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On our journey back from Kasai, we all decided to stop at a hot springs for the night. The hot springs here are a bit pricey, but it helps in healing wounds and relaxing, and we could definitely go for that.
We travel to a city named Sora-ku. Cherry blossoms line the stone brick streets, the pink petals flying beautifully in the wind land at my feet and in my hair. Some of them fall into the pond we walk next to, sending ripples through the water, disturbing it's perfect reflection. The town only has traditional Japanese buildings. The sky is a pale blue, a few stars beginning to light up the growing darkness. My heart fills with warmth because of the magical atmosphere and Namjoon's fingers intertwined with my own.
We reach the inn that we'll be staying in for the night. I don't even bother checking to see what our rooms look like. I immediately grab a towel and go straight to the changing rooms. There are three different baths, one for girls, boys, and a mixed area. I carefully slide off my shirt, hissing in pain as the cloth sides over my skin. I look into a mirror that's hooked onto the wall. I gently press my hand to the side of my ribs, seeing a large blotch of red on my skin. As soon as I touch the area, I wince and hiss in pain, the spot being incredibly sensitive. I can tell that a bruise would form if I didn't do anything to heal the injury, courtesy of the dragon's tail. I finish undressing, my whole body feeling sore and stiff.
I slide open a wooden door, the steam from the outdoor baths pouring inside. I'm glad to see that no one is out here besides me. I didn't feel comfortable bathing with other people anyway.
My bare feet hit the cool, hard stone of the ground. I make sure to be careful so that I don't slip on the wet floor. I carefully dip one toe into the water, testing out to see how it feels. The heat of the water burns at first, but the longer I'm in it, the better it feels. I ease the rest of my body inside of the water, trying to get my skin accustomed to the intense heat.
Once I settle into the water, I can feel all of the tenseness from the stressful day leave my muscles and bones, as if the water is drawing it out from my skin. A deep sigh escapes from my mouth as I close my eyes and lean my head back onto the ledge behind me. This is the first time I've had to be by myself and relax in quite some time. Since we've been trapped inside of Elysium, at least one of the seven boys have been glued to my side. I love their company, but there's nothing like having a few moments of silence to process everything going on in your life. I do my best thinking when I'm alone.
The peace and quiet that I enjoyed for only a few minutes is quickly interrupted when I hear splashing, yelling, and laughing come from the other side of a stone wall that separates the girl's bath from the boy's. I shake my head and laugh, knowing that the racket is coming from my group of friends.
I freeze when I hear a deep voice that belongs to Namjoon, just the sound alone causing chills to run down my spine, despite the warmth that surrounds me. Then a sudden realization hits me. On the other side of the wall, Namjoon is bathing. I brush my fingertips against my lips, remembering the feeling of his mouth pressed against mine, and the hunger that took over the both of us. I feel my cheeks burning, so I sink into the water, covering half of my face. Stop being so perverted, Wren.
