SEASHORE. － k.yk + y.ty

10

Chatter and playful yells, the warm wind mixing the salty scent of the sea with the aromas of different foods. The beach was relatively busy for a Thursday afternoon, but whilst it used to bother Youngkyun before, he now hardly noticed it at all.

Him and Taeyang sat on the shared towel, the latter with his guitar on his lap and strumming at the chords, nodding to the beat, whilst Youngkyun tried to watch him without appearing creepy.

There was something about the way the human played music that gave tranquillity to the younger, along with an increasing feeling of happiness.

The ease with which Taeyang struck each note until they meshed together, the way he'd occassionally hum along or look to the horizon but kept his hand moving － it was enthralling.

Youngkyun couldn't focus on anything but the boy beside him.

"Do you want me to teach you to play?"

He startled, gaze so intent on the nimble touch on the guitar that he hadn't realised Taeyang had noticed him.

The latter smiled, music abruptly stopping, much to Youngkyun's dismay.

"Well? It's not that hard, really."

The brunet shook his head, waves of his soft hair brushing the sides of his heated face.

"No thanks. I just want to listen to you."

Taeyang seemed to contemplate whether to push any further or not, but ultimately decided against it and readjusted his grip on the neck of the guitar.

"If you're sure. What about a song request?" he asked, turning to look to the other with a smile, "If I know the song, I'll play it for you."

At a loss, Youngkyun didn't know what to do other than remain with his lips shut and eyes unblinking, trying to think if he ever even properly listened to a human song before, but finding nothing in his recollection other than faded melodies from stereos.

"I don't listen to music," he confessed, perhaps a tad bit bashful as he was saying such a thing to a person who clearly loved it.

In fact, his response was one which stunned Taeyang, enough that he rose a brow and tilted his head in doubt.

"Really? Not even one artist?"

Youngkyun dropped his vision to the ground, index finger tracing circles in the sand.

After some moments of silence, Taeyang let out a hum and gently cupped Youngkyun's shoulder, causing the smaller to look up at him with reddening cheeks and wide eyes.

"It's okay, I guess," he assured, voice warm and the subtle movements of his lips attracting Youngkyun's sight to them, "I'll play at random and you can tell me which you like best, alright?"

Youngkyun nodded in delay, a strand of hair slipping to rest upon his cheekbone, and he held his breath as Taeyang's gaze settled upon it, and then his hand － the same one which still held the guitar pick － lifted to nestle within the beautiful mess of locks.

His touch was delicate, as if drawn by the glimmering gold of the younger's hair in the sunlight, and it made said boy's heart lose all control, wild within its ribcage.

"Your hair is really pretty."

It was mumbled, low, and Youngkyun's reply parroted the used tone.

"Thank you."

Eyes flickering to those of the brunet, Taeyang stared, until his ears began to prickle fuchsia from grasping a hold of what he was doing.

His hand fell away and Youngkyun almost reached for it to put it back where it had been, but restrained such an action.

The lingering warmth from Taeyang's fingers began to fade, but the younger engraved the way it felt into his memory, though he couldn't fathom why he adored it so much. No one had touched him with equivalent care in years, and perhaps that was what dragged out these emotions from inside him.

"Sorry," Taeyang mumbled, distracting himself with his guitar.

"Don't be, I liked it."

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