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In the Tang Family Residence, they laid under the pavillion to avoid the oppressive gaze of the burning sun.
Bottles both empty and half-dranken were scattered around haphazardly, reminiscent of the Twin Saints. Who were also sprawled out lazily, seeking shelter from the unbearable rays of China's sun.
Summers had always been hot, but with a sudden heatwave, even prominent figures like the Sword Saint and Dark Saint lay victims to the sun's wrath.
Slowly, Tang Bo pushed himself up from where he was laying and propped himself against one of the pillars. His green cloak lay on the floor, long been discarded. He groaned as a sharp pain shot through his temple. He didn't know if the headache was from the alcohol, or perhaps heatstroke.
Well, it didn't matter.
Moving his gaze from the pond surrounding them, he looked over at Chung Myung, who was sprawled out lazily and groaning in discomfort. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his hair disheveled. He looked like a mess.
But Tang Bo was in a similar situation. The sticky, humid weather gave him the urge to plunge into the water, and rid himself of this heat.
'Maybe...' The idea didn't seem that bad.
Noticing the increasing volume of Chung Myung's groans, Tang Bo made himself get up and crawl over despite feeling sluggish. He smiled as he looked at Chung Myung. Suffering from the sweltering heat like this, yet his Mount Hua robes stayed in place. No wonder he was so miserable.
"Hyung."
No answer.
"Hyung-nim?" Tang Bo called again, lowering a finger to Chung Myung's face, and poking it.
A groan, this time.
"Atleast take off the outer robe, or you'll get heatstroke."
"...No." Chung Myung finally responded.
"Are you trying to die?" Tang Bo asked.
"...Get me water." Chung Myung said, his voice strained.
"We don't have any, just alcohol." Tang Bo looked around, "Unless you're fine with pondwater?" Another smile.
"...Ugh..." Chung Myung said in agony.
Tang Bo stared absentmindly at Chung Myung who was experiencing hardship. Before he also started feeling awful. His mind felt like it was filled with fog, his eyes blurring. He felt suffocated by the hot air. It seemed like it was rising to his head. His eyes moved to the fish swimming in the water below.
'Ah...the irony.' Tang Bo thought, his limbs feeling weaker. He looked back at Chung Myung.
'Well..whatever.' Was Tang Bo's last thought before he collapsed, slumping on top of Chung Myung, his vision going black.
...
It seems like he's fainted?
...
Not much time later, Chung Myung gradually opened his eyes. There was an uncomfortable weight on his chest. It almost burned him. Opening his eyes, he drowsily looked around.
"..."
Why was this bastard laying right on top of him?
Tang Bo was slouched over, passed out.
Did he want to suffocate him? Give him heatstroke?
Chung Myung pushed Tang Bo off of him with ease, before slapping his face. He didn't wake up.
"...?" Said Chung Myung.
He slapped him again, this time noticing the burning heat radiating off of his skin, and the expression of pain on his face.
...Is this guy dying?
Now Chung Myung started to worry. He grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. When that didn't work, he grabbed a bottle of alcohol and poured it over his head.
That didn't work, either. The alcohol had become warm. Starting to panic, Chung Myung spotted the pond surrounding them, and had an idea.
Dragging Tang Bo over by the lapels, he approached the railing of the pavillion.
Splash!
And threw Tang Bo in.
...
Chung Myung watched intensely as Tang Bo sunk to the bottom, diminishing from sight. Almost. The water wasn't deep at all, so surely-he wouldn't drown?
...
Another moment passed.
...
And another.
'Is he really going to drown in knee-deep water?' Chung Myung deliberated going in after him, or letting him drown. What a hilarious death it'd be, he thought. He didn't know if it'd be pathetic, or impressive.
Gurgle
Bubbles appeared, and soon after, a very enraged Tang Bo emerged from the depths. He was soaked completely in pond water, his hair tangled and stuck to his face, droplets of water dripping.
...
Chung Myung stifled a laugh; Tang Bo had the urge to hit him.
But to salvage something good from this situation, his skin wasn't burning anymore. He didn't feel sticky. He felt quite refreshed. He moved a strand of wet hair from his eyes and looked towards Chung Myung. His eyes sparked with an idea.
"Dosa-hyung, why don't you join me? It's more refreshing than I thought."
Chung Myung furrowed his brows, as he shook his head in disdain. "It's fish water. I don't want to smell like a fish!"
"Of all people, I thought you wouldn't care about things like that..." Tang Bo said with a sigh.
He then threw the Koi fish he had obtained towards Chung Myung with astonishing precision.
SMACK
"...!" The fish hit Chung Myung square in the face, before flopping back into the water. Tang Bo took this as a chance to drag an off-guard Chung Myung into the water with him.
Splash!
Chung Myung fell in head first, so just like Tang Bo-he was soaked head to toe. Wet strands of hair streaked across his face, as he spat out a mouthful of pondwater. He had a murderous expression on his face.
...
Tang Bo stifled a laugh; Chung Myung hit him.
---
Walking along the path around the pond, two Tang Family members stopped to look at the two individuals making a scene.
"...What are they doing?" One asked the other.
The Sword Saint of Mount Hua and their elder, the Dark Saint, were currently engaged in a battle of...fish. They were throwing fish at each other, making a mess of the Tang Family's decorative pond. Those fish are rare, you know? To terrorize them like that...
The older family member sighed, having been tired of seeing these sights often. Ever since their elder became friends with the Sword Saint, there hasn't been a peaceful day at the Tang Residence for decades. He turned to the one asking, "Don't mind them. Just two people who will never grow up." And continued walking.
The other Tang Family member stopped to stare at the two elders acting like fools with an incredulous look, before he shook his head and laughed to himself, running to catch up with the other.
Even as he walked further away, he could still hear the shouts and laughter that emanated from that pond.
'Seriously...those poor fish.'
.
.
.