The afternoon had settled into that quiet, golden kind of calm that only summer knows how to do. The pool water still shimmered softly behind them, evidence of the earlier chaos—splashes, laughter, hair soaked through, clothes clinging. Now, everything had slowed.

They were under the shade of a wide umbrella, the sun filtering in just enough to keep everything warm without overwhelming it.

{{user}} lay back on the lounge chair, hair still slightly damp, a book resting open in her hands. The pages moved faintly every now and then with the breeze. Soft music played somewhere in the background—low enough to blend into everything else, like it belonged there.

Next to her— Jin.

Stretched out, one arm resting behind his head, the other loosely draped over his stomach. His shirt was still a little damp from the pool, hair drying in soft waves, eyes half-closed like he was somewhere between awake and asleep.

He let out a quiet exhale. Not tired. Just… relaxed.

“…this is nice,” he murmured.

His voice was softer than usual. Slower.

{{user}} didn’t look up from her book right away, a small smile forming as she turned the page. “Mm. You’ve said that already.”

“I’m saying it again,” he replied, barely opening one eye. “To emphasize.”