October 29, 1:15 PM: Luxurious high end shops lined both ends of the marble lane. Brand names were everywhere as the sweet scent of perfume lingered in the air. The brightly-lit shopping complex was unnaturally quiet; there was hardly a soul around.
Well, except for...
"Guuuuuuuun--"
"What the fuck do you want?!" he grumbled as he glared down at the kid, "Xian."
"What're we even doing here?" she groaned, "We've been here for hours."
Gun turned his nose up at her and he couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Tsk. Keep walking, kid."
She let out a whine as she sulked, dragging her feet as she walked behind him. She was still in her slippers and pyjamas because Gun hadn't let her get changed. He did, however, lend her his coat so she wouldn't get cold. At least it smelled nice. It smelled husky and warm, with that hint of cigarette smoke.
Ugh, she already regretted saying she wanted to go swimming. Now, all she wanted to do was curl up with Goo and continue dress-shopping. It was better than walking circles with Gun. Did he even know where he was going?
Probably not.
She yawned tiredly as she struggled keep up. His legs were so long she had to jog just to keep the same pace as him. It was getting annoying. She wasn't used to feeling so short.
Just then, she spotted his arm swinging freely beside him and an idea popped into her head.
She tugged on his sleeve.
"Kid, what d'you want?"
"Can I hold your hand?"
Gun turned so fast he heard his neck crack. He stared down at her in disbelief, wondering if he heard her right.
Nonetheless, his answer was set in stone.
"No."
"What?! Oh c'mon!"
"You heard me.
"Goo lets me hold his hand!"
His face darkened.
"I'm. Not. Goo."
"Pleeeeeeeeeease?"
"Tsk. Keep walking, kid," he muttered, adjusting his collar as he began to stride ahead of her.
She squeaked as she ran up to his side, not wanting to be left behind. She tugged on his sleeve again, whining as she brushed against him until he shoved her off. The glare he sent her would've sent a sane person running but all she did was smile at him hopefully, not the slightest bit fazed.
"Pleeeeeeease?"
Gun faltered a little.
'Is she really not scared of me?' he thought, glowering at her in annoyance, 'Fuck, why's she so troublesome? I already have to teach her Korean. My candidates shouldn't be this much work for me-- Wait what's she doing--...'
She brushed her arm against his own sweetly but he recoiled as if she were made of fire. The grin slipped off her face and he watched in horror as she stuck her bottom lip out, so full and pink as her eyes rounded and she stared up at him like an animal wounded.
"My hands are cold," she whimpered.
Gun grimaced at her tone.
"Oh for fuck's sake-- Fine!"
Her face lit up.
"Really?!"
'Wow I didn't think this would work--'
"You can hold my arm," he muttered, "But no touching my hands!--"
He cringed when she clung to him like a koala bear, emitting a happy squeal. He quickly readjusted, trying to wedge his arm out of anywhere inappropriate because if he didn't, she'd be hugging his arm to her chest like she did with Goo. Fuck, he felt so awkward. Was she really that oblivious? Or was she doing it on purpose. He couldn't tell.
"Ugh, can we go now?!"
She shot him a grateful grin.
"Thank you, Gun!"
He rolled his eyes at her and dragged her along, not caring if she slipped or not. All the while, Xian giggled as he fumed to himself moodily. It was then when she decided she liked annoying him, and she couldn't help but think this was the start of a great companionship.
And as they walked, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to a certain blonde-haired boy.
'I wonder how Goo's doing.'
☯
October 29, 3:45 PM: A dull hazy glow filled the vast room as golden light seeped in from the windows beside and above. Water lapped at the edge of the pool hungrily, reflecting the emerald and cerulean tiles so streaks of light blue spangled across the walls and white-patterned ceiling, mimicking echoes of the auroras as hushed voices lay blurred with the trickling of water, blended in a chilling symphony.
Goo leaned against the edge of the pool suavely. Droplets framed his toned chest, dotting the crevices of his body as he rubbed the waist of the girl clinging to his arm. Every now and then, his eyes would rake across her body cheekily as he smirked at the sight of her exposed chest, which she would brush against his arm every so often. Her pink hair clung to her slender shoulders as she held onto him, lips pulled into a sultry smile.
He leaned in, knowing exactly what she wanted as he brushed his lips against her ear, letting his comments trail down her skin until she squirmed in his hold. Her legs rubbed against his own, and he was made aware of how they stretched for days. Ooh, he was looking forward to seeing what they could do later.
And yet, his attention was briefly snatched by a loud laugh. His eyes trailed in vague interest, only to light up when he realised there were two more girls further along the pool. Not that hot, but from what he could hear, they sounded interesting. All he was thinking about now was a hundred ways to get them over here. Damn, if he played his cards right, he was going to have a great time tonight.
The smile was wiped from Pinky's face as she let out a whine, annoyed she'd lost his attention. He masked his annoyance beneath a charming smile as strummed her waist with his thumb, hoping it'd get her to calm her tits. He fucking hated the clingy ones but to get what he wanted, he figured he'd just deal with it--
Just then, two new figures strut into scene and Goo's eyes widened in pleasant surprise.
"Wow, baby!"
Xian smiled at him shyly.
The blonde turned round, going to rest his arms against the edge of the pool.
"You look great, kid!" he said as he eyed her up and down, blissfully unaware of how Pinky looked like she was about to slap him.
He whistled lowly as his eyes trailed over her exposed body. The white bikini hugged her tight, covering just enough to be decent and the cut was fantastic. Damn, he had to give Gun some credit. He didn't think the fucker's taste was this good.
He snickered carelessly, sending a blush across her face.
Gun hadn't bothered to greet him, instead walking straight to the opposite end of the pool. Goo scowled at his back, rolling his eyes at his colleague.
'Hmph. Cocky bastard.'
The smile slipped off Xian's face as she watched Gun's retreating back with a tug of guilt. She felt bad for leaving him. Then again, she figured she'd annoyed him enough. She told herself he probably didn't want her bugging him anymore, so she turned around, about to enter the waters to join Goo when suddenly
'EEK!'
She just noticed the girl standing beside him. Her eyes were wide with manic as she glared at Xian furiously, daring her to come any closer.
Xian bit back a shriek.
'S-scary!'
And in the blink of an eye, she zoomed after Gun with her tail between her legs.
Goo's face fell in annoyance.
'Hey, why'd she leave...' he thought, thankfully missing the satisfied look on Pinky's face, 'Don't tell me she's following--'
Gun turned around, wondering why there were footsteps behind him.
'What the... Why's she still following me,' he thought, raising an eyebrow at her, 'I thought she'd go with Goo.'
But he said nothing, instead letting her tag along with him.
He tossed their towels onto the lounge chairs before he made his way to the edge of the pool. There, he stretched to loosen his muscles, knowing full well they felt taut as he prepared to dive in. Unbeknownst to him, Xian was copying his every move, not knowing what he was doing but doing it anyway because it looked cool.
And with a loud splash, he dove into the frigid pool that looked so inviting. The waters welcomed him like an old friend, though he resurfaced shortly after, wiping the droplets off his face before he heard a smaller, clumsier splash.
He turned around with an eyebrow raised and was pleasantly greeted with the sight of the kid's trembling frame. Her eyes were wide with terror as she gripped her shoulders, trying to stay warm. Even her teeth were chattering...
"I-i-i-it's s-s-s-so c-c-cold!"
Gun looked down at her, unimpressed, as he leant against the blue tile.
"Hmph. Deal with it, kid. I can't change the fucking temperature."
She puffed out her cheeks at him adamantly, reminding him of some animal he couldn't name. Gun frowned at this before he decided didn't care enough.
'So mean...' she thought.
As she continued shivering, Xian watched as he leaned back and closed his eyes. She heard him let out a long breath as he finally seemed to relax, until he stayed so still Xian thought he'd fallen asleep. She felt a little bad for him. He looked so stressed the past couple of days...
At the same time, her brows knotted in confusion.
'Does his hair not move? He just jumped into the pool and it still looks the same..'
She scrunched up her face as she cocked her head to the side, studying him from all different angles until she gave up and came to the conclusion that
'Wow, his hair gel must be really strong.'
Suddenly, his eyes flashed open and she jumped in surprise. She adverted her gaze awkwardly, trying to pretend she hadn't got caught staring.
He watched as she swayed back and forth on the balls of her feet quietly, staring at the surface of the water before she stared at the windows, then the ceilings, then the walls as she tried to look at everything but himself.
Gun let out a heavy sigh.
"So," he said, breaking the silence, and she flinched in surprise, "Have you picked out a dress yet?"
Gun watched as she turned to him with wide eyes, shaking her head meekly. He let out a low chuckle.
"Well, you better pick soon, kid. You don't want to disappoint the scrawny bastard, do you?"
Xian looked at him, confused, before it finally registered. She shot him an annoyed look from the corners of her eyes.
"He has a name, y'know?"
"Yes, what was it..." he mused, as he tapped the edge of the pool with a finger, "Alan?"
"It's Alex!" she yelled, whacking the surface of the water angrily ("Hey cut that out!"), "And he's not scrawny! He has muscles!"
"No he doesn't."
"He doesn't need muscles to look good!"
Gun could see very well the fire burning in her eyes, and it brought him great amusement. He didn't think she would get this worked up.
"But seriously, kid," he continued with a hint of disdain, "That's your type?"
"You have a problem with it?"
He chose to say nothing, only chuckling as he continued drumming his fingers against the edge of the pool. Xian fumed at him unhappily, not liking that he was insulting the boy she liked.
"Even you're stronger than him, kid. He doesn't stand a chance against you."
She growled at him in annoyance.
"And his clothes are terrible. He has no taste in fashion."
She growled even louder.
"Let's hope your taste in dresses is better than your taste in men--"
"THAT'S IT! I'm not hanging out with you anymore!"
The grin slipped from his face, replaced with a frown.
She couldn't stand that he was insulting her crush right to her face. It drove her insane!
"I'm going to hang with Goo!"
He watched in annoyance as she stepped away from him. The water threw her off balance, swaying her back and forth as she tried to get away from him as soon as possible, but that was before her eyes landed on something at the opposite end of the pool, and she stopped moving altogether.
Gun raised an eyebrow at this.
'What the... What's she looking at?'
He glanced over her shoulders curiously. His gaze landed on the three girls surrounding the piss hair and he couldn't help but roll his eyes. That blonde motherfucker was always prowling.Goo had his arm wrapped around the pink-hair, while he chatted up the other two, who burst out laughing at something he said. He thought they looked cheap.
His eyes trailed back to the kid.
She still hadn't moved.
'Is she heartbroken or something?'
Not a second later, she whipped back round to face him.
"I'm staying with you!" she announced with a bright smile.
'There's too many people over there. So awkward...' she thought.
Gun shot her a look of disbelief before he rolled his eyes.
"Tsk. By the way, kid. Why aren't you swimming?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her suspiciously.
Her eyes widened to the size of saucers.
"I'll swim... later!"
His face fell.
"You can't swim, can you."
Her eyes popped open and she blinked at him like a deer caught in headlights. She tried to think of a retort but the moment she met his eye, she lowered her shoulders in defeat.
"I used to take lessons when I was younger..."
"But?"
"... I forgot."
Gun let out an exceptionally long sigh. He glanced at the kid, who was looking down guiltily.
'She really can't swim?'
He sighed and shook his head.
"Might as well teach you now," he grumbled, "That way if you fall into a river next time I don't have to fucking save you."
"Y-you're going to teach me?"
"It's not that hard."
"Really?!" she exclaimed as she beamed up at him, "Thank you! Thank you!"
Gun let out a short 'hmph'. He was too lazy to tell her he'd have to teach her anyway. He had to train her back home, so she'd learn one day or another. He figured he'd save himself the trouble and just teach her now.
"Okay, let's start."
Xian stood a little straighter, staring up at him anticipatively. Gun imagined that if she had puppy ears, they would be standing up as she wiggled in excitement.
"Kid, lie down."
"W-what?"
"You need to learn how to float first before you swim."
"O-oh... Okay."
"Here, like this."
She felt Gun's hand supporting her as he tilted her entire body back, before he let her go. Floating was one of the weirdest sensations to her. Her entire body bobbed up and down at the mercy of the light currents as her ears submerged underwater, muffling the world and its sounds all around her.
She could see Gun within her peripheral and she blinked at him a little nervously, hardly daring to make a sound.
"Can you manage, kid?" she heard him call.
She nodded her head silently and he looked satisfied.
"I'm going to swim a few laps. Stay here until then."
She watched as he disappeared from her view, hearing a loud splash as he swam away.
And she was left staring at the patterned ceiling for a long time.
☯
October 29, 3:59 PM: Goo's hoard of women stared as Gun approached their end of the pool, recoiling as he headed for the opposite end. He did this for a few times, and they couldn't help but stare at his body was. He was freaking ripped, and his movements were inhumanely swift and strong. They wondered if he was some athlete.
Goo rolled his eyes.
'Fucking show-off.'
"H-hey!"
"Hmm? Yes?" he replied, and his expression changed in an instant.
"Is he your friend?"
'Who wants to be friends with that fucker?!'
"We're business associates," he said, flashing her a charming smile.
"Ahh, I see."
"What about the girl?" her friend asked.
"Same with her," he continued carelessly, "We came here to meet some people."
"She's quite cute," she mused, and her friend nodded in agreement.
"She is, isn't she?" Goo chuckled, and he made a mental note to tell her later. He could only imagine how flustered she'd get.
"Where're y'all from?" one of the girls continued asking, "You don't look like you're from around here."
"Guess," Goo urged the two girls simply with a tilt of his head.
"America?"
"... are you high?"
"He's blonde!"
"HE'S ASIAN."
Goo snorted.
"Japanese?"
"Nope~"
"Korean!"
"Bingo!"
"Ooh, I've always wanted to go Korea, y'know?" she told her friend with a dreamy smile.
"Same here."
"Pfft, every Korean will tell you it's not as nice as the K-dramas," Goo snickered.
"Aww, that's a shame. Still, it'd be nice to visit," the girl mused before she sighed, "Too bad I'm broke."
"Same here."
"Dude, but like, I'd fucking raid all the skincare store. If I went to Korea."
"Just pick up a box of face masks and run."
"Mood."
Goo chuckled at them, thinking about home. A part of him didn't miss it, because home meant work and he was rather enjoying his time off. Still, he missed the food.
As he pondered, the sound of distant splashing caught everyone's attention. It fell quiet yet again as the girls' heads continued panning left and right, following Gun's movements tentatively and Goo felt like gagging.
Despite his annoyance, he couldn't help but take advantage of the situation. Thanks to Gun, he could now check out the women standing in front of him with them noticing. Not as hot as Pinky, but he liked them way more. They were nowhere near as clingy and actually had things to say. They were funny too. He liked them. He thought they were chill. His only complaint was that he wished their clothes showed more ski--
"ADFGHJNKSJ--"
SPLASH!
Goo's face fell.
'What the...' he thought as Xian could be seen flailing from a mile away, 'What's wrong with them?'
☯
Xian continued floating with her limbs outstretched as she stared up at the ceiling aimlessly, feeling like a dead starfish. The gentle feeling threatened to lull her to sleep, though she fought with all her might to keep her eyes open. Instead, she began let her mind wander, thinking of happier times.
When was the last time she'd been in a pool like this? When she was five? Six? Seven? She remembered taking lessons with her cousins up until they finished. Then she never stepped into a pool ever again, and yet... She could hear the sounds of distant laughter ringing in her mind.
She closed her eyes, trying to remember more. She didn't know how to describe this feeling, only that it reminded her of how she felt after waking up from a dream. She could see her cousins in their youth, and remember so vividly the way she used to chase after them to play. She remembered playing with water guns and pool noodles. She could even remember the child's swimsuit she used to wear, and how it felt clinging to her skin, especially when she was drenched to the last toe.
She had another memory too, though one with no age. It was with her parents this time. She could see their smiling faces, remember them as young and strong as they led her across the kiddie pool, cheering her on. She didn't even remember where this was but somehow, she could still remember the random fact that she had a plastic toy octopus with her.
She wondered if she still had it. Maybe it was tucked away somewhere back home. (She had to go check.)
Her eyes flashed open and the sounds of youth and laughter faded away, replaced with the sound of water sloshing against her ear. It was like a slap back to reality.
Xian let out an exceptionally long sigh--
Someone grabbed her by the leg
"ADFGHJNKSJ--"
SPLASH!
and she went crashing below the surface.
She thrashed around blindly for a good five seconds, trying to get a hold of her surroundings before she finally figured which way was up and resurfaced.
She coughed and spluttered.
"ACK! What was that for?! Why'd you grab me?!"
"You floated all the way to the middle," he grumbled, annoyed that he almost crashed into her just now, "Did you not even notice?"
"No!"
"You--... Ugh."
Gun watched as she rubbed her eyes pitifully before he huffed.
"C'mon kid," he called and she followed him to the sidelines, whining all the way, "Watch me."
He turned around and dove into the waters, swimming across the short end of the pool swiftly and back. Xian's eyes grew wide as she gaped at him, impressed, as he stopped right in front of her.
"Do you know this swimming stroke?"
She nodded excitedly.
"Good. What's it called?"
"Frog!"
Gun clapped a hand over his face. (Though technically speaking she wasn't wrong--)
"It's called a breaststroke," he corrected though all she did was giggle.
(*Some people refer to breaststroke as the "frog" stroke, as the arms and legs move somewhat like a frog swimming in the water. It is the slowest of any competitive strokes and is thought to be the oldest of all swimming strokes.)
"Can you do the dolphin?!" she squealed as she clapped her hands excitedly, "Please? Please!"
"Hey, focus!"
She flinched at his tone.
Gun paused at the sight of her expression before he sighed. He turned around, swimming streamline to the opposite end of the pool using the style she wanted. When he got back, it looked like she was about to burst from excitement.
(*The butterfly stroke is a swum on the chest, with both arms moving symmetrically, accompanied by the butterfly kick, also known as the "dolphin kick". It is the newest style used in competition that requires good technique as well as strong muscles.)
"There," he huffed.
'So annoying."
"Can you teach me? Please?!"
"Kid, it's hardest stroke to learn."
"Aww.... How about next time?"
She tilted her head at him anticipatively, eagerly awaiting his answer.
"Hmph. Focus on the breaststroke first, kid. Then we'll see."
She grinned at him happily before she nodded.
Gun guided her to the side, instructing her to grip the edge of the pool as he taught her how to kick her legs, scolding her when she splashed him in the face from kicking too hard ("The fuck-- Kid, do it properly!" "Sorry! Sorry..") and he let her practise for as long as she needed. Then, he taught her how to move her arms, correcting the placements of her fingers before he let her swim a short distance ahead of him. She got it almost instantly.
To say he was impressed would be an understatement. He was quite satisfied with her progress. He couldn't help but think if she were this fast a learner, training her back home would be a breeze.
"Kid, c'mere," he called and she swam clumsily back towards him, accidentally ramming her head into his chest ("Ow!"), "I'm teaching you the backstroke next."
(*Backstroke or back crawl is a swimming style that has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going as it is executed on the swimmer's back.)
Gun demonstrated it to her once, letting her absorb, before he began teaching her the placements of her arms and legs. She got it down even quicker than with the breaststroke and pretty soon, she was swimming circles around him happily. Then from the backstroke, he moved on to teach her the freestyle.
(*The freestyle stroke, also known as front crawl, Australian crawl or American crawl, is usually regarded as the fastest of the four front primary strokes. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a competition.)
Again, he demonstrated it once before he taught her how to move her arms and legs, reprimanding her when she kicked up a storm behind her, splashing him twice. It was taking her longer to pick up the freestyle than with the other two, but he noticed how when she was focusing, she would go unnaturally quiet, and she would do anything to get it right.
And when she finally coordinated her hands and legs right, she turned around to face him with the biggest smile, as if to say 'Look! I did it!'. He gestured for her to complete the lap across the pool and she did so without him needing to ask a second time.
Gun smirked to himself silently. She was the only candidate he had with a decent attitude and by far the most genuine. Not only that, he liked that she was willing to learn, unlike the bastard Johan Seong. He had the inkling the arrogant fucker was going to get himself killed by his own talent one day. Speaking of which, he hadn't seen the boy in awhile. He wondered if he was out stealing sneakers agai--
THUD!
"OW!"
Xian gripped her head as she whimpered shakily, and her shoulders trembled from the pain of smashing her head into the side of the pool. A sob escaped her lips.
"O-ow..."
"Tsk. What happened?"
A tear spilt over the edge of her cheek, going to mix with the chlorinated pool as she looked up at him pitifully.
He brushed aside the strands of hair around her scalp, checking for any signs of blood. When he saw none, he turned to glare at her.
"Look in front when you swim!"
"I-is there b-blood?"
"No. There isn't. Be more careful next time, kid," he grumbled as she wiped the tear from her face.
Once the initial shock wore off, she continued wiping away the tears until it she began rubbing her eyes from how tired she was. She realised it didn't hurt as much as she initially thought, but rather the shock that scared her.
Gun frowned at her.
"Don't rub your eyes, kid," he scolded and immediately, her hands flew from her face to her sides.
He watched as she continued to tremble, not from the pain but from the cold. She blinked her eyes sleepily, trying to stifle a yawn and it was evident she was exhausted.
"Dolphin?"
"Yeah right. Look how tired you are."
"Dolphinnnnn."
"I'll teach it to you next time."
"Aww... Okay."
He went to rest his arms against the edge of the pool and she copied, resting her head on her arms.
"H-hey... T-thanks for teaching me today, G-Gun."
"Don't sweat it, kid."
It went quiet between them for awhile. Amidst the silence, he could hear the soft chattering of her teeth as she continued shivering beside him. Poor kid. She looked so cold.
"Had fun?" he asked her and she flinched in surprise.
"Y-yea.. I'm gonna miss this. Swimming, I mean."
Gun frowned at this and he just realised he never told her they had a pool back home. He wondered if he should let her know. She'd probably be happy about it.
"Hey, kid."
"H-huh? Y-yes, I--"
Xian squeaked as she spun around too fast and she stumbled, grabbing his arm patheticall--...
Her eyes widened in surprise as she groped his arm muscles, all while Gun cringed at how cold her hands were.
'What the fuck. Like touching ice..'
He just realised she hadn't let go and he grimaced. He didn't like that she was touching him when suddenly she pounced on his chest and he screamed.
"YOU'RE SO WARM ♡"
"WHAT THE FUCK?! HEY GET THE FUCK OFF ME!"
"Hehe! Nope~"
☯
October 29, 4:51 PM: Goo was busy flirting when suddenly the sound of Gun hollering caught his attention.
His face fell.
'What the...' he thought, as Xian could be seen clinging to Gun from a mile away, 'Like a koala bear sticking to a tree..'
☯
Gun just about pried her off his chest. He shot her a deathly glare but all she did was whine sadly, not the slightest bit fazed. He shot her a look disbelief. In the blink of an eye, he'd exited the pool, going to grab the towels off the chair as he sauntered away, taking long strides as he did so.
Not a second later, he heard pattering behind him.
"Gun?"
He didn't so much as look at her.
"Guuuuuun~"
He inhaled sharply but kept walking.
"Gun. Gun. Gun. Gun."
His eye twitched, as he tried not to lose his temp
"GUUUUN! Gun. Gun. Gun Gūn. Guñ. Gu--"
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?!"
'I swear to God this is the most annoying kid I've ever met--'
"I'm hungry."
Gun did a double-take.
He stared at this weird kid in front of him in disbelief, looking into her eyes which were wide and puppy-like as she blinked up at him expectantly.
And his shoulders lowered in defeat.
"Me too. C'mon kid, let's get something to eat."
She grinned at him toothily, and as he turned around, she skipped after him with the biggest smile, before she looked down and she snorted in amusement.
She could see his butt.
☯
Unbeknownst to them, a small audience of four had been watching the whole thing unfold, and as Gun strolled by, the two girls' eyes jumped down as they slyly admired the view.
And the moment he was gone, they turned to each other.
"I'd tap that."
"You know you would."
They snorted to each other, blissfully unaware of how Goo looked like he was going to throw up in the background.
"No, but seriously," she said as she turned to her friend, "That's like, my favourite trope."
"Tsundere meets ball of sunshine?"
"Tsundere meet ball of sunshine."
The two girls giggled amongst each other as Goo raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Tsundere...?" he echoed blankly.
"Yeah, tsundere! Y'know, like a big grumpy person." (*Not the actual definition.)
Goo blinked.
'Big grumpy person... Yeah, that sounds like Gun actually.'
"No, but when a tsundere meets the embodiment of sunshine," she continued with a look of awe.
"Oh my god, I'm such a slut for that."
"You whore!"
"No but it's so cute though!"
"He was cute," she nudged her friend slyly and Goo now looked like he was dying.
He just about regained his composure.
"Hey, what about me," the blonde pouted as he feigned a look of hurt.
"Aww no! You're cute too!" she cried and as both girls eyed each other in excitement, unable to control themselves.
At the same time, Goo couldn't help but think about what they said.
'Tsundere meets ball of sunshine?' he thought, and as he looked down the corridor, he frowned, 'No. No way...'
He felt something soft being pressed into his arm and he was promptly snapped out of his daze. He gazed into the eyes of the pink-haired chick who was staring at him so fervently.
'Fuck, almost forgot about her.'
A shiver shot down his spine as her nails trailed across his skin coyly, and he was suddenly reminded why he was here in the first place. He smirked at her cheekily before he turned to the other chicks.
"It was nice meeting you girls," he charmed them carelessly, "But I've gotta go."
"Aww, it's okay. It was nice meeting you too!"
"Yeah, go go! We don't wanna hold you."
He hopped out of the pool, feeling a cold draught sweep over his body before he looked back at the two girls he'd befriended. They waved at him enthusiastically, bidding him goodbye as he stepped away.
Pinky stood to the side, cradling the towel in her arms.
'Right. Her,' Goo thought, as he noticed how she was eyeing him cautiously, 'Fuck, might well get this over with--'
She pounced on him once he was close enough, grabbing his arm as she looked up at him desperately, hungrily.
And he smirked as she began to lead him away. As they slipped through long winding corridors, he heard her quick sharp breaths and he strummed her waist carelessly, already fantasizing about what was to come.
He couldn't wait to feel her twitching beneath him--
Just then, he caught a whiff of food.
Goo spun around, blinking at the display of desserts to his right.
'Hey, she would probably like those,' he thought.
And he was blissfully unaware as to how Pinky looked like she was about to strangle him.
☯
October 29, 5:13 PM: Gun stared up at the ceiling aimlessly, lounging as he propped his legs on the coffee table to his front. A cool draught swept across his bare body, wholly naked except for the thin band that stretched across his hips, because he hadn't bothered to change. His suite filled with the sound of running water as a golden glow emanated from the bathroom door. Gun sighed in annoyance as he massaged the bridge of his nose, wondering what the hell possessed him to let her use his jacuzzi first.
'Why the fuck did I let her go first,' he thought for the umpteenth as he covered his eyes with his hands, 'She's going to take forever.'
His muscles were practically yelling at him that they needed a break, and he was dead tired. He knew a hot soak was just what he needed to relax but the sound of distant giggling reminded him exactly why he couldn't, and it annoyed him to no end--
"Hey Gun?!"
Perfect timing.
He rolled his eyes moodily.
"Tsk. What?"
When he didn't hear a reply, his scowl deepened.
"What?" he repeated but louder, "Kid, what d'you want?!"
He heard fumbling.
"How many bubbles can I add to this thing?!"
"(Bubbles what the fuck--) KID YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO ADD ANY--"
He heard shriek, followed by the sound of hopeless blubbering.
Gun covered his face with a sigh.
"ECK! I can't see anything! There's too many bubbles!" he heard her wail, "GUUUUUUN!"
He didn't reply, only face-palming at her stupidity.
'What am I going to do with this kid-- Wait a minute..'
He lifted his head, eyes landed on the bathroom door which tilted slightly open, and an idea popped into his head.
'She said she can't see anything? Hm...'
☯
Xian cradled herself as she sat inside the large tub, twiddling her toes in a gentle manner. Light trailed in from the window behind, illuminating her dark hair as she swayed left and right, letting the waters hug her bare body. It really was so comfortable, like being swaddled in a big comfy blanket. She could really fall asleep here... It was so warm--
She heard a creak.
Her eyes widened as Gun stepped inside the bathroom, nothing but his sunglasses and a towel on as he made his way towards the elaborate jacuzzi. Xian blinked up at him cautiously.
"C-can I help you?"
"Kid, close your eyes."
"What? Why?"
He frowned at her, annoyed that she wasn't listening, before he lowered a corner of the towel to reveal that he wAS DEFINITELY NOT WEARING ANYTHING UNDERNEATH HOLY SHI--
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
Gun cringed as she screamed bloody murder before he rolled his eyes.
He let the towels fully drop to his feet before he stepped foot inside, and he sunk into the waters that looked so inviting.
'Fuck..' he thought as he sighed in elation, 'It's just right..'
He heard a soft whimper and turned to his side. The first thing he saw was the kid cowering in the corner furthest from him, red as a strawberry.
He rolled his eyes at her.
"Tsk. Grow up, kid..."
Xian took a shaky breath as she tried to stop herself from shaking. She couldn't believe he was actually... He wasn't wearing any... She almost saw his...
She glowed bright red.
Though it took awhile, eventually, she gathered enough courage to remove her hands from her face, revealing her pink-stained cheeks as her arms migrated to cover her chest awkwardly.
'What's he doing? Why's he here? Please, just go away or something... Oh no, what if he sees my birthmark?!'
She heard a loud sigh and dared to take another peek. She watched as Gun leant back and closed his eyes, arms still rested on the sides of the tub as he almost seemed to melt.
"Fuck, I needed this..." he said in a breath that escaped his lips.
Xian winced, shifting back and forth uncomfortably.
'Wanna leave...'
Aside from the trickling of water, the air around them was deathly silent. Xian had absolutely no idea what to do in this kind of situation. All she knew was that she didn't want to see something she wasn't supposed to. She blushed a brighter shade of red, making sure to keep staring her feet and nowhere else.
'I've never seen a single dick in my life,' she thought heatedly, 'That's not gonna change today!'
Gun snuck a glance at her when she wasn't looking. He took note of how she was balled up in discomfort as she kept her gaze fixated to the bottom of the tub, refusing to even look at him.
His frown deepened.
"Are you really that uncomfortable around me, kid?"
Xian flinched. Of course she was uncomfortable. He was the one sITTING NAKED WITH HER IN A BIG TUB OF WATER.
Gun took one look at her expression and sighed. She really didn't like him, did she. Fuck, he couldn't believe it. His own fucking successor favoured Goo over him. He clenched his jaw in annoyance.
Xian caught a glance of his expression and tilted her head to the side. Her eyes trailed over his body curiously, making sure not to veer too low. There were scars all over his chest, two across and two down, with the largest one stretching from his right shoulder down to his stomach. She wondered how he got them. She knew there were even more on his back, not to mention the one across his eyes. It was hidden beneath his sunglasses, and how he saw anything with them on was beyond her. He had tattoos too, wrapped around both his forearms, stopping just below his elbows. She thought they accentuated his muscles, and they were so colourful too.
'Damn his body looks like one of my anime boys,' she thought as she blinked, and all she could imagine right now was how it would feel to crawl into his lap and make out--
Gun did a double-take when he caught her staring.
'What the fuck--'
He whacked the surface of the water so it splashed her.
"Eyes off my dick, kid," he grumbled.
She whined as she was splashed.
'So mean..' she thought.
Gun scowled at her expression before he rolled his eyes, going to turn around. He rested his arms on the edge of the tub, now staring outside the window.
Xian eyed him nervously before she copied, though making sure to put some distance between them. She peered through the window curiously, eyes landing on the lush scenery outside. Fog blanketed what she could only describe as the rolling mountains; stagnant, as if caught in a photograph. The sky was so pale, reminding her that she was really up in the mountains--
"Hey kid."
"Y-yes?"
She turned to look at him, though he hadn't done the same, instead keeping his gaze fixated on the world outside.
"Kid, why'd you say yes?"
She blinked in confusion.
"W-what?"
This time, he turned to her, and she shrunk a little under his gaze.
"Why d'you wanna leave so bad?" he asked because he was genuinely curious, "It's not so bad here."
Her breath hitched in her throat as the question caught her off guard, before she fiddled with the edges of her hair absent-mindedly.
"I don't belong here."
"What makes you say that?"
"I... I just feel like I should be doing more with my life, like I'm meant for more. I don't have a purpose here. No dreams. No goals. No aspirations," she mumbled blankly as a hollow look washed across her eyes, "No friends. No family..."
"I thought you said you had family?"
"I have seven aunts and uncles and not one of them would take me in. I can guarantee you they'd probably ship me off to an orphanage in an instant, and that is the last thing I want. The only thing I share with them is blood and nothing else. I want nothing to do with them."
"They're that bad?"
"Yeah, but their kids are worse. Did I tell you about the time they took a picture of me when I was showering? And then they threatened to show all the uncles in my family," she said with hint of disdain, and her shoulders lowered in defeat, "It's just... I've never felt safe with them. That's not what a family is. That's not what a family should be."
"How d'you know that though, kid?"
"You just, know. You're supposed to feel safe and secure with your family at all times. They're supposed to love you and take care of you and not make drama over money all the time. That's all I want."
"Did you at least have friends?" he deadpanned.
Xian grimaced.
"I... had to act really fake around them. I'm not proud of it, but I'm not sorry for it either. I know they only like me when I tell them what they want to hear," she muttered, "People leave and go all the time. If they don't leave, I leave, or something takes them away, so I guess I stopped seeing the point."
"What about boys, kid? You never had anyone chasing after you?"
She pursed her lips as she thought.
"A few people have liked me," she admitted with a wince, not wanting to sound conceited.
"And?"
She grimaced heavily.
"They only liked me after I changed my appearance."
"How's that even possible?"
She flushed red after realising what she'd said.
"I-I used to look really different, okay?!"
Gun smirked at her.
"Even Alan--"
"Alex."
"Whatever. The fish with hair."
"Ugh... (Why do I even bother...)"
"You tell me, kid. But seriously, don't you like him or some shit?"
Her eyes widened and she bit the insides of her cheeks nervously.
"C-can I be honest with you? We never really... talked."
"Yeah, his vocabulary doesn't seem too big."
"Hey! He gets the second highest grades in my school!"
"Who's first?"
She blinked at him with her mouth ajar.
"It's you, isn't it."
Xian shut her mouth.
"I knew it. You're even smarter than him, kid."
"What does it matter? I like him. That's enough for me."
"What d'you even like about him? I don't see what the big deal is."
She began tracing circles with her finger as a grin spread across her face.
"He listens to me," she mumbled with a soft smile, "Whenever we're in a group setting, he always listens to what I say."
Gun waited for her to say more. When she didn't, his face fell.
"That's it? What the hell, kid. That's the bare fucking minimum."
"Not like anyone's done more," she muttered and she slumped against the tub.
He pulled a face at her.
"You need to raise your standards, kid. You're so above him."
"I do have high standards!"
"Not high enough."
She glared at him moodily.
"Loving a poor man will run you into an early grave. ("But he's not even poor--") Never forget that, kid. One day, it might just save your ass..."
Gun watched as her expression softened and she turned to gaze outside the window, though from her expression, it was obvious her mind was somewhere else. A part of her probably knew she wouldn't be happy with Alan. She didn't seem like the type so easily tied down.
He thought about the kind of life she would have if she ended up with that boy, though it pissed him off, thinking about how all her talent would've been so easily wasted. Judging from his appearance, he couldn't help but think she would have an unhappy life. After all, the bliss of teenage romance only lasted so long. It was better not to waste time on that shit.
He threw a glance at her. Now that she was sitting beside him, he let himself study her close. Her skin was milky white with a rosy blush he suspected never really went away, and from the side, he could her see dark eyes staring pensively out the window, framed beneath long doe-like lashes. Her hair fell past her waist in layers even darker than night, that it surprised him how black her hair was. She was easy on the eye, basically. He could only imagine the number of people she would fool with those eyes and those lips.
He let his eyes trail across her the body, following the arch of her back up to the line of her breast. Her shoulders were smooth and unblemished, as if untouched by the sun, as droplets dotted her chest, glistening whenever she moved so she looked otherworldly. She was of slender frame, that it shocked even him how well she could fight. Not only that, but she also had an advantage over his male candidates. He knew how many perverted bastards there were in this world, and he planned for her to use that to her advantage, though she was far less cunning than ideal. He figured he could train her with time.
Now that he thought about it, she was really different from all his other candidates. He usually just let them do their own thing, but he supposed this one was a bit too young for that.
From what he knew of her so far, he couldn't help but think she was really stereotypical. In that she was exactly what he imagined a high school girl would be like; whiny, annoying and always going on and on about the boys they liked. Still, it was probably his first time talking with a high school girl, that he was growing mildly curious by her. He figured he should know more about her, especially if she was going to work under him.
"Hey kid."
"Yea..?"
"What were your parents like?"
She paused.
"Inconsistent. R-really inconsistent."
"How so?"
"I never know how they'll act that day. Some days they're all smiley. Other days..."
"They hit you?"
"No! Never!"
"Then they're not that bad."
"No! It's just--... They never felt like parents. Sometimes, honestly speaking, they remind me of teenagers. Not even friends, just straight-up teenagers."
Gun frowned at this, thinking it was a weird thing to say, but he let her continue anyways.
"I used to joke that, instead of two adults taking care of a teenager, my family was more like two teens taking care of an infant," she chuckled lamely, "But I never knew how to feel about my parents. Some days, I'm really sure they care about me and love me and just want the best for me, but then they do a 180º and just... change."
A part of Xian didn't want to badmouth her parents, but she was talking anyway because she'd been bottling it up for too long.
"Some days, when I'm really happy for no reason, I feel like they don't want me to be happy. They used to snap at me a lot... But when it's the opposite, they scold me for not being as happy as them, i-if that makes sense..."
Gun didn't know how to tell her it didn't. He had no idea what she was trying to say but he listened anyway because he was curious.
"What was your mom like?"
"Confusing," she mumbled, and her eyes turned cloudy, "I never know how she'll act that day. She's either super giddy and excited, to the point where it's overwhelming, or she's angry for no reason. She's worse than the girls in my school. I remember she used to nag me all the time for not doing any housework."
"You didn't do housework, kid?" Gun snorted, smirking at her haughtily.
"Of course I didn't! I had to go to school and by the time I got home, everything was done. There was nothing for me to do, but I got scolded for it anyways. I got scolded for not doing chores, I got scolded for doing homework, I got scolded for not doing homework. I used to get scolded for not smiling when I came back to school too. She used to tell me, 'You go to this kind of school. What d'you have to be sad about?' I really hate it... She used to call me spoiled all the time. Everything I do was because I'm spoiled..."
Huh. First time he heard a kid getting scolded for doing homework.
"You're not spoiled, kid."
Xian squeezed her eyes shut as she bit her trembling lip.
"What about your dad?"
She grimaced heavily.
"The only times he'd talk to me were to tell me to go entertain my mom, or not make her cry. Every time after my mom scolded me, she would go crying to my dad. He always took her side. It always felt like it was the two of the against me. I didn't have anyone to look up to or anyone to really lean on, so I just did my own thing. They just--... They--... Ugh..."
Xian let out an aggravated sigh as she buried her head in her hands gripping at the edges of her hair with her nails.
"I guess it doesn't matter anymore, does it? They're dead."
"Aren't you sad, kid?"
"What's the point? I can kick and scream and cry all I want, but it won't bring them back. Nothing will bring them back... So what's the point..."
"Right. You're better off focusing on the future, kid. It's a fresh start."
Xian tossed him a side-glance before she peered up at him, and she realised this was the first time she felt really comfortable around Gun. For the past few days, she'd been closer to Goo, always joking around with him but... maybe Gun wasn't so bad. She hadn't expected him to be this good of a listener, and in that moment in time, she felt a little closer to him.
She let out a small sigh as she leaned against his arm and--
THUD!
"OW!"
"What the fuck!? Don't do that, kid!"
Xian let out a whine in frustration.
"You're so mean!" she yelled, gripping her head where he'd elbowed her in surprise.
She puffed out her cheeks at him and he furrowed his brows at her. Again, she reminded him of that animal he couldn't name. Fuck, what was it called again? He couldn't remember its name...--
"Hamster," he thought, and his eyes widened in realisation, finally satisfied that he'd found the name of that mystery animal after so long--
"U-uhh... What?"
'Fuck did I say that out loud?'
He glared at her in annoyance. With a 'tsk', he pulled away from her, going to sit back in his original position. Xian watched this, a little hurt, until her eyes jumped down.
'Woah his abs look really good in this lighting--'
"Oi!" he called, and he snapped his fingers in front of her eyes, "Eyes up here!"
She grinned at him sheepishly, though all he did was glare at her.
"Hey Gun?"
"What?"
"Y-you can take off your sunglasses, y'know? I know what your eyes look like..."
Gun raised an eyebrow at her before he frowned. He didn't feel like telling her he only ever took them off when he was about to beat the absolute hell out of someone.
She didn't press any further after that.
It went quiet between them again..
"What's Korea like?" she blurted out suddenly.
"You'll find out yourself."
"Oh c'mon! Just a bit? Are there tall buildings? Are there cute guys?"
Gun just stared at her for a long time.
"What the fuck, kid. You're coming with me to be my successor, not to eyefuck."
"Can't I just, I dunno... admire them from afar?"
"No."
"Hmph. Relax, kid. You'll be disappointed anyways," he muttered distastefully, "None of the guys are like the K-dramas."
"Why, are you an example?"
She snickered to herself in amusement before she caught his stern expression and she stumbled over her words.
"U-uh-- What am I doing as your successor anyway?"
Gun rolled his eyes at her.
"Train," he said simply, "Your technique's not bad, kid. But your hardware is weak."
"My what?"
Gun frowned, not knowing if he should even explain this to her.
"It's all hardware and software, kid. Your software could be cutting edge, but your hardware is weak. Right now, I'd say it's like glass."
"Glass...?" she mumbled meekly.
"It's easy for others to break. You'll need to build it up if you ever want to take my position."
"Then... what's the software?"
"Can be anything. Boxing, Judo, wrestling..."
"So like martial arts?"
"Pretty much. Do you know any, kid?"
Xian puffed out a cheek as she thought.
"My primary school had a karate class, but I didn't join. My mom thought I was too soft for it."
"Then how d'you know a Brazilian kick?"
Seeing her blank expression, he sighed.
"You used it on the pig." (*The pig = Eugene Wang. Refer to Chapter 6.)
Xian squinted her eyes, trying hard to remember before it finally registered, and she flushed a light shade of pink.
"Oh yeah, I did..."
"Where did you pick that up?"
"I err... s-saw you use it on a tree," she admitted and her cheeks grew even redder, "I thought it looked cool, so I practised it. I-I don't think I did it right..."
'So she doesn't have Johan's ability,' was all Gun could think as he drummed his fingers against the edge of the tub, 'No matter. She's talented enough to work with.'
"It's a bit sloppy, kid," he told her after awhile, "But don't worry. We'll improve it once we get home."
"O-oh... Okay then.. What else am I learning?"
"Whatever I'm teaching you."
She pulled a face at him, annoyed that he wasn't gonna tell her. Gun smirked to himself silently, thinking about how tough she was going to have it back home. He was going to work her ass off training and he knew she was going to absolutely hate it. All his other candidates did.
For a moment, he thought about her style of fighting, wild and tactless, just like an animal. He knew she fought with dogfight, but something about her was different from Eli Jang. No, she didn't know the same tricks as Eli. Then again, he wasn't surprised; Eli had been brought up on the streets where he had other thugs to teach him. This one had survived in a much different place:
The forest.
No doubt nature alone had trained her to be a deadly fighter. She was one of the most brutal dogfighters he'd ever seen. Could he even call it that? It was so much more blunt than typical dogfight, with none of its dirty tricks and twice its ferocity. In fact, a part of him was already fancying it the wolf-fight technique. He wondered if it was too cringey. Still, it suited her. Wild and tactless... It wouldn't surprise him if one day, she could overpower Jang. He already had high hopes for this one. Paired with her appearance, her wolf-fight technique and her training under him, she could very well be his successor.
She was still really weak though. He needed to train her before he could even think about handing over his position to her. It humoured him, thinking about how this little girl might one day rule the mobster world after him. He could already imagine the look on Johan Seong and Jake Kim's faces. Olly Wang would probably throw a hissy fit. All of them would, and he smirked to himself in amusement.
Xian snuck a glance at him, curious as to what he was smiling about.
"Gun?"
"What?"
She held her breath.
"... N-nothing."
He frowned at her.
"If it's nothing then don't fucking say anything, kid--"
They door creaked open.
Gun's eyes trailed in mild interest.
And all they saw was:
| ఠ 0ಠ)
. . .
The three of them blinked back and forth until--
"Wait Goo NO!--"
SPLASH!
:D
And they were completely soaked.
The blonde turned to face her, hair covering his eyes as he grinned at her like an idiot. The moment she faced him, Xian snorted loudly.
He looked like a wet dog.
"So what'cha talking about?"
She flicked away the strands covering his eyes, and he smiled down at her.
"Hey kid ♡"
"Hi Goo~"
She giggled at him before she drooled over the sight of his abs. Between him and Gun, it felt like she was in some sort of anime.
'I must've saved a nation in my past life,' she thought as a dumb grin spread across her face, 'Oh my god I think I'm in heaven right now..'
She couldn't help but swoon while Goo grinned at her hungrily, seeing her lovestruck expression.
Gun's face morphed into disgust.
"What the fuck are you doing here, you bastard?"
The grin slipped off the blonde's face as he glared at him hatefully.
" 'should be asking you that. Why? You wanted a go at her before I could?"
Gun glowered at him in annoyance.
"I thought you weren't coming back tonight."
"Pfft.. I got what I wanted."
"You fucking womanizer."
"Jealous, you virgin ass?"
Gun shot him a deathly glare. The veins on his temples bulged as he glared at the annoying blonde, and he promptly stood up.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
"What the fuck--"
"Kid, stop doing that!"
Her hands flew to cover her eyes as she flushed red. Gun shot her an unimpressed look.
"It's getting cramped here," he muttered, more to himself than anyone before he turned to Goo, "You're not allowed to touch her."
"Or what? What're you gonna do, huh?"
"I'll put you in the fucking hospital again, you dick."
"As if you can land a hit on me. C'mon. Scared, motherfucker?"
He kept his glare steady on his blonde before he turned around and left. He couldn't stand being with him another second or his blood pressure was going to spike. All the while, Goo scowled at his back, silently vowing he was going to break his neck one way or another, but maybe not today. He was just glad he took the hint and scrammed.
Now he could be alone with the kid, just like he wanted.
Speaking of which, his eyes trailed across her body vaguely and his smirk widened. She was blushing now, a pink stain flushed across her cheeks as she covered her chest with her arms. If he looked hard enough, he could see her biting her lip slightly, and his excitement grew tenfolds.
He moved closer towards her, grinning as he did so. Xian's eyes widened to the size of saucers, suddenly very aware of how he was leaning in.
'Wait what's he doing.'
She slid away until her back hit the end of the tub and her breath hitched in her throat. The waters rocked from their movements, brushing against her skin so it swayed her to-and-fro. He continued inching closer and closer until their noses were barely a centimetre apart and he smiled at her lovingly.
He lifted his hand to run his fingers down her arm, sending shivers down her spine. She squirmed, letting out the tiniest whimper as his touch trailed underwater, until he grabbed her hand and placed it near his crotch.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-- U-uh... Huh?"
She groped around his thigh, feeling the stretchy material around his hips. When she looked up at him, he burst out laughing.
"PFFTT! HAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAH! You should've seen your face!"
"You're wearing your swimsuit?!-- Oh thank sweet Jesus!" she yelled at the ceiling before she whacked his arm repeatedly, "Don't do that to me! Goo! You scared the living hell out of me!"
He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Ah... Hey, what about you, kid? You're not wearing anything, are you?!"
Her face flushed red as she squirmed away awkwardly, face was pretty much on fire.
"You have a great body, kid," he crooned, looming over her, "Why don't you lemme see, huh? Just one peek!"
"A-AH!"
WHOOSH!
WHAP!
And a pillow was promptly flung at his face.
"MMPFH?! Hey what's the big idea?!"
He cursed as he struggled to get it off him.
Not a second later, two flashes of white were thrown towards her. She snatched her bikini from the air, slipping it on at the speed of light.
By the time Goo slapped the pillow off his face, she'd just finished tying the strings and it was a miracle it wasn't inside out. She burst out giggling at his annoyed expression.
"Thank you Gun!" she called happily.
"Fucking killjoy," Goo muttered under his breath, "Oi, fucker! Your pillow's all wet! You bastard! Ugh..."
He pouted childishly now that she wasn't naked anymore. Nonetheless, he placed the damp pillow behind his back so he could lean on it cozily. It was already wet anyways. Xian scooted closer to him, way more comfortable around him now that she was clothed.
"Goo~"
"Aww c'mere kid ♡"
She grinned as she snuggled against him. He wrapped his arm around her and strummed at her waist, taking a whiff of her hair.
"You looked nice today, kid," he complimented with a smirk, enjoying the flush that spread across her cheeks, "Had fun?"
"No thanks to you!" she said, trying (failing) to look angry, "I can't believe you ditched me!"
"Aww, sorry kid. Are you mad?"
"Yes! I'm really mad!"
She tried to glare at him, but the smile he wore made it impossible for her to be angry at him, that she pretty much forgave him on the spot. She giggled at him and snuggled closer, and they stayed like that for awhile more. Xian thought about how nice it felt, being with him like this, but after today's incident, she told herself that it was probably best not to like him. Messing around with him like this was way more fun.
She giggled as she leaned against his shoulder.
"Goo ♡"
"Yes kid?" he grinned down at her just as he remembered something, "Hey, y'know one of the girls called you cute today."
"H-huh? T-they did?" Xian mumbled shyly.
"It's true," Goo continued, tapping his chin as he thought, "Was it long-hair or short-hair? Eh, I can't remember."
"... You didn't ask for their names?"
"Nope."
She sighed and shook her head at him.
He snickered at her carelessly. Just then, he spotted the potted plant sitting near them and his face lit up.
"Hey kid! Wanna see a trick?"
"...?"
She tilted her head to the side curiously, watching as he plucked a small waxy leaf from the potted plant. He reached for the shampoo bottle, pumping a tiny amount onto the corner of the leaf.
He grinned at her excitedly.
"Watch this."
He plopped it into the water-filled tub. The moment it hit the water, it shot forward in circles, speeding around like a little speedboat.
Xian's eyes widened in awe. He chuckled at how she had the widest grin on as she watched the mini leaf-boat sail around freely. Her eyes were wide with amazement as it did little loop-the-loops in front of her.
"That's so cool!" she squealed, "Goo, how'd you do that?!"
"I saw it on YouTube," Goo snickered, "Some Buzzfeed video or some shit." (*Not from Buzzfeed.)
(*The leaf-boat is a legitimate trick found on YouTube: By applying liquid soap to the tip of a small waxy leaf, it will sail around like a little boat when placed in water. You can search up 'a soapy leaf boat' on YouTube if you're interested.)
She beamed as it came to a stop.
"I wanna try! I wanna try!"
He chuckled as he handed her a leaf. She added the soap and sure enough, it too began its mini adventure around the bathtub. Her eyes lit up in joy as she dropped in two this time, laughing brightly.
She heard a snap and looked up, seeing Goo with a fistful of leaves and a haughty look.
"Hey kid! Wanna race?!"
"You're on!"
☯
October 29, 7:49 PM:
"What the-- WHY'RE THERE SO MANY LEAVES IN THE TUB?!"
☯ 11 ☯