✔️ Cruise ➳ jungkook

🚢 7 🚢

After much cajoling and threatening to capture a fondue-face and set it loose in their room (Chaerin had no doubts that Taehyung would be capable and insane enough to perform such a feat), Taehyung finally managed to haul Chaerin's ass out of their room to explore the ship.

Padding along the handsomely adorned corridors, they checked out the dining level first, which proved to be a bad move. The enticing smell of gastronomic wonders from the elegant five-star restaurant sent the pair floating towards it on a cloud, but they blanched visibly at the outrageous prices. It was obvious, with the supreme airs, tasteful decor and soft 'clink' of wine glasses that most of dining venues were either catered to the elite, or to those who could fork over an exorbitant amount of money. Chaerin and Taehyung fell short of the criteria.

"Why do we have to be broke?" grumbled Chaerin, trying valiantly not to kneel over and let the hunger consume her. A pall of gloom swirled around her, fueled both by a strong craving for calorie-heavy food and the even stronger memory of having made a total idiot of herself earlier.

"Because we splashed everything on this cruise as YOU wanted to one-up Joon-hyung," Taehyung responded blithely, unaffected by his sister's ill mood, but stopped short at her glum demeanor. "Aw, Rin-Rin! Cheer up, we'll find something to snack on. At least we're out of the cold, unlike poor Ferdinand."

Upon saying this, his face fell as he turned to contemplate the view outside. "I hope he's eating enough. And that the other birds don't bully him. He's so small. Like a piece of chocolate, you know? What if they push him into the sea? What if he gets lost?"

Chaerin, incredibly amused, giggled and punched his shoulder playfully. "Don't worry, oppa, I'm sure he's doing great. Let's take a look around, yeah?"

Ignoring the noisy protests from their stomachs, they headed in the direction of the casino, only for Chaerin to spot a familiar person. She'd just swerved and started shuffling robotically away when Taehyung yanked on her sleeve.

"Chill, I don't think he saw you."

She followed her brother's line of sight to find the angel lying flat on the carpeted floor, camera raised towards the heavens as he snapped picture after picture of the glittering chandelier. Taehyung's words came as an understatement: The angel wasn't in the least aware, or even bothered by the people having to maneuver their way around his body, many throwing him disdainful looks.

It was fascinating, watching the angel at work — He flitted here and there, aiming his camera at various things from absurd angles. One moment he was taking a shot of the elevator buttons behind him, body arched backwards like a bridge; the next he was on his stomach mashing the stutter button aggressively in a bid to photograph a small child, the successive clicks of his camera shutter similar to rapid gunfire.

Even when Taehyung had gone and returned with a couple of Dumle candy bars from the vending machines at the end of the hallway, Chaerin's gaze remained on the angel's figure sprawled on the floor (this time to take pictures of the patterned ceiling), with her alternating between making cooing noises and sighing affectionately.

"Ew, you're so whipped for him it's disgusting. Stop immediately," Taehyung scrunched up his nose in distaste as he bit on his candy bar. Chaerin remained impervious, resorting to whacking Taehyung's shoulder repeatedly, almost knocking his snack out of his hands.

"Shut up, you're not paying attention! He's doing it again!"

"Doing what?"

Chaerin grabbed Taehyung's jaw with one hand and turned it towards to the now half-squatting angel taking pictures of a trash can. With her other hand, she pointed at the angel's nose.

"Watch..." she whispered.

As the angel adjusted his camera to take a shot, eyebrows knitted in concentration, he scrunched up his nose cutely.

"See?" Chaerin clapped with glee. "See how precious he is! I call it the 'Wiggly Wrinkle'."

Flabbergasted, her brother threw open his hands. "But I did the exact same thing!! What's the big deal?"

"The big DEAL, oppa, is that he looks cute doing it, unlike you."

Taehyung's hand slid down his own face. "I seriously cannot with you."

"I cannot what?" she replied absent-mindedly, standing on her tippy toes to get a better look at her angel.

"Act like a normal human being."

"Say so yourself."