54. Between The Branches
Somin and Teho
"Ya, Somin-ah are you gonna bang that tree or not? You don't seem to understand his needs," the sweet voice mocked her getting closer, running across the dirt minefield.
Not him for god sake. Somin's insides tightened.
Exhausted from the several dozens of tries, red in the face, she sat on the grass and looked the intruder in the eye while he sprinted towards her.
"Wanna give me a masterclass in climbing? I bet you've got plenty of experience that should be similar." Her voice dripped in sarcasm, hinting at his promiscuous nature.
"Climbing trees is way easier." Snickering, he winked at her.
She was tiredly sprawled on the grass without any consideration for staining her pastel clothes.
"If you weren't such an expert on my leisure time what would I do?" he answered her critique.
"Should I prepare an excel spreadsheet and fill it out for you, so you know where to go?" she poked, wondering about his attire.
Where the usually pretty and fashionable boy was, stood a stranger in tall boots, a brown hoodie, and pants with too many pockets. All the ordinary pieces clicked together, making him look like a camouflaged soldier. Teho caught her pupils quickly viewing his figure and made a pose for her.
"I don't strive to be overly noticeable when shooting," Teho explained.
"You're such a dumbass." She giggled when he posed again.
"What's your problem, ma'am?" He saluted and relaxed, sitting next to her, putting his photo bag aside, and carefully hiding his camera.
"I dunno how to get up, the bark is too smooth, and the branch is too high for me," she said leisurely.
"That's because you don't know the trick." He winked at her.
"Trick?" she repeated.
The courageous boy got up and positioned himself under the lowest branch watching it for a minute and then jumped. His hands hugged the branch as he swung his legs in one motion to stabilize on the tree trunk. It looked so effortlessly easy, he just pulled up closer to the branch and walked his legs to the point where he finally got on top and carefully straightened up to sit.
"Easy," he mocked her leaning against the trunk, legs dangling down.
"How the fuck should I suppose to do that?" Somin said. "I'm not flexible like Mia," she sadly remarked while still looking at him.
"Don't worry," He made a show while carefully launching himself down, clapping his dirty hands against each other, his hoodie lifting a little exposing his tummy, wondering if she looks.
Look at me, Somin. I know you want to.
The strong chemistry came back again and he was aware of it more than before. Having the comparison from the morning.
"Try it." He made a gesture to help her up and she accepted the offered hand, clenching it tightly.
Does he make those theatrics just to show off or does he want to see if I'm all over him like the other girls?
Somin couldn't handle her emotions.
The unlucky girl placed herself on the same spot as he did and jumped, but was still too short to reach it.
"Fuck," she swore and Teho chuckled.
"Am I funny to you?" she played insulted.
"Shut up and jump," he encouraged her.
Somin jumped again and he caught her around the waist and pushed her upwards so she could finally grab the branch, screaming.
"Aaaaa, that's too fucking high!" she screamed, holding the branch tightly and fighting with her feet to reach the trunk as he did, the boy held her butt pushing her forward.
"Make the fucking footwork now!" Teho encouraged her.
In her state of panic, she did all the steps and stabilized on the joint, breathing profusely.
"That's a lot of stress," she exclaimed exhaustively.
"That's because you'd try to climb my tree without my permission. He'd be better to you if he knew I allowed it," Teho stated cockily, pulling a smaller camera and jacket from his bag, and putting it on.
"You mean he'd lower the branch for me to hop on," she scoffed.
"Do you need anything up there?" he asked.
"You can hand me my thermos," she said.
Will he stay here with me?
The lively photographer reached in the infamous bag for the bottle, but curiosity got the best of him as he saw the small paperback laying in there. He decided to pull it out.
"Astounding lover, is this about me?" He wiggled the book with a cliché cover.
The naked muscled man held a woman clothed in satin lingerie and covered her eyes with his big palms, both were entangled in sheets. Her facial features spoke about passion as her lips were parted and he seemed to whisper to her ear while curtains wildly flowed in the opened window behind them, making the viewer see the scenery of the darkened city.
"Seems like I interrupted a date," Teho joked and mimicked the same pose with hands on an invisible lover.
"Fuck you," she answered.
"Don't mind if I do." The words brought back quietness in which both try to deny its meaning.
"Can I borrow it later, friend?" Teho tried to lift up the mood.
"I don't want you to read it," Somin said.
"Why? Is it because it's smut?" he asked boldly.
"You, sneaking around my head, doesn't feel comfortable," Somin said honestly.
The slim boy handed her the bottle and touched her cold fingertips, then stepped aside and swung up the second branch, which was pretty close to the Somin's, practically just within reach of hand. Taking off his jacket he placed it around her shoulders.
"I can be a gentleman you see?" The awkward girl smiled, faintly smelling him from the cloth.
"I'll buy my own copy, so we can exchange our papers on the sexy dynamics." Teho wanted the atmosphere to be as light as possible.
"I think you should go," she whispered nervously, dreading the shared time alone here.
Her shaky fingers opened the thermos, breathing out the tension.
"Shouldn't I be rewarded for my teaching skills rather than be asked to leave?" He eyed the cup she made from the top of the bottle.
"Well, if touching my butt count as a skill." She poured the hot wine and handed it to him accepting the fact he wasn't about to go anywhere, Teho sniffed it.
"Pretty butts count" His compliment made her blush more.
"Isn't it kinda early for alcohol?" he asked after the first sip of the strong beverage.
"Lunch is a new midnight," she said and he chuckled whilst the sun hit the tree, making it nicely gold.
They exchanged the wine cup, sipping its hot and strong content when Somin asked.
"Why's this your tree?" And furrowed her brows at him.
"I'm here way longer than you pink-hair, all the trees are mine," he answered pompously.
"Seems like you have quite a big territory there," she mocked him, hinting at the girls he's dated.
"Well I do, but I can extend an invitation to one special person, you know me being a generous guy and all," he acted out snobby.
"I'm not gonna beg," Somin played offended.
"You will," he left it hanging, sipping her wine.
...
Somin felt the hot alcohol warming her insides, making her finally a bit comfortable in his presence, calming her nerves. He shot a few pictures on his small camera just for practice and they both bathed in mutual silence, listening to the rustling of leaves, smiling subtly at each other, drinking.
It's nice to share quietness.
The giddy boy was surprised at how easy it was without any feelings of displacement or heavy embarrassment. Only making soft touches to each other while exchanging the beverage. The sound of light giggles rang together with the tree leaves once in a while.
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