lovestrippedbare | 𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕚𝕔𝕠

"You said calves," Yoongi protests, but the cold has him shivering and the shivers turn into laughter, his hand squeezing Jungkook's as they wade further out into the water. "Now it's knees. Are we going swimming now?"

He can barely even pretend to be grouchy about this, though. Jungkook looks too pleased, if cold, and Yoongi quickens his pace so he can wrap his arms around him, grinning, to try and warm him. "Twenty is not old." He has half a mind to knock the pair of them into the water, but the idea of walking back to the hotel completely soaked is unappealing enough to deter him for now.

By now, they're far enough into the water that there isn't really anyone else by their side — if anything, people seem to be glancing skeptically in their direction, most of the tourists here for the view and not yet for swimming. It all works out in Jungkook's favor, though. With the distance between them and the rest of the population, Jungkook feels less self-conscious, less concerned about the two of them being tangled up in one another, arms sliding easily around Yoongi's waist and gripping tight to keep him close.

"Oh, I don't know. Twenty means you're not a teenager anymore. That means I basically have to call you old," Jungkook quips with a snicker, leaning back just enough to get a look at Yoongi's expression, no trace of true irritation there over Jungkook's teasing. If anything, Yoongi looks beautiful in this light, perhaps woken in part by the chill of the water.

Jungkook does his best not to clumsily knock their teeth together when he leans back in, fighting off shivers as he searches for a kiss, one hand raised to cup Yoongi's jaw.

Yoongi smiles against his mouth before he returns the kiss, arms draping over Jungkook's shoulders. They're both shaking from the cold and it's a little ridiculous and he doesn't care at all. There's room to be ridiculous when he's happy like this. "Does that mean I get to call you a brat?" he teases. "You're freezing. Are you sure you want to go any further?"

Because he will, if Jungkook wants it. There's very little Yoongi thinks he wouldn't do if Jungkook wanted it.

Even this, standing in the cold water kissing where anyone might see them. They're far enough from the crowds that he doubts anyone will really notice, but it still sends a thrill of nerves and excitement both through him any time they take this kind of a risk. He's more cautious than Jungkook is, but he doesn't let that stop him now.

"You can call me a brat all you'd like, though I can think of much better ways to scold me," Jungkook teases, looping his arms low around Yoongi's waist, relaxed and pleased with the weight of the other boy against his body, shivers and all. Out in the water, it feels like they're on the edge of the world, that they've run here at full speed until no one else can touch them. It's an experience that Jungkook wants to relive time and time again, and it anchors him, somehow. Gives him a goal that he can easily envision himself working towards.

Wanting to provide a lifetime of happy memories for Yoongi.

"This is far enough for now," he murmurs, one hand rising to brush Yoongi's hair off to the side, though the currents of wind make the effort a futile one. "We'll save the actual swimming for tomorrow. Or some time when I don't have my phone in my pocket."

He laughs, even though the remark isn't all that funny. Laughs, because there's the space to do so now, with blue skies stretching above and blue water all around them, throwing his head back even as his teeth continue to chatter. The air smells nice, slightly salty and alive.

"Best birthday ever?" he asks Yoongi, raising a brow expectantly.

They'd be warmer if they swam now, phone or not, Yoongi knows, if they let themselves get soaked so they could acclimate to the water's frigid temperature. He doesn't care. They can try that tomorrow. For now, he likes this method of staying warm, pulling Jungkook close for another kiss before he answers.

"Best birthday ever," he agrees. It's simple and quiet, just the two of them, but that's all he really needs this year anyway. Being out here, it's like they've escaped from all the pressure and pain of home, and there's nothing left but them and all this freedom. "I'm glad we did this."

Last night with the other boys was great, but Yoongi isn't always one for a lot of fuss. This is better, quieter, a glimpse of how the world could be.

Jungkook giggles, selfishly pleased that he gets to be the one who gives Yoongi this, a day of sheer happiness, no other obligations tying them down. He presses both of his hands to Yoongi's cheeks, squishing them slightly, quick kisses pressed to his forehead, the tip of his nose, doting and fond. He wonders what Yoongi's father would think, if he could see his son like this, so full of life and vibrant in spite of how devoid of love their home is.

What Yoongi's mother would think, to see her son happy again.

"I'm glad we did this, too. Totally worth Jimin chewing me out," Jungkook agrees, swaying them slightly in the water, reminded suddenly of their slow dance, half a year ago. "Next year, we'll have you pick the destination, though. It's only fair, being your birthday and all."

Yoongi rolls his eyes fondly at the idea of Jimin getting angry with Jungkook. As long as one of Jimin's moods isn't turned on him, they're somehow endearing. Maybe it's because they know Jimin loves them anyway.

"I like what you chose," he says, shaking his head. "This is perfect. You know I don't care where we go anyway, but I like this." He would have been happy even if they'd just found a motel somewhere in Seoul. Anything that allows the two of them to be together without worry or interruption is good enough for him. Still, they have a long list of possibilities they want to visit and plenty of time to save up for longer trips to more distant places. It's fun to imagine they might go one day and never come back.

"I guess," Jungkook says, pursing his lips at the suggestion that Yoongi doesn't care where they go. On the one hand, Jungkook knows it's probably true — that there's no way that Yoongi would be disappointed with where they've come, that Yoongi's mind isn't as fixated on travel as Jungkook's has been. For Yoongi, the yearning has always been for love to come back into his home. Jungkook finds himself simply needing to escape.

It's enough that Yoongi can start to take just as much joy away as Jungkook for these trips. That both of them can find greater happiness when they set out together.

"If you see pictures, though. Like, places that look like they might be interesting... we should still add it to our bucket list," he adds, leaning in and pressing a kiss to the tip of Yoongi's nose. "I know Europe's one of the end goals. But anyplace in Korea, too. When things look good to us, let's think about how to get there."

"Okay," Yoongi says, wrinkling his nose in response. There are plenty of places he'd like to visit, if he thinks about it, but sometimes it's outweighed by the desire for a quiet, simple life or his happiness at being exactly where he is. The latter is already remarkable enough to him, the simple fact of being content. Still, there's a lot of world to see, even if they narrow it down just to Korea. "I'll think about it. We've got plenty of time to get ready, right?"

Wherever they go, they'll have to save up for it, after all, and next year may not allow for them to get away quite so easily. Once he's at university, he'll have to look over the schedule and see. Maybe if they plan for the break nearest to his birthday, they can go farther.

"A whole year. And then the year after that. And the year after that..." Jungkook counts off, tilting his head playfully before tugging Yoongi closer again, pressing their foreheads together, peppering Yoongi's lips with quick pecks. It's probably more than a little obnoxious.

Jungkook also doesn't care.

As much as he could spend the next few hours kissing Yoongi, a strong gust of wind brings Jungkook's attention back to the horizon itself, squinting against the sun as he turns fully towards the water. He loops an arm closely around Yoongi's waist, trying to maintain the warmth between them, and lets out a soft sigh at the sight of the endless water, sunlight glittering over the surface.

"It's like we're at the end of the world," Jungkook murmurs.

The sounds from the beach, the chatter of other people, have faded into the background, unimportant, and Yoongi gazes out to the horizon. It seems impossibly far, nothing by sea and sky for unfathomable miles. With an arm draped over Jungkook's shoulder, Yoongi leans his side into him. "Yeah," he says. It almost seems as if they're alone for this. Certainly no one else matters, anyway, the suggestion of other people distant enough to ignore.

He imagines sailing off toward that far off line and never coming back, the pair of them journeying, exploring.

"It's beautiful."

Two days isn't nearly enough for this, Jungkook thinks. But it's more than they've had so far, and maybe occasional trips like this will be able to tide them over until they're finally able to break away and live their own lives, until they're finally able to set off over that ocean and never look back. Maybe Jungkook should feel a greater attachment to the life he's lived, to the people who have supported him, to the experiences and memories worth cherishing.

But right now, all that he can do is think of the future, one hand weaving through Yoongi's hair, carding through the strands and pulling him close.

"Almost as beautiful as you," Jungkook says with a cheesy smile, eyes still fixed on the horizon.

Yoongi laughs, slapping at Jungkook's side. "Yah, you're so ridiculous," he says, glancing over and rolling his eyes. It's too absurd to take as a compliment, and yet, underneath the over-the-top nature of it, it's not like he doesn't believe Jungkook also means it. How lucky they are, that they can make each other laugh so easily.

He rests his head on Jungkook's shoulder, enjoying the way Jungkook touches his hair. There's something absurdly satisfying about having his hair stroked like this. He suspects Jin would have some kind of cat-related comment to make if he ever said as much near the others, though. The waves surge and crash against their shins, the sand shifting under their feet, and Yoongi closes his eyes, letting himself feel like they're drifting away on the tide.

"For what, telling the truth?" Jungkook asks, snorting as Yoongi hits his side and bumping his hip against Yoongi's in retaliation. Maybe the sentiment is more than a little cheesy, but Jungkook knows that he'd trade all the views like this in the world if it only meant that he could spend every second by Yoongi's side, their cares and worries too distant to matter. Still, he's glad for the chance to view the ocean as well, distantly wondering if his father ever came to this same beach.

Looked out over that same horizon.

Wonders, if his father ever brought his mother here on a date.

When the soft weight of Yoongi's head drops down to his shoulder, Jungkook glances over carefully, not wanting to disturb his boyfriend. He smiles at the way Yoongi's eyes fall to a close, expression peaceful and content. With a small shift, he turns to press his lips against Yoongi's forehead.

The soft brush of lips against his forehead draws a smile from Yoongi, his arm wrapping more tightly around Jungkook's waist in a sideways hug. There's such peace out here. They could live somewhere like this, somewhere close to the water. A quiet place where they could visit the ocean whenever they wanted. It's an option, anyway; there are so many possibilities to consider, the future as vast as the ocean before them.

"I love you," he murmurs, lifting his head to kiss Jungkook's cheek before he rests it against his shoulder again. "And I really like this." He can't really fault Jungkook for being cheesy, though. As gorgeous as it is out here, he prefers the sight of Jungkook to the waves; it makes sense the same is true in reverse.

It's hard for Jungkook to stop his mind from running in a million directions — wanting to check if Yoongi really isn't at all interested in a little intimacy on the beach, lamenting the fact that he can't propose to Yoongi right here and now, wondering if the two of them should start making their way back to the hotel, where it can really just be them, only them. But Yoongi looks so at peace that Jungkook can't bring himself to disturb the moment, save for continuing to press kisses to Yoongi's temple once he rests his head back on Jungkook's shoulder.

"I love you more than anything, you know," Jungkook says softly, lips brushing against Yoongi's hair, feeling the strands tickle his cheeks with the wind. "Maybe it gets old, hearing it over and over so many times... but it never feels like I get to say it enough when we're in Seoul."

"It never gets old," Yoongi says, quiet, even solemn. Even having such good friends to turn to, there are so many times when Yoongi has felt alone in the world, unwanted, unloved, or at least unnecessary. How could he ever tire of hearing otherwise from the person he loves most in this world? How could he tire of saying it. Jungkook has a point, though. Far from their own world, there's a freedom they don't usually have except in his room, in their most unguarded moments, when no one else is around, no one to worry will overhear. There's no one to be afraid of in Busan, and while they still can't exactly parade their relationship for anyone to see, there's a greater sense of openness, too.

He lifts his head a little, chin resting on Jungkook's shoulder. "It never could." He craves affection in general, more than he ever wants to admit; with Jungkook, though, it doesn't feel like a confession. Jungkook knows him better than anyone else anyway. And it's his affection Yoongi wants most of all. "I never get tired of saying it either."

Jungkook wrinkles his nose, delighted by how cute Yoongi looks now, with his chin on Jungkook's shoulder. Everything about him is cute, not necessarily small but all of it so contained, so easy to wrap his arms around and hold close. Jungkook tilts his head and it's just enough for him to reach Yoongi's lips, pressing a lingering kiss there, an attempt to convey his love with all the senses.

"I accept it as my role in life to keep saying it until you grow tired of hearing it. Until it's your forever earworm. So that when you're old and wrinkled and gray, if you don't remember anything else, you'll remember that Jeon Jungkook loves you and that's all you need," he chuckles, suddenly filled with half a mind to just tackle Yoongi into the water, phones be damned.

He settles instead for picking Yoongi up and spinning them in a circle, splashing water every which way as they turn.

Yoongi laughs, startled, holding tight to Jungkook as they spin around. They must be so obvious to anyone paying them the least bit of attention, openly affectionate, openly adoring. Yoongi doesn't give a fuck. Other people are too far away to bother them, and other people don't matter anyway, only Jungkook.

"That's already all I know," he says, grinning, rolling his eyes fondly. "That's all I need to know." Whatever else comes their way, they have each other. It's a very big and powerful thing to be so loved. It seems to Yoongi like it's the light he's been waiting for, sent to banish the shadows always hanging over him, to guide him into a better life, the one he shares with Jungkook now. "But you can say it as much as you want. But maybe say it on shore. This is fucking freezing."

Jungkook watches Yoongi for a moment, eyes sparkling with mischief, as he squats just a little — just enough to threaten dunking both of them in the water without actually getting anything wet. Fun though it might be under any other circumstances, their change of clothes is too far away and the weather too chilly to manage it without risking a cold, so Jungkook places Yoongi down gently instead, and turns to face the shore.

"It really isn't that bad compared to our other trip to the beach, is it?" Jungkook asks, determinedly avoiding the chatter that threatens to take over his jaw. He reaches for Yoongi's hand, gripping it in his own as he starts to splash his way back to shore. "I mean, that time was a whole month earlier. And not nearly this sunny. And we're further south now than we were then."

"Yeah, but you're still freezing," Yoongi says, eyebrow arching. He can see, almost hear, the way Jungkook's jaw trembles with the cold. All of that may be true, but it doesn't make the water any less cold, even if Yoongi feels like he's mostly adjusted to it. But even with his jeans rolled up, the hem is soaked from waves crashing against their legs, and Jungkook couldn't even do that much. He doesn't want his boyfriend getting too cold.

Still, Jungkook isn't wrong. It's nicer, warmer, here than it was last month. It's also more crowded. Yoongi prefers when it's just them and their friends. "Maybe we should come back for sunset," he says. "I bet it's quieter once it gets dark."

"You don't think other couples in love are just gonna take over the beach?" Jungkook muses as they start to make their way back to the shore, keeping his eyes peeled and examining every group they pass with interest, trying to determine which are the couples and which are simply groups of friends making a brief getaway. Some are more obvious about their affections than others, Jungkook thinks, and it makes him wonder how many people have completely seen through the two of them already. It's not every day that a boy lifts another and spins them around above the water.

They don't exactly look related, either.

"I'd be down for coming back to watch the sun set. Maybe even staying after that... seeing if I can change your mind about how willing you are to get, mm, affectionate? Out in the open," Jungkook remarks with a grin. The reality's probably a lot less romantic than what he's picturing.

Doesn't stop him from wanting to try, anyway.

Yoongi rolls his eyes. The idea of it is very romantic and all, but sand is almost as insidious as glitter. He has a feeling that, if he agrees, he'll regret doing so.

On the other hand, the idea of messing around out in the open is more appealing than he cares to admit, and he never likes to say no to Jungkook as long as the request is remotely reasonable.

"We'll see," he says, and he knows he's just going to give in, but he doesn't have to make it easy. Maybe they should get a blanket from somewhere. "And so what if they do? Other couples in love will be too tangled up in each other to care about us."

"Oh yeah, I don't think they'll give a shit about us, but — will they be quiet?" Jungkook snickers, can't help himself even if it's childish to do so, imagining how mortified they'd be if there was a couple getting audibly hot and heavy on the beach. Would others dare? It seems like it would put them at risk for being reprimanded by any staff or police nearby.

But Jungkook's also seen just how many liberties straight couples are able to get away with. The double standard is pretty unfair, really.

"Maybe that'd be better for us in a way, though. More cover." Jungkook bites at his lower lip, already taking a mental catalog of all the things he'd like to bring to the beach with them. Probably most importantly of all, a spare blanket from their room.

Given what they're talking about doing, Yoongi figures it's probably unfair of him to judge anyone else for doing the same, but that isn't actually stopping him.

"Isn't the real question whether or not you can be quiet?" he teases. Jungkook is perfectly capable of keeping it down when necessary, but Yoongi likes all the noises he makes. Still, that's part of the appeal of being in public, the need to be careful, the risk of getting caught. They could get in a lot of trouble if they're not cautious, but that hasn't stopped him from doing things in the past. Why would it stop him now?

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