"Chenle, save those fists for when you truly need them. Step Number Two towards reforming you: keep your reactions under control."
"Ew, imagine having self-control."
⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
in which a police office...
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"Tell me again why we're here?" Donghyuck coughed, eyes squinting through the midday sun at the leisure centre in front of them.
"Well, that's a very long story, but if I start from the beginning, basically your parents-"
"Lele, skip the origin story."
Chenle held his bag over his shoulder and turned around to face the group of friends, lowering his sunglasses down his nose gingerly. "Because it's a hot day and a pool is a requirement."
"But I have a pool at home we could've used," Jeno muttered through a sharp inhale.
Chenle's sharp ears picked it up though. "Nothing beats public pools. Full of floating plasters, urine and drowned hopes for the future."
Jisung pushed his hand out and sent the omega forward towards the entrance, the rest followed them. Poor Mark was still lingering on what Chenle had just said and had the distinct expression of disgust on his face. "C-Can't we use Jeno's pool?" He pleaded quietly.
Jaemin threw an arm over Mark's shoulder and walked him to the entrance with the others. "It's a small blow-up paddling pool, not as cool as it sounds."
The cubicles were small and claustrophobic but they did the job. Little kids were running around banging their fists on the cubicle doors as though it was entertaining for them, but it gave Chenle one hell of a fright when small fists crashed against the locked door, rattling it on its hinges, followed by high pitched laughter and the scolding voice of a responsible adult.
He had one of those swimming tops on that was a dull grey colour with black slashes down the side and his trunks were bright red. He had to do a double-take when he met up with Donghyuck and Renjun at the entrance to the pool area. The former was wearing the cutest ever swimming trunks that were blue with little cartoon sharks all over them, while the latter sported black trunks and little beach shoes.
"What are those?" Chenle joked and nodded towards the shoes.
Renjun looked down and then snapped his attention back to Chenle with the most disapproving expression. "This place is 'verruca-central'," he tsked, "and I'd know best. I always used to get them when I came here as a kid."
Four handsome boys emerged from the alpha changing area, walking in formation in almost slow motion, while the three boys and the teenage girls dotted around the pools watched them. Chenle folded his arms. "They think they're the F4."
"Hmm, the J3 and M1," Donghyuck corrected. If only Mark began with a 'J'...
Chenle caught Jisung's eye and winked flirtatiously, biting his lip comically. The alpha stopped in front of him and placed his hands on either side of Chenle's head, leaning close. "You want me to throw you into the pool?"
"Ooo. Brazen, I like it."
Jisung stepped back and caught part of a quiet conversation between Mark and Jeno about how cute Donghyuck's togs were, but it was mostly a one-sided conversation because Jeno's eyes were locked on the little beach shoes Renjun was wearing. He had the expression of someone who was very lost.
