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Noah let out a long sigh as he stretched his arms, the salty ocean breeze ruffling his already messy brown hair. He was finally here—his long-awaited vacation, a much-needed escape from the stress of his job. Work had been relentless, emails piling up like waves, meetings draining his soul, and deadlines suffocating him.
The resort he booked was stunning: white sand beaches, clear blue water, and the sound of waves crashing gently against the shore. A true paradise.
But Noah had another reason for coming.
He loved hot and sexy men.
It wasn’t his only priority, but it was certainly a big factor. His ideal vacation? Sipping a tropical drink while watching shirtless, sun-kissed men walk by. But reality was often disappointing—until he saw him.
A tall, muscular man stood at the shore, dressed in nothing but black swimming trunks and a half-unzipped diving suit hanging off his waist. His toned abs glistened under the sun, his tanned skin glowing with seawater. He was adjusting his oxygen tank, preparing for a dive, his sharp jawline and tousled wet hair making him look like a god emerging from the sea.
Noah’s heart skipped a beat.
Holy shit. That’s the hottest man I’ve ever seen.
He needed to know his name. He needed to talk to him.
No, screw that—he needed to be rescued by him.
A ridiculous, desperate idea sparked in his head, but he was too far gone to stop himself. Without thinking twice, he sprinted toward the water and threw himself into the ocean.
The moment Noah hit the waves, he realized two things.
One: He had no plan beyond this.
Two: He wasn’t a great swimmer.
Panic set in faster than expected. He tried to flail dramatically, pretending to drown, but the second he gulped in seawater, he started actually drowning.
Shit, shit, shit—
Before he could process his regret, strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him up. His body was pressed against something firm—warm and sturdy. The next thing he knew, he was being dragged toward the shore, his head resting against a broad, muscular chest.
Noah coughed and gasped for air as he felt the sand beneath him again. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the hot diver’s face hovering over him, brows furrowed in concern.
“Hey, are you okay?” the man asked, his voice deep and smooth.
Noah was too busy admiring the way water dripped down the guy’s neck to answer immediately.
“Uh,” Noah blinked, trying to look appropriately shaken. “Y-Yeah. I… I don’t know what happened. One second I was swimming, and then suddenly—”
“You were drowning,” the man finished, his expression unimpressed. “Do you not know how to swim?”
Noah licked his lips. “I do! I mean, kind of. But the waves were strong, and…”
The man let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “You should be more careful.”
Noah took the opportunity to let his gaze wander, from the man’s sharp collarbones to his defined chest. God, he’s perfect.
“What’s your name?” Noah asked, putting on his best breathless, innocent look.
The man raised a brow, but after a beat, he replied, “Yejun.”
Yejun. Even his name was sexy.
“I’m Noah,” he said, sitting up. “Thank you for saving me. I—uh—I totally didn’t expect that to happen.”
“You sure?” Yejun said, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Because from what I saw, you ran straight into the ocean without hesitation.”
Noah froze.
Oh.
Oh no.
Had he been that obvious?
Yejun’s lips twitched slightly, like he was holding back a smirk. Noah’s face burned. Shit, I just drowned myself for this man, and now he knows I did it on purpose.
“Anyway,” Yejun continued, standing up and offering a hand. “Be careful next time.”
Noah hesitated before taking it, his heart stuttering as their fingers brushed. Yejun pulled him up effortlessly, and Noah tried very hard not to swoon.
“Are you a diver?” he asked, desperately trying to shift the subject.
Yejun nodded. “Yeah. I lead diving tours here.”
That was it. That was his in.
“Wow, that’s really cool,” Noah said, biting his lip. “I’ve always wanted to try diving, but… I’m a little scared.”
Yejun gave him a once-over. “You’re scared of diving, but not of throwing yourself into the ocean?”
Noah groaned. “Look, are you going to keep bringing that up?”
Yejun chuckled, his deep laugh sending a shiver down Noah’s spine. “Fine. If you’re interested, I can take you on a beginner dive.”
Noah’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Yeah,” Yejun said. “Tomorrow morning. Meet me at the dock.”
It took everything in Noah not to fist-pump in victory.
The next morning, Noah showed up way too early, dressed in his best beach outfit. Yejun was already there, preparing the gear, looking effortlessly hot in his wetsuit.
“Ready?” Yejun asked.
Noah nodded, trying not to freak out over how close they were standing. Yejun helped him put on the diving equipment, his hands adjusting the straps on Noah’s waist and shoulders. This is heaven.
As they descended into the water, Noah was mesmerized. The ocean was breathtaking—colorful corals, schools of fish swimming past, and rays of sunlight filtering through the deep blue. But more than that, he was mesmerized by Yejun, who moved through the water so gracefully, like he belonged to it.
At one point, Noah’s oxygen hose shifted slightly, and Yejun immediately swam to him, steadying him with firm hands. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world around them faded.
When they resurfaced, Noah was breathless for a whole new reason.
“That was incredible,” he gasped.
“You did well for a first-timer,” Yejun said, ruffling his wet hair.
Noah bit his lip, feeling bold. “Well, I had a great teacher.”
Yejun smirked. “Good to know.”
The tension between them was thick. The way Yejun’s gaze flickered to his lips, the way his fingers lingered on Noah’s wrist—it was obvious.
“Yejun,” Noah said softly. “Can I be honest?”
Yejun raised a brow. “Sure.”
“I might’ve, uh… slightly thrown myself into the ocean yesterday because I wanted you to save me.”
Yejun stared at him.
Then, to Noah’s shock, he burst out laughing.
“I knew it,” Yejun said, shaking his head. “You’re crazy.”
Noah pouted. “I prefer the term ‘determined.’”
Yejun chuckled, stepping closer. “You didn’t have to nearly drown yourself, you know. You could’ve just asked me out.”
Noah blinked. “Wait—so you would’ve said yes?”
“Maybe,” Yejun teased.
Noah groaned. “Oh my god, I almost died for no reason.”
Yejun grinned before reaching out to tuck a wet strand of hair behind Noah’s ear. “Well, since you went through all that trouble… how about I take you out for dinner tonight?”
Noah’s heart nearly exploded.
“Yeah,” he breathed. “I’d love that.”
Yejun smirked. “Good. But next time? Try flirting without nearly dying.”
Noah grinned. “No promises.”
And just like that, his vacation had just become way more interesting.
End.