“Welcome to Surf and Splash. Enjoy!” The girl in the counter said to us after paying the entrance fee.

It was a typical August day: a bit hot and humid. Jaejoong walked over to the where the others were standing, under the shade of a tree near to the park’s locker bank.

“Here,” Dara said, holding open one of the metal locker doors. “We’ve left some room for you.” Jaejoong took off some items in his pockets and shoved them in. They’d all slathered on waterproof sun lotion when they’d left the house that morning.

“What do you guys want to go on first?” Kris asked. “The water tubes get pretty crowded later on. They’re cool.”

“Want to do them now, then?” Dara suggested.

“Sounds good,” Bom agreed. Jaejoong nodded. He’d decided to make the best of a not-so-ideal-situation. So he couldn’t have Dara. So what? There were plenty of other girls at the shore to meet. And he was with a really nice one now. He smiled at Bom.

“Let’s do it,” Jaejoong decided, grinning.

They headed down a paved path to the left, Kris and Dara hand in hand in the front and Jaejoong and Bom bringing up the rear. Little signs in the shape of surfboards marked the distance. Wild Tubes…0.04 Mile.

“Thanks a lot for inviting me,” Bom told Jaejoong as they walked together.

“It was Kris’ suggestion. Which I’m glad he made.” He gave her a smile. She looked great, by the way. True, she wasn’t his type. He liked a girl to be cute, smart, with killer smile and petite. Someone like… He creased his forehead as if to shut out even the possibility of her. He wasn’t going to think like that today.

Even if she was just in front of him, walking only a second feet away from him, looking gorgeous.

There was no use thinking about her. Because there she was, in front of him, holding hands with Kris.

“You know, I didn’t get the chance to tell you yesterday, but I felt bad that you got sick the other night,” Bom said, interrupting his thoughts.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

Bom made a wry face. “I was the one who got you that drink in the first place.”

“Well, I was the one who drank it. I was stupid.” Something he seemed to be making a habit of being lately.

Bom relaxed. “Anyway, I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“Okay.”

**

The line for the Wild Tube twisted its way up a large hill, making its way through fake palm trees and platforms looking out over the rest of the park. Luckily the line moved pretty quickly. When they reached the top, a skinny guy handed them each a bright blue core foam raft. “You two, slide one,” he instructed Kris and Dara, motioning them to the right. “You two. Slide two.”

“Yes, sir,” Kris intoned, giving the guy a mock salute.

Bom giggled and huddled next to Jaejoong.

Kris grabbed Dara’s hand and flopped down on his raft. “Here we go, baby!” he yelled, pushing off his hands.

“Only one person on a mat!” the guy called out. But Kris already slid off bringing Dara with him down the tube.

“That’s Kris for you,” Jaejoong confirmed to Bom. “My policy is ladies first.” He stepped aside giving her a chance to slid off.

Bom stared into the giant tube. “Thanks, I guess.”

Bom squeezed her eyes shut tight. “I’m going to do two thing I never do. Headfirst and stomach down.” She knelt on the mat as if she were praying and crossed herself. Then she lay down and shoved off. “Ahh!” Her screams echoed back through the tube.

Jaejoong waited for the required 10 seconds to lapse and then shoved off behind her in the same position. He yelped as the water sloshed over his body. It was freezing! The tube twisted and turned… it was kind of like being in large intestine.

He stood up, shaking the water from his eyes. “That was wild!”

A few feet away Bom stood up and sloshed over. She fell against him, laughing, “You should have seen the look in your face when you came out!” She started laughing again.

“No funnier than the look on your face when you went down,” Jaejoong said indignantly.

“Out of the pool, people. Keep it moving, keep it moving.” A stern-faced woman on the side began to spray everyone who was stil in the pool with cold water.

“Okay, okay, we’re moving!” Jaejoong yelped, slogging up the pool steps. He reached out and grabbed Bom’s hand to help her.

Kris and Dara was already out of the pool, waiting on the side. As Jaejoong and Bom climbed out, laughing and shaking the water from their hair, Jaejoong noticed Dara and Kris staring at Bom, a curious expression on their faces. It was an expression he was personally quite familiar with after this week – but to see Dara and Kris looking this way was a shock. They’re jealous, Jaejoong thought, astonished. Seeing me have fun with Bom is making them jealous.

He knew he was being juvenile, but he held on to Bom’s hand a little longer than was necessary. This was what everyone wanted, wasn’t it? Kris wanted him to be set up with Bom, and Dara wanted him to leave her alone.

As they exited the tubes Jaejoong could feel Dara’s eyes on his back.

Now you know how it feels, he thought. But he didn’t feel particularly proud or happy about it.

Miserable was more like it. Because no matter what he thinks, he still can’t have her.

**

By the time they’d finished lunch, the park was bulging at the seams. “There are way too many people here,” Kris complained, his eyes scanning the dripping crowd. “Too much flesh.”

“Everybody had the same idea to stay cool that we did,” Dara said. Seeing Bom and Jaejoong having so much fun together made her feel kind of glum. I’m happy they’re happy but… Somehow things with Kris just didn’t seem the same as they’d been back home. There was a distance between them. As if they were only playing at being boyfriend and girlfriend.

Bom picked up a so