chapter song: 20 (picnic live acoustic version)

phrases in italic in the first part of the chapter are lyrics translated from the song! ^^

The next couple of days fall into an easy, comfortable rhythm. Seungcheol won’t let Jihoon out into the sun since his skin is dry and crackly now, and it hurts a little too. Sunburns . Seungcheol’s given him a bottle of aloe vera lotion to soothe the burns, which Jihoon slathers onto his skin about every five seconds. And even though it’s hot, Jihoon returns to his sweater paws just for extra protection from the bright sun.

Soonyoung’s been hanging out with Wonwoo, since the latter’s now free from work; ‘editing’ videos. The unlikely pair colonise the living room; Soonyoung belting out ballads sung by Korean superstar Lee Dokyeom, eating junk food and hogging the TV to watch cartoons (Soonyoung’s pick) or documentaries (when Wonwoo insists).

He’d just dropped two vlogs at once, the first few of a series aptly titled ‘Soonie and Hoonie’s LA Adventure’, just like how Soonyoung’s always screamed it around when walking around Los Angeles. Netizens love the vibrant energy of the two friends exploring Los Angeles; and they’d been anticipating Soonyoung’s travel vlog since he’d announced it on his site months ago.

And apparently, Jihoon has fans too.

Soonyoung mentions it to him one day during breakfast, making Jihoon read the comments from the videos out loud. Most of them say how adorably cute Jihoon is, and his ears flare red when he sees them. Of course, Soonyoung has to pinch his cheeks, babying him, as always; before he skips off to the living room, waiting for Wonwoo to turn up so that they can ‘edit’ more footage together.

So Jihoon spends his peaceful days sitting in the shade on back porch overlooking the beach, armed with his new guitar and a constant bottle of Coke; not questioning whatever Soonyoung and Wonwoo are actually doing inside. He’s still intrigued that Wonwoo, of all people, is warming up to his best friend – but then again, with Soonyoung’s vibrant personality, who won’t?

(Sometimes he hears them bickering over something, followed by Soonyoung’s dolphin laugh. Certainly, they’re getting along well.)

It’s still a boring morning -

Today, Seungcheol’s out on the ocean surfing. As the soft ocean breeze blows gently across the beach, Jihoon can glimpse the surfer out in the distance, dwarfed by the huge ocean waves; adding fancy little tricks as he bravely tackles the waves on his trusty funboard.

Jihoon’s been playing the same chord progression for a while now: a G chord, then a D major, followed by a minor chord before rounding up with a C chord. Basic, and simple; and he strums it almost mindlessly as his eyes trails Seungcheol’s silhouette as the surfer rides through a tunnel of water.

A new tune pops up in his head; accompanied by fragments of lyrics.

The distance between me and you has no progress –

As if the beach was separating them apart in their own little worlds: Jihoon with his music, and Seungcheol with surfing. Jihoon begins overthinking, accompanied by those four chords that his fingers are strumming, as if on loop.

Were they friends now? Certainly, to some degree, they should be.

They’d been hanging out almost every day for the past two weeks – but despite the time they’d spent together, Jihoon realises that he doesn’t know Seungcheol as a person very well.

It’s like the both of them have been skirting around the idea of getting to know each other; only scraping little tidbits of information from each other each time they meet. Bit by bit, slowly building – nothing like those Clichéd Romantic Movies where people fall in love within three days.

Usually Jihoon would think that it’s a trivial fact, but he’d really like to know what Seungcheol’s favourite colour is. At least, he knows that the surfer loves meat, thanks to their daily dinners together; one of the little things that they have in common. Hmm, he’s a gamer, too, as Jihoon remembers the FPS game Seungcheol played that one time he stayed over at the surfer’s, nursing a hangover.  

Jihoon watches Seungcheol wade back to the shore with his surfboard tucked under his muscular arm; smiling to himself, satisfied with the day’s surf.

It seems like a different world, surfing. It’s like a lifetime away, those days when Seungcheol would teach him surfing techniques on the sand. And that one venture into the ocean – albeit ankle-deep; followed by that one episode: what should’ve been a bitter recollection has been overshadowed by the fact that Seungcheol saved his life.

Another G chord; and Jihoon’s insides warms at the memory.

Far away, so far away –

Jihoon scoffs at the idea of himself surfing; something he’d never ever thought to try before he came to sunny California. He’s not sure whether he’d venture into the ocean again soon; but watching Seungcheol tackle the waves coolly makes him sorta kinda wanna surf the waves like that too, but surely he’d need to ace swimming before he can face the ocean.

Maybe he’d changed from being the stressed-out Jihoon who’d been doing nothing but work, work, work, work and work. Life never goes the way you plan it to – it’s always incredibly unpredictable, so you’ve got to go with the flow. He touches his chlorine-stained blond hair, almost missing his original dark black locks he’d been sporting for his entire life.

I didn’t know it’d be like this.

Jihoon reaches for his pen, and scribbles those random phrases down in his precious leather notebook, just in case he needs them later.

“Hey.” Seungcheol calls out, appearing from the beachside. The surfer jogs up the steps to the porch, and smiles at Jihoon, who automatically cracks a smile back. Seungcheol’s hair is still damp from the seawater. He’d been surfing shirtless earlier, but at least now he’d thrown on a muscle tee, with a towel looped around his neck.

Jihoon puts his guitar aside, and closes the notebook that’s lying on the table in front of him.

“How’s your day?” The surfer comfortably lies down on the hammock nearby, stretching out languidly. Jihoon reaches out to swing the hammock gently, and Seungcheol relaxes.

“Nothing much. Just experimenting with chords.” He’d been familiarising himself with the instrument once more, after a few years’ hiatus – and it had been easy to pick up once more, his musical senses are surprisingly innate, finding the chords like a familiar old friend, welcoming him back to the world he once knew inside out.

Music notes, squiggly little uncomprehensible things on staves – turning into beautiful melodies if you played the instrument correctly. Jihoon’s always loved that magic, and finding that he’d never lost his musical touch calms him down – it feels like home.

Probably the same home Seungcheol finds in his surfing board and the ocean.

“How were the waves?” Jihoon leans back, still rocking Seungcheol’s hammock.

“Surf was amazing. It’s getting hotter, though.”

“Well, it’s almost noon.”

Seungcheol hums, resting his eyes. “Maybe I’ll catch the late surf with Jerry later. I left my surfboard with him.”

No one says anything for the next few minutes, simply enjoying each other’s company in the shade. The sun blazes down, warming the golden sand on the beach, and only the peaceful sound of waves crashing against the shore fills the air.

“How’s your skin?”

Jihoon subconsciously tugs onto his sleeves. “It’s getting better, I guess.”

“Next time, when we go swimming, I can help you put on sunscreen.”

An image of Seungcheol rubbing sunscreen onto his back pops up in his mind. The surfer’s rough hands, gently massaging the lotion onto his skin; his fingers dangerously teasing at the waistband of his swimming trunks. Jihoon likes the idea; and his throat goes dry simply thinking about it, so he takes a quick swig of his Coke, letting the fizzy drink quench his thirst.

Seungcheol watches Jihoon with a tiny smile, and his gaze flicks towards Jihoon’s guitar propped up against the chair. “I’ve always wanted to learn guitar.” He says, propping an arm behind his head, grinning.

“I could teach you.” Jihoon pipes up instantaneously, and Seungcheol angles his head to meet the blond’s eager eyes.

“Would you?”

“Hey, you taught me how to surf and how to swim. It’s the least that I can do.” Jihoon hands his guitar over to Seungcheol, who opts for a seat right beside Jihoon; their knees knocking against each other. The surfer gingerly cradles the instrument in his lap, unsure of what to do.

“Like, how do you make the different sounds?” Seungcheol mimics fingerstyle guitar; then strums guitar strings, and an open chord rings out into the salty ocean air. “Josh played all the time, and I’d watch him, but I can never understand how…this happens.” 

Jihoon knows that he’s not a natural teacher like Seungcheol is, so he has no idea where to start. The chord progression he’d been experimenting on earlier is still at the back of his mind, and it had been easy, simple chords; so he decides to teach those four chords to Seungcheol. “Alright, so first put your fingers on the fret, like you’re ready to play.”

Seungcheol complies; wrapping his left hand around the neck of the guitar.

“Okay, so now, put two fingers on the third fret for the first and last string; and your index finger on the second fret for the second string.” Jihoon says, hoping that his words make sense.

Seungcheol looks at the frets, then looks back at Jihoon with anticipating eyes, barely understanding what the younger had said.

Jihoon laughs nervously – he’s never taught anyone how to play an instrument before. Why is it so hard to describe things that you’re familiar with in words? He can practically see the chord, exactly how he’d explained it to Seungcheol earlier.

“Teacher, please show me, I didn’t understand.” Seungcheol pouts, his eyes full-on puppy-dog mode.

Jihoon wants to slap his face with a piece of lettuce – Seungcheol is already ridiculously hot, so it’s unfair for him to be ridiculously cute too!

Don’t try to brush past it like it’s nothing -

Jihoon exhales heavily, then moves closer to the elder, tentatively reaching out for Seungcheol’s hand, guiding his fingers to the correct frets. “Now strum.”

A G chord – albeit slightly distorted –  springs from the guitar. Seungcheol glances at the blond with wide, excited eyes; surprised at his little achievement.

“That’s a G chord. Try remembering the position.” Jihoon says. “Press the strings down harder so it sounds better.”

“But they hurt my fingers.” Seungcheol waves his left hand into Jihoon’s face – the tips of his fingers are red, indented by the thin strings of the guitar.

Jihoon resists the urge to kiss Seungcheol’s fingers one by one so that the pain goes away; but he quickly sits on his hands, cringing internally at his own sappiness. Now he wants to slap himself with a piece of lettuce!

Cheesy thoughts, begone.

“You’ll get used to it.” Jihoon manages a smile instead. “Play it again?”

Seungcheol does, sticking his tongue out comically as he searches for the correct frets. The surfer plays the same chord a few more times, the sounds more solid than the first time.

“You’re doing good.” Jihoon says, his features softening.

“Well, I have a good teacher.” Seungcheol puffs his chest out proudly.  He tries it a few more times, getting more confidence from Jihoon’s reassuring smile.

“Teach me another chord.” Seungcheol begs, scooting closer to Jihoon’s right side; so that the guitar’s neck is right in front of him – Jihoon can easily reach the frets from this position. He can feel the surfer’s body heat pressed up against his side. The surfer smells like the sea, and his usual musk – it takes all of Jihoon’s strength not to give into his new favourite scent in the whole wide world.

“Next chord is D.”

“Gimme the D.” Seungcheol laughs, barely thinking about the innuendo hidden in his statement, which makes Jihoon’s cheeks turn red.

The blond fumbles with the chord, his fingers trembling as his finds it on the frets; and suddenly Seungcheol strums several times.

“Hey, we make a good team like this. You can play the chords, while I can strum!”

Jihoon lets out a cackle of laughter, clapping his hands as he leans backward laughing at Seungcheol’s ridiculous idea. Two people playing one guitar – certainly an unconventional method!

“You said you wanted to learn!” Jihoon says, when he collects himself, conscious that Seungcheol is watching him.

The surfer pouts, but tries out the chords anyway, placing his fingers on the wrong frets. The guitar produces an odd sound, which Seungcheol cringes at.  

Jihoon peers over the awkwardly acute angle between the guitar frets and himself. He corrects Seungcheol’s fingers onto the correct position, then turns to face the surfer. He’s surprised when he finds himself almost nose-to-nose with Seungcheol, who’s leaning close to see the correct chord. No one moves, and Jihoon takes his time to inspect Seungcheol’s lips; then his gaze flicks over to Seungcheol’s chocolate eyes, instantly absorbed into its depths.

There’s anticipation in the air, and Jihoon holds his breath, his own lips parting slightly – this is the closest he’s been with Seungcheol; now that he’s sober and conscious. The surfer peeks at him from under his impossibly long eyelashes, almost shyly, and a little smile curves across his plump lips.

When you look at me, you’re so beautiful.

“WE’RE BACK!” Soonyoung shouts from inside the house, accompanied by a lot of bumping noises as the vlogger practically stamps through the house – always, like a hurricane.

Jihoon didn’t even notice that his best friend left, but his voice makes him leap apart from Seungcheol. It’s like a reflex – he doesn’t want to be caught being all intimate with Seungcheol especially by his best friend, who’d just scream it out for the world to know!

Seungcheol puts Jihoon’s guitar aside just before Soonyoung pops his head out through the back door.

“I brought back food. You love me now.” Soonyoung grins, his eyes crinkling.

Seungcheol playfully rushes after the vlogger indoors and drags him into a tight backhug. “I wub you, Soonyoung-ie!”

Wonwoo, who’s unpacking the takeaway boxes on the kitchen counter, throws a quick glance at the two guys starting a tickle fight in the doorway. Jihoon manages to slip in, raising an eyebrow at Wonwoo in acknowledgment, who nods back at him briefly before returning his focus onto the tickle fight in the middle of the kitchen.

Soonyoung squeals with laughter, trying to avoid Seungcheol from tickling his ribs – that’s where he’s the most sensitive. “Go tickle Hoonie, he’s more ticklish than me!” The vlogger wheezes, as Seungcheol relentlessly attacks him.

Jihoon’s taken a seat next to Wonwoo at the kitchen island, attracted to the Thai food; thinking about nothing else.

“I didn’t know S