#/ ide know how to explain yunseong 90% of the time

[pyolyuja]

the threat almost catches yunseong; almost. the indifference in his eyes had nearly melted into genuine concern, but he refused to let the stony expression fall. he'd stopped splashing about now, his angled jaw solid and resting on the edge of the pool. little did he know, yun more closely resembled a pouting child than a man standing his ground, but in his mind, the upper hand was always his.

it wasn't as if he was going to float there and make some sort of appeal to yichan, explaining that the pool was as close as the homesick boy could feel to the beach he'd practically grown up on, at least until the following year. his work schedule wasn't going to allow him to visit home over the summer, so in some strange way, the damp and arid hotel pool room made him feel like he was there. yichan would never let him live something so embarrassing down.

"god, you really have become a stooge, haven't you? i mean, i know i'm no better. at least i admit it, though," yun finally broke the uneasy silence, still piling on irreverent musings and half serious jabs at the other. he feigned a yawn, leaning back against the edge of the pool with his arms folded behind him. his back was to the other now, feet lazily treading water to keep himself up in what he thought was a cool & intimidating position.

"here's the thing, though. i think you're bluffing," he continued, in the most relaxed manner. in some ways, this was a game for him. it was like some sort of twisted brotherhood that told its stories through standoffs and disagreements, but at the end of the day, encountering yichan had become routine. something told him that if these little exchanges ceased to happen, part of yunseong would miss them. not that he'd ever admit such a thing.

a heavy sigh escapes yichan’s lips. he peels open the heavy door to the midlight’s pool room, humid air greeting him once more, a stark contrast to the icy air that fills the rest of the hotel’s halls – how many times has he had to do this now? steps echo as loafers meet tiled floor; his business casual feels so out of place among a sea of half-dressed guests mid recreation. he regrets wearing his nice pants today.

dealing with im yunseong was definitely not included in his job description (he knows, he double checked the fine print), but he hasn’t the spine to refuse his manager each time she approaches him to, quote, handle him – some voice in the back of his mind reminding him he’s just another cog in a machine when he’s on the clock. another sigh, they really should give him a raise.

he parks himself at the concrete slate that marks the pool’s edge. “you already know what i’m going to say, yunseong-ssi. just save me the breathe, please.” his words are sharp, unfitting the the soft customer-service smile drawn across his face. he squats down closer to the water and lowers his voice in some effort to avoid the ears of the audience watching them, “honestly, is it really that hard to just wait a few hours? you know this place is empty by 4.” i got you your hook, are you just doing this to annoy me now? he wants to say but catches the words before they escape his throat.

yunseong’s strokes splash the water between them, ever so giving the bottom hem of yichan’s pants a good soak. his eyebrow twitches at the wet feeling creeping into his socks, patience running paperthin; something behind his eyes grows empty, but the smile pressed onto his lips does not falter. he stands up, “or should i just call xpixel?”