SEASHORE. － k.yk + y.ty

05

Some moments passed but it seemed no time ticked by at all, for the world appeared to freeze frame and Taeyang began to wonder if he even truly spoke.

Straightening himself, he cleared his throat and the sound must have broken the stranger's stupor, rebooting his brain so that he could process what he had been told.

He didn't move, but an unbridled blush doused his entire face and ears, embarrassment masking his features, and Taeyang briefly felt a sense of guilt.

Nonetheless, he maintained his smile.

"Hey, it's alright," he airily comforted, "Here, take one and wipe it off."

Nudging the plastic packet at the brunet a second time, the latter bowed his head in gratitude and quickly fidgeted with the sticky flap to slide a tissue out and rub at his chin.

Taeyang watched him with an initial seed of fondness already planted in his gaze, which only bloomed when the stranger spoke in a meek voice, low and coarse.

"Thank you."

He beamed, satisfied with finally hearing the voice the younger possessed.

"No problem at all. I couldn't let you stain your top now, could I?"

At the lack of a verbal response but a subtle nod from a dipped head in its place, he gave a furtive look around and then pointed at the empty spot by the boy.

"Mind if I join you?"

Again, another nod, and Taeyang took it as a go-ahead, happily turning and dropping himself down onto the sand with a thud which made the boy give a timid smile.

The smile disappeared and the blush returned however, when the taller spun his head to look at him, black eyes shining like fresh paint in the sunlight.

"So, what's your name?"

Youngkyun's heart flipped, disbelief burrowing into his mind.

Someone was actually conversing him, someone was asking his name. Nobody asked his name. Nobody even knew his name. When was the last time he had introduced himself?

Taeyang rose a brow at the silence he received and the brunet swallowed hard, forgetting about the ice-cream cone in his fastening grip.

"Youngkyun."

His own name felt strange to pronounce, and yet it was his, he knew it was his.

"Oh, that's cute. I'm Taeyang, a fellow lover of the beach."

"Taeyang," Youngkyun parroted dumbly, eyes still locked with said person's, "I like your name too."

The grin on his new acquaintance's face shone brighter and he couldn't help but attempt smiling in return.

He couldn't be fully certain about what it was that he felt. Apart from the ever-present anxiety he felt around humans, a myriad of new emotions was brimming within his chest and pressing against his ribs.

A feeling akin to the flapping of a fish's fins in his belly, a warmth akin to that of the sand beneath his legs, in his heart, a whirl of excitement akin to the fastest ocean currents, in his mind.

Taeyang smiled, lips parting to show a sliver of his perfect set of teeth, but Youngkyun dropped his gaze to his rapidly melting cone and gave it a lick, suddenly wanting to avoid eye contact.

"Not to be rude," Youngkyun raised his head, swiping his tongue around his mouth to collect any remnants of the sugary cream, "but I always see you alone. Do you come here to get away from everyone? I'm here to do the same."

The smaller momentarily hesitated, sight flickering to the side and then his lap, seconds passing before he met it with Taeyang's again.

"I just don't really have anyone to come here with."

At that, the other's eyebrows rose in surprise and a haze of sympathy faintly covered his expression, if only for an instant prior to it being replaced by his grin.

"Alright, then. Looks like you've just acquired yourself a beach buddy!"

Youngkyun didn't grasp anything and the moment he blinked, Taeyang's arm had wrapped around his shoulder and pulled him against his warm skin, smooth beneath the blushing boy's cheek.

"R-Really?"

"Absolutely!"

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