Work Text:
[opening scenes of beach with pier, happy families and couples enjoying the weekend in the sun]
Inha is waiting on a beachfront street lined with shops (on the side with the beach but looking down the street rather than at the view). She huffs and switches from admiring her nails (vibrant pink with rhinestone highlights) to looking at her phone.
“Hi.” Jaewoo walks up from behind her. He looks really tired. Inha immediately smirks when she sees him.
“Hi~ I’m so dehydrated from waiting here for you, you’ll buy me a drink, right?”
Jaewoo sighs, he’s disappointed that this is the first thing she thinks of. But as Inha keeps pestering him he seems to get more energy and smiles a little as he gives in, “Fine. Hurry up then.”
Jaewoo scowls and makes a beeline down the street, Inha walks in big steps and beams as she follows him, laughing to herself a little.
Inside the swish, rooftop cocktail bar, Jaewoo is ordering drinks at a bar made of curved windswept looking wood. On the other side of a bar two guys in sports jackets are talking to Inha. She rests her chin on their hand flirtatiously for a few back-and-forths then narrows her eyes and says something. One of the guys clenches his jaw and looks down at her, mad. But seeing the number of people around he just slinks away with his friend. He pulls a face as they turn the corner, Inha gives a little wave.
Jaewoo finally arrives with their cocktails (citrus-y drinks that look fun but not silly) in time to see the last part of their exchange. He looks back at the guy, but Inha flaps her hand – no need to worry about him.
“Thanks~,” she grabs her drink and sips it.
Jaewoo huffs in response but he quickly calms down as they look out at the panoramic ocean view over the chic wooden railings their table is up against.
“How is your midterm prep going?” Jaewoo asks.
Inha looks disgusted at the thought. “That girl is going to kill me!”
Jaewoo scowls. “She’s trying to help you! You shouldn’t talk about Seol that way”
“Yeah, yeah,” Inha mutters into her glass as she takes another sip. When she puts her glass back down she smiles at Jaewoo and he gives a little smile back, there’s no need to worry on their day away.
“I already picked out somewhere to go next.” Jaewoo pushes his glasses up his nose.
“Hmm, ok,” Inha grins.
---
Inha is surprised when they stop in front of a small ice cream shop. “I used to come here when I was a kid,” Jaewoo says sheepishly. Inha smiles down at him.
“I can’t eat sweets like this you know,” Inha complains. “Women need to protect their image.” [Author disagrees adamently]
“You know cocktails are sweet too-“ Jaewoo mutters, but Inha interrupts him and noisily orders a choc mint cone, cutting off a family of four.
“I’ll take a mango sorbet please,” Jaewoo tells the employee. He reaches into his pocket for his wallet.
They’re eating their ice creams on the terraced concrete seating overlooking the beach. The sun is starting to set and the sky is glowing. After a few licks, Inha pulls her face at her ice-cream. “It’s too minty, could we please swap?”
Jaewoo switches their ice-creams but hunches over in a grumbly way. He doesn’t like choc mint. But he is surprised when Inha asks him: ‘So did you come here often, when you were a kid?’
“Sometimes, if my dad had a day off from work.” He’s happy she asked him about himself.
“Ehhh… lucky.” Inha thinks back to her childhood, she can’t even remember doing anything with her parents.
“Let’s come back again soon then,” Jaewoo says too seriously.
Inha raises her hand to her mouth to hide her laughter at him, but her eyes feel like watering. Jaewoo really is on her team 100%.
“How was your appointment today?” Jaewoo asks.
“Oh my therapist?!” Inha exclaims, drawing some attention that she glares at and ignores. “It was okay, she’s getting me to fill out these worksheets…”
They continue chatting until the sun has set and a group of uni students are setting up a beach volleyball game. Inha finishes the last of her ice-cream and calls out to them, “Hey, can I join you?”
“Sure!”
“Do you want to come?” Inha asks over at Jaewoo sitting next to her. She’s already standing up putting her hair in a high ponytail. She then takes off her tank top. Underneath she’s wearing a stylish and cute bikini top. Jaewoo looks away, his face has flushed.
“I’m good,” he says, still not looking at her.
Inha skips away to join the game.
Eventually Jaewoo looks up and watches Inha. Her competitive side has already come out. She really is beautiful.
Inha rotates out of the court and waves up at him, then one of the girls says something and she looks away coolly. She swishes her hair behind her shoulder and smoothly tilts her torso just so, so he can see her best angle. Jaewoo looks away, blushing.
A cool breeze wafts through the foreshore. Jaewoo finally calms down now he is alone. As he looks out at Inha he thinks about what he wants for his future. His eyes are filled with warmth when he looks at her and he thinks, “Should I?” [A/N: should I – ask her out??]