards as Changmin, water cascading on his bare upper body, walked towards her.

The tall girl was obviously vexed upon seeing the boy advancing with an evil glint in his eye.

“YAH! Move closer or I’ll poke your eyes with the rake!” she turned around only to find an empty space to where the rake was supposed to be standing a while ago. She let out a groan upon seeing the stupid tool beneath the surface of the water, lying peacefully on the lake bed, a few feet away from her.
“What rake?” Changmin, who was now a few steps away, grinned maliciously at her.

“That rake!” the girl made a mad dive towards the tool but her body froze halfway as Changmin s his arms skillfully around her waist.

Sooyoung’s eyes looked as if it would pop out of its sockets. She need not turn around to know that the boy is now smirking victoriously.

“Sooyoung~” Changmin whispered into her hair before he pulled her down with him into the water.

"OPPA, where are we going?”

Tiffany looked at a serious Siwon beside her. The man said nothing and she would have thought that he didn’t hear the question had his face did not break into a wide smile as he leaned over to rev up the engine.

“Oppa?”

His smile grew wider.

“Err…”
“It’s nothing Fany-ah. I’m still trying to get used to you calling me oppa.” Siwon looked at her while keeping the smile on his face.

“Had I been calling you that since two days ago?” she unconsciously placed her finger under her chin as she pouted.
“Well, yes. But I’m still trying to get used to it since I’ve had thirteen years of my life without you calling me that.”
“You don’t want it?” Tiffany suddenly looked at Siwon; the latter tightened his grip on the wheel in an attempt to distract himself from Tiffany’s pout.

“Y-yeah.” He gave out a nervous laugh to mask his stuttering state. “Don’t move too much from your seat.”
“Eh? What?” The girl slumped back on her seat, still pouting. Siwon said nothing but continued driving on.

“You still won’t tell me where we’re going.” Tiffany said quietly.
“Let’s just say, it’s a place where you could forget about your sadness. Even for a short while.”

“Sadness?”
“I don’t want to see people I care of sad. I mean… as a friend. That’s the least I can do.”

As a friend? Tiffany looked at Siwon but he kept his eyes on the road. “Oppa, don’t bother yourself too much. I’m fine, I already told you.”

“I insist, Fany-ah. Besides, umma specifically told me to watch over you especially in this, uh, not-so-well period of your life.” He tried to avoid Tiffany’s careful gaze as he drove on. What he said is partly true. Madam Shim has been worried sick about the girl but she never really ‘specifically’ asked him to watch over her. Well, she said I would make sure Fany is getting along fine and that’s the same right?

“Oh, Madam Shim!” Tiffany straightened up upon the mention of the city mayor. “Is she angry, oppa?”
“No. She’s just worried about you and Min. But it’s all taken care of.” He glanced sideways at the girl and gave her a confident smile. “I’m making sure you’re going to be fine.”
“I… I don’t want to be a burden to you.”

“You’re not a burden to me. And as I have said, it’s the least I can do to ease your pain. Take it as an oppa’s duty to his dongsaeng.” She saw him smile through the rear-view mirror and she shifted her attention swiftly to the scene outside the window.

An oppa’s duty to his dongsaeng.