𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘴

08

THIS would be the first time they would spend christmas on a beach. hani and moonbyul were apparently giggling while they were helping each other out with their swimsuits.

this would also be the first time that they would wear actual bikini instead of rash guards and such. and they were somewhat very confident about it than before.

"i feel oddly confident about pulling this suit off," hani laughed shyly as she looked in the mirror.

"me too. not because i'm a model; but rather because i feel right about it... in a way that i can't fully express," moonbyul agreed.

as they giggled to themselves, they heard eager knocks on the door, followed by baro's call.

"girls, you ready?" baro asked.

"yeah, hang on!" moonbyul replied.

the girls grabbed their purses and extra towels before exiting their room. the boys were waiting out in the hallway with their swimming shorts. all of them wore black except sandeul; he went out all vibrant red.

looks like the girls weren't the only ones feeling the confidence.

"well, let's go!" ken chirped excitedly as he led first on the way to the elevator.

"wow, sandeul, your short's bright like heck," moonbyul commented.

"like me, obviously," sandeul proudly spoke as imaginary glitter floated all over him.

jin giggled again. he was digging sandeul's self-esteem as he is just like that himself.

they exited the hotel and grabbed a quick breakfast in the same outdoor resto. they ordered basic breakfast and such, and ate eagerly.

after that, their eyes were met by the beauty of the teal waters and white sand; the entire place was looking like one miraculous aesthetic that everybody was indeed gasping.

however, the sun's heat have caught their attention.

considering that it was december, this was indeed a weather to behold.

"sunblocks!" hani exclaimed eagerly as she took three bottles of said sunblocks abd handed one per two people.

originally, she had planned to "pair up" with moonbyul but she got jin to do the application for her.

baro and sandeul were too touchy with each other over their portions of sunblock and playfully slapped it onto each other after boldly stripping their shirts off.

then hani felt it; a gentle cream being rubbed by her shoulders.

she looked around and saw ken applying sunblock on her in such a gentleman way. he was humming a song, too. how casual.

hani just stayed silent, and as soon as ken was done she felt obliged to put it on him, too.

but just the back, hani thought. the front was threatening for her feminity.

not that she disliked the view. she was just that conservative.

and shy.

baro and sandeul were first to fly out into the sea with such enthusiasm. jin and moonbyul followed maturely behind them and had subconsciously walked like live seoul fashion week couple models.

ken and hani were left due to ken being a bit perfectionist when it came to applying the sunblock.

"you know," ken sparked a conversation with her, "you don't look bad yourself. you are pretty too, you know."

hani was dumbfounded. she did not know how to respond to that sudden proclamation, but then uttered a phrase laced with uncertainty.

"you think so?"

"i think you're pretty," ken smiled indirectly at her.

"i... i think you're pretty good-looking as well," hani countered nervously.

"no, you're prettier," ken chirped humbly with a childish grin. "look at you, rocking that swimsuit better than a kardashian."

hani laughed, subconsciously blushing as he finished applying ken's portion of the sunblock.

in her mind, she was really choleric to hear that. hani was feeling much more sure of herself as she gazed at her outfit. ken said so himself that she looked pretty good in it.

the blush has not subsided yet, until ken spoke again.

"if only seulgi came with me," ken sighed wishfully.

somehow, hani could feel right through his heart. she became sad, too.

"don't worry, ken," hani tried to cheer him up, "seulgi's fine. just bring her presents, okay? i'll help you find a good gift later."

"thanks, ha-ning-ning," ken grinned.

hani smiled back at him. and somehow, she felt a bit special with the very endearment she used to hate.

meanwhile out in the sea, the other four were sneaking with each other and splashing water. they did not sneak into moonbyul, though, since she was wearing the fragile form of swimwear she has ever worn, ever.

instead of playing mom, moonbyul had quite enjoyed herself too much that jin had to keep her in line before something from the sea injures her. jin would seldom pull her back to a certain spot closer to the shore.

not long enough, the last two joined them in with a ball, this time. they formed a circle and tossed the ball around eagerly one by one.

after they got bored with the ball, the boys were playing shark and the girls split up from them to grab some drinks by the bar.

"i've never felt so alive before," moonbyul excitedly told hani. "playing at the beach during christmas and enjoying the heat- best vacay ever!"

"i know, right?" hani agreed. "this was the most exciting holiday we had so far. baro's so nice to take us out."

moonbyul gazed over to the shore where the boys were now making sandcastles. jin's laugh echoed as he was looking at the other three try to take each other down with sand cannons.

"they're so adorable," moonbyul spoke lovingly as she kept her eyes glued to them, "and i hope we'll stay like this forever."

"even if we're grandsies?" hani chuckled.

"yeah," moonbyul smiled. "even if we're married to different people, or if we grow old alone yet altogether with the gang. that'd be nice."

"what if... we would end up with any of them? would that count?" hani asked, unknowingly staring at ken with confused eyes.

moonbyul on the other hand, upon hearing that question, found her eyes landing at jin.

but both of their eyes were not as cheerful as before. one held envy, and the other hopelessness.

"i wouldn't know, really," moonbyul laughed nervously.

"hey, girls! look!" sandeul screamed as she pulled baro up while ken was somehow posing in front and jin just losing it behind them.

baro had a sunburn in his chest shaped like a heart. ken slapped it, and it stung baro so much at the point he would cry and laugh at the same time.

"idiots," hani and moonbyul chorused.

🍝

-mique