↬ indoor pool.

@⁰⁴ zhan x. Yibo pressed his forehead against the nearest shoulder of his boyfriend, feigning embarrassment for his previous actions. But no. It was everything but. The words were sinking in, one by one, helping his rage to subside. He felt like Zhan was poking fun at him, which made him slightly agitated, however, there was no way he would let his frustrations for such petty things out on his boyfriend. Not when there was truly no harm done. But this was one of the things he feared the most. What if, at some point, he wouldn't be able to control his jealousy?

The thought dissipated as Zhan continued talking to him, taking his mind off of the whole ordeal little by little. This was just another proof of why Yibo needed Zhan. "Big bad boyfriend and hot?" he muttered and pulled back. His eyes roamed Zhan's face down to his jacket, hands coming up to fix the garment with a smirk. "As if you don't look like on legs," Yibo smirked, giving his boyfriend a teasing, heated look. Being called hot again, by the only person from whom it actually mattered, Yibo's confidence was restored almost fully. "No wonder those bastards want a piece of you," Yibo groaned in dismay.

Yibo went to grab the things he had dropped on the floor. "I hope you're aware that I'm not letting you out of my sight anytime soon," Yibo warned the other, meaning every single word. "So like you wanna watch or join me or what?" Yibo gave Zhan a look from under his eyelashes, not an innocent one by far. Discreetly, he wrapped one of the dry towels around his waist, obstructing the view of him taking his tight jammers off under it. It left him exposed to almost the fullest. His lean torso on full display, the light ridges of his abs disappearing behind the thick fabric of the towel, leaving the rest to the imagination. Although, not quite. With the swimwear so obviously crumbled up in Yibo's hands, the only implication could be that he had literally no other clothes underneath the towel. "Or do I have to go threaten someone else to make you decide?" A playful chuckle had turned into a croaking laughter as the freshman threw the swimwear at Zhan. Unlocking his locker, he reached in to grab his shower products, ready to head for the shower.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Things Xiao Zhan learned today: Wang Yibo is possessive.
The hypothesis was created at the time of his reaction to the swimmer's arm on his shoulder. Further solidified but his threats to his teammate, and again as his gaze seemed to burn holes into Zhan's shoulder where the swimmer had touched. But confirmed as Zhan's back crashed into the cold metal of the locker lined walls.
Before he could protest, Zhan had been pulled by his wrist forcing him to follow his still fuming boyfriend obediently into the tiled locker room and found himself with his back pressed against the cold metal, and his (still) half boyfriends arms caging him in. The sweet chocolate brown crescents he’d become accustomed to replaced by a dark hard stare that seemed to bore into his soul. This was a side of Yibo he’d yet to meet. One he didnt even know existed until this moment.
“Yibo,” Zhan tried to hold in a chuckle although his hands cupped his lovers cheeks comfortingly. It was silly to the senior for the younger’s reaction. He knew he loved Yibo, nothing would change that for him. But the rest of his sentence was muffled by a hungry kiss that he was eager to return. His hands roamed his lovers chiseled torso gently pulling him closer so their bodies were pressed together. But breaking off his kiss to get a good look at the face he loved so much “My love,” He chuckled, “Baby, I’m yours, you know this” a hand came up to brush Yibo’s bangs from his face, a chaste peck to his lips but there was a mischievous glint in the seniors eyes “But why would i exert my own muscles? being a sports boy is exhausting you know” an amused smile played at his lips “I mean, know that I know my big bad boyfriend will come to my rescue” he voice dropped to a whisper “You looked so hot when you were threatening the poor guy.”

@⁰⁴ zhan x. "Not you." His voice was strained, rough with the pent up jealousy. The hands cupping his cheeks and the chaste kiss were only a mild reminder that yes, he was still the one taking Zhan on a date. But he was still fuming, he still felt the light tremors in his muscles, wanting to force him to punch something. "But he... you... there..." Yibo's eyes drifted from Zhan's face to his shoulder, his unfinished sentence trailing off into an angry grunt and he proceeded to pull Zhan's hands off his face.

He was normally very tactful about his emotions. Always kept cool when he was feeling overwhelmed by anything agitating. However, his possessiveness over his boyfriend was special. Not like the times he would be outshined by a rival on stage or when he, rarely, lost a competition. This was very different. Zhan was his and not in a materialistic way. He was his on many levels, simply because everything in Yibo screamed for Zhan, needed him in ways unimaginable. He was expecting these things to happen, after all, the one he loved was loved by many, platonic and familial. He tried to maintain his cool with all of Zhan's friends, not wanting to appear like a toxic, overprotective lover. And until now, he was doing a great job. But also the said man was the hottest, most breathtakingly gorgeous person Yibo has ever seen. And this attention, this approach was far from friendly or innocent. He knew that, he could see it in the way the nameless guy acted, the stance itself very telling. To say it simply, Yibo was ready to manage his jealousy, but he was underprepared for the moment to come...

He was under the impression that Zhan would get hit on girls. The more threatening of the genders, since as far as Yibo was aware, Zhan's interest was solely female-oriented before, the senior's dating history a proof of that. However, this encounter with a male swimmer was threatening to his special position in Zhan's life. Yibo thought he was the one single male that was allowed to hog the senior's attention. And just as if his position in the basketball team would be threatened by some nameless fool, Yibo would get naturally defensive.

"On another note, you're coming with me," Yibo disregarded his initial lenient thought, completely blocked out what his lover had said about having showered before. Of course he has. That wasn't the premise, not the first thought to shower... together... But on the other hand, Yibo wanted to scrub the breath of the dude off of Zhan. Yibo grabbed Zhan's wrist after gathering all of his other belongings in the other hand, pulling the elder possessively towards the locker rooms, not a single care if anyone saw them. In fact, he hoped they would and reconsidered next time anyone got any similar ideas.

Inside the tiled locker room, it was only a matter of seconds before Yibo let all his stuff fall to the ground, pushing Zhan by the hips up against the nearest locker, caging him with his half- body. His hands planted on either side of Zhan's shoulders, keeping him in place. Yibo was shorter, yes, but broader in an aspect, and his aura alone could make him seem way more bigger and intimidating. "Next time someone tries anything, you better put those muscles to use, sports boy, or I'll be getting in much bigger trouble than just being kicked off the team," Yibo growled, forehead pressed against Zhan's as his breath ghosted over the elder's lips. He had murder on his mind. "Do you understand?" With an upward jerk of his eyebrow, not waiting for an answer, Yibo roughly kissed Zhan, reclaiming what is his. Barely breaking the bruising kiss, he spoke again, "You're mine. And no one's touching what's mine," Yibo reminded his treasured boyfriend as if he needed any reminder in the first place, his eyes flickering from Zhan's soulful eyes to his freshly kissed, glistering lips, diving in the next moment to steal another possessive, hungry kiss, hands coming to grip the lapels of his boyfriend's leather jacket, pulling him closer if possible.

[post deleted by owner]

@⁰¹ yibo w. Zhan could only pout as Yibo pried his hands away but watched with wide eyes as he threatened his teammate. Shellshocked and uncertain how to respond. Expelled?! he exclaimed in his head as he allowed himself to be dragged from where they stood to the bench where Yibo kept his belongings while he was at practice, then to the locker room.
Zhan’s eyes remained trained on his boyfriend, and he swore he could see steam blowing from his ears. Zhan wondered what had gotten his usually laid back boyfriend wound so tightly. From his point of view, the previous interaction didnt seem like a huge deal. Sure he was annoyed about it, but the silent treatment he’d gotten following was unsettling.
“Baby?” He spoke gently, hands coming up to cup his boyfriend cheeks “Whats wrong my love?” He asked, placing a kiss to his lips, “Was it something I did?” he added, pulling away to examine his lover’s face in attempt to read his emotions. “I showered at home, so i’ll just wait here, unless you want me to come with you,” The seniors voice was soft, and careful. Concerned stemming from the unfamiliar demeanour coming from the younger.

@⁰⁴ zhan x. The movement he caught, but his attention was still pretty much locked on the target. Arms wrapped around him and he knew whose. The leather material of Zhan's jacked just very slightly unpleasant against his wet skin, but not even that was helping. No, there was no helping this. Yibo turned to look over his shoulder as he felt a kiss on his shoulder, was that a calming one or go get 'em one? That didn't matter, because even that, combined with 'my boyfriend' and on 'my team', Yibo was pretty sure the nameless guy was missing the point. After all, it was Zhan saving the guy's pretty much.

"Hm," Yibo hummed, taking Zhan's hands off of his torso, walking out of the embrace. Not before making sure there was no other similarly unimportant er that would forget about the rule; we do not touch what's Yibo's. Be it towel, locker, skateboard not to mention his boyfriend. "So, you've got your missing piece of information, dude, and you better walk out of here before I do something that will get me expelled... and you into the hospital," Yibo ground out through gritted teeth, feeling much bigger than he was, broader and taller. Oh it felt nice especially when he saw the staggering regret in the swimmer's face. "You don't touch what's mine," a reminder.

Yibo didn't know whether the guy slipped fell and then managed to run away, or disappeared into thin air like a defeated character in a video game, because he was busy dragging his boyfriend back to the bench with his belongings and then to the locker rooms.

Yibo didn't speak. He was fuming still, ready to tip heads off, scrub a hole into Zhan's shoulder till a hole appeared in the leather jacket. Folding the towel, picking up the other dry one from the bench, his water bottle and slippers, Yibo finally looked at Zhan. "You can wait here on my bench or come with me," he threw a thumb over his shoulder, voice low and serious. This was not going to happen again, but now, seizing up his boyfriend again, it was inevitable to happen again. He was breathtakingly gorgeous and very hot, especially dressed like that.

@⁰¹ yibo w. In no particular order: wide eyed shock, impressed, stunned, slightly intimidated, kind of aroused. Those were the emotions floating through Zhan’s brain as he watched the scene unfold before him. The dark look in his boyfriends eyes was one that was unfamiliar to him, the boyish smile that he associated with his lover was no where to be found. Not to say he was any less attractive than usual, Zhan had half a mind to ditch the date and drag his half boyfriend straight home.
Despite Zhan’s frustrations from missing his weekly show of watching Yibo swim, and the unnamed underclassmen’s (he really should figure out the poor guys name) overly friendly touches. Zhan could tell Yibo’s fuse was getting short. In light of /not/ causing a fight. He forced himself to stop ogling at his boyfriend long enough to quickly stepped behind Yibo, arms wrapping around his waist effectively pulling him into a back hug, but also holding him back, just incase. Ignoring the chlorinated water soaking through the front of his t-shirt.
“You’ve met my boyfriend?” Zhan finally spoke his usual bright smile gracing his features again, “He’s also the shooting guard on my basketball team” He bragged, placing a small kiss to his boyfriends shoulder.

@⁰⁴ zhan x. Yibo saw the arm. The always cool demeanor of his own, the one he would pull as a front everytime he was not with Zhan faltered for a brief second. That arm, needed to be off. Off of his boyfriend, off of the joint, off of the nameless teammate. He watched, barely registering anything other than Zhan's discomfort. Right, the senior was popular to some extent, Yibo knew he had friends everywhere. But if he read this right, yeah, he would be allowed to punch the guy if it came to it.

"You don't say," not a question, not a statement, but a sarcastic reminder of how much Yibo didn't give a . Fine, he loved hearing about his boyfriend's achievements and all, but not from a mouth that was going to have no teeth if that arm and that hip didn't detach from Zhan's body in the next ten seconds.

Yibo pulled the towel off his head and scoffed. "You know every ing detail, don't you? But is he single?" Yibo ruthlessly interrupted the swimmer's endless rambling. The look on Yibo's face; angry. His head was dipped in an intimidating manner, looking at the apparent stalker or whatever from under the shadow of his eyebrows, one cocking up sarcastically. The guy stuttered for a moment. "'Cause if you knew that little fragment of information," Yibo started, taking a leisurely step forward, making the distance between them dangerously smaller, crowding in on the guy and inevitably on his boyfriend too, "you'd have known better to touch him in front of me." That was a warning. Last chance for the guy to take off and forget this without any incident.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Zhan wasnt sure how he ended up engaged in this conversation. But this nameless underclassmen (he had introduced himself, but Zhan hadn’t paid enough attention to catch his name) was getting too close for comfort, not to mention he was now standing directly in his line of sight, blocking Zhan’s view of the pool. Unwilling to cause a scene the senior let out an annoyed huff, but nodded along with frowning as he attempted to catch a glimpse of his boyfriend whilst the underclassmen rambled on about the swim team (as if he didnt know everyone important’s stats off my heart already).
Zhan stood idly, contemplating the most effective but polite way to end the conversation, after all, the guy was Yibo’s teammate, Zhan would feel horrible if he made things awkward for him.
As if his prayers were answered, a familiar, low (y) voice came from behind the underclassmen causing the latter to turn around revealing a still dripping, shirtless, toned torso on display, Yibo. No matter how many times Zhan saw his boyfriend like this, it never failed to render him speechless (and drooling).
“Hi” He uttered breathlessly as his eyes raked over his boyfriend hungrily, having already forgotten about the third presence next to him. He moved to step towards Yibo, only to he stopped as he felt an arm go around his shoulder, as if they were friends.
“Yibo!” the arm spoke, causing Zhan to frown, “Have you met Zhan?”
“Dude,“ Zhan shrugged off his arm, “That’s-“ Tried to explain only to be cut off by the other.
“He’s the basketball team captain, and student council VP” he spoke excitedly.
“Yea-“ Zhan started again only to be cut off,
“And an engineering major?!” he continued, causing zhan to shoot his boyfriend a confused, exasperated look. He’d assumed most of the swim team was aware of his relationship with Yibo.
“Dude, I’m” Zhan attempted to explain again, subtly sliding over to where Yibo stood, but the underclassmen simply continued rambling, this time about how cool he thought Zhan was for majoring in engineering.

@⁰⁴ zhan x. Yibo heard two things; a whistle and the heavy door slide open. He smirked. He didn't have to see, or look, he knew his boyfriend's presence in the room. With an inhale and a dive, Yibo, kicked off the side of the pool, beginning the first lap of the last rep.

Yibo reached the tile wall, surfacing with a sharp inhale large smug grin. The first thing he did was pull off the goggles and whip his head around and look for Zhan. Yibo was anticipating to see Zhan blown away, mesmerized, jaw dropped, eyes wide, (nosebleed) and all the anime jazz. No, Zhan was not like that. Not publicly at least. Yibo looked around grin slowly fading as he was not seeing his soft nerdy boyfriend anywhere. Until...

His tall nerdy soft boyfriend wore a leather jacket and light jean. God, he looked good! What a sight! Yibo could drool. However, something was wrong with the picture. There was an unnecessary 'plus one' standing way too close, way too provocatively. Yibo knew /that/ stance by now. And that made Yibo's blood boil. In an attempt to cool down a bit, but also make his way over to the display that made him see red, Yibo swam to the side of the pool. Both hands on the surface, where the water overflowed into the drains, Yibo powerfully pushed himself out of the pool, hard and high enough. He was not cooling down. Unfortunately, for the plus one.

Grabbing a towel from the bench, while wetly padding over to the pair, Yibo made sure to face his boyfriend dead on. Walking at him, literally. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be jealous or angry, because all he was seeing was a half stranger with his junk practically plastered to Zhan, with his cheeks flushed. Toweling his hair, Yibo made sure his lean torso was showing like an art exhibit at an art show as he approached. "Everything alright?" Yibo asked, accessing the scene, unaware of his frown and unpleasant tone, aiming all that at his swim teammate whose name he didn't care to remember.

@⁰¹ yibo w. It was routine for the them now, Yibo would pick up Zhan after volleyball practices, games, and student council meetings, Zhan would do the same for Yibo after swim meets and practices. Today was no different.
Unfortunately for Zhan, he was running late after losing track of time at the library and had to rush to get ready after dropping his stuff off at home. Tonight was date night and he’d wanted to look presentable next to his handsome boyfriend. The black leather jacket that remained hung at the back of his closet was the first thing that came to mind, the same jacket he’d considered for the music festival, the one he’d been too scared to wear since he received it over a year ago. The jacket he now slid over his shoulders over top his black tshirt, and blue distressed jeans. Before dashing out the door without looking in the mirror.
The senior typically tried to arrive early, occasionally sitting at the bleachers for the duration of their practices with his readings for the week. If not to catch the tail end of their practices, it was a perfect distraction from the stresses of mechanical engineering.
Zhan arrived in time to see his boyfriend’s familiar brown head duck back under the water. A small smile played at his lips, leaning against the door way, watching the water glide against his muscular torso. Wondering time and time again what he’d done so right to find someone as perfect as him.
Too entranced by his boyfriend, Zhan hadnt noticed he was being approached an underclassmen. From the looks of his attire, it could he assumed he was also a swim team member. But no one Zhan recognized.
“Like what you see?” They asked,
“Clearly,” Zhan replied, eyes never leaving the figure in the pool.

@⁰⁴ zhan x. It was slowly turning into a habit, meeting each other whenever they had time. Even if it meant Yibo waiting around the gym after the volleyball team finished practice, or it was Zhan coming to pick up Yibo from his daily activities just so they could spend some time together. Today, it was not only a pick me up day, but also a date day. And time couldn't go slower...

Yibo became comfortable with the partial of the swimmers quite quickly after joining the team, ditching his comfort swim shirt early on. When Zhan first came around, Yibo got out of the water, wrapped himself in a towel, and went to meet Zhan to lead him valiantly to a designated bench where Yibo's towels and slippers were. But today, Yibo was in for a surprise.

Slightly breathless from the previous lap of butterfly , sweat mixed with the chlorinated pool water dripping off every inch of the freshman's body, Yibo took a minute to catch himself by the pool's wall. With a wet palm, he wipe off wiped water from his face, just to be able to eagerly, impatiently, excitedly throw glances at the door that should reveal his arriving boyfriend at anytime now. He should have just gone for it and finish another, last, rep of freestyle and finish early. But Yibo was Yibo, and finishing early left a bitter taste in his mouth, the feeling of doing a halfhearted job. Either way, it would only take a few minutes. Plus, he didn't quite mind showing off whenever his boyfriend was around.

@⁰¹ chenle z. it didn't take much for him to catch up to the other male, easily turning around to rest his back against the pool's wall as he curiously studied his company. the ravenette seemed to be quite on edge and uncomfortable in his presence, and chris really had half a mind to abandon his initial plan and leave the pool. /he/ was the intruder after all, seeing as the ravenette had been there before him and to hear that he was leaving because of /his/ sudden presence just did not sit right with him at all. "honestly, if anyone should be leaving, it's me. you were here first, and it's my fault for not noticing and rudely intruding your space and moment. i truly apologise for that, by the way." chris offered in a more convicted yet sincere tone, hoping to convince the ravenette.

pressing his hands down against the pool's edge to support his weight, chris easily lifted himself up so that he'd be sitting on the edge of the pool, pursing his lips and swallowing back a sigh at the self-depreciating tone the ravenette employed, complete with the empty laugh. "hey now, who ever said your concerns & worries aren't as comparable to mine? if it's bogging you down this much, it must mean a great deal to you and i'm not in any position to judge that. hell, maybe /my/ issues might be considered laughable compared to yours, even if /i/ don't cry about it." he started, trying not to focus on how the ravenette seemed to be trivialising his issues just because he admitted to crying it off. "i mean, of course i'm not going to force you to share, but really man, you look like you need someone non-judgmental to talk to. i promise your worries are safe with me if that's what you're concerned about."

@⁰² christopher b. The other male voicing that he had come here for the same reason as him only had him moving a bit faster, feeling as if he were intruding. even if he was the one here first. he knew generally when someone wanted to clear their thoughts they typically wanted to be alone, hence why they'd come to seemingly empty spaces. he really felt bad for taking up as much time as he already did. "I really don't mind leaving, I've been here for a while now. maybe too long."

He paused at the side of the pool as he scanned the area around it, trying to remember exactly where he placed his things so he could make an (awkward) run for it need be. he shouldn't be surprised at how quickly the other picked up on his own reasoning to be here when it was probably obvious by now. "Oh uh, yeah. I do- did. but it's nothing important. just me being a cry baby, really." a short laugh slipped past his lips, lacking the usual happy emotion that came with it. "Imagine being in college and still being a crybaby over stupid things. I can relate." he 'joked lightly'. a coping mechanism? a defense mechanism? maybe both. "I'm sure you have bigger issues than mine and don't want to hear about them."

@⁰¹ chenle z. the silence between them stretched out a little longer than necessary, rendering the situation even more awkward than it already was for the both of them. he felt so bad for the other male, he actually debated forgoing his swim and finding refuge in the garden or the greenhouse instead. Said male thankfully responded before he could actually make the move to leave, however he couldn't help the slight tinge of disappointment? disapproval? whatever it was when he noticed that the male was ahead of him, already inching towards the side of the pool himself.
"n-no no! it's perfectly fine! i mean, i'm fine with having you here. i wasn't going to practice or anything, i just.... needed to clear my thoughts." Chris initially sputtered in his half-awkward state, though he did eventually calm down enough to come around a little more coherently.

He wasn't sure what came over him - maybe it was the other's embarrassed awkwardness at having seemingly been caught(?), maybe it was the fact that even now in his distracted mind, the other held no parts in that department at all, or maybe it was a side effect of being in the water, but chris genuinely did not want the other male to leave. sure they're still strangers, but chris finds that he wouldn't mind the other's company (if the fact that he didn't notice the other much earlier was anything to go by). maybe that was just what he needed - the comforting physical presence of someone quiet / new for a change. "you also had quite a bit on your mind?" chris lightly but carefully treaded the topic as he made a casual swim to the poolside where the other was approaching, still keeping a considerable amount of distance between them lest he spooked the other away more than he (prolly already) did.

@⁰² christopher b. he really considered just dunking himself and drowning himself. it would be significantly less painful than the embarrassment he was feeling. maybe he was being a little overdramatic but to be fair, he hadn't even been left so vulnerable without realizing it, especially around a stranger, knowingly or not. it could have been a lot worse, his vulnerability being taken advantage of, but it still didn't change anything for him and the current state of distress he was in over the small incident.

the longer he stared at the male in front of him, the more he realized that maybe his head was about as far into space as his own was. everyone had their struggles. as sadistic as it sounded, the idea that he wasn't the only one with the feeling of being crushed under the weight of issues made him feel a bit more at ease. "uh no- i was just...swimming." he replied as he lifted the lower part of his head from the water. "we're you coming to practice? i'm sorry if i was in the way. i can go ahead and leave." he mumbled, already inching to the side of the pool just in case the male wanted to have to pool to himself. he really would hate if he was in the way of anyone giving the pool actual use rather than looking like a piece of driftwood.

@⁰¹ chenle z. it had been one of the longer, drearier days for him. truth be told, it wasn't any of the day's events or occurences that brought around his feelings of blue. granted, the ongoing issue of animosity between him and his ex was always a problem unsolved (for about a year now; he's keeing count and that in itself was another source of his dampening mood, but he digresses) but just for today, he'd like to think that it wasn't a particular shorter male with marsupial-like facial features and full cheeks with a personality so effervescently rambunctious and loud that was the root of his down.

he hadn't been paying attention when he pushed past the double doors to the university's indoor pool to notice that he wasn't alone, simply going through the motions like a zombie on autoplay. he trudged over to an empty locker to stuff his belongings in, stripped down to his swimming trunks and took the customary cold shower before taking a dive into the olympic-sized pool. he always found being in the water therapeutic; a few of his friends from high school used to pin it on the fact that his astrological birth chart was ruled by water signs but he'd never take their word seriously. still, he can't deny that simply being one with the formless mass w-

oh. that was unexpected.

he wasn't sure when he'd closed his eyes, but he opened them in slight alarm upon feeling a light nudge squarely against his broad and toned chest accompanied by a loud gasp. he was slightly taken by surprise at the sputtering retreating figure of another male, laughing a little awkwardly in an attempt to show some solidarity with the male's (obviously) embarrassed state. he felt the secondhand embarrassment too; it wasn't everyday that you'd get someone headbutting your bare chest, intentional or otherwise. "i-it's okay, it's my fault too. i should've paid more attention." he responded, reaching a sheepish hand to scratch absently at the back of his head as his ears flushed the lightest tinge of red. "uh, were you, um- practicing? did i interrupt you or anything?" he continued, sinking himself into the water until he was of the same height as the male, another silent gesture to let the other know that he was just as embarrassed.

@⁰² christopher b. a fleeting moment of peace. just for a couple of moments the worries inside chenle's head were hushed and he was able to let himself relaxed as the cool water cradled his frame comfortably as he floated across the surface without a care for the world outside of the empty space he occupied at the moment. soon enough he was lost in his relaxed state, his awareness slipping away from him with each passing second.

he knew by this time that the pool was usually empty of the swim team and their lingerers as well as other students who would also sneak in for their own reasons. being alone was most ideal for the male, so he wouldn't have to worry about invading other's space as well as his own being invaded. not to mention his unnecessary worry about how dumb he looked floating like an inanimate object.

while the sound of the main entrance door opening and closing reached his ears, it never registered in his brain, leaving him oblivious to the presence of someone else. the mentally absent streak remained as a wave of small ripples rocked his frame. it wasn't until his head made contact with the wall of the pool. wait- not the wall of the pool. it wasn't hard enough. a loud gasp bounced off the water and echoed through the air as his eyes fluttered open to the face of a stranger. flailing awkwardly to find his footing on the bottom of the pool, he pushed himself away from the male. "I'm sorry- I didn't know anyone had come in." the boy uttered, as he sank lower into the water until only of the top of his head and eyes remained on the surface, the feeling of embarrassment washing over him.

@⁰⁴ joohyuk n. priceless.

that was the word to describe their encounter. had it not been for the little windows of his eyes that told his story, she would have let this all go but that didnt happen now did it? like her grandmother once said, always be alerted. there are so many things wrong in this world. if anything, she wouldnt be surprised if this world was fabricated. to hell with this school of happiness and pride. it only stood tall because of the urgent need for students that want a better tomorrow. this school had so much to offer, all good, all bad.

"nosy now huh? it's not my fault you at suppressing." the female rolled her eyes.

as entertaining as this was, she was getting ticked off. joohyuk was right, she really wasnt in the right to call him out but was she going to take that? no. lisa smiled, her feet glided against the slippery floor of the indoor pool until she was close enough to be just inches apart from the tall male. one could say she was as coldhearted as ever. if he could read her then she had no reason to put up a front. at least not anymore. "I dont kiss peoples and smile for the sake of looking 'okay' when I'm not. otherwise I wouldnt be here. if anything joohyuk, maybe you should take my word. if you're so great like your teammates described you then act like it."

little flashbacks of her text messages of jisoo flashed in her mind and she gulped softly. looking off to the side and took a deep breath before stepping back. a soft grin fulfilling her tiers. "we're alike? then you of all people should know how it is to feel suppressed like you're trapped in a dark room all ing day fighting off your own demons. if you saw someone you cared about doing the exact same thing, would you stay quiet? I'm afraid not. you're no deserving of your title if your greatest asset is lying. your mask wont keep you protected forever. take it from me. this piece of school is nothing but hell and it's going to continue being like that. so-" she breathed in deeply before gathering her things. "tell me to mind my own business again, captain. I'll have my fist up your arse." with that, she smiled of course - it wasnt genuine. as the ends of her tiers fell, she stepped back and walked off. next stop, dealing with her own damn problems.

@⁰⁴ joohyuk n. despicable and woeful how the world is so oblivious of one's actions and emotions. people we call friends cant even decipher the little details in their so-called 'friend'. why call yourself a friend if you cant sniff out the dolefulness in the eyes of those you suppositiously care about? that bothered lisa to the brim. how that little thing boiled her blood. she had been alone for many years until she met jisoo. everyone else was a trial card. they were people who made scarcely a difference in her life but not entirely. it wasn't like isn't thankful for the people she came across with. when it comes down to it, who is genuinely there for you?

those were things she ruminated deeply in the times that she grew up alone, scared and frightened by being the second best. jisoo was the only the one who saw right through her colors. heedfully caring for every wound and sewed them back together and whenever they reopened, her arms were wide open. if anything, jisoo must've been her soulmate. a friend she couldn't live without. how iconic is that because considering the situation now, its been taking a toll on her emotionally and mentally. silence can definitely kill.

recruitments were consequential and judging from the list of people who strived to be a potential swimmer on the team, she was impressed. not many can recruit on the first day. there were other sports more mainstream than swimming. basketball was one of them, soccer another. Korea was big on soccer and so the teams are conventionally packed during club rush, orientation and those who are fortuitous enough to drop by during the summer to snatch a spot. while the boys were as chirpy as ever, she couldn't help but giggle at each word.

if only she had enough time to retort right back but it seemed like the captain caught on. was he on her tail? who knows. but he sure was agog to walk away. that was the best moment to let her mask go. preppy little girl, miss perfect this and that, thailands princess - god she wanted so badly to relinquish that image and staring into the eyes of the swimmer, she was more than regaled. he was the exact image of her. just a lost boy in this cruel ing world.

"only after you drop your act." lisa started. her face was expressionless as ever. "I was originally here to lend my hand, help and look over your team. but I couldn't help myself and notice.. you're a dead beat deceiver." her tongue clicked, eyes fixated on the male as she crossed her arms against her chest. it didnt matter how tall he was, how bothered he look, he wasn't a threat. she wasnt trepidacious either. what was this urge? it was probably the emotions shes been dealing with all morning. all crumbling onto one.

@⁰⁴ joohyuk n. when the captain left to do his business, lisa took a deep breath in and leaned against the wall. god her head was pounding. every time she spoke to someone, her heart couldn't take it. call her dramatic but she never got into such a scandal before. the whole school is on the lookout for who the inscrutable cheerleaders could be and as co-captain, she couldnt bare to know how much it affected them as a team. who knows what is transpiring right now. lisa wasnt able to stop by yet to check mainly because she was avoiding that one person as much as she can.

a few dings to her phone and she already knew who it emanated from. this morning, she spoke with her dearest friend chaeyoung who was also on the team. the two spoke about her situation this morning but it wasn't that long. chaeyoung was her friend, yes but the two only ever got along when it came to the squad. any other outside activity from the squad infrequently transpired. she ignored the text and kept her eyes closed. it felt a lot better to be circumvented in darkness. the tranquility of the pool was enough to calm her nerves even if it was for a second.

the sound of footsteps came her way which brought her back to reality. a big nap was definitely needed. she smiled softly towards joohyuk who walked in her direction but something was different. lisa was already in a mood and examining joohyuk, it reminded her of herself. same eyes that her reflection in those brown orbs reflected right back. his smile was bright and charming and she knew from the moment he smiled at her. people had their ways in hiding what they wanted to. no one was perfect and she understood that. but even so, why hide what you cant control?

as much as lisa wanted to cry for her own personal problems, she couldn't. this just wasnt the time or place. at this point she was being hypocritical but her eyes never left his. maybe because she knew his expression all too well. did the boys fight in the locker room? likely but - it would be unprofessional of them to do that when she was waiting right outside. not just that, she didn't think joohyuk was the type to commence a fight with anyone. he looke to be a softie if anything.

"you have your recruitment papers? what about try outs?" the female then asked as she crossed her arms against her chest, "try outs are important. that way you can decide whether or not someone is worth putting on the team. when will you have that scheduled? also, I need you guys to be done by.. let's say 5:00 so it gives you an hour to clean and lock the doors." lisa prehended her phone and began taking notes in the little note app that she had downloaded. in big bold letters she indited "swim team." listening to one of the members chirping as they accoladed their captain left lisa in chuckles.

they call themselves a team but they were oblivious. how unfortunate is that. maybe it was the mood that she was in - no, it wasn't. she was always blunt with her friends and even to others. people called her intriguing and that's probably because of her aura but she never stepped down from it. as her eyes were glued to the screen, she cocked her head. lips pursed out as she thought over the comment, "oh, does he now. I bet he does." lisa said mordaciously. "what else can you say about your captain? since you know him so well, yeah? I'd enjoy hearing your comments. as a fellow leader myself. maybe I can learn a few things." this time, she was picking at the team.

lisa was sharper than ever. just as sharp as her dance moves. if anything, no one can lie to her. it was just infeasible. one way or another she will know. in the most minute things, she's a judge and an observer. that's why she trusts herself so much more than anyone else in the world and joohyuk was just another one of those solitary people. they say the eyes are windows to the soul. lisa could see that.

@⁰⁴ joohyuk n. being a fellow athlete, she understood how hectic sport teams can be. hell - she struggled juggling the council, cheer team, dance and journalism. it still shocked her on how well she was able to manage her time and schedule. especially being a business major. it seems like there was never time to do anything personal. it was always one or the other. stressful nights would turn into little flings to unwind the chaotic week she would go through. hobbies? she already did everything she wanted. the university was capable of doing that for her. not to mention how arduous it is to come home to her parents on weekends or whenever she was free.

speaking of her parents, she hadn't heard from them so that must mean rumors didn't spread as expeditiously as she thought it would. as long as it didn't get to her parents, she didn't think dwelling on them would do good. but it was definitely difficult. especially when the heart is plenary of so much. her train of thoughts was interrupted upon meeting with the captain of the swim team. his wet and fit physique caught her off guard. making the girls cheeks color in a light pinkish tint.

"uh- no, no. it's fine you guys take your time. I just wanted to speak with you about a few things for the club rush. sorry if I interrupted your practice." lisa rubbed her nape as she reached over to prehend his hand. ascertaining she didn't get wet. a diminutive smile composing her tiers as she greeted him and took note of his name. sport members were facile to remember by face but she infrequently saw the swim team around, goggle-less. whenever she watched their competition, she couldn't make out who was who and infelicitously, didn't get to befriend anyone either.

though hearing about joohyuk, she understood. his name some what rang a bell. they were always announced in the morning by school announcements. his name was familiar. "I'm lisa but you probably already know that?" unsure, she chuckled and pulled her hand away after giving a nice firm shake. taking a deep breath she stood up and dropped her hands to her sides. hopefully this wouldnt take too long. the day was already exhausting enough.

[post deleted by owner]

@⁰⁴ joohyuk n. with each step taken, the heavier it was to maintain a positive posture. not everyone can say they lived through a war and emerged untouched. for the war still bleeds and the scratches, wounds and unbearable thoughts of the past kept ruminating her head. rumors were still rumors but what weighed upon this girls shoulders were beyond rumors. abaft the article held every truth. a nightmare that she rather toss into the garbage bin and never cerebrate of again.

the regret weighed heavily. if no one were to descry, she'd be a hell of a fortuitous one. after talking with chaeyoung, a fellow cheerleader; lisa had no cull but to go forth with her day. afore the week had even started, lisa and the council got together to arrange school the events. everyone had their own place and task to consummate. as promised, she took on the job to help out with booths on the first day. all there was to it was to check in on the students, clubs, sport teams and etc. to ascertain they were good to go. lisa was rather the perfectionist at heart and yearned to make sure that everything is said and done.

except the only distinction today was the painful remembrance of the party.

as she wandered into the natatorium, she examined the group of males as the swim team took their lead. they were estimable and one of the universities proudest team. ostensibly they had it going for them. which is great. they gave a great name and hold out reputation in competitions. as they took their rounds, she made sure to stand a few feet away from the water. trepidacious that if they swam any more proximate, she'd be splashed and - thats not what we optate for our morning. especially when the week had been awfully painful to the arse.

"boys," the vice president called out. it was time to obnubilate her emotions and become the leader she took oath to. "when you're done, can we talk about your recruitment format and what not?" her leg propped over the other once she took a seat on the floor. she was tired as she'd been up pretty early. the cumulation of her emotions were a raging fire in her heart. while the expression in her face was proximately infeasible to read. while waiting for the team to finish their practice, she had let her imagination go forward. what would the day turn out like?