A table of women titters happily as a boy joins them. It’s Jongin; he greets the women warmly and accepts a chair. He seems perfectly comfortable with their company and attention, and Yifan remembers the owner’s instructions for his employees to do whatever they can to keep customers happy and engaged and spending money.

Someone walks to the front of the room with a microphone and introduces herself as the activities coordinator. She’s way too perky to be real, Yifan thinks. “Thank you all for coming; I see some familiar faces. Some may remember me as the assistant coordinator. This year, I’ve been promoted! I’m looking forward to making this summer one to remember.” She waves her clipboard. “This is full of great activities, and I promise there’s something for everyone. To start things off, I’d like to announce our scavenger hunt!”

As he watches, a woman touches Jongin’s knee, and without missing a beat of the conversation, he takes her hand, keeps it in his as he laughs at something another woman says, and places it on the tabletop.

There’s a flare of something in Yifan’s gut--jealousy or anger, something hot, which is strange.

Maybe he imagines it, the hopeful part of him looking for something remotely meaningful, but Jongin’s expression seems to brighten when he catches Yifan’s eye. He tilts his head towards the doors and excuses himself.

Yifan follows immediately, ducking his head to appear less distracting and obvious as he ignores the speaker’s enthusiastic reveal of summer plans.

Jongin’s waiting outside and takes his elbow once Yifan’s out of the dining room, leading him into a smaller side room and out of the way of waitstaff carrying platters and pushing carts.

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

“I...I don’t have any plans.” Yifan shrugs and shakes his head. His arm is getting warmer under Jongin’s hand, and he moves it to Yifan’s upper arm. “Why?” He tries to fight the goofy smile; he’s ticklish.

“Come to my studio tomorrow. You don’t have to join, but maybe something will inspire you.”

“Is this how you gain students?”

“Sometimes. My morning aerobics class is mostly women, anyway. I don’t think they even come for the benefits of exercise, for some reason.”

Yifan can imagine.