Act Up

Dae-hyun's heart raced as he sat in the bathtub, the steamy water swirling around him, and Hei-ran beside him, both of them naked. They had been caught in a compromising situation, and his mind raced with reasons why they should halt this clandestine encounter.

He cleared his throat, breaking the silence that hung heavy in the bathroom.

"Hei-ran," he began, his voice low and filled with concern. "I think we should stop. We can't risk going for another round. What if someone catches us? Ji-eun is just outside, and we have no idea when she or anyone else might return."

Hei-ran's fingers traced patterns on the water's surface as she looked down, her expression a mixture of desire and frustration.

"I know, Dae-hyun," she whispered, her voice trembling with need. "But it's so hard to resist you, especially in this situation."

Dae-hyun could feel his resolve weakening as Hei-ran inched closer to him in the confined space of the tub. Her body pressed against his, igniting a fire of desire within him. He knew that every stolen moment with her was a risk, but the allure of her closeness was too tempting to resist.

Just as their lips were about to meet for another passionate kiss, a sudden knock on the bathroom door shattered the intimate atmosphere. The key clicked in the lock, and they both froze, their eyes widening in alarm. They knew trouble was coming, and it was coming fast.

"Hei-ran, are you alright?" A voice called out from the other side of the door, and it was unmistakably Ji-eun's.

Hei-ran and Dae-hyun exchanged panicked glances, their hearts pounding in their chests. They had been discovered, and there was no way to hide the compromising position they were in.

But as soon as she entered the lounge and realized Hei-ran wasn't there, her curiosity piqued. The sound of running water reached her ears, and without hesitation, she made her way to the bathroom.

Ji-eun's gaze fell upon the clothes scattered on the bathroom floor, unmistakably Hei-ran's and Dae-hyun's. Her intention wasn't prurient; instead, she wanted to confirm if Hei-ran and Dae-hyun were sharing a secret just like she and Seo-jin.

As Ji-eun reached the bathroom door, she couldn't have anticipated the sight that awaited her. There stood Dae-hyun, draped in a towel, looking entirely composed next to the filled bathtub where Hei-ran was situated, still in her bikini.

Dae-hyun's acting skills came into play effortlessly as he addressed Ji-eun with a calm demeanour.

"Oh, Ji-eun," he said, his voice tinged with concern. "You're just in time. Hei-ran wasn't feeling well, and she ended up throwing up on both of our clothes. I was making sure she didn't pass out while waiting for you to come back."

Ji-eun nodded, her scepticism slowly fading as she took in the scene. She understood the need for secrecy in such a situation.

"I see," she replied, her tone softer now, filled with understanding. "Well, let me help you clean her up."

"Thank you, Ji-eun. That would be much appreciated. I'll take care of tidying up the bedroom and handling the clothes we left in there," Dae-hyun smiled gratefully at Ji-eun.

With the division of tasks clear, Ji-eun turned her attention to Hei-ran, who still seemed a bit embarrassed by the whole situation. Ji-eun grabbed another towel and gently helped Hei-ran out of the tub, being as discreet as possible. She could sense that Hei-ran was relieved that their secret was safe, and the tension in the room began to dissipate.

Dae-hyun, in the meantime, went about his assigned task, straightening up the bedroom and discreetly disposing of the evidence of their rendezvous. As he worked, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that they had managed to avoid a potentially disastrous situation.

With Hei-ran being cleaned up and Dae-hyun having taken care of their surroundings, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The close call had been nerve-wracking, but their secret remained hidden, and the allure of their forbidden romance continued to burn brightly.

While Ji-eun helping Hei-ran and Dae-hyun occupied with covering their tracks, the immediate crisis had been averted. Hei-ran felt a mix of gratitude and embarrassment as Ji-eun dried her off and offered her fresh clothes.

"Thanks, Ji-eun," Hei-ran said softly, trying to convey her appreciation without words. Ji-eun smiled back, a knowing glint in her eyes.

Dae-hyun had expertly piled up their clothes and even managed to find a Therme Erding worker to request a change of sheets, all while avoiding Ji-eun's prying questions. He needed to get himself showered, clean of any evidence of their secret rendezvous.

However, when he rushed into his lounge to avoid any further misunderstandings, he was met with an unexpected sight. Eun-tae and Seo-jin were inside, engaged in a conversation. Dae-hyun's abrupt entrance caught their attention, and both men turned to him.

"Hey, Dae-hyun, where have you been?" Eun-tae asked a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I, uh, was just... helping Hei-ran in the bathroom. She wasn't feeling well," Dae-hyun's mind raced to find a plausible excuse, his heart pounding.

"Is that so? You seem quite dishevelled for someone just helping a friend. Especially in that towel," Seo-jin arched an eyebrow, clearly amused by Dae-hyun's flustered state.

"You know how it is, trying to comfort someone who's not feeling well. My clothes were a victim of a throw-up. Anyway, I need to take a quick shower. Excuse me," Dae-hyun offered a weak smile.

Without waiting for their response, he dashed into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the cool water wash away his anxiety and any lingering evidence of their tryst.

As he stood under the soothing spray, Dae-hyun couldn't help but reflect on the close call. They had narrowly avoided being caught, and he knew they needed to be more cautious moving forward. Their secret had to remain hidden, and he was determined to ensure it did.

Back in the lounge, Seo-jin exchanged a knowing glance with Eun-tae. It seemed like there were more secrets within their group than they had initially thought, and things were becoming increasingly complicated.

The bathroom door closed behind Ji-eun as she joined Hei-ran inside. The room was steamy from the warm bath, and Hei-ran was in the process of rinsing off while Ji-eun watched her with a curious expression.

"Hei-ran," Ji-eun began, her voice tinged with curiosity. "What really happened in here?"

Hei-ran tried to keep her composure, her face turning slightly pink from embarrassment. She had to maintain the facade to avoid revealing the true nature of her rendezvous with Dae-hyun.

"We were just talking, Ji-eun," Hei-ran replied, her tone casual. "I wasn't feeling well, and Dae-hyun was helping me out."

"Just talking with you? In the bathtub?" Ji-eun raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the explanation entirely.

"Well, I felt a bit faint, and Dae-hyun suggested I wash my face. Then he thought I should rinse off properly, so I put on my swimsuit," Hei-ran tried to think quickly.

"Your swimsuit, huh? Did anything else happen?" Ji-eun's detective instincts were in full gear.

"No, nothing else. He was just concerned about me," Hei-ran hesitated, her mind racing for an excuse.

"So, he didn't make any moves on you while you were in the bath?" Ji-eun continued to question, clearly unconvinced.

Hei-ran blushed deeply, unable to meet Ji-eun's gaze. She couldn't admit that it was she who had made advances on Dae-hyun.

"No, Ji-eun, nothing like that."

Before Ji-eun could press further, a knock on the bathroom door interrupted their conversation. Ji-eun opened the door to find a worker waiting, likely for the sheet that Dae-hyun had requested.

"Excuse me," the worker said politely, glancing at the messy clothes strewn about the bathroom.

"Oh... Yes... Thank you," Ji-eun quickly addressed the worker despite her low English proficiency.

As Ji-eun turned her attention to the worker, Hei-ran and Dae-hyun seized the opportunity. They, Hei-ran and Dae-hyun, grabbed Hei-ran's bikini hanging inside the bathroom and a towel. With swift movements, they concealed any evidence of their earlier escapade, narrowly avoiding the close call.

Hei-ran discreetly held her bikini panties in her hand as she covered herself with the bikini top and bottom, slipping them on quickly. Dae-hyun, too, used the towel to hide his lower half.

While Ji-eun and the worker were inside the lounge, Hei-ran breathed a sigh of relief. She had managed to dodge the questions for now, and their secret remained safe. She realized that they needed to be more careful in the future.

Now, with Ji-eun outside the bathroom, Hei-ran quickly put on her bikini panties to erase any remaining traces of their intimate encounter.

With the last piece of evidence safely hidden, Hei-ran once more felt a mix of relief and trepidation. They had narrowly escaped exposure, but the close call had shaken her. She couldn't let Ji-eun, or anyone else, discover the truth about her relationship with Dae-hyun. As she adjusted her bikini panties and made herself presentable, Hei-ran resolved to be even more cautious.

Her heart still raced from the intensity of their encounter, and she couldn't help but steal a glance at Dae-hyun, who was equally composed. They shared a knowing look, understanding the risks they were taking. The allure of their secret romance burned brighter than ever, but so did the need for discretion.