Chapter Text
Phuwin, Boom, and Satang were bringing up the rear of the group on their hike, mostly because Boom had slowed his pace to stay with the wheezing pair of Phuwin and Satang. They had been complaining about the hike from the start, but the promise of a banquet for reaching the summit kept them trudging along, albeit at a slower pace.
Meanwhile, way ahead of them, Gemini and Fourth were practically racing to the top, with Pond keeping a close distance behind to make sure they didn’t end up biting each other’s heads off. The three of them reached the summit before anyone else, taking a well-deserved rest near the fountain at the top. They refilled their water bottles, taking big gulps, and snapped a few pictures of the breathtaking view.
Fourth, exhausted, lay down on a soft patch of grass, closing his eyes for just a minute—though it didn’t take long for him to doze off completely. Nearby, Gemini sat on a bench, drinking water and quietly watching Fourth, a faint smile playing on his lips. The peaceful look on Fourth’s face as he slept was rare to see, and for a moment, Gemini allowed himself to enjoy it without the usual chaos.
Pond, noticing the soft expression on Gemini’s face, nudged him with his elbow, smirking. "Caught you," Pond teased, his voice low so as not to wake Fourth.
Gemini immediately sputtered, caught off guard. "What—what are you talking about?" He scratched his head nervously, trying to come up with an excuse.
Pond chuckled. "Relax, it’s me. I’m Pond, not Fourth. You don’t have to be all nervous."
Gemini scratched the back of his neck, but before he could respond, Pond gave him a knowing look. "You two can't seem to stop flirting with each other."
Gemini blinked, looking genuinely confused. "Flirting? Us? We’re always arguing!"
Pond shook his head, laughing softly.
"Your mouths might be saying certain words, but your eyes? They’re always locked on each other, like you’re lost. Trust me, I've seen it before."
Gemini cringed at the thought, rubbing his face in embarrassment. "That sounds awful," he muttered, as if the idea of being so obvious was physically painful.
Pond shrugged, giving him a sympathetic smile. "That’s just how it is when you like someone, Gem. You can’t really hide it."
Gemini groaned and denied it again, though not as convincingly this time.
"No way. I don’t like him like that."
Pond raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.
"If I bet on my own life, I still wouldn’t believe you."
Gemini whined, feeling the teasing digging under his skin.
"Stop teasing me!"
Just as Pond was about to press further, they heard the sounds of heavy breathing behind them. Dunk, looking like he had just survived a zombie run, came staggering up, or more like dragged by a laughing Joong who had clearly been pushing him the whole way.
Dunk dropped to the ground dramatically, wheezing.
"I... I think I’m gonna die," he huffed between deep breaths, barely able to speak.
Fourth, who had just woken up from his brief nap, sat up and rubbed his eyes just in time to see Dunk sprawled out, looking like he might pass out. "You okay there?" Fourth asked with a grin, clearly amused.
Dunk glared up at him weakly. "No. I feel like I'm about to die, and you're sleeping?"
Joong chuckled, helping Dunk sit up and giving him some water. "You'll live, babe. Just breathe."
Pond, watching the chaos with a grin, leaned in to Gemini again.
"Think about it na”
Gemini groaned again, sinking lower on the bench. "Why did I even come on this trip?" he muttered, but the small smile on his face gave him away. He wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all himself.