Chapter Text
A beautiful breeze runs through the trees, the sharp scent of salt water and eucalyptus trailing through it, carrying the distant sounds of childish excitement and crashing waves. A large beach ball rolled with it towards three teens further up the beach. Little droplets of water coated the ball as it traveled, wet sand sticking to its surface. The handsome blond man in the middle looked at the ball approaching them and back to where it started to see a small girl trying to chase it down. Standing up he grabbed his towel and grabbed the ball for her with it when she suddenly fell. The other two stood and ran over to the child to help her as she let out little sniffles.
The tallest man with black hair smiled gently at her “It’s okay sweetheart just a bit of sand right?” After looking at him for a moment she gave him a large hug, wet suit pressing against his dry skin.
His eyes widened over the girl’s shoulder, flickering to the other two frantically as he gently escaped her embrace. With a final smile he rose from his knees and went to the ocean, diving in smoothly. He didn’t surface back up. The other two smiled at the girl and told her to get back to her parents with a couple encouraging pats to her back and jogged down the beach, diving into the water gracefully.
Just before she turned away fully a splash caught her eye out the corner of her eye, a beautifully large orange tail slipped back beneath the surf.
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Sunlight glittered upon the water of a small green blue pool of salt water, reflecting upon the surrounding walls of the cave it resided in. small ripples began to cover the surface as bubbles rose up, followed by three heads. Strong tan bodies tapered off into the corded strength of three magnificent tails coated in orange scales.
The blonde turned towards the oldest and started giggling at the pout upon his face. The black haired man reached forward and smacked his arm “Really Sannie, you’re just going to laugh at me? Uhhhg I thought We’d gotten better at avoiding things like that.” San ducked his head beneath the water and wormed his way under the other’s extended arm. “It’s okay Seonghwa-hyung, kids are unpredictable but I don’t think she saw anything.”
“Oh yeah sure if we are lucky Mr.Flashie.” “You be quiet Jongho, you're a baby.”
A tinkling laugh bounced off the rock walls, filling the room with amusement. The younger two turned back to their oldest sibling, infectious smiles drawing themselves upon their faces. Exhaling once he's calmed down Hwa once looked at his younger brothers “What are you too going to do when I’m not here to stop your bickering?” He raised an eyebrow at them with a cheeky smirk.
Both groaned at him like unsatisfied children, “Hyung that's not fair~” San whined, bringing his voice slightly higher in a cute way “you get to go off to college with the pretty boy you stare at in the cafe all the time while i'm stuck here with the two bears–AAHHguhlblblb.” Jongho quickly removed his hand from San’s head beneath the water before Seonghwa could do more than give him a disapproving look.
“First of all you know he was asking for it, second, have you made any more progress with mister red and edgy?” Seonghwa smiled once again at his youngest brother, always so caring and yet he hides it behind a cool and strong exterior. He loved to gossip and be nosey just as much as the rest of them but would rather be caught dead than admit it. “It's been going well, he’s so sweet. He even gave me an extra pastry yesterday!”
San popped back up finally and after some over dramatic gasps and a splash towards the youngest he turned back towards the oldest eagerly. “Did you finally get his number? Do you know his major? Did his cute quiet friend happen to mention me?” The onslaught of questions came out of his mouth fast paced in his excitement, barely giving the oldest a chance to answer. “Not yet but he invited me to a party this weekend, kind of like a way to celebrate going off to college in a few weeks. And he’s a music major, mostly production. Also, you can ask the cute quiet friend at the party yourself.”
His younger brothers looked at him in surprise, eyes wide with slight aww. They turned back to each other and then the oldest once again.” We’re allowed to go? Really?” San said happily, followed by Jongho’s skeptic reasoning “But he doesn’t really know us that well, and wouldn’t he want to have people more his age there?” Seonghwa lightly shook his head at the two “He said it was okay, he always sees us together and he doesn't mind. Plus most of his friends are around Sannie’s age and he only has a few older than him. There will be no alcohol anyway since there was already going to be underaged kids like you.”
He looked between the two once again, hoping they’ll agree to go. “So what do you say? Wanna come?” Both gave him gummy smiles while nodding, excited to go to a bigger party.
“Well I guess we should head back soon. Mom should be making dinner soon and we need to help.” At the words from the oldest the three slipped beneath the cool waters of the moon pool, tails curing smoothly through the salty waters and once they passed the underwater entrance they gave a powerful snap of their tails and jetted off back to the mainland.
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A couple days had passed and they had finally convinced Yunho to go along with them too by mentioning the cute tall boy that sometimes fishes with Hongjoong may be there as well. Seonghwa had seen the other a couple more times that week, shyly flirting when he could and discussing anything he could at the cafe between Hongjoong’s shifts. He’d confirmed the address they needed to go to on Saturday is the redhead’s house and once again confirmed it was okay to bring the others. However, when mentioning this Hongjoong seemed to puff up, a sly look overcoming the gentle happiness from a moment earlier. He leaned forward on the table and beckoned Seonghwa closer.
He tilted his head, warm puffs or air caressing the side of Seonghwa’s face. He began to flush, a warm heat following the path that Hongjoong’s whispered words took. The feeling was incredibly embarrassing to the older, he was flustered and his brain felt dizzy from the proximity of the ethereal man with his face mear centimeters from his own. “Right?”
That single word seemed to shatter his fragile attention like a baseball through a glass window, half-lidded eyes snapping open to fullness once again, the flush becoming more prominent due to the realization that he had not comprehended a single word that Hongjoong had whispered to him, and now the man was facing him with this mischievous smirk that he didn’t know what the cause of such was. Whether it be his inattention or what he could have said could be critical and yet Seonghwa could not bring himself to know which it was.
Biting the bullet he gulped softly, adam's apple bobbing with the action as he drew up the courage to ask him. “I’m so sorry I didn’t hear you. It was just, umm “ Unable to find an excuse other than his horny lizard brain Seonghwa trailed off with his sentence, directing his eyes back down to the iced strawberry watermelon juice chilling his hand on the table as the other played with the straw of his seat.
He didn’t notice the fond look in Hongjoong’s eyes, the soft huff of a barely there laugh, the way he trailed his eyes upon the other before leaning forward once again. “Sorry,” hearing his voice once again Seonghwa lifted his gaze back to the other, head still directed slightly down. “I must have said it too quietly. That’s not your fault. “
Hongjoong directed a beautiful smile at the other, offering reassurance to the flustered man. “I was saying I think having them there would be great, and that we can finally get Yeosang to make a move on San. Don’t tell him I told you this but he’s kinda whipped for him.” Relieved from the escape given to him and amused by the information he’d just been readily given by the other, Seonghwa's chest filled and burst forward with uncontrollable giggles. Lifting his hands from his drink he rose them to cover his mouth, insecure with how often he is told by the others that he looks pained rather than joyful in moments like these. Hongjoong continues to smile at him though, expression not once wavering from how he’d reacted. Possibly even looking softer than he had earlier.
After bringing his giggles down to a more acceptable level and then letting out a few soft coughs to clear his throat Seonghwa took a sip from his juice, adding more fuel to the fire the other had unknowingly ignited. “San actually has the biggest crush on him, I can’t wait to see what kind of teen soap opera moment we’ll see when that happens,” Hongjoong laughed at the comment “ Yeah as long as it’s more Hometown Cha-cha-cha and not Euphoria .”
At that Seonghwa almost spit the juice he’d just been swallowing, more choked chuckles leaving him as he didn’t die from his favorite drink. “Okay it was funny but please never make me think about my little brother and Euphoria at the same time ever again please.” Hongjoong laughed briefly at the older man but nodded his agreement. “Well think of it this way, we only have to wait two more days to see your brother and my best friend make fools of themselves.”
The brilliant smile was once again directed at Seonghwa, drawing him in and endearing him further. His thoughts trailed away from his brother and his crush, focusing on the beautiful features of the man before him. Thoughts of holding his hand, kissing his light glossed lips, finally being with this incredibly soft and unique person before him. Thoughts light and dreamy, something he was always entranced by. “
“Yeah, just two more days.”
Two more days until he may be able to tell this little charmer how he feels.