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"You should stop for a drink!"
Yoon peered up from his book, thumb lingering on the page as he sought the desired subject of Yona's attention. Sure enough, Yona was already on her feet, hand outstretched with a small paper cup of lemonade. Hak stood before her, drenched in sweat from the blazing summer sun, cheeks flushed from his very recently interrupted run. Yona was already frowning. Hak tended to have that effect on her. "You've been on the track for a while, you should switch with someone—Shin-Ah hasn't run in a while, switch with him!"
Yoon barely glanced over as he stole one of his many books off the stack beside him and slapped it across Shin-Ah's face. He turned the page.
"I'm fine, I can keep running."
Yona sighed, as if she hadn't really expected him to listen anyways. From above the edge of his book, Yoon watched as Hak ran past the group, easily rolling back into his steady jog. Yona's feet trudged through the grass loudly, slumping down beside the beach chair Yoon had adopted earlier that day. "He's so stubborn," she griped, taking their shared cup of lemonade and sighed so forcefully that the bubbles blasted back through her straw. Blindly reaching over, Yoon lifted the cup from her grasp and took a long drink himself from the companion green straw. The lemons he'd picked for the freshly squeezed refreshment were perfect, he thought, ignoring Yona's complaints as he savored the flavor. That pinch of salt and dash of mint really added a much needed kick. Setting the glass back into Yona's outstretched hands, he turned the page yet again.
Together they sat silently, Yona watching the runners glide across the track (some more than others) and Shin-Ah resting peacefully on the other side. At least, it would be peaceful were it not for Yona's rhythmic sighs, so consistently exhaled that Yoon was almost convinced she was timing them with the turn of his pages. After the tenth page, he relented.
"You can't be too upset, this was your doing. You were the one who said it would be fun if we all joined this charity run together. You should have known that they would go all out."
"That's not true—"
"Yona." Yoon stared at her deadpanned over the top of his now shut book. "Every. Single. One. Of. Them."
Yona shrugged feebly, striped pink straw already between her lips as she struggled to ignore his piercing gaze. "Well, not everyone," she mumbled, words muddled through the straw. "You're still not running and Shin-Ah is on break."
"Zeno made him take a break," Yoon replied shortly, resuming his read. "And I am specifically chose to be the team coordinator for this event, not a runner. Someone had to make sure you idiots didn't end up dehydrating yourselves out here."
"That's very encouraging from someone who hasn't run all day," panted Jae-Ha, already sprinting up the hill before collapsing beside Shin-Ah. His chest heaved from exertion, face buried deep in the grass as he groaned out a muffled cry of relief. Shin-Ah quietly placed a small towel over his exposed arms before attempting to rise to his feet. Yoon shot him a dirty look and that was the end of that.
"No one told you that you had to start at a full sprint." Yoon snapped, turning the page just a smidge too abruptly, the paper tearing ever so slightly at the corner. Slamming the book shut, he tossed it back onto the pile. Kija was already rounding the corner, the exhaustion on his face evident even from this distance. "This is a charity event. Not a race. No one said you even had to run."
"I ran one more lap!" Kija cried out triumphantly as he came closer and closer up the hill, hands stretched above his head in one final hurrah before crumpling beside Jae-Ha. Jae-Ha grunted, patting the air wildly until his palm found Kija's sweaty head, gently tapping it twice before dropping it back onto the lush patch of clovers below. Kija grinned. "I ran one more lap than him, that means I won right?"
"This wasn't a race," Yoon hissed, tempted to throw his book at Kija's face, thoroughly annoyed at how Yona so casually stepped around his chair to provide drinks for the exhausted runners. "You aren't supposed to be this exhausted—you weren't even supposed to be on the track at the same time! It's an all day event!"
"Hak and Zeno can run for us, they don't get tired." Kija dismissed easily, motioning towards the field with a wave of his hand before leaving over to take a sip from the lemonade Yona offered him.
Indeed, Hak and Zeno were keeping an even pace, never once speeding up or slowing down. Yoon was hard pressed to admit he was impressed. Almost. Shaking his head, he sat up and tossed open the cooler at the foot of his chair. Rummaging out a few prepared sandwiches, he tossed them back to his roommates.
"If you're going to insist of laying here, at least eat while you hydrate. It's boiling out here."
"Thank you den mother."
"Shut up."
Watching to ensure they each grabbed at least one meal, Yoon fell back onto his chair. Just about ready to open his book once more, he caught Yona's smile. "What?"
"You care."
His face flushed warmer than the burning sun had all day and he could feel the sting of a sure to become sunburn across the bridge of his nose. Digging for his sunscreen for what was likely the tenth time that morning, he scoffed. "Of course I care, you idiots help pay for the rent."
"We love you too Yoon," Kija shouted through a mouthful of fabric, already avoiding what was sure to be a cool and comforting earthy bed in favor of a warm but dry and clean cotton beach towel. Shin-Ah nodded his agreement, slowly chewing through his own meal. Yoon could spot the other two approaching by now, Zeno cheerily making casual conversation as the pair slowed to a jog, ready for a break. Hak waved as they approached, this time gladly accepting the offered lemonade. Yoon huffed.
"I'm glad you two know when to take a break but someone has to be on the track at all times or we don't meet the requirements!"
"Yona's already on the track," Hak replied, pointing at her already small figure. Her pace was already more reasonable than the rest of this lot, Yoon thought, a briskly paced walk over a heavy jog. She would definitely outlast them all at this rate. Still...
"You're just going to let her go by herself?"
Hak shrugged. "She can handle her own pace. Besides, it's not like I could've stopped her."
True. Falling back on the firm canvas pillow, Yoon closed his eyes.
"Taking a nap captain?"
"Yes, I need a break from all of you. You're exhausting."
A soft towel fell onto his eyes, shielding him further from the vicious summer sun. He moved to remove the towel by this time a different hand covered his.
"You woke up early to make us this, even after studying." Shin-Ah said softly, barely audible over the rising wind. "You should rest."
Around him, the others voiced their agreement, even Kija yawning loudly beside him in a brief moment of drowsy empathy. As his eyes closed and he settled into the soothing sounds of the rustling trees, Yoon was grateful for the towel. No one would see him smile. They'd think he'd gone soft.