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yoongi sighs as the breeze plays with his hair, leaning his head back so he can feel the coolness on his cheeks as well. they had been begging their managers for a break for so long, it was surprising when all seven of them got plane tickets to japan an early friday morning. the weather isn’t shockingly different from korea's, but yoongi appreciates the change of scenery, the ocean in front of him different enough from home to bring inspiration and familiar enough to comfort him.
the boys look calmer, he notices. the usual loudness and desperate running replaced by soft giggling and quieter than usual bickering. jeongguk pushes seokjin into the sand while the eldest scrambles to get on his feet and stalks after the maknae, so he can get him in a headlock and ruffle his hair.
jin's laughter is the only sound anyone would hear from a distance.
taehyung is beside yoongi, his head resting on the older's shoulder while he mumbles about his passion for photography, going through old pictures on his camera. most are of themselves, usually taken without their awareness.
"here's seokjin hyung last tuesday. remember when he made lamb for us, hyung?" yoongi opens his mouth, but tae continues on rambling "i think he looks so nice when he cooks. look at this! he even has a tiny wrinkle, that's how focused he is! our hyung is so cute."
yoongi huffs, far too relaxed to muster up strength for laughter.
"yah, how many pictures have you taken without us knowing? it's not polite, taehyung."
the youngest laughs, growing quiet and going through pictures quickly, stopping to crop or edit one or other.
"I doubt any of you would ever stop me from following my dream of being a photographer like that" he murmurs seriously, even though he looks amused, a while later.
yoongi smiles, having closed his eyes at some point of taehyung's explanation about how jin, from a certain angle, has darker, soulful eyes. no matter how much yoongi agrees, the wind and smell of salt have him at ease, making his eyes start drooping quicker than expected.
"of course, tae," he says, carding his fingers through the boy's hair.
taehyung smiles back and proceeds to poke yoongi's nose - daring to make a "boop" noise - and go through all the features his camera has, while his hyung listens patiently. he really is listening, or so he claims.
to their right, a few metres away, namjoon and hoseok sit under a palm tree. their hands are intertwined, thumbs tracing complex patterns, and every few minutes namjoon glances fondly at the other man and brings his knuckles to his lips. yoongi can’t quite make out what they are saying, but gathers they might be discussing new lyrics as hoseok has a notebook on his lap, writing while beaming at the younger boy like he just figured out exactly what would bring world peace.
knowing namjoon, it was probable.
yoongi sighs heavily for the ninth time, startling taehyung a little, allowing his shoulders to relax again before bringing his gaze to the sea shore where jimin is sat, dipping his feet into the cold water.
really, they haven’t had this much peace for so long and yoongi swears he could cry out of relief from being able to see his friends finally have the time they deserve. all of them pour their very souls into bangtan. no matter how exhausted, demotivated or simply done with everything, all seven of them manage to do their best whenever possible. a break is more than well deserved.
"park jimin-ah!" seokjin shouts "what do you think you're doing, getting into the ocean like that?! you will get sick, it's freezing!"
jimin's laughter rings like bells.
"don't worry, hyung! it's just the tip of my toes!" he yells back, dropping himself face first into the sand and wriggling his feet in the air.
jeongguk snorts, having filled his mouth with so many sushi rolls he can't speak.
tae cackles at jimin and it turns into laughing so hard he sobs when jeongguk turns to him, smiling wide and showing a line of sushi instead of teeth.
"don't move, jeonggukie, i need to take a picture"
"aish, gukkie... that is seriously gross. delete that, tae, please" jimin says. he takes a sushi roll from the plate beside jeongguk and puts it into his mouth, nonetheless. he plops down near the maknae and the oldest hyung, resting his head on jin's lap.
seokjin's eyes are brimming with mirth and yoongi can see he's biting his lips so he won't laugh, trying his best to scold the youngest.
"gukk-ah, you're going to end up choking, i-it's way too much sushi for one mouth" he manages to finish speaking before dissolving into giggles, his loud characteristic laugh making namjoon and hoseok's heads turn.
the eldest keeps trying to scold jimin and jeongguk, who are now stuffing each other's mouths with sushi, to no avail. he manages to keep his face serious for a few seconds.
"yah, you both are going to end up wasting food. that is no good-" his bottom lip quivers and he starts giggling again.
yoongi can't hold back a smile of his own. the way seokjin is always so endlessly fond of the boys is truly endearing. every time he scolds the younger members, he has a hidden smirk or holds back laughter, like everything they do is just fascinating.
jin watches them with such care and love, as if they really share his own blood. ever since the debut, back in their shitty dorms, he fed them. he looked after every single one of them and never expected anything in return. suddenly, these thoughts become too much and yoongi blinks quickly so he'll snap out of it.
taehyung slaps yoongi's distracted hands from the camera.
"hyung, no! this button works for darker places, it's mid afternoon, i literally just told you that." he pouts.
yoongi huffs again.
"sorry, taehyung-ah. tell me again, please. i really do want to take everyone's photos today."
tae shakes his head, pretending to be upset, but speaking in a softer tone, bringing the older boy closer by putting an arm around his waist. he must've realised yoongi is getting tired.
yoongi does feel comfortable and maybe a bit sleepy, especially like this, he thinks, cuddling his dongsaeng. his breathing feels calmer by the second and he welcomes the waves of tranquility taking over. the salty smell - it's the smell of jeju island, actually, and all the memories he has with his groupmates there - comforts him as much as taehyung's cologne, which he can feel as he buries his head into his shoulder.
moments like these are the ones that truly make it worth the hell that was the road to debuting and the constant conflict that is being an idol. he has his six best friends surrounding him and they're all happy and free of worries for once. it's everything he could've ever asked for.
"you absolute brat, jeon jeongguk! no matter how short you think i am, i will hit you!" jimin's voice goes up an octave as he speaks, his eyes widening as the younger boy chokes from laughter.
"hyung, i-i'm sorry, but i couldn't resist"
"wha-? resist?! resist what, putting sushi inside my shorts?!"
jimin tackles jeongguk into the ground, attacking his sides and doing his best to tickle him mercilessly. it's nothing out of the ordinary, really, minus sand getting stuck on their hair. also jimin throwing sushi at the maknae. that's new.
"i'll make you eat them, you punk!"
yoongi sighs yet again, fondly this time, smiling while watching them play.
seokjin immediately takes out his phone and starts recording the boys. his ears and cheeks are reddened from stifling laughter besides the cold. seeing them being this silly, carefree is heartwarming when being an idol can easily break anyone. they're glad things are this way, mostly the hyungs, who were constantly concerned over their dongsaengs.
jeongguk playfully kicks jimin's shin and straddles him, pouring sand into his shirt. jimin shrieks and seokjin's laughter is loud again, his hands shaking while holding the phone.
yoongi leans back into taehyung, shaking his head fondly. he feels peaceful, still, even with all the screaming. he tilts his head slightly to check on the other two and isn't surprised by what greets him.
hoseok is now fast asleep, holding namjoon's thigh and using it as a pillow. namjoon is humming sea, running his hands through hobi's hair. it's so fitting and so cliché yoongi wants to hit him a little for making this into a drama, although all he had thought so far only added to it.
his lips twitch in the ghost of a smile. they're all cheesy, alright, but he wouldn't change it for a thing.
"tae-tae... hyung understands now, thank you. go play with gguk and jiminnie." taehyung smiles brightly at this, shoving his camera unceremoniously into yoongi's hands. he's been looking for an opportunity to get jeongguk back for throwing him around and that's as good as he'll get.
seokjin is still filming the kids as tae throws himself into what seems to be turning into a puppy pile, his smile wider than ever. yoongi's throat feels tight and his sight blurs a little and he knows it's pure emotion. overwhelming fondness and affection, he thinks, hastily dragging the sleeve of his shirt over his eyes.
the camera weights heavily on his hands. he doesn't actually know what to photograph at first. hoseok and namjoon are both sleeping into each other's arms, something that is not fit for anyone to see, too intimate. the maknae line runs around like children and yoongi is sure not even the pet mode setting would make up for all the movement. then his eyes settle on seokjin.
he has the audacity to be so beautiful the rapper gets choked up again. trying not to love seokjin is like trying not to breathe and goddamn it, he has to stop romantisicing everything right now.
his hyung is still smiling at the three yonger boys. his face looks tanner under the sunlight and he keeps brushing hair off his eyes and licking his lips after laughing again and suddenly, for yoongi, the sun's orange feels like a slow, steady fire instead of comforting warmth.
"yoongichi! are the lens towards me or the boys?"
yoongi blushes deeply, lowering the camera into his lap.
"you, jin-ah" he replies while drying his palms coated in cold sweat on his jeans. he takes the camera to his eyes again and is met by jin's soft smile on the preview screen. he watches as seokjin gets up and sits beside him.
"make it a good one"
"if you stop moving, it'll be good" yoongi rasps out.
time stands still. jin's smile is so delicate it feels like it's not supposed to be seen. his eyes are half-closed and he leans his head back a little. it's perfect.
"don't move" yoongi murmurs gently, and the click of the shutter sounds quietly.
he rests the camera on his lap again and leans foward, tucking a stray lock of seokjin's hair behind his ear. his hand slides through the other's cheek, carressing it sweetly. jin blushes faintly, his mouth opening in surprise.
"yoongi-ah." he whispers tenderly.
"yes?"
"we're at the beach. everything is so much more beautiful. why take my p-"
"i like your face," yoongi deadpans, not caring about interrupting the older man "it makes me feel less like throwing up than the others and taking pictures of the beach is overrated." he smiles and holds his boyfriend's hand in his.
"such a brat." jin teases, bringing their joined hands to his face.
"you love me." yoongi says. he gets up and sits between jin's legs, resting his head against the older's chest.
jin laughs at that, his eyes crinkling. the seriousness of the phrase lingers. he can feel yoongi's rapid heartbeat.
"yes. i really do."