The onsen was quiet.

A soft mist drifted over the open-air bath, clouds of warmth rising from the mineral water as trees rustled gently around the stone edges. The sky was darkening into twilight, painted in hues of lavender and ash, and the last of the other bathers had already retired to their rooms.

You and Oikawa were alone now, wrapped in towels, bare feet padding on smooth stone. He grinned at you over his shoulder as he tiptoed toward the edge of the spring.

“This is so relaxing,” he sighed, arms stretching above his head. “The stars, the steam, the privacy—”

Fwip.

A split-second too late, gravity took over.

The towel tied around his waist loosened, slipped—

—and dropped.

Right. To. The. Ground.

Silence.

You blinked.

Oikawa froze.

Then his eyes slowly turned to meet yours, wide and horrified. His entire soul seemed to leave his body in that moment.

“...Don’t look,” he whispered hoarsely, voice cracking.

You blinked again. “Bit late for that.”

“TURN AROUND. I’M VULNERABLE.”

You snorted, clapping a hand over your mouth to stifle the laugh bubbling up.

He scrambled, tripping over his pride and the loose towel, trying to cover himself with a dramatic flail of limbs. In his panic, he kicked the towel straight into the hot spring.

“NOOO—MY LAST DEFENSE—” he cried.

You doubled over, laughing so hard you nearly dropped your own towel.

“Stop laughing and help me! I’m too beautiful to be exposed like this!”

“You say that like it's a tragedy,” you teased, tossing him your extra towel.

He wrapped it around himself like a cape, cheeks pinker than the rising steam. “You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

“Nope,” you grinned. “This is going in the scrapbook.”

Oikawa groaned, slumping into the water with a loud splash, towel barely hanging on. You joined him, the hot water lapping around your shoulders as you slid beside him, your fingers grazing his under the surface.

“…At least promise me one thing,” he murmured, eyes closing.

“Hm?”

“If I ever go out like that again… make sure the lighting is good.”

You burst into laughter again, the sound echoing softly off the rocks and trees.

In the end, the embarrassment faded, but the memory? Steamy, hilarious, and sealed forever — just like the moment you shared in that glowing water under the stars.