“Your boyfriend’s a what?”

“A whale trainer.”

“He trains whales?”

“And dolphins.”

“And dolphins. Of course he does. What else he train – sea lions?”

“Yes, actually!” Myungsoo grinned.

Sunggyu rubbed his temple. “Wow, okay. Myungsoo, how exactly is Sungyeol a whale trainer if he majored in psychology?”

“Well, he minored in zoology and marine biology, so he’s like a psychologist for marine animals.”

“But he’s so skinny! I thought whale trainers were supposed to be buff from all the rigorous swimming they do!”

“He does swim rigorously! He’s just thin because he does Pilates.”

“Pi-what?”

“Pilates. You know, the exercise routine that gets you sleek, lean muscles instead of big, vein-y ones. Pilates. That’s where we met – Pilates class.”

“I thought you said you took karate class.”

“Not karate – Pilates.”

“Yes, okay, Pilates, sure.”

Sunggyu had met Lee Sungyeol countless times. He was his roommate’s boyfriend, after all. He thought he was cute – what, with his big, sparkling eyes and bright smile. He was cheerful and loving, but not once did Sunggyu expect him to be a whale trainer. He didn’t think anyone would have guessed that at all from the younger boy.

“Alright, alright,” Sunggyu said, “let’s start this conversation over, okay?”

“Okay. Sunggyu, you know how Sungyeol’s a whale trainer?”

“Your boyfriend is a what?”

“Hyung.”

“Oh, right – sorry. As you were saying, Myungsoo.”

Myungsoo smiled that cat-like grin of his and exclaimed, “He offered us a job!”

“What?! Myungsoo, I know we’re low on money, but we can’t become whale trainers!”

“No, not a job with him. He hired us. As advertisers. His marine park thing wants to get some advertisements out since summer is right around the corner. And since their whale show is the main event, Sungyeol and the other whale trainers were put in charge of advertising this season. And so he hired us!”

Sunggyu and Myungsoo both worked in the visual field of work. They had met in their last year of college and both graduated from the visual arts department – Myungsoo in photography, and Sunggyu in graphic design. They started their own advertising business where Myungsoo would capture photos and Sunggyu would create logos and flyers and more. It was just the two of them currently, since they didn’t really have money to employ more workers. Their profits were shared fifty-fifty (forty-sixty, according to Sunggyu) and they shared an apartment where they split the mortgage costs.

Their first job as their own business was quite successful. It was for some online cupcake business named Cupcake Couture that needed advertising and logos. They made logos and signs and found out how to create those annoying ads that they would place on the side of the page you were browsing on the Internet. Cupcake Couture was getting them to advertise for quite a while. Then their business ended up flopping and Cupcake Couture vanished into thin air. They ended up coming back as Kooky Cupcakes which Sunggyu thought was stupid because kooky didn’t even start with a c. They didn’t end up hiring Sunggyu and Myungsoo again and the two hadn’t seen a job in four months.

And here Myungsoo’s boyfriend was, offering them another chance at business.

“No,” Sunggyu said.

“What?! We need the money, hyung! We haven’t had a job in so long! If this keeps up then the landlord is going to evict us.”

“I know, Myungsoo, it’s just… he works at a marine park.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Marine park? Marine animals? Ocean animals? Ocean?”

“Oh,” Myungsoo realized. “But hyung, this might be our last chance. We kind of have to accept this offer. I… might have already done so.”

“Myungsoo!”

“Look, hyung, desperate times call for desperate measures and we are in desperate need for money!”

“But Myungsoo!”

“Hyung, it’s not even an ocean – it’s just a big pool.”

“Still, it’s a humongous pool.”

“But it’s still a pool and you don’t need to be in it. You’re not required to do that unless you pay for the Swimming with Dolphins Experience.” Myungsoo sat down and directly into Sunggyu’s eyes. “The only thing the pools are used for are to keep the animals alive and to perform. People don’t enter the pools and there is no way that you will.”

Sunggyu pouted and glared at him. “Sometimes I hate you for being logical.”

“I know you do,” he laughed. Myungsoo turned serious again. “But hyung – about the job…”

“Alright, we’ll take it. You probably would’ve dragged me there anyways since Sungyeol works there.”

Myungsoo gave him a playful punch. “You’re the best, hyung! We start tomorrow so I’m going to get my camera equipment ready!” He got up and nearly ran to his shoebox-sized room. “Oh and one more thing,” he called. “Sungyeol also said doing the job comes with season tickets and backstage passes!”

“Ugh. So that means–”

“It means we get to get up close and personal with the whales! Isn’t that cool?”

“Not really,” Sunggyu muttered to himself.

Actually, the mere thought of it made him seasick.

“I don’t understand how watching whales slave away to do tricks is considered entertainment.”

“They’re not slaving away,” Myungsoo said as they walked through the large arches. “They’re taken care of here.”
Sunggyu scoffed. “Yeah, sure they are. Myungsoo, these kinds of parks just capture wild animals and train them as they slave away to human enjoyment. I can’t believe I actually agreed to advertise this kind of stuff.”

“That’s not true and you know it; you’ve been watching way to many documentaries on anti-captivity.”

“Have not!”

“Yeah, you have. While I was freshening up my equipment yesterday you were looking up every documentary on marine water parks you could find on YouTube.”

“They were valid sources!”

“They were also biased sources.”

Sunggyu rolled his eyes as they walked past a shark exhibit. “You’re just saying that because Sungyeol is a part of it.”

“Either way, I have nothing against these kinds of parks. I think they love and care for their animals like pets.”

“What kind of three ton fish is a pet?”

Myungsoo smiled wryly. “A fun one.”

Sunggyu scoffed. “I might write negative advertisements so people won’t come.”

“Aw, now why would you do that?” a voice emerged.

The two turned around and met the smiling face of Sungyeol. From the looks of it, he had been navigating through the crowd to get to them.

“Yeollie!” Myungsoo said, pecking him softly.

Sungyeol let out a laugh and hugged him tightly. After letting go, he turned to Sunggyu. “Don’t advertise us badly, Gyu-hyung. You wouldn’t want me to lose a job, would you?”

“No,” Sunggyu muttered, embarrassed that Sungyeol had heard them. “What are you doing here, anyways? I thought we were supposed to meet you at the park office.”

“You two were going in the wrong direction, silly,” he giggled. “Lucky I caught you, or you would’ve been wandering around for hours. I know that Myungsoo hates using maps.”

Myungsoo just rolled his eyes and flicked his boyfriend’s head. “Yeah, okay, okay. I get it – you hate it when I get us lost.”

Sungyeol only kissed his cheek. He continued, “Anyways, since I already found you, let’s head over to the whale tank.” The trio started walking together. “Since our orca show is going to be our main attraction, we should focus over here.”

The two followed him quickly, Myungsoo occasionally snapping photos of a few signs and attractions. Sunggyu also took note of everything, trying to decide what kind of attractions to mention in advertisements.

“Here we are,” Sungyeol said, walking past the line and into the stadium. “This is our orca tank!” he said, throwing his arms in the air.

Sunggyu froze at the spot. The tank was enormous.

Just upon entering the pool already looked gigantic and Sunggyu wasn’t even close up yet. It was wide and filled to the brim with seawater; a lot of it splashed over the sides. And after moving closer, Sunggyu realized that the actual edge of the giant pool towered nearly five feet over his head.

“I-Is it really this deep?” he stammered.

Sungyeol laughed. “Of course not, hyung! A whale can’t swim in this little water! It extends about forty-five feet under the cement level so that the whales have more freedom.”

“Forty-five feet?” Sunggyu repeated.

“Yeah – but we plan on expanding it.”

“Expanding? What for?! Isn’t this big enough?”

Sungyeol looked him in the eyes, a twinkle in his own. “Of course not.”

“How…?”

“But anyways, this is just a glimpse of the pool size. The stage cuts it nearly in half so there’s even more water in the back for our orcas.”

“More water. More.”

Sungyeol nodded brightly. “Yep! Try and take some nice photographs of the show, okay?” he asked his boyfriend, kissing his cheek.

“It all depends on the angles,” Myungsoo replied, poking the other’s nose.

“No worries, I got you the best seats in the house,” Sungyeol said, laughing.

“Are they close to the water?” Sunggyu asked.

“Nope. They’re all the way at the top of the stadium where you can see the entire pool and stage. You two should head up there now. People are going to start seating soon.”

“Sungyeol!” a man called out from the side of the tank. He had emerged from behind the tank where they apparently had bigger pools. “Time to get changed! Show is starting soon and we should get the babies ready.”

“Coming, hyung!” He turned towards Sunggyu and Myungsoo. “See you in a bit! I’ll give you a tour of the facilities in the back afterwards.”

He gave Sunggyu a hug and Myungsoo a kiss before running after his fellow trainer.

“I-I don’t think this is a good idea,” Sunggyu said as the two made their way up to their seats. “I mean, I–”

“Hyung, it’s fine. I understand, okay? But we need this money. Plus, it’s for Sungyeol.”

Sunggyu rolled his eyes. “You’re such a fool for your boyfriend.”

Myungsoo sat down and shrugged. “It’s a curse.”

Sunggyu took a seat next to him and breathed deeply. He stared at the giant pool and he could feel his heart racing and the adrenaline speeding through his body. What was he even afraid of? He didn’t even know. Or maybe he just didn’t remember.

It looked even bigger from where they sat because now Sunggyu could see the other side of the pool behind the stage platform. And it was big and deep. Just looking at it made him feel queasy.

He nearly jumped out of his seat when a big, voice proclaimed the show to be starting.

“Hyung, I’m so excited to watch Yeol in action!” Myungsoo said beside him.

“Y-Yeah, me too.”

“He tells me that swimming with a whale is one of the most amazing experiences ever.”

Sunggyu blinked. “You mean… they get in the water with them?”

“Well, yeah. Where’s the beauty of just giving them commands on the side?”

“But isn’t it dangerous?!”

“Of course it is – but it’s what they love. Sungyeol tells me that all the time.”

“Myungsoo, I-I don’t know if I want to be here, I–”

“Shh, they’re starting,” Myungsoo said.

Sunggyu gulped and looked forward. The videos screens were playing a video about a small boy who encountered a whale and made it his dream to become a trainer. They showed many scenes of him chipping off a piece of wood to shape it into a tail shape.

“There comes a time,” the video narrator said, “in everyone’s life when we stop wondering and begin… to believe.”

An enormous whale leaped out of the water and Sunggyu nearly screamed as it splashed back in.

“I don’t know if I can watch this,” he said, seeing three to four whales speed around the humongous tank. Water splashed over the rim and Sunggyu suddenly wondered what would happen if the tank collapsed.

“Hyung, I’d tell you to not watch, but we’re kind of advertising this so you have to watch.”

The screen again with the little boy on it wearing a black and white wetsuit and holding a paddle. He ran out of the screen and from behind the screen a grown man emerged wearing the same wetsuit and holding the same paddle.

“Is there story to this?” Sunggyu wondered out loud.

Dramatic music played as the man ran around the tank and to platform in front of the audience. He stood on a ledge in the pool that was high enough so that he only went up to his ankles in water. He neared the edge as if he was searching and the whale burst out of the water and straight into the air in front of him.

The audience was in awe but Sunggyu felt like barfing. What if the whale had hit him or something? He would’ve probably screamed if it were he.

But then the music became gentle, and the trainer approached it softly. He lifted one arm and the whale imitated him with his flipper. He splashed water on its face, and the whale spit back water at him.

“This is so beautiful,” Myungsoo murmured as he zoomed in with his camera.

“It’s scary,” Sunggyu said.

Myungsoo looked away from the viewfinder and smiled an apology to Sunggyu. He placed a hand on his leg. “I guess you can close your eyes if you want.”

Even if Sunggyu wanted to he couldn’t because the show was kind of mesmerizing. Not mesmerizing in a good way (for him at least) but he couldn’t take his eyes of the dark haired trainer.

The trainer pat the whale and rubbed it before slowly stepping onto its back. Sunggyu held his breath as he dived under water and the whale followed.

‘Oh, my gosh, what’s happening? Did the whale just drown him? Did I just witness a death?’

With a dramatic sound of brass instruments and drums, the whale burst out of the water with the trainer hugging the tip of its nose.

“Amazing,” Myungsoo murmured, snapping a shot.

Sunggyu swallowed his spit – he felt queasy.

“I’m going to close my eyes for a little bit,” he whispered.

“Okay, hyung. I’ll tell you when Sungyeol comes on.”

“You do that.”

Though he couldn’t see the water or the whales, he definitely heard the sound of water and loud music. It hurt his head and he wanted to leave. Taking his phone from his pocket, he plugged in his headphones and blasted Nell as high as his ears could take it.

For a while he finally felt sane. He didn’t feel scared because he couldn’t see or hear what he was afraid of. He was okay.

But then Myungsoo shook him some time later and his ear-buds fell from his ear.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Sungyeol! He’s performing!” Myungsoo said excitedly.

Sunggyu looked towards the stage, the icky feeling entering his stomach once again as he saw the pool. But instead he focused on Sungyeol. He was feeding the whale some fish as there was a soft and pretty song playing.

“Holy crap,” Sunggyu swore as Sungyeol dived in with the whale.

Sungyeol and the whale were face-to-face, spinning around with each other. It was like a ‘follow me’ game where the whale would copy Sungyeol’s movements. If Sungyeol swam forward while spinning, so would the whale.

“This is absolutely adorable.” Sunggyu heard his partner’s camera click.

“That’s because it’s Sungyeol.”

“Exactly.”

Sunggyu rolled his eyes as he focused back to the performance. Sungyeol was in the center of the pool (the over forty-five feet pool, he might add) and he was holding the whale’s flippers and spinning around with one of the biggest grins on his face. He was dancing with a whale.

He went back up on the platform for a little bit to throw a big mound of fish into the whale’s mouth. He opened his arms in a circle and the whale rose into it like a hug.

“This is so cute I might die,” Myungsoo said next to him. “I didn’t know whales could be so adorable.”

After the show, Myungsoo and Sunggyu had permission to head backstage of the show. They had to walk next to the towering tank and Sunggyu honestly felt like hiding.

“Myungsoo!” Sungyeol called as they came into view He was still sporting the black and white wetsuit. “Did you like it?”

“It was amazing, baby,” Myungsoo said as he wrapped his arms around his waist.

“Don’t hug me, you fool, I’m all wet.”

“So?”

“Please keep your couple talk away from me,” Sunggyu grimaced.

“Sorry, hyung,” Sungyeol laughed. “Did you enjoy the show, hyung?”

“I-It was nice,” he replied, trying at a smile.

Sungyeol shot him apologetic smile. “I know you’re not that fond of water, Sunggyu-hyung. I’m kind of sorry that I hired you guys.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not a problem. Anything for my roommate’s cute boyfriend.”

Myungsoo shot him a stare. “Hey. I’m the only one allowed to call Sungyeol cute.”

“Well that’s a shame, isn’t it?”

Myungsoo frowned then turned away. “ face…” he muttered.

“Anyways, if you two want to come around the back you can meet my show partner. The other trainers are playing with the other whales right now, so we can see them in a little bit.”

“How many trainers does it take to play with a whale?”

“Usually we have five to six trainers that take care of one whale.”

“And you have, what, three whales?”

“Three? No way – we have eight. They’re a pod.”

“You have eight gigantic sized whales.” It sounded more like a realization than a question from Sunggyu.

“Mm-hm,” Sungyeol nodded as he led them farther to the back. He smiled and skipped forward a little when a trainer drying his hair came into view. Sunggyu recognized him as the one who performed in the first act.

“Hyung!” Sungyeol called.

The trainer looked up and smiled, his teeth showing. He laughed as Sungyeol jumped into his arms for a hug. He got off and ignored Myungsoo’s deep frown as he said, “This is my boyfriend, Myungsoo, and his roommate, Sunggyu. They’re going to advertise the park for us.”

“That’s awesome,” the trainer smiled. “Glad you guys agreed!”

“Yeah, well, it’s mostly because he’s my boyfriend,” Myungsoo said, pulling Sungyeol’s hip towards him.

Sunggyu rolled his eyes. “Please excuse his jealousy. I’m Kim Sunggyu,” he said, holding out his hand.

The trainer grasped it firmly. “Nam Woohyun. Nice to meet you Kim Sunggyu.” He let go of his hand and turned to Sungyeol. “Yeol, we have to go feed Kalu. You want to bring them with us, or…?”

“Sure, we can bring them. What better way to advertise than to get the inside stories?”

“Follow us, if you will,” Woohyun said.

The two trainers led them to a shack where they pulled out three buckets of cold fish. They handed Sunggyu a bucket.

“Sorry for the smell,” Woohyun said as the group moved towards a pool, “but we try to get the fish as fresh as possible.”

“Wait… where are we going?” Sunggyu asked.

“We’re going to feed Kalu – one of our orcas.”

“We’re going to feed her? As in up close?”

Woohyun turned to smile. “Yeah.”

( A/N ) ; happy first chapter! :3 thanks for reading thus far :) I hope you're enjoying. I'm not a huge supporter of captivity or anything, but please bear in mind that this is set in a fictitious, ideallistic setting. :) So don't worry about anything :>

and I'm kind of afraid that it'sgoing to be difficult portraying Gyu's fear, but more chapters wil have more development so I hope we get somewhere :3

subscribe, comment and upvote if you're pleased <3

~ Quinnie