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“It’s always fun coming to places like this for a holiday.”, Seungkwan says, lying down on the floor next to the table. He shivers a bit at the contact since the marble floor is cool due to the weather.
Outside, torrential rain pours down and everyone sits down on the ground with their tea mugs. Minghao sits in the middle with the kettle, eager to give everyone a taste of the tea he prepared from the tea leaves sent by his mother.
Mingyu takes a sip and feels his mind and body relax. He lets out a sigh. Tea truly does magic. He looks at Jeonghan, who is sitting opposite to him, and smiles. The latter is wearing Mingyu’s jumper which is obviously at least two size bigger than his, causing him to be engulfed by the cloth. It forms sweater paws too. ‘He looks cute. Like an angel.’, Mingyu thinks.
Suddenly, he gets elbowed from the side and he yelps.
“What the hell, Seokmin? Why’d you do that?”, he says holding onto his rib.
“Stop looking at him, you creep. Build up the courage and talk to him.”
Mingyu looks away at that. Yes, he wants to talk but he just—can’t. His heart palpitates and he feels breathless just at the thought of saying something. Anything to him.
. . .
The weather is pleasant by the time it’s afternoon. Clouds still loom over their heads but not as dark. The breeze is cool after a heavy pour. The birds chirping in the distant make a musical effect.
Everyone is outside, doing one thing or the other.
Mingyu is tired after setting up a whole oven with Seokmin and he feels the need to take a long nap but the urge slowly wilts away as he sees Jeonghan idly standing by the river bank.
He makes his way to him and stands beside him. Noticing his presence, Jeonghan smiles.
“What are you doing here, hyung?”, Mingyu asks.
“Was just thinking about going on the boat. Although Seokmin said that him and Wonwoo plan on riding it tomorrow and that I can join, I just really feel like riding now.”
“Well, in that case…I’ll take you.”
Jeonghan looks at him, surprised.
“Really? I didn’t ask you before because you looked tired.”, he says. Genuine worry in his eyes.
Mingyu shakes his head and tells him that he doesn’t feel tired. A big lie but who cares.
They take their life jackets from the storage area and make their way to the river bank, where the boat lies. Mingyu sits on the boat first and Jeonghan pushes from behind. When the boat’s finally in the water, Jeonghan carefully steps in. Mingyu gives him his hand.
The rowing is mostly,well okay,only done by Mingyu.
Jeonghan sits at the back, giving him encouragements like his loud, “Let’s go, Kim Mingyu!”.
Mingyu doesn’t mind. Not really if it makes Jeonghan smile so widely.
“Hyung, why do you have the umbrella?”, he asks.
“In case it rains on us, Mingyu-yah. This will protect us.”
“Wow…Us? It barely fits you!”
“Well at least I am safe.”
“Hyung!”
. . .
They keep on moving and Mingyu keeps on hearing Jeonghan’s sweet laugh and his lame jokes. He loves this moment and cherishes it with all his heart.
Eventually, they lie next to each other on the bank, ignoring the fact that the ground is still wet after the rain.
At one point, he makes the mistake of looking at Jeonghan who is lying there with his eyes closed, enjoying the weather and the feeling overall. He looks ethereal. His long blond hair, loose from the ponytail, sway with the movement of the wind. There is serenity in his features.
“So beautiful to me.”, he blurts out before he can check on himself.
Jeonghan opens his eyes and looks at him.
“What?”
Mingyu gulps. He has dug his own grave, hasn’t he? What should he say now?
“You look at peace here, relaxed and happier. You just look so pretty.”, he says. Says whatever he can muster. If only this will convey what he wants…
A pretty blush adorns Jeonghan’s cheeks and oh Mingyu hasn’t been happier in his life because he rarely blushes. The former let’s out a shy laugh but doesn’t say anything. There is a moment of comfortable silence in which both properly take in what went between them.
Mingyu breaks the silence.
“What am I to you, hyung?”
Jeonghan grins a little and tilts his head, pretending to think as if Mingyu doesn’t know he already has an answer ready.
“Pororo”
Eh?
“Pororo?”, Mingyu asks in disbelief.
“Yes, you are always full of energy and optimism. So, you resemble Pororo to me.”
Mingyu bites back a laugh.
“A-and you are cute.”, Jeonghan adds, apples of his cheeks red.
Mingyu feels his cheeks burn. Jeonghan’s laugh with another whispered “cute” doesn’t help the situation at all.
Both keep lying next to each other, completely red faced, until Seungkwan calls them for dinner.