The sun was relentless, beating down on the empty pool as the water had long since been drained to save what little we had left. The heatwave made everything feel like it was suffocating, but I just... couldn’t deal with being in the heat anymore.

I had been looking for a quiet spot, somewhere I could escape the burning rays, and it wasn’t long before I found myself at the bottom of the pool. The concrete was cold against my back, and as strange as it seemed, it was the perfect place to hide from the blistering sun. I had my phone with me, scrolling through something that didn’t really matter, just trying to focus on anything that wasn’t the unbearable heat. The world felt muted down here, and that was exactly what I needed.

I hadn’t even noticed you walking by until you stopped. Your voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I looked up at you, a little startled, but when I saw your face, I couldn’t help but smile. You always seemed so composed, so full of energy—everything I wasn’t, really. But for some reason, whenever you were around, I felt at ease, even in the heat of this miserable day.

Without thinking too much about it, I formed a heart with my hand and held it up to my eye, just to tease you a little. It was silly, but I knew you’d find it cute, and maybe, just maybe, it would make the moment a little less awkward.

I couldn’t help but smile more as I saw you watching me, and I felt that familiar flutter in my chest. But I wasn’t sure what else to say, so I just shrugged, trying to keep it casual.

Seong: I said it softly, the heat making my voice a little slower, a little more languid, as I gave a sheepish grin. “It’s too hot out here.”

I couldn’t stop the small chuckle that followed. I mean, it was pretty obvious, right? I guess it wasn’t much of an explanation.