It was another sunny afternoon and Kyungsoo was sitting on his motorcycle with a cigarette between his lips. His eyes were squinted in the bright sunlight and he was just about to lose his temper. This wasn’t a day where he would want to be outside, the sun was scorching hot and like any other biker in town Kyungsoo was head to toe clad in black leather. Kyungsoo leans back as he exhales smoke and he looks warily at the motorcycle beside his own. They’d stopped by the local convenience store since Baekhyun had been complaining about the heat and how he was going to die without a popsicle. Kyungsoo wonders what’s taking so long. He stands up and drops his cigarette to the ground before he steps on it, blowing the remainder of smoke from his lungs. Kyungsoo heads inside the small store and he looks side to side, trying to find Baekhyun and Jongdae amidst the few aisles. When he spots them he sighs and he runs his hand through his hair, nonchalantly thinking how he should probably get a haircut.

“Kyungsoo, go talk some sense into them will you. And I’m going to need y’all to handle this outside, unless you want to pay for damages again?” the small old woman behind the counter looked positively done at this point and so was Kyungsoo. He nods at her and approaches the small group standing in front of the freezer. Baekhyun and Jongdae have their eyes narrowed and their fists clenched while the two facing them seem smug. God Kyungsoo hated the smug look on their faces, it seemed like they had no other expression.

“Just grab what you need and get back to your waves, we don’t have time for this ,” Kyungsoo growls as he comes closer and everyone directs their attention to him. Kyungsoo recognizes the other two as Sehun and Minseok. He didn’t see them together often but he could care less, Minseok particularly liked to get on Jongdae’s nerves for some reason. In their small town there were two groups, not necessarily gangs or anything like that but they were definitely separated by the east and west sides of town. Kyungsoo and his friends were part of the east side and they were bikers, everyone in their families owned the streets. The other side of town belonged to the likes of Sehun and Minseok, surfers, colourful dressed folk that spent hours and hours underneath the sun at the beach, their families owned the waves. Kyungsoo doesn’t know exactly when this rivalry began but he hated how small the town was, the run-ins with the surfers were too often for his liking. 

“Acting like a saint again Kyungsoo? Are you worried your big bwother will get mad at you?” Sehun mocks him with pursed lips and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. They really need to be heading back and the heat was not helping him whatsoever. Kyungsoo doesn’t think twice as he grabs Sehun by his muscle shirt, watching how Minseok tenses up beside him, unsure if he should help or not.

“Get the out, I don’t have time for this ,” Kyungsoo reiterates and Sehun’s bottom lip wobbles. He slaps Kyungsoo’s hand off of him and mutters to Minseok before they leave the shop. Baekhyun and Jongdae grab what they want and they make their way to the front counter, the old lady sighs at them and Kyungsoo doesn’t look at her. He knows that she isn’t exactly pleased by the way he handled things.

“Y’all only have one town but for some reason you can’t just get along. Mistakes were made in my time, things won’t change if you boys won’t change them,” she lectures and Baekhyun quickly pays for the popsicles with some change. 

“It’s not us auntie, they’re always the ones picking fights. How are we supposed to make peace with folks like those?” Jongdae whines and Kyungsoo leaves the store. He looks out at the ocean and he can see some surfers in the distance, riding the waves. He wonders what that feels like, would it be as exhilarating as it felt to ride his motorcycle? There was probably a different thrill that he wasn’t seeing, or more so, he didn’t have a chance to see. Kyungsoo had been taught to ride a bike the moment he was tall enough to. Driving past the beach was something he always enjoyed but he couldn’t do it often because the surfers were always there. They made surfing seem… fun. But it wasn’t like he would ever find out. Kyungsoo gets on his bike and he kicks up the stand. The sun is beginning to set and they promised Junmyeon that they wouldn’t take long. 

“Come on, you two better eat those quick. If you can’t sing properly tonight I’m kicking both of your asses,” Kyungsoo threatens when Baekhyun and Jongdae both waddle out of the store like children. Baekhyun narrows his eyes at him and Jongdae laughs.

“You talk so much smack but we both know Kyungsoo. You’re a big softie,” Baekhyun gives him a eating grin and Kyungsoo is so ready to leave these two behind. Well Jongdae didn’t even have his bike with him, Baekhyun had spotted him walking along the sidewalk and invited him for popsicles. Kyungsoo ignores the statement, not wanting to engage. Baekhyun’s slurping noises are beginning to become a little too obscene and Kyungsoo is seriously ready to leave.

“We’re all meeting at Lady Barb’s tonight right? I remember Junmyeon mentioning that we’ll have the stage but I wasn’t really listening,” Jongdae says as he tosses his popsicle stick into the trash can. 

“Yeah, we’re on at 9. I’m going home first, try not to get into any trouble. I’ll see you two later,” Kyungsoo gives them both a quick wave goodbye before he puts on his helmet and starts the engine. Kyungsoo zooms off on his bike and he increases the speed as soon as he’s on the open road. It was a pretty long ride back home since he had to pass the beach to do so. Lady Barb’s sat on the beach, right in between both sides of town and since it was the only real entertainment around here, it was frequented by both bikers and surfers. There had been a undergoing “war” about who it really belonged to but neither side was willing to relent. Kyungsoo glances out to the beach and he can see a number of surfers doing what they do out on the water. He turns away at the sight and purposely accelerates so that the noise of his motorcycle will reach them. 

Kyungsoo’s family lived in a pretty grand house close to the beach, up on the small cliffs. His family is one of the few that were very strong in the biker community, his great grandmother being one of the pioneers in the past. His family consisted of him, his older brother Junmyeon and his mother. His father left them when he was 7 years old, hiding away on the other side of town after he’d had an affair with a surfer. When Kyungsoo arrives home he sees that his brother’s bike was still here and his mother’s wasn’t. She doesn’t always spend time in town, often travelling across the country to visit his aunt. Kyungsoo parks his bike and he removes his helmet, placing it on his seat before he climbs off and heads into the house. The sun was beginning to set meaning it wouldn’t be long until he had to be at Lady Barb’s. Kyungsoo enters the house and he removes his boots before he goes upstairs to his bedroom. 

“Kyungsoo, are you all set to perform?” Junmyeon calls out to him before he even makes it to his bedroom. Kyungsoo stops at the top of the staircase to look for his brother and he doesn’t see him at first. Confused, he walks around the upper hallway, peering into his brother’s room first before heading to his office. Junmyeon was sitting behind his desk as per usual, glasses on his nose and his leather jacket on the couch near the door. Kyungsoo hadn’t expected Junmyeon to still be working at this time especially not when they had control of the music tonight at the club. In a town like theirs the club was frequented by all ages though you had to be at least 16 to get in, 19 to have a beer. They had to divide the nightly gigs since it wouldn’t be fair otherwise and it usually went by months as opposed to weeks. Tonight was the first night of their two months on stage. Kyungsoo didn’t perform all the time, only when his brother needed him to. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he says with a tight lipped smile. Junmyeon and Kyungsoo didn’t really see eye to eye a lot of the time. Junmyeon had been raised in a more traditional sense since he was the eldest son and was set to inherit whatever it was that their family had. Kyungsoo on the other hand had been sheltered from that, having been closer to his father when he was younger. He hadn’t seen the man since he left and Kyungsoo wondered if he moved away at some point, tired of the ongoing feud in this little town of theirs. Kyungsoo turns away and heads into his bedroom, hoping to just relax a bit before performing. He flops down on his bed and sighs deeply as his eyes fall closed. This moment lasts for a few minutes before he can hear someone opening the front door. Kyungsoo doesn’t move at first but his eyebrows furrow as he tries to listen to who it could possibly be.

“Oh! Hi Kyungsoo, I didn’t realize you were home,” he opens his eyes and peers over to the open doorway. There he sees Joohyun smiling at him though the gesture doesn’t reach her eyes, she looks at him like he’s a wild animal. Kyungsoo sits up and he runs a hand through his hair, moving the locks away from his face. He doesn’t meet her eyes. 

“I won’t be for much longer. I’ll see you at Lady Barb’s,” Kyungsoo says as he gets out of bed and walks past her. Joohyun was Junmyeon’s girlfriend but he’d known her since childhood. She made him a little uncomfortable that was all. Kyungsoo can still remember her trying to kiss him in the 8th grade, he’d refused, knowing that he was interested in other males and she’d taken it personally, acting like a victim whenever she sees him. A few months later she started dating Junmyeon and they’ve been together ever since, naturally his brother doesn’t know about their history. Kyungsoo heads downstairs and out the front door after lacing up his boots again and he checks his phone, seeing how he had another 2 hours before his gig tonight. Baekhyun and Jongdae were god knows where and he couldn’t even kill time in his own house, where should he go?

Kyungsoo walks over to his bike and he rolls his eyes at Joohyun’s obvious lie, there was no way she didn’t see his bike before she entered the house. Kyungsoo pulls on his helmet and rides down the driveway, a tight feeling in his chest. The roads haven’t changed since he first learned to ride his bike and it made him feel trapped. Each day passed with no real development and with the town being as small as it was and him being limited to one half of it, it was beginning to weigh on his shoulders. With a quick glance towards the ocean Kyungsoo loses his breath. The colours in the sky were drawn towards the horizon as the sun began to set and he couldn’t control it, turning down the road that led to the beach without thinking twice. For once it wasn’t occupied by any surfers and for that Kyungsoo was thankful, his face was well known to everyone in this town at this point. Kyungsoo parks his bike in the sole lot before he heads down the wooden planks that acted as stairs, stepping onto the beach. 

The soft sea breeze held his face and moved his hair as he began to walk, closer and closer to the water. Kyungsoo looked around, like he was afraid someone was going to yell at him for being on public property but honestly, being near the ocean felt amazing. Kyungsoo squats down and the tips of his boots hover over the damp sand, near where the waves would roll in. He didn’t want to get them wet but once the water rushed closer and spread out in a nice foamy layer on top of the sand, Kyungsoo reached out. His hand was spread out as he pressed his hand onto the quickly retreating water and he smiled at the warm touch. He’d thought that it was freezing cold and that the surfers had some next level internal temperatures to be shirtless on the beach all day but it was perfect. Kyungsoo stands up and he slaps his hand on his jeans in an attempt to dry it. For a moment Kyungsoo doesn’t do anything, he just stands there and takes in the ocean for what it was. It felt so… vast. He suddenly felt so small in front of it. Kyungsoo steps back unconsciously and he bumps into another person.

Surprised he turns around and loses his balance. The person reaches out to him and he grabs his hand but the uneven sand causes them both to fall. Kyungsoo gasps as his hits the ground first and the person on top of him causes him to fall onto his back. His eyes are closed and he gasps when the ocean wave hits them both and when he opens his eyes he can’t believe what he sees above him. Loose strands of pink are what he sees first, followed by locks of pink hair sticking to golden skin. Wide beautiful brown eyes meet his own and parted plump lips pant softly, their breaths matching unconsciously. Those eyes part from his for a second before he’s pulled up and Kyungsoo falls into his chest, clinging for a second before pulling away.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t want us to get hit with another wave,” a sweet voice speaks to him and the stranger stands first, brushing sand off but not aggressively since it’s clear he’s trying not to hit Kyungsoo with it. The stranger has long pink hair tied messily into a bun and he has a white crop top on as well as loose jean shorts that stop above his knees. Kyungsoo can see a belly button piercing and the faintest line of abs which makes him swallow hard. The stranger reaches out a hand to him and he takes it, getting up off the ground before he begins removing his jacket. He hopes that the damage isn’t too bad, this was one of his favourite jackets. 

“Thanks,” Kyungsoo says quietly and he doesn’t expect the stranger to linger but he does. When they’re both standing Kyungsoo can actually see the height difference between them though he finds that he doesn’t mind all too much. The stranger looks like a surfer, just from the natural glow of his skin but Kyungsoo had never seen him before. Not only that but he was usually privy to unpleasant words every time he met any surfers. It was why Kyungsoo was pretty harsh with them, not having the energy to really engage but not wanting to be a doormat either. Kyungsoo continues brushing off his jacket half heartedly and the silence between them begins to grow. 

“Not the best attire for the beach I’d say,” the stranger says and Kyungsoo doesn’t hear him properly at first. 

“I’m sorry?” he asks and the stranger smiles sheepishly, a small indent forming in his cheek. The grin that appears on his face is so boyish it does things to Kyungsoo’s heart, things he doesn’t really want to think about right now. 

“Leather and the beach don’t mix well,” he says before giggling like he’d just told a joke and Kyungsoo finds it infectious. He can’t help but crack a little smirk as he looks down at his jacket. It would need to properly be dried and Kyungsoo only prayed he would be able to get all of the sand off. He reaches to the back of his head, brushing off the sand stuck to his hair before he shudders as it slips down the neck of his black t-shirt. 

“No they don’t,” his smile begins to fade and suddenly he’s overwhelmed with the thought that maybe, he wasn’t meant to be here after all. Kyungsoo’s phone begins ringing in his pocket and he pales when he sees the time. He has 10 minutes to get to Lady Barb’s. Kyungsoo shrugs back on his wet jacket and he looks up at the stranger.

“Thanks again, I gotta go,” he says and before he can get a reply he walks off. He picks up the phone,

“ Kyungsoo??? Hello??? I don’t see you or your bike anywhere my dude ,” Jongdae’s loud voice pierces through the phone and he winces at the sound, rolling his eyes.

“ And you told us not to get into any trouble yet I don’t see you- ” the moment Kyungsoo hears Baekhyun he groans, 

“I know I know, I’ll be there in a minute,” he grumbles before hanging up and he heads back to his bike. Kyungsoo pulls on his helmet and exits the parking lot before speeding down the road, the soft touch from the stranger still lingering in the palm of his hand. Who was that? Kyungsoo didn’t know but he was probably never going to talk to him again so finding a way to erase that pretty smile will be on his mind for the next few days. 

“There he is! The star! The one and only Do Kyungsoo!!!” Baekhyun and Jongdae greet him with the most annoying and dramatic harmonization he has ever heard. The two are currently sitting on the stage with their legs dangling off the edge. They’re just sitting there, both with a beer by their side but they’re doing absolutely nothing to help with the band currently setting up. The three of them definitely weren’t instrument players, the only instruments they had were their voices but that didn’t mean they couldn’t help out. Baekhyun and Jongdae were both just a little hard to approach. Kyungsoo joins them on stage, standing backwards before plopping himself up with a jump. The action doesn’t go unnoticed by the other two who immediately start snickering and Kyungsoo steals a swig from Jongdae’s beer.

“You two are idiots you know that?” Kyungsoo sighs and Baekhyun decides to crawl over to Kyungsoo’s other side so that he is now sandwiched between the two. They both lean in and Baekhyun has a knowing grin on his face.  

“You smell… a little funky friend. What’d you get up to in the few hours we were apart?” Baekhyun asks with a raised eyebrow and when Kyungsoo glances at Jongdae he’s wriggling his brows. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and he tries to get himself out of their trap but he can’t. 

“Your jacket is a little damp and so is your hair. You went off for a little romp and came back without cleaning up? How nasty,” Baekhyun continues and Kyungsoo groans before stealing Baekhyun’s beer this time, drinking nearly half of it in one sip. Baekhyun whines and tries to paw for his beer back but Kyungsoo already has a firm hand against his forehead, keeping him away. 

“I didn’t have time for a romp you fool, get out of my face and get ready, the club is filling up,” Baekhyun yelps when Kyungsoo pushes him back and he finishes off his beer before handing him back the empty bottle. Kyungsoo stands up and he stretches before scratching his head, still feeling uncomfortable from the sand. The band seems done and they don’t look all too bothered by Baekhyun and Jongdae’s dramatic display from the stage floor, Baekhyun acting as if Kyungsoo’s push knocked him out or something. Kyungsoo sighs and he jumps down from the stage before walking over to the bar, wanting a shot of something strong before he needs to sing. Thankfully they were just the opening act and others would follow along with an open mic night. Kyungsoo didn’t feel like staying long tonight. The bartender is an older woman, one with a kind smile who’s been at Lady Barb’s for as long as he could remember.

“Hello Hyoyeon, a shot of whiskey please,” Kyungsoo asks and he sees how she’d already reached for the bottle before he had even greeted her. She smiles wryly at him and Kyungsoo knows that this’ll go on his brother’s tab, it always does. 

“Shooting whiskey isn’t fun, I don’t know why you do it to yourself son,” Hyoyeon mumbles and Kyungsoo shrugs, he’d never been one to take her advice anyhow. Though to be fair, it always really burns whenever he does shoot a shot of whiskey but it was quick enough to get him buzzed. Kyungsoo thanks her with a tip of his imaginary hat and he goes back to the stage, waving at people who wave at him and promptly ignoring the surfers who casually show their faces. Honestly, Kyungsoo didn’t have a problem with them as long as they didn’t cause any troubles. The bar wasn’t meant for only one group at a time after all, it was open to everyone of age. Kyungsoo goes back on stage and stands beside Baekhyun and Jongdae, throwing his arm over his friends shoulders.

“What’re we singing? I’m good with you guys taking the lead,” Kyungsoo says quietly and they purse their lips as they scroll down the list they’d been sent a few days ago. 

“How about this song? I like this one and we all know it,” Jongdae suggests and Kyungsoo just hums in agreement. He can’t wait to get off of the stage, he could already feel everyone staring at them. He as the younger son of the Do family already received a lot of attention even though he didn’t wish for it while Baekhyun and Jongdae naturally caught eyes wherever they went. It didn’t help that they always stayed together so they stuck out like a sore thumb in crowds. Kyungsoo pulls away from his friends and he stretches, going over to the band to say hello before just standing and looking around. The bar was filled with familiar faces and Kyungsoo could see how the bikers stayed on the right side while the surfers were more on the left. They didn’t mingle much unless there was a fight so Kyungsoo was kinda glad they weren’t. Junmyeon enters the bar with a commotion and Kyungsoo can see Joohyun walking with him. 

They truly do look like the picture perfect couple and Kyungsoo smiles and waves when they come closer to the stage. He doesn’t bother entertaining them though leaving it to Baekhyun and Jongdae since they were naturally chatty.

“Are you guys ready? We have a lot of people coming up after you so start off strong,” Junmyeon says with a smile and he doesn’t really wait for a reply before he walks over to the bar with his hand in the small of Joohyun’s back. Kyungsoo hears a phone alarm go off and he and Jongdae both look at Baekhyun with confused faces. Baekhyun smiles sheepishly and he pulls his phone out of his pocket showing them the alarm that was set for 8:55pm. 

“Hey, just in case I forgot about tonight you know?” Baekhyun chuckles and nervously takes a sip of a new beer he’d gotten somehow. Kyungsoo never saw him leave the stage. 

“You set it for 5 minutes before the gig? Very smart Baekhyun, it takes you 6 minutes to drive here,” Jongdae rolls his eyes and Baekhyun just laughs. Kyungsoo wonders what the alarm is really for and he gets behind his mic as the other two do the same. They don’t bother introducing themselves or interrupting the night really, the band just starts playing and they start singing. Kyungsoo is off to the left while Jongdae is in the middle followed by Baekhyun. They all just stand in a line and sing. The patrons of the bar react at first, some of their friends cheering them on or responding to Baekhyun’s blatant fanservice but in general nothing really changes. Some people have started dancing and Kyungsoo just closes his eyes and feels the music, wanting the performance to be over. 

His eyes open when his voice cracks and he can’t help but laugh while looking at Jongdae and Baekhyun who laugh with him. He clears his throat and gets back into the song but he can’t stop smiling at his little voice crack and judging by Baekhyun’s shaking shoulders, neither can he. He carefully sweeps the crowd as his lips touch the mic and that’s when he sees him. Kyungsoo pauses when he sees the stranger from the beach who doesn’t look away when their eyes meet. He was still wearing what he’d been wearing when they met earlier, that same white crop top and shorts but his hair was half down and half up in a bun. There’s a pretty smile on his lips as he sips his drink and Kyungsoo swallows hard as he nearly misses his line. They finish up their performance without any other casualties thankfully and Kyungsoo quickly hops off of the stage, nearly losing his footing due to the alcohol starting to feel hotter in his blood. He shakes his head and nearly falls over when Baekhyun crashes into him.

“You should get some air my dude, you look like you’re gonna hurl. Sober up a bit then drive home, or ask someone else for a ride. If you get on your bike while drunk I’ll kill you myself,” Baekhyun winks and Kyungsoo nods. He slips out from the side door that leads to a small patio with steps down to the beach and he stumbles outside, trying to catch the railing as he does. Warm arms wrap around his body and Kyungsoo gasps as he’s caught from falling. He lifts his head as the door slams shut behind him and he sees the handsome stranger looking down at him with an amused smile. Kyungsoo stands up straight and he pulls away from the stranger’s comfortable embrace, his cheeks feeling a little heated.

“We should stop meeting like this,” the stranger laughs and Kyungsoo can’t help but smile as well, alcohol making him feel a little more loose. He rests his arms on the railing of the wooden patio and he puts his head down, his jutting out as he does. Kyungsoo sighs and he closes his eyes as he listens to the ocean waves. A cold feeling on his cheek causes him to open his eyes again and he sees the stranger holding a beer bottle that has yet to be opened.

“Share one with me won’t you?” Kyungsoo stands up straight and he looks at the bottle then to the stranger.

“Sharing a bottle of beer before I even know your name? How scandalous,” truth be told Kyungsoo has no idea where any of this is coming from. Alcohol usually doesn’t change him this much but he’s a little tired and he’s with someone who’s been on his mind for the past few hours so why not? The stranger seems astonished for a split second before he rolls his eyes with a smile and opens the bottle placing the cap in his pocket. 

“I’m not surprised you’re all so traditional around here, this place seems like it’s stuck in time or something. I’m Jongin,” there’s another pretty smile on his lips as he takes his first sip and offers it to him. Kyungsoo reaches out but Jongin pulls it away at the last second,

“Ah ah, I can’t share with you if I don’t know your name good sir,” Jongin says as he leans onto the railing and Kyungsoo’s face burns red.

“Kyungsoo,” he says and Jongin rewards him with the bottle which he takes a casual sip from. They don’t say anything for a long while, just passing the bottle back and forth as they take sips. Kyungsoo looks out onto the ocean and he breathes in the fresh breeze. 

“You know, I was always told you bikers hate the ocean so you can imagine my surprise when I saw you on the beach earlier,” Jongin says in a neutral tone and Kyungsoo tenses up. He relaxes again in a moment and he looks back at Jongin who’s looking at him with unwavering eyes.

“You’re new here right?” Kyungsoo asks and Jongin nods his head.

“I moved in with my aunt a few weeks ago. I don’t know if you’ve met him but Sehun is my cousin,” Jongin explains and Kyungsoo snorts at the coincidence.

“Me and your cousin go way back. He used to steal my jellybeans in elementary school,” Jongin laughs at the thought and Kyungsoo looks back out to the waves. The beach was wide, it stretched all along the town but the stretch of beach in front of Lady Barb’s was easily the most popular. During the day the beach was crawling with surfers and Kyungsoo could only ever get a glimpse when he dropped by the bar. He can hear the crash of water and he shivers, taking another sip of now pretty lukewarm beer.

“I wonder what it’s like to surf,” Kyungsoo speaks before he can think and he jolts up from the railing looking over to Jongin with fear in his eyes. What he gets from Jongin though, isn’t judgment or disgust of any kind. Instead his face looks gentle, a soft smile on his lips as he looks out into the water, the breeze causing his hair to dance. Kyungsoo swears he sees a heart in the wisps of his hair but he blames the alcohol for that. Kyungsoo feels safe around Jongin and he’s only just met him. Jongin could tell him anything and he would believe him. Perhaps that was the power of a pretty smile and alcohol.

“It’s pretty incredible. I didn’t live here before but I always visited in the summer and it feels pretty great to just ride along nature itself you know?” Jongin says and his eyes flutter closed like he’s visualizing what it’s like. Kyungsoo watches another wave seep into the sand and he swallows hard, it seems scary. When he’s riding his bike it’s just him and the road, he knows what happens if he falls and hits it. But the ocean? It was so vast and deep, it could take him anywhere.

“Would you like me to teach you?” Kyungsoo blinks slowly at the offer and he allows Jongin to take the last sip of beer.

“H-how? The beach is filled with surfers 24/7,” Kyungsoo says and Jongin laughs while pointing out the empty waves.

“Not at night it isn’t. We can also go down the strip a bit more if you’re that worried about being seen, are you in?” Jongin hums nonchalantly like it doesn’t matter to him or not if Kyungsoo agrees. Maybe it was the alcohol speaking or maybe it was just the way Jongin looked at him but Kyungsoo found himself mustering up some courage and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“I’m in,” Jongin’s face scrunches up in delight and he leans a little closer to Kyungsoo who’s face immediately blushes pink. 

“Great! In exchange teach me how to ride a bike,” Jongin holds out his pinky and Kyungsoo expects a handshake of sorts but he’s also learned not to expect normal actions from Jongin so he locks their pinkies together.

“Agreed!” 

The first night they decide to meet at the very beach where they first met each other. It was close to a stretch of road that no houses were near and the ocean there wasn’t favoured by a lot of the surfers therefore it was usually empty. They decided to start off with Jongin learning to ride first since honestly, Kyungsoo wasn’t ready to tackle the ocean just yet. When they meet up Jongin is wearing jeans and a t- shirt due to Kyungsoo’s request. He didn’t feel safe letting the surfer get on his bike without his legs covered up though he was hoping he’d come with a jacket or something. The moment they meet up Jongin looks down at Kyungsoo’s bike and he tilts his head as he stares at it. Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything and he shrugs off his leather jacket, handing it to Jongin casually.

“It might be a bit tight on you but at least it’ll protect your arms,” Kyungsoo says and Jongin takes it with a smirk on his lips.

“Gosh Kyungsoo, take me on a date first before you offer me your jacket,” Jongin winks and Kyungsoo swears that his heart explodes right then and there. Jongin’s hair is tied in a lower ponytail for once and Kyungsoo is thankful for that as he places a helmet on his head. Kyungsoo buckles it up for him, careful not to pinch any of his stray locks of hair and he doesn’t notice the way Jongin is looking at him until he’s done. He clears his throat and steps back before walking up to his bike. He pats the seat and Jongin awkwardly lifts up a long leg to straddle the vehicle. 

“Okay so first thing-”

“Kyungsoo?” he looks up and sees that Jongin is completely frozen. Kyungsoo gently holds his hands and helps him step down from the bike and he’s relieved when Jongin seems to start breathing again. 

“I didn’t realize how scary it would be,” Jongin laughs nervously and Kyungsoo brings him another few steps away from the bike just to be safe. 

“It’s okay, I get it. We don’t have to start the lessons until you’re ready,” Kyungsoo reassures him and Jongin looks as though a weight has been pulled off of his shoulders. For a second they just stand on the side of the road, Kyungsoo holding Jongin’s hands until they stop trembling. When they finally part, Kyungsoo finds himself missing the warmth from Jongin. 

“We didn’t really prepare for a swimming session so why don’t we just drive along the strip? Would you be okay with me driving?” Kyungsoo asks to be sure and Jongin smiles at him. 

“Will you let me hold onto you?” Jongin asks and Kyungsoo laughs before holding his hand and leading him back to his bike. Kyungsoo puts on his own helmet and gets onto the bike before looking over his shoulder at Jongin.

“Of course you can, come on then,” Kyungsoo lifts an eyebrow and Jongin swallows hard before he begins taking off the leather jacket.

“Keep it on, it gets cold at night,” Kyungsoo says and he turns too soon to see the blush rising on Jongin’s cheeks. Kyungsoo was wearing a long sleeve so he wasn’t too worried, plus he’s always sure to drive extra carefully when he has a passenger. The bike shifts under the weight of another person and Jongin’s arms wrap around his abdomen moments later, however he also presses against him and Kyungsoo’s breath hitches at how close they are. Jongin smirks and he leans in close to whisper into Kyungsoo’s ear.

“Is this close enough?” he asks and Kyungsoo clears his throat. 

“Hold on tight,” he replies and starts his bike up before kicking up the stand and he begins driving down the road. It’s been quite some time since Kyungsoo has driven with another person. All of his friends had bikes and they usually rode with each other rather than with him. Kyungsoo didn’t live close to any of his friends since his house was up on a hill so he usually just drove alone. But tonight? Having the company felt nice. It made him feel a little warmer inside. They drive down the strip and Kyungsoo would be a fool to not notice the way Jongin’s fingers flutter and run along the creases of his shirt. Jongin rests his head on his shoulder and Kyungsoo exhales deeply. Being with Jongin was so easy. It was a little scary but also exhilarating, like the feeling he has when he rides his bike of that feeling he had when he visited the beach for the first time. 

“We’re here Jongin, pass me your helmet,” Kyungsoo says as he parks off the road and closer to the sand. He makes sure everything is all locked up before he takes Jongin’s outstretched hand and the two swing their arms as they walk down to the beach. As they reach the threshold of sand and concrete Jongin bends over and removes his shoes. Kyungsoo is surprised to see no socks and when the surfer looks back at him he hurriedly does the same, removing his boots and socks. They hold hands again and hold their shoes in the other as they walk closer and closer to the water and Kyungsoo looks over his shoulder, thankful that there was enough foliage blocking them from unwanted watchers. Kyungsoo puts down his shoes when Jongin does but when he’s led closer and closer to the water he hesitates. Jongin had already rolled up his jeans when they’d removed their shoes but Kyungsoo’s still covered his ankles.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m right here with you,” Jongin says quietly and Kyungsoo takes a deep breath. He’d been so focused on Jongin that the reality of going into the ocean had completely slipped his mind. Their hands part as Jongin begins removing his clothes and Kyungsoo doesn’t look away. He watches in awe as more and more golden skin is revealed and Jongin doesn’t shy away from his gaze, instead it looks like he revels in it. There’s a soft smile on his lips and when he’s completely Kyungsoo’s breath is completely taken away. Jongin tosses his clothes into a small pile near their shoes and he walks closer to Kyungsoo as he removes his hair tie. Kyungsoo swallows hard as Jongin stands right in front of him and he meets his eyes. 

“Is this okay?” Jongin asks and his voice sounds so pretty mixed with the wind. Kyungsoo nods his head but that isn’t what Jongin is looking for. He takes a deep breath and reaches for the surfer’s hands before squeezing them in a reassuring manner.

“Yes, this is okay. Everything about this is more than okay,” Kyungsoo says out loud and Jongin grins at him. Slowly, he begins removing his own clothes, albeit more bashful than Jongin did; the sultry look in the surfer’s eyes gave him confidence. Once he’s as well he takes Jongin’s hand again and they slowly begin making their way into the ocean. Jongin walks backwards the whole time, holding both of his hands without ever letting their eyes part. Jongin doesn’t even flinch when his feet meet the water and Kyungsoo follows him, he can’t do anything else. He’s positively captivated by this person. Jongin in all of his easy going and friendly beauty. Kyungsoo gasps as he steps into the water and he’s surprised that it’s warm. He’d been expecting the water to chill him to the bone but it was inviting to say the least. Or maybe that was just Jongin.

“We won’t go in too deep but I don’t want us to get cold,” Jongin says as he kicks off of the ground and pulls Kyungsoo even further. Kyungsoo follows the pull of the water and his body falls into Jongin’s who wraps his arms around him. The touch of their bare skin in the water causes Kyungsoo’s breath to hitch and Jongin places a hand on his face.

“I want to kiss you,” Jongin whispers and Kyungsoo’s eyes flicker down to his plump lips. The moonlight in the sky wasn’t strong but it was enough to see Jongin’s face illuminated by droplets of water and he didn't say anything else, leaning in to seal their lips. It was a simple touch, just a press of their lips really but it made Kyungsoo’s toes curl and he pulled himself closer to Jongin, wanting to feel more of him. 

“I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw you sing in the bar,” Jongin confesses and Kyungsoo smiles before kissing him again. 

And everything just feels so easy. So right. Kyungsoo didn’t have to think about anything when he was with Jongin. From the moment they met albeit just yesterday everything had been just comfortable. It’d been a long time since he clicked with someone like this, honestly, he can’t even remember if this has ever happened before. This wasn’t love. No, not at all. But it was attraction in its purest form and they both wanted more. 

“Just so you know, I don’t know how to swim,” Kyungsoo says quietly and Jongin laughs loudly.

“Oh trust me I kind of assumed that seeing as how you’ve never been in the water,” he says and Kyungsoo closes his eyes with a smile as he buries his face into the crook of Jongin’s neck.

“I should probably learn how to swim before I learn how to surf huh,” Jongin’s laugh sounds so warm and Kyungsoo was just enjoying hugging him as the waves lulled their bodies. Somehow they’re floating, he doesn’t know how since he’s just been clinging onto Jongin but by some magic that’s how they’ve ended up. 

“Mmmh, we have a lot of time. I didn’t really care much for learning to ride a bike to be honest even if it does seem cool,” Kyungsoo looks up from Jongin’s chest feeling a little offended but then he figures it out. 

“I just wanted to spend more time with you hot stuff,” Jongin winks and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes with a smile. 

“Well it worked so what do you think about staying over tonight?” Kyungsoo asks as he tries to stand and Jongin’s wandering hands help him, not without a very casual squeeze of his though. Kyungsoo is just about to maybe bite Jongin’s in retaliation but he doesn’t get the chance because the surfer is placing a playful kiss on his nose.

“My place or yours?” This time it’s Kyungsoo who leads Jongin back to shore and he purses his lips like he’s pretending to think.

“Mine is probably safer. Who knows what Sehun will do if he sees me,” Kyungsoo says as he thinks of how to dry himself off enough to put his shoes back on and he freezes when Jongin hugs him from behind. Kyungsoo tries to hold back his arousal when the surfer blows in his ear.

“Between you and me, Sehun is still getting over his crush on your brother,” Jongin reveals and Kyungsoo blinks as he slowly recalls all of his memories starting from childhood. And yep. He can see it. Kyungsoo suddenly feels really bad for getting on his nerves so much and he thinks about the ring box hiding in Junmyeon’s drawer.

“My place then,” he says and Jongin pecks his lips. They get dressed even with all of the slapping and stray kisses here and there but they manage and soon enough they’re on their way back to the Do mansion up on the hill. Well it wasn’t really a mansion but Baekhyun and Jongdae liked to call it as such. Kyungsoo takes note of his brother’s motorcycle as well as Joohyun’s, they were probably in the living room or on the back patio. Kyungsoo takes one look at Jongin and he holds his hand before they make their way inside of the house. Junmyeon usually left the door unlocked and even though that was more than dangerous, they only did so when one of the household members was out late. Just to avoid any key situations. They enter the house and Kyungsoo can see that the kitchen light is on but he doesn’t see anyone inside. They remove their shoes and make their way up to Kyungsoo’s bedroom. Once they’re inside and the door is locked Kyungsoo finally lets out a breath.

“Didn’t think having me here would cause so much tension,” Jongin giggles as he massages Kyungsoo’s shoulders. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and pulls Jongin into the ensuite off to the left. He was not going to have sand all over his carpet. Jongin’s jaw drops in awe as he looks at the thing and he swallows hard, looking over his shoulder at Kyungsoo who is just gauging his expression. The bathroom was grand to say the least with a rain shower off to the left and a sunken bathtub. Kyungsoo begins removing his clothes and Jongin does the same, dropping the articles in a pile near the door before they enter the shower together. Kyungsoo watches for a second as Jongin tries to fiddle around with the mechanisms but the moment they get blasted with cold water he steps in. 

“Do you think people will ever change?” Jongin asks as Kyungsoo shampoos his hair and the latter wonders what he means by that question.

“In general or?” he asks and prompts for Jongin to close his eyes as he shoves him underneath the shower head once more. Jongin waits a bit until there aren’t suds all over his lips and he wipes his face before speaking again.

“In this town. It’s been divided for god knows how long and I’m kind of tired of it,” Jongin admits and his shoulders slump. Kyungsoo joins him under the water and kisses his lips softly.

“Already tired of it even though you’ve only been here a few weeks?” Kyungsoo teases and Jongin laughs before switching their positions so that he can wash Kyungsoo’s hair this time. Kyungsoo’s eyes flutter closed and he can only feel Jongin’s touch every now and then until he starts rubbing shampoo through his hair. 

“I’ve known you for two days and that’s enough for me to want things to change. As much as I love our secret little rendezvous’ they’re going to get exhausting at some point,” Jongin confesses and Kyungsoo agrees with that. It wouldn’t be fair to him or Jongin if they had to be each other’s secret, especially in a small town like this where gossip carries in the wind. Kyungsoo purses his lips and he scrunches his nose when Jongin playfully pokes a dollop of suds on there. 

“Maybe we just have to do it? I mean, the “feud” has been so petty in the last decade. Just sneers and glares but no one really does anything. There’s no fights and we all share Lady Barb’s like it’s nobody’s business,” Kyungsoo explains and he gasps when he’s suddenly shoved underneath the water again. 

“It’ll take some time but we should take that first step shouldn’t we? We already have in a way. I’ve heard you’re very lippy around Sehun though,” Jongin says nonchalantly and Kyungsoo recalls every single encounter he’s had with the other. Sehun has always been mouthy and a little abrasive but he means no harm really. Kyungsoo just talks like that to every surfer hoping that they’ll leave him alone.

“I’ll tone it down. It’s mainly so he leaves me alone,” Kyungsoo nods and Jongin hums in agreement. They finish washing up and then there’s more shenanigans which results in Kyungsoo almost slipping on the tiled bathroom floors but soon enough they’re dressed and warm again. Jongin was currently wearing a pajama set that Kyungsoo accidentally ordered in a size too large but didn’t have the heart to send back while Kyungsoo is just dressed in his usual faded t-shirt and shorts. After a minute of lounging around in Kyungsoo’s queen sized bed Jongin says that he’s hungry so the two venture down into the kitchen to find something to eat. Kyungsoo pauses on the stairs when he sees Junmyeon and Joohyun snuggled up on the couch watching a movie but with Jongin’s hand in his he feels a little more courageous and he continues his way downstairs.

“Kyungsoo we didn’t hear you come in- who’s this?” Joohyun is the first to greet them, polite as always but there was something in her tone. She seems surprised to say the least. Kyungsoo wasn’t even sure they knew about Jongin yet, since he himself hadn’t seen the man until a few days ago. 

“This is Jongin, he moved to town a few weeks ago,” Kyungsoo tries to say as casually as he can and he leads Jongin who’s waving to them into the kitchen. It wasn’t like they could really hide in the kitchen since it was more than visible from the living room but Kyungsoo attempts to ignore the tension coming from his brother’s silence. Kyungsoo peers into the fridge and Jongin’s arms wrap around his waist in a comforting manner.

“I want chicken,” he says in a cute voice and Kyungsoo immediately relaxes in his hold, remembering that he isn’t alone. He turns just enough to give Jongin a peck on the lips and the surfer’s face lights up. 

“I’m making chicken, did you guys eat yet?” Kyungsoo calls out to the couple on the couch and Junmyeon turns to look at them. There’s no way he doesn’t see the way that Jongin’s practically glued to Kyungsoo. The two kind of just look at him, staring as they try and guess how he’ll react.

“We already ate, you two enjoy yourselves. Don’t make a mess,” Junmyeon says in a blur before he turns back around and pulls Joohyun closer on the couch. She looks at them with a small smile before looking back towards the television and Kyungsoo looks up at Jongin.

“I think that’s a start, let’s start cooking. I'm hungry,” Jongin kisses his forehead and he feels a weight lifting from his chest. Kyungsoo has to pull away from Jongin so that he can actually start cooking but when the latter nearly loses a finger from opening the package of chicken Kyungsoo confines him to the high chair at the kitchen island. 

“Is Chanyeol single?” Baekhyun asks Jongin as he adjusts himself on his towel for the nth time. The sand was still lumpy underneath his he had claimed over and over again but Kyungsoo dragged him down anyways. They were currently sitting on the beach underneath a big pink umbrella Baekhyun had bought on Amazon claiming that if he was now going to be going to the beach he was going to do it right. Jongdae didn’t stop him and watching them attempt to hold it on a bike was amusing to say the least. Jongin was currently sitting beside Kyungsoo though to be honest he was practically wrapped around him.

“Last time I checked he was. You’re his type you should try it out,” Jongin says and the moment Chanyeol walks past Baekhyun immediately gets up. They watch as Chanyeol awkwardly reacts to Baekhyun’s very forward flirting tactics and when he starts bending over they all look away. 

“How about you Jongdae, anyone special now that the dating pool has been upgraded?” Kyungsoo struggles to get his sentence out and only then does he realize how weird of a question that was. Jongdae doesn’t seem bothered by it, he never seems bothered about anything really. 

“I’m just enjoying my time alone lately, it’s nice to finally be able to explore the other half of this small town,” Jongdae says with a grateful smile directed to the couple sharing the loud pink umbrella with him and Kyungsoo shares a kiss with Jongin. Thankful for the moment he decided to take a risk that led him to a charming pink haired surfer.

------------------------------------

A/N

Thank you for reading!

I think I had this WIP from a few months ago? When I first watched the Teen Beach Movie

Which is actually pretty good not gonna lie LOL

Do tune in for tomorrow's fic as well! I'm ending off strong this time but the first two are still fun

Again, Happy Birthday to our dearest Do Kyungsoo

I'll see y'all in the next one!

- Airi