Peaches & Ice Cream ᵗᵃᵉⁿⁱⁿᵍ ᵉⁿᵍ

5. At the blue hour

There was no need for Taehyun to rush. It was more possible that the waiter would be late because of some customers rather than he would come a little sooner. However, Taehyun was that kind of person who would rather wait for a while than let someone wait for him. 

And that's why he was standing by a railing near the beach, which was separating it from a road with an access to a cozy ice cream store. It was barely ten minutes before a shutter, but he couldn't just sit at home anymore because of an excitement, burning in his chest. 

Lightly gripping the railing, he looked at the sun slowly going down to the horizon behind the sea. Then he pulled his phone out from the pocket of his shorts to check the time. 

5:53 PM

Sigh. 

Just then, the door, surrounded by slowly closing flowers, opened. The boy coming out patiently closed them and locked them with a key. It seems somehow magical... to see someone lock a door by a key nowadays  - Taehyun smiled, more likely in his own head. 

Hyuka had spotted him practically as soon as he turned away from the store, warm expression came to his face welcoming the boy who was waiting nearby. 

"Do you not close at six?" Tae asked, when Kai came closer to him, fleetly checking the time again. Not like he wasn't glad that he was finally here. 

"I guess I'll rebel today," Hyuka chuckled, then he inserted his hand into a bag, hanging on his shoulder, "but actually... I'm still doing my job, so theoretically-" 

Taehyun was looking at the younger one with a gaze full of anticipation. 

He was amazed once again when Huening Kai held out his arm to hand him a blue plastic bowl filled with his favorite ice cream. 

"Just for you, enjoy." 

He is so incredible. Taehyun took it with a small thankful bow, then he picked up a little spoon which was put in it. 

"Ain't it poisoned?" he asked quietly before tasting it, letting the other one know that it wasn't really meant to be a serious question.

"Hahah." Huening Kai's smile and laughter was definitely one of his charming points... and so was his side profile when he leaned on the railing, adorably putting his chin on his forearms. He was watching people spending their incoming evening on the beach. The lower the sun was, the more shades of colors the heavens had, leaving the sea sky-blue. 

Beautiful. 

"I would never poison you," Hyuka whispered out of nowhere, defrosting the time frozen by the beauty of the moment and the cold spoon landing into Taehyun's mouth. He finished the bowl without a single word, silently enjoying its flavor and the presence. The ice cream non-violently cooled down his stomach, making him much calmer. 

"Thank you." 

"Huh?" The waiter straightened, little question marks in his kind dark eyes. 

"For the ice cream. It was delicious, thank you," Taehyun specified, repeating the thanks and handing the bowl back to its owner. 

"Oh, of course. You're welcome, it was a gift," Kai giggled a little bit embarrassed because of his initial misunderstanding. Then he took the bowl and carefully put it back into the bag. 

"Still, it was very nice of you." I have nothing in return. 

However, Taehyun was still the best gift ever for Huening Kai, so he just smiled softly. 

"So," his eyes suddenly widened and he clapped his hands, "shall we start our first practice on the beach, now?" 

Taehyun finally smiled, slowly... through his eyes to his lips gradually revealing his teeth. 

He nodded a few times, then climbed up the railing and jumped straight into the sand. He glanced at Huening Kai who did the same, then they started walking closer to the sea. 

+x+

"I still can't believe that I am hanging out with you," Taehyun said while they were walking barefoot on the sand washed by low waves. 

"Is that so hard?" the boy behind him asked with a gentle smile, watching his feet making tracks right next to Taehyun's. "I thought it would be easy for you to believe in... miracles." 

"Because of the magic tricks?" Taehyun was kind of amused by the boy's assumption. "It's more like... It taught me that I was the one making those miracles, no one can do it but me. You have to learn to see it or do it by yourself. But I couldn't do this one. I even thought it was impossible." ... and that was a failure itself. 

Although Hyuka was more open about a lot of things, he understood Taehyun's concern. He was afraid to talk to him as well after all. His thoughts were like - what if my confession will just scare him? What if Tae doesn't really want to share those feelings even if they are real? 

"You have to think a lot." 

"Sometimes even too much. Gyu-hyung would tell you a whole book of stories about that," Tae chuckled and grabbed his wrist behind his back, stretching his fingers. He was slightly kicking the wet sand by his toe tips, calmly breathing through his slightly opened mouth, making Hyuka smile with this sweet activity. 

Kai stared at his hand for a little longer, then couldn't resist it and gently touched Taehyun's stretched palm, slowly sliding his fingers on the palm until he held his hand properly, taking the other boy's breath for a second. 

Taehyun was surprised by this sudden touch, even though his hand was clearly begging for Kai's attention. It was the first time... It was their very first touch and it felt so warm and nice. It felt even warmer than this summer sun. Having this boy behind him, this kind classmate who he fell in love with more than seven months ago, felt like his back was hugged by wings of a guardian angel. 

He wrapped Kai's hand with his fingers in response. 

"Actually, I haven' confessed my feelings to you either," came a sigh from behind him, barely audible because of the sound of the sea, "but now... since we both see it... I will definitely make you believe in... us." 

Taehyun turned to Huening Kai, noticing his sweet smile. 

"Because that's how true magic works," he added with conviction. 

+x+