The air was humid, but the gentle breeze carrying the scent of the sea made it better. In fact, sitting in the shade it was even a bit chilly.

But even so, Wonshik sat with his shirt off, sipping a cocktail and reading a book. He had a beautiful view of the beach, the sea and s either swimming or diving but mostly trying to drown each other.

Wonshik tried not to focus on their screeching and instead listen to the sound of the waves hitting the shore and the soft music playing from a cafe further down the beach.

Drip, drip, drip.

He looked up at the smiling face of Hakyeon, whose hair and skin glistened with crystal water drops. Water drops dripping onto the book Wonshik was reading.

“Hyung! Get away you’re getting my book wet!” Wonshik whined and shut the book in an attempt to protect it.

“Come on, come on,” Hakyeon hummed, reaching for Wonshik’s wrist.

“Back off. You are wet and I refuse to let you touch me.”

Hakyeon stepped away, lifting his arms up in surrender. “Okay, no touching. But come on, let’s go swim. We’ve been on vacation for days now and you haven’t gone swimming once. I can’t allow that.”

Wonshik shuffled in his seat. “Someone has to take care of our stuff,” he argued.

“Woonie and Bin said they wanna get out and rest.”

“I haven’t finished my drink yet,” Wonshik kept going.

“Then finish it and we can go.”

“But...”

“You’re out of excuses Wonshikie you have to come along!”

“There’s one more.” Wonshik sipped his drink. “I don’t wanna.”

Hakyeon stood with his hands on his hips, then opened his arms. “If you keep annoying me you’re gonna get a hug.”

He leaned in and water started dripping onto Wonshik. He jolted out of his spot and nearly spilled his drink.

“Fine, fine!” Wonshik said, trying to scramble away.

Hakyeon pulled back, smiling victoriously. “I’m so glad you changed your mind.”

Wonshik huffed. He chugged down his drink and stood up. He grabbed Hakyeon by the arm and pulled him in, not touching but enough to whisper something to him.

“I can’t swim.”

Hakyeon stared in disbelief. “You’re joking.”

“I am very serious.”

Hakyeon was shocked for only a second more. “Well, let me teach you.”

Wonshik shook his head. “No. No, bad idea.”

Despite his protests, Hakyeon had already grabbed Wonshik’s hands and was dragging him towards the water.

“It’s the easiest thing in the world!” He was saying. “You’re a rapper, you already know proper breathing. It’s all flopping around to keep afloat from there.”

Wonshik tried to dig his feet into the sand to prevent himself for being dragged further.

“That sounds horrible,” he said.

“Well, you should give your flopping some shape, but that’s pretty much it.”

“Hyung! It’s a bad idea, I mean it!” He pulled Hakyeon close again. “I have a horrible fear of drowning and the ocean is really scary!” He hissed.

“Wonshik. It’s all sand and the water is so clear you’ll always be able to see the bottom.” He pointed at the distance. “Look. See where Hyuk and Jaehwan are? They can still stand there. I can too and you’re twice my size. So there is nothing to worry about.”

Wonshik was still frowning, shaking his head. “Bad idea. I don’t want them watching me, it’ll be embarrassing. Do you think they’ll ever stop teasing me?”

Right as he said this, Hakyeon’s name was screeched out – it had to be Sanghyuk.

“HYUNG! WE’RE GONNA SWIM TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAY!”

Hakyeon smiled and showed them thumbs up. He turned back to Wonshik.

“See? They won’t be watching.”

Wonshik was still sceptical.

“If you do this, I’ll give you a reward,” Hakyeon hummed.

The younger sighed. He was all out of excuses. He glanced into the endless blue, circled with misty mountains. He stepped into the water and hissed.

“Cold...”

Next to him, Hakyeon ran by, splashing Wonshik a bit in the process and dived into the mild waves.

“Come on, I won’t wait for you forever,” Hakyeon said, getting up and approaching Wonshik again. “Need any help getting in?”

“No! No, I do not need help, get away from me—” Wonshik screamed as he found himself in Hakyeon’s wet and cold embrace. “GET OFF!”

But while struggling to get away, Wonshik stumbled back and fell right into the sea, the coldness going through his body like an electric shock. “HYUNG!”

Hakyeon was laughing his off. “Let’s start with your lesson, yah?”

 

Hakyeon showed him the simplest of styles, one bound to work every time. He demonstrated, then stopped in the shallow part to tell Wonshik what to do.

“You just make these circular movements with your arms and legs – piece of cake.” Hakyeon popped his up above the surface to show Wonshik what to do while staying still.

Now Wonshik did want to pay attention – but damn. He’d never noticed how toned Hakyeon’s legs were. And his was such a nice . Wonshik was left wondering how he’d never noticed this, how had he never appreciated Hakyeon’s ballet dancer body. Well, maybe he had, but now the was right in his face and Hakyeon’s swimsuit was pretty tight so it was easy to notice...

“Wonshik? Did you get that?”

“Uuuh... No. Could you show me again?” It wasn’t a lie, but it was definitely taking advantage of the situation.

However by the third time it was obvious.

Hakyeon sighed. “Okay, but this is the last time. And don’t think I haven’t noticed you checking me out,” he added before demonstrating again.

Wonshik said nothing.

After that it was his turn. He got the movements quickly enough but keeping afloat was more of a challenge.

“You gotta keep your up,” Hakyeon was saying. “If your sinks, you sink with it.”

Wonshik huffed.

To correct his position, Hakyeon placed his palm flat on Wonshik’s stomach and lightly pushed up. But then he didn’t move his hand away.

“Are you touching my abs?” Wonshik asked, narrowing his eyes at Hakyeon.

“I most certainly am not. Keep your focus.”

He didn’t move his hand even after saying it.

“How about we go deeper so you can try swimming for real,” Hakyeon suggested after a little while. His smile was that of pure satisfaction.

Wonshik was going to complain about his abs being violated, but he said nothing because he realized that he had the sea to worry about.

Noticing his anxiousness, Hakyeon said, “Don’t worry, Wonshikie, if anything happens I’ll pull you to the shore like a damsel~”

Wonshik scoffed. “Actually hyung, you’d still be the damsel. The Little Mermaid saves the prince, remember?”

Hakyeon shrugged one shoulder. “Yes, but you’re the one with red hair.” And he graciously swam away.

Now, Wonshik had to follow.

It was a daunting task, especially with Hakyeon laughing his off, again.

“What!?”

“You swim like a puppy!” Hakyeon said, delighted.

Wonshik flipped him off, but quickly had to return his hand into the water to keep himself afloat.

“It’s okay Wonshikie, you’re adorable. And you’re doing well!”

Wonshik did not feel like he was doing well. He really did feel like he was just flapping around even though he did try to breathe properly. His head was barely above the surface and he was inhaling unhealthy amounts of sea water.

Meanwhile Hakyeon’s movements when swimming reflect those of his dancing – fluid and graceful, he was gliding through the water. He spun easily, dived and emerged with his hair slicked back. That grace and the easiness of his movements made him look like an actual mermaid.

Wonshik thought that maybe the pain of swallowing sea water was worth watching Hakyeon swim.

The water glistened prettily on his skin, which seemed to have gotten a bit darker from the few days they spent on the beach.

Wonshik was whipped. Suddenly he didn’t even feel all that bad about Hakyeon’s shameless touching. In fact, he was regretting not having grabbed his when he’d had the chance.

 

After an hour or so Wonshik no longer looked like a helpless puppy when swimming and he’d stopped swallowing sea water – more than was normal anyway.

And he had to admit, it was fun. He felt weightless and the water was soft and smooth around him.

But he’d definitely had enough for one day. As Hakyeon and Wonshik went out of the water and stood under the beach shower, they kept checking each other out. Neither of them complained.

Once sat in the shade, back in the safety of the beach chairs and the sand, Wonshik leaned over and said, “Where’s my reward?”

Hakyeon raised his eyebrows quizzically.

“You said there’d be a reward. Where is it?”

“Oh!” Hakyeon smiled and leaned in, giving Wonshik a peck on the cheek.

He stared. “That’s it? I went through all that trouble for this?”

For a split second genuine hurt passed over Hakyeon’s features like a shadow, but soon it was replaced by childish pouty sulking.

“If you don’t want it, give it back,” he said, tapping his own cheek. He clearly wasn’t giving up.

“I don’t want it. I want a real kiss,” Wonshik said.

Suddenly Hakyeon’s cheeks heated up. He wasn’t expecting this but definitely wasn’t complaining. He leaned in yet again and pecked Wonshik’s lips, but he was quick to pull away.

Wonshik sighed. “Do I have to do everything myself?”

He lifted Hakyeon’s chin and connected their lips for a real kiss, one dictated by Wonshik because Hakyeon was too shocked to respond. Slowly he relaxed and eased into it, starting to fight Wonshik for control. Hakyeon scooted over and placed his hand on Wonshik’s biceps and soon enough what started as a slow, gentle kiss grew into making out interrupted only by tiny breaths, chasing each others lips, fighting for the upper hand – but Hakyeon had climbed on top of Wonshik so who was the real winner?

It was broken up by Jaehwan’s voice.

Him and Hyuk stood before them, water drops dripping onto the sand, holding their goggles and staring wide eyed at the pair.

“What the hell did we miss?”