Indoor water parks: hot, heavy, moist air... the smell of chorine so intense one could practically taste it... screams of children and rushing water with the occasional lifeguard whistle, and the consistent echoing murmur of voices. Yes, this was definitely the place to be when Mother Nature graces you with ridiculous blankets of snow, and cold bitter winds. Kibum was grateful for the mini-vacation at the indoor water park for the weekend, he really was. But.. Taemin and Minho's eagerness for thriller rides made it hard for the brunette to relax and enjoy himself.

"Pleeeeease, please, please!" Taemin begged excitedly, "Jongin told me about this ride and I promised I would tell him how it was!" How many times had he used this excuse today? Kibum rolled his eyes and sighed. Here we go...

"I'm in!" Minho agreed enthusiastically, high-fiving the younger all pumped up and ready to go. "I heard this one is amazing and the more riders you have, the faster you go!"

Jinki smiled at the pair and chuckled a bit, "You guys have fun, but I'm going to grab a tube and make myself at home in the Lazy River."

"I'll go," Jonghyun grinned with spark in his eyes and patted Taemin on the shoulder, "Sounds like fun." The group turned to Kibum, who stared awkwardly at his toes as he wiggled them in the water on the floor.

"I just might join the old man this time, guys..." Kibum scratched his head nervously, "I'm not really into .. those kind of rides."

And as usual, Taemin had the kicked puppy act down to a science: his eyes teared up, smile fell, and if he had floppy dog ears, they'd be drooped. "But, hyung... we need four people to go fast..." he mumbled heartbrokenly. "Please, hyung? Just this once?"

Kibum pursed his lips as he looked up at the tall, wooden structure of stairs filled with people waiting to ride. Large four-seated clover tubes were being transported up with a conveyor belt and children in line marveled at them as they passed by. At the top, groups of friends and family were disappearing through a large black hole in the wall, their screams echoing faintly throughout the large area of rides and people. Kibum shivered in response and looked back at the younger, taking in his sad demeanor and sighing.

With concerned eyes, Jonghyun placed his hand gently on Kibum's shoulder. "It's okay, Bum... I don't want to force you onto a ride you can't handle..." he reassured him, softly.

Kibum gave his boyfriend a small smile, "Thanks, but... I think I'll go with you guys. I know I don't like roller coasters, but maybe water rides will be different...?"

Taemin's face immediately brightened and rushed forward to hug the elder. "Thank you, thank you, thank youuuu!! This is going to be so much fun!" the blonde grinned happily. "Let's go!" Grabbing Minho's hand, Taemin excitedly led the group toward the ride entrance as Jinki waved them good luck. Kibum waved back with a small smile and felt a familiar hand take hold of the other. Jonghyun gave a reassuring squeeze and waved too as Jinki mouthed "Fighting!" before making his way to the Lazy River.

"You're really too nice to that kid, Bum," Jonghyun commented as they followed after the other two, giving him a soft peck on the cheek.

Kibum sighed, "I know."

The higher they climbed, the more the brunette trembled and the tighter his grip became on his boyfriend's hand. Jonghyun did his best to soothe the younger by rubbing his thumb gently against Kibum's hand and distracting him with conversation but Kibum only became more and more nervous with every stair. The line of people waiting to get on the ride was long but within fifteen minutes, the members were three groups away from their turn on the ride. Taemin watched with excitement as the groups of people disappeared into the dark hole, and soon he and Minho made a game of timing how long it took for riders to reach the drop once they disappeared around the corner out of view by counting down until they screamed.

As another group hopped in the tube and rounded the corner, the mischievous duo started their countdown: "Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two... One..." And on cue, several loud screams echoed from the ride as Minho and Taemin laughed hysterically. This only made Kibum more nervous and frowned as his other hand joined the first to cling to Jonghyun.

"You can sit next to me, Bum... It'll be over before you know it," he smiled warmly. Kibum wanted to reassure the other that he was okay but all he could focus on was the next group as they disappeared around the corner and he trembled as their screams rang in his ears. Another clover tube made its way up the conveyor belt and the ride attendant pulled it into the loading pool.

"Hop in, boys!" she called with a smile. Taemin and Minho eagerly climbed into their spots, trying to persuade the attendant to spin the tube so that the other had to go backwards. Jonghyun led his trembling boyfriend to the back of the tube, ensuring that he wouldn't be the unfortunate individual riding backwards. Water his thighs as Kibum sat frigidly and clung to the handles on either side of him. Jonghyun sat next to him, placing his hand over the other's with a loving glance as the attendant recited the safety rules:

"Sit up straight throughout the ride, don't leave your tube until the end, keep your hands in, and have fun guys!" the attendant's voice sang cheerfully as she rotated the tube and pushed it into the ride. Taemin yelled with fright and surprise as he looked behind him, and Jonghyun and Minho laughed at his unfortunate backwards position. The tube floated down the passage and as they reached the corner, Minho and Taemin grinned and started their countdown:

"Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two... One!"

Water splashed up at the four and Kibum could see a light below them as the tube began to fall. His heart pounded painfully and a wave of nausea rushed over him when his stomach flipped as the tube dropped straight down into a round dome with a funnel. He let out a long bloodcurdling shriek that sent a sharp pain through his throat and squeezed his eyes shut in fright as the others screamed with smiles and grins. Jonghyun gripped Kibum's hand and watched as the brunette's wet hair whipped around as the tube used its momentum to climb the walls of the dome and slide back the other way. Kibum heard his friends' yells and hollers of excitement echo throughout the dome, and felt the tube rock back and forth, the movements getting shorter and shorter.

"Open your eyes, hyung!" Taemin yelled happily. Kibum peeked one eye open and then the other, trembling as he glanced around the dome and saw the hole in which they entered at the top with water running out of it. Suddenly, the tube jolted and the brunette squeaked in fright, squeezing his eyes shut as a strong current of water hit to bring its passengers down the funnel and out. The others laughed and Taemin put his hands in the air as the water jostled the tube back and forth, out of the funnel, and into the landing pool where another attendant was waiting for them. All four members were dripping wet from the splash landing and Jonghyun whipped his head back and forth in attempt to unstick his hair from his face. Minho and Taemin yelled happily and were full of adrenaline as the tube came to a stop. Jonghyun laughed heartily and had enjoyed the ride very much himself, but kept a close eye on Kibum. The poor brunette's eyes were still squeezed shut and knuckles white from how tight he clung to the handles of the tube, slightly trembling. Jonghyun swung his legs over the side of the tube and hopped into the water before turning back to help Kibum out.

“Hey… Kibum, are you okay? It’s over now,” he whispered softly into the younger’s neck, rubbing his arms. “Let me help you out.” Seeing him relax a bit, Jonghyun helped him swing his legs over the side of the tube and off, leading him out of the landing pool. Minho and Taemin ran up to them, clearly still buzzed by the rush the ride gave them.

“Hyung, that was so cool! Thank you for coming with us! Gosh, I want to do it again,” the blonde rambled eagerly.

“Minnie?” Kibum mumbled quietly, Jonghyun rubbing circles into his back.

“Yes?”

“…Jumbo Strawberry Slide.”

Taemin stopped and became quiet. “…the margarita?”

Kibum nodded.

“…the one at the swim-up bar with Svedka Stawberry Lemonade Vodka and Bols Liqueur?”

He nodded again.

 “…. The one that’s thirty-five dollars?”

Another nod.

“…”

“….okay.” Minho patted the younger on the back as Taemin sulked his way back to their table to grab his wallet and Jonghyun finally let out a hearty laugh that he had been holding back.

“I hope you weren’t planning that from the beginning, Bum,” Jonghyun wiped his face with his hand.

“…I actually thought of it when he counted down before we dropped,” Kibum replied quietly, a slight smirk creeping up the side of his mouth.

“I love it when you’re devious,” Jonghyun chuckled and ruffled his wet hair. “But seriously, are you okay? I wasn’t sure if you’d make it or not.”

The brunette shivered and smiled softly in reply, “I think next time, I’ll join Jinki in the Lazy River.”

“You know, I’ve eying up the hot tub since we walked in…” Jonghyun mumbled, leaving a soft kiss on Kibum’s neck. “I’m sure Jinki’s content by himself for a while…”

“Margaritas and the hot tub?” Kibum bit his lip, “Best thing I’ve heard all day.”

Meanwhile, a lone double-tube floats past in the Lazy River– a certain bun-like floof stretched out across it with his arms underneath his head. He chuckled to himself as the couple walked away towards the hot tub, margarita in hand.

“Looks like Bum survived…”

Looking in the other direction, he spotted the other two near a pool with a basketball hoop.

“Good. They’re getting along,” Jinki thought to himself with a smile, closing his eyes for a short nap.

Suddenly, the elder heard a very loud shriek and opened his eyes in time to see Minho throw blonde into the pool and cannonball in right after him. He cringed as a whistle was blown repeatedly and he put his head back down again as his tube floated away.

“I’m too old for this .”