It Meets You Where You Wait • Yeonbin

Five

He passes the sad little bag of goldfish over to the other boy while he barks out a laugh.

"No, really, she wanted us to empty the pool so her son could use it as, like, a skate park for his birthday party!" Beomgyu giggles, taking the goldfish and shoving a few in his mouth. It's Soobin's thirty minute break, and he'd opted to take up the empty chair behind the lobby desk and bother Beomgyu, because the boy always seemed so bored.

"No way, just for one day?!"

"I know right! I mean I told her no, but she threw a fit about it. I think she thought I would change my mind if she asked enough," Beomgyu replies, "But eventually Yeonjun showed up as backup and she left."

Soobin huffs his laugh out of his nose, "Hell, I'd probably leave too."

"Hm?" Beomgyu furrows his brows.

"Ah, like, Yeonjun can be intimidating from what I've seen is what I mean," Soobin replies. There's only a few of the little crackers left in the bag, so he dumps them on the lobby table and tosses the plastic into the trash can.

"Oh, yeah, I get you! He's a character. I knew him his whole life and he still scares me once in a while." Beomgyu smiles.

"Glad I'm not just imagining it then," Soobin hums, "I hate to accidentally judge people wrongly, but I feel like he doesn't like me."

Beomgyu pauses to think.

"I think it's more of he doesn't really like anybody, actually."

"Except you and Taehyun, I guess?"

"Yeah, I guess," Beomgyu smiles shyly. "But really, he's not all that bad. Just don't give him reason to be a problem and he won't be. I think when he warms up you guys can be friends."

Soobin huh s noncommittally, letting the conversation slow.

Friends with Yeonjun— isn't that a stretch. Two days ago he'd practically murdered Soobin with his eyes alone. The boy was mildly terrifying, but for some reason, not in the way that made you want to leave him alone. Somehow, if anything, he made you want to pull in closer.

At least if you asked Soobin.

But still— if looks could kill.

His train of thought is interrupted by the door of the lifeguard room swinging open, Taehyun prancing in even though he's still mildly dripping water.

Beomgyu's face sours at the puddles he'll undoubtedly have to clean up later.

"What's up, Bin? Binnie? Still working on a good nickname for you, but nothing yet, sorry," Taehyun sighs.

"It's okay. Most people just call me Soobin anyway."

Taehyun smiles. "Well, we'll see. So what's up? I was making a vending machine run but I thought I'd say hi."

Talking about how your best friend might hate me, Soobin thinks, but Beomgyu beats him to the punch.

"Oh, talking about the crazy skatepark lady," he laughs.

"Oh, dude, that week was a trip. She kept calling for like two days!" Taehyun snorts.

"Mm, I remember, her son ended up having his party at the bowling alley anyway," another voice chimes in. Speak of the devil and he shall appear— Behind Taehyun, Yeonjun leans against the lobby desk.

"Just a big waste of time, honestly," Beomgyu sighs.

Soobin smiles, "Makes for a good story at least."

Yeonjun isn't looking at him, instead focusing on the small pile of goldfish on the table.

And for that moment, Soobin sees him for what he is; not some scary figure, but a teenage boy, looking at goldfish crackers.