Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

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Okinawa's humidity stuck to Jo's skin the second he stepped out of the Naha airport.

It almost felt like a second layer of skin, thick and heavy, and carrying the salty smell of the ocean. The air here felt completely different from that in the city. It was warmer, wetter, and felt like summer itself.

Jo climbed into the middle row of the group's rental car and immediately shuffled himself to the window seat. The moment they pulled out of the airport parking lot, he rolled his window all the way down. The warm wind rushed in, catching on his hair and tugging the strands away from his forehead. He didn't bother fixing it. He simply leaned his head against the window frame and let the breeze wash over him as the scenery blurred past. He loved the tall palm trees, colorful buildings, and the way the ocean water danced.

From the driver's seat, Yudai had one hand loosely on the wheel while the other waved around as he talked about all of the beaches he was excited to see. Maki was sitting in the passenger seat, half-turned around and practically bouncing off the walls with excitement.

"Bro—the house is massive," he was saying for the third time that day, "like, actually massive. One of Nicholas' cousins or something had connections out here, and we basically get the whole place all summer. The deck literally goes right out to the sand."

Fuma, sitting on the other side of Jo, chuckled, "You have told us…three times already."

"So? Maki shot back, smiling widely, "We're not staying in some tiny apartment, it's free, and we're basically living like kings for vacation."

Jo smiled softly, the corners of his mouth lifting without too much effort. The idea of spending the summer by the ocean with minimal responsibilities, just drawing, taking photos, swimming, and existing sounded perfect. Exactly what he wanted before starting art school again.

Yudai glanced at him in the rear-view mirror, "Jojo—you okay back there?"

"I'm good," Jo's voice was soft, the wind blowing his bangs over his eyes again, "Just listening."

Fuma reached over and gave his shoulder a light squeeze, "If everyone's too annoying, you can always just chill in your room, don't worry."

Jo nodded, grateful for him. Since they arrived at the airport, Yudai and Fuma had been watching out for him without making it obvious—just comforting.

The car turned onto a narrower road lined with trees as the house finally came into view.

By Japanese standards, Maki was right, the place was huge. Two stories with pale walls and wide windows. Trees framed it on both sides, and Jo could already hear the gentle crash of waves on the shore in the distance. The wind here was a bit stronger, and it carried the smell of salt and something sweet.

When they parked, they all piled out and grabbed their bags from the back. Jo slung his backpack over one shoulder and followed the others up the short path to the front door.

Inside, the house opened up dramatically. High ceilings, a spacious living room with cream couches, sliding glass doors that led outside to a pool, and beyond that, the beach and the ocean. Everything smelled clean and faintly of sandalwood and sunscreen.

Their friend, Euijoo, was already waiting in the kitchen for them, a bottle of water in hand and a bright smile on his face.

"Took you guys long enough," he called, "Nichol and the others are running pretty late, so they'll be here in a couple of hours or meet us later tonight."

Yudai dropped his heavy bag with a soft thud. "So we get to pick rooms first?"

"Exactly, yeah," Euijoo smiled, "I can show you around."

They all followed Euijoo throughout the house. There were plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms, and more than enough space for everyone. Jo and Maki claimed a room on the second floor together without too much discussion. It was a beautiful corner room with a large window overlooking the ocean. Maki immediately claimed the bed closest to the window, already talking about how he was going to leave it open at night to hear the waves.

Jo didn't mind. He loved how Maki's energy balanced his quieter personality.

Once the initial chaos of claiming spaces and unpacking the basics died down, Jo quietly stayed in their room alone.

He slid the window open, letting in the warm ocean breeze, before he sat down in the low armchair by the window, balancing his sketchbook on his knee, with his charcoal pencil in hand.

Outside, the view was beautiful. The ocean stretched endlessly in the late afternoon sun, palm trees swaying, and the sky turning into soft golds and oranges. Jo started sketching without thinking much about it—loose, forming the lines of the shore, the shapes of trees, and the soft clouds drifting in the sky.

Downstairs, he could hear everyone else talking and laughing. Yudai and Maki were loudly sharing different restaurant recommendations they found online, and which beaches offered surfing lessons. Fuma's voice would cut in now and then, and Euijoo laughed loudly.

Jo's pencil moved steadily across the page.

Summer was long, and there was plenty of time for drawing.

Still, he couldn't ignore the quiet anxiety that was sitting deep in his chest.

He really didn't know much about the other group yet—just that they existed, that Nicholas, Euijoo's boyfriend, was friends with all of them, and that it had been Euijoo's idea to have one big 'family vacation'. Jo knew he would meet them at night, but for now, he was content with how quiet everything was, the breeze coming through the window, and the weight of his sketchbook.

Somewhere downstairs, he heard the door click shut and a couple more voices—Euijoo and someone else. Probably Nicholas, since everyone would be arriving soon.

Jo kept drawing, a soft smile on his face, quietly excited to spend the summer with his friends.

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Jo finished the last few lines of his sketch just as the sky outside deepened into a rich indigo. He sat back in the chair, charcoal staining his fingertips as he studied his drawing for a moment. It definitely wasn't his best work, but it felt right.

Downstairs, the house quickly came alive with more energy. Maki's voice was still loud, and he could hear everyone discussing what they were going to do at the party.

Oh yeah.

The party.

Jo exhaled, closing his sketchbook and tucking it away before standing and stretching the stiffness out of his shoulders and neck. He crossed the room back to his suitcase next to his bed and dug around for a dark, navy-blue button-up. He'd completely forgotten they were going to a costume party until they were already on the airplane, and Yudai brought it up. But his slightly dressier-than-usual shirt would have to do. He slipped it on, rolled the sleeves up to his elbows, and left the two top buttons undone.

Everyone in his life would probably agree that parties weren't really Jo's thing. Too many people and too much noise, and it was too easy to get lost or separated from a group. But…it was his first big summer vacation, and you only live once. Jo felt he could stomach at least one night of lights and music and whatever else came with that.

He grabbed his phone, gave himself one last once over in the mirror, and headed downstairs.

Everyone else was already gathered downstairs near the door, laughing and teasing one another about their low-effort costumes. Jo felt better about what he was wearing when he saw the furthest anyone else had gone was Yudai with wolf ears, Euijoo dressed as a mechanic, and Maki pretending to be a "rock star".

The walk to the venue itself wasn't that far—just down the beach path and past a few other houses until the sound of music and voices started to grow louder. Everywhere in the small town had string lights hanging overhead and colorful lanterns swaying. Jo couldn't keep his eyes off the sunset, where the sky was trying to hold onto the last streaks of pink and orange.

The party was being held at a small resort, and Jo didn't even question how Euijoo had heard about it. It was lively—a proper summer costume party with plenty of people dancing on the deck, on the sand, and just drifting.

The resort itself was small, more like a hotel, but a massive wooden deck held a dance floor, a bar, entry to the hotel, art installations, and more.

Once they arrived, Jo let himself drift. He offered quiet smiles whenever Maki or Fuma made eye contact with him through the crowd.

The music around everyone felt heavy and rhythmic. Jo swore he felt it pulsing beneath the wood of the deck. At first, he didn't really mind how crowded it was, but after a while, the press of bodies and the constant noise started to make his chest feel tight. Then, he decided to slip away to a quieter part of the event, closer to the art installations, where he was intrigued by multiple decorative fish tanks.

The installation was huge and beautiful. The tanks could easily be large enough for swimming, illuminated with soft blue and purple lights that made the water shimmer. Colorful fish were darting through swaying plants and rainbow corals, and the glass reflected the strings of lights above everything like dancing stars.

Jo slowed his walking completely, drawn into watching the fish. He stepped closer, hands slipping into his pockets while he took a beat to just watch the fish swim in lazy circles, occasionally darting around. Everything was so peaceful and pretty, and he thought it contrasted the party nicely.

He blinked when something interrupted his vision on the other side.

Jo froze.

On the opposite side, framed perfectly by the shimmering water and shifting lights, was quite possibly the most ethereal person he'd ever seen.

All white with flowing fabric that caught the breeze. Delicate, soft, feathered wings that Jo could've mistaken for real if it hadn't been a costume party. The figure had soft, tousled blonde hair that reflected the purple and blue lights like a real halo.

He was an angel.

Jo's breath caught in his throat.

The other was looking at the fish too, his lips parted in quiet fascination. After a moment, he glanced up—and their eyes met through the glass.

Time stopped.

The music faded, and the crowd blurred away into nothing. To Jo, it felt like the world revolved around the shimmering water between them, like something out of a dream.

Jo felt his heart thundering against his ribs while he studied the angel's eyes. They were beautiful—dark and sharp, but something soft around the edges, while they studied one another.

He looked at Jo like he was amused.

Jo couldn't move.

A warm hand landed on his shoulder and startled him—breaking the spell,

"Jo! Found you!" It was Euijoo. He was smiling with Nicholas right beside him as they held hands casually.

Jo glanced back at the tank.

The angel was gone.

His stomach dropped as he looked around—white wings and blonde hair—but there was no sign of him. Just the dancing fish and the shifting lights.

Jo talked with them unenthusiastically for a few minutes, Euijoo and Nicholas easily filling the space with light conversation. But Jo's attention kept drifting back to the now-empty space where the angel had been framed by coral.

Together, the three of them made their way to the bar at the edge of the deck. Jo wasn't much of an alcohol person, so he was happy Nicholas ordered him something sweet. Together, the three of them stood there for a while, talking and laughing. Euijoo and Nicholas were affectionate, and eventually Jo started to feel like he was interrupting something. As the couple's conversation flowed, Jo found himself finishing his drinks faster.

By the time they finished their third round, a pleasant warmth settled in his chest, and everything around him felt softer.

He wasn't quite drunk yet, but everything felt just a little too hot and fuzzy around the edge—just loose enough that he felt his typical shyness slipping away.

When Eujioo and Nicholas got pulled into a conversation with another couple, Jo quietly wandered off again.

He wandered until he stopped to lean against a wooden post near the edge of the dance floor, watching how the crowd moved together under the string lights. The music was starting to shift into something slower and heavier, and people were dancing closer now, bodies swaying in time with the beat—some more erotic than others.

Jo sighed to himself, debating whether to get another drink or just head back to the house, when someone stepped into his vision.

White.

The angel.

Up close, he was even more otherworldly. He had a sharp jaw, incredibly pretty lips, blonde hair that cascaded over his eyes just enough, and the most endearing beauty mark under his eye. With every small movement, his delicate wings shifted. Jo blinked while the angel looked him up and down slowly, and the corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk.

"I thought you disappeared on me," the angel spoke loudly to be heard over the music. He had a soft Kansai accent that made Jo's heart skip.

A smile came more easily than he expected, "I— you're the one that disappeared."

The angel's eyes sparkled, "Maybe I wanted you to follow me," he tilted his head, studying Jo up and down again, "What's your name?"

Jo swallowed, "Asakura Jo—but just Jo is fine."

"Nakakita Yuma," the angel replied, lips curling into a smile that revealed one pointed tooth, "Yuma is fine too."

As they spoke, the music continued to shift. People around them and in the crowd were shifting impossibly closer now, dancing with their partners as they all moved together under the string lights like one large mass. It reminded Jo a lot of the waves at sea.

Yuma glanced toward the dance floor, then back at Jo.

"You're not dancing," he said.

Jo adjusted his feet, suddenly shy again, "I'm not really good at it. I don't know if it's my thing."

Yuma stepped closer, and Jo had no choice but to let him as his spine pressed into the wood. The white fabric of Yuma's costume brushed against his arm. Like this, their height difference was more obvious—Jo felt like a stupidly tall tree, but Yuma didn't seem bothered. If anything, he looked at him as if he were amused.

"I don't believe you," Yuma said, "You're probably just scared."

Jo furrowed his brows, "I'm not scared..." his ears felt like they were burning.

Yuma raised one eyebrow before he reached forward and lightly hooked two fingers into the open collar of Jo's shirt, tugging him downward just an inch. Jo felt like his skin was on fire.

"Then show me," Yuma challenged him, "You should dance with me."

Jo hesitated, his heart pounding so hard he thought he could hear it in his head. Usually, he'd refuse. But the alcohol was helping. The way Yuma was looking at him helped even more. After a long second of contemplation, he gave a small nod.

Yuma's smile lifted and turned victorious as he turned and took Jo's wrist, pulling him toward the dance floor, weaving through the crowd until they found a spot where the lights were a little dimmer, and the ocean breeze still reached them.

The music surrounded them. Yuma started moving first—easy and confident, his white wings catching the colored lights every time he moved. Jo tried to follow along, a little stiff at first, but he smiled to himself as he found his rhythm.

Slowly, they drifted closer until their chests brushed. Yuma turned to face him fully, and Jo instinctively let his hands drift to Yuma's hips, fingers spanning his waist. Yuma looked up at him through his lashes, locking eyes. Jo still felt oddly tall, having to tilt his head down while Yuma tilted his head up.

Everything felt hot, and Jo was sure his skin had bloomed pink as they started to dance together—but he couldn't look away, and it felt like he was under a trance.

"You're looking at me like you want to undress me," Yuma murmured, his voice teasing.

Jo's entire body went hot as he swallowed, Yuma pressed impossibly closer, and he tightened his grip on Yuma's hips just slightly. Something lit up between them when Yuma's gaze dropped to Jo's mouth, then back up to his eyes again.

Jo's mind drifted off as he began to run his thumbs across Yuma's waist, enjoying how Yuma's shirt lifted just slightly so that he could feel his skin. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and he let his own eyes fall to Yuma's mouth.

Yuma noticed.

"So…Jo," Yuma's voice was intoxicating, "Do you wanna kiss me?"

Jo wanted to.

But the moment the thought fully formed in his mind, embarrassment came crashing over him like a wave. His breath caught, and he let go of Yuma's waist, stepping back half a step while his cheeks started to burn red.

"I—" His voice came out hoarse, "Sorry, it's just really loud, I uh— I should get some air."

Yuma didn't move at first.

The tension didn't break or disappear; it just lingered, and Jo would understand if the angel was frustrated. Yuma's expression flickered briefly—disappointment quickly getting covered by a cool exterior before he spoke,

"Suit yourself," Yuma smiled softly, but his eyes said something else entirely, "I'm not going anywhere."

Jo swallowed hard, nodded once, and turned away before he could allow himself to rush back in and kiss him. He knew making out with a stranger while under the influence, without knowing where his friends were, was probably an awful idea.

He pushed through the crowd, his heart still racing. The phantom feeling of Yuma's body against his chest, and the sound of his name on his lips, followed him all the way to a quiet part of the deck overlooking the beach.

He stopped at the railing facing the ocean and inhaled, breathing in the salty air like it could cool the heat pooling in his stomach.

Jo stayed there for a long time, waiting for his heart to calm down while he replayed everything in his mind. He wasn't sure if he was more embarrassed or disappointed in himself for pulling away.

Jo, you're so stupid.

He pressed his palms hard into the railing, letting the feeling of the wood under his palms ground him. He hated that his head felt fuzzy from the drinks and that all of his clothes were starting to bother him.

After what felt like forever, he pushed off the railing and made his way back toward the crowd. He needed a drink of water. And then he wanted to find Yudai or Fuma before they started worrying about him.

The party itself had started to thin out a bit, and most people were either dancing in smaller groups or sitting on the sand with their partners and a drink. The music was still playing, but it felt a lot softer than earlier, like the night was starting to wind down.

Jo was halfway to the bar when he spotted him again.

Yuma was standing near the railing at the edge of the deck, too, arms crossed, staring out at the black ocean. The white wings of his costume had shifted slightly out of place, and where he was standing, the glow of the string lights illuminated his hair with gold.

Jo's heart tightened with guilt when Yuma glanced over his shoulder by chance, and their eyes met again.

He'd left Yuma standing in the crowd after almost kissing him. That wasn't fair.

Before he had time to overthink, Jo forced himself to walk over. As he did, Yuma raised an eyebrow, just watching.

Jo stopped in front of him and gave a small, awkward wave to greet him, "Hey…I'm sorry," he said quietly, "For just kind of leaving you like that earlier."

Yuma blinked. He clearly hadn't been expecting an apology. Jo's heart calmed down when Yuma's features softened.

"It's okay, really," Yuma's voice was softer now that they weren't screaming over music, "we just met anyway, you don't owe me anything."

Jo hesitated, guilt still creeping in, before he glanced toward the beach. The tide was calm, and the moonlight reflected off the water in the prettiest way.

"Would you…want to walk with me for a bit?" he asked, "Along the beach, I mean? It's a lot quieter down there, and you don't have to if you don't want to..."

Yuma studied him as he started to ramble on before giving an amused smile, "Yeah. I'll walk with you."

Jo had no idea why Yuma agreeing to walk with him made him even more nervous than rejection.

As they walked down the wooden steps onto the sand and moved closer toward the water, the music faded, and the sound of the waves grew louder. They'd both taken off their shoes and were carrying them in one hand, letting themselves feel the cool sand beneath their feet.

For a while, neither of them said much. They just walked side by side, shoulders brushing occasionally in part due to their unsteady footing.

Jo liked that it didn't feel like he had to speak with this stranger. That alone made him want to keep stealing glances at him—at the way the moonlight caught his side profile. Jo could notice now that he was wearing makeup. It was really beautiful too, and made his cheekbones sparkle.

He wondered if Yuma had judged his choice of 'costume'.

Eventually, Yuma was the one to break the silence.

"So… Asakura Jo," he spoke like he was trying to remember his name, "I'm assuming you're not from Okinawa, right?"

Jo shook his head, "Oh…no, not at all. I'm here with my friends for vacation."

Yuma hummed, "Same. I thought it was gonna be a small group, but suddenly it's bigger than I expected…" he glanced at Jo sideways, "I wasn't really expecting to meet someone who looked at me like that on night one, though."

Jo looked down at his feet. He could feel his ears burning, "Oh, sorry. I really didn't mean to—"

"No, don't apologize," Yuma interrupted him, "I liked it. That's why I asked if you wanted to kiss me in the first place."

Jo pursed his lips, "I wanted to. I was just nervous."

Yuma was quiet for a few seconds before he let out a laugh that exposed his smile, "Jo, you're kinda cute when you're honest like that, you know."

Jo laughed with him softly.

They kept walking together, and after they'd both laughed, the conversation started to flow a bit easier. It started with simple things like their favorite foods and what they did for work. Yuma talked about how he'd been dancing since he was really young and wanted to be a performer for a living, and that he would be training as an idol after the summer. Jo mentioned his artwork and how charcoal was much better than pencil, how he liked capturing moments in real time.

At some point, Jo felt Yuma's shoulder brush against his, and he didn't bother to pull away.

They had turned around to start heading back to the resort when voices carried over from the main deck.

"Jo! There you are!"

It was Yudai, loud and probably tipsy, with Fuma right beside him. Squinting, Jo could also see Euijoo and Nicholas walking toward them, both looking slightly rumpled and more than pleased with themselves.

Yudai jogged over, reaching them first, grinning, "We've been looking everywhere for you…you good?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," Jo said quickly, "I was just walking with a friend and talking."

Nicholas was about to say something when his eyes registered Yuma standing directly next to Jo, and his eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise.

"Oh my god," Nicholas smiled widely, "You two finally met!"

Jo blinked in confusion, "What? What do you mean, finally met?"

Yuma turned sharply toward Nicholas, "Wait, Nico, you know him?"

Jo's head whipped to look at Yuma, "You know Nico?"

Nicholas and Euijoo both started laughing at what happened in front of them before Euijoo spoke, "Wait, I'm sorry—yes, Jo, meet Yuma, Yuma meet Jo. Sorry, I forgot Yuma's group showed up late, so you guys didn't meet before we got here. But yeah, Yuma's staying with us."

Yudai and Fuma both looked amused.

Yuma let out a short laugh of disbelief and ran a hand through his hair.

The silence that followed from Jo was loud enough.

He could feel his face heating up again. Yuma—the same stranger he had just danced with and had been walking and talking with—was going to be living in the same house as him for most of the summer.

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Two days passed in peace since the party, and the house slowly settled into a comfortable rhythm.

The morning after the party itself, everyone had woken up with varying degrees of hangovers and chaos. Yudai insisted that everyone ate breakfast together like a 'proper family vacation', while Fuma ran around collecting everyone's laundry and tossing it into the washing machine before everyone was even awake. Jo smiled quietly through the noise, finding the domesticity of it all endearing.

He spent most of the two days quietly adjusting to having met three new people.

He already knew Nicholas, of course. But with Nicholas came Taki, Harua, and Yuma.

Taki was loud, almost aggressively so at times, but Jo genuinely thought he was funny. Taki, Yudai, and Fuma had become fast friends, spending a lot of the two days together watching Fuma play video games or watching Taki teach Yudai how to cook. From what Jo gathered, Taki was a student like him. He also worked part-time at his Mom's spa on the weekends and cooked as a hobby. Jo thought he was exhausting in the best way possible.

Harua, on the other hand, was a bit quieter than Taki, but the two of them got along surprisingly well. He'd bonded with Maki almost instantly when Harua mentioned wanting to become a makeup artist, and Maki casually revealed he'd learned how to do makeup when he was a kid doing musical theater. Jo later deduced that Harua had been the one to do Yuma's makeup the night of the party.

Then, of course, was Yuma.

He wasn't necessarily trying to avoid Yuma…not really. He just happened to be in very different parts of the house whenever Yuma was in another. It only ever felt truly awkward when they both ended up waiting to use the shower at the same time. Jo would always find some excuse to leave and come back later, heart racing as he did.

It was for the best.

Yuma was unfairly beautiful to him, and Jo still couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened if he had kissed him that night at the party. But after realizing how close Yuma was with Nicholas and Euijoo, Jo convinced himself that getting romantically involved in any way could be a terrible idea. Even if it was just for the summer. The last thing he wanted was to make things complicated for everyone else.

So he kept his distance.

Overall, it was peaceful.

Jo loved helping Fuma cook dinner the first night and taking an early morning run with Yudai the next day. He spent an entire afternoon sketching on the deck while everyone else swam in the pool, occasionally trying to fix his film camera so he could take a photo.

But every time he saw Yuma—usually laughing with someone or walking around in tank tops or just existing—Jo's stomach did that stupid thing where it started to hurt. He felt he wasn't ready to talk to him just yet. And he certainly didn't want to get physically close to him until his small crush died down.

But clearly, the universe, and one very excited Taiwanese guy, had other plans.

On the third afternoon, just after Jo had finished his late breakfast, Nicholas clapped his hands together in the living room and announced they were all going to the summer matsuri happening in town.

Nobody argued when he mentioned fireworks and food stalls, and most of them found it endearing that the two foreigners within the friend group were adamant about going to the matsuri all together.

They all changed into yukata together before leaving for the festival.

Jo wore a light blue and white pattern with subtle shapes of flowers and a bright blue obi tied at his waist. He thought it made his proportions look nice, and the light colors complemented his skin well. Even in the summer heat, it felt surprisingly comfortable.

Yudai had brought his own yukata for Nicholas and Euijoo to borrow and even helped them get dressed, fussing over how to tie everything properly. Yuma brought his own—a deep navy with one side of stripes and the other a dark blue color block. It somehow made his features even more striking, the dark fabric contrasting beautifully with his blonde hair and fair skin.

The festival was everything Jo remembered summer matsuri to be. Colorful paper lanterns were strung between wooden stalls, glowing warm and bright. The smell of takoyaki and taiyaki drifted everywhere, mixing with the sweet smell of treats like candy apples. Children ran around laughing, their faces sticky with sugar, while the distant beat of taiko drums echoed through the streets.

The sun had just started setting, and everyone naturally split into smaller groups as they wandered through the crowded street.

Nicholas and Euijoo were, as expected, being disgustingly affectionate, walking hand in hand and stopping every few minutes to point something out. Jo had somehow ended up walking with them for a while, which meant he was currently the lucky man who got to be their awkward third wheel.

Nicholas had just finished biting a piece of meat that Euijoo fed to him when he glanced back at Jo with a smirk,

"So…you and Yuma seemed pretty cozy the other night."

Jo nearly choked on half of a takoyaki ball, coughing as he quickly cleared his throat,

"We were just talking."

Nicholas hummed and smiled, clearly not convinced, "Oh, I'm sure."

Before Jo could open his mouth to defend himself, Euijoo spotted something that excited him, and he pulled Nicholas away to a nearby stall.

And just like that, Jo was left standing alone in the middle of the crowded path and holding onto his half-eaten takoyaki skewer. After he watched Nicholas and Euijoo happily giggling one more time, he sighed and started walking, letting the flow of the crowd carry him along. The lanterns above him were really pretty and reminded him of his childhood.

He was more than content until a familiar voice spoke up right next to him.

"Did you get ditched?"

Fuck.

Jo turned and saw Yuma walking next to him in his navy yukata, hands tucked into his sleeves and looking unfairly pretty under the lanterns. His hair had been slightly messed up from the breeze.

"I kind of did, yeah," Jo admitted with a small smile, "Nico and Juju are…being cute again. I'm sure you've seen it before."

Yuma snorted a small laugh, "Gross. Yeah, I saw them earlier too. It's kind of disgusting."

Jo laughed softly.

He and Yuma ended up walking together without really deciding to do so—it just kind of happened. They moved together past the candy apple stalls, the ring toss, past some kids who won a plushie, and Jo simply kept smiling softly at everything around them.

"You've been really quiet the past couple of days," Yuma spoke eventually, glancing at him sideways. His tone didn't really feel accusatory: "Everything okay?"

Jo's ears warmed. He didn't really expect Yuma to notice, let alone care. After all, they just met, and even though their conversation was nice, everything that happened at the party became awkward when they realized they were mutual friends. He assumed that Yuma would want to keep his distance, too.

"Yeah," he replied, trying to keep his voice light, "Just settling into the place, I guess. It's a big house, and I didn't realize that nine people can kinda be a lot."

Yuma hummed and didn't push for more.

Instead, he just slowed down in front of a taiyaki stall and quietly purchased two without asking Jo. He held one of them up to Jo casually, "Here."

Jo stared at it for a second before he took it, his fingers brushing Yuma's for a second, "You didn't have to, thank you."

They kept walking together, eating now as Yuma started to point out things he thought were funny. First, it was a kid with cotton candy crying because he didn't want to share, then a couple in an argument over who should pay, and a group of high schoolers who were definitely trying to get alcohol.

Yuma simply took the lead, and Jo followed.

At one point, he stopped in front of a stall for scooping goldfish. Yuma watched little kids try and mostly fail to catch the tiny fish with their paper nets before he turned and smiled at Jo. He looked like he lit up completely.

"You any good at this?" he asked.

Jo shook his head, "I never tried. When I was little, I just kinda felt bad for the fish. But I think I'm too old—"

Before Jo could stop him, once again, Yuma was already paying the stall owner for two nets.

"If I catch one first, you're paying for everything else today."

Jo furrowed his brows, his look turning a bit dumbfounded, but he took the net, "I'm kinda broke."

They spent the next ten minutes crouched over with horrible postures, trying and failing repeatedly to catch the slippery orange fish. Yuma would mutter curses under his breath every time his net broke, while Jo tried to go as slowly as possible.

Somehow, Jo managed to scoop one up successfully—his eyes flying wide as he swung his head towards Yuma with an open-mouthed smile.

Yuma looked at the small, bright orange fish that wriggled in the thin paper net as his eyes widened, "No way."

Jo's eyes returned to the tiny fish, and he stared at it with disbelief. Moments later, the stall owner would help him transfer the fish to a small plastic bag where it swam in lazy circles, its scales twinkling under all of the lanterns above them.

Jo held it in his hands as Yuma leaned in to look. When their shoulders brushed again, Jo felt his heart stop—Yuma was so close again.

"It's really cute…are you gonna keep it?" Yuma asked.

Jo hesitated for a second before nodding, "I think so…it would be evil not to."

Yuma smiled, and Jo couldn't keep his eyes off of him, momentarily forgetting the goldfish completely, "I guess you're a dad now." Yuma glanced up at him, and Jo looked away before they could make eye contact.

Yuma was the first to lean away from Jo and start walking off. Jo followed, and the two of them kept the little fish with them for the rest of the night. Jo held onto it carefully while they walked, occasionally lifting the fish to his eye level to check on it.

At some point, Yuma started teasing him about it and saying things like 'You're actually carrying it like it's your child,' but he never suggested Jo leave the fish behind.

In fact, Yuma was the one who helped Jo name the fish. They'd settled on something cute together: Chuchu. Jo chuckled because he thought the name suited an animal more like a cat or a puppy than a fish, but he just went along with what Yuma decided.

They kept walking slowly, stopping at one stall for drinks, playing some more games, and shared a big order of yakisoba while the goldfish kept swimming in circles.

Jo wasn't one to talk much, but Yuma would happily fill up the space with random anecdotes or small talk.

Jo wanted to hide when he could see Yuma watching him from the corner of his eye,

"So why'd you come on the trip?" he asked, "Like, how do you know Nicholas?"

Jo blinked, caught slightly off guard by the question, looking down at Chuchu for a moment before answering.

"I think I just wanted to do something different for the summer," he admitted quietly, Yuma stepped a bit closer to hear his voice, "I've got art school and thought one big vacation would be nice. And then I only know Nico because of Euijoo…and I know Euijoo because of Yudai. Just a bunch of mutual friends, I guess," he glanced toward Yuma, "What about you?"

Yuma was quiet for a moment, his eyes having drifted to the lanterns above them.

"I needed a break…" he said eventually, "I've been dancing and training since I was eight and I'm getting really stressed about my future. I thought one last big trip would help me get motivated. Plus, when I go on the competition show, I might not see my friends for a while."

Jo was surprised that talking to Yuma felt so much easier than talking to other strangers.

At some point, Jo's phone buzzed, and he pulled it out.

Wang Yixiang: firewrks starting soon

Wang Yixiang: evryone meet @ viewing area 😼

Jo glanced at Yuma, who was also looking at his own cell phone. Their eyes met, and without needing to say anything, they started walking.

Together, they made their way toward the main viewing area where the rest of the group had already gathered. It wasn't necessarily difficult to find a group of seven friends above average height in yukata. Everyone looked so happy.

Yudai and Fuma were sharing some snacks between themselves while Nicholas, Euijoo, and Taki talked. Beside them, a little apart from the others, were Maki and Harua talking quietly.

As they walked up to their friends, Jo felt a sudden tinge of embarrassment. This had been the second time he was caught walking with just Yuma, and he was sure someone would ask him about it again.

The nine of them slowly settled into a spot at the edge of the fireworks viewing area, far enough from the crowds that they all had room to sit down on the grass. Fuma and Yudai sat together and talked about the plans for the rest of the week, while Nicholas and Euijoo sat down together, and Nicholas leaned comfortably against Euijoo's side while they shared a drink. Taki and Harua sat together, sprawled out on the grass, and Maki ended up on the left side of Jo, while Yuma was on his right.

Eventually, the first firework shot upwards into the sky with a loud boom, exploding into brilliant gold as they all started clapping.

Jo smiled at the pretty colors, both of his hands holding onto the bag with Chuchu in his lap, carefully. After a few minutes of explosions, his attention drifted, and he found himself watching Yuma instead of the sky.

The bursts of light reflected off of Yuma's face in a way that painted his features in shifting vivid colors. Jo loved noticing how Yuma's lips would softly curl upward whenever there was a particularly pretty firework.

His stomach did a strange flip.

He felt butterflies that he couldn't deny. It had only been a couple of days since the party and since he had almost kissed him. And yet here he was, in the middle of a crowded firework show, completely incapable of tearing his eyes away.

This is ridiculous, Jo thought to himself, his heart beating faster.

Yuma must have felt his eyes because he turned his head just enough that their eyes met. For a moment, neither of them dared to look away. Then, as if he was completely able to read everything in Jo's mind, Yuma's lips curled into a knowing smile before he looked back up at the night sky.

Butterflies flew in his stomach.

Another firework burst above them with blue and silver as Yuma leaned toward Jo, his voice low enough that only Jo would be able to hear.

"I used to watch the fireworks with my mom and sister every summer when I was little…she would take me to a small matsuri near our town, and we'd sit on the bench eating cotton candy."

Jo smiled, warmth blossoming in his chest.

"That sounds nice," he replied softly, glancing up to watch the fireworks again.

Yuma nodded, still watching the fireworks, "Yeah, it was," he paused, then added a little quieter, "I've been so stressed I haven't really thought about stuff like this in a while."

Jo didn't say anything.

He just sat there, heart full and fluttering, while Chuchu swam gently between his hands, and the sky continued to glow in some of the prettiest colors they'd ever seen.

🏝️｡𖦹°‧

After the fireworks, the group took a long walk back to the house together, the night air still warm and carrying the faint scent of festival food.

Everyone was in good spirits—laughing, teasing each other about who had eaten the most, and showing off little trinkets and things they'd won or bought at different stalls. Jo was walking near the back with Maki while Yuma caught up with Harua ahead of them, carefully holding the plastic bag with Chuchu inside.

When they finally got back to the house, everyone kicked off their sandals and started slowly heading to their rooms.

Jo and Maki went upstairs together, and the moment they stepped into their shared room, Maki flopped onto his bed dramatically and threw his arms over his head.

"Tonight was so fun," he said with a smile, propping himself up on his elbows after a moment, "Harua is actually really funny. I kinda hope I'm not being too clingy—I just think he and I match energies pretty well."

Jo nodded to himself, just listening, silently setting Chuchu's bag down on his side table.

Maki continued, "What about you? What did you do?"

Jo smiled softly, "I had fun. I just walked around and played games and stuff."

Maki sat up properly when he fully registered Chuchu, "Wait—are you gonna keep the fish?"

Jo nodded, "I mean, yeah…wouldn't it be unethical not to? I already bought fish food at the stall and everything."

Maki's eyes lifted as he smiled, "Wait—I can help you set up. Unless you were planning on keeping him in a plastic bag…"

Jo smiled again and just nodded, accepting Maki's help without a word. Together, they went downstairs and searched for a vase or bowl. Eventually, they found a nice glass container, probably meant for flowers or decoration, that would work perfectly. They filled it with clean water, added a few small pebbles from another vase of flowers nearby, and carefully brought it back upstairs to transfer Chuchu inside.

Maki helped Jo position the bowl on the nightstand. The two of them crouched side by side,

"There," Maki said proudly, leaning back a little to admire their work, "He's cute…or she…I can't tell."

Jo huffed out a small laugh as he watched Chuchu swim around, looking significantly happier than he had in a plastic bag. Jo leaned over, toward his belongings, and retrieved the small container of fish food he bought earlier.

"Wanna feed him?" He gestured to Maki.

Maki shook his head, "Dude, no, it's your fish. You do the honors."

Jo reached up and carefully sprinkled a tiny amount of food into the water and watched as Chuchu eagerly swam up to eat. It was such a small, simple thing, but it made him feel content.

After Maki said goodnight, took his shower, and climbed into bed, Jo followed.

Once in his pajamas, he sat on the edge of his mattress for a moment, just watching Chuchu swim peacefully.

As he lay down under the sheets, eyes still on the bowl, Jo reached over and gently tapped the glass once, "Goodnight," he whispered with a small smile.

🏝️｡𖦹°‧

The smell of coffee and breakfast filled the entire house when Jo came downstairs the next morning. Sunlight streamed through the massive windows that overlooked the beach and pool, and the sound of waves mixed with the group's chatter while the sliding doors were left open.

Yudai was already at the stove flipping eggs, and Taki was beside him, helping along the way and stealing pieces of meat occasionally. Fuma was busy cleaning up as they cooked and discarded things.

Nicholas and Euijoo were both already at the long wooden table, eating some of what was available and helping Maki and Harua plate their food. Everyone seemed relaxed, though a bit sleepy.

Yuma was already there, too.

He was sitting next to Nicholas, wearing an oversized grey sweater and black shorts, his hair still sticking up in different directions, scrolling on his phone with one hand while lazily bringing scoops of rice and meat to his mouth. Like this, Jo thought he looked unfairly soft.

"Good morning," Yudai called out without turning around, "you missed the sunrise, it was really nice today."

"You're the only one who wakes up that early," Fuma called out to Yudai dryly from across the kitchen.

Jo laughed softly and took the seat across from Yuma, where a plate was already waiting.

"Did you sleep okay?" Euijoo asked, passing him a bowl of rice.

"Yeah," Jo nodded, clearing his throat a bit when his voice wasn't warmed up yet.

From across the table, Yuma glanced up at him. Their eyes met for a second, and Yuma just gave him a soft, easy smile. It was small, but enough to make Jo's stomach flutter.

As everyone settled, their conversations flowed around the table easily. What the plans were for the day, who was going where, who wanted to rest, what they wanted to eat, things like that. Nicholas mentioned that he and Euijoo had some errands to run in town and asked if people wanted to come along.

At one point, Yudai, having finally sat down to eat, leaned forward and looked at Jo and Yuma with a smile on his face.

"You two were pretty cozy at the fireworks," he said casually, "what were you guys up to all night?"

Jo nearly choked on his rice before reaching for a glass of water to wash it down.

Yuma raised one eyebrow, mostly at Jo's reaction, "Just walked around and looked at the stalls, that's all."

Jo kept his eyes on his plate and bowl, his ears turning red. He and Yuma hadn't spoken directly since the fireworks, but every time their eyes met, he felt the butterflies stirring in his stomach again.

After breakfast, everyone ended up splitting off into their own little groups for the day. Some of them were staying, and the others were going out for shopping in town. Euijoo, Harua, and Jo would be going shopping for trip supplies and some clothes, while Nicholas, Yuma, and Maki wanted to go out for souvenirs and groceries.

Euijoo drove the rental car with Jo and Harua. The drive was fairly short, filled with Harua excitedly talking about what he wanted to look for and Euijoo's calm responses. Jo sat in the backseat by himself, watching the scenery with the window rolled down.

He and Yuma had exchanged numbers right after the fireworks when they still sat next to each other. Yuma told him, 'In case you need someone to check on Chuchu' and Jo put his contact in his phone without overthinking it.

Now, after Euijoo had parked, and they were walking through the busy shopping street, Jo was considering texting Yuma and asking what his group was up to.

The first stop they made was at a small drugstore for household supplies and some snacks. Harua was walking ahead of Jo and Euijoo, holding up random things here and there for approval while they followed him at a calmer pace, and Euijoo checked off a list on his phone to make sure they didn't forget anything important.

After the supermarket and drugstore, they moved on to shopping for some clothes. Harua had dragged them along and immediately disappeared into the clothing aisles, sifting through the hundreds of thrifted pieces. Jo wandered, not really looking for anything in specific, just some lighter clothes for when it was too hot outside.

While he was staring at a price tag, he felt his phone buzz in his back pocket.

He pulled it out and smiled slightly when he saw who it was.

Nakakita Yuma: how is shopping with rua? ≽(•⩊ •マ≼

Jo: It's okay. He's trying stuff on right now.

Nakakita Yuma: lmao tell him to hurry

Nakakita Yuma: i wanted to see if you wanna hang out later so i can tease you more

Jo's skin felt warmer. He stared at the message for a few seconds, thinking about what to say. His thoughts were interrupted by his friend's voice,

"Find anything you want?" Euijoo asked.

Jo quickly locked his phone before he could respond to Yuma and put it back in his pocket, "No, not really."

They continued shopping for a little while longer before they decided to stop for something to eat. Jo waited outside at a table in the sun while Euijoo and Harua went into a small cafe to order drinks.

His phone buzzed again, and he pulled it out.

Nakakita Yuma: did u feed chuchu this morning? (•̀o•́)ง

Jo: Yeah :)

Jo: You can always come see him if you want

Jo watched as Yuma started typing, then stopped, then started again after a few seconds. After about a minute, a new message appeared.

Nakakita Yuma: ik you're shopping but are u having fun?

Jo: Yeah. I am but I'm kind tired.

Nakakita Yuma: are u doing anything else after shopping or are u coming back?

Jo: I think we're heading back soon. What about you?

Nakakita Yuma: i'm thinking about going swimming later \(^ヮ^)/

Nakakita Yuma: you should join me

Nakakita Yuma: (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و

Jo smiled at his phone, thumbs hovering over the keyboard while he tried to think of a reply that wouldn't sound too eager.

Jo: Okay I'll think about it :)

🏝️｡𖦹°‧

By the time Jo, Harua, and Euijoo returned to the house, the sun was nearly at its peak, and the private beach beyond the pool looked too inviting for anyone in the house to ignore.

Taki and Harua immediately started talking to show off the new things they'd bought for the trip, and their voices echoed everywhere. Euijoo stayed in the kitchen, taking his time to methodically put away all of the snacks and supplies in the right places so it would be easy for everyone to find later on.

Jo managed to quietly slip away again, going upstairs to his room to drop off the few things he'd bought. Once everything was settled, he shuffled back through his bag to retrieve his film camera. He'd owned it for years and had specifically brought it on the trip to capture as many photos of Okinawa and his friends as possible.

Unfortunately, once he discovered the shutter had stopped working a few days ago, and no matter how many times he tried to fix it, nothing seemed to help.

With his camera in hand, Jo made his way back downstairs and out onto the deck by the pool. While almost everyone was away further at the beach, he sat in one of his lounge chairs, already frowning at the stubborn piece of technology. He was about to give up completely when Euijoo appeared beside him with two cold drinks.

"Still messing with it?" Euijoo asked, setting one of the glasses down on the table between them before taking a seat in the chair next to him.

Jo was quiet for a few seconds before he sighed, "Yeah… I don't get it—it was working fine before we left, but now the shutter is stuck, and I tried everything. I already bought a bunch of film rolls, and now I can't even use them."

Euijoo leaned forward on his elbows, looking genuinely curious. "Can I look? I know a little bit. What is it? A Pentax?"

Jo blinked, "K-1000 yeah…" before he passed it over without hesitation.

He watched as Euijoo carefully turned it over in his hands, examining it with knit eyebrows and focused eyes. As Euijoo started taking apart small pieces and putting them back together, Jo grew just the slightest bit anxious.

One of Jo's favorite things about Euijoo, though, was how he never felt pressured to converse, and they always matched one another's volume and energy. Jo knew Euijoo was completely different when talking to him, and he admired Euijoo's ability to adapt like that deeply.

"So," Euijoo spoke after a long time, "how is everything so far? Like the whole merged trip and everything? Do you like everyone?"

Jo leaned back in his chair a bit, thinking for a moment before answering honestly.

"It's been really nice," he said, "I dunno. A little overwhelming sometimes, but everyone's nice. Harua is really energetic, and then Taki's loud, but they both make everyone seem so happy in a good way."

Euijoo smiled to himself while he pushed something in the camera back into place,

"And Yuma?" he asked, his voice playful.

Jo paused, "Yuma's…" he spent a second searching for the right description, "He's different from what I expected based off first looks. In a good way, I guess. I feel like he's pretty easy to talk to. I don't know…I like being around him."

Euijoo hummed quietly, clearly pleased in some way by his answer.

He didn't push any further; instead, he fiddled with the camera for a moment more before lifting it and giving the shutter button a test before handing it back to Jo.

"There, try it now," he said, handing it back with a satisfied nod, "should work."

Jo tried. The shutter clicked perfectly, and a genuine smile spread across his face.

"Thank you," he said, giving a small nod of his head.

"No problem," Euijoo adjusted himself and started lounging in his chair, "But overall, it's fun so far, right?"

Jo nodded.

He glanced to where Euijoo was now staring and followed his gaze.

Down on the private beach, Yuma and Nicholas were lying on towels side-by-side, both wearing sunglasses and clearly enjoying the sun. He wondered if they had already gone swimming or if Yuma had just forgotten about asking him to come along.

He quickly looked away, but not before Euijoo caught him staring.

🏝️｡𖦹°‧

When the sun started to set, and everyone gathered at the house for dinner, they all sprawled out across the living room and kitchen lazily.

Some were scrolling on their phones while others were snacking or cleaning things up. The air was still warm, and the private beach behind the pool was pretty at golden hour. Jo was surprised when he saw Yudai appear at the sliding door, carrying a bunch of firewood.

Several heads turned toward him before he spoke.

"We're having a bonfire, someone grab the drinks and stuff, and let's meet in like 30 minutes, okay?" Yudai didn't even wait for anyone to respond before continuing, "I already started setting it up!"

Everyone started moving almost immediately as if Yudai's wish was their command. Jo thought it was endearing.

Nicholas and Euijoo were already standing, designating who would carry what down to the beach.

Jo remained seated for a second longer, slowly closing his sketchbook and putting his things into a little shoulder bag, watching as everyone started heading outside with a purpose. He could tell this wasn't really up for debate—Yudai clearly made up his mind that everyone would spend time together after being split up all day.

With a small sigh, Jo stood and followed everyone else out to the beach.

When they arrived, Yudai and Fuma had already arranged the logs into a wide circle. The fire pit was set up, and someone had dragged a cooler of drinks with them. Yudai looked up as the rest of them approached, and he smiled.

Everyone quickly helped set up.

Taki and Maki dragged out folding chairs for whoever didn't have a log, while Harua ran back and forth carrying towels and snacks. Jo awkwardly and quietly helped pick up more wood and organized it next to Yudai with Yuma.

Once everything was ready and the fire was lit, everyone settled into their seats with alcohol in hand.

An hour or so later, the bonfire crackled loudly on the private beach, sending sparks dancing into the sky. Fuma had brought out a small speaker, and soft music mixed with the waves and the laughter echoing from all of them.

They'd all been drinking for a while now—beers and soju that made their rounds around the group multiple times. Jo kept feeling like he would tip over the edge into being drunk at any given moment. The alcohol this time was settling in a way that made him feel hot, and everything around him felt hilarious. He found himself smiling more easily, laughing at things that normally wouldn't be funny.

Jo started to notice that Yuma was really clingy when he drank.

He thought it was cute.

He kept staying close to the people he seemed to like more—Nicholas and Harua especially—and would lean into conversations with his body or casually touch people without thinking about it. Nobody flinched away either; they simply let him.

Jo settled with his back against a piece of driftwood when Yuma immediately walked over and sat directly next to him. He was close enough that as he sat cross-legged, their thighs and shoulders touched.

Jo didn't move. He didn't make a sound either. But his grip on his bottle of soju tightened.

Yuma glanced at him and tilted his head in a way that made his hair fall over his eyes, "You've been avoiding me again." His voice was low but still playful, "I'm kinda worried I did something."

Jo started to feel the heat rushing to his face, letting out a small nervous laugh, "I haven't been avoiding you…"

"Right," Yuma teased, leaning harder against Jo slightly, "You've somehow been everywhere I'm not. It's cute."

Jo had no clue what to say.

So he just smiled down at his drink, trying and failing to ignore how warm Yuma's leg felt pressed against his.

Everyone around the campfire was talking and laughing. At some point, Jo reached behind the log to pull out his camera from his bag—the one Euijoo helped him fix earlier that afternoon. Silently, with Yuma sitting next to him and watching the others, he started taking photos of everyone, capturing the warm, relaxed atmosphere.

He snapped a candid of Taki, a photo of Harua laughing with his head thrown back, and Maki roasting and burning marshmallows. Everyone played along, striking silly poses when they noticed or pretending to take a serious photo. At one point, Yuma posed, and Jo took extra time taking his portrait. Really, it was just an excuse to look longer.

Eventually, as the night continued, the group settled into quieter conversations.

Yuma, still sitting pressed against Jo, started talking to Yudai across the fire. His hands moved while he spoke in exaggerated gestures, his voice full of passion.

"I don't know, that's why I love performing so much," Yuma said, "It's just how I black out when I'm on stage, really. Like I love singing and dancing, and it looks like other people are having fun too. I think it's when I feel like myself and like I'm actually living. I don't know how else to describe it."

Yudai nodded along, listening intently, "Yeah, it makes sense. I really loved dancing a lot, and when I do get to perform, it's so fun."

Yuma smiled, looking a bit shy for the first time since Jo met him,

"Yeah. I wanna do it forever. It's at a point where I really don't care how tiring it is sometimes. Like, literally nothing matters as long as I get to be on a stage. And if I get to debut, I know it's gonna be a lot of pressure, but I don't know...I want it so badly. And I like thinking of how proud my family would be of me."

Yuma kept talking, sharing small stories, and Jo listened quietly the entire time, completely captivated by him. Every word Yuma said made it feel like he was leaning in closer.

But as he kept talking, Jo felt the weight of all of their friends around them.

A part of him wished this conversation were just between him and Yuma alone—somewhere private. Instead, the whole group was sitting in a circle laughing, drinking, and watching each other. Jo felt their eyes too, and every time he glanced away from Yuma, someone was looking their way. The pressure of it all was starting to make his heart race.

The idea of kissing him came quickly.

The idea of doing it in front of everyone felt terrifying.

Before he could let himself overthink and second-guess the idea, Jo turned quickly, cupped Yuma's face with both hands, and turned his head into a kiss.

From the very first second, Jo was desperate. The kiss was messy, and their teeth clicked slightly. Against his mouth, Yuma made a small sound of surprise, but he didn't pull away, one hand reaching to grip Jo's shirt tightly.

For a few perfect, breathless seconds, the world completely stopped.

Then Jo pulled away.

Yuma's eyes were wide, lips parted and flushed, and he was clearly shocked.

And then his emotions came crashing into him like a train.

What the fuck did I just do?

Panic came washing over him violently as his face started to burn with embarrassment. Impossibly fast, his chest twisted with fear. Jo had just kissed Yuma—in front of all of their mutual friends—without thinking, without asking him if it was okay, without knowing if it was something Yuma even still wanted or if Yuma was drunk like him.

"I'm sorry," Jo whispered, his voice cracking.

The group around them had fallen completely silent.

Somewhere to his left, he heard Taki's voice as he muttered a small, "Damn…"

Before anyone could react or say anything, Jo shot himself to his feet and started walking away quickly, nearly stumbling in the sand, heading back toward the house without any of his belongings.

When he reached the sliding glass door, his hands were shaking so badly he could hardly grab the handle to slide it open and step inside. He kept moving until he made it to his and Maki's room with his heart pounding and mind racing with every worst-case scenario imaginable.

Yuma was so shocked. He clearly didn't want it. I ruined everything. Everyone probably thinks I'm an idiot or a creep or just made the entire trip awkward. I fucked up so bad. Fuck.

Slamming the door to his room shut, he climbed into his bed still fully clothed, kicking his shoes off somewhere, curling onto his side, and fisting the blankets. If he just fell asleep, maybe everyone would forget, and it would all blow over by the time the sun rose.

He stayed like that for a long time, curled into himself and the sheets, squeezing his eyes shut until he had nothing else to do but sleep, and exhaustion pulled him under.

Jo woke up, what he assumed was a couple of hours later, still curled up, with his knees pulled to his chest. His entire face felt puffy, and his eyes felt hot and itchy. He hadn't really cried, but the tears came close multiple times.

He blinked slowly, staring out the window on the opposite side of the room, and then the Chuchu, where he swam in circles. Somewhere downstairs, he could hear the sounds of the others laughing and enjoying themselves.

A soft knock on the bedroom door made him flinch, and he rolled over, not leaving the bed and getting twisted up in the sheets in the process.

"Jo?" Yudai's voice was soft and gentle, "It's me. Can I come in?"

Jo hesitated for a few seconds before letting out a small, "Sure."

Jo didn't move from his spot when the door opened slowly, and Yudai stepped inside, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Yudai took one look at Jo and his entire expression softened immediately. Without saying anything, he walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed next to him, immediately bringing one hand up to rest on Jo's shoulder, gently squeezing.

"You okay?" He asked him quietly.

Jo shook his head.

Yudai didn't push; he just sat there with him for a moment, letting the silence stretch before he started talking, filling the space in a way he always did when he could tell someone else was hurting.

"I know you know I saw what happened, but," Yudai was soft, "Do you want to tell me what's going on in your head?"

Jo stayed quiet for a very long time. His throat felt very tight, and it took him a moment to begin speaking.

"I don't know what I was thinking," he mumbled, "I just wanted to, and then he was talking and smiling, and I thought he looked nice. Plus, I don't know, he was talking about what he likes, and I felt drunk, and I just panicked."

Yudai simply nodded patiently while Jo kept rambling on, eventually cutting him off, "You like him, huh?"

Jo's eyes started to burn again.

"I think so," He whispered, "I think I already have a crush on him. I liked him at the party, but it's kinda just been building," Jo let out a shaky breath, "I'm so embarrassed…literally everyone saw, and he looked so shocked. So now I think I just made everything feel awkward, and I ruined everything, and the trip literally just started. Like…Nicholas and Euijoo wanted everyone to be friends, and what if I just fucked that up?"

Yudai was quiet for a few seconds, then pulled Jo upward from where he was lying into a hug without warning. At first, Jo stiffened, adjusting himself so he was comfortable before he started to melt, resting his forehead on Yudai's shoulder. Yudai was warm and solid, one hand rubbing up and down on Jo's back.

"You didn't ruin anything," Yudai spoke, "It's fine, really. Liking someone isn't a crime. And I really don't think that Yuma's upset. He was probably surprised, but he's definitely not mad or freaked out or anything."

Jo stayed quiet, letting Yudai's words sink in.

After a moment, Yudai continued, his voice still gentle but a little more serious,

"Look, I can't pretend I know exactly how Yuma feels. But I know that hiding is probably gonna make things more awkward. The longer you avoid it, the worse you're gonna feel. So I think you should come back out if you want. You could talk to him, or if you don't want to, you can at least just be around everyone."

Jo pulled back from the hug slightly, sitting up fully on his own and wiping at his eyes, "I'm just worried about talking to him right now."

Yudai gave him a small, understanding smile before squeezing his shoulder again, "You don't have to talk to him tonight if you don't feel like it. But you should still hang out with us if you want. Everyone's gonna go swimming, and you still deserve to have fun. Don't let just one impulse ruin everything."

Jo let out a small laugh, even though his chest still felt heavy, "You make it sound easy."

Yudai just shrugged and smiled, "It doesn't have to be complicated. You have a crush, and you kissed him, now you just gotta deal with it. But everyone is still your friend."

Yudai pushed gently off the bed and stood, extending one hand to Jo. Jo spent a moment just staring at his hand before he took it and followed Yudai up to his feet.

"Just get ready and come out if you feel like it."

"Okay…" he said quietly, "I'll be out soon then."

Yudai smiled and gave his hand a small squeeze, "Good. And also give yourself credit because that was very bold, and you usually don't do stuff like that."

Jo didn't say anything in response; he just felt a small sinking feeling in his chest.

As Yudai turned toward the door, he paused and turned back around, digging in his pocket before holding something out in his hands.

"Oh yeah, I forgot," he said, walking back to Jo, "Here. Yuma said you left your camera. It got buried in sand a little when you left."

He held Jo's camera toward him. It was clearly a little messed up—the lens had been smudged, and there was sand stuck in every piece of it.

"Yuma tried to pick the sand out," Yudai added with a small smile, "but he didn't wanna break anything, so he just asked if I could bring it up for you."

Jo took his camera in his hands carefully, staring down at it. His chest twisted with a strange mix of emotions as he started to worry about the photos he'd taken and if they would still develop well. Yudai gave him one last pat on the shoulder,

"I'll see you outside when you're ready," he said softly before leaving the room, shutting the door quietly.

Jo stood stunned for a long moment, holding onto his camera and staring at the sand that clung to it.

🏝️｡𖦹°‧

He spent some time in the bathroom putting himself back together and making sure his face wasn't so puffy before he changed into his swimsuit, splashing cold water on his face. When he finally made his way downstairs, his heart calmed itself when he heard laughter and splashing water coming from the pool.

Crossing the living room to the sliding door, Jo paused to watch everyone in the water, the blue glow from the pool lights reflecting off their skin. Music played somewhere softly from Fuma's speaker, and everything felt light despite everything happening in Jo's head since the bonfire.

Jo hated the way his stomach twisted with nerves the second he saw Yuma in the pool. He was shirtless, his hair pushed back, and he was smiling at everything around him. He was leaning against the edge with his arms resting on the tile, talking to Nicholas and Euijoo.

The second Jo stepped outside, Yuma's eyes flickered over to him.

Jo quickly looked down and kept his distance.

While everyone was having their own fun, he silently slipped into the shallower end of the pool, closer to Maki and Taki, who were currently attempting to drown each other in the most dramatic ways possible. He forced a small smile and tried his best to look like he was relaxing, but his heart was thrumming violently.

Every time he glanced toward Yuma, he felt a fresh wave of embarrassment crash through him.

He couldn't help but replay this kiss in his mind. Especially how pretty Yuma looked right before, the shock on his face afterward, how soft his lips were, and the way everyone went silent.

He probably hates me now.

For nearly 25 minutes, Jo stayed quiet, only speaking briefly when someone directly addressed him. Yuma, for the most part, didn't approach him at all, but Jo swore he could feel him watching every few minutes.

Everyone else seemed to be having a genuinely good time. Yudai and Fuma were floating around near one another, talking quietly, while Harua was nearby on a unicorn-shaped floatie. Taki was now trying to do handstands while Nicholas held Euijoo's hands in the deep end, trying to teach him to swim properly.

Jo tried his hardest to focus on everyone having fun; he really did.

But every single laugh, splash, and conversation made his stomach hurt more. Since kissing Yuma, he started to feel like an outsider within his own friend group.

After about another half hour, everyone started to calm down, mumbling about how happy and relaxed they were.

Jo was surprised when Yudai stretched his arms above his head and announced, "I think Fuma and I are gonna go clean up the kitchen—it's a mess."

Fuma beside him, nodded in agreement, "Yeah—it's bad. Taki, come help us."

Taki groaned a little bit before climbing out of the pool with them anyway, and the three headed inside, leaving the pool noticeably quieter.

Not long after, Harua paddled his way to the edge of the pool and checked his phone before waving his hand toward Maki with a bright smile,

"Maki! Do you wanna watch that one drama with me? It's kinda late. I have my laptop."

Maki agreed easily, and the two of them climbed out together, leaving the pool feeling smaller.

As each person left, Jo suddenly felt strangely claustrophobic despite there being more space.

Now only four of them remained—Jo, Yuma, Nicholas, and Euijoo.

Jo felt like he could cut the tension in the air with a knife if he wanted to, even if nobody was really saying anything about what happened at the bonfire. He kept his distance from Yuma, staying on the complete opposite side of the pool, but every few minutes, he would catch Yuma looking again at him again with an unreadable expression.

After a few more minutes of heavy silence, Euijoo suddenly cleared his throat loudly and spoke up, his voice a little bit too bright,

"So uh…everything has been perfect. The swimming has been nice, and the water is at a good temperature."

Jo blinked, surprised by the sudden awkward small talk.

Nicholas turned his head comically slow toward Euijoo, one eyebrow raised.

Euijoo kept going, clearly trying to fill the silence while Yuma, Jo, and Nicholas all watched him awkwardly, "And the stars are really pretty too, it's way better than in the city. I was also thinking we should do some stargazing with some blankets and snacks. Do you guys like stargazing or—"

Nicholas cut him off by gently grabbing his arm.

"Okay," he muttered, "We're gonna go grab drinks for everyone and be right back."

Before Euijoo could protest, Nicholas started pulling him toward the edge of the pool and helped him out. Euijoo glanced back at Jo and Yuma one last time, looking slightly guilty, before Nicholas dragged him inside.

Then it was just Jo and Yuma.

The silence stretched as the only sounds between them were the gentle lapping of the water and distant music still playing from the speaker.

Jo's heart stopped when Yuma started swimming across the pool, making his way toward him. Jo wanted to run away, but felt it would be more awkward if he left Yuma a second time.

Yuma stopped right in front of Jo. His voice was low when he finally spoke, "Do you have a habit of leading people on, then leaving?"

Jo swallowed hard, unable to look at Yuma's eyes. His heart was pounding so loudly he was sure Yuma could hear it. The words started spilling out before he could stop them. He didn't feel like himself at all while it all spilled out,

"I'm sorry…I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have just done that. I don't know what I was doing. I just thought you looked so nice while you were talking about your passions and stuff—"

"Jo—"

"I know it shouldn't have been in front of everyone, too. And then I probably should have asked you, and I thought I would be too nervous to later on. My heart was just going crazy, and I thought if I didn't do it then, then I never would—"

"Jo—"

"I feel so stupid," Jo continued, voice cracking slightly, "You probably didn't even want that, and now everything is gonna be weird because everyone is acting so weird now, and I ruined the whole night and the trip—"

"Just—shut the fuck up and kiss me, Asakura Jo."

Before Jo could even open his mouth again, Yuma grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him in, crashing their mouths together.

Jo swore that his skin ignited and burned despite the cool water around them. Yuma's hands slipped upward and into Jo's hair, tugging lightly as they both pressed harder against one another. He could feel how Yuma started floating, his feet leaving the pool floor when he held onto Jo.

Jo made a small whimper against Yuma's lips at the pull in his hair as his hands fell into the water to find Yuma's waist and pull him closer.

The kiss felt like Jo had been starving. It was completely different from the bonfire.

Yuma bit at his lip, and Jo responded by gently changing their positions, turning and pressing Yuma's spine against the edge of the pool, one of his hands bracing on the tile while the other remained near Yuma's hipbone.

Yuma pulled back just slightly to catch his breath, and Jo couldn't take his eyes off of Yuma's swollen lips, briefly flicking upward to meet his gaze.

Yuma's hands stayed in Jo's hair, "Stop avoiding me when I'm making it obvious I want you," he muttered against Jo's mouth.

Jo couldn't find the words to answer him. Instead, he kissed him again—harder this time.

They remained like that for a moment, completely lost, and Jo completely forgot that Nicholas and Euijoo could return at any moment—or that any of their friends could just look outside and see them.

Gently, his hands helped ease Yuma upward until he was sitting on the edge of the pool, legs still dangling in the water. Their mouths separated for a moment, and Jo stayed between Yuma's thighs, looking up at him with a soft expression. The new position felt incredibly intimate—Yuma above him, water still dripping down his skin, and the pool lights casting soft blue shadows across his features. Jo thought about how beautiful he looked like this. Better than any angel.

Jo's hands slid lower on Yuma's hips while he admired him. Then he paused, pulling back slightly when his fingers brushed across a small expanse of raised skin.

Yuma noticed where Jo was looking and smiled.

Without a word, Yuma reached down and hooked his thumb into the waistband of his swim trunks, slowly pulling them down far enough to reveal the tattoo on his right hipbone. Jo's heart stuttered.

It was a simple tattoo, but it was striking—a diamond made with delicate fencing and a small flower blooming in the center.

Jo stared at it for a moment before he looked back up to Yuma's face.

"I know idols don't really have tattoos, but…I don't care." Yuma smiled down at him.

Jo blinked, completely enamored, "That's…really hot," he muttered.

Yuma's smile widened, "Yeah?"

Jo answered by moving his thumb to trace small circles over the skin, pressing into Yuma until he felt himself running his thumb over his hip bone. When he did, Yuma's breath hitched, and Jo could feel his grip tighten in his hair.

Yuma eventually leaned back, resting his hands on the concrete now, his eyes gone dark and glassy. Jo couldn't help that his grip on Yuma's hips grew possessive in that moment.

Yuma's voice came out slightly breathless, "Do you wanna go to your room?"

Jo's heart nearly stopped beating then and there. He studied Yuma's face for a moment, the face of the angel he'd met at the party before he nodded without hesitation.

With towels wrapped around their waists, having tiptoed through the rest of the house past their friends, ignoring Maki and Harua giggling in the other room, claiming they were both just going to bed, Jo felt embarrassed, ignoring the way his heart was pounding, quietly shutting the bedroom door and locking it behind him.

The only sound in Jo's room was his and Yuma's slightly uneven breathing and the distant hum of the ocean outside.

Yuma leaned against the wall next to the door, studying Jo. Everything felt soft around the edges, but even through the lingering alcohol left in his system, Jo could see a hint of nervousness in the way Yuma's fingers were fidgeting with his towel.

"Are you okay?" Yuma asked quietly, his voice soft.

Jo just nodded, taking a small step closer to him.

"Yeah…" he said quietly, "I was just really worried about our friends earlier."

Yuma's expression softened dramatically. He seemed completely different in the dark as he reached his hand out and gently grabbed Jo by the wrist, pulling him closer. Jo's breath stopped just before Yuma pulled him in and kissed him again.

It started out impossibly soft.

Yuma's hands slipped under Jo's arms, fingers tracing the lines of his shoulders with surprising gentleness. When Jo brought his hands back to Yuma's waist, Yuma made a small, muffled sound against his lips.

They stayed that way for a while, pressed softly against the wall, kissing slowly and deeply.

Yuma turned clingy, roaming his hands where he could before pulling Jo closer. Jo's head nearly caught fire when their chests collided, still damp from the pool. It was impossible to ignore the heat pooling in his stomach, and when their hips met, Jo's knees nearly buckled when he felt both of their hard erections grind softly through their clothes.

Jo's breath hitched as he pulled his mouth away from Yuma's,

"Wait, have you ever..."

Yuma nodded, "Yeah. You?"

"Yeah."

Yuma smiled softly before they collided again—harder this time. Yuma rolled his hips closer once, and Jo saw stars.

Slowly, Jo turned them again and gently walked Yuma backward until the back of Yuma's knees pressed against Jo's bed. They momentarily separated as Yuma sat down on the edge of the mattress, looking up at Jo.

Jo stayed standing for a moment, bent over slightly to cup Yuma's cheek with his palm, tracing his thumb over his cheekbone, his other hand resting on Yuma's shoulder,

"I think you're really pretty," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper and shy.

Yuma's cheeks flushed pink in an instant, and he looked away, hiding his face. Jo tilted his head to try to look at him, and when Yuma turned back, his blush was replaced by a smirk again. Jo's heart skipped a beat at how cute such a simple action was.

"Shut up," Yuma whispered, though there was no real bite to it.

Jo responded by leaning down gently, using his hand to tilt Yuma's head to one side as he pressed slow kisses along his jaw, traveling down to the spot on his neck just below his ear, sucking lightly on the skin there. Yuma's breath caught, and his hands reached to squeeze Jo's shoulders.

"Jo…" he whispered.

Jo just hummed against his skin, slowly dropping to his knees in between Yuma's legs.

Yuma's eyes widened slightly as he watched him settle and the two of them made eye contact.

Slowly, Jo began pressing wet, open-mouthed kisses along Yuma's inner thighs, his heart turning warm every time Yuma's facial expression twisted. Yuma leaned back, resting on his elbows as Jo hooked his thumb into his waistband, gently pulling down before leaning in to run his tongue over Yuma's tattoo.

Yuma watched, his eyes half lidded, bringing one hand to rest gently in Jo's hair.

Jo looked up,

"Can I?"

Yuma nodded quickly, adjusting his hips to help Jo pull down on his swim trunks. Jo's mouth watered at the sight of Yuma, hard, flushed, and already leaking. Jo inhaled, running his thumbs in circles over Yuma's hips before gently pressing a slow kiss to the base of his cock, before taking him into his mouth, languid and slow.

Yuma's head immediately fell back against the bed, letting out a small, broken gasp. One hand twisted into the sheets when the other began fisting Jo's hair. Within seconds, Yuma seemed infinitely more pliant and desperate, attempting to buck his hips upward into Jo's mouth.

Both of them knew they had to be quiet, and Jo took some pride in watching Yuma bring one hand away from the sheets to cover his mouth and muffle his sounds.

Jo loved every second of it.

He paid close attention to every little sound Yuma tried to hold back, every shaky breath, every time his hips twitched. He felt satisfied in finding a rhythm that made Yuma's thighs tremble beneath him, and he felt a deep sense of satisfaction every time Yuma's body reacted involuntarily.

At one point, Yuma strained and looked down at him, his eyes glassy, "Jo, do you wanna…?"

Jo pulled away briefly, shaking his head.

Something possessed him to just focus on making Yuma feel good. He wanted Yuma to remember it. Before Yuma could protest, Jo leaned back down, dragging one long strip along the underside of his cock before closing his lips again and circling the tip.

Yuma practically ripped the hair from Jo's scalp, falling back down to the bed,

"Fuck—"

His hand flew back to his mouth, where he bit down to muffle every sound threatening to wake up half of the house.

Jo just hummed around him, the vibration sending Yuma's back arching from the bed, using his hand to push Jo down further, nearly thrusting upward into him. Despite his best efforts, whimpers kept escaping.

It didn't take long.

After one small, "Jo, I'm gonna—" Jo could feel Yuma's entire body tense, his muscles locking up as pleasure started to crash over him in waves. A soft, broken moan finally tore from his throat—louder than either of them expected. Yuma's cock pulsed against Jo's tongue as he came, and his thighs squeezed on either side of his head. Jo stayed on his knees through every second of it, swallowing around him and gently circling his tongue until Yuma started to squirm.

"Jo, please, please stop—" Yuma whispered, sounding completely spent and overstimulated.

Jo listened immediately, separating himself with a soft pop, leaning to the side to press another kiss to Yuma's hip. For a moment, he rested his head against Yuma's thigh, catching his own breath.

Yuma sat up on his elbows again, gently stroking Jo's hair,

"Wait…come here," he said softly, slowly helping Jo upward and tugging him by the arm onto the bed with him.

They lay down together—Jo on his back, still half-dressed and damp, while Yuma curled into his side, resting his head against his chest and lazily throwing one leg over him.

For a while, they were both quiet. Jo tentatively brought his hand to Yuma's back and started pressing occasional kisses to the top of his head while rubbing circles on his skin.

Eventually, Yuma spoke, his voice shy, completely different from how Jo had come to know him,

"What about you?"

Jo smiled to himself before shaking his head, "I'm okay."

Yuma sat up on one elbow, looking down at him with a small pout, "But that's not fair."

Jo blinked, his heart beginning to race again while he considered his next words carefully, "What if I take you out first? On a date. Without our friends?"

Yuma tilted his head, studying him, "Like… a couple?"

"I mean no… like not if you don't want to. But yeah, just a date."

Yuma was quiet for a moment; he seemed hesitant in a way that started to make Jo's chest sink. Maybe he thought it was a bad idea, and the way he pursed his lips in thought confirmed what Jo was thinking. But to Jo's surprise, he nodded,

"Yeah…I didn't assume you were a romantic," he said softly, "I'd like that."

They stayed like that for a moment longer—trading slow, soft kisses and touching one another gently.

Eventually, Yuma sighed and sat up, running one hand through his ruined and still damp hair. "I should go back to my room, and Maki will probably come back here any minute," he said, sounding genuinely regretful.

Jo nodded and sat up with him, "Yeah…"

Yuma leaned in toward him again and kissed him on the cheek, "Text me when you wake up?"

Jo smiled and nodded. It felt domestic.

Yuma slipped back into his shorts and then quickly stepped out of the room quietly without looking back. Suddenly, Jo found the quiet of the room uncomfortable.

🏝️｡𖦹°‧

Jo woke up to sunlight filtering through the curtains and landing across his face. For a moment, he stayed completely still, wincing at how his lower back hurt just a bit, and staring at the ceiling as the night before came rushing back to him in detail.

The kiss at the bonfire, running away, Yudai definitely knowing about his crush, the pool, the way Yuma's hands felt in his hair, and the way Yuma looked when he came—flushed, breathless, and completely undone.

Fresh from sleep, his face was already starting to burn with embarrassment.

Blinking and rolling over, he reached for his phone on the nightstand, his heart already racing. There was a new message from Yuma, sent just ten or so minutes ago.

Nakakita Yuma: are u alive?

Jo smiled to himself, thumbs hovering over the keyboard for a second before he started typing.

Jo: Yeah. Sorry about anything awkward yesterday

To Jo's surprise, Yuma's reply came almost immediately.

Nakakita Yuma: no it's fine, i had a lot of fun. i didn't mind the kiss with everyone

Jo: You didn't? Everything isn't weird?

Nakakita Yuma: i mean, it is, but not really in a bad way. u should stop overthinking, really

Jo: Did you sleep okay?

Nakakita Yuma: yeah, really good, you? ˙˚ʚ(´◡`)ɞ˚˙

Jo: I don't know, I slept pretty badly

Nakakita Yuma: ok go eat breakfast, we can talk again later if you want

Jo smiled at his phone a bit, feeling lighter. He typed one last, 'talk later', to Yuma before rolling over to get out of bed. When he sat up, Maki was already awake and staring right at him from across the room.

Jo's heart nearly jumped out of his chest, and he startled.

"Who're you texting?" Maki pressed, his eyes narrowed with curiosity.

"Nobody, just a friend." Jo deflected, quickly locking his phone and slipping it into his pajama pocket.

Maki raised one eyebrow and smiled, "Right."

Jo did his best to ignore Maki as he got out of bed and started to get ready.

While brushing his teeth and changing into his clothes, his mind kept drifting back to one thing that wouldn't leave his mind:

He asked Yuma to take him out on an official date.

He wasn't really that familiar with Okinawa, and he wasn't exactly the best at planning dates in general. His thoughts kept circling back toward Nicholas and Euijoo—the most successful couple in his life by his standards—and wondering how they did it. He wondered if he could ask one of them for advice without making it too obvious.

Probably not.

After fixing himself in the restroom, Jo made his way downstairs.

Jo was surprised to find everyone was already awake, especially Nicholas, and they were all scattered around the kitchen and living room again. Jo spotted Nicholas leaning against the kitchen counter, casually scrolling on his phone with a cup of coffee in hand.

Jo only hesitated briefly before he walked over.

"Hey."

Nicholas glanced up at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Hey," Nicholas replied slowly, "Good morning?"

Jo ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling awkward, "Do you have a second to talk? I was kind of wondering something."

Nicholas took a sip from his mug of coffee, clearly amused, "Here?"

Jo pursed his lips, glancing around at their friends, "Uh, no…can we go outside?"

Nicholas furrowed slightly before he nodded. Jo turned and walked toward the sliding glass door, holding it open for the man following him. Once they stepped outside, Jo slid it shut behind them and led them around the corner of the house, where they wouldn't be easily seen by seven of their friends.

Nicholas' expression turned more serious when Jo faced him, "Is everything okay?"

Jo nodded quickly, "No—I mean, yeah. Everything's fine. I was just wondering something kind of random."

Nicholas tilted his head like he was studying Jo, "Okay…go for it."

Jo tried to appear casual, even though his heart was pounding, "So…I guess when you and Euijoo started dating…who asked who out first? Like, how did it happen?"

Nicholas blinked, clearly surprised by the question, then he laughed.

"That's random," he said, smirking now, "Why do you care?"

Jo shrugged, trying and failing to look nonchalant, "Just curious."

Nicholas' smirk had turned into a full smile. He crossed his arms and leaned against the side of the building, clearly enjoying the entire situation too much for Jo's liking.

"Okay…well. Juju brought it up first. But I wasn't sure at the time, so we had this weird situationship phase for a bit. But eventually, I asked him out properly," he paused, "again…why? Are you trying to plan something?"

Jo quickly shook his head, "No. Just wondering."

Nicholas didn't look convinced, but seemed like he was done humiliating Jo for the moment. He simply took another sip from his mug and started walking back toward the sliding door.

Just as Nicholas reached for the handle, Jo called out to him quietly.

"Hey, Nico?"

Nicholas turned around, raising his eyebrow again.

Jo hesitated for a second before his voice softened,

"Where's a good place in Okinawa to take someone on a date?"