"Suki, I've put the snacks here on the table, when you're done watering the plants, come and eat up." Her mom says, standing at the sliding door of the porch.

"Do you want to come inside first, yukio-kun?" She asks him. He was playing with yeontan and kei who are, for now, behaving themselves.

"It's fine, I will wait for natsuki so we can eat together." He informs and her mom nods before walking away.

Natsuki peeks at him while watering the plants when he speaks. Mentally pondering over his words.

The courtyard has the lawn which is usually covered in grass, right now, has plain dry soil and the flower plants cover the edges of the courtyard that goes all around the house, surrounding it.

"Tannie! Tannie! Don't go there." Taehyung shouts at yeontan who is running around, bumping into the flower plants.

"Let him play." Natsuki mutters, loud enough for him to hear.

"At this rate, I'll have to bathe him again." Taehyung looks at natsuki.

She is peacefully sprinkling the water on plants. Taehyung can see the little rainbow appearing because of the bright sunlight.

She approaches them, still focusing on the plants but after sensing taehyung's gaze on her, she looks at him.

Her gaze follows his silhouette. Looking behind him, her eyes widen at the sight of kei and yeontan tumbling down on the ground as yeontan's face is hidden in kei's furr. Natsuki's face grimaces at the thought of yeontan hurting kei and she turns around.

She runs towards them but taehyung is standing in between, totally dumbfounded. The water pipe is still in her hand and she doesn't care about it as she lunges towards them with it in her hand.

"Hey!! Hey-" She tries to stop them but taehyung doesn't know what's going on and he tries to stop natsuki from running as he catches her arm.

"Let me go!" She says in panic and taehyung looks behind him and lets natsuki go in an instant.

"Leave him! Oh my god..." She is hesitant to touch yeontan. She attempts to pull kei towards her when taehyung comes in between and pulls yeontan away from kei.

"Oh god! I can never let you go near the vampire dog, can I?" Natsuki's face is in pure shock as kei pants, his tongue hanging out from his mouth like nothing happened.

"Excuse me? Again?" Taehyung scoffs with a sarcastic smile upon hearing her calling yeontan as vampire dog.

"What?" Natsuki quickly looks up, her hand swinging towards taehyung and the water is still running, resulting in taehyung getting all drenched.

Natsuki looks at her hand and then back at taehyung, quickly retreating her hand back.

Taehyung is in disbelief, not only his clothes but now yeontan is wet as well.

"I was already drenched when I was stopping you and now I'm totally wet." He blinks, the water droplets running down his chin and then dropping on the ground. His hair is dripping wet too.

Natsuki can't help but giggle at the sight and that was it. Taehyung puts yeontan down and snatches the water pipe from her hand, aiming it at her.

"Oy! Yukio! Stop right there." She struggles, running away from him as kei is still with her. Taehyung chases her, laughing his lungs out when he finally manages to get his revenge.

Now they both look like nothing but two laughing idiots.

"You kids look like two laughing idiots. Why are you playing with water?" Natsuki's mom comes in view, gently scolding them as she turns off the water tap.

"Suki started it." Taehyung points at her.

"Not me! Yeontan was the one!" Natsuki refuses to back down.

Natsuki's mom stays silent, speechless. The peaceful silence only lasts for a second before they both start laughing.

Her mom shakes her head and goes inside to fetch some towels for them.

When they are done laughing, Taehyung wipes his face with the hem of his shirt and exhales. Natsuki gulps, looking away when she finds herself staring at the exposed skin of his abdomen.

She fans herself, putting kei down and twists the hem of her shirt as the water gets squeezed out.  She turns around, her back facing taehyung who is busy ruffling his hair and continues to squeeze the water out.

"It's so hot today, isn't it...?" She turns around and goes speechless upon seeing taehyung pull his shirt above his head.

"Why?" Her eyes go wide before her hand flies to her eyes, covering them.

"Huh? Oh, I don't like the sticky feeling. It annoys me." He purses his lips, low-key embarrassed.

She peeks at him through the gaps of her fingers. Blinking furiously, just then her mom comes back. Natsuki puts her hand down, pretending to act normal.

Her mom successfully ignores the awkward atmosphere and hands them the towels.

"Thank you, auntie." Taehyung smiles as usual and starts to dry himself quickly.

"Don't get sick. Suki, change your clothes quickly." She tells her and natsuki nods her head, drying her hair. Her mom turns to Taehyung, "Yukio-kun, you should also change before you get sick."

"Sure. I'll head home then." He says and glances at natsuki.

"Why don't you come back after changing? Have dinner with us today." Her mom smiles warmly.

"Oh, can I?" His smile enlarges.

"Why not? You're always welcome here." Her mom says.

"Yukio, go and change then come back here instantly. I'll take you to have a look at somewhere fun." Natsuki suggests suddenly.

"Oh! Okay! Give me some minutes. I'll be right back." He says excitedly and runs out while yeontan follows him.

•~•~•

"So, where to?" Taehyung asks. His hair is swept back neatly, his shirt, half tucked in his shorts.

"Why does it look like you dressed up so neatly while I, here, look like an average high-schooler?" Natsuki checks him out.

"What? But, I didn't!" He waves his hand in denial.

"Guess it can't be helped when you naturally look so good." She sighs, shrugging her shoulders.

Taehyung looks at her, clueless but follows her closely when she starts walking.

"Do you have some money on you?" She asks him.

"Oh? Are we going to buy something? I didn't bring my wallet." He stops on his tracks.

"Yes we are, but don't worry because you don't have to pay. I will be paying today." Natsuki says proudly.

"Why?" He asks and starts walking again.

"Remember the 200 yen you lent me? I still haven't paid you back." She smiles.

"I almost forgot!" He chuckles. "Okay then, I'll be in your care once again." He says, one side of his mouth tilting upwards.

"You say it as if I'm going to save you from zombies." A chuckle leaves her throat but she stops abruptly. "Well, nevermind. What I said doesn't make sense." She shrugs.

"You're so random." Taehyung laughs which is contagious as natsuki can't help but laugh too.

The time passes quickly when they make small chit-chats along the way and it's soon the time of evening. They stop in front a small shop. Taehyung looks around curiously.

The street is empty, this side of the town is new to him. He hasn't been to many places yet but this one still looks really different from the others he has seen before.

There is a cherry blossom tree, but of course there are no flowers at this time of the year. He mentally takes a note to visit that tree in spring next year.

The shop in front of him looks cozy. Even cute, if he pays attention to the little decorations at the front.

"Uncle sato!" Natsuki calls out to someone and soon a man who seems to be in his early forties appears in front of them.

"Suki-chan! Good evening!" He greets her with a wide smile.

"Good evening! Uncle, this is yukio, my new friend!" She introduces him then turns to him, introducing uncle sato as well.

"What a handsome young boy!" The shopkeeper, uncle sato, can't help but compliment when he sees him.

"Ah, thank you." Taehyung mumbles awkwardly. "What are we doing here?" He whispers to natsuki.

"You'll see soon." She smiles mischievously.

■□■□
I apologise for the delay of this chapter~
Vote and comment please!!!!
Ps:

If ykyk-