Winter Hearts

Getting Sparta on Kkomae

They were all standing outside in the morning sun when Min noticed N look sharply across the street. She glanced over and saw Siana and Leo waiting to cross near the lights, on the other side. She could see him look down at her, and then smile when she looked up at him. Min looked at N, wanting to know what his reaction was, and found that he was watching with a warm expression. He seemed to cock his head as if he were seeing something for the first time and was curious.

"There's Hyungie," Hyuk said, going to the edge of the kerb to watch them crossing. Ravi and Ken were being fussed over by Kkomae and Min Seok, whilst Hongbin sat on the planter edging the kerb, closing his eyes and lifting his face towards the sun.

Kkomae finished with Ravi and gave him a camera to hold. Ravi took on his PD duties seriously, taking swooping closeups of everyone he passed. Kkomae shot Min a meaningful look, and she nodded and took a few steps back to stand clear of the camera.

As she turned, she realised Hyuk was taking footage of the couple waiting at the lights, his phone held close to his body. Leo lifted Siana's hand to his lips and kissed it, just as the lights turned green and they turned to walk across. Hyuk finished, slipping his phone into his pocket with a satisfied smile.

Then he turned and caught her watching him. She cocked her head, a small smile on her lips. Hyuk's smile froze for a moment as he realised he had been caught, but then he blinked at her a couple of times, his frozen smile rising a little higher in his cheeks, as he did a slow motion turn back towards Kkomae. Min smirked. He didn't even pretend to hide it. But, she guessed he trusted her to keep his secret.

Hyuk began talking to them in Korean, and she watched, fascinated, as she pieced together the gist of what he was saying. EVen though she couldn't understand it, their visual cues and intonation gave her enough information to understand that they were playing.

"Did anyone else read about the Acropolis like I did last night?" he said loudly, thumping Ravi on the back. Ravi flinched, but continued shooting.

"Golden ratio. Marble. Its name means "city at the highest point" or extremity, everyone!" Hyuk's vocal projection was quite remarkable, and Ravi and Ken seemed to cower under its volume.

"Is that where they throw the unwanted citizens over the edge to their deaths?" muttered Ken under his breath.

"Don't give him ideas, Hyung," Ravi whispered hoarsely out of the side of his mouth.

"That's Sparta," interjected Min Seok, causing Ravi and Ken to look at him.

"It is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is currently being restored, so we will be walking into a construction site, BUT the Temple of Athena Nike has been completed. You hear that, Hyungie? The Temple of Athena Nike."

Ravi and Ken stared at Hyuk blankly.

"Nike. Ni-ki. The goddess? The goddess of winning and doing it in stylish gym shoes," Hyuk smiled down at them expectantly.

"They make shoes there?" Ken asked, his eyes smooshed into a cute frown. Ravi cooed at him from behind the camera as he filmed them both. Hyuk seemed to look at him with great tenderness, holding back on vocalising whatever thoughts he was having.

"Oh god," Min heard Hongbin groan. "Please tell me you are joking."

Ken's face suddenly brightened into a sunny smile.

"Hongbin, you're back! You seem better today!"

"What? Was I sick?" Hongbin opened one eye against the sun and peered at Ken, who stepped around Hyuk to go up to Hongbin with his arms outspread, forcing Min Seok, who was still trying to clip his mic on under his sweater, to follow in a repressed state of panic as his things threatened to slip out of his grasp.