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The surface undulated a little and soon Kook Youngsoo emerged from the warm water, sitting right next to Song Hayoung. “Is this our first time going to sauna together? The whole team?” he asked then.
“I believe so,” Hayoung answered.
“Yes, it is.” Jung Wooju rose from the water next, showing up at the other side of the inspector.
“Yaaah, how nice is this? The three of us spending time together outside of office and working hours.”
“Very nice,” Wooju said. “It's been hectic lately with the recent case. It's very hard to see you two during those months.”
“It must be lonely, right?” Hayoung said.
“Of course, it is! It might sound unbelievable but I was starting to miss Chief Kook's lame jokes.”
“You punk, how dare you call my jokes lame? They're just not your type of humor, that's all.”
“But they are lame, hyungnim. Isn't that right, Inspector?” Wooju looked to Hayoung.
So did Youngsoo.
Hayoung glanced between the two of them, awkward, and after a moment of prolonged silence, said, “Well, I never find them funny.”
“See?” Wooju exclaimed, chipper when the inspector supported his claim.
Youngsoo rolled his eyes, annoyed. “You people are so mean,” he grumbled.
Wooju giggled at the face Youngsoo was wearing, and in consequence, the older man sprayed some of the warm water to his face. Hayoung, who was caught in the middle, merely remained silent and neutral, and continued soaking himself in the water.
“But it's really nice,” Wooju blurted out, wiping his face. “Right now. Feels like I'm spending time with two big brothers.”
Youngsoo quirked his eyebrow at that. “That's right. It's been four years but I still don't know about your family, Woo Chuchu.”
“You have two older sisters, right?” Hayoung chimed in.
“Yep. That's correct.”
On hearing the inspector, Youngsoo shot him a look of surprise conflated with amusement. “What? You knew? When? How?”
“We talked sometimes while waiting for your return from the head office.”
“Ohhh, you're showing interest in your colleague. That's good; that's good. Finally, you're paying heed to my words. So, Woo Chuchu, you have two sisters?”
“Yes. They're both six and five years older than me. But rather than sisters, they're more like a gangster, you know. Gangster.” Wooju sighed heavily.
But one man's misery was another man's joy. Indeed, his little grumble drew a hearty laugh out of Youngsoo's mouth and a small smile on Hayoung's face.
“Is that so?” Youngsoo asked, still snickering.
“Yes. They always asked me to do things. Bring their stuff from home, buy them things... I feel more like their errand boy than their dongsaeng.”
Youngsoo laughed some more at his barrage of complaints, amused.
“It must be liberating for you when you moved out of house,” Hayoung commented.
“You're right. It is liberating. But one of my sister's already married, and the other's getting engaged in two months, so they're not home as often as they used to. Ah, now that I remember, would you two come to my sister's wedding next January? I'll properly send the invitation to you two once the date's been finalized.”
Youngsoo thought for a bit. “Next January, huh? I can make some time for that. How about you, Hayoung? You already knew about Wooju's family, it won't be nice if you don't come to his sister's wedding.”
“Hmm, sure. I'll check my schedule and make some space for your sister's wedding.”
A radiant smile crept up Wooju's face and he immediately thanked the two men for their consideration. “I'll let you know as soon as possible the confirmed date!”
“You don't have to be so humble with us, Woo Chuchu,” Youngsoo told him, smiling fondly. “We've been working together for four years now. At this point we're all family.”
Wooju blinked, a dazed look on his face. “But I don't want to have a family member who always makes the lamest jokes ever on earth.”
There's a brief moment of silence in the sauna room before chaos ensued.
With a swift movement and a big grin, Wooju dodged Youngsoo's outstretched hand, coming fast at him like a preying snake. Hayoung tried blocking their chief's next advance, though he couldn't hide the growing smile on his features, which didn't go unnoticed by the older man.
Youngsoo shot Hayoung a look of betrayal. “You too?”
For a few moments afterward, the splashing of water filled the sauna room as they moved around — Youngsoo trying to attack both of his juniors, Wooju expertly evading the chief's water attack and Hayoung being the only one with senses who tried to end the childish fight.
It took a while for all three men to calm down and for the sauna room to return to its usual tranquil state. But once they did, they're all sitting still in the water, quietly relishing the comforting warmth while minds wandering off to everywhere and anywhere. Silence reigned over them for what felt like hours, until Wooju broke it.
“Chief Kook, that's just a joke.”
“It's not a funny joke,” the older man retorted.
Wooju smiled. Youngsoo was still bitter about that, it seemed. “It's because I'm comfortable with you, you know that, right?”
“Woo Chuchu, are you trying to pander to me?”
“How did you know that?”
“You punk.” A short pause. “But, does that mean you're not comfortable with Hayoung?”
At that, both men turned to look at Wooju, inquiring.
Wooju was silent for a second before saying, “Would I hug Inspector Song if I'm not comfortable with him?”
They both considered his argument for a beat, then hummed unanimously.
“Right. But wait a sec. Then, why didn't you hug me, too? You said you're comfortable with me. I was very disappointed that time, Woo Chuchu.”
“Then, do you want me to hug you now? Here, I can give you a hug.” And with that, Wooju began to move toward Youngsoo, arms wide open.
Youngsoo quickly splashed some water toward him instead, a firm rejection. “Forget it. It's too late already. We're naked right now anyway.”
Wooju chuckled as he returned to his spot beside Hayoung.
“But it took me four years to speak casually to Wooju,” Hayoung eventually spoke, “so I understand it if he's not comfortable with me.”
“That's right. Weren't you the one who said to him first that you'd speak casually to him? Isn't that right? Did I remember it wrong?”
“No, you remember correctly, Chief,” Wooju affirmed. “I forgot my earphones one night and Inspector Song's still in the office. He told me he'd speak comfortably to me then, but when we met again next morning, Inspector Song was addressing me formally. I wasn't sure how to react so I just spoke formally to him back, but then it went on and on and before I knew it four years have passed.”
“I'm sorry,” Hayoung said quietly.
Wooju's gaze softened on the inspector. “It's okay. I understand it if it's hard for you to feel comfortable with new people.”
“But even so, you should strengthen your social skills, Hayoung,” Youngsoo remarked. “Now that we're getting new members in the team, it's even more important for you to open up and build a connection with other teammates. Not just me. Or even Wooju.”
“I understand,” Hayoung replied, nodding slowly and looking gloomy.
Youngsoo gave the inspector's arm a gentle nudge. “Don't worry, I'm always here if you need help and support.”
“Me too! I'm also here if you need anything, Inspector.” Wooju raised his hand in a salute, energetic as always.
A soft smile graced Hayoung's features. “Thank you.”
“That said, should we get out of here? I'm starting to feel like a dried plum for being in the water too long,” Youngsoo suggested.
The three of them exchanged looks with each other and after a short while, came to an unspoken agreement.
Before long they stepped out of the tub, squirming all the while, and thus, the end of their first sauna gathering.
“The moon is very beautiful tonight,” Wooju commented as soon as they left the building, looking up at the night sky now bright with the shining stone and the twinkling stars.
On hearing him, Youngsoo and Hayoung both paused in their tracks to gaze upward and admire the beauty of the moon.
“What, Woo Chuchu? Do you want to make a wish on it?” Youngsoo said, teasingly.
Wooju scrunched up his nose. “Unfortunately, I'm sober tonight.” His response elicited a chuckle out of the man.
“But you can still make a wish on the moon even while you're sober,” Hayoung said. “There's no rule saying you can't, right?”
“That's right," Youngsoo chimed in. “I'm sure the universe will definitely hear you if you wish on it right now.”
Wooju eyed Youngsoo suspiciously. “Is that a joke or...”
“Get lost, you brat.”
A laugh easily escaped Wooju despite the narrowed eyes Youngsoo's giving him. Hayoung, on the contrary, simply smiled at them, a hint of something akin to fondness in his eyes. Once his laughter subsided, Wooju looked back at the moon, full and brilliant, inhaled deeply and considered. “Well then, if I can make one wish on it right now, then I hope we can hang out like this again someday in the future.”
“Me too,” Youngsoo said. “It's been nice tonight. We definitely should have another sauna meeting when we're less busy. And dinner, too!”
“Ohhh, sounds nice. I'm in!”
Hayoung nodded in agreement, smiling. “I also think the same.”
For a quiet moment afterward, the three men stared at the moon above, pensive yet hopeful.