HEE:LIFT | TXT & Enhypen

~ thirty-four ~

Busan Beaches pt. 1 || 3/3

"Are you going to sit there and watch me clean this mess by myself?"

"Yep." Sunghoon hugged the couch cushions, laying flat on his stomach. "I'm providing visual guidance. You missed one, by the way. Over there."

Heeseung snorted, bending down to pick up the stray bottle. "My knight in shining armor."

"More like your lazy boyfriend in blue pajamas," Beomgyu yawned. "Scooch, Sunghoon. Quit being a couch hogger."

He collapsed beside the boy, immediately wincing at the impact. "Ow. My head."

"How much did you drink last night?" Sunghoon giggled.

"Too much."

They lay side-by-side watching Heeseung pick up trash from the party. The door to the suite opened, and Yeonjun shuffled in, balancing a tray of food in his arms. Taehyun appeared from behind him, peaking into the hallway before letting the door swing shut.

"We picked up some breakfast from the cafeteria," he announced, setting a bag down on the coffee table next to Yeonjun's tray. "Soobin hyung stopped by the other room to drop off food for the dongsaengs."

Beomgyu's face lit up. "So that's where you went."

He left the couch, crossing the room and putting an arm around Taehyun's shoulders. They took a seat in an armchair, leaning forward together to rifle through the assortment of delicacies on the coffee table. Yeonjun sat crisscrossed on the floor, helping himself to a fancy waffle topped with fruit.

"Heeseung, try this." Sunghoon held up a tiny pink pastry shaped like a hamburger.

"What is it?" Heeseung asked, sitting down next to him.

"It's called a macaron. Tasty, right? I used to have them all the time back when I was a figure skater. They're pretty popular in France."

Heeseung swallowed the treat, nodding his head approvingly. "Mm, yum. But that reminds me, you still haven't taken me ice skating."

"And you still haven't asked me out," Sunghoon retorted.

"Damn." Beomgyu covered his mouth with a fist. "Shots fired."

He turned to Taehyun. "Before I forget, will you go out with me?"

"It's been nearly two weeks." Taehyun nibbled at a berry cream tart. "Just now, you realized?"

Beomgyu pushed him playfully. "Jerk."

"Dumbass."

They lightly laughed, glancing at each other and brushing shoulders as they reached for more food.

The door to the suite opened again.

"Hey, sorry I'm late; Ni-ki and Jake were still sleeping." Soobin joined them at the coffee table, giving Yeonjun a quick peck on the lips after settling down beside him. "What'd I miss?"

"Only the best waffle I've ever had," Yeonjun grinned. "Want to try some?"

"No thanks, I tasted it when we kissed. Sunghoon ah, pass me the toast?"

Heeseung leaned back, happily watching the boys converse over breakfast. It was a perfect morning, one that left him almost optimistic about the rest of the day. The past few weeks had been a collage of stressful situations, but for the first time in forever, he felt in control.

Mei was going down. They'd confront her that evening with Jihun's guidance.

There was a Vlive scheduled before that. Heeseung was excited to interact with their fans, both old and new.

And then finally, after the day was worn and gone, he had Sunghoon. They'd spend the night together, dancing under the stars with sand beneath their toes and the ocean lapping at their feet.

Of course, they wouldn't be alone. It was Jihun's beach house, after all, so he'd be there.

And so would the other eleven members of Belift.

Heeseung didn't care. He was getting time with Sunghoon, and Sunghoon was getting time with him. That was all they needed to be happy.

-------------

Heeseung always thought the worst sound in the world was nails on a chalkboard. After hearing Ni-ki play, he decided a terribly out-of-tune guitar took a close second place. Laying here, however, in the wet sand of Busan's most stunning beach, he realized he was wrong.

Reddish water continuously brushed past him, soaking his clothes and leaving a salty taste in his mouth. An achy pain shot through his body as he lifted his head, just enough to catch a glimpse of the scarlet-stained shoreline. It diluted quickly, washed away by waves until only a faint darkened boundary remained.

Sunghoon was at his side in an instant, rolling him over and ripping off his flannel to check for bleeding. His lips were moving, but Heeseung couldn't hear him over the shrill ringing in his ears. Muddy sand flew into his eyes, and he coughed, grabbing Sunghoon's sleeve to stop him.

"Not mine," he rasped. "It's not mine."

Sunghoon froze in relief, panting heavily as another icy swell of water crested over them. Heeseung's senses returned just enough for him to make out the word 'fuck.'

And then he knew.

The worst sound in the world wasn't nails on a chalkboard or an untuned instrument. It was the cry of a left-behind lover.