HELIOS.
personification of the sun

.❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。

THE SUN BASKED in the hot, sultry summer air, clouds painted on the blue midday sky, trees swaying in the breeze of the wind, and the birds chirping and dancing and singing.

It's been three days and still, none of them have thought of a collective decision as to where they would spend a sunny afternoon under the sun.

So, all they've been doing was lay around the house and do whatever. Like they haven't spent so much time doing that already.

Everyone was in their respective rooms, but Jisung was determined to finish the first episode of Touch Your Heart to even retreat to the soft covers of his bed.

Jisung's heart eyes shined as Lee Dongwook walked into the scene as an ever-so-fine prosecutor. But before he could screech an ear-piercing squeal, he felt a weight beside him on the couch, as if someone had sat beside him.

He turned to the figure and pulled a small grin. "Lele?"

But the boy looked blue, a scowl on his face, eyes filled with grief— and a tinge of annoyance. He looked irritated.

Jisung's smile fell upon seeing Chenle looking sad. He quickly switched off the TV and centered his attention on the older, facing him with soft, sympathetic eyes.

"Lele?" Jisung whispered sincerely, bringing his thumb to caress Chenle's pale cheeks. "What's wrong?"

Chenle sighed heavily, bringing his hand to Jisung's and placing it down, away from his face.

"You've been watching dramas all day, and you haven't spared a single glance at me," Chenle frowned, his irises glimmering at the shining sun.

Shit, Jisung cursed in his head. He didn't mean to ignore the older all day. He was too hooked with the shows he's watching to even notice that he's been neglecting the older the whole time.

But even if he had no intention to ignore Chenle whatsoever, he still felt genuinely guilty. It was his fault, after all.

Jisung reached for the older's hand and held it tenderly. "Chenle," he breathed out with full sympathy. "I'm sorry. I really am."

Chenle heaved yet another deep sigh, "I know, Ji."

Jisung frowned—Chenle is obviously not convinced. He brought his hand up and cupped the boy's cheeks, and stared intently at the latter's orbs. "Lele, I really didn't mean it. I guess I was too focused with the shit I'm watching to even spare you a smile. But please know, that I'm really, really, sorry."

Jisung pressed his forehead onto Chenle's. "Do you forgive me?"

Chenle's lips curved into a toothy smile. He nods his head, not ripping his gaze from the younger.

Jisung leaned in softly and planted an innocent peck on Chenle's lips, pulling away and ruffling the latter's fluffy blonde locks. Heat rushed onto Chenle's cheeks, painting them in bashful shades of red.

They sat in profound silence until Chenle whispered the younger's name. "Ji?"

Jisung stared intently at the older's twinkling orbs, falling deep into them like getting caught up in a daze, as he replied, "Yes, Lele?", so softly and airy as he was already breathless. Breathless because he was just so beautiful.

Chenle stared at the younger, and his breath hitched while he spoke.

"Ji, do you love me?"

Jisung was out of breath, and out of words to tell. After hearing those words slip out the older's lips, his heart started aching, as if being physically bruised and smashed and crushed.

Jisung let his actions speak.

The younger didn't hesitate to press his lips against Chenle's, interchanging their love and desire for each other, like how they've shared their blissful kisses with one another.

Chenle's lips dance with the younger's, moving in the rhythm of their merciless heartbeats, their immense love chiming into each other.

Jisung pulls away with swollen lips, catching his breath as he pants heavily. His hand, which was playing with Chenle's locks, trailed down to his jaw, grazing his pink, flushed cheek.

"Lele," Jisung breathed out in an airy whisper, his lips curving into a comforting smile.

"I love you, so, so much."

His thumb caresses Chenle's rosy cheeks. "Lele, you don't know how much you mean to me. You're my joy, my happiness, the love of my life."

Jisung pulled Chenle in a warm hug, an arm around his waist and a hand behind the older's head. Jisung plants a kiss on top of the latter's head, burying his face on his soft blonde curls.

"Please don't ever doubt my love for you ever again," Jisung spoke as he hugged Chenle tighter.

A giggle escaped the older's lips, his arms wrapped around the younger's neck. "I wasn't doubting you. I just wanted to hear you say it."

Chenle chuckled, and Jisung's heart throbbed in his chest, feeling himself going soft over the latter's laugh.

Jisung broke the hug and stood up from the sofa. He laced his fingers with Chenle's and giggled, "Let's go upstairs, I miss cuddling with you."

But before Chenle could move an inch, a voice broke them out of their moment.

"OH MY GOD YOU GUYS ARE SO CUTE!"

The two flinched as they glanced at the source the deafening shriek, and there they saw a woman leaning against the doorframe, heart eyes and all.

Jisung blushed heavily. "M-Mrs. Oh?"

The said woman ran to the two boys, her fluffy bunny slippers huffing against the wooden floor, and gave them a cheeky smile. "Don't Mrs. Oh me there," she spat with full mockery. "Gosh, am I gonna be a godmother soon-"

Chenle pulled Jisung down so he could sit on the sofa, and wrapped his arms onto the younger's, latching onto him like a koala for dear life. Jisung's low groan cut off the woman short, but her teasings didn't stop there. "God, guess you must be great in bed, right Che-"

"bUTTERFLIES-" Jisung yelled with all his heart, wiggling his arm off Chenle's hold and bringing his hands up to cup the older's ears, "AND RAINBOWS."

Mrs. Oh chuckled darkly at the boy who looked dumbfounded. "Oh, don't worry, you'll experience it soon," she averted her gaze from Chenle to Jisung and eyed the younger cockily, "Lele."

The two watched the woman walk ruthlessly to the staircase, Jisung cursing in his head and Chenle looking perplexed. "I'll tell your mother by the way," Mrs. Oh's voice echoed within the walls of the house.

But before she could lay a foot on the first step, she was greeted by Eunrae who was walking down the stairs.

"Eunrae-ah!" she called, a smirk on her lips. "Your son and this Chenle
boy is dati-"

"SHH!" Mrs. Park shushed her best friend up, raising her index finger over her lips. "We have something to discuss Soyeon-ah," she said, cocking her head at the stairs. "I already called in Miri and the boys, they're coming."

And soon enough, the six of them came walking down the steps, Miri begrudgingly trudging down with a messy hairdo, a sleepy Donghyuck cuddling Mark's arm, and Norenmin's arms wounding around each other.

"Why did you call, Mrs. Park?" Miri questioned politely as they reached the foot of the staircase, a yawn slipping off her tongue.

Mrs. Park waited for everyone to gather at the living room before speaking, totally ignoring Jisung and this so-called Chenle, who both had awfully red cheeks and shiny lips.

"So..." she started, trailing off quietly, arranging a sensible thought in her head.

The said woman paced around the room as each took a seat on the couch. "It's been a couple of days and yet, we haven't gotten our asses out this damn house!" she shrieked in positive fury, if that were a thing, almost in a playful manner. "Don't you ever get tired of this place? The same, old, boring beige walls—geez, I'm getting more bored of it as I talk."

Donghyuck pulled his head off Mark shoulder, almost like recollecting himself after a lengthy nap. "We do want to breathe in a bit of fresh air..." the boy mumbled quietly, eyelids threatening to fall. "It's just that, we don't really know where."

"My point!" Jeno jabbed, a snap coming from his fingers. "As much as we want to go out and have the time of our lives, we're clueless of this place, and pretty much bummed out of ideas."

This had always been the issue. Every day was another perfect opportunity to waltz under the hot scorching sun, savor the sweet flavor of bingsu, and share a few laughs and memories with one another.

Except it was a not so easy decision as to where they'd spend the afternoon together. Like how excruciatingly difficult it is to pick between classic and mango-flavored bingsu. Both are good, not one hardly better.

All Mrs. Park could do was sigh helplessly, and as she glanced at the ominous sun that afternoon, her face lit up in glee.

The sudden mood swing was eminent, as she glanced at each of the boys, encouragement laced in her tone. "Oh come on! Just look at the sun— so alluring and enticing, it's practically screaming, Come outside! You know, have a good swim, get some ice cream-"

"Have a good swim..." the woman was cut short when she heard Mark mumbling to himself.

The said boy startled everyone as he snapped his head up to Mrs. Park with a wide grin.

"Have a good swim!" Mark exclaimed, a finger jabbed in the air. "We've been melting out faces off like weight loss enthusiasts out in a sauna house to lose some pounds."

Mark eyed each one of them, being persuasive. "I think it's about time we get a little bit refreshed."

"Agreed," Jisung injected suddenly. "Jaemin-hyung has been emptying our ice trays recently, and he's been crunching on ice cubes religiously like a drug now."

The said boy panned his head to Jisung upon hearing his name. "Don't blame me, the heat's taking me to another side of the sun," he deadpanned.

"So," Mrs. Park smiled widely at their discussion today. Seems like all of them have been struggling to keep up with the heat in Korea, and not to mention the humid air here in Myeongdong. So what's more fun and refreshing than a long swim at—

"A water park, eh?"

The boys, Miri, and even Mrs. Oh all smiled widely at the suggestion, and that made Mrs. Park even more satisfied.

"Well then," she added, standing up from the sofa.

"Pack your bags, 'cause we're splashing our way into the pool!"

.❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。

        ❀ | a/n !
— aight
— HYUCKHAN !