discretion (or, the art of getting someone's number)
Title: discretion (or, the art of getting someone’s number)
Pairing(s): Hoya/Myungsoo; Hoya/Woohyun (Kinda?); Myungsoo/Sungyeol (I guess?)
Rating: PG-13
Length: 5.9k
Summary: Myungsoo’s the new guy, Howon should pack more spare shirts, and Woohyun and Sungyeol think they’re amazing friends.
Warnings: minor swearing and references to anime tropes; you’ve been warned
NOTE: crossposted from seasonthreee
Prompts:
1. Quote: “Don't fall for me too quickly, you will get hurt.”
2. Image: image
3. Song: MV
When Myungsoo started his job as a pool attendant at a five star hotel, he didn’t think it he’d be so good at it.
Sungyeol constantly warned him (complained) about the entitled guests and ridiculous demands and the fact that he had to literally (not literally) scrub the arrogance he had to deal with off his skin every night before going to bed. “I’m surprised I haven’t been infected by their disease yet,” he would say with a shudder, as if privilege was some sort of deadly airborne virus.
But Myungsoo, and the rest of the pool staff, had learned early on that he actually had a way with the whiners. A single one of his sweet, “apologetic” smiles could easily turn a disgruntled customer into another happy pool go-er ordering a third $17 margarita from the bar.
After being hired for only a week, he even managed to pick up a few nicknames.
“A natural” is what his boss, a jolly, slightly overweight, middle-aged man with a booming voice, calls him with a firm pat on the back, before going on and on about how they should have hired him ages ago. “Their secret weapon” is what his fellow pool attendants call him as they coax him into soothing upset guests’ tempers. And “Annoying” is what Sungyeol calls him as they change out of their uniforms and pack up their bags. (Myungsoo merely shrugs him off and fans himself dramatically with the wad of tips he made that day as they leave the locker room. He knows if he buys Sungyeol a McFlurry on the way home, his roommate will get over it.)
“You know, this job isn’t that bad as you made it seem,” Myungsoo says offhandedly to Sungyeol as they sit in the break room with their lunches. “It’s actually kinda easy.”
“Yeah, easy for you.” Sungyeol frowns. “If I had a dimple like yours, I would be making three hundred in tips everyday, too.”
Myungsoo flashes said dimple as he snags a handful of Goldfish crackers from the plastic bag sitting in front of Sungyeol. Sungyeol wraps his arms around the open bag and leans his body over it protectively as he sends Myungsoo a glare, muttering something along the lines of, “First you steal my tips, now you steal my snacks, you asshole.”
Myungsoo rolls his eyes as he tosses a few of the crackers into his mouth. He tries to reach for more and grapples playfully with Sungyeol when the door to the break room opens. He looks up and freezes (Sungyeol lets out a victorious chuckle and proceeds to stuff the rest of the Goldfish into his mouth) when he sees who walking through the doorway.
Howon, one of the pool’s hot sexy attractive lifeguards, and … some other guy (another lifeguard? Maybe? Probably.) enter the break room with their lunches.
Myungsoo tries not to stare as he watches them (Howon) walk over to the table next to his and Sungyeol’s. But the thing about Myungsoo is that he has a severe case of tunnel vision so he ends up staring anyway, and rather intensely, too.
They’re chatting about something as they take their seats (Howon sits in the plastic chair facing Myungsoo and the latter sends a silent prayer of thanks up to the gods) and the other guy must have said something funny because Howon laughs (Myungsoo sends up another thank you to those watching over him).
Myungsoo’s eyes trace along Howon’s face; down his sharp jawline, across his full lips, and over his button nose. He stops when he reaches Howon’s eyes.
Myungsoo wishes he had some poetic reason for stopping to admire Howon’s eyes. He wishes he could say that there’s something about the way they sparkle or crinkle when he smiles or how they’re so deep and endless he could just fall right into them. But while all of those things are true (in Myungsoo’s opinion, at least), the real reason Myungsoo stopped at Howon’s eyes is because those eyes are looking back into his, at him.
Howon, the not hot-sexy-attractive lifeguard, has caught Myungsoo staring at him and he now probably thinks Myungsoo is creepy or weird or some other off putting adjective that Myungsoo really can’t think of right now because he’s too busy silently panicking in his head. And when Myungsoo panics, he freezes.
So yes, that is why Myungsoo is currently gaping at what looks to him like a slightly confused Howon in the pool’s staff break room.
“What are you staring at?” Sungyeol says, his voice muffled by the wad of slightly chewed fish crackers but still much too loud to be appropriate.
Myungsoo’s eyes snap away from Howon’s and he looks at Sungyeol.
“Nothing.” Myungsoo shakes his head.
Sungyeol’s face splits into a shit-eating grin and a voice in Myungsoo’s head tells him that he’s doomed. “No, you were definitely staring at something.”
“Sungyeol,” Myungsoo mutters, giving him a pleading look.
“Why are your ears turning red?”
Myungsoo frowns as crumbs fall from the corners of the other’s mouth and scatter across the table as Sungyeol continues to speak and eat at the same time.
“It’s nothing,” Myungsoo responds, ignoring Sungyeol’s faux skeptical look in favor of quickly gathering their trash, and stands from his seat. “We need to get back. Our break’s almost over.”
And before Sungyeol can let out another crumb-spewing word, the new pool attendant grabs him by the arm and drags him out of the room.
☼ • ☼ • ☼ • ☼
When Howon heard that they had hired another pool attendant, he didn’t think the new guy would be so cute.
He doesn’t really know much about the guy; just that he started a couple of weeks ago, works the sitting area near the jacuzzi, and has a smile that Howon already has a slightly unhealthy attraction to.
He knows that he’s supposed to be monitoring the swimmers while sitting atop the raised lifeguard chair, but more often than not, Howon finds his eyes wandering across the pool and lingering on the new attendant’s figure as he delivers drinks and towels to wealthy vacationers. (Howon’s thankful for the invention of tinted sunglasses and their dress code for allowing the lifeguards to wear them or else he probably would have been caught gawking on multiple occasions.)
It’s quite alarming, really, how much Howon learns about the new hiree without even formally meeting him. But, Howon being able to figure out when he takes his lunch breaks isn’t that creepy. Right?
“I saw that,” Woohyun says with a smirk that Howon wants to smack off his face.
Howon turns his gaze away from the two boys leaving the break room and casually drops his attention back down to the overpriced, pre-made salad he bought from the hotel’s mini mart.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Woohyun gives him a look and takes a sip of his iced tea. “Uh-huh. Sure. But if you’re going to ignore me and stare at the new guy, try not to make it so obvious. I’m feeling a little offended right now.”
“Sorry,” Howon says with little remorse, knowing Woohyun would have no complaints about repeating the entire plotline of the newest episode of the anime he’s been following for the past month.
“So, you’re into Myungsoo, huh?” Woohyun wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.
‘Myungsoo,’ Howon repeats in his head before mentally filing away the new information about the pool attendant. Dammit. Even his name is cute.
“Where’d you get that idea?” Howon glances over at the other lifeguard, face impassive.
“Howon, even a blind cat could see that you’re smitten for that boy,” Woohyun deadpans.
Howon raises an eyebrow. “‘Smitten?’ Really?”
“It’s my word of the day,” Woohyun says in a way that makes his statement seem like it was simple, common knowledge. “Now, spill.”
Howon heaves a sigh. “Okay, fine. Maybe I might be a little interested in him,” Howon mumbles and stabs a crouton with his fork.
“Awwww!” Woohyun coos.
“But it’s not like I know him or anything, so it doesn’t really matter.”
“You know, if you want my advice, you’re gonna need to ask.”
The edges of Howon’s lips dip in confusion. “When did I --”
“Ugh, okay fine!” Woohyun cuts him off with a dramatic huff. “I’ll help you! Just stop begging, it’s making me feel guilty.”
As Woohyun launches into an in depth analysis of Howon and Myungsoo’s potential compatibility, Howon shakes his head and questions himself once again as to why he is friends with a loon like Woohyun.
~ • ~ • ~ • ~
Sungyeol brings it up for the third time the next day with they’re making their rounds and collecting used towels.
“Seriously, you were staring so hard.”
Myungsoo tosses a slightly damp towel into the cart Sungyeol’s pushing. “No I wasn’t.”
“You totally were. Like, completely, absolutely, without a doubt staring. I wouldn’t be surprised if he reported you to HR.”
“Shut up!” Myungsoo throws another abandoned towel at Sungyeol’s head. (He frowns when he misses.) “He wouldn’t do that … right?”
Myungsoo stares in disbelief as Sungyeol actually muses over the idea. He, thankfully, drops it.
“It’s weird though. I can’t really figure out why you’re so in love with baywatch boy.”
“I just think he’s attractive. That’s all.”
“No way, Soo. I know you and when you’re in this deep, there’s more to it than just physical attraction. I mean, I’m this hot and you don’t even fawn over me.”
“Well that’s because you’re a dick so,” Myungsoo lets his sentence trails with a casual shrug.
“I’m your best friend and therefore, it is my right to know everything you’re thinking. So stop avoiding the subject and fess up. ”
“I don’t want to,” Myungsoo says, stubbornly shaking his head.
“Just tell me.”
“You’re going to think it’s stupid.”
“Well, if you say that, now I have to know.” Sungyeol throws his arms up, exasperated.
Myungsoo doesn’t respond and instead, twists a towel into a tight ball before throwing it into the laundry cart dejectedly.
Sungyeol sighs. “I won’t make fun of you,” he says seriously and Myungsoo gives him an apprehensive look, causing him to add, “For more than a day.”
Myungsoo glances around the pool. It’s somewhat slow right now, with it being a little after noon and most of the guests are indoors for lunch, and the pool is quieter than usual. He releases a long breath and mutters a few words under his breath.
“What?” Sungyeol barks and leans his head closer to Myungsoo’s.
“It’s because he’s good with kids,” Myungsoo repeats slightly louder into the taller’s ear.
Sungyeol blinks. “What?”
Myungsoo chews on the inside of his bottom lip and scratches the back of his head. “Sometimes, towards the end of his shift, he lets little kids sit in the lifeguard chair and plays with them in the kiddie pool and the kids look really happy and he looks really happy so I just think it’s cute, okay?”
Sungyeol stares at Myungsoo for a few seconds, completely silent before gathering the younger up in his arms. Myungsoo stands frozen as Sungyeol secures his face to his chest.
“You’re adorable,” Sungyeol chokes and lets out a fake sob.
Myungsoo scoffs and attempts to push Sungyeol away, but the latter only tightens his grip.
Sungyeol strokes the top of Myungsoo’s head. “You can pretend I’m Howon right now, if you want. I don’t mind.”
“Get off of me,” Myungsoo grumbles.
“I love you, too, Myunggie,” Sungyeol says in what Myungsoo assumes is his impression of Howon. “I love you more than all of the children whom I let sit on my glorified high chair.”
“Screw you.” Myungsoo forces himself out of Sungyeol’s embrace (or, rather, clutches) and throws another damp, used towel at his face. (He smiles when he successfully hits his target.)
☼ • ☼ • ☼ • ☼
“You could go for the cold and mysterious route,” Woohyun says a couple days after Howon’s confession. He’s leaning against one of the legs of Howon’s lifeguard chair as he scrolls through his phone. “You could lure him in, then push him away and say something like, ‘Don’t fall for me too quickly, you will get hurt.’ Then BAM! He’ll love you even more!”
Howon rolls his eyes from behind his sunglasses and continues to somewhat casually watch Myungsoo hand a beaming little girl a tiny paper umbrella for her drink. “Or he’ll think I’m a jerk for playing with his feelings and then hate me.”
“Nah, that would never happen.” Woohyun waves his hand dismissively. “I watch a lot of BL too and the push-and-pull technique always works.”
“BL -- What are you talking about?” Howon asks.
“Boys’ love! Boy on boy action!” Woohyun yells, a bit too loudly considering the pool is generally a family-friendly environment. “Come on, Howon, stay with me!”
Howon shakes his head and settles further into his chair. Three more hours. Just three more hours and he’s free from this loon he, for some reason, calls his friend.
“You’re going to have to emulate a type if you want this relationship to progress,” Woohyun continues, tapping his thumbs against the screen of his phone.
“Why can’t I just ‘emulate’ myself?” Howon says, making air quotes with his fingers.
“Because so far, that’s only gotten you to the status of minor stalking.”
Howon tries to act offended but he knows Woohyun’s statement is kind of true.
“So your options are the ‘strong, silent’ type and the ‘natural’ type. I omitted the ‘cool,’ ‘prince,’ and ‘cutesy’ types because there’s no way you could pull those off. So which one is it going to be?”
Howon sighs. “I don’t have time for this, Woohyun.”
“Which is why you need to hurry up and pick one!” Woohyun cries and actually stomps his foot.
“Fine, fine, fine. I’ll go with the natural one,” Howon says, picking the one that sounds the least embarrassing.
“Great!” Woohyun beams and goes back to tapping away on his phone. “I’ll text you a list of shows that I expect you to watch by tomorrow and the characters you should focus on.”
“For what?”
“Research. Duh. You’re gonna need to see some examples if you’re going to pull this off and not embarrass yourself in front of Myung-Myung.”
Howon doesn't even know why he bothers anymore. “Aren’t you on duty right now?”
“Yeah, I got the kiddie pool today. But it’s fine.” Woohyun shrugs.
Howon furrows his eyebrows and is about to inform Woohyun that no, it’s not fine to leave the kiddie pool unattended, when he spots Myungsoo walking towards them. He goes rigid in his chair.
“Hey Woohyun,” the pool attendant calls and Howon thinks that he’s just been sexually awakened by the timbre of his voice. “Some of the guests are complaining that there isn’t a lifeguard by the kiddie pool.”
Was Myungsoo’s voice always that low?
“Oh my god, the water’s like a foot deep,” Woohyun whines under his breath. “It’s not like they’re going to drown or anything.”
As Woohyun drags his feet back over to his station, an awkward silence hangs in the air. Howon begs for it to end.
“Hey,” Myungsoo chirps. (And no, Howon most definitely does not jump a little at the sound of his voice.)
Howon turns his head stiffly towards him and almost dies when he sees Myungsoo giving him a grin. “Uh, hey.”
The silence returns.
Myungsoo rocks back and forth on his heels, pouting his lips and glancing around the pool before saying, “Umm, well, I better get back to work.”
“Uh, yeah.” Howon responds so eloquently.
“Well, I’ll see you around.” Myungsoo gives him a small wave.
Howon vaguely nods his head as he watches Myungsoo walk away. He sinks into his chair and wonders which one of the hotel’s five pools would be the best to drown himself in.
As he ponders over the mechanics of death by water while being a lifeguard, Howon’s phone vibrates in his pocket. He pulls it out and finds a new text message alert on the screen.
From: NWH
Are you sure you want to go for the ‘natural’ type? Because there was nothing natural about that.
Howon sinks further into his chair. Maybe drowning in the jacuzzi would be better, Howon broods, because at least the hot water will sterilize his body of all embarrassment when he goes.
~ • ~ • ~ • ~
It’s a few days after what Myungsoo dubs as “The Awkward Highchair Experience.” After a few more encounters (for lack of a better word) with Howon, Myungsoo finds his face planted on the poolside bar’s counter during his break.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Sungyeol tells him as he hands an order slip over to Dongwoo, who reads it over before bustling around and gathering the needed ingredients.
Myungsoo lifts his head and frowns up at his roommate. “I’m so awkward.”
“Well, it could’ve be worse,” Sungyeol says in a somewhat lightened, but mostly amused tone. “I mean, you could have been carrying a tray of strawberry daiquiris.”
Myungsoo still grimaces, recalling the incident that happened only a few hours ago that included Myungsoo, Howon, and a tray full of wasted mojitos that are coming out of his paycheck. He drops his head back down on the bar counter and buries his face in his arms with a groan.
“Howon?” Sunggyu asks as he wipes his hands on a towel and stares at the angsty pool attendant from behind the counter.
“How did you know?” Myungsoo asks, taking a peek at the bartender from the crook of his elbow.
Sunggyu just shrugs and tosses the towel over his shoulder as he walks to the other end of the bar to serve a few waiting guests.
“Why don’t you just talk to him?” Dongwoo asks as he shakes a cocktail shaker while shimmying his shoulders to the cheesy Caribbean music playing through the bar’s speaker system.
“I did,” Myungsoo mumbles and watches Dongwoo pour the bright green liquid from the shaker into a frosted glass.
“No he didn’t.” Sungyeol says as he places the drink onto a serving tray.
“I’ve tried.”
“Debatably.”
Sungyeol gives Myungsoo a pat on the head before whisking the tray away.
“Are you guys talking about Howon?” Sungjong asks casually as he steps in behind the bar, carrying a large container of ice in each hand.
Myungsoo huffs and rests his cheeks in his palm with a pout. “Why can’t we just skip to the part where we make out in the locker room already?”
“Good god, at least get to know him first,” Sungjong says, aghast.
“But it’s taking too long,” Myungsoo whines. “This is so annoying.”
“Do you want a bloody mary?” Dongwoo asks cheerfully.
Sungjong furrows his eyebrows. “What good would that do him?”
“Don’t people say that it cure heartaches?” Dongwoo asks, genuinely confused.
Sungjong rolls his eyes and dumps the ice into the ice chest behind the counter. “They cure hangovers and headaches, not heartaches.”
“Ohhhhh,” Dongwoo nods and giggles at his mistake.
☼ • ☼ • ☼ • ☼
Howon is glad that he has an extra t-shirt in his locker. He examines his alcohol soaked shirt, still internally debating whether or not he’s happy about the whole mojito fiasco. On one hand, it resulted in literal contact with Myungsoo and he’d be lying if he said that Myungsoo wasn’t adorable fussing around and trying to wipe him down with the first towel he could get his hands on. But on the other hand, he now actually has to do the laundry he’s been putting off for the past couple of weeks.
He shrugs and stuffs the soiled shirt into his dufflebag.
“So did you watch those episodes I sent you?” Woohyun asks, leaning against the lockers opposite of Howon’s.
“No,” Howon answers, not even giving Woohyun a glance.
“Howon!” Woohyun cries.
“Woohyun!” he responds in a mocking tone.
“Why didn’t you watch them?” Woohyun frowns.
“Because they’re not going to help me. Life is not an anime.” Howon holds up a hand when Woohyun opens his mouth. “And it doesn’t matter what you say. It’s not.”
Woohyun pouts. “Fine. But you’re at least going to have to practice.”
Howon raises an eyebrow at him. “What?”
“Pretend I’m Myungsoo and practice talking to me.”
“Woohyun, I don’t have time for this,” Howon says as he checks his phone for the time. He frowns when he realizes at this rate, he’s going to miss the beginning of ten minutes of his show.
“You asked for my advice, didn’t you?” Woohyun asks as he pushes himself off of the lockers to stand directly in front of Howon.
“No. I actually didn’t.”
Woohyun rolls his eyes. “Just do it.”
“This is ridiculous,” Howon mumbles.
Woohyun just crosses his arms over his chest and stares at Howon expectantly. Howon relents and stuffs his hands in his pockets.
“Uh, hey,” Howon says.
A good twenty seconds tick by with Woohyun just staring blankly at Howon.
“Well, say something,” Howon demands.
Woohyun gasps and his face contorts into an appalled expression. “You would talk like that to Myungsoo?!”
“What? No!”
“Then why did you use that tone with me?”
“Because you weren’t saying anything!” Howon shouts with frustration.
“That’s because you weren’t giving me enough!” Woohyun pokes him in the chest to drive his point (whatever that point may be) further.
“Enough of what?”
“Enough of, you know!” Woohyun motions between them dramatically. “I’m not feeling your love!”
At this point, Howon’s literally two seconds away from pulling his hair out. “What am I supposed to do? This?”
Howon grabs Woohyun by the shoulders and shoves him up against the lockers, placing his hands on the sides of the other’s head. They look like they’re in some sort of cheesy romance drama and Howon and Woohyun are the leads.
Howon is so focused on not strangling Woohyun he fails to hear someone (or, rather, a cute, semi-newly hired pool attendant) open the locker room door and quickly shut it soon after.
A smirk spreads across Woohyun’s face as he nods his head in approval. “Yeah, I’m definitely feeling your love now.”
Woohyun proceeds to pucker his lips and strain his neck so his face is closer to Howon’s.
“Gross.” Howon scowls and pushes Woohyun away.
But the thing about Howon is he’s much stronger than he thinks he is. Coupled with his terrible depth perception, he accidentally forces Woohyun’s head into the lockers behind him.
“Ow!” Woohyun cries, clutching the back of his head with his hands.
“Oh, sorry,” Howon apologizes in a flat tone with very little sincerity and drops his arms back to his sides.
“It’s fine.” Woohyun says with a grimace. “We can work on your violent tendencies later.”
~ • ~ • ~ • ~
“You want to trade sections today?” Sungyeol asks Myungsoo the next day while the latter is wiping down some lounge chairs. “I got the tables near the waterslide,” he adds with a knowing smile.
Myungsoo looks over towards the cluster of umbrella-shaded tables and the lifeguard sitting in the chair next to them. He shakes his head. “No, it’s okay.”
Sungyeol glances at him. “I think you should trade with me.”
Myungsoo plasters a smile on his face. “No, you take it. The waterslide tables always get better tips. I’m fine with my section.”
“I’m giving you the opportunity to be in a ten foot radius of Howon for six hours,” Sungyeol says with a confused frown. “What’s wrong with you? Why won’t you let me be a good friend?”
Myungsoo sighs. There’s no point in trying to lie to Sungyeol, he knows him too well. “I think he has a thing with Woohyun.”
“Not possible,” the taller retorts immediately.
“I saw them,” Myungsoo insists.
Sungyeol shakes his head. “You must have seen wrong.”
Myungsoo tries not to stare when he sees Howon run a hand through his hair out of the corner of his eye.
“I know what I saw and there is definitely something going on between them. But it’s okay,” Myungsoo adds with a shrug and turns back to wiping down the plastic lounge chairs. “We don’t really know each other anyway.”
☼ • ☼ • ☼ • ☼
“Okay,” Woohyun clasps his hands together, “it’s been a few days since we started practicing and even though you’re surprisingly good at the ‘prince’ type --”
“Uh, thanks,” Howon interjects, not really knowing if that was meant to be a compliment or an insult.
Woohyun continues regardless, “-- I still think you should stick to the classic ‘tsundere’’ type.”
“I don’t know what that means,” Howon states.
Woohyun sighs, mildly condescendingly, “The ‘cold on the outside, yet warming and caring on the inside’ type, silly Howon.”
“Ohh.” Howon nods his head as if he’s actually committing the information to memory.
“So although your vocab could use some brushing up on, I think it’s time.”
“Time for what?”
“To get that boy’s number and make him yours!” Woohyun exclaims, thrusting his fist up into the air.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Howon says as he climbs down from the lifeguard’s chair, as if Woohyun’s plans and “advice” weren’t bad ideas to begin with.
“Why? I think you’re ready.”
“But, he hasn’t even looked at me recently,” Howon mumbles, recalling the times he’s noticed Myungsoo actively keeping a physical distance between the two of them, as if Howon was carrying the next strain of the plague. “It’s like he’s actually avoiding me.”
“So go talk to him and stop him from avoiding you,” Woohyun states simply.
“I can’t just go up to him and start talking to him!” Howon cries with anguish. “That’s weird….”
“Well, you gotta start somewhere, so go!” Woohyun gives him a small push him towards area where Myungsoo is working.
But thing about Woohyun is that he’s also much stronger than he thinks (maybe it’s a lifeguard thing?) and Howon is also incredibly uncoordinated when not prepared. So Woohyun’s little push actually ends up being a big shove that results in Howon losing his balance and falling into the deep end of the pool. There are a few screams and gasps from bystanders who just so happen to be looking at the right time.
“Oops.” Woohyun chuckles nervously when Howon’s head breaks the surface. “Well, this is karma for shoving my head into the lockers.”
~ • ~ • ~ • ~
Myungsoo is washing mint chocolate chip ice cream off his hands in the bathroom (he still feels bad for the boy who dropped his cone on the ground literally three seconds after his dad bought it for him) when someone else walks in.
“Can you please just bring it for me? …. Any one, I really don’t care …. Woohyun, that dumbass, shoved me into the --”
A thick silence hangs in the air when a soaking wet Howon rounds the corner and his eyes lock with Myungsoo’s.
“I’ll tell you about it later,” the lifeguard says quickly into the phone pressed against his ear. “Just bring the one on the top of the pile. Thanks.”
Myungsoo is the first to look away. He directs all of his attention to turning off the running faucet and inspecting his hands for any sticky remnants of ice cream.
“Hey,” Howon says as he pulls a few paper towels out of the dispenser and places his phone down on counter.
“Hi,” Myungsoo replies and flinches when his voice cracks a little.
“How are you?”
“Good,” Myungsoo replies slowly. “You?”
Howon laughs and Myungsoo thinks he must be dead because he’s hearing angels singing in the distance.
“I could be better. Woohyun accidentally pushed me into the pool, though I’m not entirely sure if it really was on accident.”
Myungsoo bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from giggling nervously like a lovestruck, pre-teen girl. “Do you want me to get you a towel? I can go and grab one from the storage room.”
Howon shakes his head and flashes him a stupidly perfect smile. “It’s okay. I just need to dry out my hair and wait for my roommate to bring me dry clothes.”
Myungsoo stands there, fiddling with his fingers and cleaning out nonexistent chocolate chip chunks from under his nails as Howon (stupidly perfect but practically taken, Howon) dries his locks with a few paper towels, the lifeguard’s thin shirt clinging to his chest.
“You should, um, probably wash out your shirt, too,” Myungsoo finds himself saying (even though he has no idea why, like what the hell Myungsoo??). “The color might get ruined from the chlorine.”
Howon glances down at his shirt and nods. “Good call.”
As if it was the most natural thing to do, Howon peels off his shirt without a second thought. When he flips his bangs out of his face, Myungsoo pretty sure sparkles just flew off the strands of his hair instead of dingy pool water. Myungsoo’s eyes dart around the bathroom as Howon rinses his shirt in the sink.
Myungsoo hears Howon turn off the faucet and he really hopes he’s putting his shirt back on because he doesn't think he can pretend the floor’s tile pattern is interesting for much longer.
“Here,” Howon says suddenly.
Myungsoo jumps and whips his head to the side. He doesn’t know what he expected to see, but he definitely wasn’t expecting to see Howon holding out his phone out to him.
“I know it’s kinda random,” Howon continues as Myungsoo really tries his best not to stare at his abs. “But you can put your number in it … if you want to.”
“Why?” Myungsoo asks dumbly.
Howon ducks his head and avoids Myungsoo’s gaze. “Because I kind of like you? And I kind of want to take you out? Sometime? Maybe?”
Wait what.
A thousand questions fly through Myungsoo’s head.
What’s going on? Why is he asking for his number? Does Howon really like him? Why would Howon like him? Howon wants to take him out? Where would they go? But what about the locker room? And Woohyun? Was Howon just using Woohyun? Or is Howon just using him to make Woohyun jealous? Is Howon just using everyone? Or is he cheating on Woohyun? No, Howon’s not a cheater, right? Maybe he just ended it with Woohyun? But if that was only a few days ago, isn’t it a little soon to move on? How could he do that to Woohyun? And why would he choose to hit on Myungsoo next? Seriously, what’s going on?
“God, this is so embarrassing,” Howon mumbles as he runs his hand through his hair. It sticks up at little because it’s still damp and Myungsoo hates himself for thinking that Howon (heartbreaker, but basically perfect Howon) still looks so illegally attractive. “But I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now but I never really got the --”
Myungsoo narrows his eyes, a surge of sudden anger and adreneline rushing through him, and grabs the phone out of Howon’s hand. Before Myungsoo can stop himself to think rationally about the situation, he turns on the faucet of the sink in front of him and throws the phone into the basin.
“What are you doing?!” Howon dives for the phone and pulls it away from the running water.
Howon presses the home button a few times and when the screen doesn’t respond, he stares up at Myungsoo with wide eyes.
“That’s for Woohyun,” Myungsoo says, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring daggers at the lifeguard.
“Woohyun?” Howon asks, confused.
Myungsoo huffs and mutters under his breath, “No wonder he pushed you into the pool. After what happened in the locker room....”
Howon blinks at him, still obviously confused, before realization flickers across his face. His shoulders droop a little as he rubs the back of his neck. “You heard about that?”
Myungsoo nods.
“From who?”
“Woohyun. He told me himself,” Myungsoo lies smoothly and mentally pats himself on the back for being able to keep his voice so steady. He was never a good liar.
“Oh,” Howon frowns. “I mean, I didn’t think it was that bad. I thought he was over it already.”
“You don’t just do something like that and expect everything to be okay,” Myungsoo mumbles, thinking about how heartbroken he would be if he was just tossed to the side like Woohyun is right now.
“Oh, god, I told him I was sorry and that I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Howon says with an edge of annoyance.
Myungsoo gapes. He didn’t know Howon was so heartless. “He must be so hurt right now!”
“It was his fault for trying to attack my face with his gross mouth! It was only natural that I pushed his head away.” Howon shudders slightly. “But the locker doors are made out of cheap plastic and he has a thick skull so it couldn’t have hurt his head that bad.”
Myungsoo pauses and looks at Howon. “Wait, what are you talking about?”
Howon looks at him as well. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you and Woohyun have like a ‘thing’ …. or something?”
“No.” Howon shakes his head. “Not at all.”
“But a few days ago, I saw you two in the locker room about to …” Myungsoo bites his lips and stares at the wall behind Howon’s head.
Howon’s eyes widen ridiculously large and his mouth twists with disgust. “Oh! No! God no! That was just Woohyun making me practice.”
“Practice for what?”
“For, um,” Howon clears his throat awkwardly, “how I was going to ask you out.”
Oh. Well then.
“You were going to shove me against a locker?” Myungsoo asks, trying to fight down a smile.
“No that was just to get him to shut up and leave me alone since apparently, a lot of guys in BL anime do that.” Howon shrugs.
“BL?” Myungsoo tilts his head to the side.
“It stands for boys’ -- you know what, it doesn’t matter.” Howon shakes his head.
“So, there’s nothing going on between you and Woohyun?” Myungsoo asks tentatively.
“There is nothing go on between me and Woohyun,” Howon says, slow and clear.
“Got it.” Myungsoo nods his head.
They lull into another silence, Myungsoo suddenly aware that Howon still alarmingly half naked and wet and he has zero reason to still be in the bathroom. He tries to ignore the desire to curl up into a ball from embarrassment.
“Sorry about your phone.” Myungsoo scratches the back of his head. “I can buy you another one.”
“It’s fine.” Howon shakes his head. “It’s not even my phone.”
“Oh, who’s is it?” Myungsoo asks.
Howon smirks and says, “Woohyun’s.”
☆ ☆ ☆ omake ☆ ☆ ☆
“Maybe you’re my love!” Woohyun sings to himself as he enters the bathroom after his shift.
He dances over to one of the sinks and points at his reflection. “Kiss, kiss fall in love!”
He gives himself a wink and chuckles a little.
But the cheery expression on his face quickly fades when he glances down to turn on the faucet and finds a soggy version of his phone sitting in the sink. A note written on a sheet of hotel stationary lays on the counter.
The note reads: According to Myungsoo, I am apparently the ‘little devil’ type. Whatever that means. - Howon
P.S. Myungsoo says he’s sorry.
Woohyun’s jaw drops as he stares at the note.
“’Little devil’ type. How could I have missed that?!”
A/N: I just wanted to take this time to thank a few people who have helped me throughout writing this fic. First, to the wonder mods. They were so understanding and accommodating, especially when I asked for extensions on the night of check-ins ^ ^;; I would also like to thank them for organizing this exchange. I had a lot of fun and the whole concept was an amazing idea! Second, I would like to thank A for being my beta and encouraging me to get this thing done and giving me great ideas and feedback. You da best girl! *insert our new thumbs up wink wink reaction pic* Third, I would like to thank the prompters for giving me such amazing prompts. I really wish I could have pulled off an angsty, internal conflict-esuque fic because these prompts together just called for it. (And I really did try. Multiple times.) But this is what I came up with and I hope you were able to find your prompts somewhere in this mess. And lastly (because this author’s note is getting too damn long), I would like to thank all of you for reading! I always have fun writing Infinite and I don’t really know how this one turned out, but if you’re still here reading this then that counts for something, right? Regardless, thank you again and hope you have a wonderful day!!!
Pairing(s): Hoya/Myungsoo; Hoya/Woohyun (Kinda?); Myungsoo/Sungyeol (I guess?)
Rating: PG-13
Length: 5.9k
Summary: Myungsoo’s the new guy, Howon should pack more spare shirts, and Woohyun and Sungyeol think they’re amazing friends.
Warnings: minor swearing and references to anime tropes; you’ve been warned
NOTE: crossposted from seasonthreee
Prompts:
1. Quote: “Don't fall for me too quickly, you will get hurt.”
2. Image: image
3. Song: MV
When Myungsoo started his job as a pool attendant at a five star hotel, he didn’t think it he’d be so good at it.
Sungyeol constantly warned him (complained) about the entitled guests and ridiculous demands and the fact that he had to literally (not literally) scrub the arrogance he had to deal with off his skin every night before going to bed. “I’m surprised I haven’t been infected by their disease yet,” he would say with a shudder, as if privilege was some sort of deadly airborne virus.
But Myungsoo, and the rest of the pool staff, had learned early on that he actually had a way with the whiners. A single one of his sweet, “apologetic” smiles could easily turn a disgruntled customer into another happy pool go-er ordering a third $17 margarita from the bar.
After being hired for only a week, he even managed to pick up a few nicknames.
“A natural” is what his boss, a jolly, slightly overweight, middle-aged man with a booming voice, calls him with a firm pat on the back, before going on and on about how they should have hired him ages ago. “Their secret weapon” is what his fellow pool attendants call him as they coax him into soothing upset guests’ tempers. And “Annoying” is what Sungyeol calls him as they change out of their uniforms and pack up their bags. (Myungsoo merely shrugs him off and fans himself dramatically with the wad of tips he made that day as they leave the locker room. He knows if he buys Sungyeol a McFlurry on the way home, his roommate will get over it.)
“You know, this job isn’t that bad as you made it seem,” Myungsoo says offhandedly to Sungyeol as they sit in the break room with their lunches. “It’s actually kinda easy.”
“Yeah, easy for you.” Sungyeol frowns. “If I had a dimple like yours, I would be making three hundred in tips everyday, too.”
Myungsoo flashes said dimple as he snags a handful of Goldfish crackers from the plastic bag sitting in front of Sungyeol. Sungyeol wraps his arms around the open bag and leans his body over it protectively as he sends Myungsoo a glare, muttering something along the lines of, “First you steal my tips, now you steal my snacks, you asshole.”
Myungsoo rolls his eyes as he tosses a few of the crackers into his mouth. He tries to reach for more and grapples playfully with Sungyeol when the door to the break room opens. He looks up and freezes (Sungyeol lets out a victorious chuckle and proceeds to stuff the rest of the Goldfish into his mouth) when he sees who walking through the doorway.
Howon, one of the pool’s hot sexy attractive lifeguards, and … some other guy (another lifeguard? Maybe? Probably.) enter the break room with their lunches.
Myungsoo tries not to stare as he watches them (Howon) walk over to the table next to his and Sungyeol’s. But the thing about Myungsoo is that he has a severe case of tunnel vision so he ends up staring anyway, and rather intensely, too.
They’re chatting about something as they take their seats (Howon sits in the plastic chair facing Myungsoo and the latter sends a silent prayer of thanks up to the gods) and the other guy must have said something funny because Howon laughs (Myungsoo sends up another thank you to those watching over him).
Myungsoo’s eyes trace along Howon’s face; down his sharp jawline, across his full lips, and over his button nose. He stops when he reaches Howon’s eyes.
Myungsoo wishes he had some poetic reason for stopping to admire Howon’s eyes. He wishes he could say that there’s something about the way they sparkle or crinkle when he smiles or how they’re so deep and endless he could just fall right into them. But while all of those things are true (in Myungsoo’s opinion, at least), the real reason Myungsoo stopped at Howon’s eyes is because those eyes are looking back into his, at him.
Howon, the not hot-sexy-attractive lifeguard, has caught Myungsoo staring at him and he now probably thinks Myungsoo is creepy or weird or some other off putting adjective that Myungsoo really can’t think of right now because he’s too busy silently panicking in his head. And when Myungsoo panics, he freezes.
So yes, that is why Myungsoo is currently gaping at what looks to him like a slightly confused Howon in the pool’s staff break room.
“What are you staring at?” Sungyeol says, his voice muffled by the wad of slightly chewed fish crackers but still much too loud to be appropriate.
Myungsoo’s eyes snap away from Howon’s and he looks at Sungyeol.
“Nothing.” Myungsoo shakes his head.
Sungyeol’s face splits into a shit-eating grin and a voice in Myungsoo’s head tells him that he’s doomed. “No, you were definitely staring at something.”
“Sungyeol,” Myungsoo mutters, giving him a pleading look.
“Why are your ears turning red?”
Myungsoo frowns as crumbs fall from the corners of the other’s mouth and scatter across the table as Sungyeol continues to speak and eat at the same time.
“It’s nothing,” Myungsoo responds, ignoring Sungyeol’s faux skeptical look in favor of quickly gathering their trash, and stands from his seat. “We need to get back. Our break’s almost over.”
And before Sungyeol can let out another crumb-spewing word, the new pool attendant grabs him by the arm and drags him out of the room.
☼ • ☼ • ☼ • ☼
When Howon heard that they had hired another pool attendant, he didn’t think the new guy would be so cute.
He doesn’t really know much about the guy; just that he started a couple of weeks ago, works the sitting area near the jacuzzi, and has a smile that Howon already has a slightly unhealthy attraction to.
He knows that he’s supposed to be monitoring the swimmers while sitting atop the raised lifeguard chair, but more often than not, Howon finds his eyes wandering across the pool and lingering on the new attendant’s figure as he delivers drinks and towels to wealthy vacationers. (Howon’s thankful for the invention of tinted sunglasses and their dress code for allowing the lifeguards to wear them or else he probably would have been caught gawking on multiple occasions.)
It’s quite alarming, really, how much Howon learns about the new hiree without even formally meeting him. But, Howon being able to figure out when he takes his lunch breaks isn’t that creepy. Right?
“I saw that,” Woohyun says with a smirk that Howon wants to smack off his face.
Howon turns his gaze away from the two boys leaving the break room and casually drops his attention back down to the overpriced, pre-made salad he bought from the hotel’s mini mart.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Woohyun gives him a look and takes a sip of his iced tea. “Uh-huh. Sure. But if you’re going to ignore me and stare at the new guy, try not to make it so obvious. I’m feeling a little offended right now.”
“Sorry,” Howon says with little remorse, knowing Woohyun would have no complaints about repeating the entire plotline of the newest episode of the anime he’s been following for the past month.
“So, you’re into Myungsoo, huh?” Woohyun wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.
‘Myungsoo,’ Howon repeats in his head before mentally filing away the new information about the pool attendant. Dammit. Even his name is cute.
“Where’d you get that idea?” Howon glances over at the other lifeguard, face impassive.
“Howon, even a blind cat could see that you’re smitten for that boy,” Woohyun deadpans.
Howon raises an eyebrow. “‘Smitten?’ Really?”
“It’s my word of the day,” Woohyun says in a way that makes his statement seem like it was simple, common knowledge. “Now, spill.”
Howon heaves a sigh. “Okay, fine. Maybe I might be a little interested in him,” Howon mumbles and stabs a crouton with his fork.
“Awwww!” Woohyun coos.
“But it’s not like I know him or anything, so it doesn’t really matter.”
“You know, if you want my advice, you’re gonna need to ask.”
The edges of Howon’s lips dip in confusion. “When did I --”
“Ugh, okay fine!” Woohyun cuts him off with a dramatic huff. “I’ll help you! Just stop begging, it’s making me feel guilty.”
As Woohyun launches into an in depth analysis of Howon and Myungsoo’s potential compatibility, Howon shakes his head and questions himself once again as to why he is friends with a loon like Woohyun.
~ • ~ • ~ • ~
Sungyeol brings it up for the third time the next day with they’re making their rounds and collecting used towels.
“Seriously, you were staring so hard.”
Myungsoo tosses a slightly damp towel into the cart Sungyeol’s pushing. “No I wasn’t.”
“You totally were. Like, completely, absolutely, without a doubt staring. I wouldn’t be surprised if he reported you to HR.”
“Shut up!” Myungsoo throws another abandoned towel at Sungyeol’s head. (He frowns when he misses.) “He wouldn’t do that … right?”
Myungsoo stares in disbelief as Sungyeol actually muses over the idea. He, thankfully, drops it.
“It’s weird though. I can’t really figure out why you’re so in love with baywatch boy.”
“I just think he’s attractive. That’s all.”
“No way, Soo. I know you and when you’re in this deep, there’s more to it than just physical attraction. I mean, I’m this hot and you don’t even fawn over me.”
“Well that’s because you’re a dick so,” Myungsoo lets his sentence trails with a casual shrug.
“I’m your best friend and therefore, it is my right to know everything you’re thinking. So stop avoiding the subject and fess up. ”
“I don’t want to,” Myungsoo says, stubbornly shaking his head.
“Just tell me.”
“You’re going to think it’s stupid.”
“Well, if you say that, now I have to know.” Sungyeol throws his arms up, exasperated.
Myungsoo doesn’t respond and instead, twists a towel into a tight ball before throwing it into the laundry cart dejectedly.
Sungyeol sighs. “I won’t make fun of you,” he says seriously and Myungsoo gives him an apprehensive look, causing him to add, “For more than a day.”
Myungsoo glances around the pool. It’s somewhat slow right now, with it being a little after noon and most of the guests are indoors for lunch, and the pool is quieter than usual. He releases a long breath and mutters a few words under his breath.
“What?” Sungyeol barks and leans his head closer to Myungsoo’s.
“It’s because he’s good with kids,” Myungsoo repeats slightly louder into the taller’s ear.
Sungyeol blinks. “What?”
Myungsoo chews on the inside of his bottom lip and scratches the back of his head. “Sometimes, towards the end of his shift, he lets little kids sit in the lifeguard chair and plays with them in the kiddie pool and the kids look really happy and he looks really happy so I just think it’s cute, okay?”
Sungyeol stares at Myungsoo for a few seconds, completely silent before gathering the younger up in his arms. Myungsoo stands frozen as Sungyeol secures his face to his chest.
“You’re adorable,” Sungyeol chokes and lets out a fake sob.
Myungsoo scoffs and attempts to push Sungyeol away, but the latter only tightens his grip.
Sungyeol strokes the top of Myungsoo’s head. “You can pretend I’m Howon right now, if you want. I don’t mind.”
“Get off of me,” Myungsoo grumbles.
“I love you, too, Myunggie,” Sungyeol says in what Myungsoo assumes is his impression of Howon. “I love you more than all of the children whom I let sit on my glorified high chair.”
“Screw you.” Myungsoo forces himself out of Sungyeol’s embrace (or, rather, clutches) and throws another damp, used towel at his face. (He smiles when he successfully hits his target.)
☼ • ☼ • ☼ • ☼
“You could go for the cold and mysterious route,” Woohyun says a couple days after Howon’s confession. He’s leaning against one of the legs of Howon’s lifeguard chair as he scrolls through his phone. “You could lure him in, then push him away and say something like, ‘Don’t fall for me too quickly, you will get hurt.’ Then BAM! He’ll love you even more!”
Howon rolls his eyes from behind his sunglasses and continues to somewhat casually watch Myungsoo hand a beaming little girl a tiny paper umbrella for her drink. “Or he’ll think I’m a jerk for playing with his feelings and then hate me.”
“Nah, that would never happen.” Woohyun waves his hand dismissively. “I watch a lot of BL too and the push-and-pull technique always works.”
“BL -- What are you talking about?” Howon asks.
“Boys’ love! Boy on boy action!” Woohyun yells, a bit too loudly considering the pool is generally a family-friendly environment. “Come on, Howon, stay with me!”
Howon shakes his head and settles further into his chair. Three more hours. Just three more hours and he’s free from this loon he, for some reason, calls his friend.
“You’re going to have to emulate a type if you want this relationship to progress,” Woohyun continues, tapping his thumbs against the screen of his phone.
“Why can’t I just ‘emulate’ myself?” Howon says, making air quotes with his fingers.
“Because so far, that’s only gotten you to the status of minor stalking.”
Howon tries to act offended but he knows Woohyun’s statement is kind of true.
“So your options are the ‘strong, silent’ type and the ‘natural’ type. I omitted the ‘cool,’ ‘prince,’ and ‘cutesy’ types because there’s no way you could pull those off. So which one is it going to be?”
Howon sighs. “I don’t have time for this, Woohyun.”
“Which is why you need to hurry up and pick one!” Woohyun cries and actually stomps his foot.
“Fine, fine, fine. I’ll go with the natural one,” Howon says, picking the one that sounds the least embarrassing.
“Great!” Woohyun beams and goes back to tapping away on his phone. “I’ll text you a list of shows that I expect you to watch by tomorrow and the characters you should focus on.”
“For what?”
“Research. Duh. You’re gonna need to see some examples if you’re going to pull this off and not embarrass yourself in front of Myung-Myung.”
Howon doesn't even know why he bothers anymore. “Aren’t you on duty right now?”
“Yeah, I got the kiddie pool today. But it’s fine.” Woohyun shrugs.
Howon furrows his eyebrows and is about to inform Woohyun that no, it’s not fine to leave the kiddie pool unattended, when he spots Myungsoo walking towards them. He goes rigid in his chair.
“Hey Woohyun,” the pool attendant calls and Howon thinks that he’s just been sexually awakened by the timbre of his voice. “Some of the guests are complaining that there isn’t a lifeguard by the kiddie pool.”
Was Myungsoo’s voice always that low?
“Oh my god, the water’s like a foot deep,” Woohyun whines under his breath. “It’s not like they’re going to drown or anything.”
As Woohyun drags his feet back over to his station, an awkward silence hangs in the air. Howon begs for it to end.
“Hey,” Myungsoo chirps. (And no, Howon most definitely does not jump a little at the sound of his voice.)
Howon turns his head stiffly towards him and almost dies when he sees Myungsoo giving him a grin. “Uh, hey.”
The silence returns.
Myungsoo rocks back and forth on his heels, pouting his lips and glancing around the pool before saying, “Umm, well, I better get back to work.”
“Uh, yeah.” Howon responds so eloquently.
“Well, I’ll see you around.” Myungsoo gives him a small wave.
Howon vaguely nods his head as he watches Myungsoo walk away. He sinks into his chair and wonders which one of the hotel’s five pools would be the best to drown himself in.
As he ponders over the mechanics of death by water while being a lifeguard, Howon’s phone vibrates in his pocket. He pulls it out and finds a new text message alert on the screen.
From: NWH
Are you sure you want to go for the ‘natural’ type? Because there was nothing natural about that.
Howon sinks further into his chair. Maybe drowning in the jacuzzi would be better, Howon broods, because at least the hot water will sterilize his body of all embarrassment when he goes.
~ • ~ • ~ • ~
It’s a few days after what Myungsoo dubs as “The Awkward Highchair Experience.” After a few more encounters (for lack of a better word) with Howon, Myungsoo finds his face planted on the poolside bar’s counter during his break.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Sungyeol tells him as he hands an order slip over to Dongwoo, who reads it over before bustling around and gathering the needed ingredients.
Myungsoo lifts his head and frowns up at his roommate. “I’m so awkward.”
“Well, it could’ve be worse,” Sungyeol says in a somewhat lightened, but mostly amused tone. “I mean, you could have been carrying a tray of strawberry daiquiris.”
Myungsoo still grimaces, recalling the incident that happened only a few hours ago that included Myungsoo, Howon, and a tray full of wasted mojitos that are coming out of his paycheck. He drops his head back down on the bar counter and buries his face in his arms with a groan.
“Howon?” Sunggyu asks as he wipes his hands on a towel and stares at the angsty pool attendant from behind the counter.
“How did you know?” Myungsoo asks, taking a peek at the bartender from the crook of his elbow.
Sunggyu just shrugs and tosses the towel over his shoulder as he walks to the other end of the bar to serve a few waiting guests.
“Why don’t you just talk to him?” Dongwoo asks as he shakes a cocktail shaker while shimmying his shoulders to the cheesy Caribbean music playing through the bar’s speaker system.
“I did,” Myungsoo mumbles and watches Dongwoo pour the bright green liquid from the shaker into a frosted glass.
“No he didn’t.” Sungyeol says as he places the drink onto a serving tray.
“I’ve tried.”
“Debatably.”
Sungyeol gives Myungsoo a pat on the head before whisking the tray away.
“Are you guys talking about Howon?” Sungjong asks casually as he steps in behind the bar, carrying a large container of ice in each hand.
Myungsoo huffs and rests his cheeks in his palm with a pout. “Why can’t we just skip to the part where we make out in the locker room already?”
“Good god, at least get to know him first,” Sungjong says, aghast.
“But it’s taking too long,” Myungsoo whines. “This is so annoying.”
“Do you want a bloody mary?” Dongwoo asks cheerfully.
Sungjong furrows his eyebrows. “What good would that do him?”
“Don’t people say that it cure heartaches?” Dongwoo asks, genuinely confused.
Sungjong rolls his eyes and dumps the ice into the ice chest behind the counter. “They cure hangovers and headaches, not heartaches.”
“Ohhhhh,” Dongwoo nods and giggles at his mistake.
☼ • ☼ • ☼ • ☼
Howon is glad that he has an extra t-shirt in his locker. He examines his alcohol soaked shirt, still internally debating whether or not he’s happy about the whole mojito fiasco. On one hand, it resulted in literal contact with Myungsoo and he’d be lying if he said that Myungsoo wasn’t adorable fussing around and trying to wipe him down with the first towel he could get his hands on. But on the other hand, he now actually has to do the laundry he’s been putting off for the past couple of weeks.
He shrugs and stuffs the soiled shirt into his dufflebag.
“So did you watch those episodes I sent you?” Woohyun asks, leaning against the lockers opposite of Howon’s.
“No,” Howon answers, not even giving Woohyun a glance.
“Howon!” Woohyun cries.
“Woohyun!” he responds in a mocking tone.
“Why didn’t you watch them?” Woohyun frowns.
“Because they’re not going to help me. Life is not an anime.” Howon holds up a hand when Woohyun opens his mouth. “And it doesn’t matter what you say. It’s not.”
Woohyun pouts. “Fine. But you’re at least going to have to practice.”
Howon raises an eyebrow at him. “What?”
“Pretend I’m Myungsoo and practice talking to me.”
“Woohyun, I don’t have time for this,” Howon says as he checks his phone for the time. He frowns when he realizes at this rate, he’s going to miss the beginning of ten minutes of his show.
“You asked for my advice, didn’t you?” Woohyun asks as he pushes himself off of the lockers to stand directly in front of Howon.
“No. I actually didn’t.”
Woohyun rolls his eyes. “Just do it.”
“This is ridiculous,” Howon mumbles.
Woohyun just crosses his arms over his chest and stares at Howon expectantly. Howon relents and stuffs his hands in his pockets.
“Uh, hey,” Howon says.
A good twenty seconds tick by with Woohyun just staring blankly at Howon.
“Well, say something,” Howon demands.
Woohyun gasps and his face contorts into an appalled expression. “You would talk like that to Myungsoo?!”
“What? No!”
“Then why did you use that tone with me?”
“Because you weren’t saying anything!” Howon shouts with frustration.
“That’s because you weren’t giving me enough!” Woohyun pokes him in the chest to drive his point (whatever that point may be) further.
“Enough of what?”
“Enough of, you know!” Woohyun motions between them dramatically. “I’m not feeling your love!”
At this point, Howon’s literally two seconds away from pulling his hair out. “What am I supposed to do? This?”
Howon grabs Woohyun by the shoulders and shoves him up against the lockers, placing his hands on the sides of the other’s head. They look like they’re in some sort of cheesy romance drama and Howon and Woohyun are the leads.
Howon is so focused on not strangling Woohyun he fails to hear someone (or, rather, a cute, semi-newly hired pool attendant) open the locker room door and quickly shut it soon after.
A smirk spreads across Woohyun’s face as he nods his head in approval. “Yeah, I’m definitely feeling your love now.”
Woohyun proceeds to pucker his lips and strain his neck so his face is closer to Howon’s.
“Gross.” Howon scowls and pushes Woohyun away.
But the thing about Howon is he’s much stronger than he thinks he is. Coupled with his terrible depth perception, he accidentally forces Woohyun’s head into the lockers behind him.
“Ow!” Woohyun cries, clutching the back of his head with his hands.
“Oh, sorry,” Howon apologizes in a flat tone with very little sincerity and drops his arms back to his sides.
“It’s fine.” Woohyun says with a grimace. “We can work on your violent tendencies later.”
~ • ~ • ~ • ~
“You want to trade sections today?” Sungyeol asks Myungsoo the next day while the latter is wiping down some lounge chairs. “I got the tables near the waterslide,” he adds with a knowing smile.
Myungsoo looks over towards the cluster of umbrella-shaded tables and the lifeguard sitting in the chair next to them. He shakes his head. “No, it’s okay.”
Sungyeol glances at him. “I think you should trade with me.”
Myungsoo plasters a smile on his face. “No, you take it. The waterslide tables always get better tips. I’m fine with my section.”
“I’m giving you the opportunity to be in a ten foot radius of Howon for six hours,” Sungyeol says with a confused frown. “What’s wrong with you? Why won’t you let me be a good friend?”
Myungsoo sighs. There’s no point in trying to lie to Sungyeol, he knows him too well. “I think he has a thing with Woohyun.”
“Not possible,” the taller retorts immediately.
“I saw them,” Myungsoo insists.
Sungyeol shakes his head. “You must have seen wrong.”
Myungsoo tries not to stare when he sees Howon run a hand through his hair out of the corner of his eye.
“I know what I saw and there is definitely something going on between them. But it’s okay,” Myungsoo adds with a shrug and turns back to wiping down the plastic lounge chairs. “We don’t really know each other anyway.”
☼ • ☼ • ☼ • ☼
“Okay,” Woohyun clasps his hands together, “it’s been a few days since we started practicing and even though you’re surprisingly good at the ‘prince’ type --”
“Uh, thanks,” Howon interjects, not really knowing if that was meant to be a compliment or an insult.
Woohyun continues regardless, “-- I still think you should stick to the classic ‘tsundere’’ type.”
“I don’t know what that means,” Howon states.
Woohyun sighs, mildly condescendingly, “The ‘cold on the outside, yet warming and caring on the inside’ type, silly Howon.”
“Ohh.” Howon nods his head as if he’s actually committing the information to memory.
“So although your vocab could use some brushing up on, I think it’s time.”
“Time for what?”
“To get that boy’s number and make him yours!” Woohyun exclaims, thrusting his fist up into the air.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Howon says as he climbs down from the lifeguard’s chair, as if Woohyun’s plans and “advice” weren’t bad ideas to begin with.
“Why? I think you’re ready.”
“But, he hasn’t even looked at me recently,” Howon mumbles, recalling the times he’s noticed Myungsoo actively keeping a physical distance between the two of them, as if Howon was carrying the next strain of the plague. “It’s like he’s actually avoiding me.”
“So go talk to him and stop him from avoiding you,” Woohyun states simply.
“I can’t just go up to him and start talking to him!” Howon cries with anguish. “That’s weird….”
“Well, you gotta start somewhere, so go!” Woohyun gives him a small push him towards area where Myungsoo is working.
But thing about Woohyun is that he’s also much stronger than he thinks (maybe it’s a lifeguard thing?) and Howon is also incredibly uncoordinated when not prepared. So Woohyun’s little push actually ends up being a big shove that results in Howon losing his balance and falling into the deep end of the pool. There are a few screams and gasps from bystanders who just so happen to be looking at the right time.
“Oops.” Woohyun chuckles nervously when Howon’s head breaks the surface. “Well, this is karma for shoving my head into the lockers.”
~ • ~ • ~ • ~
Myungsoo is washing mint chocolate chip ice cream off his hands in the bathroom (he still feels bad for the boy who dropped his cone on the ground literally three seconds after his dad bought it for him) when someone else walks in.
“Can you please just bring it for me? …. Any one, I really don’t care …. Woohyun, that dumbass, shoved me into the --”
A thick silence hangs in the air when a soaking wet Howon rounds the corner and his eyes lock with Myungsoo’s.
“I’ll tell you about it later,” the lifeguard says quickly into the phone pressed against his ear. “Just bring the one on the top of the pile. Thanks.”
Myungsoo is the first to look away. He directs all of his attention to turning off the running faucet and inspecting his hands for any sticky remnants of ice cream.
“Hey,” Howon says as he pulls a few paper towels out of the dispenser and places his phone down on counter.
“Hi,” Myungsoo replies and flinches when his voice cracks a little.
“How are you?”
“Good,” Myungsoo replies slowly. “You?”
Howon laughs and Myungsoo thinks he must be dead because he’s hearing angels singing in the distance.
“I could be better. Woohyun accidentally pushed me into the pool, though I’m not entirely sure if it really was on accident.”
Myungsoo bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from giggling nervously like a lovestruck, pre-teen girl. “Do you want me to get you a towel? I can go and grab one from the storage room.”
Howon shakes his head and flashes him a stupidly perfect smile. “It’s okay. I just need to dry out my hair and wait for my roommate to bring me dry clothes.”
Myungsoo stands there, fiddling with his fingers and cleaning out nonexistent chocolate chip chunks from under his nails as Howon (stupidly perfect but practically taken, Howon) dries his locks with a few paper towels, the lifeguard’s thin shirt clinging to his chest.
“You should, um, probably wash out your shirt, too,” Myungsoo finds himself saying (even though he has no idea why, like what the hell Myungsoo??). “The color might get ruined from the chlorine.”
Howon glances down at his shirt and nods. “Good call.”
As if it was the most natural thing to do, Howon peels off his shirt without a second thought. When he flips his bangs out of his face, Myungsoo pretty sure sparkles just flew off the strands of his hair instead of dingy pool water. Myungsoo’s eyes dart around the bathroom as Howon rinses his shirt in the sink.
Myungsoo hears Howon turn off the faucet and he really hopes he’s putting his shirt back on because he doesn't think he can pretend the floor’s tile pattern is interesting for much longer.
“Here,” Howon says suddenly.
Myungsoo jumps and whips his head to the side. He doesn’t know what he expected to see, but he definitely wasn’t expecting to see Howon holding out his phone out to him.
“I know it’s kinda random,” Howon continues as Myungsoo really tries his best not to stare at his abs. “But you can put your number in it … if you want to.”
“Why?” Myungsoo asks dumbly.
Howon ducks his head and avoids Myungsoo’s gaze. “Because I kind of like you? And I kind of want to take you out? Sometime? Maybe?”
Wait what.
A thousand questions fly through Myungsoo’s head.
What’s going on? Why is he asking for his number? Does Howon really like him? Why would Howon like him? Howon wants to take him out? Where would they go? But what about the locker room? And Woohyun? Was Howon just using Woohyun? Or is Howon just using him to make Woohyun jealous? Is Howon just using everyone? Or is he cheating on Woohyun? No, Howon’s not a cheater, right? Maybe he just ended it with Woohyun? But if that was only a few days ago, isn’t it a little soon to move on? How could he do that to Woohyun? And why would he choose to hit on Myungsoo next? Seriously, what’s going on?
“God, this is so embarrassing,” Howon mumbles as he runs his hand through his hair. It sticks up at little because it’s still damp and Myungsoo hates himself for thinking that Howon (heartbreaker, but basically perfect Howon) still looks so illegally attractive. “But I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now but I never really got the --”
Myungsoo narrows his eyes, a surge of sudden anger and adreneline rushing through him, and grabs the phone out of Howon’s hand. Before Myungsoo can stop himself to think rationally about the situation, he turns on the faucet of the sink in front of him and throws the phone into the basin.
“What are you doing?!” Howon dives for the phone and pulls it away from the running water.
Howon presses the home button a few times and when the screen doesn’t respond, he stares up at Myungsoo with wide eyes.
“That’s for Woohyun,” Myungsoo says, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring daggers at the lifeguard.
“Woohyun?” Howon asks, confused.
Myungsoo huffs and mutters under his breath, “No wonder he pushed you into the pool. After what happened in the locker room....”
Howon blinks at him, still obviously confused, before realization flickers across his face. His shoulders droop a little as he rubs the back of his neck. “You heard about that?”
Myungsoo nods.
“From who?”
“Woohyun. He told me himself,” Myungsoo lies smoothly and mentally pats himself on the back for being able to keep his voice so steady. He was never a good liar.
“Oh,” Howon frowns. “I mean, I didn’t think it was that bad. I thought he was over it already.”
“You don’t just do something like that and expect everything to be okay,” Myungsoo mumbles, thinking about how heartbroken he would be if he was just tossed to the side like Woohyun is right now.
“Oh, god, I told him I was sorry and that I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Howon says with an edge of annoyance.
Myungsoo gapes. He didn’t know Howon was so heartless. “He must be so hurt right now!”
“It was his fault for trying to attack my face with his gross mouth! It was only natural that I pushed his head away.” Howon shudders slightly. “But the locker doors are made out of cheap plastic and he has a thick skull so it couldn’t have hurt his head that bad.”
Myungsoo pauses and looks at Howon. “Wait, what are you talking about?”
Howon looks at him as well. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you and Woohyun have like a ‘thing’ …. or something?”
“No.” Howon shakes his head. “Not at all.”
“But a few days ago, I saw you two in the locker room about to …” Myungsoo bites his lips and stares at the wall behind Howon’s head.
Howon’s eyes widen ridiculously large and his mouth twists with disgust. “Oh! No! God no! That was just Woohyun making me practice.”
“Practice for what?”
“For, um,” Howon clears his throat awkwardly, “how I was going to ask you out.”
Oh. Well then.
“You were going to shove me against a locker?” Myungsoo asks, trying to fight down a smile.
“No that was just to get him to shut up and leave me alone since apparently, a lot of guys in BL anime do that.” Howon shrugs.
“BL?” Myungsoo tilts his head to the side.
“It stands for boys’ -- you know what, it doesn’t matter.” Howon shakes his head.
“So, there’s nothing going on between you and Woohyun?” Myungsoo asks tentatively.
“There is nothing go on between me and Woohyun,” Howon says, slow and clear.
“Got it.” Myungsoo nods his head.
They lull into another silence, Myungsoo suddenly aware that Howon still alarmingly half naked and wet and he has zero reason to still be in the bathroom. He tries to ignore the desire to curl up into a ball from embarrassment.
“Sorry about your phone.” Myungsoo scratches the back of his head. “I can buy you another one.”
“It’s fine.” Howon shakes his head. “It’s not even my phone.”
“Oh, who’s is it?” Myungsoo asks.
Howon smirks and says, “Woohyun’s.”
☆ ☆ ☆ omake ☆ ☆ ☆
“Maybe you’re my love!” Woohyun sings to himself as he enters the bathroom after his shift.
He dances over to one of the sinks and points at his reflection. “Kiss, kiss fall in love!”
He gives himself a wink and chuckles a little.
But the cheery expression on his face quickly fades when he glances down to turn on the faucet and finds a soggy version of his phone sitting in the sink. A note written on a sheet of hotel stationary lays on the counter.
The note reads: According to Myungsoo, I am apparently the ‘little devil’ type. Whatever that means. - Howon
P.S. Myungsoo says he’s sorry.
Woohyun’s jaw drops as he stares at the note.
“’Little devil’ type. How could I have missed that?!”
A/N: I just wanted to take this time to thank a few people who have helped me throughout writing this fic. First, to the wonder mods. They were so understanding and accommodating, especially when I asked for extensions on the night of check-ins ^ ^;; I would also like to thank them for organizing this exchange. I had a lot of fun and the whole concept was an amazing idea! Second, I would like to thank A for being my beta and encouraging me to get this thing done and giving me great ideas and feedback. You da best girl! *insert our new thumbs up wink wink reaction pic* Third, I would like to thank the prompters for giving me such amazing prompts. I really wish I could have pulled off an angsty, internal conflict-esuque fic because these prompts together just called for it. (And I really did try. Multiple times.) But this is what I came up with and I hope you were able to find your prompts somewhere in this mess. And lastly (because this author’s note is getting too damn long), I would like to thank all of you for reading! I always have fun writing Infinite and I don’t really know how this one turned out, but if you’re still here reading this then that counts for something, right? Regardless, thank you again and hope you have a wonderful day!!!